A TREATISE TOUCHING THE Peace of the Church OR AN APOSTOLICAL RULE how to judge aright in Differences which concern Religion JOHN 7. v. 24. Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous Judgement PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY LONDON Printed for George Thomason and are to be sold at his Shop at the Rose and Crown in Pauls Church-yard 1646. To the Reverend Pious and Learned Assembly of Divines conven'd at Westminster by the Authority of the Parliament for consultation in matters of Religion REVEREND SIRS COnsidering with my self with a charitable and tender commiseration the pestiferous and pernicious Heresies Schisms Divisions and Sects wherewith since the Apostles times the Christian both Eastern and Western Churches were ever continually infested distracted and torn in peeces I make no question but you will confesse that the latter two rents the One between the Christian-Protestants and Roman-Catholicks the Other between us and the Evangelical-Lutherans which in our Predecessours dayes sprung originally in Germany then were dispersed over the face of the Universal-Occidental-Christian-World and at this present are grown to the highest pitch of desolation and devastation of Christendom were fomented with more unchristian and inhuman cruelty bitternesse calumnies slanders oppressions persecutions and effusion of blood then ever you heard or read in Ecclesiastical Histories of any other Religion in the World And consequently acknowledge that such distractions and disorders of the Christian Church proceed from no other ground then from an unseasonable uncharitable rash presumptuous and unjust judging and condemning one another Wherefore we shall do very well exactly to search and inquire which of these three principal divided and dissenting Churches is guilty or innocent of such a prejudicial Schism and Separation to the end that we may know and discern which side to imbrace and give assent unto and which not And that the true undeniable orthodoxal Doctrine and Religion of the true Evangelical Reformed Protestants may not be condemned and rejected by any incompetent Judge as false erroneous heretical and damnable in regard that Spiritual and Ecclesiastical matters are commonly as much obnoxious to ill managing as Civil and Temporal It is by all means expedient and requisite for us to repaire to such a Judge who betwixt us and others may determine and decide the Controversie and Difference by an infallible Sentence from which we cannot appeal And whereas the Papists do attribute such full and absolute determination to the Catholick Church or as they declare it themselves to the Pope as the Supream Head of the Church either himself alone or with assistance of a Councel of Cardinals Bishops and Prelates depending on him and representing the whole Universal Church I am perswaded we with all Christian Protestants cannot nor will submit to any other Judge in matters of Religion but to the Holy Scripture or to the Lord our God himself who in his Sacred Word hath prescribed his Will and Decision to the Christian Church which we onely closely and positively must adhere and stick unto For this Volume of the Holy Scripture I mean not any other Books more or lesse then those that by inspiration of the Holy Ghost were written of the Prophets and Apostles and left to the Primitive Church which from it were spred amongst all Nations and in the middest of darknesse and unfaithful heresies by Gods singular Providence preserved and in their original Tongues conveyed unto us being the indubitable Word of God whose Divine Power Light Vertue and Operation all true Beleevers feel in their hearts and consciences and containing though not the decision of all Theological Questions and Controversies yet all Articles of Faith and Doctrine necessary for every true Christians Salvation It is manifest that the Church or they that have the charge over it whether they be called Popes Cardinals Bishops or Divines and Teachers or general Councels have not any power and jurisdiction to decide determine and wrest the Doctrines to their arbitrary judgement and pleasure but onely a ministerial function to teach and demonstrate by Warrant from the Word of God whether and how they are decided in it neither to force their doubtful and undecided Opinions upon any man sub Anathemate or Excommunication unlesse he should reject the Word of God in any fundamental and necessary Article of Faith or plain Declaration thereof or cry up his own erroneous and controverted opinions interpretations consequences and inferences for the Word of God it self and necessary Articles of Faith to the disturbance and distraction of the Christian Church And this is that the Papists cast continually into the Lutherans and Reformed Protestants teeth That notwithstanding they still refer themselves to the perfect and infallible Rule of the Word of God yet for all this they will be themselves infallible Judges by obstructing and imposing their own particular expositions and inferences on others The Lutherans indeed especially which are called Lutherani rigidi the grosser sort who are so strictly addicted Formulae Concordiae Saxonicae that they bind not onely their Faith and Doctrine unto it but also all others that dissent from them in their particular interpretations and opinions principally in the Point of Consubstantiation and Omnipresence of Christs Body and its oral manducation by excluding them from the Communion of the Christian Church and depriving them of Publick Offices and Dignities as long as they do obstinately persist in their arrogant judging and condemning will have a very hard task to clear themselves of this charge The Vindication of the Protestant Reformed Churches how that they onely depend on the Word of God and not on any mans interpretation and opinion much lesse presume to impose them on others as necessary unto Salvation but impart and permit to every one the due Libertie of Conscience without transgressing the true Limits and Rules of Gods Truth and the Christian Charity hath been of late sufficiently and punctually for the true and better information of them that are misinformed exhibited in high Dutch by D. John Bergius Chaplaine to His Highnesse the Prince Elector of Brandenbourg Author of this Treatise One of the best Learned Divines Germany at this present affordeth a primitive Catholick Christian and down-right Protestant in such a plain and perspicuous way that even the most ignorant and unlearned who are not able to peruse great Volumes may palpably see and perceive the falsehood and slanders that are laid at all Christian Protestants doors And withall since the Reformed Protestant Churches cannot hope for any Ecclesiastical Peace and Unitie both in Church and Common-wealth whilest the vehemency and fiercenesse in judging and condemning of the said Papists and Lutherans is not appeased and mitigated He representeth and declareth to them an Infallible Apostolical Direction and Rule in general what and how far men are bound in conscience to judge and not to judge in matters of Religion and then by way of application How far they ought to judge the Roman-Catholicks and Lutherans
all Christians to know and at all times especially in the Primitive Church of the Apostles have been unanimously received taught and believed by all true Christians as the aforementioned Fundamental doctrine of salvation with all that is evidently and undoubtedly depending from it so that no man can reject it without he rejecteth also the Fundamental doctrine it self But some are but Theological Doctrines which are not necessary for all Christians but onely for some to know to whom God hath imparted before others a fuller measure of knowledge and more excellent gifts and charge from whom also he will require more then of others according to the rule of Christ To whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required Luk. 12.48 So that it is sufficient for one to know and to believe onely implicitely in the principal General Articles that what another doth know and believe explicitely in many Special Points which are comprehended therein For the one that he should believe and do that which in it self and directly is necessary unto salvation for the other that which he knoweth to be consequently necessary or to be inseparably annexed thereunto Yea for one it is necessary to believe many Truths whereof he hath good ground and knowledge out of the Word of God which neverthelesse for another who wanteth such knowledge are either not so necessary or not so profitable to believe without ground yet are necessary not to deny or contradict them obstinately out of carnal affections because he cannot but have lesse ground to deny them and rather ought to search the Truth diligently in the fear and worship of God and to be ready to receive and acknowledge it with thankfulnesse when it is demonstrated unto him out of the Word of God Otherwise the Obstinate denying which is incompatible and inconsistent with true faith and love to Christ and his Word and proceedeth meerly from carnal affections whereby the understanding in the knowledge of the Truth is darkened and eclipsed would prove damnable unto him not onely by reason of the errour it self but rather because of his Obstinacie Thirdly and principally we must discern what is necessary or not necessary in regard of the revealed Word 3. In regard of the revealed Word of God being the rule and means whereby we may know what we ought to believe and to do Which Word though properly there is nor ought to be but onely one yet is delivered to the Believers in a Twofold manner by Preaching and Writing From whence we must distinctly consider Whether and how far the written Word of God and whether and how far the preached and ministerial Word or the traditions and doctrines of the Church and their teachers ought to be the rule of our Faith and life But since this is the Point that principally is controverted and debated betwixt the Romane Catholikes and the Evangelical Protestants we intend at this present to lay down the ground-work of that which is undoubtedly agreed on by both Parties As first of all That the Books of the Prophets and Apostles of the Old and New Testament which we on all sides acknowledge and receive for Canonical are the undoubted Word of God and the perfect and infallible rule of our Faith and life and that consequently every thing that is taught in them so clearly and manifestly that every understanding Christian certainly and undoubtedly may know and conceive it must be necessary for all unto salvation so that though they do not know explicitè and particularly all things yet are ready to believe and receive undoubtedly all things assoon at they do apprehend them The Sum of the Articles we must believe unto salvation is briefly collected in the Apostolical Creed into which all Christians are baptized and received as fellow-members of the Christian Church What we must Morally do is exhibited in the Commandments of the First and Second Table concerning the love and duty towards God and our neighbour But what we must Ceremonially and Sacramentally perform is contained in the words of the Institution of the holy Baptism and the blessed Communion or Supper of the Lord being the Two Sacraments of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ himself as it is generally and undoubtedly agreed on And lastly what we ought to desire and ask of God is included in the Lords Prayer In which Five Fundamental Points of Christian Religion viz. in tribus Symbolis doctrinalibus credendorum faciendorum petendorum what we ought to believe to do and to ask and in duobus Symbolis Sacramentalibus regenerationis nutritionis spiritualis how we ought to be regenerated and as Children of God in Christ spiritually nourished unto a new and eternal life doth consist the whole Catechism which we for our part think generally necessary for all Christians yet all is to be understood in that sense which is most clearly taught and expressed in the Scripture yea also whatsoever so evidently and necessarily doth depend from the said Fundamental Points that every Understanding Christian though he is not able to conceive the Divine Mysteries by his natural reason may yet certainly and undoubtedly apprehend the doctrine or meaning of the Scripture or the necessary consequence of it Therefore although any Controversie should be raised and moved about these Fundamental Articles which in the Primitive Church had not been sufficiently declared or unanimously taught yet they could not be generally necessary unto salvation for all Christians but onely their unanimous and undoubted meaning Moreover besides that what directly in it self is necessary there are yet many other points of doctrine partly Theological partly Historical and partly Philosophical yea in general whatsoever is clearly taught in the holy Scripture though its consequence and dependence from these Fundamental Articles is not of such necessitie and therefore not directly necessary unto Salvation yet it is necessary for us to believe it because it is thus certainly and clearly revealed in the Word of God For Example That our Lord Jesus Christ suffered under the Emperour Tiberius and under the Governour Pontius Pilate as it is expressed in the Apostles Creed or that the mother of the Lord was called Mary or that our Lord rose from the dead the Third and not the Fourth day c. These are such circumstances in the historie of the Birth and Death of Christ which though directly they are not necessary for us to believe and know unto salvation yet they are necessary for us to believe because they are as clearly and expresly set down in the Word of God as the Articles themselves so that no man that knoweth them may deny or make a scruple of them unlesse he would also deny together the whole Word of God Likewise that in the last times the great Antichrist shall come That at Christs coming to judge the world not all men shall die but the rest be changed which though it is not absolutely necessary unto salvation to know yet it is
