thine O Florinus to speake friendly are not true nor wholsome These opinions are repugnant to the Church c. I may truly protest that if the holy and Apostolicall Priest Policarpus had heard of such opinionâ— as thou defendest he would haue stopped his eares cryed out according to his fashion o good God vnto what miserable tymes hast thou reserued me tâ— heare these things and presently would haue runâ— forth of the place where he had byn standing or sâ—ting where such doctrine had byn vttered Buâ— now to reflect a little vpon the premises Cerinthus Marcion Florinus did all belieue in the Trinity the Incarnation of oâ—â— Sauiour and receaued the Apostles creed and erred only in lesser points For if the had erred in denying the Trinity Incarnation Passion c. they had not byn repute for Heretikes but rather for Iewes Pagans â—or Infidells as aboue is noted and yet we â—ee what sharp reprehensions were vsed agaynst them by S. Iohn and S. Policarpe his â—choller as to flie out of their company to acknowledge them to be the Children of the Diuell to â—toppe their owne eares for not hearing of their Erâ—ours c. all which speaches had byn ouer much aggrauated and transcended the bond of Charity if their Errours had rested only vpon matters of Indifferency and had byn â—ut such as had byn compatible with mans Saluation But to proceed to the sentences of other Fathers in this point S. Ierome expresly thus writeth (n) Lib. 3. Apolg. contr Ruffin For one word or two contrary to the â—ayth many haue byn cast out of the Church Yea â—e pronounceth and proceedeth further exâ—ressely thus wryting Haeretici quicuÌ„que Chriâ—tiani non sunt whosoeuer are Heretikes those men â—re not Christians Basill was wont to say as (o) Lib. 4. hist c. 17. Theodoret recordeth Those who are truly â—nstructed in the diuine doctrine will not suffer any â—llable of the diuine decrees to be corrupted but for â—s defence if necessity forceth them will vndergoe â—ny kind of death (p) Lib. de praescript Tertullian that Aunciâ—nt Father hath a sentence not much diffeâ—ing from that of the former Father (q) Lib. 4. contra Do. cap. 8. S. Augustine Imagine a man to be chast continent â—â—t couetuous not seruing Idolls ministring hospitality to the poore enemy to none maligning no body sober frugall c. But yet if he be an Heretike certainly no man doubteth but for this alone that he iâ— an Heretike he shall not possesse the Kingdome oâ— God A dreadfull saying of so learned godly a Father The Donatists for disagreeing from S. Augustine in some Traditions not specifyed in the Scripture much lesse in the Creed are thus repreheÌ„ded by him In (r) Aug. in explan psal 54. these points those Heretikes were with me in Heresy not witâ— me in many thinges with me in a few not witâ— me the many could not help theÌ„ in which they weâ—â— with me And yet these Donatists belieued with Saint Augustine the Trinity the Incarnation and recited with him the Apostles creed Briefly S. Augustine in q. 11. in Matt. thus describeth an Heretike Hereticus est qui de aliqua parte doctrinae Christianae falsum credit He iâ— an Heretike who belieueth any false thing touching any part of Christian fayth within which definition it necessarily followeth that eytheâ— the Protestants for not belieuing Purgatory Prayer to Saints freewill merit of worke c. or the Catholikes for belieuing of them are to be included S. Gregory Nazianzeâ— orat 37. Vnum vni coharet c. One point oâ— fayth agreeth with another so as of them altogether there is made a certayne golden and wholesome chayne therfore if but one opinion or article be taken away or made doubtfull the whole chayne of fayth will become broken S. (s) Lib. 1. ad Mag. Cyprian Dominus noster Iesus Christus c. When our Lord Iesus Christ did testify in the Ghospell that those were his enemyes who were not with him he noted not any one Heresy but he manifestly sheweth that all Heretikes whatsoeuer are his enemyes saying He that is not with me is agaynst me and he that doth not gather with me disperseth S. (t) In Epist ad Galat c. 10. Chrysostome sayth Quemadmodum moneta Regia c. Euen as who pareth away a little of the Kings siluer maketh the whole peece to be adulterate EueÌ„ so who ouerthroweth the least branch or part of true Faith may be sayd to corrupt the whole he proceeding from these small beginnings to worser courses To come to an end of the Fathers iudgments in this poynt S. Ambrose shall (u) Lib. 6. in Luc. c. 9. conclude all who thus plainly writeth heereof Si vnum horum retraxeris c. If thou shalt recall or deny any of these points thou hast retracted thy owne Saluation for euen Heretikes seeme to challenge Christ to them for no man will deny the name of Christ neuerthelesse he indeed denyeth Christ who doth not confesse al points of sayth instituted by Christ Thus far of the Fathers iudgments in this matter where I am to aduertise the Reader first as aboue I haue touched in the Councells that if all false Doctrines whatsoeuer pertinaciously defended against the church of God be heresies as the definition of Heresy aboue explicated proueth them to be and as the Fathers of the Primitiuâ— church and in them the whole church of God haue maintayned then either the Protestants or Catholikes for their different houlding of contrary Doctrines touching Freewill Purgatory Prayer to Saints Sacrifice c. are to be accoÌ„pted Heretikes coÌ„sequently both cannot be saued in their Religion For that Heretikes continuing Heretikes cannot be saued is demonstrated first from the fearfull threats and comminations of the Apostles thundred out against Heretikes of which point I haue discoursed aboue Secondly from the Authority of the church of Christ which excludeth all Heretikes as I haue shewed from all hope of saluation and lastly to omit many other reasons from that principle that Heretikes are no members of Christ his Church of which point we are to dispute in the next place The Second thinge to be aduertised is that not any of the former authorities of the fathers against Heresy are restrayned by them to Heresies touching the Trinitie the Incarnation of Christ hiâ— Passion or the Articles of the creed supposing the denyall of them to be heresies aâ— indeed they are not but rather blasphemyes Infidelity for of these there is made no mention or intimation in their authorities within which compasse our Formallists in Religion seeke to confine their fayth but they are implicitely extended by the fathers to all Heresies whatsoeuer whether they concerne the supreme and fundamentall pointes of Christian Religion or any other secondary and lesse principall points of the sayd Religion THE SAME PROVED FROM that Principle That neither Heretikes nor Schismatiks are members of Christs Church CHAP. VIII IN this last place concerning the church we will set downe another Principle of Christian fayth and
obiect of implicite fayth thâ— which articles as a man is bound implicitely to belieue in the fayth of the church so â—he is bound expressely not to belieue any thing contrary to the sayd articles Seing then diuers Controuersies betwene the Catholikes the Protestants are included vnder this implicite fayth and that the church of God houldeth of them but one way It manifestly followeth that the contrary belieuers of those points doe erre in their beliefe and consequently for want of this true implicite and necessary Fayth cannot be saued 3. A third reason may be this It is proper and peculiar to vertues infused such â—e Fayth Hope Charity that euery such vertue is wholy extinguished by any one act contrary to the said vertue Thus for example one mortall sinne taketh away all chaâ—ity and grace according to that (f) Matth. 28. He that â—ffendeth mone is made guilty of all One act of Despayre destroyeth the whole vertue of Hope then by the same reason one Heresy wholy corrupteth extinguisheth all true â—ayth Therefore seeing Fayth is a Theoloâ—icall and infused Vertue this fayth is deâ—royed with one act of Heresy whether it â—e about Purgatory Prayer to Saints Freewil or any other Controuersy between the Catholiks the ProtestaÌ„ts Therfore whosoeuer denyeth Purgatory or any of the rest graunting their doctrines to be true is depriued of all infused fayth touching any articles of Christian Religion whether they concerne the Trinity or the Incarnation or any other fundamentall point which he may seeme to belieue But without (f) Hebr. 11. Fayth that is without true infused and Theologicall Fayth it is impossible to please God as the Apostle assureth vs. 4. A fourth reason shal be this It is most certaine that what generall propension nature or rather God himselfe by nature as by his instrument hath engrafted in all men the same is in it selfe most true certayne and warrantable As for example Nature hath implanted in each mans soule a secret remorse of conscience for sinnes transgressions committed as also a feare of future punishment to be inflicted for the sayd sinnes perpetrated therefore from hence it may infallibly be concluded that sinne it selfe is to be auoyded and that after this life there is a retribution of punishment for our offences acted in this world since otherwise it wold follow God should insert in mans soule idlely vainely and as directed to no end certayne naturall impressions and instincts which to affirme were most derogatorâ— to his diuine Wisdome and repugnanâ— to that aunciently receaued Axiome God Nature worketh nothing in vayne Now to apply this we find both by history and by experience that diuers zealous feruent Professours of al Religions whatsoeuer both true and false haue bin most ready to expose their liues in defence of any impugned part or branch of their Religion From which vndaunted resolution of theirs we certainly collect that this their constant determination of defending the least point of their Religion proceedeth from a general instinct of God impressed in mans soule teaching each man that death it selfe is rather to be suffered then we are to deny any part of our Fayth and Religion And thus according heereto we find that euen the Athenians who were Heathens though they did err touching the particuler Obiect heerin as worshipping false Gods were most cautelous that no one point should be infringed or violated touching the worship of their Gods The like Religious seuerity was practized by the Iewes as Iosephus witnesseth And God himselfe euen in his owne written word threatneth that (g) Apoc. 22. Whosoeuer â—hall eyther adde or diminish to the booke of the Apocalyps written by the Euangelist from him he wil take away his part out of the booke of life Now â—f such daunger be threatned for adding to or taking from more or lesse then was set downe by the Euangelist in this one booke how can then both the Catholiks and Protestants haue their names written in the booke of life Since it is certayne graunted on all sides that eyther the Catholike addeth more to the fayth of Christ then was by him instituted or the Protestant taketh from the sayd fayth diuers Articles which Christ and his Apostles did teach But to returne to our former reason From all this we deduce that no points of true Christian Religion are of such cold IndiffereÌ„cy as that they are not much to be regarded or that they may be maintayned contrary waies by contrary spirits without any daunger to mans Saluation but that they are of that nature worth and dignity as man is to vndergoe all kind of torments yea death it selfe before he yield or suffer the least relapse in denying any of the sayd verityes 5. The fift and last reason to proue that the maintayning of false doctrines now questioned betweene the Christians of these tymes are most preiudiciall and hurtfull to the obtaining of our Heauenly blisse wherin at this tyme I will insist may be taken from the consideration of the different effects which the contrary doctrines particulerly betweene the Protestants and Catholikes produce in mens soules touching the exercising of vertue or vice Since most vndoubted it is that the belieuing of such opinions which of their owne nature do impell and as it were violently draw the soule to vice loosenes and impurity of manners and conuersation cannot stand considering Gods infinite hate to sinne and sinners with the hope of eternall happynes And the chiefe reason hereof besides others is this In that the Will which is the seate of vertue or vice doth necessarily irresistably worke as the Vnderstanding in which resideth Fayth all false doctrine doth dictate to the Will Now then the Vnderstanding being infected with Heresies tending directly to the planting of vice and eradicating of all vertue in the soule it of necessity followeth that the Will must worke and exercise it selfe according to those false principles which the Vnderstanding suggesteth to the will for true this with the greater facility in regard of the pronesse of mans nature throgh our first Parents fall enclined to liberty pleasure and sensuality But because the subiect of this reason is a large field to walke in and the truth therof is to appeare by seuerall instances drawne from diuers particuler doctrines maintayned at this present by the Protestants and all breathing nothing but vice dissolution and all turpitude in manners therefore I will reserue the ensuing Chapter for the fuller manifestation of the truth in this point THE SAME PROVED FROM the different effects of Vertue and Vice which Catholike and Protestant Religion doe cause in their Professours CHAP. XI THE first doctrine of this Nature wherein we will insist mantayned by the Protestants denyed by the Catholikes is the Impossibility of keeping Gods commaundements according heerto (a) Ser. de Moyse Luther sayth The ten commaundements appertayne not to Christians with whom Fox conspireth in
Protestant complayning and dislyking this Doctrine writeth (m) Conc. 4. in c. 21. Lucae A serious and Christian discipline is censured with vs as a new Papacy a monachisme they say we haue now learned to be saued by only fayth in Christ and we cannot satisfy by our fasting and prayer and therfore permit that we may giue ouer these seeing we may be saued otherwyse by the only grace of God And to the end sayth this Authour further that all the world may knowe they be no Papists nor trust in good workes they take course to put none in practice With whose true iudgment heerin M. Stubbs an English Protestant seemeth to conspire saying (n) In his Motiues to good works printed 1566. p. 42. The Protestant trusteth to be saued by a bare and naked fayâ— deceauing himselfe without good works thâ—â—â—fore either careth not for them or at least setteth litle by them And thus much touching gooâ— works wholly exiled and banished by thâ— Doctrine of Iustification by fayth only Now that this Doctrine of Iustification by only fayth doth incorporate as it were within it selfe and admit all kind of sinnes appeareth no lesse by the frequent acknowledgments of the most learned Protestants And first Luther thus wryteth thereof (o) Tom. 2. wittenb de capt Babilon fol. 74. A Christian baptized is so riche that although hâ— would he cannot loose his saluation by any sinnâ— how great soeuer vnlesse he will not belieue Anâ— Luther in another place (q) Luther in loc com class 5. c. 27. As nothing iustifyeth but beliefe so nothing sinneth but vnbeliefe To which Doctrine D. Whtaker as aboue is shewed accordeth saying (r) Vbi supra Sinnes are not hurtfull to him that belieueth And thus much now touching the Doctrine of Iustification by fayth where we see euen by the confession of the Protestants that this Doctrine preuayleth in the professours thereof no lesse for the committing of all sinne and iniquity then for the expelling and banishing of all good works vertue and deuotion 7. Touching the Protestants particuler Doctrines of Fasting voluntary Pouerty and Chastity or Virginity the three steps of Iacobs adder by the which a vertuous soule ascenâ—eth to Heauen And first of fasting Perkins â—eacheth thus (s) In his Reformed Catholike p. 220. fasting in it selfe is but a thing â—ndifferent as is eating and drinking with whome coÌ„spireth D. Willet in more full tearnes saying (t) In Synops pag. 243. Neither is God better worshipped by eaâ—ing or not eating Voluntary pouertie is so debased by the Protestants Doctrine as that the foresaid Willet thus teacheth thereof (u) In Synops pag. 245. He is an enemy to the glory of God who chaungeth his rich estate wherin he may serue God for a poore So contrary he is to the iudgement of our Sauiour saying (x) Mat. 19. If thou wilt be perfect goe sel thy substance giue to the poore and thou shalt haue a treasure in Heauen Lastly touching single lyfe in comparison of Marriage Luther thus sayth (y) Tom. 5. wittenb in exeg ad c. 7. 1. Cor. fol. 107. We conclude that Marriage is as gould and spirituall or single lyfe as dung And D. Whitaker likewyse teacheth thereof in this maner saying (z) Contra Camp rat 8. Virginity is not simply good but after a certaine maner it is neuer better then Mariage but in regard of the circumstance that is of the troubles accoÌ„panying Mariage Now I heere demaund with what encouragement can any man goe about to practice these foresayd vertues of fasting voluntary pouerty and perpetuall virginity if he be firmely and inwardly persuaded that the Protestants former positions 〈◊〉 Doctrines touching the sayd vertues bâ— true and agreable to Christs sacred Institutions 8. But to hasten to an end in this matter I will conclude with the Protestant Doctrines touching Purgatory and Confession oâ— Sinnes And as concerning confession of Sinnes it is found by experience that besides the first Institution therof by (a) Mat. 18. Ioâ—n 20. Christ a man is much debarred from sinninge through the shame that he is to endure by confessing his most secret sinnes to a Preist as on the contrary it much enbouldeneth one to sinne if he be persuaded by his owne Religion that confession of them alone to God is sufficient Touching the Doctrine of Purgatory How doth the denyall of this Doctrine open the sluce to all liberty and iniustice Since by the Protestants teaching that no temporal punishment remayneth for sinnes once remitted it taketh away all restitution of things wrongfully detayned all satisfaction for committing of former sinnes and finally all mortification of body and soule and to conclude it freeth a man of all feare of suffering any punishment after this lyfe and this vnder colour that Christ hath satisfyed for the sinnes of all the world by which reason we might take away prayer or that Christ prayed for all in the garden But now to cast our eye backe vpon the foresayd Doctrines If all the different opinions of fayth in Controuersie betwene the Catholiks the Protestants were meerely speculatiue without any reference to the vertuous or vicious working operation of the Will deryued from them then with greater shewe of reason in a vulgar iudgment it might be auerred that supposing they teach not the fundamentall points of Christian fayth they might be either affirmatiuely or negatiuely houlden without any daunger of saluation such were the Heresyes of (b) See heerof S. Augustine Haeres 43. Origen teaching that the Diuells in the end of the world should be saued Of Cyprian touching Rebaptization and diuers such like from the maintayning of which points either way the Will in respect of any externall working or operation drawne from thence can sucke noe poyson But the Case is farre different in the former Doctrines set downe aboue for we fynd that the sayd Doctrines which breath nothing but all dissolution and turpitude of manners euen in speculation do most forcibly immediately touch the pulse of the Will the Will strongly beating and indeed breaking out into outward actions of vicâ— and lyberty according as shee remayneth afore infected with the contagion and poyson of the former Doctrinall speculations Well then this vpon necessary inference being graunted so as the working effect and force of the sayd Doctrines are in the Will nothing but liberty dissolution of manners improbitie sensualitie and sinne I referre to the iudgment of any man whether the sayd Doctrines be but points of Indifferency oâ— noe and may be defended either way without preiudice to the beleiuers fayth and daunger to his Saluation as our Formallists doe auerre For can it possibly be conceaued that these Doctrines should be reputed as indifferent to mans SaluatioÌ„ or in themselues true which as is proued most strongly drawe the will to all vice against which God hath thundred out such dreadfull threats as where it is sayd Psal
