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
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.
to erect her own absolute soveraignty over the consciences and faith of Christian people Whatsoever these Masterly Doctors shall define or prescribe in matters of faith that they say must be received without c Greg. de Valentia Anal. fid lib. 8. cap. 6. §. Quòd verò Sine contradictione ulla obedire iussi homines sunt Sacerctoti judicanti-Quod ipsum persuadere nobis de summo Ecclesiae Pastore nunc jubemur contradiction yea without d Bellarm. de verbi Dei interpret lib. 3. c. 10. §. SeptimuÌ„ arg Christiani tenentur doctrinam Ecclesiae recipere non dubitare an hâ—c ita se habeant Et ib. §. Addo Debet Christianus sine examine recipere doctrinam Eccles Et ib. ad arg 16. Doctor non proponit sententiam suam ut necessariò sequendam sed solùm quatenus ratio suadet at Judex proponit ut sequendam necessariò Patres sunt Doctores Concilia verò Pontifices sunt Judices examination yea though it be e Tannerus in Colloq Ratisbon Sess 9. Si Praepositi Eccles in aliquo dubio definiendo errarent populus Christianus vi talis regiminis errare posset imò deberet false and erroneous This indeed is a sure meanes to keep the Court of Rome in quiet possession of her tyranny and errors if men may be persuaded to resigne unto her their judgement and reason and yeeld her a blind and brutish obedience in all things The colour is that in all doctrines she is assisted with an infallible Spirit and therefore being all divine truths and inspirations they may not be inquired into The ordinarie pretence of Deceivers of f Dictum Apellis apud Euseb Hist Eccleslib 5. cap. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apelles the old heretick in Eusebius of Mahomet the great impostor and of some Others besides the Romanists in this age But as a learned man hath well observed g Ludov. Vives de verit fidei Christ li. 4. pag. 478. contra errores Mahumetis Tutissimum mentiendi genus est nolle rationem eorum quae dicas reddere veritatem dictorum ad Deum referre authorem quem nemo de veritate possit interrogare The safest way of lying is for men to entitle God to their owne dreames and for all reason to say they are heavenly verities which may not be examined It is very meet that the ignorant people should obey h Heb. 13. 17 their overseers in the Lord and submit themselves to the Ministry and direction of the Church in many profound doctrines above their reach But it behoves them to have a distinct comfortable knowledge of the essentiall points of faith and not securely to rest in a babish simplicity but so far as God hath enabled them to i Heb. 6. 1. be led on to profection To which purpose they are commanded to k Joh. 5. 39 search the Scriptures that they may l 2 Pet. 3. 18. grow and m Col. 1. 10. encrease in knowledge that the n Col. 3. 16. word of Christ may dwell richly in them and that they may be able both to beleive o Rom. 10. 10. with the heart and confesse with their mouth and render p 1. Pet. 3. 15. a reason of that hope that is in them The words of q Lactantius lib. 2. cap. 8. Oportet in ea re maximè in qua vitae ratio versatur sibi quemque confidere suóque judicio ac proptiis sensibus niti ad investigandam perpendendam veritatem quà m credentem alienis erroribus decipi tanquaÌ„ ipsum rationis expertem Quare cùm sapere id est veritatem quaerere omnibus sit innatú sanientiamsibi adimunt qui sine ullo judicio inventa majorum probant ab aliis pecudum more ducuntur Lactantius to this purpose are observable In those things which concerne our welfare and life especially that of our soules it is fit for every man to make use of his owne discretion in the search and triall of truth rather then without reason to relie upon the credit of others that may abuse him Every man by nature desires to be wise and to know the truth And therefore they befoole themselues who without judgement follow the judgement of their leaders which is the propertie of sheepe rather then of reasonable men And by that of n Theodoret Graec. Affect Curat Serm. 5. sub fin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret we learne what kind of knowledge the ancient Church required in Christians Every where saith he you may see the points of our faith to be knowen not onely by them who are Masters in the Church and Teachers of the people but even of Coblers Smiths and Weavers and all kind of Artificers and of women also which get their living with their hands yea Maid-servants and Waiting-women Husband-men also do very well know them and Ditchers and Neate-herds and Woodsetters All these may ye find discoursing of the Trinitie and the creation of things and as skilfull in the nature of man as Plato or Aristotle Charity mistaken Chap. 8. 