necessary for him to believe it who hath such knowledge of it from the Word of God And because the holy Scriptures do promise everlasting life and salvation to all them which truely believe in Jesus Christ as he is revealed and manifested in them we thereby further argue and conclude thus That such doctrine of the Scripture is not onely necessary but also wholly sufficient unto salvation so that no other singular doctrine besides the holy Scripture is necessary unto salvation Which also the Primitive Church both in its doctrine and universal practice doth abundantly testifie that they held the sacred Scripture to be satisfactory unto salvation even for the most-able and best-learned men and the Five aforesaid Symbols or Fundamental Articles sufficient for all Unlearned Ignorant Christians as we could prove it by many evident testimonies of the Ancient Fathers which having heretofore already been done by many others we thought it superfluous to enlarge our selves therein at this present Whether and how far the Tradition and Doctrine of the Church is necessary Yet next and besides the Scripture we do not decline and reject the Word and Doctrine of the Church not as the principal Ground and rule of our Faith for that is meerly and solely grounded upon this Because the Lord said it but not upon this Because the Church or their teachers said it but as requisite means whereby the Word of God is preached and taught unto us and as a testimony of that what is declared therein Wherein notwithstanding we must exactly distinguish betwixt that what the whole Vniversal Christian Church hath with an unanimous Consent taught and believed out of the Word of God at all times especially in the Primitive times and that what perhaps but one or other Particular Church hath taught in the later times Whatsoever the whole Christian Church especially in the first hundred yeers immediately after the Apostles hath unanimously taught and believed out of the Word of God as necessary unto salvation that same is an Infallible mark and testimony that it is certainly and undoubtedly the true sense and meaning of the Word of God and consequently is necessary for all Christians to believe and receive it Because there is no doubt but the true Primitive Church beside the holy Scripture hath received also from Christ himself and his Apostles the true sense and meaning thereof at least in all necessary Fundamental Points of the Christian doctrine Contrariwise whatsoever the Primitive Church hath not taught that same is an evident signe and testimony that it is not so expresly set down in the holy Scripture that all Christians of necessitie should know and believe it unto salvation because many thousands of the Primitive and best Christians have been saved without such doctrine But this testimony of the Primitive Church of whatsoever it hath taught or not taught is of such a nature that it is not to be understood by all Christians but onely by those who are well versed and have read the Volumes of the Ancient Fathers which even very few of the Teachers and Ministers are able to do Wherefore the greater part of Christians especially when the doctrine and meaning of the Primitive Church is drawn into Controversie ought to fix themselves and adhere closely to the evident testimony of the holy Scripture without which they cannot have any certain ground of their faith and salvation For whatsoever not the Universal onely but one or some Particular Churches have believed and taught especially in the later times whether it were done in their Councils and Synods or else by their publike Confessions or other writings doctrines and witnesses that very same though it is a testimony of the belief and doctrine of the particular Churches yet it cannot oblige other Churches or generally all Christians nor be necessary for all unto salvation neither ground and confirm their faith any further then the certain and indubitable Word of God hath demonstrated unto them and they themselves have received it as consonant and agreeable to Scripture Since it is granted on all sides that the particular Churches may erre in their own particular opinions and that the Christian Faith must not be grounded upon the word of one particular Church but meerly and onely upon the Word of God Neverthelesse the Word and Authority of the particular Churches doth binde at least their fellow-members thus far that they ought not rashly to contradict their doctrine and declarations unlesse it be contradicted by a more evident testimony of Gods Word and by an Unanimous doctrine of the Primitive Church For otherwise this would prove a Presumptuous judging or at least an Unnecessary scandalous contradicting We hope now Why not a certain specifâ—â—â—tion may be made of all the Points of Doctrine that are necessary unto salvation by all these things that are said it doth plainly and manifestly appear What and how far it is necessary and not necessary unto salvation although we do not specifie all points of Doctrine nor precisely determinate what and how much might be necessary and sufficient to every one in particular which is almost impossible to do for these Reasons First because we cannot directly know how far the capacitie of every one or the most unlearned and ignorant Christians and how far Gods mercy may reach and extend above their understanding and