whom he sheweth all his Euidences some of which Euidences do cary a title only in grosse and in generall others proue a more particuler more restrayned right to the sayd Lands Imagine further that vpon the diligent perusall of these Euidences the ioynt consent and iudgment of all the sayd Lawyers should after their longe and serious Demurrs conspyre in this one point to wit that for the recouering obtayning of the said Lands the foreshewed Euidences in generall are not sufficient alone seeing diuers other men not hauing any true interest in the sayd Lands may neuerthelesse insist and vrge their like generall clayme but that with the help of the sayd Common Euidences he must more punctually relye for the gayning of his presumed inheritance vpon other more particuler and personall Conueyances and Assigments Now all these learned Counsellours agreeing in this sentence fortyfying their iudgments herein with their owne experience in the like case with the new Reports warranting the same with the authority of all the auncient learned ReuereÌ„d Iudges before them lastly with the force of reason confirming no lesse If some one Empericke Atturney or other skilfull only by a litle experience in making a Nouerint vniuersi should steppe forth armed only with impudency and ignorance pronounce the foresayd sentence of all those learned Sages to be false and that the party pretending right to the sayd lands were sure by his generall Title and Euidences only to obtayne the same all other his more particuler Euidences being but vnnecessary needelesse theerunto who might not heere iustly contemne and reiect the rash censure of such a fellow Or could not the party clayming the former inheritance be worthily reprehended if by reiecting the graue Counsell of the learned Lawyers and following the aduyce of this ignorant man should finally loose all clayme title and possibility to his sayd Inheritance Our case is not much vnlike heerto Wee all pretend a right to the Inheritance of the kingdome of Heauen for we reade (*) lac 1. Coronam vitae praeparauit Dominus diligentibus se Our title in generall therto is our beliefe in the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. the beliefe whereof is most necessary but not sufficient All emineÌ„t men for learning both Catholikes and Protestants do proue from the Scriptures from the authority of Gods Church from the nature of Heresy from the definition of true fayth from diuers other principles and reasons aboue expressed that no man can attayne to his heauenly Inheritance by belieuing only the former fundamentall points of Christianitie if so he haue not a true and particuler fayth of many other lesse principall Articles of Christian Religion Nowe commeth heere a dissolute gamnelesse ignorant fellowe not practised in any kind of good literature for it is obserued as aboue is sayd that all our most forward Neutrallists are meÌ„ for the most part voyde of Learning Vertue and Conscience who pereÌ„ptorily out of his Pythagorean chayre that is without any proofe affirmeth that a beliefe in generall of the Articles of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion is only sufficient to mans saluation that the doctrines of Purgatory Freewil Reall Presence and other Controuersies betweene the Catholiks Protestants are not in any sort necessary to the purchasing of our eternall welfare what way soeuer we hould but are to be reputed in respect of that end points indiffereÌ„t vnauayleable and as the Greeke is meerely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Bye-matters Who would heere not commiserate the folly and ignorance of such a man but especially pittie the soules seduced by so blind a Guyde THE CONCLVSION of the whole Treatise CHAP. XVII HITHERTO Good Reader it is sufficiently I hope demonstrated that euery Religion though professing the name of Christ and belieuing in the Trinity the Incarnation and the like fundamentall points of christian Fayth if their beliefe in other secondary lesse principall points be erroneous cannot promise to it selfe any security of Saluation and consequently that the controuerted articles at this day betweene Catholikes and Protestants touching Purgatory Freewill Praying to Saints Sacrifice c. are of that great importance as that the professours on both sides to vse the phrase of a blessed martyr (*) Camp in decem rationib rat 10. in the same case vnuÌ„ caeluÌ„ capere non potest It now remayneth to shew that seeing at this day there are originally but two different Religions among christians to wit the catholike Religion and the Protestant within which are included all its branches and descendents whether the catholike or the Protestant Religion is that wherein a man may be saued But seeing this Subiect is most learnedly and painefully intreated â—f by many Catholike wryters who from 〈◊〉 authorities both Diuine humane haue â—efragably euicted the truth of their owne â—eligion and falshood of the Protestants â—ofession and consequently that in the â—atholike not in the Protestant fayth the â—ules eternall happynes is to be purchased â—erefore I doe remit the reader for his greaâ—er satisfactioÌ„ therin to the perusal of the said â—ookes particulerly to the studying raâ—er theÌ„ to the reading only of that most elaâ—orate learned and vnanswerable Worke â—f the Protestants Apology of the Roman Church Only before I heere end I must make â—ould to put the Reader in remeÌ„brance with that the Protestant Religion in this former Treatise though but casually and incidentâ—y is most truly charged to wit First with â—articuler coÌ„demnations passed vpon diuers â—f its chiefest articles euen by seuerall senteÌ„â—es iudgements of the Primitime church â—nd that therefore those doctrines so condeÌ„â—ed yet after defended with all froward â—ertinacy agaynst the church of God are hereby discouered for playne and manifest Heresies this point being further euicted â—mplicitely both from the testimonies of hoâ—y Scripture as also from the definition of Heresy aboue expressed Secondly that the doctrinall speculations and positions in thâ— Protestants fayth most strongly mooue tâ— Wills of such as beliefe them to all vice â—â—berty and sensuality Thirdly that God oâ— of the infinite abisme of his Iustice hath pâ—nished euen in this world as earnest giuen 〈◊〉 far greater punishment reserued in the lyâ— to come with most fearefull vnnaturall 〈◊〉 prodigious deaths the first InueÌ„tours in oâ— age Promulgatours of the sayd doctrineâ— and such deathes as his diuine Maiesty is accustomed to send to his professed enemyes Fourthly that Protestancy is torne asundeâ— with intestine diuisions diuers Professourâ— of it charging their Brethren-Professourâ— with Heresy despayring of their future saluatioÌ„ From all which we may conclude that except Heresy dissolution of manners most infamous and calamitous deathes anâ— disagreements in doctrine betweene one the same sect be good dispositions meanâ— to purchase Heauen the Protestant Religioâ— can neuer bring her Belieuers thereto What then remayneth but who will expect saluatioÌ„ should seeke it only in the Catholike
originally primitiuely signiâ—â—eth Election or Choyce as is said in generalâ— yet because they who deuide themseluâ—â— by maintaining false opinions from tâ—â— Church of Christ do make choyce 〈◊〉 these their new opinions and so therbâ— do separate themselues from the Churcâ— therfore this word Haeresis loosing it foâ—mer generall signification is restraynâ— by the Apostles and the Ancient Fatheâ— through an Ecclesiasticall vse acceptancâ— and appropriation which course we finâ— houlden in diuers other wordes noâ— taken by the Church in a secondary aâ—ception to signifie anie false or neâ— opinion in Religion among Christian of which a man maketh choyce pertâ—naciously defendeth against the Churâ—â— of God and the maintainers therof aâ— commonly styled Heretikes Thus three things necessarily concurre to make any false opinion Heresy and the defendours â—herof Heretikes First it must be some erâ—our touching the Faith of Christ And the â—eason hereof is because he that neuer proâ—essed or imbraced the Christian Faith is not an Heretike though he erre but a Iew or a Pagan and Heathen This is the doctrine of S. (c) quast 11. art â— Thomas of all learned men The second condition necessarily â—oncurring to euery Heresy is that there â—e an erreneous iudgment in the vnderâ—tanding of him who maintayneth the Heresie from whence it followeth that â—n externall deniall of a mans Faith is not Heresy except it proceed from an interâ—all errour of the vnderstanding but is raâ—her to be accompted dissimulation or â—chisme as S. Thomas (d) quaest 10. 2. 2. teacheth The third and last condition is that this â—rrour be maintained with great obstinacie â—gainst the authority of Christs Church â—eaching the contrarie doctrine and that â—he defendour therof being admonished of â—is errour will neuerthelesse openly resist â—he authority of the Church therin seeing â—f he be admonished by the Church of his Errour and instantly therupon do forsake â—is false opinion he is to be accompted only erroneous and his false doctrine only an Errour This agreeth to that of S. Augustine (e) l. 18. de ciuit Dei c. 51. Qui in Ecclesia Christi aliquid prauum sapiunt si correpti vt sanum rectumque sapiant resistant contumaciter suaque pestifera mortisera dogmata emendare nolunt sed defensare persistant Haereticiâ— fiunt foraes exeuntes habentur in exercentibus Haereticis That is Who belieue any false or wrong opinion in the Church of Christ and being counsailed and admonished therof do contumaciously and stubbornly resist and will not recall their pestiferous and deadly opinions but do persist in defending of them they are therby become Heretikes and so departing out of the Church they are taken for such as vent forth open and willfull Heresies Thus S. Augustine This Construction both touching the foresaid definition of Heresy in taking the words Haeresis and Haereticus in an euill restrayned and appropriated sense is warranted by the Apostle by the Auncient Fathers and lastly to omit the like acknowledged iudgment of the Catholikes by the learned Protestants By the (f) 1. Cor. 21. Apostle for thus we find him to say There must be Heresies among you that they which are approoued among you may be knowne Againe (g) Galat. 5.19 vid e Testam nouum 1576. The workes of the flesh are manifest which are adulterie fornication c. seditions Heresies c. As also (h) Tit. 3. A man that is an Heretike after the first second admonition auoyde And (i) Act. 5. finally Those which were of the Heresie of the Sadduces c. laid hands vpon the Apostles By the Auncient Fathers For S. Ierome (k) in ca. 3. ad Titum shewing the difference betweene Heâ—esie and Schisme thus defineth Heresie â—aeresis est quae peruersum dogma habet Heresie is â—at which containeth a peruerse froward opiâ—on And S. Augustine (l) l. de fide simbolo ca. 10. defineth Hereâ—kes in these wordes Haeretici sunt qui de Deo â—â—sa sentiendo fidem violant Heretikes are those â—ho do violate their faith by houlding false opiâ—ons touching God By the Protestants For to name one or wo among many M. (m) Dial. 2. Ormerod a most â—orward Protestant thus defineth an Hereâ—ike He is an Heretike who so swarueth from the â—holesome doctrine as contemning the iudgment â—â—th of God and the Church persisteth in his opiâ—ion c. With whom conspireth D. Couell 〈◊〉 saying Heretikes are they who directly gainâ— some article of our faith Now out of this former definition of â—eresie I am to promonish the Reader of â—ee pointes the which in the perusing of is Treatise I would haue him often to â—ll to remembrance first that euery Heâ—y is maintained as is aboue taught â—â—th obstinacie against the authoritie of the Church of God and therfore the maintayners therof are said by the Apostle (o) Ioan. 2.29 that they went out of vs that is out of God Church and for the same reason the Apostle (p) Tit. 3. doth pronounce an Heretike to 〈◊〉 condemned by his owne iudgment because hâ— preferreth his iudgment before the iudgment of the whole Church From whicâ— consideration it followeth that what maâ— soeuer houldeth an erroneous opinion â— touching Christian Faith and being aduertized therof by Gods Church and nâ— captiuating his iudgment in all humiliâ—â— therto is therby become an Heretike Anâ— such is the state of Catholikes and Protestants since the one doth euer reciprocall charge and condemne the other with falâ— doctrine and therfore seing the Church 〈◊〉 Christ must be with the one of them it followeth that the other not submitting the iudgment to it are proclaymed therby Hâ—retikes And thus it may sometimes fall oâ—â— that the first Inuentour of a false opiniâ—â— may be no Heretike as maintayning it bâ—fore it be condemned by the Churcâ— wheras the Professours of it after its coâ—demnation are become Heretikes accâ—ding to that of (q) l. aduersus Haeres Vincentius Lyrinenâ— O admirable change of things the authours of 〈◊〉 and the same opinion are esteemed Catholikes 〈◊〉 their followers are iudged Heretikes Thus we see that pertinacity of iudgment doth euer consumate an Heresy The second that the denyall of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. are not properly called Heresies but rather blasphemies the denyers of them not to be accouned Heretikes but Infidels Iewes or Pagans From whence it proceedeth that what places of Scripture or of the Faâ—hers are spoken of Heretiks the same cannot be truly applyed to the denyers of the Trinity the Incarnation Passion c. The third is that the forsayd definition â—f Heresy being the only true definition â—nd acknowledged for such on all sides is â—ot restrayned eyther in it selfe or by the â—eaning of the Apostle only to the most â—upreme as they are called fundamental â—oints of Christian Fayth as of the Trinity â—â—e Incarnation of Christ his passion the â—ecalogue and the
where for the better conceauing thereof we are to vnderstand that fayth is a supernaturall habit not obtayned by the force of nature Therfore to the beliefe of any one Article or point of fayth two things concurre the one is the first reuealing Verity as Scholemen speake which is God Himselfe the secoÌ„d is the Church propounding the article to be belieued Now when we belieue any point of fayth God who is the first reuealing Veritie as is sayd reuealeth it to the church and the church propounds it so reuealed to vs to be belieued And thus we belieue a point of fayth through the authority of God reuealing the church propounding and where we belieue any thing though it be true not through this authority this is not supernaturall beliefe in vs but only an opinion grounded vpon other reasons inducements Euen as the Turke belieueth that there is a God Creator of the worlde yet this his beliefe is no true fayth but only a meere opinion of a thing which is true since this his beliefe is grounded not vpon Gods authority reuealing this but only vpon his Alcaron being otherwayes a fabulous booke though of the being of one God it speaketh truly Now to apply this This first reuealing Verity which is God through whose authority we ought to belieue euery article doth with one the like authoritie reueale all Articles of Christian Religion to the church so as it is as forcibly reuealed to be belieued that there is for example a Purgatory or that we ought to pray to Saints graunting these articles to be true as that there is a Trinity or that Christ was Incarnate from whence it vnauoydably followeth that who belieueth in the Trinity and yet doth not belieue that there is a Purgatory or that we may pray to Saints hath no true and supernatural beliefe of the Trinity but only belieueth that there is a Trinity because he so vnderstandeth or is persuaded thereto only by his owne reason or through some other humane motiues according to that sentence of S. Augustine lib. de vtilitate credendi cap. 11. Quod intelligimus aliquid rationi debemus quod autem credimus authoritati For if he did belieue that there is a Trinity or that Christ was Incarnate through Gods authority so reuealing this truth to be belieued by the same authority he would haue belieued that there is a Purgatory or that we ought to pray to Saints seing both the Articles of the Trinity and Purgatory or praying to Saints are equally indifferently a like propounded by God and his Church to be belieued Thus we may demonstratiuely conclude that what ProtestaÌ„t doth belieue in the Trinity and yet doth not belieue that there is a Purgatory praying to Saints Freewill the Reall presence admitting them once to be true or any other point controuerted betweene Catholikes and Protestants the samâ— man hath no true fayth at all of the Trinity or Incarnation and consequently for wanâ— of a true and supernaturall fayth cannot bâ— saued since we read (a) Marc. 16. Qui non credit condemnabitur Who belieueth not shal be condemned And from this former ground it proceedeth thaâ— (b) 2. 2. q. 5. ar 3. S. Thomas all other learned Schoolemen teach that who belieueth not only for Gods authority so reuealing any poinâ— whatsoeuer great or small fundamentall or not fundamentall the same man belieueth not any other Article at all with a true and supernaturall fayth and heereto accord those wordes of (c) Lib. de praescript Tertullian against Valentinus the Heretike Some thinges of the law and Prophets Valentinus approueth some thinges he disalloweth That is he disalloweth all whilest he disproueth some Which sentence of Tertullian must of necessity be true since who reiecteth the authority of God in not belieuing any one article propounded by God to be belieued the same man begetteth a suspition or doubt of Gods authority for the belieuing of any other article how fundamentall soeuer Another reason may be taken from a distinction of fayth which according to the learned is of two sortes The one they call explicite fayth the other implicite Explicite fayth is that which all men vnder payne of damnation are bound to belieue As according to most of the Schoolemen the Trinity the Incarnation of our Sauiour his Passion the Decalogue or ten Commaundements the articles of the Creed Implicite fayth comprehendeth all those points which euery vnlearned man is not bound expressely distinctly to belieue and knowe in particuler though he be expressely bound not to beâ—ieue any thing contrary thereto but is to â—est in the iudgment of the church concerning all such points and what the church of Christ houldeth therein he is bounde â—mplicitely to belieue This distinction is warranted not only in the iudgment of all Catholike Schoolemen but also of the most â—earned (d) D. Bar. l. defide eius ortis p 40. Hooker in his Ecclesiast policy in the preface p. 28. by Melancton l. 1. Epist Epist ad RegeÌ„ Angliae Protestants though they commonly forbeare the phrase of explicite imâ—licite fayth particulerly of D. Feild who â—n these words following giueth the reason â—hereof saying For (e) In his Treatise of the Church in his Epist Dedicat to the L. Arch-Bishop seeing the Controuersies of Religion in our time are growne in number so many â—nd in nature so intricate that few haue time and â—â—asure fewer strength of vnderstanding to exaâ—ine them what remayneth for men desirous of saâ—isfaction in things of such consequeÌ„ce but diligently â— search out which amongst all the Societies of men â—s the worlde is that blessed Company of holy ones 〈◊〉 at househould of fayth that spouse of Christ and Church of the lyuing God which is the Pillar and ground of truth that so they may imbrace her communion follow her directions rest in her iudgments Thus D. Feild Now this distinction being presupposed I thus argue Both these kinds of fayth are necessary to saluation Explicite fayth because it comprehendeth all those fundameÌ„tall and supreme points of Christian Religion without which and the expresse and articulate beliefe of which a man cannot be saued And these be those only which our Newtrallists in Religion hold necessary to be belieued Implicite fayth of other points also is necessary to saluation because otherwyse then belieuing implicitely inuoluedly what the church teacheth therein we cannot according to the former Doctours words range our selues to the blessed company of holy ones the househould of fayth the spouse of Christ and Church of the lyuing God Againe seing Implicite fayth is necessary to saluation we must graunt that this Implicite fayth hath some Obiect This Obiect is not the Articles of the Trinity the Incarnation the Decalogue c. according to the foresaid iudgment of the Schoolemen since these are thâ— obiects of explicite fayth as is aboue mentioned therfore Articles of seeming lesser importance are the