9. THe Protestants pretend to be at unitie with the Ancient Church with the Lutherans and even with Roman Catholiques in fundamentall points That distinction so ordinary with them betweene fundamentall points and not fundamentall is vaine without ground No Protestant Writez none of their Vniversities Colledges or Societies of learned men amongst them can or dare define what doctrines are fundamentall or give us in a List or Catalogue of fundamentalls Some say they are coÌ„tained in the Creed But these men may be â—shamed of that opinioÌ„ seeing in the Creed there is no mention of the Canon of Scripture or of the number or nature of the Sacraments of justification whether it be by faith alone or by workes or of that doctrine of devills forbidding marriage meats which was the doctrine of the Manichees and not of Roman Catholiques as Protestants perversly affirme and finally since there is such great differences betweene them and us about the understanding of the Articles of Christs Descent into Hell of the holy Catholique Church and the Communion of Saints Others say the Booke of the 39 Articles of the Church of England declares all the fundamentall points of faith But that also is most absurdly affirmed That Booke declares onely and that in an extreamly confused manner what the Church of England beleeves in most things And in many Controversies betweene them and us it speakes obscurely not touching the maine difficultie of the questions As in the points of the visibility and infallibility of the Church of Freewill of the Canon of Scripture Answer Sect. 7. THe distinction betweene doctrines fundamentall and not fundamentall avowed as most necessary It hath ground in reason and in Scripture The Creed of the Apostles as it is explained in the latter Creeds of the Catholique Church esteemed a sufficient Summarie or Catalogue of fundamentalls by
h Replique liur 1. chap. 10. Perron calls the faith of adherence or non-repugnance may suffice to wit an humble preparation of minde to beleeve all or any thing revealed in Scripture when it is sufficiently cleared By which virtuall faith an erring person may beleeve the truth contrary to his owne error inasmuch as he yeelds his assent implicitely to that Scripture which containes the truth and overthrowes his errour though yet he understand it not This maine distinction of doctrines whereof we speak hath expresse ground in the Scriptures of the N. Testament Therein the Church of Christ is often called i 1. Tim. 3. 15. 1. Pet. 2. 5. Heb. 3. 5. 6. the Spirituall house of God The foundation of this house is either reall personall or dogmaticall and doctrinall The Reall foundation is k 1. Cor. 3. 11. Eph. 2. 20. Christ the Dogmaticall are l Matt. 16. 16. 18. Heb. 6. 1. those grand and capitall doctrines which make up our faith in Christ that is that m Tit. 1. 4. common faith which is n 2 Pet. 1. 1. alike precious in all beeing one and the same in the highest Apostle and the meanest beleever which the Apostle o Heb. 5. 12. elsewhere calls the first principles of the oracles of God and the p 2. Tim. â— 13. forme of sound words These hold the place of the common foundation in which all Christians must be grounded The materialls laid upon this foundation whether they be sound or unsound are named by S. Paul q 1. Cor. 3. 12. super structions which are conclusions either in truth or in appearance deducible from those principles Concerning all which superstructures the generall rule is that the more neere they are to the foundation of so much greater importance be the truthes and so much more perilous be the errors as againe the further they are removed off the lesse necessary doth the knowledge of such verities prove to be and the swarving from the truth lesse dangerous It is cleere then that some points are fundamentall others not so But here all Protestants are defied by the Mistaker not onely particulars but in corps their Colledges Universities all or any of them dared to give him in a list or Catalogue of fundamentall points So high a Challenge in a subject of this nature might better have beseemed his betters some Cardinall rather then a * See Char. Mist pag. 1. Cavallier It seems the man thinks excellently of his owne learning and judgement and that conceit fills him with this courage But his strength is not answerable They that have tried it say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The prudent Vlysses in r Iliad ss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et ad Ther 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer gave good counsell to some busie persons that were forward to meddle in matters beyond their Spheere the Mistaker stands in neede of it and may do well to follow it By fundamentall points of faith for of them alone the Mistaker expresly speakes in this discourse we understand as hath been noted not the necessarie duties of Charity which are comprehended in the Decalogue nor the necessarie acts of hope contained in the Lords prayer there beeing the same object both of our prayers and of our hope though both these vertues of Charity and Hope are fundamentally necessary to the