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.
Scriptures and Religion must all stand at the courtesie and suffrage of the Roman Conclaue 2 They teach that much of the object or matter of faith is not contained in Scripture any way that the Church hath an unlimited power to supply the defects of Scripture and that she may propound any doctrines as necessary to salvation which haue no other ground but her owne authority which is equall to that of Scripture There are many things saith y Mel. Canus Loc. lib. 3. c. 3. fund 3. Canus belonging to the faith of Christians which are neither manifestly nor obscurely contained in the sacred Scriptures And Doctor a Princip Doctrin li. 12 c. 5. initio Stapleton Very many things necessary to salvation and necessarily to be beleeved are not comprehended in the Scriptures but are commended to us onely by the authority of the Church And againe b Id. Relect. Contr. 4. qu. 1. art 3. ad arg 12. Etiamsi nullo ScripturaruÌ„ aut evidenti aut probabili testimonio confirmetur The Church may propound define matters of faith without any evident nay without any probable testimony of Scripture Do not these words of Stapleton imply that the Church of Rome propounds many things to the beliefe of Christians without any probability from Scripture With what ingenuity then or conscience do they pretend Scripture in each Controversie against us since by their owne confession many of their assertions are meere unwritten Traditions leaning onely on the authoritie of their Church On the contrary for the fullnesse and sufficiency of Scripture in all necessary points we have the full consent of Antiquity and of many learned Writers of their owne even of Bellarmine himselfe whose plaine words to this purpose have been already noted And the same Cardinall though herein as not seldome contradicting both himselfe and his fellowes c Bellar. lib. 3. de verb. D. interpret cap. 10. ad arg 15. Sciendum est propositionem fidei concludita li Syllogismo Quicquid Deus revelavit in Scripturis est verum hoc Deus revelavit in Scripturis ergò hoc est verum Ex propositionibus hujus Syllogismi prima certa est apud omnes secunda apud Catholicos est etiam firmissimas nititur enim testimonio Ecclesiae Concilii vel Pontificis grants that a proposition is not de fide unlesse it be concluded in this Syllogisme whatsoever Gâ—â— hath revealed in Scripture is true but thâ— or that God hath revealed in Scripture ergâ— it is true If matters of faith must be revealed in Scripture as this reason supposes then the proposall of the Church cannot make any unwritten veritie to become matter of faith Yet to salve the soveraigne power of His Church he makes all the strength and truth of the minor in this Syllogisme to depend on the testimony of the Church and by consequence the truth of the conclusion which ever resembles the weake Premisse So as if this be true there is no truth in the Scriptures or in our Religion without the attestation of the Church 3. They teach that the Church is infallibly assisted in her proposalls and doctrines so as she cannot erre And this dreame hath made Rome sencelesse of her errours and careles to seek any remedie nay utterly incapable of remedie For to mindes really possessed with this fond persuasion and prejudice the most convincing reasons the most plaine Scriptures the most pregnant authorities of Fathers which proue the Church of Rome may erre or hath erred are all lost and made ineffectuall and seeme not strong arguments of the truth but strong temptations against it And this imagination of their Churches infallibility is to them at once both a sufficient reason of what is most unreasonable and a sufficient answer for what is most unanswerable That the Church is infallible we do not absolutely deny wee only deny the Church to be absolutely infallible Some of the most able Writers of the Roman partie do so fairly limit this priviledge that in their sence we do without difficulty admit it Their limitation is double regarding 1. the subject of this infallibility 2. the object of it First for the subject they plant this infallibility only in the Church Universall or the Catholique body of Christ on earth comprehending all his members not in any particular Church or any representation of the Church in CouÌ„cels Generall or particular much lesse in any one member of the Church no not in him who pretends to be the Head So d Walden lib. 2. Doct. fid art 2. cap. 19. §. 1. Ecclesia Universalis fideÌ„ habet indefectibilem non quidem in Generali Synodo congregata quam aliquoties errâsse percepimus Sylv. Sum. verb. Ecclesia cap. 1. §. 4. Ecclesia quae non potest errare dicitur noÌ„ Papa sed congregatio fideliuÌ„ Et vide gloss in cap. 24. qu. 1. call A recta Waldensis Sylvester and others 2. For the object or extent of this infallibility they grant it reaches not to all points or questions in Religion that may arise but only to such Articles as belong to the substance of faith such as are matters essentiall fundamentall simply necessary for the Church to know belleue To omit e Maldon in Iohan. 14. 