taken from the former definition of fayth as that the Apostle himselfe presently after the former wordes beginning to instance in the seuerall obiects of fayth among diuers other examples setteth downe that to belieue Noas flood or the deluge of the world by water for sinne is an article of fayth for thus he sayth By fayth Noah hauing receaued an answere concerning those thinges which as yet were not seene fearing framed the Arke for the sauing of his house 16. But to proceed further if the articles of the Trinity the Incarnation and the like be the only essentiall points of a true Christian fayth it is more then wounderfull that the Apostle vndertaking to set downe the true definition of an auaileable fayth and exemplifying it in seuerall obiects should wholely and silently omit the sayd articles of the Trinity Incarnation Passion c. he in that chapter not expressely speaking one word of them And thus much touching the definition of fayth giuen by the Apostle from which definition we conclude that who seeketh to haue a true fayth necessary to saluation besides the mysteryes of the Trinity the Incarnation c. must belieue diuers other dogmaticall articles of Christian Religion And therefore answearably heerto we assure our selues that when our Sauiour sayd He (q) Marc 16. that beleeueth not shal be condemned He did speak of the belieuing at least implicitly of the whole corps of Christian fayth and doctrine and not only of any one part thereof for so in this latter manner it would be both false absurd In like sort where our Blessed Sauiour in the same chapter sayth to his Apostles Preache the Ghospell to all Creatures He did vnderstand the whole Ghospell which contayneth many other points besides the Trinity Incarnation Passion c. 17. In this next place we will descend to those passages of holy Scripture which do much magnify the efficacy and vertue of fayth And accordingly hereunto we find it is sayd He (r) Mare vltimo that beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued but he that beleeueth not shal be condemned Againe our Sauiour sayd to the blind men praying to receaue their sight According (s) Mat. 9. to your fayth be it vnto you And further Without (t) Heb. 11. fayth it is impossible to please God And more Our fayth is the victory which ouercōmeth the world 1. Ioan. 1.5 Now in these many other such texts for breuity omitted I demaund what fayth is vnderstood or meant If it be answered a true entyre and perfect fayth belieuing al points of Christian Religion proposed by Gods Church it is true and that which I seeke heere to proue if an vnperfect and mungrill fayth beleeuing some point of Christian Religion and reiecting others and so an erroneous fayth being partly false and partly true I say it can neuer deserue these prayses giuen by the Euangelists and Apostles neither can it produce such supernatural effects aboue specifyed no more then darkenes can produce light since Truth himselfe hath taught vs that (u) Luc. 6◠we cannot gather figges of thornes nor grapes of bushes 18. Now in this third place we will touch that inseparable attribute of true Christian fayth which is vnity in fayth and doctrine This marke is so indissolubly annexed to the true fayth of Christ as that we find his Apostles euer ready most seriously to inculcate the same to their disciples Thus accordingly the Apostle exhorteth the Ephesians saying Be you (x) Ephe 4. careful to keep the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace And immediately againe There z is one Lord one fayth one Baptisme Where we see that vnity in fayth is expressely set downe As also in another place I beseech (a) 1. Cor. ◠you that you all speake one thing bee you knit togeather in one mind and one iudgment and as this was the exhortatiō of the Apostle so we read that the first belieuers followed the same of whō S. Luke Acts c. 4. thus sayth The multitude that beleued were of one hart one soule And hēce it proceedeth that the Church of Christ which comprehendeth the professours of this vnanimous fayth is styled by Gods holy writ to be one (b) Rom. 12. Cant. 6. Ioan. 10. body one spouse and one flocke of sheep a truth so euident as that besides the frequent testimonyes of (c) Atha orat 1. con Aria Chrys op imperf in Mat. ho. 20. Tert. de praescript Irenaeus d. 1. c. 5. confirming the same euen the Protestants do subscribe in iudgment hereunto For thus Luther himselfe to omit others writteth A (d) Tom. 3. Wittē in psal 5. fol. 166. kingdome deuided in it selfe shall not stand neyther haue any Heretikes at any tyme beene ouercome by force or subtilty but by mutuall dissention neyther doth Christ fight with them otherwayes then with a spirit of giddines and disagreement 19. Now then this vnity of fayth is so to be vnderstood as that it is not repugnant therto that one and the same point should at one tyme not be houlden as necessarily to be beleeued the which after it hath vndergone a definitiue and sententionall decree of Gods Church is necessarily to be belieued As for example it was not necessary in the beginning of Christianity to beleeue that the booke of the Machabees the Epistle of S. Iames S. Iude the second epistle of S. Peter the 2. and 3. of S. Iohn to be Canonicall Scripture till they were defined so to be by the third Councell of Carthage Can. 47. at which S. Augustine was present But after this Councell had by the assistance of the holy Ghost defined them to be Canonicall then it was and is heresy to deny them to be Cononical And the reason of this disparity is because it is Gods good pleasure and wisedome not to reueale to his Church al articles of fayth in the beginning and at one tyme but at seuerall tymes and vpon seuerall occasions as to his diuine maiesty best seemeth expedient Thus the fayth of a Christian is capable of dilatation and of a more lardge vnfoulding or exposition but not of any contrariety in beliefe change or alteration And thus to insist in the former example it may well stand with Christian fayth in the beginning not to accept the former bookes for canonicall till the authority of the Churche had pronounced them for such but it standeth not with true fayth that one man should positiuely beleeue as an articie of fayth that the Machabees and the rest of the bookes aboue specifyed are not canonical Scripture but the prophane writtinges of man And another man should at the same tyme beleeue as an article of fayth that they are canonicall Scripture since the one of these contrary beliefes must be Heretical 20. This verity then of the vnity of fayth being warranted by the word both of God and man as is aboue sayd we will take into our consideration the Catholike and
