with greater Reason be said of the true Faith and Religion which is the Foundation of Charity and all other Christian Vertues Thirdly It follows that it is a gross and stupid Errour of some of the Vulgar who esteem it sufficient to Salvation if you only believe in Christ and that he dyed for your Sins altho' as to many other Points of Faith pertaining to the Sacraments and Sacrifice of the Church c. you believe nothing For after this rate almost all sort of Hereticks should be saved For all of them believe in Christ otherwise they were not Hereticks but Apostates and believe some few excepted that he dyed for our Sins Then also the Montanists and Novatians Donatists Sabellians Arrians Macedonians Eutychians Monotholites and the like Pests of the Church shall be saved Why then hath the Church in all Ages so vehemently oppos'd her self against Heresies Why does St. Paul the Apostle command us to avoid the Man that is an Heretick after the 1st or 2d Admonition T it 2. Why does he bid us beware of their Speech which eateth as a Canker 2 Tim. 2. In vain all these things are said and done if Hereticks may be saved I am sure this Fancy is against the Consent of all Ages Let us suppose says St. Augustine a Man to be chast Lib. 4. contr Donat. c. 8. continent not covetous nor idolatrous but bountiful and compassionate to the Poor an Enemy to none not contentious patient quiet envying none sober frugal but yet a Heretick such a one without all doubt meerly because he is an Heretick shall never enjoy the Kingdom of God For as St. James witnesseth he that hath offended in one Commandment is made guilty of all James 2. and Ioseth all Justice though he keeps the rest because he contemns the Law-maker himself who made the whole Law So he that obstinately denies one Point of Faith although he believe the rest is guilty of dis-believing all and loses his whole Faith and Religion because he despiseth the Author of it For it is one and the same first and supreme Verity which hath revealed all Points of Faith and proposed them to our Belief by the Church his Spouse the Pillar and Ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3. He therefore that shall obstinately reject one Article of Faith and will not acquiesce in the Testimony of the Church is thereby judged to dis-esteem the Authority of God the supreme Verity of whom the Church is the Publisher Interpreter and Organ Neither matters it that there are some principal Points of Faith which he thinks he believes because he does not believe them with Divine Faith which relies only upon Divine Authority that is infallible otherwise he would believe the rest proposed to him in the same manner but he believes them with a kind of Humane Faith that is to say because by his private Judgment he is induced to believe them taking upon himself the Authority of judging and discerning what things are to be believed and what denied and rejected Therefore the chief reason or motive of his Belief is private Judgment and for that Cause all his Faith is humane and unprofitable It is therefore most certain that as true Justice extends it felf to the performance of all the Commandments so the true Faith which is requisite to Salvation extends it self to a belief of all those things which God hath revealed so that we must believe them all either expresly or be ready to believe them if they be propounded to us the right way Hereby is manifest what great Care is to be taken that we chuse and profess the true Faith and Religion since it is the Foundation of our Salvation and that without it we shall certainly be damn'd Whereupon I have undertaken to propound some Considerations obvious and manifest to all rational People whereby they may take a right course in their Choice of the true Religion The first Consideration drawn from the tending to Perfection which Christian Religion excites us to THat Religion is to be preferred which conduces most to Purity and Holiness of Life which draws our Minds from all affection to earthly Things and raises them to the love of heavenly For this is the chief end of Religion to alienate the Minds of Men from Things temporal here below and to elevate them towards the thinking loving and pursuing of such as are celestial and eternal Only the Catholick Religion teaches perfection of Life Now such is only the Catholick Religion For this persuades to abstain from the Pleasures of the Flesh and Snares of this Life This alone teaches to contemn Riches and Honours and to renounce them when possessed for Christ's sake This exhorts to Fastings Hair-cloth and other Afflictions of the Body whereby the Flesh is brought under Subjection and subdued to the Spirit Hence are there such great numbers of Men and Women in the Catholick Church who contemning Riches Honours and Pleasures which they either enjoyed or might have enjoyed have bid adieu to the World and mortifying their Flesh have wholly devoted themselves to the Service of God and Contemplation of Divine Things Amongst these are many Noble Men and their Sons and Daughters many of the rich Gentry and their Children many great Wits many famous for their Eloquence and knowledge in all kind of Literature which is an evident sign of the Divine