26. Dubium est an illud docebit omnia referendum sit ad illud quaecunque dixi vobis quasi non aliud docturum Spiritum sanctum dicat quà m quod ipse anteà docuiffer Non repugnabo si quis ita velit interpretari Charron vetité 3. chap. 5. §. lc second poinct L infallibilité de l'Eglise ne s'entend que des choses qui concernent la substance de la foy laquelle ne reçoit point de contrarieté divet sité changement pource nulle correction reformation ou amendement estant vne tousiours immuable non reformable dit Tertullien de virg Veland Et ibid. saepe others Dr f Staplet Princip Doctrin lib. 8. controv 4. cap. 15. Stapleton is full and punctuall to this purpose He distinguishes controversies of Religion into two sorts Some saith he are about those doctrines of faith which necessarily pertaine to the publique faith of the Church Others about such matters as doe not necessarily belong to the faith but may be variously held and disputed without hurt or prejudice to faith To the first sort he restrains the infallibility of the Church But in the second he yeelds that the Church may sometimes erre either in her discourses or in her conclusions that without any violation of Christs promise made to the Church for infallibilitie And of this assertion He giues diverse good reasons The first and chiefest taken from the end for which infallibility was given to the Church It was given saith He for the common salvation of the faithfull and not for the satisfaction of unprofitable curiosities or for the search of unnecessary subtleties For as nature so God is neither defectiue in necessaries nor lavish in
purè divina nec purè humana sed quasi media another In truth and to speake properly an humane testimony saith a q Aegid de Conick disp 9. dub 5 Conc. 2. Quantumvis Ecclesia dirigatur infallibili Sp. S. assistentiâ atque ita ejus testimoniū nitatur suo modo authoritate divinâ atque ab ea firmitatem accipiat tamen non est verè propriè testimonium sive verbum revelatio Dei sed propriè est testimonium humanum Ergò illud nequit esse objectum formale fidei Theologieae consequenter haec nequit in illud tanquam in suum objectum ultimò resolvi third who thereupon well inferres that therefore the voyce of the Church cannot be the formall object of divine faith or that where-into it is lastly resolved The Church then is onely the first inducer to beleeue and the watchman that holdeth out the light in open view and presenteth the shining beams thereof to all that haue eyes to discerne it but the principall motiue and last object of beliefe is the divine authority of Scripture it selfe And that Scripture is of divine authority the beleever sees by that glorious beame of divine light which shines in r Bellarmin de verbo Dei li. 1. c. 2. Certissimas divinas esse Scripturas quae Propheticis Apostolicis literis continentur nec humana inventa sed divina oracula continere testis est ipsa Scriptura O. rig de Princip l. 4. c. 1. Quòd ipsae divinae Scripturae sint divinitùs inspiratae ex ipsis divinis Scriptuis is ostendemus Salv. Massil l. 3. de Gubern mox a◠initio Alia omnia id est humana dicta argumentis ac testibus egent Dei autem sermo ipse sibi testis est quia necesse est quicquió incorrupta veritas loquitur incorruptum sit testimonium veritatis Scripture by many internall arguments found in the letter it selfe though found by the helpe and direction of the Church without and of grace within Herein the Church leades but the Scripture resolues The Ministery of the Church as a Candlestick presents and holds out the light but this supposed there is in the Scripture it selfe * 2 Pet. 1. 19. light sufficient which though blinde * 1 Cor. 2. 14 sensuall mindes see not yet the eye of reason cleared by grace and assisted by the many motiues which the Church useth for enforcing of her instructions may discover to be divine descended from the father fountaine of light To this light the Church addes nothing at all but onely points at it directs us to it disposes and prepares us for it introduces it as the dawning of the morning doth the cleare Sunshine So farre as any Church walks in this light and carries it with her we may safely follow her if she bring a divine word for her warrant she must be beleeved But if her propositions or doctrines be meerely voluntary her owne and not according to that word there Es 8. 20. is no light in them neither can her authority make such doctrines proper objects of divine faith An Object how sensible soever it be in it selfe yet it doth not actually moue the Sense unlesse it be conveyed applyed to it by some Meane So here God hath appointed an ordinary outward meanes to present and propound divine verities to our faith and this ordinary means wee grant is the Church to which wee willingly attribute these two excellent uses in that imployment 1. of a witnesse testifying the authority and sence of the Scriptures unto us 2. of Gods instrument by whose ministery in preaching and expounding the Scriptures the Holy Ghost begets a divine faith in us But in that assent which wee yeeld unto the mysteries propounded and delivered by the Church though the Church be one cause to wit inductiue or preparatiue s Gretser Append. 2. ad lib. 3. Bellar. de verb. D. Col. 1514. principaliter Scripturis fidem habemus propter divinā revelationem at ob Ecclesiae authoritatem non aliter quā ut ob conditionem sine qua non Et infra Sacris litetis assensum prae bemus primariò ob divinam revelationem secundariò ob Ecclesiae testimonium without which men ordinarily do not beleeue yet it is not the principall or finall upon which wee lastly depend The chiefe principle or ground on which faith rests and for which it firmly assents unto those truths which the Church propounds is divine revelation made in the Scripture Nothing lesse then this nothing but this can erect or qualifie an act of t Becan Sum. tract de fide ca. 1. q. 2. §. 