necessary for him to believe it who hath such knowledge of it from the Word of God And because the holy Scriptures do promise everlasting life and salvation to all them which truely believe in Jesus Christ as he is revealed and manifested in them we thereby further argue and conclude thus That such doctrine of the Scripture is not onely necessary but also wholly sufficient unto salvation so that no other singular doctrine besides the holy Scripture is necessary unto salvation Which also the Primitive Church both in its doctrine and universal practice doth abundantly testifie that they held the sacred Scripture to be satisfactory unto salvation even for the most-able and best-learned men and the Five aforesaid Symbols or Fundamental Articles sufficient for all Unlearned Ignorant Christians as we could prove it by many evident testimonies of the Ancient Fathers which having heretofore already been done by many others we thought it superfluous to enlarge our selves therein at this present Whether and how far the Tradition and Doctrine of the Church is necessary Yet next and besides the Scripture we do not decline and reject the Word and Doctrine of the Church not as the principal Ground and rule of our Faith for that is meerly and solely grounded upon this Because the Lord said it but not upon this Because the Church or their teachers said it but as requisite means whereby the Word of God is preached and taught unto us and as a testimony of that what is declared therein Wherein notwithstanding we must exactly distinguish betwixt that what the whole Vniversal Christian Church hath with an unanimous Consent taught and believed out of the Word of God at all times especially in the Primitive times and that what perhaps but one or other Particular Church hath taught in the later times Whatsoever the whole Christian Church especially in the first hundred yeers immediately after the Apostles hath unanimously taught and believed out of the Word of God as necessary unto salvation that same is an Infallible mark and testimony that it is certainly and undoubtedly the true sense and meaning of the Word of God and consequently is necessary for all Christians to believe and receive it Because there is no doubt but the true Primitive Church beside the holy Scripture hath received also from Christ himself and his Apostles the true sense and meaning thereof at least in all necessary Fundamental Points of the Christian doctrine Contrariwise whatsoever the Primitive Church hath not taught that same is an evident signe and testimony that it is not so expresly set down in the holy Scripture that all Christians of necessitie should know and believe it unto salvation because many thousands of the Primitive and best Christians have been saved without such doctrine But this testimony of the Primitive Church of whatsoever it hath taught or not taught is of such a nature that it is not to be understood by all Christians but onely by those who are well versed and have read the Volumes of the Ancient Fathers which even very few of the Teachers and Ministers are able to do Wherefore the greater part of Christians especially when the doctrine and meaning of the Primitive Church is drawn into Controversie ought to fix themselves and adhere closely to the evident testimony of the holy Scripture without which they cannot have any certain ground of their faith and salvation For whatsoever not the Universal onely but one or some Particular Churches have believed and taught especially in the later times whether it were done in their Councils and Synods or else by their publike Confessions or other writings doctrines and witnesses that very same though it is a testimony of the belief and doctrine of the particular Churches yet it cannot oblige other Churches or generally all Christians nor be necessary for all unto salvation neither ground and confirm their faith any further then the certain and indubitable Word of God hath demonstrated unto them and they themselves have received it as consonant and agreeable to Scripture Since it is granted on all sides that the particular Churches may erre in their own particular opinions and that the Christian Faith must not be grounded upon the word of one particular Church but meerly and onely upon the Word of God Neverthelesse the Word and Authority of the particular Churches doth binde at least their fellow-members thus far that they ought not rashly to contradict their doctrine and declarations unlesse it be contradicted by a more evident testimony of Gods Word and by an Unanimous doctrine of the Primitive Church For otherwise this would prove a Presumptuous judging or at least an Unnecessary scandalous contradicting We hope now Why not a certain specifâ—â—â—tion may be made of all the Points of Doctrine that are necessary unto salvation by all these things that are said it doth plainly and manifestly appear What and how far it is necessary and not necessary unto salvation although we do not specifie all points of Doctrine nor precisely determinate what and how much might be necessary and sufficient to every one in particular which is almost impossible to do for these Reasons First because we cannot directly know how far the capacitie of every one or the most unlearned and ignorant Christians and how far Gods mercy may reach and extend above their understanding and therefore ought not rashly to condemn any man in his ignorance to whom peradventure God may shew mercy Secondly because none can obtain a true knowledge and faith in Christ but he must somewhat strive and labour for it that he may encrease and thrive therein Like as we cannot describe and set a certain measure to the height and bignesse of a young childe because yet it must needs daily grow if it be alive and in health till it hath attained his full and perfect age so may we neither circumscribe and limit any Christians knowledge within a certain measure because he ought to grow and augment still in the knowledge faith and doctrine of Christ if he be a true Christian till he is come to a perfect man of stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4.13 Thirdly because we cannot fail sooner in any thing then when we presume to regulate and measure all other mens capacities by the measure of our own understanding and do imagine that what peradventure we think to be clear and evident in the Word of God that very same must likewise be as clear to all others and therefore as certain and necessary for all which is also the chief and principal reason of all Unseasonable judging in matter of faith yea the source and fountain of all divisions and dissentions in the Church of God Wherefore it is sufficient for our purpose to know in general which no Christian can deny That all and onely that is necessary unto salvation what necessarily belongeth to the saving Faith in Christ which worketh by love and cannot subsist without true repentance
and conversion from sin and without new obedience to Christ Commandments Which all is so plainly and expresly taught in the undoubted Word of God especially in the Five aforementioned principal Points that every Christian may sufficiently understand them unto his salvation and hath been unanimously professed in the Primitive Apostolike Church But whatsoever is not so clearly and expresly taught in the Word of God as a necessary Article of Faith Love and Obedience towards Christ nor hath been understood and taught out of the same in the Primitive Church That very same though it dependeth from it by a necessary consequence and therefore may be true doctrine and agreeable to Scripture yet it cannot be necessary for them who do not understand it as yet and retain onely the Fundamental doctrine it self the saving faith and love towards Christ at least so long till God enlighteneth and bringeth their understanding to a fuller knowledge of the Truth which they in the fear of God ought daily to search into Whereby we do conclude further that We ought also not to judge one another according to the aforesaid rule of the Apostle in these doctrines Especially when the other may produce Motives and reasons to the contrary and such which are taken not from natural reason but from the Word of God and therefore bindeth not onely his understanding but also his conscience that he cannot receive such doctrines for fear of sinning against God and his Word but must at least doubt of them For in such a case we must say Whosoever doubteth if he eateth if he receiveth them is damned by his own conscience And rather according to the Apostle's exhortation in such controversies of doctrines We must receive him that is weak in faith but not to doubtful disputations Who art thou that judgest another mans servant To his own master he standeth or falleth Let us therefore not judge one another any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling-block or offence of conscience in his brothers way CHAP. IV. That the Romane Catholike Church hath no ground to Judge and condemn the Protestant Reformed Evangelical Churches as Heretical HAving laid this ground we may easily and as much as is necessary for every ones conscience unto salvation deliver our Judgement and Opinion concerning the Modern differences and dissentions in matters of Religion which among the Christians that make on all sides profession of the written Word of God contained in the Old and New Testament are fomented and aggravated meerly out of an Unseasonable and Uncharitable judging and condemning with such vehemency and bitternesse yea with such great effusion of blood and lamentable devastation of Countreys that never the like was heard of any other Religion in the world At this present I will make but a short Application to the Three principal divided and dissenting Churches Differences betwixt the Romane Catholikes Lutheran and Reformed Churches which are dispersed in the Occidental Christian World thorowout whole Provinces and Kingdoms As first the said Romane Catholikes or Papists so called who besides the holy Scriptures are grounded upon the traditions of the Church and especially upon the Councel of Trent and generally are altogether subjected and depend on the Pope of Rome as being their Supreme Head and Judge in matters of Religion and Conscience as the Churches in Italy Spain and the greater part in France Germany and Poland Then the Protestant Evangelical Lutherans as they themselves will be called who besides the holy Scripture professe Confessionem Agustanam Saxonicam formulam Concordiae as their Symbolical and Universal Books of doctrine not that they ground principally their Faith and Religion upon them but that they hold the doctrine and opinions of them conformable to Scripture and necessary unto Salvation as in Germany especially in high and lowe Saxony some Churches in Swaben Francony Westphaly Hessen c. and without Germany the Churches in Denmark Sweden and Prussia although there is some difference perceived betwixt them because some have not received hitherto as yet the said formulam Saxonicam and some of them have collected their own peculiar Corpora doctrinae Confessions and Books of Doctrine Thirdly those Evangelical Christian Protestants who because they will not be bound and tied to any man's whether it be Luther's Calvin's Zuinglius or any other's Doctrine or Books and therefore not be named by any man's name but have purged and reformed their Doctrine and Religion from the abuses of Popery onely according to the written Word of God are commonly called Reformed by some Papists they are called Biblists or Scripture-men of which name they need not to be ashamed because they are grounded on and refer themselves wholly to the holy Bible as the Churches in England Scotland Helvetia the United Provinces of the Low-Countreys all the reformed Churches in France with some particular Churches in Germany Poland Hungary c. Which though they have collected and framed also