such is the fayth of our Newtrallists is no true supernaturall fayth seing it beleiueth nothing through the authority of God and his church both which reueale propound all articles alike and indifferently to all men to be belieued Now what more crosse to reason then that a bare opinion not relying vpō any supernaturall grounds as neither hauing God for its Reuealer nor the Church for its Propounder conceaued only through morall inducements and therfore euer standing obnoxious to errour and mistaking should be able to purchase eternall Saluation to mans soule Againe how aduerse is it to all true iudgment to auerre that it is no preiudice or hinderance to mans saluation to belieue those principles of Religion which teach aduaunce all libertie sensualitie in cōuersatiō manners do depresse disparage all Chastity Fasting voluntary Pouertie keeping of the Commaundements and finally all serious and painfull labours and works of vertue piety and mortification for it is most contradictory in the very tearmes and no lesse repugnant to Gods sacred word that that doctrine which (u) 2. Pet. 3. promiseth lybertie and (x) Iudae vers 4. transferreth the grace of God into wantonnesse should be accounted the (y) Mat. 7. Luc. 13. straite way which leadeth vnto lyfe Furthermore can it be conceaued as sorting to Gods most mercifull proceeding with man that he should cut off the liues of those men with most fearefull sodaine and prodigious deaths and particulerly of Caluin who was eaten away with lyce a death peculiar to diuers of Gods most capitall Enemyes as to Antiochus Herod Maximinus others who first broached the Doctrines of Protestancy if the sayd Doctrines had either bene true in themselues or at least of that coldnes and indifferency as that they might comport and stand with the soules saluation No. God is iust withall mercifull therfore neuer extraordinarily punisheth but for extraordinary sinns Poore men that they were who comparted as it should seeme both in the diuulging of their mendacious and lying Doctrines as also in their vnexpected and sudden deaths with the false Prophets (z) 3. Reg. of Achab But to hasten to an end in the enumeration of the Absurdities following the foresaid Paradox of saluation in euery Religion and to come to that which within its owne largenes inuolueth many improbabilities If Catholikes Protestants notwithstanding the disparity of their fayth can both attayne to Heauen in vayne then is the doctrine of Recusancy ioyntly taught on both sides in vayne haue so many scores of Reuerend and Learned Priests and others of the Laytie in our owne Countrey whose blessed soules I beseech to pray to God daylie for the remission of my many sinnes suffered cruell deaths in the late Queenes raigne only because they refused to present themselues at the seruice of the Protestants But they are gone and most happily gone for (a) Tertul. de Praeser Clauis Paradisi sanguis Martyrum In vayne likewyse these later yeares haue diuers lay Persons endured cōtrary to his Maiesties naturall inclination most prone to mercy and commiseration great losses disgraces and imprisonments only for the said cause But who can thinke that vertuous and learned men are so prodigall of their lyues and bloud and English Lay Catholikes so insensible of their temporall states children and posterity as that they would wilfully precipitate and cast themselues into those miseries only for not belieuing and exercising points of Indifferencie and such as may stand with their soules eternall Happines In vayne also then haue the Learned men on both sydes spent out their whole liues in defending ech man his owne Religion in their most painfull and voluminous bookes and wrytings if so they dissented one from another in matters of such supposed small importance In vayne and without iust cause and therfore most cruelly haue many States in Christendome in our age imposed proscription banishments and other insupportable disgraces to such of their owne subiects as will not imbrace their owne doctrine though both sydes did conspire and agree in the fundamentall points of fayth In vayne also both euer since Luthers reuolt as also at this present haue there byn and still are such Insurrections of Subiects against their Princes such bloudy and implacable warres betweene absolute Princes themselues such deuastation and depopulation of whole Countreys such maine battayles and fieldes fought with losse of diuers hundred thousand lyues and lastly such incessant and interrupted besieging and taking of great Citties townes with effusion for the most part of much innocent bloud of Women and Children and all this originally and principally for matter of Religion I say in vayne and most iniuriously haue all these attempts actions byn vndertaken if the disagreements in Religiō for which they were vndertaken betweene Catholikes and Protestants were of that reconcileable nature as that the professours on both sydes notwithstāding their diuersity of fayth might ioyntly be saued What can we now reply heereto in the behalfe of our Newtrallists Shall we say that the most learned men of all Religions that Kings Princes States and many hundred thousand subiects of Christendome were and still are actually mad and out of their senses in menaging these their deplorable attempts for Religion that the all-reconciling peaceable Newtrallist who throgh his pliable sterne of disposition in these spirituall matters is become of the halfe-bloud with the Atheist and who wanteth as is commonly noted both learning grace vertue is particulerly enlightened by God in setting downe what articles of fayth are only necessary to mans Saluation and what are to be reputed but as accessory and of smaller importance To such straites we see is the defence of the former doctrine driuen vnto Seeing therefore this doctrine of our Omnifidians or rather Nullifidians for indeed while they seeme to allow all Religions they take away all Religion is encompassed on all sides with so many notorious absurdityes as are displayed in this Chapter and seing it cannot be true except there be a retrogradation of all matters heere on earth and a turning of the world as they say vpside downe that is except the most learned become most madde and the most ignorant most wise Therfore since such comportment and carriage of thinges is not sorting to Gods Prouidence and Charity towards manking let euery man who thinketh he hath a soule to saue or loose vndoubtedly assure himselfe that there is but one true Fayth or Religiō wherin he may auaileably expect saluation and that the sauing fayth of Christ wherewith the soule is cloathed is like vnto the inconsutible garment of Christ both being incapable of diuision renting or partition Now for the greater illustration of this point by way of similitude and as tending towards the closure of this treatise Imagine that a man pretendeth right and title to certaine Lands taketh aduice of all the learned Lawyers Coūsellours of the whole Realme to
erroneous opinions touching Fayth against the then present Church of God But to returne more particulerly to the Subiect of this Treatise The source from whence this Libertinisme in beliefe impugned heere by me did take it origen and beginning is the contempt of the authority of Christs Church and the assumed authority of ech mans priuate Spirit For thus reasoneth the Neutrallist in Religion Both the Papists and Protestants do agree in belieuing the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. But they maynly dissent touching Purgatory praying to Saints Freewill Sacrifice of the Masse c. Therefore I will imbrace and follow the acknowledged doctrine of them both meaning the Doctrine of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion and hould it necessary only to Saluation since in it all sides do conspire But seeing the dissentions in religion amonge the Papists and the Protestants are of these secondary and lesse principall points only to wit Purgatory prayer to Saints c. and seeing it is impossible that both the Protestant and the Papist should teach truly in the sayd Articles for they teach meere contrary doctrines therein so as if the one side teach true it necessarily followeth that the other side teacheth false And further seeing I haue no more reason once reiecting the authority of Gods visible Church to belieue the one partie more then the other and it is impossible for me to belieue them both Therfore my priuat Spirit biddeth me to belieue neyther but to hould the doctrines of Purgatory prayer to Saints Freewill c. and all other controuerted points of Fayth at this day betweene the Papist and the Protestant to be matters meerely accessory and of such indifferency as that neyther the true or false beliefe of them can further nor hinder my Saluation Thus farre argueth our Newtrallist who whyles he wil be of all Religions is indeed of no Religion Then which as if Religion were but a meere abstracted Notion in the mynd what can be excogitated to be more impious and Athiestical in it selfe more repugnaÌ„t to the sacred Scriptures more crosse to the practise of all Antiquity and as heerafter shall be proued more aduerse to all naturall Reason But good Reader as vnwilling to traÌ„sgresse the accustomed limits of a Preface I will detayne thee no longer only for some delibation and tast of the Subiect heerafter handled I will conclude with the sentence and iudgment of S. Augustin passed vpon the Pelagians who belieued in the Trinity in Christ and his PassioÌ„ were men of honest and morall conuersation yet for houlding That only by the force of Nature without the assistance of Gods grace a Man was able to exercise vertue flie vice a point no more fundamental then most of the CoÌ„trouersies betweene the Catholikes the Prostants they are registred for Heretikes by S. Augustin and consequently not to be in his iudgment in state of Saluation His words are these (9) Epist. 120. c. 37. Nec tales sunt Pelagiani quos facilè conteÌ„nas sed continenter viuentes atque in omnibus operibus laudabiles Nec falsum Christum sed vnum verum aequalemque Patri coaeternum veraciterque hominem factum venisse credentes venturum expectantes sed tamen ignorantes Dei iustitiaÌ„ suam constituere volentes Haeretici sunt Thus S. Augustin with whom I end leauing thee Curteous Reader to the deliberate and studious perusall of these ensuing Leaues and intreating most earnestly the prayer of all good Catholikes for the remission of my infinite sins for a happy hourâ— of the dissolution of my old and decayed Body Thy Soules wellwishing friend VV. B. P. The Contents of the ensuing Treatise THAT a man who belieueth in the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. And yet belieueth not all other Articles of ChristiaÌ„ Fayth cannot be saued And first of the definition of Heresy and of an Heretike Chap. 1. The foresayd Verity proued from the Holy Scripture Cap 2. The same proued from the definition nature and propriety of Vnity in Fayth Cap. 3. The same proued from the want of Vnity in Fayth between the Catholike and the Protestant touching the Articles of the Creed Cap. 4. The same euident from the like want of vnity of Fayth betweene the Catholike and Protestant in Articles necessarily to be belieued and yet not expressed in the Creed Cap. 5. The same proued from the authority or priuiledge of Gods Church in not erring eyther in her definitions of Fayth or condemnation of Heresies and first by Councells Chap. 6. The same proued from the like infallillible authority of the Church in not erring manifested from the testimonies of particuler Fathers Cap. 7. The foresaid Truth euicted from that Principle that neither Heretikes nor Schismatikes are members of the Church of God Chap. 8. The same proued from the punishment ancieÌ„tly inflicted vpon Heretikes by the Church Chap. 9. The same proued by arguments drawne from Reason Chap. 10. The same proued from the different effects of Catholike Religion and Protestancy touching Vertue and Vice Chap. 11. The same Veritie proued from the feareful deaths of the first broachers of Protestancy Ch. 12 The same confirmed from the doctrine of Recusancy taught by Catholikes ProtestaÌ„ts Ch. 13 The same manifested from the writings of the Catholikes and Protestants reciprocally charging one another with Heresy and from the Insurrections Warrs and Rebellions begun only for Religion Chap. 14. The same proued from the Protestants mutually condemning one another of Heresy Chap. 15. The same demonstrated from the many absurdities necessarily accompanying the contrary doctrine Chap. 16. The Conclusion of the whole Chap. 17. THAT A MAN WHO BELIEVETH IN the Trinity Incarnation Passion c. And yet belieueth not all other Articles of Christian fayth cannot be saued And first of the definition of Heresy and an Heretike CHAP. I. BEFORE we come good Reader to dispute particulerly of the Subiect of this Discourse I hould it most conuenient in place of a short Prolegomenon or Preface to prefixe and set downe the true definition of Heresy or an Heretike since this method will giue light to this whole ensuing Treatise diuers passages therof being principally founded vpon the definition and nature of Heresy and will best manifest what opinions be Heresyes and what men Heretikes and consequently seing Heresy is incompatible with saluation and cannot stand with the purchase of Heauen will demonstrate that not any one Religion professing the name of Christians which doth maintaine but one Heresy can iustly promiâ—â— to it selfe the hope of Eternall life Well then Heresy or Haeresis as wâ— tearme it in Latin is a Greeke word â—â—gnifying as much as Electio Election 〈◊〉 Choyce comming of the Greeke verâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Eligo to Choose or maâ—â— Choyce of as (a) lib. de praescript c. â— Tertullian and S. Iâ—rome (b) in c. 5. Epist. ad Galat. do well note so that this woâ—â— Haeresis
Articles of the Creed â—â—t it is extended in it own nature consiâ—ering that according to al Art the definitioÌ„â—â—d the thing defined ought to be of an eâ—all latitude or extent to any erroneous â—â—inion whatsoeuer frowardly defended 〈◊〉 a man and impugned by the Church of â—od So as it is as perfit an Heresy and â—e belieuers therof are as true Heretikes to deny that there is a Purgatory or to deny Freewill praying to Saints the doctrine oâ— Indulgences the necessity of Baptisme oâ— any other Article affirmed by Catholikes granting the doctrine of Catholiks in thesâ— Articles to be true as to deny the Trinity the IncarnatioÌ„ of Christ his death Passion c. supposing the denyall of these to bâ— but Heresies And a man shal be aswell daÌ„ned in Hell for denying these former as foâ— these other though the denyall of these lâ—ter do exceed the other in malice since thâ— blasphemies of them are in themselues moâ— wicked heynous And thus much toâ—ching the definition of Heresy or an Heretikâ— which being iustly premised we will conâ— now to the mayne Controuersy handleâ— in this Treatise THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN CANNOâ— be saued in his owne Religion Proued from tâ— holy Scripture CHAP. II. NOw then to beginne to fortify anâ— warrant this vndoubted truth that euâ—ry Christian cannot be saued in his owne Religioâ— I will draw my first kind of Proofe froÌ„ tâ— sacred wordes of holy Scripture And theâ— testimonies shal be of three sorts One coÌ„ceâ—ning Heretikes textes which are not-restrâ—ned to any particular Heresies but deliuered of Heresy in generall The second branch of authorities shall touch Heretikes euen for certaine particuler Heresies different from denying the Trinity the Incarnation of our Sauiour his Passion other like principall and fundamentall articles of Christian Religion The third shall containe the necessity and dignity of Fayth without any restriction to the pointes or articles which are to be belieued And first to beginne with the first We read the Apostle thus to speake of an Heretike in generall (a) Epist ad Tit. c. 3. A man that is an Heretike after the first or second admonition auoyd knowing that he that is such is subuerted and sinneth being condemned by his owne iudgment Where we see the Apostle commaundeth vs to auoid an Heretike which he would neuer haue done if the sayd Heretike had bin in state of Saluation The Apostle further adding this reason in that he sinneth and in that such a maÌ„ as being a pertinacious willfull Heretike is condemned by his owne proper iudgment that is because he aduaunceth his own iudgment aboue the iudgment of Gods Church and because he needeth not that publike coÌ„demnation of the Church which vpon other offenders by way of Excommunication is inflicted Of which text of the Apostle Tertullian both pithily and excellently giueth his glosse saying (b) Lib. de praescript c. 6. Quia in quâ— damnatur sibi elegit Moreouer the Apostle elsewhere coniureth as it were in the name of Christ thaâ— we should auoyd all false belieuers in thesâ— words (c) 2. Thess cap. 3. We denounce vnto yow Brethren iâ— the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you withdraw your selues from euery Brother walking in ordinatly and not according to the Tradition whicâ— they haue receiued of vs. This place concernetâ— Fayth and doctrine as the whole Chapteâ— sheweth But if those men heere to be eschewed were in state of Saluation theâ— ought not then to be eschewed Agayne this text cannot haue refereÌ„ce to those whâ— deny the Trinity Incarnation and PassioÌ„ seeing the denyers of those high Articleâ— are not Brethren in Christ and yet the Apostle styleth them Brethren whom he heeâ— reprehendeth The Apostle also in anothâ—â— place thus forewarneth (d) Epist. ad Galat. c. 5. The workes of thâ— flesh be manifest which are fornication vncleaneâ— impurity c. dissentions (*) or Heresies according to the Testament of an 1576. Sects c. They whicâ— do these things shal not obtayne the kingdom of Goâ— where we see there is expresse mentioâ— made of Sects and that the maintainers oâ— any Sects in opinion of Fayth much morâ— of any Heresy which is euer auerred witâ— greater contumacy and frowardnes anâ— with neglect to the Churches Authority shall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen From which testimony we may furâ—her conclude that as one only act of fornication barreth a man from the kingdome of God so also one Heresy excludeth him froÌ„ the same A fourth place is this (e) Epist. ad Rom. c. 16. I desire you Breâ—hren to marke them that make dissentions and scandalls contrary to the doctrine which you haue learned and auoyd them for such do not serue Christ our Lord. But if such men be to be auoyded and do not serue Christ then no doubt they continuing in that state cannot be saued Fiftly the Apostle speaketh of certaine men saying of them (f) 1. Tim. 1. Quidam circa fidem maufragauerunt Certaine men haue made shipwracke of their Fayth Where the Apostle vseth the Metaphore of shipwracke therby to expresse more fully that Heretikes once falling out of the shippe of the Church of Christ are cast into the sea of eternall damnation To conclude the EuaÌ„gelist S. Iohn speaketh of all Heretikes in generall not imbracing the Doctrine of Christ within which all secondary questions of Christian Religion are contayned in this sort If any (g) 2. Ioan. man come to you and bring not the doctrine of Christ receaue him not into your house nor sâ—â— God saue you vnto him But a man is bound â— charity to suffer any one which is in staâ— of Saluation to come into his house and â— salute him or say God saue him Now whâ— can be replyed against these former texts â— cannot be sayd that they are meant only â— such Heretikes as deny the mysteries of tâ— Trinity the Incarnation of Christ hâ— Passion and such like supreme points â— Christian Religion This I say cannot 〈◊〉 auerred for these reasons following Fiâ— because those who in the Apostles tymâ— denyed these principall points of Christiâ—nity could not be truly termed Heretikeâ— but rather Iewes or Heathens seeing he 〈◊〉 an Heretike truly as is aboue shewed whâ— was once a member of Christs Church bâ— Fayth 〈◊〉 1 but after ceaseth to be therof by erring in some secondary points touchinâ— Christian Fayth Secondly by reason thaâ— according to the true definition of Heresâ—â— or Heretikes aboue set downe the formeâ— texts haue a necessary reference to all Heresies and Heretikes whatsoeuer whetheâ— the subiect of the sayd false opinions be smaâ—â— or great Thirdly because that in the former texts of Scripture there is no restriction of the word Haereticus or Haeresis to the chiefe or highest points of Christian Religion but it is extended to all kind of Hereâ—ikes and Heresies whatsoeuer euen by the Apostle without exceptioÌ„ who no doubt â—f he had vnderstood Heretikes or