9. Assensus qui nititur authoritate Ecclesiae non est assensus fidei Theologicae sen divinae sed alterius inferioris ordinis super naturall faith which must be absolutely undoubted and certaine and without this faith is but opinion or persuasion or at the most an acquired humane beliefe This power in the Church to instruct her children in the faith according to Scripture which is her ground and rule from which she may not depart we willingly admit But we cannot yeeld that the present Church hath an absolute or unlimited authority to propound what she pleases or an infallible assistance in all her propositions which is our Mistakers meaning and the new doctrine of some of his Masters Who teach 1. that the authority of the Church is absolute not depending on Scripture but on which the Scripture it selfe and so our whole faith depends The words of u Bellar. de effect Sacram. lib. 2. cap. 25. §. tertium testimonium Bellarmine are remarkable If saith he we take away the authority of the present Church of Rome and of the Trent Councell the decrees of all other ancient Councels the whole Christian faith may be questioned as doubtfull For the strength of all doctrines and of all Councels depends upon the authority of the present Church And elsewhere againe to the same purpose lest the former words might seeme to haue fallen from his pen unawares w Bellar. de Eccl. mil. lib. 3. cap. 10. §. Adhaec necesse est The Scriptures Traditions and all doctrines whatsoever depend on the testimony of the Church he means that of Rome without which all are wholly uncertaine Here 's a plaine principle of Atheisme For if this be true all the faith we haue of God of our Redeemer of the Scripture of any thing in Religion is all but an ungrounded and uncertaine opinion unlesse the Church confirme it And as the Idols of old Rome could not be consecrated or deified but by consent of the Senate who tooke upon thē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. x Chrys in 2. ad Cor. hom 26 in Moral Et Tertul. Apolog cap. 5. Nisi homini Deus placuerit Deus non erit Chrysostome merily speakes to make gods by most voyces So here it seemes our true God and
the Church the promises of Christ assure us But that to necessarie truths she shall adde no unnecessarie opinions for that we have no warrant either from the Scripture or any promise of God And were it otherwise the Doctors above mentioned had betrayed the Churches cause in stead of maintaining it For if in all her doctrines and definitions she be infallible why should they restraine her infallibilitie in defining unto matters necessary They should have profess'd her roundly and plainly infallible in all her determinations For to limit her infallibility in defining onely to things necessary and then to say that all defin'd by her is eo ipso necessarie because defin'd is to delude the world and seemingly to yeild something when nothing is yeilded The Romane cause at this day as it appeares by the vulgar Writers of the Popes quarter and among others by our Mistaker wholly depends on this pretended absolute infallibility All Controversies in the issue are reduced to this and decided by it And with great reason if there were any reason in it or for it For if Rome cannot erre or be deceived then without doubt all they erre and are deceived who dissent from her And therefore me thinkes learned men of that partie might do very well to ease themselves and the world of much trouble and paines in the scanning of other questions if with all their strength and witt they can but settle on the Pope or his adherents such an infallibility by any one convicting argument this will instantly and evidently conclude all our other differences No wise man will any way contradict them who cannot any way erre But surely this doctrine that the Church is infallible in all her definitions is so far from being certaine and divine that it is at the best but doubtfull and problematicall and that even by and from their owne principles The Roman Drs deliver us these Maximes concerning the Churches authority 1. r Staplet lib. 9. Princip doctr passim contr Whitak That the truth of Scripture it selfe and of all contained in it relyes in respect of us upon the testimony of the Church so as nothing is credible to us but by the Churches attestation 2. s Valent. Tom. 3. disp 1. qu. 1. pun 1. §. 6. col 29. That the proposition of the Church is so necessary to the act of divine faith that nothing can be beleeved without it 3. That t Bellarm. lib. 4. de Pont. R. cap. 14. §. Respondeo Inprimis untill a doctrine be declared or defined by the Church so long it may be either doubted of or denyed without danger These propositions are their owne Hence wee assume But this doctrine that the Church is infallible in all her decrees and definitions was never yet declared decreed or defined by the Church no not by any Councell or by any Pope And hence we inferre Therefore it is a doctrine which may be doubted of or denyed without danger a doctrine which no man can beleeue by divine faith a doctrine whatsoever it be in it selfe to Christians not credible If any man will deny the assumption he will oblige himselfe to disproue it by a contrary instance Let it be shewed where and when and in what termes the Church hath published any such declaration And suppose which will not be granted that such a declaration had beene made it may be demanded with reason upon what warrant the Church can assume to her selfe a power so divine and boundlesse as to authorize all her decrees in so high a forme that they must be accounted divine and infallible If the promise of God in Scripture be pleaded for this power we haue already shewed how the learned among themselues haue voyded this plea and so restrained those promises that they are by much too narrow to support so wide a priviledge If it bee said that this authority of the Church is a principle admitted by all Christians without any doubt or proofe this is a saying voluntary and and groundlesse For 1. they will confesse every principle in Religion to be founded either in nature or in Scripture or in tradition or in Church definition and in none of these will they find any footing for this 2. All Christians in the world confesse the authority of Scripture to