in Religion Now he pretends there is great Unitie in doctrine among his Roman Catholiques With little reason and with as little ingenuitie For certainly if in this point we be not innocent they are much more guilty The truth is that old complaint of Optatus fits our times better then his a Lib. 5. Omnes contentiosi homines sumus there is but too much quarrelling on all sides which exposes our holy faith to the scorne of Infidells and ill beseemes them that pretend as we doe all to serve and follow the Prince of peace But sure the Romanists are not in case to fasten this reproach on us since it will reflect more strongly on themselues who have many more and more weighty Controversies among their owne Doctors then those of ours For our dissensions I have already said enough if not to justifie yet to excuse them To which I now adde by way of just recrimination that they are both for their number and in their nature of farre lesse importance then the dissensions in his Romane Church But our Mistaker answers in the behalfe of his jarring Doctors two things 1. that they differ onely in some schoole-questions of opinion not in matters of faith 2. that they dissent in iudgement onely without breach of charitie But in both the parts of this answer I shall briefly let him see that he is Mistaken His first plea is a very true and reasonable Apologie for our Reformed Churches but not so for his Romane Our controversies are none of them in the substance of faith but onely in disputable opinions not cleerly defined in Scripture wherein learned and charitable men do each one abound in his ow◠sence still keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace The summe of our faith is the same which we have received from the Apostles We have no◠added any new Articles to the Creed nor do we differ about any of the old ones But they of b Bulla Pii 4. post Concil Trident. Rome have inlarged the Creed of Christians one moity and will needs have the world to beleive many things as points of faith which at the best are but doubtfull opinions among all which there is hardly one wherein themselves do fully agree The c The new title of Cardinalls by the decre of Pope Urban Jun. 10. 1630. See it in the French Merc. Tome 16. pag. 592. most eminent Cardinall Bellarmine in his Controversies against us hath fairly confessed as hath been formerly noted that each opinion almost is controverted amongst themselves A d Contradictiones DD. Rom. Eccl. ex Rob. Bellarmino Autore Joan Pappo Argentorati Ann. 1597. Vide etiam Matthiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sectis controversiis religionis Papisticae Basil 1565. German Doctor hath collected out of Him their contradictions and set them down in his owne words to the number of 237. and withall a Catalogue of such Romane Writers as Bellarmine himselfe hath contradicted and confuted which contains the most part of Writers in his owne Church famous for learning in later ages Ioannes de Radae hath filled two grosse volumes with the contentions of the Thomists and Scotists And the Dominicans and Iesuites have filled libraries with their quarrells in the matter of Grace and Freewill wherein either side pretends the definition of the Trent Councell for their contrarie opinions It seemes that Councell like the Devill in the old Oracles hath deluded them both with ambiguous sentences Or if the definition be cleare one of the Factions doth obstinately contradict it Why doth not his Holinesse all this while interpose and give out his infallible judgment in the questions If he will not he wants charity towards his owne children if he cannot how is he the infallible Iudge Or is it rather his wary wisedome not hastily to decide Controversies wherein witty and learned men on both sides are engaged * As Widdrington and his followers have done See Widdringtons Purgation against the Popes Decree wherein he was condemned for an Heretique and no child of the Church lest in stead of changing their opinions they should fall to challenge not onely the infallibility but which were more dangerous the authority of their Iudge and in stead of reforming their owne judgement despise his The most capitall point of all others in their new Creed is that of the Popes authority and that obedience which he challenges in spirituall and temporall matters yet of all others they are most at discord among themselves about this point The old doubts are not yet resolved whether he be under or above a Generall Councell and whether he may erre in his definitive sentence some advance him with priviledges above the condition of men Others thinke more soberly of his power and are bold to resist him when they see him abuse it In the Trent Councel the Spanish Bishops stood stoutly for the independency of Episcopall authority and strongly maintained residence to be de jure divino being overborne onely with most voices by the Italian faction The Divines of Venice in the late quarrells of pope Paule the 5. against that State neglected the Popes Interdict so that he was fain with shame enough to revoke his Censures e Voiez la Declaration de l' Assemblee Generale du Clergé de France An. 1625. Very lately the Bishops of France have brought the Regulars of that Kingdome under their jurisdiction notwithstanding their exemptions by the Pope And whereas his Flatterers tell him that he hath either directly as f Carerius Bosius c. some say or indirectly as g Bell. c. others to the same purpose a Tempor all Monarchy over all the earth that all Princes are his vassals and may be deposed when he thinkes fitt that he may dispense with subjects for their oath of Allegeance and license them to take armes against their Soveraignes Many good Catholiques detest these damnable doctrines and have h Barclay Withrington The Divines of Venice confuted them as tending to bring ruine and confusion on all states and in France the seditious bookes of Mariana Bellarmine Becanus Suarez Santarellus and such like containing these horrible Maximes of the Society have been cast into the fire by the hand of the publique Hangman But among their discords there is none more memorable or of greater consequence then that of the two Popes Sixtus 5. and Clement 8. about their vulgar See Dr James his Bellum Papale and Cortuptions of the Fathers part 3. Latin Bibles When the Councell of Trent declared that Translation only to be authenticall there were abroad in the World above 60. severall Editions of it each differing from other Which Sixtus taking into consideration with great diligence and advise of many Cardinals he compared the Copies and out of them all published one which he straitly commanded to be received as the onely true Vulgar by a solemne Bull abolishing all others which did not exactly ad verbum and ad
Catholique Church is spread and diffused over the Earth among all Nations and may not be inclosed within any one or other society or communion of men whatsoever Wherein he doth as clearely oppose our Romanists who inclose all Catholiques and Christians within the Popes communion as he did the ancient Donatists It is not then resisting the voice or definitue sentence of the Church which makes an Heretique but an obstinate standing out against evident Scripture sufficiently cleared vnto him And the Scripture may then be said to be sufficiently cleared when it is so opened that a good and teachable minde louing and seeking truth cannot gainsay it For some froward and obstinate persons will not bee convicted by any evidence of truth whatsoever And if the authority of a Councell or of some Church doe interpose in this conviction the obstinacy of Gainsayers is the greater because there is the greater reason to perswade them And if any Church doe vpon such conviction excommunicate or condemne any refractary Gainsayer hee standeth guilty of obstinacy and so of Heresy in foro exteriori and for such is to be reputed by the members of the same Church But it is possible such a sentence may bee erronious either because the opinion condemned is no Heresy or error against the Faith in it selfe considered or because the party so condemned is not sufficiently convinced in his vnderstanding not clouded with prejudice ambition vaineglory or the like passion that it is an errour As these Donatists so the Novatians also were Schismatiques for disobeying the publique determination of the Catholique Church in the same Generall Councell of Nice In the first Ages before that Councell the Church was very rigorous in her Discipline Shee vtterly refused as wee haue before observed to admit vnto her Peace and communion f Vide Canones Concil Eliberini Tertull. de pudic Cypr. Epist ad Antonian passim some kindes of sinnners as Idolaters Apostates Murtherers Adulrers and the like though they had done many yeares penance and though they were in their last extremity thinking fit to leaue them to the mercy of God alone and to make their peace with him by inward repentance Afterwards Shee saw it convenient to bee more mild and mercifull in her censures and accordingly declared her selfe in the Great g Nic. Concil Can. 11. 12. 13. 14. Councell allowing to all sinners the hope and comfort of her absolution when they had made her satisfaction by their humility and penance according to her Canons The h Albaspin Sacr. Observ lib. 2. cap. 21. Novatians stubbornely opposed this publike resolution pretending that the judgement and practise of former Agesought not to be altered that this releasing of severe Discipline would open a gap to vice and licentiousnesse that the Church had no power to reconcile or receiue into her society such enormious Sinners though penitent that if she did she was polluted by their communion And vpon these pretences they breake out into a formall Schisme and separation Before the Nicene Councell many good Catholique Bishops were of the same opinion with the Donatists that the Baptisme of Heretiques was ineffectuall and with the Novatians that the Church ought not to absolue some grievous Sinners These errours therefore if they had gone no farther were not in themselues Hereticall especially in the proper and most heavy or bitter sense of that word neither was it in the Churches intention or in her power to make them such by her Declaration Her intention was to silence all disputes and to settle peace and vnity in her governement to which all wise and peaceable men submitted whatsoever their opinion was And those factious people for their vnreasonable and vncharitable opposition were very justly branded for Schismatiques Now for vs the Mistaker nor his Masters will never proue that wee oppose either any Declaration of the Catholique Church or any fundamentall or other truth of Scripture and therefore he doth vniustly charge vs either with Schisme or Heresy Charity mistaken Chap. 6. AGaine the onely right ground and true infallible motiue of faith by which it is produced and on which it relyes is the revelation of God and the proposition of his Church He therefore who beleeues not every particular Article of Catholique doctrine which is revealed and propounded by Almighty God and his Church which Church is absolutely infallible in all her proposalls doth not assent to any one even of those which he beleeues by true faith because he assents not upon the onely true and infallible motiue An assent not grounded on this is no supernaturall divine faith but an humane persuasion or suspicion or opinion And such is the beleefe or faith of Turkes Iewes Moores and all Heretiques and particularly of the Protestants Answer Sect. 5. DIvine revelation the principall motiue last object into which faith supernaturall is resolved The testimony ministery of the Church is of great use for the begetting of faith But the Church hath not an authority unlimited and absolutely infallible in all her doctrines as some Romanists pretend Others of them reasonably and fairely limit the Churches infallibility The Church Vniversall infallible in fundamentall doctrines Not so in points of lesser moment The Mistaker cannot say what he meanes by the Church where of he sayes so much Of the Church represented in generall Councells of which we speak and thinke more honorably then doe our Adversaries Yet we thinke them not absolutely infallible Of the Pope whom they call the Church virtuall How his flatterers speak of his authoritie No Roman Catholique can be assured of his infallibilitie which is at the most and best but problematicall by their owne principles Answer FAith is said to be divine and supernaturall I in regard of the author or efficient cause of the habit and act of divine infused faith which is the speciall grace of God preparing inabling and assisting the soule to beleive For a 1 Cor. 12. 3. 4. faith is the gift of God alone 2. In regard of the object or things beleeved which are b Phil. 1. 29. c. aboue the reach and comprehension of meere nature or reason 3. In regard of the formall reason or principall ground on which faith chiefly relies into which it is finally resolved which is divine revelation or the authority of God who is the first truth If it faile in any of these it is no divine or supernaturall faith Of the two first respects there is no controversie For the 3d that the formall object or reason of faith the chiefe motiue the first and farthest principle into which it resolues is onely divine revelation is a truth denied by some of the c Scotus Durand Gabriel apud Can. loc lib. 2. cap. 8. Schoole indeed some other d Vide passim apud Eckium Pighium Hosium Turrianum Costerum nequiter contumeliosè dicta in S. Scripturas unwise and unwary writers against Luther but yet
the Church the promises of Christ assure us But that to necessarie truths she shall adde no unnecessarie opinions for that we have no warrant either from the Scripture or any promise of God And were it otherwise the Doctors above mentioned had betrayed the Churches cause in stead of maintaining it For if in all her doctrines and definitions she be infallible why should they restraine her infallibilitie in defining unto matters necessary They should have profess'd her roundly and plainly infallible in all her determinations For to limit her infallibility in defining onely to things necessary and then to say that all defin'd by her is eo ipso necessarie because defin'd is to delude the world and seemingly to yeild something when nothing is yeilded The Romane cause at this day as it appeares by the vulgar Writers of the Popes quarter and among others by our Mistaker wholly depends on this pretended absolute infallibility All Controversies in the issue are reduced to this and decided by it And with great reason if there were any reason in it or for it For if Rome cannot erre or be deceived then without doubt all they erre and are deceived who dissent from her And therefore me thinkes learned men of that partie might do very well to ease themselves and the world of much trouble and paines in the scanning of other questions if with all their strength and witt they can but settle on the Pope or his adherents such an infallibility by any one convicting argument this will instantly and evidently conclude all our other differences No wise man will any way contradict them who cannot any way erre But surely this doctrine that the Church is infallible in all her definitions is so far from being certaine and divine that it is at the best but doubtfull and problematicall and that even by and from their owne principles The Roman Drs deliver us these Maximes concerning the Churches authority 1. r Staplet lib. 9. Princip doctr passim contr Whitak That the truth of Scripture it selfe and of all contained in it relyes in respect of us upon the testimony of the Church so as nothing is credible to us but by the Churches attestation 2. s Valent. Tom. 3. disp 1. qu. 1. pun 1. §. 6. col 29. That the proposition of the Church is so necessary to the act of divine faith that nothing can be beleeved without it 3. That t Bellarm. lib. 4. de Pont. R. cap. 14. §. Respondeo Inprimis untill a doctrine be declared or defined by the Church so long it may be either doubted of or denyed without danger These propositions are their owne Hence wee assume But this doctrine that the Church is infallible in all her decrees and definitions was never yet declared decreed or defined by the Church no not by any Councell or by any Pope And hence we inferre Therefore it is a doctrine which may be doubted of or denyed without danger a doctrine which no man can beleeue by divine faith a doctrine whatsoever it be in it selfe to Christians not credible If any man will deny the assumption he will oblige himselfe to disproue it by a contrary instance Let it be shewed where and when and in what termes the Church hath published any such declaration And suppose which will not be granted that such a declaration had beene made it may be demanded with reason upon what warrant the Church can assume to her selfe a power so divine and boundlesse as to authorize all her decrees in so high a forme that they must be accounted divine and infallible If the promise of God in Scripture be pleaded for this power we haue already shewed how the learned among themselues haue voyded this plea and so restrained those promises that they are by much too narrow to support so wide a priviledge If it bee said that this authority of the Church is a principle admitted by all Christians without any doubt or proofe this is a saying voluntary and and groundlesse For 1. they will confesse every principle in Religion to be founded either in nature or in Scripture or in tradition or in Church definition and in none of these will they find any footing for this 2. All Christians in the world confesse the authority of Scripture to be a principle indemonstrable yet are we by them perpetually urged to proue that authority and that by Scripture 3. Dr u Princ. Doctrin l. ◠c. 21. Stapleton thinkes it not onely fitting but necessary in respect of us that the Church should give testimony to her self especially thē in this point of so great importance consequence cōcerning her infallible authority wherein all Religiō is so much concerned 4. Lastly it is a great errour and vanitie to beleeue that this absolute infallibility of the Church is beleeved by all Christians especially in the sence of our Adversaries who ever by the Church intend that unsound piece which they call the Roman Catholique The Protestants and Greekes expresly accuse this Church and haue convicted her too as they thinke of many grosse and dangerous errors The w See Mr. Brierwoods Enquiries Armenians Syrians Indians Iacobites Maronites Abassines with other innumerable assemblies of Christians haue many doctrines and customes directly repugnant to those of Rome which were an unreasonable presumption and absurditie if they esteemed the Church of Rome so wholly infallible Nay within the Roman Church it selfe many Authors of great learning and judgement by name x Horum omnium testimonia legere est apud Rob. Baronium de objecto fidei Tract 5. cap. 19. Occam Cameracensis Waldensis Panormitanus Antoninus Archbishop of Florence Cardinal Cusan Nicholas Clemangis haue declared their opinion that any particular Churches and particularly the Roman any Councels though Generall any Popes may erre even to heresie and I doubt not but the best learned Romanists at this day are of the same opinion Before wee proceed it will not be from our purpose to note one thing more in passing The Church of Rome pretends that it is an office belonging onely to Her to deliver the entire rule of faith to all Christian people And she pretends further that this divine and infalliable rule is made up of three integrall parts to wit Scriptures Traditions and Church definitions If this be true she doth but loosely discharge her office very ill satisfie the obligation which she hath unto the Christian world For 1. Why hath she not yet defined that her definitions are of divine authority The late Fathers of Trent haue canonized unwritten traditions and equall'd them to Scriptures but why did they omit to canonize the decrees of all Popes Councells Why did they not adde to Traditions their Church definitions and command them both and them all to be received with no lesse devotion then the holy Scriptures 2. The same Fathers have given us an exact catalogue of all the bookes of Scripture but why did they not give
