it self and which wil take it in very ill part that her parts are pluckt and broken asunder on any colour whatsoever We ascribe it therefore to be an act of Piety that they are fearefull to sin against the Glory of God but wee account it to be from want of wisedome that they esteeme the division of the Protestant Churches as either a necessary or fit or lawfull meanes to the advancing of the Glory of God Those Churches cannot entertaine Brotherly Communion betwixt themselves Arg. 2 Coll. Mempelg p. 567. whose Doctors doe mutually arraigne one another as guilty of horrible errors and the worst Heresies But the Doctors of the Protestant Churches have done and yet doe this in their writings Therefore the brotherly communion betwixt the Churches can neither be retained nor renewed Whatsoever by angry adversaries Ans is branded with the name of Heresie is not presently to bee recounted in the Catalogue of Heresies for my part I conceive that none can free or defend the Divines of these or those sides from all errors in their controversall Writings We therefore who know well to mollifie the harsh speeches of our own Divines with a fovourable interpretation ought not any more to wrest the crooked opinions of our Adversaries and to make foule and horrible Heresies out of their errours whatsoever Hitherto it may be added which all men skilled in controversies know to be most true that those foule Heresies which the Protestants charge one another with for the most part are not expresly found in the writings of the Doctors themselves nor are affirmed of them in very words but are forcibly racked out of other words of theirs by I know not what small threads of consequencies whilest they themselves disclaim them curse such Heresies from their whole heart But good men ought to deale fairely and not to fasten Hereticall sense on other mens words when the Writers themselves which are the best expounders of their own words can and use to reduce them to a Catholike sense Moreover let it be taken for granted which indeed is not to be granted that these Doctors were convicted of those horrible errors whereof they use to be accused namely That they make God the author of sinne That they make numberlesse men to bee created to destruction and damnation That they make Christs Body and Bloud absent in the Lords Supper and that others also are justly condemned for bringing in a double Omnipotency into the Church one created and another increated of the Capernaits rending and mangling of the flesh of Christ of Christs flesh immense infinite yet for these errors of the Doctors were it lawfull for no man to breake off that Brotherly communion which Christ Jesus our elder Brother will have preserved safe and sound betwixt all parts of his Catholike Church which thing we so much the more confidently affirme because whatsoever may be determined concerning the private Doctors most sure it is that all the foresaid errours and others of the same kinde were ever by the joynt consent of all learned and unlearned blackd and branded with the note of Hereticall wickednesse in all Protestant Churches Wherefore what was anciently said of Augustine to the Donatists which ill hated the brotherly Unity of Churches Epist 50. If Caecilian hath sinned Christ hath not therefore lost his inheritance that being a little altered may be used of us If Luther did erre If Calvin did slip into an error Christ therefore hath not lost his Unity nor ought those Christian Chruches wherin Luther or Calvin discharged the function of a Doctor to lose their Brotherly Communion Lastly whereas all particular Churches are gathered together out of men subject to error it is more than probable that there is no Church to be found on the Earth in which either those that teach others or are taught by others are free from all error If therefore any Protestant Church hath determined to have no brotherly communion with any in which their famous Doctors have grievously erred it may safely communicate which none under heaven yea not it selfe with it selfe Therefore for the Errors of the Doctors the Separations of the Churches are not to bee made or allowed They that sit in the Chaire either Doctorall or pastorall Arg. 3 discharge a publike office and their Doctrines are to be accounted the Doctrines of the Churches wherein they live especially when their writings are set forth in print whereby they are made publike and are approved with the expresse at least with the silent suffrage and consent of those Churches wherein they serve When therefore the Doctors maintaine foule and damnable Heresies the whole Church is presumed to be guilty of the same and therefore brotherly Communion is to bee broken off no lesse with the Churches themselves than with their Hereticall Doctors I answer Ans That the Protestant Doctors which on both sides accuse and are accused of some horrible opinions published in their writing were never convicted by their adversaries of so horrible a crime by any publike or legall judgement Yea none can be named of those foule Heresies which they themselves that are accused to maintaine them have not confuted and condemned in their writings Let any that can produce any of those foule Heresies which hee exclaimes to be publikely defended by Luther or Calvin by those they call Lutherans or Calvinists one may easily shew that they have been rejected and condemned of the same John Gerard a most learned man and most famous in the Church of God hath vindicated Luther from such accusations Calvin whilst he lived cleered himselfe and since his death many of ours have cleered him Therefore the very foundation of this argument shaketh as for those things which are built upon it they likewise doe totter every one of them For whosoever sits in the Doctorall Chaire is not therefore to be presumed to teach nothing besides the doctrine stamped with the Church marke and as it were confirmed under their authentical seal Neither if more writers should consent in the same error is the consent of the whole Church presently involved For by sending forth their bookes abroad into the world they make them to be of common Right that any may buy them but not of publike authority All may read them but all ought not to approve and beleeve every thing in them That the matter is thus 't is plaine from hence Because the writings of particular Doctors which have lived in the same Church have not the same agreement which is pretended chiefely in these questions which are in the controversie and if one Doctor let fall that which may bend toward so me pernicious Heresie it may easily be shewn that the same was reproved and amended by some other Therefore with no colour of reason are whole Churches convicted guilty of Heresie and to be cut off from the Brotherly communion with others for the errours of their private Doctors whether falsly or truly objected
