of a world of wandering perverted souls From his ground it is especially that I in this book both take this fashion and Latitude of stating doctrines of faith recommend it to others when they treat with Protestants And particularly from him did I receive Information that the very expresse terme of Infallibility was not of obligation to be made use of in Disputation concerning the Churches Authority As likewise that the Doctrines of Faith promulgated by the said Authority in the Decrees of generall Councells did admit of many more qualifications and restrictions then popular Controvertists do think good to make use of So that if in this or any other point any expressions found in this book shall seem new or not so relishing to any I must refer them to the said Author and his Approvers who no doubt will ease me of the trouble of making Apologies 5. But leaving this digression I will at last relate the successe I found in reading the Canons of the Church the forementioned books and treatises of the Fathers c. Which was that I thereby gained a distinct knowledge both of the faith of the present Church and what those Ancients believed concerning the Churches Authority and this not by relying upon a few select passages and Texts pick'd out by late Controvertists but by observing the maine designe and intention of those Fathers when the very like Controversies in their times constreined them to consider and unanimously declare what they themselves thought and what they had received from their predecessours concerning the Church Haeresie and Schisme 6. That therefore which I learned from them pertinent to my present purpose I will set downe in foure Conclusions relating to foure principall heads of controversie namely 1. Of the Rule of Faith that is Scripture and Traditions unwritten 2. Of the Judge of Controversies that is the Catholique Church 3. Of the unity of the Church and the danger of Heresy Schisme 4. Of the perpetuall Visibility of the Church To all which Propositions respectively I will adjoyne the doctrine of the present Roman Church conteined especially in the Councell of Trent And likewise the beliefe of Protestants Concluding with an examination whether the Roman or Protestant Churches do best conform themselves to the universal Ancient Traditiō cōcerning the Church her authority c. 7. When all this is done at their perill be it if any imputing to me sinister intentions of which they cannot be judges shall say it was either worldly discontent or ambition and not an evident conviction of truth and resolution to save my soule that moved me finally to declare my selfe rather a follower of that part which to my understanding followes an universall and uninterrupted agreement of such Teachers as both sides agree not only to have approached neerest to the fountaine of truth Christ and his Apostles therefore to have had meanes of informing themselves in Apostolicall Tradition incomparably beyond us But also to have been extreamly cautelous and learned and so not easily obnoxious to be mistaken or deceived And likewise unquestionably pious and vertuous and therefore abhorring any intention of seducing others for temporall respects Rather then three or foure new teachers in whom there is not only a visible want of all these good qualities but on the contrary such as have not been able to forbeare to declare themselves to be worse men more polluted with Lust Gluttony Sacriledge Pride Malice Envie c. then without their own confession their adversaries could with a good conscience have accused or but suspected them And the effect of whose innovations ha's manifestly been nothing but Atheisme profanenesse bloodshed confusion and ruine The second Section Conteining a stating of foure fundamentall points of Controversie in foure Conclusions CHAP. I. The first Conclusion concerning the Rule of Faith Testimonies of Fathers acknowledging Doctrines Traditionary as well as Scripture to be a Rule of Faith 1. ACcording to my promise in the last Chapter of the former Section I will consequently set downe the fundamentall truths of Catholique Religion in foure Conclusions respecting foure generall points of Controversie The sense of which Conclusions I found evidently and uniformly delivered by the ancient Fathers and by the light of the said truths through Gods grace and goodnesse I became entirely undeceived and by their direction I was led as it were by the hand into the Gates of that City which is set on a hill the holy Catholique Church of Christ. Now of those this is the I. CONCLUSION The entire Rule of Faith comprised in the Doctrines delivered by Christ and his Apostles immediately to the Church is conteyned not only in Scripture but likewise in unwritten Traditions 2. FOr the former part of this Conclusion viz. That the Rule of Christian Faith obedience is no other then the Doctrines and Praecepts delivered immediately by Christ and his Apostles to the Church And by consequence that the present Church pretends not to any new Revelations or Power to make any new Articles of Christian Faith or to propose any Doctrines under that title other then such as Shee has received by Catholique Tradition it will be unnecessary paines to prove out of the Fathers since I doe not know any Christians who deserve that title that doubt of it Indeed the Calvinists earnest to find all occasions to heighten their Schisme charge the Catholique Church as if she admitted within this compasse other Doctrines Decrees and Decretalls c. But most unjustly since there is no warrant or ground given them to lay this aspersion upon the Church and all Catholiques generally renounce it 3. But as for that which followes in the Conclusion viz. That this Rule of Faith is not conteined entirely and expresly in Scripture alone but likewise in unwritten Traditions In this lyes the maine difference betweeen the Catholique Church and all other Sects both ancient and moderne They all and alwaies conspiring in this that the Scripture is to be the only Rule and themselves judges and interpreters of the sence of it at least for themselves or if not they no body however not the present Church and on the contrary Catholiques in all ages unanimously joyning in the contradiction of that ground and affirming that all Doctrines of Faith were not indeed no◠ever were intended to be entirely express'd in Scripture And that Scriptures ought not to be interpreted by any private spirit or reason any other way then according to the line of Ecclesiasticall Tradition 4. Concerning the Rule of Faith therefore let us aske our Fathers that were before us how they were instructed in this point and among them the first testimony will be afforded us by S. Ignatius to this effect quoted by Eusebiu◠Hist. Eccl. l. 3. c. 35. Ignatius saith he exhorted the Churches to hold themselves inseparably to the Tradition of the Apostles which Tradition for surenesse sake he thought good to reduce into writing Againe S. Polycarpus saith the
whatsoever thing came from me and observe the Traditions which I have given you Besides in some cases there may be controversies about points which are not grounded upon Orall Tradition but only Scripture 4. A third inconvenience following the Protestants position is this That since undoubtedly there were in the Primitive Church Traditions in great number besides what is expressed in Scripture I could not imagine what was become of them or how it should be possible they should come to be lost having been received generally through the whole Church and most of them shining in the practise of it To salve this inconvenience Protestants either impudently give the lye to all the Fathers and say without the least proofe that there were none at all Or in England there being under-Sects which by Scripture alone could not be confuted as Puritans Anabaptists Sabbatarians c. they are forced to acknowledge some few Traditions of such a nature although thereby they destroy their maine foundation of Only-Scripture For by the Traditionary doctrine of Non-rebaptization they conclude the Anabaptists to be Heretiques that is erring in a necessary point of doctrine Yet themselves renounce doctrines and practises delivered by a far more full Tradition So great effect hath interest in that Church But what will become of S. Basils saying before quoted That the day would faile him if he should undertake to enumerate all the Traditions left by the Apostles in the Church not mentioned in Scripture For all that even the most condescending Protestants will allow for such may be reckoned five times over in a minute of an hower Considering therefore that such Traditions being visibly manifest for the most part in the practise of the Church are far more easily preserved then any writing can be it will necessarily follow that the rest of that great number are extant in the Roman Church as may be proved of most of them before reckoned by testimonies of Ancient Fathers Vid. sup c. 3. 5. A fourth inconvenience to my understanding unavoidable by Protestants and a great proofe of the truth of the Doctrine of the Roman Church is this Though Protestants generally deny that the points of Controversie debated between them and the Roman Church were universally received by the Ancient Church as Invocation of Saints adoration of Christ as present in the blessed Sacrament Prayer for the dead c. Yet they cannot deny but that in many of the Fathers proofes of these doctrines may be found to shew that such was at least their particular opinions Now if generally the Ancient Church had agreed with Protestants both in denying such doctrines and practise received now in the Roman Church and likewise in making only-expresse-Scripture the Rule to judge by it could not be avoided but that some Synods or Fathers would have taken notice of such pretended errours in the writings of other Fathers and likewise would have produced some of those Texts of Scriptures now made use of by Protestants for that purpose a thing they are so far from that on the contrary we find that many of the Fathers infer the same doctrines from the same Texts that Catholiques now do And Protestants though they alledge some passages of Fathers by which they may seem consequently to destroy such doctrines and to contradict their owne formall assertions in other places yet are not able to produce so much as one Text of Scripture interpreted by any Father to confute any one such pretended errour Which is a thing very remarkable and will argue either that no man in the Ancient Church took notice of such pretended dangerous speeches of so many Fathers or that they understood not the plaine Texts of Scripture if Protestants grounds be true or upon Catholiques grounds since it was impossible but they must have taken notice of such opinions and since they certainly did understand plaine Texts of Scripture that therefore not disputing out of Scripture as Protestants doe they were so far from believing such opinions to be errours deserving a Schisme that they all of them agreed in receiving them as Catholique Truths Other inconveniences which without hope or possibility of remedy do arise from making Scripture alone secluding not only Traditions but likewise any visible obliging interpreter to be the only Rule and Judge of Controversies shall be reserved to be examined in the next Conclusion concerning the Authority of the Church in this businesse CHAP. V. Weaknesse of Protestants proofs for only-Scripture Texts of Scripture alleadged by Catholiques vainly eluded by Protestants 1. AS I said before since Protestants and all other Sects doe against their nature and custome so unanimously conspire to forsake the oldâ— and good wayes by travelling wherein even themselves being judges so many glorious Saints Confessors Martyrs Bishops c. were renowned not onely in their owne but all succeeding times dissipated armies of Haeretiques propagated the Kingdome of Christ over the world subdued Idolatry and made it utterly to vanish though supported with the force of the whole Roman world and in fine arrived to a supereminent degree of glory in Paradice And since in stead of this so successefull a way they have chosen to walke every man in a severall path through those narrow crooked and at least very dangerous because new wayes of a proud selfe-assuming presumption in interpreting only-Scripture each man according to his own fancy interest following the example of no antiquity but only ancient Heretiques in all reason they should have taken order to have justified themselves herein after a more then ordinary manner they ought to have contributed all the invention and skill of all the best wits in each Sect to fortifie this common foundation of only Scripture and no visible judge beyond all other points of difference 2. And so no doubt they have to the utmost capacity of the subject But no skill can serve to build a firme secure edifice upon sand and private reason or fancies of inspiration are more weake and sandy then even sand it selfe For proofe hereof let us consider the pretended proofes and reasons which they alleadge to assert this their fundamentall position viz. that the entire Rule of Faith is the written word of God of which there is not extant any visible authoritative interpreter Proofes hereof produced by them are 1. Negative invalidating such Texts of Scripture as are alledged by Catholiques and expounded by Fathers to prove Traditions unwritten and 2. Positive drawne from other Texts expressing the sufficiency and perfection of Scripture 3. Some Texts by Catholiques produced to prove Traditions and those concerning points of Doctrine as well as practise or ceremonies besides what is written in the Evangelicall books are among others these following out of S. Paul 2 Thes. cap. 1. ver 15. Observe the Tradititions which you have received from us whether by word or by Epistle And againe 2 Tim. c. 2. ver 13. Have before thine eyes the patterne of sound words which thou hast heard
some cases it is within the power of the Church to invent de novo some word or phrase proper to signifie and express a Traditionary doctrine namely in contradiction to any Haeresie arising and opposing Apostolique Revelations shining in the publique profession and practise of the Church So to condemn the Arians denying the Divinity of our Saviour the Fathers of the Councell of Nice made choice of the terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though new yet answerable to the sense and notion of that mystery which was received by Tradition in the Church a terme directly and specifically opposite to the Arian Position In like manner the Church of late devised a new or rather borrowed of some particular ancient Father the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transubstantiation as most proper to expresse the notion which in all ages has been received in the Church concerning the Reall Presence of the body of Christ in Blessed Sacrament a terme which like the flaming two-edged waving sword of the Cherub cuts assunder on all sides whatsoever new Heresies do or probably ever shall devise to oppose that Mystery 5. Notwithstanding some certaine Traditions there were which in the Primitive times were kept secret among the principall Ecclesiasticall Governours as certaine sublime Doctrines the ceremonious formes of conferring some Sacraments of making the holy Chrismes Oyle c. which seemes to have been done partly to gaine a reverence to the Clergy as more neerly approaching to the Divine Light But principally not to expose such Mysteries to the scornfull and profane interpretation of the Heathens or to the weak understandings of the ignorant and not yet sufficiently instructed Christians according to the practise of S. Paul himselfe 1 Cor c. 2. who saith Sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos Wee spèake sublime wisedome among those that are perfect Hence those earnest adjurations in the writings of some very ancient Bishops whereby they conjured others of their own rank when they communicated to them certaine sublime mysteries to preserve in a deep secrecy what they so received a memorable instance we have of this caution in the Books of S. Denis Areopagite Hier. Eccl. c 1. Hence those disguisings of other Mysteries in Books which were to passe publiquely abroad Hence those sudden interruptions when they were ready to discover unawares somewhat above the capacity of their hearers Pagans or Catechumens Frequent examples I could alledge out of S. Epiphanius S. Chrysostome S. Augustine end others But Cuiâ— bono in this placed Since Paganisme has been utterly abolished and meanes of instruction more common and promiscuous especially since the invention of Printing whether happy or not it is doubtfull this cautelous reservednesse has beene out of use perhaps with no little prejudice to the Church in so much as nothing is reserved now in the brests of the Church-Governours even the anciently most secret Ceremonies are divuled to all Mens knowledge So that now Tradition is far more loud and visible then ever it was before and no ground for Protestants to pretend to any suspition that under a shew of Tradition the Church has a mind to exercise either Tyranny or cunning to gaine authority to her determinations 6. Now from this generall Traditionary way of conveying Christian Doctrines c. it came to passe that many Fathers being assured of the truth and authenticknesse of such Traditions and willing to assert them out of Scripture also have interpreted many Texts as conteining such Doctrines which either did not at all afford such a sence or at least not necessarily though perhaps the outward sound of the words might put a man in mind of such Doctrines Examples of this are not a few particularly in the points of Purgatory Prayer to Saints c. So that whereas Protestants cry Victory when they can prove or at least make probable that such Fathers have been mistaken in such interpretations as if the doctrines thence deduced were confuted in my opinion it is without any ground since on the contrary the lesse force that such Texts of Scripture have to evince such doctrines the greater and stronger proofe have such Traditions seeing the Fathers prepossessed with a beliefe of them from the publique practise of the Church accounted them so apparent that they thought they saw them even where they were not at all And therefore when the Church commands us not to oppose the interpretations which the greatest part of Fathers unanimously make of Scripture I conceive she does not a waies oblige Catholiques thereby to give the same sense to Texts which the greatest part of Fathers doe but rather not so to interpret any Text as to contradict the Traditionary doctrines believed generally by the Fathers upon this safe ground of Tradition though perhaps not Logically enough deduced from such speciall passages of Scripture so that though perhaps their commentaries there may be questioned the doctrine in the commentaries ought to be embraced CHAP. X. The second preparatory ground viz. Occasion of writing the Gospells c. 1. IT may now be demanded if this way of conveying Christian doctrines be so much clearer and safer than writing books or any other way of transmitting recordes to what purpose were the Evangelicall bookes written and why were the necessary points of faith reduced into such a prescribed form in the Apostles Creed 2. To say something for answer and first concerning the Creed The end why that was compiled seemes to have been to bring into a short and cleare abridgement the principall points of Christian Religion to be repeated at any ones initiation into Christianity by Baptisme being as it were an enlargement of that forme of Baptising prescribed by our Saviour viz. Baptizo te in nomine Patris Filii Spiritus sancti Now in what senseâ— and in respect of what Persons in what State or Order the Creed may be said to contein all points of faith necessary to Salvation shall be shewd hereafter As to our present purpose we may observe 1. That the Creed seemes to be of a middle nature betweene written bookes and Orall Tradition as a prescribed forme of words so it approaches to the former but as committed by all to memory and actually repeated at Baptisme and other publique Devotions so it partakes much of the latter 2. What extreame advantage Tradition has for its preservation beyond any writing seeing the Creed after it was enlarged by partaking thereof has preserved it selfe from any variety or corruption all the Church over to this day It is true indeed that insome Churches viz in Afâ—ica in the first beginning of Christianity there was a small difference their Creed wanting these words Communion of Saints the sense whereof notwithstanding may probably be supposed to have been included in the Article concerning the holy Catholique Church as may be observed in the Creeds extant in the African Fathers Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Optatus and S. Augustin Which difference it is not imaginable should have come by
XIX Passages out of Fathers concerning the Churches Authority 1. BUt I will no longer defer the testimonies which Antiquity affords to the third Proposition conteined in the second Conclusion forementioned viz. of the Churches authority to intepret Scriptures and define Controversies I confesse I might have contented my selfe considering the superabundance to omit single passages when so many Fathers have written whole books to witnesse it as Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Vercentius Lirinensis c. mentioned before and whereas all Councells in whatsoever they have determined have virtually determined this otherwise their determinations were to be esteemed any thing else but determinations Notwithstanding I will not refuse the trouble of selecting a few passages more expresly declaring what at large most of the bookes wherein they are found endeavour generally to prove whether Logically and rationally or no let the world judge I am sure they proved it so effectually that they have thereby utterly destroyed the Heresies that opposed them Let the first witnesse therefore be S. Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 4. Where the Church is there is the Spirit of God and where the Spirit of God is there is the Church and all grace The same Father againe lib. 4. c. 43. We must obey those Priests that are in the Church those that have succession from the Apostles who together with Episcopall power have according to the good pleasure of the Father received the certain gift of Truth And all the rest who depart from the originall succession wheresoever they be assembled to have suspected either as Haeretiques or Schismatiques or Hypocrites and all these do fall from the truth Againe lib 4. c. 62. The spirituall man shall judge them that be out of the Church Which Church shall be under no mans judgement For to the Church all things are known in which is perfect faith of the Father and of the dispensation of Christ and firme knowledge of the Holy Ghost teacheth al truth Again l. 5. c. 4. What if the Apostles had not left Scriptures ought we not to have followed the Order of Tradition which they delivered to those to whom they committed the Churches To which order many yeild assent who believe in Christ having salvation written in their hearts by the Spirit of God without letters or ink and diligently keeping ancient Tradition It is easy to receive the truth from God's Church seeing the Apostles have most fully deposited in her as in a rich Store-house all thinges belonging to truth For what if there should arise any contention of some small questions ought we not to have recourse to the most ancient Churches and from them to receive what is certaine and cleare concerning the present question 3. Witness Tert. de Preser Therefore we must not appeale to Scriptures neither is the controversy to be settled upon them in the which there will be either no victory at all or very uncertaine c. Againe Order did require that that should be proposed in the first place which ought now to be onely debated viz. Which of the parties is possessed of that faith to which the Scriptures agree from whom and by whom and when and to whom that discipline was delivered by which men are named Christians For wheresoever it shall appeare that the truth of the Christian discipline or Faith is there will also be found the truth of Scriptures and expositions and all Christian Traditions Witnesse Origen Since there be many who thinke they believe the things which are of Christ and some are of different opinion from those who went before them let the doctrine of the Church be kept which is delivered from the Apostles by order of succession and remaines in the Church to this very day That onely is to be believed for truth which in nothing disagrees from the Tradition of the Church And again in our understanding of Scriptures we must not depart from the first Ecclesiasticall Tradition nor believe otherwise then as the Church of God hath by succession delivered to us 4. Witnesse S. Cyprian de unit Eccl. There is one head one Source one Mother by the Issue of her fruitfulnesse copious by her encrease we are born we are nourished with her milk with her Spirit we are quickned The Spouse of Christ cannot be defiled with adultery Shee is pure and chast Shee knoweth one house and with chast bashfulness keepeth the sanctity of one bed This preserveth us in God This advanceth to the Kingdome the Children that shee hath brought forth Whosoever divideth from the Church and cleaveth to the adultresse hee is separated from the promises of the Church He cannot have God to his Father that hath not the Church to his Mother Witnesse Lactantius l. 4. c. ult It is onely the Catholique Church that hath the true worship and service of God this is the wel-spring of truth the dwelling-place of Faith the temple of God into which whosever entreth not and from which whosoever departeth is without all hope of life and eternall salvation Witnesse S. Basile and S. Gregory Naz. who as Ruffinus Hist. Eccl. l. 2. c. 29. relateth took the interpretation of Scripture not of their own sense but from the Tradition of the Fathers Witness S. Cyril of Jerusalem lat 18. The Church is called Catholique because it is spread over the universall world from one end to the other and because it teacheth Catholiquely and entirely all doctrine which are to be known Witnesse S. Ambrose Faith is the foundation of the Church for it was not spoken of the flesh of Peter but of his faith That the gates of Hell should not prevaile His Confession overcame Hell and this Confession excludes many Haeresies for seeing the Church like a good Ship is beat upon by many waves the Foundation of the Church must prevail against all Haeresies L. de incarn dâ—â— 5. Witnesse Dom. in Psalm 37. In the Church the truth resids Whosoever is seperated from it it is necessary that he speak false things Againe Ep. 54. The heighth of all authority all the light of reason for the reparation and reformation of mankinde consists only in the saving name of Christ and in his only Church Again Ep. 56 The supream Emperour of our Faith hath fortified his Church with the cittadell of authority and by meanes of a few persons piously learned hath armed it with copious provisions of unconquerable reason That therefore to him is the most right discipline that especially the weak should retire into this cittadell of Faith to the end that for their defence being placed most securely others should combat with most strong reasons Again de util Cred. c. 16 if the Providence of God doth not precide over humane affairs no care is to be had concerning Religion But if the severall variety of creatures which ought be believed to have flowed from some fountain of most perfect beauty and by certain inward instinct doth exhort both publiquely and privately those
the universall Christian world Again The letters of Bishops may be corrected by Nationall Councells and Nationall Councells by Plenary ones and former Plenary Councells may be corrected by others that succeed And again We should not have the boldnesse to affirm any such thing were it not that we are confirm'd by the most unanimous authority of the universall Church Now I suppose their intention is not to refund all authority finally upon the ignorant people but upon the whole Body of the Prelates admitting and attesting what was decreed by a few in Councells by which means the universall Government of the Church sets their seal to the Doctrine of Faith and vertually or by consequence in and with them all Christians universally in their communion and under their charge By this means indeed all possible objections will be taken away and the Decisions of Councells will be the Acts not of ten Bishops representing a hundred and perhaps giving suffrages to Doctrines never questioned or debated by them but of all the Bishops of the Christian world Now it is not necessary according to these Authors grounds that there must be such a Reception of conciliary acts by particular Pâ—â—â—â—â—s â—â—prossely fâ—â—mally and directly it being sufficient â—hat it be done interpretatively that is when such Doctrines are known and permitted to be published â—emine reclamante And till this be done shy they the Councell though in it self it be very legitimate and deserving the â—itle of Oecumonicall yet it does not sufficiently and evidently appear to be so whereas a Provinciall Councell yea a Private Fathers or Doctours opinion so received ha's in it the vertue of a Generall Councell 4. Now this opinion maintained by such considerable learned Catholikes and not apparently contrary to any decision of the Church though I did not intend to subscribe to as undoubtedly true for my resolution alwaies was not to engage my self in any private Sects or topicall opinions and least of all in such as appeared to be exotick and suspitious notwithstanding I was very well contented to perceive that it was at least an allowable opinion For I found it of great convenience to my self to free me from many difficulties For thereby 1. Here is no entrenching on the points of controversie between Catholiques and Protestants since they are all not only decided by the authority of Councells but likewise actually assented to and imbraced by all particular Catholique Churches neither as matters of controversie do now stand is it necessary to require any more from Protestants then what ha's been so both decided and received 2. Hereby all the objections which Protestants make from certain reall or imaginary contradictions which may be found in decrees of Councells about other points not now in controversie are apparently rendred ineffectuall for if that be to be only necessarily accounted an article of Catholique Faith which is actually acknowledged and received by Catholiques and since contradictions cannot be actually assented to it will follow that whatsoever decisions of Councells may seem to oppose such articles are not necessarily to be accounted Catholique Doctrines and by consequence not obligatory 3. That so much objected speech of S. Augustine de Bapt. Dom. l 2. c. 3. viz. The letters of Bishops may be corrected by Nationall Councells and Nationall Councells by Plenary ones and former Plenary Councells may be corrected by others that succeed though it be understood of points of Doctrine as it seems to require such a sense because S. Augustine speaks it upon occasion of rebaptization yet makes nothing against Catholiques who upon the forementioned grounds and authorities need account that only to be Catholique Doctaine which is actually imbraced by Catholiques Yea upon the same grounds the like may be said of that yet more bold speech of Cardinall Cusanus viz. It may be observed by all experience that an Universall Councell may fail Cusan concord l. 2. c. 14. 5. But to proceed to the severall grounds upon which I conceived Stapleton determined this question with a greater latitude and indulgence then most other Writers and yet notwithstanding he hath escaped the censure of any being commended even by those who use much more rigor in it then he has done The first is That no Doctrine can be called an Article of Faith but what was in the beginning revealed and delivered to the Church by Christ and his Apostles 2. That these doctrines have been preserved and continued to these times by Tradition that is not only in books approved and delivered Traditionally but rather in an orall practicall Tradition from one age to another For the Church pretends not to any new immediate revelation though she enjoys an effectuall assistance of Gods holy Spirit 3. That there is a double obligation from decisions of Generall Councells the first an obligation of Christian belief in respect of doctrines delivered by Generall Councells as of universall Tradition the second only of Canonicall obedience to orders and constitutions for practise by which men are not bound to believe that these are inforced as from divine authority but only to submit to them as acts of a lawfull Ecclesiasticall power however not to censure them as unjust much lesse to oppose and contradict them 4. That many I may say most constitutions of Councells in order to practise do yet vertually include some degree of belief as that of Communion under one kind of the use of Images in Churches and upon Altars c. of residence of Bishops of authorised Translations of Scripture c. And that in such cases we are not obliged to believe that Christ or his Apostles gave order that such practises should follow but only that considering Christs continuall care over his Church so clearly promised neither these nor any other orders universally established and practised are destructive to any substantiall doctrine or practise of Christianity and that the authority left by Christ in his church was so large and ample as that when she shall judge it fit considering the various dispositions of succeeding timesâ— she may alter externall practises and formes not essentiall orâ— of the substance of Christian Religion even in the Sacraments themselves as we see acknowledged in some cases by all Christian churches as about the altering of the time and posture of receiving the Eucharist the triple immersion in Baptisme abstaining from things strangled and from bloud c. 5. That doctrines determined by Nationall Councells lay no obligation at all upon any other churches but only those whose Bishops meet together and all the obligation even of those Christians who live within such Provinces is only not to contradict they are not bound to receive such decisions as Articles of Faith the reason being evident because one Nation cannot be a competent judge of Catholique Tradition and there neither is nor can be any Article of Faith but what is delivered that way 6. That the authority of the Pastours of the present Church is not of
few learned and truly spirituall men hath armed it with a plenteous magazine of Reason invincible CHAP. XXXIX An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's seventh and eighth grounds 1. TO the seventh ground viz. That a certain infallible Faith is not required since reason which is the only agent is fallible and the grounds not evidently certain such a probability will serve the turn as can produce in a mar obedience c. For answer hereto I desire Protestants to consider 1. Whether at the first planting of Christianity probable grounds of belief had been sufficient if not as most certainly not how come they to be sufficient now If it be replied that we must either be content with probable grounds or none I answer there is no such necessity because for all the substantiall points of Christianity we have universall Tradition and that with all advantages for assurance imaginable insomuch as if all men would call him mad that should deny that there was such a man as King William the Conqueror of England which is yet attested only or principally by a Nationall Tradition there that man would deserve a title worse then the former that could doubt of the universall testimony of the Catholique Church all the world over that such Traditions have come to them from their ancestors c. 2. I desire them to consider what course they will take to convert the now Jewes and Turks or Heathens to Christianity if they shall once tell them that they can give them no better then probable motives of our Religion For they will doubtlesse reply that they will never quit their own Religion in which they and their ancestors have been bred and of the truth of which they likewise have at least in their own opinion a probable Tradition for a new one not assured 3. To consider the example of the antient Jewes For if those very persons who were eye-witnesses of the miraculous delivery of the Law and by consequence were most assured of the divinity of it yet notwithstanding would not quit temporal pleasures and allurements for the future rewards therein promised is it likely that the Christians of these times will upon confessedly only probable grounds and promises and those not to be expected till after death renounce assured and present delights and embrace assured and present miseries mortifications and abnegations 2. To the eighth and last ground viz. That since all Christians agree in necessary doctrines which are expresse they ought not to deny Communion the one to the other for other doctrines contained obscurely in Scripture and that that is the only effectuall means of reducing and preserving unity among Christians I answer that it is apparently contrary to experience what is here said For neither do all Christians agree in all necessary doctrines nor in all which themselves esteem necessary neither will they allow Communion to men differing in points by their own Confession nor esteemed so much as substantiall Yea let England witnesse if our Presbyterian Calvinists do not think many thousand Hecatombs of Christian bloud a fit sacrifice to prepare a tyrannicall introduction of a few circumstantiall novelties Therefore to say men ought and it were well if they would do otherwise and in the mean time destroy all Ecclesiasticall authority to constrain them to what they ought to do is to destroy all Christian Communion indeed all manner of policy and society For upon the same grounds we may as reasonably contend for an universall Anarchy since all men ought by the law of reason and nature to live in justice temperance and peace and therefore let lawes be annulled and Judges deposed But God whose imprudence is wiser then the wisdome of men seeing our figmentum our naturall perversenesse hath appointed Civill Governours to overawe Delinquents with the whip and with the sword and Ecclesiasticall Magistrates likewise into whose hands he ha's likewise put a spirituall scourge and sword too to correct or cut off putrified or mortified members the whole foundation of which Policy and order would be undermined by such an allowance given to all sorts of Christians to become judges and interpreters for themselves in matters of Religion upon a groundless and never-yet-accomplished hope that they will all agree to use this power with meeknesse and charity 3. Besides let all the world judge of the extreme partiality of English Protestants they say that no man ought to refuse Communion for differences in points in themselves not necessary or fundamentall and they acknowledge that Catholiques agree with them in all points fundamentall and yet they not only refuse to communicate with them but call their Communion damnable and Idololatricall Yea moreover seek to justifie the execution of the most bloudy lawes against Catholike Priests performing their duties that ever any Christian Nation heard of 4. Mr. Chillingworth indeed maintains this their partiality of refusing Communion with Catholiques upon this ground because no man can be allowed by the Councell of Trent to enteâ— into Catholique Communion that believes not all doctrines of faith therein defined to be of universall Tradition many of which they disbelieving ought not or if they would cannot be received into Communion Hereto I answer 1. That the Bull of Pius the fourth requires subscription to the Councell only from Priests c. 2. Can any antient Church be named that ha's not alwaies done the same 3. Do not the Lutherans Calvinists yea the Church of England both before and since the writing of his book the same 4. Does not the omission of requiring an uniform profession of Faith evidently destroy all Ecclesiasticall authority and leave every one in a liberty hitherto unheard of in Gods Church of thinking and believing and judging and saying and doing what he himself pleases 5. The unappealable authority of a Generall Councell being once destroyed would not Babel it self and the seventy languages of it as some reckon them be order and unity it self in comparison with a Christian Church so confused and mangled wherein not seventy but seventy thousand languages might be allowed For as for this phantasticall Utopian way of Unity here first devised and proposed to the world by Mr. Chillingworth let even the most ignorant of his judges give sentence whether as long as men have passions and as long as there is pride in their hearts and tentations in the world it be not utterly impossible to be compassed and if upon an impossible supposition it were effected whether such a kind of unity would deserve the name of unity and not rather of an universall stupidity and Lethargie CHAP. XL. An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's objection concerning difference among Catholiques about the Judge of Controversies 1. HAving thus far considered Mr. Chillingworth's generall grounds concerning a Judge of Controversies dispersed in severall places through his book I will proceed to take a view of his principal objections against the Catholike doctrine concerning the authority of the Church which objections are of severall