Heresies only in the greatest points admitting such meÌ„ for Heretikes would accordingly haue restrayned his words at least in some one â—ext or other among so many only to these kind of Heretikes But not to leaue the least â—hew of refuge or euasion herein I will produce some passage of holy Scripture in wchâ—he mantayners of particuler errours euen â—n lesser points then the highest articles of Christianity are censured by Christs Apoâ—tles to be depriued of eternall Saluation And first we find S. Paul thus to prophesie In the later (h) 1. Tim. cap. 4. times certaine shall depart from the Fayth attending to spirits of errour and doctrine of deuills and forbidding to marry and to abstaine from meates c. Heere the Apostle prophesieth according to the iudgment of (i) Hom. 12. in 1. Tim. S. Chrysostom (k) Vpon this place Ambrose (l) l. contra Iouin cap. 1. Ierom (m) Haer. 25. 40. Augustin of the Heretikes Encratites Marcionistes Ebionites c. who denyed matrimony as a thing altogeather vnlawfull prohibited absolutly and at all times the eating of certaine meates as creatures impure Now these Heretikes belieued in the Trinity the Incarnation c. yet euen for these two former Heresies touching mariage and eating of meates they are sayd bâ— the Apostle to depart from the Fayth of Chrisâ— and to attend to the doctrine of deuills But sucâ— as leaue the Fayth of Christ and attenâ— to the doctrine of Diuells are not iâ— state of Saluation In my iudgement thâ— one authority alone is sufficient to oueâ—throw this phantasie of our Newtrallists 〈◊〉 since the words are diuine Scripture thâ— Heresies reprehended no fundamentalâ— points of Religion but of as little or lesseâ— consequence then the Controuersies betwixt the Catholikes and the Protestants yet the maintainers of them are accompted to depart from the Fayth of Christ and to attend to the doctrine of deuills A second place shal be that of the former Apostle who writing of certayne Heretikes erring touching the Resurrection of the Body though the article of the Resurrection it selfe they belieued sayth thus (n) 2. Tim. cap. â— Their speach spreadeth like a Canker of whome is Hymenaeus and Philetus who haue erred from the truth saying That the Resurrection is allready past and haue subuerted the Fayth of some These men belieued all the mysteries of the Trinity the IncarnatioÌ„ c. yet for erring only touching the Resurrection of the body they are sayd to erre from the truth to subuert the Fayth of some and that as Canker neuer leaueth the body till â—y little and little it wasteth it away so â—heir speaches by degrees poyson and kill â—he soules of the hearers From which it â—uidently followeth that these Heretikes â—ontinuing and dying in the foresaid Hereâ—ie could not be saued since that faith which â—rreth from the truth which subuerteth the true â—aith of Christ in others and which in killing and â—estroying resembleth a Canker cannot affoard Saluation to its Professours Another passage which heere I will vrge â—s that of S. Iohn who calleth certaine Heâ—etikes Antichrists saying (o) 1. Ioan. c. 2. Now there are beâ—ome many Antichrists who went out of vs were not of vs for if they had byn of vs they would surely haue remayned with vs. These Heretikes belieued in the Trinity in the Incarnation of Christ that he dyed for the saluation of the whole world only they erred touching the Person Natures of Christ yet they are figuratiuely stiled Antichrists and are said to depart out of the Church of Christ but no saluation is reserued for Antichrists and Apostataes leauing the Church of Christ. And thus much out of Gods holy Writ expressely touching Heresie in generall particuler To these Texts I will adioyne though not immediately and directly raunged vnder the former head a place or two of Scripture in my iudgment most vnanswerable and by necessarie inference euicting the point heere vndertakeÌ„ The first place is those words of S. Peter where he saith (p) 2. Ep. c. 3. In the Epistles of S. Paul there are certaine things hard to be vnderstood which the vnlearned and vnstable do peruert vnto their owne destruction Now heere I thus argue But these thinges hard to be vnderstood in S. Paul his Epistles did not concerne the doctrine of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. and yet the misvnderstanding of them doth cause as the text saith the destruction that is the damnation of them who misunderstand them Therfore farre lesser points then the deniall of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. doe iustly threaten to the false belieuers of them daÌ„nation and consequently it followeth that a bare beliefe of those supreme points is not sufficient to Saluation That those difficulties in S. Paules Epistles intimated by S. Peter did not concerne the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. I prooue seuerall wayes first because S. Peter maketh no such mention which no doubt he would haue done if the subiect of them had only touched those supreme mysteries and were not to be extended to other inferiour pointes Secondly it is acknowledged by the writings and â—ommentaries of all the Fathers besides â—at the Epistles themselues shew no lesse â—at S. Paul is most euident and cleere in 〈◊〉 his Epistles touching the Trinity the â—carnation the Passion c. and therfore â—ere is no reason why the difficulties of â—hem should be applyed to those articles such lesse restrayned to them alone Thirdly the Fathers do vnderstand these â—â—fficulties in S. Paul his Epistles mentioâ—d by S. Peter chiefly touching Iustificaâ—oÌ„ as appareth by the testimony euen of S. â—gustine (q) l. de fide operibus c. 15. 16. himselfe who particulerly â—tanceth in that place 1. Corinth 3. If â— man build vpon this foundation gold siluer 〈◊〉 which text intreateth of Iustification â—nd workes and expresly saith that this is he of the difficult passages intended and â—ant by S. Peter With S. Augustine S. â—ome may seeme well to agree in these â—ords (r) Epist ad Algasiam quae 8. Epistola ad Romanos nimijs obscuriâ—bus inuoluta est The Epistle to the Roâ—â—ns is inuolued with many obscurities or â—ake places for it is found that the Epiâ—â—le to the Romans most entreateth of Iuâ—fication and of faith and workes Fourâ—ly and lastly the Protestants themselues 〈◊〉 vnderstand the said obscurities of S. Paul 〈◊〉 Epistles touching Iustification as appeareth to omit the testimonies of â— others herein from the words and Coâ—ment of Doctor Fulke against the Rhâ—mish Testament vpon the foresaid plaâ—â— of S. Peter And this farre of this text wheâ— we find by an ineuitable deduction that false Fayth touching Iustification only caâ—not stand with Saluation The second text of scripture is containâ— in those words of the Apostle where thus sayth (c) c. 11. ad Hebraeos s Credere oportet accedentem ad Dâ— quia
more then darkeâ— an produce light since Truth himselfe 〈◊〉 taught vs (i) Luc. 6. That we cannot gather figges â—ornes nor grapes of bushes And hence by premises we are to vnderstand that we â—n entyre perfect fayth that by the â—h we belieue all supreme articles of the Trinitie Incarnation Passion c. anâ— all the articles of the Creed expressely articulately in their true sense and do belieue all other inferiour articles at least implicitely that is that we haue a readie preparation of mind to belieue all other articles which the Church of Christ dotâ— propound to be belieued so as that thougâ— we do not belieue euery article of Chrâ—stian Religion with an explicite and expresse faith yet we are bound vnder painâ— of damnation nor to belieue any doctrinâ— contrary or repugnant to the said articleâ— which the Church of Christ doth prâ—pound to be belieued from which it vnauoydably followeth that once grauntinâ— that the Church of Christ propoundeth 〈◊〉 be belieued that there is a Purgatory â— that we may pray to the Saints he incureth damnation who belieueth that theâ— is no Purgatory or that we ought not 〈◊〉 pray to Saints Now in this third place we will toucâ— that inseparable Attribute of true Chrâ—stian fayth which is Vnity in fayth 〈◊〉 doctrine This marke is so indissolubâ—â— annexed to the true fayth of Christ as thâ— we find his Apostles euer readie most â—â—riously to inculcate the same to their dâ—ciples Thus accordingly the Aposâ—â— exhorteth the Ephesians saying (k) Ephes 4. Be you carefull to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace And immediately againe (l) Ephes vbi supra There is one Lord one fayth one Baptisme Where we see that Vnity in fayth is expressely set downe As also in another place (m) Ephes loc cit I beseech you that you speake all one thing be you kâ—it together in one mind and one iudgment And as this was the exhortation of the Apostle To we read that the first belieuers followed â—he same of whom S. Luke thus saith The (n) Act. 4. multitude that belieued were of one hart and â—ne soule And hence it proceedeth that the Church of Christ which comprehendeth the Professours of this vnanimous faith is â—tyled by Gods holy writ (o) Rom. 12. One Bodie one (p) Cant. 6. Spouse (q) Ioan. 10. one flocke of sheepe A truth â—o euident as that besides the frequent teâ—timonies of the Faâ—hers (r) Athanasius orat 1. con Ani. Chrysost opere imperfecto in Mat. Hom. 20. Tertullian de praescript Irenaeus l r. c. 5. confirming the â—ame euer the Protestants subscribe in iudgâ—ent heerto For thus (Å¿) Luther tom 3. Wittenberg in psal 5. fol. 166. Luther himselfe to omit (t) see herâ—â—â—f the Deuines of Mansfeild against the Sacramentaries And the Deuines of Heidelberg against the Anabaptists others writeth A kingdome deuiâ—ed in it selfe shall not stand neither haue any â—eretikes at any tyme bine ouercome by force or â—btility but by mutuall dissention neither doth â—hrist fight with them otherwise then with a spiâ—â—t of giddines and disagreement Now then this Vnitie of faith is so to be â—nderstood as that it is not repugnant therto that one and the same point should at one time not be houlden as necessary to be belieued the which after it hath vndergone a definitiue sententionall decree of Gods Church is necessarily to be belieued As for example it was not necessary in the beginning of Christianity to belieue that the booke of the Machabees the Epistle of S. Iames S. Iude the second Epistle of S. Peter the second and third of S. Iohn to be Canonicall Scripture till they were defined so to be by the third Councell (u) Can. 47. of Carthage at which S. Augustine was present But after this Councell had by the assistance of the holy Ghost defined them to be Canonicall and this after confirmed by the consent of the whole Church then it was and is Heresy to deny them to be Canonicall And the reason of this disparity is because it is Gods good pleasure wisdome not to reueale to his Church all articles of faith in the beginning and at one time but at seuerall times and vpon seuerall occasions as to his diuine Maiesty best seemeth expedient Thus the fayth of a Christian is capable of dilatation and of a more large vnfoulding or exposition but not of any contrariety in beliefe chaunge or alteration Anâ— thus to insist in the former example yâ— may well stand with Christian faith in the â—eginning not to accept the former bookes or Canonicall till the authority of the Church had pronounced them for such But it standeth not with sound faith that one man should positiuely belieue now after the Churches definition therof giuen as an article of fayth that the Machabees and the rest of the bookes aboue specified are not Canonicall Scripture but the prophane writings of man and another man should belieue as an article of Faith that they are Canonicall Scripture since the one of these contrary beleifes must be Hereticall This verity of the Vnity of faith being warranted by the word both of God and man as is aboue said we will take into our consideration the Catholike and Protestant Religions both which ioyntly do professe to belieue in generall in the Trinity in Christs Incarnation his Passion and the Creed of the Apostles and so we shall discerne whether the faith of all these seuerall Professours doth inioy the foresaid marke of vnity in doctrine or noe But seing this Subiect is most ample and large I will therfore sepose this ensuing chapter for the more full and exact discouery of the many and great disagreements betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants in their fayth and Religion THE SAME PROVED FROâ— want of vnity in fayth betweene Catholikes anâ— Protestants touching the Articles of the Creed CHAP. IIII. VNDERTAKING in this place tâ— set downe the multiplicity of opinions betweene Catholikes anâ— Protestants though they all iointly belieue in the Trinity the Incarnation oâ— Christ his Passion and the like and consequently that this their general beliefe wanteth that true Vnity of fayth which out of thâ— holy Scriptures Fathers the Protestants I haue aboue shewed to be most necessary to Saluation I will first examine how the Protestants and Catholikes doe differ touching the beliefe of the Creed made by the Apostles Next I will demonstrate that supposing all Professours of both Religions should agree in the true sense and meaning of the Creed yet there are diuers other dogmaticall points necessarily to be belieued and are at this instant belieued both by Protestants and Catholikes which are not expressed or mentioned in the Creed nor by any immediate inference can be drawne from thence Lastly I wil set down the great difference betweene Catholiks ProtestaÌ„ts in other points of fayth of which the Creed makes no intimation or
mention at al and yet the different beliefe of them is houlden necessary to SaluatioÌ„ both by Catholike Protestant From all which it shall appeare how farre distant the Catholike and Protestant Religion are from that vnity in doctrine so necessarily required to that fayth wherby a Christian is to be saued I do heere begin with the Apostles Creed first because the articles of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion are included in the Creed Secondly by reason there are many Adiaphorists in Religion as I may terme them who seeme to deale more largly and liberally heerin seeing they are coÌ„tent to extend the necessary Obiect of Fayth not only to the articles of the Trinity the Incarnation and the Passion but to all points set downe in the Creed who assure themselues that God exacteth at our hands the beliefe of no other articles then are contayned in the Creed Now heere aforehand we are to conceaue that true Fayth resteth in the true sense meaning of the words of the Creed which was intended by the Apostles and not in the words themselues seeing both in the iudgment of all learned Catholikes and Protestants to belieue the words of the Creed in a sense different from the intended sense of the Apostles and consequently in a false sense is no better then not to belieue the Creed at all And the reason herof is because a false construction drawne from the Creed no lesse then from the Scripture is not the word of God but of man and coÌ„sequently the sayd letter of the Creed so interpreted is subiect to the same censure wherunto the word of man is lyable from whence it followeth that whosoeuer belieueth the words of the Creed in another sense then was intended by the holy Ghost and the Apostles doth not belieue the Creed at all but only belieueth the word of man which euer standeth subiect to errour and mistaking So as that sentence of S. Ierome deliuered only of the Scripture may iustly be applyed to the Creed (a) In Epistola ad Paulinum Scripturae non in legendo sed in intelligendo consistunt Scriptures or Creed do not coÌ„sist in the letter but in the sense and true vnderstanding of the letter This then being thus iustly presupposed let vs beginne to examine the articles of the Creed and see how we Catholikes and Protestants do differ in the construction vnderstanding therof And first touching the first article of our Beliefe in God obserue how different it is The Catholikes do belieue that their God no way formally cooperateth or willeth sinne in man that he hath but one simple and expressed will touching Sinne and this in detesting or hating of Sinne that he will not punish vs for not keeping of such precepts the which are not in our power to keepe that he imputeth sinnes to euery man that committeth sinne briefly that he giueth to all sufficient grace to saue their soules and desireth that al men may be saued Wheras the Protestants belieue the meere contrary to all these points for they belieue that God (b) Beza his display of Popish practises p. 102. saith God exciteth the wicked will of one thiefe to kill another see Swinglius tom 1. de Prouiden c. 6. fol. 365. Calu. Instit l. 2. c. 18. sect 1. cooperateth forceth and willeth a man to sinne That he hath a double will and therfore a dissembling will the one expressed in Scripture according to which he forbiddeth man to sinne the other concealed to himselfe by the which he impelleth man to sin that he will (d) D. Reynolds in his 2. Conclusion annexed to his Conference p. 697. punish vs for transgressing the ten Commaundements it not being in our power to keep the sayd Commaundements (e) Luther tom 2. wittenb de capt Babilon fol. 74. D. VVhitaker de Eccl. contra Bellarm controuersia 2. quaest 5. p. 301. that to the faythfull sinning neuer so wickedly no sinne shal be imputed Finally that to (f) Calu. de Inst l. 30. 23. sayth Confilio nutuque c. God doth ordaine by his counsaile that among men some be borne to certaine damnation froÌ„ their mothers wombe See Willets Synopsis p. 554. affirming the same certaine men he giueth not sufficient meanes of Saluation but purposeth and decreeth from all eternity that some men lyuing in the eye of the world in their owne consciences neuer so vertuously shal be damned thrall to sempiternall perdition Thus we see how great a difference there is betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants in beleiuing the first article of the Creed And how necessarily it followeth that eyther the Catholikes or Protestants do stand subiect and obnoxious to that saying of S. Augustin (g) q. 29. sup Iosue Who imagineth God such as God is not he carieth euery where another God a false God in his mind Touching the second article which is And in Iesus Christ his only Sonne We (h) Concil Trid. Catholikes belieue in Christ who is God of God and equall to his Father a Sauiour who suffred death quoad sufficientiam for all mankind and who accomplished the function of his Sauiourship only according to hiâ— humanity a Sauiour who dyed only in body and not in soule finally a Sauiour who from his first conception was endewed with all knowledge wisdome and prouidence and exempt from all ignorance passion and perturbation Wheras diuers cheife Protestants do belieue in Christ as their Sauiour who according to their faith is God of (i) D. Whitaker approueth this opinion alleadging Caluin in prooffe therof Contra CaÌ„pianum p. 121. himselfe and (k) Melancton in loc comm edit 1561. p. 41. inferiour to the Father who dyed only for the (l) So doth D. Willet teach in Sinopsi printed anno 1600. p. 780. as also Caluin and Beza in whole Treatises Elect who performed his mediation not only according to his humanity but also according to his diuinity though in the iudgment of all earned men true Diuinity is impassible who in the time of his Passion besides the death of the body as insufficient for our â—aluatioÌ„ suffred in soule the tormeÌ„ts (m) Melancton vbi supra D. fulke in his retent p. 89. (m) So teacheth Caluin Instit l 2. c. 16. sect 10. D. Whit. contra Duraeum l. 8. p. 556. of Hell briefly who laboured with ignoraÌ„ce (n) So teacheth Beza in resp ad act Colloq Montisb part 1. p. 147. D. Willet Synop. p. 599. 600. passion and euen desperation it selfe Touching the Article of Christs descenâ—â—ng into Hell the Catholikes do belieue â—â—ereby that Christ descended in soule after his Passion into that part of Hell with is called Lymbus Patrum to deliuer from thence the soules of the Iust there detayned till â—is comming of which iudgment are also some learned Protestants But the greatest part of (o) So D. Bilson in his Suruey of â—â—â—ists suffring c. p. 650. 651. 652.