and not to please our selves saith the same Apostle That Church pleaseth it selfe too much which scorns and disdaines other Churches as unworthy of her Communion for some weaknesse in their understanding which are found guilty neither of Tyranny Idolatry nor any deadly Heresie Not so the Fathers of the ancient Church whose desire and care in making agreement betwixt particular Churches scattered over the whole world may be observed in the Centurists through every hundred of yeares But that very fitly serveth our purpose which Optatus Milevitanus hath written Lib. 2. c. 7. That the Churches through the whole world by the intercourse of Formall letters might agree in the fellowship of one Communion Now in those formall peaceable or Synodall letters nothing else was contained besides the confession of the Catholike Faith established in the Creeds and briefly explained against Heritiques by the generall consent of the universall Church in the Nicene Calcedonian and other Councels Of infinite other questions which may arise and be canvassed betwixt the private Doctors of dispersed Churches no Church either required or expected a forme of absolute consent from other Churches For if without this the brotherly Communion betwixt particular Churches were adjudged impossible to the cementing and sodering thereof we should not stand in need of Synodall Epistles or briefe formes of confessions but of huge volumes of controversies But if we refuse to learn of the ancient Fathers yet now at last let us learn of our Enemies that the brotherly communion of Mindes Duties of Courtesie and Sacraments is not impossible betwixt those Churches which defend contrary opinions about controversies never to be decided I will say nothing of the wranglings of Thomists and Scotists nothing of the Dominicans and Jesuites There is at this day a controversie beaten and bandied betwixt the Churches of the Romish Religion of more moment than all those things whereabout Protestants doe strive if they were rouled up in one bundle I mean that of the infallible Judge in all questions of the Christian Faith The Spanish and Italian Churches defend the Pope to be this Supreame Judge warranted with the irresistable authority of Christ himselfe and so inspired and inlightned with the spirit of truth that in all his decrees and determinations wherewith he intendeth to bind the whole Church he can in no wise erre and be deceived But on the other side the French Churches cry him downe justle him out of his infallible chaire and conclude him to be so subject to error that if in matters of faith or manners he refuseth to obey and to be ordered by the judgement and Authority of a generall Councell they voice him to be counted for a Schismatique and a Heretick and one to be deposed See agreat difference about the very Pillar of the Catholike faith Yet in this brawling about opinions there is no breaking off of brotherly communion betwixt the Churches themselves Tell it not in Gath nor publish it in the streets of Ascalon that the Philistines were more forward than the Israelites to preserve Peace and unity betwixt them Lastly if such controversies should make an union betwixt particular Churches impossible I faine would have one shew to me even but two Churches whereof one is not subject to the other which must not of necessity be alienated pluckt asunder and as it were with a partition wall divided each from other For except we return to this point that we only admit and allow of this Separation from other Churches for dissenting in Fundamentals the communion of the Catholike Church anciently so highly extold August de unit Feles cap. 12. will be but a bare name fained title to which the heart of the thing it selfe will never answer The Donatists of old were wont to say that the Church had perished out of the whole world besides and onely remained in the party of Donatus The Romanists in this point are pure down-right Donatists who shout it out that the Catholikc Church is found only in the part of the Pope of Rome It is our duty to detest such Schismaticall wickednesse and to keep and professe brotherly Communion with all Christian Churches which we adjudge not as yet to be disjoyned from Christ the Head by Heresie or Idolatry or not at all to be shunned by other Churches for usurpation of Tyranny What hitherto hath been disputed about those Obstacles which make the communion of divers Churches betwixt themselves impossible and also of those different opinions which no wayes cause the same all aime at this end That if it could be agreed betwixt Divines that those controversies which so long have troubled and tyred the Protestant Churches are not of such importance that whether one come off to this or that side in their opinions he is not to be judged to depart from Christ and the Fundamentall Faith and to fall into a Heresie contrary to the foundation we would confesse that brotherly union may be made up and kept betwixt all Protestant Churches even whilest these dissentions rather of the Schooles than the Churches doe still remaine It is not my purpose to engage my selfe in the controversies themselves only I