church as a doctrine Traditionary and moreover it is attested by all antient Records of the Fathers of the church nemine explicite contradicente and it ha's been practised by Councells in all ages not one Catholique renouncing his obedience In so much as to my understanding there is not one Christian doctrine delivered with so full an assurance nor in the sense and meaning whereof it is lesse possible for a man to be mistaken Now by vertue of this speciall truth of the churches authority Universall Tradition which of it self is most credible and certain being believed and attested by the present church becomes most necessary to be believed by us the Church supplying the place not only of a witnesse but of an Embassadour likewise instructed and employed by Christ himself as S. Augustine most effectually maintains so that in believing and obeying her we believe and obey Christ himself according to Christs own expression He that heareth you heareth me and If any one heareth not the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican And therefore they that believe Christian doctrines only because they think they find them in the Scripture and believe the Scripture only because their reason or fancy which they miscall the testimony of Gods Spirit tells them that it is the Word of God though the doctrines themselves believed by them be true yet it is a hazard as to them whether they be so or no or however whether that be the sense of them or no it being all one as if a man by some casualty had found a transcribed copy of some part of an Embassadors Pattent or instructions Whereas Catholiques receive the commands of their heavenly King and Master from his Embassadours own hands which not only will not conceale any thing necessary or requisite from them but likewise will be able upon occasion to cleare all manner of difficulties that may arise about the sense of the said instructions or Patent having received glorious promises of continuall residence among us and of divine assistance to preserve him from any at least dangerous error 8. These things thus supposed Mr. Chillingworth's pretended circles and absurdities in the Resolution of Catholique Faith doe clearly and evidently vanish For a Catholique does not only or chiefly believe the Churches authority because to his privaâ—e understanding and reason the Scripture seems to say so but because he knows that the present Catholique Church teacheth so both by profession and practise and that she teacheth this as a Catholike Tradition believed and practised in all ages then which it is impossible there should be any testimony more assured and infallible so that if a man can be sure of any thing done before his own times as all reasonable men do agree that one may he cannot avoid being most sure of this if his passion or interests do not hinder him from searching into the grounds of it I need not therefore particularly give an answer to Mr. Chillingworth's discourse before produced since it wholly proceeds upon a mistake of his adversaries and other Catholiques grounds and since himself in the close of it seemes to confesse by objecting to himselfe Universall Tradition that if this doctrine of the Churches authority could be made appear to be grounded upon Catholike Tradition it would be as much credible as if the Scripture had expresly testified it since in his opinion the Scripture it selfe and nothing besides enjoyes its authority because it is delivered by Universall Tradition and by consequence would not be lyable to any circles or absurdities So that truly I wonder why seeing Mr. Chillingworth could not be ignorant that Catholiques do generally pretend that this doctrine comes from Tradition besides the proofs of it out of Scripture he should notwithstanding dispute against it as if there were no other ground for it but two or three questionable passages of Scriptâ—re CHAP. XLIII An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's allegations of pretended uncertainties and casualties in the grounds of the faith and salvation of Catholiques 1. THere is in Mr. Chillingworth's book another rank of objections which though they do not directly combat the churches infallibility or authority yet they had great effect upon me because they seemed to infer that the faith and salvation likewise of Catholiques depended upon extreme uncertainties and casualties and by consequence that a Catholique could not give any assurance that his faith was safely grounded For thus he argues c. 2. parag 63. ad 68. The salvation of many millions of Papists as they suppose and teath depends upon their having the Sacrament of Penance duly administred to them This again upon the Ministers being a true Priest which is a thing that depends upon many uncertain and very contingent supposalls As 1. That he was baptized with due matter 2. With due forme 3. With due intention 4. That the Bishop which ordained him Priest ordained him likewise with due form intention c. 5. That that Bishop himselfe was a person fitly qualified to give orders that is was no Simoniake c. 6. That all that Bishops Progenitors were fitly qualified and so till he arrive to the fountain of Priesthood Now he that shall put together and maturely consider all the possible wayes of lapsing and nullifying a Priesthood in the Church of Rome I believe saith he will be very inclinable to believe that in an hundred seeming Priests there is not one true one But suppose this inconvenience assoyled yet still the difficulty will remain whether he will pronounce the absolving words with intent to absolve you for perhaps he may be a secret Jew Moor or Antitrinitarian which if he be then his intention which is necessary to the validity of a Sacrament will be wanting c. 2. Hereto I answer 1 That such kind of pretended uncertainties or nullities in particulars do not prejudice the authority and stability of the church in generall but that if it be true which ha's alwayes been believed in the church viz. That Christ ha's promised to continue till the worlds end a church governed by lawfull Pastors and preserved in all truth he will engage his omnipotency to make good his fidelity and by consequence he will take care to prevent or remedy all obstacles that can be imagined to be otherwise able to evacuate such his promises and I suppose two such Attributes of Christ are a foundation strong enough to build a faith not obnoxious to such a world of casualties as Mr. Chillingworth suspects 2. That Mr. Chillingworth's whole discourse proceeds upon a mistake of the established doctrine of the Catholique Church which ha's not declared all those things to be nullities nor any of them in the sense that he alledges It is true in the Canon law and among Câ—suists there are mentioned many nullities of Orders and other Sacraments as Simony or Heresie or Schisme are said to nullifie the Ordination of a Bishop or Priest But how to nullifie it by taking away the
by the Church though there is not any one point of controversie in debate between us and them for which we have not all this authority as being proved ex superabundanti in what I shall say hereafter 9. That therefore which I undertake to make evident to I. P. is That the Church speaking by a general Councel confirmed by the Pope is an infallible Guide and that with greater evidence then he can bring for any contradiction pretended betwixt any decision of such a Councel and the Scripture yea with more evidence then he can produce for the Scripture it self which he owns for his Guide which truly to an impartial hearer is no difficult matter even going upon his own grounds For if I should ask I. P. Why do you acknowledge the Scripture to be an infallible Rule as far as it is a Rule He would answer me Because it is delivered unto us as such by an infallible Catholick Tradition for if he talks of any other proof as a private spirit or natural reason it will be ridiculous He may as well say he can judge and demonstrate it to be such by smelling with his nose If I should further ask him how it appears evident to him that the Scriptures have been delivered by an infaâ—ible Catholick Tradition He could not deny but that many Hereticks have denied many books of Scripture yea that there is not any one book in the Old or New Testament but has been renounced by some Hereticks and their followers yet because some Councels have decided and Fathers witnessed and the Catholick Church in all ages since have received them as such therefore it is evident that they have been delivered by the Church by Catholick Tradition And this is most rational and convincing Upon these grounds therefore I proceed and ask any discreet indifferent man Whether an authority that shall after this manner propose any doctrine This we have received from Christ and his Apostles that such and such a doctrine proposed is a divine infallible truth and we command all Christians whatsoever under the pain of anathema and eternal damnation to beleeve it for such whether I say such an authority does not assume to it self the office of a Guide and of an infallible Guide Certainly he that should speak in this stile and yet have a guilt or be in a possibility of seducing were the most impious abhorred tyrant in the world What an attentat an usurpation upon Gods Scepter and Throne would this be if God had not derived this authority upon the Church represented in a Councel What a cruelty to souls What a blaspheming of the Holy-Ghost Now that this hath been the stile of all General Councels is evident and that Councels speaking in that stile have been submitted to by the Fathers and accepted by the Church with all veneration as the Oracles of God is equally apparent nay I do not know that ever any Heretick before these daies did expresly contradict this in the Thesis though in Hypothesi they have renounced such particular Councels as themselves were Anathematized by Therefore not onely all Councels but every Decision of every Councel to which an Anathema is annexed decides this question and proclaims to all the ends of the world this truth That the Church speaking in General approved Councels is an infallible Guide to all Christians Against this not a passage or word in any Father can be produced but infinite passages for it Hence it is that the Fathers unanimously profess That out of the Church there is no possible salvation because there is no Guide to Heaven but in the Church If therefore it be a proof evident enough to I. P. of an universal infallible tradition of Scripture that one or two not General Councels did with some variety set down the number and names of the books and that generally speaking the Fathers have amongst them given attestation to them some to some books and some to others few to all and that the Church in after ages hath universally accepted them as such How short comes that tradition of this concerning the infallible Guidance of the Church that is vertually decided in all Councels and every decision of all attested by all Fathers not one in one passage contradicting or condemning that stile but unanimously in all ages since Councels were accepted by the Church approved and submitted to how opposite is this truth to the main design of his following discourse which attempts to prove that there is in the Church no infallible Guide at all And how contradictory to that Article of his Church concerning not onely the fallibility but actual erring of Councels And again how conformable is this way of proceeding to the authority given upon Record in Scripture by our blessed Saviour to his Church I say to his Church for the Fathers assembled in Councel speak not thus in their own persons nor as so many learned men but in the person of the whole Church which they represent and do no more but subsume particulars under that General Anathema pronounced by our blessed Saviour when he said If he refuse to here the Church let him be unto thee as a Heathen and a Publican 11. I conjure therefore I. P. and all his and my friends that he and they would produce or at least set before their own eyes those Decisions of Councels which seem to them evidently false because clearly contradictory to Scripture and compare his evidence of a seeming contradiction with this evidence that it is impossible there should be such a contradiction and if they do this with a serious minde and desire to finde the truth that they may embrace it and with hearts lifted up to God to free them from all respects of the world and to enlighten their souls with the love of his truth then perhaps they may see that which as yet it seems is invisible to them it is most certain there is not one express formal text of Scripture contradictory to any Catholick Doctrine this they confess themselves And indeed even abstracting from the promises made by Christ to his Church it is morally impossible that so many wise and vertuous men should with the one hand give the Scripture as Gods word and with the other present Doctrines expresly and directly contradictory to it and none be able to observe the contradiction though their daily study was to meditate upon and interpret the Scripture Now whether any consequence from obscure texts can be more forcible then that which I have named from the stile of General Councels I leave not to their wits but consciences to judge 12. Matters therefore being impartially weighed that triumphing Epiphonema of his in the fourth and fifth Sections vanishes in which himself with admiration exposeth to the admiration of others those great conquering defenders of the doctrine of the late Church of England that with such excellent conduct and valour and such admirable success have combated and defeated this our Darling
Infallibility he did ill and even enviously to their glory that he did not name those worthies for my part besides the noble Author of the following Discourse whom certainly he means for one and by consequence Mr. Chillingworth I cannot remember that ever I heard any great Elogium in this respect given to any English writer Yet it may be he might have an eye upon the last Arch-bishop of Canterbury and his late enlarged Dialogue which if he did then I conjure I. P. that he would once more peruse the said Arch-bishop's Discourse and single from it whatsoever is impertinent to the main essential controversie that is whatsoever touches particular debates of Catholicks about the Popes infallibility and the exceptions that may be found against certain Councels as likewise about the several qualities and conditions required to an acknowledged obliging Councel all which things are nothing to the purpose And lastly that laying aside all these unnecessary velitations he would apply the Arch-bishops most efficatious arguments to an Oecumenical confirmed Councel especially if he will add the condition too of being actually received by the Church and my life for his he will see reason to acknowledge that all that discourse is of no force at all against the Church yea that the Archbishop himself never intended it should However the Calvinists or fantastical private Spiritists or exalters of humane reason might deal against the universal authority of Gods Church the Prelates of England were too wise to judge that people would be so blinde as to think any obedience could be due out of conscience to a National Church begun and continued upon secular and indeed unlawful intrests if that Church should build its authority upon a profession of renouncing all authority And therfore though they were very earnest in the controversie about Ecclesiasticall Authority when they were to write or proceed juridically against Presbyterians or Separatists yet they loved not to talk of it against the Catholick Church yea it was from the Catholick Church onely that they borrowed their Arguments against their Schismaticks as may in a good measure appear in the printed Reasons of the University of Oxford against the Covenant Negative Oath and Ordinances concerning Discipline and Worship approved by generall consent in a full Convocation June 1. 1647 and it was under the shadow of their pretence to be still a member of the Catholick Church and to have received their Authority and Succession from it that they obliged good easie Protestants to continue their subjects But this is but a guesse that I. P. in this passage reflected upon the late Archbishop or any other English Prelaticall Writer 13. Certain it is he must intend my Lord Falkland as one of the great Defenders of the Doctrine of the Church of England since he speaks this in his Preface to his Discourse of Infallibility and with an evident design thereby to recommend both the Author and his work This being so I. P. will give me leave to use his own words O the strength of Reason rightly managed O the power of Truth clearly declared Yea O the force of a guilty conscience For what else but the irresistable power of truth and evidence of reason and acknowledgement of guilt could move him so publickly to condemn his own Church and to confess its â—surpation impossible to be justified Behold O Protestants how your Church is defended here is a discourse that undertakes to demonstrate and if you will believe your brother I. P. has admirably and unanswerably performed it that upon earth there neither is nor ever was any Guide that could oblige any other to follow his direction and that every mans conscience is to be guided by his own single naturall Reason chusing that Faith which is most agreeable to Nature and holding it onely so long as Nature likes it and then changing it for another In fine a Discourse that gives you leave yea almost invites you to return to the Religion of the old Philosophers those Epoptes and Priests of Nature If there be any force in this your Defenders discourse what becomes of your Articles and Canons your Synods and Convocations your Infallible Acts of Parliament and Proclamations It is evident he might as well yea more reasonably have said That the Councell of Trent is a great defender of the Church of England for that indeed justifies Ecclesiasticall Authority whereas this discourse directly and purposely and universally destroyes it But the meaning or that which should be the meaning of I. P. is this That the Authority of the Church of England is impossible to be maintained for if as the Catholick Church avows there be in the Church by Christ's appointment any Authority Ecclesiasticall obliging in conscience it is certain it is not inherent in the Church of England that began but yesterday and is not now at all and when it began it began by the renouncing of all visible authority Again if as this discourse pretends there be no obliging authority that is no infallible one for surely none can be obliged to an authority that confesses it self questionable then both the Catholick Church and the Church of England are meer names and verbal sounds that signifie nothing This is so evident that it is pitty to insist longer upon the persecuting of good I. P. that here publishes his conviction and confession and must either tear out this Preface before such a discourse or abjure his Church of England if ever it appear again 14. By what hath been said it is apparent that the doctrine of the Infallibility of the Church speaking by a lawful Oecumenical Councel is delivered by as full a Tradition as it is possible for a doctrine to be delivered And therefore Protestants are inexcusable and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 since receiving such special Books of Scripture upon no other grounds but Tradition they yet renounce the Churches authority which is more universally and authoritatively delivered and confirmed The same Truth is unanswerably grounded upon what hath formerly been proved in this Book viz. That it is impossible that that which any one à ge agrees in as Tradition should not be so because that would argue that some former whâ—le Age hath agreed to deceive their posterity Ob. 15. But perhaps I. P. or his friends will say That though what hath been asserted may be effectual to demonstrate the Infallible Authority of the universal Church yet not so to demonstrate that the Roman is that Infallible Catholick Church since the Greeks may put in their plea at least to be a very considerable part That they are not unwilling to submit to the Universal Church though she should condemn them For though the importunate restless malice of som Calvinistical spirits among them hath procured some uncivil and indeed unchristian Clauses to be put into the English Articles derogating from the Authority of General Councels yet the true English Protestant hath alwaies been ready to protest submission to the
Universal Church But they are not satisfied that they ow that submission to the Roman and if not to the Roman they know not to what Church Sol. 16. To say somthing for the clearing this difficulty I shall desire them to consider 1. That whilst the Eastern and Western Churches were joyned in one External communion it is apparent that that Body was the Catholick Church to which the Promises of Christ were made and to which Protestants themselves would not have refused submission 2. That a breach hapning between these Churches is not mortal to the whole Body but onely to that Member that did unlawfully separate 3. By consequence that both the Title and real Authority of the Catholick Church remains in the innocent Part that is either in the Roman or Eastern Church 4. That whethersoever of these two be the Catholick Church English Protestants are Schismaticks since they are divided from both and the pretended grounds of their Divisions are Doctrines received by them both 5. That in case English Protestants would now take into debate to whether of these two parties they should re-adjoyn themselves by that means to become Catholicks again they must be forced to quit both a greater number of their Topical Doctrines and more fundamental ones to fit themselves to an union with the Eastern then with the Roman Church 6. That if they will needs out of Passion prefer the Eastern their Passion will be evident since that whensoever either remorse of conscience or the approaches of death made them see their unsafe condition thousands of them have fled to the Roman Church for shelter but never any to the Grecian or any other but the Roman 7. That as long as they are out of the Roman Church they are in a headless trunck divided from the successor of St. Pèter whom St. Cyprian St. Hierome Optatus c. acknowledged to be the foundation of Unity Order c. Ob. 17. Now if among Protestants any out of a perverse condescendence shal grant that the grounds alledged for the separation of the Eastern Western Churches are not in themselves of such main importance as to hinder them from being really one Catholick Church And therefore that before the present controversies can be decided a general Assembly of them all must be expected Sol. 18. to this they must give me leave to say 1. That they make the Promises of Christ to be casual temporary and obnoxious to critical daies and seasons if they think that the changes of Kingdoms or that the humors of an earthly Tyrant can either evacuate or suspend the force of those promises by which our Lord hath obliged himself to provide that the Gates of Hell that is heresies shall not prevail against his Church The effect of which promise in the opinion of such Objectors must be delayed till the Grand Signior will allow the Grecian Bishops to meet with the Western to consult of and procure the peace and union of Christendom 2. In case they should be permitted to meet Protestants may without the spirit of prophesie foretel their own most solemn condemnation For since both the Eastern and Western Churches do already agree in most doctrines renounced by Protestants viz. Transubstantiation Adoration of the blessed Sacrament Prayer for the Dead and by consequence a Purgatory in which souls are capable of refreshment by such Prayers Veneration of Images Relicks c. Invocation of Saints Indulgences Merit of good works c. In which Doctrines they do agree as acknowledging them to be Traditionary It is impossible they should ever be perswaded to revoke any of them being met in an Assembly unless they will renounce all order and manner of proceeding in former General Councels which is not according to the Method of Protestants Viz. Endlessly to dispute every controverted Point by Texts of Scripture but to judge of the Truth of Points and the sense of Scripture by Traditien In such Assemblies therefore Bishops will ask one another Have your Fathers delivered to you that Bread after consecration becomes the Body of Christ That this body in the Sacrament is to be adored That we ought to pray for Souls departed in the Faith of Christ c. If so Servetur quod traditum est Now it being apparent that at the present all agree that such Doctrines both in the East and West have been delivered by Tradition and that their meeting together in a Councel will not help to make a contrary Tradition possible It will follow that whether divided or united whether alone or in Assembly they are and ever will be at least so far united as to joyn in the condemnation of Protestants CHAP. V. An Answer to the Remainder of the Preface 1. THe rest of the Preface of I. P. touches my self onely and pretends to shew what success the writings of those great Defenders of the Church of England have had against me in particular forcing me to confess That Infallibility is an unfortunate word That Mr. Chillingworth hath combated it with too great success so that I would wish the word were forgotten or at least laid by c. Now since the Church is not at all concern'd in this but my self onely who am charged with writing an incongruous impertinent Book a Book that deserves no answer but answers it self since it maintains that which its Adversary did not combat c. Truly were it not for I. P. and his friends sake more then mine own I would not answer for my self But since I perceive that the word Infallibility is as unfortunate a word to them as it was to me I will endeavour to take order that it shall be so no more 2. First therfore I say with Mr. Veron that the word Infallibility has been found out by the Schools that love to find out as short waies to express their notions as possibly can be And the world finds very great convenience by it Therefore with reference to the Church Schoolmen and from them Controvertists desirous to express the great veracity of the Church considered as a Judge or witness of Divine Truths deposed by God with her and withal the utmost obligation that all Christians have to beleeve truths so determined and witnessed by her found out this single word Infallibility to express both these by But yet the Church her self hath not as yet assumed or borrowed this word in any of her Decisions from the Schools and therefore being none of the Churches word we are not oblig'd to make her to speak it and the truth is though it comprehends al that they intend by it yet it is no adaequate measure of those conceptions because Infallibility may comprehend a great deal more for truth and our obligation to beleeve it is yet in a higher degree in Scripture then in the Decisions of the Church as Bellarmine acknowledges For the Scripture in all points both of Doctrine and Story and all circumstances is infallibly true not so the Decisions of the
practise wherein they differed from and apparently came short of the English Church were indeed of so high a nature as to dishearten me from embracing their communion any other way then by allowing them my Charity in not condemning them which I also afforded even to the Roman Church it selfe 2. Now among the differences where in all other Sects pretending to a Reformation were distinguishable from the English as wanting certaine priviledges and commendable qualities which she enjoyed some I found to be commune to all those Sects especially the Lutherans and Calvinists Others to be proper and peculiar to each Concerning these latter I found it to little purpose to spend much time in examining them because the former commune ones did more then sufficiently dishearten me from adjoyning my selfe to their Communion And those were especially these five viz. 1. Their grounding their beliefe both of the bookes of Scripture and the true sence of them not upon the universall Tradition of the Church but their owne private Spirit which as they pretended assured them that the Apostles and Evangelists were the Authors of them and that the sences which they collected from them were the true undoubted sences of them 2. Their apparent want of a lawfull succession of Ecclesiasticall Governours and Teachers joyn'd with an unsufferable presumption in condemning of Tyranny that Government of Bishops which had been apparently setled in the universall Church without contradiction since the Apostles Times 3. Their Doctrines and practises of Sedition and Rebellion 4. Their professed hatred of peace and Reunion with the Catholique Church 5. The prodigious personall qualities of Luther and Calvin which shewed them to be persons extreamly unfit to be relyed upon or acknowledged for Apostles and Reformers 3. Concerning the first commune difference namely The Calvinist's and Lutheran's grounding their beliefe of Christian Doctrines and their sence of them and generally of the bookes of Scripture not upon the authority and Tradition of the Church so much as upon a private Spirit testimony or suggestion pretended to bee infused from the Spirit of God by which they took upon themselves to be assured of the truth of Christianity of their expressions of severall Articles of Faith and of their perswasion that the Apostles and Evangelists were the Authours of those Divine writings what little satisfaction I found in this maine Foundation of their Religion I shall reserve to demonstrate hereafter For the present I desire that to bee mistaken when I call this one of the differences and disadvantages which the Lutherans and Calvinists c. have in comparing them with the English Church For though it bee true that by rationall consequence from the grounds declared of the English Church the former position will evidently follow notwithstanding shee ha's beene more moderate and wary then publiquely to pretend to such a Private Spirit and by consequence has left a latitude and liberty for them in her Communion to renounce it as many of the most learned among them have done CHAP. X. Apparent want yea renouncing of a lawfull succession of Ecclesiasticall Governours and Teachers among Lutherans and Calvinists I. A Second thing wherein the Lutherans and Calvinists agreed to disagree with the Church of England was their want of Bishops and by consequence of a lawfully ordained Clergy This was an inconvenience so much the more hard to be digested by mee and which deserved neither excuse nor commiseration because by reason of their want of Bishops at their first pretended Reformations they came to that shamelesnesse as to seeke to palliate this defect by a desperate condemning of the Order it selfe as a tyranny and usurpation crept into the Church against the expresse Order of Christ and his Apostles And though they especially the French Calvinists might afterward have in some sort remedied this defect by receiving a Cleargy by the Ordination of the English Bishops whereto they have beene earnestly follicited as namely by Bishop Morton notwithstanding they utterly persisted in the utter refusall of suffering this important disadvantage to be cured which perverse Spirit of theirs Arnobius cont Gen. lib. 6. elegantly describes in these words Quod semel fine ratione fecistis ne videamini aliquando nesciisse defenditis that is That thing which yee once unreasonably did to avoid the imputation of having beene ignorant yee still maintaine Yea to that ridiculous impudence have they arrived in Scotland not many yeares since as to admit one to publique Penance in the Church onely for having beene a Protestant Bishop 2. I cannot forbeare to give a taste of Luthers Spirit with reference to this subject lively represented in a Bull by him published to this Tenour Anno Domini M. D. XXIII Nunc attendite vos Episcopi imò larvae Diaboli Doctor Lutherus vult vobis Bullam Reformationem legere quae vobis non bene sonabit Doctoris Lutheri Bulla Reformatio Quicumque opem ferunt c. That is Now bee attentive O yee Bishops or rather disguises of the Devill Doctour Luther will reade to you a Bull which will not sound pleasingly unto you The Bull and Reformation of Doctour Luther Whosoever brings assistance spends Body Life and Honour to the end that Bishopricks may be wasted and the Government of Bishops extinguished such are the beloved children of God and true Christians observing the Commandements of God and resisting the Ordinances of the Devill Or if they be not able to doe thus much let them at least condemne and avoid that Government But on the contrary whosoever maintaine the Government of Bishops and obey them voluntarily such are tho very Ministers of the Devill and resist the Ordinance and Law of God Hitherto is Luthers Bull. And I desire that any reasonable Christian would confesse whether he can chuse but believe that the very same whom Luther himselfe confesseth to have beene his Counsellour and perswader to leave Masse was his Secretary likewise to write this Bull And that a man should not think that this was onely one of Luthers frantick extravagancies the horrible effect will demonstrate the contrary which was a fearfull insurrection and Rebellion of a World of Countrey people combined by Oath to the ruine of severall Ecclesiasticall Princes in Germany who were content in that cause to stand to Luthers judgement Who when he perceived they were unfurnished of armes and unlâ—kâ—ly to prosper in their designe lest their Rebeâ—lion and the effects of it should be imputed to him was content to exhort them to obedience 3. Calvin and Beza c. though more subtile yet were not lesse malicious against Episcopacy as appeares in severall of their Treatises and Epistles Yea Calvin ascended to that height of arrogance as to professe that that Order and Discipline which hee had forged in Geneva and whereof not one single patterne can be given since Christs Time was not onely justifiable but necessarily obliging all Christians to conforme unto 4. Whether it may in some