WANT OF CHARITIE Iustly charged ON ALL SVCH ROMAnists as dare without truth or modesty affirme that Protestancie destroyeth Salvation In Answer to a late Popish Pamphlet intituled Charity Mistaken c. By Christopher Potter D. D. Chaplaine to his Maty in Ordinarie and Provost of Queenes Colledge in Oxford OXFORD Printed by the Printers to the University 1633. TO OVR MOST GRATIOVS AND MOST Religious Soveraigne King Charles c. Dread Soveraigne AMongst the many excellent Vertues which have made your Maties Person so deare to God and so precious in the eyes of all your good People the most eminent is your Piety which gloriously shines in the innocency of your Life in the constancy of your Devotions in the justice and mildenesse of Your blessed Government and especially in your tender cares thoughts for the conservation of true Religion and of the Peace of the Church in this crazy quarelling Age. This Piety in your Maty gives me the boldnesse humbly to lay at your Foote this unworthy Piece and the boldnesse also to hope that your Maty will graciously accept it Both because it was undertaken in obedience to your Maties particular Commandement and because in it I plead as well as my Weakenesses will permit for the Faith and Charity of our Church against the Faction of Rome who very falsely pretending to Truth and Vnitie are indeed the true Authors and Continuers of the miserable Schismes of Christendome If here in I have done any acceptable service to God and his Church and to your Maty I have my desire The Father of Mercies crowne Your Maty with all the comforts and Benedictions of Heaven and Earth and continue long the happines of these Your Fortunate Islands in the holinesse and health of their Gratious Soveraigne Your Majesties humble Servant and Chaplaine Ch. Potter Reader THis Answer had beene publique some Moneths agoe if it had not beene delayed partly by sicknesse and the indisposition of my Body and of my Minde also which was ever averse from Contentions in Divinity and now rather desirous to spend in Devotion the few and evill dayes of my life that remaine and partly out of the hope I had to see a second Edition of the Mistakers Work which the strong report of that Part promised or rather threatned But that hope failing and being loath to seeme to faile in my Observance I now commend it such as it is to the blessing of God and to the use and judgement of the Church My Answers without further affectation are true and modest I speake to the Cause not to the Person VVhosoever the Mistaker be he hath my pitty and my prayers He thinkes unworthily of Truth that beleeves it to have need of our Passions My desire is all Personall Defects may be charged on my Selfe none on the Cause I haue not followed the Mistaker in all his wandrings But let Him not take that for a pretext of clamour For if He will be ingenuous He must confesse that I have not omitted without Answer any one thing of moment in all his Discourse Or if He will not Our Readers will confesse it I have onely neglected his repetitions declamatory and injurious speeches and the like impertinencies which being set apart the true Summary of the rest is this that followes Charitie mistaken Chapt. 1. 2. ROman Catholiques judge that Protestancie unrepented of destroyes Salvation For this judgment the Protestants charge them with want of Charity This charge saith the Mistaker is 1. improbable 2. untrue 1. Improbable For the Catholique Church expresses and diffuses her Charitie for the temporall and spirituall good of men in all imaginable sorts Shee is charitable to their bodies in her Monasteries Hospitals redeeming of Captives providing for Orphanes c. and to their soules by converting of Heretiques and Infidels by teaching the ignorant by directing the scrupulous with books of Cases of Conscience c. Charitable to very Protestants their heresies are onely condemned and it is not said that they sin against the Holy Ghost because they may be converted to the faith reconciled to the Church and so may be saved Answer Sect. 1. SOme Roman Catholiques judge charitably of the Reformed Iesuiters furious and destructive in their censures against all that are not of their faction That Faction infamous for their cruelties charged with want of Charity not the Catholique Church The Catholique Church and the Romane ignorantly or cunningly confounded The Catholique truly and really charitable and so the English but not so the Romane not to her owne Children especially not to Protestants Of whom the Mistaker and Others speake and thinke no better then of Infidels Though we entirely professe and embrace the Catholique Faith in all the parts of it Charity mistaken Cap. 3. 4. 2. VNtrue The former judgement proceeds not frō want of Charity but from truth Which may appeare by these grounds of truth which follow 1. Almighty God hath founded but one Church and ordained but one Religion wherin he will be served and out of the communion of this one Church there is no salvation This Vnity of the Church is proved by many testimonies of Scripture and by the consent of the Fathers of the East and West And it is likewise proved by the same authorities that out of the Communion of this One Church salvation cannot be obtained Wherefore all Heretiques and Schismatiques being out of this Church Communion must needs eternally perish Answer Sect. 2. OF the Vnity of the Church VVherein it consists How it is violated Each discord in Opinion dissolves not the Vnity of Faith The Communion of the Church in what sence and how farre necessary Charity mistaken Chap. 6. 2. THis Vnity is directly broken betweene Roman Catholiques and Protestants who are not both Professors of this One Religion or members of this One Church For they differ in prime and maine points of Faith in which the Reformers have departed frō the Church Besides the Protestants are not at Vnity among themselves and therefore much lesse with Romane Catholiques Their bitter contentions speeches one against another declare them to be of different Churches and Religions Whence it followes that Roman Catholiques and Protestants are not both saveable in their contrary wayes Anwer Sect. 3. THe true difference betweene the Roman and Reformed Parts of the Church Protestants have rejected nothing but Popery that is corrupt superadditions to the Faith confessed by learned Romanists to be doubtfull and unnecessary novelties Errors and Abuses of Rome reformed by us without Schisme Those errors damnable how and to whom Of the dissentions of Protestants among themselves They differ not in any point fundamentall Charity mistaken Cap. 6. FVrthermore the Protestants are properly Heretiques at least if not Infidells Heretiques because they reject and disobey the judgement of the Catholique Church For it is not the matter or quality of the doctrine but the pride of the man who prefers his owne opinions before the
decrees of the Church that properly makes the Heretique The Heretiques recounted by S. Augustine Epiphanius and Philastrius in their Catalogues were condemned not so much for their errours which were many ofthem not very materiall as for their contempt of the Church S. Cyprian and the Donatists differed not in the matter of their errour but the obstinacy of the Donatists and their disobedience to the Church made them to be condemned for Heretiques when S. Cyprian was absolved because the Church in his time had not declared her selfe And in the like manner the Novatians were condemned on the same grounds Answer Sect. 4. OF the nature of Heresie The Church may declare convince an Heresie but cannot properly make any Doctrine Hereticall unlesse it be such in the matter of it The words Heresie and Heretique very ambiguous How commonly used by the Ancients Of their Catalogues of Heretiques S. Cyprian though erring in the point of Rebaptization justly absolved from Schisme and Heresie The Donatists guilty of both And the Novatians of Schisme Charity mistaken Chap. 6. AGaine the onely right ground and true infallible motiue of faith by which it is produced and on which it relyes is the revelation of God and the proposition of his Church He therefore who beleeves not every particular Article of Catholique Doctrine which is revealed and propounded by Almighty God and his Church which Church is absolutely infallible in all her proposalls doth not assent to any one even of those which he beleeves by divine faith because he assents not upon the onely true and infallible motiue An assent not grounded on this is no supernaturall divine faith but onely an humane suspicion or opinion or persuasion And such is the faith of Turkes Iewes Moores and all Heretiques particularly of the Protestants Answer Sect. 5. DIvine revelation the principall motiue last object into which faith supernaturall is resolved The testimony and ministery of the Church is of great use for the begetting of faith But the Church hath not an authority unlimited and absolutely infallible in all her doctrines as Some Romanists pretend Others of them reasonably fairly limit the Churches infallibility The Church Vniversall infallible in fundamentall doctrines Not so in points of lesser moment The Mistaker cannot say what he meanes by the Church whereof he sayes so much Of the Church represented in Generall Councells of which VVe speak and thinke more honorably then doe our Adversaries Yet we thinke them not absolutely infallible Of the Pope whom they call the Church virtuall How his Flatterers speake of his authority No Roman Catholique can be assured of his infallibility which is at the most and best but problematicall by their owne principles Charity mistaken Chap. 7. PRotestants object that Roman Catholiques are not at unity among themselves as appeares by many questions wherein their Writers are at variance Answer Catholique Doctors differ onely in matters of Opinion not decided by the Church not in any point of Faith And besides their differences are all fairely carried without any breach of Charity If it be againe objected that learned Catholiques beleeue more then the unlearned Answer This hinders not their Vnitie It suffices the Vulgar to beleeve implicitly what the Church teaches And by vertue of such implicite faith a Cardinall Bellarmine and a Catholique Collier are of the same beleife Answer Sect. 6. DIssentions in the Church of Rome of greater importance then any among the Reformed They differ not onely in Opinion but in matters of their Faith As about the Popes authority and the Popes themselves about their vulgar Latine Bibles Discords among Them uncharitably pursued Some patterns of their mutuall bitternesse and revilings Implicite faith in some points and in some persons admitted VVhat it is which we dislike here in the doctrine of some Romanists Charity mistaken Chap. 8. 9. THe Protestants pretend to be at unitie with the Ancient Church with the Lutherans and even with Roman Catholiques in fundamentall points That distinction so ordinary with them betweene fundamentall points and not fundamentall is vaine without ground No Protestant Writer none of their Vniversities Colledges or Societies of learned men amongst them can or dare define what doctrines are fundamentall or give us in a List or Catalogue of Fundamentalls Some say they are contained in the Creed But those men may be ashamed of that opinion seeing in the Creed there is no mention of the Canon of Scripture or of the number or nature of the Sacraments of justification whether it be by faith alone or by workes or of that doctrine of devills forbidding marriage meats which was the doctrine of the Manichees and not of Roman Catholiques as Protestants perversly affirme and finally since there is such great differences between them and us about the understanding of the Articles of Christs Descent into Hell of the holy Catholique Church and the Communion of Saints Others say the Booke of the 39 Articles of the Church of England declares all the fundamentall points of faith But that also is most absurdly affirmed That Booke declares onely and that in an extreamly confused manner what the Church of England beleeves in most things And in many Controversies betweene them and us it speakes obscurely not touching the maine difficulty of the questions As in the points of the Visibility and infallibility of the Church of Freewill and of the Canon of Scripture Answer Sect. 7. THe distinction between doctrines fundamentall and not fundamentall avowed as most necessary It hath ground in reason and in Scripture The Creed of the Apostles as it is explained in the later Creeds of the Catholique Church esteemed a sufficient Summary or Catalogue of Fundamentals by the best learned Romanists and by Antiquity The Mistakers exceptions to the contrary answered As also his exceptions against the Confession of the Church of England The Conclusion ANSWERE TO Charity mistaken Charity mistaken Chap. 1. 2. ROmane Catholiques judge that Protestancy vnrepented of destroies saluation For this judgement the Protestants charge them with want of Charitie This charge saith the Mistaker is 1. improbable 2. vntrue 1. Improbable For the Catholique Church expresses and diffuses her Charitie for the temporall and spirituall good of men in all imaginable sorts Shee is charitable to their bodies in her Monasteries Hospitals redeeming of Captiues prouiding for Orphanes c. and to their soules by conuerting of heretiques and infidels by teaching the ignorant by directing the scrupulous with bookes of Cases of Conscience c. Charitable to very Protestants their heresies onely are condemned and it is not said that they sinnâ— against the holy Ghost because they may be conuerted to the faith reconciled to the Church anâ— so may be saued Answere Sect. 1. SOme Romane Catholiques judge charitably of the Reformed Iesuiterâ— furious and destructiue in their censures against all that are not of their faction That faction infamous for their cruelties charged with want of Charitie
say it is in jeast to shew the Sorbonists the iniquity of their censures As if Iesuiticall Libells and Pamphlets were to bee parallel'd with the Apostles Creed or this as justly censurablea as the other God in justice may giue ouer these men to Atheisme in earnest who dare so prophanely dally with the Capitall Principles of our faith By the profession of this faith and by the bond of loue wee are linked in communion with the Catholike Church and all her true members in the world and doubt not of Gods mercy in Christ if to our holy faith we adde an holy conversation For the Church of Rome in those Catholique truths which shee maintaines we are not at oddes with her nor need any reconciling for that masse of errours and abuses in iudgement and practise which is proper to her and wherein she differs from vs wee iudge a reconciliation impossible and to vs who are convicted in conscience of her corruptions damnable Hitherto the Mistaker hath declamed for the Charity of his party Hee will now declare the truth of his assertion that no Protestant can be saved Vpon examination wee shall finde as little truth in the substance of his discourse as there is in the designe of it little judgement or conscience or modesty Charity mistaken Cap. 3. 4. 5. 2 VNtrue The former iudgement proceeds not from lacke of Charity but from truth Which may appeare by these grounds of truth which follow 1 Almighty God hath founded but one Church and ordained but one religion wherein he will be served and out of the communion of this one Church there is no salvation This vnity of the Church is proued by many testimonies of Scripture and by the consent of the Fathers of the East and West And it is likewise proued by the same authorities that out of the communion of this one Church salvation cannot bee obtained wherefore all Heretiques Schismatiques being out of this Church and Communion must needs eternally perish Answere Sect. 2. OF the Vnity of the Church Wherein it consists How it is violated Each discord in opinion dissolues not the vnity of Faith The communion of the Church in what sense and how farre necessary TO the first ground No Protestant denyes the Catholique Church to bee one They all deny the present Romane to be that one Catholique If the Mistaker could proue this his paines were to some purpose But his labour is lost in prouing the vnity of the Catholique Church where of there is no doubt or Countrouersie Wherefore we might passe ouer this impertinent discourse but that some things are here and there intermingled which merit our consideration That place of a Deut. 17. 8 9. Deut. 17. alleaged by the Mistaker makes little for the vnity of the Church and much lesse for the Popes pretence of soueraigne power All Controuersies ciuill or ceremoniall are there referred not to the high Priest alone as the Mistaker thinkes but to the great Tribunall called the Sanhedrim mixt of Priests and Iudges in which all harder causes Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill should be determined without further appeale And therefore in respect of the two kindes of causes there were ordained two sorts of men to heare them Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill the Ciuill meant by the Iudge and the Ecclesiasticall by the Priest And though sometimes amongst the Iewes both the offices did meet in one person as in Eli yet this was very rare and extraordinary Ordinarily they were distinct and in the place which we haue in hand many learned b Oleaster Lyra. Cajeta apud Bonfrer in loc Sigon de Rep. Heb. libr. 6. cap. 7. The Dowists in their Marginall note on 2 Chron. 19. vers 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Romanists affirme that by the Iudge is meant the ciuill Magistrate who is directly distinguished and seuered from the Priest both in the c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 originall Hebrew and in the d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint And by the Priest not the high Priest alone but as may appeare by this e Deut. 17. 9. Text and another f Deut. 2. 1. 5. parallell to it the Priests the sonnes of Leui. It is true amongst those Priests there was one Chiefe in this matter of highest judgement in doubtfull causes So also was there one principall among the Iudges in g 2 Chron. 19. 11. matters of the King that is in ciuill causes And therefore if the Mistaker imagine that Christians must haue one soueraigne Bishop ouer all because the Iewes had one chiefe Priest it may bee inferred by as good consequence that Christians must haue one Soueraigne Prince ouer all because the Iewes had one chiefe Iudge And as all harder causes of religion must be referred to the Pope so all ciuill matters must be referred to the Emperour And as amongst the Iewes the Priest and Iudge were resident in the place which the Lord had chosen so the Pope and the Emperour must both abide in Rome These Inferences are all of equall validitie that is of no validitie at all The Mistaker will here haue it further well considered that the whole people was to submit to the determination of the high Priest or of the Iudge as the Vers 12. Text hath it vpon no lesse then the paine of death True and there was reason for it For 1. the sentences of them that are in authority and iudge soueraignely without appeale should bee obeyed or submitted vnto though they be vniust A lawfull power though vnlawfully abused must be obeyed A man fined or censured in the Star-chamber high Commission or other Courts of Iustice may not pretend for his contempt the error or misinformation of the Iudges But though Inferiours be alwaies bound to obey the sentences of their Gouernours yet they are not bound to beleeue them alwayes to be just Those Priests and Iudges had a rule to gouerne their judgements by they were to giue sentence h Vers 11. Eze. 44. 24. according to the Lawe If they erred frō this rule as sometimes i Es 28. 7. Ier. 2. 26. 27 Ezek. 22. 26. Mal. 2. 7 8. Act. 23. 3. Vide Tirin in loc Deut. 17. they did the errour might bee obserued though the authority might not be disobeyed 2. The high Priest in cases of moment had a certaine Priuiledge from errour if he cōsulted the k Exod. 28. 30. Numb 27. 21. diuine oracle by the judgement of Vrim or by the brest-plate of judgement wherein were Vrim and Thummim whereby he had an absolutely infallible direction If any such promise frō God to assist the Pope could be produced his decisions might then justly passe for oracles without examination till then his words with vs weigh so much as his reasons no more The sinne of l Numb 16. Korah Dathan and Abiram was a rebellion yea treason against Moses the civill Magistrate as well as a schisme from Aaron the Priest That they with all their company
