Papists give the Churches Authority to the Pope And take all Authority quoad nos from the Scripture So that by the Church they understand the Pope 1. THe Papists 1. take all Authority from the Scripture 2. They give it to the Church And 3. They give the Churches Authority to the Pope 2. I say 1. That the Papists take all Authority quoad nos from the Scripture which appears in that they teach that it is not the ground or pillar of truth Nor properly and of it self any Cause or Means of Belief or of Charity And that God doth not immediately speak by it Neither is the Holy Ghost joined with the writing of the Scripture And that the Church is not subject to the Scripture And that put case any person living out of the Communion of the Roman Church do read or study the Scripture it is not the word of God to them or of greater Authority then Aesops Fables 3. I have said 2. That the Papists give all Authority to the present Roman Church This appears in that they make it the onely External ground and pillar of Truth The sole Judge of Controversies The principle or first ground and foundation from whence the Scripture in regard of men receiveth all Authority 4. I have said 3. That the Papists give the Churches Authority to the Pope And no Papist in these daies can or will deny This. For 1. the Positive Speeches of their greatest Doctors thereupon manifestly confirms it Ecclesiae nomine saith Gregorius de Valentia intelligimur ejus Caput Romanum Pontificem Tom. 3. Dist 1. q. 1. part 1. pag 30. And Bannes 2.2 q. 1. Ar. 10. Animadvertendum est cum Cajetano c. quod apud Thomam pro eodem omnino reputatur Authoritas Ecclesiae universalis Authoritas Concilii Et Authoritas Summi Pontificis 2. The same Assertion followeth upon the main principles of their Doctrine which are That the Pope is the prime subject of Ecclesiastical Authority And that the whole Authority of all the Body and of all the Members thereof is derived by and from him And that the promise of the perpetual Assistance of the Holy Ghost And the Infallible Judgement and the Supream Authority And other Priviledges are intailed upon his Tribunal The 2. of those Fraudes is That The Pope also is Taught by the Papists To be the true and Lawful Interpreter of the Sense of the Scriptures And the Supream Judge of Controversies Concerning Faith and Divine Worship 1. IT is most clear that the Jesuites make both the Scripture it self and the Interpretation of it to Depend upon the Authority of the Church 2. And the Church they call not the whole Multitude of Christians and Faithful Men. 3. But they Restrain both the Name and the Nature of the Church 1. unto their Bishops 2. If Thereupon we Reformed object That their Bishops may Differ touching the Sense of the Scriptures so shall we be uncertain and shall not resolve which of them to Believe but they help this and Answer That General Councils must Decide and Determine all Questions and Controversies 3. Shall we then Rest in them No more then in then the other For the Pope must be Judge over the Councils 4. So in the Conclusion The whole Interpretation of Holy Scriptures is transferred to the Pope and must be fetched out of his Breast yea and as a proper Right he so challengeth the Power of Interpreting of the Scripture That whatsoever he thinketh That must be accounted the Sense and Meaning of them Refutation of this Doctrine of the Jesuits by the Reformed Doctors 1. THat which hath been said above is the Jesuites constant and perpetual property and disposition in interpreting the Scriptures 2. Which is full of Dotage Error and Falsehood void of Advise Knowledge and Wisdome 3. For what an Absurd and horrible Thing is it that the Sense and Meaning of the Holy Scripture should depend upon one mans Judgement and Voice 4. Specially being such a one as commonly the Bishops of Rome have been Unlearned Wicked Heretical 5. And hence have proceeded all the following goodly Interpretations 1. Take Eate That is you Priests say Private Masses 2. Drink ye all of This That is onely the Priests must Drink 3. Be ye Holy for I am Holy Therefore it is unlawful for the Ministers of the Word to marry a Wife Exception of the Jesuites Which of the Popes or what Catholick Writer ever concluded this out of that place Answer to this Exception Pope Syricius did first of all so Collect And after him Pope Innocent As it may be read in Gratian Dist. 31. cap. Tenere and Dist 82. cap. Proposuisti cap. Plurimos 4. This is another like Interpretation Give not holy things unto Doggs Therefore the people must be forbidden to read the Scriptures 5. What should we number up Innumerable more of the Popes and Papists Interpretations By which they do nothing but pervert and wrest the Scriptures In Particular These be the Frauds of the Church of Rome Concerning Her first Principle Which is the Scripture 1. Fraud The Papists making Shew to Receive the Scriptures for Ground and Rule of Faith Do Disgrace Them in Joyning Traditions with Them 1. FOr as the Scriptures are Grounds And Rule of true Doctrine So are They onely Grounds And Rule 2. And as in Matters of Faith Arguments ought principally to be drawn from Them so such Arguments onely conclude necessarily As even the Schoolman Thomas Aquinas doth Directly confesse 1. Part. 1. Quaest. Artic. 