therefore ought not rashly to condemn any man in his ignorance to whom peradventure God may shew mercy Secondly because none can obtain a true knowledge and faith in Christ but he must somewhat strive and labour for it that he may encrease and thrive therein Like as we cannot describe and set a certain measure to the height and bignesse of a young childe because yet it must needs daily grow if it be alive and in health till it hath attained his full and perfect age so may we neither circumscribe and limit any Christians knowledge within a certain measure because he ought to grow and augment still in the knowledge faith and doctrine of Christ if he be a true Christian till he is come to a perfect man of stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4.13 Thirdly because we cannot fail sooner in any thing then when we presume to regulate and measure all other mens capacities by the measure of our own understanding and do imagine that what peradventure we think to be clear and evident in the Word of God that very same must likewise be as clear to all others and therefore as certain and necessary for all which is also the chief and principal reason of all Unseasonable judging in matter of faith yea the source and fountain of all divisions and dissentions in the Church of God Wherefore it is sufficient for our purpose to know in general which no Christian can deny That all and onely that is necessary unto salvation what necessarily belongeth to the saving Faith in Christ which worketh by love and cannot subsist without true repentance
of Monks and Nunnes but in stead thereof we teach that the revenues of Monasteries ought rather to be converted to the use of miserable poor wretches that are not able to work or employed for the maintenance of Churches and Schools That we give liberty for Marriage both to Ecclesiasticks and Laicks nor use the Confirmation and Extreme unction or the holy Orders for making Ministers in such a manner as it usually is amongst them That we permit no Temporal Jurisdiction or Dominion to our Spiritual Pastors nor will have them submit to a Supreme and Universal Pope neither exempt them from the jurisdiction and judicature of civil Magistrates and such like observations and assertions of their exteriour Worship Will they therefore I say judge and condemn us as hereticks it is fit then to prove first by certain and undeniable Arguments and Warrants and such which we may understand and satisfie our consciences withal that the said Points are necessary to the saving Faith and Obedience of Christ Except they would yeeld and confesse that they do condemn us for unnecessary things But now the Papists themselves will hardly affirm the aforesaid Points the Images the Invocation of the Saints the Indulgences c. to be directly and in themselves necessary unto salvation They commend and extol onely their singular good use and benefit but do not enjoyn their necessity Or in case they would in one or other point as in the Auricular confession Adoration of the consecrated Hostia c. intrude a necessity yet they cannot make it appear so upon any pretence nor ground But we may have evident proofs from the Word of God to the contrary that they are not necessary because they were not used by the Apostles and Primitive Christians Likewise in Points of Controversies and articles of Faith and Doctrine That we have the affiance and assurance to be justified and saved before God not through our own merits and satisfaction but onely through meer mercy and grace by a true and lively faith in the onely perfect Sacrifice of propitiation and merits of our Lord Jesus Christ That also in the whole work of our conversion and salvation we ascribe nothing at all to our own natural strength of free-will but all to the meer grace and assistance of God without which we are able to do nothing that is good how can they then condemn us as hereticks for it whereas they must at length confesse themselves Bellarm. lib. 5. de Justificat cap. 7. Propos 2 3. this to be the safest and surest way not to confide and trust in our own strength works merits but onely in Gods meer grace and mercy and the precious merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ If this be the surest way we must certainly and necessarily conclude that our Doctrine in this point is not heretical nor damnable and their Doctrine of own merits and strength not necessary unto salvation but rather that our Doctrine is the surest and safest whereby all honour and praise is denied to man and attributed to God alone and their Doctrine dangerous and pernicious ascribing all honour to man and denying it to God Moreover that we cannot be induced to believe the transformation of the bread or Transubstantiation as they call it in the Supper of the Lord or a true Sacrifice though without blood of the transubstantiated Body and Blood of Christ both for the quick and the dead or the Purgatory They cannot condemn us for unlesse they do convince us first that such Doctrines are necessary unto salvation so that Christs Sacrifice upon the Crosse and the Spiritual eating thereof profiteth us nothing and the Blood of Christ cannot cleanse us from sins except we believe also the Sacrifice of Masse and the Purgatory which neverthelesse I hope they will not assert or never be able to prove since they partly confesse themselves that they