decrees of the Church that properly makes the Heretique The Heretiques recounted by S. Augustine Epiphanius and Philastrius in their Catalogues were condemned not so much for their errours which were many ofthem not very materiall as for their contempt of the Church S. Cyprian and the Donatists differed not in the matter of their errour but the obstinacy of the Donatists and their disobedience to the Church made them to be condemned for Heretiques when S. Cyprian was absolved because the Church in his time had not declared her selfe And in the like manner the Novatians were condemned on the same grounds Answer Sect. 4. OF the nature of Heresie The Church may declare convince an Heresie but cannot properly make any Doctrine Hereticall unlesse it be such in the matter of it The words Heresie and Heretique very ambiguous How commonly used by the Ancients Of their Catalogues of Heretiques S. Cyprian though erring in the point of Rebaptization justly absolved from Schisme and Heresie The Donatists guilty of both And the Novatians of Schisme Charity mistaken Chap. 6. AGaine the onely right ground and true infallible motiue of faith by which it is produced and on which it relyes is the revelation of God and the proposition of his Church He therefore who beleeves not every particular Article of Catholique Doctrine which is revealed and propounded by Almighty God and his Church which Church is absolutely infallible in all her proposalls doth not assent to any one even of those which he beleeves by divine faith because he assents not upon the onely true and infallible motiue An assent not grounded on this is no supernaturall divine faith but onely an humane suspicion or opinion or persuasion And such is the faith of Turkes Iewes Moores and all Heretiques particularly of the Protestants Answer Sect. 5. DIvine revelation the principall motiue last object into which faith supernaturall is resolved The testimony and ministery of the Church is of great use for the begetting of faith But the Church hath not an authority unlimited and absolutely infallible in all her doctrines as Some Romanists pretend Others of them reasonably fairly limit the Churches infallibility The Church Vniversall infallible in fundamentall doctrines Not so in points of lesser moment The Mistaker cannot say what he meanes by the Church whereof he sayes so much Of the Church represented in Generall Councells of which VVe speak and thinke more honorably then doe our Adversaries Yet we thinke them not absolutely infallible Of the Pope whom they call the Church virtuall How his Flatterers speake of his authority No Roman Catholique can be assured of his infallibility which is at the most and best but problematicall by their owne principles Charity mistaken Chap. 7. PRotestants object that Roman Catholiques are not at unity among themselves as appeares by many questions wherein their Writers are at variance Answer Catholique Doctors differ onely in matters of Opinion not decided by the Church not in any point of Faith And besides their differences are all fairely carried without any breach of Charity If it be againe objected that learned Catholiques beleeue more then the unlearned Answer This hinders not their Vnitie It suffices the Vulgar to beleeve implicitly what the Church teaches And by vertue of such implicite faith a Cardinall Bellarmine and a Catholique Collier are of the same beleife Answer Sect. 6. DIssentions in the Church of Rome of greater importance then any among the Reformed They differ not onely in Opinion but in matters of their Faith As about the Popes authority and the Popes themselves about their vulgar Latine Bibles Discords among Them uncharitably pursued Some patterns of their mutuall bitternesse and revilings Implicite faith in some points and in some persons admitted VVhat it is which we dislike here in the doctrine of some Romanists Charity mistaken Chap. 8. 9. THe Protestants pretend to be at unitie with the Ancient Church with the Lutherans and even with Roman Catholiques in fundamentall points That distinction so ordinary with them betweene fundamentall points and not fundamentall is vaine without ground No Protestant Writer none of their Vniversities Colledges or Societies of learned men amongst them can or dare define what doctrines are fundamentall or give us in a List or Catalogue of Fundamentalls Some say they are contained in the Creed But those men may be ashamed of that opinion seeing in the Creed there is no mention of the Canon of Scripture or of the number or nature of the Sacraments of justification whether it be by faith alone or by workes or of that doctrine of devills forbidding marriage meats which was the doctrine of the Manichees and not of Roman Catholiques as Protestants perversly affirme and finally since there is such great differences between them and us about the understanding of the Articles of Christs Descent into Hell of the holy Catholique Church and the Communion of Saints Others say the Booke of the 39 Articles of the Church of England declares all the fundamentall points of faith But that also is most absurdly affirmed That Booke declares onely and that in an extreamly confused manner what the Church of England beleeves in most things And in many Controversies betweene them and us it speakes obscurely not touching the maine difficulty of the questions As in the points of the Visibility and infallibility of the Church of Freewill and of the Canon of Scripture Answer Sect. 7. THe distinction between doctrines fundamentall and not fundamentall avowed as most necessary It hath ground in reason and in Scripture The Creed of the Apostles as it is explained in the later Creeds of the Catholique Church esteemed a sufficient Summary or Catalogue of Fundamentals by the best learned Romanists and by Antiquity The Mistakers exceptions to the contrary answered As also his exceptions against the Confession of the Church of England The Conclusion ANSWERE TO Charity mistaken Charity mistaken Chap. 1. 2. ROmane Catholiques judge that Protestancy vnrepented of destroies saluation For this judgement the Protestants charge them with want of Charitie This charge saith the Mistaker is 1. improbable 2. vntrue 1. Improbable For the Catholique Church expresses and diffuses her Charitie for the temporall and spirituall good of men in all imaginable sorts Shee is charitable to their bodies in her Monasteries Hospitals redeeming of Captiues prouiding for Orphanes c. and to their soules by conuerting of heretiques and infidels by teaching the ignorant by directing the scrupulous with bookes of Cases of Conscience c. Charitable to very Protestants their heresies onely are condemned and it is not said that they sinnâ— against the holy Ghost because they may be conuerted to the faith reconciled to the Church anâ— so may be saued Answere Sect. 1. SOme Romane Catholiques judge charitably of the Reformed Iesuiterâ— furious and destructiue in their censures against all that are not of their faction That faction infamous for their cruelties charged with want of Charitie
Catholique Church is spread and diffused over the Earth among all Nations and may not be inclosed within any one or other society or communion of men whatsoever Wherein he doth as clearely oppose our Romanists who inclose all Catholiques and Christians within the Popes communion as he did the ancient Donatists It is not then resisting the voice or definitue sentence of the Church which makes an Heretique but an obstinate standing out against evident Scripture sufficiently cleared vnto him And the Scripture may then be said to be sufficiently cleared when it is so opened that a good and teachable minde louing and seeking truth cannot gainsay it For some froward and obstinate persons will not bee convicted by any evidence of truth whatsoever And if the authority of a Councell or of some Church doe interpose in this conviction the obstinacy of Gainsayers is the greater because there is the greater reason to perswade them And if any Church doe vpon such conviction excommunicate or condemne any refractary Gainsayer hee standeth guilty of obstinacy and so of Heresy in foro exteriori and for such is to be reputed by the members of the same Church But it is possible such a sentence may bee erronious either because the opinion condemned is no Heresy or error against the Faith in it selfe considered or because the party so condemned is not sufficiently convinced in his vnderstanding not clouded with prejudice ambition vaineglory or the like passion that it is an errour As these Donatists so the Novatians also were Schismatiques for disobeying the publique determination of the Catholique Church in the same Generall Councell of Nice In the first Ages before that Councell the Church was very rigorous in her Discipline Shee vtterly refused as wee haue before observed to admit vnto her Peace and communion f Vide Canones Concil Eliberini Tertull. de pudic Cypr. Epist ad Antonian passim some kindes of sinnners as Idolaters Apostates Murtherers Adulrers and the like though they had done many yeares penance and though they were in their last extremity thinking fit to leaue them to the mercy of God alone and to make their peace with him by inward repentance Afterwards Shee saw it convenient to bee more mild and mercifull in her censures and accordingly declared her selfe in the Great g Nic. Concil Can. 11. 12. 13. 14. Councell allowing to all sinners the hope and comfort of her absolution when they had made her satisfaction by their humility and penance according to her Canons The h Albaspin Sacr. Observ lib. 2. cap. 21. Novatians stubbornely opposed this publike resolution pretending that the judgement and practise of former Agesought not to be altered that this releasing of severe Discipline would open a gap to vice and licentiousnesse that the Church had no power to reconcile or receiue into her society such enormious Sinners though penitent that if she did she was polluted by their communion And vpon these pretences they breake out into a formall Schisme and separation Before the Nicene Councell many good Catholique Bishops were of the same opinion with the Donatists that the Baptisme of Heretiques was ineffectuall and with the Novatians that the Church ought not to absolue some grievous Sinners These errours therefore if they had gone no farther were not in themselues Hereticall especially in the proper and most heavy or bitter sense of that word neither was it in the Churches intention or in her power to make them such by her Declaration Her intention was to silence all disputes and to settle peace and vnity in her governement to which all wise and peaceable men submitted whatsoever their opinion was And those factious people for their vnreasonable and vncharitable opposition were very justly branded for Schismatiques Now for vs the Mistaker nor his Masters will never proue that wee oppose either any Declaration of the Catholique Church or any fundamentall or other truth of Scripture and therefore he doth vniustly charge vs either with Schisme or Heresy Charity mistaken Chap. 6. AGaine the onely right ground and true infallible motiue of faith by which it is produced and on which it relyes is the revelation of God and the proposition of his Church He therefore who beleeues not every particular Article of Catholique doctrine which is revealed and propounded by Almighty God and his Church which Church is absolutely infallible in all her proposalls doth not assent to any one even of those which he beleeues by true faith because he assents not upon the onely true and infallible motiue An assent not grounded on this is no supernaturall divine faith but an humane persuasion or suspicion or opinion And such is the beleefe or faith of Turkes Iewes Moores and all Heretiques and particularly of the Protestants Answer Sect. 5. DIvine revelation the principall motiue last object into which faith supernaturall is resolved The testimony ministery of the Church is of great use for the begetting of faith But the Church hath not an authority unlimited and absolutely infallible in all her doctrines as some Romanists pretend Others of them reasonably and fairely limit the Churches infallibility The Church Vniversall infallible in fundamentall doctrines Not so in points of lesser moment The Mistaker cannot say what he meanes by the Church where of he sayes so much Of the Church represented in generall Councells of which we speak and thinke more honorably then doe our Adversaries Yet we thinke them not absolutely infallible Of the Pope whom they call the Church virtuall How his flatterers speak of his authoritie No Roman Catholique can be assured of his infallibilitie which is at the most and best but problematicall by their owne principles Answer FAith is said to be divine and supernaturall I in regard of the author or efficient cause of the habit and act of divine infused faith which is the speciall grace of God preparing inabling and assisting the soule to beleive For a 1 Cor. 12. 3. 4. faith is the gift of God alone 2. In regard of the object or things beleeved which are b Phil. 1. 29. c. aboue the reach and comprehension of meere nature or reason 3. In regard of the formall reason or principall ground on which faith chiefly relies into which it is finally resolved which is divine revelation or the authority of God who is the first truth If it faile in any of these it is no divine or supernaturall faith Of the two first respects there is no controversie For the 3d that the formall object or reason of faith the chiefe motiue the first and farthest principle into which it resolues is onely divine revelation is a truth denied by some of the c Scotus Durand Gabriel apud Can. loc lib. 2. cap. 8. Schoole indeed some other d Vide passim apud Eckium Pighium Hosium Turrianum Costerum nequiter contumeliosè dicta in S. Scripturas unwise and unwary writers against Luther but yet