8. Ad. 2. 2. Fraud The Church of Rome which Produceth Scriptures for one of Her Principles And Rules hath indeed no sufficient Scriptures For in making an old rotten Translation which we may boldly call so being compared with the Original Word of Scripture to be the Authentical Word of God and denying the Original Faithful Texts which Moses the Prophets the Apostles the Evangelists did write to be the Word of God What doth she else but plainly as it were with one dash of a Penne Cancel the whole Scriptures 2. This Homely Latin Translation is the Papists Scripture 3. Coined and Canonized of late in the Councel of Trent And never before 4. And other Scripture have They none §. Of the Corruption of the vulgar Latine Translation more Fully 1. THe Reader of the vulgar Latin Translation may manifestly perceive That in it are manifold and almost infinite Faults of all sorts 1. By Adding 2. By Omitting 3. By Mistaking Of Letters Of Points Of Syllables And of Words 4. By wrong Interpreting the Original Text. 2. Which Faults The Popish Doctors shall never be able to Approve or Justifie Though They weary Themselves never so much with Traveling and Toiling and seeking some Defence 3. When They have said what They can say for Maintenance of These Corruptions it shall for all that Appear By all Learning and Evidence of Reason that They have Neither the Old nor the New Testament in the Entire and Original
the Things that are hurtful and contrary to Religion And to punish those that are Rebellious For the outward worship of God shall vanish away Heresies will rise and Increase as also Blasphemies unlesse there be one armed with the Sword who may by fear and by a coactive power restrain the perverse and wicked This cannot be done by Ecclesiastical Persons For their Office is to preach to exhort to rebuke and by Spiritual Censures to Correct But they bear not the Sword And they are deprived of that Supream Power which by the fear of punishment may contain the Impious and wicked in their Duty Therefore the very outward face of a Christian Commonwealth shall not be retained if we exclude the Civil Magistrate from the Supream Authority concerning Religion 1. The Prince And Soveraign Magistrate must order and settle nothing Concerning Religion without Consulting the Book of Holy Scriptures 2. And Assembling Learned and Godly Divines whose Charge is to expound them 1. 1. THe Grecians never undertook any matter of great consequence before they received Answer from their Oracles 2. Neither the Jews before they consulted with God by the Ephod 3. Nor the Romans before they had the Approbation of their Sooth-sayers 4. And therefore doubtlesse all Christian Princes and Estates are to expect either a Command Or at least a Warrant from Holy Scripture before they proceed in matter so nearly concerning God and his Service 5. Otherwise they goe about to set the Sun-Dial by their Watch and not their Watch by their Sun-Dial 6. Whether all wise Governours like good Pilates have Manum ad Clavum oculos ad Astra The eye upon the Starres And their hand upon the Helm Steering their Course below by direction from above 2. 1. THough Soveraigns are Supreame Commanders for the Truth yet they are not the Supream or sole directors unto Truth For in Scruples of Conscience And perplexed Controversies of Religion they are to require the Law from the mouth of the Priest That is they are to ask Counsel of the Prophets And generally in all matters appertaining to God to hear the Ministers of God declaring to them the will of God out of his Word 2. Symmachus was bold to tell Anastasius the Emperour that as Bishops owe Subjection to Gods Sword in Princes hands So Princes owe obedience to Gods Word in Bishops mouthes Defer Deo in nobis nos deferemus Deo in te O Emperour hear God speaking by us and we will fear God ruling by thee The same God who hath put a material Sword in thy hands to smite malefactors in their body hath put a Spiritual Sword in our mouth to slay sin in the Soul 3. The Magistrate is the hand of God but the Preacher is his mouth And for this cause all wise and Religious Kings have given them their ears And taken some of them in their bosome As David did Nathan to receive Instruction and direction from them how to sway the