Spirit and true Religion For that Religion cannot chuse but be Heavenly which withdraws Man's Nature fixed on Earthly Things and raises it up to Heavenly which expels the Love of that which is Temporal and instils an affection to that which is Everlasting and in a word which can work such wonderful Changes in Men. The Tree is known by its Fruits Other Religions especially the Lutheran Calvinist and Fanatick For of these only I intend to treat in this Discourse do no such thing For they are so far from teaching Mortification of the Flesh Other Religions take away the study of Perfection and of all good Works Contempt of Earthly Things and cutting off carnal Pleasures that they call Fasting the Tradition of Men whereby God is worshipped in vain abstinence from Flesh with them is Superstition Monastick Vows they say are impious vain and not at all to be observ'd that Chastity is impossible that all Men are bound to marry and lye with a Woman which Luther affirms to be as necessary as Meat Drink L. de Vit. conjug and Sleep By which Doctrine it is come to pass that none of those who are of these New Religions do either mortifie their Flesh by Fasting or abide continent or abstain from Conjugal and Carnal Pleasures or abandon their Riches and imbrace Poverty for the Love of Christ but all of them are for a sensual easie and Worldly Life agreeable to the Inclination of the Flesh and corrupt Nature None of them have so much as a Notion of what it is to lead an Angelical Life upon Earth as many of the
have some Rule of Faith and Foundation of their Belief agreeable to Natural Reason namely the consent of their Ancestors or the Scripture interpreted according to the Sence and Religion of their Ancestors But most of the Hereticks of our Times regard not much their Ancestors and Apostles from whom they first received this New Gospel but looking upon them as Men subject to Errour though they also pretended to the Spirit as well as these forsake them and rely totally upon their own judgment or testimony of their own private Spirit or which is all one the Holy Scripture according to the sence of their own judgment or private Spirit which is an evident sign that Satan so effectually operates in them and infatuates their Minds that not only every one frames to himself New Heresies and Opinions but makes his own judgment the foundation of his Faith and Rule of Belief for every one thinks he is taught of God even Women and Children and therefore secure from all Errour What greater facination and Delusion can there be than this Hence it is that they have no certain and established Principles they decree no Body of Doctrine and Religion but ramble in uncertainties as the private Spirit shall drive them Nor can there be any dispute with them about any of their Principles because they stick to none and by reason of their ignorance they know not the Doctrine of their Ancestors But of this Spirit of Giddiness we have said more in our Consultation Consid 9. and Reason 11. Hereby it is manifestly concluded that the whole Foundation of Faith which the Sectaries of our time rely on is deceitful and therefore their Belief which depends on it is unprofitable to Salvation Eighth Reason If every one may be saved in his own Faith that confesses Christ why is there so great a dissension amongst Religions Why do they all condemn one another of Heresie and Thunder Anathema's against each other Why do the Lutherans refuse to acknowledge the Calvinists for their Brethren and publickly in their Sermons and Books avouch them to be impious and blasphemous Why in the like manuer do the Chief of the Calvinists among whom Theodorus Beza is the Father of all after Calvin so treat the Lutherans Why do the Anabaptists call themselves the only faithful Christians and esteem all others as Infidels whereby is apparent that this new fancy of being saved in any Religion is not only against the Catholick Doctrine but also against all the Sects that have any zeal for Religion or Piety and is only too proper for Atheists Ninth Reason That one may be saved it sufficeth not to keep two or three of the Commandments but of necessity he must observe all according to that of our Lord If thou would'st enter into Life keep the Commandments Mat. 8.9 For Example If any one should be an Adulterer or Thief although he should keep the other Commandments yet he cannot be saved without Repentance as the Scriptures every where teach So likewise it sufficeth not to Salvation to believe three or four Articles of Faith but of necessity we must believe all Articles which God hath revealed and propounded to our Faith by his Church For the true Faith is no less necessary to Salvation than Obedience to Gods Commandments nor ought Faith to be less perfect and intire than Obedience and Observation of the whole Decalogue As therefore our Obedience ought to extend it self to all the Commandments so Faith ought to extend it self to all things revealed according to St. James Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one is guilty of all for he that said thou shalt not commit Adultery said also thou shalt not kill Now if thou do not commit Adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a