and alluring qualities especially being of such a disposition that is one that above all things in the world abhorred quarrelling one who though he durst not betray necessary truths by professing the contrary yet in many cases would willingly have purchased peace with silence lastly one that alwaies suspected his owne reason and that was desirous to find out authority which might deserve to have his reason submit it selfe to it 5. Yet notwithstanding all these invitations so prepossessed was I with the invinciblenesse of Mr. Chillingworth's arguments against the infallibility of the Church joyn'd with an opinion that it was an essentiall requisite to Communion with the Roman Church to acknowledge infallibility in the notion that I apprehended it that it was not without much violence to my selfe that I could obteine from mine owne reason permission to make a serious enquiry into the grounds of it But at last because I would not accuse my self afterward of want of ingenuity and fidelity in denying that to the Roman Church alone which I had performed in respect of all other Churches besides even to the Socinians Nestorians and Eutychians and besides the affaires of England growing every day in the greater decadency I found that I was likely to be forced to a reall necessity of resolving that that Question which at first I reflected on onely upon an imagined supposition namely Supposing the Church of England should come to faile to the Communion of what Church I should then adjoyne my selfe 6. A Question this is which I am confident never any one person of any one Sect of Christians before was effectively forced to determine For never before was there any Religion so wholly appropriated to any Kingdome or Government as that such a Government decaying the whole frame of that Church sunk the professors thereof not being able to find in the whole world any Church into which without renouncing their maine distinctive principles they could enter Since the time that it was Gods good pleasure to rejoyne mee to the Rock from whence I was hewn leading me into the unity of his Church I have conceived that I might attribute this decay and now almost vanishing of the English Church to a double intention of almighty God the first To shew that when Religion in substantiall doctrines especially is framed according to interests of State it does thereby as it were renounce and exempt it selfe from Gods Protection and by consequence not deserving his care is not likely to be long-liv'd the second to the end to shew the curse that lies upon Schisme in generall it may seeme to have been Gods pleasure that that Church which had more shew of excuse than any other whatsoever and that better represented a form of the Ancient and most glorious Church than any other Sect should be the first that should be undermined to the end that others seeing what has been done to a tre◠which had some greennesse in it might thereby prophecy what shall become of their rotten and drye ones CHAP. XVIII Preparations to the examining of the grounds of the Roman Churches authority 1. VVEll at last lifting up my heart in dayly and almost hourely fervent prayers unto almighty God for the direction of his Holy spirit a practise which God knowes I never discontinued from the beginning of my search but now a more urging necessity sharpned the intention and fervour of my heart and striving all I could to cleanse the scals wherein I was to weigh this so important a merchandise from all externall prejudices or allurements or any thing that might hinder my enquiry from being perfectly ingenuous and unpartiall and almost vowing that if God would be pleased to set me on a rock higher than my selfe giving repose unto my minde that onely knew quid fugeret but not quò fugeret I would consecrate the remainder of my life to blesse and serve him in the best and strictest manner I could finde and lastly resolving to purchase truth at the dearest rate possible though with the losse of fortunes hopes friends or Countrey I applyed my minde earnestly and diligiently to the examination of the authority and so much disputed infallibility of the Roman Church to Catholiques a rock of foundation upon which all Religion relyed but to me hitherto a rock of offence and the maine considerable prejudice which drove me back whensoever I endeavoured to make any appoaches toward that Church 2. My next preparation and provision for this businesse was to informe my selfe not so much from particular Catholique Doctors as from the Church it selfe in the decisions of her Councels what was her doctrine in this point and in what manner and termes expressed my designe being to learne onely what was so necessary to be believed in this Article as that without it a man could not call himselfe a Catholique and with subscription to which alone a man might sufficiently justifie himself against all exception to deserve that title For this purpose I applyed my selfe to the Study of the ancient received Councels I perused diligently the Codex Canonum Ecclesiae Universae Burchardus Wormatiensis Caranza's summe of the Councels but especially the Councell of Trent and the Bull of Pope Pius quartus desiring further information from severall learned Catholiques If I perused any particular Controvertists it was with intention to take notice of such unquestioned and unsuspected Authors as had most retrenched from this controversie all particular opinions and had expressed their understanding of the Churches meaning with the greatest condescendence and qualification 3. Having made extraits pertinent to my purpose out of the forementioned Councells and Authors and having digested them I deduced corrollaries out of them importing what authority the Church assumed to her selfe whence derived and how limitted And distrusting mine owne Collections to confirme my selfe further and to assay whether those deductions would be allowable by Catholiques sufficiently informed of the true sense of the Churches doctrine I gathered out of my extraits certaine Conclusions which I digested into a forme of Questions These I sent to a worthy and learned friend a Doctor of the faculty of Paris desiring his resolution whether such senses as I had given of the points mentioned would be receivable among Catholiques or no. His kindnesse and Charity moved him not onely to take the trouble upon him of answering my Questions but likewise voluntary to publish in print the Questions with his answers to the end satisfaction might be given that he had said nothing therein that any Catholique would question Which resolutions of his I thought fit to annex to this treatise 3. Besides all this for my further information and because even during my education in Protestancy I had been advised and was consequently resolved to embrace those doctrines which were most conformable to the profession of the Ancient Church I conceived it necessary to study diligently such Fathers writings especially as had been forced to maintaine the Churches
authority against Heretiques Thereupon I betook my self to the rending of the Ancient-Church History and besides others I perused exactly Tertullians Praescriptions against Haeretiques c. S. Cyprian S. Epiphanius S. Augustines Epistles and treatises against the Donatists Manichaeans c. Vincentius Lyrinensis S. Hieroms Bookes against the Luciferians Iovinian and Vigilantius I had recourse likewise upon occasion to certaine treatises of Saint Basil and S. Athanasius S. Hilary S. Pacian c. And lastly I judged it an effectuall way of atteining to the understanding the opinion of Antiquity concerning the Church to select the speciall Texts of Scripture wherein mention is made of the Church and to examine how the Fathers interpreted those Texts and what inferences they drew from them in their Sermons and Commentaries in which I might be sure they spoke without interest and passion as having no adversary in sight to combat withall and therefore were not likely to streine themselves in their expressions Such Texts of Scripture were these and the like Die Ecclesiae c. Tell the Church and if he will not beare the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican And Tu es Pertus c. Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it And Ecclesiae quae est firmamentum fidei c. The Church which is the ground of Faith and Pillar of truth c. CHAP. XIX What prejudice the Author received by receiving the doctrine of the Roman Churches Authority express'd in School-language Successe of his enquiry into Councels and ancient Fathers 1. THe answering of the Questions and especially the perusing of those bookes was the businesse of a good space of time above twelve moneths or more The excessive paines and diligence employed by mee which otherwise would have brene tedious was much sweetned by the discovery every day of new light And I could not but observe the strange effects of education and prejudice which made me believe my selfe to be saparated in my beliefe from the Catholique Church at a distance unmeasurable when indeed I was even at the doores and I am certaine I had been much sooner a Catholique if I had thought or rather indeed if I had considered for if I had considered it well I might have found sufficient ground to think so that the beliefe of the Churches doctrines nakedly as she proposeth them and in the latitude allowed by her had beene sufficient to have gained that title But I tooke those to be the necessary doctrines of the Catholique Church which were onely the private opinions and expressions of particular Doctors And the simplicity of the Articles of Christian Faith was clowded by Scholasticall Metaphysicall tearms which being abstruse nice and unknown to Antiquity rendred the doctrines themselves obscure and withall new and suspected to me 2. And all this by a very pardonable fault of mine For from whom should I receive the doctrines of the Roman Church when a Controversie is raised but from the learnedst Masters of Controversie And how few among them propose the points to be disputed between them and the Protestants in the language of the Church Besides how few among them are there who in disputing will allow that latitude which the Church apparently does There is scarce any Point of Controversie which is not severally interpreted streitned or enlarged by severall Catholiques of severall Orders and education and most of them in confuting the Protestants seeme very earnest and make it almost their whole designe to impose their particular interpretations and expressions for Catholique doctrines But with very little or no successe For a Protestant will be very ready and may with good reason say Though by being perswaded by you I shall become a Roman Catholique yet I might deny all that you maintaine and yet be a Roman Catholique too for I can produce Authors which you dare not deny to be good Catholiques that will not receive nor subscribe to your expression and stating of this Point Therefore seek to convert them first and then come and dispute with me Dispute like a Catholique for the question is not now whether I shall be a Dominican Jesuite Scotist c. But whethe I ought to be a Catholique or no. The truth is by these meanes disputations are endlesse Catholiques themselves affording answers and objections to Protestants against Catholiques Whereas if particular Controvertists as were indulgent as the Church is would be content to thinke that the termes wherein Shee expressed her minde were the most proper their adversaries would quickly be silenced Controversies abated and by Gods assistance union in a short time happily restored 3. The great haâ—me which I received by judging of the Churches Faith by particular new expressions of it puts me into this fit of liberty in censuring thus far the method of those men by whom I have been so long a time so far from being perswaded that I was rather hindred from my reunion to the Church And on the contrary this happy successe in following the direction of some few Catholique authours who separating particular opinions of Doctors from necessary Catholique Doctrines and urging nothing upon me but without assenting to which I could not be a Catholique makes me judge by mine own experience as well as reason that that which healed me of my errours and Schism would not by Gods blessing want the same effect in others also especially among English Protestants â—nd the rather if following the advice of the most Reverend the Lord Archbishop of Roven Protestants in stead of wearying themselves with perticular debates would resolve this in the first place why they made the Schism at first and continue in it still What dispensation they have from the authority and unity of the Church so unanimously and affectionately reverenced and obeyed by the ancient Fathers 4. I cannot without ingratitude in this place and occasion omit a profession of that great obligation I have with thankfulnesse to almighty God and respect to his happy instrument to acknowledge the efficacious influence that one Treatise in speciall manner had to the furtherance and facilitating of my Conversion written in French by that skilfull and authorized Controvertist Francis Veron Doctor of Divinity and entituled by him Reiglè generale de la foy Catholique In which he delivers the pure Catholique Doctrine in the words of the Councells streined and separated from all particular opinions or authorities not absolutely obliging And this exemplified throughout almost all the considerable points of Controversie bewteen Catholiques and the severall Sects of Protestants Which method of proceeding is approved by several learned Doctors of the Faculty of Pâ—â—is and the generall designe of it by his late Holinesse Gregory the fifth as was signified to the Author by his Nephew Cardinall Ludovisiâ— yea God himself hath approved and recommended the same Method by his numerous blessings on it in the Conversion
Mysteries Or among the Romans did not the Palilia Suo vetâ—urilia Ambarvalia Lupercalia c. keepe fresh in their mindes the Deities in whose honour and ingratitude for whose favour those solemnities had beene instituted How infinitely more securely and unfailably has almighty God provided for the continuance of Truth and Piety in his Church since those Heathen-Solemnities were repeated but once a yeare in one City or Countrey but Ours every day by numbers of people in all Countries Cities and Villages CHAP. IX A further demonstration of the firmnesse of Tradition Certain objections answered 1. BUt it will objected who knowes but there may yea who can deny but there have crept in alterations even in these Liturgies and formes of Publique Devotions For answer It is confess'd there have for the first Liturgies as S. James and others ascribed to Apostolique Persons were briefe simple lesse ceremonious and as the Church grew more large and splendid so Gods service became more extended solemne and majesticall But that any substantiall part of Devotion any expressions implying or instilling new bred errours have been introduced into the publique formes of God's service that is utterly denyed And they that lay this imputation upon Gods Church are obliiged to produce examples and visible proofes thereof which it is impossible for them to doe with the hundreth part of that assurance that Catholiques by shewing those which are now extant of the Ancient Liturgies by alledging irrefragable testimonies of the extreame punctuall curiosity of the ancient Fathers in exactly and unalterably preserving Tradition according to the Apostles direction Formam habe c. Keepe the forme of sound words will demonstrate the contrary I cannot forbeare on this occasion among many other examples which may be produced to specifie that extreame nicenesse of S. Augustine shewing not only his care to deliver Traditionall truths themselves but the termes also in which those truthes were conveyed to his times Ne me ineptum putes Do not thinke me foolish saith be to Honoratus lib. de util cred cap. 3. for using Greek termes my chiefe reason is because I have so learned these things by Tradition neither dare I deliver them to thee any other way then as I have received them So the same Father dequant anima cap. 34 Divinè ac singulariter in Ecclesiâ Catholicâ traditus c. It is a Doctrine divinely and singularly delivered by Tradition in the Catholique Church that no Creature is to be worshipped with an internall worship of the Soule For I doe the more willingly expresse my selfe in these termes because the Doctrine was taught mee in the same This hee sayes because the word Creaturâ— did not seeme so pure and proper a Latin word From the like grounds proceeded those frequent speeches in Synods which silenced all Haereticall innovation Servetur quod traditum est and Vetus Traditio obtineat and Desinâ—t incessere novitas vetustatem c. Let that which is delivered by Tradition be observed And Let Tradition prevayle And Let novelty forbeare to oppose antiquity c. This care certainly was more curiously observed in the publique Devotions of the Church 2. For proofe whereof besides the confronting the Ancient Liturgies of the Easterne and Southerne Churches let Protestants if they please examine the Ages against which they believe they have the justest arguments of suspition of any other viz. since the time of S. Gregory the Great There are to this day extant his own Missalls in Print and Breviaries in Manuscript in severall Libraries let them examine what changes such ignorant superstitious Times as they thinke and so many wicked Popes as they say and not alwayes untruly have made in these publique Devotions of the Church They will blush certainly to have had the least suspition in this nature of the Primitive Times when they shall see evidently that in the Canon of the Masse there ha's scarce been one word altered for above these last thousand years And in the Breviary not any that will afford them contentment answerable to their paines of comparing them 3 Now whereas some Protestants demand and particularly Mr. Chillingworth in severall places where are we to seek for these Traditions of which the Roman Church talkes so much where is the Cabinet and Magazine wherein they are stored And when will shee empty it that we may see all the treasure that Christ lest unto his Church Hereto it is answered that M. Chillingworth said well that To say a secret Tradition is as absurd as to say a silent Thunder since Traditions are obvious to all Mens Eyes and sound aloud in all Mens Eares shining in the publique visible practice and profession of the Church The Church is so far from pretending as Protestants would faine seem to fancy that she has certaine secret conservatories of these Traditions out of which upon occasion she can draw some speciall ones to determine emergent Controversies and much lesse that the Holy Ghost suggests unto her in time of neede any formerly vanished Apostolique Revelation that whatsoever is not expresly in Scripture or satisfactorily apparenâ— in the publiquely received professions and practises of the Church are not perhaps determinable as points of Faith that is as Traditionary Divine Revelations In so much as some learned Catholiques are of opinion how justly or no I examin not that certaine Questions now ventilated in the Church as concerning the Conception of our Blessed Lady and some of the more subtill and scholasticall Controversies between the Jesuites and Dominicans concerning Grace and Freewill Predetermination and Contingency c. have not light enough either from Scripture Tradition or the publique Profession and Practise of the Church so as to be capable of a precise decision at least so farre as to make such a decision to become properly an article of Faith unlesse perhaps such a one as was that of the Councell of Vienna touching Grace infused into Infants in Baptisme which is set downe in this forme Nos attendentes that is Wee heedfully considering the generall efficacy of the death of Christ the which by Baptisme is applyed equally and indifferently to all that are baptized by the approbation of this Holy Councell have judged that the second opinion is to be chosen as the more probable and more consonant and agreeeing to the sayings of the Holy Fathers and of the moderne Doctors which opinion asserteth That informing Grace and vertues are as well conferred upon Infants in Baptisme as on persons of ripe age See Clementin de sum Trin. fide Cath. And thus the Councell of Basil Sess. 36. determined the point of the imaculate conception of our Blessed Lady not as an article of faith in the present strict and proper sense but tanquam doctrinam piam consonam fidei that is as a pious doctrine and consonant to faith See more in the learned treatise of Franc. as Clara called Systema fidei Cap. 35. 4. Indeed it cannot be denyed but that in
neglect or forgetfulnesse it is rather probable that that Apostolique Person who taught Christianity first in those quarters brought the Creed with that small defect for the very first Creed of all seems to have been much shorter then that now current as conteining only a profession of Faith in the three Persons in the Blessed Trinity in whose names only Baptisme was administredâ— to which the Apostles or Apostolique persons might afterward adjoyn the other Articles following which addition being made successively it is possible some persons might carry away in their voyages into Africa the breifer Câ—eeâ—s before they were so inlarged 3 In the next place concerning the Occasion and end for which the books of the New Testament were written we ought to consider the books of History apart from the others of Doctrine and Prophecy as being distinguishable both in their occasion and end For the Gospells therefore the whole subject of them is a narration of severall passages of our Saviours Life Death Resurrection and Ascension likewise some of the most considerable miracles which he wrought a sum of the principall points of his Doctrine both morall and mysterious in parables concerning his Church c. Now though the memory of all these excepting perhaps only the severall miracles prophecies c. as much as was suficient for particular persons might and actually was in substance preserved by practicall Tradition as 1. the Mysterious and to us most usefull passages of his Life c. in the publique solemnities appointed from all antiquity in the solemne Fasts administration of Sacraments 2. Morall duties in the publique Confessions and most ancient Penitentiall Canons Love-Feasts c. Yea some of them receiving force almost only from Tradition as not being at all in Scripture at least not so expressely as Mr. Chillingworth requires to points of necessity as unlawfulnesse of Polygamy incestuous marriages in some particular degrees c. Notwithstanding it could not but be infinitely acceptable and satisfactory to all good Christians to be informed as particularly as might be in any thing that concerned so Blessed a Master and Saviour and therefore were these divine books received with all imaginable reverence and joy and preserved with all possible care so farre as thousands willingly exposed themselves to Martyrdome rather then deliver them up to the fire they were read in Churches discoursed on in Sermons illustrated by Commentaries in a word esteemed divine and infallible by all Christians But yet no generall Tradition has come to us that all that is necessary for all persons of all degrees whether single or in Society to bring them to heaven is conteined expresly in these Gospells Which is a certaine proof that the ancient Church did not thinke so or however that they did not think it necessary to thinke so for no one thing generally thought necessary to salvation but has been conveyed under that notion by Tradition orall as well as writing Besides it is clear there is nothing expresse for assembling Synods ordeining severall degrees of Ministers no formes or directions for publike service no unquestionable prohibition of Polygamy incest c. So that although no doubt to some persons in some suddaine desperate circumstances there is in the Gospels to be found enough yea more then enough of meere necessity yea in any one of them yea in two or three verses of any one of them Yet therefore to deduce a generall conclusion that all things simply necessary are conteined in the Gospels is surely very unreasonable and much more thence to inferre a generall Conclusion so as to make it the fundamentall ground of all Sects of Religion and a sufficient excuse for that which if that Conclusion be not oâ—ely not true but not so evident as that there can be no shew of contradiction is a most horrible sinne namely Schisme or Haeresie this to me seemed to be somewhat that deserved a name beyond unreasonablenesse it selfe and that joyned with infinite danger in a point of the highest consequence imaginable 4. Now the same inconveniences will follow though the bookes of the Acts Epistles and Apocalyse were added to the Gospels to make them altogether to be an entire perspicuous Rule of Faith without any need of an authoritative interpreter For first for the Apocalyse it is a meere obscure Prophecy and can contribute little or nothing to the instruction or discipline of the Church Then the booke of the Acts though it relate some particulars of our Saviour after his Ascension as his Sending the Holy Ghost c. together with a very few passages concerning any of the Apostles excepting some few yeares of Saint Pauls travells yet it will prove but a very imperfect modell for setling of the Church in such a posture and with such qualifications both for doctrine and practise as unquestionable antiquity represents unto us the Primitive Apostolique Church And laâ—â—ly for the Epistles of S. Paul c. it is confessed by all and the Text it selfe justifies it that those Epistles were never intended to be written as institutions or Catechismes conteining an abridgement of the whole body of Christian Faith for the whole Church For 1. They were written only to some particular congregations yea many of them to single persons and no order is given to communicate them to the whole Church I am sure no necessity appeares that they should be so divulgâ—d 2. They were written meerely occasionally namely by reason that some particular False teachers sowed certaine false doctrines in some particular Churches founded by the Apostles in the confutation of which Haeresies all the doctrinall parts of those Epistles are generally employed So that if those Heretiques had not chanced to have broached those particular opinions those Epistles had never beene written 3. These Epistles especially of Saint Paul the most and the largest are written in a stile so obscure such intricacy of arguing with such digessions interwoven the Logicall Analysis is so extremely difficult that that gift of interpreting was in those dayes a necessary attendant of the Apostles preaching and I am confident that if an hundred men and those generally of the same Sect and opinions were oppointed to resolve the order and method of S. Paul's arguing there would not three of them agree for three verses together Now upon these grounds how improper such writings are to serve for the onely Rule of Faith which even in Mr. Chillingworth's opinion must be so cleare and evident in points necessary that there can be no rationall possibility of diversity of opinions and by cosequence no need of an authoritative interpreter let him that can believe it and let him that dare put it to the tryall when his soules eternall estate depends upon it CHAP. XI The third preparatory ground viz. the clearing of the ambiguity of these words necessary to salvation 1. THese words necessary to salvation being applyed to severall objects and subjects admit of great variety in the application and use
therefore before they be affirmed or denyed of any thing or to any person he that intends to expresse his mind distinctly and to the purpose must necessarily and expresly before hand declare in what sence to what degree in respect of whom and for what end such things are or are not necessary 2. Therefore first for sorts of necessity There is necessitas medii when a thing is of it selfe necessry to salvation and necessitas praecâ—pti when it is only therefore necessary because it is commanded Againe necessitas fidei specialis that is of things to be believed expresly and distinctly as the Articles of the Creed and necessitas fidei generalis of things which some persons are onely to believe Againe necessitas actus that is of things to be performed by all as Confession of Christs name pardoning of offences restitution c. and necessitas approbationis or non contradictionis when men are at least obliged not to condemne certaine things as vow of Virginity Voluntary poverty c. 3. Then with respect unto objects or things necessary to salvation some are so absolutely that is so as no circumstance of person time or place no ignorance no defect how irremediable soever can excuse the absence of such things other things on the contrary are necessary only conditionally which in some cases to some persons may be excusable Of the former sort there are but extreamely few things necessary For for example if a Heathen at the point of death upon an effectuall exhortation of a Christian should embrace in generall the Religion of Christ not being able to attend particular instruction nor perhaps actuall Baptisme it is very probable that the onely believing of Christ to be the Saviour of the world and relying upon him for the pardon of his sinnes and profession of his resolution to obey whatsoever should appeare to him to have been Cbrists will though death should cut him off from a particular information in other doctrines of Faith the Sacraments particular duties of Christian morality c. would be sufficient to such a man to salvation Of the later sort viz things necessary conditionally it is impossible to tell how many or how few they are till all conditions and circumstances be expressed 4. In regard of persons that is necessary to one which is not to another as more to a teacher than a Disciple to a Governour then to a person subordinate Againe that is necessary to a Congregation which is not to a single person to the setling of a Church in good order which is not to every Congregation to the well-being of a Church which is not to its simple being some persons are obliged to know many things explicitely which others are onely not to dis believe it being sufficient if they oppose them not not necessary that they know them 5. Having considered such an ambiguity and variety of things necessary to which many other distinctions might yet be added I presently judged that whatsoever was the reason that Mr. Chillingworth thought it not necessary to make a distinct application of these severall kindes of necessity according to the exigence of the objects and persons whether it was neglect or want of memory or whether intending onely to repell his adversaries present objections he thought fit to say no more then he was for that purpose necessarily obliged What ever was the cause I am sure that for want of such a distinct application whatsoever he has said to confirme his maine position is little to the satisfaction of any third person as I thinke shall presently be demonstrated CHAP. XII After what manner I judged it necessary for my purpose to examine Mr. Chillingworth's reasonings and arguments 1. THâ—se preparatory grounds being thus premised way was made for the nearer approach to the examination of Mr. Chillingworth's reasons and proofs before alleged for the maintaining of the maine foundation of all Schisme viz. That the Scripture yea any one Gospell conteines in it expresly all things necessary to salvation either for belief or practise In the examination whereof as likewise of other Protestants grounds which follow and are set downe and prosecured more clearely more subtily and I am sure more to the satisfaction of English Protestants by Mr. Chillingworth then by any other I must professe that my intention is not to consider Mr. Chillingworth's discourses as precisely opposed to his adversaries for I have neither the vanity to beleive that so learned and practis'd a Catholique-controvertist should be willing to accept of any one and much lesse of such an ignorant Neophyte as my selfe to defend his excellent booke neither have I the impudence without leave from him to undertake such a taske But since upon mine owne knowledge Mr. Chillingworth believed that his booke as concerning the Positive grounds conteined as much as any Protestant could reasonably say so for the destructive part that it was an unanswerable conviction not onely of what his adversary in particular had said but of what any Catholique could alledge concerning either the Rule of Faith or Judge of Conteoversies Seeing likewise I found it not onely very reasonable in it selfe but absolutely necessary for me considering the condition in which I then was for finding repose unto my mind to inform my selfe not what some particular learned Catholiques taught to be their sense of the Churches beliefe in these points for that would have been a labour insupportable to me who was much pressed with a desire to be no longer alone without any Church to joyne withall but to enquire what the Roman Church her selfe believed and in what language and with what latitude She her self expressed her thoughts and beliefe Upon these grounds I conceived it requisite to exact and apply M. Chillingworth's positions and arguments to the simple doctrines and decisions of the catholique-Catholique-Church Resolving that if I found that what She said and in the latitude that She expresseth her self was just and reasonable and withall able to stand firme notwithstanding any of Mr. Chillingworth's oppositions to rest contented therewith For for the present it would be happiness enough for me to get onely within the precincts of a Church though no farther then the door-keepers place I might afterwards if need were at leisure make choice there of what ranke or company I would range my selfe unto 2. Coming therefore to the consideration of M. Chillingworth's conclusion together with the reasons and proofes of it which he beleived of force sufficient to destroy the doctrine necessarily to be believed by all Roman-Catholiques I must needes say that this his Conclusion The Scripture conteines all necessary points of beliefe and practise and the Creed all necessary points of beliefe is so expressed that in severall respects it may and ought to be assented to by any Catholique For as I shewed before if the word necessary in respect of the object relate to necssity absolute and in respect of the subject to any person though
those that wrote this Confession to say this both for themselves and in the name of all their faction to the worlds end and this without consulting any of them to know whether they had received such an immediate revelation or testimony and without pretending to such an eminent gift of Prophecy as never was example of the like since the world began this exceedes all wonder Good Lord to what strange times are we reserved to see a Sect so numerous so powerfull as they have shewed themselves upon many sad occasions and not one of them but is a Prophet What a stupendious thing is this that there should not be found one Calvinist destitute of this so certeine so divine a testimony beyond the assurance of all Churches since Christ and yet not one Englishman or Frenchman unlesse of that faction nor any Christian that I know of besides that knowes any such thing of himselfe or dares pretend to it For surely if any one had it some would professe it since a man cannot have a Testimony but he knowes he has it This is a miracle beyond all that Christ and all his Apostles ever wrought in the Church But is it not more probable nay is it not beyond all probability most certaine most palpable that all these men knowingly and wilfully deceive themselves and would fain but cannot deceive others Is not this apparently a lying against the Holy Ghost Why may it not as well be expected that in their next Confession or rather their Presumption they should pretend as at least most particular writers among them doe for themselves and their heires a discerning infallible Spirit to judge of the sense of Scripture as well as the books Indeed what may not be expected from such as having had a hatred to charity and therefore no true love to the truth God has justly given over to strong delusions to believe such palpable lyes 4. But leaving these men miserably pleasing themselves in pretended inspirations and by that meanes attributing to the Holy Ghost not only all their errours but likewise their renouncing of Christian Charity Unity which is impossible as long as they take upon them to believe that it is from the Spirit that they have divided themselves from Gods Church both in opinion and practise I will returne to my enquiry concerning the authority of the Church CHAP. XVIII Importance of the Controversie concerning the Churches authority Meanes for satisfaction in it abundantly sufficient in Antiquity This Controversie before all others ought to be most diligently studyed by Protestants 1. PRoceeding therefore for mine owne satisfaction to read the Fathers upon this argument and resolving to read them as unpartially as possibly I could that is silencing mine owne understanding when it would interpose that no discourse or Rhetorique ought to have force against those demonstrations which I thought I had against the Churches infallibility or when it would invent forced senses to that world of passages which I found in the Fathers inconsistent with my pre-assumed assurance Proceeding I say in the best manner I could to the reading of the Fathers upon this point I found that as this controversie was of so infinite importance that upon the decision thereof eternall peace or warre in Religion among Christians depended the most wise and mercifull Providence had suitably furnished us with meanes of satisfaction in so important a point infinitely more copious evident and powerfull then in any other besides For in other speciall points of Controversie we must be content to informe our selves of the minde of Antiquity therein onely by particular dispersed passages of the Fathers commonly spoken en passant they having no occasion ordinarily to combate with Heretiques about them But in this businesse of the Churches authority I found Epistles Treatises Bookes yea volumnes full of almost no other subject I found that I may here before the proper season declare the successe of so many moneths labour that the maintaining of the authority of the Church against Heretiques alledging onely Scripture as a Rule and disclaiming all Judges of that Rule but themselves as to themselves had beene the businesse of many Ages the principall employment of many the learnedst holiest Fathers of the Church I found that such an authority of the Church had been a Tradition of all others most Universall not any one booke of Scripture being so often testified of in Antiquity as this I found that if this authority of the Church were not to be preserved inviolable all Synods and Councels that ever were in the Church fell to the ground yea more became not only of no validity but were to be esteemed the most unjust Tyrannicall conspiracies that ever were as presuming without sufficient warrant to accuse and anathematize whosoever opposed or accepted not their determinations even in such points as were not in Scripture at all or at most onely there in consequence to their interpretation Lastly I found to my infinite satisfaction and for which I thinke my selfe obliged to spend the greatest part of my life in glorifying Almighty God for it a full effectuall and experimentall satisfaction by acknowledging this authority and suffering my selfe to be taken out of my owne hands to be conducted by her that Christ had appointed for that office in a word I found that that saying of S. Hierome was most true viz. That the Sun of the Church presently dryes up all the streames of errour and Schisme 2. For these reasons I cannot chuse but adjure all Protestants especially English who think satisfaction and repose of mind upon earth and glory to be revealed in heaven to be things desirable that omitting or at least deferring all particular disputes with Catholiques they would in the first place without prejudice and partiallity examine what the present Catholique Church sayes and in what words Shee sayes it when Shee comes to declare her necessary doctrine concerning this her authority and that having found what it is that Shee requires to be believed they would without altering her expression and without applying thereto any particular Schoole-man's or Doctours interpretations as by an obliging necessity to be subscribed to or received compare what the Church defines with what the Fathers Councels do generally and purposely agree in And if this method produce not in them the same effect which by the blessing of God it did in mee yet at least they will have this contentment after an ingenuous and to my knowledge not-much by them-practised way of examination to conclude that they finde that their owne single judgement and interpretation of Scripture deserves rather to be relyed upon and to be preferr'd above all manner of visible authority of all persons and ages how sacred soever esteemed by others they will either become Catholiques or remaine in their own then not very unreasonable opinion Protestants still but persons meriting from themselves the highest esteem for infallibility that the Church ever enjoyed since the Apostles times CHAP.
