prophane and defile the Churches where they are used 4. Whosoever shall say That they are incitements of impiety is accursed See Articles 6 th and 34 th The Church of Rome hath erred in matters of Faith. The 2d part Of the Homily concerning the Holy Ghost If ye will compare the Notes of a true Church with the Church of Rome as it is presently and hath been for the space of Nine hundred years and odd you shall well perceive the state thereof to be so far wide from the nature of the true Church that nothing can be more Where is then the Holy-Ghost which they do so stoutly claim to themselves Where is now the Spirit of truth that will not suffer them in any wise to err c. It is but a vain brag and nothing else The Church of Rome The Council of Trent The Holy Synod delivering that sound and sincere Doctrine which the Catholick Church being taught by Jesus Christ himself and the Apostles and by the Holy Spirit suggesting all Truth from day to day to her hath retained and will preserve to the end of the World doth straightly charge all the faithful of Christ that they dare not after this believe or teach otherwise concerning the holy Eucharist than is explained and defined in this Decree The Catechism The Church cannot err in delivering the Discipline of Faith and Manners The Rhemists Annotations By this Promise we are assured That no Heresies or other wicked attempts can prevail against the Church builded upon Peter which the Fathers call Peter's See and the Roman Church The Opposition The Church of England The Church of Rome 1. The Church of Rome hath erred in matters of Faith. 1. The Church of Rome cannot err in matters of Faith. 2. The pretence of the Church of Rome to Infallibility is nothing but a vain brag 2. The Church of Rome is guided by the Holy Spirit from day to day and cannot err The 20 th Article of the Church of England Of the Authority of the Church It is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God's Word written c. wherefore although the Church be a witness and keeper of Holy Writ yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of Salvation The Church of Rome The Council of Constance Altho Christ hath instituted and did Administer the Sacrament of the Eucharist in Bread and Wine yet this nowithstanding the Authority of the sacred Canons and the approved custom of the Church is to be preserved that it be not received after Supper c. And likewise that altho the Sacrament was received in both kinds in the Primitive Church yet the custom is reasonably introduced that the Laicks receive in one kind c. And we do command that no Presbyter doth communicate the People in both The Council of Trent This Holy Synod being taught by the Holy Spirit doth declare and teach That Lay-men are obliged by no Divine Precept to receive in both kinds and that Communion in one is sufficient for Salvation Furthermore she declares That this power hath always been in the Church that in dispensing the Sacraments the substance of them being preserved she might appoint and change those things which she doth judg more expedient for the profit of the Receivers and the reverence of the Sacrament c. Wherefore Holy Mother Church acknowledging avowing this her Authority c. for weighty and just causes doth decree That the Eucharist be communicated in one kind 1. General Council of Lateran We do altogether forbid Presbyters Deacons and Monks to contract Matrimony and we do determine that Marriages so contracted be disjoyned The Creed of Pius 4th In which it 's declared That the Church of Rome is the Mother and Mistriss of all other Churches That the Pope is Successor of St. Peter and Vicar of Christ. That in the Mass is a real Transubstantiation of the Elements into the Body and Blood of Christ c. And that all things professed in that Creed are the Catholick Faith Out of which no man can be saved The Opposition The Church of England The Church of Rome 1. Saith that it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing contrary to God's written Word 1. The Church of Rome hath ordained things contrary to God's written Word as in requiring the Sacrament to be administred in one kind in forbidding and disannulling the Marriage of Priests 2. The Church ought not to enforce any thing besides the written Word to be believed for necessity of Salvation 2. The Church of Rome doth require things at least besides the Word to be believed as necessary to Salvation As that the Pope is vicar of Christ and St. Peter's Successor that there are properly and truly Seven Sacraments instituted by Christ c The 21. Article of the Church of England Of the Authority of General Councils General Councils may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of Princes And when they be gathered together forasmuch as they be an Assembly of Men whereof all be not governed with the Spirit and Word of God