their peculiar Confessions yet not with the intent to binde other Christians consciences even to their word but onely to testifie their Unanimous consent and Uniformitie first and principally in the necessary fundamental Points of salvation out of the manifest Word of God then secondarily in the confutation and rejecting of the erroneous By-doctrines especially those of the Popish Churches which have no ground in the Word of God but are è diametro opposite to it by a necessary consequence And withal to decline and refute all sorts of calumnies and slanders of their Adversaries Wherefore also they by a special Confession of theirs do not reject the Confession of others especially that of Augspourg though there be some difference in words remaining much lesse do presume to condemn other Eastern and Western Churches because of some different opinions or Ceremonies if onely they do agree with them in the fundamental points of doctrine and for the rest withhold themselves from condemning others And even for these very same reasons have I hitherto addicted my self to the Confession of these Reformed Churches and am resolved with Gods assistance to persevere in it even unto death not onely because I acknowledge in the controverted Points the doctrine of these Churches I say Their own doctrine which they themselves Vnanimously professe to be consonant and agreeable to Scripture but especially because besides the Indubitable Universal Fundamental Doctrines and necessary Articles of faith which they with one consent receive they do not maintain or impose upon others any other doctrine as necessary unto salvation which in it self and by Gods command is not but impart and permit to every one the due libertie of Conscience and also do neither deny pervert or mutilate any part or articles of the true Gospel of Christ nor introduce any other By-Gospel or by-By-articles or judge or condemn others for it Whereas other Churches principally the Papists and partly the Lutherans if they do not quite deny any necessary point of true
Christianitie yet do very much transgresse the true limits and rules both of Gods truth and Christian Charitie seeing they Adde many of their Doctrines and impose them upon others as necessary unto salvation or judge and condemn them therein as Hereticks which neverthelesse in themselves and by Gods command are not necessary yea false and not agreeable to Scripture I do not deny but there be some such sort of people found in our Churches which are too too zealous and obstinate in their own opinions and undertake to judge others who will not altogether give their assent to them Which is not sutable to the unanimous Doctrine of our Churches and therefore may not be imputed to the whole Universal Church But that we may well know which of these three divided and dissenting Churches judgeth the other or is judged by them aright or wrong I will first declare but briefly and onely as much as may conduce to the information of the Unlearned Whether the other two the Romane Catholikes and the Lutherans have any sufficient and well-grounded reason to judge and condemn our Reformed Churches as Heretical Then shall I take an opportunitie to shew in the Second Part of this Apostolical Direction Whether and how far our Churches ought to judge and condemn the other Two the Papists and the Lutherans That the Romish Church hath no sufficient ground to judge and condemn our Reformed or Lutherane Churches as far as they agree with us to be heretical we make it good by reasoning thus Because they cannot accuse us or make us believe that our Churches either deny any Article of the Ancient Apostolike Catholike Faith or do introduce and condescend to any false heretical Point But they do condemn us meerly for this because we do not receive some articles of their Modern Doctrine and Religion which they cry up for Vniversal or Catholical and yet either are not necessary unto salvation as they must confesse themselves of the greater part of them or false erroneous and superstitious as we are convinced by the Word of God in our own Consciences For in the first place although they charge and accuse us of all sorts of new Calumnies and slanders of the Papists against the Evangelical Protestants Un-catholike false and partly heretical damnable blasphemous Doctrines As that we make God to be the Author of sin That we do deny all free-will of man even after his regeneration That according to our Doctrine it is impossible even to the believers to keep the commandments of our Saviour That by Faith onely we may be saved and justified though we live never so sinfully That all sins shall be forgiven us if we do but believe that they are forgiven though we do still continue in them That the Justification is wrought meerly by an external imputation without internal renovation and sanctification That Repentance and confession of sins and new obedience and good works are quite unnecessary That we reject all Fasting all Vows and Church-discipline Dignities Orders and Traditions of the Church yea obedience to Magistrates Annihilate the Sacraments or hold them to be but naked bare Signes Blaspheme and despise the Saints in heaven and such-like Points Against which our Churches have always solemnly protested both in their Confessions and Apologies that such was not their faith and opinion but that all these are but meer slanders detractions and mis-constructions Whereupon they have declared themselves with one accord that they would not acknowledge nor hearken to any new doctrine but onely adhere closely to the Ancient doctrine of the primitive Apostolike Church as it is principally grounded upon the sacred Scripture being the main rule of our Faith and as it hath been declared out of the Word of God against all Sects and Heresies with an Unanimous consent of the Primitive Church especially in the General Christian Synods of Nicene Ephesus Chalcedone and Constantinople whose Universal confession of Faith they unanimously maintain of which the Romish Church it self confesseth in the last Council of Trent Concil Trid. sess 3. to be the buckler and shield against all Heresies the Principle whereunto necessarily he must agree that will professe the Christian Faith yea the solid and sole foundation against which the gates of hell shall not prevail Wherefore our Churches cannot justly be charged with any new heretical doctrine because though one of our Divines should defend any new opinion or exposition of the Scripture yet they do not binde themselves to it much lesse enforce it upon others as necessary unto salvation but give way to be examined according to the rule and square of the Word of God When now for all this the Romane Catholikes persist to condemn our Churches as heretical because we will not receive besides such Ancient true Catholike Christian Faith all their modern new-fangled Doctrines and Traditions which they have since added and invented in their Council of Trent and other Popish Councils of late times or in the Decrees of the Popes It behoveth them first to prove and shew firm and certain grounds that those Doctrines of theirs are grounded upon the holy Scripture and the Primitive Church is necessary unto salvation Principal Controversies betwixt the Romane Catholikes and Evangelical Protestants For Example Will they condemn us in our exteriour Service or Worship and Ceremonies because we have no Images of the holy and blessed Trinitie of our Saviour of the Saints deceased nor do adore them That we do not pray and call on the holy Angels and the souls of the Saints in heaven especially the Virgin Mary yea that we do not digg and take their bones or other reliques out of their graves and worship them nor pay Vows or make Pilgrimages to them That we do not buy or purchase the Popes Indulgencies celebrate no Masses for the souls of the dead nor make any distinction of meats on certain days or a general weekly Fast neither admit of any Auricular confession to the Priest of every particular sin That we do not administer the holy Communion under one but both kindes or elements of Bread and Wine both to Lay and Clergie-men nor celebrate any Masses without Communicants neither make use of the rest of Ceremonies which they against the first Institution of Christ have forged for their Sacrifice of Masse especially the adoration of the consecrated hostia in the holy Sacrament That we do not observe their great Feast called Corpus Christi-day and the holy days of the Saints That we perform our whole Publike Service not in the Latine Tongue which is unknown to the Laicks but in the known Mother-tongue nor forbid to any Lay-man the reading of the holy Bible in his Mother-tongue but exhort rather every one in general unto it That we tell not our Prayers to God on Beads by fifties and hundreds use not the sprinkling of the holy water nor wear about us Agnus Dei or such like consecrated reliques That we allow not of the Orders
Bread and the Wine in the Supper of the Lord to be bare signes and Seales whereby the Body and Blood of Christ is but Signified and not really given That we defend Absolutum decretum that God freely without any respect of Faith or Unbelief good or evill works of men hath decreed in his eternall Councell to elect and choose some unto Salvation others the greatest part to cast away and reject as Reprobates unto damnation Also That we understand by Christs going down into Hell the hellish paines and torments Christs Soul suffered Lastly that we hold the Pope at Rome to be the great Antichrist Which Articles of Doctrine are neither plainly expressed in the Scripture nor by the Ancient Doctors of the Church The true Doctrine of the Reformed Churches 1. Of Free-will We Answer First that we do not deny the free will in man in that sence and meaning as some and all the Ancient Fathers have taught out of the Scripture For we confesse 1. That the Naturall man hath a Free-will in many Naturall and Temporall Free indifferent matters 2. In Celestiall Spirituall things to many Outward sins either to commit or to avoid them 3. Yea also to many Outward good works 4. That the Regenerate man hath a true Free-will or which is made Free by the grace of God to true Spirituall works which are acceptable to God Yet so that not onely the beginning but also the continuall help and assistance of Gods grace is required unto it 5. This onely we deny That the Naturall unregenerated man hath naturally without the preventing gracious help and operation of the holy Ghost any Freewill to true Spirituall inward works which are acceptable to God as to Saving Faith Charity Hope and consequently to the true Spirituall outward works which arise from those inward Which also the holy Scripture hath unanimously taught against Pelagius That the Naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can be know them 1 Corinthians 2. verse 14. And that we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Corinthians 3. verse 5. For it is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure Philipp 2. Verse 13. He that hath begun a good worke in us will also performe it Philippians 1. Verse 6. Without him we can do nothing John 15. Verse 5. For we are by nature the Children of wrath dead in sins Ephesians 2. Verse 5. And he that obeyeth sin is the Servant of Sin Romans 6. Verse 16.20 2 Peter 2. Verse 19. But if the Sonne maketh us free wee shall be free indeed John 8. verse 34.36 And faithfull is he that calleth you who also will doe it 1 Thessalonians 5. verse 24. But if there be besides any other controversie of mans Free-will or Gods gracious help we hold neither theirs nor our particular opinions to be necessary unto Salvation especially for all Christians who oftentimes understand but little or nothing at all of such subtil questions and therefore ought not to judge nor condemne one another Like as amongst the Papists themselves the modern Dominicans and Jesuites cannot agree about these questions nothwithstanding the prohibition made by the Pope not to accuse and condemne one another for errours in Faith 2. Of merits of good works 2. Nor do we deny the merits of good works in that sence as the ancient Fathers use the word Meritum desert or Mereri to deserve viz. That we obtaine thereby temporall and eternall remuneration by grace for Christs sake in vertue of his promise Which we confesse unanimously with them by warrants of the Scripture But we deny onely Meritum de condigno as the Papist School-authors and Divines principally the Jesuites do teach that such in themselves are condigne meritorious works of eternall life so that God is bound to give everlasting life not onely by reason of his truth and mercy for Christs sake but also of right and debt though he had not ingaged himself thereunto by any promise Which condigne meritorious works were never taught either by the Scripture or by the ancient Fathers but are rejected of many Schoole-authors and Divines yea by many moderne Roman Catholicks themselves As the famous Jesuite Vasques confesseth that many Catholickes dissent from us calling us Hereticks but in words but most agree with us in the matter it selfe and condiscend of necessity unto our opinion And the Jesuits themselves are not as yet agreed wherein properly the Efficacy and worthinesse of such Condigne merits of works consisteth Vide Bellarm. de Justific lib. 5. c. 17. Suarez in 3. Thom. Tom. 1. quest 19. art 3. disp 39. Vasq. in lib. 2a. quest 114. disp 214. c. 2. 