descended aliue into the pit of hell is rashly and vncharitably said God is mercifull and who knowes whether some of them did not repent in the last moment All that this example teacheth is that men ought not to rend themselues from the Church of God or joyne in the despising of gouernment with them that seeke their owne glory and not the glory of God It is a certaine truth that m Matth. 28. 20. all things ought to be obserued which Christ hath commanded and that n Mark 16. whosoeuer beleeueth not in Christ shall be condemned But here is no warrant for the Church of Rome to force vpon the world her owne commandements and Creeds in stead of Christs That in S. Matthew o Matt. 18. 17. If thy Brother offend thee tell the Church is nothing to the point in hand Our Lord speakes of a brother wronging his brother and after priuate admonition refusing to obey the Church which may be vnderstood of an assembly as well Ciuill as Ecclesiasticall Howsoeuer it cannot be meant of the Church Catholique which cannot bee told of priuate injuries but of particular Congregations or as p Chrys hom 61. in Matth. vide etiam Tirinum in locum S. Chrysostome expounds it of their Pastors And if any disorderly or obstinato persons wil not be reformed by their good counsels they are to be esteemed as prophane Publicanes and sinners or to be punished with spirituall censures Yet in these censures any Church may erre through misinformation or ignorance and may sometimes strike the innocent as is confessed by Pope q Decretal lib. 5. tit 39. c. 28. A nobis Innocent the third and r Mag. lib. 4. dist 18. lit F. Lombard Whether in points of discipline or doctrine so long as any Church holds to the rule of truth gouernes her selfe by the word of God shee erres not We are to heare the Church our mother true that is not rashly to oppose her especially if shee be carefull to heare God our Father and Christ her Spouse of whom it was said s Matt. 17. 5. Heare him The Mistaker therefore vainly inferres from this place that the iudgement of the Church in all Controuersies is Soueraigne and Infallible and that absolute obedience is due vnto Her no appeale being allowed no not to Scripture though expounded in a Catholique sense and consonantly to the judgement of the most ancient and famous members of the Church The Text euidently speakes of particular Churches to which I suppose he will not easily yeeld these goodly priuiledges After his wont still when he talkes of the Church he meanes his owne and euer mistakes the Romane for the Catholique The Church Catholique or vniuersall is confessed in some sense to be vnerring as shall appeare hereafter and he is little better then a Pagan that despiseth her judgement For shee followes her guides the Prophets and Apostles and is not very free and forward in her definitions All this is as false of the Romane Church as it is true of the Catholique The Treatise of S. Cyprian of the vnity of the Catholique Church for that title a Epist 51. himselfe giues it is directed against the schisme error of the Nouatians who peeuishly seuered themselues from the Communion of Catholiques because they gaue the peace of the Church to such as repented after their fall in times of persecution There is nothing in that Treatise which the Protestants dislike saue onely the corrupting of S. Cyprians text by some Romish zelote b Cap. 3. secund Pam. these words added to the Text. Primatus Petro datur super Cathedram Petri fundata est Ecclesia super illum vnum aedificat Ecclesiam Christus who hath added and fourred in two or three false glosses of his owne in fauor of S. Peters Primacy Contrary to the faith of written copies and of the elder editions which were before Manutius and Pamelius contrary to the constant doctrine of that holy Martyr in other parts of his workes and even in that very place which is corrupted and contrary to the reading of their owne Gratian c Caus 24. q. 1. can Loquitur Dominus ad Petrum corrected by Pope Gregory 13. And in this vnworthy fashion they haue handled many other records and d Vide Rog Withring Apol. Bell. num 450. monumeÌ„ts of Antiquity adding altering razing them at their pleasure Sixtus Senensis highly commends Pope Pius the fift for the care which he had e Epist dedic ad Pium 5. P. M. Expurgari emaculari curâsti omnia Catholicorum scriptorum ac praecipuè veterum Patrum scripta to extinguish all dangerous bookes and to purge the writings of all Catholique Authors especially of the ancient Fathers from the filth and poyson of heresie At Rome they call it heresie not to speake the language of the Court or to say any thing in behalfe of Protestants A few yeares since when the learned Iesuite Andreas Schottus of Antuerpe published 600 Greeke Epistles of Isidorus Ielusiotes out of the Vatican Library never before printed Beyerlinck the Censor of Bookes there was content to passe them to the presse f In approbatione libri editi Antuerp Graecè 1623. because they contained nothing contrary to the Catholique Roman religion It seemes they had not passed but vpon that condition Though since on better consideration that vnwary clause is left out in the Approbation of the last edition of those Epistles in Greeke and Latine at Francfort This by the way Anno 1629. S. Augustine in his Epistle of the vnitie of the Church largely debates that maine controversie betweene the Catholiques and the Donatists concerning the Church Those Schismatiques pretended that the Catholique Church was perished in all other parts of the world and that it remained only in their factious Conventicles in some corners of Rome and Africa or as they loued to speake in the part of Donatus Against this fancy which is the opinion in effect of our Romane Catholiques at this day the learned Father proues that the Catholique Church may not bee confined to any corners or Countries but that it is vniversally diffused thorough all the world And hee constantly fetches all his proofes from the holy Scriptures often protesting that he will not fight with any other weapons g Aug. de vnit Eccl. cap. 6. Dicitis in nullis terris heredem permanere Christum nisi vbi cohaeredem habere potuerit Donatum Legite nobis hoc de Lege de Pâ—opheus de Psalmis de ipso Evangelio de Apostolicis Literis Legite credimus You say ô Donatists that Christ hath no inheritance but in the part of Donatus as now 't is said of the Popes party Read and proue this to vs out of the law the Prophets or the Psalms out of the Gospell or the Apostles Letters Read it thence and wee will beleeue you h Ibid. cap. 3. Non audiamus
Mystag Miss Muzarab in Bibl. P P. Colon Tom. 15. p. 787. Diâ—nys Eccl. Hier cap. 7. Church in her Liturgies remembred all those that slept in hope of the Resurrection of everlasting life and particularly the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors Bishops Fathers such as led a solitary life and all Saints beseeching God to giue vnto them rest and to bring them at the Resurrection to the place where the light of his countenance should shine vpon them for evermore Signifying by this Memorial their faith as t Vbi supra St Epiphanius hath it that the departed are aliue and subsisting with the Lord and their hope of them as of those that bee from home in another country and that at length they shall attaine the state which is more perfect Some particular Doctors had in these matters particular opinions which must be severed from the generall sentiment and customes of the Church which to this day are conserved in the Greeke u Vide Marci Ephesii Episc Epist encyclicam Churches notwithstanding the pretended Vnion in this and other points at the late Councell of Florence This ancient observation of the Church we condemne not Wee say prayers are to be made for all that are departed in the true faith of Christ that is first Thanksgiuing that they are deliuered from the body of death and miseries of this sinfull world Secondly Requests of Gods mercy that they may haue their perfect consummation in body and soule in the kingdome of God at the last iudgement The Roman writers vtterly condemne the former doctrine and practise of Antiquity z Azor. Instit moral tom 1. c. 20. lib. 8. See of this matter the learned Primate of Armagh in his defence against the Iespite One of them feares not to censure it as absurd and impious By this the Mistaker may feele his errour and see that it is not the Protestants but his owne Doctors that agree with the old Heretique Aerius The vnity of the Church is nothing hindred by diversity of opinions in doubtfull matters It is a great vanity to hope or expect that all learned men in this life should absolutely consent in all the pieces and particles of divine truth The light whereby wee see in this state of mortality is very feeble and very different in regard of the good spirits illumination the capacities of men and their diligences in study prayer and other meanes of knowledge So long as the a Iud. 3. faith once deliuered to the Saints is earnestly contended for and kept entire that is the b Tit. 1. 4. common faith of Christians containing all Catholique and necessary verities so long as men c Phil. 3. 15. 16. walke according to this rule charitably though in other things they be otherwise minded the Church is but one her vnity no way violated For this vnity consists in the vnity of faith not of opinions and in an vnion of mens hearts and affections by true Charity which will easily compound or tolerate all vnnecessary differences Factious and fiery Spirits kindle and fly asunder on small occasions but among wise men each discord in Religion dissolues not the vnity of faith or Charity Points of Religion are well distinguished by d Aqu. 22. q. 2. art 56 q. 29. art 3. ad 2. Thomas and e Staplet dupl lib. 1. c. 12. n. 3. Rel. c. 1. qu. 3. art 6. notab 1. 2. Licet vtile est de rebus difficilibus in Ecclesia aliter atque aliter disputare nec hoc vnitatem violat sed veritatem illustrat Stapleton Some say they are primitiue Articles of the substance of Religion essentiall in the obiect of faith dissention in these is pernicious and destroyes vnity Others are secondary probable accidentall or obscure points wherein the oppositions and disputations of learned men proceeding modestly are tolerable and sometime profitable for finding out the truth Vnity in these matters is very contingent and variable in the Church now greater now lesser never absolute in all particles of truth And therefore those ancient Worthies the Fathers of the Church as they were most zealous to defend even with their blood to the least iot or title the rule of faith as they called it or the Creed of Christians or as the Scripture calls it the f 2. Tim. 1 13. forme of wholesome words the g Heb. 6. 1. 5. 12. Principles of the oracles of God or of the doctrine of Christ so againe they were most charitable to allow in other things beside or without the faith a great latitude and liberty As in a musicall consort a discord now and then so it bee in the descant and depart no tfrom the ground sweetens the harmony So the variety of opinions or of h Firmilianus ap Cypr. epist 7 5. num 5. August ep 86 Socrat. Hist lib. 5. cap. 21. rites in partes of the Church doth rather commend then prejudice the vnity of the whole Indeed in the multitude of opinions there is but one truth but among sundry truths there is but one necessary to salvation that wherein the holy Scriptures as the Apostle saith are able to make vs wise by 2 Tim. 3. 15. the faith in Christ Iesus The keeper of this truth and of the Scriptures in which it is treasured is the Church not of one City but the Catholique Church that is the fellowship of Saints dispersed through the whole World And it is not in deepe or difficult questions but in this necessary faith or truth wherein the Fathers alleadged by the Mistaker justly require an exact and perfect vnity among Catholique Christians To be ignorant of this faith or to erre in it though vnwarily is dangerous but to corrupt or contradict any part of it though but in a word or syllable of moment is damnable The difference betweene the Arrians and the Catholiques was but in one letter the least in the Alphabet yet never was the Church troubled with a more pernicious heresy And many times the addition or alteration of one word or two in the confession of faith had reconciled the Eunomians Photinians Sabellians Macedonians c. with the Catholiques But in this case for the Catholiques to yeeld in a word or syllable had beene to yeeld their cause and to betray the truth Therefore worthily and truly said k Basil 〈◊〉 apud Theodoret Hist l. 4. c. 17. S. Basil to the officer of Valens the Arrian Emperour not a syllable of divine doctrine must be betrayed For though Faith be sound in other respects yet one word saith l Naz. Tract de fide S. Greg. Nazianzen as truly like a drop of poison may taint and corrupt it and as m Hier. Apol 3. adv Ruff. cap. 7. S. Hierome for such a word contrary to this faith are Heretiques justly cast out of the Church But though faith be kept entire yet if Charity be wanting the vnity of the Church is
disturbed her vnion dissolued Schisme is no lesse damnable then Heresy The old n Vide Optat August passim Donatists did not only vniustly separate from the Catholike Church diffused through the World but most vn reasonably arrogantly esteemed their owne faction to be the only Christians hated and censured all of the Catholique Communion as no better then Pagans and appropriated to themselues alone all the benefits of Christ and all the priviledges of his Church And accordingly in effect they renounced the society of all other Christians vanting that life and salvation was no where to be had but in their assemblies And are not the Iesuiters of our times formally guilty of this Donatisme Doe not the Zelotes of Rome thus speake and thinke of themselues and of all other Christians Witnes our Mistaker and his Pamphlet wherein his designe is to shew that Rome compasseth and containeth all Christendome and that Christ hath no servants the Church no members but only those that liue vnder the Popes obedience Briefly the Vnity of the Church Catholique is not hindred by any diversity of opinions or observations in her severall members so long as the substance of faith and the bond of Charity is conserued among them The Mistaker goes on Out of this one true Church no salvation Ch. Mist â— 5. can be had Every terme is ambiguous and therefore the whole proposition true or false as it may be limited Salvation may be had either by the ordinary meanes or extraordinarily The Church notes either the Catholique or Particulars Hee may be in the one who is outed by the others and an interiour Communion may be without the externall A Church may teach many truths and so farre bee true yet by the addition of many errours and abuses become in regard of them a false Church And it may be one in the faith which is not at one either with it selfe or other particulars in opinions Lastly a man may be out of a particular Church either actiuely by a voluntary separation which is iust or vnjust according to the grounds or passiuely by exclusion or ejection being casâ— out by the Church And that may bee done either vniustly by ignorance malice faction c. or justly and this either by suspension for a time from the society of the faithfull or by vtter and finall abdication from the body of Christ This may better appeare in particular instances Infidels are without the Church They haue no distinct knowledge of Christ or explicite faith in him Yet some a Iustin M. in Apol. vtraque Clem. Alex Strom. lib. 5. 6. 7. Chrysost hom 37. in Matth. c. auncient Doctors and many late b Ludov. Vives in Aug. de C. D. l. 18. c. 47. Andrad Orthod Explic lib. 3. ad axiom 6. Genes à Sepulveda lib. 7. Epist 1. ad Petr. 1. ad Petr. Serramum Franc. à victoria Relect 13. Aquinas Lyra Abulensis Bruno Dionysius Carth. Arboreus Durandus c. apud Casal de quadr iustit lib. 1. cap. 12. Cornelius Mus Claudius Seysellus Ambrosius Catharinus Ioan. Viguerius Bened. Pererius Dom. Soto Alph. Salmeron aoud Franc. Collium de Animabus Paganoium lib. 1. cap. 24. vide eum lib. 5. cap. 7. 8. 22. Sotus Canus Vega Thom. Richardus apud Greg. Val. T. 3. disp 1. qu. 2. punct 4. § secunda vero Romane writers are of opinion concerning Pagans before and since Christ that if their life be morally honest by Gods extraordinary mercy and the merit of Christ they may be saued For say they though God in his wisdome hath tied vs to the ordinary meanes he hath not tied himselfe Let the Mistaker here compare â—heir Charity with his They hope well of honest Pagans He rashly damnes the â—est part of Christians Againe a beleeuer may be in no visible Church and yet in a state of saluation For first the ancient Church whilest shee wanted the assistance of the Civill word vsed a very severe discipline to containe her children in obedience and to prevent scandals Lapsed sinners were not restored to her peace nor admitted into the communion of the faithfull but with great difficulty and after the sharpe penance of many yeares But if any were guilty of crimes such as Tertullian calls non delicta sed monstra monstrous impieties as Apostasy Idolatry Fornication Murther and the like c Vide Canones Concilis Eliberitani Arelatensis 1. Albaspin Obser lib. 2. shee vtterly refused to absolue such persons euen at the last houre of their life notwithstanding their repentance Yet for their comfort though they might not haue her mercy she doubted not but that they were capable of d Concil Valent. 1. Canone 3. Gods and vpon their true contrition might by him bee pardoned and saued Secondly the e Concil Nicen. Can. 5. Churches of those happy times so fairely corresponded in their amitie and justice that whosoeuer was excommunicated by one was not receiued or absolued by any other And hence it followeth that f Potest quis esse in Ecclesia animo desiderio quod sufficit illi ad salutem non tamen esse corpore siue externá communicatione quae propriè facit hominem esse de Ecclesiâ visibili que est in terris Bell. lib. 3. de Eccl. milit cap. 6. § Respondeo cap. 3. § Denique externall communion euen with the truest noblest Churches is not of absolute necessity to saluation When one and so all visible Churches denied their peace in that age to some Sinners yet they denied them not Gods pardon Besides that a man may bee g Saepe sinit diuina prouidentia per nimiuÌ„ turbulentas carnalium hominum seditiones expelli de congregatione Christianá etiam bonoâ— viros August de ver relig cap. 6. In foro contentioso exterion multi sunt Excommunicati quoad Deum qui non sunt quoad Ecclesiam è contrà multi Excommunicats quoad Ecclesiam qui non sunt quoad Deum quia Ecclesia non judicat de occultis Cosm Philiarch de offic Sacerd. Tom. 1. lib. 3. c. 4. p. 89. Frequenter fit n qui per Ecclesiam militantem foras emittitur intus habetur in Ecclefiâ triumphante contrà Gloss in Extra Ioan. 22. Tit. 14. cap. 5. solutum in â—â—â—liâ— a true visible member of the holy Catholique Church who is not actually otherwise then in vow a member of any true visible Church appeareth by these instances The poore man in the Gospell adhered the more closely to Christ when he was cast out of the Synagogue which was then the onely true Church the Heathens being excluded and the Christian Church being not yet founded And with whom of his owne ranke could Athanasius communicate in that generall Apostacy of Christendome when that noble Champion stood single in defence of diuine truth h Vidâ— Baron An. 357. Num. 44. all his Brethren the other Patriarches not He of Rome excepted hauing subscribed
