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
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
the Primitiue Church and in them the whole Church of God haue maintained then either the Protestants or Catholikes for their disentions houlding of cōtrary doctrines touching freewill Purgatory Prayer to Saints sacrifice c. are to be accounted heretiks and consequētly both cānot be saued in their Religon For that Heretikes continuing Heretiks cannot be saued is demonstrated first from those fearefull threats comminations of the Apostles thundred out against Heretikes of which point I haue discoursed aboue Secondly from the authority of Christs church which excludeth all Heretiks as I haue showed from all hope of saluation And lastly to omit many other reasons from that principle That Heretikes are no members of Christs church of which point we are to dispute in the next place Now if the sayd false doctrines be not heresyes then haue the Fathers of the primitiue church generally erred in defyning them for heresyes and consequently the whole Church of God represented in the Fathers as in her Pastors and Doctors hath also therein erred which is repugnant to the holy (o) Math 18. Ioan. 16. 3. Ephes 1. Scripture and our Sauiours promise 20. The second thing to be aduertised is that of the former authorityes of the Fathers against heresy not any of them are restrayned by them to be heresies touching the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ his Passion the Articles of the creede for of these heere is made no mention or intimation in their authorityes within which compasse our Formalists in Religion seeke to cōtaine their fayth but they are implicitly by the Fathers extended to all heresies whatsoeuer whether they concerne the supreme and fundamental points of Christian Religion or any other secondary and lesse principall point of the same Religion The same proued from that principle that neither Heretikes nor Schismatikes are members of Christs Church CHAP. VIII IN this last place concerning the Church we will set downe another principle of Christian fayth and after will deduce from thence by way of most necessary inference our conclusion heere handled The principle is this That Heretikes houlding any heresyes whatsoeuer are no members of the church of Christ The deduction is that Heretikes therefore cannot be saued since none can be saued but such as are members of Christes church This principle is proued as aboue is intimated out of Gods holy word as where it it (a) 1. Tim. 1. sayd Certaine men made shipwracke touching fayth that is they fell out of the ship of the Church by forging of Heresies And againe They (b) 1. Io. 2. went out of vs that is as S. Augustine expoundeth out of the Church of which we are The expositions of which texts are warranted euen by force of reason for seeing the Church is an vnited multitude for it is one Spouse Cant. 6. one Kingdome and one Body this vnion chiefly consisteth in the profession of one fayth it is repugnant to reason that they should be reputed as members of the body of the Church who haue no coniunction at all in the chiefest matters with the sayd body 2. If we proceed to the testimonyes of the ancient Fathers we shall find them of an vnanimous iudgment herein to wit That Heretikes are no members of the Church and therfore cannot be saued And first occurreth S. Irenaeus (c) Lib. 3 Cap. 3. who sayth that Policarpe did conuert many Heretikes vnto the Church therefore it may be concluded that those Heretikes before their conuersion were out of the Church S. Cyprian (d) Epist ad Iubainum sayth Heretikes though they be out of the Church do challenge to themselues the authority of the Church after the manner of Apes who not being men yet would be accounted to be men The same Father thus plainly writeth in another place Cum (e) lib. de vnitate Eccles Deo manere non possunt qui in Ecclesia Dei vnanimes esse noluerunt They cannot remaine with God who dissent in iudgment from the church of God And yet more fully in the same place Non peruenit ad Christi praemia c. He arriueth not to the rewards of Christ who leaueth the church of Christ he is an alien he is prophane he is an ennemy for he cannot haue God to his Father who hath not the Church for his Mother And S. Hierome sayth Quê non (f) In dialog con Lucifer à Domino Iesu Christo sed ab alio c. VVho take their denomination or name not from our Lord Iesus Christ but from some other as the Marcionists Valentinians Montenses c. are not the Church of God but the synagogue of Antichrist Finally S. Augustine for I haue already dwelled ouerlong in the authority of the Fathers pronounceth that Nihil sic (g) Trae 27. in Ioann formidare debet c. A Christian ought to feare nothing so much as to be separated from the body of Christ which is his Church and which is one and Catholike for if he be separated from the body of Christ he is not a member of Christ if no member of Christ then is he not strengthned with his spirit But who hath not this spirit of God the same mā is not of God Thus farre S. Augustin with whome euen the Protestants do ioyne heere in iudgment for D. Doue in his booke of persuasions thus sayth This proposition that Heretikes are not to be communicated withal is vndoubtedly true And D. Sutcliffe in his Examen of petitions pag. 9. alleadgeth the Laodicean Councell can 31. 32. 33. in proofe thereof thus concluding The Laodicean Councell doth directly condemne communion with Heretiks eyther in marriage or prayer 3. This already alleadged may serue to proue that Heretikes are no members of the Church of Christ consequently cannot attaine saluation since it is agreed among all learned men that only the members of the church of Christ can find saluation in Christ we will in this place descend to Schismatikes who if they be neyther of the Church of God nor can iustly expect any saluation during such their state then à fortiori no Heretike can expect any saluation since a Schismatike beleeuing all articles of Christian fayth doth only diuide himselfe by disobediēce in not communicating with the Church in prayer Sacraments Whereas an Heretike as is aboue sayd willfully contumaciously maintayneth errours false opinions cōdemned by the Church Now that a Schismatike is not a member of Christs Church is first proued from the Texts of Scripture aboue in part touched where the Church is called one fould of sheep Ioan. 10. One body Rome 12. One spouse and one Doue Cant. 6. But now Schisme according to its Etimology deuideth that which was one into parts for Schisma being a greeke word commeth of the verbe Schizo which is scindere therefore as a member being cut off from the body is no longer a part of the body so a Schismatike diuiding himselfe by his owne disobedience