could not have been assured in those and such like points onely by the words of our Lord Jesus unlesse the declaration and determination of the Church had given to them satisfaction therein And this is their main Objection Whether such Points of Doctrine though not necessary in themselves are yet necessary for all Christians by reason of the determination of the Church That the afore-mentioned and such like Controversies of their Doctrine and Religion though they be not directly and in themselves necessary unto salvation yet are necessary even for this reason Because they have been thus taught and ordained by the Catholike Church which ought to be believed and obeyed in all things But here we ask first the question What they mean by the Catholike Church If they understand the Universal Christian Church which since the Apostles hath been at all times and in all places dispersed as the word Catholike doth imply it then we confesse as we have already declared it heretofore that whatsoever it teacheth with one accord as necessary unto salvation to be undoubtedly necessary But they themselves will not assert this of most of the aforesaid Points and though they should assert it of some yet can they not prove it neither from the Word of God nor by the true and undoubted Writings of the Ancient Fathers Whereas by this very same ground we can rather make appear the contrary that the most and principal points thereof must be either false and erroneous or at least unnecessary because they have not been taught thus in the Primitive Church Neither hath the Primitive Church ever presumed and taken upon it self such a power as if it might or should teach or ordain some new Doctrine unto salvation and so impose on the Christians a heavier yoke and prescribe them a narrower way to salvation then it hath received from Christ and the Apostles Whereby also consequently is made void whatsoever they object concerning the Vnwritten Word of God being not able to produce any certain ground or warrant that it was received by the Primitive Church Although otherwise we do not absolutely reject the Traditions of the Church which either are grounded upon the Scripture or are counted onely as Useful Ordinances of the Church and not as necessary unto salvation Constat omnem doctrinam quae cum illis Ecclesiis Apostolicis matricibus originalibus fidei conspiret veritati deputandam id sine dubio tenentem quod Ecclesia ab Apostolis Apostoli à Christo Christus à Deo suscepit reliquam verò omnem doctrinam de mendacio praejudicandam Tertull. de Praescr c. 21. Ex ipso ordine manifestatur id esse Dominicum verum quod sit prius traditum id autem extraneum falsum quod posterius immissum Id. 32. Viderint qui Stoicum Platonicum Dialecticum Christianismum protulerunt nobis curiositate non est opus post Jesum Christum nec inquisitione post Evangelium Cùm credimus nihil desideramus ultra credere Hoc enim prius credimus non esse quod ultra
credere debeamus Id. de Praesc c. 7. Adversus universas hereses jam hine praejudicatum sit id esse verum quodcunque primum id esse adulterum quodcunque posterius Id. contr Praxean c. 2. Si solus Christus audiendus est non debemus attendere quid alius ante nos faciendum putaverit sed quid qui ante omnes est Christus prior fecerit Neque enim hominis consuetudinem sequi oportet 〈◊〉 Dei veritatem Cypr. Ep. 63. Si ad Divinae traditionis caput originem revertamur cessat error humanus Vt si vitio interrupti aut bibuli canalis effectum est quò minus aqua jugiter flueret ad fontem pergitur Ita si in aliquo mutaverit vacillaverit veritas ad originem Dominicam Evangelicam Apostolicam traditionem revertamur inde surgat actus nostri ratio unde ordo origo surrexit Id. Ep. 74. Ea facienda esse quae scripta sunt Deus testatur Si ergò aut in Evangelio praecipitur aut in Apostolorum Epistolis aut in Actibus continetur c. observetur divina haec Sancta traditio c. Quae ista obstinatio est quaeve praesumptio humanam traditionem divinae dispositioni anteponere nec animadvertere indignari irasci Deum quoties Divina praecepta solvit praeterit humana traditio Id. Ep. 74. Quod Stephanus Episcopus Romanus dixit Quasi Apostoli hoc posteris tradiderint plenissimè vos respondistis neminem tà m stultum esse qui hoc credat Apostolos tradidisse Firmilianus ad Cypr. Ep. 75. Eos qui Romae sunt non ea in omnibus observare quae sint ab origine tradita frusta Apostolorum autoritatem praetendere scire quis inde potest quod circa celebrandos dies Paschae circa multa alia Divinae rei Sacramenta videat apud illos aliquas diversitates Ibid. Inter haec fidei naufragia coelestis patrimonii jam penè profligatâ haereditate tutissimum nobis est primam solam Evangelicam fidem confessam in Baptismate intellectamque retinere nec demutare quod solum acceptum atque auditum habes bene credere Hilar. ad Constantium Ecclesia Christi quae habitat bene in toto orbe Ecclesias possidens spiritus unitate conjuncta est habet urbes Legis Prophetarum Evangelii Apostolorum non est egressa de finibus suis id est de Scripturis sanctis sed coeptam retinet possessionem Vos autem ô Haeretici non in Scripturis sed in vicinia Scripturarum domum vestram jam non risu sed planctu dignam lacrymis construxistis Hierony 1 cap. Mich. Quae absque autoritate testimoniis Scripturarum quasi traditione Apostolicâ sponte reperiunt atque confingunt percutit gladius