would desire that the most learned and famous Divines of the Dutch Churches would be entreated with peaceable mindes and calme affections to runne over all those controversies which are in agitation betwixt them seeing the Judgement perisheth when the matter is passed into the affections The chief and almost the mother of all the rest is that controversie which as yet remains undetermined of the manner of the presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Lords Supper And as touching this point the every way most learned Bucer after serious weighing and considering of the matter expressed himselfe thus that In the thing it selfe and meaning there was an agreement only some variety in the words In Epist ad Lutherum Contra. Robert Atringen alibi Hosp Hist Sacrpa 144. and manner of speaking Luther said formerly If you beleeveâ— and teach that the true body and true blood of our Lord is exhibited given and taken in the Lords Supper and not the bread and wine only and that this receiving and exhibiting is done truly and not imaginarily we are agreed At the same time Bucer with his associates did grant That the true body and true blood of the Lord were exhibited given and taken with the visible signes Bread Wine James Andrews wrote formerly Wee neither are of opinion of the Capernaites nor doe we receive the Transubstantiation of the Papists nor doe we establish a Physicall or Locall presence or inclusion of the body and blood of Christ in the holy Supper Neither doe those words Substantially Corporally Orally signifie to us any thing else besides the true presence and eating of the Body and blood in the holy Supper Now let us heare what was the Judgement of the Helvetian Churches Hosp Anno 1536. â—ag 145. Although they deny
Foundation of Religion Catholike Faith But if we should let the matter run on so long till all the controverted Problemes betwixt Protestants bee counted Fundamentall long since they have grown to too numerous hereafter they may grow to an almost numberlesse multitude For this solemne course and practice is observed of many that what they themselves have added to any Fundamentall Axiom as over weight and what they beleeve to be a consequence of the same this they presently require of all to be counted in the number of Fundamentalls If we grant to any particular Churches or to their Doctors this power of creating and multiplying Fundamentalls all hope is past of the certainty of the Catholike Faith all hope is gone of the Brotherly communion of the Catholike Church The mad error of the Church of Rome may confirme the Truth of our opinion who by stuffing a medley of uncertain opinions into the Creed of Trent by the same deed did both shake the immoveable certainty of the Catholike Faith and the Union of the Catholike Chuch so much desired of all we ought not therefore to mingle controversies lately born betwixt us with the foundations of Catholike Faith which are few and published by the preaching of the Apostles through the Christian world and received by the joynt consent of Christians In the last place that these things whereabout we contend Reas 6 were never counted in the number of Fundamentalls plainly appeares out of the very Augustane confession penned by Ph. Melancthon and approved and commended by Luther It is not likely that the Authors of so solemne a confession would have omitted any Fundamentall Doctrine of the Christian Faith without the knowledge and beleife whereof Salvation could not be attained by Christ Jesus But in this confession none of those points doe appeare about which so fierce a strife hath been been maintained betwixt the Helvetian and Saxon Churches In the third Articles of the Union of the two Natures in Christ in the tenth Article of the presence of the Body and Bloud of Christ in the Lords Supper they have established nothing which is not approved by the consent of all the Protestants And if we should run over the rest of the Articles we shall finde very few things after the last correction of which there is any dissenting betwixt the Protestant Churches nothing of so great moment that it should bring in a Schisme into the Church But grant some things to be in this confession to which other Churches cannot afford their consent it sufficeth to the retaining of Peace that they consent in all things necessary to be known for the Salvation of Christians For the confessions of particular Churches are not streitned to fundamentals alone but sometimes are extended to the declaring of their judgement of all heads of Divinity as they conceive it expedient for the Aedification of their people in Truth and Piety Therefore their errour is not to be born with who what ever they finde in their confessions will have it counted so fundamentall that they feare not to ranke those forreign Churches which in all and every thing will not admit the same to be the Rule of saving Faith among damned Hereticks overthrowers of the Foundation in a word amongst wicked men estranged from the holy brotherhood of good Christians Nothing could be done or thought of more injurious For if we weigh the confessions or disputes of all Reformed Churches and place on one side those things wherein they exactly agree and set on the other side those things which are in controversie wee shall perceive that the former out of the very Nature and Quality of the points themselves belong to the foundations of Faith and Piety the later either to the no wise necessary speculations of subtile braines or if they have any soliditie in them to the true inferences of the more skilfull Divines out of well grounded Propositions But those things which in this manner are built upon the foundation are not to be made equall with the fundamentalls themselves nor are they to bee accounted to erre in fundamentalls which swarve somewhat herein from the right line of Truth CHAP. XI Chap. 11 That there is no Controversie betwixt Protestants about Fundamentalls is shewn by instancing in three particular questions which are