4. 3. Concerning the Sacrifice of the Masse 3. Of the Masse it is sufficiently evident and manifest that there is nothing plainly and expressly taught and declared thereof either in the Institution of the Lords Supper or in the whole volume of the Scripture And although some or all the Ancient Fathers had taught it yet it could not be received for an Article necessary unto Salvation because they had not taught it out of the word of God and because Faith love and obedience of Christs Commandments and Institution may very well subsist without the Masse But it is certaine that even the Ancient Doctors of the Church never have taught such Sacrifice of the Masse as now a dayes in Popery is professed and held for the Soveraigne Worship and chiefest part of Religion For although they called the Administration of the Lords Supper Missam and that from thence because the Catechumeni those that were not yet Baptized were usually dismissed from it with these words Ite Missa est And although they have attributed the name of Sacrifice to the Holy Communion it selfe yet they did it not in such a sence and meaning that the Priest should offer againe the real and essentiall body of Christ in his hand and mouth and also performe a new Propitiatory Sacrifice both for the quick and dead and for other necessities as for sicke Cattell for good weather as it is taught and expressed in the Councell of Trent Sess 22. c. 2. v. 9. Canon 1.3 But that it is Sacrificium Eucharisticum a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving partly because the faithfull gathered and collected the Bread and Wine upon the Lords Table for the Holy Communion and necessitiy of the poor from whence the Germans retain still the name of Oblateâ— partly because the Holy Communion it selfe is a Commemoration and Representation of the perfect Oblation and Sacrifice of Christ finished upon the Crosse as the principall Roman â—chool authors and Divines themselves do expound it by calling it Sacrificium commemorativum representativum So that we also may say as much not of their Masse but of the Holy Communion as it hath been Instituted by our
the word Sheol and Hades are generally understood of that Invisible World whetherto the souls depart out of this World and is attributed both to godly and wicked without certain determination of place whetherto they are departed which shall be manifested in the Resurrection So that by this Article is meant nothing else but that Christs soul after his death made no stay in this World but departed like other mens souls to the place of the dead and as if it were holden of the bonds of death till the third day yet in Gods hands which was indeed the lowest degree of his humiliation whereas in the mean while the World triumphed over him as over a dead man who went to Hell till at length it was made manifest by his Resurrection that he descended not to the Hell of the damned but to the Sheol or Grave to the faithful Patriarchs As the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not onely signifie a descending or going down beneath the Earth but a departing in general Act. 8. v. 5. and 9. v. 32. and 11. v. 27. and 12. v. 19. and 13. v. 4. and 15. v. 1. and 18. v. 5 22. and 21. v. 10. and 27. v. 5. By all which expositions doth manifestly appear that the two first opinions maintained by the Papists neither are solide and certain nor necessary The others which partly they partly we defend as much as concerneth the Doctrine in it self are consonant and agreeable to the Word of God and undoubtedly received of all Christians though the Controversie remaineth still which of them draweth neerest to the true opinion of this Article in the Creed And withall that we do not introduce any new Doctrine in this Article as necessary to salvation being we give to every one liberty in his opinion except in that which is agreed on of all sides Which is also the safest way and sufficient unto salvation if of this Article we do but generally so much know and beleeve that Christs Soul having suffered the extremest distresse and sorrow on Earth verily departed to the dead who are kept in the hands of his Father till the day of Resurrection Although we do not even determine the place that it descended really to the Hell of the damned or to a certain Limbus beneath the Earth before it entred into Paradise which the Lord promised to the theef upon the Crosse being we yet imbrace the most indubitable and certain comfort arising from this Article that Christ by such departure of his Soul hath delivered our souls from all the torments and pains of Hell to the end that they confidently might follow him out of this World without fear of Hell into that Invisible World whetherto the Lord hath prepared the way by his deceasing 8. Of the Antichrist Lastly Concerning the Doctrine of the great Antichrist of whom the Scripture doth so much prophesie Like as it is not directly necessary unto salvation to know that such an Antichrist is to come although it is requisite to beleeve it for them that have the knowledge of it out of the Word of God as hath been said heretofore Also much lesse is it necessary to salvation to know and to determine who is that great Antichrist except unto them onely to whom God hath perfectly revealed it And notwithstanding many of our Divines though not generally all are of this opinion that the Pope of Rome from that time he hath taken upon him to be instead of Christ the Universal and Supreme Head of the whole Christian Church over all Emperours and Kings and over all mens souls which hath been specially observed since the time of Gregory the seventh is that great Antichrist yet they do not teach it even as a necessary Article of Faith but as an Interpretation of the Prophetical Predictions which are very agreeable to Truth yea partly accounted by them for certain and undoubted since they have the experience by the event histories and writings of the Popes themselves that whatsoever hath been prophesied of the Antichrist is now fulfilled in these Popes And although this opinion of theirs must of necessity be thus far new because the Primitive Church could know no certainty of it before the accomplishing and revealing of the Antichrist Yet it is not so new neither whereas this name hath been attributed to the Popes some hundred yeers before Luther's times even by some German Emperours and Bishops and among others by the Emperour Lewys the fourth Duke of Bavaria three hundred yeers ago Yea when before 1460 yeers Irenaeus out of the Revelation of S. John 13. v. 18. conjectured by his name that he would be called Latinus that is to say Romane Neverthelesse not the whole Romane Church nor all its Members neither all their Doctrine and Rel gion is therefore to be accounted for Antichristian God forbid But the Doctrine of Christ which is left amongst them ought to be discerned from the Doctrine and traditions of the Pope and the Temple and People of God over which he extendeth unjustly his Supreme Jurisdiction and Dominion from the Pope and his Dependents as it is prophesied of in 2 Thess 2. v. 4. Revel 18. v. 4. But if the Pope or the Papists would reject or confute such opinion of the Protestants as erroneous They cannot perform it better then by the deed it self ordering matters in this manner First That hereafter he do not anymore exalt himself over the Gods on Earth over Emperours and Kings to depose deprive them of their Crowns and discharge the Subjects from their Oath obedience and subjection Secondly That he do not attribute to himself the power belonging onely to Christ over the souls and consciences of men or over Christian Doctrine and Religion by adding thereunto and diminishing from it Thirdly and principally That he do not Antichristian-like excommunicate and persecute those that do not acknowledge him as Universal and Supreme Head of the whole Christian Church In doing so none of our side will proclaim him for an Antichrist nor his Dependents for Antichristian Otherwise although they should erre or exceed in holding him to be the great Antichrist when perhaps a greater yet is to come Yet the Popes would have as little reason to charge them therefore with a damnable errour as the Wolves the Sheep for accounting that for the ravenousest Wolf which hath devoured most Sheep Thus we hope by these eight Points of moment wherein we are accused of new Doctrine is apparently and abundantly made clear and evident which also we could as easily have performed in all other Articles That we have introduced no Innovation of Doctrine but rather for the maintenance of the ancient undoubted Doctrine separated again whatsoever hath been added to the Universal Primitive Christian Doctrine in the latter hundred yeers To which end all the Reformed Churches have generally at all times declared themselves by solemn Protestations that they would hearken to no new Doctrine but punctually and positively
and separate us from the righteous party in the profession of the Truth calling good evil and light darknesse Cursed be he that perverteth the judgement of the stranger fatherlesse and widow Deuteron 27. vers 19. Should he then not be guilty also of the curse that would wilfully pervert or deny the judgement of the Church yea the Judgement and Truth of God Whereby they also though in their own persons they might not be inclinable to condemn and persecute any man would yet make themselves by their assent partakers of the condemnation and persecution which proceedeth from others who according to the prophesie of Christ shall hate and reproach us separate us from their company and cast out our name as evil Luke 6. vers 22. To let passe how they scandalize others in their conscience by such dissembling and denying both the true beleevers from whom they separate themselves and the erring whom they confirm with their example in the errour whereas they might have induced and perswaded them by a free profession of the known Truth at least to a further inquisition or also to a brotherly reconciliation Now although we cannot generally judge any thing else of the obstinate erring and of such dissembling persons but that they in this manner live in a dangerous condition of their souls and even for this reason we exhort them as tenderly as they love their own salvation to the knowledge and profession of Truth or at least to the mitigation of their uncharitablenesse Yet we may not therefore instantly and rashly condemn the persons but rather hope and pray to God he may if not now by our admonition yet finally before their last gasp illuminate and bring the erring unto the knowledge of the Truth or unto Christian love and reconciliation and move the dissembling to a sound and wholesome Confession Conclusion of the second Part. NOw by the Declaration of this Apostolick Rule even the most unlearned Christian may sufficiently learn both what and how far we ought not to judge and what and how far we ought to judge in controverted and different matters of Religion The Sum and result of it is this 1. We ought to judge and condemn none as Unbeleeving if he doth but closely retain the Universal Undoubted Fundamental Doctrine of Faith and love of Christ which is necessary for all men unto Salvation 2. Although he doth not receive our own or our particular Churches and Teachers Opinions and Interpretations which we acknowledge as agreeable to Scripture and necessary for us to beleeve because he hath no knowledge of them as yet out of the Word of God 3. On the contrary although he adheres to his own or his particular Churches and Teachers singular Opinions which he esteemeth to be consonant to Scripture and necessary for him to beleeve Yet to such Opinions which are uncertain or unnecessary or erroneous also and repugnant to the Word of God or to the saving fundamental Doctrine it self by a necessary consequence 4. As long as he doth not acknowledge such consequence and retaineth but the fundamental Doctrine it self positively and without any mutilation and doth also not erre out of malice of heart but onely out of weaknesse of understanding 5. As long as he doth not make quite fundamental Doctrines of them nor imposeth them on others as necessary neither judgeth and condemneth others therefore or disturbeth the Church of God with prejudicial and unnecessary disputes 6. As long also as he doth not obstinately reject better information but rather laboureth to search further the Truth in the Word of God and to testifie his Faith by Christian charity and godly conversation So that he is not to be accounted for an obstinate