Transgressor of the Law Jam. 2.10 As if he should say he is made guilty of all and shall be punished as a Transgressor or Violator of the whole Law for despising the Law-maker who is the Author of the whole Law Therefore in like manner he that shall deny one Article of Faith although he believes all the rest is become guilty of the breach of his whole Faith and Religion because he contemns God the Supream Truth who revealed no less this than the others He contemns also the Catholic Church 1 Tim. 3.5 which is the Spouse of Christ and the Pillar and Ground of Truth and which proposes to our Belief as well this Article as the rest Note And this is the reason why he is no less an Heretic that obstinately denyeth one Article of Faith than he that denyes an hundred because in regard of this one which he denyes he despiseth God the first Verity which revealed it and he despiseth the Authority of the Church which propounds it he makes the Church also subject to Errors and a Lye whereby he makes all the rest uncertain and destroys all Divine Faith Note For if you take away the Foundation of Divine Faith all Faith must necessarily fall to ruin and decay and only Opinion or human Belief liable to Error remain Tenthly and Lastly This Opinion is very dangerous in the practice for it makes a man not care what Religion he is of what he believes or disbelieves Therefore he seeks not after the Truth and as easily and securely receives Falsehood as Truth And yet not only Catholics but even the more noted Sects such as are more eminent for Learning and Wisdom hold for a certain and undoubted Truth that without the true Faith and Religion none can be saved but will perish everlastingly Therefore the followers of this Opinion are condemned by all wise Men and they promise to themselves Salvation upon no Authority no Testimony of Scripture nor the support of Reason relying meerly upon the vain and foolish Imagination of their own Brains Let them hear therefore out of St. Fulgentius what Antiquity has ever held and what the Church hath taught in all Ages For so he writes as a general Rule of Faith Hold this for a most certain and infallible Truth Lib. de fide ad Pet. 6. Diac. c. 38. That not only all Heathens but likewise all Jews Heretics and Schismatics which end this present Life out of the Catholic Church shall go into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Again Most firmly believe and doubt not in the least chap. 39. That every Heretic or Schismatic baptised in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost if he be not reconciled to the Catholic Church whatever Alms he gives and let him live never so vertuously and devoutly though be should lay down his Life and shed his Blood for Christs sake yet he cannot be saved For every one that sticks not to the Vnity of the Catholic Church neither Baptism nor Plentiful Alms nor Martyrdom for Christ will profit to Salvation so long as any Heretical or Schismatical perverseness remains in him which leads to Death This was always the belief of the Holy Catholic Church and the undoubted Doctrin of all the Fathers which if all who are out of the Catholic Church would seriously and sadly consider and lay to heart they would clearly see what a dangerous State they live in and being sensible of their danger with Holy Resolutions hasten to the Ark of Salvation to preserve themselves from Eternal Ruin Which that they may do Do thou O Christ The True Light of the World Enlighten their Minds Amen FINIS
Controversie that one could not plainly tell whose Cause carried it but both Parties should shill contend for the decision of their Cause he would be accounted by all Men a very improper Judge since no Controversie can be determined by his sentence for after it there is as great debate for whom the Judge gave sentence as about the Difference they brought before him But such a Judge is the Holy Scripture if you set aside the Exposition of the Church and the Fathers for so it always gives sentence that it cannot plainly appear to either Party which side it favoureth but both stifly affirm that it stands clearly for him Hence it comes to pass that Controversies never have an end 'T is ridiculous therefore to make only the Scripture the Judge of Controversies For in all Controversies such a one ought to be made a Judge so as to give sentence that all and chiefly the Parties in dispute may clearly see which side the Judge is for or else there can be no end of Controversie Therefore they that make only the Scripture their Judge shew plainly that they will have no Judge to decide the Cause but their own private judgment For they do as if Titius and Caius having a Suit at Law would have no other Judge but the Book of Justinian with his Pandects secluding the Interpretation of the Doctors and Titius for his Right should produce some Law and say that it is clear for his Cause but Caius denies it Likewise Caius alledgeth another Law affirming that it clearly makes for him but Titius denies it and so both Parties depart without decision of their Cause would not this be a ridiculous thing and make all say that neither of them would have their Cause decided since both of them would be their own Judge It is