conceived before all other of greatest moment to the disjoynting of Churches BEFORE wee enter into this dispute wee must premise this firme and unmoveable rule That Christian Churches are not to be disjoynted which agree in all things necessary to be known or done to the Salvation of Christian men For no Authority lyes in one particular Church to make enquiry into others or office to compell other particular Churches to the rule of their owne confessions or power to dissolve the bands of brotherly Unity betwixt their owne and other Churches whatsoever which consent in the same common Faith that is in fundamentalls and the saving Articles of the Christian Religion Let us see therefore whether the Protestants agree so farre forth and let us take example only from those three controversies Of the Presence of the Body and bloud of Christ in the Eucharist Of the Communication of Properties in the person of Christ God and man Of Divine election and preterition according to the good pleasure of the Divine will For if in these questions by occasion whereof mighty surges and billows of contention have been blown up betwixt the Saxon and Helvetian Churches so much bee confessed on both sides as is necessary to know to Salvation All the rest may be left indifferent in the middle or to be disputed of betwixt learned men with peaceable mindes the brotherly Communion betweene Churches being no whit broken or torne a pieces Wee will begin from that which gave beginning to all the rest namely from the Presence of the Body of Christ in the Lords Supper and the eating of the same First of all nothing can be conceived fundamentall which is not by joint consent admitted by or received on both sides This is Fundamentall That the Body and Bloud of Christ are so truly present in the Administration of the Sacrament that Communicants may partake of them so as to draw life from thence and they may justly be condemned who so receive Bread and Wine as that withall they receive not the Flesh and Bloud of Christ to the Salvation of their Soules Hospin ad annum 1544. p. 191 Of this there is no dissention For Bucer grants That the Body of the Lord in the Eucharist is truly present and partaken off An annum 1540. p. 178 Calvin saith Wee all confesse with one mouth that we when we receive the Sacrament by Faith according to the Lords institution In Cons Mompelg p. 66. are made truly partakers of the Substance of the Body of Christ Beza saith we deny not the Body of Christ to be truly present to bee truly given and received I passe by the rest because no
Protestant Church can be named which professeth not with the Eucharist the true Presence of the Body and Bloud of Christ although it acknowledgeth the very manner of the Presence to be Supernaturall and plainly divine And sets down that the same doth consist not in any Physicall touch or contact but in a lively influence and mysticall Union and that most reall and neer It is a Fundamentall point That the Bread and Wine were the means ordained by Christ by which those which duely eat this bread being consecrated and drinke this wine eat the lively Flesh of Christ and drinke his saving blood to the Salvation of their soules The agreement of all Protestants in this point is so well known we need not take paines to prove it It is a Fundamentall That Bread and Wine are present in the Supper and are eaten and drunke in a locall naturall sensible manner but that Christs Flesh and Bloud are present and partaken of in a Divine admirable manner and not to be searched out So James Andrewes Col. Momp p. 17. 18. Concerning the manner wee can only say this That it is Supernaturall and imcomprehensible to humane reason and therefore there is no disputing thereof A little after Pag. 25. in not is marg The manner is heavenly supernaturall insomuch as it is wholly spirituall And as the Church is a mysticall body with Christ so also this receiving is done in a Mysterie In the Conference lately had at Lipsigh the Saxons did grant That the manner of the receiving which they defended to be done by vertue of the Elements was notwithstanding heavenly supernaturall and knowne to God alone None is ignorant that Calvin Bucer and all the rest were in the same opinion Col. Mompelg p. 66. Beza saith expresly The manner of the Receiving is a Mystery to be beleeved which exceedeth the capacity of mans wit and understanding Hitherto the Doctors and Churches well agree amongst themselves Secondly nothing can be conceived contrary to the Fundamentall doctrine of this Sacrament which is not rejected and damn'd of all Protestant Churches they are point blanck against all erroenous doctrines of the bare representation of the Body and Blood of Christ parted from the true and reall exhibiting of him of the prodigious Transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ the Accidents only remaining safe without a Subject Of the Locall and naturall presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Lords Supper Of the Locall Consubstantiation Coexistency or Inexistency of the Body and blood of Christ with the earthly Elements or in the same These and if there be any other which oppose or fight against the very nature of a Sacrament and the truth of the Body of Christ are condemned by the common assent not only of the Helvetian but Lutheran Churches Col. Mompel p. 16. Let James Andrewes speake for all the rest Wee doe not determine a Physicall or Locall presence of the Body and blood of Christ in the holy Supper These words Substantially pag. 183. Corporally Really Orally signifie nothing else to us but the true presence and eating of the Body and Blood of Christ We reject all Physicall Consubstantiation whether it be visible or invisible and only teach such a Conjunction as is Sacramentall The same was the opinion of the Saxons in the conference at Lipsigh to which these of Brandenburg and Hessland did subscribe Thirdly nothing remaineth undecided in this Controversie which can be called a Fundamentall point or for which the