excōmunication is inflicted The Apostle in 2. Thess cap. 3. coniureth as it were in the name of Christ that all should auoid all false belieuers in these words We denounce vnto you Brethren in the name of our Lord Iesus Chirst that you withdraw your selues from euery Brother walking inordinately and not according to the tradition which they haue receaued of vs. This place concerneth faith and doctrine as the whole chapter sheweth but if these men here to be eschewed were in state of saluation they ought not then to be eschewed Againe this text cannot haue reference to those who deny the Trinity the Incarnation and Passion seeing the deniers of these high articles are not Brethren in Christ and yet the Apostle styleth them Brethren whome he here reprehendeth 3. Againe the Apostle in another place thus forewarneth The (b) Epist. ad Gall. cap. 5. workes of the flesh be manifest which are fornication vncleanes impurity or dissentions sects c. They which doe these things shall not obtaine the kingdome of God Where wee see is expresse mention made of Sects and that maintainours of any sects in opinion of faith much more of any Heresie which is euer auerred with greater contumacy and frowardnes and with neglect of the Churches authority shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen from which Testimonies we may further conclude that as one only act of fornication barreth a man from the kingdome of God so also one Heresie excludeth him from the same 4. A fourth place is this I desire (c) Epist ad Rom. cap. 16. you Brethren to marke them that make dissentions and scandalls contrary to the doctrine which you haue learned and auoid them for such do not serue Christ our Lord But if such men be to be auoided and doe not serue Christ then no doubt they continuing in that state cannot be saued Againe 1. Tim. 1. the Apostle speaketh of certaine men and saith of them that Quidam circa (d) 1. Timoth 2. fidem naufragauerunt Certaine men made shipwracke about the faith Where the Apostle vseth the metaphor of shipwracke therby to expresse more fully that Heretikes once falling out of the shippe of Christs churche are cast into the sea of eternall damnation To conclude the Euangelist Saint Iohn speaketh of all Heretikes in generall not embracing the doctrine of Christ within which all secondary questions of christian Religion are contained in this sort If any man come (e) 2. Ioan vnto you and bring not the doctrine of Christ receaue him not into your house nor say God saue you vnto him But a man is bound in charity to suffer any one who is in state of saluation to come into his house and to salute him or say God saue him 5. Now what can be replyed against these former Texts It cannot be sayd that they are meant only of such Heretikes as deny the mysteryes of the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ his Passion and such like supreme and cardinall points of Christian Religion this I say cannot be auerred for these reasons following First because those who in the Apostles tymes denyed these principall points of Christianity could not be truely tearmed Heretikes seeing he is truely an Heretike who was once a member of Christs church by fayth but after ceaseth to be thereof no more then all the Iewes or Gentils could not be accounted or styled Heretikes because they neuer beleeued the foresayd mysteryes of christianity Secondly by reason that according to the former definition of Heresy or Heretikes aboue set downe the former Texts haue a necessary reference to all Heresy and heretikes whatsoeuer whether the subiect of the sayd false opinion be small or great Thirdly because that in the former Texts of Scripture there is no restriction of the word Haereticus or Haeresis to the chiefe or highest points of Christian Religion but it is extended to all kind of Heretikes or Heresies whatsoeuer euen by the Apostle without exception who no doubt if he had vnderstood Heresyes or Heretiks only in the greatest points at least in some one Text or other among so many would accordingly haue restrayned his wordes only to those kind of Heretikes and the rather seeing the denyall of those great points only not of others do in our Libertines opinion make the denyers thereof Heretikes But not to leaue the least show of refuge or euasion heerin I will produce some passages of holy Scripture in which the maintenours of particuler errours euen in lesser points then the highest articles of Christianity are censured by Christs Apostles to be depriued of eternall saluation 6. And first we find S. Paul thus to prophesy In (f) 1 Tim. c. 4. the later times certaine shal depart from the fayth attending to spirits of errour and doctrine of Diuells forbidding to mary and to abstaine from meates Heere the Apostle prophesieth according to the iudgment of (g) Hom. 12. in Timot Saint Chrysostome (h) In hunc locū Ambrose (i) Lib. contra Iouin c. 7. Hierome and S. (k) Her 25. 