the Church the promises of Christ assure us But that to necessarie truths she shall adde no unnecessarie opinions for that we have no warrant either from the Scripture or any promise of God And were it otherwise the Doctors above mentioned had betrayed the Churches cause in stead of maintaining it For if in all her doctrines and definitions she be infallible why should they restraine her infallibilitie in defining unto matters necessary They should have profess'd her roundly and plainly infallible in all her determinations For to limit her infallibility in defining onely to things necessary and then to say that all defin'd by her is eo ipso necessarie because defin'd is to delude the world and seemingly to yeild something when nothing is yeilded The Romane cause at this day as it appeares by the vulgar Writers of the Popes quarter and among others by our Mistaker wholly depends on this pretended absolute infallibility All Controversies in the issue are reduced to this and decided by it And with great reason if there were any reason in it or for it For if Rome cannot erre or be deceived then without doubt all they erre and are deceived who dissent from her And therefore me thinkes learned men of that partie might do very well to ease themselves and the world of much trouble and paines in the scanning of other questions if with all their strength and witt they can but settle on the Pope or his adherents such an infallibility by any one convicting argument this will instantly and evidently conclude all our other differences No wise man will any way contradict them who cannot any way erre But surely this doctrine that the Church is infallible in all her definitions is so far from being certaine and divine that it is at the best but doubtfull and problematicall and that even by and from their owne principles The Roman Drs deliver us these Maximes concerning the Churches authority 1. r Staplet lib. 9. Princip doctr passim contr Whitak That the truth of Scripture it selfe and of all contained in it relyes in respect of us upon the testimony of the Church so as nothing is credible to us but by the Churches attestation 2. s Valent. Tom. 3. disp 1. qu. 1. pun 1. §. 6. col 29. That the proposition of the Church is so necessary to the act of divine faith that nothing can be beleeved without it 3. That t Bellarm. lib. 4. de Pont. R. cap. 14. §. Respondeo Inprimis untill a doctrine be declared or defined by the Church so long it may be either doubted of or denyed without danger These propositions are their owne Hence wee assume But this doctrine that the Church is infallible in all her decrees and definitions was never yet declared decreed or defined by the Church no not by any Councell or by any Pope And hence we inferre Therefore it is a doctrine which may be doubted of or denyed without danger a doctrine which no man can beleeue by divine faith a doctrine whatsoever it be in it selfe to Christians not credible If any man will deny the assumption he will oblige himselfe to disproue it by a contrary instance Let it be shewed where and when and in what termes the Church hath published any such declaration And suppose which will not be granted that such a declaration had beene made it may be demanded with reason upon what warrant the Church can assume to her selfe a power so divine and boundlesse as to authorize all her decrees in so high a forme that they must be accounted divine and infallible If the promise of God in Scripture be pleaded for this power we haue already shewed how the learned among themselues haue voyded this plea and so restrained those promises that they are by much too narrow to support so wide a priviledge If it bee said that this authority of the Church is a principle admitted by all Christians without any doubt or proofe this is a saying voluntary and and groundlesse For 1. they will confesse every principle in Religion to be founded either in nature or in Scripture or in tradition or in Church definition and in none of these will they find any footing for this 2. All Christians in the world confesse the authority of Scripture to be a principle indemonstrable yet are we by them perpetually urged to proue that authority and that by Scripture 3. Dr u Princ. Doctrin l. ◠c. 21. Stapleton thinkes it not onely fitting but necessary in respect of us that the Church should give testimony to her self especially thē in this point of so great importance consequence cōcerning her infallible authority wherein all Religiō is so much concerned 4. Lastly it is a great errour and vanitie to beleeue that this absolute infallibility of the Church is beleeved by all Christians especially in the sence of our Adversaries who ever by the Church intend that unsound piece which they call the Roman Catholique The Protestants and Greekes expresly accuse this Church and haue convicted her too as they thinke of many grosse and dangerous errors The w See Mr. Brierwoods Enquiries Armenians Syrians Indians Iacobites Maronites Abassines with other innumerable assemblies of Christians haue many doctrines and customes directly repugnant to those of Rome which were an unreasonable presumption and absurditie if they esteemed the Church of Rome so wholly infallible Nay within the Roman Church it selfe many Authors of great learning and judgement by name x Horum omnium testimonia legere est apud Rob. Baronium de objecto fidei Tract 5. cap. 19. Occam Cameracensis Waldensis Panormitanus Antoninus Archbishop of Florence Cardinal Cusan Nicholas Clemangis haue declared their opinion that any particular Churches and particularly the Roman any Councels though Generall any Popes may erre even to heresie and I doubt not but the best learned Romanists at this day are of the same opinion Before wee proceed it will not be from our purpose to note one thing more in passing The Church of Rome pretends that it is an office belonging onely to Her to deliver the entire rule of faith to all Christian people And she pretends further that this divine and infalliable rule is made up of three integrall parts to wit Scriptures Traditions and Church definitions If this be true she doth but loosely discharge her office very ill satisfie the obligation which she hath unto the Christian world For 1. Why hath she not yet defined that her definitions are of divine authority The late Fathers of Trent haue canonized unwritten traditions and equall'd them to Scriptures but why did they omit to canonize the decrees of all Popes Councells Why did they not adde to Traditions their Church definitions and command them both and them all to be received with no lesse devotion then the holy Scriptures 2. The same Fathers have given us an exact catalogue of all the bookes of Scripture but why did they not give
And if the Canons of Councells be divinely inspired then they must be admitted into the Code of holy Scriptures as of equall authoritie with them which though h Vide Can. loco lib. 5. c. 5. qu. 3. some grosser Papists admit yet the i Bell. de Concil lib. 2. c. 12. wisest dislike and deny Upon these or the like grounds Bellarmin leaves his companion Stapleton to walke alone in this dangerous path and avowes to the contrarie k Ibid. §. Dicuntur igitur that Councells neither have nor write immediate revelations Yet may some decrees of Councells in regard of their matter and consonancy to Scripture be of divine and infallible truth as those of the first Councells against Arrius Macedonius and the rest If in other things of lesser moment or in any thing they erre or mistake the Universall Church hath meanes of remedie either by antiquating those errors with a generall and tacite consent or by representing her selfe againe in an other Generall Councell which may review and correct the defects of the former as the great Councell of Chalcedon did with the second of Ephesus So sayes l De Baptis contr Donat. lib. 2. cap. 3. S. Augustine Provinciall Councells may be corrected by plenarie and plenarie Councells the former by the latter But still all examined by Scripture and submitted to it as the same Father m Aug. ad Donat post Collat. ca. 15. Item l. 3. contr Maxim de unit Eccl. cap. 18. 19. constantly teaches But if our Mistaker will be ingenuous and speake out he will confesse that he meanes by his infallible Church onely the Church virtuall that is onely the Pope In whom alone all the vertue and power of the Church is eminently conteined by whom all Councells must be judged and all Controversies determined on whom the whole frame of the Romane Catholique faith depends and into whom it is lastly resolved For this is the new Catholique doctrine of his new Masters especially of the Fathers of hiâ— society who teach with great consent that n Bell. lib. 4. de Rom. P. c. 3. §. Secundò probatur Quilibet Successor Petri est petra fundamentum Ecclesiae every Successor of S. Peter is thâ— rocke and foundation of the Church thaâ— o Skulkenius Apol. pro Bell. cap. 6 pag. 255. Pontificia potestas est velut cardo fundamentum ut uno verbo omnia complectar summa fidei Christianae Vide Bell. Praef. in lib. de R. P. the Popes authority is the hinge foundation and in briefe the summe of Christian faith that p Gretser Defens cap. 10. lib. 3. 〈◊〉 verb. Dei pag. 1450 1451. per Ecclesiam intelligimus Pont. Romanuâ— Et per Ecclesiam Papam interpretantur Non abnuo Franc. Albeâ—â— Corollar Theolog. Tom 1. Corol. 4. punc 7. num 35. 36. Dico primo quòd praeter veritatem primam revelantem est in universo aliquâ— regula infallibilis animata rationalis qualis est Ecclesia Quò◠autem haec regula animata rationalis sit summus Pont. Romanus nâ—â— est hîc locus proprius probandi sed inter recentiores videndus Valent. 22. q. 1. Card. Bell. Medina-Dico secundo stante hâc regulâ rationâ—â—â— infallibili omnes Articuli fidei ultimatè resolvuntur in ipsam tanquâ—â— in rationem formalem quâ in proponendo by the Church is understood the Pope in q Greg. de Valentiâ— Anal. fid lib. 8. cap. 7. §. Porrò Authoritas quae in uno Pontifice reâ—det authoritas dicitur Ecclesiae Conciliorum whom alone resides all the authority of the Church and oâ— Councells that r Bell. l. 4 de Roâ— P. cap. 3. §. At contra Apparet totam firmitatem Conciliorum esseâ— Pontifice non partim à Pontifice partim à Concilio vide Long. à Coriâ— in Sum. Concil praelud 6. the strength of all Councells depends upon him alone that s Gretser defens cap. 1. lib. 1. de verâ— Dei p. 16. Id solum pro verbo Dei veneramur ac suscipimus quod noâ—â—â— Pontifex ex Cathedra Petri tanquam supremus Christianorum Magâ—ster ac omnium Controversiarum Judex definiendo proponit he iâ— the supreme Master of Christians and judge of all Controversies and whatsoever â—e propounds out of his chaire and that â—nely must be received as the word of God that his judgment is so absolutely infalâ—ible t Valent. Anal. fid lib. 8. cap. 3. ad 6. object sive Pontifex in definiendo studium adhibeat sive non adhibeat modò tamen controversiam definiat infallibiliter certè definiet that whether he be carefull or negligent in his definitions it matters not let him but define and without doubt he defines infallibly that u Jesuitae in Regulis Patavii inter schedas relictis An. 1606. quum illinc ob interdictum discederent reg 13. Apud Paulum Soarpium Theologum Venerum in Histor Interd lib. 2. if he who is the Hierâ—rchicall Church define that to be white which the eye judges to be blacke it must be so admitted that w Bell. de R. P. lib. 4. cap. 5. §. Quod autem Si Papa erraret precipiendo vitia vel prohibédo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiam peccare if he should erre and command the practise of vice or forbid the exercise of vertue the Church were bound in conscience to beleive vices to be good and vertues to be bad This is plaine dealing Scriptures are obscure unlesse the Pope interpret them All Fathers and Councells may erre unlesse the Pope confirme them The Church without him is a bodie without an head an house without a foundation Controversies cannot be decided but onely by his definition and in that there can be no error nor any appeale from it But this being so these men deale not plainly with us when they pretend often in their dispuâ—ations against us Scriptures and Fathers and Councells and the Church since in the issue their finall and infallible argument for their faith is onely the Popes authority But infallibly there is nothing in Scripture which favours this infallibility unlesse the Pope may be admitted to expound it which he will do infallibly for his owne advantage And as little in reason or in Antiquity The Ancient Church was very carefull to conserve the puritie of the faith against heresies Some x Tertullian Vinc Lirin Fathers have written purposely of the plea's or prescriptions which the Church hath against them and how Catholique doctrine may be discerned and maintained to wit by authority of Scripture and tradition of the Catholique Church If they had beleived the Bishop of Rome to be the infallible Judge surely without more a doe they had appealed all Heretiques to his Tribunall And what needed the Christian Emperours anciently and sometime at the request of the Bishops of Rome themselves to