doe with all seruour and earnestnes maintaine that the church of Christ cannot erre and that what she defineth for truth is most true or what for Heresy or falsehood is hereticall and to be condemned 3. This basis or foundation of the Churches not erring being thus firmely layd we are herevpon to conclude that what points of Religion the Catholike Church of Christ hath condemned for heresies the same are by vs to be reputed for heresies since the Churches cōdemnation or approbation is most infallible the maintainours of the sayd heresies for heretikes and consequētly that such heretikes as departing out of the Church of God by their houlding of the sayd hereticall opinions cannot be saued Now because the iudgmēt of the Church in matters of fayth is by the aknowledgment of all sides discouered two wayes first by the sentence of generall Councells secondly by the frequent attestations of the chiefe doctors of the Church in euery age in their particuler writings they not being contradicted therein by any other orthodoxall Fathers or doctors of the same age I will therefore distributiuely handle both these wayes shewing that both by generall Councels and also by the particuler iudgment of the learned Fathers many opinions though not touching the Trinity the Incarnatiō the Passion or the expresse articles of the Apostles Creed haue bine condemned for plaine heresies and the belieuers of them anathematized for Heretikes 4. And first to begin with Councells the infallible authority of which euen Christ himself hath by his own words often ratifyed as where he sayth VVhere (k) Math. 18. two or three much more when many hūdred venerable Bishops are gathered together in my name I am in the midst of thē And againe speaking to his Church and in it to the assembled Doctours and Pastours thereof I am (l) Math. 28. with you all dayes euen to the consumation of the world Which councels are euer directed and gouerned by the holy Ghost according to those wordes in the Acts Visum est (m) c. 15 Spiritui sancto nobis It hath seemed good to the holy Ghost and vs. And therefore are worthily receaued admitted for the supremest sentence of Gods Church not only by the ancient (n) Atha epist ad Epictetū Aug. epi. 162. Nazianz oratione in Athanasium Cyrill l. de Trinitate c. Fathers but euen by the more learned Protestants since to omit others one of the most remarkable of them thus writeth Synods (o) D. Bilson in his perpetual gouermēt pag. 370. are an externall iudiciall meanes to discerne errour the supremest meanes to decyde doubts But to proceede The Councell of Nice was celebrated though principally for the repressing of the heresy of Arrius denying the diuinity of Christ yet withall touching the Controuersy of keeping the feast of Easter as is apparent out of (p) D. Bilson supra pag. 374. Eusebius (q) Lib. 3. de vita Constantini Athanasius and (r) De synodis Ariminis Seleuciae Epiphanius Now this Councel pronounceth Anathema to al those who besides their denying of the diuinity of Christ shall deny that the feast of Easter was not to be kept according to the custome of the church but according to the custome of the Iewes And these heretikes were called Quartodecimani Heres 70. Andianorū of whom see Tertul. l. de prescrip Augustine heresis 29. And here we are to vnderstand that the worde Anathema vsed and pronounced by this Councell which word is also almost euery where vsed in all their general Coūcells signifyeth asmuch as accursed and in this sense we find this word Anathema to be vsed by the Apostle in seueral (t) Epist ad Rom. 9.1 Cor. 12. c. places so as when a Councel pronounceth Anathema to any for belieuing such and such heresies or not belieuing such and such true doctrines it intendeth to say that those men so doing are to be accursed and abandoned from God But no man is to be accursed or abandoned from God for belieuing or not belieuing points of indifferency but for belieuing of such errours as cannot stand with his soules saluation 5. Also you shall reade Act. 15. of the Councell assembled in the Apostles time the occasion and reason thereof was for that certaine contentious men maintaining that the Gentiles cōuerted to the Christian fayth might eate meats offered vp to Idols blood and strangled beasts contrary to the custome of the Iewes the Apostles being assembled bearing with the weaknes of the Iewes in the infancy of the Church decreed the prohibition of eating blood and strangled meates After which decree once established it is certaine that it had bine a mortall sinne immediatly to haue eaten of blood and strangled meates so as before it being a point of indifferency is now made necessary This appeareth from the text first from those wordes Certaine going forth from vs haue troubled you with wordes subuerting your soules But men do neyther depart out of the Church by maintaintng certaine opinions nor by their example therein can they subuert other mens soules if their doctrine and practise thereof do stil remaine about things indifferent Secondly from that other passage It hath seemed good to the holy Ghost and vs to lay no further burthen vpon you then these necessary thinges where we find that