they may err and sometime have erred in things pertaining unto God. Wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to Salvation have neither strength nor Authority unless it may be declared that they be taken out of Holy Scripture The Church of Rome Council of Trent It belongs to the Popes to call and direct General Councils The Holy Vniversal and General Synod of Trent lawfully gathered together in the Holy Ghost taught by the Holy Spirit which is a Spirit of Wisdom and Vnderstanding c. doth declare and teach The Rhemists Annot. To teach all Truth and preserve in Truth and from Error the Holy-Ghost is promised and performed only to the Church and the chief Governor and General Councils thereof The Rhemists Annot. The Holy Councils lawfully kept c. have ever the assistance of God's Spirit and therefore cannot err in their Sentences and Determinations concerning the same because the Holy-Ghost cannot err from whom as you see here jointly with the Council the Resolution proceedeth The Opposition The Church of England The Church of Rome 1. General Councils may not be gathered without the Command and Will of Princes 1. It belongs to the Pope to call General Councils 2. General Councils have erred and may err 2. General Councils called by the Pope cannot err The 22. Article of the Church of England Of Purgatory The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory Pardons Worshipping and Adoration as well of Images as of Relicks and also Invocation of Saints is a fond Thing vainly invented and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the Word of God. § 1. Purgatory THE Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory is a fond thing vainly
of the Church of Rome be the Doctrine of the Church of England Such are most if not all of these following Articles viz. Art. 6. of the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation Art. 9. of Original Sin Art. 11. of the Justification of Man Art. 13. of works before Justification Art. 14. of works of Supererogation Art. 15. of Christ alone without Sin Art. 19. of the Church Art. 20. of the Authority of the Church Art. 21. of the Authority of General Councils Art. 22. of Purgatory Art. 24. of speaking in the Congregation in such a Tongue as the People understandeth Art. 25. of the Sacraments Art. 28. of the Lords Supper Art. 29. of the wicked which eat not the Body of Christ Art. 30. of both Kinds Art. 31. of the Oblation of Christ upon the Cross Art. 32. of the Marriage of Priests Art. 34. of the Tradition of the Church Art. 35. of the Homilies Art. 36. of the Consecration of Bishops and Ministers Art. 37. of the Civil Magistrates These besides several others which our Articles do not expresly mention but are commonly the received Principles of our Church are the Inconcileable Points and which all the Wit and Charity in the World can no more thoroughly reconcile than Light and Darkness How far this is true and demonstrated to be so in the following Sheets I shall leave to the Consideration of every intelligent Reader In which I have proceeded with care and impartiality from Point to Point laying down first the Doctrine of each Church from unquestionable Authorities for my own Justification and then for the ease of the Reader I have summ'd it up and set each in Opposition to the other From all which I doubt not but whatever Friendship may be maintained betwixt the Members of both Churches as we are Fellow-Subjects yet it will be evident that there is no possibility of Agreement between them in Matters of Religion or of making One Church of what are so manifestly Two. It 's upon the last sort I am now to proceed and the first of which in order is the sixth Article of the Church of England The Difference between the Church of England and Rome The Sixth Article of the Church of England Of the sufficiency of the Holy Scripture for Salvation Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an Article of the Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament of whole Authority was never any doubt in the Church The Names and Number of the Canonical Books Genesis c. And the other Books as Hierom saith the Church doth read for example of Life and instruction of Manners but yet doth not apply them to establish any Doctrine Such are these following The third Book of Esdras The fourth Book of Esdras The Book of Tobias The Book of Judith The rest of Hester And the fourteen Books commonly called Apocrypha All the Books of the New Testament as they are commonly received we do receive and account them Canonical The Twentieth Article of the Church of England Of the Authority of the Church Although the Church be a Witness and a keeper of Holy Writ yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of Salvation Homily the first Or an Exhortation to the Reading and Knowledg of Holy Scripture There is in the