but a man before distempered after sound and healthy In the prime grounds or principles of Christian Religion wee haue not forsaken the Church of Rome wee leaue her onely in her intolerable errors and abuses Shee hath mingled with Gods Bread her owne sowre leauen and with good milke some drammes of poison We haue cast out onely this poison and leauen and feed Gods people with the true bread of life and the sincere milk of his word Where the late Popes wander in by-paths we leaue them that wee may more safely walke with the old good Bishops of Rome in the old and good way And in the issue that which distinguishes a true Papist from a true Protestant is no more but this the former will needs be a Romane the latter only a Catholique The difference at this day betweene the Reformed part of the Westerne Church and the Romane consists in certaine points which they of Rome hold for important and necessary articles of the Christian faith which the Protestants cannot beleeue or receiue for such Whereas contrarily the things which the Protestants beleeue on their part and wherein they b Voiez Vray vsage des Peres par Iean Daillé Ch. 1. iudge the life and substance of Religion to be comprized are most if not all of them so evidently and indisputably true that their Adversaries themselues doe avow and receiue them as well as they For they are verities cleerely founded vpon Scripture expressely acknowledged by all Ancient Councells and Doctors of the Catholique Church summarily deliuered in their Symboles or Creeds vnanimously receaued by the most part of Christians that haue ever beene in the world Such are the verities which make vp the faith of Protestants and which are c Semper vbique ab omnibus credita Lirin properly Catholique hauing carried the consent of all ages and Parts of the Church vniversall And if all other Christians could be content to keepe within these generall bounds d Erasm Epist ded ad Arch. Warhamum Praefat. 2. Tomo Epift. S. Hieron speaking of the Apostles Creed faith Nunquam suit sincer or castiorque Christiana fides quà m cùm vnoillo eoque breuissiino Symbolo contentus esset Orbis Vide eundem in Praefat. ad Hilar. in Paracles ad Lector ante Edit N. T. an 1519. Bafil the wofull Schismes and ruptures of Christendome worthy to be lamented with teares of bloud might the more easily bee healed and all the Disciples of the Prince of peace blessedly vnited in an holy linke of Faith and Charity of Loue and Communion The piety and wisdome of Antiquity did thinke fittest to walke in this latitude and cleerely rested satisfied with the simplicity of such a Catholique confession But no bounds of reason could ever limit the vnbounded extravagancies and excesses of the Court of Rome That body of faith which the Ancients thought complete enough to them seemes defectiue Therefore they haue adjoyned to that old Body many new Articles And to those twelue which the Apostles in their Creed esteemed a sufficient summary of wholsome doctrine they haue added many more in their new Romane Creed Such are for instance their Apocryphall Scriptures and vnwritten dogmaticall Traditions their Transubstantiation and dry Communion their Purgatory Invocation of Saints Worship of Images Latine Service traffique of Indulgences and shortly all the other new Doctrines and Decrees canonized in their late Synod of Trent These and the like very vaine imaginations our Mistaker calls the prime and maine points of Christian Religion Let him but change Christian Religion as his faction hath done into the Romane faith and he saies true hee is not mistaken Vpon these and the like new Articles is all the contestation betweene the Romanists and Protestants while they are obtruded on the one side as vndoubted verities and on the other side reiected as humane inventions cunningly devised to advance ambition and avarice without any solid ground or countenance of Scripture Reason or Antiquitie The most necessary and fundamentall truths which constitute a Church are on both sides vnquestioned and for that reason e Iunius lib. de Eccl. cap. 17. Falluntur qui Ecclesiam negant quia Papatus in eâ est D. Rain Thes 5. negat tantùm esse Catholicam vel sanum ejus membrum See the iudgment of many other of our writers in the Advertisement annexed to the Old Religion by the Reverend Bishop of Exeter The very Anabaptists grant it Fr. Johnson in his Christian plea pag. 123. learned Protestants yeeld them the name and substance of a Christian Church though extreamely f August de Donatistis Nonideo se putent sanos quia dicimus eos habere aliquid sanum De Bapt. contra Donat. lib. 1. cap. 8. defiled with horrible errors and corruptions And if they had fairely propounded their new opinions to bee discussed by the learned with reservation of liberty in iudgement conscience to themselues and others they had erred much more tolerably and much lesse disturbed the peace of the Church But they are farre from this modesty and moderation With vnsufferable tyranny the prevailing faction amongst them presses them vpon all Christians as matters of faith not only of opinion not as disputable problemes but as necessary truths hauing both canonized them in their Councell of Trent with a curse against all gaine-sayers and put them in their Creed by Pope Pius the fourth who hath obliged the whole Clergy of Rome to affirme that Creed by their subscription and solemne oath obliging also all Christians to beleeue it vnder paine of damnation In the latter ages before the Reformation though the Court of Rome by cunning and violence had subdued many noble parts of Christendome vnder her yoake yet the servitude of the Church and her misery was somewhat more supportable because these base and pernicious adjections were not yet the publique decisions or tenets of any Church but only the private conceits of the domineering faction Yet still the best learned and g Notissimae sunt querelae Bernardi Occhami Marsilis Clemangis Alvari Gersonis c. de corrupto Ecclesiae statu vide Espenc in Tit. 1. Digress â— conscientious of Europe called as loud as they could or durst for a Reformation Rome heard their complaints and h Adrian 6. PP Instruct pro Franc Cheregato in Fascic ror exper pag. 173. Sciâ—nus in hac sanctá sede aliquot jam annis multa abominanda fuisse abusus in spiritualibus excessus in mandatis omnia denique in perversum mutata Nec miâ—um si aegritudo à capite in membra à summis Pontificibus in alios iuferiores Praelatos descenderit Omnes nos id est Praelati Ecclesiastici declinavimus vnusquisque in vias suns nec fuit iam diu qui faceret-bonum non fuit vsque ad vnum Subiecimus colla summae dignitati ad deformatam eius sponsam Ecclesiam Catholicam reformandam c. Staplet Relect. Contr. 1. q. 5.
any of our Teachers whom we censure as well as follow and freely dissent from their judgement or approue it when we haue weighed it with reason Wee loue and honour them as our Friends yet so that we honour Truth and loue it aboue all Arist Eth. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Friendship Wherefore the jarres and diuisions betweene the Lutherans and Caluinists doe little concerne the Church of England which followeth none but Christ Yet to speake somewhat in fauour of them and of the truth k See D. Field of the Ch. l. 3. cap. 42. the Append. pag. 819. seqq vlt. edit their dissensions are neither many nor so materiall as to shake or touch the foundation easily reconcileable if men of any moderation had them in handling The bitter speeches of Luther none can excuse and much lesse the virulent Pamphlets and Proscriptions of some of his Disciples who in a preposterous imitation of his zeale are little lesse then furious But the consequence of opinions must not bee measured by the passions or outrages of opinionate men Two Brothers in their choler may renounce each other and disclaime their amitie yet that heat cannot dissolue their inward and essentiall relation There are some doubts and questions saith l August de pecc Orig. contr Pelag. Caelest cap. 23. Sunt quaestiones in quibus saluâ fide quâ Christiani sumus c. Vide eum contr Iulian. Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 2. Enchirid. cap. 59. S. Austine wherein without any damage to that Faith whereby we are Christians a man may be ignorant or suspend his opinion or coniecture amisse through humane frailty In such what wonder if learned men varie in their judgements especially seeing the best of men are here below but men at the best obnoxious to numberlesse passions and infirmities and as the same m Aug. de Ciu. D. lib. 15. cap. 5. Proficientes nondumque Perfecti inter se pugnare possent S. Austine sayes Not perfect but proficient If Charity might still moderate in disputations of this nature if truth were ever aimed at more then victory if men contended for their opinions in a faire and manly fashion that is as n Orat. 3. de Pace p. 220. edit Paris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Gregory Nazianzen advises with reasons without revilings then might they bee an exercise of great vse and fruit for the discovery of truth But this temper of wisdome and charity is rarely to bee found it hath beene the miserable calamity of the Church in all ages that the pride and confidence of Some either too to learned in their owne opinion or too to ignorant in other mens hath caused these debates to degenerate into vnworthy scandalous contentions The contentions of Catholiques in the ancient Church vpon very trifling occasions were so very bitter and intemperate that they were with scorne obiected by o Cels apud Orig. lib. 3. Euseb de vit Const lib. 2. cap. 60. Chrysost in 1. ad Gal. Pagans and derided in their open Theaters much p Cypr. Epist 8. Basil Ascet lib. de Iudic. Dei Nazianz Orat. 1. 14. Pelus l. 4. ep 55. Vide Baron an 400. n. 51. lamented by men of modesty though excused q Pelus ib. Themist apud Socr. l. 4. c. 27. by some as well as they could Many times the ground of a violent quarrell was not reall but imaginary vpon a meere mistake of one anothers meaning Chrysostome and Epiphanius agreed against the errours of Origen but so passionately contended about the condemnation of his writings r Sozom. Lib. 8. c. 15. Phot. cod 96. that they proceeded to mutuall imprecations one against the other and God heard the rash desires of them both the former dying out of his Bishopricke and the other out of his Country In like manner Cyrill of Alexandria anathematized Theodoret as favouring the Nestorian Heresy yet quickly after s Concil Caleed act ◠in the Councell of Cbalcedon vpon examination of the cause Theodoret was absolued and declared Orthodox t Nazianz. orat 21. in laud. Athan. Hieron epist ad Damas. numero 57. Tom. 3. The Churches of the East and West on a vaine suspition charged each other with Heresy and had beene schismatically divided if Athanasius had not cleared the seeming difficulty The Orientalls professing to beleeue three Hypostases in the glorious Trinity would not admit three Persons and were therefore thought to be Arrians On the contrary the Westerne beleeuing three Persons could not bee induced to confesse three Hypostases therevpō were taken to be Sabellians Here was a great jealousy grounded vpon a great errour which Athanasius easily discovered and restored againe their good amity intelligence shewing that they differed not in judgement all meaning the same thing and that Hypostasis on the one side was the very same in effect with Person on the other This last example much resembles the divisions of the Lutherans and Calvinists as they are called who especially the moderate of either side differ rather informes and phrases of speech u See D. Field Append. to the 5. book pag 819. 869. then in substance of doctrine The first and maine Controversy betweene them is that about Consubstantiation which after occasioned that other of Vbiquity I omit the questions of Predestination being no lesse debated in the Romane Schooles then in the Reformed In both these Controversies the maine truth on both sides is out of Controversy that Christ is really and truly exhibited to each faithfull communicant and that in his whole Person he is every where The doubt is only in the manner how he is in the Symboles and how in heaven earth Which being no part of faith but a curious nicity inscrutable to the witt of man wee should all here beleeue where wee cannot vnderstand and not fall a quarrelling about that which wee cannot conceiue a Just M. in Expos Fid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How or why are sawey questions in divine mysteries Their other differences in ceremony or discipline are diversities without discord b Vide Tertul de Virg. vel cap. 1. Firmil apud Cypr. epist 75. August Epist 86. Socrat hist lib. 5. cap. 21. c. All wise men in the world haue ever thought that in such things each severall Church is left to her own judgment and liberty so as shee keepe her selfe to the generall Apostolique rules of Order and Edification and to the generall judgement and practise of the Church vniversall Though the body of Religion in diverse Churches Countries be cloathed in diuerse suits and fashions yet for substance it may bee one in all In all these Contestations as it commonly falls out blessed be God! they that are for truth haue ever beene for Charity and mutuall toleration as appeares by their c Vide Iunij Parei scripta Irenica published writings all tending to pacification Luther himselfe though of a rough
and vehement spirit yet before his death being tempered by milde Melancthon that honour of Germany did d Admon Neustad de libro Concord cap. 6. pag. 236. much relent remit of his rigor against Zuinglius and began to approue the good counsells of peace And among the Lutherans all are not of the same intractable disposition As they in Polonia for instance e Vide Corpus Confess ibi Poloniae Consensum where the followers of Luther Calvin haue long liued together in a faire and brotherly concord communion notwithstanding their severall opinions which they still retaine Since then our discords are of no higher degree wee say as f Prudent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § vlt. concordia laesa est Sed defensa fide quin concordia sospes Germanam comitata Fidem sua vulnera ridet Prudentius a Christian Poet of the vnity of his times It hath beene a little violated but is defended by Faith her sister in whose company being safely come off shee laugheth at her wounds as being easily curable Charity mistaken Cap. 6. FVrthermore the Protestants are properly Heretiques at least if not Insidells Heretiques because they reiect and disobey the indgement of the Catholique Church For it is not the matter or quality of the doctrine But the pride of the man who prefers his owne opinioâ—s before the decrees of the Church that properly makes the Horetique The Heretiques recounted by St Austine Epiphanius and Philastrius in their Catalogues were condemned not so much for their errours which were many of them not very materiall as for their contempt of the Church S. Cyprian and the Donatists differed not in the matter of their errour but the obstinary of the Donatists their disobediencs to the Church made them to bee condemned for Heretiques when St Cyprian was absolued because the Church in his time had not declared her selfe And in like manner the Novatians were condemned on the same grounds Answere Sect. 4. OF the nature of Heresy The Church may declare convince an Heresy but cannot make any Doctrine Hereticall properly vnlesse it be such in the matter of it The words Heresy and Heretique very ambiguous How commonly vsed by the Auncients Of their Catalogues of Heretiques St Cyptian though erring in the point of Rebaptization justly absolued from Sohisme and Heresy The Donatists guilty of both And the Novatians of Schisme BVt though wee doe agree in the substance of Religion with all true Christian Catholiques in the world yet all this cannot winne vs the Charitable opinion of our Mistaker For notwithstanding all this he beleeues vs to be not only Heretiques but no better in effect then Infidells And hee giues his reason which he saies strikes at the roote and vnanswerably convinces His custome is to giue vs only words it is well that he offers vs reason which we shall be ever willing to heare and consider of His reason then First wee are Heretiques because in many opinions wee disobey the Church and Heresy properly consists not in the matter or quality of the false doctrine beleeued but in the pride of him that maintaines it in contempt of the Church Our faith then is defectiue because wee beleeue not all that is commaunded by the Church But 2. which is worse we haue no true faith at all no not of those things which we truly beleeue For though we firmely assent to many truths yet we doe not beleeue them vpon the only true and infallible motiue or vpon the right ground which is the revelation of God and the proposition of his Catholique Church The faith which relies not on this ground is not any true faith but only an humane opinion or perswasion Answ If wee did not dissent in some opinions from the present Romane Church wee could not agree with the Church truly Catholique But the Mistaker after his fashion is ever begging what will never bee granted or proved that his Roman Church is all one with the Catholique What Optatus said of the Donatists who arrogated to themselues alone Optat. lib. 3. the name and priviledges of the Church exclusiuely to all others the same say wee of the Popes part Vestra pars quasi Ecclesia est sed Catholica non est Their Church is truly so called in some sort being a corrupt member of the Catholique but the Catholique Church it is not The Catholique Church is carefull to ground all her declarations in matters of faith vpon the divine authority of Gods written word And therefore whosoeuer wilfully opposeth a iudgement so well grounded is iustly esteem'd an Heretique not properly because he disobeyes the Church but because hee yeelds not to Scripture sufficiently ' propounded or cleared vnto him So saith a August de Gen. ad lit lib. 7. cap. 9. Omnes Haeretici Scripturas Catholicas legunt nec ob aliud sunt Haeretioi nisi quòd eas non rectè intelligentes suas falsas opiniones contra earum veritatem pervicaciter asserunt IdeÌ„ habet Epist 222. St Austin and b Hier. in Galat. cap. 5. Haereticus est quicunque aliter Scripturam intelligit quaÌ„ sensus Spiritûs S flagitat licèt de Ecclesiâ non recesserit St Hierome expresly The best c Divinae Scripturae integra firma regula verita tis Dist 37. c. Relatum Bellarm. de verb. Dei lib. 1. c. 2. Sacra Scriptura regula credendi certissima tutissimâ—que est Gers de exam doctrin par 2. consid 1. Oper. part 1. pag. 541. Scriptura nobis tradita est tanquà m regula sufficiens infallibilis pro regimine totius Ecclesiastici corporis vsque in finem cui se non conformans alia doctrina vel abjicienda est vt haereticalis vel vt suspecta impertinens ad religionem prorsus est habenda learned in the Church of Rome confesse that the Scripture was giuen as a sufficient and infallible rule for the government of the whole Church so as any doctrine not conformable therevnto must either bee rejected as hereticall or suspected as impertinent to religion It is confessed also that the Church d Almain in 3. D. 25. q. 1. Resolutio Occham est quòd nec tota Ecclesia nec concilium generale nec summus Pontifex potest facere Articulum quod non fuit Articulus Sed in dubijs propositionibus potest Ecclesia determinare an sint Catholicae Tamen sic determinando non facit quod sint Catholicae quùm prius essent antè Ecclesiae determinationem Sic etiam Turrecremata Adrianus apud Can. lib. 12. cap. 8. Sâ—tus in 1. D. 11. q. 1. in fine In nova Haeresi veritas prius erat de side etsi non ita declarata Bonavent in 1. D. 11. A. r. q. 1. ad fin Haereâ—â—â— multa quae erant implicita fidej nostrae compulerunt explicare hath no power to make any Article of faith or to adde any thing to the doctrine of faith Her