40. Augustine of the Heretikes Eucratites Marcionists Ebionists such like who denyed Matrimony as a thing altogether vnlawfull and prohibited absolutly at al tymes and the eating of certaine meates as creatures impure Now these Heretikes belieued in the Trinity and might in the Incarnation c. and yet euen for these two former Heresies touching mariage and eating of meates and not for the Trinity or Incarnation they are sayd by the Apostle to departe from the fayth of Christ and to attend to the doctrine of Diuels But such as leaue the fayth of Christ and attend to the doctrine of Diuels are not in state of saluation In my iudgement this one authority alone is sufficient to ouerthrow this phantasy of our Newtralists since the wordes are diuine scripture the heresies reprehended no fundamentall points of Religion but of as little or lesser consequence then the Controuersies betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants and yet the maintainers of them are accounted to depart from the faith of Christ and to attend to the doctrine of Diuels 7. A second place shal be that of the former Apostle who writing of certaine Heretiks erring touching the Resurrectiō of the body sayth thus Their (l) 2. Timoth 2. speach spreadeth like a Canker of whome is Hymenaeus and Philetus who haue erred from the truth saying that the Resurrection is already past and haue subuerted the fayth of some These men beleeued all the mysteryes of the Trinity Incarnation c. seeing otherwise the Apostle would haue reprehended them for want or beliefe therein as for the article of the Resurrection yet for erring only touching the resurrection of the body they are sayd to erre from the truth to subuert the fayth of some and that as a Canker neuer leaueth the body till by little and little it wasteth it away so their speaches by degrees poyson and kill the soules of
the hearers From which it euidently followeth that these Heretikes continuing and dying in the foresayd heresy could not be saued since that fayth which erreth from the truth and which subuerteth the true fayth of others and which in killing and destroying the soule resembleth a Canker cannot afford saluation to its Professors 8. Another passage which heere I will vrge is that of S. Iohn who calleth certaine Heretiks Anti-Christs saying Now (m) 1. Ioan. c. 2. there ate become many Anti-Christs who went out of vs but were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they had remayned with vs. These Heretikes belieued in the Trinity in the Incarnation of Christ that he dyed for the saluation of the whole world only they erred touching the person and natures of Christ and yet they are figuratiuely styled Anti-Christs and are sayd to departe out of the church of Christ But no saluation is reserued for Anti-christs such as departe from the Church of God And thus much out of Gods holy writ expresly touchinge Heretikes in general and in particuler 9. To these Texts I will adioyne though not immediatly and directly ranged vnder the former head a place in S. Peter in my iudgment most vnanswerable and by necessary inference euicting the point heere vndertaken The place is those wordes in the 2. epistle of S. Peter cap. 3. where he sayth thus In the Epistles of Paul there are certaine thinges hard to be vnderstood which the vnlearned and vnstable do peruert vnto their owne destruction Now here I thus argue But these things hard to be vnderstood in S. Pauls epistle do not concerne the doctrine of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. and yet the misvnderstanding of them doth cause as the Text sayth the destruction that is the damnation of these who misunderstand them therefore farre lesser points then the denyall of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. doe iustly threaten to the false belieuers of them damnation and consequently that a bare beliefe of those supreme points are not only necessary to saluation 10. That those difficulties in S. Pauls epistles intimated by Sainct Peter doe not concerne the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. I proue seuerall wayes first because S. Peter maketh no such mention which no doubt he would haue done if the subiect of them had touched only those supreme mysteries and were not to be extended to other inferiour points 11. Secondly it is acknowledged by the commentaries and writings of all the fathers besides that the epistles themselues showe no lesse that Saint Paul is most euident and cleare in all his epistles touching the Trinity the Incarnatiō the Passion c. and therfore there is no reason why the difficultyes in them should be applied to those articles muchlesse restrained to them alone 12. Thirdly the Fathers do vnderstand those difficultyes in Saint Pauls epistles insinuated by Saint Peter cheifly touching Iustification as appeareth by the testimony euen of S. Augustine himselfe in his booke de fide operibus lib. 12. who particulerly instanceth in that place 1. Cor. 3. If any man builde vpon this foundation golde siluer c. Which Text treateth of Iustification and works and expressely saith (n) Lib. de fide operibus cap. 15 16. that this is one of the difficult passages intended and meant by Saint Peter With whome Saint Hierome may seeme wel to agree who in those worden Epistola ad Romanos Nimijs (o) Epist. ad Algasiain quest 8. in epist ad Rom. obscuritatibus inuoluta est Intimateth no lesse for it is found that the epistle to the Romans most intreateth of Iustification and of faith and workes Fourthly and lastly the Protestants themselues doe vnderstand the said obscurities of Saint Pauls epistles touching Iustification as appeareth to omit the testimonies of all others herin from the wordes and comment of M. Doctor Fulke against the Rhemists Testament vpon the foresaid place of S. Peter and thus far of this text where we find by an ineuitable deduction that a false faith touching Iustification only cānot stand with saluation 13. The same is proued from the definition and propriety of faith In this place we will take into our consideration the definition of fayth set down by S. Paul secondly the dignity worth of faith much celebrated by diuers of the Apostles thirdly the inseparable propriety of fayth which is vnity for so doth the Scripture