salvation of Christians but we meane those Prime and Capitall doctrines of our Religion which make up the holy Catholique and Apostolique faith once for all delivered to the Saints which faith is the same which Jude 3. the Church received from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ Christ from God as Tertullian speakes that faith which essentially constitutes a true Church and a true Christian These fundamentalls are all contained in the rule of faith which rule being cleerely but diffusedly set downe in the Scriptures hath been afterwards summed up and contracted into the Apostles Creed either by the Apostles themselves or by the Church of their times from them This Creed taken in a Catholique sence that is as it was further opened and explaned in some parts by occasion of emergent Heresies in the other Catholique Creeds of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon and Athanasius is said generally by the Schoolemen and Fathers to comprehend a perfect Catalogue of fundamentall truths and to imply a full rejection of fundamentall heresies and hath beene received by Orthodox Christians of all ages and places as an absolute summary of the Christian faith For proof wherof we will first argue ad hominem and teach the Mistaker how to esteeme of his Creed out of his own Masters whom he will not distrust or gainsay Begin with the a Concil Trident Sess 3. Symbolum Apostolorum est principium illud in quo omnes qui fidem Christi profitentur necessariò conveniunt ac fundamentum Ecclesiae firmum ac unicum Councell of Trent The Apostles Creed is that principle wherein all that professe the faith of Christ do necessarily agree that being the firme and onely foundation of the Church The b Catec Trident pag. 13. ac 14. Apostoli hanc Christianae fidei ac spei formulam composuerunt veritatis summa ac fundamentum primò ac necessariò omnibus credendum Catechisme of Trent to the same pupose The Apostles composed this profession of Christian faith and hope as a summary and foundation of that truth which is necessarily to be beleived of all c Azor. par 1. lib. 8. cap. 5. Symbolum Apostoâ—orum est brevis fidei complexio ac summa omniuÌ„ credendorum veluti nota quaedam signum quo Christiani homines ab impiis infidelibus qui vel nullam vel non rectam Christi fidem profitentur discernendi ac internoscendi sunt Huic Symbolo addâ—ta sunt alia duo Nicaenum Athanasianum ad uberiorem explicationem fidei Azorius This Creed briefly comprehends the faith and all things to be beleived is as it were a signe or cognisance whereby Christian men are differenced from the ungodly and misbeleivers who have either no faith at all or hold not the right faith To this the other Creeds of Nice and Athanasius were added onely for further explanation d Jacob. Gordon Hunt Controv 2. cap. 10. num 10. Regula fidei continetur expressè in Symbolo Apostolorum in quo continentur omnia prima fundamenta fidei Neque enim adeò obliviosi fuerunt Apostoli post acceptum Spiritum S. ut in Symbolo fidei quod omnibus credendum tradiderunt praetermittereÌ„t primum praecipuum fidei fundamentum Huntley a Scottish Iesuite The rule of faith is expressely contained in the Apostles Creed wherein are contained all the prime foundations of faith For the Apostles were not so forgetfull as to omit any fundamentall point in that Creed which they delivered to be beleived by all Christians e Greg. de Val. in 2. 2. disp 1.
not the Catholique Church The Catholique Church and the Romane ignorantly or cunningly confounded The Catholique truely and really charitable and so the English but not so the Romane not to her owne children especially not to Protestants Of whom the Mistaker and others speake and thinke no better then of Infidells Though we entirely professe and embrace the Catholique faith in all the parts of it ROmane Catholiques affirme that Protestants cannot bee saued It matters not much what Romane Catholiques affirme They can affirme much more then they can proue many dreames and fancies are at this day affirmed to be Catholique verities and affirmed with great confidence For want of truth is vsually attended with want of modesty None so forward to affirme as they that haue least reason for their affirmations But strong affirmations are but weake proofes In the meane while the boldnesse of these Dogmatists in affirming so many things in Religion vpon so feeble grounds hath miserably distracted Christendome and lost vs the peace of the Church But doe all Romane Catholiques affirme this So the Mistaker seemes to implie by his indefinite assertion But sure the man is much mistaken It is indeed an old tradition in the Popes Court one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Maximes of the Iesuiticall Cabale subesse Romano Pontifici est de necessitate salutis that none but perfect Papalins can be saued But all Papists are not Courtiers nor as yet I hope fully Iesuited without doubt many learned and moderate men