unfaithful schismatical heretick but for a weak Beleever and erring Brother Contrarywise 1. They that will have their own erroneous or controverted and unnecessary opinions to be necessary fundamental Doctrines in so much that they repose their comfort and hope of salvation in them 2. Which they also inforce upon others as necessary fundamental Doctrines or judge condemn exclude and separate from the Communion of the Christian Church others therefore whereby they cause Schisms and Divisions in the Church of God 3. Especially such opinions which are not onely doubtful and erroneous but also repugnant to the true undoubted Articles of Faith and fundamental Doctrine if not directly and expresly yet by a necessary consequence 4. They also who cruelly and uncharitably persecute others because of such humane opinion and thereby occasionate not onely Schisms in the Church but distempers and distractions in Common-wealths 5. And that not meerly out of ignorance and humane infirmity but out of a wilful blindnesse and malice so that they will not hearken nor receive any information of the Truth much lesse search into it themselves but obstinately oppose it out of carnal blinded affections Those we may and must thus far judge out of the Word of God First Concerning the matter it self That we no wayes make our selves partakers of such errours and other sins arising from thence but had rather be condemned rejected separated and persecuted by them lest we may become a stumbling block and offence first to our own then to other true beleeving or erring consciences Secondly As much as concerneth the persons That though we cannot judge any thing else of such persons in general but that they in this manner are in a dangerous and damnable condition yet we condemn none in particular First Because we cannot directly discern in no man whether he doth erre out of humane weaknesse or obstinate malice Secondly Because though he did erre out of malice yet we ought still to hope seek and pray to God for his conversion and commit the judgement concerning him to the Soveraign Judge Would to God That all that are called Christians or at least Catholicks and Evangelical did agree with us herein with one minde seeing that all those that will not proceed against conscience nor parallel and equal mens words with Gods word neither place themselves in Gods Tribunal must herein agree Then the Christian love and peaceablenesse would raign instead of this unhappy Schism cruel distraction and lamentable devastation of Christendom And the easiest and safest way be opened unto right Christian Unitie in the Doctrine of Truth instead of the manifold dissensions and differences in Doctrine and Religion The Apostle Paul hath not onely most earnestly and faithfully exhorted us all in general and especially the Romane Church to which he directeth his Epistle but also added most efficacious and pregnant motives thereunto Wherefore let us not judge one another any more Why That is evident by the precedent words We shall all stand before the Judgement-Seat of Christ So then every one of us shall give accompt of himself to God Rom. 14. v. 10 12. Like as he writeth to the Corinthians Therefore judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the heart and then shall every man have praise of God 1 Cor. 4. v. 5. If we had that great day of Judgement of the Lord continually set before our eyes especially the Divines and Ecclesiasticks who before all others should be the Sons of Peace Luke 16. v. 6. yea the true Ambassadours of Peace Isai 33. v. 7. 52. v. 7. Nah. 1. v. 15. whereas many are Authors of most of the disturbances in the Christian Church by their unchristian judging and condemning They would not be so rash and severe in judging one another but every one would first think and consider with himself how we shall give once an accompt of our selves before that Tribunal And though we must judge for conscience sake because of our function yet we should not more rigourously judge others then we our selves desire to be judged by the Lord viz. not for our ignorances nor for our weaknesse not for every faulty word nor according to other mens words or traditions of men or humane opinions yea not after the severity of Gods Law nor uncertain doubtful Interpretations of the Word of God But onely according to the undoubted saving Gospel of Grace and Truth of Christ in Fatherly goodnesse tendernesse grace and mercy Wherefore we conclude with the words of the Apostle James 2. v. 12 13. So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty For he shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy And mercy rejoyceth against judgement To him the Father of Judgement and Father of Mercy be adscribed all honour and praise for ever and ever Amen FINIS
by us Apostle let him be accursed even for this reason because they judged most presumptuously the believers amongst the Gentiles and the Apostles themselves and disturbed and scandalized thereby the Christian Congregation so that they introduced a quite other Gospel according to which they thought to be justified and saved by the works of the Law and not by the grace and mercy of Christ Now seeing he hath thus censured those which were so zealous for the necessity of the Mosaical Law how much more then deserve those to be censured that enforced the traditions and commandments of men for doctrines necessary unto salvation Matth. 15.3 9. And yet how much more those who under the name of Gods Word do introduce erroneous or even Superstitious and Idolatrous Doctrine and Worship as necessary unto salvation Whereof we shall speak more in the second Part. At this present let us principally consider and apply this first Rule wherein a Christian ought not to judge and condemn another but rather receive and tolerate him as a weak brother in the faith Namely in such articles of faith and life which either in themselves or by Gods Will and Commandment are not necessary unto salvation And not onely in these that are generally agreed on not to be necessary but also in such which by some either out of weaknesse of knowledge or out of fear to sin are esteemed to be necessary though they are not Neverthelesse with this Caution that they reciprocally do not judge nor condemn in such pretended necessary Points of theirs other Christians which will not allow of them to be so necessary nor so true and reasonable For otherwise this unjust judging and condemning would be damnable in themselves especially if it should be done with Uncharitablenesse and Obstinacie I doubt not but the Modern Dissenting parties will condescend and assent without any difficulty to this Doctrine for none of them will have laid to his charge that he did judge and condemn his Adversary for Unnecessary matters but every thing must assume the name of necessary Articles of Saving Doctrine and Worship wherein their Yea and Nay Yea and Nay must necessarily be allowed But even these are the hinges whereon all the Differences and Disputes will hang What properly is necessary and not necessary unto salvation For although the Apostle teacheth us not to judge one another in those things which one Partie esteemeth necessary though in themselves they are not yet it doth not follow that we ought not to judge in matters which one Partie holdeth not necessary or unlawful though they are in themselves necessary But we must necessarily judge that he cannot be saved who rejecteth a Doctrine or Worship as not necessary and unlawful which yet of it self is necessary unto salvation Wherefore before I proceed to the Application I think it very requisite to declare briefly and as much as will conduce to this purpose What is necessary and not necessary unto salvation CHAP. III. What is necessary or not necessary unto Salvation WHat is necessary or not necessary to believe and do for to be saved may be considered either in regard of the matter it self which we of necessity ought to believe and to do or in respect of the Persons who of necessity ought to believe and to do them or according to the revealed Word Degrees and distinctions of the necessity of Doctrines 1. In regard of the Doctrine it self as being the infallible Rule and Means whereby we know what we ought to believe and to do In the doctrine and matter of Faith and Life it self we must exactly distinguish what is necessary unto salvation directè per se absolutely and by it self wherein our salvation doth properly consist and without which none may be saved and what is necessary but reductivè mediatè consequenter so far necessary as of necessitie it followeth and dependeth from that which is directly necessary or doth of necessity cohere with it For example The Faith in Jesus Christ which worketh by Love Gal. 5.6 1 Cor. 3.11 1 Cor. 2.2 2 Tim. 1.13 1 Joh. 3.23 as it is generally confessed by all that call on the Name of Christ is in it self and directly necessary and with it every thing wherein properly and essentially this saving faith love and obedience of Christ doth consist without which no man can have true lively faith in Christ which also properly is called The fundamental Doctrine of faith and salvation But by a necessary consequence all other Doctrines of Faith and life which from this Fundamental doctrine by exact and necessary Theological Conclusions and Inferences may be derived and grounded thereon are also in some manner necessary Which are likewise of Two sorts Some are deduced by so evident and clear a consequence from the Fundamental doctrine and the Undoubted Word of God that every understanding and knowing Christian may easily conceive them and no man can reject them unlesse he rejecteth also the Fundamental doctrine whereon they manifestly depend Some though they are also derived from the Fundamental doctrine of Gods Word yet their consequence is not so evident that every Christian but onely Divines and men that are well versed in the Word of God may conceive it Yea some Doctrines yet are not for every Divine's capacitie but onely for those who by a special illumination from God are endued with a more excellent knowledge of the heavenly mysteries before others Which therefore are not necessary for all to know or to do because they may retain the Necessary Fundamental doctrine and the saying Faith and love of Christ though either they do not know and conceive at all such derived points of doctrine by reason of the infirmitie and shallownesse of their understanding or call them in question by some pretended exceptions or reject them quite And from these last sort of doctrines ariseth almost all the Contention When one will judge the other for that what for his part he deduceth and collecteth as necessary from the Fundamental doctrine but the other will either hold it for not necessary or for erroneous and unlawful insomuch that some either out of a meer mistake and misapprehension or carnal affections do so obstinately adhere and cleave to those pretended necessary derived points of doctrine that they will make Fundamental points of them yea some are so exorbitant herein that if they do not quite deny the Fundamental points of doctrine at least they do obscure and pervert one or other Article of them Which otherwise are so clearly and perspicuously expressed in the Undoubted Word of God by the Prophets and Apostles that they cannot be denied or questioned by any Christian but him that is clouded and blinded by his affections 2. In respect of persons Wherefore in the Second place we must discern what is necessary or not necessary in respect of the Persons For there are some Vniversal or according to the Greek Catholike Doctrines which are necessary for