to erect her own absolute soveraignty over the consciences and faith of Christian people Whatsoever these Masterly Doctors shall define or prescribe in matters of faith that they say must be received without c Greg. de Valentia Anal. fid lib. 8. cap. 6. §. Quòd verò Sine contradictione ulla obedire iussi homines sunt Sacerctoti judicanti-Quod ipsum persuadere nobis de summo Ecclesiae Pastore nunc jubemur contradiction yea without d Bellarm. de verbi Dei interpret lib. 3. c. 10. §. SeptimuÌ„ arg Christiani tenentur doctrinam Ecclesiae recipere non dubitare an hâ—c ita se habeant Et ib. §. Addo Debet Christianus sine examine recipere doctrinam Eccles Et ib. ad arg 16. Doctor non proponit sententiam suam ut necessariò sequendam sed solùm quatenus ratio suadet at Judex proponit ut sequendam necessariò Patres sunt Doctores Concilia verò Pontifices sunt Judices examination yea though it be e Tannerus in Colloq Ratisbon Sess 9. Si Praepositi Eccles in aliquo dubio definiendo errarent populus Christianus vi talis regiminis errare posset imò deberet false and erroneous This indeed is a sure meanes to keep the Court of Rome in quiet possession of her tyranny and errors if men may be persuaded to resigne unto her their judgement and reason and yeeld her a blind and brutish obedience in all things The colour is that in all doctrines she is assisted with an infallible Spirit and therefore being all divine truths and inspirations they may not be inquired into The ordinarie pretence of Deceivers of f Dictum Apellis apud Euseb Hist Eccleslib 5. cap. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apelles the old heretick in Eusebius of Mahomet the great impostor and of some Others besides the Romanists in this age But as a learned man hath well observed g Ludov. Vives de verit fidei Christ li. 4. pag. 478. contra errores Mahumetis Tutissimum mentiendi genus est nolle rationem eorum quae dicas reddere veritatem dictorum ad Deum referre authorem quem nemo de veritate possit interrogare The safest way of lying is for men to entitle God to their owne dreames and for all reason to say they are heavenly verities which may not be examined It is very meet that the ignorant people should obey h Heb. 13. 17 their overseers in the Lord and submit themselves to the Ministry and direction of the Church in many profound doctrines above their reach But it behoves them to have a distinct comfortable knowledge of the essentiall points of faith and not securely to rest in a babish simplicity but so far as God hath enabled them to i Heb. 6. 1. be led on to profection To which purpose they are commanded to k Joh. 5. 39 search the Scriptures that they may l 2 Pet. 3. 18. grow and m Col. 1. 10. encrease in knowledge that the n Col. 3. 16. word of Christ may dwell richly in them and that they may be able both to beleive o Rom. 10. 10. with the heart and confesse with their mouth and render p 1. Pet. 3. 15. a reason of that hope that is in them The words of q Lactantius lib. 2. cap. 8. Oportet in ea re maximè in qua vitae ratio versatur sibi quemque confidere suóque judicio ac proptiis sensibus niti ad investigandam perpendendam veritatem quà m credentem alienis erroribus decipi tanquaÌ„ ipsum rationis expertem Quare cùm sapere id est veritatem quaerere omnibus sit innatú sanientiamsibi adimunt qui sine ullo judicio inventa majorum probant ab aliis pecudum more ducuntur Lactantius to this purpose are observable In those things which concerne our welfare and life especially that of our soules it is fit for every man to make use of his owne discretion in the search and triall of truth rather then without reason to relie upon the credit of others that may abuse him Every man by nature desires to be wise and to know the truth And therefore they befoole themselues who without judgement follow the judgement of their leaders which is the propertie of sheepe rather then of reasonable men And by that of n Theodoret Graec. Affect Curat Serm. 5. sub fin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret we learne what kind of knowledge the ancient Church required in Christians Every where saith he you may see the points of our faith to be knowen not onely by them who are Masters in the Church and Teachers of the people but even of Coblers Smiths and Weavers and all kind of Artificers and of women also which get their living with their hands yea Maid-servants and Waiting-women Husband-men also do very well know them and Ditchers and Neate-herds and Woodsetters All these may ye find discoursing of the Trinitie and the creation of things and as skilfull in the nature of man as Plato or Aristotle Charity mistaken Chap. 8. 9. THe Protestants pretend to be at unitie with the Ancient Church with the Lutherans and even with Roman Catholiques in fundamentall points That distinction so ordinary with them betweene fundamentall points and not fundamentall is vaine without ground No Protestant Writez none of their Vniversities Colledges or Societies of learned men amongst them can or dare define what doctrines are fundamentall or give us in a List or Catalogue of fundamentalls Some say they are coÌ„tained in the Creed But these men may be â—shamed of that opinioÌ„ seeing in the Creed there is no mention of the Canon of Scripture or of the number or nature of the Sacraments of justification whether it be by faith alone or by workes or of that doctrine of devills forbidding marriage meats which was the doctrine of the Manichees and not of Roman Catholiques as Protestants perversly affirme and finally since there is such great differences betweene them and us about the understanding of the Articles of Christs Descent into Hell of the holy Catholique Church and the Communion of Saints Others say the Booke of the 39 Articles of the Church of England declares all the fundamentall points of faith But that also is most absurdly affirmed That Booke declares onely and that in an extreamly confused manner what the Church of England beleeves in most things And in many Controversies betweene them and us it speakes obscurely not touching the maine difficultie of the questions As in the points of the visibility and infallibility of the Church of Freewill of the Canon of Scripture Answer Sect. 7. THe distinction betweene doctrines fundamentall and not fundamentall avowed as most necessary It hath ground in reason and in Scripture The Creed of the Apostles as it is explained in the latter Creeds of the Catholique Church esteemed a sufficient Summarie or Catalogue of fundamentalls by
difference betweene a Schisme from them and a Reformation of our selues And it is one thing to leaue the communion of the Church of Rome another to leaue communicating with her in her errors Whosoeuer professes himselfe to forsake the communion of any one member of the body of Christ must confesse himselfe consequently to forsake the whole And therefore her communion we forsake not no more then the Body of Christ whereof we acknowledge the Church of Rome a member though corrupted And this cleares vs from the imputation of Schisme whose property it is witnesse the o August de Vnit. Ecc les cap. 13. Periisse dicunt de caetero mundo Ecclesiam in parte Donati in solâ AphricaÌ„ remansisse See more of them below Donatists and p Hieron aduers Luciferian initio Dialogi Afferebant Luciferiani vniuersum mundum esse diaboli vt jam familiare est eis dicere factum de Ecclesiá lupanar Et mox Vestra Ecclesia Catholicos alloquens Anti-Christi magis Synagoga quà m Christi Ecclesia debet nuncupari Luciferians to cut off from the Body of Christ and the hope of Saluation the Church from which it separates And if any zelotes amongst vs haue proceeded to heauier censures their zeale may be excused but their Charity and wisedome cannot be justified Vnlesse happily they intended not the Church but the Court of Rome which two if any Romane Catholique cannot well distinguish let him read the French Doctor Peter Charron in his third Veritie q Charr Verit. troisiesme Ch. 14. §. Mais les Schismatiques Il faut prudemment distinguer entre l' Eglise Romaine la Court Romaine Ceste Court demeure se couure se nourrit dedans ceste Eglise ainsi que le ver dedans la pomme comme aussi est elle née de sa gresse de son abondance C'est contrè la Court Romaine què Sainct Bernard en tant de lieux autres Anciens ont crié escrit where he likens the Court of Rome in that Church to a worme in an apple and confesses all the maladies and miseries in the one to flow from the other But to forsake the errours of that Church and not to joyne with her in those practises which we account erroneous we are enforced by necessity r Aug. de â—apt contr Donat. lib. 1. cap. 4. 5. Alia causa est corum qui in istos Haereticos imprudentèr incurrunt ipsam esse Christi Ecclesiam existimantes alia corum qui nouerunt non esse Catholicam For though in themselues they be not damnable to them which beleeue as they professe yet for vs to professe to auow by oath as the Church of Rome injoynes what we beleeue not were without question damnable And they with their errours by the grace of God might go to heauen when we for our hypocrisy and dissimulation without repentance should certainly be condemned to hell It is the doctrine of the Romane Schoole that veniall sinnes to him that commits them not of subreption or a suddain motion but of presumption that the matter is not of moment change their kinde become mortall The like may be said of their errours To him who in simplicity of heart beleeues and practiseth them withall feareth God worketh righteousnes to him they shall proue veniall Such an one shall by the mercy of God either be deliuered from them or saued with them But he that against faith and conscience shall goe along with the streame to professe and practise them because they are but little ones his case is dangerous and without repentance desperate We hope and thinke very well of all those holy and deuout soules which in former ages liued died in the Church of Rome For though they died in many sinfull errours yet because they did it ignorantly through unbeleefe s Cypr. Epist 63. Pam. num 13. Si quis de antecessoribus nostris vel ignorantèr vel simpliciter non hoc obseruauit tenuit quod nos Dominus facere exemplo magisterio suo docuit potest simplicitau ejus de indulgentiâ Domini venia concedi nobis verò non poterit ignosci qui nunc à Domino admoniti instructi sumus not knowing them to be either errors or sins and repenting in generall for all their vnknowne trespasses we doubt not but they obtained pardon of all their ignorances For it were an vnreasonable incongruity to imagine that the God of mercy should not be as ready to pardon errours of vnderstanding as wilfull impieties Nay our Charity reaches further to all those at this day who in simplicity of heart beleeue the Romane Religion and professe it But we vnderstand onely those who either haue not sufficient meanes to finde the truth or else such as after the vse of the best meanes they can haue all things considered finde not sufficient motiues to conuince their conscience that they are in errour But they that haue vnderstanding and meanes to discouer their errour and neglect to vse them wee dare not flatter them with so easie a censure And much lesse them that dare professe the Religion of the Church of Rome when they doe not beleeue it or onely beleeue it because some carnall or worldly respect doth blinde or misleade their vnderstanding Wherefore to that demand of our Romanists If we beleeue their Religion to be a safe way to heauen why doe we not follow it We answer we beleeue it safe that is by Gods great mercy not damnable to some such as beleeue what they professe but we beleeue it not safe but very dangerous if not certainly damnable to such as professe it when they beleeue or if their hearts were vpright and not peruersly obstinate might beleeue the contrary The Iesuires and Dominicans hold different opinions touching predetermination and the immaculate conception of the blessed Virgin Yet so that the Iesuite holds the Dominicans way safe that is his error not damnable and the Dominicans hold the same of the Iesuites Yet neither of them with good consequence can presse the other to beleeue his opinion because by his owne confession it is no damnable errour For as the Dominicans might vrge the Iesuites after this manner so the Iesuites might returne it vpon the Dominicans and so the Argument being common to both either it must conclude for both and so both parts of a contradiction must be true or else which is most certaine and euident it concludes for neither And if for neither of them against the other then by the like reason it is vaine for Papists to vse it against Protestants All false opinions are not damnable errours to them that beleeue them yet may they be so manifestly false that there can be no wisedome in beleeuing them If one should beleeue that twice two were not foure all would confesse he held no damnable errour But if the same man should thinke all men bound in conscience