liuing in the outward Communion of that Church among the French Venetians and elsewhere doe beleeue that it is possible enough for Protestants to be saued since they beleeue in Iesus Christ though they beleeue not in the Pope Many of thē haue said so much in effect many more would happily say more if they might speake freely But though their thoughts are free their tongues are not Yet the Mistaker beleeues his masters the Iesuits who haue told him that God will exclude out of heauen all sorts and sects of men that are not as themselues fully and furiously Romanized No Protestant can be saued Here is a quicke purging Index for the Booke of Life Woe were it with mankinde if the Fathers of the Society had the keeping of that Booke Their sponge would quickely make it a blotted Catalogue Out into hell must all but themselues and their disciples so many as will not worship the I doll at Rome But our comfort is these men shall not be our Iudges at the last day Thankes be to God and our Lord Iesus Christ we shall stand or fall to our owne Master in whom we beleeue whom we desire to obey and whose we are who will blesse vs the rather for their vniust maledictions and censures These Fathers may doe well and so may their children and clients who are so fierce in passing such capitall sentences against vs to looke well to their owne finall great accounts What will become of them God onely knowes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to his judgement we leaue them Onely this we know that hee shall haue judgement Iam. 2. 13. without mercy that hath shewed no mercy And sure it will goe hard with them if that be true which the prudent Cardinall d'Ossat lieger for K. Henry IV. in the Epist 8. ◠Villeroy Court of Rome collected from their wicked doctrines and practises that notwithstanding their great pretensions of zeale yet indeed they beleeue neither in Iesus Christ nor the Pope For whatsoeuer he be Tros Tyriusue Catholique or Heretique if their Generall haue him in a jealousie hee must bee cut of from Earth and Heauen Witnesse Henry the Great of France who after his conversion to the Pope was strucke first in the mouth by one of their Disciples and at last in the heart by another And in that See Anticoton black Powder plot the eternall shame of Popery for the advancement of the Catholique cause Papists and Protestants both together since they could not be seuered pell mell must all bee blowne vp And that by the warrant and advise of these conscientious Casuists the Fathers But happily though they meant to kill their friends in that massacre yet they meant afterwards to put them in the Kalender intending first to martyr then to worship them which had beene honour and recompence sufficient for their slaughter But for all Protestants dying there or elsewhere they are sent packing to Hell for their doome is no Protestant can be saued But why may not a Protestant be saved There is no good Protestant but for matter of practice hee a Nehem. 1 11. desires to feare Gods name b Hab. 6. 1. repents for sinnes past and for the time to come hath a sincere c Act. 11. 23. purpose of heart to cleau vnto the Lord d Heb. 1◠18. willing in all things to keep a good conscience and to liue honestly obeying God in all his Commandements so far as humane frailtie will permit and for matter of faith he beleeues entirely the Scriptures the Catholique Creeds and whatsoever the Catholique Church in all ages hath beleeued as necessary to salvation All Papists in the world shall never be able to proue the contrary Eyther that we walke not according to these rules or that so walking mercy and peace shall not be upon vs as upon the Israel of God Nay since we are no further departed from the present Romane Church as our late most learned Soueraigne K. Iames professed then shee her selfe is departed from Scripture from Antiquitie and from her selfe in her best times shee is most vncharitable in condemning vs to Hell because we refuse to yeeld a blind obedience to her new dictates And the same damnatorie sentence which shee darts against vs involues equally and alike all truely Catholique Christians in the world with whom in substance we fully consent Surely in this furious rashnesse and rigor there is nothing of that sweet vertue of Charity which e 1. Cor. 13 4. 5. 6. S. Paul describes by other properties quite contrary to these But this is the wont of factious Zelotes to hate and damne all that approue not their fantasies and this angry vnmercifull passion they call Zeale to the holy cause and that which is meere malice must passe for pure Charity So it fares with the Mistaker and his fellowes the Iesuiters They take it ill that we charge them with want of Charity when in their hopes and desires for blessed be God they can doe it no otherwise they barre vs out of Heauen It seemes they would haue vs patiently to receiue their bloudy sentence of damnation and though they pronounce it against vs without authority and without reason yet wee must beleeue it is not without Charitie But he much mistakes Charity and the Iesuites who can beleeue thē to be Charitable Nay he must be a stranger in Europe in the world who can beleeue it Their owne