the prohibition of such meates is ranged by the Apostles in regard of those tymes amoung those things which are necessary Againe neyther would the Apostles haue gathered themselues so solemly neither would they haue ascribed the decreeing of it to the worke of the holy Ghost if the subiect of the question and difficulty then discussed of by them had concerned matters only of indifferency 6. Now from the example of this Councell I do gather that if a Councell by its owne authority may decree that the eating of certaine meates being otherwayes of their owne nature indifferently to be eaten without sinne shal be vnlawful and shall repute and hould the impugners thereof for men departed from out of the Church of Christ then a fortiori what doctrine soeuer a Councell shall condemne of its owne nature for heresy the same is to be reputed by all good Christians for heresy and the defendours thereof for Heretikes 7. The third Councell of (u) Cau. 47. Carthage wherat S. Augustine was present decreed that the booke of the Maccabees with some other bookes should be acknowledged as canonicall and pronounceth an Anathema and condemnation to all those who should not belieue them as canonicall scripture from whence it may be concluded that seeing the booke of the Machabees teacheth prayer for the dead that therefore this Councell alloweth this doctrine and condemneth the contrary doctrine for heresy 8. The doctrine of the Nouatians who taught that there was not power in the Church to reconcile men to God but only by Baptisme excluding and denying thereby the sacrament of Pennance was condemned with the
new opinions and so therby do separate themselues from the Church therefore this word Haeresis loosing its former generall signification is restrained by the Apostles and the ancient Fathers through an Ecclesiasticall vse and acceptance which course we finde houlden in diuers other wordes as the wordes Apostolus Christus Baptisma and many other now taken by the Church in a secondary acceptiō to signify any false and new opinion or Religion of which a man maketh choyce and pertinaciously defendeth it against the Church of God the maintainours thereof are commonly stilled Heretikes Thus Heresy in its true and Ecclesiasticall definition is any false opinion touchinge fayth and Religion contumaciously defended against God and his Church This definition I meane in taking the word Haeresis and Haereticus in this restrained sense is warranted by the Apostle by the ancient Fathers And lastly to omit the like acknowledgement of the Catholikes by the learned Protestants By the Apostle for thus we find him to say There must be Heresies among you that they which are approued among you may be knowne 1. Cor. 11. As also A man that is an Heretike after the first and second admonition auoide Tit. 3. And finally Those which were of the heresy of the Sadduces laid hands vpon the Apostles Act. 5. 2. By the ancient Fathers For S. Hierome in cap. 3. ad Tit. shewing the difference between heresy and schisme thus defineth heresy Haeresis est quae peruersum dogma habet Heresy is that which containeth a peruerse and froward opinion And S. Augustine in like manner lib. de fide simbolo cap. 10. defineth heresy in these wordes Haeretici sunt qui de Deo falsa sentiendo fidem violant Heretikes are those who do violate their fayth by houlding false opinions touching God By the Protestants for to name one or two among many M. Ormerod a most forward Protestant thus defineth an Heretike He is an Heretike who so swarueth from the wholesome doctrine as contemning the iudgment of God and the Church persisteth in his opinion Dialog 2. with whome conspireth D. Couell saying Heretikes are they who directly gaine-say some article of our fayth Exam. p. 199. 3. Now out of this former definition of heresy I am to premonish thee good Reader of two points first that euery heresy is maintained with obstinacy against the Church of God and therfore the maintainours thereof are sayd by the Apostle that they went out of vs 1. Ioan. 2. that is out of Gods Church and for the same reason the Apostle pronounceth an Heretike to be condemned by his owne iudgment Tit. 3. because he preferreth his iudgment before the iudgment of the whole Church from which consideration it followeth that what man soeuer houldeth any erroneous opinion touching fayth and being aduertised thereof by Gods Church and not yealding his iudgment in all humility therto is thereby become an Heretike And such is the state of Catholikes and Protestants since the one doth euer reciprocally charge and condemne the other with false doctrine therfore seeing the church of Christ must be with one of them it followeth that the other not submitting their iudgments to it are proclaimed thereby Heretikes And thus it may sometimes fall out that the first inuentor of a false opinion may be no Heretike as maintaining it before it be condemned by the church whereas the Professors of it after its condemnation are become Heretikes according to that of Vincentius Lyrinensis in his worthy booke against the prophane innouation of the heresyes of his tyme. O admirable change of thinges the authors of one and the same opinion are esteemed Catholikes and their followers Heretikes Thus we see that pertinacity of iudgment doth consumate an Heresie 4. The second is that the aforesayd definition of heresy being the only true definition and acknowledged for such by all sides is not restrayned eyther in it selfe or by the meaning of the Apostle as by his wordes set downe in the next chapter following may more easily appeare only to the most principall and as they are called fundamentall points of christian fayth as of the Trinity the Incarnacion of Christ his Passion the Decalogue and the articles of the creed but it is extended in its owne Nature considering to Logicke the definition and the thing defined ought to be of an equall latitude or lardgnes to any