duty is only to e Bâ—larm lib. 2. de Concil cap. 12. Concilia quùm definiunt non faciunti liquid esse in fallibilis veritatis sed declarant Gers de err circ praecâ—â— Non occides part oper 1. pag. 406. vlt. edit Papa vel generale Comlium determinando de fide nihil faciunt aliud nisi declarare talia esse fide Canus lib. 2. cap. 7. Ingenuè fatemur non esse nunc novas revâ—â—tiones expectandas five à summo Pontifice five à Concilio five a Ecclesiâ totâ Vide Th. 2. 2. q. 1. A. 10. ad 1. explaine and declare the truth according to Scripture and from thence to draw all her conclusions f Aquin. 2. 2. q. 1. A. â— in corp For the Articles of the faith cannot encrease in substance bâ—â— onely in explication Hence it followes that all necessary or fundamentall truth is contained in Scripture which is the rule according to which the Church is to judge of g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist lib. 1 de Anim. truth and errour Her declaration is only to fetch out that truth which is in the Scripture her exposition of the Text must not be an addition to it It is a faulty and erronious declaration which in stead of declaring giues another See the learned Answere to Fishers Relation of his 3. Confer pag. 9. and a contrary sense Neither is any doctrine necessary or true because the Church declares it such but because it is such in it selfe by warrant of Scripture If the Church walke not by this rule h Mag. 1. D. 11. lit C. Qui pretergreditur fidei regulam non incedit in via sed recedit à viâ Quod volumus Sanctum est Ticonius Donatista apud S. Aug. cont Epist Parmen lib. 2. c. 13. she is out of her way And in this by-way never any Church hath wandred so farre as the Church of Rome which hath defined or declared very many things to be fundamentall Truths or Heresies which are nothing lesse following herein no other rule but her owne fantasy As in Truth so in Heresy the Church may declare what is Heresy shee may convince and censure it but still according to her Rule the Scripture Neither is any doctrine Hereticall because it opposeth the definition of the i Alph. à Castro lib. 1. adv Haeres cap. 8. Ecclesia sâ—â— definitione non facit talem assertionem esse Haeresim cùm eâ—amsi ipsa non definivisset esset Haeresis Sed id efficit Ecclesia vt nobis per suam Censuram pate at illud esse Haeresim ibid. Ideò dicitur veritas aliqua Catholica quia à Deo in Scripturis revelata est è contra Church but because it opposes that Scripture on which the Church grounds her definition The doctrines of Arrius Macedoâ—ius Nestorius Eutyches were in themselues Hereticall even before they were solemnely condemned in the 4 generall Councells But saith the Mistaker the Heresier mentioned by Philastrius Epiphanius and S. Austin in their Catalogues were many of them errours in themselues of no greaâ— moment or importance yet they were alâ— esteemed Heresies because they were helâ— in disobedience to the Church So likewise the errour of rebaptization was for the matter of it the very same in S. Cyprian and in the Donatists yet the Donatists were accounted Heretiques for despising the iudgement of the Catholique Church and S. Cyprian not so because hee conserved himselfe within the amity and communion of the Church Therefore properly and formally he is an Heretique that contradicts the definitions of the Church Answ In all ages almost the imputation of Heresy hath beene too too frequent and familiar among Christians and in this age aboue all wherein Christendome is so miserably broken into numberlesse fragments and pieces It is a thing purely impossible for the learnedst man in the World exactly to recount all the severall Sects and subdivisions of Christians or such as pretend to Christianity And every Sect hath some Zelotes so passionately in loue with their owne Opinions that they condemne all others differing from them to be Hereticall So there liues not a Christian on earth who in the judgement of many others is not an Heretique I speake not this in favour of any Heretique or Heresy justly so called ancient or new But surely as this imputation is a grievous crime where it is true so it is no lesse grievous a calumny if it bee vngrounded And it is good counsell which k Cont. Haeres lib. 3. lib. 1. cap. 7. Qui tà m leviter de Haeresi pronunciant saepè fit vt suâ ipsorum feriantur sagittâ incidantque in eam foveam quam alijs parabant Alphonsus à Castro giues let them consider who pronounce so easily of Heresy how easy it is for themselues to erre Very good advise though Alphensus himselfe makes very little vse of it and forgets it too often As all Truth is not of equall moment or necessity so al errors are not of the same malignity and danger Every Heresy is an error but l Aug. de Haeres in praef Non omnis error Haeresis est quamvis omnis Haeresis errore aliquo c. Jd. alibi Errare postium Haereticus esse nolo Bellar. lib. 3. de Euchar. cap 8. §. Ac primum Haeresis est cuius contraria est veritas fidei à Deo revelata each error is not Heresy What Heresy is properly or what it is that makes an Heretique is a thing either meerely impossible or extreamely difficult to define in the opinion of m Quid faciat Haereticum regulari quadam definitione comprehendi sicut ego existimo aut omnino non potest aut difficilimè potest Id. vbi suprà Sâ— Austine who promised and n In fine libri ad Quodvultdeum intended a treatise purposely of this matter buâ— his death or other thoughts prevented him But it is most evident that those o Bellar. de Script in Philastrio Observandum est multa a Philastrio inter Haereses numerari quae verè Haereses non sunt Dion Pctau Animad in Epiphan initio de Inscript operis Haeresis nomen latissimè ab Epiphanio vsurpatur nec ad Theologorum normam vocabuli istius vsus exigendâ—â— est ancient writers in their Catalogues and elsewhere doe not vse the words Heresy or Heretique in their exact oâ— proper notion but in a very large anâ— generall signification not distinguishing betweene Heresy and errour Whatsoever opinion they conceived to bee contrary to the common or approved opinion of Christians that they called as Heresy because it differed from the received opinion not because it opposed any formall definition of the Church This may appeare by many circumstances 1 St Austin was desired by his Frienâ— Quodvultdeus to set downe all p Praefat. lib. de Haer. ad Quodv Petis exponi omnia omninâ— quibus à veritate dissentiunt opinions of Heretiques differing from
truth Every false opinion is not properly aâ— Heresy or condemned by a definition of the Church 2 The same Author saith of q Haer. 80. Alias ipse commemorat quae mihi appelland ae Haereses non videntur Philastrius that hee ranked many things in his Catalogue of Heresies which in his judgement were not truly so named Therefore either Philastrius set downe many Heresies not defined to bee such by the Church or else S. Austin should be an Heretique who denied them to be Heresies after the Church had defined them Lastly he notes that Philastrius and Epiphanius differ in the number of their Heretiques because they differed in their judgement of Heresy r August ibid. proculdubio in ea quaestione vbi disputatur quid sit Haeresis non idem videbatur ambobus c. that seeming an Heresy to the One which seemed not so to the Other Himselfe differs from them both professing the reason to bee because it is hard to agree vpon the true nature and definition of Heresy He was not then of our Mistakers opinion that the definition of the Church is that which makes an Heresy The like difference may bee observed in the Writers of the Romane Church s Alph. in Praefat. lib. 1. cap. 9. Pater miserè errâsse Bern. de Lucemburgo Hereticorum Catalogum describentem Alphonsus à Castro often taxes the miserable errours as he calls them of Guido Perpinianus Bernardus de Lucemburgo and others in their Catalogues of Heretiques and in their judgement of Heresy wherein he thinkes them many times mistaken And will the Mistaker say that all the Heresies recounted by Alphonsus himselfe Prateolus and the like were errours publiquely condemned by the definition of the Church It is true when the Church hath declared her selfe in any matter of Opinions or of Rites her Declaration obliges all her Children to peace and externall obedience Nor is it fit or lawfull for any private man to oppose his judgement to the publique He may offer his contrary opinion to bee considered of so he doe it with evidence or great probability of Scripture or reason and very modestly still containing himselfe within the dutifull respect which hee owes But if he will factiously advance his owne conceits and despise the Church so farre as to cast off her communion hee may be justly branded and condemned for a Schismatique yea and an Heretique also in some degree and in foro exteriori though his opinion were true and much more if it bee false And this was it that made one great difference betweene Saint Cyprian and the Donatists though they agreed in the erâ—or of Rebaptization For the Donatists had other errours more grosse and dangerous and even amounting to Heresy in the matter of them where of Sr Cyprian was no way guilty as shall appeare St Cyprian was of opinion that all Heretiques returning to the Catholique Church ought to be rebaptized Steven at the same time Bishop of Rome held the direct contrary that no Heretiques should be rebaptized Both of them erred and both said true in some sense The ambiguity of the word Heretique deceived them For the Catholique Church afterwards in the Councell of Nice declaring her selfe in that Controversy distinguished of Heretiques and decreed that t Concil Nic. Can. 8. Cathari Some should not bee rebaptized but receiued with a simple benediction and that u Paulianistae sâ—u Samosateniani ibid. Can. 19. Concil 6. in Trull Can. 95. Others should be But the disposition and carriage of Steven and Cyprian in this businesse was very different and very remarkable Steuen in a violent heat w Eusch Hist lib. 7. cap. 4. excommunicates all the Bishops of Cilicia Cappadocia Galatia c. because they were not of his minde When they sent some Bishops of their Company to him fairely to treate of the matter He x Vide Firmiliani Epist inter Epist Cypriani 75. ad fin forbids them to be receiued into any house or harbor He vses Cyprian with termes of reproach calls him y Ibid. false Christ false Apostle deceitfull Worker With Steuen agreed his Italian Bishops On the other side notwithstanding this Declaration of the Bishop and Church of Rome in this Controuersie S. Cyprian a Bellar. lib. 2. de Concil cap. 5. Constat Cornelium Papam cum nationali Concilio omnium Episcoporum Italiae statuisse non debere Haereticos rebaptizari eandem sententiam posteà approbâsse â—â—am Stephanum Papam jussisse vt Haeretici non rebaptizarentur Et simu constat Cyprianum contrarium sensisse mordicus defendisse id quod etiam ipse fatetur in Epist ad Pompeium vbi arguit Stephanum Paâ—am erroris Et tamen Cyprianus semper est habitus in numero Catholicorum persisted in his opinion and with him 80. Bishops of Africa Synodically assembled at Carthage besides those other of the East For in that age men did not beleeue that the Romane Church was infallible or that it was Heresie to dissent from her judgement or not to submit to her authoritie But the behauiour of Cyprian was full of sweetnesse and modesty He deliuers his owne firme opinion but withall b Cypr. Epist 72. ad Stephan Quâ in re nos vim nemini facimus nec legom damus cùm habeat in Ecclesiae administratione voluntatis suae arbitrium liberum vnusquisque Praepositus Id. Epist 73. ad Iubaianum in fine Haec breuitèr pro nostra mediocritate rescripsimus nemini praescribentes aut praeiudicantes quo minùs quisque Episcoporum quod putet faciat habens arbitrij sui liberam potestatem Nos quantum in nobis est cum Collegis Coepiscopis nostris non contendimus cum quibus diuinam concordiam Dominicam pacem tenemus Et mox Seruatur à nobis patientèr ac firmitèr Charitas animi Collegii honor vinculum fidei concordia Sacerdotij Id. in Praefat. Concil Carthag Superest vt de hâc re Singuli quid sentiamus proferamus Neminem judicantes aut à jure communio nis aliquem si diuersum senserit amouentes Neque enim quisquam nostrûm tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitatem Collegas suos adigit professes that he meant not to prescribe or giue lawes to any that euery Bishop might freely follow his owne judgement that he would not contend with any of his Colleagues about this matter so farre as to breake diuine concord and the peace of our Lord that he was farre from judging or censuring any of his Brethren or cutting off from his communion any that were of a different minde that in such cases none ought to constraine his Collegues by tyrannicall terrour therein glancing at the procedures of Steuen to a necessity of beleeuing or following what he thinkes meet This modestie and Charitie is very often and very deservedly commended by c Aug. de Bapt. cont Donat. lib. 1. cap. 18. lib. 2. cap. 1. 2. 3.
vultis Vides frater Parmeniane sancta germanitatis vincula inter nos vos in totum rumpi non posse loued and pittied and prayed for them Though the peeuish Schismatiques did much abuse this Charitie of good Catholiques towards them For hence they tooke occasion to argue in fauour of their Schisme and Heresie as if their Aduersaries by their owne confession did justifie it and them reasoning thus o Aug. Cont. lit Petil. lib. 2. cap. 108. Petilianus dixit Venite ad Ecclesiam populi aufugite Traditores si perire non vultis Nam vt facilè cognoscatis quòd cùm ipsi sint rei de fide nostrâ optimè judicant Egoillorum infectos baptizo illi meos recipiunt baptizatos Quod omninò non facerent si in Baptismo nostro culpas aliquas agnouissent Videte ergo quod damus quam sit sanctum quòd destruere metuit sacrilegus inimicus Id. contr Crescon Gram. lib. 1. cap. 21. Intentio tua est in parte Donati hominem potius baptizari oportere hanc intentionem hins probare conatus es quòd etiam Nos esse illic Baptismum non negamus Id. ibid. lib. 4. cap. 4. Quaeris a me à quo to baptizari conueniat vtrùm ab eo potius quem ego Baptismum habere confirmo an ab co quem tuus hoc non habere contendit Vide eundem de Bapt. contr Donatist lib. 1. cap. 10. 11. Your selues said they to the Catholiques confesse our Baptisme and Sacraments and Faith for the most part to be good and auaileable We deny yours to be so and say there is no Church no Saluation amongst you Therefore it is safest for all to joyne with vs. Doe not the Romanists at this day in the very same manner abuse the Charity of Protestants And is not this directly that Charme wherewith they worke so powerfully vpon the Spirits of simple people Our answer is the same which S. Austin opposed to the Ancient Donatists in the places cited By the way from that fauourable judgement and opinion which good Catholiques in that age had of the Donatists esteeming them to be their Brethren notwithstanding their Schisme and Heresie these Corollaries may be probably deduced 1. It seemeth that an Hereticall Church where in some Heresy is publiquely maintained by the Guides and Pastors of it is in some kinde the Spouse of Christ and bringeth forth p August â—le Bapt. con Don. l. 1. c. 10. Ecclesia Catholica etiam in communionibus diuersorum ab vnitate separatis per hoc quod suum in cis habet ipsa vtique generat Filios Christo per Baptismum Children to God and Brethren to the Orthodox beleeuers Especially if She baptize her Children in the name of the Trinity as did the Donatists 2. It seemeth that euen in an Hereticall Church Saluation may be had as a child may be borne in a plaguy house and may liue though he hath a running botch on his body In such Churches the very ignorance and simplicity of the Vulgar is a preseruatiue to them against the poyson more hopes of them then of the Learned 3. It seemeth to some q Mr. Hooker lib. 3. §. 1. The Morton of the Church cap. 1. §. 4. cap. 7. §. 10. men of great learning and judgement but herein I had rather leaue the Reader to his judgement then interpose mine owne that all who professe to loue and honour Iesus Christ though it be in much weakenesse and with many errours yet are in the visible Christian Church and by Catholiques to bee reputed Brethren Or to the same purpose wheresoeuer say they a company of men do joyntly and publiquely professe the substance of Christian Religion which is Faith in Iesus Christ the Sonne of God and Sauiour of the world with submission to his doctrine and obedience to his Commandements there is a Church wherein Saluation may bee had notwithstanding any corruption of judgement or practice yea although it be of that nature that it may seeme to fight with the very foundation and so hainous as that in respect thereof the people stained with this corruption are worthy to be abhorred of all men and vnworthy to bee called the Church of God For further illustration and proofe of this opinion these things are said That to beleeue in Iesus Christ the Sonne of God and Sauiour of the world with submission to him is sufficient to constitute a Church wherein Saluation may bee had is warranted as they thinke 1. By Scriptures a 1 Ioh. 4. 15. Whosoeuer shall confesse that Iesus is the Sonne of God dwelleth in him and he in God Againe b ibid. v. 2. Vide in h. loc Tirinum Euery Spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God The like passages are c 1 Ioh. 5. 1. 5. elsewhere S. Peters Faith was the same d Matt. 16. 16 17. with this and the Faith of e Ioh. 11. 27. Martha and of the f Act. 8. 37. Eunuch And the Faith of all these is approued in Scripture 2. Heretiques themselues must bee acknowledged though a maimed part yet a part of the visible Church g Hooker vbi supr Magaltanus idem probat contra Bellar. in Tit. 3. vers 11. Ann. 2. For if an Infidell should pursue to death an Heretique professing Christianitie onely for Christian prosessions sake could we deny vnto him the honour of Martyrdome Yet this honour all men know to be proper vnto the Church Heretiques therefore are not vtterly cut off from the visible Church of Christ If the Fathers doe any where as oftentimes they doe make the true visible Church of Christ and Hereticall Companies opposite they are to be construed as separating Heretiques not altogether from the Companie of Beleeuers but from the fellowship of sound Beleeuers For where profest vnbeleefe is there there can be no visible Church of Christ there may be where sound beleefe wanteth Infidels being cleane without the Church denie directly and vtterly reject the very Principles of Christianity which Heretiques embrace and erre onely by misconstruction Whereupon their opinions although repugnant indeed to the Principles of Christian Faith are notwithstanding held otherwise and maintained as most consonanâ— thereunto To which purpose the words of h Salu. de Gubern l. 5. Eis traditio Magistrorum suorum doctrina inueterata quasi Lex est qui hoc sciunt quod docentur Haeretici ergo sunt sed non scientes Denique apud nos sint Haeretici apud se non sunt Nam in tantùm se Catholicos judicant vt nos ipsos titulo Haereticae appellationis infament Quod ergo illi nobis sunt hoc nos illis Nos eos injuriam diuinae generationi facere certi sumus quod minorem Patre â—lium dicunt Illi nos injuriosos Patri existimant quia aequales 〈◊〉 credamus Veritas apud nos est sed illi apud se esse