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
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
qu. 2. punct 4. in fin Articuli fidei in Symbolo contenti sunt veluti prima principia fidei Christianae in quibus continetur summa Euangelicae doctrinae quam omnes tenenrur explicitè credere Ita judicant Sancti Patres quum affirmant ab Apostolis compositum esse illud Symbolum fidei ur omnes haberent brevem summam corum quae sunt credenda sparsim continentur in Scripturis Gregory of Valence The Articles of the Creed are the first principles of Christian doctrine wherein the summe of the Gospell is comprized which all are bound expressely to beleive So say the Ancient Fathers that this Creed was framed by the Apostles to the end that all Christians might have a short abridgement of those things that must be beleeved f Vinc. Filiucius Moral Quaest Tract 22. c. 2. num 34. Nulla brevior accommodatior assignari potest regula in Ecclesia unde scire possunt fideles quaenam credenda sint populo Christiano explicitè eâ quae continetur in Symbolo cujus Articuli sunt prima rudimenta fidei Vincentius Filiucius There cannot be assigned a shorter and fitter rule of faith in the Church by which Christian people may be instructed in matters to be explicitely beleived then that which is contained in the Apostles Creed the Articles whereof are the first rudiments of our faith g Puteanus in 2. 2. Qu. 2. Art 3. Dub. ult Concl. ult Ideo Symbolum hoc fuit ab Apostolis compositum ut Christiani formam aliquam haberent quâ possent se Catholicos profiteri Ita D. Th. art 5. qu. hujus Puteanus late professor at Tholouse This Creed was made by the Apostles purposely that Christians might by this forme of faith professe themselves to be truly Catholiques as Aquinas here saith The great Cardinall of France h Instruction du Chrestien Leçon premiere Le Symbole des Apostres est le sommaire l'abbregé qu' ils ont faict de la foy necessaire au Chrestien Ces saincts personnages ayant receu commandement de Jesus Christ de s' espandre par tout le monde pour y prescher l'Evangile y planterla foy de toutes parts estimerent qu'il estoit du tout necessaire de reduire en abbregé ce que tout Chrestien doit sçavoir à fin que separiez en diverses parties du monde iâ—â— preschassent vne mesme chose ce d'autant plus aisé à retenir qu' elle seroit reduitte à peu Pour cét effect ils appellerent cét abbregé Symbole qui signifie marque signe parce qu' il leur servoit de marque pour distinguer les vrays Chrestiens qui l'embrassoient des infidelles quila rejettoient Richelieu in his Homelies published for the instruction of his Diocesse The Apostles Creed is the abridgement of that faith which is necessary for a Christian For those holy persons being by the commandement of Iesus Christ to disperse themselves over the world and in all parts by preaching the Gospell to plant the faith esteemed it very necessary to reduce into a short summe all that which Christians ought to know and believe to the end that being separated in diverse quarters of the earth they might all jointly preach one and the same faith in a forme short and briefe that it might be the better remembred Therefore they called this abridgemeÌ„t the Symbole that is a marke or signe which might serve to distinguish true Christians which embraced it from Infidels and misbeleevers It were easie to multiply testimonies to this effect out of their late ancient Schoole-Doctors if it were not tedious All agree that the Creed briefly comprehends all fundamentall principles or rudiments of faith that it is a distinctive note or Character severing Orthodox beleevers from Infidels and Heretiques that it is a full perfect and sufficient summary of the Catholique faith And their judgement herein seemes full of reason For how can it be necessary for any Christian to haue more in his Creed then the Apostles had and the Church of their times May the Church of after ages make the narrow way to heaven narrower then our Saviour left it Shall it be a fault to streiten and encomber the Kings high way with publique nuisances and is it lawfull by adding new Articles to the faith to retrench any thing from the latitude of the King of Heavens high way to eternall happinesse The yoke of Christ which he said was easie may it justly be made heavier by the Governours of the Church in after ages The Apostles professe they revealed to the Church the i Act. 20. 27. whole Counsell of God keeping backe nothing needfull for our salvation what tyranny then to impose any new unnecessary matters on the faith of Christians especially as the late Popes have done under that high commanding forme Qui non crediderit damnabitur If this may be done why then did our Saviour reprehend the Pharisees so sharpely for k Mat. 23. 