delineate and describe fayth from all which it will ineuitably follow that the fayth which saueth man is not to be restrayned only to the Trinity the Incarnation and other such sublime points of Christian Religion though in other points it be erroneous but is extended to all other pointes whatsoeuer which the Church of God propoundeth to be belieued 14. And to beginne with the definition of fayth giuen by the Apostle he thē defineth fayth thus Fayth (p) Heb. cap. 11. is the substance of thinges to be hoped for the argument of thinges not appearing The sense whereof is this first that fayth through an infallible certainty causeth those thinges to subsist and haue a being in the mind of man which thinges are yet to come being but hoped and looked for secondly that fayth causeth the vnderstanding to giue assent to those points which it vnderstandeth not acknowledging them to be more certaine then any thinges whatsoeuer according to those wordes of S. Thomas Multo magis (q) ◠2. q. 4. a. 8. homo certior est de eo quod audiuit a Deo qui falli non potest quam de eo quod videt propria ratione quae falli potest Now heere I trust no man will deny but the Apostle defineth that fayth of a Christian which saueth him This being graunted for to deny it were both impious in the denyer and most iniurious to the Apostle we are to remember the nature of euery true definition set downe by the Logitians to wit as is aboue mentioned that the thing defined and the definition be of one and the same extent and latitude so as whatsoeuer is comprehended vnder the definition the same is also contayned vnder the thing defined This then being presupposed by force of all reason for Logicke is but an artificiall and seruiceable handmayd vnto reason we find that this definition of fayth compriseth in it selfe not only the doctrine of the Incarnation the Trinity and the like and this not articulately but only by way of deduction but also it contayneth al secondary points of Religiō seeing the former definition doth predicate or may be sayd of all the sayd secondary lesse principall points of Religion controuerted betweene Christians at any tyme. 15. Therfore the thing heere defined which is the sauing fayth of a Christian is in like sort to extend it selfe to all the sayd secondary pointes of Religion how indifferent soeuer they seeme in mans iudgment This inference is so demonstratiue being
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
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
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
particuler choise to insist vpon omitting some others of like nature because wee see that most or all of them do immediatly and principally as is aboue sayd touch the meanes of purchasing of grace of remission of our sinnes and obtayning of saluatiō being maintayned for such by the Catholikes but vtterly denyed reiected by Protestants And here I now vrge two things First if these former doctrines as they are beleeued by the Catholikes do immediatly concerne saluation and become necessary meanes thereof then cannot the Protestants as reiecting all such doctrines and such meanes both in beliefe practise be saued But if by a supposall they be not of that nature but false in themselues and the contrary doctrines true then cannot the Catholikes as beleeuing false doctrines immediatly touching mans saluation and accordingly practising them be saued From which forked argument it may most demonstratiuely be inferred that it is impossible that both the Catholiks and the Protestants the one part beleeuing the other part not beleeuing the foresayd doctrines should both be saued for who neglecteth necessary meanes shall neuer attayne to the designed end of the sayd meanes Secondly I vrge that a false beliefe not only in these articles but also in any other Controuersyes betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants is plaine Heresy And this because euery false beliefe is comprehended within the definition of heresy as being in it selfe an electiō choise of a new or false doctrine wilfully maintayned against the Church of God and therefore it followeth that eyther the Catholikes or Protestants for their persisting in this false beliefe or heresy shal be damned 10. But heere I will stay my selfe wading no further in the disquisition and search of the great dissentions betweene Catholikes and Protestants touching Fayth and beliefe only I will reflect a little vpon the premises of the two last Chapters And heere since it is made most euident first that the Protestants and Catholikes do mainly differ in the sense and construction of the articles of the Creed and consequently seeing the sense and not the wordes make the creed that they both do not beleeue one and the same Creed but haue to themselues seuerall Creedes From whence sufficiently is discouered that want of vnity in fayth among them both which vnity is so necessarily required to mans saluation as in the precedent Chapter is demonstrated Secondly that though by supposition they did beleeue the Creed the sense therof with an vnanimous consent yet it is proued that there are diuers other articles not contayned in the Creed which are indifferently beleeued as necessary to saluation both by Catholike and Protestant Thirdly seeing also there are sundry Controuersies in Religion as is aboue exemplifyed which immediatly concerne saluation being houlden as necessary meanes thereof by the catholikes but disclaymed from and abandoned by Protestants as mayne errours and false doctrines that therefore it is a manifest errour to make the Creed the sole rule of fayth 11. Therefore from all the former premises I do auerre that he who maintayneth that both Catholikes Protestants and consequently men of any Religion notwithstāding that the one side doth necessarily beleeue and maintaine Heresy can be saued or that euery Christian can obtaine heauen is wholy depriued of all true iudgement reason and discourse and for want thereof may