of Monks and Nunnes but in stead thereof we teach that the revenues of Monasteries ought rather to be converted to the use of miserable poor wretches that are not able to work or employed for the maintenance of Churches and Schools That we give liberty for Marriage both to Ecclesiasticks and Laicks nor use the Confirmation and Extreme unction or the holy Orders for making Ministers in such a manner as it usually is amongst them That we permit no Temporal Jurisdiction or Dominion to our Spiritual Pastors nor will have them submit to a Supreme and Universal Pope neither exempt them from the jurisdiction and judicature of civil Magistrates and such like observations and assertions of their exteriour Worship Will they therefore I say judge and condemn us as hereticks it is fit then to prove first by certain and undeniable Arguments and Warrants and such which we may understand and satisfie our consciences withal that the said Points are necessary to the saving Faith and Obedience of Christ Except they would yeeld and confesse that they do condemn us for unnecessary things But now the Papists themselves will hardly affirm the aforesaid Points the Images the Invocation of the Saints the Indulgences c. to be directly and in themselves necessary unto salvation They commend and extol onely their singular good use and benefit but do not enjoyn their necessity Or in case they would in one or other point as in the Auricular confession Adoration of the consecrated Hostia c. intrude a necessity yet they cannot make it appear so upon any pretence nor ground But we may have evident proofs from the Word of God to the contrary that they are not necessary because they were not used by the Apostles and Primitive Christians Likewise in Points of Controversies and articles of Faith and Doctrine That we have the affiance and assurance to be justified and saved before God not through our own merits and satisfaction but onely through meer mercy and grace by a true and lively faith in the onely perfect Sacrifice of propitiation and merits of our Lord Jesus Christ That also in the whole work of our conversion and salvation we ascribe nothing at all to our own natural strength of free-will but all to the meer grace and assistance of God without which we are able to do nothing that is good how can they then condemn us as hereticks for it whereas they must at length confesse themselves Bellarm. lib. 5. de Justificat cap. 7. Propos 2 3. this to be the safest and surest way not to confide and trust in our own strength works merits but onely in Gods meer grace and mercy and the precious merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ If this be the surest way we must certainly and necessarily conclude that our Doctrine in this point is not heretical nor damnable and their Doctrine of own merits and strength not necessary unto salvation but rather that our Doctrine is the surest and safest whereby all honour and praise is denied to man and attributed to God alone and their Doctrine dangerous and pernicious ascribing all honour to man and denying it to God Moreover that we cannot be induced to believe the transformation of the bread or Transubstantiation as they call it in the Supper of the Lord or a true Sacrifice though without blood of the transubstantiated Body and Blood of Christ both for the quick and the dead or the Purgatory They cannot condemn us for unlesse they do convince us first that such Doctrines are necessary unto salvation so that Christs Sacrifice upon the Crosse and the Spiritual eating thereof profiteth us nothing and the Blood of Christ cannot cleanse us from sins except we believe also the Sacrifice of Masse and the Purgatory which neverthelesse I hope they will not assert or never be able to prove since they partly confesse themselves that they could not have been assured in those and such like points onely by the words of our Lord Jesus unlesse the declaration and determination of the Church had given to them satisfaction therein And this is their main Objection Whether such Points of Doctrine though not necessary in themselves are yet necessary for all Christians by reason of the determination of the Church That the afore-mentioned and such like Controversies of their Doctrine and Religion though they be not directly and in themselves necessary unto salvation yet are necessary even for this reason Because they have been thus taught and ordained by the Catholike Church which ought to be believed and obeyed in all things But here we ask first the question What they mean by the Catholike Church If they understand the Universal Christian Church which since the Apostles hath been at all times and in all places dispersed as the word Catholike doth imply it then we confesse as we have already declared it heretofore that whatsoever it teacheth with one accord as necessary unto salvation to be undoubtedly necessary But they themselves will not assert this of most of the aforesaid Points and though they should assert it of some yet can they not prove it neither from the Word of God nor by the true and undoubted Writings of the Ancient Fathers Whereas by this very same ground we can rather make appear the contrary that the most and principal points thereof must be either false and erroneous or at least unnecessary because they have not been taught thus in the Primitive Church Neither hath the Primitive Church ever presumed and taken upon it self such a power as if it might or should teach or ordain some new Doctrine unto salvation and so impose on the Christians a heavier yoke and prescribe them a narrower way to salvation then it hath received from Christ and the Apostles Whereby also consequently is made void whatsoever they object concerning the Vnwritten Word of God being not able to produce any certain ground or warrant that it was received by the Primitive Church Although otherwise we do not absolutely reject the Traditions of the Church which either are grounded upon the Scripture or are counted onely as Useful Ordinances of the Church and not as necessary unto salvation Constat omnem doctrinam quae cum illis Ecclesiis Apostolicis matricibus originalibus fidei conspiret veritati deputandam id sine dubio tenentem quod Ecclesia ab Apostolis Apostoli à Christo Christus à Deo suscepit reliquam verò omnem doctrinam de mendacio praejudicandam Tertull. de Praescr c. 21. Ex ipso ordine manifestatur id esse Dominicum verum quod sit prius traditum id autem extraneum falsum quod posterius immissum Id. 32. Viderint qui Stoicum Platonicum Dialecticum Christianismum protulerunt nobis curiositate non est opus post Jesum Christum nec inquisitione post Evangelium Cùm credimus nihil desideramus ultra credere Hoc enim prius credimus non esse quod ultra
Lord Jesus Christ Fourthly That man solâ Fide onely by Faith is accounted righteous before God Although we understand nothing else by the word solâ but what the Apostle saith 4. Of Justification onely by Faith that he is justified by meer grace through Faith onely for Christs sake without the works of the Law and as some ancient Fathers interpreted it Yet we desire not to impose and inforce that word as necessary upon any man in regard that by many it may be abused and mistaken as if we could be justified and saved by such a Faith which is onely without any good works If that likewise the Papists did not inforce upon us their own expressions and doctrines concerning the merits and satisfaction of works which are yet lesse warrantable by Scripture But as long as they stick fast to this Tenet and opinion of theirs that we are justified also before God by merits of our good works They cannot finde fault with us if we do reply to them by way of retortion that the justification is done by Faith alone and not by merits 5. The true meaning and declaration of Christs words in the Holy Communion Fifthly The declaration and meaning of Christs Word that he called the Bread his Body because it did signifie and represent his Body or because it is a signe of his Body Although we for our part acknowledge this exposition to be agreeable both to the words and very end of the Institution and to all the Articles of Faith and that some ancient Fathers Tertullian Augustine Theodoret and others have expounded it thus As the Papists and Lutherans themselves do not deny the blessed Bread and Wine to be signes and seals of the Body and Blood of Christ given and shed for us Yet we desire not to inforce and presse upon any man such interpretation as necessary unto salvation or as the Word of God it self Whereas many of ours vide inprimis Wolfang Musculum in 26 Matth. pag. 552 554 555. confesse openly that this exposition though it be not erroneous in it self yet is not sufficient unlesse it did shew and expresse withall the sort and nature of those signes viz. not bare naked significative and representative signes nor bare historical symbols and tokens of remembrance but signa exhibitiva exhibiting and certifying pledges and assurances whereby the things signified by them namely the Body of Christ which hath been given for us the Blood of Christ that is shed for us are really and verily by vertue of his promise though not for the nourishing of our bodies but to the cherishing and quickning of our souls delivered and appropriated unto us and likewise really and verily received by us though not corporally and carnally by our mouth but spiritually by faith As the Papists and Lutherans themselves do not deny such spiritual partaking as hath been said before but acknowledge it to be the onely saving Communion Wherefore we for our part teach thereby no new Doctrine as necessary unto Salvation but onely teach that very same they themselves must allow and approve of If but they reciprocally do not inforce upon us their own particular Interpretations as hath been mentioned oftentimes already nor judge and condemn us therefore but give us liberty to adhere to the Words and Declaration of Christ and the Apostle Paul But as long as they intend to obtrude unto us their pretended carnal supernatural eating for a necessary Article of Faith we cannot but contradict it by a more solide exposition and illation grounded upon the Word of God Sixthly Concerning the Doctrine of Gods absolute purpose and decree of election and reprobation we acknowledge and receive it thus far as our adversaries commonly construe our meaning thereof not onely for no necessary Doctrine of Faith but also not for the proper Doctrine and Opinion of our Churches Being that such a term is not expressed in any general Confessions but onely used by some Divines which yet others do rather absolutely forbear because of the misapplication and abuses with all sorts of calumnies that may arise from them And although we finde many disceptations and different Interpretations concerning the eternal Predestination and Reprobation not onely betwixt our Divines but also betwixt the Romish-School Authors amongst themselves and no lesse between the said Lutherans Yet we cannot receive either theirs or our particular opinions for necessary Doctrines which are professed of all Christians without the manifest Word of God and unanimous consent of the Primitive Church not onely because very few men are capable to comprehend the depth and profunditie of those Points but also because it is sufficient for us unto salvation to know onely of the Elect and Predestinated as much as the Apostle expresly teacheth Ephes 1. vers 4 5 6. That God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the Adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself according to the good pleasure of his Will To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he made us accepted in the beloved Ephes 2. vers 8 9 10. 2 Tim. 1. vers 9. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Contrarywise concerning the Reprobates it sufficeth us to know onely that what Christ himself saith He that beleeveth not is condemned already because he hath not beleeved in the Name of the onely begotten Son of God John 3. vers 18. So that the fault and defect can no wayes be imputed to God who himself taketh no delight in the death and destruction of a sinner but will that he may repent and live not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance Exod. 18. vers 23 32. and 33. vers 11. 2 Petr. 6. vers 9. But the fault and defect lieth absolutely and totally in themselves who loved darknesse rather then light and therefore receive not the love of the Truth that they might be saved John 3. vers 19. So that we are elected not out of any consideration and respect in our selves but out of meer grace in Christ Jesus both unto salvation and the means ordained thereunto through sanctification of the Spirit and beleef of the Truth whereunto he called us through the Gospel 2 Thessal 2. v. 13 14. But the Reprobates are cast away by Gods just judgement because of their sins unbeleef and impenitency unto the just punishment and condemnation of sins according to the Word of the Lord O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Hos 13. v. 9. Moreover all other Disputes and Controversies of the predestinate and reprobates which may be moved and debated on as Why God to one