Dei Id. in cap. 1 Hagg. In Catholica Ecclesia magnoperè curandum est ut id teneamus quod ubÃque quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum est Hoc est etenim propriè veréque Catholicum quod ipsa vis nominis ratióque declarat Vincent Licin Commonitor 2. cap. 3. Annunciare aliquid Christianis Catholicis videlicet ut partem Evangelii ad salutem necessarii praeter id quod acceperunt ab Apostolis nunquam licuit nunquam licet nunquam licebit Et anathematizare eos qui annunciant aliquid praeterquam quod semel acceptum est nunquam non oportuit nunquam non oportet nunquam non oportebit Id. cap. 14. ex Gal. 1.9 But if they by the Catholike Church do not understand the Universal Church at all times but onely the Modern Church or which hath been in these last hundred yeers yea if they do not comprise the Modern Universal Churches of all Christian Nations not those in Greece and others in the East but onely mean the Romish Church and not the whole Romane Church neither or those that call themselves Romish in France Spain and other places but onely the Pope and the Prelates of the Romane Church for this is properly the Church Ecclesia representativa to which the absolute power and decision in matters of Religion is ascribed not to the Laicks yea not to the common Ecclesiasticks Then ask we further this question How and wherewith they will convince our Consciences that whatsoever this Church which is to say The Pope with his Prelates teacheth and ordaineth must therefore be necessary to salvation and even in those things whereof they confesse themselves that God hath not commanded them in his Word neither have been taught or ordained thus in the Primitive Apostolike Church Whereas we may rather demonstrate that God hath plainly ordained the contrary in his Word that we should not adore and worship the Images that we should not call upon the Creatures that we all that eat of the Bread of the Lord shall drink also of the Cup c. And yet notwithstanding Gods Ordinance shall we be obliged to believe and obey the Doctrine and Tradition of this Church to the hazard and danger of our salvation And that onely upon its bare word because it boasteth that it cannot erre and that it applieth every thing to it self which is spoken of the Catholike Church or of the Apostle Peter in the Scripture Pray what is this else but to exalt the Church or the Pope under the name of the Church above God and his Word May we not rather say to them with Peter Act. 4.19 Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more then unto God judge ye Being our Lord Jesus Christ hath exempted us from the necessitie of the Mosaical Ceremonial Law how much more then from such humane Traditions which under the name of Peters Successors or of the Church are urged as a necessary Point of the Christian Religion either without any warrant from Gods Word or against it By all which I hope it doth sufficiently appear that the chief controversies betwixt the Romane Catholike and our Churches concern not any new Doctrine which we have introduced on our side nether the true Primitive Catholike doctrine which since Christ and the Apostles hath been professed with one accord of the Primitive Church for this very same we are ready and willing to receive in every point yea we have received it already and wish nothing more but that the Romish Church might adhere closely to it without any addition But that the whole dispute and difference is meerly concerning such Doctrines and Traditions of the Modern Romane Church whereof the Primitive Church since the Apostles times in the first Three and Four hundred yeers and more either knew nothing at all or hath taught and practised the contrary or though it hath made use of some such ceremonies and observations yet held them no ways for necessary Points of the Christian Religion unto salvation but onely as free exercises of devotion which afterwards neverthelesse have been converted into maifold abuses against their first intention as
particular man or to a Nation though by nature equally corrupted in sins hath shewed more grace towards their repentance and salvation then to another Or Why God hath not predestinated all men unto life or converted and saved them all which according to his Omnipotency he was well able to do And such like things which are not onely curious and unnecessary but vain presumptuous unprofitable question to which we cannot return a better answer then the Apostle did He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy viz. out of meer grace and whom he will he hardneth viz. out of just Judgement But O man who art thou that repliest against God Rom. 9. v. 18 20. O how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11. v. 33. But whosoever will not be satisfied with this answer of the Apostle he will have as little cause to condemn thereby us and our Church as to judge the Apostle himself or the ancient Fathers Augustine Prosper Fulgentius and others who have taught this same against Pelagius Or as the Jesuites their Dominican-Friars Or as the Modern Lutherans their own Doctor Luther and some other ancient Lutherans who have taught this very same doctrine and yet partly used harsher expressions then ever was done of our side 7. Of Christs Destension into Hell Seventhly For as much as concerneth the Article of Christs descension into Hell We must