to exhort Catholiques treating with them especially in such times as these that the fields are even white unto the Harvest and that very many more may probably be won by a charitable complyance yet still without wrong to necessary Catholique doctrine God forbid else then perhaps by the most convincing arguments of reason That they would condescend so far either to the misunderstandings prejudices or infirmity of Protestants as since the Church her self obliges no man to those very expresse termes for a while either to abstain from them in disputes or using them to do it with a qualifying preface urging and fastning no stricter a sense on them then the Churches own Decision of her authority doth require Certainly the receiving of a soul from Heresie and Schisme is a work so infinitely precious and meritorious before Almighty God that it will deserve that we should employ in it not only all our strength of wit and learning but all our charity likwise so imitating the great example of that great Conductor of souls S. Paul who told the Corinthians Astutus dolo vos cepi that is being crafty I caught you with guile namely by instilling Christian Doctrines into their minds leisurely and seasonably neither out of time enforcing unnecessary truths upon them nor hastily and abruptly urging even necessary but perhaps unwelcome ones till he had prudently prepared a way for them Now if we entreating with well minded but seduced souls would imitating S. Paul only propose to them at the first necessary doctrines and those represented with all the lawfull inviting advantages and most easie constructions we should no doubt make many points from which for the present through misapprehension they have a strong aversion very receiveable and very easily digestable to them And by these meanes having been happy instruments of restoring them to the Church we may at leasure if we have a mind seek to induce them to adhere unto and declare themselves for our particular opinions and distinctive interpretations of common points 7. But to return from this digression I most affectionately entreat the Protestants that they would heedfully cast their eyes upon this decree of the Councell of Trent that they would peruse and turn it as they please and when they have done this let them consider if a Synod of Charenton or Dort or Gap do not even while they renounce all visible obliging authority usurp notwithstanding more then the Catholike Church here challenges Would any of them give leave to any among them to interpret Scriptures against their sense established by them Nay do not they command men to interpret Scriptures against doctrines unanimously consented to by Fathers Lastly would they suffer a French Protestant to interpret Scriptures but even as their brethren Protestants in in England heretofore during their prosperity graced by them with that title do ordinarily interpret them for example about Episcopacy reall Presence c If therefore such fragments of churches do allow themselves so much let Protestants try if they can be unreasonable enough to impute tyranny to the Catholique Church for forbidding any in her communion to invent new senses of Scripture contrary not onely to the doctrine universally embraced through the whole Catholike world but to this doctrine as professed to be the same which all Churches before and all Fathers unanimously consent in CHAP. XXII The method whereby the Author arrived to an entire satisfaction concerning the Churches authority 1. I Will now proceed in my narration how and by what meanes after I had informed my selfe of the Roman Churches established doctrine concerning her authority and after I had been assured by very learned Catholiques that I was not obliged to build upon any other expression of this doctrine but that of the Church it selfe I in ashort time arrived to a full satisfaction of all the difficulties and prejudices that before I was incombred withall 2. The objections and difficulties by education and many yeares study setled in my mind against the Churches infallibility or authority and which were not suddainly cleared after I knew that the Church was more moderate and condescending then I had before believed respected not only the substance of this doctrine but likewise many particulars and circumstances of it as likewise the immediate consequences of it forexample How it could be justifyed with certainty sufficient to support a supernaturall faith that the Church was legally possessed of this authority Where this authority was scated whether in the whole Church or some speciall members of it Upon what grounds it was challenged How far it was extended And after all these what might appeare to me to be the most rationall way for a Catholique to expresse his resolution of faith so confidently by all Protestants charged with circles and absurdities 3. To gaine satisfaction in these points as for the foundation I resolved only to consider what the Church her selfe sayd so for an information more particular since the church had not descended to so punctuall an expression of her mind conceived it my best way to have recourse either to the writings or verball resolutions of such Catholiques of unsuspected Opinions as had expressed themselves the most moderately intelligibly with allowing the greatest latitude and lastly most approaching to the grounds which I thought before to be most reasonable The particular persons whose speeches or writings contributed most to my satisfaction I shall occasionally name or reflect upon in the pursuance of this Narration 4. Now I do not vainly pretend to or so much as trouble my self with wishing that any man Catholique or other should believe that the method according to which I proceeded or the grounds which in mine own reasoning I laid were more rationall then others for my intent is only to make an Exomologesis or account of that particular order and progresse whereby I attained repose of mind in the authority of the Church and great contentment in abasing and captivating my reason It will be sufficient for me if the grounds by me laid and inferences from them deserve not to be condemned by Catholiques to prevent which I may with confidence say that I took very good advice and used very great circumspâ—â—â—ion Let them be accounted as imperfect as any man shall please I am very well contented that others should tell me that they could have furnished me with better This only I have to say that purposing to write mine own story and not directions for others I am resolved to tell it freely and ingenuously without concealing whatsoever defaults or wickednesses may by others be imputed to it CHAP. XXIII Grounds laid to prove a certainty of Tradition Severall degrees of it 1. SOme of the grounds laid by me in preparation to a distinct conception and satisfaction concerning the Churches authority founded upon Tradition and the certainty thereof have been already occasionally though somwhat before their due season mentioned in the former conclusion cap. 8. and 9. The substance
of Traditionary certitude that may be of a thing passed so many ages since being confirmed by Orall Tradition Universality Records language and practises or customes 6. An inferiour degree of certainty in Tradition yet certainty however is for example that there was such a man as Alexander the Great This is a thing most certain and yet it wants many of those arguments of assurance in the former example There is indeed a kind of Orall Tradition of this likewise yet not arriving unto this age and climate of the world by such a generall succession as the former by reason that Alexander having lived in a quarter of the world remote from us we are not descended from the men of his age who knew him yet it may be some of them or their children coming to Rome delivered this and so some Romanes conveighed it among these Western parts of the world There are no customes or practises among us relating to Alexander so that the main arguments of certainty are 1. Positive that is writings dispersed abroad made by antient Grecians and Romans all testifying the same thing 2. Negative not one man appearing in this age nor to be heard of in the former that denied it or so much as called it in question 7. A yet inferior degree of certainty in Tradition may be exemplified in some writings as in S. Clements first Epistle to the Corinthians lately published and printed in England For that there was such an Epistle written is testified by all Antiquity and was assuredly believed by all learned men in this age before the publishing of it But it is now near eight hundred years that it ha's been missing in the world for Photius I think is the last writer that takes notice to have read it Of late this Epistle was found in an ancient Manuscript in the King of England's Library sent him for a present out of the Eastern countries Now the certitude that this is the same Epistle anciently acknowledged and read in the Church appears in this 1. That the characters of the Manuscript are very ancient yet I do not believe it to have been written by that glorious Virgin Martyr S. Tecla as the credulous Grecians would pretend so that if it had been counterfeited it was done in times when the falsity might have been discovered by unquestioned copies 2. That the stile is agreeing with the ancient simplicity and gravity of Apostolique writings 3. That the subject is the very same that those ancient Fathers who speak of it do mention 4. That all the extraits and passages which the Fathers of the Church do quote out of S. Clements true Epistle are found in this Upon which grounds it may be truly said and I believe no man will contradict it that this is certainly S. Clements Epistle 8. It is likely that besides these degrees of certainty more upon consideration might be found out but these I esteemed enough for my present purpose Now by certainty I intend not certitudinem rei for so nothing that is or hath been is in it self more certain then another for even a thing that ha's its existence from free or casuall causes when it is is as certain as any other thing produced by causes never so determinate efficacious or necessary But certitudinem quoad nos that is our assurance that it hath been And a thing I call more certain in this notion not which ha's less doubt or suspition of not being for if there be any rationall suspition there is no certainty no not in the lowest degree but that which ha's more wayes to prove it self to be certain then another CHAP. XXIV Divine revelations proved to be certain beyond humane story 1. I Will now proceed by way of comparison to demonstrate the high degree of certitude which we may have of divine Revelations testified by the present Church considered as a simple proponent setting aside the authority which she challenges to oblige all men to submit to In which discourse we are to consider four things especially in Christian Religion coming to us by Tradition but in subordinate degrees of certitude viz. 1. Doctrines meerly speculative and which hardly could be testified in the practise of the church 2. Books of Scripture 3. Ceremonies and externall practises not mentioned expresly in Scripture 4. Doctrines and customes shining in the practise of the Church and likewise more or losse clearly express'd in Scripture 2. First for speculative doctrines which could hardly be express'd in the practise of the Church the Tradition of them seems to be very difficult and the certainty not so demonstrable As for example there are in the Catalogue of Heresies made by S. Epiphanius S Augustine and Philastrius certain opinions called Heresies in a large notion which seem not to have been in themselves of any dangerous consequence but yet have been condemned by Popes c. and ever since by a tacit consent of the Universall Church avoided as the opininions of the Millenaries Melchisedechians c. Now whether these Heresies were condemned as contrary to a Tradition or only by a judgement of discretion by shewing that the grounds pretended for such opinions out of Scripture are not concluding but rather the contrary as the second Councell of Orange seems to condemn some doctrines of the Semipelagians is not very certain However they rest condemned and more probably the former way as contrary to Tradition which may rather be believed of the Millenaries because they pretended for their doctrine a Tradition derived from Papias a scholler of the Apostles and it was very far spread in the church and maintained by great Saints and Doctors as S Irenaus S. Justin Martyr c. It might very possible be that the Traditionary doctrines contrary to these Heresies however speculative and which could not be conveighed by any outward practise of the church might have continued in mens memories to the times when these opinions were confuted For no doubt can be made but that the Apostolique churches together with the books of Scripture received the true sense and interpretation of the most difficult passages which might continue by a successive instruction but of which by reason they were no necessary doctrines of Christian Religion many are lost as I exemplified in the former conclusion So that the certainty of such Traditionary speculative doctrines is very hardly demonstrable and thereupon many learned Catholiques conceive that severall lately controverted opinions in the church as concerning Grace and Freewill the immaculate Conception of our blessed Lady c. have been so much agitated without any decision of the church and it ever any of the said opinions come to be decided by a Councell that the decision will at least oblige to obedience and non-contradiction but not perhaps as an article de fide that is as a divine revelation delivered by universall Tradition Since it is generally confess'd that they want such a Tradition See above in this Section 1 Cha. 9.
and practises to be by all men in all times and places solemnly either seen or practised and these with prescribed formes postures and actions on purpose that the weightiest passages of his acts or sufferings should continually be celebrated in the world leaving an impossibility of their being forgotten without a deluge Nay lastly to secuâ—e all men from the least apprehension did he ingage an omnipotent power to perform a promise that those orders ceremonies and laws should continue to the worlds end in despight of the gates of hell it self Not any of these things have been done by Will. the Conquerour or any other but our Lord to propagate his memory and yet notwithstanding all these defects we are most assured of the Tradition that such a person there was that he conquered England brought in new lawes customes c. What shall we then say of the testimony of the present church for the substance of Christian Religion even while we consider the church only as a bare witnesse or proponent of such things to us Is any confirmation stronger then all this requisite to beget an assurance in us Yea is it possible that more secure order could have been taken then that which the Son of God ha's used to make that which was past now above sixteen ages to remain alwayes as it were visible before our eyes CHAP. XXV The reason of considering this double capacity in the Church Certainty of belief compared with certainty of knowledge 1. THe reason why I enquired into the proofs of the certainty of universall Tradition proposed by the Church considered antecedently to her authority was because I found it necessary as to my self for a distinct understanding the Resolution of Catholique Faith that grounds of certainty of Tradition should first be laid before the authority of the church interpose to oblige us to believe Christian doctrine for the prime authors sake finally which is God 2. Since then Tradition in generall is in it self credible and some Traditions certaine and above all others that ever were or I believe can possibly be the Tradition of the church especially in necessary doctrines of Faith universally believed and all rites universally practised and among them this particular Tradition of an obliging authority in the Church is the most certain we may conclude that the beliefe and assent thereto approaches the neerest to knowledge of sense that beliefe possibly can do But it is impossible ordinarily speaking that it should arrive to all the degrees of assurance that sense cum debitis circumstantiis may have by which means it becomes meritorious that is capable of a reward which I conceive experimentall immediate knowledge is not And hereupon it was that our Saviour told S. Thomas who would not give credit to any reports concerning his Resurrection till his eyes saw him and hands felt him Thomas because thou hast seen me thou hast believed blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed John 20. 29. But it may be objected if manifest vision take away meritoriousnesse by reason of such an apparent certitude as inforces the understanding to assent why should Faith which is or may be built upon grounds demonstrably certain though indeed not in the utmost degree of experimentall knowledge have blessednesse annexed to it I answer the reason seems to be 1 Because before a man arrive to an assurance in Faith there is required a great exercise of his understanding to search all the arguments conducing to a firm grounding of his belief which cannot be done unlesse there be in those persons inquiring some degree of love to the things inquired after which travell proceeding from love is a thing proper to be rewarded 2. Add to this that such persons after such a love and inquiry proceeding from that love will be forced to submit and captivate their understanding to the belief of many mysteries infinitely beyond the naturall capacity of their comprehensions a thing extremely acceptable to God 3. And this is the state requisite in Christians endued with abilities and learning in the Church especially the teachers and governors And however it is most necessary in generall for the setling of a Church that there should be means of assurance of Tradition praerequired to supernaturall Faith because discoursing men especially if they be propossessed with prejudice or a contrary belief would hardly or never be brought without it to captivate their understandings in such a manner But as for silly ignorant Christians to whom God is pleased to give a certainty of adherence beyond a certainty of evidence as M. Chillingworth sayes and who seem rather to believe with their wills then their understandings an immediate and simple captivating of their minds to Christian Verities without searching arguments of assurance may be conceived acceptable to God supposing notwithstanding that they live in a Church where it may be made appear that what they believe is not a lye nor a doubtfull truth but on the contrary certain and infallible To which purpose S. Augustine cont Ep. Fund c. 4 saith As for the other râ—ut of common people it is not the sharpness of their understandings but the simplicity of believing that makes them secure And again If Christ be dead only for those who are inabled by a certain comprehension to discern these things we do labour in the Church almost to no purpose And therefore the Calvinist Ministers c. who profess an undervaluing of Tradition in comparison of pretended inward revelations and assurances from God's Spirit and who teach their followers to hate the very name of Tradition may do well to consider what will becom of them and their faith of Scriptures in generall when they shall begin to doubt that such pretentions are either apparently false or at least impossible to be proved or however no arguments at all to perswade a third person 4. Lastly it is observeableâ— that such Traditions as we now speak of are alwayes capable of being proved to be certain yet are evidently so the neerer they come to their founâ—aine or times whence they take their originall And therefore for example though at the beginning the whole Nation of the Jews were eye-witnesses of the stupendious manneâ— of delivering the law in the wildernesse yet their successors immediately after that generation was dead fell into Idolatry and infidelity the reason whereof was not because they wanted means assuring themselves of the divine authority of their law and the curses attending the breach of it but because of this there was requisite some meditation and exercise of their understanding and besides those curses were future and therefore present temptations of fleshly and secular lusts presently enjoyed by them had so much power over them as to keep them in negligence or busying their understandings and in a presumpâ—â—ion that those curses which were future might perhaps never happen or not upon themselves in person or however by a â—epentance some time or other might be
teach mankind to love and glorifie God so hated by them to encourage them in the learning and practise of vertue and holynesse and in a word to induce them to hate renounce and destroy the Kingdome of Beelzebub the Prince of Divells 2. That such a Religion which most assuredly ha's been attested by such miracles is most true 3. That by consequence since this Religion expressely sayes so it is most necessarily to be embraced being proposed by such a witnesse and proponent as God in that Religion ha's declared to have received commission from him and authority for that purpose And this Proponent is as after the spending of many thoughts and much time before I could free my selfe from many prejudices and misinformations caused by education c. by the goodnesse and mercy of God I came at last evidently to perceive to be the present Catholike Church CHAP. XXVII Proofes â—ut of Scriptâ—ure c. for the Churches auâ—hority 1. THe speciall grounds from whence to mine own full satisfaction J collected this assuâ—ance That the Church alone was that divinely authorised proponent from whom I was to receive divine Revelations and these in the sense that she received and proposeth them as likewise the method and manner according to which as distinctly as I could I first gave an account to mine own understanding and now to others were as follows 2. It having been before declared and conformably testified by all kinds of antient Ecclesiasticall writers 1. That the doctrines and formes of practise of Christian Religion were by the Apostles with great care and assiduous inculeations firmly setled in all Churches by them founded and established To which form other Churches by their successors converted generally conformed themselves as Tertullian de Prescrip saith The Apostles founded Churches in every City from which Churches other Churches afterward did borrow the Faith delivered and the seeds of doctrine 2. That Religion was thus setled chiefly and indeed only by Tradition the books of Scripture having been written only occasionally and though they comprehend in generall the principall points of Christianity yet it is very briefly obscurely with seeming contradictions and dispersedly whereupon it is that they do often refer us to the profession and practise of the church Hence in evidence of reason it will follow that he that would inform himself of Christian Religion must have recourse thither where it â—a's been dâ—posited and that not simply in words but withall the sense of those words and the very life of them in practise and this depositary is by all acknowledged more or less to be the Catholike church For even those who make it a part of their Religion to oppose the authority of the Catholike church yet acknowledge that they have received the Scripture that is all the Religion which they have from her and her authority 3. Hence it will follow that that man that should either look for Christian religion where it is not or expect to find it entire where there was no intention to include it in its whole latitude or hope to â—ssure himself of the clear sense of it where it is set down often obscurely almost every where obnoxious to variety of interpretations would certainly not follow the conduct of his reason 4. Notwithstanding if the imputation of unreasonableness were the only effect of such an indiscreet way of information there is no proud man and pride or impatience to submit to authority is the root of all heresie and Schism but would easily perswade himself to despise such an imputation yea he would take a pleasure in opposing himself and his own reason single not only to one but many ages of men that should it more reasonable to relye upon authority for that which cannot be believed but upon the only motive of authority There is therefore another effect far more considerable then point of reputation which is the utmost danger of eternall perdition in renouncing one main doctrinall foundation of Christian Faith which is the authority of the one holy Catholique Church of Christ which authority consists not only in delivering books of Scripture or Traditionary doctrines but in obliging all men to unity both in fâ—ith and love which is impossible to be had except all men be obliged to the sense and interpretation which she proposeth as received from her by the same authority from which she received the books or doctrines themselves 5. A doctrine this is the most expresse in Scriptures the most constantly asserted by Fathers the only businesse of all Councells the most freely without any contradiction embraced by all Christians before these times excepting only those whom even the Sectaries of these times will call Heretiques or Schismatikes and in these times by all that enjoy the name of Catholikes In a word a doctrine this is beyond all other traditionary doctrines propagated from the Apostles to these times with the fullest universall consent of all Catholikes in all places and of all times of any one point in Christian Religion or any one book of Scripture 6. Among proofs out of Scripture we will begin with the Old Testament concerning which S. Augustine in Psal. 3. ch 2. professeth that the Prophets foretold more often more plainly of the Catholike Church then of Christ himself and the reason he sayes was because many Heretiques would arise that would perhaps spare the person of Christ but none could be a heretike without withdrawing himselfe from the authority and unity of the Church Now the particular Texts which especially S. Augustine makes use of to assert the churches Authority are these In the last days the mountain of the Lord shall be on the top of all mountains and all hills shall flow unto her And she shall judge every tongue that resists her in judgement And Kings shall walk in the light of the Church and people in the splendour of her East Again That every Kingdome and Nation which doth not serve her shall perish Isa. c. 2. 54. and 60. That of the Kingly Prophet David Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God That of the Canticles Thou art faire and there is no spot in thee And that of the Prophet Ezechiel Thou shalt no more be called forsaken Psa. 86. Cant. 4. Ezech. 37. 7. Proofs out of the New Testament are Behold I am with you alwayes unto the end of the world Mat. 8. upon which S. Augustine in Psa. 70. 10. thus infers The Church shall be here unto the end of the world For if it shall not be here unto the end of the world to whom was it that our Lord said Behold I am with you alwayes unto the end of the world And what was the reason that it was necessary that there should be such speeches in the Scripture Because there would in times to come arise enemies of the Christian Faith which would say Christians will continue for a certain space after that they will vanish and Idollâ— shall
in it all things necessary to be believed and practised but which and how many such things there are we cannot tell you besides they are dispersed up and down in Gospells Acts Epistles and Revelation so that it will cost you much trouble to collect all that are of the substance of the new Covenant in yours and our opinions but to make short work be sure to believe all in grosse and then you shall be sure to believe all that is necessary and then chuse what Church you will for there can be no danger since all cannot but agree in necessaries only there is some danger in the Catholique Church for she will oblige you to believe other things as well as Scripture for universall Traditions sake and besides she will not permit you to think your own self wiser then the whole world Or if you have the curiosity to live in the purest Church of all then you must study all the obscure unnecessary passages of Scripture likewise for such only can be controverted among reasonable men and examine what every party ha's to say for himself and then descend from your tribunall of judging and associate your self with them that you think the wisest that is those that agree with you in all your opinions if there be any such and there stay till either they or you change opinions But as for Catholiques to such a man that was to chuse both Christianity and a Church they would first tell him that by his reason he might most certainly judge that this Religion was taught by Christ and his Apostles since besides Records the universall agreement of the present age was that they received it from an universall Tradition of former ages which is a testimony beyond all others most irrefragable 2. They would by the same way assure him that this Religion was by the first teachers confirm'd with miracles and his reason upon examination both of those miracles and the sanctity of this Religion in generall would most assuredly conclude that the miracles were divine and by consequence the Religion too and therefore necessary to be embraced since it self said so 3. They would upon the same undeniable grounds of universall Tradition assure him that among others one necessary duty of this Religion was to live in the Communion and under the authority of such a Church as Christ had promised should be Catholique for place and never to fail untill his coming to judgement which Church was one body consisting of a subordination of parts among which by consequence one must needs be supreme and from which to separate was to be divided from Christ himself in this Church therefore he was to fix himself inseparably And here is to be an end of his judging and chusing For 4. being in this Church his Reason had no more to do but to submit it self to the beliefe and practise of the speciall doctrines and precepts which this Church should teach him Liberty indeed he might have to search out interpretations of Scripture yet so as that he must not contradict any traditionary doctrines And he might draw consequences from doctrines so that he would give leave to the church to judge whether such consequences were rationall and fit to be received abstaining from others that would not assent to his consequences And this is the method according to which a Catholike would advise such a man to proceed thus much liberty of judging he would allow to his reason before he did make choice of a church and only so much afterward 8. To these discourses Mr. Chillingworth adds some proofs out of Scripture to justifie Private Reason's pretention to judge of the sense of Scripture as first those words of S. Paul 1 Thes. 1. 5. v. 20 21. Try all things hold fast that which is good But I answer here is no mention either of Scripture or church much lesse of interpreting Scripture against the church the truth is there were extant scarce any books of the New Testament when S. Paul wrote that Epistle But the words before speak of Prophecyings in the church which perhaps S. Paul would have to be tryed whether they were consonant to the doctrine which he had delivered to the church Now who was to be the Judge of Prophets he shews in another place 1 Cor. 14. 32. where he sayes The spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets not to the ignorant people A second proof is Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they be of God or no 1. Joh. 4. 1. To which the former answer will suffice A third Be ye ready to render a reason of the hope that is in you 1 Pet. 3. 15â— I cannot imagine how from this Text this conclusion can be infer'd Ergo it belongs to all Christians to judge of the sense of Scripture even against the authority of the Church A fourth If the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch All the inference that I could possibly draw from this Text would be therefore if men will not believe their teachers but either will rush forward themselves or follow others that neither have authority nor ability to teach they are likely to fall into the Ditch For surely by blind are not meant the lawfull Pastours of the Church which on the contrary are in the Old Testament called Videntes or Seers and by S. Paul eyes when speaking of such persons as Mr. Chillingworth here gives the office of judging to he saith If the ear shall say because I am not the eye I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body If all the body were the eye where were the hearing 1 Cor. 12. 16. Whereby S. Paul shews expressely that the hearers ought not to usurp the teachers office expressely contrary to Mr. Chillingworths Position 9. I will conclude this discourse of Protestants exalting private reason against Catholique authority with those memorable words of S. Augustine Ep. 56. Those saith he who not being in Catholique Unity and Communion yet notwithstanding do boastingly usurp the name of Christians are constrained to contradict the true Believers and have the boldnesse to seduce as it were by reasons the ignorant and unskilfull although that our Lord is come with this preservative to ordain faith unto the people But this they are constrained to do as I said because they perceive well that without this there is nothing more vile and base then they are if their authority be compared with Catholique authority They endeavour therefore as it were to surmount the most firmly setled and most stable authority of the most surely founded Church by the name and promising of Reason for this is as it were an uniform and universall temerity of all Heretiques But the most clement Commander and Generall of our Faith hath strengthened his Church with this bulwark of Authority by the most famous Assemblies of Peoples and Nations and by the proper Sees Episcopall of the Apostles aâ—d by a
natures for some proceed directly against it others only against some consequences from it I will therefore weigh first his objections grounded upon the different opinions of Catholikes concerning that point 2. His reasons directly proving as he believes that no church of one denomination can be infallible and therefore not the Catholique Church 3. His proofs that Catholiques in their resolution of Faith are entangled in circles and absurdities 4. His arguments to demonstrate that Catholiques can have no assurance either of the authority of the church or the validity of any acts performed by the Pastors thereof c. But before I attempt a discussion of these particulars I may in generall say of all his objections that since they proceed only against the word Infallibility and that word extended to the utmost height and latitude that it can possibly bear Catholiques as such are not at all concerned in them seeing neither is that expression to be found in any received Councell nor did ever the Church enlarge her authority to so vast a widenesse as Mr. Chillingworth either conceived or at least for his particular advantage against his adversary thought good to make show as if he conceived so 2. But come we to consider his arguments against Catholiques grounded upon the different opinions among them in what subject this Infallibility or authority is to be placed The most pressing and pertinent passage in his book concerning this subject is this which follows viz. What shall we say now if you be not agreed touching your pretended means of agreement How can you pretend to unity either actuall or potentiall more then Protestants may Some of you say the Pope alone without a Councell may determine all controversies but others deny it Some that a Generall Councell without a Pope may do so others deny this Some both inconjunction are infallible determiners others againe deny this Lastly some among you hold the acceptation of the decrees of Councells by the universall Church to be the only way to decide controversies which others deny by denying the Church to be infallible And indeed what way of ending controversies can this be when either part may pretend that they are part of the Church and they receive not the decree therefore the whole Church hath not received it Mr. Chil. c. 3. parag 6. 3. Hereto I answer 1. That there is indeed no need at all of an answer since the very objection answers it self for by saying there are variety of opinions among Catholiques acknowledged for such even while they differ it follows that the objector is not obliged to submit to that Judge which any Catholique refuses 2. None of these will deny that decision of the Councell of Trent viz. Ecclesiae est judiâ—are de vero sensu sacrae Scripturae that is It belongs to the Church to judge of the true sense of holy Scripture And Protestants will not be urged to submit to any more rigid or higher expression 3. Yea moreover this indulgence I am confident will be granted them namely That no man will endeavour to oblige them further then to doctrines and practises determined by one or more Councells universall confirmed by the Pope and actually received and accepted by all Catholiques that is as much as to say to believe that there is indeed an obliging authority in the Catholike Church to impose upon her children a belief of all doctrines proposed in her Oecumenicall Councells let this authority be limited and streightned with as many Proviso's and the sense of these doctrines enlarged and qualified with as many mollifying interpretations as any approved Catholike Doctor hath thought good that is indeed as any reasonable man remaining so can desire only upon condition that they do not prejudice nor grate upon the pure simple language wherein the Church expresses her self Christians are at liberty what particular Doctors sense they like to embrace or whether none at all but will content themselves with the naked decisions of the Church as they lye without making inferences or building thereon further conclusions CHAP. XLI His reasons proving no Church of one denomination to be infallible answered 1. IN the second place we will weigh his reasons to prove that no Church of one denomination is infallible and by consequence no Church at all His words are after he had said that he was willing upon courtesie to grant that Christ made a promise absolute of indefectibility to his Church but be interprets it only in this sense viz. That true Religion shall never be so far driven out of the world but that it shall alwaies have some where or other some that believe and professe it in all things necessary to salvation and that such believers shall never erre in fundamentalls for if they did they were not a Church But he denyes utterly that there is any Church fit to be a guide in fundamentalls because no Church is fit to be a Guide but onely a Church of some certaine denomination as the Greek the Roman the Abyssine c. For sayes he otherwise no man can possibly know which is the true Church but by a pre-examination of the doctrine controverted and that were not to be guided by the Church to the true doctrine but by the true doctrine to the Church Now sayes he that there is not any Church of one denomination infallible in fundamnntalls is evident for 1. If it were an infallible guide in fundamentalls she would be infallible in all things which she proposes and requires to be believed 2. That being a point of so mâ—â—n consequence certainly the Scripture would have named that Church 3. Because Catholiques themselves build the assurance of the churches infallibility onely upon motives very credible but not certain Lastly beeause it is evident and even to impudence it selfe undeniable that upon this ground of believing all things taught by the present church as taught by Christ errour was held For example the necessity of giving the Eucharist to Infants and that in S. Augustines time and that by S. Augustine himself and therefore without controversie this is no certain ground for truth which may support falshood as well as truth The same may be said of the doctrine of the Chiliasts which S. Irenaeus and S. Justin Martyr say was a traditionary doctrine from the Apostles times c. 2. To answer this discourse by parcells And first concerning his exposition of Christ's promise of indefectibility to his Church it ha's been answered in more then one place already 2. Where he sayes that there is no Church fit to be a guide in fundamentalls I desire to know whether those whom Christ ha's appointed in his church to be Overseers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teachers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Governors Assistants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. be not fit to be accounted guides at least in Fundamentalls Againe whether an agreement of all these Governours meeting in a Generall Councell be not the supremest authority Thirdly