The LutheraÌ„s are generally â—he same opinion Protestants do interpret this article of Christs descending into his (p) D. Willet in his Lymbomastix D. Fulke â—ged by D. Willet in Synop. p. 605. 606. â—â—aue so by the word Hell vnderstanding â—â—e graue But (q) l. 2. Instit c. 16. §. 20. Caluin teacheth that by Christs descending into Hell is vndertood that Christ apprehended God to be â—ost angry and offended with him for our â—akes and that thereupon Christ suffered â—â—eat anxiety and griefe of soule and which is more most blasphemously Caluin teacheth that Christ vttered words of desperation in saying O God my God why hast thou forsaken me Touching the article of Christs ascending into Heauen we Catholikes and the Caluinists do belieue heerby that Christ truly in body ascended vp into Heauen wheraâ— all Lutherans (r) Luther in l. de Sacrament Coenae Domini tom 2. fol. 112. where he saith Credimus quòd Christus iuxta humanitatem est vbique praesens The same is taught by Brentius in Apolog pro Confess Wittenberg And finally by all the Lutherans do teach that Christs Body is in all places with the diuinity and that therfore it did not really after his Passion ascend vp into Heauen it being there both before and after his Passion Thus the Lutherans both in ours and the Protestants iudgments do destroy by this their construction the whole Creed and particulerly Christs Incarnation Natiuity Passion death ascending to Heauen and his comming to Iudgment for supposing Christs body to be in all places all these articles were but apparently or phantastically and not truly and really performed Touching the article of Christs iudging the quicke and dead We Catholikes do beleiue that Christ at his comming to iudgment will so iudge man as that his good workes receauing all their force from our Sauiours PassioÌ„ shal be rewarded wheras the Protestants denying all (s) Calu. l. 3. Instit c. 5. §. â— Bucer in actis Colloq Ratisbon Beza Zwinglius and most ProtestaÌ„ts merit of workes as iniurious and derogatory to his death and Passion doe hould that Christ shall then reward only a bare and speciall (t) Calu. in Antidoto Conc. Tri. Kemnitius in examen Conc. Trident. and most other Protestants fayth Concerning the article I beleiue in the holy Ghost Wheras all Catholikes and many Protestants do beleiue that the holy Ghost is the third Person in the most Blessed Trinity Caluin how euer he was persuaded of the truth or falsehood therof much laboureth notwithstanding to auoyde the force of arguments drawn from the chiefest places of scripture and vsually alleadged by al Antiquity in proofe of the holy Ghost being the third Person in the Trinity Thus we find that Caluin (u) Instit l. 1. c. 13. §. 15. will not haue coÌ„trary to all Antiquity that passage of Scripture Psal 33. By the word of the Lord the Heauens were made and al the Host of theÌ„ by the spirit of his mouth to be vnderstood of the diuinity of the holy Ghost In like sort he reiecteth the argumeÌ„t (x) See of this Subiect against the Trinity Aegidius Hunnius a ProtestaÌ„t in his booke entituled Caluinus IudaizaÌ„s drawn froÌ„ that other most â—â—markable text Iohn 5. There be three that giue testimony in Heauen the Father the word the holy Ghost and these three be one Caluin vpon this place thus saying heerby to take away froÌ„ thence the proofe of the holy Ghost Quòd dicit tres esse vnum ad essentiam non refertur sed ad consensum potiùs Finally Luther was so far from acknowledging the holy Ghost to be the third Person in the Trinity or to confesse the Trinity it selfe that thus he writeth (*) Luther Confut ration Lat. Anima mea odit hoc verbum Homousion vel Consubstantialis My very soule doth hate the word Homousion or Consubstantiall Concerning the article I belieue the holy Catholike Church The Catholikes do belieue this Church to be a visible company of men professing the present Roman Catholike fayth of which some are predestinated others reprobated The Protestants doe belieue this Church to coÌ„sist only of the (y) Confess Augustana Art 7. Luther l. de Conc Eccles Cal. l. 4. Inst. c. 1. §. 2. Elect and Predestinate Touching the Article the Communion of Saints The Catholikes doe heereby belieue such a CommunioÌ„ to be betwixt the Saints in Heauen the Soules in Purgatory men vpon earth that the one part doth help the other with their most auaylable prayers and Intercessions The Protestants deny all such entercourse of benefits betweene these seuerall parts â—f the Church of Christ (z) Calu. l. 3. Instit c. 5. §. 6. Centuriatores Cent. 1. l. 2. c. 4. col 460. Brentius in confes wittenberg c. de Purgatorio accounting the Catholikes doctrine heerein superstitious sacrilegious Lastly touching the Article of forgiuenes of Sinnes we Catholikes do belieue that this remission of sinnes is performed when the soule by a true and inherent Iustice and by the infused gifts of God enioyeth a renouation of herselfe and thereby becommeth truly iust in the sight of God The Protestants disalowing all inherent Iustice doe only acknowlege an (a) Keâ—nit in Examen Concil Trident. Cal. l. 3. Instit c. 11. imputatiue Iustice or righteousnes which coÌ„sisteth in that the Iustice of Christ is as they teach only imputed vnto sinners so as we remayne still sinners though our sinne be not imputed vnto vs through Christs Iustice A doctrine iniurious to the most meritorious Passion and death of Christ Thus haue we runne ouer the chiefe articles of the Creed from whence we collect that seeing as is aboue demonstrated He only belieueth auailably truly the Creed who belieueth it in that sense in which the Apostles did write it seing there are meere different or rather contrary constructions of euery Article giuen by the Catholikes and the Protestants so as if the construction of the Catholiks be true it followeth necessarily that the other of the ProtestaÌ„ts be false or contrarywise we may therefore iustly conclude that it is not sufficient to saluation for any one to say that he beliueth the Creed who belieueth the words of it in general without restrayning them to any peculiar construction giuen eyther by Catholikes or Protestants except he belieue it in that one particuler sense and none other which was intended by the holy Ghost when it was first framed by the Apostles Now in this next place we are to demoÌ„strate that graunting for a tyme by an Hypothesis or supposall that a man did belieue all the Articles of the Creed in their true sense and construction yet followeth it not that this beliefe though it be most necessary were sufficient for a man to obtaine his saluation hereby and the reason hereof is because it is most certayne that there are diuers points of Christian Religion houldeâ— necessarily to be belieued in
iudgment both of Catholikes and Protestants and accordingly are belieued iontly both by Ptotestants and Catholikes yet the sayd pointâ— are not contained or expressed in the Creed Among others I will insist in these following First That there are certayne diuine writings oâ— infallible authority which we commonly callâ— the Scriptures of the old new TestameÌ„t of which Testaments we find no mention in the Creed and yet all men are bound vnder payne of damnation to belieue thaâ— there are such writings since other wayeâ— abstracting from the authority of thâ— Church there were not sufficient meane left to belieue that it were a sinne to breakâ— any of the ten Commaundements oâ— which is more that Christ Iesus was thâ— true Sauiour of the world for though wâ— read in the Creed that he suffered and died yet we read not expresly there that he dyed to redeeme man 2. That there are spiritual Substances which we call Angels which now enioy the most happy sight of God and that many thousands of them did fall presently after their Creation and are become those malignant Spirits which vsually are tearmed Diuells 3. That there is any materiall place of Hel where the wicked are tormented of which we find nothing in the Creed in the iudgment of the Protestants for though the word Hell be mentioned in that Article He descended into Hell yet by the word Hell the graue is vnderstood by most of the Protestants 4. That the paynes of the damned shal be for all eternity and not for a certayne tyme only 5. That Adam did presently vpon his Creation fall from the grace of God and thereby transferred Originall sinne vpon all mankind so as by reason of his fall all men are borne in Originall sinne 6. That the world was once drowned for sin which Inundation is coÌ„monly called Noës floud 7. That our Sauiour whiles he conuersed heere vpon earth did any miracles 8. That S. Iohn Baptist was our Sauiours Precursor or forerunner and that our Sauiour did choose vnto him certayne men for his Apostles which did first preach and plant the Christian fayth throughout the world 9. That Circumcision is now forbidden as a thing most vnlawfull vngodly 10. That there are any Sacraments of the new Testament as the SacrameÌ„t of Baptisme or Eucharist and instituted by Christ for the spirituall good of mans soule These points besides some others all christians aswell Protestants as catholiks do belieue and do hould that their beliefe of these points is necessary to saluation yet not any one of all these Articles is expressed or set downe in the Apostles creed From whence I would conclude that the Apostles Creed cannot be a sufficient boundary to contayne and limit an auayleable fayth For what hope can that man haue of his saluation who belieueth that there are neyther any diuine scriptures nor Angells nor Diuellâ— nor any Decalogue commonly called the Ten commaundements nor that Christ did worke any miracles nor that he dyed for man nor that he instituted any Sacrament and particulerly the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Eucharist nor finally to omit the rest that there is any place of Hell or any eternity of punishment for the damned And heere I am to premonish the Reader that it is no sufficient answere to reply that most of all the foresayd points are expressed in the Scripture and therefore are to be belieued This I say auayleth not seeing heere I dispute against those who maintayne with wonderfull pertinacity of iudgment that it is sufficient to saluation to belieue only the Articles and nothing els which are contayned in he Creed buâ— not any of the former Articles are contayned therein Agayne seing to belieue that there are any diuine scriptures is not expressed in the Creed it conduceth nothing to the answering of this our argument to say that the forementioned articles are proued out of Scripture and therefore are to be belieued Neither secondly can the force of our said argument be auoyded in replying that all the former articles are virtually and potentially comprehended in that article I belieue the holy Church because the Church teacheth that all these articles are to be belieued This is no warantable answere by reason that as these may be reduced to this Arâ—icle of the creed so also may all other points controuerted between the catholikes and the Protestants be in like maÌ„ner reduced to the said Article seeing the church of God setteth downe what is the truth and what is to be belieued in the sayd controuersies bynding her children vnder payne of damnation aswell to belieue the truth in the controuersies of our dayes as to belieue the former mentioned articles which are not expressed in the creed And yet these our Newtrallists in Religion who make the Creed the sole square of their Fayth doe not thinke that those questions of Religion insisted vpon betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants are in belieuing or not belieuing of them any way hurtfull to their Saluation THE SAME PROVED FROM the want of vnity in fayth betweene Catholikes and Protestants in Articles necessary to be belieued and yet not expressed in the Creed CHAP. V. IN this third and last place we wil â—nsist in certayne controuersies of Religion necessarily to be belieued the one way both in the iudgment of â—atholikes and Protestants and not contained in the creed and yet so differently maintayned by Catholikes and Protestants as that graunting the maintayners on the one side hould the truth it followeth that the other party vphouldeth falshood and Heresy Now for the more daungerous wounding of our Newtralizing Christians heerein I will omit heere to speake of the coÌ„trouersies touching Purgatory Praying to Saints Freewill Monachisme and diuers other such like will restrayne my selfe only to those Controuersies the subiect of which Controuersies are taught by the one side to be vnder Christ the immediate meanes of our grace and Saluation denyed by the other party to be of any such force or efficacy for the soules euerlasting good So as if it be shewed that the Protestants and the Catholikes doe maynely dissent in the meanes of obtayning grace and purchasing of saluation it must of necessity be inferred that both the Protestants and Catholikes continuing in such their contrary fayths cannot attayne grace and saluation since not only Philosophy but euen naturall reason teacheth vs that he neuer shall attayne the end who vseth eyther not the same meanes or contrary to those meanes which are only and necessarily instituted to the gayning of the sayd end But to proceed to these points first Concerning the Sacraments in generall the Catholikes do belieue that all of them where no iust impediment is doe conferre grace into the soule of man by the help and continuance of which grace the soule in the end obtayneth saluation The Protestants doe not ascribe any such supernaturall effect or operation of grace to them And to come more particulerly to the Sacraments
Touching Baptisme the Catholikes belieue that Children as being borne in Originall sinne cannot be saued except they be baptized with water according to those words of S. (1) Ioan. 3. Iohn Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God The (2) Willet in his meditation vpon the 122. Psalme and Caluin and Beza most frequently Protestants belieue that Infants dying vnbaptized may be saued Touching the Sacrament of Pennance or Confession The Catholikes belieue that after a Christian hath committed any one mortal sinne that sinne cannot be forgiuen him but by meanes of cōfessing the said sinne to a Priest of the new Testament and receauing absolution therof from him answereably to that of S. (3) Ca. 20. Iohn whose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose sinnes you shall retayne they are retayned The Protestants belieue that neither the confession of sinnes to man nor the absolution of man is necessary for the remitting of sinne vnto them but that it is suficient to confesse them only to God And thus according to this their diuersitie of doctrine either the Protestants for want of this Sacrament graunting it to be necessary after he hath once mortally sinned cannot be saued or the Catholike for practising a false superstitious manner of seeking to haue his sinnes remitted supposing it to be repugnant to the Institution of Christ cannot haue them remitted and consequently cannot be saued Touching the most blessed Eucharist The Catholikes belieue that the verie body and bloud doth lye ineffably and latently vnder the formes of bread and wyne according to that (4) Mat. 26. This is my Body This is my bloud That (5) Ioan. 6. Vnlesse we eate his Body and drinke his bloud we shall not haue life euerlasting Lastly that we are to Adore Christ his Body being accompanied with his Diuinitie in the said Sacrament The Protestants do belieue that his true Body as neuer leauing heauen cannot possibly be truly and really vnder the formes of bread and wyne and consequently they belieue that the eating of his body and drinking of his bloud is not necessary to Saluation finally they hould our Adoratiō of the Sacrament to be open Idolatry and tearme Catholikes Idolaters for the adoring of it And thus the Protestants as not feeding vpon this Celestiall foode shall not haue life euerlasting if the Catholikes doctrine heerin be true or els Catholikes suppose they should erre for teaching and practising Idolatry heerin should incurre damnation Touching the meanes of our Iustification the Catholikes belieue that not only faith but works also do iustify The Protestants reiect all workes from Iustificatiō teaching that only fayth doth iustifie man yea they further proceede affirming that who once hath true faithe is most assured and (a) Caluin in Instit passim Kemnitius in exam Concilij Trident. certaine of his saluation whereas the Catholikes reputing this as meere presumption are willing according to the (b) Phil. 2. Apostle to worke their saluation with feare and trembling To be short the Protestants (*) so Luther in art 10. 11. 12. Caluin in Antidot Concil Trident. sess 6. Melancthon in locis tit de fide do teach that a man by thinking himself to be Iust is by this meanes become Iust wheras the Catholikes doe hould this doctrine not only to be phantasticall but also in (c) Vide Bellarm. l. 3. de Iustificat reason most absurd Touching grace without which man cannot be saued The Catholiks belieue that God out of the abysse and depth of his infinite mercie offereth to euery Christian sufficient grace wherby he may be saued and therfore they doe encourage euery one to endeauour to seeke their saluation The (d) This is taught by Caluin and Beza in whole Treatises and by D. Willet in his Synopsis of anno 1600. p. 589. Protestants teach that God giueth not this sufficiencie of grace to euery one but to certaine men only and that diuers there are who notwithstanding all their endeauour to belieue truly and liue vertuously yet cannot nor shall not be saued Touching the Decalogue or ten Commaundments The Catholikes belieue that except a Christian doe keep them he cannot be saued according to that saying of our Sauiour (d) Mat. 19. If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commaundments The (e) D. Reynolds in his 2. Conclus annexed to his Cōference p. 697. D. Willet in his Synopsis p. 564. Protestants do absolutely teach an impossibility of keeping them And thereupon (f) Serm. de Moyse Luther thus affirmeth The ten Commaundements appertaine not to vs. Lastly Touching the Pope or Bishop of Rome The Catholikes doe belieue that he is vnder Christ the supreme Pastour vpon Earth that who doth not communicate with him in Sacraments and doctrine not yealding him all due obedience in subiecting their iudgments in matters of faith to his iudgment and sententionall definitions set downe in a generall Councell cannot be saued The Protestants doe teach the Bishop of Rome is that Antichrist which is decyphered by the (g) 2. Thes 2. Apocal. 13. 17. Apostle and which is the designed enemy of Christ and that whosoeuer imbraceth his doctrine or enthralleth as they write their assents to his Cathedrall decrees in points of Religion cannot obtayne Saluation Thus far of these points in which I haue made particuler choyce to insist omitting some others of like nature because we see that most or all of them doe immediatly principally as is aboue said touch the meanes of purchasing of grace of remission of our Sinnes and of obtayning our Saluation being maintayned for such by the Catholiks but vtterly denyed and reiected by the Protestants And heere I now vrge two things First if these former doctrines as they are belieued by the Catholikes doe immediatly concerne Saluation become necessary meanes thereof as instituted by Christ then cannot the Protestants as reiecting all such Doctrines and such meanes both in beliefe and practise be saued If by a supposall they be not of that nature but false in themselues and the contrary doctrines of Protestants true then cannot the Catholikes as belieuing false doctrines immediatly touching mans Saluation and accordingly practising them be saued from which forked argument it may demonstratiuely be inferred that it is impossible that both Catholikes and Protestants the one part belieuing the other not belieuing the foresaid doctrines should both be saued Secondly I vrge that a false beliefe not only in these articles but also in all other Controuersies betweene the Catholike and Protestant is playne Heresy And this because this false beliefe is comprehended within the definition of Heresie as being in it selfe an Election and choyce of a new or false doctrine wilfully maintayned against the Church of God and therfore it followeth that eyther the Catholikes or Protestants for their persisting in this false beliefe or Heresie maintayning it