Brotherly Communion of Churches cannot be established For that word Orally which is used of the Saxons and is disallowed of other Churches is so used of these that they bring in no Fundamentall errour and is so rejected of those that they overthrow no fundamentall Doctrine For they that defend the Orall eating as well of the Body of Christ as of the bread notwithstanding denie such a Presence of the Body of Christ as is Locall to mens mouthes without which an Orall eating cannot properly be performed For that body cannot be eaten with the mouth betwixt which and mens mouthes there is granted a great distance of place That cannot be eaten with the mouth of the Body which is so present to the place of the mouth that it is not locally present to the mouth When therefore they allow of such a distance and give such a Location to the Body of Christ it is plaine that they passe and transferre the Orall eating which is truly and properly affirmed of the bread alone by a new and figurative manner of speech to the Flesh of Christ locally remaining in the Heavens and not locally present to the mouthes of men Moreover when they remove from this Orall eating all champing and chewing of the body of Christ the letting down of the thing chewed into the stomack the increasing and nourishing of the body of man by this flesh thus chewed it is evident however they thinke fit to retaine this forme of speech yet they meane nothing by this Orall eating that is joyned with the Capernaites rending of the Flesh of Christ with their teeth or agreeable with the signification of the words as they sound to mens eares in the Latine They only seeme to desire to affirme this That this Orall eating which truly properly usually and immediately is affirmed of the eating of the Bread may by the force of the consecrated bread comming between by a new unusuall mysticall and plainly heavenly signification of Orall eating be fitted and applyed to the Flesh of Christ Now as touching those who on the other side contend That the eating of the Flesh of Christ is not to be called an Orall eating but rather a Mentall Spirituall or Personall because the Person eating the bread with his mouth with his minde together eates the true and lively flesh of Christ Yet they denie not but that the visible bread is the Instrument or means appointed by Christ which the person useth to the cating of the Invisible bread but they thinke that the eating of that thing is properly called Orall which may be done by the Teeth and instruments in the mouth but that the eating of that thing cannot be called Orall which is neither locally present to the mouth neither if it were present could it be subject to any Act of mans mouth because of the Glorious and impassible nature which it hath Betwixt these Opinions I see some contrariety about the propriety of words and phrase of speech but of the maine and of the Truth of the Catholique Faith either none at all or at least so little that notwithstanding there may be place for the establishing of Brotherly Communion betwixt the Churches This of the first Controversie we passe to the Second Of the Person of Christ and Communication of his Properties IT is easie to shew out of their Writings who have handled this Controversie that there is a full Consent betwixt Reformed
transubstantiation to be made neither conceive there is made any Locall inclusion in the Bread or any durable conjunction out of the use of the Sacrament yet they grant the Bread to be the Body of Christ in a Sacramentall Vnion and that when the Bread is reached forth thâ— Body of Christ is together present and exhibited No one thing can be more like to another than is the judgement of the Helvetians to the judgement of the Lutherans Yet if any suspect that under this concord of words some Repugnancy of meaning and opinion may lye hid neverthelesse this is to be urged and enquired into whether this Repugnancy be such and of so great moment that it renders the Peace and Unity between Churches impossible and makes the Schisme and disjoynting betwixt them necessary and everlasting I know it seemeth farre otherwise to most learned and solid Divines when they side not to take part and are without the Lists of this discord Now as concerning those controversies of the Omnipresence of the Body of Christ the communication of his properties and others that first may seem to have bred whosoever shall weigh with Judgement what is granted what denyed on both sides shall presently perceive that neither of these nor of those any Fundamentall Article is called into question much lesse opposed or overthrowne For whatsoever was determined of these matters by the Catholique Church in the Creeds and Generall Councells that both sides receive and professe whatsoever was rejected and condemned that both alike reject and abhorre but that sometimes one Party should endeavour to draw the other by the small cords of consequences into the dirt of filthy Heresies is not a thing so much to be admired as to be bemoaned We all know the custome of angry disputants especially after they have begun to be throughly hot with long contending Also we have briefly touched before what is to be conceived of Heresies which are charged on others by consequences not at all granted or understood For the present this one thing may suffice to demonstrate the possibility of brotherly communion That on neither side any doctrine which is point blanck contrary to a Foundation of Faith Devoratoâ—rium Salutis or to use Tertullians word such as swallows up and devours Salvation is explicitly defended yea those whiâ—h are such are all cleerely and explicitly condemned on both sides If there be any other new controversies bred betwixt the Churches a-about Predestination Freewill and the like They can with no colour be pretended for the hindering of the Churches communion For in all these this one thing alone belongs to the Catholick and Fundamentall Faith That the free Grace of God in predestinating miserable men in conversion