Royal Scepter within the walls of the Church In what regard a Soveraign Prince is said to be the Head of the Church which is within his States and Dominions 1. IT is not in the same sense that Christ is called the Head of the Church which is Mystically For this honour is proper onely unto him And cannot without an horrible blasphemy be attributed to any Creature 2. Neither also is it in the same sense that the Popes of Rome do call themselves Ministerial Heads of the Universal Church Pretending thereby to have an Universal and a Supreame Power in Spiritual things belonging to Religion and Conscience As also an Universal Jurisdiction over all Ecclesiastical Persons For this Title belongeth not unto them neither by Divine nor Humane Right But they assume it by a meer Antichristian Usurpation 3. The Soveraign then is called Head of the Church of his States and Countries in the same sense that in Gods Word King Saul is called the Head of the Nations That is to say not only as he is the first the Noblest member of the Church of his States and Countries but because he is her Defendor her Nursing Father and Supream Inspector and who is bound by the vertue of his Supream Authority to establish therein defend and maintain Religion and the Divine truth As also a good and a lawful Government Of the Marks of the True Religion By which it is distinguished from the False Religion of Pagans c. 1. THe First Mark of the True Religion is This That it direct us And all our Religious Service unto the true God Creator of Heaven and Earth The onely Searcher of Mens Hearts Of which chiefly he will be served By this first Mark true Religion is distinguished from all Idolatrous Religions which seek unto Wood to Stone to the Sun to the Moon to Men to Angels and to all the Creatures that are in Heaven and in Earth 2. The second Mark of the true Religion is That the Service of God which Religion is to teach us must be grounded upon his word And Revealed unto us by his own self This Second Mark will serve us to discern the True Religion from the Inventions of Men. And to reject as untruth whatsoever is not grounded upon Gods word 3. The Third Mark of the True Religion is That True Religion must put into our Hands a Mean to satisfie Gods Justice Without the which not only all other Religions but also even that which concerneth the true serving of the true God were utterly vain and unprofitable By this third Mark True Religion is distinguished from all False Religions Man's Reason hath well perceived that some such Mean was needful in Religion But to know what that Mean is was too high a Thing for man's Reason to attain unto 4. The True Religion then And which deserveth the Name of Religion is only that Which hath God for her Scope His Word for warrant of her worshipping And a Mean appointed by him to pacifie him towards us And in that Religion onely and in none other resteth Salvation The Ancient Judaical Religion hath been a True Religion The Jews having had the knowledge of the true God And having served and worshipped him alone 1. AMong the great Nations Of the Assyrians Of the Persians Of the Greeks Of the Aegyptians And of the Romans Whose Religions did not bear the Livery of one onely true God But of Many There was discovered a little Nation called the People of Israel Which worshipped the Creator of the World Acknowledged him for their Father Did call upon him alone in their need And for all the small Account that others made of them Did abhorre all the glistering gloriousnesse of the Great Monarchies and Kingdomes that were out of the way The first Christian Religion was Pure and True 1. FOr it was wholly According to the Will of God Declared by the Prophets by Jesus Christ And By his Apostles 2. It was a Pure and a True Religion Because It Had All the
conceive How or why are saucy Questions in Divine Mysteries Just Mart. in Expos Fid. 6. I omit the Questions of Predestination being no less debated in the Roman Schools then in the Reformed 7. Their other Differences in Ceremony or Discipline are diversities without Discord 8. All wise men in the World have ever thought that in such things each several Church is left to her own Judgement and Liberty so as she keep her self to the general Apostolique Rule of Order and Edification and to the general Judgement and Practise of the Church Universal See Tertull. de virg vetand cap. 1. Fermit apud Cyprian Epist 75. August Epist so Socrat. Hist lib. 5. cap. 21. c. 9. Though the Body of Religion in divers Reformed Churches and Countries be clothed in divers Suits and Fashions yet for substance it may be one in all In all these contestations as it commonly falls out blessed be God they that are for Truth have ever been for Charity and mutual Toleration as appears by