against Gods Church shal be damned But here I will stay my selfe wading no further in the disquisition and search of the great dissentions betweene Catholikes and Protestants touching faith and beliefe only I will reflect a litle vpon the premises And heere it is made most euident first that the Catholikes and Protestants do mainly differ in the sense and construction of the Articles of the Creede and consequently seing the sense and not the words do make the Creed that they both do not belieue one and the same Creede but haue to themselues seuerall Creedes from which point is sufficiently discouered the want of Vnity in faith among them both which Vnitie is so necessarily required to mans saluation as in the precedent chapter is demonstrated Secondly that though by supposition they did belieue the Creede and the true sense therof with an vnanimous consent yet it is proued there are diuers other articles not contayned in the Creed which are indifferently belieued as necessary to saluation both by Catholike and Protestant Thirdly seing also there are sundry Controuersies in Religion as is aboue exemplified which immediatly concerne saluation being houlden as necessary meanes therof by Catholikes but disclaymed from and abaÌ„doned by the Protestants as mayne errours and false doctrines Therfore from all the former premises I do auerre that it is a manifest errour to make the Creed the sole rule of Fayth and that he who maintaynes that both the Catholikes and Protestants notwithstanding their great disparitie of beliefe and fayth the one side necessarily belieuing maintayning Heresie can be saued or enioy one heauen is wholy depriued of all true iudgement reason and discourse and for want thereof may deseruedly be ranged among them of whome the psalmist speaketh (h) Psal 11. nolite fieri sicut equus mulus quibus non est intellectus THE SAME PROVED FROM the authority and priuiledge of the Church in not erring in her definitions and condemnation of Heresies and first of Councels CHAP. VI. FROM the inuiolable vnitie of faith we will next descend to the priuiledges of Gods true Church Of which priuiledges I will at this time take only one into my consideration that is that the Church of God is endued with a supreme priuiledge and prerogatiue of not erring in her definitions of fayth or condemnatioÌ„ of heresie This point is warranted by innumerable texts of holy Scripture as where it is sayd (i) Esay 72. Vpon thy wall ô Hierusalem I haue set watchmen all the day and all the night they shall not be silent But God did not set watchmen ouer his Church to teach errour And agayne The (a) 2. Tim. 3. Church of God is the pillar and foundation of the truth what more perspicuous And further whereas ech man â—s commaunded to repayre in difficulties matters of small consequeÌ„ces to the Church it is threatned by Christ himselfe that who wil not heare the Church shal be accompted â—s an Heathen or Publican according to â—hat his commination Si Ecclesiam non auâ—ierit (b) Mat. 18. sit tibi sicut Ethnicus Publicanus where we find no restriction but that in all things we are to heare the Church Agayne Christ himselfe speaketh to his Apostles and in them to the whole Church He (c) Luc. 10. that heareth you heareth me But if the church could erre neither would Christ refer vs to the church especially vnder so great a penalty neither by hearing the church could we be iustly sayd to heare Christ Finally the Church is so gouerned by Christ as its head or spouse and by the holy Ghost as its soule as therefore we find the Apostle thus to write (d) Ephes 1. thereof God hath made him head speaking of Christ ouer all the Church which is his body And agayne (e) Ephes 4. One body and one spirit yet more The (f) Ephes 5. man is the head of the woman as Christ is head of the Church From which texts it followeth that if the church should erre in its definitioÌ„s or resolutions of fayth and condemnation of Heresy this erring might well be ascribed to Christ and to the holy Ghost and consequently it followeth that the Apostles in making the creed would haue omitted that Article I belieue in the Catholike Church For why should we be bound to belieue the church if the church could erre This truth I meane that the church of Christ cannot erre in her sententionall decrees is so illustrious and euident that Tertullian speaking of certaine Heretikes of his tyme obiecting the erring of the whole church thus figuratiuely or Ironically writeth Age Omnes (g) in l. de praescript c. 28. Ecclesiae errauerunt nullam respexit spiritus Sanctus vti eam in veritatem deduceret ad hoc missus à Christo ad hoc postulatus de Patre vt esset doctor veritatis c. That is Go to Belike all the Churches haue erred and the holy Ghost hath regarded no Church that be might lead it into truth being sent for this purpose by Christ and to the same end begged by Christ of the Father â—hat it might be the teacher of truth And S. Augustine Disputare (h) Epist 118. contra id quod Ecclesia vniuersae sentit insolentissimae insaniae est To dispute agaynst any point maintayned by the whole Church is extreme madnes To whose iudgment herein most of the more sober and learned Protestants do indisputably subscribe since diuers of them doe with all feruour earnestnes maintayne that (i) D. Bancrost in his Sermon printed anno 1588. Fox Act. mon. fol. 464. b. art 4. The deuines of Geneua in their propositions and principles disputed c. p. 141. and diuers others the church of Christ cannot erre and that what she defineth for truth is most true or what for Heresy or â—alshood is hereticall and to be condemned This Basis or foundatioÌ„ of the church not â—rring being thus firmely layde we are heereupon to conclude that what points of Religion the catholike church of Christ hath condemned for Heresies the same are by vs to be reputed for Heresies since the churches condemnation or approbation is most infallible and the maintayners of the sayd Heresies for Heretikes and consequently that such Heretikes as departing out of the Church of God by their houlding of the sayde Hereticall opinions cannot be saued Now because the iudgment of the Church in matters of fayth is discouered two wayes first by the sentence of generall Councells secondly by the frequent attestations of the sayd chiefe Doctours of the Church in euery age in their particuler wrytings they not being contradicted therin by any other Orthodoxall Fathers or Doctours of the same age I will therefore distributiuely handle both these wayes shewing that both in generall by Councels and also by the particuler iudgement of the learned Fathers many opinions though not touching the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion or the expresse Articles of
(b) Act. mon. p. 1335. these words The Commaundements were giuen not to doe them but 〈◊〉 know our damnation and to call for mercy to God Doctor Willet also saying The (c) In Sinop Papismi p. 564. law remayneth still impossible to be kept by vs through the weâ—kenes of our flesh neyther doth God giue vs abilityâ— keep it but Christ hath fulfilled it for vs. And â—â—nally Doctour Whitaker in that his seâ—tence (d) Contra Camp rat 8. Qui credunt ij non sunt sub lege sed sub gratia Quid plura Christiani execrâ—tione legis liberantur They who belieue are 〈◊〉 vnder the law but vnder grace What more in this point is to be sayed Christians are freed from the curse of the law Now then if Christians be freed from the curse of the law wherin the ten Commaundments are contayned how can the breach of them be any way hurtfull to the violators of them And if the Commandments were neither giuen vs to keep nor we haue power to keep them to what end should any man endeauour to keep theÌ„ Why should the Thiefe forbeare to steale or the Homicide to commit murther whoseeth not how this doctrine discourageth a man from liuing vertuously by bridling his vnruly and sensuall desires 2. Touching Chastity The Protestants do teach that Chastity is not in our power And hence it is that Luther thus wryteth It is (e) Tom. 5. Wittenb ser de matrimonio not in our power to be without a woman c. It is not in our power that it should be stayed or omitted but it is as necessary as to eate drinke purge make cleane the nose c. To whom omitting all others for greater breuity M. Perkins subscribeth saying The vow of (f) In his reformed Catholike pag. 161. CoÌ„tineÌ„cy is not in the power of him that voweth Now this doctrine being imbraced for true how forcibly doth it inuite or rather impell all people vnmaryed both men or women to satisfy their lust by their owne incontinent liues In like sort what great encouragemeÌ„t doth it giue to maryed persons to violate the bond of matrimony when either of the persons through absence or long sickenes or some other suddayne and accidentall impotency cannot render the act and due of matrimony And the partyes thus sinning eyther maryed or vnmaryed being expostulated and charged with their offence therein may they not iustly reply in excuse of themselues that they are not to be blamed or rebuked for their incontinency seing by their owne doctrine and Religion they are expresly taught that they haue not the guilt of chastity and that it is not in their power to liue chastly continently 3. The Protestants doctrine of Venial and Mortall sinne doth wonderfully extenuate and lessen the atrocity and malice of sinne in the belieuers of that doctrine For the Protestants do teach that there is noâ— such difference of sinnes in themselues buâ— that the most grieuous sinnes whatsoeuer being perpetrated and committed by any one that hath true fayth are but veniall their reason heereof is because in their doctrine no sinnes are imputed to those whâ— haue true fayth Thus accordingly D. Whitaker teacheth (g) De Eccles cont Bellarm. Controuer â— q. 5. p. 301. Si quis actum fidei habet 〈◊〉 peccata non nocent Sinne is not hurtfull to him whâ— actually belieueth who did learne this of his great mayster Luther thus writing of this point (h) Luther in his sermons Englished printed 1578. pag. 176. No worke is disallowed of God vnles the authour therof be disallowed before All which being graunted as true doctrine it must needs follow that who shall take himselfe to be one of the Faythfull as euery Protestant is bound by his owne Religion to belieue of himselfe shall make small accompt of committing any sinne considering he is taught by the former doctrine to belieue that to vse the words of one of their owne maysters (i) Wotton in his answere to the lute Popish Articles pag. 92. Sinne is pardoned him as soone as it is committed 4. The Protestants doctrine of Reprobation and denyall of Freewill mightily disanimateth and discourageth the belieuers thereof from imbracing of vertue and eschewing of sinne for if it be true as this their Doctrine suggesteth that some men are borne euen from their mothers wombe Reprobats and thrall to damnation and cannot be saued to what end should they seeke their owne saluation by a true Fayth auoyding of sinne and practizing of a penitentiall vertuous lyfe Or if we haue not Freewill with the concurrence of Gods grace to do well as the former doctrine instructeth why should we giue our best endeauours to imbrace vertue and fly all vice Since it is not in our power according to the Protestants fayth to exercise the one and fly the other 5. To this may be adioyned the ProtestaÌ„ts like doctrine of Predestination and their supposed certainty of Saluation For admit that men be Predestinated without any respect or reference to their works and lyues and that do what wickednes they can imagine yet certaine it is that they shal be saued is not this Doctrine most potent and forcible to diswade all the belieuers therof from exercising an austere pious and Religious lyfe and to engulfe them easily in all kind of enormities and sinnes and the rather considering how precipitious headlong mans nature is to sinne to decline all rigorous and exemplar courses of vertue especially if so the case stands that man can neither aduantage or hurt himselfe by any such different maner of lyfe Now that by the Protestants Doctrine no sinne can endaunger the Predestinate in regard of their certainty of SaluatioÌ„ appeareth seeing according heerin we find D. Fulke thus to say of Dauids adultery (k) In his tower disput with Edm. Campian the 2. dayes coÌ„ference Dauid when he committed adultery was and remained the child of God And Beza himselfe to the like purpose thus wryteth therof (l) In Respons ad Colloq Montisbel part altera p. 71. Dauid by his adultery and murther did not loose the holy Ghost So powerfully do these their positions incline men to satisfye their desires in all vice impiety and sensuality 6. Touching the Protestants Doctrine of Iustification by Fayth only which potentially includes diuers of the other points heere set downe and which position of it owne nature excludeth from Iustification all works how vertuous and pious soeuer we find the Protestants thus to say And first Luther speaking heereof bursteth forth with wonderfull rashnes saying (*) Tom. 1. prop. 3. Fides nisi sit sine c Vnlesse fayth be without the least Good workes it doth not iustify nay it is not fayth That Iustification by fayth only extinguisheth all exercise of vertue is iustifyed not only by experience of these dayes but also by the acknowledgmeÌ„t euen of some learned Protestants for thus Iacobus Andraeas a famous
that vpon the true or false beliefe of these Controuersies in Religion their soules Saluaâ—ion or damnation for all eternity were to depend For it is certayne that all these contrary partyes did agree and conspire in the generall beliefe of the Trinity Incarnation Passion death of our Sauiour and reciting of the Apostles Creed And therefore for these doctrines such bloudy proceedings were not attempted THE SAME PROVED FROM the Protestants mutually condemning one another of Heresy and for Heretikes CHAP. XV. IF Protestants doe maintaine that their different opinions seuerally houlden amonge themselues be Heresies and that the belieuers of them are for such their false beliefe if they so dye therein not capable of saluation then à fortiori may we be bould to pronounce that the Controuersies of fayth betweene the Catholiks and Protestants are not of that middle nature but that the opinions and sentences on the one syde are to be reputed for manifest Heresies and such as cannot stand with mans saluation This inference is most necessary since on all sides it is acknowledged that there is a farre greater disparity in Religion betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants then there is betweene the Protestants among themselues Now that the Protestants doe hould one another for Heretikes it cannot be denyed for to insist first in the Controuersies touching the reall Presence maintayned in their sense by the Lutherans but denyed by the Sacramentaries we find that Luther thus writeth of the Sacramentaries (h) Contra articulos Louanienses Thes 27. tom 2. We censure in earnest the Zwinglians and all the Sacramentaries for Heretikes and alienated from the Church of God And againe the same Luther thus writeth tom 7. Wittenb fol. 381. I do protest before God and the worlde that I doe not agree with the Zwinglians nor euer will while the world standeth but will haue my hands cleare from the bloude of the sheepe which these Heretikes marke his wordes do driue from Christ deceaue kill And againe in the former place Cursed be the charity concord of the Sacramentaries for euer and euer to all eternitie But Heretikes and men alienated from the Church of God and which do kill the sheepe of Christ during such their condition are not in state of Saluation Now of Luther and his doctrine we finde this bitter recrimination vsed by the Tigurine Deuines who were Zwinglians or Caluinists (i) Tigurini tract 3. contra supremam Lutheri Confessionem p. 61. Nos condemnatam execrabilem sectam vocat c. Luther calleth vs a damnable and execrable sect but let him looke lest he doth not declare himselfe an Arch-heretike being he cannot nor will not haue society with those that confesse Christ. And Zwinglius in tom 2. ad Respons Lutheri thus wryteth Behold how Sathan endeauours to possesse this man meaning Luther But to proceed to other points Nicolaus (1) In his Thesib Hypothesib Gallus an eminent Protestant and Superintendent at Ratisbone thus wryteth of the contentions betweene the Protestants themselues Non sunt leues c. The dissentions that are among vs are not light nor of light matters but of the greatest articles of Christian doctrine of the Law and the Ghospell of Iustification and good works of the Sacraments and vse of Ceremonies CoÌ„radus (2) In Theolog. Caluin l. 1. art 23. Schlussenburge an other famous Protestant alleadgeth Pappus a Protestant thus complayning against the Caluinists Etsi initio de vno tantum articulo c. Although in the beginning one only article was called into doubt c. Not withstanding the Caluinists are now so far gone as that they call in doubt neither few neither the least articles of Christian Doctrine for now we dissent from them touching the Omnipotency of God the Personall vnion of two Natures in Christ c. But to come nearer home The (3) In their mild defence of the silenced ministers supplication to the Court of ParlameÌ„t Puritanes heere of England thus complaine of the Protestants Doe we vary from the syncere Doctrine of the Scriptures Nay rather many of them doe much more swarue from the same c. And thus answereably we find that the Puritans hould the Bishops of England Antichristian whereas the Protestants do teach that of necessity Bishops are to be in the Church of God D. Willet (4) In his Meditation vpon the 122. Psalme speaking of diuers opinions taught by the more moderate Protestants as Hooker D. Couell and others thus wryteth From this foundation haue spronge forth these and other such wirlepooles and bubbles of new doctrine as that Christ is not originally God then after he thus concludeth Thus haue some bene bould to teach and wryte who as some Schismatikes meaning heerby the Puritans haue disturbed the peace of the Church one way in externall matters concerning discipline so they haue troubled the Church another way in opposing themselues by new quirkes deuices to the soundnes of Doctrine among Protestants M. Parkes in his booke dedicated to the then Archbishop D. Bancroft thus wryteth of the proceedings of some Protestants heere in England (5) Epist dedicat They are headstrong hardened in Errour they strike at the mayne points of fayth shaking the foundation it selfe and caâ—ling to question Heauen and Hell the diuinity humanity yea the very soule and saluation of our Sauiour himselfe And agayne more plainely in the former place he sayth thus They haue pestilent Heresies and yet more They are Hereticall sacrilegious To conclude this point of their particuler sayings and redargutions heerein D. (6) In his defence of Hocker pag. 65. 