4. binding heavy burdens and laying them upon mens shoulders And why did he teach them that in l Mat. 15. 30. vaine they worshipped God teaching for doctrines mens traditions And why did the Apostles call it a m Act. 15. 10. tempting of God to lay those things upon the neckes of Christians that were not necessary It is true to guard the depositum committed to her charge and to defend it and every part of it from the incursion of heretiques and to maintain the ancient sence of it against their new and adulterate glosses the Church hath authority and hereto shall not faile of assistance But to adde to it is high presumption almost as great as to detract from it All that can be replyed to this discourse is this that the whole faith of those times is not contain'd in the Apostles Creed which is all one as if a man should say This is not the Apostles Creed but a part of it For the Apostles and the Church of their times in giving it this name doe they not plainly tell us that the summe and substance of their Credenda is comprized in it For to call it Creed and to leave out of it any necessary Article of faith what had it been but to deceive the world The Ancient Church appointing her Infants to be instructed for matter of beleefe n De consecrdist 4. can Ante viginti Symbolum Baptizandos Nonliceat onely in the Creed admitting her Catechumens upoÌ„ their professioÌ„ of the Creed to baptisme into the nuÌ„ber of the faithfull exacting of strangers the same profession before they could be received into the CoÌ„munion of Catholiques did she not by all this evidently declare her judgement that the profession of this Creed and these Articles alone was an absolute profession of the Catholique faith Nay whereas the laudable custome of the Catholique Church required that each new o Marcus Ephesius in Concil Florent Sess
regula posita est cedat turiositas fidei Nihil ultrà scire est omnia scire This rule ordained by Christ is not questioned by any among us but by heretiques Valentinus Marcion and the like All beyond and beside this rule is but curiosity and exercise of wit The faith which saves consists in this rule Let curiosity yeeld to faith to know no more is to know all And a little d Ibid. cap. 8. Hoc primùm credimus nihil esse ultrà quod credere debeamus before This first of all we beleive that no more ought to be beleived as necessary to all e In Symb. initio fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanasius of his Creed received by the Catholique Church This is the sound Catholique faith If this be the Catholique faith then it is not onely a peece or parcell of it then there is no part of the Catholique faith besides or beyond this more or lesse then this The Fathers of the f Patres Concilii Chalced. Act. 5. in fine post recitata Symbola 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chalcedon Councell The Symbole is sufficient to the perfect knowledge and confirmation of piety Gregory the g Nazianz. Orat. 52. init 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divine It is a short breviary or boundary or rule of the faith and sence of Christians h Cyril Hierosol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catech. 4. Symbolum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iterum Cat. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrill of Hierusalem It is the summe of all necessary doctrines Againe That no soule might be lost through ignorance we have all the doctrine of faith comprized within the little compasse of the Creed which we must carefully conserve as the onely provision for our journey towards heaven regarding no other for point of beleife For herein are collected out of all the Scriptures the most usefull maine articles of our Religion and as a small graine of mustard seed containes within it selfe many branches so doth the Creed in a few sentences all the substance of godly knowledge revealed in the old and new Testament i Cyril Alexandr in Ep. ad Joan. Antioch cÃtatus à Marco Ephesio in CoÌ„cil Florent Sess 5. statuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The other Cyrill of Alexandria It is utterly unlawfull any way to alter by adding detracting one word or Syllable in the holy Creed k Epiphan in Exp. fideâ— Cath. num 19. exedit Petau 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphanus This confession is the pillar or foundation of truth our life our hope and the assurance of our immortall happinesse l Hil. ad Constan Aug. post confessam juratam in baptismo fidem noÌ„ oportet quicquaÌ„ aliud vel ambigere vel innovare Et mox Tutissimum est primam ac solam EuangelicaÌ„ fidem coâ—fessaÌ„ in baptismate intellectámque retinere Hilary of Poictiers After that faith which we all confessed and avowed in our Baptisme it is not fit to adde or innovate or doubt of any thing It is the safest course for all Christians to retaine constantly that first and sole confession