praesumunt Hoâ—â—â— Dei apud nos est sed illi hoc arbitrantur honorem diuinitatis esse quod credunt Inofficiosi sunt sed illis hoc est summum Religionis officum Impij sunt sed hoc putant veram esse pretatem Errant ergo sed boâ—â— animo errant non odio sed affectu Dei honorare se Dominum atqâ—â— aâ—are credentes Quanmuis non habeant rectam fidem illi tamen 〈◊〉 perfectam aestimant Dei Charitatem Qualiter pro hoc ipso falsae opnionis errore in die judicij puniendi sunt nullus potest scire nisi Index Saluian an ancient Bishop of Marseilles are very remarkeable concerning some Arrian Heretiques of whom he speakes thus The tradition of their Teachers and the doctrine which they haue learned is to them as it were a Law they beleeue as they haue beene instructed They are Heretiques then but not wittingly Briefly they are Heretiques in our judgement but not in their owne For they esteeme themselues so good Catholiques that they defame vs with the title of Heresie Such therefore as They are to vs such are Wee to them We know assuredly that they are iniurious to the Diuine Generation of the Sonne of God because they say He is inferiour to his Father They contrarily thinke vs iniurious to the Father because we beleeue the Sonne to be equall to Him The truth is on our side but they presume it is on theirs Our opinion truly honours God but they suppose their opinion to be more honourable to Him They are indeed vndutifull to God but this they esteeme a great dutie of Religion They are impious but this they thinke to be true piety They erre then but they erre with a good minde not out of any hatred to God but with affection to him thinking to honour hereby and loue the Lord. Although they haue not the right Faith yet they imagine their opinion to be perfect Charitie towards God How they shall bee punished in the last day of judgement for this error of their false opinion the Iudge alone knowes 3. In the Society of such Professors there is at least there may be true Baptisme administred and rightly for the substance of it And where true Baptisme may be rightly administred there is the Couenant of Saluation in Christ setled and established because the Seale of the Couenant is there allowed And euery Society in which is the Couenant of Grace is a Church of Christ Againe where true Baptisme is there by the Confession of the Romanists euery one by Vertue of that Baptisme if himselfe doe not ponere obieem is made a member of the Church and of Christ an Heyre of heauen And hence it followeth that Children baptized in that Church are regenerated because they doe not ponere obicem And hence againe that that Societie is a Church of Christ and his Spouse which bringeth forth Children vnto God 4. The people of the ten Tribes after their defection notwithstanding their grosse corruptions and Idolatrie yet because they professed by Circumcision and otherwise to honour the true Iehouah they remained still a true Church though a very imperfect and impure Church and were therefore called the i Rom. 9. 25 26. 1 King 16. 2. people of God the beloued of God the Children of the liuing God and God was called the k 1 Kin. 18. 36. c. 20. 28. God of Israel and said to be among them being also euer readie to direct and counsell them by his true l 2 Kin. 5. 8. 1. 16. 1 Kin. 22. 5 7. Prophets and lastly the Kings of Israel are often said to doe euill in the eyes of God that is as it may bee probably expounded in that place whereupon God did as yet looke with the eyes of his mercy as vpon his Church Though in regard of their halting betweene God and Baal they were said to be without m 2 Chron 15. 3. the true God without Priests and Law that is without that pure and comfortable worship of God which his Priests according to his Law ought to haue performed And it seemes by S. Paul that a Christian seruing the true God after a false and deuised manner may be at once both 1 Cor. 5. 11. a Brother and an Idolater And forignorances yea or errours of the vnderstanding though very grosse and perhaps by some thought to be fundamentall it seemes true Faith may be lodged in the same minde together with them The Faith of Rahab in o Heb. 11. 31. commended who surely had no great knowledge of the Messiah to commend her After our Lord had long conuersed with his Disciples and instructed them yet did they not beleeue p Matth. 20. 21. Act. 1. 6. his Kingdome to be spirituall nor q Matth. 16. 22. S. Peter the necessitie of his Passion though immediately before he had made that goodly Confession on which the Church is founded The Christians of Ephesus knew not r Act. 19. 2. whether then were an Holy Ghost or no and many thousand Christian Iewes s Act. 21. 20. did both beleeue the Gospell yet were zealous for the old legall Ceremonies which were by Christ fulfilled and abolished A learned t Synesius apud Phot. Myriobibl cod 26. man anciently was made a Bishop of the Catholique Church though he did professedly doubt of the last Resurrection of our Bodies The Authors of this opinion are oâ— age and abilitie enough to speake for it and themselues The Reader may be pleased to approue or reiect it as he shall finde cause No doubt the errors of Poperie and those other of Vbiquitie Consubstantiation and the like are errours grosse and palpable yet not such as presently and absolutely cut off all that professe and beleeue them from the Catholique Church and all hope of Saluation especially if withall they professe resolutely and heartily to beleeue in Iesus Christ and to obey him according to his word so farre as they can vnderstand it or can be taught it For howsoeuer some skilfull Disputant by Logicall deduction may from those opinions inferre some consequences damnable and destructiue to the Faith yet the erring persons many times doe not see or beleeue that any such consequences follow clearly from their opinions nay they doe happily so farre abhorre them and are so well disposed towards truth that rather then admit any such dangerous consequents they would readily renounce and rectifie their opinions But I finde my selfe digressing I returne and proceed By all this it is manifest that S. Cyprian agreed with the Donatists onely in a part of their errour but not wholly nor in their chiefest errours nor in their faction and obstinacy which made them guiltie of Schisme and Heresie S. Cyprian was a peaceable and modest man dissented from others in his judgement but without any breach of Charity condemned no man much lesse any Church for the contrary Opinion He beleeued his owne Opinion to be true
purè divina nec purè humana sed quasi media another In truth and to speake properly an humane testimony saith a q Aegid de Conick disp 9. dub 5 Conc. 2. Quantumvis Ecclesia dirigatur infallibili Sp. S. assistentiâ atque ita ejus testimoniū nitatur suo modo authoritate divinâ atque ab ea firmitatem accipiat tamen non est verè propriè testimonium sive verbum revelatio Dei sed propriè est testimonium humanum Ergò illud nequit esse objectum formale fidei Theologieae consequenter haec nequit in illud tanquam in suum objectum ultimò resolvi third who thereupon well inferres that therefore the voyce of the Church cannot be the formall object of divine faith or that where-into it is lastly resolved The Church then is onely the first inducer to beleeue and the watchman that holdeth out the light in open view and presenteth the shining beams thereof to all that haue eyes to discerne it but the principall motiue and last object of beliefe is the divine authority of Scripture it selfe And that Scripture is of divine authority the beleever sees by that glorious beame of divine light which shines in r Bellarmin de verbo Dei li. 1. c. 2. Certissimas divinas esse Scripturas quae Propheticis Apostolicis literis continentur nec humana inventa sed divina oracula continere testis est ipsa Scriptura O. rig de Princip l. 4. c. 1. Quòd ipsae divinae Scripturae sint divinitùs inspiratae ex ipsis divinis Scriptuis is ostendemus Salv. Massil l. 3. de Gubern mox a◠initio Alia omnia id est humana dicta argumentis ac testibus egent Dei autem sermo ipse sibi testis est quia necesse est quicquió incorrupta veritas loquitur incorruptum sit testimonium veritatis Scripture by many internall arguments found in the letter it selfe though found by the helpe and direction of the Church without and of grace within Herein the Church leades but the Scripture resolues The Ministery of the Church as a Candlestick presents and holds out the light but this supposed there is in the Scripture it selfe * 2 Pet. 1. 19. light sufficient which though blinde * 1 Cor. 2. 14 sensuall mindes see not yet the eye of reason cleared by grace and assisted by the many motiues which the Church useth for enforcing of her instructions may discover to be divine descended from the father fountaine of light To this light the Church addes nothing at all but onely points at it directs us to it disposes and prepares us for it introduces it as the dawning of the morning doth the cleare Sunshine So farre as any Church walks in this light and carries it with her we may safely follow her if she bring a divine word for her warrant she must be beleeved But if her propositions or doctrines be meerely voluntary her owne and not according to that word there Es 8. 20. is no light in them neither can her authority make such doctrines proper objects of divine faith An Object how sensible soever it be in it selfe yet it doth not actually moue the Sense unlesse it be conveyed applyed to it by some Meane So here God hath appointed an ordinary outward meanes to present and propound divine verities to our faith and this ordinary means wee grant is the Church to which wee willingly attribute these two excellent uses in that imployment 1. of a witnesse testifying the authority and sence of the Scriptures unto us 2. of Gods instrument by whose ministery in preaching and expounding the Scriptures the Holy Ghost begets a divine faith in us But in that assent which wee yeeld unto the mysteries propounded and delivered by the Church though the Church be one cause to wit inductiue or preparatiue s Gretser Append. 2. ad lib. 3. Bellar. de verb. D. Col. 1514. principaliter Scripturis fidem habemus propter divinā revelationem at ob Ecclesiae authoritatem non aliter quā ut ob conditionem sine qua non Et infra Sacris litetis assensum prae bemus primariò ob divinam revelationem secundariò ob Ecclesiae testimonium without which men ordinarily do not beleeue yet it is not the principall or finall upon which wee lastly depend The chiefe principle or ground on which faith rests and for which it firmly assents unto those truths which the Church propounds is divine revelation made in the Scripture Nothing lesse then this nothing but this can erect or qualifie an act of t Becan Sum. tract de fide ca. 1. q. 2. §. 9. Assensus qui nititur authoritate Ecclesiae non est assensus fidei Theologicae sen divinae sed alterius inferioris ordinis super naturall faith which must be absolutely undoubted and certaine and without this faith is but opinion or persuasion or at the most an acquired humane beliefe This power in the Church to instruct her children in the faith according to Scripture which is her ground and rule from which she may not depart we willingly admit But we cannot yeeld that the present Church hath an absolute or unlimited authority to propound what she pleases or an infallible assistance in all her propositions which is our Mistakers meaning and the new doctrine of some of his Masters Who teach 1. that the authority of the Church is absolute not depending on Scripture but on which the Scripture it selfe and so our whole faith depends The words of u Bellar. de effect Sacram. lib. 2. cap. 25. §. tertium testimonium Bellarmine are remarkable If saith he we take away the authority of the present Church of Rome and of the Trent Councell the decrees of all other ancient Councels the whole Christian faith may be questioned as doubtfull For the strength of all doctrines and of all Councels depends upon the authority of the present Church And elsewhere againe to the same purpose lest the former words might seeme to haue fallen from his pen unawares w Bellar. de Eccl. mil. lib. 3. cap. 10. §. Adhaec necesse est The Scriptures Traditions and all doctrines whatsoever depend on the testimony of the Church he means that of Rome without which all are wholly uncertaine Here 's a plaine principle of Atheisme For if this be true all the faith we haue of God of our Redeemer of the Scripture of any thing in Religion is all but an ungrounded and uncertaine opinion unlesse the Church confirme it And as the Idols of old Rome could not be consecrated or deified but by consent of the Senate who tooke upon thē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. x Chrys in 2. ad Cor. hom 26 in Moral Et Tertul. Apolog cap. 5. Nisi homini Deus placuerit Deus non erit Chrysostome merily speakes to make gods by most voyces So here it seemes our true God and
have gathered together so many Bishops from so distant parts of the world to celebrate Generall Councells if this had bene then knowne or imagined that Councells can conclude nothing to purpose without the Pope and that his sentence alone must cleare all controversies and silence all Heresies Nay his judgement hath bene formally opposed and rejected anciently by particular Doctors men of eminency and esteeme in the Catholique Church by Councells Provinciall and Generall by the Churches of the East for above 800 yeares now past and the onely cause of that Schisme is by the Greekes cast upon the vast ambition and pretensions of the Bishop of Rome y Nilus Thessalon de causes dissidii inter Graecos Latinos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who refuses to have the grounds of that dissention fairly heard and discussed in a Generall Councell but in a Masterly fashion will needs be judge himselfe in his owne cause and have all men besides stand by and obey him as his Schollers And here in the West it is not long since the Councells of Constance and Basil deposed some Popes and decreed against all that as inferiors they may be sentenced by Councells And their judgement herein hath been ever constantly avowed and maintained by the best learned a Vide Vigor in Comment ad Resp Synod Basil Em. Richer de Ecclesiastica Polit. potestate Iac. Leschass de libertate Eccl. Gallicanae ap Laur. Bochell Decret Eccles Gall. l. 4. tit 21. Revision du Concile de Trente liu 4. c. Romane Catholiques of France as a branch of the liberties of the Gallican Church and by the Sorbon it selfe till of late b Du Val Similes some of that bodie have been corrupted by the practises of the Iesuites to flatter the Pope contrarie to their owne ancient Maximes and as I verily thinke contrarie to their owne judgement For however the Authors of this imagination can be content to abuse simple people persuading them that the Pope is infallible yet I am persuaded c Franc. à Victor Relect. 4 de Potest Pa. Concil prop. 12. ad fin Da mihi Clementes Linos Sylvestros omnia permittam arbitrio eorum Sed ut nihil gravius dicatur in recentiores Pontifices certè multis partibus sunt priscis illis inferiores they are so far from beleiving it themselves that they secretly deride all those that beleive it well knowing it to be but one of their holy frauds devised for the advancement of their Catholique cause If this then be the infallible ground and motive of our Mistakers faith without doubt all his faith in this point and so in all the rest which depend on this is but a fancy and comes far short of a probable opinion Especially considering that in all this conceit of the Popes authority and infallibility there is no certaine ground for a divine faith to build upon nay there is nothing but uncertainties and probabilities Divine faith must have a firme and divine foundation that cannot faile or deceive it cannot relie on conjectures on which onely this pretended infallibility relies As may shortly appeare by this that followes S. Peter sate many yeares Bishop of Rome and there he died Well grant this though it seemes it can hardly be proved For Bellarmines first reason for it is so weake that himselfe sayes onely d Bell. lib. 2. de Rom. Pont. cap. 4. §. Restant suadere videtur it seemes to persuade it doth not convince but persuade and but seeme to do so There God commanded him to fix his Chaire and to leave his full power to his heyres and Successors the Popes But what certainty of this Indeed saith e Bell. lib. 2. de Rom. P. cap. 12. §. Observandum est tertiò Bellarmine it is no where expressed in Scripture that the Pope succeeds S. Peter and therefore happily it is not of divine right that he succeeds him f Bell. ibid. §. Et quoniam lib. 4. de R. P. cap. 4. §. Accedit yet it is not improbable that God commanded him to fasten his seate at Rome and it may be devoutly so beleeved Happily it is thus and happily otherwise This is not improbable nor that This may be beleived and may not be Here 's some little feeble ground for opinion none at all for faith a conjecturall certainty here may be no certainty of faith at all Yet further if S. Peter left this priviledge of infallibility to his Chaire surely he left it onely to his lawfull Successors such as were lawfully elected and ordained Bishops of Rome not to intruders But here againe we have nothing but meere uncertainties For first Onuphrius and other Romane Writers have noted six twenty severall Schismes in the Sea of Rome wherein two Antipopes and sometime three have each one pretended to the Chaire and pretended also their claime to be just and reasonable disabling their concurrents as unjust and unreasonable The last of these Schismes continued above 40 yeares from Vrban 6. untill the Councell of Constance during which time all these Westerne parts were distracted perplexed g Plat. in Vrb. 6. Adeò perplexum fuit Schisma ut etiam doctissimi viri conscientiosi non valerent discutere cui esset magis adhaerendum as Platina saies the most learned and devout men being not able to judge which of the pretenders was the true Pope If the faith of Christians did then depend on the infallible Pope then infallibly all that while Christians had no meanes to setle their faith in any thing that should be questioned Againe by the Popes owne h Leo PP apud Gratian. Cons 1. qu. 1. Can. Gratia Gratia si non gratis datur vel accipitur gratia non est Simoniaci autem non gratis accipiunt igitur gratiam quae maximè in Ecclesiasticis ordinibus operatur non accipiunt Si autē non accipiunt non habent nec gratis nec non gratis cuiquā dare possunt Quid ergò dant profectò quod habent Quid autem habent Spiritum utique mendacii Bull. Iul. 2. Si contingat Simoniacè quenquam ad Pontificatum promoveri electio ipsius seu assumptio ad Pontificatum co ipso nulla existat nec ullam electo seu assumpto administrandi facultatem vel in spiritualibus vel in temporalibus tribuat à nemine pro Pontifice Romano habeatur Imo liceat omnibus Electum talem ut Magum Ethnicum Publicanum Haeresiarcham evitare Canons all ordinations of men promoted symoniacally or for money are meere nullities of no validity Now it is cleare out of their owne i Baronius ad an Chr. 912. §. 8. Romae tunc dominabantu◠potentissimae ae què ac sordidissimae meretrices quarum arbitrio mutabantur sedes dabantur Episcopi quod auditu horrendum atque infandum est in Sedem Petri earum amasii Pseudo-Pontifices intrudebantur Nusquam cleri eligentis vel consentientis poste