and words to the Doctrine practice worship whereby any offence may be given then to the persons And that primarily to our own affaires words and works whereby we may put any stumbling block and offence in the way either of our neighbour or of our selves Secondarily to the matters of our neighbour as far as he may become unto us or we unto him a stumbling block or offence Secondly it is to be noted that he doth not properly speak of the offence of affections whereby we or our neighbour is provoked to anger afflicted offended and alienated from us but of the offence of Conscience whereby either our own Conscience is wounded by going against Conscience or the neighbour is misse-led into errours or sinnes of Conscience or he being already ingaged in errours and sinnes of Conscience is by us strengthned and confirmed therein But we need also to take heed of the offence of affections and the hatred arising from them as much as possibly may be according to the rule Rom. 12. v. 18. If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men Yet not so neither that we give thereby an offence to our Conscience and also by reason of the outward peace with men should destroy and lose the inward peace of Conscience Thirdly it is indubitabe hereby that the Apostle requireth nothing else but that we for our part give or put no occasion to fall in any mans way Which hapneth when we either commit that which is evill and omit that which is good or abuse so our liberty in indiffent things that the weak are scandalized at our example which is to say offended made worse thereby and mis-led into errors and sinnes But it is no wayes required from us that we for the avoiding of such scandall and offence which others without cause either out of weaknes or malice receive at us in doing what is good and omitting what is evill should therefore omit that which is good and commit that which is evill For we must not do evill that good may come Rom. 3. v. 8. Not wound our own Conscience that another mans erroneous Conscience may not be offended Yea we need not neither forsake our liberty in indifferent matters because of those that are offended at them out a Pharisaicall hypocrisie and malice or judge and condemn us but only for their sake which are weak in faith But against the others we must often times of necessity stick fast to the liberty for no other reason but this l st they may impose on us a necessity against that liberty which Christ hath purchased unto us Gal. 2. v. 4 5. Which generall rule of avoiding offence of them that are weak in faith the Apostle doth apply in the words following upon the meats which were fordidden in the Law but were indifferent things in the Gospel I know saith he and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing no meat unclean common of it self but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean to him it is unclean common From which he maketh a two-fold inference I. He that hath the knowledge and receiveth it for a free indifferent thing may use it for himself without sinne Yet so that he give no offence towards sinne nor grieve or distract without necessity the weak who doth not yet acknowledge the same but accounteth it for forbidden and unclean Rom. 14. v. 15 For if thy brother be grieved with thy meat in his Conscience Now walkest thou not charitably Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died II. He that hath not the knowledge but esteemeth it to be forbidden and unclean or at least doubteth thereof may not use the same without sinne and offence to his Conscience v. 20. All things indeed are pure but it is evill for that man who eateth with offence v. 23. and he that doubteth whether they are indifferent or not lawfull or unlawfull before God if he eateth is damned condemned viz. of his own Conscience because he eateth not of faith For whatsoever is not of faith viz. so that we are sure that they are acceptable to God or permitted by God is sinne This very same Doctrine is repeated over again by the Apostle 1 Cor. 8. Where he applieth it almost in like manner to meats offered to Idols v. 5. Concerning the eating of those things that are offered in Sacrifice unto Idols We know that an Idoll is nothing c. v. 7. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge for some with Conscience of the Idol eat it as a thing offered unto an Idol and their Conscience being weak is defiled c. v. 9 10 11 12 13. Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak For if any man seeth thee which hast knowledge sit at table in the Idols Temple Shall not the Conscience of him which is weak be emboldned to eat those things which are offered to Idols And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died But when you sinne so against the brethren and wound their weak Conscience ye sinne against Christ Wherefore if meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the world standeth lest I make my brother to offend By which Doctrine of the Apostle we may here easily understand what and how farre we ought to judge in matters of Religion and Conscience Judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Wherefore I. How farre we may judge of the Doctrine and Religion of the erring we must not judge the persons whether they are damned before God or not but properly and principally the matter it self whether it be an article of faith or life of doctrine or worship and only so farre and to this end that it may not become a stumbling block and offence of Conscience unto us and others But the persons we may judge so farre that we may avoid to give them the like offence or we our selves to be offended at them II. And not only in those things which are commanded or forbidden by God to beleeve or to do and therefore are necessary but also which are in themselves free indifferent things which is to say neither commanded nor forbidden and therefore not necessary to do or to omit them which neverthelesse we must judge thus far lest by our liberty we put a stumbling block in the way of the weak whereby they might deal against their Conscience having no knowledge of such liberty but holding them for necessary in their erroneous Conscience or doubting of them III. Being we must be so cautious in free indifferent things because of the weak how much more in things that are necessary and commanded or forbidden by God lest we may teach or do somewhat against our knowledge and wilfully what God hath rejected and prohibited in his Word as unlawfull or
and necessary articles of saving fundamentall Doctrine so that they cannot directly be accounted unfaithfull Heathens or damned Hereticks but held yet for weak beleevers and erring Christians then the said Reformation ought by no means to be put on against their will before they are bitter informed especially the errours being such which have not been rejected or condemned by the Word of God in the Primitive Church Neverthelesse lest the true beleevers out of want of an universal Reformation may be scandalized and offended in their own Conscience They have good reason yea are bound for their part to avoid the communion of such acknowledged dangerous errours and abuses yet in such a manner that they do not directly separate themselves in the remainder of the true doctrine and worship from the erring Congregation as long as they may be tolerated in it but rather for the avoiding of the Schisme or Division of the Church be carefull to maintain the bond of Christian charity and unity till God may open the eyes of the erring party to acknowledge their errours But when the true-beleevers themselves are not tolerated by the erring party as it happeneth oftentimes but excommunicated or condemned because of the rejecting of their errours Then they have not only very good reason but in some regard are compelled to settle separately their Assembly and Religion and consequently a particular Reformation because they are not obliged quite to omit and set the exercise of Religion aside for the erring parties sake which they exclude from their Congregations if not from the hearing of Gods word yet from the use and communion of the holy Sacraments Where again not those that are of necessity compelled to separate themselves but these that reject Whether and how farre the Magistrates may undertake the reformation without the consent of the subjects and excommunicate those are guilty of this Schisme Especially the Christian Magistrates may no wayes be restrained or blamed if they acknowledging by the Word of God such like errours and abuses though their subjects will not hearken to any Reformation yet at least do reform the said errours for their families and fellow-beleevers without compulsion of the others Like as Joshua denounced to the people of Israel though they should forsake the Lord to serve other gods yet he and his house would serve him Jos 24. v. 15 16. And like as some godly Kings in Juda and David himself though they could not restrain the people from sacrificing in high places yet they for their own persons with those that followed them walked upright in the eyes of the Lord not departing and turning aside from his House and Ordinances 1 Reg. 3. vers 2. 1 Reg. 15. vers 14. 22. vers 43 2 Chron. 20. v. 33. For if it doth not stand with reason and equity that the Magistrates should compell the true-beleeving or erring subjects against their Conscience How much more unreasonable and unjust would it then be that subjects * The Author in this place speaketh of the Prince Elector of Brandenbougs case with his Lutheran subjects who endeavor to stop him his reformed attendants from the free exercise of Religion though true-beleevers should stop and restrain the Magistrates and their dependents from their liberty of Conscience and publike exercise of Religion which they under their protection and in their errours enjoy And all this is chiefly to be observed in such difference and dissention of the Church which concern partly the fundamental doctrin it self But the condemning and separation is so much more to be taken heed of when the difference and dispute ariseth not from any one point of the fundamentall Doctrine or from any Idolatry and Superstition in Religion but only from the by-points in Doctrine or Ceremonies though the errours and abuses in them ought to be avoided as much as is possible lest a little leaven may at length leaven the whole lump Where it may come to passe that the erring which in their errour neverthelesse conserve the bond of charity in unity are not only tolerated as brethren but also accounted for better Christians then those who though they do not erre in the controverted Doctrine yet procure thereby a Schisme and Division by reason of their unseasonable judging and condemning who although they keep on both sides the grounds of Faith yet overthrow therwith the foundation of Christian love which is most of all requisite Whereof we read in the Ancient Ecclesiasticall Histories about the year after Christ 250. a very memorable example of Cyprian and his followers on one side and of Stephen Bishop of Rome and his dependents on the other side Whereas though Cyprian together with the Bishops in Africa erred in his opinion that the Hereticks being converted should be re-baptized Yet because he did not by such erroneous opinion of his condemn others who defended the contrary but inviolably maintained the bond of Christian unity Servatur à nobis patienter firmiter charitas animi collegii honor vinculum fidei concordia sacerdotii Epist 73. He was therefore much lesse to be blamed then Stephen who though he did not erre in the Doctrine yet condemned Cyprian and the others for it was by the Bishops sharply reproved for such unchristian judging and unnecessary separation Tu Stephane haereticis omnibus pejor â—s lites dissensiones quantas parasti per Ecclesias totius mundi Peceatum verò quà m magnum tibi exaggerasti quando te à tot gregibus scidisti Excidisti enim te ipsum noli te fallere Siquidem ille est verè schismaticus qui se à communione Ecclesiasticae Vnitatis Apostatam fecerit Dum enim putas omnes à te abstinerâ— posse solum te ab omnibus abstinuisti Non pudet Stephanum propter haereticos asserendos fraternitatem scindere insuper Cyprianum Pseudo-Christum Pseudo-Apostolum dolosum operatorem dicere qui omnia in se esse conscius praevenit ut alteri ea per mâ—ndacium objiceret qua ipse ex merito audire deberet Apud Cypr. Epist 75. Otherwise this said Cyprian notwithstanding such errour hath been alwayes accounted for a godly teacher and Martyr in the Universall Christian Church But when afterwards the Donatists in Africa not only followed him in such errour but also condemned and separated themselves from other true-beleeving Churches They not without reason were rejected as pernicious Schismaticks because they followed Cyprian in his errour Chap. 10. but not in his charity and peaceablenesse and caused therby a most scandalous breach and schism in the Church as it evidently appeareth by the writings of Augustin and Optatus Milevitanus against the Donatists By all which I hope we may sufficiently discern whether or how farre men ought or are bound in Conscience to judge others in Doctrine or Religion or to separate themselves from them or to reform them Which to confirm and illustrate with more grounds and examples in each point