of Evangelicall doctrine m Hier. ad Pam. Ep. 61. c. 9. In Symbolo fidei spei nostrae omue Christiani dogmatis Sacramentum concluditur in Prov. c. 2. lit 1. Fides dominica in Symbolo continetur quam se die baptismatis servaturum quisque promittit Hierome All the holy doctrine of Christianity is concluded within the Creed which is the profession of our faith hope which we all promised to keepe at our Baptisme n August de Symb. ad Catech lib. 3. c. 1. Noveritis hoc Symbolum esse fidei Catholicae fundamentum super quod aedificium surrexit Ecclesiae constructum manibus Apostolorum Prophetarum Idem August de Tem. Serm 115. Symbolum comprehensio est fidei nostrae atque perfectio simplex breve plenum ut simplicitas consulat audientium rusticicati brevitas memoriae plenitudo doctrinae totius Catholicae legis fides Symboli colligitur brevitate Serm. 119. Symbolum est breviter complex a regula fide ut mentem instruat nec oneret memoriam Serm. 131. Doctrina Symbols virtus est Sacramenti illuminatio animae plenitudo credentium breve est verbis sed magnum est Sacramentis parvum ostendens imminutione latitudinis sed totum continens compendio brevitatis exiguum est ut memoriam non obruat sed diffusum ut intelligentiam supercedat confirmans omnes perfectione credendi desiderio confitendi fiduciâ resurgendi Quicquid praefiguratum est in Patriarchis quicquid nunciatum est in Scripturis quicquid praedictum est in Prophetis totum hoc breviter Symbolum in se continet Eadem verba repetit Serm. 181. Serm. 181. Sancti Apostoli certam regulam fidei tradiderunt quam Symbolum vocaverunt per quam credentes Catholicam tenerent unitatem per quam haereticam convincerent pravitatem Illi enim in diversa ituri normam priùs sibi futurae praedication is in commune statuerunt ne diversum vel dissonum praedicarent his qui ad fidem Christi invitabantur arque hanc it a credentibus dandam esse regulam instituerunt Ambros Serm 38. de Iejun quadrag ad fin Duodecim Apostolorum Symbolo fides sancta concepta est qui velut periti artifices in unum convenientes clavem coelorum suo consilio conflaverunt Clavem enim quandam ipsum Symbolum â—ixerim per quod reserantur diaboli tenebrae ut lux Christi adveniat Ruffinus in praefat ad expos In his verbis Symboli Sp. S. nihil ambiguum nihil obscurum nihil à reliquis dissonans providit poni Apostoli enim discessuri breve istud futurae praedicationis unanimitatis fidei suae indicium fidei normam munimentum turrim in commune constituunt atque hanc credentibus dandam esse regulam statuunt Hoc indicium est seu tessera per quam agnoscitur is qui Christum vere secundùm Apostolicas regulas praedicat In Ecclesia urbis Romae mos servatur antiquus eos qui gratiam baptismi suscepturi sunt publicè i. e. fidelium populo audiente Symbolum reddere utique adiectionem unius saltem sermonis eorú qui precesserunt in fide non ad mittit auditus 〈◊〉 Rom. Epist 1. ex versione Ruffini ad med Apostoli discedentes ab invicem Symbolum condiderunt ut hance regulam per omnes gentes praedicarent summam totius fidei Catholicae recensentes in qua integritas credulitatis ostenditur Cunctis credentibus quae continentur in praefato Symbolo salus animarum vita perpetua bonis actibus praeparatur Leo. Ep. 13. ad fin Symbolum brevis est perfecta confessio instruct a munitione coelesti ut omnes haereticorú opiniones solo ipsius possint gladio detruncari Cujus Symboli plenitudineÌ„ si Eutyches puro simplicivoluisset corde concipere in nullo deviaret ib. Singulare est Sacramentum
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
answer but that these two Sacraments by reason of their dignity are specially so called which is all one to say that there are onely two principall Sacraments and many inferiours which is the very thing which is said by the Huguenots in other termes They say there are but two properly and we say there are but two principally Againe we say there are many inferiour Sacraments and they yeeld it if the name Sacrament be taken in a generall signification For Calvin saith that Order is a Sacrament and Melancthon sayes the same and moreover addes Penance Briefly they grant there are seven but not onely seven and in truth none of the ancient Fathers have ever found this number of seven 3. For the two principall Sacraments p Azor. par 1. l 10. 8. cap. 5. §. Praetereà dices Cur inter Articulos fidei non recenserur venerabile Eucharistiae Sacramentum Baptismi Respondeo cum S. Thomâ 2. 