and vehement spirit yet before his death being tempered by milde Melancthon that honour of Germany did d Admon Neustad de libro Concord cap. 6. pag. 236. much relent remit of his rigor against Zuinglius and began to approue the good counsells of peace And among the Lutherans all are not of the same intractable disposition As they in Polonia for instance e Vide Corpus Confess ibi Poloniae Consensum where the followers of Luther Calvin haue long liued together in a faire and brotherly concord communion notwithstanding their severall opinions which they still retaine Since then our discords are of no higher degree wee say as f Prudent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § vlt. concordia laesa est Sed defensa fide quin concordia sospes Germanam comitata Fidem sua vulnera ridet Prudentius a Christian Poet of the vnity of his times It hath beene a little violated but is defended by Faith her sister in whose company being safely come off shee laugheth at her wounds as being easily curable Charity mistaken Cap. 6. FVrthermore the Protestants are properly Heretiques at least if not Insidells Heretiques because they reiect and disobey the indgement of the Catholique Church For it is not the matter or quality of the doctrine But the pride of the man who prefers his owne opinioâ—s before the decrees of the Church that properly makes the Horetique The Heretiques recounted by St Austine Epiphanius and Philastrius in their Catalogues were condemned not so much for their errours which were many of them not very materiall as for their contempt of the Church S. Cyprian and the Donatists differed not in the matter of their errour but the obstinary of the Donatists their disobediencs to the Church made them to bee condemned for Heretiques when St Cyprian was absolued because the Church in his time had not declared her selfe And in like manner the Novatians were condemned on the same grounds Answere Sect. 4. OF the nature of Heresy The Church may declare convince an Heresy but cannot make any Doctrine Hereticall properly vnlesse it be such in the matter of it The words Heresy and Heretique very ambiguous How commonly vsed by the Auncients Of their Catalogues of Heretiques St Cyptian though erring in the point of Rebaptization justly absolued from Sohisme and Heresy The Donatists guilty of both And the Novatians of Schisme BVt though wee doe agree in the substance of Religion with all true Christian Catholiques in the world yet all this cannot winne vs the Charitable opinion of our Mistaker For notwithstanding all this he beleeues vs to be not only Heretiques but no better in effect then Infidells And hee giues his reason which he saies strikes at the roote and vnanswerably convinces His custome is to giue vs only words it is well that he offers vs reason which we shall be ever willing to heare and consider of His reason then First wee are Heretiques because in many opinions wee disobey the Church and Heresy properly consists not in the matter or quality of the false doctrine beleeued but in the pride of him that maintaines it in contempt of the Church Our faith then is defectiue because wee beleeue not all that is commaunded by the Church But 2. which is worse we haue no true faith at all no not of those things which we truly beleeue For though we firmely assent to many truths yet we doe not beleeue them vpon the only true and infallible motiue or vpon the right ground which is the revelation of God and the proposition of his Catholique Church The faith which relies not on this ground is not any true faith but only an humane opinion or perswasion Answ If wee did not dissent in some opinions from the present Romane Church wee could not agree with the Church truly Catholique But the Mistaker after his fashion is ever begging what will never bee granted or proved that his Roman Church is all one with the Catholique What Optatus said of the Donatists who arrogated to themselues alone Optat. lib. 3. the name and priviledges of the Church exclusiuely to all others the same say wee of the Popes part Vestra pars quasi Ecclesia est sed Catholica non est Their Church is truly so called in some sort being a corrupt member of the Catholique but the Catholique Church it is not The Catholique Church is carefull to ground all her declarations in matters of faith vpon the divine authority of Gods written word And therefore whosoeuer wilfully opposeth a iudgement so well grounded is iustly esteem'd an Heretique not properly because he disobeyes the Church but because hee yeelds not to Scripture sufficiently ' propounded or cleared vnto him So saith a August de Gen. ad lit lib. 7. cap. 9. Omnes Haeretici Scripturas Catholicas legunt nec ob aliud sunt Haeretioi nisi quòd eas non rectè intelligentes suas falsas opiniones contra earum veritatem pervicaciter asserunt IdeÌ„ habet Epist 222. St Austin and b Hier. in Galat. cap. 5. Haereticus est quicunque aliter Scripturam intelligit quaÌ„ sensus Spiritûs S flagitat licèt de Ecclesiâ non recesserit St Hierome expresly The best c Divinae Scripturae integra firma regula verita tis Dist 37. c. Relatum Bellarm. de verb. Dei lib. 1. c. 2. Sacra Scriptura regula credendi certissima tutissimâ—que est Gers de exam doctrin par 2. consid 1. Oper. part 1. pag. 541. Scriptura nobis tradita est tanquà m regula sufficiens infallibilis pro regimine totius Ecclesiastici corporis vsque in finem cui se non conformans alia doctrina vel abjicienda est vt haereticalis vel vt suspecta impertinens ad religionem prorsus est habenda learned in the Church of Rome confesse that the Scripture was giuen as a sufficient and infallible rule for the government of the whole Church so as any doctrine not conformable therevnto must either bee rejected as hereticall or suspected as impertinent to religion It is confessed also that the Church d Almain in 3. D. 25. q. 1. Resolutio Occham est quòd nec tota Ecclesia nec concilium generale nec summus Pontifex potest facere Articulum quod non fuit Articulus Sed in dubijs propositionibus potest Ecclesia determinare an sint Catholicae Tamen sic determinando non facit quod sint Catholicae quùm prius essent antè Ecclesiae determinationem Sic etiam Turrecremata Adrianus apud Can. lib. 12. cap. 8. Sâ—tus in 1. D. 11. q. 1. in fine In nova Haeresi veritas prius erat de side etsi non ita declarata Bonavent in 1. D. 11. A. r. q. 1. ad fin Haereâ—â—â— multa quae erant implicita fidej nostrae compulerunt explicare hath no power to make any Article of faith or to adde any thing to the doctrine of faith Her
purè divina nec purè humana sed quasi media another In truth and to speake properly an humane testimony saith a q Aegid de Conick disp 9. dub 5 Conc. 2. Quantumvis Ecclesia dirigatur infallibili Sp. S. assistentiâ atque ita ejus testimoniū nitatur suo modo authoritate divinâ atque ab ea firmitatem accipiat tamen non est verè propriè testimonium sive verbum revelatio Dei sed propriè est testimonium humanum Ergò illud nequit esse objectum formale fidei Theologieae consequenter haec nequit in illud tanquam in suum objectum ultimò resolvi third who thereupon well inferres that therefore the voyce of the Church cannot be the formall object of divine faith or that where-into it is lastly resolved The Church then is onely the first inducer to beleeue and the watchman that holdeth out the light in open view and presenteth the shining beams thereof to all that haue eyes to discerne it but the principall motiue and last object of beliefe is the divine authority of Scripture it selfe And that Scripture is of divine authority the beleever sees by that glorious beame of divine light which shines in r Bellarmin de verbo Dei li. 1. c. 2. Certissimas divinas esse Scripturas quae Propheticis Apostolicis literis continentur nec humana inventa sed divina oracula continere testis est ipsa Scriptura O. rig de Princip l. 4. c. 1. Quòd ipsae divinae Scripturae sint divinitùs inspiratae ex ipsis divinis Scriptuis is ostendemus Salv. Massil l. 3. de Gubern mox a◠initio Alia omnia id est humana dicta argumentis ac testibus egent Dei autem sermo ipse sibi testis est quia necesse est quicquió incorrupta veritas loquitur incorruptum sit testimonium veritatis Scripture by many internall arguments found in the letter it selfe though found by the helpe and direction of the Church without and of grace within Herein the Church leades but the Scripture resolues The Ministery of the Church as a Candlestick presents and holds out the light but this supposed there is in the Scripture it selfe * 2 Pet. 1. 19. light sufficient which though blinde * 1 Cor. 2. 14 sensuall mindes see not yet the eye of reason cleared by grace and assisted by the many motiues which the Church useth for enforcing of her instructions may discover to be divine descended from the father fountaine of light To this light the Church addes nothing at all but onely points at it directs us to it disposes and prepares us for it introduces it as the dawning of the morning doth the cleare Sunshine So farre as any Church walks in this light and carries it with her we may safely follow her if she bring a divine word for her warrant she must be beleeved But if her propositions or doctrines be meerely voluntary her owne and not according to that word there Es 8. 20. is no light in them neither can her authority make such doctrines proper objects of divine faith An Object how sensible soever it be in it selfe yet it doth not actually moue the Sense unlesse it be conveyed applyed to it by some Meane So here God hath appointed an ordinary outward meanes to present and propound divine verities to our faith and this ordinary means wee grant is the Church to which wee willingly attribute these two excellent uses in that imployment 1. of a witnesse testifying the authority and sence of the Scriptures unto us 2. of Gods instrument by whose ministery in preaching and expounding the Scriptures the Holy Ghost begets a divine faith in us But in that assent which wee yeeld unto the mysteries propounded and delivered by the Church though the Church be one cause to wit inductiue or preparatiue s Gretser Append. 2. ad lib. 3. Bellar. de verb. D. Col. 1514. principaliter Scripturis fidem habemus propter divinā revelationem at ob Ecclesiae authoritatem non aliter quā ut ob conditionem sine qua non Et infra Sacris litetis assensum prae bemus primariò ob divinam revelationem secundariò ob Ecclesiae testimonium without which men ordinarily do not beleeue yet it is not the principall or finall upon which wee lastly depend The chiefe principle or ground on which faith rests and for which it firmly assents unto those truths which the Church propounds is divine revelation made in the Scripture Nothing lesse then this nothing but this can erect or qualifie an act of t Becan Sum. tract de fide ca. 1. q. 2. §. 9. Assensus qui nititur authoritate Ecclesiae non est assensus fidei Theologicae sen divinae sed alterius inferioris ordinis super naturall faith which must be absolutely undoubted and certaine and without this faith is but opinion or persuasion or at the most an acquired humane beliefe This power in the Church to instruct her children in the faith according to Scripture which is her ground and rule from which she may not depart we willingly admit But we cannot yeeld that the present Church hath an absolute or unlimited authority to propound what she pleases or an infallible assistance in all her propositions which is our Mistakers meaning and the new doctrine of some of his Masters Who teach 1. that the authority of the Church is absolute not depending on Scripture but on which the Scripture it selfe and so our whole faith depends The words of u Bellar. de effect Sacram. lib. 2. cap. 25. §. tertium testimonium Bellarmine are remarkable If saith he we take away the authority of the present Church of Rome and of the Trent Councell the decrees of all other ancient Councels the whole Christian faith may be questioned as doubtfull For the strength of all doctrines and of all Councels depends upon the authority of the present Church And elsewhere againe to the same purpose lest the former words might seeme to haue fallen from his pen unawares w Bellar. de Eccl. mil. lib. 3. cap. 10. §. Adhaec necesse est The Scriptures Traditions and all doctrines whatsoever depend on the testimony of the Church he means that of Rome without which all are wholly uncertaine Here 's a plaine principle of Atheisme For if this be true all the faith we haue of God of our Redeemer of the Scripture of any thing in Religion is all but an ungrounded and uncertaine opinion unlesse the Church confirme it And as the Idols of old Rome could not be consecrated or deified but by consent of the Senate who tooke upon thē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. x Chrys in 2. ad Cor. hom 26 in Moral Et Tertul. Apolog cap. 5. Nisi homini Deus placuerit Deus non erit Chrysostome merily speakes to make gods by most voyces So here it seemes our true God and