their published Writings all tending to Pacification Vide Junii Parae scripta Irenica 10. Luther himself though of a rough and vehement Spirit yet before his death being tempered by milde Melanchton that honour of Germany did much relent and remit of his rigour against Zuinglius and began to approve the good Counsels of Peace Admonit Neustad de Libro Concord cap. 6. p. 236. And 11. Among the Lutherans all are not of the same intractable Disposition As they in Polonia for instance where the followers of Luther and Calvin have long lived together in a fair and brotherly concord and communion notwithstanding their several Opinions which they still retain vide Corpu Confess Et ibi Poloniae consensum 12. Since then our Discords are of no higher Degree we say as Prudentius a Christian Poet of the Unity of his Times It hath been a little violated but is defended by Faith her Sister in whose company being safely come off she laugheth at her wounds as being easily curable Fraud A Discovery and Refutation of a New Way and Subtle Cunnings of a Seminary Priest of Rhemes against the Reformed Religion 1. THis Way and Cunning is to bring continual Allegations of Testimonies out of the Reformed own Writers craftily brought in their Books to shew a dissention of Judgement among the said Reformed Writers that so the Readers of the Books of those Popish Writers may be Induced to think the worse of the Reformed Religion 2. A Refutation of this New Slight and Device THis Device is full of Fraud Dishonesty and Malice taking Advantage of Mens Infirmities and Imperfections against the Eternal Truth of God which the said Popish Doctors cannot by ordinary and lawful kind of Reasoning Refute Concerning the Acknowledgement of a Seminary Priest of Rhemes That three Articles of the Controversies which were propounded by Bishop Jewell in this Sermon at Paul 's Cross in which he made his Callange were and are of weight 1. The Supremacy of the Pope 2. The Corporal Presence 3. And the Sacrifice of the Mass Examination of this Acknowledgement of the Seminary Priest by the Reformed Doctors 1. 1. IN that acknowledgement the Seminary Priest hath uttered his Judgement of the rest of the Articles that are in Controversie that they are not of such weight as his Church would have them to be esteemed 2. And of these three Articles he might with as good Reason have excepted the two latter and so make the first only a matter of weight 3. For that Article indeed is the substantial Point in maintenance whereof all the Popish Writers Labours are bestowed otherwise were it not for defence of their Popes wicked unreasonable Antichristian Monarchy they could easily agree with us for these two and for all the rest we doubt not 2. But what did the Priest in his Acknowledgement think then 1. Of Private Mass Is it a thing of no weight as there he would have it accounted There is not we suppose any thing in the Rome Church more used or better liked 2. What he did think of the half Communion 3. What he did think of the Latine Service 4. What he did think of Images 5. What did he think of the keeping of the Scriptures in a Tongue unknown to the People 6. And what did he think of other such Heads of the Romish Religion 3. 1. Are they of no weight Are they Trifles Are they not worth the striving for 2. Then let the Popish Writers give over all defence of them 1. Let Private Masses be abolished 2. Let the Communion be administred in both kinds according to Christs institution 3. Let the publick prayers be said in the Tongue that every Countrey useth 4. Let Images be burned 5. And all Idolatry forbidden 6. Let it be lawful for the People of all Countries to read the Scripture in their own Language 7. Let there be no controversie about the other Articles 3. For while they stand so stifly in maintenance of all these and others They cannot truly say and bear us in hand That they are not of weight in their Account The Reformed Churches truly and properly so called are Pure and Orthodox Churches And their Faith is sound and not Hereticall as falsly they are termed by the Church of Rome 1. IT is that which must be acknowledged by some certain Notes and Marks For as we judge of Coine by the pair of Gold Weights and of Metals by the Touch-stone and of Glassen and Earthen Pots by the sound so ought we to judge of the Church by her Marks 2. The true Touch-stone of the Church is the Truth It is the Scripture It is the Word of God For the true Sheep of Christ are those who hear the voice who know him and follow him John 10.27 It is the Lords Camp who marcheth after this Pillar And the Apostles Church is builded upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone Ephes 2.20 We hear saith St. Augustine found Christ in the Scriptures let us also seek there