plainly so with them that will have no other Judge but the Scripture For whosoever reserves the Interptetation thereof to his own Spirit shews plainly that he would not have his Cause lawfully decided but be his own Judge Fourthly Experience it self shews how insufficient this Rule of Faith is For we see that there is no end of Controversies amongst them even in their chief Points of Faith For the Lutherans Calvinists and Fanaticks in many things extreamly differ at this very time and condemn one another of Heresie The very Lutherans disagree amongst themselves in many things also from Luther their Parent and Apostle insomuch that at this very time there are counted Thirteen Principal Sects of Lutherans differing by certain Names and Opinions The Calvinists dissent amongst themselves chiefly in the Article of the Head of the Church for a great part of them ascribe this Power to the Secular Prince although she be a Woman these they call Protestants Others esteem this a great Sin and Blasphemy these they call Puritans The Fanaticks dissent amongst themselves in many things so that there is reckoned Fourteen several Sects of them distinguished by Names and Opinions Lastly It is come now to that pass that when any one thinks to follow this Rule and depend on it there are almost as many Heresies as Hereticks For many especially the ignorant sort say they care not what Luther or Calvin teacheth for that they stick to the Holy Scripture and Word of God wherein there can be no Errour and so they think themselves very secure for every one interpretes the Scripture according to his Capacity and Judgment Hence it is that when they think they have Scripture for their Rule of Faith instead of Scripture they have only their own Imagination For what they fancy the Words of Scripture signifie they take for the true sence of Scripture And thus there are as many different Rules of Faith as Imaginations of Men. But how comes it to pass that every ones imagination should seem to be the pure Truth and right sence of Scripture This proceeds partly from a great self-love and self-esteem for he that has a high conceit of himself is easily perswaded that all his own inventions and conceptions of Mind are extraordinary partly also from a Diabolical operation which inwardly perverts the fancy of Men that what they apprehend upon never so slight a reason presently they imagine it to be the clear Truth For where Men through a weariness of the Antient Religion have an aversion to the Truth and Itching Ears to Novelties they are suffered by the just Judgment of God to be deceived of the Devil Whilst therefore he operates interiourly in their Sences they think they are illuminated with the Divine Spirit and attribute to this Spirit their whole judgment touching points of Faith Hence it is that the apprehension or judgment of every Sect and almost of every private Man seems to be the pure Word of God nor do they regard any reasons to the contrary The Apostle signifies this 2 Thes 2.10 saying Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions to believe a Lye He shall send not by commanding but by letting the Devil loose to deceive them and lead them into a thousand Errors for despising the Truth or Ancient Religion But many of them say especially the simple and ignorant God will not suffer those to be deceived who seek the Truth with an humble Heart ' For he has promised to ' give the Good Spirit to those that ask him Luk. 11.13 But I do so I beg of God to enlighten me and open unto me the true sence of Scripture and I daily search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 This is a great delusion of the Devil For how do they seek the Truth with an humble Heart who despise the judgment of the Doctors of the Church the judgment of the Holy Fathers and the judgment of General Councils Who will not use that way which our Lord hath shewed and ordained but require unnecessary Revelations For from them they may understand the Truth and be freed from all Error but they will not submit to them and think that by their own industry wit and private Spirit they can more certainly find the Truth out of the bare Scriptures As if the Holy Fathers Doctors and Prelates of the Church had not searched the Scriptures or were destitute of the Spirit of God and right Judgment that they could not rely upon them Now what greater Pride can be imagined than for a private Man and for the most part silly and ignorant of all Antiquity and the Liberal Arts to prefer himself before so great Wisdom so great Authority and Sanctity and such a multitude of Doctors Let them not therefore think so long as they are of this mind that they shall receive any thing of God because they wrongfully seek him and proudly ask him but rather that they are deceived by the Spirit of Pride and a Lye to which they are delivered by the just judgment of God for so great a Crime This is that Spirit which all