à populi aliqua mentio Canones omnes pressi silentio decreta Pontificum suffocata proscriptae antiquae traditiones veterésque in eligendo summo Pontifice consuetudines sacrique ritus ac pristini usus prorsus extincti Genebrard Chronol ad an 901. Per annos ferè centum quinquaginta à Johanne scilicet 8. ad Leonem 9. usque Pontifices circiter quinquaginta à virtute majorum prorsus defecerunt Apotactici Apostaticivè potiùs quà m Apostolici quando non per ostium sed per posticum ingrediebantur Historians that very many Popes have beene simonically advanced to the chaire And who can be infallibly assured that Leo 10th or Paul 5th or Vrban 8th or any Pope whosoever hath beene fairely and freely elected without any corruption of rewards or promises A Roman Catholique may wish or hope well that his Holines hath entred Canonically though if the i Mant. lib. 3. de Calam. Tem. Romae Templa Sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura Preces Coelum est venale Deúsque Monke Mantuan said true his hope must needs be mixed with very much feare but he cannot be k Puteanus in 2. 2. qu. 1. A. 6. Dub. ult Papam existētem verbi gratià Paulum 5. esse verum vicarium Christi successorem Petri non est absolutè de fide Catholica 1. Quia supponit haec duas istas alias propositiones Paulus 5. est baptizatus Paulus 5. est canonicè electus in Ro. Pontificem at neutra ex istis duabus est de fide Catholica absolutè sure And if he be not sure that any of them is Pope he is not sure of his infallibilitie But besides all this it is a thing most certaine that no Roman Catholique in the world can be certaine of any Pope that he is either a Bishop or a Priest or even a Christian For this is one point of their Catholique doctrine l Decret Eugenii post Concil Florent that the force and vertue of all Sacraments depends on the intention of all the Minister who if he have not an intention to doe as the Church doth all he doth is nothing he confers no Sacrament And accordingly m Andr Veg. lib. 9. de Iustific cap. 17. Nemini potest per fidem constare se recepisse vel minimum Sacramentum Estque hoc ita certum ex fide ac clarum est nos vivere Nulla siquidem est via quâ citra revelationem nôsse possumus intentionem ministrantis vel evidenter vel certò ex fide Bellarm. lib. 3. de Iustif cap. 8. §. Dicent Non potest quis esse certus certitudine fidei se percipere verum Sacramentum cùm Sacramentum sine intentione Ministri non conficiatur intentionem alterius nemo videre potest they grant that no man can possibly know otherwise then by bare conjecture whether himselfe or any other have received either Baptisme or Orders or any Sacrament being impossible for him to know the intention of the Minister None is capable of holy orders unlesse he be baptized Pope Vrban 8. then cannot be either Bishop or Priest unlesse he were made a true member of the Church by true baptisme And he was not truly baptized or ordained if the Bishop ordaining him or the Priest baptizing him or any other who formerly baptized or ordained them failed in their intention And whether they did so faile neither Vrban himselfe nor any man else can be assured no not by an humane certainty much lesse by a divine faith How then is our Mistaker sure that his Pope is the infallible Head of the Church when he cannot be sure that he is a member of it Lastly admit the Pope infallible in his definitions yet how can any Papist in Europe excepting onely those few that stand by and heare his Holines when he gives out his Oracles be infallibly sure what it is which he hath defined Their assurance hereof is onely so much faith as they can give to the reports of their Priests and Jesuites which at the best can produce in them but a strong opinion unlesse they can beleeve their Priests and Jesuites also to be infallible in their relations It much concernes our Mistaker and all Roman Catholiques to consider how feeble and wavering that faith must be which is concluded from these slippery principles Every lawfull Bishop of Rome is infallible but Vrban the 8th is lawfull Bishop of Rome therfore he is infallible And then againe Whatsoever Vrban the 8th defines is infallibly true but this or that Vrban hath defined therfore it is infallibly true In these Syllogisines imagine the Propositions to be certain true as they are most certainly false yet the assumptions to a very Roman Catholique at the most can be but probable he cannot be certaine of either Not certaine that Vrban was lawfully ordained and elected into the chaire nor certaine that out of his chaire he hath published this or that definition An opinion or a conjecture of these things he may haue but he cannot haue certainty and much lesse divine faith Wherefore since the conclusion cannot be stronger then the weaker of the Premisses his faith is not divine nor certaine but onely a conjecture or an opinion Unlesse happily he can comfort himselfe with that witty invention of Cardinall n Bell. l. 1. de Purg. cap. 4. §. Respondeo non Bellarmine who thinkes a firme conclusion may follow out of feeble premisses by the rules of prudence though not by the rules of Logicke We may now conclude this point and returne our Mistakers words upon himselfe If his faith be grounded on so fallible a motive as the Popes infallibilitie it is cleare that he hath no true divine or supernaturall faith at all but onely opinion or persuasion or humane beleife Charity mistaken Chap. 7. PRotestants object that Roman Catholiques are not at unitie among themselves as appeares by many question◠wherein their Writers are at variance Answer Catholique Doctors differ onely in matters of opinion not decided by the Church not in any points of faith And besides their differences are all fairely carried without any breach of charity If it be againe objected that learned Catholiques beleeve more then the unlearned Answ This hinders not their unitie It suffices the vulgar to beleeve implicitely what the Church teaches And by vertue of such implicite faith a Cardinal Bellarmin and a Catholique Collier are of the same beleefe Answer Sect. 6. DIssentions in the Church of Rome of greater importance then any among the Reformed They differ not onely in opinion but in matters of their faith As about the Popes authority and the Popes themselves about their vulgar Latine Bibles Discords among them uncharitably pursued Some patterns of their mutuall bitternesse and revilings Implicite faith in some points and in some men admitted What it is which we here dislike in the doctrine of some Romanists THe Mistaker hath formerly upbraided us with our discords
12. pag. 480. ex edit Binn ann 1618. Colon Gr. Lat. Olim quilibet Arcl â—episcopus Patriarcha literas quae Synodicae appellantur inter se dabant nihil aliud continentes quà m rectfidei suique sensus confessionem quod in Orientalibus Ecclesiis hodiéque fit usque ad hoc tempus Patriarch immediately after his assumption to a place of so great trust and authority in the Church should render an account of his faith by his Synodicall or Circular letters called otherwise p Optat. Milevit lib. 2. Siricius hodiè Episcopus Rom. noster est Socius cum quo nobis totus orbis commetcio Formatarum in una communionis societate concordat literae formatae and q Aug. Epist 162. Communicatorias literas jam olim propter suam perversitatem ab unitate Catholica quae toto orbe diffusa est non accipiunt Donatistae Et saepe de illis in ea Epistola communicatoria directed to his Peeres and Companions in that dignity that by the sight of his profession his faith might be judged whether he were a sound Catholique or tainted with heresie and so whether he were fit or unworthy to be admitted into their Communion If in those Letters he did professe entirely to adhere to the Catholique Creeds his profession person was accepted as sound Orthodox The Circular Epistles yet extant of r Extant Concil 6. Gener Act. 11. Sophronius Patriarch of Hierusalem of s Conc. 7. sive Syn. 2. Nic. Act. 3. Tarasius Patriarch of Constantinople of t Apud Baron ad ann 556. num 33. Pelagius Patriarch of Rome of u Extat inter Epistolas Photii MSS. Graecè in Bibl. Bodleiana Photius of Constantinople and many others testifie this So truly said S. Austin w Aug. Epist 57. Regula fidei pusillis magnisque communis that the Creed is a rule of faith common to great and small The meanest Catechumen must beleeve so much and the greatest Patriarch can beleeve no more In those old and golden times those Articles were thought abundantly sufficient and it was thought a great sacriledge to adde any thing to them or diminish them No Catholique in the world was then required to beleeve the Popes Supermacie or his Indulgences or Purgatory or Transubstantiation or any doctrine now debated betweene us and Rome No such matter These things were brought in long after the beginning the Church of Christ was long without them and was well without them and happy had she been whether we regard truth or peace if she had still so continued Nor can it be reasonably said that all or any of these things though not expressed in the Creed are yet contained eminently in the beliefe of the Catholique Church For to omit that these are no traditions or doctrines of the Catholique Church but onely the partiall and particular fancies of the Romane unlesse happily the opinion of Transsubstantiation may be excepted wherein the later * Vide Nicetae Thesau Orthod Gr. Ms in Bib. Bodleiana Euthym. in panoplia tit 21. Hierem. Patr. CP in Resp 1. ad Lutheranos cap. 10. Resp 2. cap. 4. § 3. Nichol. Episc Methon Samonam Arch. Gaz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter Liturgica Graecè edita Parisiis 1560. Greeks seeme to agree with the Romanists 1. what reason can be imagined why amongst many things of equall necessity to be believed the Apostles should so punctually and distinctly set downe some and be altogether silent in others As well nay better they might have given us no Article but that and sent us to the Church for all the rest For in setting downe others besides that and not all they make us beleive we have all when we have not all 2. I suppose no learned Romanist will say that in the beleife of the coÌ„munion of Saints all the new doctrines of the Romane Church are virtually contained Yet the learned y Replique ch 1. Card. du Perron thinks it probable that the Article of the Catholique Church and the Communion of Saints is all one this latter clause being onely an explication of the other 3. Many of the Ancient Doctors have left us their expositions on the Creed Ruffinus S. Augustin Cyrill of Hierusalem Chrysologus Maxim Taurinensis others Where they speake of the Catholique Church all say we must beleive the unity universality perpetuity sanctity of the Church none at all say any thing of any soveraigne infallible power in the Church to prescribe or define what she pleases 4. Lastly Azorius the Iesuite gives a faire meaning to this Article of the Catholique Church and such as little favours the conceit of our Mistaker z Azor. paâ— 1. lib. 8 cap. 6. §. Sed mibi probabilius Substantia articuli quo credimus unam Sanctam Catholicam Ecclesiam est neminem posse salvum esse extrà congregationem hominum qui Christi fidem religionem profitentur susceptam posse salutem obtineri intrà hanc ipsam congregationem hominum piorum fidelium I beleive the holy Catholique Church that is saith he I beleive that none can be saved out of the Congregation of those men who professe the faith and religion of Christ and that within that company of holy and faithfull people salvation may be obtained Now to the reasons alleaged for the full and formall sufficiency of this rule of faith to which nothing essentiall can be added or may be detracted we may adjoine the full consent of the Ancient Doctors Greeke and Latin who come in with one voice each one almost contributing his suffrage to testifie for this perfection of the Creed that in their dayes it was so acknowledged a Iren. lib. 1. cap. 2. 3. Ecclesia per universum orbem seminata ab Apostolis corum discipulis accepit eam fidem quae est in Deum omnipotentem Hanc fidem diligenter custodit Ecclesia in Celtis in Oriente Aegypto Cùm enim una eadem fides sit neque is qui multùm potest de ea dicere superfluit neque is qui parùm imminuit Irenaeus having repeated the most important Articles of it saith It is the faith which the Church throughout the world hath received from the Apostles being every where one and the same admitting neither addition nor diminution Therfore it is called by b Tertul. de vel virg cap. 1. Regula fidei una omninò est sola immobilis irreformabilis Hâc lege fidei manente caetera admittunt novitatem correctionis Tertullian one onely immoveable and unreformable rule which remaining safe other matters of discipline may be altered or corrected as occasion requires And the same Author againe c Id. de Praescript cap. 13. 14. Haec regula null as habet apud nos quaestiones nisi quas herefes inferunt quae haereticos faciunt manente form âejus in suo ordine quantumlibet quaeras tractes Fides in
salutis humanae anted non portiuncula aliqua fidei nostrae sed quòd Dominus noster in Ecclesia neminem voluit sexus utriusque ignorare Novatianus de Trin. cap. 1. 9. Symbolum regula est veritatis cap. 29. fidei auctoritas Maximus Taurin Homil. de tradit Symboli Signaculum Symboli inter fideles perfidósque secernit Petr. Chrysol Sermon 59. Est placitum fidei pactum gratiae salutis Symbolum Caelestin Episc Rom. in Epist ad Nestorium citante Ioanne Foroliviensi Episcopo in Concil Florent sess 10. Quis unquam non dignus est anathemate judicatus vel adiiciens vel detrahens fidei in Symbolis contentae Plenè enim ac manifestè tradita nobis ab Apostolis nec augmentum nec imminutionem requirunt Bessarion Nicaenus Concil Flor. sess 8. pag. 464. edit Bin. ult Sacro Symbolo nihil est addendum quia in Ecclesia locum obtinet principii ac fundamenti fidei nostrae Marcus Ephesius ibid. sess 3. pag. 431. Arbitramur nihil omissum esse a Patribus in Symbolo fidei neque omnino positum esse quicquam manoâ—m quod correctione aut additamento indigeat Et haec est potissimâ— schismatis inter Graecos Latinósque causa praecipientibus Patribus aullum aliud Symbolum esse unquam recipiendum nec esse quicquam addendum vel detrahendum quòdilli omnia satis complexi sunt Andraeas Rhodi Archiepi scopus Latinus ibid. sess 7. pag. 451. Ad illud quod aiebat Dominus Ephesius Symbolum esse perfectum perfecto nihil posse addi respondemus perfection sumi dupliciter vel quoad fidem vel quoad explanationem Et quidem quoad fidem Symbolum esse perfectissimum nec indigere additamento quoad explanationem verò non suisse satis propter haereses quae erant emersurae Augustine to young novices You must know that the Creed is the foundation of the Catholique faith and of the Church laid by the hands of the Apostles and Prophets My margine will adde some more to this cloud of Witnesses and fully make good my word that the Fathers here come in with full consent And now our Mistaker hath his Catalogue of fundamentalls recommended to him by such reason and authorities as I presume will satisfie his longing and content him If so then he is satisfied both for the question which be fundamentalls and for the state of our Church that we agree in fundamentalls If this please him not then it will be in his choice whether he will reject the constant opinion of his owne DDrs and the old Fathers or show us some way how they and he dissenting herein from them may be reconciled If he reject them and their opinion we shall be content to be condemned by him together with the Fathers and his owne Brethren If he approve the perfection of the Creed with them he may be pleased to make answer to his owne objections which if he will calmely consider he may happily finde to be but weake and of small moment His Objections are In the Creed there is no mention 1. of the Canon of Scripture 2. or of the number and nature of the Sacraments 3. or of Iustification whether it be by faith or by works 4. That Doctrine of devills 1. Tim. 4. 1. forbidding marriage and meates is not there condemned 5. Lastly the sence of diverse Articles is questioned as that of the Descent into hell and the other of the Catholique Church Therefore the Creed is no perfect rule of faith Answer To the first The Creed is an abstract or abridgement of such necessary doctrines as are delivered in Scripture or collected out of it and therefore needs not expresse the authority of that which it supposes These Articles are principles which are proved by Scripture the Scripture it self a principle which needs no proofe amongst Christians The Creed containes onely the materiall object of faith or the things which must be beleived expressely according to Scripture The Scripture is further the formall object of faith or the motive and ground whereupon faith is founded being as Philosophers say of light in regard of the sight both the objectum quod in respect of the things therein revealed and objectum quo in respect of that divine verity and authority which reveales them Although the Nicene Fathers in their Creed confessing that the holy Ghost spake by the Prophets do thereby sufficiently avow the divine Authority of all Canonicall Scripture To the 2. we say 1. That the Sacraments are to be reckoned rather among the Agenda of the Church then the Credenda they are rather divine rites and ceremonies then doctrines 2. For their numbers the Mistaker who hath so little moderation as to thinke his Seaven fit matter for the Creed shall be answered in the words of a o Examen pacifique Ch. 1. pag. 22. Prenantce mot de Sacrement propremeÌ„t S. Aug. dit de Doctr. Chr. li. 3. ca. 9. qu'il ny en a que deux a sçauoir le Baptesme l'Eucharistie Dauantage c'est vne phrase coÌ„mune parmy nous Catholiques de dire que tous les Sacremens sont coulez du coste de nostre Seigneur Or ne coula de son costé que sang eau Ce que representoit selon l'interpretation de Chrysostome Cyrill autres anciens les deux Sacrements de l'Eglise a sçauoir le Baptesme parl'eau le calice de l'Eucharistie par le sang Et nos Docteurs Catholiques ne font autre responce a ceci si non que ces deux sacremens on t quelque dignité par dessus les autres qui n'est autre chose si non dire qu'ily a deux Sacremens principaux plusieur sinferieurs Ce qui est demesme que les Huguenots disent mais en diuers termes eux disans qu'il ny en a que deux proprement nous qu'il ny en a que deux principalement nous disons aussi qu'il y en a plusieurs inferieurs eux qu'il y en a aussi plusieurs si nous parlons des Sacremens â—â— la signification generale Car Calvin dit que l'ordre est vn Sacrement Melancthon ditle mesme y adjouste la penitence Bref ils dironâ— qu'il y en a sept mais non pas seulement sept de fait il ny a aucun des Anciens Peres qui aye iamais trouue ce nombre de sept moderate Roman Catholique Takeing the word Sacrament properly S. Augustin saith there are but two to wit Baptisme and the Lords Supper And it is a common saying among us Catholiques that all the Sacraments flowed from the side of our Lord. Now there came from his side onely bloud and water which represented according to the interpretation of Chrysostome Cyrill and others of the Ancients the two Sacraments of the Church Baptisme by water and the Chalice in the Eucharist by bloud To which our Catholique Doctors give no other