I think it needlesse at this present Seeing it is for the most part agreed on in Thesi or position of it But in Hypothesi or application of it each one favoureth his side best and transferreth the fault and cause of all dissentions and divisions upon his adversary Wherefore for the conclusion thereof we must apply such common and generall Doctrine to the modern differences and controversies and especially to the three dissenting parties afore mentioned without any partiality and passions CHAP. X. Whether or how farre the Protestant Churches ought or are bound to judge the said Roman-Catholicks in their Doctrine and Religion or to separate themselves from them or to undergo any Reformation AMongst all Schismes and Divisions in Churches which ever since the Apostles times arose amongst the Christians we shall hardly find any one which hath been fomented with more vehemency and fiercenesse then that which in our Predecessours dayes sprung originally in Germany and afterwards was spread over all Europe and at this present is divulged witnesse our own eyes to a most lamentable desolation and destruction of Christendom so that some long continuance thereof which is feared will draw at length upon the necks of all Western Churches like punishment and oppressions as formerly the Eastern suffered under the Turks Tartars and other Barbarous Nations unlesse the Lord doth shorten and prevent them by the day of his apparition Wherefore every one hath good reason to be carefull and to search out which side properly is guilty and the cause of such pernicious Schismes that we may know to which to give assent and to which not Whereby it is not imaginable that one side should be only and totally guilty and the other absolutely innocent and guiltlesse For it may well be that there hath been faults on both sides either in the excesse or defect whereby their minds were exasperated and the divisions grown to such a high pitch And the differences and disceptations in Churches are much like the warre or judiciall law-businesse where many times the most just and equitable cause is very ill managed and commonly prolonged and extended to a great inconvenience if not to the utmost ruine of both disagreeing parties But since indifferences in Religion especially when a resolute Schisme and Division is already formed in the Church no Neutrality nor therefore a totall separation from the Christian Church or the settlement of a peculiar Church is admitted but assent is to be given either to one or the other side in the saving Doctrine and Religion though not all its actions may be approved At least thus far must be determined of the guiltinesse and innocency of the different parties to the end that men may know which Church is to be imbraced and which not Which subject fully and punctually to handle and maintain would require a peculiar book in regard that all modern writings whether they concern Divisions and Dissensions or Ecclesiasticall Unity are in some kind directed to this scope But we shall here be constrained only to touch it in a short and compendious way as much as will conduce to our present intention and to declare it briefly by the aforementioned principles And first whether and how farre we have reason to judge their Doctrine and Religion to separate our selves from them or to reform them Then secondly whether therefore by any means we ought to judge and condemn the persons or whole Churches I. Where then first it is to be exactly examined How farre the Protestants are separated from the Romish Church how farre the Protestant Churches have separated themselves from the Roman-Catholicks Seeing they have not withdrawn themselves one from another in al points of Christian Doctrine and Religion but remain still united in many great and weighty Articles which have been unanimously acknowledged of both sides out of the Word of God For both sides professe and receive the whole Vniversall Apostolicall Creed whereunto we are Baptized on all sides Likewise both sides retain the ten Commandements and the Prayer of the Lord And although they omit in their Catechismes the second Commandement concerning Images yet they retain it at least in their Bibles so that we remain undivided at least according to the letter in three most necessary Symboles or Articles of the Universall Christian Religion credendorum faciendorum petendorum what is necessary to beleeve to do and to aske as was mentioned heretofore And notwithstanding they have added many other human Ceremonies and Traditions to the holy Sacraments which Christ himself hath instituted yet we acknowledge that they have thus farre kept the true Baptisme being the most necessary Sacrament that we nor they desire to rebaptize those that were baptized by us and them Moreover they receive and acknowledge with us the whole Sacred Scripture of the Old and New Testament to be the indubitable Word of God whose Interpretation and meaning in many sound Doctrines yea I dare say in the most is unqestioned betwixt us and them Yea likewise in the Symbols of the Primitive Church of the first and principall Councels which we receive on both sides agreeable and warrantable by Scripture and finally in all points of their Doctrine and Religion which are true Vndoubted Ancient Catholick we remain as yet united with them against all other erroneous Sectaries as hath been declared before Wherefore we cannot nor will judge them Hereticks but rather we must judge and determine by those undoubted and undeniable grounds of both sides all other differences in Doctrine that are left And if we only might be tolerated by them without compulsion of Conscience we nor they had then no cause to separate and with-draw our selves one from another And we would sufficiently find in the said articles whatsoever is necessary unto salvation II. Neither do we judge and condemn them in those things which we generally and on all sides acknowledge and receive as free indifferent matters which neither directè or indirectè in the Word of God are commanded nor forbidden to beleeve or to do but rather confesse that men ought herein to conform themselves to each Church and Lawes of the Countrey Customes and Ceremonies lest because of unnecessary things a separation and scandall be caused according to Augustins rule Quod neque contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's injungitur indifferenter est habendum pro eorum inter quos vivitur societate servandum est Epist 118 But in such things which We for our part account for free indifferent matters but they for necessary either out of custome or because of the Tradition of their Church or out of a mis-apprehension of the Word of God as for example in Fasts and Holy daies we ought to judge the matter thus far lest according to the rule of the Apostle we may cast a stumbling block or scandall before them by our liberty and knowledge in their pretended necessity but rather dispense with our exteriour liberty in such
Doctrine and Ceremonies which they have added in the latter hundred yeers without and against Gods Word Also there are two sorts of people amongst them The One who in their Christianity onely and principally cleave to the indubitable universal Apostolick Creed which they with us are baptized unto so that they seek onely 〈◊〉 salvation in Jesus Christ the crucified as their own Mediator and Saviour and testifie such beleef of theirs in the effect by Christian charity and godly conversation who also consequently will not condemn us as Hereticks who are united in spirit with them in such universal saving Faith working through love much lesse persecute us with hostility unlesse it were out of meer ignorance because they have no true information of our Doctrine and Faith How should we then condemn them Much more reason have we to account such Catholicks for true Evangelical and not for Popish Christians because their salvation is grounded not upon their own merits and satisfaction or upon other Popish traditions and Auxiliary concomitant means but onely upon the meer grace of God and the precious Redemption of our Lord Jesus Christ And that there hath been at all times a great number of such people and are still at this present even in the midst of Popery not onely the experience of them that live amongst them but their own Books before and after Luther's times do testifie it As Bernardi Anselmi Gersonis Tauleri Thomae de Kempis Erasmi Cassandri Feri Cardinalis Contareni Hosij Pighij Coloniensium in Anti-didagmate Enchiridio and of a great many more Especially their ancient Manuals concerning Meditations upon death which were commonly used a great while before Luther's times wherein the dying persons from all meritorious works and satisfaction and from all other humane means of salvation are onely directed to the precious merit and intercession of the onely Mediator and Redeemer Jesus Christ Formulae interrogandi infirmos inter Epistolas Anselmi Ars benè moriendi Monachi cujusdam Cisterciensis Hortulus Animae Georg. Cassander in Append. Opusc Joh. Roffensis Hosius in Confess Petricov cap. 73. Sacerdotale Roman Edit Venet. Ann. 1555. fol. 116. Sacra Institutio baptizandi Edit Paris Ann. 1575. fol. 35. Ordo baptizandi cum modo visitandi Edit Venet. Ann. 1575. fol. 34. In which Book the Spanish Inquisitors have ordained in their twofold Indice Expurgatorio Annis 1584. 1612. to deface and omit these Questions and Answers following Sacerdos Credis non propriis meritis sed Passionis Domini nostri Jesu Christi virtute merito ad gloriam pervenire Respondeat infirmus Credo Sacerdos Credit quòd Dominus noster Jesus Christus pro nostra salute mortuus sit quod ex propriis meritis vel alio modo nullus possit salvari nisi in merito passionis ejus Respondeat infirmus Credo By the Omission of which words they testifie against themselves that those amongst them who examined the dying persons upon this beleef wherein the principal fundamental Doctrine of salvation consisteth and died upon it have been verily addicted to our Evangelical Faith and Doctrine of the Church and not to their Popish beleef and doctrine And although such men have also adhered in their ignorance to some erroneous opinions according to the common course of those times out of want of better information yet they cannot be condemned or accounted for non-Evangelical because they fixed their comfort and hope of their salvation not upon such erroneous Doctrines not upon merits and invocation of Saints not upon Masses for the souls of the deceased 〈◊〉 â—pon Indulgences not upon Monastical orders and such other like things but onely upon Gods meer grace and mercy in Christ Jesus the crucified To the Objection that may be made That they neverthelesse went to Masse which we count Idolatrie and consequently must condemn all those as meer Idolaters We answer That such men went to Masse in the simplicity of their heart not even according to the new Masse-doctrine which but in the Councel of Lateran Ann. 1218. and after in the Councel of Trent was canonized but according to the pure ancient and simple beleef of Christs words in the holy Communion wherein even yet the moderate Papists so far must agree with us that it is Sacrificium commemorativum A Commemoration and Remembrance of Christs Sacrifice finished upon the Crosse and a spiritual meat of our souls Wherefore there is no doubt but many religious and pious hearts have at all times understood and eaten it after a spiritual sort who heard little or nothing of the Scholastical disceptations of Transubstantiation and had not yet known the depths of Satan as was said of those in Thyatira Revel 2. v. 24. Or have expresly rejected them and beleeved nothing else concerning the Holy Communion but what next to Augustine and other ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church Bertramus or Ratramus in the times of Carolus Calvus when the disputes of this subject had their first beginning hath declared in his Book De Corpore Sanguine Christi who at all times was accounted for a true Catholick Teacher And though some had beleeved the real and corporal presence and oral manducation of Christs Body in the Masse Yet we should have as little reason to condemn them as the Lutherans if they have but grounded the principal comfort and hope of their salvation not upon the carnal but spiritual eating of Christs Body as being the onely Sacrifice and Propitiation for their sins Likewise though they have much declined in the Ceremonies of the Masse from Christs first Institution and have added thereunto many humane partly superstitious partly idolatrous Ceremonies Yet all those cannot presently be accounted for damnable Idolaters who in those times and places where the Supper of the Lord was not otherwise to be had nor the errour made yet so apparently evident went to the common Masse in their simplicity because of the remnant of Christs Institution therein to the end that they might be made partakers of Christs Body and Blood for the quickning of their souls Like as they used the Holy Baptism for to cleanse and wash them from their sins notwithstanding the superstitious humane Ceremonies that were added thereunto Who also though they kneeled down before the consecrated bread and wine being a Sacramental token of remembrance and exhibitive signe of Christs Body and Blood like as the Lutherans also at the administration of their Communion and the Reformed Protestants in England use to do Yet have not fixed the Adoration and confidence of their hearts on the bread and wine but on Christ himself sitting on the right hand of his Father in Heaven And therefore are much lesse to be esteemed Idolaters then for their kneeling and bowing down before painted 〈◊〉 carved Crucifixes which Christ never ordained for signes of remembâ—◠〈◊〉 instead of adoring Jesus Christ in Heaven Though we must confesse that all such things have been used in Popery at