74. 75. Couell repeating registring the Positions of the Puritans heere in England among other of their positions setteth downe these following The Statute congregations of England are no true Churches And agayne The Protestant Church of England is no Church at all And yet more The Protestant Church of England hath no forme of a Church Now that all these dissentions among English Protestants cannot be interpreted only about indifferencyes Ceremonyes or about Gouerment as some Protestants doe answere when they are charged heerewith by the Catholikes besides that their owne former Confessions are extended to diuers high articles the foresayd M. (7) Vbi supra pag. 3. Parks plainly and truly confesseth the contrary saying The Protestants deceiue the world and make men belieue there is agreement in all substantiall points they affirme there is no question among them of the truth Now the former point is furthermore made euident by the reciprocall deportmeÌ„t and demeanour of Protestants amongst theÌ„selues for first besides the chaâ—ging one another with flat Heresy as is aboue shewed they do not only prohibit the (8) In Concil Theolog. part 1. pag. 249. reading of ech others bookes but also they set downe articles of visitation for the enquiry and apprehending (k) Hospinian vbi supra of such their aduersaryes
being apprehended they commit them to prison yea further they proceed not allowing the (m) So relateth Osiander in Epitom Cent. 16. pag. 608. c. Conradus Schlussenb Catalog Haeret. l. 13. vltimo trauaylers of eyther party common entertaynement due in all nations to strangers (l) Hospinian vbi supra Finally their dissentions are so implacable among them though all be Protestants as that in defence of their seuerall doctrines they haue with great hostility taken (n) This is shewed and exemplifyed by Hospinian vbi supra fol. 395. 397. in like sort by Osiander in Epitom p. 735. armes one against another as appeareth to omit for breuity all other PresideÌ„ts by the late memorable example in Holland of the Arminians and Gomorists who only for some difference touching Freewill between them did ryse in hostile manner agaynst their aduersaryes and ceased not that course â—till Barneuelt the chiefe of one side and faction was beheaded All which violence and extremity of courses would neuer haue byn vndertakeÌ„ if the diuersity of doctrine which is the cause of such so great exorbitancies did consist only in things in different of theÌ„selues and such as did not concerne the necessity of saluation The sayd point touching the Protestants dissentions in essentiall articles of faith is lastly cleerly manifested by taking a view of their bookes written one agaynst another thogh this method is partly inuolued in the displaying of their particuler condemning sentences aboue alleadged the nuÌ„ber wherof of amounteth to diuers hundreds yet as desirous to be short compendious I will set downe the Tytles only of twenty of them euen from which Titles the Indifferent Reader may iudge whether the Authours of theÌ„ being all eminent Protestants did maintayne the subiects of their sayd bookes to be matters of Indifferency and such as may be eyther way houlden without breach of that true fayth which is necessary to mans Saluation And further I will forbeare to reckon within this number any booke written eyther for or against the reall Presence maintayned by the Lutherans because therein they conspire partly with vs Catholikes consequently the controuersy herein ariseth not only betweene the Protestants themselues but also betweene them and vs. And for more satisfaction of the Reader I haue also Englished the sayd twenty Titles from which coniecture may easily be made in what bitter style the bookes were wrytten First then may be reckoned that booke entituled Oratio de Incarnatione filij Dei contra impios blasphemos errores Zwinglianorum CaluinistaruÌ„ printed Tubingae Anno Domini 1586. An Oration or Speach of the Incarnation of the SoÌ„ne of God against the wicked and blasphemous errours of the Swinglians and Caluinists Alberti Graueri Bellum Iohannis Caluini Iesu Christi Braptae 1598. in 4. The warre of Iohn Caluin and Iesus Christ written by Albertus Grauerus Anti-Paraeus Hoc est Refutatio venenati scripti à Dauide Paraeo editi in defensione stropharum corrupâ—elarum quibus Iohannes Caluinus illustrissima Scripturae testimonia de mysterio Trinitatis nec non oracula Prophetarum de Christo detestandum in modum corrupit Francofurti 1598. Anti-Paraeus that is a Refutation of a â—enemous booke written by Dauid Pareus â—n defence of the Deceites Corruptions â—y the which Iohn Caluin hath detestably â—bused or wrested the most cleere testimoâ—yes of Scripture touching the Mystery of â—he Trinity and the Oracles of the Proâ—hets touching Christ AEgidij Hunnij Caluinus Iudaizans Hoc est â—udaicae glossae corruptelae quibus Iohannes Calâ—inus illustrissima Scripturae sacrae loca testimoâ—â— a de gloriosa Trinitate Deitate Christi Spiriâ—â—s Sancti cum primis autem vaticinia Prophetaâ—â—m de aduentu Messiae Natiuitate eius Passioâ—e Resurrectione Assensione ad caelos Sessione â—d dextram Dei detestandum in modum corrumpeâ—â— non abhorrutt Wittenbergae 1593. Caluinus Iudaizans or Caluin playing â—he Iew That is A discouery written by Aegidius Hunnius of the Iewish interpetaâ—ions and Corruptions by the which Iohn Caluin hath not beene affrayd to corrupt â—buse the most euident places and testimoâ—yes of holy Scripture against the glorious â—rinity the Deity of Christ and the Holy Ghost as also the Predictions of the Proâ—hets touching the comming of the Messias â—s Natiuity Passion Resurrection Ascenâ—â—on and his Sitting at the right Hand of â—od Conradi Schlussenburgij Theologiae Caluinisticae libri tres in quibus seu in tabula quadam quasi ad oculum plusquam ex ducentis viginti tribus Sacramentariorum publicis scriptis pagellis verbis proprijs Authorum nominibus indicatis demonstratur eos de nullo ferè Christianae fidei articulo rectè sentire Francofurti 1594. Three Bookes touching Caluinisticall Diuinity written by Conradus Schlussenburge in which bookes it is shewed as iâ— a Table to the eye eueÌ„ out of two hundred twenty and three publyke wrytings of the Sacramentaryes with speciall noting oâ— the pages the particular words and name of the Authours that the Sacramentaryes haue no true beliefe almost of any one Article of Christian fayth Pia defensio aduersus Iohannis Caluini Peâ—â— Boquini Theodori Bezae Gulihelmi Clebitij â— similium calumnias Item refutatio Pelagianisâ— Anabaptistici Caluinistarum erroris de Baptismo 〈◊〉 Peccato Originali Adduntur Collectancae plurimâ—rum Caluini contra Deum eius Prouidentiam 〈◊〉 Predestinationem Erfordiae 1583. A godly defence against the deceites 〈◊〉 Iohn Caluin Peter Boquinus Theodorâ— Beza Wilhelmus Clebitius and their Associats Also a Refutation of the Pelagian â— Anabaptisticall errour taught by the Calâ—â—nists touching Baptisme Originall sinnâ— Heere are also added certaine Collections out of Caluins wrytings against God his Prouidence and Predestination Denominatio Imposturarum ac fraudum quibus AEgidius Hunnius Ecclesiae Orthodoxae Doctrinam petulanter corrumpere pergit Bremae 1592. A Catalogue of the Impostures deceptes wherewith Aegidius Hunnius doth insolently go about to corrupt the doctrine of the Orthodoxe Church Argumentorum obiectionum de praecipuis articulis Doctrinae Christianae cum responsionibus quae sunt collectae ex scriptis Philippi Melancthonis additis Scholijs illustrantibus vsum singularum responsionum Partes 7. Neapoli 1578. Arguments Obiections concerning the chiefe Articles of Christian Doctrine with the Answers gathered out of the wrytings of Philip Melancthon togeather with Commentaries vpon euery Answere deuided into seauen Parts Gulihelmi Zepperi Dillenbergensis Ecclesiae Pastoris Institutio de tribus Religionis summis capitibus quae inter Euangelicos in Controuersiam vocantur Hanouiae 1596. In Instruction about three chiefe heads of ReligioÌ„ called into Controuersy among the Gospellers by William Zepperus Pastour of the Church of Dillenberge Responsio triplex ad fratres Tubingenses triplex eorum scriptum de tribus grauissimis quâ—stionibus c. De Coena Domini de maiestate hominis Christi de non damnandis Ecclesijs Dei nec
auditis nec vocatis Geneuae 1582. A threefold Answere to the Brethren of Tubinga their threefold writing concerning three most weighty Questions c. Of the supper of the Lord Of the Maiesty of Christ as Man And of not condemning the Churches of God before they be heard or called Ad Iohannis Brentij argumenta Iacobi Andreae Theses quibus carnis Christi omni praesentiaÌ„ nituntur confirmare id est aduersum renouatos Nestorij Eutichetis errores Responsum Geneuae 1570. An Answere to the Arguments of Iohn Brentius to the Conclusions of Iacobus Andreas by which they endeauour to confirme the Vbiquity or presence of Christs flesh euery where that is to say against the renewed Errors of Nestorius Eutiches Apologia ad omnes Germaniae Ecclesias reformatas quae sub Zwingliani Caluiniani nominis inuidia vim iniuriaÌ„ patiuntur Tiguri 1578. An Apology of all the Reformed churches of Germany which through the Enuy of the Name of Zuinglius Caluin do suffer violence iniury Christopheri Pezelij Apologia verae doctrina de dâ—â—â—itione Euangelij apposita Thrasonicis praestigijs Iohannis Wigandi Wittenbergae 1572. An Apology of the true Doctrine concerning the Definition of the Ghospell against the Thrasonicall enchantments of Ioannes Wigandus by Christophorus Pezelius Colloquij Montisbelgardensis inter Iacobum Andreae Theodorum Bezam Acta Tubingae 1584. The Actes of the Colloquy at Montbelgard betweene Iames Andrew Theodore Beza Veritatis victoria ruina Papatus Saxonici Losannae 1563. The Victory of Truth the Ruine of the Popedome of Saxony Hamelmannia siue Aries Theologizans Diaâ—gus oppositus duabus narrationibus historicis Herâ—anni Hamelmanni Neostadij 1582. Hamelmannia or the Theologizing Ramme A Dialogue against two Historicall Narrations of Hermanus Hamelmannus Christiani Kittelmanni decem graues perâ—iciosi errores Zwinglianorum in Doctrina de pecâ—atis Baptismo ex proprijs ipsorum libris colleâ—i refutati Magdeburgae 1562. Ten weighty pernicious Errors of â—he Zwinglians in the Doctrine concerning Sinne Baptisme Collected out of their owne books refuted by Christianus Kittleman Iohannis Mosellani Praeseruatiua contra venenum Zwinglianorum Tubingae 1586. An Antidote or Preseruatiue againsâ— the poyson of the Zwinglians by Ioannâ—â— Mosellanus De Vnitate personali supernaturali duarâ—â— Naturarum in Christo contra blasphemam Dispâ—tationem Eusebij Cleberi Pastoris Saugalensis iâ— Heluetia Tubingae 1586. Of the Personall Supernaturall Vnity of two Natures in Christ against the blasphemous Disputation of Eusebius Cleberus Pastour of Saugall in Suitzerland De gaudijs aeternae vitae quomodo Sacramentarij nobis illa gaudia imminuant Erfordia 1585. Of the Ioyes of Eternall life And how the Sacramentaries do in part defraude 〈◊〉 of them Now from all the premises aboue I hauâ— conclude that if the seuerall opinions among the Protestants be not in their iudgement maters of Indifferency but are by theÌ„selues truly reputed for Heresies the maintayners of them not houldden to be in state of Saluation as appeareth both from the Protestants reciprocall coÌ„demnations of one another as also from the former Titles of their owne Bookes written agaynst one another then with much more reason may the same sentence be pronounced of the many irreconciliable Controuersies differently belieued and houlden by the Catholikes and Protestants And the rather since as is aboue sayd there is a farre greater disparity and difference of doctrine betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants then betweene the Protestant the Protestant THE TRVTH OF THIS FORMER Doctrine demonstrated from the many Absurdityes necessarily accompanying the contrary doctrine CHAP. XVI SVCH is the sweet Prouidence of the Diuine Maiesty in disposall of thinges as that he euer causeth truth to be warranted with many irrefragable reasons and falshood to be attended on with diuers grosse and ineuitable absurdityes that so the iudgment of man may be the better secured for the imbracing of truth and remayne the lesse excusable if in place of truth it entertayne falshood Errour Of the reasons conuincing the infallible truth of our doctrine maintayned in this treatise I haue already discussed aboue in the tenth Chapter Now heere I will a little insist in disclosing the many and palpable absurdities accompanying the contrary doctrine which point will chiefly rest besides some other short insertions in a recapitulation of most of the former heads or braunches aboue handled For if this doctrine were true to wit that euery one might be saued in his owne Religion or that the beliefe only of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion or the Creed were sufficient thereto notwithstaÌ„ding the beliefe of other erroneous opinions and heresies Then would it follow First that the holy Scriptures of Christ and his Apostles were most false which haue inueyghed so much agaynst Heresies and haue denounced the heauy iudgment of damnation agaynst the professours of them as aboue is shewed which comminations and threats the scripture in some places not only extendeth to all Hersies or Heretikes in generall without (a) Tit. 3. Gal. c. 5. Rom. c. 16. 1. Tim. 1. any limitation but also in some other they are particulerly restrayded to certayne Heresies seeming of smaller importance then the denyall of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion the Creed c. as is euident touching the denying (b) 1. Tim. cap. 4.2 Tim. c. 2.1 Ioan. c. 2. of marriage and of eating of certayne meates and touching the Natures of Christ c. Now that the denyall of other inferiour articles of fayth then of the Trinity Incarnation c. is playne Heresy is demonstrated aboue both from the definition of Heresy and from the iudgment of the Primitiue Church Secondly the foresayd doctrine impugneth the definition of Fayth giuen by the (f) Hebr. c. 11. Apostle which definition of fayth comprehendeth a generall beliefe of all articles of Christian Religion and is not therefore to be limited to any one kind of them In like sort it destroyeth the priuiledges dignity of fayth set down by the foresayd Apostle who (g) Mat. vltimo Hebr. 11. promiseth saluation to him that hath faith as also that without fayth we cannot (h) Ephes 4. Act. 4. Rom. 12. c. please God but such excellencies cannot be ascribed to a Bastard fayth which belieueth some thinges true others false they are therfore eyther to be giuen to a true entire and perfect fayth in all points or els the Apostle grossely erred in assigning to fayth the aforesayd priuiledges seing a false fayth is no better then no faith at all Againe it depriueth a Christian faith of its true mark or character of Vnity so much celebrated by the (h) Ephes 4. Rom. 12. vide Cant. c. 6. Apostle Now then if Vnity of fayth be necessary to Saluation how can both Protestants and Catholikes expect saluation seeing there is no greater distance betweene the opposite parts of a Diameter then there is