be a principle indemonstrable yet are we by them perpetually urged to proue that authority and that by Scripture 3. Dr u Princ. Doctrin l. ◠c. 21. Stapleton thinkes it not onely fitting but necessary in respect of us that the Church should give testimony to her self especially thē in this point of so great importance consequence cōcerning her infallible authority wherein all Religiō is so much concerned 4. Lastly it is a great errour and vanitie to beleeue that this absolute infallibility of the Church is beleeved by all Christians especially in the sence of our Adversaries who ever by the Church intend that unsound piece which they call the Roman Catholique The Protestants and Greekes expresly accuse this Church and haue convicted her too as they thinke of many grosse and dangerous errors The w See Mr. Brierwoods Enquiries Armenians Syrians Indians Iacobites Maronites Abassines with other innumerable assemblies of Christians haue many doctrines and customes directly repugnant to those of Rome which were an unreasonable presumption and absurditie if they esteemed the Church of Rome so wholly infallible Nay within the Roman Church it selfe many Authors of great learning and judgement by name x Horum omnium testimonia legere est apud Rob. Baronium de objecto fidei Tract 5. cap. 19. Occam Cameracensis Waldensis Panormitanus Antoninus Archbishop of Florence Cardinal Cusan Nicholas Clemangis haue declared their opinion that any particular Churches and particularly the Roman any Councels though Generall any Popes may erre even to heresie and I doubt not but the best learned Romanists at this day are of the same opinion Before wee proceed it will not be from our purpose to note one thing more in passing The Church of Rome pretends that it is an office belonging onely to Her to deliver the entire rule of faith to all Christian people And she pretends further that this divine and infalliable rule is made up of three integrall parts to wit Scriptures Traditions and Church definitions If this be true she doth but loosely discharge her office very ill satisfie the obligation which she hath unto the Christian world For 1. Why hath she not yet defined that her definitions are of divine authority The late Fathers of Trent haue canonized unwritten traditions and equall'd them to Scriptures but why did they omit to canonize the decrees of all Popes Councells Why did they not adde to Traditions their Church definitions and command them both and them all to be received with no lesse devotion then the holy Scriptures 2. The same Fathers have given us an exact catalogue of all the bookes of Scripture but why did they not give
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
duty is only to e Bâ—larm lib. 2. de Concil cap. 12. Concilia quùm definiunt non faciunti liquid esse in fallibilis veritatis sed declarant Gers de err circ praecâ—â— Non occides part oper 1. pag. 406. vlt. edit Papa vel generale Comlium determinando de fide nihil faciunt aliud nisi declarare talia esse fide Canus lib. 2. cap. 7. Ingenuè fatemur non esse nunc novas revâ—â—tiones expectandas five à summo Pontifice five à Concilio five a Ecclesiâ totâ Vide Th. 2. 2. q. 1. A. 10. ad 1. explaine and declare the truth according to Scripture and from thence to draw all her conclusions f Aquin. 2. 2. q. 1. A. â— in corp For the Articles of the faith cannot encrease in substance bâ—â— onely in explication Hence it followes that all necessary or fundamentall truth is contained in Scripture which is the rule according to which the Church is to judge of g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist lib. 1 de Anim. truth and errour Her declaration is only to fetch out that truth which is in the Scripture her exposition of the Text must not be an addition to it It is a faulty and erronious declaration which in stead of declaring giues another See the learned Answere to Fishers Relation of his 3. Confer pag. 9. and a contrary sense Neither is any doctrine necessary or true because the Church declares it such but because it is such in it selfe by warrant of Scripture If the Church walke not by this rule h Mag. 1. D. 11. lit C. Qui pretergreditur fidei regulam non incedit in via sed recedit à viâ Quod volumus Sanctum est Ticonius Donatista apud S. Aug. cont Epist Parmen lib. 2. c. 13. she is out of her way And in this by-way never any Church hath wandred so farre as the Church of Rome which hath defined or declared very many things to be fundamentall Truths or Heresies which are nothing lesse following herein no other rule but her owne fantasy As in Truth so in Heresy the Church may declare what is Heresy shee may convince and censure it but still according to her Rule the Scripture Neither is any doctrine Hereticall because it opposeth the definition of the i Alph. à Castro lib. 1. adv Haeres cap. 8. Ecclesia sâ—â— definitione non facit talem assertionem esse Haeresim cùm eâ—amsi ipsa non definivisset esset Haeresis Sed id efficit Ecclesia vt nobis per suam Censuram pate at illud esse Haeresim ibid. Ideò dicitur veritas aliqua Catholica quia à Deo in Scripturis revelata est è contra Church but because it opposes that Scripture on which the Church grounds her definition The doctrines of Arrius Macedoâ—ius Nestorius Eutyches were in themselues Hereticall even before they were solemnely condemned in the 4 generall Councells But saith the Mistaker the Heresier mentioned by Philastrius Epiphanius and S. Austin in their Catalogues were many of them errours in themselues of no greaâ— moment or importance yet they were alâ— esteemed Heresies because they were helâ— in disobedience to the Church So likewise the errour of rebaptization was for the matter of it the very same in S. Cyprian and in the Donatists