12. pag. 480. ex edit Binn ann 1618. Colon Gr. Lat. Olim quilibet Arcl â—episcopus Patriarcha literas quae Synodicae appellantur inter se dabant nihil aliud continentes quà m rectfidei suique sensus confessionem quod in Orientalibus Ecclesiis hodiéque fit usque ad hoc tempus Patriarch immediately after his assumption to a place of so great trust and authority in the Church should render an account of his faith by his Synodicall or Circular letters called otherwise p Optat. Milevit lib. 2. Siricius hodiè Episcopus Rom. noster est Socius cum quo nobis totus orbis commetcio Formatarum in una communionis societate concordat literae formatae and q Aug. Epist 162. Communicatorias literas jam olim propter suam perversitatem ab unitate Catholica quae toto orbe diffusa est non accipiunt Donatistae Et saepe de illis in ea Epistola communicatoria directed to his Peeres and Companions in that dignity that by the sight of his profession his faith might be judged whether he were a sound Catholique or tainted with heresie and so whether he were fit or unworthy to be admitted into their Communion If in those Letters he did professe entirely to adhere to the Catholique Creeds his profession person was accepted as sound Orthodox The Circular Epistles yet extant of r Extant Concil 6. Gener Act. 11. Sophronius Patriarch of Hierusalem of s Conc. 7. sive Syn. 2. Nic. Act. 3. Tarasius Patriarch of Constantinople of t Apud Baron ad ann 556. num 33. Pelagius Patriarch of Rome of u Extat inter Epistolas Photii MSS. Graecè in Bibl. Bodleiana Photius of Constantinople and many others testifie this So truly said S. Austin w Aug. Epist 57. Regula fidei pusillis magnisque communis that the Creed is a rule of faith common to great and small The meanest Catechumen must beleeve so much and the greatest Patriarch can beleeve no more In those old and golden times those Articles were thought abundantly sufficient and it was thought a great sacriledge to adde any thing to them or diminish them No Catholique in the world was then required to beleeve the Popes Supermacie or his Indulgences or Purgatory or Transubstantiation or any doctrine now debated betweene us and Rome No such matter These things were brought in long after the beginning the Church of Christ was long without them and was well without them and happy had she been whether we regard truth or peace if she had still so continued Nor can it be reasonably said that all or any of these things though not expressed in the Creed are yet contained eminently in the beliefe of the Catholique Church For to omit that these are no traditions or doctrines of the Catholique Church but onely the partiall and particular fancies of the Romane unlesse happily the opinion of Transsubstantiation may be excepted wherein the later * Vide Nicetae Thesau Orthod Gr. Ms in Bib. Bodleiana Euthym. in panoplia tit 21. Hierem. Patr. CP in Resp 1. ad Lutheranos cap. 10. Resp 2. cap. 4. § 3. Nichol. Episc Methon Samonam Arch. Gaz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter Liturgica Graecè edita Parisiis 1560. Greeks seeme to agree with the Romanists 1. what reason can be imagined why amongst many things of equall necessity to be believed the Apostles should so punctually and distinctly set downe some and be altogether silent in others As well nay better they might have given us no Article but that and sent us to the Church for all the rest For in setting downe others besides that and not all they make us beleive we have all when we have not all 2. I suppose no learned Romanist will say that in the beleife of the coÌ„munion of Saints all the new doctrines of the Romane Church are virtually contained Yet the learned y Replique ch 1. Card. du Perron thinks it probable that the Article of the Catholique Church and the Communion of Saints is all one this latter clause being onely an explication of the other 3. Many of the Ancient Doctors have left us their expositions on the Creed Ruffinus S. Augustin Cyrill of Hierusalem Chrysologus Maxim Taurinensis others Where they speake of the Catholique Church all say we must beleive the unity universality perpetuity sanctity of the Church none at all say any thing of any soveraigne infallible power in the Church to prescribe or define what she pleases 4. Lastly Azorius the Iesuite gives a faire meaning to this Article of the Catholique Church and such as little favours the conceit of our Mistaker z Azor. paâ— 1. lib. 8 cap. 6. §. Sed mibi probabilius Substantia articuli quo credimus unam Sanctam Catholicam Ecclesiam est neminem posse salvum esse extrà congregationem hominum qui Christi fidem religionem profitentur susceptam posse salutem obtineri intrà hanc ipsam congregationem hominum piorum fidelium I beleive the holy Catholique Church that is saith he I beleive that none can be saved out of the Congregation of those men who professe the faith and religion of Christ and that within that company of holy and faithfull people salvation may be obtained Now to the reasons alleaged for the full and formall sufficiency of this rule of faith to which nothing essentiall can be added or may be detracted we may adjoine the full consent of the Ancient Doctors Greeke and Latin who come in with one voice each one almost contributing his suffrage to testifie for this perfection of the Creed that in their dayes it was so acknowledged a Iren. lib. 1. cap. 2. 3. Ecclesia per universum orbem seminata ab Apostolis corum discipulis accepit eam fidem quae est in Deum omnipotentem Hanc fidem diligenter custodit Ecclesia in Celtis in Oriente Aegypto Cùm enim una eadem fides sit neque is qui multùm potest de ea dicere superfluit neque is qui parùm imminuit Irenaeus having repeated the most important Articles of it saith It is the faith which the Church throughout the world hath received from the Apostles being every where one and the same admitting neither addition nor diminution Therfore it is called by b Tertul. de vel virg cap. 1. Regula fidei una omninò est sola immobilis irreformabilis Hâc lege fidei manente caetera admittunt novitatem correctionis Tertullian one onely immoveable and unreformable rule which remaining safe other matters of discipline may be altered or corrected as occasion requires And the same Author againe c Id. de Praescript cap. 13. 14. Haec regula null as habet apud nos quaestiones nisi quas herefes inferunt quae haereticos faciunt manente form âejus in suo ordine quantumlibet quaeras tractes Fides in
troisiesme iour le sens de ces mots il est assis à la dextre de son Pere il ne scroit damné pour cela Le simple se peut sauuer auec moindre cognoissance que celuy qui ne peut estre tenu pour tel C'est assez au simple de voir comme nous anons dit vne cognoissance du Symbole suffisante pour la diriger ◠sa derniere fin Au lieu que le Curé le Prelat qui ont charge d'instruite les autres sontobligez desçauoir distinctement tous les Articles du Symbole qui plus est de le pouuoir expliquer au peuple Learned judge may suffice For conclusion of this discourse concerning Fundamentalls I will propound to the consideration and censure of the judicious these thoughts following It seemes fundamentall to the faith and for the salvation of every member of the Church that he acknowledge beleeue all such points of faith as wherof he may be sufficiently convinced that they belong to the doctrine of Jesus Christ For he that being sufficiently convinced doth oppose is obstinate an Heretique and finally such a one as excludes himselfe out of heaven whereinto no wilfull sinner can enter Now that a man may be sufficiently convinced there are three things required 1. Cleare revelation 2. Sufficient proposition 3. Capacity and understanding to apprehend what is reveiled and propounded 1 Revelation from God is required for we are not bound to beleeue any thing as Gods word which God hath not declared to be his word and that in such cleare manner as may convince a reasonable man that it is from God For want of this not onely the Church before Christ but even Christs owne Disciples are excused from being guilty of any damnable errour though they beleeved not the death resurrection or ascension of our Lord as it is plaine they did not Marc. 16. 11. 13. Luk. 24. 11. Ioh. 20. 9. Marc. 9. 10. But now that these things are so clearely reveiled in Scripture he were no Christian that should deny them 2. Sufficient proposition of reveiled truths is required before a man can be convinced For if they be not propounded to me in respect of me it is all one as if they were not reveiled This proposition includeth 2 things 1. that the points be perspicuously laid open in themselves for want of this Apollos beleeved not some points of the faith till he was further informed Acts 18. 25. 2. that the said points be so fully and forcibly laid open as may serve to remove reasonable doubts to the contrary and to satisfie a teachable minde against the principles in which he hath beene bred to the contrary For want of this the Apostles believed not the resurrection when yet they were plainely told of it See Luke 9. 44. 45. and Mar. 9. 10. compared with Marc. 8. 31. 32. Note here 1 This proposition of reveiled truths is not as the Mistaker saith by the infallible determination of Pope or Church but by whatsoever meanes a man may be convinced in conscience of divine revelation If a Preacher doe cleare any point of faith to his Hearers if a private Christian doe make it appeare to his neighbour that any conclusion or point of faith is delivered by divine revelation of Gods word if a man himselfe without any other teacher by reading the Scriptures or hearing them read be convinced of the truth of any such conclusion this is a sufficient proposition to prove him that gain sayeth any such truth to be an Heretique and obstinate opposer of the faith Such a one may be truly said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned by his owne conscience v. g. He that should read in Scriptures Now is Christ risen from the dead 1. Cor. 15. 20. or The word was made flesh Ioh. 1. and yet should deny Christs Resurrection or Incarnation he were an Heretique without any determination or sentence of the Church And such Heretiques there were many in the Primitiue Church fore any Councell was celebrated and long before any Pope pretended to Infallibility 2 Note A man may be truly thought thus convicted not onely when his Conscience doth expressely beare witnesse to the truth but when virtually it doth so and would expressely doe it if it were not choked or blinded by some unruly and unmortified lust in the will For if a man make himselfe a slave to ambition covetousnesse vaineglory prejudice c. these untamed passions will not onely draw the man to professe what he thinketh not but to thinke what he would dis-avow if in synceritie he sought the truth And in this case the difference is not great betweene him that is wilfully blinde 24. qu. 3. §. 28. Haereticus est and him that knowingly gainsayeth the truth 3 Note A man may be sufficiently convinced either in foro exteriori or in foro interiori In the former he is convinced who by an orderly proceeding of the Church is censured and condemned and such a one ad omnem effectum juris and in the esteeme of the said Church is to be reputed an heretique though perhaps the Censure be erroneous He that is convicted in the later kinde is an Heretique before God though no authority of the Church have detected or proceeded against him And this conviction onely is necessary to prove one an Heretique excluded from Heaven 3. There is required capacity or ability of wit and reason to apprehend that which is cleerly revealed and sufficiently proposed For want of this not onely fooles and mad men are excused but those who are of weaker capacity or lesse knowledge may be excused from beleiving of those things which they cannot apprehend as the Apostles are by Christ Ioh. 16. 12. But where there is no such impediment as hath been said the revealed will or word of God is sufficiently propounded there he that opposeth is cōvinced of error he who is thus convinced is an Heretique and Heresie is a worke of the flesh which excludeth from heaven Gal. 5. 20. 21. And hence it followeth that it is fundamentall to a Christians faith and necessary for his salvation that he beleive all reveiled truths of God whereof he may be convinced that they are from God The cavills of the Mistaker against the Church of England and her Articles in this matter are easily answered When the Church of England had orderly reformed her selfe she was loudly accused by the Romane faction of Heresie and Schisme as it hath been in later ages the cunning custome of Rome to blast and disgrace all them that dared to oppose any of her corrupt opinions or usages Wherefore to cleare her innocency Shee published to the world a Declaration of her judgement in matters of Religion which we call her Confession Wherin her aime was not in any curious method to deliver a Systeme of Divinity but plainly without fraud or artifice to set downe first the positive