first know that this Point hath not been formerly expressed by all Churches in the Universal Symbol or Creed as not onely Ruffinus about four hundred yeers after Christ in Expositione Symboli doth testifie that then this Article was not in use either in the Romish or Eastern Churches but also is omitted by many ancient Fathers and in the Nicene Creed it self From whence it is that some Popish Divines hold this Article not generally necessary for all men unto salvation Si nomine Articuli intelligamus veritatem quam omnes fideles explicitè scire ac credere teneantur Sic non existimo necessarium hunc computare inter Articulos Fidei Quia non est res admodum necessaria singulis hominibus quia ob hanc fortasse causam in Symbolo Nicaeno omittitur Suarez Tom. 2. in 3. part Thom. disp 43. sect 2. Neverthelesse Being it is grounded upon the Scripture specially upon the 16th Psalm and Act. 2. we call it not into question though not onely we amongst our selves but also the ancient Fathers and also the Papists and Lutherans do much differ in their explications where for our part we ought to distinguish betwixt that which by most certain Warrants of Gods Word is undeniable and necessary to beleeve and that which is uncertain and doubtful The Papists commonly interpret it of Limbus Patrum A Lake for the souls of the beleeving Patriarchs and our Forefathers of the Old Testament from whence Christ by his going down thereunto hath loosed and fetched them forth Now suppose that this opinion were true and certain though the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church do not agree in it yet it could not be necessary unto our salvation neither would yeeld to us any profit or comfort since it doth onely concern the faithful Patriarchs Much lesse is it necessary for our salvation that Christ is really with his soul descended into the Hell of the damned as some even of the ancient Fathers deemed that he preached to the damned in Hell and delivered some out of it which conjecture simply arose from the misapprehension of the words of the Apostle Peter 1. Pet. 3. v. 19 20. and 4. v. 6. These two opinions now if not as erroneous and false yet as uncertain and doubtful and as not necessary unto salvation laid aside At least thus much is undeniable and undoubted that Christ is descended into Hell virtualiter as Thom. Aqu. and other School-Authors and Divines interpret it which is to say powerfully and effectually where he by his death during three dayes and his ensuing Resurrection hath not onely destroyed the place of Hell for the damned but the Kingdom and power of Hell for the faithful and godly led captivity captive and disabled the Hellish spirits of all power over us But whether even this is meant by the going down to Hell expressed in the Creed is to be doubted of for this reason because the place of the 16th Psalm and 2d of Acts whereon this Article chiefly is grounded speaketh rather of the lowest degree of humiliation from whence he hath been exalted by his Resurrection then of the beginning of his exaltation Likewise it is without Controversie granted that Christ hath suffered for our sins not onely in his Body but also in his Soul unspeakable torments which in the Scripture are called the pains and sorrows of Hell Psalm 18. and 116. 1 Sam. 2.6 So that many of our Divines have extracted this construction and sense out of this Article Yet not so as if Christ had suffered in his Soul the very pains of the damned or any despaire as the Papists by mis-construction of their words do charge them withall but that he in his Soul out of a tender affection towards us suffered as great pains distresse and sorrows for our sins and Gods wrath against us which he took upon him to appease as if they had been his own sins or we our selves should suffer for our sins in Hell Which no wayes can be accounted for a new erroneous and damnable Doctrine being grounded upon so evident Warrants of the Word of God Psalm 22. and 69. and 88. Jes 53. Matth. 26. v. 37 38. and 27. v. 46. Luke 22. v. 44. Heb. 5. v. 7. And accordingly taught not onely by the ancient Fathers but also the Popish School-Divines Medina Suarez Thom. Aquin. in part 3. quaest 49. art 6. And although no Christian can make any scruple of the distresse and pains Christ suffered in his Soul yet a great many of our Divines move here the Question and not without reason Whether this is the very meaning of the Article expressed in the Creed or of the aforementioned places in the 16th Psalm and 2d of Acts because those pains took their end upon the Crosse and therefore are comprehended in the Articles of the Passion and Crucifixion but the loosing from the bonds of Death and Hell whereof David and the Apostle speaketh was fulfilled by his Resurrection Wherefore others understand by this Article The Burial by reason that both the Hebrew Sheol and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie in the Scripture the Grave or Sepulchre whereof the aforealledged places do speak and that also the Ancients formerly omitted the Article of Christs Burial when this Article was put into the Creed Others interpret it generally of the estate and condition Christs Soul was in during three dayes that like other souls it departed out of this World till the third day and according to the ordinary Phrase of the Scripture was gathered unto his Fathers For