of sinners in setting free of mens wils Lastly in perseverance and Salvation of the Elect be so fully acknowledged that whatsoever he doth to the attaining of the state of Grace or Glory or whatsoever is done by men in reference hitherto that wholly be given to God and granted to Gods speciall grace and mercy On the other side whatsoever pertaines to the corruption of mans nature whatsoever to his obstinacy in sin whatsoever to the viciousnesse and servitude of Frâ—ewill Lastly whatsoever draws miserable mortals to damnation and tumbles them headlong into Hell that we impute all this to our selves and our owne demerits and command it distance to be farre off from God himselfe Whilest these things remaine fixed and immoveable as indeed they doe remaine although in the doctrines built upon the Foundation they have divers manners of conceiving and formes of speaking yea although they follow different opinions such errours are not so deadly that for their sakes a deadly hatred should be hatched or that a perpetuall Schism ought to be norished betwixt the churches If therfore this once be agreed on betwixt Divines that their strifes neither were nor are about any fundamentall Articles and things altogether necessary to be known to Salvation with all it will appeare That it is not impossible that Union and Communion betwixt the Churches be renewed that this pernicious Schisme be forthwith taken away and a blessed Peace for the time to come be holily preserved betwixt the German Churches Now it follows in the next place since we perceive this union is possible that we consider Whether Princes Doctors and even all Christian people be not tyed by vertue of Gods command and their own bounden duty every one for his own part to endeavour that this Brotherly Communion as soone as conveniently it may be be established between the Churches In the first place that of Paul mentioned by us in the beginning seems to intimate that we are all bound to this If it be possible and as much as in you lyeth have Peace with all men If a Civill and outward Peace is to be kept with so great desire betwixt all men without doubt the Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall Communion betwixt Christians is to be procured and cherished with farre greater Enâ—eavours Where therefore no unconquerable impossibility hinders on the part of the thing to be done mans Will cannot be excused which herein neglects or refuses is either lazy or perverse to obey the commandement of God nor is there cause why any should pretend that the differences of repugnant opinions cannot as yet be reconciled If in the meane time the Schisms of the Churches may bee taken away as out of doubt they may I had rather a Milstone were tyed about my neck and I cast into the depth of the Sea than that I would hinder a work so acceptable to God so necessary to the avoyding of scandals or not with all my mind and might further and advance the same Hither it may be added that all have need to confesse that true and genuine charity is no lesse necessary to Salvation for all Churches and members of Christian Churches than the true and entire profession of sound and saving Faith For by this badge our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ would have his true Disciples distinguished and discerned Joh. 13.35 from those that are false and counterfeit By this all shall know that you are my Disciples if yee love one another Now I leave it to be decided of every mans conscience what charity at last that is which permits Christian Churches on no just cause of refusall mutually to deny the right hands of fellowship and eternally to detest the making of an Union betwixt them Is it not enough for us to depart from the Hay and Stubble that is the errours of other Churches except also by making a voluntary rent we depart from the Churches themselves which never as yet departed from Christ Besides I seeme to my selfe to have observed both those that embrace the Zwinglian and Lutheran doctrine as they use to call it on both sides to acknowledge that the Churches whether they maintaine that or this doctrine remaine the true Churches of Christ or the true members of the
and establishing of cleere Articles of the Christian Faith against Hereticks than for the discussing and defining of hard and controversies which are not necessary at all Let us return therefore to that peaceable and Brotherly conference which we lately commended which if it be appointed with that minde and mannaged in that manner it ought we are in great hope very shortly to see an happy agreement of the German Churches This therefore ought first to be setled in the minde of all who are entertained in the Conference that they are not called together that as adversaries they should contend but that as Brethren they should seek and follow all lawfull wayes to establish Peace For if they themselves betwixt themselves saw one another and thinke they must revy contentions they will never perswade Union and Peace betwixt the Churches at variance Therefore let them not so much as offer to enter into the Labyrinths of the wonted disputations but let them aime and direct their meeting to this one marke that they may shew their Churches that there is no cause just enough why they should refuse mutuall Union and so long abhorre from joyning their right-hand of Brotherhood That this may be done let it be stated and determined in the first place concerning every controversie what of old was defined by the Suffrages of the Catholique Church and under the paine of a curse was to be believed of all For about things most Fundamentall there may arise some questions and Problems noâ— at all Fundamentall and which the ancient Fathers if they had been moved in their age would never have offered to have defined within the pâ—rill either of raysing or continuing a Schisme betwixt the Churches For instance That God is one in Essence three in Persons distinguished betwixt themâ—eâ—ves that the Sonne is begotten of the Father that the holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne that these three Persons are Coeternall and Coequall All these are deservedly determined ranked amongst the Fundamentall Articles Now if any should contend that all those things which are disputed of the Schoolemen of the Manner of Proceeding and Begetting are also Fundamentall and necessary to be determined on one side verily he by this his rash Judgement would gaine no favour with Christ or Christs Churches So also That our Lord Jesus Christ is God and Man and hath in one Person the Humane and D vine nature inseparably united together and that we owe our Salvation to God incarnated is a most solid Foundation of our Catholique and saving Faith Notwithstanding whatsoever may be asked and disputed of the unutterable manner of this Union whatsoever of the manner of the Corporall presence in the Holy Supper whatsoever of the properties communicated to the humane nature by the vertue of the Union or of the Operations of the humane nature depending on this Union it doth not presently belong to Fundamentall Faith but to skill in Divinity and perchance not to that neither but sometimes to the curiosity of Divines Let this therefore be the first and chiefe care of the Divines at the conference accurately to distinguish and sever Fundamentalls from those which are not Fundamentall neither to take it for granted that whatsoever seemes to touch and border on a Fundamentall Article is presently Fundamentall After they have agreed on these things care must be taken that these fundamentals be expressed in few cleer words and be propounded to be established with the common consent of the Churches De anima Certa semper sunt in paucis Those things that are certaine are ever comprised in few words saith Tertullian And whatsoever necessary is to be known to the Salvation of Christians whatsoever makes men better or more blessed is set in open veiw Here is no place for subtill distinctions which onely a quick sighted Eagle or some Epidaurian Serpent can perceive and discerne no place for the fringes of long explication or penthouses which we often see jetting out not so much to build up Christians in Fundamentall Faith as for the enlarging of the Doctors opinions Lastly no place for Metaphysicall formalities and abstracted notions which may trouble the heads of the learned and deterre the mindes of the unlearned from the Catholique Faith it selfe but neither bow the hearts of these or those to the embracing of the Faith of Fundamentall Articles But now when those things which belong to the Fundamentall and common Faith of the Churches are comprised in few words and plaine but sound formes of speeches and those set aside and left alone which are not as yet agreed on It follows in the next place that all peaceable Divines endeavour to make all throughly to be perswaded of this That we must no longer sight in hostile manner with the danger of the Churches losse of Peace and scandall of Schisme for those things whereof Christian people may be ignorant without fault or losse of Salvation How wholsome and necessary this Counsell is the rashnesse and contrary practice of the Roman Church doth easily prove For whilest they not at all content with the Articles of the Apostles or Nicene Creed endeavour to thrust upon the Christian world new Articles of the Conventicle of Trent Epist ad Stephan ad Jubajaâ— prefa ad Concil Carthag they have left the everlasting matter of an everlasting Schisme betwixt the Churches How more advisedly did Cyprian that most holy Martyr and most learned Father of his age who professes that he would offer violence to none for difference in opinions or violate the Lords Peace with his Colleagues or remove any man from the right of Communion because he was otherwise minded than himselfe With which Christian charity and gentlenesse erring Cyprian deserved better of Gods Church than Stephen Bishop of Rome being in the right opinion and rending the Churches as much as lay in his power with his Schismaticall spirit Relying on the Example of this most holy Martyr and on the judgement of Augustine in this matter I doubt not to affirm that those Doctors amongst the Dutch Churches which are deceived Vide Aug. de Bapt. l. 2. cap. 5. and yet are ready to retaine Brotherly Communion with others are held more excused from Schisme before God than they who maintaine the true opinions in those controversies and in the mean time disdaine to hold Brotherly Communion with other Churches desiring the same Consent therefore being had in Fundamentalls although the Doctors cannot fully and perfectly agree in other things yet in this let them all agree that with one mouth and heart they cry out together to God Nulla salus bello pacem te poscimus omnes In war no safty Peace we all desire thee But if any here should demand what must be done with those controversies which cannot be composed least by occasion of these the Peace and Union of the Church may either be hindered or troubled and broken againe after once it is made
by the Act of Repentance are made subject to God and his Commandements by the act of Loving and Obeying him No doubt is to be made but that these Churches remaine firmely fastned to their saving Foundation Therefore this saving and undoubted Union of them with Christ ought to bring a Tye and a Band of no meane Consequence to the binding of the Affections of all Reformed Churches together CHAP. IV. Chap. 4 Of certaine Foundations which use to be called Ministeriall and of their Office and Power ALTHOUGH We acknowledge our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the only personall Foundation of his Church yet do we not deny but that the name Foundation is in a different sense ascribed to others To whom in what respect this high Title is given and what Power and Command they have who are thus intitled it must be afterwards enquired into The name therefore of Foundation is sometimes lent to others but then always in a lessened and restrained acception