deseruedly be ranged among them of whome the Psalmist speaketh Nolite fieri sicut equus mulus quibus non est intellectus Do not become as Horse and Mule which haue no vnderstanding CHAP. VI. The same proued from the authority and priuiledges of the Church in not erring in her definitions and condemnation of Heresies and first by Councells FROM the inuiolable vnity of Fayth we wil next descend to the priuiledges of Gods true church of which priuiledges I will at this tyme take only one into my consideration which is that the church of God is indued with a supreme prerogatiue in not erring in her definitiō of faith or condemnation of heresy This point is warranted by innumerable texts of holy Scripture as where it is sayd Vpon thy wales O Hierusalem I haue set watchmen all the day and all the night they shal not be silēt Isai 72. But God did not set watchmen ouer his Church to teach errours And againe the (a) 1. Tim. 3. Church of God is the pillar and foūdation of truth what more perspicuous And further whereas each man is commaunded to repaire in difficulties euen of lesser consequences to the Church it is threatned by Christ himselfe that who will not heare the Church shal be accounted as an heathen or publican according to that his condemnation Si Ecclesiam non audierit (b) Matt. 18. sit tibi sicut Ethnicus Publicanus where we find no restriction but that in all things wee are to heare the Church Againe Christ himselfe speaketh to his Apostles and in them to the whole Church (c) Luc. 10. He that heareth you heareth me But if the Church could erre neyther would Christ referre vs to the Church especially vnder so great a penalty neyther by hearing the Church could we be iustly sayd to heare Christ Finally the Church is so gouerned by Christ as its head or spouse and by the holy Ghost as its soule as therfore we find the Apostle thus to write (d) Ephes ◠therof God hath made him head speaking of Christ ouer all the Church which is his body And againe one (e) Ephes 4. body and one spirit and yet more The (f) Ephes 5. man is the head of the Church From which Texts it followeth that if the Church should erre in its definition or resolution of Fayth and condemnation of Heresy this erring must iustly be ascribed to Christ and to the holy Ghost and consequently it followeth that the Apostles in making the Creede would haue omitted that Article I belieue the holy Catholike Church For why should we be bound to belieue the Church if the Church could erre 2. This truth I meane that the Church of Christ cannot erre in her sententionall decrees is so illustrious and euident that Tertullian speaking of certaine Heretikes of his time obiecting the erring of the whole church thus figuratiuely or Ironically writeth Age (g) Lib. de preser omnes errauerunt nullam respexit Spiritus sanctus that is goe to belike all the Churches haue erred the holy Ghost hath respected or looked vpon no one Church And S. Augustine Disputare (h) Epist 118. contra id quod Ecclesia vniuersa sentit insolentissimae insaniae est To dispute against any point maintained by the whole Church is extreme madnes To whose iudgement herein most of the more sober and learned Protestants doe indisputably subscribe since diuers of (i) D. Bācroft in ser 1588 Fox act Mon. 464 h. art 4. the deuines of Geneua in their propositions and principles disputed pag. 141. diuers others them
orthodoxae doctrinam petulanter corrumpere pergit Bremae 1592. Eight Argumentorum obiectorum de precipuis articulis doctrinae christianae cum responsionibus quae sunt collectae ex scriptis Philippi Melancthonis additis scholijs illustrantibus vsum singularum responsionum partes septem Neapoli 1578. Ninth Gulielmi Zepperi Dillenbergensis Ecclesia Pastoris institutio de tribus Religionis summis capitibus quae inter Euangelicos in Controuersiam vocantur Hannoniae 1596. Tenth Responsio triplex ad fratres Tubingenses triplex eorum scriptum de tribus grauissimis questionibus de coena Domini de maiestate hominis Christi de non damnandis Ecclesijs Dei nec auditis nec vocatis Geneuae 1582. Eleuenth Ad Ioannis Brentij argumenta Iacobi Andreae theses quibus carnis Christi omnipresentiam nituntur confirmare id est aduersum renouatos Nestorij Eutichetis errores responsum Geneuae 1570. Twelueth Apologia ad omnes Germaniae Ecclesias reformatas quae sub Zuingliani Caluiniani nominis inuidiae vim iniuriam patiuntur Tiguri 1578 Thirteene Christophori Pezelij Apologia verae doctrinae de definitione Euangelij apposita thrasonicis praestigijs Ioannis VVigandi VVittenbergae 1572. Fourteene Colloquij Montisbelgartensis inter Iacobum Andreae Theodorum Bezam Acta Tubingae 1584. Fifteene Veritatis victoria ruina papatus Saxonici Losannae 1563. Sixteene Hamelmannia siue Aries Theologizans dialogus oppositus duabus narrationibus historicis Hermani Hamelmanni Neostadij 1582 Seauenteene Christiani Kittelmani decem graues perniciosi errores Zuinglianorum in doctrina de peccatis Baptismo ex proprijs ipsorum libris collecti refutati Madelburg 1592. Eighteene Ioannis Mosellani praeseruatiua contra venenum Zuinglianorum Tubingae 1586. Ninteene Responsio ad scriptum quod Theologi Bremenses aduersus collectores Apologiae formulae concordiae publicarunt Lipsiae 1585. Twenty Hieremiae Victoris vera dilucida demonstratio quod Zuingliani Caluinistae numquā se subiecerunt confessioni Augustanae exhibitae Carolo quinto anno 1530. Germ. Francofurti 1591. And thus much of the titles of Protestants bookes written one against another 8. Now from al the former premises aboue set downe I heere conclude that if the seuerall opinions and doctrines among the Protestants themselues be not in their owne iudgmēts matters of Indifferency but are by themselues truely reputed for Heresies and the maintayners of them not houlden to be in state of Saluation but accounted branded Heretikes then with much more reason may the same sentence be pronounced touching the maine irreconcitiable Controuersies differently beleiued and houlden by