erroneous opinion whatsoeuer frowardly defended by a man and gainsayed by the Church of God So as it is as perfit an Heresy and the beleeuers therof are as true Heretiks to deny that there is a Purgatory or to deny Freewill Prayer to Saints the doctrine of Indulgences the necessity of Baptisme or any other article approued by the Catholike Church granting the doctrine of the Catholikes in these articles to be true as to deny the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ his Death or Passion c. And a man shal be aswell damned in hell for denying these former as for these other though the denyall of these later do exceed the other in mallice since the Heresies of them are more wicked blasphemous And thus much touching the definition of Heresie or an Heretike which being iustly premised we will now come to the maine controuersie handled in this Treatise That euery Christian though beleeuing in the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. cannot be saued in his owne Religion proued from holy scripture CHAP. II. NOw then to begin to fortify warrant this vndoubted truth that euery Christian though beleiuing in the Trinity c. cannot be saued in his owne Religion I will drawe my first kinde of proofes from the sacred wordes of holy scripture And these testimonies shal be of three sorts One concerning Heretikes which texts are not restrained to any particuler Heresies but deliuered of Heresie in generall The second branche of authorityes shall touch Heretikes euen for certaine particuler Heresies different from denying the Trinity the Incarnation of our Sauiour the Passion and other like principall and fundamentall points articles of Christian Religion The third shall containe the necessity of faith without any restriction to the points or articles which are to be beleiued 2. And first to begin with the first we reade the (a) Epist ad Tit. c. 3. Apostle thus to speake of an Heretik in generall A man that is an Heretike after the first or second admonition auoyd knowing that he that is such is subuerted and sinneth being condemned by his owne iudgment Where the Apostle commaundeth vs to auoid an Heretik which he would not haue done if the sayd Heretike had beene in state of saluation the Apostle further adding this reason in that saith he such a man as being a pertinatious willfull Heretike is condemned by his owne proper iudgment that is because he aduanceth his owne iudgement aboue the iudgment of Gods Church and because he needeth not that publike condemnation of the Church which vpon other offenders by way of
Protestants Religions all who ioyntly do professe to beleeue in generall in the Trinity in Christ his Incarnation his Passion and the creed of the Apostles and so we shall discerne whether the fayth of all these seuerall professors doth inioy the foresayd marke of vnity in doctrine or no. But seeing this subiect is most ample and lardge I will therefore sepose this ensuing Chapter for the more full and exact discouery of the many and great disagreements betweene Catholikes and the Protestants in their fayth and Religion The same proued from want of vnity in Fayth between Catholikes and Protestants touching the Articles of the Creed and from that that the Catholike Protestant do agree in the beliefe of diuers articles necessarily to be beleeued and yet not expressed in the Creede CHAP. IIII. VNdertaking in this place to set downe the multiplicity of doctrines betweene Catholikes and Protestants though they all ioyntly beleeue in the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ his Passion and the like consequently to show that this their generall beliefe wanteth that true vnity of fayth which out of the holy Scriptures Fathers the Protestants I haue aboue showed to be most necessary to saluation I will first examine how the Catholikes and the Protestants do differ touching their beliefe of the creed made by the Apostles Next I will demonstrate that supposing all Professors of both Religions should agree in the true sence and meaning of the creed yet there are diuers other dogmaticall points necessarily to be beleeued are at this instant beleeued both by Protestants and Catholiks which are not expressed or mentioned in the Creed at al or by any immediate inference to be drawne from thence Lastly I will set downe the great difference betweene Catholikes and Protestants in other points of fayth of which the Creed maketh no intimation or mention at all and yet the beliefe of them is houlden necessary to saluation both by Catholike and Protestant from all which it shall appeare how far distant the Catholike and Protestant Religion are from that vnity in doctrine so necessarily required to that fayth whereby a Christian is to be saued 2. I do heere begin with the Apostles creed first because the articles of the Trinity the Incartion the Passion c. are included in the creede Secondly by reason there are many Adiaphorists in Religion as I may tearme them who seeme to deale more lardgly and liberally heerein seeinge they are content to extend the necessary obiect of fayth not only to the articles of the Trinity the Incarnation and Passion but to all pointes set downe in the creed who assure themselues that God exacteth not at our hands the beliefe of any other articles then what are contained in the creed Now heere aforehand we are to conceaue that true fayth resteth in that true sense and meaning of the wordes of the Creed which was intended by the Apostles and not in the wordes themselues seeing both in the iudgment of all learned Catholikes and Protestants to beleeue the words of the creed in a sense different from the intended sense of the Apostles and consequently in a false sense is no better then not to beleeue at all And the reason heereof is because a false construction drawne from the creede no lesse then from the Scripture is not the word of God but the word of man and consequently the sayd letter