For they are called Foundations in no other right than because the personall Foundation is layd by their Ministery through the preaching of the Gospell and by the continuation of that preaching always kept in the Church Amongst these Ministeriall Foundations the Prophets and Apostles possesse the prime place Hence the wall of the Heavenly Jerusalem is said to have twelve Foundations Rev. 21.14 and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lambe Also Christians are said to be built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Eph. 2.20 In this sense Peter and Paul and all the Apostles were Ministeriall Foundations because all they as wise Master-builders bestowed their excellent paines in laying that only Foundation of which we spake before Wherefore when the Prophets and Apostles are adorned with this honorable Title it is rather to be referred to their saving Doctrin concerning Christ than to their own particular Persons The power of these was far greater than that of their succeeding Ministers because they were so enlightned and governed by the holy Spirit that they could not at all erre either in Preaching or Writing Therefore we acknowledge their Doctrine as the Doctrine of God and Christ certaine infallible and wholly Divine with Tertullian that saith There is no Divine Word but of God alone In that his booke of the Soule Which Word was thundred both by the Prophets by the Apostles by Christ himselfe But the Papists to these Ministeriall Foundations endeavour to joyne another in words calling it a Second and subservient but in very deed making it a Principall and plainly Divine one This honour the Jesuites thinke fit to be conferred on the Pope alone whom they so appoint to be the Second Foundation of the Catholike Church that in the meane time they maintaine him to be the only Foundation of the Church next unto Christ But there is no need to speake much of this fading foundation and palsy-shaking head the Scriptures being silent of any such sole Ministeriall foundation as the Papists do faine Besides all Protestant Churches long since have cast this filthy Idoll of a secondary head and foundation with others of the like nature to the Moles and Bats as fit for so blind companions We owne no power placed in this secondary foundation of the Papists to subject the Faith of Christians unto it counting those little better than mad when they write and maintaine Bellâ—â— praefâ—t in lib. dâ— Rom. Poâ—â— That the power and infallibility of the Pope of Rome is the summe of Christian Religion and his judgment is to bee accounted the square and Rule of Faith But leaving the Pope of Rome le ts come to the Catholique Church which on a farre better title might challenge to her selfe the name of Ministeriall Foundation because the Faith of every one may seeme in some sort to rely upon her For in this even to the end of the World that Doctrine shall bee kept and preached to which those Christians which afford beliefe and obedience are rightly joyned to their foundation and in it shall obtaine eternall Life To this purpose that of Paul to Timothy is often alleadged where he calleth the Church the Pillar and Ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3 15. Neither may we doubt but that in this Holy Catholique Church which wee beleeve in the Creed the truth of the Gospell ever hath and ever will be preserved so farre forth as it shall suffice for the Salvation of those that beleeve it Therefore to know what hath been beleeved received and published of all Christian Churches always and every where is to know all those things which are sufficient for the obtaining of Salvation in Christ the Foundation thereof But this Catholique Church scattered over all the world is presented rather to our mind than outward senses Wherefore when we desire to heare the voyce of the Catholique Church wee are forced to fly to the Church which they call Representative that is to say to a Generall Councell Of which Representative Image of the Catholique Church and of the Ministeriall power therof we will briefly discourse That this Representative Church did excellently discharge the Office of a Ministeriall Foundation in Oecumenicall Synods is witnessed by those foure Councils of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon In which the Divinity of Christ against Arius of the holy Ghost against Macedonius the Union of two Natures in Christ against Nestorius the distinction of two Natures against Eutyches were declared defended and established In these and the like Councils those Doctrines of the Christian Faith which were there in common handled and discussed because therein all that professed Christianity were represented are therefore with great reverence to bee received For it ever belongeth to the Office and lawfull power of this Representative Church to divide and distinguish Fundamentall Doctrines of the Christian Faith from those which were not fundamentall provided alwayes that they passed not the bounds set by the Apostles and Primitive Church to multiply or diminish the Number of these Fundamentals 2a 2ae Qu. 1. Art 7. Resp ad 4. For it is credible what Aquinas observed that the Apostles and others which were nearer to Christ had a fuller Knowledge of the mysteries of the Faith than we that are further off which Cajetan in the same place confesseth to be most true For however that the Apostles and the Fathers of the Primitive Church were not much given to controversall Divinity and disputing about Questions yet were they of all most skilfull in saving necessary and Fundamentall Divinity Moreover after this Representative Church had once published her resolution founded in Gods Word of Fundamentall Articles which were simply necessary to the Salvation of Christians the care and charge also lay upon her to defend fence and fortifie those Articles against all fraud and force of Heretiques For it is the wont of Heretiques to undermine the very Foundation of Christian Religion whilst they retaine the words