Catholiques in France beleeue it not where the f Voiez â—e Mercure Iesuite 1. part Vniversitie of Paris in the name of all the others in that kingdome hath not long since challenged aboue 30 Iesuites to haue published execrable doctrines touching the killing of Kings and absoluing subjects from their allegiance tending to the ruine of mankind and confusion of all gouernment and many of their bookes of this argument by publique arrest of the Parliament of Paris haue beene condemned to the fire And for this reason the whole g Hist Interd lib. 3. Senate of Venice not one man of that great Body dissenting did by decree chase these men out of their Dominions into perpetuall banishment because the Iesuites haue beene the Authors and Instruments of all tumults seditions confusions and miseries hapning in these times in all Kingdomes and States of the world And for vs Protestants the innumerable massacres of our Brethren in France the Netherlands and elsewhere the barbarous treasons plotted against our late Soveraignes and this state of England are demonstrations sufficient of their burning Charity towards vs. But all their other cruelties are but milde in comparison of this doctrine which pursues our soules after death into the neathermost pit Yet the Mistaker thinkes this may bee affirmed with Charitie For it is improbable the Catholique Church should want Charity Most true not improbable only but meerely impossible the Catholique Church should bee without Charity Far be it from vs to lay this vnjust and vnworthy charge vpon our deere Mother the Catholique Church Charity is the ligament which connects both that whole mysticall Body vnto Christ her glorious Head and each seuerall member one to another The good spirit of truth and loue ever assists and animates that great Body This Mother of all Christians we honour as her dutifull Children and are well assured of her blessing We accuse not Her for want of Charity shee giues no cause but that proud and curst Dame of Rome who takes vpon her to revell in the House of God to let in and cast out at her pleasure pretending that shee alone is the Mother and Mistris in that House vsurping and confining all the priviledges of the Catholique Church to her selfe alone A pretension void of colour and against the principles of reason which forbids to confound a part with the â—hole Though shee haue many waies â—aid the Harlot and in that regard deâ—erved a bill of divorce from Christ â—he detestation of Christians yet for â—hose Catholique verities which she reâ—aines wee yeeld her a member of the Catholique though one of the most vnsound and corrupt members In this sense the Romanists may bee called Catholiques But that the Roman Church â—nd the Catholique are all one is a very vaine and absurd imagination vnknowne h That the Roman Church was anciently esteemed a Topicall or particular Church distinct from others and in and vnder the Vniversall may appeare by Ignatius in tit epist ad Rom. Eccles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ambros. Epist 83. ad med Post Aegyptorum supputationes Alexandrinae Ecclesiae definitionem Episcopi quoque Romanae Ecclesiae meam adhuc expectant sententiam quid existimem de die Paschae Innoc. ad Victricium Epis Rothomag â—initio Quia Romanae Ecclesiae normam magnoperè postulâsti advertant Ecclesiarum regionis vestrae populi qualis servetur in vrbis Romae Ecclesijs disciplina Caelestinus Episc Rom. Epist ad Ioan. Antioc ap Binn in Concil Ephes Gr. lat par 1. § 20 pag. 143. Asserat se Nestorius fidem tenere quam secundum Apostolicam doctrinam Romana Alexandrina Catholica Vniversalis Ecclesia tenet Nicolaus PP 1. Epist 8. ad Michael August ad fin Imperatores Nero Diocletiaâ—us persequuti sunt Ecclesiam Dei maximè Ecclesiam Romanam Idem Epist 70 ad Hincmarum caeteros Galliae Episcopos Conantur Graeci tam nostram specialiter Romanam quam omnem quae linguâ latinâ vtitur Ecclesiam reprehendere quòd jejunamus in Sabbatis c. Et paulo post Opprobria haec vniversali Ecclesiae in eâ duntaxat parte quae latinâ vti dignoscitur linguâ ingeruntur Innocent 3. lib. 2. Epist 200. ad Ioan. Patriarch Constantinopol Dicitur Vniversalis Ecclesia quae de vniversis constat Ecclesiis quae Graeco vocabulo Catholica nominatur Ecclesia Romana sic non est Vniversalis Ecclesâ—â—â— sed parâ— Vniversalis Ecclesiae to Antiquity still loosly miserably begged by the Mistaker his fellowes without offer of proofe Catholique-Roman is in true interpretation vniversallparticular which are tearmes repugnant that cannot be equalled The latter restraines cuts off from the former and therefore to conclude the Catholique Church within that of Rome is to alter the name and nature of it hee that will be only a Roman must cease to be a Catholique It is not then the Catholique Church that we charge or that charges vs but the Roman And therefore all the discourse of our Mistaker touching the great charities of the Catholique Church to her children is very roving and impertinent winde and words without substance All confesse that she diffuses her selfe in all acts of charity after all imaginable sorts So doe her severall members the particular Churches They of the Reformation and especially this of England as amply and bountifully as any in the World and much more effectually and to better purpose then that of Rome It hath beene publikely avowed by some and cannot bee deni'd by a modest Adversary that hardâ—y any age in former times may compare with this of ours since this Church was happily purged from Popery for publique expressions of charity In so few yeares hardly ever so many Churches or Chappell 's built and beautified for Gods service so many Colledges Schooles Libraries Hospitals erected and endowed for the honour of learning and reliefe of the necessitous And for the other part of charity which is spirituall regarding the worship of God and the conduct of soules to their eternall happinesse never did any Church afford more plentifully the meanes of grace nor more abound with all helpes and advantages of piety then this of ours The word of God is diligently preached amongst vs the Sacraments of Christ reverently administred abuses in both are remoued the two extreames of Religion Superstition and Prophanenesse are avoided The ignorant are instructed the disorderly admonished comforts are applied to the afflicted terrours to the impenitent censures and punishments to the obstinate In our Leiturgy policy ceremonies in the government of our Prelates in the dilâ—gence of inferiour Pastors in the whoâ—â— face of our doctrine and discipline weâ— haue a most neere and faire resemblanâ—â— of reverend Antiquity all tending to thâ— gaining of soules to Christ and to guidâ— them in the way of peace In the Church of Rome appeares buâ— little of this true Charity even toward her owne Children Indeed shee bringâ— forth children vnto
Art 3. Vix vllum peccatum cogitati potest solà Haeresi exceptâ quo illa Sedes Romana turpâ—ter maculata non fuerit maximè ab anno 800. He need not except Haeresy into which Biel In Can. Mass Lect. 23. grants it possible the Bishops of that Sea may fall And Stella in Luc. cap. 22. Almain L. 3. D. 24. q. 1. and Gabr. a Porta a Iesuite now professor at Burdeaux in 2. 2. q. 1. a. 10. dub 1. cited by Aurelius the Sorhonist In octo causas Spongiae praeambulas pag. 560 grants if freely that some of them did fall confessed them to be just but resolved to neglect theÌ„ This forced Luther and his associats to cry out more vehemently not against the Church but her corruptions Yet calmely and without any thought or designe of separation at the first When loe the i Leo. 10. Pope answeres all their iust complaints with vnjust and violent censures Because Luther and his favourers tell him modestly of his faults wishing him to correct foule disorders Hee therefore in a rage beates them out of doores excommunicates and chases them all out of his Romanc communion And his Successors take care to continue the Schisme For yeerly each Maundy Thursday in the Bull called Caenoe Domini all Heretiques are with great solemnity cursed into hell By Heretiques they meane all them that are not of the Romane obedience and such as cannot beleeue the vices of Rome to be good manners or her new inventions to be Catholique and as our Mistaker will say fundamentall doctrines k Cum carpuntur vitia inde scandalum oritur ipse sibi scandali causa est qui fecit quod argui debet non ille qui arguit Bern. ad Hugon de S. Vict. Ep. 78. Heere is the true cause of this miserable Schisme in Christendome the just grievance of all Christians in the world besides their owne zelotes Rome cast vs out before we left her l Non. fugimus sed fugamur Rex Iac. in Epist Is Casaubon ad Perrhon Cardin. Anathematibus diris nos expulerunt Quod satis superque nos absolvit Calv. Inst l. 4. c. 2. § 6. as our late most learned Soveraigne truly obserued It is true when the first Reformers were driven out they were not vnwilling to be gone And when they saw the Church of Rome in loue with her diseases so as shee would not bee cured m Though Israel transgresse yet let not Iudah sinne Hos 4. 15. vide in cum loc S. Hieron other Churches who owed her amity but not obedience vsed their just power and liberty and reformed themselues n Gerson de Concil generali vnius obedientiae part 1. pag. 222. vlt. edit Paris Nolo dicere quin in multis partibus possit Ecclesia per suas partes reformari imo hoc necesse esset ad hoc agendum sufficerent concilia provincialia But the good man complaines this was neglected Heu desolatione desolata est omnis terra quia nemo est qui recogitet corde omnes quaerunt quae sua sunt Concil Tolet. 4. can 3. Si causa fidei est aut quaelibet alia Ecclesiae communis generalis totius Hispaniae Galliciae Synodus convocetur Alb. M. in 1. D. 11. A. 9. vnicuique etiam particulari Ecclesiae licet id quod Catholicum est promulgare Rome her selfe added Filioque to the Creed of a Generall Councell not only without the consent of the Greeke Church but they vehemently opposing it in provinciall or Nationall Synods confirmed by publique Authority Yet with such a temperament of wisdome and Charity especially in the Church of England whereof I especially speake that they left the Church of Rome in nothing which makes her a Church in nothing which she holds of Christ or of Apostolique tradition Not in any part of the Catholique faith or Gods service such as is acceptable to him not in a charitable affection to their erring and seduced brethren of that Church For whilest they hate and curse vs we loue and pitty and pray for them We returne not curses againe our o Luc. 6. 28. Lord hath taught vs otherwise All damnatory and capitall Censures wee leaue to him p Iam. 4. 12 who alone is able to saue and destroy Only wee cannot wee dare not communicate with Rome either in her publique Leiturgy which is manifestly polluted with grosse superstition as themselues in effect confesse by their severall pretended reformations of it or in those corrupt vngrounded opinions which shee hath added to the faith of Catholiques These abuses and errors deface the beauty and taint the purity of divine truth they make vp the Popery of Rome not the Church In them our Communion is dissolued but wee haue still a true and reall Vnion with that and all other members of the Church Vniversall in Faith and Charity The state of the Church vnder the Roman obedience and that part which is Reformed is very fitly q Mr Bedel ag Wadsw cap. 4. resembled to a field overgrowne all with weeds thistles tares cockle Some part whereof is weeded and cleansed some part remaines as it was before which makes such a difference to the eye as if it were not the same corne But being better considered it will be found all the difference is from the weeds which remaine there and here are taken away Yet neither here perfectly nor euery where alike but according to the industry of our weeders or conveniency of the worke with care of the safety of the good corne Those worthy Husbandmen that in these last 600 yeares haue takeÌ„ paines in plucking vp those pernicious weeds out of the Lords field and severing the chaffe from his graine cannot be rightly said in doing this either to haue brought in another field or to haue changed the auncient graine The field is the same but weeded now vnweeded then the graine the same but winnowed now vnwinnowed then Such tares are all those Romane additions which wee haue rejected which the best learned of their owne confesse in effect to bee 1. doubtfull and perplexed opinions 2 doctrines vnnecessary and forraigne to the faith and 3. novelties vnknowne to Antiquity 1 Doubtfull The Romane Doctors doe not fully and absolutely agree in any one point among themselues but only in such points wherein they agree with vs In the other disputed betweene vs they differ one froÌ„ another as much almost as they differ from vs. In each Controversy there is not only variety but contrariety of judgements amongst them and in conclusion nothing but perplexity and vncertainty I appeale for proofe of this to the famous Tomes of Card. Bellarmine where in the front and stateing of every question he hath with great diligence noted the contentions contradictions of his Fellowes 2. They are confessedly Vnnecessary and Superfluous For they confesse that setting aside all matters controverted the maine positiue truths wherein all agree are abundantly