the Catholikes Protestants the rather since as it is aboue said there is a farre greater difference of doctrine betweene the Catholike the Protestant then betweene the Protestant the Protestant The truth of the former doctrine proued from the many absurdityes necessarily accompanying the contrary doctrine CHAP. XV. SVCH is the sweet prouidence of the diuine maiesty in the disposall of things as that he euer causeth truth to be warranted with many irrefragable reasons falsehood to be attended on with diuers grosse absurdities that so the iudgement of men may the better be secured for the imbracing of truth and remaine the lesse excusable if in place of truth it entertaineth falsehood and errour Of the reasons conuincing the infallible truth of our doctrine maintained in this treatise I haue already discussed aboue in the ninth chapter now heere I will a little insist in displaying the many and palpable absurdities accompanying the contrary doctrine which point will chiefely rest besides some other short insertions in a recapitulation of most of the former heades or branches aboue handled For if this doctrine were true that euery one might be saued in his owne Religion or that the beleife only of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion and the Creede were sufficient therto notwithstanding the beleife of other erroneous opinions and heresies then would it follow first that the holy scriptures of Christ his Apostles were most false which haue inueighed so much against heresies and hath denounced the heauy iudgment of damnation against the professors of them as aboue is showed which comminations and threats the scripture in some places not only extendeth to all heresie and Heretikes in generall without any (a) Epist ad Titū cap 3. Galat ◠5. Rom. c. 16.1 ad Tim. 1. limitation but also in some other texts they are particulerly restrayned euen to certaine heresies of farre smaller importance then the denyal of the Trinity the Incarnation the passion the Creed are as is euident touching the denying of (b) 1. Tim c. 4. 2. ad Tim. c. 2. 1. Ioan. cap. 2 mariadge of eating certaine meats and touching the nature of Christ Now that the denyall of other inferiour articls of faith then of the Trinity Incarnation c. is plaine Heresie is demonstrated aboue both from the definition of Heresie and from the iudgment of the primitiue Church 2. Secondly the foresaide doctrine of our Newtralists impugneth (c) vt supra the definition of faith giuen by the Apostle which definition of faith comprehendeth a general beleife of all articles of Christian Religion (d) Heb. cap. 11. and is not therefore to be restrained to any one kind of them 3. In like sort it destroyeth the priuiledges and dignityes of fayth set downe by the foresayd Apostles who (e) Matt. vltim Hebr. 11. promiseth saluation to him who hath faith as also affirmeth That without fayth we cannot please (f) Eph. 4. Act. 4. Rom. 12. God but such excellencyes cānot be ascribed to a mungrill fayth which beleeueth somethings true other false they are therfore to be giuen to a true intire perfect faith in all points or els the Apostle grossely erred in assigning to faith the foresayd priuiledges seeing a false fayth is no better then no faith at all 4. Againe it depriueth Christian faith of its true marke or Character of Vnity so much celebrated by the Apostle Now then if vnity of faith be necessary to Saluation how can both Catholikes and Protestants expect saluation Seeing there is no greater distance betweene the opposite parts of a Diameter then there is repugnancy betweene both their beleifes And thus if both them though wanting this vnity can be saued then hath the Apostle falsely and erroneously described and delineated the fayth of a Christian But to reflect vpon the former passages is any man so stupid as to dreame that that doctrine should be true which giueth so open a lye to so many vnanswerable texts of Gods holy writ touching the condemning of Heretiks in generall as also touching the definition excellency and propriety of true faith It is impossible it is not to be imagined Gods word is like himselfe most true sacred and inuiolable and therefore it iustly witnesseth of it selfe that Sriptura (g) Matt. 24. non potest solui And againe Coelum terra
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
vpon the diligent perusall of the euidences the ioynt consent iudgments of all the sayd Lawyers should after their longe and serious demurs conspire in this one point to wit that for the recouering and obtayning of the sayd lands the foreshewed euidences in generall are not only sufficient seeing diuers other mē not hauing any true interest in the lands may neuerthelesse insist and vrge their like general clayme but that with the help of the sayd common euidences he must more punctually rely for the gayning of his presumed inheritance vpon other more particuler and personall euidences and assignements Now all these learned Counsailours agreeing in this sentence and fortifying their iudgments heerein with their owne experience in the like case with the new Reports warranting the same with the authorityes of all the ancient learned and reuerend Iudges before them and lastly with the cōformity of reason confirming no lesse If here now some one Emperick Atturney or other skilfull only by a little experience in making a Nouerint vniuersi c. should steppe forth armed ōly with impudency and ignorance and should pronounce the foresayd sentence of all these learned sages to be false and that the party pretending right to the sayd landes were sure by his generall title and euidences only to obtaine the same all other his more particuler euidences being but vnnecessary needlesse therto who might not iustly contemne reiect the censure of such a fellow Or could not the party clayming the foresayd inheritance be worthily reprehended if by abandoning the graue counsaile of the learned Lawyers following the aduise of this ignorant man he should finally