repugnancy betwixt both their beliefes Therfore if both of them though wanting this Vnity can be saued then hath the Apostle falsely and erroneously described and delineated the faith of a Christian But to reflect vpon the former passages is any man so stupid as to dreame that that doctrine should be true which giueth so open a lye to so many vnanswerable texts of Gods holy writ touching the condemning of Heretiks in generall as also touching the definition excellency and propriety of true Fayth It is impossible it is not to be imagined Gods word is like himselfe most true sacred and inuiolable and therefore it iustly witnesseth of it selfe that (i) Ioan. 2. scriptura 〈◊〉 potest solui And agayne (k) Mat. 24. Caelum terra transibunt verba autem mea non transibunt Heauen and earth shall passe but my wordes shall 〈◊〉 passe But to proceed further touching the forâ—sayd want of vnity and disagreements iâ— Fayth If euery Christian might be saued iâ— his owne Religion then might those be saued which belieue the Articles of the creâ—â— in a most different sense and manner theâ— which what can be more rashely and exorbitantly spoken seeing there is but one true intended sense by the Apostles of the creed the which if we attayne not then do we belieue that which is false but to belieue the creed in a false sense is no better then not to belieue it at all And therefore it would follow by way of inference that he might be saued who belieued not any one article of the creed at all Now that the Catholikes Protestants doe belieue the articles of the creed in different or rather contrary senses and consequently that the one side belieueth it in a false and erroneous sense is aboue proued in the fourth chapter If it be heere replyed that the maintayners of this doctrine do so far yield that they only are to be saued which in a true sense belieue the creed yet by this their restraint they condemne al those others who belieue â—t in any other sense different from that intended by the holy Ghost and the Apostles â—nd consequently they condemne in their â—udgement and depriue of saluation eyther â—he Catholikes or Protestants since of necessity the one of these do belieue the creed not in the true but in a false and hereticall â—ense and construction different from that of the Apostles But supposing that the Caâ—holikes and Protestants belieued the creed in that true sense inteÌ„ded by the holy Ghost yet if our Newtrallists would haue the creed the square or rule thereby to measure our fayth then marke the Absurdities following For by this doctrine one might be saued who belieued not that there were any Scriptures at all written by the Prophets Apostles since the creed maketh no mention of any such deuine writings .. In like sort he might be saued who did not belieue there were any Angells or Diuells or that there is a materiall place of Hell or that the pains thereof are eternall or that Adam did presently vpon his creation fall from grace thereby transferred Originall sinne vpon all his posterity or that our Sauiour whilst he conuersed heere on earth wrought any myracles or made choyce of certayne men to be his Apostles to preach the Christian fayth throughout all the whole world or that he died for the saluation of mankind for though we read in the creed that he dyed and suffered yet the end why he dyed is not expressed in the creed Or that circumcision is now forbiddem antiquated or finally that there are any SacrameÌ„ts of the new Testament as Baptisme the Eucharist c. I say by our Newtrallists Religion he should be saued who belieued none of the foresayd articles seeing not any one of them is expressed or set downe in the Apostles creed and yet the beliefe of the sayd Articles is necessarily exacted and required to Saluation in the iudgment both of Catholikes and Protestants both which parties doe with an vnanimous consent teach the necessity of belieuing the sayd articles But to proceed further and to come to the different Articles of fayth differenly belieued by the Catholike and Protestant and yet not expressed in the creed and articles of such nature as that they are houlden by the catholikes to be instituted by our Sauiour as subordinate yet necessary meanes of the grace of God and of our Saluation whereas the Protestants as not belieuing at all the sayd articles doe wholy disclayme from acknowledging any such meanes These Articles I haue recited aboue to wit That Sacraments in general do conferre grace That a Child dying without Baptisme cannot be saued That mortall sinne is not remitted without the Sacrament of Pennance and Confession That we are to adore with supreme Honour the blessed Sacrament That not only fayth but also works do iustify man That a Christian by thinking himselfe iust is not thereby become iust That euery Christian hath by God sufficient grace offered to saue his soule And that therfore God on his part would haue all men saued That without keeping the ten Commandements a man cannot be saued Finally that all Christians ought vpon payne of eternall damnation to communicate in Sacraments and doctrine with the Church of Rome and to submit themselues in all due obedience to the supreme Pastor of that Church In all which points the Protestants doe belieue directly the contrary condemning vs of Heresy Superstition yea Idolatry for our belieuing the foresayd points Now I say seing the former articles doe immediatly touch and concerne eyther remission of our sinnes or grace of our soule or our Iustification or our due honour and adoration to our Sauiours Body being accompanyed with his diuinity or Lastly our communion with Christ his church and head thereof in any of which as concerning so neerly our eternall happynes who erreth cannot possibly be saued And seing the Protestants as is sayd doe in all the sayd points maintaine the iust contrary to the catholikes and therby do abandon the catholikes acknowledged meanes of their Saluation I heere aske in all sobernes of iudgement what can be reputed for a greater absurdity then to affirme with our Newtrallists that the Catholikes and Protestants notwithstanding their so different contrary beliefe answerable practice in the former Articles so neerly touching mans Saluation may both be saued Seing it must needes be that eyther the catholikes shal be damned for setting downe certayne meanes of our Saluation contrary to Christs mynd and Institution supposing the sayd articles to be false or that the Protestants shal be damned for reiecting the former meanes of Saluation instituted by Christ admitting them to be true But to passe forward If euery Christian might be saued in his Religion in belieuing only the fundamentall points of the Trinity the Incarnation c. then hath the church of Christ eueÌ„ in her Primitiue dayes at what time the (*) D. Iewell in his
defence of the Apology KeÌ„nitius in exam Concil Trident. part 1. p. 74. diuers others Protestants themselues exempt her from errour most truly insufferably erred in condemning certayne opinions which are not fundamentall for Heresyes and their maintayners for Heretikes and consequently the Scripture and Christ himselfe haue deceaued vs by ascribing to the church an (m) Mat. 18. Luc. 10. 1. Tim. 3. c. infallibility of erring in her definitions of fayth and condemnation of Heresies and by commaunding vs to obey the churches authority and sentence in all things as styling her the pillar and foundation of truth And further it should follow that the Church should thus intollerably erre both in generall councells the highest Tribunalls heere vpon earth as also in the priuate Authorities and sentences of all the learned Fathers in those firster tymes And thus for example the councell of the (n) Act. 15. Apostles should haue erred in decreeing it vnlawfull to eate in those tymes bloud strangled meates In like sort the first councell of (o) Euseb l. 3. de vita Constant Epiphan haeres 70. Nice should haue erred in condemning the Quartadecimani for Heretiks because they would not keep Easter day according to the custome of the Church And to pretermit all the other Councells aboue alleadged the Councell (p) Euseb l. 6. Hist. cap. 33. of Rome vnder Cornelius for condemning the Heresy of the Nouatians who reiected the Sacrament of Pennance as also for condemning of Anabaptisme And thus farre of Councels condemning points of seeming Indifferency for open wicked Heresies But now heere graunting that the sayd points as they were houlden by the maintayning of them were not Heresyes that the belieuers of them be saued then two mayne absurdities doe immediatly follow the first as is sayd is the erring of the whole Church of God in coÌ„demning them for Heresies they being not Heresies but true doctrines The second the inconsiderate cariage of the Church in these matters For to what end or purpose were all these Councells consisting of many hundreds of the most graue and Reuerend men of all Christendome celebrated with such labour trauayle out of all countreys infinite charges if the doctrines for the impugning resistng and condemning whereof they were gathered might be indifferently maintayned defended on all sides without breach of true fayth or daunger of Saluation The erring of the church is no lesse manifested in the sentences and condemnations giuen by many of the most auncient famous leâ—rned Fathers in the Primitiue Church not any one Orthodoxall Father contradicting them therein agaynst diuers maintayning opinions that seemed in regard of the Trinity Incarnation c. of small importance â—f so those opinions be not Heresies nor the belieuers of them Heretikes but men in state of SaluatioÌ„ And thus according heerto Floâ—inus though he taught God to be the Auâ—hour of sinne might be saued In like sort the Heretikes who in S. Ieâ—ome his dayes denyed the possibility of the Commaundements The Manichees who â—enyed freewill The Eunomians who â—aught that only fayth doth iustify The Aeâ—ians who denyed prayer sacrifice for the â—ead and tooke away all fasting dayes Vigilantius who taught that Priests might marry and that we ought not to pray to Saints Iouinian who held marriage better then virginity The Donatists who taught the Inuisibility of the Church And finally to omit many others for breuity sake the Pelagians who denyed the necessity of Baptisme in Children All these men I say might be saued notwithstanding their former doctrines if so it be that euery man might expect Saluation in their Religion And yet we find that the foresaid men were branded for wicked Heretikes their doctrines for damnable Heresies as in the seauenth chapter aboue is shewed by Ireneus Ierome Epiphanius Philastrius Augustine Theodoret and others diuers of which holy Fathers writing catalogues oâ— Heresies did place the foresayd doctrines their Authours within the sayd catalogues this they did without any reluctation oâ— gain-saying of any other auncient and learned Father of their tymes From which consideration I doe gather if those opinions were not iustly condemned for Heresies and their Authouâ— for Heretikes Then not only the churcâ— did fouly erre in so great a matter but alâ— euen the aforesaid alleadged Fathers to wiâ— Ireneus Ierome Epiphanius Austine witâ— many such others should deseruedly be reputed for Heretikes for their condemning of true Doctrines for Heresies and the belieuers of them for Heretikes and on the contrary syde Florinus the Manichees the Eunomians Vigilantius Iouinian the Donatists Pelagius many other such should be accompted for their teaching of true Doctrines Orthodoxall Authors and might haue iustly complayned of their insupportable wronges and indignities proceeding from the pens of the foresaid fathers An absurdity which I thinke no man enioying the benefit of his fiue senses wil allow And yet the admittance of our Newtrallists Paradoxe inanoidably draweth on this infereÌ„ce Another Absurdity accompanying the former doctrine is this that Heretikes should be true members of Christs church This I thus deduce for seing by the consent of all learned men none can be saued but such as are true members of Christs church for otherwyse Turkes and Iewes dying in the state of Turcisme and Iudaisme might be saued and seing the foresaid registred Doctrines and their Authours are condemned for Heresies Heretiks both according to the Authority of Gods church according to the true definition of Heresy aboue in the beginning set downe for the said Heretikes haue made choyce of those their heresies and do maintaine them most frowardly against the whole church of God not submitting their iudgments to it must of necessity follow that if those men could be saued then Heretikes continuing Heretikes are members of Christs true church then which what Paradoxe can in it selfe be accompted more absurd or in the iudgment of learned men more incredible considering with what acerbity of comportement the Apostles and all the Orthodoxall learned pious Fathers both in their wrytings and otherwyse haue in all ages entertayned Heretikes as aboue I haue manifested Furthermore if an Heretike continuing an Heretike can be saued then hath the auncient church of Christ vsed great tyranny to diuers such Professours by vndeseruedly punishing such meÌ„ with losse of Goods Imprisonments Excommunication Banishment sometymes with death it selfe for such were the punishments appointed by the auncient church and Christian Emperours against Heretyks as I haue shewed in the nynth chapter Againe supposing the truth of the doctrine of these Omnifidians yet obserue how repugnant it is to all reason and otherwise absurde eueâ— in it owne nature I will heere passe ouer diuers reasons alleadged in the precedent Chapters insist a little in some few of them The first It is certaine that that Faith which belieueth some articles and yet belieueth not other articles which are no lesse true and
Church it being that Arke erected by our second Noë within which who truly belieue and liue vertuously are exempted from that vniuersall deluge of eternall damnation For only in this Church is professed 〈◊〉 taught that Fayth to which by long presâ—iption a continued hand of tyme is peâ—liarly ascribed the name Catholike (a) Pacian Epist ad Symphron quae est de Nomine Catholico Caâ—olicum istud nec MarcioneÌ„ nec Apellem nec Monnum sonat nec Haereticos sumit autores That â—yth which was prophesied to be of that â—lating and spreading nature as that to it all (b) Esa 2. expouÌ„ded in the English Bibles of the yeare 1566. Of the vniuersality of the Church or fayth of Christ Nations shall follow which shall haue the (c) Psal 2. expouÌ„ded of the Churches vniuersality by the foresayd English Bibles of the yeare 1576. end of the earth for its posession from sea to sea (d) Psal 72. beginning (e) Luc. 4. at Hierusalem among all nations â—hat Fayth the Professours whereof shal be (f) Dan. 2. in which is included the vninterrupted continuâ—nce of the Church Kingdome that shall neuer be destroyed but â—all stand for euer coÌ„trary to the short curâ—nts of all Heresyes of which S. Augustine â—us wryteth (g) In psal 57. Many Heresies are already dead â—ey haue continued their streame as long as they â—ere able now they are runne out and their ryuers â—e dryed vp the memory of then that euer they â—ere is now scarce extant That fayth the memâ—ers whereof in regard of their euer visible â—minency are stiled by the holy Ghost A (h) Esa 2. wherby is proued â—he Churches euer visibility mountayne prepared in the top of mountaynes â—alted aboue Hills with reference wherto â—o wit in respect of the Churches continuâ—l visibility the foresayd S. (i) Tom. 9. in Ep. Ioan. tract 2. Augustine â—ompareth it to a Tabernacle in the Sunne That â—ayth whose vnion in doctrine both among the professours thereof and with their head is euen celebrated by Gods holy writ sinâ— the Church of God is therefore (k) Rom. 12. Cant. 6. Ioan. 10. which places prooue the Churches vnity called oâ— Body one spouse and one sheepfould which prâ—uiledge S. (l) Epist ad Damasum Hierome acknowledgeth bâ— his owne submission in these words I dâ— consociate or vnite my selfe in Communion with thâ— Chayre of Peter I know the Church to be buildeâ— vpon that Rocke whosoeuer doth eate the Lamb out of this house is become prophane That fayth for the greater confirmatioâ— whereof God hath vouchsafed to disioynâ— the setled course of Nature by working dâ—uers stupendious astonishing (*) See examples hereof in Ierome in vita Hilarionis Athanasius in vita Antonij Theodoret hist l. 5. c. 21. Eusebius histor l. 7. c. 14. Zozomenus hist l. 3. c. 13. August l. de ciuit Dei 22. c. 8. l. 9. Confess c. 7. 8. miracleâ— according to those wordes of our Sauiouâ— (m) Mat. 10. in which wordes oâ— Sauiour maketh miracles a signe of true fayth or of thâ— Church Goe preach you cure the sicke rayse the dead cleanse the leapers cast out diuells c. A Prerogatiue so powerfull and efficacious with S Augustine as that he expresly thus confessetâ— of himselfe (n) Tom. 6. contra Epist Manichaei cap. 4. Miracles are among those things which most iustly haue houlden me in the Churchâ— bosome To conclude omitting diuers other Châ—racters as I may tearme them or signes oâ— the true fayth That fayth which is of thâ— force as to extort testimony and warraâ— for it selfe euen from it most capitall and designed enemyes answereably to that (o) Deuteron 32. which words include the confession of the Aduersary to be a note of truth Our God is not as their Gods are our enemies are euen witnesses since the Protestants no lesse from their owne (p) This is proued in that Protestants doe not rebaptize Infants or children of Catholike PareÌ„ts afore baptized now these Infants are baptized in the fayth of their Parents as all childreÌ„ are euen by the doctrine of all Protestants But if this faith of Catholike Parents be sufficient for the Saluation of their Children dying baptized therin then much more is it sufficient for the saluation of the Parents themselues since it is most absurd to say that the Catholike faith of Parents shold be auaylable for their Children or Infants dying baptized therin yet not auaylable for the Parents themselues practice then from their (q) According heerto to omit the lik testimonies of many other Protestants D. Some in his defence against Penry p. 182. thus writeth If you thinke that all the Popish sort which dyed in the Popish Church be damned you thinke absurdly dissent from the iudgment of all learned Protestants With whom D. Couell in his defence of M. Hookers fiue bookes of Ecclesiasticall Policy p. 77. thus conspireth saying VVe affirme that those who liue dye in the Church of Rome may be saued acknowledgment in words doe ascribe to our Roman fayth the hope of Saluation Of which subiect see most amply in the forsayd learned booke of the Protestants Apology Tract 1. Sect. 6. subdiuis 1. 2. 3. as also Tract 2. cap. 2. Sect. 14. To this Fayth then with an indubious assent adhere both liuing dying flye Newtrallisme in doctrine as the bane of all ReligioÌ„ flye Protestancy as the bane of Christs true Religion and say with (r) Pacian Ep. ad Symphron Pacianus Christianus mihi nomen est Catholicus verò cognomen illud me nuncupat istud me ostendit A Christian is my name a Catholike my Syrname that doth denominate me this doth demonstrate me FINIS