of the creed so interpreted is subiect to the same censure whereunto the word of man is lyable from whence it followeth that whosoeuer belieueth the wordes of the creed in another sense then was intended by the holy Ghost and the Apostles doth not beleeue the creed at all but only beleeueth the worde of man which euer standeth subiect to errour and mistaking So as the sentence of Saint Hierome deliuered only of the Scripture may iustly be applyed of the creed Scripturae (a) In ep ad Paulinum non in legendo sed in intelligendo consistunt The Scripture or Creed doth not consist in the letter but in the sense and true vnderstanding of the letter 3. This then being truly presupposed let vs begin to examine the articles of the creed and see how we Catholiks and Protestants do differ in the construction and vnderstanding thereof And first touching the first article of our Beliefe in God obserue how different it is The Catholiks do beleeue that their God no way cooperateth or willeth sinne in man that he hath but one simple expressed will touching sinne this in detesting and hating of it that he will not punish vs for not keeping of such precepts the which is not in our power to keepe that he imputeth sinnes to euery man that committeth sinne briefly that he giueth to all men ordinary and sufficient grace to saue their soules and desireth that all men may be saued whereas the Protestants beleeue the meere cōtrary to al these points for they beleeue that their God (b) Beza in his display of popish practise pag. 202. saith God exciteth the wicked will of one thiefe to kill another See Zuinglius tom 2 de proui c. 6. fol. 365. Caluin instit l. 2. c. 18. sect 1. cooperateth forceth and willeth a man to sinne that he hath a double (c) Luther tom 2. Wittemburg de cap. Babil fol. 74. D. VVhitakerus de Eccles cont Bell. controuersia 2. quest 5. pag. 301. wil and therefore a dissembling will the one expressed in Scripture according to which he forbideth man to sinne the other concealed to himselfe by the which he impelleth man to sinne that he will punish (d) Reynolds in his 2. conclusion annexed to his conference pag. 697. vs transgressing the ten commandmēts it not being in our power to keepe the sayd commandements that to the (e) Luth. tomo 2. Wittemb de capt Babyl fol 74. Whitak vt supra faythfull sinning neuer so wickedly no sinne shal be imputed Finally that to certaine (f) Cal. instit l. 3. c. 23. saith God doth ordaine cōsilio nutuque by his Councell pleasure that among mē some be borne to certaine damnatiō from their mothers wombe See D. Willets synopsi p. 554. affirming the same men he giueth not sufficient meanes of saluation but purposeth and decreeth from all eternity that some men lyuing in the eye of the world and in their owne conscience neuer so vertuously shal be damned and cast into sempiternall perdition Thus we see how great a difference there is betweene the Catholikes and Protestants in beleeuing the first article of the creede and how ineuitably it followeth that eyther the Catholiks or protestants do stand subiect and obnoxious to that saying of S. Augustine quest 29. sup Iosue who imagineth God such as God is not he carryeth euery where another God to wit a false God in his mind 4. Touching the 2. article which is And in Iesus Christ his only Sonne wee (g) Con. Trident. Catholikes belieue in
Christ who is God of God and equall with his Father a Sauiour who suffred death quoad sufficentiam for all mankind and who accomplished the functioÌ„ of his Sauiourship only according to his humanity a Sauiour who dyed only in body and not in soule finally a Sauiour who from his first conception was endued with all knowledge wisedome prouidence and exempt from all ignorance passion and perturbation wheras the Protestants doe belieue in Christ as their Sauiour who according to their fayth is God of (h) D. Whitak approueth this opinion alleadging Caluin in proofe thereof cont CaÌ„p p. 121. himselfe and (i) MelaÌ„ in loc com edit 1561. p. 41. inferiour to the Father who dyed only for the (k) D. Willet in his synops printed 1600. p. 780. as also Caluin and Beza in whole treatises elect who performed his mediation not only according to his humanity but also according to his (l) MelaÌ„ supra D Fulk diuinity though in the iudgment of all learned men true diuinity is impassible who in the time of his Passion besides the death of the body as insufficient for our saluation suffred in soule the (m) Cal. instit l. 2. c. 16 sect 10. D. Whitak cont Duraeum l. 8. p. 556. (m) Beza in respon ad acta Colloquij Montisb part 1. pag. 147. D. Willet in his synopsis p. 599. 600. D. Sutliffe in his reueu of D. Kellisons suruay printed 1606. p. 55. torments of hel briefly who laboured with n ignorance passion and euen desperation it selfe 5. Touching the article of Christs descending into hell the Catholikes doe belieue hereby that Christ descended in soule after his passion into that part of hell which is called lymbus Patrum to deliuer from thence the soules of the iust there detayned till his comming of which iudgement are also some learned (o) D. Bilson in his suruay of Christs sufferings and descent to hell p. 650. 651. 652. and the Lutherans are generally of the same opinion ProtestaÌ„ts but the greatest part of Protestants doe interpret this article of Christ descending into his (p) D. Willet in lymbomastix D. Fulke so alleadged by VVillet in synopsi pag. 605. 606. graue soe by the worde hell vnderstanding the graue but (q) Lib. 2. instit cap. 16. §. 