sufficient to salvation and giue direction sufficient to every good Christian both for his knowledge and for his practise teaching him what to beleeue and how to liue so as he may be saued For Knowledge first it is confessed a very small measure of explicite knowledge is of absolute necessity Some a Apud Greg. de Val. Tom. 3. in Aqu. disp 1. qu. 2. punct 4. v. 10. Bergomens Concordant Contrad dub 419 Schoolemen thinke it needfull to beleeue only so much of the Creed concerning Christ as the Church solemnizeth in her Holidaies his Incarnation Passion Resurrection c. Some require an explicite beliefe of the whole Apostles Creed And some which goe highest adde to that the Nicen and Athanasian to make a compleat belieuer The Iesuite b Vbi supr◠Valentia mislikes this last imposition as too rigorous and seemes most to encline to the first most moderate opinion And c De verb. Dei lib. 4. cap. 11. initio Bellarmine is confident that the Apostles never vsed to preach openly to the people other things then the Articles of the Apostles Creed the ten commandements and some of the Sacraments because saith he these are simply necessary and profitable for all men the rest besides such as that a man may bee saved without them Thus for matter of beliefe Now secondly for matter of practise they cannot except against any part of the publique service of God in our Leiturgy They will grant I suppose that God may be worshipped without an image nay that the interior and spirituall worship is most acceptable to him that a Christian may comfortably and with successe call vpon God alone by the only mediation of Christ seeing the d Sancti caeperunt coli in Ecclesià Vniversali non tam lege aliquâ quam consuetudine Bellarm. de SS Beat. lib. 1. cap. 8. §. vlt. worship and invocation of Saints was brought into the Church rather by custome then any precept that inward repentance and confession of sinnes to God is of absolute necessity not so their auricular * Secret confession abstracting from the abuses of it our Church allowes and inioynes in some cases as very convenient for the comfort of afflicted consciences confession and penall workes of satisfaction that it is necessary to bee really vnited to Christ by his spirit and our faith and very comfortable to receiue both parts of the Eucharist but no way necessary to eat the flesh of Christ carnally in the Sacrament or to want the Sacrament of his bloud that those praiers must needs be most fruitfull and effectuall which are done with vnderstanding and in a knowne language that when a man hath constantly endeavoured with all his forces to obey God in all the duties of Piety and Charity yet it is not amisse for him after all this to confesse himselfe Gods vnprofitable servant and his e Bellar. de Iustif lib. 5. c. 7. §. sit 3. Propositio-Tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sold Dei misericordia benignitate reponere safest course not to trust to his owne merits but wholly and solely to cast himselfe on the mercy of God in Iesus Christ So then by the precepts and conduct of our Religion a Christian is fully instructed in all necessary points of faith and manners and directed how to liue religiously how to dy comfortably and all this without any addition of Popery and all this by the confession of Papists Hence it followes that by their owne Confession the doctrines debated are vnnecessary 3. They are also confessed Nouelties Themselues yeeld that for aboue a thousand yeares after Christ a Bellar. de Rom. Pont. lib. 4. cap 2. §. Secunda opinio the Popes judgement was not esteemed infallible nor his authority b Bellarm. de Conc. lib. 2. cap. 13. aboue that of a generall Councell the contrary being decreed in the late Councels of Constance and Basil constantly defended by the ancient Sorbon and at this day by the c Reuision du Concile de Trent liur 4. best learned in the Gailicane Church d Bellar. de Indulg lib. 2. cap. 17. That Eugenius the 3. who began his Papacy 1145. was the first that granted Indulgences e Bellar. de Sanctorum Beat. lib. 1. cap. 8. §. Dices plur Leo the 3. who liued 800. yeares after Christ the first that euer canonized any Saint That not any f Greg. de Valent. in Thom. Tom. 4. disp 6. p 2. §. Tertio prob one ancient writer reckons precisely seuen Sacraments the first g Bellar. de Sacarm lib. 2. cap. 25. Author that mentions that number being Peter Lombard and the first Councell that of Florence That transubstantiation h Scotus apud Bellarm. lib. 3. de Euchar cap. 23. was neither named nor made an Article of faith before the Councell of Laterane That Antiquity euen till these i Lombard Sent. lib. 4. c. 12. Aqu. 3. p. qu 83. art 1. in corp latter times beleeued the sacrifice in the Eucharist to bee no other but the image or commemoration of our Sauiours sacrifice on the Crosse That in k Lindan Panopl lib. 4. cap. 25. Albaspin Obseru lib 1. cap. 4. former ages for 1300. yeares the holy Cup was administred to the Lairy And diuine seruice celebrated l Nic. de Lyra. in 1. ad Cor. cap. 14. Cassand in Liturgicis cap. 28. for many ages in a knowne and vulgar Language vnderstood by the people That m Polyd. Virgil. de Inuent lib. 6. cap. 13. the Fathers generally condemned the worship of Images for feare of Idolatrie and n Azor. Moral lib. 8. cap. 26. part 1. §. Respondeo allowed yea exhorted the People with diligence to read the Scriptures Many more confessions of this kinde might be produced If now the Mistaker will suppose his Romane Church and Religion purged from these and the like confessed excesses and nouelties hee shall finde in that which remaines little difference of importance betweene vs. But by this discourse the Mistaker happily may beleeue his cause to be aduantaged and may reply If Rome want nothing essentiall to Religion or to a Church how then can the Reformers justifie their separation from that Church or free themselues from damnable Schisme For surely to separate from the communion of the Church without just and necessary cause is a Schisme very damnable All this in effect is formerly answered Yet to satisfie our Mistaker if it may be we will here further say somewhat to the point more plainly and distinctly There neither was nor can be any just cause to depart from the Church of Christ no more then from Christ himselfe But to depart from a Particular Church and namely from the Church of Rome in some doctrines and practises there might be just and necessary cause though the Church of Rome wanted nothing necessary to saluation I said signantèr in some doctrines and practises For there is great
the best learned Romanists and by Antiquity The Mistakers exceptions to the contrary answered As also his expections against the confession of the Church of England The conclusion IN humane Sciences the great Philosopher hath taught us a Analyt Poster lib. 1. c. 2. to distinguish betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 principles and conclusions The first principles are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maximes so cleare by their owne light that they can not be proved nor denyed or doubted of by any man that understands the Termes wherein they are propounded In the bosome as it were of these principles lurke innumerable conclusions which must be deduced and drawne out by the helpe of Discourse some of them issuing out immediately and evidently others obscurely and by a long circuit of consequences and are either certaine or onely probable according as they approach nearer to the principle or are further off removed In like manner that there be diverse degrees of truthes and errors in Religion which necessarily must be distinguished is a thing acknowledged by all learned men even in the Church of Rome expect our Mistaker will have himselfe excepted b 2. 2. qu. 2. art 5. in Corp. Dicendum quòd fidei objectum perse est id per quod homo beatus efficitur Per accidens aut secundariò se habent ad objectum fidei omnia quae in sacra Scriptura continentur sicut quòd Abraham habuit Aquinas having divided the object of faith into that which is so by it selfe that which is by accident and secundarily defines the First to be that whereby a man is made blessed and saved the Latter that which is revealed whatsoever it be as that Abraham had two sonnes and David was the sonne of Iesse c. c Dialog part 1. lib. 2. cap. 2. Occham sets downe three differences of verities to be beleeved Some touching God and Christ whereon principally depends our Salvation Non direct è sed indirect è quodammodo ad salutem humani generis pertinere noscuntur as the doctrines of the Trinity Incarnation c. Some whereon our salvation depends not so principally or directly as the Histories of Scripture Of the third sort such as are not revealed but either agree with that which is revealed or follow manifestly of it Melchior d Canus Locor lib. 12. cap. 11. init Quaedam sunt Catholicae veritates quae ita ad fidem pertinent ut his sublatis fides quoque ipsa tollatur Quas nos usu frequenti non solum Catholicas sed fidei veritates appellavimus Aliae veritates sunt etiam ipsae Catholicae universales nempe quas universa Ecclesia tenet quibus licet eversis fides quatitur sed non evertitur tamen Atque in hujusmodi veritatum contrariis erroribus dixi fidem obscurari non extingui infirmari non perite Has ego nunquam sidei veritates censui vocandas quamvis doctrinae Christianae veritates sint Canus iterum lib. 12. cap. 3. ad fin Praeter articulos fidei omnia quae in sacris literis assumuntur tametsi non sunt fidei nec Theologiae praecipua capita sed his ex accidenti conjuncta quasi principia secundaria accipit tamen ea Theologus non aliter ac Philosophus principia per se nota sine medio aut ratione Haec enim quasi naturalis arque insira est in animis fidelium notio ut quicquid ab Apostolis scriptum traditúmque est verum esse sentiant Vide Staplet Espenc alios suprácitatos Canus to the same purpose There be some Catholique verities which doe so pertaine to faith that these being taken away the faith it selfe must be taken away also And these by common use we call not onely Catholique but Verities of Faith also There are other verities which be Catholique also and universal namely such as the whole Church holdeth which yet being over throwne the faith is shaken indeed but not overturned And in the errours which are contrary to such truths as these the faith is obscured not extinguished weakened not perished These may be called verities of Christian doctrine but not of faith Briefly it is the common and constant doctrine of e Mag. 3. d. 25. Aquin. 2. 2. qu. 2. art 5. ibi DD. Schoolemen and f Tolet. Navarr Sayr Filiucius Reginaldus caeteri Casuists that have written of the nature of heresie and the measure of Catholique faith that there is a certain measure and quantity of faith without which none can be saved but every thing revealed belongs not to this measure It is enough to beleeve some things by a Virtuall faith or by a Generall as it were a Negatiue faith whereby they are not denyed or contradicted and in some things men may be ignorant or erre in them without danger of their salvation All this evidently confirmes that most necessary and most usefull distinction betweene fundamentall and not fundamentall doctrines which our Mistaker here with so great noyse and so little reason cryes downe By Fundamentall doctrines we meane such Catholique verities as principally and essentially pertaine to the faith such as properly constitute a Church and are necessary in ordinary course to be distinctly beleeved by every Christian that will be saved Other points of truth are called not-fundamentall because they are not of such absolute necessity and doe not primarily belong to the Vnity of faith or to the Essence of a Church or to the Salvation of a Christian Such as for their subtilty and profoundnesse are disputable in themselves and happily by plaine Scripture indeterminable Such finally as may admit an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a non liquet both ignorance if it be not affected and errour if it proceed not from negligence or wilfullnes without perill It is true whatsoever is revealed in Scripture or propounded by the Church out of Scripture is in some sence fundamentall in regard of the divine authority of God and his word by which it is recommended that is such as may not be denyed or contradicted without infidelity such as every Christian is bound with humility and reverence to beleeve whensoever the knowledge thereof is offered to him But in regard of the matter and moment of things revealed and of their use to us though all be revealed alike yet not all under the like penalty We are told by Cardinall g De Eccles lib. 3. cap. 14. §. Quinto Multa sunt de fide quae non sunt absolutè necessaria ad salutem Sane credere historias U. T. Bellarmine that many things are de fide to be beleeved which are not absolutely necessary to salvation The knowledge or faith of Christs passion is necessary not so that of his Genealogy Fundamentall therefore properly is that which Christians are obliged to beleeve by an expresse and actuall faith In other points that faith which the Cardinall