promises to his Church So that the Church even when she does upon supposition erre yet she does not even then lead any man out of the way to heaven or within the danger of hell gates seeing the promises of Christ are infallible that his Spirit shall conduct or rather preserve his Church in the belief and profession of all truths at least necessary and as for points supernumerary or unnecessary neither unwilfull ignorance nor unavoidable mistake shall be imputed as sinfull to any man 6. To the second proof viz. That if the promise of infallibility had been made to any Church of one denomination certainly the Scripture would have named that Church and have directed all Christians to have recourse unto her it being a point of so main importance I answer 1. The inference is not at all concluding as I shewed before in the first conclusion 2. The Scripture ha's expressely mentioned such promises made to the Church and if we will follow either reason or Catholique Tradition interpreting Scripture we must at least apply those promises to the whole body and succession of the Catholique Church united under one Head since no particular man or Church considered only as a distinct member of the whole can pretend to these promises as peculiarly applicable to themselves Now this whole body was as apparent and distinguishable from particular sects in the times of S. Augustine and S. Gregory as if it had been a Church of one denomination since they framed all their arguments and discourses from the apparent visibility of it and surely to any one that would not shut his eyes would have appeared as clear and demonstrable in Luthers time also 7. To the third proof of Mr. Chillingworth viz. That Catholiques build their assurance of the infallibility of the Church only upon fallible and uncertain grounds and marks I answer that I have made the contrary appear in severall places before demonstrating that it is grounded upon the most firm unshaken foundation that reason can have viz. Universall Tradition by which it is more effectually proved then any particular book of Scripture hath been 8. To his last proof against the Churches infallibility from his two examples wherein the Church is said to have erred universally in points pretended to be of Tradition as namely about the giving the blessed Sacrament to Infants mentioned by S. Augustine and the doctrine of the Millenaries by S. Justin Martyr and S. Irenaeus For the first example I refer my self to the satisfactory answer given by Cardinall Perron to the same objection made by King James Perr repl l. 2. obs 3. c. 11. 2. Concerning the other example of the doctrine of the Millenaries c. I answer that S. Justin Martyr dial cum Trypho saith not that it was a Catholique Tradition nor received by the whole Church but only of himself and many other Christians but withall that there were many also who were of a pure and pious Christian beliefe which did not acknowledge it And when all that could be alledged to prove that doctrine to have been an Apostolique Tradition was said the proof ended upon the report of Papias a very credulous man one that loved to tell stories many of which could not find belief in the Church a man meanely learned and by consequence one that might very probably mistake what he sayes S. John told him concerning that point CHAP. XLII An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's objection of circles and absurdities to the resolution of Faith of Catholiques 1. A Third rank of arguments with which Mr. Chillingworth combats the infallibility of the Church is grounded upon the absurdities Meanders and circles which he sayes most unavoidably follow the resolution of the faith of Catholiques Let us hear the sum of his allegations in his own words cap. 2. 118. 119. For Gods sake Sir tell me plainly in those Texts of Scripture which you alledge for the infallibility of your Church do not you allow what sense you think true and disallow the contrary and do you not this by the direction of your private reason if you do why do you condemn it in others If you do not I pray what direction do you follow Or whether you follow none at all If none at all this is like drawing Lots or throwing dice for the choice of a Religion If any other I beseech you tell me what it is Perhaps you will say the churches authority and that will be to dance finely in a round thus To believe the Churches infallible authority because the Scriptures avouch it and to believe that Scriptures say and mean so because they are so expounded by the Church Is not this for a Father to beget his son and the son to beget his Father For a foundation c. The Church you say is infallible I am very doubtfull of it How shall I know it The Scripture you say affirmes it as in the 59. of Esay My Spirit that is in thee c. Well I confesse I find there these words but I am still doubtfull whether they be spoken of the Church of Christ and if they be whether they meane as you pretend You say the Church sayes so which is infallible Yea but that is the question and therefore not to be begged but proved neither is it so evident as to need no proof otherwise why brought you this Text to prove it Nor is it of such a strange quality above all other Propositions as to be able to prove it self What then remains c. But Universal Tradition you say and so do I too is of it self credible and that ha's in all ages taught the churches infallibility with full consent But that it ha's I hope you would not have me take upon your word for that were to build my self upon the Church and the Church upon you Let then the Tradition appear for a secret Tradition is somewhat like a silent Thunder You will perhaps produce c. 2. For answer hereto 1. If Mr. Chillingworth's adversary had grounded the doctrine of the Churches authority meerly and only upon Texts of Scripture capable of contrary senses there might have been just ground for Mr. Chillingworth to have pleased himself as he oft does in insulting thus on him and intangling him thus in his circles But Mr. Chillingworth himself absolves him toward the latter end of the former passage where he sayes But universall Tradition you say and so do I too is of it selfe credible and that ha's in all ages taught the Churches infallibility c. Whereby he shews clearly that his adversary though he serves himself as reasonably he may and ought of some Texts of Scripture to fortifie the Traditionary doctrine of the Churches authority yet makes not those Texts understood in his own sense his onely foundation but universall Tradition which is the proper foundation even of the credibility of Scripture it self and therefore all Mr. Chillingworth's inferences and retortions do not even in his own opinion
in any degree wound nor so much as incommodate his adversary 3. Secondly I answer that whatsoever arguments have been or can be made by Protestants against the manner of Resolution of Catholique Faith do not touch the Church at all since she ha's not intermedled in that Scholasticall nicety of the Resolution of Faith If particular men to exercise their wits and to boast their subtilty do busie themselves in this last inquisitive age about such curiosities undebated and unheard of among the antient Doctors of the church what is that to the church her self or her Traditionary doctrines which were proposed and believed before that new language of the schools was invented 4. But thirdly to demonstrate that Protestants do vainly flatter themselves in supposed advantages against Catholiques about this point of Resolution of Faith I will endeavour as briefly and as perspiouously as I can to set down the state of that controversie which when I have done I believe that without any further trouble it will justifie it self not to be obnoxious to those circles and absurdities which Protestants charge upon it 5. Now for a preparation thereto I will lay down these grounds viz. 1. That that is the thing into which we say Faith is last resolved which is the prime motive or authority for whose sake we believe 2. In all kinds of belief the prime authority which deserves Faith must have two qualities viz. Knowledge and veracity 3. In divine Faith the prime authority is alwaies the prime Verity or God 4. In divine Revelations we are to distinguish the faith or assent which we give to the truth revealed from the knowledge or assent to the Revelation or act of revealing 5. In immediate divine Revelations we believe the truth it self for the authority of the revealer or relator himself which is God and we assent to the revelation having a certain knowledge thereof either by the help of our senses externall and internall or without them immediately by our understanding 6. But if divine revelations be conveyed to us by a second hand that is by the report of others yet then faith is not resolved into the conveying authority but into the prime 7. To make faith by vertue of the prime authority certain or firm I must have assurance of the certitude of this conveying hand that is not only that this conveying hand did receive those revealed truths but the true sense of them likewise and withall was not subject to errour in the propagating of them 6. Having laid these grounds we will make application of them to the present purpose in a few examples The first shall be of a revelation made by God immediately either by expresse language or dreams or visions or the Oracle of Urim c. for all these are of the same nature as much as concerns certainty as when God revealed to the Prophet Isaiah the mystery of the Conception of the Messiah of a pure Virgin In this case the Prophet it is to be supposed was assured by a certain knowledge that this revelation was reall and not imaginary so that he believed the truth revealed with a most firm faith for the authority of God the prime verity whom he knew to be the revealer for if he had not assuredly known this he could not have adhered firmly to the mystery though in it selfe never so true and infallible A second example shall be of an immediate revelation also but yet somewhat of a different nature from the former viz. Of our Saviour teaching the Jewes that he was the Messiah the eternall Sonne of God and confirming this truth by divine Miracles In all outward appearance he seemed to be but a man and therefore what he taught could not be the object of divine Faith neither could his hearers have assurance of his authority unlesse they were assured of the truth of his miracles A third example shall be of the same revealed truth viz. That Christ was the Messiah c. but proposed to persons living in the second or third ages after that time by those who either were themselves eye-witnesses or received it from those that were In this case the persons living in the second or third age if they had not certitude that those that told them this did not lye could not with a faith rationally firm and certaine assent to those truths But certain they might be and most undoubtedly were and the grounds of this certainty were as I have largely shewed before a certain knowledge both that they all heard these and all other substantiall truths of Christianity from their Ancestors as a Tradition Universall whether written or no it matters not and that it was as impossible that all their ancestours all the world over should conspire to seduce them with a lie as that their own eyes and ears should deceive them In all these examples there is the same resolution of Faith for both the immediate witnesses of these revelations and their successors do resolve their faith in these supernaturall truths finally and only into the authority of the prime verity For if any of them should be asked Why do you believe that Christ is the eternall Son of God They would all answer because God ha's so revealed neither could they proceed any further But if they were asked how are you certain that there was such a divine revelation the immediate witnesses would say We saw and heard Christ himself publishing these truths and with a world of stupendious miracles confirming them And their successours would say we receive the same truth by an Universall Tradition not only in it self and of it self credible and in a high degree certain but such an one as ha's more advantages to demonstrate its certainty then any other that ever was Now what ha's been spoken of the second and third ages may upon the same grounds be verified of the fourth fifth and all following to the worlds end And likewise what hath been exemplified in one or two supernaturall truths revealed may be extended to all the substantiall points of Christianity all which as I before demonstrated arrive unto us by the same conveying hand of Universall Tradition by severall wayes as writing publike profession and practise propagated 7. Now among these truths or doctrines coming by Universall Tradition and for that reason believed most assuredly by all Catholique Christians and by consequence most certaine and indubitable one principall one is the authority of the present Church considered not as a relator only but as authorized by Christ to teach this and all other doctrines so as to oblige all men to belief and obedience Which speciall doctrine though it were only testified in Scripture as it is evidently enough were sufficient against those that acknowledge only Scripture for their rule yet we are certain of the truth of this doctrine by the former Rule which can neither fail us neither can we be mistaken in it viz. Because it is universally believed in the present
again de util cred c. 2. There is one Church if you cast your eyes upon the surface of the earth more abundant in multitude and likewise as those who know by experience affirm more sincere in truth then all others but concerning truth that is another dispute And again cont Pet. l. 2. c. 95. Division and dissention makes you Heretiques and peace and unity make us Catholiques And Uincentius Lerinensis cap. 9. O admirable change the first Authors of the same opinions are called Catholiques and the Sectators Heretiques namely because they separated for them And S. Prosper de prom ben Dei p. 2. l. 5. He who communicates with the Universall Church is a Christian and a Catholique and he who doth not communicate with it is a Heretique and Antichrist Hereupon it is that the Fathers understand and interpret the word Câ—tholique not with respect to doctrine or belief but Communion externall So S. Augustine collat car d. 3. We shew by the testimony of our Communion that we have the Catholique Church And again brevic coll l. 3. The Donatists saith he answered that the word Catholique or universall was not derived from the universality of Nations but from the plenitude of Sacraments that is from the integrity of doctrine And again Ep. 48. ad Vinc. Reg. Thou thinkest that thou hast spoken subtilly when thou interpretest the name Catholique not of Universall Communion but of observation of all precepts and divine Sacraments or Mysteries 7. And to the end to demonstrate to Schismatiques that they could not pretend to any portion in the Catholique Church the Fathers ordinarily silenced them from any claim thereto by asking them whether they could addresse communicatory letters unto or receive such letters from all Catholique Bishops which they not being able to do were supposed to be sufficiently convicted So S. Augustine ep 163. speaking of Fortunatus the Donatist I asked him if he could send communicatory Letters which we call Formatas whither I would name c. But because the thing was manifestly false they quitted that discourse with confusion of language Hence it was that the antient Schismatiques not being able with any the least pretence to challenge the title of Catholiques were forced to repaire themselves by laying an aspersion or diminution on that name as when Sympronian told S. Pacian ep 1. That none under the Apostles were called Catholiques and when Gaudentius the Donatist affirmed that the word Catholique was a humane fiction which S. Augustine calls Verba blasphemia Blasphemous words lib. 1. con Gaudent 8. Notwithstanding in some cases the Fathers allow that a man may possibly be separated from the externall communion of the Catholique Church without imputation of Schisme according to this discourse which I have found quoted out of S. Augustine Often times also it happens saith he that the divine Providence permits that some good men should be cast out of the Christian Congregation by some over-turbulent sedition of carnall men which injury done unto such men when they shall bear it patiently for the peace of the Church and shall not attempt any innovations of Schismes or Heresies they will instruct men with what true affection and with how great sincerity and charity we ought to serve God The designe and resolution therefore of such men is either to returne when the tempest is calmed or if that be not permitted them either by reason that the tempest yet continues or out of fear lest by their returne another tempest should be raised more violent then the former they preserve a will and affection to serve even those to the violence and commotions of whom they have given place defending to the death without making any separated conventicles and maintaining by their testimony the faith which they know is preached in the Catholique Church Such as these the Father who sees in secret crownes in secret 9. I remember that Monsienr Grotius from this speech of S. Augustine and a suitable action I think of S. Chrysostomes defends the non-association to the Catholique Church of himselfe and such peaceable Protestants as himselfe But surely in vain for first this discourse of S. Augustine supposes that such persons doe not hold any doctrines condemned by the Catholique Church 2. That whensoever leave or opportunity shall be given they will readily embrace her Communion 3. That they doe not communicate with any Sects manifestly in separation from it None of which suppositions can he applied to Monsieur Grotius c. and therefore such a Communion in voto or desire cannot in the judgement of Antiquity availe them since if it could no Heretique nor Schismatique could be culpable or that in such a sense doth not communicate with the Catholique Church for there is not any of them but would willingly communicate with her upon these termes viz. That she would change the clauses and conditions of her Communion and reform her selfe according to the patternes of their particular respective Sects 10. A fourth mark of Heresie and Schisme is when the first Authors of them can be named and by consequence can be proved to be in time posteriour to Catholique Unity And particularly for doctrines such were esteemed Hereticall which could not be maintained to be Apostolicall that is not which the Authours did not pretend to be deducible out of Apostolicall Writings for all Heretiques generally alledged Scripture for all their blasphemies but which they could not prove to have been professed in the church and deduced successively from Age to Age since the Apostles times Thus S. Athanasius in Dec. Syn. Nic. cont Arian Behold we have proved the succession of our doctrine delivered from hand to hand from Father to Sonne But as for you Arians new-Jewes and children of Caiaphas what Progenitours can you show of your speeches So likewise S. Pacian Epist. 3. For my selfe holding my selfe assured upon the succession of the Church and contenting my selfe with the peace of the antient Congregation I have not learned any studies of discord CHAP. XLVIII An Application of the former marks of Schisms to the present Controversie and a demonstration that they doe not suit to the Romane but onely Protestant Churches 1. HAving thus informed my selfe of the mind of Antiquity concerning the nature and marks of Schisme and Heresie and applying them to the controversie in hand between the Roman and Protestant c. Churches it appeared as clear to me as the Sun at noone day that if the same Fathers and Bishops meeting in the antient Councells to condemn the Arians Nestorians Eutychians Novatians and Donatists c. had lived in these times they must of necessity upon the same grounds have condemned the Lutherans Calvinists English-Protestants Socinians c. For it being apparent that there is really a Schisme among the Western Christians since Luthers Apostacy in as much as so many Sects doe not onely actually separate from the communion of that church which before that separation they all called the Catholique Church but
of the most learned Protestant writers by which they vertually confesse that if they had lived in S. Gregories dayes they would as well have separated from him Besides it appeares by S. Gregories Epistles that he as Pope enjoyed a supereminent authority and sollicitously exercised a care over all Christian churches As for his Jurisdiction as Patriarch and the extension thereof that I took not here into consideration since it is not a point pretended to be an Article of Faith 3. From S. Gregories dayes till the separation of the East from the externall jurisdiction rather then the Faith of the Pope and Western churches the whole body of the church under one visible Head remained as it did before enjoying the title of the Catholique church no other pretending thereto 4. Since the Division of the East from the Westerne churches caused as I conceive upon a quarrell about the Popes Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and not any point of Doctrine the limits of the Catholique church seem to be much streitned Concerning which Schisme if it be indeed a Schisme properly so called I apprehended no necessity to be very curious to inform my self being perswaded during the time of my being a Protestant that as for that one point of belief concerning the Procession of the Holy Ghost wherein the Greek church expresseth her self otherwise then the Roman if in substance and sense there be a reall difference that the Roman church was Orthodox And besides that I know not any point of doctrine wherein the Greek church agrees with Protestants to condemn the Roman church It is true they communicate in both kinds but I could never find that the Greeks made that point any pretext of their division from the Roman neither indeed can they since they also give the Eucharist to the sick onely in one kind acknowledging withall that such communicants receive the whole effect of the Sacrament As for the story of the Schisme it was begun by Photius the Pseudo-Patriarch of Constantinople upon ambition and interest because the Pope would not confirm his illegall intrusion into that Chair which generally ha's been a fatall occasion of almost all Schismes as long since S. Cyprian hath observed Lastly it is manifest that those rights of Jurisdiction also which since that Schisme have been denied by the Greeks to the Pope were not then begun to be demanded but had been possessed by him for severall ages so that there was at least injustice if not error on the Grecians part 7. Fourthly that the Pope as successor of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles ha's a primacy and superiority over all Bishops and Patriarchs yea an authority over the whole Catholique church so that he may truly be called the Head of the Church ha's been delivered by so constant and universal a Tradition that it cannot without extreme impudence be denied Now how far this superiority and authority extends I thought it needlesse curiously to inform my self since as far as I can learn all that the church requires in this point even from ecclesiasticall persons is a subscription to this profession mentioned in the Bull of Pope Pius IV annexed to the Councell of Trent and collected out of the same viz. Romano Pontifici Beati Petri Apostolorum Principis successori ac Jesu Christi Uicario veram obedientiam spondeo ae juro i. e. I do promise and sweare true obedience to the Pope of Rome successor of blessed S. Peter Prince of the Apostles and Vicar of Jesus Christ. 8. Now that thus much is of universall Tradition what greater proof can be desired then may be afforded us in a late book entituled Les Grandeurs dell ' Eglise Romaine where such a world of testimonies out of Councells Occumenicall and Provinciall Popes Fathers both Eastern and Westerne Histories Ecclesiasticall c. are produced to maintain the Co-union of S. Paul with S. Peter in at least some degree of his universall authority which not withstanding are not an hundredth part of that which may be alledged out of antiquity for S. Peters Principality and the Popes as his successor Yea that great Councell of Chalced on acknowledged and received in England even when it endeavoured to deprive the Pope of some part of Jurisdiction yet acknowledged this his superiority and authority as Pope the Bishops there calling him their Head and themselves with all Christians members under that Head Moreover Socrates and Zozomen writers far from being partiall for the Pope yet mention antient immemoriall canons of the church wherein at least a negative voice is given to the Pope in any thing that shall be introduced to oblige the whole church To conclude Monsieur Blondel the most learned French controvertist that ever undertook their common quarrell against the Pope in that large volume which is spent in confuting particular extravagant opinions concerning that subject as touching the infallibility and Monarchicall Omnipotence of the Pope his Lordly and domineering headship and a Monarchicall power usurped by him by which to subdue all the members of Christ c. yet notwithstanding which is very remarkable he confesseth himself that never any Councell or Nation no not that of Florence nor Trent it self ever adventured to define any thing concerning such excessive titles and power as the Popes Partizans do attribute to him But on the contrary that the titles of the Apostle S. Peter ought not to be put in debate since that the Grecians and Protestants also do confesse that it hath beone believed and that it might be indeed that he was the President and Head or Chiefe Chef of the Apostles the foundation of the Church and possessor of the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven Yea moreover That Rome as being a Church consecrated by the residence and Martyrdome of S. Peter whom antiquity hath acknowledged to be the Head Chef of the College Apostolique having been honored with the title of the Seat of the Apostle S. Peter might without difficulty be considered by one of the most renowned Councells viz. that of Chalcedon as Head Chef of the Church Which is in effect to acknowledge that the necessary doctrine of the Roman church concerning the Popes Primacy and Authority is Orthodox 9. Upon which grounds since it appeares to have been an universall Tradition of the church besides expresse words of Scripture that the Catholique Church was to remaine visible to the end of the world that is a church possessed of all substantiall Christian doctrines preserved in all truth governed by lawfull Pastours as one body consisting of ruling and ruled members under one visible head which S. Cyprian makes the foundation of Unity Ecclesiasticall I concluded as I thought rationally that that part of the Christian world which continued in Communion with and obedience to this so acknowledged Supreme Authority might and ought most justly to challenge the title of the Catholique Church 10. Therefore though the priviledge of an independent Patriarchall church which the English Protestants
of late begin to challenge to the end to excuse their church from the title of Schisme for withdrawing it selfe from the Popes Jurisdiction were just and legal yet they will never be able to justifie themselves for disbelieving what they together with all the other Western churches so many ages agreed to have been true or for denying the title of Oecumenicall Head to the Pope Let it be supposed therefore what some of them alledge that it is in the power of such a King of England as Henry the VIII with the forced consent of his Clergy to erect the English church into a Patriarchate as Justinian the Emperour did Justinianaea Prima Or that England being an Island like Cyprus might have the priviledge to be independent of any Patriarch all that will follow thereon will be only that the Pope as Patriarch of the West shall by this meanes be deprived of some Patriarchall Jurisdictions Investitures Rights of Appeals c. which have antiently been endeavoured to be withdrawn from him by the African Churches c. Yet what is this to his title of S. Peters Successor and Head of the Church Or was Justinianaea or the Isle of Cyprus so independent in matters of point of Faith or publique practise on the Pope or other Patriarchs or however on a Generall Councell as that they could dejure alter any thing established by Universall Authority Could they renverse decisions of Oecumenicall Councells Or did they ever usurp such an authority to themselves as to impute superstition idolatry prophaneness heresies c. to all other churches under a shew of Reformation ruining the whole order of Discipline and Belief confessedly continued in the whole church for above a thousand years Till they can produce examples of an authority of Reformation of such a nature assumed by any Catholique Prince or particular Kingdome the other pretended right of exemption from Jurisdiction will be so far from excusing them that it will make it apparent to the world that it was meerly their Princes lusts ambition and unquenchable thirst after ecclesiasticall revenewes that first put the thought of Reformation into their heads and that upon as just grounds they may expect from others a Reformation of their Reformation which will perhaps prove more durable when those baits shall be utterly taken away which first whetned their wits to contrive that project of a Reformation 11. For my own part therefore seeing these severall conclusions concerning the Catholique Churches indefectibility authority unity and Visibility so unanimously attested confirmed and made use of by all Antiquity with so good successe against all manner of antient Heresies and Schismes And on the contrary perceiving no such method practised by Protestants disputing with one another no mention in any of their writings or arguments from Christs promises to the church but onely presumptuous boastings of greater sagacity and cunning to wrest Scripture to their severall purposes without the least successe of unity with one another yea to the utter despair thereof Having shut mine eyes to all manner of worldly ends and designes yea resolving to follow truth whither soever it would lead me though quite out of sight of countrey friends or estate at length by the mercifull goodnesse of God I found my self in inward safety and repose in the midst of that City set â—pon an hill whose builder and maker is God whose foundations are Emerauds and Saphirs and Jesus Christ himself the chief Corner Stone a City that is at unity within it selfe as being ordered and polished by the Spirit of Unity it selfe a City not enlightened with the Meteors or Comets of a private Spirit or changeable humane reason but with the glory of God and light of the Lamb Lastly a City that for above sixteen hundred years together hath resisted all the tempests that the fury of men or malice of hell could raise against it and if Christs promises may be trusted to and his Omnipotence be râ—lyed upon shall continue so till his second coming To him be glory for ever and ever Amen SECT III. Containing a brief stating of certain particular points of Controversie c. CHAP. I. The Question of the Church being decided decides all other controversies How it is almost impossible that errour should have crept into the publike doctrine of the Church Of what force objections out of Scripture or Fathers are against the Church 1. AFter that Almighty God had changed that which was to me a stone of offence into a rock of foundation making me to find repose of mind in submitting to the authority of his church which by reason of my former misapprehensions I carefully avoided as if the greatest danger that a Christian could be capable of had beene to be a member of Christs mysticall body which is his Church or as if the hearkning to the Church had been the way to make a man worse then a Heathen and a Publican I then found an experimentall knowledge of the truth of that speech of S. Hierome cont Lucifer viz. that the Sun of the Church presently dryes up all rivelets of errors and dispells all the mists of naturall reason as likewise of that of the Prophet Quicredit intelliget i. e. He that believes shall understand For being arrived to the top of that mountaine upon which God had built his church I found clear weather on all hands I found that there remained nothing for me to do afterwards but to hearken to and obey her that both Scripture and Fathers and now mine own reason taught me was only worthy to be obeyed And therefore the truth is here should be an end of my Exomologesis or account of my inward disputes about controversies concerning Religion which quickly ceased after that I left off to be mine own Guide and Teacher 2. Notwithstanding among the particular controversies in debate between the Romane Catholiques and other Sects I will select especially six of the most principall on purpose to shew that if any regard had been had either to the authority or peace of Gods church there would never have been any differences about them and that in the judgement even of moderate Protestants the differences are indeed of so small weight that if there had been amongst them but the least measure of charity or if Schisme had not been esteemed by them a vertue they would never have made such fatall and deadly divisions upon pretences so unconsiderable 3. They indeed lay to the charge of the Catholique church novelties in doctrines and practises and yet Catholiques even out of those few that remain of the most antient Ecclesiasticall Authors shew clear proofes of these doctrines and practises and desire no more of them then that they would speak in the language of the antient church They accuse her of impieties and idolatries and superstitions yet Catholiques shew them that the most holy learned Saints and Martyrs that ever were in Gods church practised and maintained such pretended superstitions c. They