20. Caluin teacheth that by Christs descending into hell is vnderstoode that Christ apprehended God to be most angry and offended with him for our sakes and that thervpon Christ suffred great anxiety and griefe of soule and which is more most blasphemously Caluin teacheth that Christ vttered words of desperation in saying my God why hast thou forsakeÌ„ me Touching the article of Christs ascending into heauen we Catholikes and the Caluinists doe belieue hereby that Christ truly in body ascended vp into heauen wheras (r) Luth l. de sacr Coenae Domini tom 2. f. 112. saying credimus quod Christus iuxta humanitateÌ„ est vbique presens Brentius in Apolog. pro cons VVittem Illyricus l. de asceÌ„ Domini and finally by all LutheraÌ„s Lutherans doe teach that Christs body is in all places with the diuinity and that therefore it did not really after his passion ascend vp into heauen it being there both before after his passion thus the Lutherans both in ours and the Protestants iudgments doe destroy by this their construction the whole creede and particulerly Christs incarnation natiuity passion death ascending into heauen and his comming to iudgment seeing supposing Christs body to be in all places all these articles were but apparantly or phantastically and not truly or really performed 6. Touching the article of Christs iudging the quicke and dead wee Catholikes doe beleeue that Christ at his comming to iudgment will so iudge man as that his good workes receauing all their force from our Sauiours passion shal be rewarded whereas the Protestants denying all (s) Cal. l. 3. instit c. 5. §. 2. Bucer in actis collo quij Ratisb Beza Zuingli and most other Protestants merit of workes as iniurious and derogatory to his death and passion do hould that Christ shall then reward only a bare and (t) Calu. in Antid Concil Trident. Kemnitius in exam Con. Trid. and most other Protestants speciall fayth 7. Concerning the Article I belieue in the Holy Ghost Whereas all Catholikes and many Protestants do beleeue that the Holy Ghost is the third person in the most Blessed Trinity Caluin howsoeuer he was persuaded of the truth or falshood therof much lamenteth notwithstanding to auoyd the force of arguments drawne from the chiefest places of Scripture and vsually alleadged by all Antiquity in proofe of the holy Ghost being the third person in the Trinity Thus we find that (u) Iust l. 1. c. 13. §. 15. Caluin will not haue contrary to all Antiquity that passage of Scripture Psalm 33. By the word of the Lord the heauens were made and all the host of them by the spirit of his mouth to be vnderstood of the diuinity of the holy Ghost In like sort he reiecteth the argument (x) See of this subiect against the Trinity Iluumus a Protestant in l. Caluin IudaizaÌ„s drawne from that other most remarkable Text 1. Ioan. 5. There be three that giue testimony in Heauen the Father the VVord and the holy Ghost and these three be one Caluin vpon this place thus saying therby to take away from thence the proofe of the Holy Ghost Quod dicit tres esse vnum ad essentiam non refertur Luth. in l. contra Iacobum LatomuÌ„â—omo 2. Wittem 〈…〉 diâ—â— anno 1552. sed ad consensum potius Finally Luther was so farre from acknowledging the Holy Ghost to be the third person in the Trinity or to acknowledge the Trinity it selfe that thus he writteth Anima mea odit hoc verbum homousion vel consubstantialis My very soule doth hate the worde homousion or consubstantial 8. Concerning the article I beleeue the holy Catholike Church The Catholikes do beleeue this to be a visible company of meÌ„ professing the present Roman Catholike fayth of which some are predestinated others reprobated The ProtestaÌ„ts do belieue this Church to consist only of the elect and (y) Confess Aug. act 5. Luther l. de Concilijs eccles Cal. l. 4. inst c. 1. §. 2. predestinated 9. Touching the article The Communion of Saints The Catholikes do heereby beleeue such a communion to be betweene the Saints in Heauen the soules in Purgatory men vpon earth that the one part doth helpe the other with their most auaileable prayers and intercessions The Protestants deny all such intercourse of benefites betweene these seuerall partes of the Church of Christ accounting (z) Caluin l. 3. inst c. 5. § 6. Conturiatoreâ— Ceâ—â— 1. lib. 2. c. 4. col 460. Brentius in conses Wittenberg c. de Purgatorio the Catholike doctrine heerein superstitious and sacrilegious 10. Lastly touching the article of Forgiuenes of sinnes we Catholikes do beleeue
that this remission of sinnes is performed when the soule by a true and inherent iustice and by infused guifts of God enioyeth a renouation of her selfe and therby becommeth truly iust in the sight of God the Protestants disallowing all inherent iustice doe only acknowledge an imputatiue (a) Kemnitius in exam Concil trid Caluin l. 3. instit c. 11. iustice or righteousnes which consisteth in that the iustice of Christ is as they teach only imputed vnto sinners so as wee remaine still sinners though sinnes be not imputed vnto vs through the iustice of Christ a doctrine most iniurious to the most meritorious passion and death of Christ Thus haue wee runne ouer the articles of the creede from whence wee collect that seeing as is aboue intimated he only belieueth auaileably truly the creede who belieueth it in that sence in which the Apostles did wryte it seeing there are meere different or rather contrary constructions of each article giuen by the Catholikes and Protestants so that if that construction of the Catholiks be true it followeth necessarily that the other of the Protestants befalse or contrarywise We may therefore ineuitably conclude that it is not sufficient to saluation for any one to say that he belieueth the creede who belieueth the words of it in generall without restrayning them to any peculier construction giuen eyther by the Catholikes or Protestants except he belieue it in that one particuler sence and none other which was intended by the holy Ghost when it was first framed by the Apostles 11. Now in this next place we are to demonstrate that graunting for a tyme by an Hypotesis or supposall that a man did beleeue the articles of the creed in their true sense or construction yet followeth it not that this beliefe though it be necessary were sufficient alone for a man to obtaine his saluation