loose all clayme title and possibility to his sayd inheritance 22. Our case is heere the same We all pretend right to the inheritance of the Kingdome of heauen for we read Coronam vitae preparauit Dominus diligentibus se Our title in generall therto is our beliefe in the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. the beliefe wherof is necessary but not sufficient All eminent men for learning both Catholiks and Protestants do proue from the Scriptures from the authority of Godes Church from the nature of heresy from the definition of true fayth and from diuers other reasons and principles aboue expressed that no man can attaine to this heauenly inheritance by belieuing only the former fundamentall pointes of Christianity if so he haue not at least implicitly a true and particuler fayth of all other lesse principall points of Christian Religion Now commeth heere a dissolute gamnelesse and left-handed fellow not practised in any kind of good literature for it is obserued that al our most forward Newtralists are men for the most part voyd of learning vertue conscience who peremptorily out of his Pithagorian chayre that is without proofe teacheth that a beliefe in generall of the articles of the Trinity Incarnation Passion c. doth only necessarily conduce to mans saluation and that the doctrines of Purgatory Free-will Reall presence and other contouersies betweene the Catholikes and Protestants are not in any sort necessary to the purchasing of our eternall inheritance and wel fare but are to be reputed with reference to that end points indifferent vnauayleable needelesse and as the greek phrase is Pareria or by-matters Who would not heere commiserate the folly ignorance of such a man but especially pitty the poore soules seduced by soe blind a guide THE CONCLVSION CHAP. XVI HITHERTO good Reader it is sufficiently I hope demonstrated that euery Religion though professing the name of Christ and beleeuing in the Trinity the Incarnation the like fundamentall points of Christian Fayth if their beliefe in other secondary and lesse principall pointes be erroneous cannot promise to it selfe any security of saluation and consequently that the controuerted articles at this day between Catholikes and Protestants touching Purgatory Freewill Praying to Saints Sacrifice c. are of that great importance as that the professours of both sides to vse the phrase of a Blessed Martyr in the same case Vnum caelum capere non potest One heauen cannot containe It now remayneth to show that seeing at this day there are originally but two different religions among Christians to wit the Catholike Religion and the Protestant within which is included all its branches descendents whether the Catholike or Protestant Religion is that wherin a man may be saued But seeing this subiect is most learnedly and painefully entreated of by many Catholike wryters who from all authorityes both diuine and humane haue irrefragably euicted the truth of their owne religion and falsehood of the Protestants profession and consequently that in the Catholike not in the Protestant faith the soules eternall saluation is to be purchased therfore I do remit the Reader for his greater satisfactiō therin to the perusall of the said books and particulerly to the studying rather then to the reading of that most elaborate learned vnanswereable and gauling worke of the protestants Apologie of the Roman Churche 2. Only before I heere end I must make bould to put him in remembrance with what the Protestant Religion in this treatise though but casually and incidently is most truly chardged to wit first with particuler condemnations passed vpon diuers of its cheifest articles euen by the seuerall sentences and iudgments of the primitiue Church and that therfore those doctrines so condemned and yet after defended with all froward pertinacity against the Church of God are not only therby discouered for plaine and manifest heresies but furthermore both implicitely by the testimony of holy scripture as also by the definition of Heresy aboue expressed Secondly that the doctrinall speculations positions of the Protestants faith doe forceibly impell the willes of such as beleiue them to all vice liberty and sensuality Thirdly that God out of the infinite abysse of his Iustice hath punished euen in this worlde as earnest giuen of far greater punishmēt in the world to come with most fearefull vnnaturall and prodigions deathes the first inuentours in our age and promulgatours of the said doctrines and such deaths as his diuine maiesty is accustomed to send to his professed ennemies Fourthly that Protestancy is torne a sunder with intestine diuisiōs diuers professors of it chardging their brethren professours with Heresie and dispayring of their future saluation 25. From all which we may infalliby conclude that except Heresy dissolution of manners most infamous miserable deaths and disagreements in doctrine between one the same sect be good dispsitions and meanes to purchase heauen the Protestant Religion can neuer bring her beleiuers therto What then remaineth but that who will expect saluation should seeke it only in the Catholike Church It being that Arke erected by our second Noe within which who vertuously liue are exempted from that vniuersall deluge of eternall damnation For only in this Church is professed and taught that faith to which by longe prescription a continued hand of time is