the Church And if they have the Church on their side let them show it onely by the Canonical Books of the Divine Scriptures As to know whether a Line be strait a strait Rule is applied unto it Even also to discern a pure Church from an impure there is no other means than to see and observe whether it doth agree with the Rule of Practice which is the Word of God 3. Under which Word of God the pure Administration of the Sacraments of the Church is also to be comprehended Because the right use of them is prescribed in the Word of God 4. Now by this true and certain mark of the Church we prove that the truly Reformed Churches are pure and Orthodox Churches because from point to point they follow it The Articles of their Doctrine as the generous young Eagle do fixly behold the Sun and without at all feeling the Eye-lids 5. If it were true
only 3. Having begun first at the Diet of Ausbourg we are enforced to use it The Reformed are truely Christians and Catholicks 1. VVE Reformed tell the Papists notwithstanding their Opprobrious Names that if a Christian be he that believeth in Christ according to his word and if Catholicks be they that professe the universal Faith of Christ we are truely Christians and Catholicks believing so and professing so 2. And are content with these Names and desire no other §. Let the Papists be called as they will the Reformed who Reprove and Confute the multitude of their Namss will not be grieved at them 1. LEt the Papists be called Diversly Franciscanes Benedictines Dominicanes And whatsoever other Title they can take up the Reformed are not grieved at the multitude and variety of their Names 2 Who being in Truth almost any thing rather then Christians delight in any Name rather then in the Name of Christians Against the Reconcilement and Reunion of the two Religions the Reformed and the Roman 1. BEing true that the Roman Church is Heretikcal and Impure And on the contrary the Reformed Churches Orthodox and Pure It follows manifestly that there can be none well grounded hope to agree and reunite Popery with the Reformed Churches And therefore that the labour of those who would think upon such a thing were not a seasonable labour 1. Because that in the differences which are amongst us we are so contrary one to the other that the one do clearly maintain the Negative and the others the Affirmative Now it must necessarily be that one of the Propositions be true and the other false Because two contradictories cannot be together true And it is not possible to soulder them by the mastick of some distinctions having no ground in the Word of God 2. The Errors of the Church of Rome have been solemnly ratified and confirmed by the Council of Trent upon pain of Anathema And therefore since that Ratification and confirmation there is no way nor mean left of reconcilement and Agreement For if there were the said Church should be bound to acknowledge her Errors to the end that they may be reformed And to disanul and abrogate concerning them the Canons of the said Council of Trent which is not to be expected from her as long as she shall maintain this poin as she doth vehemently that she cannot Erre And that she layes down and propounds no other Principle of Faith than her belief Against Toleration of false Religions with the pure and Reformed when they differ in Fundamental grounds 1. IT is not onely evil to do but also to suffer evil when it is in our power to hinder it Therefore Religion differing in Fundamental Grounds are not to be Tolerated together 2. This is proved by many Arguments Drawn 1. From the Law forbidding to plow with an Ox and an Asse And punishing Idolaters with Death Deut. 22.10 11. and Deut. 19.6.8 9. 2. From the Gospel denying the service of two Masters Mat. 6.24 And interdicting all fellowship and communion of light with darkness or Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16. 3. From the Spirits Bill of enditement framed against the Angels of Pergamos and Thyatira for tollerating the Nicolaitans Rev. 2.15 20. 4. From Gods threatning to cut off all such as swear by him and by Malcham Zeph. 1.5 5. From the Imputation which is laid by the Spirit upon many Kings of Israel and Judah for not taking away the High places 1 King 15.14 6. From the Examples of Asa Josiah Ezekiah Constantine Jovian Theodosius and other Religious Princes who by severe Laws restrained Heresie and Idolatry and constrained the true worship of God 7. From the great danger of Heresie which like a Canker soon spreads over the whole body of the Church and if it be not looked into killeth and that eternally thousands of souls breaketh the bands of Nature and cutteth in sunder all sinews of human Society Putteth enmity variance and implacable discords in families Soweth seeds of