h Replique liur 1. chap. 10. Perron calls the faith of adherence or non-repugnance may suffice to wit an humble preparation of minde to beleeve all or any thing revealed in Scripture when it is sufficiently cleared By which virtuall faith an erring person may beleeve the truth contrary to his owne error inasmuch as he yeelds his assent implicitely to that Scripture which containes the truth and overthrowes his errour though yet he understand it not This maine distinction of doctrines whereof we speak hath expresse ground in the Scriptures of the N. Testament Therein the Church of Christ is often called i 1. Tim. 3. 15. 1. Pet. 2. 5. Heb. 3. 5. 6. the Spirituall house of God The foundation of this house is either reall personall or dogmaticall and doctrinall The Reall foundation is k 1. Cor. 3. 11. Eph. 2. 20. Christ the Dogmaticall are l Matt. 16. 16. 18. Heb. 6. 1. those grand and capitall doctrines which make up our faith in Christ that is that m Tit. 1. 4. common faith which is n 2 Pet. 1. 1. alike precious in all beeing one and the same in the highest Apostle and the meanest beleever which the Apostle o Heb. 5. 12. elsewhere calls the first principles of the oracles of God and the p 2. Tim. â— 13. forme of sound words These hold the place of the common foundation in which all Christians must be grounded The materialls laid upon this foundation whether they be sound or unsound are named by S. Paul q 1. Cor. 3. 12. super structions which are conclusions either in truth or in appearance deducible from those principles Concerning all which superstructures the generall rule is that the more neere they are to the foundation of so much greater importance be the truthes and so much more perilous be the errors as againe the further they are removed off the lesse necessary doth the knowledge of such verities prove to be and the swarving from the truth lesse dangerous It is cleere then that some points are fundamentall others not so But here all Protestants are defied by the Mistaker not onely particulars but in corps their Colledges Universities all or any of them dared to give him in a list or Catalogue of fundamentall points So high a Challenge in a subject of this nature might better have beseemed his betters some Cardinall rather then a * See Char. Mist pag. 1. Cavallier It seems the man thinks excellently of his owne learning and judgement and that conceit fills him with this courage But his strength is not answerable They that have tried it say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The prudent Vlysses in r Iliad ss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et ad Ther 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer gave good counsell to some busie persons that were forward to meddle in matters beyond their Spheere the Mistaker stands in neede of it and may do well to follow it By fundamentall points of faith for of them alone the Mistaker expresly speakes in this discourse we understand as hath been noted not the necessarie duties of Charity which are comprehended in the Decalogue nor the necessarie acts of hope contained in the Lords prayer there beeing the same object both of our prayers and of our hope though both these vertues of Charity and Hope are fundamentally necessary to the salvation of Christians but we meane those Prime and Capitall doctrines of our Religion which make up the holy Catholique and Apostolique faith once for all delivered to the Saints which faith is the same which Jude 3. the Church received from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ Christ from God as Tertullian speakes that faith which essentially constitutes a true Church and a true Christian These fundamentalls are all contained in the rule of faith which rule being cleerely but diffusedly set downe in the Scriptures hath been afterwards summed up and contracted into the Apostles Creed either by the Apostles themselves or by the Church of their times from them This Creed taken in a Catholique sence that is as it was further opened and explaned in some parts by occasion of emergent Heresies in the other Catholique Creeds of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon and Athanasius is said generally by the Schoolemen and Fathers to comprehend a perfect Catalogue of fundamentall truths and to imply a full rejection of fundamentall heresies and hath beene received by Orthodox Christians of all ages and places as an absolute summary of the Christian faith For proof wherof we will first argue ad hominem and teach the Mistaker how to esteeme of his Creed out of his own Masters whom he will not distrust or gainsay Begin with the a Concil Trident Sess 3. Symbolum Apostolorum est principium illud in quo omnes qui fidem Christi profitentur necessariò conveniunt ac fundamentum Ecclesiae firmum ac unicum Councell of Trent The Apostles Creed is that principle wherein all that professe the faith of Christ do necessarily agree that being the firme and onely foundation of the Church The b Catec Trident pag. 13. ac 14. Apostoli hanc Christianae fidei ac spei formulam composuerunt veritatis summa ac fundamentum primò ac necessariò omnibus credendum Catechisme of Trent to the same pupose The Apostles composed this profession of Christian faith and hope as a summary and foundation of that truth which is necessarily to be beleived of all c Azor. par 1. lib. 8. cap. 5. Symbolum Apostoâ—orum est brevis fidei complexio ac summa omniuÌ„ credendorum veluti nota quaedam signum quo Christiani homines ab impiis infidelibus qui vel nullam vel non rectam Christi fidem profitentur discernendi ac internoscendi sunt Huic Symbolo addâ—ta sunt alia duo Nicaenum Athanasianum ad uberiorem explicationem fidei Azorius This Creed briefly comprehends the faith and all things to be beleived is as it were a signe or cognisance whereby Christian men are differenced from the ungodly and misbeleivers who have either no faith at all or hold not the right faith To this the other Creeds of Nice and Athanasius were added onely for further explanation d Jacob. Gordon Hunt Controv 2. cap. 10. num 10. Regula fidei continetur expressè in Symbolo Apostolorum in quo continentur omnia prima fundamenta fidei Neque enim adeò obliviosi fuerunt Apostoli post acceptum Spiritum S. ut in Symbolo fidei quod omnibus credendum tradiderunt praetermittereÌ„t primum praecipuum fidei fundamentum Huntley a Scottish Iesuite The rule of faith is expressely contained in the Apostles Creed wherein are contained all the prime foundations of faith For the Apostles were not so forgetfull as to omit any fundamentall point in that Creed which they delivered to be beleived by all Christians e Greg. de Val. in 2. 2. disp 1.
not the Catholique Church The Catholique Church and the Romane ignorantly or cunningly confounded The Catholique truely and really charitable and so the English but not so the Romane not to her owne children especially not to Protestants Of whom the Mistaker and others speake and thinke no better then of Infidells Though we entirely professe and embrace the Catholique faith in all the parts of it ROmane Catholiques affirme that Protestants cannot bee saued It matters not much what Romane Catholiques affirme They can affirme much more then they can proue many dreames and fancies are at this day affirmed to be Catholique verities and affirmed with great confidence For want of truth is vsually attended with want of modesty None so forward to affirme as they that haue least reason for their affirmations But strong affirmations are but weake proofes In the meane while the boldnesse of these Dogmatists in affirming so many things in Religion vpon so feeble grounds hath miserably distracted Christendome and lost vs the peace of the Church But doe all Romane Catholiques affirme this So the Mistaker seemes to implie by his indefinite assertion But sure the man is much mistaken It is indeed an old tradition in the Popes Court one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Maximes of the Iesuiticall Cabale subesse Romano Pontifici est de necessitate salutis that none but perfect Papalins can be saued But all Papists are not Courtiers nor as yet I hope fully Iesuited without doubt many learned and moderate men liuing in the outward Communion of that Church among the French Venetians and elsewhere doe beleeue that it is possible enough for Protestants to be saued since they beleeue in Iesus Christ though they beleeue not in the Pope Many of thē haue said so much in effect many more would happily say more if they might speake freely But though their thoughts are free their tongues are not Yet the Mistaker beleeues his masters the Iesuits who haue told him that God will exclude out of heauen all sorts and sects of men that are not as themselues fully and furiously Romanized No Protestant can be saued Here is a quicke purging Index for the Booke of Life Woe were it with mankinde if the Fathers of the Society had the keeping of that Booke Their sponge would quickely make it a blotted Catalogue Out into hell must all but themselues and their disciples so many as will not worship the I doll at Rome But our comfort is these men shall not be our Iudges at the last day Thankes be to God and our Lord Iesus Christ we shall stand or fall to our owne Master in whom we beleeue whom we desire to obey and whose we are who will blesse vs the rather for their vniust maledictions and censures These Fathers may doe well and so may their children and clients who are so fierce in passing such capitall sentences against vs to looke well to their owne finall great accounts What will become of them God onely knowes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to his judgement we leaue them Onely this we know that hee shall haue judgement Iam. 2. 13. without mercy that hath shewed no mercy And sure it will goe hard with them if that be true which the prudent Cardinall d'Ossat lieger for K. Henry IV. in the Epist 8. ◠Villeroy Court of Rome collected from their wicked doctrines and practises that notwithstanding their great pretensions of zeale yet indeed they beleeue neither in Iesus Christ nor the Pope For whatsoeuer he be Tros Tyriusue Catholique or Heretique if their Generall haue him in a jealousie hee must bee cut of from Earth and Heauen Witnesse Henry the Great of France who after his conversion to the Pope was strucke first in the mouth by one of their Disciples and at last in the heart by another And in that See Anticoton black Powder plot the eternall shame of Popery for the advancement of the Catholique cause Papists and Protestants both together since they could not be seuered pell mell must all bee blowne vp And that by the warrant and advise of these conscientious Casuists the Fathers But happily though they meant to kill their friends in that massacre yet they meant afterwards to put them in the Kalender intending first to martyr then to worship them which had beene honour and recompence sufficient for their slaughter But for all Protestants dying there or elsewhere they are sent packing to Hell for their doome is no Protestant can be saued But why may not a Protestant be saved There is no good Protestant but for matter of practice hee a Nehem. 1 11. desires to feare Gods name b Hab. 6. 1. repents for sinnes past and for the time to come hath a sincere c Act. 11. 23. purpose of heart to cleau vnto the Lord d Heb. 1◠18. willing in all things to keep a good conscience and to liue honestly obeying God in all his Commandements so far as humane frailtie will permit and for matter of faith he beleeues entirely the Scriptures the Catholique Creeds and whatsoever the Catholique Church in all ages hath beleeued as necessary to salvation All Papists in the world shall never be able to proue the contrary Eyther that we walke not according to these rules or that so walking mercy and peace shall not be upon vs as upon the Israel of God Nay since we are no further departed from the present Romane Church as our late most learned Soueraigne K. Iames professed then shee her selfe is departed from Scripture from Antiquitie and from her selfe in her best times shee is most vncharitable in condemning vs to Hell because we refuse to yeeld a blind obedience to her new dictates And the same damnatorie sentence which shee darts against vs involues equally and alike all truely Catholique Christians in the world with whom in substance we fully consent Surely in this furious rashnesse and rigor there is nothing of that sweet vertue of Charity which e 1. Cor. 13 4. 5. 6. S. Paul describes by other properties quite contrary to these But this is the wont of factious Zelotes to hate and damne all that approue not their fantasies and this angry vnmercifull passion they call Zeale to the holy cause and that which is meere malice must passe for pure Charity So it fares with the Mistaker and his fellowes the Iesuiters They take it ill that we charge them with want of Charity when in their hopes and desires for blessed be God they can doe it no otherwise they barre vs out of Heauen It seemes they would haue vs patiently to receiue their bloudy sentence of damnation and though they pronounce it against vs without authority and without reason yet wee must beleeue it is not without Charitie But he much mistakes Charity and the Iesuites who can beleeue thē to be Charitable Nay he must be a stranger in Europe in the world who can beleeue it Their owne