yet the Donatists were accounted Heretiques for despising the iudgement of the Catholique Church and S. Cyprian not so because hee conserved himselfe within the amity and communion of the Church Therefore properly and formally he is an Heretique that contradicts the definitions of the Church Answ In all ages almost the imputation of Heresy hath beene too too frequent and familiar among Christians and in this age aboue all wherein Christendome is so miserably broken into numberlesse fragments and pieces It is a thing purely impossible for the learnedst man in the World exactly to recount all the severall Sects and subdivisions of Christians or such as pretend to Christianity And every Sect hath some Zelotes so passionately in loue with their owne Opinions that they condemne all others differing from them to be Hereticall So there liues not a Christian on earth who in the judgement of many others is not an Heretique I speake not this in favour of any Heretique or Heresy justly so called ancient or new But surely as this imputation is a grievous crime where it is true so it is no lesse grievous a calumny if it bee vngrounded And it is good counsell which k Cont. Haeres lib. 3. lib. 1. cap. 7. Qui tà m leviter de Haeresi pronunciant saepè fit vt suâ ipsorum feriantur sagittâ incidantque in eam foveam quam alijs parabant Alphonsus à Castro giues let them consider who pronounce so easily of Heresy how easy it is for themselues to erre Very good advise though Alphensus himselfe makes very little vse of it and forgets it too often As all Truth is not of equall moment or necessity so al errors are not of the same malignity and danger Every Heresy is an error but l Aug. de Haeres in praef Non omnis error Haeresis est quamvis omnis Haeresis errore aliquo c. Jd. alibi Errare postium Haereticus esse nolo Bellar. lib. 3. de Euchar. cap 8. §. Ac primum Haeresis est cuius contraria est veritas fidei à Deo revelata each error is not Heresy What Heresy is properly or what it is that makes an Heretique is a thing either meerely impossible or extreamely difficult to define in the opinion of m Quid faciat Haereticum regulari quadam definitione comprehendi sicut ego existimo aut omnino non potest aut difficilimè potest Id. vbi suprà Sâ— Austine who promised and n In fine libri ad Quodvultdeum intended a treatise purposely of this matter buâ— his death or other thoughts prevented him But it is most evident that those o Bellar. de Script in Philastrio Observandum est multa a Philastrio inter Haereses numerari quae verè Haereses non sunt Dion Pctau Animad in Epiphan initio de Inscript operis Haeresis nomen latissimè ab Epiphanio vsurpatur nec ad Theologorum normam vocabuli istius vsus exigendâ—â— est ancient writers in their Catalogues and elsewhere doe not vse the words Heresy or Heretique in their exact oâ— proper notion but in a very large anâ— generall signification not distinguishing betweene Heresy and errour Whatsoever opinion they conceived to bee contrary to the common or approved opinion of Christians that they called as Heresy because it differed from the received opinion not because it opposed any formall definition of the Church This may appeare by many circumstances 1 St Austin was desired by his Frienâ— Quodvultdeus to set downe all p Praefat. lib. de Haer. ad Quodv Petis exponi omnia omninâ— quibus à veritate dissentiunt opinions of Heretiques differing from
confessed by the most and best learned of the c Th. 1. p. q. 1. art 8. ad 2. Innititur fides nostra revelationi Prophetis Apostolis factae Can. loc Theol. lib. 2. c. 8. Nec si nobis aditum praebet Ecclesia protinus ibi acquiescendum est sed ultrà oportet progredi solidâ Dei veritate niti Staplet princs doctr lib. 8. cap. 20. Apostolorum prophetarum immediatè revelata sides in solum revelatorem Deum ultimò resolvebatur eum solum pro formali objecto habuit in eum solum tanquam supremam atque ultimam credendi causam desinebat sistebat Ergò reliquae totius Ecdesiae fides idem formale objectum habet Becanus Sum. 3. p. cap. 8. quaest 8. Conclus 3. Assensus fidei formaliter resolvitur in primam veritatem revelantem Atque hîc sistitur Aegid de Coninck de Actib supernat disp 9. dub 5. concl 4. Id in quod nostra fides tanquam objectum formale ultimò resolvitur five objectum formale propter quod credimus non solùm articulos fidei esse veros sed etiam eos esse à Deo revelatos est testimonium primae veritatis Roman Doctors And that this revelation for all necessarie points is f Basil M. de judicio Det five proaem in Ethic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas Orat. contr Gentes initio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrill Hierosol Catech 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret. Dial. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hilar. lib. 2. ad Constant August laudat Imp. fidem tantùm secundùm ea quae scripta sunt desiderantem Vinc. Lirin cap. 2. perfectus Scripturarum canon ad omnia satis supérque sufficit Et iterum Commonit 2. cap. 1. Th. 2. 2. qu. 1. A. 10. ad 1. In doctrina Christi Apostolorum veritas fidei est sufficienter explicata Idem disp de fide art 10. ad 11. Successoribus Apostolorum non credimus nisi in quantum nobis annuntiant ea quae illi in Scripturis reliquerunt Durand Praefat. in Sent. S. Scriptura mensuram fidei exprimit Scot. in Prol. Sent. qu. 3. Theologia nostra non est nisi de his quae continentur in Scriptura de his quae possunt elici ex ipsis Gers de examin doctr p. 2. con 1. nihil audendum diecre de divinis nisi quae nobis à Scriptura Sacra tradita sunt sufficiently and g Basil Regul brevior cap. 267. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. de doctr Chr. lib. 2. cap. 9. In his quae apertè posita sunt in Scriptura inveniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem mor ésque vivendi Bellar. lib. 4. de verb. non Script cap. 11. §. His notatis Dico illa omnia scripta esse ab Apostolis quae sunt omnibus necessaria Et Iterum §. vltimò Loquitur Augustinus loco praedicto de illis dogmatibus quae sunt necessaria omnibus simpliciter clearely made in the Scriptures either in expresse termes or by manifest deduction is the constant Doctrine of Antiquity even till the latter times If the whole object of faith be thus contained in Scripture then surely no new doctrines or revelations without or beside Scripture may be admitted neither is the proposition of any Church or any person in matters of faith to be beleeved further then it may be maintained or warranted by Scripture Our faith then is safe enough which builds on this firme ground and relyes on this solid h Iren. lib. 3. cap. 1. Scriptura fundamentum est columna fidei nostrae Eph. 2. 20. foundation Now for the Church she that is the mother of all Christians hath two dugs saith i Aug. in Ep. Johan tract 3 init Est mater Ecclesia ubera ejus duo Testamenta Scripturarum divinarum S. Austine which are the Old and New Testament out of these she feeds and giues milke to all her children That Church or any particular which delivers onely what she hath received and propounds not her owne traditions in stead of Gods Commandements we are ready in all things to heare and reverently to submit our selues to Gods truth delivered by it We doe not depriue the Church of that prerogatiue office which Christ hath given it k Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing the word of God and the ministery of the Church is necessary in ordinary course for the begetting of faith But the force and validitie of that ministery is different according as the Church may be taken either for the Prime Church or for the Present The Prime Church I call that which included Christ and his Apostles who had immediate revelation from heaven The voyce testimony of this Church is simply divine and infallible and the word of God from them is of like validity written or delivered The testimony of the present Church though it be not the last resolution of our faith yet it is the first externall motiue to it It is the l Hooker lib. 2. §. 7. key or m Gretser Defens de verb. lib. 4. c. 4. col 1581. prima janua See the learned Answ to Fishers Relat. of his 3. Confer pag. 24. doore which lets men in to the knowledge of divine mysteries It workes very powerfully and probably as the highest humane testimony 1. Upon infidels to winne them unto a reverent opinion of that faith and those Scriptures which they see so many wise learned and devout men in the Church constantly to esteeme as the very truth and word of God 2. Upon Novices weaklings and doubters in the faith to instruct and confirme them till they may acquaint themselues with and understand the Scriptures which the Church delivers as the word of God 3. Upon all within the Church to prepare induce and perswade the minde as an outward means to imbrace the faith to read and beleeue the Scriptures But the faith of a Christian findes not in all this any sure ground whereon finally to rest or settle it selfe till it arise to greater assurance then the present Church alone can giue Humane authority consent and proofe may produce an humane or acquired faith and infallibly in some sort assure the minde of the truth of that which is so witnessed but the assent of divine faith is absolutely divine which requires an object and motiue so infallibly true as that it neither hath nor n Cui non potest subesse falsum can possibly admit of any mixture of errour or falshood And infallible in this sence is onely that testimony which is absolutely divine Now our Adversaries yeeld that the testimony of the present Church is not absolutely divine It is not simply but in a manner divine saith o Staplet Relect contr 4. qu. 3. A. 1. Vox Ecclesiae est suo modo divina one not meerly divine nor meerly humane but as it were in the middle saith p Becan 3. p. Summ. cap. 8. qu. 8. §. 8. nec
And if the Canons of Councells be divinely inspired then they must be admitted into the Code of holy Scriptures as of equall authoritie with them which though h Vide Can. loco lib. 5. c. 5. qu. 3. some grosser Papists admit yet the i Bell. de Concil lib. 2. c. 12. wisest dislike and deny Upon these or the like grounds Bellarmin leaves his companion Stapleton to walke alone in this dangerous path and avowes to the contrarie k Ibid. §. Dicuntur igitur that Councells neither have nor write immediate revelations Yet may some decrees of Councells in regard of their matter and consonancy to Scripture be of divine and infallible truth as those of the first Councells against Arrius Macedonius and the rest If in other things of lesser moment or in any thing they erre or mistake the Universall Church hath meanes of remedie either by antiquating those errors with a generall and tacite consent or by representing her selfe againe in an other Generall Councell which may review and correct the defects of the former as the great Councell of Chalcedon did with the second of Ephesus So sayes l De Baptis contr Donat. lib. 2. cap. 3. S. Augustine Provinciall Councells may be corrected by plenarie and plenarie Councells the former by the latter But still all examined by Scripture and submitted to it as the same Father m Aug. ad Donat post Collat. ca. 15. Item l. 3. contr Maxim de unit Eccl. cap. 18. 