Scripture whatsoever is meet for all ages and sorts of men These Books ought therefore to be much in our hands in our Eyes in our Ears in our Mouths but most of all in our Hearts Homily second Or an Exhortation c. Surely none be Enemies to the reading of God's Word but such as either be so ignorant that they know not how wholesome a thing it is or else be so Sick that they hate the most comfortable Medicine should heal them or so ungodly that they would wish the People still to continue in blindness and ignorance of God. The Church of Rome The Council of Trent The holy and general Synod of Trent considering that all saving Truth and Instruction of manners is contained in Books written and Traditions not written which received from the mouth of Christ himself by the Apostles or from the Apostles the Holy Spirit dictating delivering as it were from hand to hand have come even to us following the examples of the Orthodox Fathers doth receive and regard with the like Affection of Piety and Reverence all the Books of the Old and New Testament as also those unwritten Traditions pertaining to Faith and Manners dictated by Christ as it were by word of mouth or by the Holy Ghost and preserved by a continual Succession in the Catholick Church and hath thought fit to add the Index of the Sacred Books to this Decree lest it should be doubted which they are that are received by the sacred Synod They are these following The five Books of Moses Joshua Judges Ruth four Books of Kings two of Chronicles one of Esdras two of Esdras called Nehemias Tobias Judith Hesther Job the Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Isaias Jeremias with Baruch Ezekiel Daniel the twelve lesser Prophets the two Books of Maccabees The New Testament viz. the four Evangelists c. And if any one shall not receive those whole Books with all their Parts for Sacred and Canonical according as they are wont to be read in the Catholick Church and are contained in the ancient Vulgar Latin Edition or shall knowingly and wittingly contemn the foresaid Traditions let him be accursed So that the Church of Rome hath added to the Canon of Scripture truly and properly so called six whole Books viz. Tobit Ecclesiasticus Wisdom Judith the first and second of the Maccabees together with certain other pieces of Baruch Esther and Daniel Mystical Benedictions Lights Incensings Garments and many other such like things are of Apostolical Discipline and Tradition The Ceremonies used in Baptism were without controversie instituted by the Apostles such as Salt Spittle Exorcisms Wax-candles Catechism Par. 2. cap. 2. § 59 60 65 c. See below Articles 19th and 34th of the Church of England Furthermore for the restraining all wanton Wits the Synod doth decree that no one depending on his own Wisdom in matters of Faith and Manners belonging to the Edification of Christian Doctrine wresting the Scriptures to his own sense dare to interpret the Holy Scripture contrary to the sense which Holy Mother Church hath held and doth hold to whom it belongs to judg of the sense and Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures or against the Unanimous consent of the Fathers altho such Iterpretations should never be published The Index
c. And such as are endued with Divine Grace can pay in the name of another what is due to God. Rhemists Annotations The works which we do more then Precept be called Works of Supererogation and whereby that is from what was abovesaid it is also evident against the Protestants that there be such Works This place proveth plainly that the fastings and satisfactory Deeds of one man be available to others Yea and that holy Saints or other vertuous Persons may in measure and proportion of other Mens necessities and deservings allot unto them as well the Supererogation of their Spiritual Works as those that abound in worldly Goods may give Alms of their Superfluities to them which are in necessity We infer most assuredly that the satisfactory and penal Works of Holy Saints suffered in this Life be communicable and applicable to the use of other faithful men and to be dispensed according to every mans necessity and deserving by them whom Christ hath constituted over his Family and hath made the Dispensers of his Treasures The Opposition The Church of England The Church of Rome 1. That men may do more for Gods sake than of bounden Duty is required cannot be taught without Arrogancy and Impiety 1. That men may do Works of Supererogation and more than is commanded 2. That any may be able not only to satisfie for their own Sins but also for the Sins of others is a most ungodly Doctrine 2. That what they do more than is commanded may be allotted to others and which such may have the benefit of The 15 th Article of the Church of England Of Christ alone without Sin. Christ in the Truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things