2. q. 1. a. 8. aâ— 6. Richardo 3. d. 25. a. 1. qu. 1 ad 4. eos articulos contineri includi in articulo fidei quo credimus unam sanctam Ecclesiam sanctorum Communionem remissionem peccaâ—orum nam per Sacramenta peccata remittuntur à Deo Azorius propounds his objection Why is not the Sacrament of the Eucharist and of Baptisme reckoned among the Articles of our faith and thus answers it out of Aquinas and others The two Sacraments are implied in the articles where we professe to beleive the holy Catholique Church the communion of Saints and the remission of sinnes The Creed of Nice expresses Baptisme by name I confesse one Baptisme for the remission of sinnes And the Eucharist being a seale of that holy Union which we have with Christ our Head by his Spirit and faith and with the Saints his members by Charity is evidently included in the Communion of Saints To the 3. we grant good works to be necessary in ordinary course to salvation and that a reward is due unto them not for any dignity in them or us but by divine dignation and by Gods free and gracious promise The faith which justifies is ever fruitfull of such good works a living a working faith But no wise man will put any confidence in the goodnesse of any works he will rather wholly cast himselfe on the mercies of God who for Christs sake accepts of our weake obedience pardons our sins Manes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and crownes us with happinesse This is properly the justifying of a sinner and this we beleive when we professe to beleeve the remission of sinnes wherein with the Scripture and all Antiquity we place our Iustification To the 4. The Creed is a rule of positive truths not a rejection of errors but onely by consequent or implication He that beleives aright in the Lord Almighty beleives all his creatures in themselves to be good and all his institutions to be holy and therefore cannot beleive either any meates to be in their nature polluted or marriage in any persons to be profane Many of the old heretiques who beleived so were men marveilously abused by the Father of lies especially the Manichees who had in them much more of the Infidell then of the Christian if they were not rather madmen according to the name of their Founder then Infidels Yet to do them no wrong it seemes by a Aug. de Mcrib Eccl. Manich lib. 2. c. 18. Hic non dubito vos esse clamaturos invidiámque facturos castitatem perfectam vos vehe menter coÌ„mendare atque laudare non tamen nuptias prohibere quaÌ„doquidem Auditores vestri quorum apud vos secundus est gradus ducere atque habere non prohibentur uxores Id. Epist 74. Auditores qui appellantur apud eos carnibus vescuntur agros colunt fi voluerint uxores habent quorum nihil faciunt qui vocantut Electi S. August they did not forbid meates or marriage as absolutely impure or to all onely their choice Elect ones must abstaine the other vulgar their Auditors were left at their liberty The Mistaker desires passionately to free his Church from this Manicheisme and if he can do it we desire not to finde her guilty But if She be not why is single life called Chastity and commended as an eminent degree of sanctimony why is marriage said to be in compatible with b Innocentius Papa dist 82. can Proposuisti Neque eos fas sit ad officia Sacra admitti qui exercent vel cum uxore carnale consortium quia scriptum est Sancti estote quoniam sanctus sum dixit Dominus holinesse or with c Id. ibid. Qui in carne sunt Deo placere non possunt Gods favour nay counted a d Pelagius Papa dist 61. can Catinensis Hominem qui necuxorem habeat nec liberos nec aliquod crimen canonibus inimicumeligi suadeas crime nay a e Bell. de Clericis cap. 19. §. Jam vero Non â—olum conjugium sacerdotum quod sacrilegium est non conjugium sed etiam Sanctorum matrimonium sine pollutione quâdam turpitudine non exercetur sacriledge worse then f Coster Enchirid. cap. de Coelib Sacerdos si forâ—itetur aut domi concubinam alat tamet si gravi sacrilegio se obstringat graviùs tamen peccat si contrahat matrimonium whoredome And for meates why is abstinence from flesh counted a perfect Christian fast yea holy and meritorious and why is he that eates flesh in Lent punished with a more grievous penance then he that commonly blasphemes the name of God or defiles his neighbours bed or abuses himselfe by drunkenesse or others by railing slandering c. To the 5. The Church of England questions not the sence of those Articles Shee takes them in the old Catholique sence and the words are so plaine they beare their meaning before them Men abounding with wit and idlenesse may seeke knotts in a bull rush and cast a mist over the most cleare truths It is by the RomaÌ„ Doctors that they are questioned who can neither agree with us nor with themselves g Contr. 5. q. 5. A. 1. Stapleton affirmes the Scripture is silent that Christ descended into hell and that there is a Catholique and an Apostolique Church h 4. de Christo c. 6. 12. Scripturae passim hoc docent Bellarmine on the contrary is resolute that the Article of the descent is every where in Scripture and i 2. 2. q. 1. A. 9. ad 1. Thomas grants as much for the whole Creed Then for the sence of that Article k Thom. p. 3. q. 52. A. 2. in Corp. Some hold Christ descended really into hell l Durand in 3. d. 22. q. 3. Others virtually onely and by effects And by Hell some understand the lowest pilt or the place of the damned as m 4. de Christo cap. 16. Bellarmine at first others the Limbus Patrum as n