19. constantly teaches But if our Mistaker will be ingenuous and speake out he will confesse that he meanes by his infallible Church onely the Church virtuall that is onely the Pope In whom alone all the vertue and power of the Church is eminently conteined by whom all Councells must be judged and all Controversies determined on whom the whole frame of the Romane Catholique faith depends and into whom it is lastly resolved For this is the new Catholique doctrine of his new Masters especially of the Fathers of hiâ— society who teach with great consent that n Bell. lib. 4. de Rom. P. c. 3. §. Secundò probatur Quilibet Successor Petri est petra fundamentum Ecclesiae every Successor of S. Peter is thâ— rocke and foundation of the Church thaâ— o Skulkenius Apol. pro Bell. cap. 6 pag. 255. Pontificia potestas est velut cardo fundamentum ut uno verbo omnia complectar summa fidei Christianae Vide Bell. Praef. in lib. de R. P. the Popes authority is the hinge foundation and in briefe the summe of Christian faith that p Gretser Defens cap. 10. lib. 3. 〈◊〉 verb. Dei pag. 1450 1451. per Ecclesiam intelligimus Pont. Romanuâ— Et per Ecclesiam Papam interpretantur Non abnuo Franc. Albeâ—â— Corollar Theolog. Tom 1. Corol. 4. punc 7. num 35. 36. Dico primo quòd praeter veritatem primam revelantem est in universo aliquâ— regula infallibilis animata rationalis qualis est Ecclesia Quò◠autem haec regula animata rationalis sit summus Pont. Romanus nâ—â— est hîc locus proprius probandi sed inter recentiores videndus Valent. 22. q. 1. Card. Bell. Medina-Dico secundo stante hâc regulâ rationâ—â—â— infallibili omnes Articuli fidei ultimatè resolvuntur in ipsam tanquâ—â— in rationem formalem quâ in proponendo by the Church is understood the Pope in q Greg. de Valentiâ— Anal. fid lib. 8. cap. 7. §. Porrò Authoritas quae in uno Pontifice reâ—det authoritas dicitur Ecclesiae Conciliorum whom alone resides all the authority of the Church and oâ— Councells that r Bell. l. 4 de Roâ— P. cap. 3. §. At contra Apparet totam firmitatem Conciliorum esseâ— Pontifice non partim à Pontifice partim à Concilio vide Long. à Coriâ— in Sum. Concil praelud 6. the strength of all Councells depends upon him alone that s Gretser defens cap. 1. lib. 1. de verâ— Dei p. 16. Id solum pro verbo Dei veneramur ac suscipimus quod noâ—â—â— Pontifex ex Cathedra Petri tanquam supremus Christianorum Magâ—ster ac omnium Controversiarum Judex definiendo proponit he iâ— the supreme Master of Christians and judge of all Controversies and whatsoever â—e propounds out of his chaire and that â—nely must be received as the word of God that his judgment is so absolutely infalâ—ible t Valent. Anal. fid lib. 8. cap. 3. ad 6. object sive Pontifex in definiendo studium adhibeat sive non adhibeat modò tamen controversiam definiat infallibiliter certè definiet that whether he be carefull or negligent in his definitions it matters not let him but define and without doubt he defines infallibly that u Jesuitae in Regulis Patavii inter schedas relictis An. 1606. quum illinc ob interdictum discederent reg 13. Apud Paulum Soarpium Theologum Venerum in Histor Interd lib. 2. if he who is the Hierâ—rchicall Church define that to be white which the eye judges to be blacke it must be so admitted that w Bell. de R. P. lib. 4. cap. 5. §. Quod autem Si Papa erraret precipiendo vitia vel prohibédo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiam peccare if he should erre and command the practise of vice or forbid the exercise of vertue the Church were bound in conscience to beleive vices to be good and vertues to be bad This is plaine dealing Scriptures are obscure unlesse the Pope interpret them All Fathers and Councells may erre unlesse the Pope confirme them The Church without him is a bodie without an head an house without a foundation Controversies cannot be decided but onely by his definition and in that there can be no error nor any appeale from it But this being so these men deale not plainly with us when they pretend often in their dispuâ—ations against us Scriptures and Fathers and Councells and the Church since in the issue their finall and infallible argument for their faith is onely the Popes authority But infallibly there is nothing in Scripture which favours this infallibility unlesse the Pope may be admitted to expound it which he will do infallibly for his owne advantage And as little in reason or in Antiquity The Ancient Church was very carefull to conserve the puritie of the faith against heresies Some x Tertullian Vinc Lirin Fathers have written purposely of the plea's or prescriptions which the Church hath against them and how Catholique doctrine may be discerned and maintained to wit by authority of Scripture and tradition of the Catholique Church If they had beleived the Bishop of Rome to be the infallible Judge surely without more a doe they had appealed all Heretiques to his Tribunall And what needed the Christian Emperours anciently and sometime at the request of the Bishops of Rome themselves to
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
the best learned Romanists and by Antiquity The Mistakers exceptions to the contrary answered As also his expections against the confession of the Church of England The conclusion IN humane Sciences the great Philosopher hath taught us a Analyt Poster lib. 1. c. 2. to distinguish betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 principles and conclusions The first principles are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maximes so cleare by their owne light that they can not be proved nor denyed or doubted of by any man that understands the Termes wherein they are propounded In the bosome as it were of these principles lurke innumerable conclusions which must be deduced and drawne out by the helpe of Discourse some of them issuing out immediately and evidently others obscurely and by a long circuit of consequences and are either certaine or onely probable according as they approach nearer to the principle or are further off removed In like manner that there be diverse degrees of truthes and errors in Religion which necessarily must be distinguished is a thing acknowledged by all learned men even in the Church of Rome expect our Mistaker will have himselfe excepted b 2. 