peculierly ascribed the name Catholike Catholicum (c) Pacianus epis ad SympronianuÌ„ quae est de nomine catholico istud nec Marcionem nec Apellem nec Montanum sumit anthores That fayth is which was prophecyed to be of that dilating and spreading nature as that to it all (d) Isa 2. expouÌ„ded in the English bibles aÌ„no 1576 of the vniuersality of the Church or fayth of Christ Nations shall flow and which shall haue the (e) Psal 2. expounded of the Churches vniuersality by the foresayd English Bibles 1576. end of the earth for its possession from sea (f) Psal 72. to sea beginning (g) Luc. 24. at Hierusalem among al Nations That fayth the Professors wherof shal be a (h) Dan. 2. in which is included the continuance of the churche without interruption Kingdome that shall neuer be destroyed but shall stand for euer contrary to the short currents of all heresies Of which S. Augustine thus writteth Many heresies are allready dead they haue continued their streame as longe as they were able Now they are runne out and their riuers are dryed vp The memory of them that euer they were is scarce extant That faith the members whereof in regard of their euer visible eminency are stiled by the holy Ghost A (i) Psal 57. mountaine prepared in the top of mountaines and exalted aboue all Hilles with reference wherto to wit in respect of the Churches continuall (k) Isa 2. whereby is proued the churches euer visibility visibility the aforesaide S. Augustine coÌ„pareth it to a tabernacle placed in the sunne (l) Tom. 9. in ep Ioan. tra 2. That faith whose vnion in doctrine both among the members therof and with their head is euen celebrated by Gods holy writte since the Church of God is therefore called One (m) Rom. 17. Cant 6. Ioan. 10. which places â—oâ— proue the Churches vnity body one spouse and one sheepe-fould which preuiledge S. Hierome acknowledgeth by his owne submission in these wordes I (n) Epist ad Damae sum do consotiate or vnite my selfe in communion with the chayre of Peter I know the Church to be builded vpon that Rocke whosoeuer doth eate the lambe out of this house is become prophane That faith for the greater confirmation wherof God hath vouchsafed to disioint the setled course of nature by working of diuers stupendious and astonishing miracles according to those wordes of our Sauiour Goe (o) Mat. 10. in which words our Sauiour maketh miracls a marke of true faith or the Churche preach you cure the sicke raise the dead cleanse the leapers cast out Diuels A prerogatiue so powerfull efficacious with S. Augustine that he expressely thus confesseth of himselfe Miracles (p) Tom. 6. contra epist. Manich c. 4. are amongst those other things which most iustly haue houlden me in the Churches bosome To conclude omitting diuers other characters as I may tearme them or signes of the true fayth that fayth which is of that force as to extort testimony and warrant for it selfe euen from its capitall and designed ennemyes answerably to that Our (q) Deut. 32. which words include the confession of the aduersary to be a note of truth God is not as their Gods are our ennemyes an euen witnesses Whereunto the Protestants heerein seeme to yeald since no lesse from their owne (r) This is proued in that Protestants do not rebaptize infants or children of Catholike Parents afore baptized Now these Infants are baptized in the fayth of their parents as all children are by the doctrine of all learned Protestants But if this fayth of Catholike parents be sufficient for the saluation of their children dying baptized therein then much more is it sufficient for the saluation of the Parents themselues since it is most absurd to say that the Catholike fayth of parents should be auaileable for their children or infants dying baptized therein and yet not auayleable for the Parents practise then from their acknowledgement (s) See thereof D. Some in his defence against Penry pag. 182. and D. Couell in his defence of M. Hookers fiue bookes of Ecclesiasticall pollicy pag. 77. in wordes they ascribe to our Roman fayth the hope of saluation To this faith then good Reader with an indubious assent adhere thou both liuing and dying Flye Newtralisme in doctrine as the bane of all Religion Flye Protestancy as the bane of Christs true Religion and say with (t) Epist ad Symphronianum Pacianus Christianus mihi nomen est Catholicus vero cognomen Illud me nuncupat istud me ostendit A Christian is my name a Catholike my surname that doth denominate me this doth demonstrate me The contents of the Chapters THat a man who beleiueth in the Trinity the Incarnation the passion c. and yet beleiueth not al other articles of Christian faith cannot be saued And first of the definition of Heresie and of an Heretike Pag. 9. 2 The foresayd verity proued from the holy Scripture p. 15 3 The same proued from the definition nature and proprietie or vnity of faith pag. 29. 4. The same proued from the want of vnitie in faithe betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants touching the Articles of the Creede 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 creed pag. 33. 5. The same made euident froÌ„ the like want of vnity in faith betweene the Catholike and the Protestant in articles necessary to be beleiued and yet not expressed in the creed pag. 48. 6. The same proued from the authority or priuiledge of Gods church in not erring either in her definitions of faith or condemnation of Heresies and first by councells pag. 56. .7 The same proued from the like infallible authority of the church in not erring mainfested from the testimonies of particuler Fathers pag. 67. 8. The foresaid truth euicted from that principle that neither Heretikes nor Schismatikes are members of the church of God pag. 81. 9. The same proued from arguments drawne from reason pag. 90. 10. The same proued from the different effects of catholike Religion and protestancy touching vertue and vice pag. 102. 11. The same verity proued from the fearefull deaths of the first broachers of protestancy pag. 115. 12. The same confirmed from the doctrine of recusancy taught by catholikes and Protestants pag. 118. 13. The same manifested from the writings of the Catholiks and Protestants reciprocally chardging one another with heresy And from the insurrections warres and rebellions begunne only for Religion pag. 126. 14. The same proued from the Protestants mutually condeÌ„ning one another of heresy pag. 13. 15. Lastly the same demonstrated from the many absurditye necessarily accompanying the contrary doctrine pag. 142. 16. The conclusion pag. 165. FINIS