say confidently it is all to be found comprised sufficiently in the little Catechisme made for Infants others would add the Common-Prayer book others the book of Homilyes others would yet thrust in the book of Ordination others the 39. Articles and Canons others besides would have the four first Generall Councells not to be forgotten and lastly some few of those who are pure Protestants indeed would say the whole Canon Law in as much as concerns doctrine especially and as far as it is not revoked by Acts of Parliament All this with all that went before is the entire Rule of English-Catholique Doctrine And all those for their severall answers would produce English Fathers and Doctors whose books have been received and approved without contradiction in the Church of England 4. To save the blushing of an English Protestant I would not suffer Mr. Chillingworth nor my Lord Falkland to put in their votes for they would have renounced all these and protested that neither the Catechisme nor Common-prayer-Book nor Homilies c. nor all these together contain that doctrine of the Church of England to which all are obliged to submit but only the Bible the Bible and nothing but the Bible and this not interpreted by any Bishop or Synod of Divines but by every good mans reason let him shift as he can An answer which it admitted not only totally destroyes the spirituall Jurisdiction of the English Clergy but all authority whatsoever even of the civill Magistrate in matters of Religion yet to shew the great impartiality of English Protestants towards Catholike Faith because they fancied that by such a position Catholiques might receive some damage they not only admitted this position of M. Chillingworths and saw it approved by their Doctor of the Chair but triumphed in it as the great Master-piece of the wit of this Age whereas if they had but half an eye open they might have seen in it the inevitable ruine of their whole Fabrick So that J. P. did not well consider what poor service he ha's done and what small refreshment he ha's given or rather what a dishonorable Epitaph he ha's fixed upon the monument of his deceased Church by giving his Testimony of applause to this Treatise of my Lo. Falklands as one of the great Defenders of the Doctrine of the English Church which is more ruinous to it then all the spitefull writings and plots of Cartwright Knox Henderson or all the rabble oâ— Geneva joyn'd with them But to return 5. A Supposition being made of the foresaid answer and it being granted that all these answers have been published or without contradiction or censure admitted in the church of England should not that man be very negligent of his souls good that being to examine the truth of its doctrine should trouble himself any further then with the little Catechism of half a sheet of paper as plainly and as simply written as is possible as if the children that are to learne it had composed it since all say it is at least part of the Rule of the English Faith and some without censure of others say it is all what a while must the poore mans soul be held in suspense if he were to stay till he had search'd into the Common-prayer-Book Homilies Canons Acts of Parliament Proclamations of the King Antient Councels Canon-Law c. his soul perhaps might be disposed by death God knows where before he had examined the hundredth part of what was necessary 6. Now to apply this to the present subject it is agreed by all Catholiques that the church is an infallible witness and guide Protestants profess that if this could be made evidently appear they would hold out in no controversie at all for they would never dispute perpetually with them whom onely to hear were to be satisfied this therefore is to be made evident unto Protestants yea more evident then that any particular decisions of the Church do seem to them evidently contradictory to Scripture This is the task of Catholicks especially Catholick Missionaries Now though when it is said The Church is infallible This be commonly understood of all the whole Church in general yet when we say She is an infallible Guide it is most ordinarily understood of the Church speaking by some authorised person or persons representing the whole body 7. About this Representative there is diversity of opinions among Catholicks some say the Pope alone does sufficiently represent the Church as a Guide infallible Others a Generall Councell though without the Pope Others a Generall Councell convoked presided in and confirmed by the Pope And lastly others as learned Fa Bacon acknowledges add further this condition that the decision of such a Councell bee accepted and submitted to by the whole Church All that hold any of these opinions are universally esteemed good Catholiques and I would to God all Protestants had so much humility as to subdue their own private Reason to the largest of them and for Catholiques this I may confidently say That they who without betraying the Truth make the way to the Church easiest and plainest have most charity and Faith enough the others may have more Faith I would they had more Charity too Truly to my understanding there is some inhumanity in urging Protestants to more then Catholiques will be obliged to or to think that to Protestants prepossessed with passion and partiality that can be made evident which is so far from being evident to some Catholiques that they renounce it Since all changes therefore proceed by degrees in the name of God let it not be expected from Protestants that they should with one leap mount to the utmost verge and extent of all Doctrines held by Catholiques That they should at one gulpe swallow both all Catholique Doctrines and all Theologicall Dogmes Be it granted therefore that it is true that the Pope is infallible I will beleeve it as a Theological truth but since neither the Church nor the Pope himself has told us so I cannot if I would beleeve it as a Catholick Doctrine what therefore have I to do to dispute of it to Protestants whom my duty is onely to perswade to the belief of the Churches Doctrine What pitty is it that they must be delayed and as it were kept out of the Church till all objections that they can make and be furnished even from Catholicks themselves to make against this position be answered or all advantages that they can advise against any Bulls or Decretals be cleared to their satisfaction 8. Therefore I being ingaged to make good to I. P. That the Church speaking by a Representative is an infallible Guide would fain choose that Representative which is qualified with all the conditions allowed by any uncensured Catholicks to make it most easie and most acceptable to Protestants which is a general Councel Confirmed c. by the Pope and accepted by the Church But yet I wil abstract from this last clause of being acâ—epted
109. Sect. 2. Cap. 8. Preparatory grounds for the answering of these reasons and Quotations That Christian Religion was settled in the Church by Tradition especially The advantage of that way beyound writing p 112. Sect. 2. Cap. 9. A further demonstration of the firmness of Tradition Certain objections answered p 123. Sect. 2. Cap. 10. The second preparatory ground viz. Occasion of writing the Gospels c.p. 130. Sect. 2. Cap. 11. The third preparatory ground viz. The clearing of the ambiguity of these words necessary to salvation p. 136. Sect. 2. Cap. 12. After what manner I judged it necessary for my purpose to examine Mr. Chillingworth's reasonings and arguments p 139. Sect. 2. Cap. 13. An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's discourse premised before his proofs out of Scripture p 146. Sect. 2. Cap. 14. An Answer to the Texts produced by Mr. Chillingworth out of the Gospels of S. John and S. Luke c.p. 152. Sect. 2. Cap. 15. An answer to twelve Questions of Mr. Chillingworth in pursuance of the former Quotations p 154. Sect. 2. Cap. 16. The second Conclusion out of the Fathers concerning a Judge of Controversies The Authors confession of his willingness that his opinion against the Churches Infallibility might appear to have been groundless p 160. Sect. 2. Cap. 17. Calvinists presumptuous renouncing of the Churches Authority even in proposing of Scripture And pretentions to immediate Revelation p 163. Sect. 2. Cap. 18. Importance of the controversy concerning the Churches Authority Means for satisfaction in it abundantly sufficient in Antiquity This Controversie beyond all others ought to be diligently studied by Protestants 167 Sect. 2. Ca. 19. Passages out of the Fathers concerning the Churches authority,170 Sect. 2. Ca. 20. Quotations out of Antiquity for the authority of Councells A contrary Character of antient Heretiques c. 181 Sect. 2. Ca. 21. The doctrine of the Romane Church concerning the Churches authority The great and apparent reasonablenesse of it,185 Sect. 2. Ca. 22. The method whereby the Author arrived to an entire satisfaction concerning the Churches authority 236 Sect. 2. Ca. 23. Grounds laid to prove the certainty of Iâ—radition Severall degrees of it 238 Sect. 2. Cha 24. Divine Revelations proved beyond any certaine humane story,246 Sect. 2. Ca. 25. The reason of considering a double capacity in the Church Certainty of Belief compared with certainty of knowledge,254 Sect. 2. Ca. 26. Grounds pre-required to the demonstrating of the Churches authority Sect. 2. Ca. 27. Proofs out of Scripture c. for the Churches authority Sect. 2. Ca. 28. The validity of such Texts c. 241 Sect. 2. Ca. 29. The objection from the overflowing of Arianisme in the Church answered,246 Sect. 2. Cha. 30. The generall ground of the Churches authority viz. Christs Promises The severall subjects and acts thereof,250 Sect. 2. Ca. 31. Authority of the Christian Church compared with that of the Jewish,258 Sect. 2. Ca. 32. Enquiry concerning the extent of the Churches authority How Stapleton states this point,261 Sect. 2. Ca 33. Upon what grounds Stapleton may be conceived to have stated this question with more then ordinary latitude,266 Sect. 2. Ca. 34. Unsatisfactory grounds of the English Church concerning Ecclesiasticall authority Calvinists doctrine concerning the Spirit being Judge of Controversies exploded,277 Sect. 2. Ca 35. Mr. Chillingworth's new-found Judge of Controversies viz. Private reason His grounds for asserting such a Judge,283 Sect. 2. Ca. 36. An answer to the three first grounds of Mr. Chillingworth,287 Sect. 2. Ca. 37. An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's fourth and fifth grounds Severall Novelties introduced by him292 Sect. 2. Ca. 38. An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's sixth ground Of the use of Reason in Faith 303 Sect. 2. Ca. 39. An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's seventh and eighth grounds,316 Sect. 2. Ca. 40. An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's objection concerning difference among Catholiques about the Judge of Controversies 320 Sect. 2. Ca. 41. His reasons proving no Church of one denomination to be infallible answered,323 Sect. 2. Ca. 42. An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's objection of Circles and absurdities to the Resolution of Faith of Catholiques 332 Sect. 2. Ca. 43. An answer to Mr. Chillingworths allegations of pretended uncertainties and casualties in the grounds of the faith and salvation of Catholiques 342 Sect. 2. Ca. 44. Dangerous consequences of Protestants Doctrine against the authority of the Church 350 Sect. 2. Ca. 45. The third Conclusion concerning Schisme The point of Schisme sleightly considered by Protestants which notwithstanding ought above all others to be chiefly studied 357 Sect. 2. Ca. 46. Quotations out of Fathers to shew the sinfulness danger of Schism,36 Sect. 2. Ca. 47. The nature and marks of Schisme according to the antient Fathers 366 Sect. 2. Ca. 48. An application of the former marks of Schisme to the present Controversie And a demonstration that they doe not suit to the Roman but only Protestant Churches 375 Sect. 2. Ca. 49. A continuation of the same demonstration with proofs c. Sect. 2. Ca. 50. A further continuation of the same arguments,380 Catholikes not uncharitable for saying That Protestancy unrepented is damnable,387 Sect. 2. Ca. 51. The fourth Conclusion concerning the perpetuall visibility of the church Proofs of it out of Fathers,398 Sect. 2. Ca. 52. Application of these proofs to the advantage of the Roman Catholique Church and against Protestants c. 401 Sect. 3. Ca. 1. The Question of the Church being decided decides all other Controverversies How it is almost impossible that errours should crep'd into the publique doctrine of the Church Of what force objections out of Scripture or Fathers are against the Church,413 Sect. 3. Ca. 2. Of the Reall Presence and Transubstantiation Of the Adoration of Christ in the Sacrament And of Communion under one species 420 Sect. 3. Ca. 3. Of Iâ—vocation of Saints Of Veneration of Images Of Prayers and Offerings for the Dead and Purgatory Of Indulgences And of publike service in the Latin tongue With what charity and modesty the doctrines of the Church are to be examined,431 Sect. 3. Ca. 4. The Holinesse taught and practised by the Catholique Church a great motive to embrace the doctrines The Authors former exceptions against certain practises ascribed to the Church with their answers Of the Carthusians Of mysticall Theology 453 Sect. 3. Ca. 5. The Conclusion wherein the imputation of inconstancy charged upon the Author is answered as likewise of forsaking a Religion because it was persecuted The Appendix Cha. 1. A Brief Recapitulation of the Designe and Contents of the whole Book pag 476 Cha. 2. Grounds upon which certain passages in this Book hâ—ve been misunderstood by some Catholiques and those mistakings cleared 483 Cha. 3. Misinterpretation of my book by Protestants particularly by J. P. the Author of the Preface to my Lord Falklands Discourse of Infallibility An answer to that Preface 490 Cha. 4. An answer to the four first Paragraphs of the Preface 496 Cha. 5. An answer to the
such a provisionary enquiry because I remembred that M. Hooker one of the most learned judicious writers that ever that Church had upon such grounds as are before mentioned especially having an eye unto the sacrilegious spirit of Calvinisme his great and almost Propheticall prudence for Prudentia est quaedam divinatio Corn. Nep. in vit Pompou Attice In those very bookes which he wrote to defend the Church said that the English Church was in probability a Church not to continue above fourescore yeares at most Hooker Eccl. Pol. lib. 5. Sect. 79. CHAP. VIII A Reflection upon severall Sects And first upon the Socinians 1. NOw in pursuing this inquiry it scarce entred into my thoughts to admit into debate the Roman Church because the maine foundation thereof namely infallibility I verily beleeved I could powerfully arm'd with Mr. Chillingworths reason evidently and demonstratively destroy 2. Of Sects in separation from the Catholique Church those which I thought most considerable and therefore represented them to my understanding to examine which of them would best approve it selfe to my choyce were 1. the Lutheran 2. the Calvinist 3. the Socinian For as for those fanaticall Sects of Auabaptists Famulists c. they being only confused troops of ignorant dreaming spirits which hitherto have never been able to convert one Parish or Village entirely to themselves and the very dregs of all other Sects where those that were discontented or craised in their understanding ordinarily setled I could not obtaine from my selfe the patience to examine seriously their grounds or to put it to the question whether I should adjoyne my selfe unto them or no. Adde hereto that I could not hitherto understand all their grounds distinctly by reason that I could never meet with any of their writings so obscure they are and afraid of the light 3. Concerning the other three Sects the temper and morallity of the Socinians was much more agreeable to mee then that of the other two But their inexcusable boldnesse of trampling under foot all authority of Fathers and Councells and their licentious introducing blasphemous and long-since-buried Heresies against the fundamentall Mysteries of Faith was to me intollerable Besides neither France nor Italy being able to afford me bookes of Socinian doctrines I was forced to content my selfe with that curiosity which I had had a few yeares before in England where such bookes were but too frequent notwithstanding the care of the late Archbishop of Cant. to hinder the importing them at which time I read over almost all the considerable treatises of that Sect both of controversy and exposition of Scripture The effect of which my curiosity was only an esteeme of the excellency of their naturall parts both for the subtilty and clearnesse of disputation and an acknowledgment that though their principles were of all others most fallacious and their peculiar distinctive doctrines most horrible and intollerable to Christian eares yet they were far more constant to such their principles and lesse incumbred with difficulties and contradictions then the other two In a word that the frame of their building was with all its deformity more uniforme then that of other Hâ—retiques of these times as strong as a building could be that had no better foundation then the moving sand of naturall reason Whereas the other two Sects of Calvinists and Lutherans to whom I had some jealousie that the English Protestants might be joyned relying principally indeed upon private interpretation of Scripture but challenging likewise the suffâ—ages of the Ancient Fathers especially in some doctrines of meere Tradition as Baptising of Infants c. by reason of the inequality in the foundation the building could not choose but have many rents and declinations in the walls some parts continuing stable and others sinking by reason of the yeilding of the Foundation which difformities and inequalities the Socinans avoyded This was all the change that the reading of those Haereticall blasphemies wrought in me none of their subtile wrestings and Chymicall extractions of new sences from fundamentall Texts of Scripture prevailing against the constant universall authority of Gods Church interpreting the same Texts 4. I conceive it unnecessary if not very inconvenient to set downe here the exceptions I had against the severall peculiar doctrines proper to the Socinians for feare lest by undertaking to confute I should endanger to distill the infectious poyson of them in a countrey where God be blessed they are utterly unknowne remembring how subtilly and maliciously the Schollars of Sibrandus Lubbertus in Holland are reported to have abnsed their unwary Master for they having an extreame itch of reading one of the most pernicious Treatises of Socinus which was forbidden to be dispersed knew no better a meanes to satisfy their unlawfull and dangerous curiosity then by perswading their credâ—lous Master that it was expected from his eminent abilities to confute so pernicious a booke which he having as he thought sufficiently performed they further told him that it would be injustice and a kind of confession of guilt to publish his confutation without the adversaries Text and by that meanes they made their Master a sower of Haeresy for every one almost bought up the booke for Socinus his sake only scarce any vouchsafing to cast their eyes upon the heavy unskillful confutation 5. Thus I make but a small stay upon the Socinians on whom I looked rather with pitty then resentment Considering withall that they were the almost only Sect which made profession against violence and active disobedience condemning warre absolutely and upon whatsoever pretences Notwithstanding observing that one essentiall marke of that Sect was resolutely to hold no opinion but in every Synod to give leave to the questioning or altering of whatsoever Articles of Faith had been before decided I found that seemingly calm and quiet spirit of theirs lesse alluring because from their owne peculiar complexion and grounds I thus Argued Who can tell whether if they encrease in numbers and power they may not thinke fit to begin with the alteration of that doctrine For I have known when even the Calvinists in Holland and the Puritans in England being in low estate have preached liberty of Prophesying pretended only to desire a freedome of injoying their Consciences in particular promising never to molest any others As by their first published writings and by severall Remonstrances and Petitions by Q. Eliz. to K. Iames in the beginning of hisreigne and to Parliaments in those times And yet the same men being afterwards become numerous powerfull enough to gaine the effect of their Petitions by force never yet allowed any moderate qualification or tolleration to any other CHAP. IX Reflection upon the Calvinists and Lutheran Churches Their first disadvantage in comparison with the English Church 1. HAving passed with so much speed the Socinian Churches I fixed my thoughts more seriously upon the Lutherans and Calvinists to the end to resolve my selfe whether those points of doctrine discipline or
beare armes or offer any violence to his Majesties Royall Person to the High Court of Parliament to the State or Government Being all of them ready not only to discover and make known to his Majesty and to the high Court of Parliament all the treasons conspiracies made against him or it which shall come to their hearing but also to lose their lives in the defence of their King Countrey to resist with their best endevours all conspiracies attempts made against their said King or Countrey be they framed or sent under what pretence or patronized by what forreigne authority soever And further they profess that al absolute Princes supream Governours of what Religion soever they be are Gods Lieutenants upon earth and that Obedience is due unto them according to the lawes of each Commonwealth respectively in civill and temporall affaires and therefore they doe here protest against all doctrine and authority to the contrary And they doe hold it impious and against the word of God to maintaine that any private Subject may kill and murther the Annointed of God his Prince though of a different beliefe and Religion from his And they abhor and detest the practice thereof as damnable and wicked And lastly they offer themselves most willingly to accept and embrace the late Protestation of union made by the High Court of Parliament excepting only the clause of Religion Professing that they cannot without sin infringe or violate any contract or break their words and promises made or given to any man though of a different faith and beliefe from the Church of Rome All which they doe freely and sincerely acknowledge and protest as in the presence of God without any equivocation or mentall reservation whatsoever 3. Now I desire to know what security beyond this any State can expect from any Christian or indeed any man What jealousie can reasonably be given by persons thus clearly and ingenuously professing their consciences and protesting their obedience yet notwithstanding the English Catholiques are ready to give a security even beyond thisâ— the Catholique Bishop pro tempore formerly residing in England having as I have been credibly informed offered his owne person and life as a pledge of the loyalty of all his Cleargy c. under his obedience in so much as if any of them shall be found guilty of disloyalty the Bishop will be obliged to produce such a delinquent to condingne punishment or pay the defect of it with the forfeiture of his owne life These things considered I should not deny even during the time that I was a Protestant but that it was with great impudence and injustice that Catholique Relegion was accused by those two Sects of disloyalty a crime universally and only adhering th themselves and abhorr'd by all sorts of persons all Orders and degrees among Catholiques CHAP. XIV A fourth scandall among Calvinists c. viz. their aversion from unity 1. A Fourth great discouragement which I had to joyne in Communion with the Lutheran or Calvinist Churches was their manifest renouncing of Christian Charity and the peace of Gods Church their unwillingnesse to abate the least point of doctrine even to a very phrase or to alter any thing in discipline though to gaine thereby the greatest good which is unity and reconciliation in a word the Spirit of Donatisme a Spirit of Separation out of the love of Separation it selfe 2. Whether it was a naturall inclination in me to hate all quarrells unlesse most extreamely necessary and unavoidable or my education in the English Church which of all other Sects doth most professe moderation I have alwaies dearly esteemed those writers whether Catholique or Protestant which have endeavoured to lessen the number of differences between Christians to give the most moderate qualified sences to differing opinions and to attempt all probable waies of reconciliation as Hofmeisterus Wicelius Franciscus à Sancta Clarâ c. among Catholiques And Bishop Andrewes Montague Grotius Monsicur de la Millitiere Acontus c. among Protestants I was moreover in mine owne understanding convinc'd that in very many points the differences between Catholiques and Protestants was onely in words while in the meaning both parties agreed as concerning Freewill Predestination Iustification Merit of Good workes sinnes Mortall and Veniall c. Nay further that some negative points of doctrine were maintained even by the Church of England contrary to their owne grounds that is contrary to the Universall consent of Primitive antiquity as denying Sacrifice and Prayer for the dead and by consequence Purgatory sacrifice of the Altar Monachisme Difference betweene Evangelicall Councels and Precepts vowes c. 3. Hereupon it was that mine owne reason assisted by my love to Christian unity perswading me that for worldly respects or out of feare of consequences ungratefull even the Church of England had divided it selfe from the Catholique to a further distance then justice truth and charity would permit I could not answer it to mine owne reason and conscience if instead of approaching to the Catholique Church I should run quite out of sight from it by communicating with those Churches whose generall designe and study it is to make the wound of division incurable and the breach every day wider and wider among whom it is a crime to talke of Reunion in a word who call it zeale to professe division from the Catholique Church even in those very points wherein their consciences cannot but tell them that they doe really agree with it 4. Manifest testimonies of this more then Donatisticall Spirit have been given by Calvin in his most barbarous censure of that too too moderate condescending booke of Cassander D E OFFICIO PII VIRI and by the Calvinist-Churches in France in their comportments towards Mâ—ssicurs Grotius and de la Millitiere upon occasion of those treatises by them published tending to union Yea so in love have they shewed themselves with Schisme quatenus Schisme so zealous to renounce that precious legacy of Peace which our Saviour at his last farewell to the world left to his Church that they multiply division upon division even among themselves making Frusta de frusto of the seamelesse garment of Christ denying Communion to one another even for points in their own opinion of no considerable importance The Lutherans will not communicate with the Calvinists nor the Remonstrants with the Contra-remonstrants nor the Separatists with the English Protestants And whatsoever union the French-Calvinist Churches boast of they owe it entirely to the civill Power there for if that would allow them the liberty they would fall into as many devisions as any of their brethren 5. If sometimes an extraordinary fit of seeming charity have come upon them the Circumstances demonstrate that it was not love of unity or conscience that begat that good mood but meerly temperall hopes or feares I remember S. Augustin Ep. 50. ad Bonifas Speaking of those professed Masters of Schisms the Donatists gives
and after I saw it I did not hastily suffer my selfe to be received into it till I saw there was no other way to escape drowning left me 2. My first thoughts after so successelesse a search of a Church were not doubtingly but sollicitously expostulating in my mind where is the effect of that promise of Christ that the gates of Hell should not prevaile against his Church And Behold I am with you till the end of the world I wondered that the Fathers should so unanimously interpret the Church to be that City seated on the top of a mountaine For I had in vaine sought both mountaines and Valleyes and could not get a sight of it But I concluded that certainly the fault was in mine owne eyes which some mist or disease had blinded and not in want of visibility in the Church since all the Promises of God in Christ are in him YEA and in him AMEM. And therefore that no preconceits of assurance or demonstrations ought to hinder me from examining the pretentions of the Roman Church as well as the rest That it was utterly impossible that the Promises of Christ should faile but that it was very possible that both my selfe and Mr. Chillingworth might be mistaken in beleiving those arguments to be demonstrations which were not That perhaps he did not understand fully the minde of his adversary M. Knot Or perhaps that the opinion and expression of Infallibility combated by Mr. Chillingworth was but an interpretation given by a private Doctour of his sence of the Churches doctrine so the arguments against it not proceeding directly against the Church However that it was very reasonable just and requisite seriously and diligently to examine the true state of that question which if the Roman Church could to my understanding justifie that she had not err'd in there would presently be an end of all my travells and doubts about other particular controversies For who will question or suspect the truth of that Witnesse or Judge in particular speeches or assertions that has once in grosse approved himselfe to be Infallible 3. Had it not been for this point of the Churches Infallibility and some Philosophicall Objections against the Reall Presence c. I had not lived thus long out of the communion of the Roman Church for I alwayes acknowledged that there were in it very many advantages and excellencies to which no other Church had the confidence to pretend As 1. I could not deny having withall the Confession of the most learned Protestants that the Religion of the present Roman Church is the very same Religion which Saint Augustin the English Apostle by the Mission of Saint Gregory the Great planted in England when he converted it from Paganisme so that me thought it was somewhat an extravagant thing to separate now from Rome for those very points by the embracing of which England became Christian Especially considering what persons Saint Gregory and Saint Augustine were of what sublime holinesse and profound learning and how that Religion was confessedly conffirmed by Divine Miracles 2. I could not but admire and infinitely approve the ingenuity of the Roman Church in obliging all her children to interpret Scriptures and to conforme their beleife to the generall consent of Fathers Indeed the Protestants in England especially made honourable mention of the Fathers but none but Roman Catholiques proceed thus farre 3. That if we defined Haeresie and Schisme according to the generall notion of the Fathers viz. that Haeresie is a misbeleife innovated in points of Faith contrary to the Doctrine universally received in the Church and Schisme an uncharitable division of one part from the externall Communion of the whole Of all Churches in the world the Roman could with least reason and justice be accused of these two sinnes for first She only receives and preserves the ancient practise and all the Councells and Synods of the Church Secondly all other Sects apparently broke from her Communion and all Haeretiques were of her Religion before they innovated and introduced new opinions 4. That the method by which the Roman Church decided all emergent controversies namely by the authority of the present Church however I was then perswaded there was some usuâ— pation in it yet de facto ended all disputes and produced an admirable unity in that Church A blessing which not only reason but manifest experience showes to be impossible to be aâ—ceiued in Protestant Churches where scripture interpreted by private judgement is the Rule and Iudge for hitherto never has there been made an agreement in any one controversie among them In so much as the proper difference between Catholiques and Protestants is that if two Catholiques be in debate about any question both of them will agree to bee judged by a third namely the Church and till that be done they breake not Communion But if two Protestants quarrell each of them will interpret and judge both for himselfe and his adversary too there being no umpire between them nor any thing to oblige them to Communion 5. That the sobrâ—st Protestants sometimes are not without some suspicion of guilt in matter of Schisme acknowledging at least that worldly interests had influence upon those Princes that begun separation first a case never to be found among Catholiques And when any such scruples arise in the mindes of Protestants they never trouble themselves with seeing themselves divided from the Greek or Abissine Churches but only the Roman And very many among them on their death beds at least when all secular respects are silent desire reconciliation with the Roman Churches Whereas I believe there never was heard any one example of a Roman Catholique which on his death-bed desired to forsake that Communion to be incorporated into a Protestant Church And 6. There was a sixth advantage far more prevailing with me then all the former though at the first I had but an imperfect view of it namely the eminent rules of sanctity and spirituallity taught by most prudent and pious directors and practised after a manner that nothing in any of the Protestant Churches approacheth neere unto it The story and Order of my information in this particular I will reserve till the Conclusion of this Narration For the present I will content my selfe with avowing that every day the more neare and faire a prospect I had of the beauty of Holinesse my prejudices and objections against that Church in which onely such a jewell was to be found diminished till in the end I could not free my selfe from partiallity at least so farre as to wish that Truth might not be found separated from so heavenly a Companion This Treatise being a Story rather than a controversie I thought my selfe obliged not to conceale my actions though they might be obnoxious to be esteemed imperfect or faulty and am content to heare and thanke whosoever will vouchsafe to reprove mee for them 4. I will not deny but that these seemed to me very specious
same Author l. 5. c. 19. taught his Disciples many Traditions not written Again S. Dyony Arcop Hier. Eccl. c. 1. at least even by acknowledgment of the most learned Protestants an Author of the second or third age Those prime Captains and heads of our Hierarchy thought it necessary to deliver unto us those sublime and supersubstantiall Mysteries both in written unwritten instructions Again S. Fab. Pope â—â— Martyr Ep. 1. ad Episc. Orientis speaking of holy Chrisme to be renewed every yeare of which no mention is in Scripture addes These things we received from the Holy Apostles and their successors which we require you to observe Againe Tertullian de Cor. Mil. cap. 4. discoursing as he often does of severall rites and practises not mentioned in Scripture concludes in one place thus Of all these and other disciplines of the like nature if thou shalt require a law out of Scripture thou shalt finde none Tradition shall be alledged to thee for the Author Custome the confirmer and Faith the observer Againe S. Irenaeus Cont. Haer. lib. 3. c. 4. What if the Apostles had not left us Scriptures ought we not to have followed the Order of Tradition which they delivered to those to whom they committed the Churches to which ordination give proofe many nations of those Barbarous people who beleeve in Christ having salvation written in their hearts by the Spirit without characters or inke and diligently observing the ancient Tradition Againe the Fathers assembled in that ancient Councell of Gangres Can. 21. We desire that all those things which have been delivered in divine Scriptures and by Tradition of the Apostles should be observed in the Church Againe S. Basil de Spir. Sanc. to cap. 27. 29. of the dogmes and instructions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserved in the Church some we have by written institutions others we have delivered by the secret Tradition of the Apostles Both which sorts have the same authority for as much as concernes piety and there is no man will contradict this that is never so little experienc'd in the law of the Church The same Father in the same Chapter The day would faile me if I should produce all the Mysteries which the Church observes without writing And a little after I account in an Apostolique thing to persist constantly in observing Traditions not written Againe Eusebius Caesariensis de dem Evang. lib. 1. who having said that Christ did not as Moses leave his Law written in Tables or Paper but in the hearts of his Apostles who likewise following the example and intention of their Master Have consign'd their doctrines some indeed in writing and others they have delivered to be observed by lawes unwritten Againe S. Chrysostome 2 Thes. cap. 2. From hence it appeares that the Apostles have not delivered all things by Epistles but likewise many things without writing now both those and these deserve to be equally believed Againe S. Epiphanius haer 61. We must likewise make use of Tradition for all things cannot be taken out of Scripture And therefore the Holy Apostles have given us some things in writing and others by Tradition Againe S. Augustin de Bap. cont Don. lib. 5. cap. 23. speaking against those that maintained that Haeretiques ought to be rebaptised The Apostles sayth he have prescribed nothing concerning this thing But this custome which was opposite to S. Cyprian ought to be believed to have taken its originall from their Tradition as there are many things which the uniuersall Church observe â—â—h and for that reason are rightly beleeved â—â— have been commanded by the Apostles although they are not found in their writings These quotations seemed sufficient to me to shew the generall Opinion of the Fathers to be consonant to the Conclusion before mentioned CHAP. II. The Roman Church agreeing with Fathers in the same Rule of Faith All Sects of Protestants disagree with the Fathers 1. NOw to the end to confront with Antiquity the present Roman and Protestant Churches that it may appeare which of them are the true legitimate children of those Fathers Wee will begin with the Roman Church whose mind we finde clearly expressed in the Decree of the Councell of Trent Sess. 4. concerning Canonicall Scriptures in these words Sacrosanâ—â—a c. Tridentina Synodus c. Perspiciens hanc veritatem c. that is The most holy c. Synod of Trent c. Clearly perceiving that this truth and discipline namely the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles is contained in bookes written and unwritten Traditions which were received from Christs Mouth or delivered as it were from hand to hand from the Apostles to whom the Holy Ghost dictated it hath arrived even to us Following the Oxthodox examples of the Fathers receives and venerates with an equall affection of duty and reverence all bookes as well of the Old as New Testament since one God is the authour of both as likewise the Traditions themselves whether perteining to Faith or Manners as dictated either by Christs own Mouth or by the Holy Ghost and by a continued succession preserved in the Catholique Church Thus far the Councell of Trent 2. Whether the Roman Church has indeed made good this her profession viz. That in this decree shee followes the Orthodox examples of the Fathers besides so many formall proofes before alledged the confession of many learned Protestants will justifie her As Cartwright Cartw. Witgift Def p. 103. speaking of the forementioned or like quotations out of S. Augustin saith To approve this speech of Augustin is to bring in Popery c. So likewise Whittaker Fulk Kemnitius c. Whit. de Laec. Ser. p. 678. 681. 690 c. Fulkâ— con Purg. p. 362. 397. Kemnit Exam. part 1. p. 87 c. for such like assertions of the Fathers condemne then generally and by name Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Epiphanius Tertullian Augustin Ambrose Hierome Chrysostome Eusebius Baesile Leo Maximus Theophilus Damascene c. 3. In opposition to this decreed Doctrine of the Roman Church and by consequence to the Orthodox examples of the Fathers aâ—â— manner of Sects that have separated from the Church or from one another since Luthers â—â—me agree almost in no other point unanimously except in this That the Scripture conteins in it expresly all things both concerning beliefe and practise which are necessary or but requisite to salvation And by consequence that no man is or ought to be obliged to submit to any Doctrine or precept any further then as it can be proved manifestly to him to be conteined in the written word of God 4. The Church of England Art 6. of English Church in particular makes this one of her peculiar Articles That the Holy Scripture conteineth all things necessary for salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an Article of Faith or to be thought requisite necessary to salvation