Sin only except from which he was clearly void both in his Flesh and in his Spirit c. But all we the rest although Baptized and born again in Christ yet offend in many things and if we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us The Church of Rome The Council of Trent If any one shall say That any one can avoid all Sins such also as are venial in the whole course of his Life except by special priviledge from God as the Church doth hold concerning the Blessed Virgin Let him be accursed The Rhemists Our Lady had so much Grace given her that she never sinned not so much as venially in all her Life The Opposition The Church of England The Church of Rome Christ alone is without Sin but all the rest of mankind offend in many things none being excepted The Virgin Mary is excepted having never sinned so much as venially The 19 th Article of the Church of England Of the Church The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation on of faithful men in which the pure Word of God is Preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same As the Church of Jerusalem Alexandria and Antioch have erred So also the Church of Rome hath erred not only in their Living and manner of Ceremonies but also in matters of Faith. § 1. Of the Church The Visible Church is where the Word of God is Preached and the Sacraments be duly Ministred in all things of necessity requisite The Church of Rome The 5 th General Council of Lateran The Sacred Doctors have affirmed That the Vnity of the Church doth consist in two things 1. In the Conjunction of the Members of the Church one with another 2. In their Order to one Head the Vicar of Christ according to the saying of the Apostle Not holding the Head. The Catechism of the Council of Trent Of the Notes of the True Church The first Note is That it be One. And it is called One as there is one Lord one Faith one Baptism There is one Governour the Invisible Christ the Visible who being the lawful Successor of Peter Prince of the Apostles doth possess the Roman Chair The Opposition The Church of England The Church of Rome The Notes of a True Church are the pure word Preached and the due Ministration of the Sacraments The necessary Note of the true Church is the being united to the Bishop of Rome § 2. Of the Falibility of the Church of Rome The Church of Rome hath erred as well as other Churches in Living Ceremonies and Faith. The Church of Rome hath erred in Ceremonies The Common-Prayer Book Of such Ceremonies as be used in the Church and have had their beginning by the Institution of man some are put away because the great excess and multitude of them hath so increased in these latter days that the burden of them was intolerable This our excessive multitude of Ceremonies was so great and many of them so dark that they did more confound than declare and set forth Christs benefits unto us Furthermore the most weighty cause of the abolishment of some Ceremonies was that they were so far abused partly by the superstitious blindness of the rude and unlearned and partly by the unsatiable avarice c. The 2d part Of the Homily of Place and Time of Prayer They have prophaned and defiled their Churches with Heathenish and Jewish abuses with Images and Idols with numbers of Altars too too superstitiously and intolerably abused with gross abusing and filthy corrupting of the Lord 's Holy Supper the blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood with an infinite number of toyes and trifles of their own devices to make a goodly outward shew and to deface the plain simple and sincere Religion of Christ. The Church of Rome The Council of Trent The Church hath appointed Ceremonies as mystical Benedictions Lights Incensings Garments and such like that the Majesty of so great a Sacrifice might be recommended and the minds of the faithful be excited c. If any one shall say That the Ceremonies Garments and external signs which the Catholick Church doth use in the Celebration of Mass are rather Icitements of Impiety than helps to Piety Let him be accursed If any one shall say They are injurious to the Holy Spirit that give some virtue to the Holy Chrism of Confirmation Let him be accursed The Catechism The Sacrifice of the Mass hath many and those very remarkable and solemn Rites none of which is to be esteemed needless sand vain The Opposition The Church of England The Church of Rome 1. The Ceremonies in the Church of Rome were for their multitude an intolerable burden 1. The Ceremonies used are many but solemn and for the Majesty of Worship 2. They do more confound than set forth Christs benefits and do deface the plain and sincere Religion of Christ. 2. They do recommend the Worship and excite the minds of the Faithful 3. They are toyes and trifles 3. None of them are needless and vain but have a virtue in them 4. They do