Sedition in the State and Rebellion against the Prince Refutation of this Slander of the Popish Doctors That the Reformed are Enemies to Scriptures 1. THe Reformed say that this is indeed a very impudent Slander 2. For who ever thought and spoke more Honourablie Reverently and with more due Regard of the Scriptures then they Who have received and imbraced all Scripture given by Inspiration as the very voice of God himself Holding it for the onely Ground and Rule of their Faith and Religion And so resting in it as that they desire no other help as necessary to Salvation Which if they had not with more diligence and devotion defended then the Romanists ever did long ere this the glory of it had perished and it had been counted as a dead Letter 3. For what have the Reformed done for these many years with more endeavour and diligence then to maintain the Majesty and Excellencie of the Scriptures 4. Which the Romanists have so unworthily violated 5. And yet they blush not to match the Reformed with the Manichees and Ebionites who have violently laid villanous hands upon those Sacred Books Of the Apocryphal Books excluded from the Canon by the Reformed Churches Jesuits THe Jesuites and other Papists do demand of the Reformed by what Authority they Maime and Rob the Corps of the Bible Answer of the Reformed to that Demand 1. WE offer no violence to this Body neither do we cut off any which do appertain to the substance and perfection of it we pull away no Member 2. For we do not cut out any true Canonical Scriptures but cull out such as are not Canonical but foisted in and Counterfeit 3. Herein we do the Canonical Scriptures no injury dividing them from such Books as are not of that absolute Authority That they which are in truth Canonical may remain intire and whole together no more then the Shepheard doth injury to the Sheep in sorting the Goats and orher Cattel from them The Doctrine of the Reformed Churches and particularly of the Church of England that the Ministers of God hath power to Forgive Sins if the Sinner repent and believe the Gospel maketh not the English Reformed Ministers to be Priests as they are called in the Church of Rome 1. VVE Reformed say that the Ministers of God hath power to forgive sins not in some Cases only but in all whatsoever if the sinner repent and believe the Gospel 2. This Authority is given unto him by Christ 3. This in the State and Church of England the Parliament and the Communion Book confesse 2. 1. NEvertheless a Popish Writer is far from his purpose to prove thereby the Popish Order of Priesthood 2. For this maketh not the English Reformed Ministers to be Priests as they are called in the Church of Rome but Preachers of Repentance which bring the glad Tidings of the Gospel to all those that be heavie laden and desire to be refreshed 3. 1. NEither have they power
us to naughtiness and spiritual lewdness 6. Let us have no part with them that have no part in God or who have part with abominable Idols 7. Nay furthermore let us detect such Persons to publick Authority that they may learn not to blaspheme the truth of our Religion nor seduce his Majesties Subjects from their Allegiance unto him and conformity to his Laws Of the Contentions and Differences which happens in the Church about Religion 1. IT is the craft and practice of Sathan sworn enemy to Christ and to his Church to rise and excite Contentions and Differences in the same He sowes his Tares in the Field of the Lord and at the coming up of the Heavenly Doctrine he raises great Fogs as some do rise at the rising of the Sun 2. Which he doth to hinder to his utmost power the vertue and efficacy of the said Divine Doctrine and to maintain his Kingdom which is not destroyed by any thing so much as by preaching of the Word of God 3. From the beginning of the Christian Church we have some examples of such differences among the Faithful Then there was a great controversie concerning the Ceremonies of the Law Act. 15.5 some thought it needful to keep them and others were against them 4. Since Divisions and Differences are also crept in the Churches which were founded by the Apostles in the time of Ireneus what contention was it between the Eastern and Western Churches concerning the time of the Celebration of Easter or Pasch and how long did it last The Eastern Churches maintaining that it was to be kept as the Jews did the fourteenth day of the Moneth after the Equinox of the Spring And the Western onely the Sunday following In the time of S. Cyprian the Council of Affrick had a belief quite contrary to that of the other Churches Having decreed that those should be rebaptized who before had been baptized by Hereticks Is it not also that which by the craft of the same Enemy is happened immediately after