of me in Faith and Jesus Christ Conserve that good thing committed to thy charge by the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us And againe 1 Tim. cap. 2. ver 2. The things which thou hast heard of me in the presence of many witnesses consigne them to faithfull men which may be capable to teach othâ—â— also And lastly 1 Tim. cap. 3. ver 15. The Church is the pillar and ground of truth 4. To elude such Texts as these so expresse in themselves so stringent and convincing without any leave given to any rationall contradiction so unanimously acknowledged by the ancient Fatherâ— in the plaine importance of them for there was no need to call their commentaries interpretations there being not the least difficulty or obscurity in them to be cleared Protestants especially the Calvinists for the Church of England hath been more ingenuous have been forced to make use of the poorest guiltiest shift imaginable which is to translate the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enseignements instructions or by any other word but what reason and rules of Grammar would require namely Traditions That which moved them hereto was apparently a resolution to seduce the people for nourishing them up in the hatred of the Church in contempt of her authority in rejecting all her Traditions so far that whatsoever is proposed under that title of Tradition is not only not accepted but scornfully rejected by them as supposed most certainly false and superstitious if it should appeare that the Scripture it selfe should referre us to Christian doctrines under the notion of Traditions the very sound of that word in Scripture would perhaps make them suspect that their Ministers had abused them 5. But moreover for a helpe if this poore subtility should come to be discovered by their Proselites it is further answered by them that S. Paul might very well referre Timothy or the Thessalonians to the summe of Christian doctrine by him before preached and not yet reduced to writing because the entire Canon of Scripture was not yet compleated and sealed up but when that was finished afterward Christians were not to trust to their memories but to have recourse to expresse Scripture as is implyed by severall Texts of Scripture denoting its abundant sufficiency for all uses and necessities 6. For answer to this way of arguing it will be sufficient to say that whatsoever is here alledged by Protestants is meerly gratis dictum there being not the least intimation given by S. Paul or any other Evangelicall Author that the Apostles had any intention to write among them a body of the Christian law searce any booke of the New Testament having been written but only upon some particular occasion and for the use of some particular person and Church and on the contrary it appearing expresly both by Scripture and Tradition that the Apostles in all the Churches founded by them left a depositum both of the doctrines and discipline of Christianity uniforme and compleate not relating at all to any thing already or afterward to be written CHAP. VI. Two principall Texts of Scripture alledged by Protestants to prove it's sufficiency and against Traditions answered 1. COme we now to consider a while those Texts of Scripture pretended by Protestants to be so expresse uncontroulable and pressing as to justifie them from blame in not only opposing the former evident quotations for Traditions but in dividing from and condemning all Antiquity that taught the contrary and not onely so but relyed upon Tradition alone in severall points confessed by them not to be visible in Scripture and yet condemn'd anathematized and utterly vanquished severall Heretiques who thought it a sufficient warrant to be dispensed from severall doctrines taught and practises continued in the Church because the Scripture was silent in them 2. Of all others the most considerable Text of Scripture alledged by Protestants and most prized by them as efficacious to prove its perfection sufficiency to be an intire Rule of Faith is this speech of S. Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. c. 3. v. 16. 17 Omnis Scriptura divinitius inspirata utilis est c. All Scripture divinely inspired is profitable for teaching for arguing for reproving and for instructing in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect instructed to every good worke Here say they it is apparent that S. Paul acknowledges Scripture to be profitable for all kindes of spirituall uses teaching arguing c. and moreover in such a perfection that by it not onely ignorant persons but even the man of God that is he who is a Teacher of Gods people who by his office is obliged to a higher perfection of knowledge may be made perfect and that to every good worke 3. To this it is answered 1. That by reading the verse immediately going before we shall be informed both of what Scriptures S. Paul there speakes and in what sence and with what conditions they are profitable for the forementioned uses and ends the words are Tu verò permane c. Doe thou â—â— Timothy persevere in those things which thon hast learned knowing of whom thou hast learned them and because from thy childhood thou hast knowne the Holy Scriptures which may instruct thee to Salvation by faith which is in Christ Jesus For all Scripture divinely inspired is profitable c. By the connexion of these words it appeares that those Scriptures to which Saint Paul gives this testimony and glorious character were the same in which Timothy now a Bishop had been instructed from his childhood that is the Scriptures of the Old Testament For how few of the Evangelicall writings were published even now that he was a Bishop and certainly scarce any at all when he was a child Sâ— Pauls designe therefore in this passage is evidently this viz. to exhort Timothy to remaine constant in iis quae ei tradita fuerant in those Christian verities and precepts by the Apostle delivered in trust to him not in writing but orall Tradition For which purpose he uses these motives namely 1. the consideration of the sublime Apostolicall Office of himselfe his instructour immediately and miraculously called and enabled to that imployment by Christ from heaven therefore he sayes knowing of whom thou hast learned these Evangelicall truths 2â— The conformity of these new revelations to those ancient ones of the Old Testament in which Timothy had been instructed from his childhood in which he might perceive though obscurely traced certaine markes and Prophecyes of the Gospell and so be easilier enclin'd to beleive what S. Paul had plainly delivered to him 3. Upon this occasion he declares the great profit which a Christian may find by having recourse to the old Testament as having great efficacy to make a man wise unto salvation but this not of themselves alone but joyned with the Faith which is in Christ Jesus and perseverance in believing the Christian verities delivered by orall Tradition So that the Apostles might very well conclude All Scriptures
of which together with others pertinent thereto I will here as in their proper and naturall place orderly set down 2. In the first place therefore since all information of things past before our age can no other way be had excepting only extraordinary or divine inspiration not to be expected or relyed upon if pretended unlesse it be attested by miracles but by Tradition from the times when such things hapned yet arriving at us by the testimony of the present times and persons living with us By consequence I had no difficulty but that in the present hypothesis of Christian revelations the only immediate witnesse of them was the present church and this either by orall profession that thus she had received by information and practise of the precedent age Or by writings of antiene times continued and daily transcribed but all preserved and conveyed to us by the present church 3. In the second place I considered that these divine Revelations and doctrines of Christian Religion being of such a particular nature as that besides the believing them to have been we are obliged to assent unto and embrace them as the only necessary means of avoiding eternall misery and attaining to eternall happinesse Hereupon it is that the present church our only witnesse of them represents them to us not only as the present age does the actions of Caesar or books of Cicero that is with so much assurance that we cannot be reasonable men and doubt of them yet by doubting or disbelieving them there is no losse to be feared but only of our reputation But she proposeth them to us as necessarily to be submitted to and her self as an authorised witnesse having received commission from the divine Author to oblige all men to believe her as a proponent Which double capacity of the church viz. 1. Simply a proponent 2. As an authorised proponent I conceived it very requisite for me to distinguish and at least in my understanding to separate the one from the other For though Catholiques who from their infancy have been brought up in acknowledging the grounded authority of the church have no need to distinguish this double capacity for themselves yet in disputation with those Sects which accept of Tradition simply at least for books of Scripture but deny such an obliging authority and especially in explaining the manner of Resolution of Faith I conceived and found as to my self great profit in this distinction 4. In the third place for simple Tradition I enquired whether and upon what grounds it could be made to appear to be certain and absolutely convincing And upon mature consideration I was satisfied that they were extremely mistaken who thought that there was no absolute certainty in any knowledge excepting only such as we receive either immediately by our senses or by evident discourse and demonstration of reason For on the contrary I found that knowledge from report of Tradition might in some cases be as truly certain as that from sense or demonstration So for example before I saw the City of Rome I was most assured that there was such a place and the reason was because it was impossible that such a world of writings and persons all which could not be led by interest to frame a lye should conspire to witnesse such a thing and not one person be found that contradicted them The like may be said of Tradition or report of things past when a whole age agrees universally to acknowledge a Tradition under that notion neither friends nor enemies contradicting it is impossible that such a report should be false Yea I may add further when there are in the same age two Traditions of two considerable parties directly contradicting the one the other it may fall out yea sometimes it may be most assured that both of them must in some respect be true As for example the whole Nation of the Jewes dispersed all the world over do agree that they have received as a most sure Tradition that our Saviour was an Impostor and wrought all his pretended miracles by Magick and help of the Divell on the contrary all Christians through the whole world agree that they have received a Tradition that our Saviour was the true Messiah promised and that he wrought all those true miracles by the power of God and for confirmation of his divine doctrine In this case these two Traditions being in respect of the partyes respectively universall must necessarily be true though in some sort contradicting yet not in that wherein they contradict For it is as certain that the Jewes received and have continually propagated such a Tradition though false in the root as that the Christians have received the contrary Notwithstanding reason may judge infallibly between them concerning the root of these Traditions namely by demonstrating that such miracles acknowledged by both sides to have been wrought were many of them of such a nature as that they did exceed all created power and that the doctrine was so divine so destructive to the divell as that he was obliged in interest to endeavour the annibilation of it and lastly that nothing was either done or taught by our Saviour but what was agreeable to the antient Prophecies received by the Jews concerning the Messiah c. upon which grounds it will evidenly appear that the Jews who first received such a Tradition were abused by the malice and perfidiousnesse of their ancestours c. And this is the only proper way of determining and deciding the controversie between these two Traditions But of this more hereafter 5. In generall therefore I found that a full unquestionable certitude might be had of some Traditious as to give one example more that there was such a man as William Duke of Normandy who conquered England is most certain not any Englishman or other that ever heard of it but believes it and would impute frenzy to any man that should call it in question Now the reason why this is so certain to every one is this because all men living at this time who either are inquisitive into times past or câ—pable of information do agree that this particular was told them by their Predecessors as a thing come to them by Tradition and so the men of the former age of that before them thus ascending till we come to the age wherein he lived and was personally known and seen by his Subjects Now it is impossible that all men of any age should both agree together and actually effect that complot to deceive their children with a lye under the notion of Tradition Add to this that the present age affords us books and Records descending from hand to hand and written in severall ages between that time and us which testifie the same thing As likewise there are in the generall practise of England Lawes Customes Priviledges c. all which are acknowledged to have had their Originall from the same Author This is an example of one of the highest degrees
prevented In like manner and upon the same grounds the Christians of the first times were more holy more unmoved in their faith more zealous for the glory of God then in following ages because the grounds of assurance and other motives did more immediately and so more strongly make an impression upon their minds Notwithstanding the faith and holinesse of the times further distant from the Apostles caeteris paâ—ibus is perhaps more acceptable to God and more meritori us as having more of the will in it as our Saviour implyes in the forecited speech to S. Thomas CHAP. XXVI Grounds pre-required to the Churches Authority 1. HAving shewed the certainty of Tradition in generall and some severall degrees of it and withall the incomparable advantage which the Church as a simple proponent ha's to prove the certainty of her Tradition of those doctrines which concern the substance of Christian Religion In the next place I proceeded to make some neerer approaches to the consideration of the Authority which she challenges to her self and whereby she obliges all in her Communion to believe receive and embrace whatsoever she thus proposeth that is to â—cknowledge the Verity and divine originall of all those Christian revelations deposited in her hands and severall wayes both by orall instruction practise or writing delivered by her to all Christians to be by them believed practised and obeyed The Church as a simple proponent only tells us that such doctrines books and rites were antiently delivered as divine and attested by divine miracles believed most assuredly to be such by all Christians And in respect of this way of proposing even her enemies may joyn with her to confirm this Tradition proofes thereof we find in Jewish and Heathen Authors The Jewes all confesse that the Religion by Christ and his Apostles preached in the world was at least pretended to be of divine authority That strange wonders pretended likewise to be wrought by a divine omnipotence gave testimony hereto But yet neither Jews nor Heathens assent to what Christians infer from hence namely that these were indeed divine miracles and by consequence the Doctrine confirmed by them divine also 2. This being so the Church before she can interpose and make use of her authority to oblige any to submit to the particular doctrines and practises by her proposed and by her likewise where need is explained and interpreted must give a firm unquestionable assurance of these two things 1. That the Religion in grosse which Tradition on all hands agrees to have been delivered is divine and hath been more then sufficiently proved to be so 2. That one of the speciall doctrines of this Religion is her authority so far extended I say this assurance must be firm and unquestionable in both these points for if it be only probable though in never so high a degree I was not able to comprehend how that which is built upon such a ground could be absolutely firm and unquestionable 3. To demonstrate therefore the former point viz. concerning our assurance of the divine originall of Christian Religion I suppose this for a ground That from sufficient principles reason can conclude certainly and necessarily which not being to be denyed by rrason I adde that the principles to be laid by reason as a ground of this our assurance are 1. The consideration of what a nature those miracles were which that they have been wrought we have from Traditâ—on not only assurance but the highest degree of assurance that Tradition can almost afford 2 Of what a nature Christian Religion delivered by an equally assured Tradition is for the confirmation whereof such miracles were wrought These two principles as they give mutual vertue each to other and both of them together do necessarily conclude all that we desire to demonstrate so they ought not easily be disjoyned For first some of the same effects which in Christianity we call true miracles no doubt have been wrought in places where a false Religion hath been professed And on the other side every Religion wherein there is no impiety is not necessary to be esteemed of divine originall But when can it be demonstrated that true miracles have been wrought for the asserting of a Religion and that that Religion teacheth supernaturall doctrines of holynesse piety justice c. then nothing can in reason be objected against it 4. In the present case therefore 1. Concerning Miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles c. to the end that I may only point at these things since it is not my present purpose to speake of this argument but only as a preparation to my information concerning the churches authority and Resolution of Faith we may consider as in this number of miracles 1. Propeecies in the Old Testament brought to us by most assured Tradition wherein we find expressely foretold that the Messiah should come before the Scepter was departed from Judah that is before the particular Commonwealth of the Jews was destroyed that he should teach a new Covenant to be written not in Tables of Stone but in the hearts of Gods people that he should confirm this Covenant by the same Miracles which our Saviour actually wrought that the Gentiles after the death and glorification of the Messiah should be received into this Covenant and the Jews for their infidelity rejected c. 2. Stupendious miracles apparently wrought by Christ and his Apostles to which because they were but a few persons end therefore lest the narrownesse of the scene should prejudice their authority we may ad a continuance of the like miracles performed by the successors of the Apostles in all the parts of the Roman Empire and by a world of persons learned and unlearned men and women c. None of which could have been performed by any inferiour naturall agent known of us and therefore either by God himself immediately or by good supernaturall spirits at least 5. In the second place for the doctrines and precepts of Christianity the former are indeed many of them above the reach of naturall reason but not directly against it conducing very much to the glory of the divine incomprehensible Majesty and the latter directing mankind in the most perfect manner imagineable to glorifie God to renounce deâ—ie and contemn wicked Spirits teaching men to performe all duties of justice and charity to all manner of persons respectively to preserve peace and tranquility in the world and lastly to perfectionate every single person in sobriety chastity c. after a manner more then humane so that if man be capable of being elevated to a â—elicity beyond nature this is the onely Religion worthy to bring him to it 6. From these principles reason may conclude most assuredly 1. That such miracles were certainly wrought many of them immediately by an omnipotent power and the rest at least by good Angells as Gods Ministers since it is impossible that wicked Spirits should be willing to strain themselves so far on purpose to
so absolute and sublime a nature as that of the Apostles was though it be sufficient to require obedience from every man as likewise consequently that they are not in all degrees so powerfully assisted in their determinations as the Apostles were so that some difference is to be made between Canons of Councells â—â— Apostolike writings as hath been shewed before out of S. Augustine Beltarmine and other Authors 7. That some difference may likewise be made between the present and primitive Churches For they having received Christian doctrines more immediately and purely and besides the true sense of particular passages of Scripture which are difficult which is now in a great measure utterly lost they were able to speak more fully of many particular not necessary points in Christian Religion then the present church now can though perhaps the advantage of tongues and sciences the benefit of so many writings both ancient and modern long study and meditation c. may in some sort recompense those disadvantages of the present church 3 yet however these are but acquired and humane perfections whereas the former were Apostolique Tradition 8. That even of points of doctrine decided by Councells a difference may be made between such as are of universall Tradition and others for those former being capable to be made evidently certain as I proved before such decisions are to be the objects of our Christian Faith and no more to be rejected then any other divine revelations But other points of doctrine there are sometimes decided in Councells rather by the judgement and learning of the Bishops considering Texts of Scripture wherein such points seem to be included And weighing together the doctrines of antient Fathers and modern Doctors an example whereof I gave before in the Councell of Vienna touching inherent grace infused into Infants in Baptism and in the Councell of Bazil concerning the immaculate conception of our B. Lady NOw such decisions many Catholiques conceive are not in so eminent a manner the necessary objects of Christian Faith because not delivered as of universall Tradition But however an extreme temerity it would be in any particular man to make any doubt of the truth of them and unpardonable disobedience to reject them I mean the conclusions themselves though if the Texts of Scripture be set down from whence such conclusions are deduced or the said authorities produced it may perhaps not be so great a fault to enquire and dispute whether from such a Text or such authorities such a conclusion will necessarily follow 9. If in such decisions as these later are there should happen to be any errour which yet we may piously believe the assistance of Gods holy Spirit promised to the Church will prevent but if this should happen since it must necessarily be in a point not pertinent to the substance of Christian Religion for all substanciall points are univâ—rsall Tradition as we shewed before it were far better such an error should passe till as S. Augustine saith some later Councell amended it then that unity should be dissolved for an unnecessary truth since as Irenaeus saith There is no reformation so important to the Church as Schism upon any pretence whatsoever is pernicious 5. Upon such grounds as these I supposed it was that our learned Stapleton stated this question of the churches authority or as he calls it infallibility with so much latitude and condescendence And him I have quoted not with any intention to prefeâ— him with the disparagement of any other but to shew that thereby I perceived my self not to have sufficiently considered the necessary doctrine of the Roman Church in this so fundamentall a point of faith and likewise how when I heard the Church speaking in her own language and moderately interpreted by Catholique Doctors I found what she said so just so reasonable so impossible to be contradicted by any thing but passion or interest or pride or hatred of unity that there was no resisting the attraits of it Then at last I found what I had all my life time in vain sought after namely a firm foundation whereon I might safely and without any scruple rely and more glad then of all worldly treasures to see my soul taken out of mine own hands and placed under the conduct of her whom Christ had appointed to be my guide and conductresse to whom he had made so many rich promises and with whom it is his pleasure to dwel then I took up a Psalm of Thanksgiving and said Laetatus sum in his quae dicta sunt mihi in domum Domini ibimus Stantes erant pedes nostri in atriis tuis Jerusalem Jerusalem quae aedificatur ut civitas cujus participatio ejus in id ipsum Illuc enim ascenderunt tribus tribus Domini c. Psal. 121. CHAP. XXXIV Unsatisfactory grounds of the English Church concerning the Ecclesiasticall authority Calvinists Doctrine concerning the Spirit 's being judge of controversies c. answered 1. BEing thus satisfied of the firm grounds of the Churches authority the only bullwark against all Heresie and Schisme a sure preserver of unity without which no Commonwealth no society of men can possibly subsist much lesse of churches in a word so necessary so consonant to reason that even all sorts of sects and congregations whilst they deny it to the Catholique Church usurp it to their own conventicles to which yet they have not assurance enough to apply our Saviours promises in contradiction to other Seets with whom they will not communicate yea even those who make a liberty of prophecying a differencing mark of their Sect yet will not allow their own partizans this liberty of prophecying unlesse they prophecy by their rule and against their enemies In the next place I took into consideration the unspeakably happy effects of this authority which immediately represented themselves to my mind 2. I will notwithstanding a while defer an account of those effects till I have briefly set down and examined the grounds which Protestants lay for interpreting Scripture and judging controversies in Religion in opposition to this authority of the Church and her Generall Councells as likewise their principall objections against the said authority For then comparing both these doctrines together and the consequences together it will be more easie and commodious to decide whether of them is the more advantagious and whether or no I have made a prudent choice in forsaking a Church where all unity was impossible but only such an outward unity as worldly hopes and fears can produce and in betaking my selfe to a church where Schisme is impossible 3. All Protestants and other Sects agree in this against the Catholique Church for Schismaeest unitâ—s ipsis as Tertullian de Prascripâ— c. 42. saith Their unity is an agreement in Schisme that the Scripture is the only sufficient Rule of Faith and that there is no visible Judge of the sense of it But yet to the end that Gods church may not become a very
the true way to eternall happinesse These are the directions which he professeth that he would give to any man desirous to save his soule and requiring whose instructions to rely upon for that purpose and this in opposition to a Catholique that would advise such a man to have recourse to the Catholique Church c. 3. Now for a more orderly examining of Mr. Chillingworth's direction for finding out the true sense of Scripture and judging controversies I will yet more distinctly set down his grounds in severall propositions collected out of his book in such a method as may shew the respect and dependence of the one on the other together with the chief reasons which he alledges for the proof of them and afterward I will subjoyn thereto the reasons which moved me to judge such grounds of his insufficient and his reasons unconcluding and in conclusion I will declare how I satisfied mine own reason that all the severall objections which he makes against the Churches authority under the notion of infallibility have not that force that both he and I my self once imagined 4. The abridgement of Mr. Chillingworth's whole discourse I conceived might be reduced to these Propositions following viz 1. That Christian Religion having been planted so many ages since the only ordinary way that we can arrive to the knowledge of it is Tradition and the only assured way universall Tradition of all ages and Churches which is of it selfe credible and admits not of any proof 2. That for himself he could find nothing delivered by such an universall Tradition as of divine authority but only books of Scripture for if he had he would have imbraced it with equal submission since the being written makes not any thing more credible 3. That the Scripture is a most sufficient and the only rule of Faith most sufficient because it self sayes so the only rule because nothing else can be proved to be of universall Tradition 4. That by consequence the Scripture contains in it all things necessary to be believed and practised by all sorts of persons and this so plainly and expressely that no reasonable man can doubt of the sense thereof much â—esse be mistaken for otherwise God would not have provided sufficiently for the salvation of mankind 5. That concerning those passages of Scripture wherein are contained doctrines of Christianity but not so plainly men are not obliged necessarily to understand or believe them since it cannot consist with the goodnesse of God that men should be bound to have an expresse knowledge or belief of that which God himself ha's purposely delivered obscurely 6. That since no proof can be made either out of Scripture or universall Tradition that there is any authoritative visible Judge of the sense of the Scripture and since each mans understanding or reason is the only faculty capable of judging that therefore it only is to judge of the sense of the Scripture as far as concerns each mans particular 7. That fince every mans reason may possibly be deceived especially proceeding upon objects not immediately offered to sense therefore an infallible faith is not required such a probability will serve tqe turn as is sufficient to produce in a man obedience to the precepts of holinesse commanded in the Gospell 8. That since all Christians cannot but agree in necessary doctrines which are expresse they ought not to deny communion to one another for other doctrines not expressely contained in Scripture And that this is the only affectuall means of reducingâ— and preserving unity among Christians 5. These are in brief the grounds of Christian Faith and of the means afforded us to attain to the true sense of as much of it as is necessary and likewise to beget charity and unity among Christians as they lye dispersed up and down in Mr. Chillingworths book and which I have set down faithfully and ingenuously in the most rationall method that I could devise I will now with as convenient dispatch as I can adjoyn likewise in the same order respectively the reasons why I could not content my self with them but was forced to relinquish them to abase mine owne reason and to have recourse to a foundation as I thought more firme and rationall and I am confident farre more safe viz. the Catholique Church CHAP. XXXVI An answer to the three first grounds of Mr. Chillingworth 1. TO the first ground therefore viz. That there is no other way to be assured of a Religion established many ages since but universall Tradition I grant it But whereas it is added A Tradition of all ages If the meaning be that it is required to such an assurance that a man should have precisely from every age a sufficient testimony of this universal Tradition this is uâ—terly impossible any other way then as including the testimony of former ages in that of the present for though there may be preserved a few writings in every age all which may contur in this testimony and so make it indeed very probable yet the testimony of three or four Writers is not equivalent to the testimony of the age Add to this that such a way of proof though it may give good satisfaction to learned persons and is practised more by Catholiques then any other who yet rest upon the present Church for the certainty of Tradition yet it is very laborious and uncertain and whereof very few persons are capable and therfore not to be made a ground for all men to build all Religion upon The testimony therefore of all former ages is alwaies most safely included as to particular men in the testimony of the present age if that be universall for place and grounded upon Tradition as I shewed before and made the proofe of the assurance of it to be because it was impossible it should be false unless some one whole age should conspire to deliver a thing as of Tradition which was not so and not only conspire but should actually deceive their children no man discovering the imposture a thing beyond all imagination of possibility I will therefore add no more here but only the confession of a learned Protestant in his own words viz. When a Doctrine is in any age constantly delivered as a matter of Faith and as received from â—â— ancestors in such sort as the contradictors thereof were in the beginning noted for novelty and if they persisted in contradiction in the end charged with heresie it is impossible but such a doctrine should come by succession from the Apostles 2. To the second where he sayes That he could find nothing as of divine authority delivered by universall Tradition of all ages but only books of Scripture I answer that any one that will search with a willingnesse to find shall doubtlesse have better fortune then Mr. Chillingworth For I desire any one to consider with himself â—â— Whether the Apostles did not in all churches established by them settle the whole doctrine and form of Christian Discipline