2. qu. 2. art 5. in Corp. Dicendum quòd fidei objectum perse est id per quod homo beatus efficitur Per accidens aut secundariò se habent ad objectum fidei omnia quae in sacra Scriptura continentur sicut quòd Abraham habuit Aquinas having divided the object of faith into that which is so by it selfe that which is by accident and secundarily defines the First to be that whereby a man is made blessed and saved the Latter that which is revealed whatsoever it be as that Abraham had two sonnes and David was the sonne of Iesse c. c Dialog part 1. lib. 2. cap. 2. Occham sets downe three differences of verities to be beleeved Some touching God and Christ whereon principally depends our Salvation Non direct è sed indirect è quodammodo ad salutem humani generis pertinere noscuntur as the doctrines of the Trinity Incarnation c. Some whereon our salvation depends not so principally or directly as the Histories of Scripture Of the third sort such as are not revealed but either agree with that which is revealed or follow manifestly of it Melchior d Canus Locor lib. 12. cap. 11. init Quaedam sunt Catholicae veritates quae ita ad fidem pertinent ut his sublatis fides quoque ipsa tollatur Quas nos usu frequenti non solum Catholicas sed fidei veritates appellavimus Aliae veritates sunt etiam ipsae Catholicae universales nempe quas universa Ecclesia tenet quibus licet eversis fides quatitur sed non evertitur tamen Atque in hujusmodi veritatum contrariis erroribus dixi fidem obscurari non extingui infirmari non perite Has ego nunquam sidei veritates censui vocandas quamvis doctrinae Christianae veritates sint Canus iterum lib. 12. cap. 3. ad fin Praeter articulos fidei omnia quae in sacris literis assumuntur tametsi non sunt fidei nec Theologiae praecipua capita sed his ex accidenti conjuncta quasi principia secundaria accipit tamen ea Theologus non aliter ac Philosophus principia per se nota sine medio aut ratione Haec enim quasi naturalis arque insira est in animis fidelium notio ut quicquid ab Apostolis scriptum traditúmque est verum esse sentiant Vide Staplet Espenc alios suprácitatos Canus to the same purpose There be some Catholique verities which doe so pertaine to faith that these being taken away the faith it selfe must be taken away also And these by common use we call not onely Catholique but Verities of Faith also There are other verities which be Catholique also and universal namely such as the whole Church holdeth which yet being over throwne the faith is shaken indeed but not overturned And in the errours which are contrary to such truths as these the faith is obscured not extinguished weakened not perished These may be called verities of Christian doctrine but not of faith Briefly it is the common and constant doctrine of e Mag. 3. d. 25. Aquin. 2. 2. qu. 2. art 5. ibi DD. Schoolemen and f Tolet. Navarr Sayr Filiucius Reginaldus caeteri Casuists that have written of the nature of heresie and the measure of Catholique faith that there is a certain measure and quantity of faith without which none can be saved but every thing revealed belongs not to this measure It is enough to beleeve some things by a Virtuall faith or by a Generall as it were a Negatiue faith whereby they are not denyed or contradicted and in some things men may be ignorant or erre in them without danger of their salvation All this evidently confirmes that most necessary and most usefull distinction betweene fundamentall and not fundamentall doctrines which our Mistaker here with so great noyse and so little reason cryes downe By Fundamentall doctrines we meane such Catholique verities as principally and essentially pertaine to the faith such as properly constitute a Church and are necessary in ordinary course to be distinctly beleeved by every Christian that will be saved Other points of truth are called not-fundamentall because they are not of such absolute necessity and doe not primarily belong to the Vnity of faith or to the Essence of a Church or to the Salvation of a Christian Such as for their subtilty and profoundnesse are disputable in themselves and happily by plaine Scripture indeterminable Such finally as may admit an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a non liquet both ignorance if it be not affected and errour if it proceed not from negligence or wilfullnes without perill It is true whatsoever is revealed in Scripture or propounded by the Church out of Scripture is in some sence fundamentall in regard of the divine authority of God and his word by which it is recommended that is such as may not be denyed or contradicted without infidelity such as every Christian is bound with humility and reverence to beleeve whensoever the knowledge thereof is offered to him But in regard of the matter and moment of things revealed and of their use to us though all be revealed alike yet not all under the like penalty We are told by Cardinall g De Eccles lib. 3. cap. 14. §. Quinto Multa sunt de fide quae non sunt absolutè necessaria ad salutem Sane credere historias U. T. Bellarmine that many things are de fide to be beleeved which are not absolutely necessary to salvation The knowledge or faith of Christs passion is necessary not so that of his Genealogy Fundamentall therefore properly is that which Christians are obliged to beleeve by an expresse and actuall faith In other points that faith which the Cardinall
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.
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