the last Reformation of the Church when then the first Reformers did imploy themselves about the Discovery and Refutation of the Errors of the Roman Church on one side the Anabaptists did arise in great number and with a wonderful fury opposing the Power and Authority of the Civil Magistrate And on the other side the Sacramentary War did become hot That is to say the difference concerning the presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist Is it not besides that which since some years we have seen in this Church and State where the Arminians did trouble the peace of both And now it is troubled by Anabaptists Separatists Antinomians and by sundry other dangerous Sects 5. Now when we say that Satan is the cause of the contentions and differences which happens in the Church We do not mean that he be the onely cause of them For it is certain that there are some other As 1. Pride and Self-love And 2. Ignorance 1. Pride and Self-love is a firebrand of contention and discord whereas on the contrary Humility entertains peace and concord For Humility seeks the last places for which there is no debate and so peace is conserved 2. Ignorance also is a great cause of contentions and differences For the Faithful may be ignorant of many things and yet be too-confident in their knowledge Of the Troubles and Contentions which happens in the Church about Religion 1. IT is a thing which is to be noted that the contentions and differences which happens in the Church commonly begins by the most weak and ignorant but who with their ignorance are stubborn and obstinate 2. The reason thereof is rendered by S. Cyril who sayes that there is nothing more audacious than ignorance and that there is none so enormous crime but that it hath the boldness to reach unto it 3. So do we read John the third 25 26. that the contention which was moved between the Disciples of John the Baptist and the Jews which followed Christ did first arise from the Disciples of John who were rude and impertiment men As it is to be seen in the History of the Gospel and particularly in the Answer of John their Master which he gave unto them 4. And this is too much confirmed by the Examples of the dangerous contentions moved in these times by the dangerous sects of Anabaptists Of all Sectaries none are so ignorant as they and yet none so quarrelsome and who are the first to debate 5. They are like unto Sarah Abrahams Wife who in the difference concerning Hagar although she was the weakest and had the wrong on her side Yet she did rise against Abraham her Husband and said unto him the Lord judge between me and thee Gen. 16.5 Of the Remedy to the Contentions and Differences which happen in the Church about Religion 1. VVE read Acts 15.5 6. that the way which the Apostles and the Elders did take to compose the great dissention which was arised touching Circumcision was to meet in Council for to consider of this Matter 2. Which is a commendable way and most fit to compose differences and contentions when some are happened in the Church 3. And therefore which ought to be the way that the Prince and Supream Magistrate most use when some happens in the Churches of his States and Dominions Then he must assemble a Synod or Council as he calls a Parliament to compose the civil differences and to order the things belonging to the State 4. So did the Apostles as hath been said so did afterwards the Primitive Church And so did the Antient Emperours who did desire the Union of the Church which did succeed very well unto them For as by the Council of the Apostles was decided and composed the difference concerning Circumcision and the Ceremonies of the Law Acts 15. So the first Council of Nice did condemn the Heretick Arius who denied the Divinity of Christ The council of Constantinople did condemn the Heretick Macedonius who denied the Divinity of the Holy Ghost The council of Ephesus did condemn Nestorius who denied the Unity of the Person of Christ And the council of Chalcedon did condemn the Heretick Eutiches who confounded the two Natures of Christ 5. An Universal council is most useful when it can be called and assembled But it is not absolutely necessary for the conservation and maintenance of the Church 6. And therefore National Churches may commodiously enough be Ruled and Governed by National Synods 7. For that cause and in that regard the care of the Prince and Soveraign Magistrate ought to be that such a National Synod be settled and established in the National Churches of his Dominions and States Let us be careful to entertain Peace and Concord in the Church of England and to avoid all Divisions among us 1. FOr it is the Axiom of our Saviour That A Kingdome divided against it self cannot stand 2. It is the Maxim of Philosophy Omne