is manifest that they renounce not the communion of Calvinists c. who deny that there was any true church in the world when Luther began his sacrilegious Apostacy and so involve themselves in the same uncharitablenesse Some there are that say saith S. Augustine Ep. 48. we thought it â—â—de no matter where i. e. in what Communion we preserved the Faith of Christ But thanks be given to the Lord who hath gathered us from separation and hath manifested that this is a thing pleasing to God who is One to be served in Unity Besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est c. saith Epiphanius Diaconus It is a meer frenzy an obstruction of reason to blame or impute errour to all Churches 5. If they say we left only the abuses practised in the Catholique church which no man can justly blame another for reforming What is this still to an absolute forsaking of the externall communion Tell me saith S. Augustine coat Gaud l. 1. c. 7. whether the church at that time when you say she entertained those who were guilty of all crimes by the contagion of those sinfull persons perished or perished not Answer whether did the church perish or not Make choice of what you think good If she then perished what church brought forth Donatus But if she could not perish because so many were incorporated into her without Baptisme he meanes a second Donâ—tisticall Baptisme answer me I pray you What madnesse did move the Sect of Donatus to separate themselves from her upon the pretence of avoiding the Communion of bad men 6. Therefore Protestants do in vaine please themselves with this word of Reformation and with telling the world that many even good Catholiques both in antient and later times have earnestly called for a Reformation For no man denies but that there ha's been great need of it and is to this day viz. in respect of doctrines and practises of particulars and those too too many But can any one Catholique in any age be produced that called for a change of any one point of doctrine established in the church or a reformation of any practise authoritatively setled there as unlawfull not one such as yet hath been produced and I am confident not one can and much lesse any one that upon such pretences hath either counselled or execuâ—ed a division in the church To what purpose then a separation from the externall communion of the whole church upon this ground of reforming particular abuses which may lawfully and without any blame be done by an inward Schisme or mentall separation from errours and superstitions 7. Therefore when Protestants beast so much of their purifications and reformations Catholiques may desire S. Augustine cont Gaud. l. 1. to tell them for them You have indeed great matters which you may flourish among your righteousnesses and reformations namely â— division of Christ an annulling of the Sacraments of Christ a forsaking of the peace of Christ warre against the members of Christ calumnious accusations against the Spouse of Christ and a denying of the promises of Christ. The same Father de unit Eccles. likewise will tell them that if they would have thought good to follow our Saviours example they would not upon such pretences have forsaken the externall communion of the church For sayes he when he was to be circumcised was John sought after for that thing was used to be performed by the Jewes And when a legall sacrifice was to be offered for him was there any scruple made of that Temple which was by himself called a den of thieves For the Lord which said Be ye holy because I am holy doth make his servants to converse among wicked men so unspottedly if they preserve that holinesse which they receive as the Lord Jesus himself was not defiled with the least contagion of wickedness during the time that he lived among the Jewish Nation neither when be being made under the law underwent those first Sacraments according to that most perfect way of humility neither afterward when having chosen his Disciples he lived in the company of his own Traytor even till the last parting kiss For by his example not only those who do no wicked things but those likewise who consent not to any wickednesse are wheat securely remaining among chaffe because they neither do such things nor consent with them that do them although being themselves good they patiently suffer the wicked continning in the same field untill the harvest in the same floore untill the winnowing within the same nets untill the separation which shall be made upon the shore i. e. at the end of the world 8. And this doctrine the same Father presseth so constantly so zealously that he professeth that any separation that is made in the Church upon what pretence soever before the day of judgment is a sacriledge inexcuseable Let them therefore study what excuses they please and conjure up as many objections as they think good truth it self speaking by S. Augustines mouth Ep. 48. will or ought to silence them for ever Certi sumus neminem se à communione omnium Gentium justè separare potuisse i. e. We are assured that no man can justly separate himself from the communion of all Nations And again saith the same Oracle Cont. ep Parm. l. 2. Praecedendae unitatis nulla est necessitas i. e. There is no necessity to cut Unity asunder And again l. 2. cont Gaud. Aute tempus littoris damnabiliter separant i. e. Before the time come that the net is to be drawn ashore the separations which men make are damnable 9. Which speeches of S. Augustine will be true till the end of the world being built upon the promises of Christ that his church should continue for ever in all truth secure against the gates of hell and upon the command of Christ that no separation should be made of the tares from the wheat til the last day of harvest in which Exibunt Angeli separabunt i. e. Angels not men shall go forth and separate By occasion of which text the same Father annexes these powerfull words speaking to the Donatists con ep Par. l. 2. Let them chuse saith he whether of the two they will rather believe Jesus Christ that is Truth it self saith The field is the world and Donatus saith that Gods field is Africa alone Let them chuse whether of these two they had rather believe Jesus Christ that is Truth it selfe saith In the time of harvest I will say to the reapers gather first the tares and interprets it saying the harvest is the end of the world And Donatus saith that by the separation of his party the tares are separated from the wheat before the harvest Jesus Christ that is Truth it self saith the reapers are the Angells and Donatus saith that himself and his associates have done that before the harvest which Jesus Christ saith that the Angells are to do at the harvest
Let them chuse whether of these two they had rather believe They call themselves Christians we propose to them Jesus Christ and Donatus Let them consider what will become of them if they bestow only words upon Jesus Christ and their bearts upon Donatus So that this conclusion of his is unalterably tâ—ue not for his times only but til Christs second coming viz. That all separation which is made before the drawing the net on shore or before harvest i. e. the end of the world is a eamnable separation Being Sacrilegium Shismatis quod omnia scelera supergreditur i. e. being the sacriledge of Schisme which surpasses all other crimes Aug. con Ep. Parm l 2. 10. Therefore to shew the extreme in justice of English Protestants against the Catholique Church and the just judgement of God upon 〈◊〉 for it we may desire them to consider that in their owne congregations they are constrained to connive at both errours in doctrine and abuses in practise to support a Schismaticall Unity which they would not suffer for Catholique Unity So S. Augustine speakes to the Donatists lib. 2. Why do they saith he perniciously suffer such kind of men in the crime of a Sacrilegious Schisme which they might and ought to have tolerated profitably in the integrity of Catholique Unity Again let them consider with what justice they can condemne the other Sects Presbyterians and Separatists if they seek the same destructive way of reforming them which themselves practised upon the Catholiques For the Presbyterians will alledge Scripture as well as they they will pretend errours and superstitions as well as they And the Separatists beyond this will alledge for themselves that which it will be impossible for them to reply reasonably to for they will say Since you your selves have taken away all obliging humane authority in points of Religion give us leave to enjoy that liberty for our own consciences which you have purchased us we desire not to tyrannize over other men only we would not suffer that you should pretend by a shew of liberty to introduce tyranny If Protestants shall oppose secular power or multitude to such allegations that will be to confesse that their reformation was a meere worldly design If they shall say that it is not fit that a smal conventicle of Sectaries should prevail against a Nationall Synod of the English Clergy then they must not take it ill to have those efficacious words of S. Augustine applyed unto them Is the just weighing of matters come to this passe that a Councell of the Maximianenses who are an under-segment of your Sect shall have no force or consideration against you because in comparison of your numbers they are but a very few and shall a Councell of your own prevaile against Nations against the heritage of Christ and the ends of the earth his possession I wonder if that man have any bloud left in his body that should not blush at the mentioning of such a thing as this Aug. Ep. 154. ad Emer Don. 11. I will conclude this conclusion with a brief consideration of an accusation which Protestants lay against Catholiques whom they charge with extreme uncharitablenesse for affirming that Protestants dying in their Religion without repentance cannot be saved Hereto it is answered that Catholiques do not pretend to judge of the salvation or damnation of Protestants in particular yea they will not doubt to say that to many thousands of them neither their Heresie nor Schisme shall prove de facto damnable but that supposing they dye with an intention to renounce whatsoever their opinions should appear to them to have been erroneous their invincible ignorance caused by education misinformation of Catholique doctrines c. may probably find pardon from our mercifull Judge in case they be truly penitent for all other faults committed by them upon supposition that any such have been committed But surely it is no uncharitable judgement to say in generall That it is damnable to dye in a damnable or mortall sinne without repentance And therefore since even by Protestants confession Heresie and Schisme are in a high degree damnable sins and since Catholiques are verily perswaded that Protestants are guilty of these two crimes it may be called in them a mistake but it cannot be called uncharitablenesse in Catholiques upon such a supposition to make such a judgement Yea on the contrary I wonder how the English Protestants c. who pretend that Catholiques are guilty of these two crimes can notwithstanding contrary to the doctrine of all Antiquity affirm that such persons are not in a damable estate surely it is self-guilt and not charity that makes them so charitable CHAP. LI. The fourth Conclusion Proofes of it out of Fathers THE FOURTH CONCLUSION is That the Catholique Church ever after the times of the Apostles was is and shall be visible continuing in an uninterrupted succession of lawfull Pastors and true doctrine to the end of the world 1. FOr confirmation of this conclusion out of Scripture Texts sufficient both for number and perspicuity have already been produced both out of the Old and New Testament in the second conclusion 2. The same doctrine is no lesse conspicuous in the writings of the Fathers It is easier saith S. Chrysostome Hom. 4. in Esa. that the Sun should be extinguished then that the Church should be obscured And again The Sun is not more manifest nor the light proceeding from it theu the actions of the Church The Church saith S. Cyprian de Unit. Eccl. being cloathed with the light of our Lord spreads its beames through the whole world The Church saith S. Augustine hath this most certain mark that she cannot be hidden And again Do not these men grope at noone day as if it were midnight It is a quality common to all Heretiques not to see the thing of all things in the world most clear viz. the church which is placed in the light of all Nations out of the unity whereof whatsoever they do though it may seem to be done with great exactnesse and diligence yet can no more secure them from the wrath of God then the spiders webs from the rigour of the cold Hereupon the same Saint de unit Eccl. calls Christ the most true declarer of his body insomuch as be suffers us not to be mistaken neither in the Bridegroom nor in his Spouse Upon which grounds he makes severall exclamations to this purpose Id. cont cres l. 3. O the mad perversenesse of men Thou conceivest that thou deservest to be praised for believing Christ whom thou seest not and believest thou shalt not be damned for denying his Church which thou seest Since that Head is in heaven and this body is upon earth Thou acknowledgest Jesus Christ and that which is written of him O God be thou exalted above the heavens and doest not acknowledge the church in that which follows and let your glory be spread through all the earth The like expressions he
present age that so the former ages delivered to her What shall we say then when to the evident testimony of the present age for Catholike verities may be added a world of testimonies both of Scripture and antient writers beyond all comparison far more then for her enemies contradictory assertions even those enemies themselves being judges as will appeare undeniably to any man that will consult that one book of Brercley's Apology of Protestants for the Catholique church CHAP. II. Of the Reall Presence and Transubstantiation Of the Adoration of Christ in the Sacrament and of Communion under one Species 1. THe six speciall controversies which I shall briefly consider shall be 1. Concerning the Eucharist and therein of the Reall Presence of Christs body by way of Transubstantiation as likewise Of the Adoration of our Lord present in the Sacrament and communion under one Species 2. Of Invocation of Saints 3. Of Veneration of Images 4. Of Prayer for the Dead and Purgatory 5. Of Indulgences 6. Of the Publike Service in Latin The reason why I make choice of these is both because these are the especiall controversies wherein there is a reall and manifest difference between Catholiques and Protestants who make these points the principall causes of their separation For as concerning the debates about Grace and Free-will Predestination and Justification as likewise the merits of good works though ignorant-popular-preaching Protestants make a great clamour about them yet I was most assured that there was indeed a reall agreement when they came to explaine themselves sensibly about them As for the controversie concerning the Pope I have spoken sufficiently in the 52. chapter at the latter end of the fourth conclusion 2. First therefore concerning the Reall presence of Christs body in the Eucharist and that by way of Transubstantiation In discoursing upon which because my designe is not to write the controversie in generall but only in reference to the doctrine which following the church of England I was taught there it will be sufficient for me to signifie that by that church I was taught that in the blessed Sacrament the body and bloud of our Lord were really present exhibited and received by the Communicants really I say not onely as the objects of Faith or not onely as really exhibiting the effects of Christs suffering but as truly and properly as the Roman church professeth onely I was forbidden to say that there was any reall change made in the bread and Wine which remained after Consecration as they were before In a word I was taught to say what neither I nor any other was able to expresse save onely that the Romish doctrine was false which taught that that presence was made by a presence of Christs body under the Species which only remained of the visible elements 3. Now when I say that I was taught to expresse my belief thus by the church of England my intention is not that that church obligeth every one to believe thus For the truth is so a man will but renounce the two words of Transubstantion and Consubstantiation he may preserving the terme really interpret himself as if really signified only figuratively or as the object of the understanding as we see a world of writers allowed there to have expressed themselves Yea in the 28. and 29. Articles of that Church there are certain clauses which require only a figurative sense to be understood as when it is said The body of Christ is given taken and eaten in the supper only after an heavenly and spirituall manner and the mean whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten in the supper is Faith And again The wicked c. are in no wise partakers of Christ but rather to their condemnation do eat and drink the sign or Sacrament of so great a thing Which clauses being allowed those Articles do admit yea require not only the Calvinistical but even the Zuinglian sense concerning that point Yet notwithstanding this whether the Calvinisticall party there had with their usuall importunity extorted the inserting of those clauses into the Articles I know not yet those that followed the Prelaticall Governing Faction never considered those expressions but without any Calvinisticall hypscrisie professed that they believed the Reall Presence as truly and really and properly as the Catholiques did And so King James commanded Monsieur Casaubon to signifie his sense to Cardinall Perron in the words of Doctor Andrews then Bishop of Ely 4. Now what other reason can be imagined should move the most learned and prudent part of the English Clergy to expresse themselves so neer the Catholique sense but only a conviction that besides the formall words of Scripture the Ecclesiasticall Tradition and generall doctrine of the Fathers enforced such a sense But by what mystery it came to passe that they should dispense with themselves for following Tradition no further but that under a pretence that the Sacrament was a mystery inexplicable they should forsake the same Tradition and Fathers who generally professe that that presence is made by a reall transmutation of the visible elements into the very Body and Blood of Christ this I confesse I could never comprehend 5. Now that such was the Traditionary doctrine of the Catholique church besides the testimony of the present age which will be of infinite weight to any one that duly considers it and to omit a world of quotations out of Councells and Fathers wherein expressions to prove the same are as full yea perhaps more rigid then the Decision of the Councell of Trent it selfe I became convinced from these considerations viz. 1. Because in all the antient Liturgies that ever I saw there are expresse mention of the verity and reality of this change and not any the least intimation of a figurative sense there are expresse prayers that God would by his omnipotent power cause the Bread and Wine to become the Body and Bloud of our Lord and not the least intimation that the way of communicating of these mysteries should be only by Faith or by the operation of the understanding 2. Because in the form of communicating both in the Easterne and Westerne churches which form or Canon S. Chrysostome S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Basile c. attribute to the Apostles themselves as authors there was required from the communicants a confession of their beliefe of the reality of this change or to expresse it in S. Ambrose his language de Sacr. l. 4. c. 3. The Priest viz. presenting to thee that which before consecration was bread saith unto thee This is the body of Christ and thou answerest Amen that is to say it is true That which the tongue confesseth let the heart believe 3. Because generally the Fathers when they speak of this argument have recourse to the omnipotence of the Word of Christ and to wonderfull operations exalted above all humane credibility as the cause of this change thereby leaving no doubt that they understood a
same Tradition was so constant in the antient Christian Church that Origen asks who doubts but that the Saints do aid us by their prayers Add hereto that the antient Liturgies of S. Basile c. have the same prayers to Saints in the same form as they are found in the Misfall and Breviaries at this day And that not any Father condemns the practise of it either as a novelty or supersticion which in all other cases upon all occasions they have done 13. To shew the innocence of the church far from deserving such behaviour from her children as she ha's found in this regard Consider first that all that the church decides in this point is that they may be pray'd to 2. That by the church no man is obliged or constrained to pray to them or to any but to God 3. That this is onely that they would intercede for us a thing which we sinners desire at the hands of other sinners greater perhaps then our selves 4. That excepting only the Litanies which are rather ejaculations and wishes then formed prayers and excepting some few Poeticall Hymnes to which a greater license hath alwayes beene allowed the Church both in the Missall and Breviary directs the prayers which she makes with reâ—pect to Saints immediately to God himself desiring him to hearken to the intercession which his Saints make for us and by their ministery to aid us And therefore whereas Protestants make their chief difficulty in this matter to be their uncertainty whether our prayers can arrive to the Saints hearing though it may be resolved out of expresse Scripture even out of those words There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repeurs â—ot certainly when the prayers are directed immediately to God as the church does no man will doubt but they may arrive thither I cannot chuse but on this occasion to publish the ingenuity of the Socinians once more who deal with Religion as they would do with an Astronomicall Hypothesis framing and changeing heaven and earth according to their phaenonema And therefore they to take away the trouble of examining either Scripture of Fathers dissolve the whole controversie with framing a new point of Philosophy viz. that separated souls have no apprehension nor parception at all but are indeed as sencelesse as the bodies contrary to millions of stories which are surely not every one false contrary to expresse Scripture This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and S. Pauls judgement Whether it was in the body or out of the body that I was wrap'd into Paradice I cannot tell God knows by which words though he knew not which of these two wayes it was yet he gives to understand that he might have been rap'd in Spirit without the body Of Veneration of Images 3. Concerning Images we may consider 1. That they had them in the antient church Tertullian puts it out of all doubt who makes mention of the lâ—st sheep generally graven upon the Chalices And S. Ambrose saith That a person appeared to him which seemed like to S. Paul the features of whose countenance I had learned sayes he from his picture The profession and practise of S. Paulinus is so clear in this behalfe and so confessed by Protestants that it is lost labour to quote him 2. No man can deny but that the sight of holy stories in picture do both more easily represent to weak capacities and put even the best men in mind of good things then the reading them in a book 3. The Councell of Trent Sess. 25. expressely professeth that the ground of Catholiques Veneration of them is not that it is believed that there is any divinity or vertue in them for which they ought to be venerated So that all occasion of superstition is evidently cut off 4. That things which have any regard to Religion are to be respected and treated with reverence this nature teaches and the Calvinists acknowledge as I took notice before out of Monsieur Daillé 5. That by reason we have not words enough to expresse all our conceptions nor variety enough of outward actions and postures to expresse our inward intentions and notions hence all the trouble and contradiction among Christians in this point hath proceeded And therefore as the antient Jewes applied the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the posture thereby represented viz. prostration both to the supreme degree of adoration due only to God and to the reverence of honorable persons So likewise the second Councell of Nice for want of words applying the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which imports the same to images therefore it was that till the misunderstanding was cleared the Westerne Church in the Councell of Francford rejected their decision But those who love Schisme will needs most unjustly reassume a voluntary misapprehension of the churches intention in this point which clearly distinguishes and makes an infinite distance betweene the respect which they give to Images and that which they render to God and gives little more to Images then Protestants themselves confesse to be due to all holy things pertaining to Religion The Jewes at this day the greatest enemies certainly of Idolatry that ever were yet will not unfold the volume of their law til after many humble declinations of their bodies and kissings of their hands neither will any sober Christian enter into a church though he do not pray without uncovering his head to shew that he makes a difference between that place and an ordinary prophane house The ground of the lawfulnesse and fitnesse of these outward expressions is this because since we cannot chuse but in our minds and thoughts make a a difference betweene holy and prophane objects it is as fitting to expresse that difference by outward shews So that if Catholiques be to be suspected of superstition and idolatry in this behalf certainly the Calvinists are much more guilty for exhibiting an outward reverence to the Bread and Wine in their Cene seeing they will not allow a distinction between the severall respects which Catholiques acknowledge 6. That the church obligeth no man hîc nunc to exhibit any veneration to Images c. Only they must not condemne it in those that allow and practise it Of Prayers and Offerings for the Dead and Purgatory 4. The denyall of this made Arrius a Heretique and besides him I do not find since Christianity begun til the last age any one single person that denyed or questioned it never was there found any Liturgy without it nothing so frequent in Fathers and Ecclesiasticall histories as the recommendation of it In a word I am confident there is not one doctrine or practise of Christianity delivered with so full unquestionable a Tradition So that a man may as wel make an Apology for being a Christian or believing the Gospells to be the word of God as for this The truth is the more sober and learned sort of English Protestants do confesse the immemorial antiquity of iâ—
any qualities fit to invite me to joyn with them neither could I induce my self to overlook or pardon a world of defects and deformities which I could not but observe in each of them In these circumstances being obliged by many occasions and businesses to frequent the conversation of the foresaid worthy friend then my neighbour and not being able to conceal the agitation of my thoughts he before-hand knowing that whether the Church of England failed or no I stood in absolute need of a Church for my Soul now perceiving that I was in quest after a treasure in places where it was not to be found he gave me a prospect of the Catholike Church by quite different lighâ—s then I had ever before viewed her For in his discourses as likewise in the forementioned book of â—â—ed upon her in her pure simpâ—â—â—â— had been no kind of multiplicity of pâ—â—â— among her children 〈…〉 as â—â— conspiring in the belief 〈…〉 profession of hâ—â—â—â— Doctrines 〈…〉 those Doctrines 〈…〉 to cut off 〈…〉 produced such Authors 〈…〉 among Catholiques as with the greatest freedom from partiality on imeâ—â—sts did interpret those Doctrines and which imposed no greater burthens nor streitned the paths in which she would have her children to walk more then she intended and declared 7. By this means I found that all the furniture with which I had for so many years provided my self to combat against Catholikes or to defend my self from them was taken out of my hands I perceived that in the depth and center of my spirit I was really though unknown to my self a very Catholike before I was a Catholique For all the necessary declared doctrines of Catholike Religion as they are expressed in the language of the Church I found I had never rejected and as for those points which I could not digest and for vvhich I had been averted from the Church I found that they were particular dogme's either of some popular controvertists or Schoolmen or affixed to certain Orders and as freely renounced from the notion of necessary Catholike Doctrines by other unsuspected Catholikes as they had been by my self 8. Hereupon that inward satisfaction of mind which attended this discovery love of unity and a complacence in the security of an established state of mind made me hasten to professe my self our Lords and his Churches Captive I was quickly weary of that former licentious freedome which I enjoyed to believe what I would so I would not publikely contradict what the Lawes and interests of particular Sâ—â—es and Sects among Protestants thought good to order whereby it came to passe that into whatsoever Church amongst them I should â—â—â—pen to change my residence I was as much obliged if not more supposing that I would enjoy the priviledges of that Congregation to change the outward profession of my Creed as my habits or fashion of life Having an immortall soule I was glad to find an immortall faith to enrich it with a Faith not fashioned according to the humor and garb of Nations Cities and Villages a Faith the very same in variety of States well or ill ordered of Monarchies or Aristocracies or popular governments a Faith upon which neither the passions interests or Tyrannies of Princes Governers nor the various mutations of ages had any influence It was alone unchangeable when nothing besides it was exempted from change 9. Charity to my selfe obliged me to imbrace this Faith and charity to others made me being required not unwilling to communicate oâ— others the treasure I had found and to discover the wayes how I came to find it And this I have done God knowes imperfectly enough in this Treatise yet in some sense perfectly because sincerely In which there is nothing of Doctrine which I acknowledge to be mine but what thou dear Catholique Reader wilt challenge to be thine by as good a right it being the Common Faith of all Catholique Christians Whatsoever there is that seems Doctrinall besides this excepting it may be some expressions not warily enough couthed belongs to particular Catholique Authors mentioned by me not with intention to shew my self a Proselyte of their opinions but only to declare the convenience that I reaped by them in that I found I was not obliged to retard my assent to Catholique Doctrine contained in essentiall Truths since by their means I found a world of particular disputes cut off and though I was not I found that I might without danger have been of their Opinions CHAP. II. Grounds upon which certain passages in this book have been misunderstood by some Catholiques and those mistakings cleared 1. WHen I was employed about the first publishing of this Book the hast of the Printer and my thoughts then busie about a matter of much greater importance to me then the printing or publishing of books viz. about solliciting an admission and unchangeable abode among the French Carthusians made me that I could not allow my self the leasure to examine what I had written nor to qualifie some phrases which I did almost suspect might as it hath proved be obnoxious to misconstruction I forgot likewise to quote the Authors names whose particular interpretations and opinions had been so beneficiall to me though I had no Obligation nor intention to assent to them However this neglect of naming them derived upon my selfe the censures of those that having been taught otherwise judged every thing to be Heterodox and unsound that was not favoured by their particular Masters or that was delivered in such Phrases and expressions as their ears had not been acquainted with Whereas if the Authors had appearedâ— either their authority would have justified what they taught or at least I should not have been accountable for it 2. Had it not been for these â—s the case then stood with me not inexcuseable omissions I had doubtlesse avoided some â—igorous imputations and censures which as I have been informed certain questionlesse well meaning Catholiques have given of this inconsiderable Book 3. God forbid I should condemn the Authors of such censures since I am confident the ground of them was not any passion against me a stranger to them and only known by the happinesse befallen me of being a Catholique but a zeale to the Purity of Catholique truth The Method of the book and the manner of stating controversies in it was indeed somwhat new in England and therefore no wonder if some were startled at it Besides if I had had the Providence or leasure to have softend some expressions and to have made it appear that that latitude in Disputes which in England will not passe so freely yet in France and other Catholique Countryes is very receiveable they would have seen that it was not my fault but my fortune only to displease them 4. In this Review of my Book I have endeavoured to give them all the satisfaction possible I have added the explanation of severall phrases which were before hard of Digestion I have quoted the severall
Authors whose larger Opinions I had occasionally made use of I have protested my disengagement from particular Dogmes Nay I have not refused to retract and cancell what I judged fit to be retracted and more I could not do with a good Conscience For the generall argument of the book being a story of what was pass'd it was not possible for me to alter any thing in the Narration for God himself cannot make that which ha's been not to have been Or if I should publish my self so palpable a lyar as because some passages do displease some persons therefore to say that such things were not such what good or convenience would proceed from a lye God is my witnesse in matters of this nature I despise credit Nay more I know not how but I find a gust in making a Retractation whensoever I can conceive it requisite For I count it no vertue to write plausibly or eloquently or learnedly But I esteem it a great vertue not to persist in an errour nor because I haue said a thing once therefore ever after to maintain it for a false or vain credits sake If I have not given sufficient proof of this in this second Edition of my book I do beg of every charitable Catholique Reader to suggest to me what they yet shall judge fit to be altered and to give me convincing reasons for it and I promise them a very cheerfull readinesse to content them and not great resistence against being convinced 5. Only this one thing I must professe to them that it is not a convincing argument to me to hear any say Other Controvertist's have inwrapped within their treatises many Thoologicall Doctrines beyond what Catholike Religion obliges them to as concerning the Popes Infallibility c. therefore you are obliged to follow their example For I must needs tell them that besides it is in it self unreasonable to spend time in disputing with Protestants upon Questions in which some Catholiques will be of their side I cannot but impute the unsuccessefulnesse in such disputes and the paucity of Converts to such a way of managing Controversies when Catholiques shew what a number of Doctrines they are able to maintain more then is necessary and more then concern Protestants to hear of So that it is to be feared the design of such Catholique writers is not so much to seek the Conversion of Protestants as to shew their zealous adhesion to the particular Doctrines of their Order or Party For mine own part truly I am no tyed to any peculiar Dogmes that holy Congregation to which by Gods providence I am inserted an unworthy Member does not exercise that violence over spirits subject to them as to force a belief of any unnecessary distinctive Doctrines upon them or a profession of doctrines which they do not believe or would not if they lived any where else Conscience and not faction or partiality is the director of our assent and it is from the Church only that we receive the Rule of that assent Now enjoying this liberty and having I thank God neither hopes nor fears from the world I will not captivate my own understanding to any but God and his Church nor my tongue or pen to any particular Schoolman or Controvertist Now my meaning is not hereby to imply that I condemn any of these Doctrines but onely that I desire leave being to deal with Protestants to be silent and take no notice of such questions wherein they are not concerned but are whil'st troubled with those disputes so much the longer detained from entring into Catholique Communion 6. Having made this profession of my resolution to offend none and yet withall of being subject to none but the Church to which only and not any Faction in the Church my desires and endeavours shall be to invite Protestants and to which if by Gods blessing they adjoyn themselves they shall be equally welcome to me to whatsoever party in it they shal range themselves If hereafter any Catholique will not content himself with that satisfaction which I have and will as far as reason and conscience will permit give him If he be unlearned I must desire him to dispense with me for taking Rules from him how to manage Controversies If he be learned and especially if himselfe be imployed in the Conversion of souls then I desire him to give me leave with all respect and humility to ask him is there any such priviledge given to any Rank of English Missioners as that souls may not be suffered to be converted unlesse it be upon the grounds of Suarez or Scotus or Becanus c. Is it lawfull in France to propose the churches doctrine pure and unmixed with privat opinions and is that unlawfull in England Is the Councell of Trent a suspected Rule without such or such a Doctours interpretation I have been informed that severall persons and I have known some that have reaped good by so despiseable a Treatise as this God whose power is made perfect in weaknesse giving his blessing to so imperfect but well meaning work Can any charitable Catholique envy this or be sorry that Protestants should be delivered by any from their errours and Schisme unlesse the instrument of their conversion devote himself to all your particular distinctive Tenets Truly for my part if since my being a Catholique I have entertained any particular Doctrines though they should be never so contradictory to yours yet since with all that difference we remain both of us firmly united in the beliefe and profession of all Doctrines truly Catholique I should willingly and cordially encourage any Protestant to believe you and condemn me upon condition that his esteem of you and prejudice against me might be an inducement to him the sooner to entertaine a good opinion and liking of Catholique Religion it self If in this Book there be mentioned any opinions in your opinion too large yet doubtlesse you cannot but know that they are publiquely and uncontroulably asserted by unquestioned Catholique Authors Or however the Quotations will now inform you so much and direct you to their particular Treatises And the principall of these Authors are Salmeron Bacon Molina c. learned Fathers of the Society as likewise Salmanticensis Monsieur Veron Estius c. Out of such Authors as these I do quote many passages and opinions accounted indeed generally of the largest allowance but yet not condemned by any On the contrary their books have been in the highest manner approved These opinions I quote not as mine own for I professe against espousing any in this Book but as doctrines and interpretations though not so generally embraced yet universally uncondemned Now shall these men passe untouched who asserted and published such opinions and must I be traduced as an unsound Catholique for transcribeing them and for only saying that they said so 7. Experience of what is past obliges me to prevent misconstructions for the future for which purpose this little that hath beene said