troisiesme iour le sens de ces mots il est assis à la dextre de son Pere il ne scroit damné pour cela Le simple se peut sauuer auec moindre cognoissance que celuy qui ne peut estre tenu pour tel C'est assez au simple de voir comme nous anons dit vne cognoissance du Symbole suffisante pour la diriger ◠sa derniere fin Au lieu que le Curé le Prelat qui ont charge d'instruite les autres sontobligez desçauoir distinctement tous les Articles du Symbole qui plus est de le pouuoir expliquer au peuple Learned judge may suffice For conclusion of this discourse concerning Fundamentalls I will propound to the consideration and censure of the judicious these thoughts following It seemes fundamentall to the faith and for the salvation of every member of the Church that he acknowledge beleeue all such points of faith as wherof he may be sufficiently convinced that they belong to the doctrine of Jesus Christ For he that being sufficiently convinced doth oppose is obstinate an Heretique and finally such a one as excludes himselfe out of heaven whereinto no wilfull sinner can enter Now that a man may be sufficiently convinced there are three things required 1. Cleare revelation 2. Sufficient proposition 3. Capacity and understanding to apprehend what is reveiled and propounded 1 Revelation from God is required for we are not bound to beleeue any thing as Gods word which God hath not declared to be his word and that in such cleare manner as may convince a reasonable man that it is from God For want of this not onely the Church before Christ but even Christs owne Disciples are excused from being guilty of any damnable errour though they beleeved not the death resurrection or ascension of our Lord as it is plaine they did not Marc. 16. 11. 13. Luk. 24. 11. Ioh. 20. 9. Marc. 9. 10. But now that these things are so clearely reveiled in Scripture he were no Christian that should deny them 2. Sufficient proposition of reveiled truths is required before a man can be convinced For if they be not propounded to me in respect of me it is all one as if they were not reveiled This proposition includeth 2 things 1. that the points be perspicuously laid open in themselves for want of this Apollos beleeved not some points of the faith till he was further informed Acts 18. 25. 2. that the said points be so fully and forcibly laid open as may serve to remove reasonable doubts to the contrary and to satisfie a teachable minde against the principles in which he hath beene bred to the contrary For want of this the Apostles believed not the resurrection when yet they were plainely told of it See Luke 9. 44. 45. and Mar. 9. 10. compared with Marc. 8. 31. 32. Note here 1 This proposition of reveiled truths is not as the Mistaker saith by the infallible determination of Pope or Church but by whatsoever meanes a man may be convinced in conscience of divine revelation If a Preacher doe cleare any point of faith to his Hearers if a private Christian doe make it appeare to his neighbour that any conclusion or point of faith is delivered by divine revelation of Gods word if a man himselfe without any other teacher by reading the Scriptures or hearing them read be convinced of the truth of any such conclusion this is a sufficient proposition to prove him that gain sayeth any such truth to be an Heretique and obstinate opposer of the faith Such a one may be truly said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned by his owne conscience v. g. He that should read in Scriptures Now is Christ risen from the dead 1. Cor. 15. 20. or The word was made flesh Ioh. 1. and yet should deny Christs Resurrection or Incarnation he were an Heretique without any determination or sentence of the Church And such Heretiques there were many in the Primitiue Church fore any Councell was celebrated and long before any Pope pretended to Infallibility 2 Note A man may be truly thought thus convicted not onely when his Conscience doth expressely beare witnesse to the truth but when virtually it doth so and would expressely doe it if it were not choked or blinded by some unruly and unmortified lust in the will For if a man make himselfe a slave to ambition covetousnesse vaineglory prejudice c. these untamed passions will not onely draw the man to professe what he thinketh not but to thinke what he would dis-avow if in synceritie he sought the truth And in this case the difference is not great betweene him that is wilfully blinde 24. qu. 3. §. 28. Haereticus est and him that knowingly gainsayeth the truth 3 Note A man may be sufficiently convinced either in foro exteriori or in foro interiori In the former he is convinced who by an orderly proceeding of the Church is censured and condemned and such a one ad omnem effectum juris and in the esteeme of the said Church is to be reputed an heretique though perhaps the Censure be erroneous He that is convicted in the later kinde is an Heretique before God though no authority of the Church have detected or proceeded against him And this conviction onely is necessary to prove one an Heretique excluded from Heaven 3. There is required capacity or ability of wit and reason to apprehend that which is cleerly revealed and sufficiently proposed For want of this not onely fooles and mad men are excused but those who are of weaker capacity or lesse knowledge may be excused from beleiving of those things which they cannot apprehend as the Apostles are by Christ Ioh. 16. 12. But where there is no such impediment as hath been said the revealed will or word of God is sufficiently propounded there he that opposeth is cōvinced of error he who is thus convinced is an Heretique and Heresie is a worke of the flesh which excludeth from heaven Gal. 5. 20. 21. And hence it followeth that it is fundamentall to a Christians faith and necessary for his salvation that he beleive all reveiled truths of God whereof he may be convinced that they are from God The cavills of the Mistaker against the Church of England and her Articles in this matter are easily answered When the Church of England had orderly reformed her selfe she was loudly accused by the Romane faction of Heresie and Schisme as it hath been in later ages the cunning custome of Rome to blast and disgrace all them that dared to oppose any of her corrupt opinions or usages Wherefore to cleare her innocency Shee published to the world a Declaration of her judgement in matters of Religion which we call her Confession Wherin her aime was not in any curious method to deliver a Systeme of Divinity but plainly without fraud or artifice to set downe first the positive
principles of her faith or the fundamentalls of it wherein she hath sufficiently declared her selfe both in a Aro 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 8. most particulars and in summe by b Art 8. avowing the Catholique Creeds and then a rejection of such errors especially Popish as She judged to be without ground of Scripture reason or Antiquity Now Popery is not any univocall part or member in the body of Divinity it is onely an Aposteme gathered of corrupt and heterogeneous matter All the Logick in the world cannot possibly range such a confused lumpe of falsities into any certaine or distinct method And therefore if the Declaration of our Church against these errors be extremely confused as our Mistaker pretends the cause is in the errors thēselves wherein there is nothing but extreme confusion By the other part of his charge that our Church in divers points speaks obscurely and not home to the question it is evident that he doth not well understand himselfe or those points wherein he gives instance That particular Churches and particularly his have erred our Church beleives and c Art 19. professes and we beleive further that if any particular Church presume She cannot fall by error She is fallen already by pride That the Catholique Church can erre in the foundation our Church beleives not and therefore 1. Cor. 1. 2. professes not But by the infallible Church I doubt not the man meanes that which they call the Romane Catholique for it is the perpetuall and palpable paralogisme of the Faction to confound the Romane and the Catholique and to argue from this to that as if all the priviledges of the Catholique Church belonged onely to the Roman quarter Likewise it is not denyed that the true Catholique Church is alwaies visible and cannot be hid And wheresoever there is a Congregation of men that professe and desire to honour the true God Calling upon the name of Iesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours and beleiving the Scriptures of the old and new Testament there as very * Vide supra pag. 111. Learned men are of opinion is a true Christian Church wherein salvation may be had and a visible member of the holy Catholique Church Innumerable such there ever have been since Christ and ever shall be scattered over the face of earth For d Joh. Serranus Appar ad fid Cathol Paris 1607. pag. 172. Quicquid vel molitus est vei moliturus mendacii Pater non tamen vel effecit hactenus vel effectures est posthac ut doctrina Catholica omnium Christianorum consensu semper ubique rata aboleatur Quin potius ' illa in densissimâ maximè involutarum perturbationum caligine victrix extitit in animis in apertâ confessione Christianorum omnium in suis fundamentis nullo modo labefactata In illa quoque veritate una illa Ecclesia fuit conservata in mediis saevissimae hyemis tempeftatibus vel densissimis tenebris suorum interluniorum Hanc successionis perpetuae vim esse illius usum omnes sobrii animadvertunt whatsoever the Father of lies either hath attempted or shall attempt yet neither hath he hither to effected nor shall ever bring it to passe hereafter that the true Catholique doctrine ratified by the Common consent of Christians alwaies every where should be abolished but that in the thickest mist rather of the most perplexed troubles it still obtained Victorie both in the minds and in the open confession of all Christians no waies overturned in the Foundations thereof And in this verity that One Church of Christ was preserved in the midst of the tempests of the most cruell winter or in the thickest darknes of her waynings Which true succession of the Faith Church all sober men observe acknowledg And as a most learned e Bp. Vsher Serm. of the unity of faith Prelate hath observed further if at this day we should take a survey of the severall professions of Christianity that have any large spread in any part of the world should put by the points wherein they differ one from another and gather into one body the rest of the Articles wherein they do all generally agree we should finde that in those Propositions which without all Controversie are universally received in the whole Christian world so much Truth is contained as being joyned with holy obedience may be sufficient to bring a man unto everlasting salvation Neither have we cause to doubt but that as many as walke according Gal 6. 16. to this rule neither overthrowing that which they have builded by superinducing any damnable heresies thereupon nor otherwise vitiating their holy Faith with a leud and wicked conversation peace shall be upon them and mercie and upon the Israel of God In the point of Freewill our Church professes withall Catholique Antiquity Greeke and Latine before and after Pelagius that though the Will be naturally and essentially free from all constraint and necessiity yet it is not spiritually free from sinne or to any good untill it be freed by inward supernaturall and undeserved Grace which both prevets prepares excites the Will to every good act that it may be helped then helpes it when it is prepared That the Will of it selfe hath no power to any good act till it be thus quickned inabled and assisted by Grace which in all good workes and desires is the principall agent to which the Will is subordinate But that this grace corrects and perfects nature doth not abolish it Wherefore the Will being mooved by grace as aforesaid is not idle but freely moves it selfe to consent having still a naturall and corrupt liberty to sinne So as all the good we doe or have or hope for must be ascribed to God and his free grace and all the sinne we doe onely and wholly to our own will and freedome And by this doctrine we fully avoide and contradict the two contrary errors of the Manichees on the one side who deny the naturall liberty of the Will and of the Pelagians and their Reliques on the other side who give the will a spirituall liberty of it selfe and so deny the necessity of preventing grace If some Protestant Writers goe farther Piscator c. in this point so farre as to affirme that God determines and necessitates the Wills of men to every act good or bad naturall morall or spirituall so as the motion of Providence or grace leaves no power or possibility in the Will actually to dissent in sensu composito Answ 1. this is nothing to the Church of England which approves not this dangerous doctrine 2. The Mistaker cannot with reason or modesty upbraid them much lesse others with this opinion or the ill consequents of it since no Calvinist as he calls them herein speaks more harshly or rigorously then his own Dominicans Bannes Alvarez Zumel Ledesma Herrera Nugnus Navarrete many others for proofe whereof I referre him to a late
superfluities A second reason He addes taken from the office of the Church after the Apostles which is not to make new Articles of faith but onely to consigne and deliver those which she hath received Thus Dr Stapleton Briefly their meaning is ours is the same that the whole Militant Church that is all the members of it cannot possibly erre either in the whole faith or any necessary article of it For such an errour must needs dis-unite all the members from Christ the Head and so dissolue the Body and leaue him no Church which is impossible Christ ever hath had and ever shall haue a true Church on earth now a true Church is all one with a Church not erring in the foundation By these reasonable restrictions of this infallibility they giue us a faire and certaine interpretation of all those promises which our Lord hath made unto his Church for his assistance Such promises are intended not to any particular Persons or Churches but onely to the Church Catholique and they are to be extended not to every parcell or particularity of truth but onely to points of faith or fundamentall Thus we are to understand those passages g Joh. 16. 13. John 14. 16. See the judicious Author of the Answ to Fishers Relation of his 3. Confer p. 49. The spirit shall lead you into all truth and shall abide with you for ever Though that promise was directly and primarily made to the Apostles who had the Spirits guidance in a more high and absolute manner then any since them yet it was made to them for the be hoofe of the Church and is verified i◠the Church Universall But all truth 〈◊〉 not simply all but all of some kinde T◠be led into all truths is to know and beleeve them And who is so simple as to be ignorant that there are many millions of truthes in Nature History Divinitie whereof the Church is simply ignorant How many truthes lie unrevealed in the infinite treasurie of Gods wisdome where with the * Deut. 29. 29. 1 Cor. 13. 12. Church is not acquainted How many obscure texts of Scripture which she understands not How many Schoole questions which she hath not and happily cannot determine And for matters of fact it is apparant and h Bellar. l. 2. de Conc. cap 8. §. Respondeo Quidam granted that the Church may erre So then the truth it selfe enforceth us to understand by all truthes not simply all not all which God can possibly reveale but all appertaining to the substance of faith all truth absolutely necessary to salvation That other promise of Christs being with his i Mat. 28 20. unto the end of the world is properly meant as some k Auth. de vocat Gent. lib. 2. cap. 2. Ecce ego vobiscum i. e. nolite de vestra infirmitate trepidare sed de mea potestate confidere qui vos usque ad consummationem saeculi in omni hoc opere non derelinquam praestiturus ut nullâ sevientium crudelitate superemini In mea enim potestate praedicabitis per me fiet ut inter contradicentes interfurentes Abrahae filii de lapidibus suscitentur Ancients truly giue the sence of his comfortable aide and assistance supporting the weakenes of his Apostles and their Successors in their ministery or in their preaching of Christ But it may well be also applyed as it is by l Leo Serm. 10. de Nativ cap. 5. Idem Salvator noster est super coelorum altitudines victor mortis ascendens usque ad consummationem soeculi univer sam Ecclesiam nō relinquens others to the Church Universall which is ever in such manner assisted by the good Spirit that it never totally failes or falls off from Christ For it is so firmely m Math. 16. 18. founded on the Rock that is on Christ n 1 Cor. 3. 11. the onely foundation that the gates of hell whether by temptation or persecution shall not prevaile against it Not prevaile so far as to sever it from the foundation or cleerly to undermine or o Bernard Serm. 79. in Cant. Non deficit genus Christianum nec fides de terra nec charitas de Eccles -que fundata est super petram Petra a. est Christus Bellarmin de Eccles lib. 3. cap. 13. Quòd Ecclesia non possit deficere ostenditur primùm ex Scripturis Math. 16. Super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam overthrow it The Church may erre and dangerously too but every errour destroyes not the Church The whole Church cannot so erre as to be destroyed For then our Lords promise here of her stable edification should be of no value Lastly that prayer of our Saviour for S. Peter p Luke 22. 32. that his faith might not faile in the native sence of the place regarded onely S. Peters person for whom our Lord prayed and obtained perseverance in the grace of God against the strong temptation which was to winnow him above the rest Yet is it very well referred by q Aqu. 2. 2. q. 2. A. 6. ad 3. Ecclesiae Universalis sides non potest deficere Domino dicente Luc. 22. Ego pro te rogavi Petre ut non deficiat fides tua Aquinas to the whole Church which is never so far forsaken by Christ that it should utterly forsake and fall off from him But the faith of the Church cannot be totally corrupted in the Essentialls of it or abolished yet may it be foulely infected with many vile and unworthy additions though not with direct repugnancies In these promises then there is no foundation to support that very vaine and vaste pretension of the Church of Rome who challenges to her selfe an absolute and universall infallibility in all her proposalls For neither do these promises principally respect the Church of Rome and more then the Church of Corinth Ephesus or the like any further or longer then such parts do cleaue and consent to the whole bodie and Spouse of Christ nor hath the Church Universall the like assurance from Christ that she shall not erre in unnecessary additions as she hath for her not erring in taking away from the faith what is fundamentall and necessarie It s comfort enough for the Church that the Lord in mercy will secure her from all capitall dangers and conserve her on earth against all enemies but she may not hope to triumph over all sinne and error till she be in heaven Hay and stubble and such unprofitable stuffe laid on the roofe destroyes not the house whilst the maine pillars are standing on the foundation The Giant in Gath 2. Sam. 21. 20. was a true man though much deformed with superfluous fingers and toes but if one loose any vitall part he is a man no longer There is not so much danger in adding superfluities as in detracting what is essentiall and necessarie That the Church shall never be rob'd of any truth necessarie to the being of