thereby and the reason heerof is because it is most certaine that there are diuers points of Christian Religion houlden necessarily to be beleeued in the iudgment both of Catholikes and Protestants accordingly are beleeued ioyntly both by Catholikes and Protestants and yet the sayd points are not contayned or expressed in the Creed Among others I will insist in these following 12. First That there are certaine diuine wrytinges of infallible authority penned by the holy Ghost which we commonly call the Scriptures of the oulde new Testament of which Testament we find no mentiō in the Creed and yet all men are bound vnder payne of damnation to beleeue that such wrytinges there are since otherwayes abstracting from the authority of the Church there were not sufficient meanes left to beleeue that it were a sinne to breake any of the ten Commandements or which is more that Christ Iesus was the true Sauiour of the world 13. Secondly That there are spirituall substances which we call Angels which now enioy the most happy sight of God and that many thousands of them did fall presently after their creation and are become those malignant spirits which vsually are tearmed Diuells 14. Thirdly That there is any materiall place of Hell where the wicked are tormented of which wee find nothing in the Creed in the iudgment of Protestants for although the word Hell be mentioned in that article He descended into Hell yet by the worde Hell the Graue is vnderstood by most of the Protestants 15. Fourthly That the paines of the damned shal be for all eternity and not for a certaine tyme only 16. Fifthly That Adam did presently vpon his creation fall from the grace of God and thereby transferred Originall sinne vpon all mankind So as by reason of his fall all men are borne in Originall sinne 17. Sixthly That the world was once drowned for sinne which innundation is commonly called Noës floode 18. Seueanthly That our Sauiour whilest he conuersed heere vpon earth did many miracles 19. Eightly That S. Iohn Baptist was our Sauiours Precursor or forerunner and that our Sauiour did chose to him certaine men for his Apostles which did first preach and plante the Christian fayth through out the whole world 20. Ninthly That Circomcision is now forbidden as a thing most vnlawfull and vngodly 21. Tenthly That there are any sacraments of the new Testament instituted by Christ for the spirituall good of mans soule 22. Eleuenthly That before the ending of the world Antichrist shall come who shall be a designed ennemy of Christ so as he shall labour to subuert and ouerthrow all Christian Religion 23. These points besides some others all Christians aswell Protestants as Catholikes do beleeue and doe hould that the beliefe of these points is necessary to saluation and yet not any one of all these articles is expressed or set downe in the Apostles Creed whence I conclude that the Apostles Creed cannot be a sufficient boundary to containe and limit an auaileable fayth For what hope can that man haue of his saluatiō who beleeueth that there are neither any diuine Scripture nor any Decalogue commonly called the ten Commandements nor that Christ did worke any miracles nor that he instituted any Sacraments nor that there is any place of hell for the damned nor finally to omit the rest that there is any eternity of punishment 24. And heere I am to premonish the Reader that it is no sufficient answere to reply that most of al the foresayd points are expressed in the Scripture and therefore are to be beleeued this I say auaileth not seeing heere I dispute against those who maintaine with wounderfull pertinacity of iudgment that it is sufficient to saluation to beleeue only the articles nothing els which are contayned in the Creed but not any of the former articles are contayned therein Againe seeing to beleeue that there are any diuine Scriptures is not expressed in the Creed it conduceth nothing to the answering of this our argument to say that the forementioned articles are proued out of Scripture and therfore are to be beleeued 25. Neither secondly can the force of our sayd argument be auoyded in replying that al the former articles are implicitly comprehended in that article I beleeue the holy Church because the Church teacheth that all these articles are to be beleeued this is no warrantable answere by reason that as these may be reduced to this article of the Creed so also may al other points controuerted betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants be in like manner reduced to the sayd article seeing the Church of God setteth downe what is the truth what is to be beleeued in the sayd Controuersyes binding her children vnder payne of damnation aswell to beleeue the truth in the Cōtrouersyes of our dayes as to beleeue the former articles mentioned which are not expressed in the Creed And yet these our Newtralists in Religiō who make the creed the sole square of their faith do not thinke that those questions of Religion insisted vpon betweene Catholikes and the Protestants are in beleeuing or not beleeuing of
transibunt verba autem mea non transibunt Math. 24 Heauē and earth shall passe away but my wordes shall not passe 5. But to proceede further touching the foresaid want of vnity disagreements if euery Christian might be saued in his owne Religion then might those be saued which beleiue the articles of the Creed in a most differēt sence manner then which what can be more rashly exorbitātly spoken For seeing there is but one true intended sence by the Apostles of the Creede which if we attaine not then doe we beleiue that which is false but to beleeue the Creede in a false sence is no better then not to beleiue it at all as is aboue said and therefore it would followe by way of inference that he might be saued who beleiued not any one article of the Creede at all Now that the Catholikes Protestants do beleiue the articles of the Creede in different or rather contrary senses and consequently that the one side beleiueth it in a false and erroneous sense is aboue proued in the fourth chapter 6. If it be here replyed that the maintainers of this doctrine do so farre yeald that they only are to be saued which in a true sence beleeue the Creed yet by this their restrainct they condemne all those others which beleeue it in any other sense different from that intended by the Holy Ghost and the Apostles and consequently they condemne in their iudgment and depriue of saluation either the Catholikes or the Protestants since of necessity the one of these do beleeue the Creed not in its true sense but in a false and hereticall sence and construction different from that of the Apostles 7. But granting that the Catholikes and Protestants beleeue the Creed in one true sence intended by the holy Ghost yet if our Newtralists would haue the Creed the square or rule thereby to measure our fayth then marke the absurdityes following For by this doctrine one might be saued who beleeued 1. Not that there were any Scriptures at all written by the Prophets Apostles since the Creed maketh no mention of any such diuine writinges 2. In like sort he might be saued who did not beleeue there were any Angells or Diuels 3. Or that there is a materiall place of Hell 4. Or that the paynes thereof are eternall 5. Or that Adam did presently vpon his creation fall from grace and therby transported original sinne vpon all his posterity 6. Or that our Sauiour whilest he conuersed heere vpon earth wrought any miracles 7. Or made choice of certaine men to be his Apostles to preach the Christian fayth throughout the whole worlde 8. Or that Circumsicion is now forbidden and antiquated 9. Or that there are any Sacraments of the new testament as Baptisme the Eucharist c. 10. Or that finally before the dissolution of the world a designed ennemy of Christ shall come who is tearmed Antichrist I say by our Newtralists Religion he should be saued who beleeued none of the foresayd articles seeing not any one of them is expressed or set downe in the Apostles creed and yet the beliefe of the sayd articles is necessarily exacted required to saluation both in the iudgments of the Catholikes the Protestants both which partyes do with an vnanimous consent teach the necessity of beleeuing the sayd articles 8. But to proceed further to come to the different articles of fayth differently beleeued by the Catholikes Protestants and yet not expressed in the Creed articles of such nature as that they are houlden by the Catholikes to be instituted by our Sauiour as subordinate yet necessary meanes of the grace of God and of saluation whereas the Protestants as not beleeuing at all the sayd articles do wholely disclayme from acknowledging all such meanes These articles I haue recited aboue to wit 1. That Sacraments in generall do conferre grace 2. That a childe dying without baptisme cannot be saued 3. That mortall sinne is not remitted without the sacrament of Pennance and confession 4. That we are to adore with supreme honour the Blessed Sacrament 5. That not only fayth but also workes do iustify man 6. That a Christian by thinking himselfe to be iust is not thereby become iust 7. That euery Christian hath sufficient grace offered by God to saue his soule that therefore God on his part would haue all men saued 8. That without keeping the tenne commandements a man cannot be saued 9. Finally that all Christians ought vpon payne of eternall damnation to communicate in sacraments and doctrine with the church of Rome and to submit themselues in al due obedience to the supreme pastour of Gods church In al which points the Protestants do beleeue directly the contrary condemning vs of heresy superstition yea idolatry for our belieuing the foresayd points Now I say seeing the former articles do immediatly touch concerne either remission of our sinnes or grace of our soule or our iustification or our due honour adoration to our Sauiours body being accompanied with his diuinity or lastly our communion with Christ his church and the head therof in any of which as concerning so nearely our eternall happines who erreth cannot possibly be saued 9. And seeing the Protestants as is sayd do in all the sayd points maintaine the iust contrary to the Catholikes and thereby do abandone the Catholikes acknowledged meanes of their saluation I heare aske in all sobernes of iudgment what can be reputed for a greater absurdity then to affirme with our Newtralists that the Catholikes and Protestants notwithstanding their so different and contrary beliefe and answearble practise in the former articles so neerely touching mans saluation may both be saued Seeing it must needs be that either the Catholikes shal be damned for setting downe certaine means of our saluation contrary to Christs mind and institution supposing the sayd means to be false or that the Protestants shal be damned for reiecting the former meanes of Saluation instituted by Christ admitting them to be true 10. But to passe forward If euery Christian might be saued in his Religion in beleuing only the fundamentall points of the Trinity the Incarnation c. then hath the Church of Christ euen in her primitiue dayes at what time the Protestants themselues (h) See of this acknowledgement the defence of the Apology of Englād written by Doctor Iewel Kemnit in exam Concil Trid. par 1. p. 74. the cōfess of Bohemia in the harmony of confess pag. 400. besides diuers others doe exempt her from errour most fondly intollerably erred in condemning certaine opinions which are not fundamentall for Heresies and the maintayners for Heretikes and consequently the scripture and Christ himselfe haue deceaued vs by ascribing vnto the Church an infallibility (i) Math. 18. Luc. 10.2 Tim. 3. of erring in her definitions of Faith and cōdemnation of heresies and by commanding vs to obey the churches authority and sentence in all thinges as