cleansed from our Sins and by whose Faith we are justified Apoc. 1.7 for there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Act. 4.12 All these things were in vain and false if every one might be saved in his own Religion Object Perhaps some will say that Christ is indeed our Redeemer and all Good to us proceeds from him yet a belief in him is not abfolutely necessary to Salvation for it sufficeth to believe that all our Happiness springs from the Bounty of God and is needless to know the means of conferring it Answ But this is repuguant to the Holy Scripture and Reason because the Scripture plainly teaches that Christ's Redemption is not applied to us Why Faith in Christ is necessary to Salvation but by Faith in him and therefore all that bâ—lieve not in Christ are without Justification remain in Sin and are the Children of Wrath and Damnation 'T is likewise against Reason because to be made partakers of any great and singular benefit all reason requireth to know our Benefit and Benefactor that we may know him as 't is meet with all thanksgiving for the condition of the Benefit and Benefactor requires this gratitude therefore since the benefit of our Redemption is so strange and great and he that gave it so sublime and excellent and the manner of bestowing It so wonderful 't is requisite we should know all this least we should live and die altogether ungrateful to so great a Benefactor least like the Jews we should return Curses for a Blessing and Blasphemies for Thanksgiving 'T is therefore absurd that those who believe not in Christ should be partakers of the same Happiness with them that are to be saved by Faith in Christ the which also is confirmed by this that none can be saved who is ignorant of God and the benefit of his Creation else all Idolaters may be saved therefore neither he can be saved that is ignorant of the benefit of our Redemption because the benefit of our Redemption is far greater and more admirable and pertains more to the Glory of God and Christ and requires of us a more ample Honour Service and Thanksgiving Nor is it sufficient to know in general The benefit of our Redemption is to be known in particular that all this Happiness comes to us from God this is not enough to pay that gratitude and honour due to him but we ought to know what and how great this benefit is how and in what manner and way he conferred it namely that he delivered us from Sin and Eternal Death that he opened us the passage to Eternal Life and that also by a way most stupendious and strange to wit by uniting our Nature to his own and therein suffering death for us For this chiefly commends his Charity Mercy and Justice this requires of us all Obedience all Praise Benediction and Thanks-giving and these are principally to be known by us as necessary to Salvation Third Reason Again if every one may be saved in his own Faith then that Faith sufficeth to Salvation which is no infused gift of God but a Humane Perswasion conceived by a private judgment supported by Humane Authority and built on a fallible foundation For although the Turks believe one God Maker of Heaven and Earth and Rewarder of Good and Evil Works yet this Faith is not from the Holy Ghost but from a private Judgment or rather from the Devil for they do not so believe because God hath revealed it to Men by some true Prophet but because Mahomet whom they imagine to be God's Prophet and Instrument to instruct Mortals has so declared it in his Alcoran Therefore although that which they believe is true yet because the Foundation and all their reason of believing is false and pernicious to wit that Mahomet is a Prophet of God the Faith it self whereby they believe is deceitful and in regard of the foundation on which it depends is noxious and destructive to Salvation necessarily infecting the Mind with the contagious Errours of that Sect. How then can it be said that that Faith is sufficient to their Salvation or that they can be saved by this Faith How can that Faith which is uncertain fallible and pestilential be laid for a foundation of Justice and Salvation In like manner the Jews although they believe the same things and many more consonant to Truth yet that Faith whereby they believe these things is deceitful and far from the Spirit of God For the main reason of their belief is because their Rabbins and Doctors of their Synagogue so interpret the Scriptures for these are a Rule of Faith to them or which is the same thing the Holy Scripture as 't is subject to their Interpretation But all this reason of believing is false and deceitful and no less harmful than that of the Turks For now it is as bad to believe the Rabbins to be indued with the Spirit of God for the right interpretation of Scripture as Mahomet to be a Prophet of God nor are they driven to less absurdities by force of that Principle How then can such a Faith be the Basis or Ground-work of Salvation Fourth Reason Lastly This Opinion makes no difference between Turcism Judaism and Christianity but in some small matters nothing at all necessary to Salvation so that 't is all one what Religion you live in because you may be saved in any which is to open a way to the Alcoran and to equalize Mahomet with Christ or rather to introduce Atheism For to allow of every Religion is to take away all Religion and think none necessary since there can be but one only true Religion The Fundamental Reason on which this Opinion chiefly depends is of no moment For First if it be not incredible That God for many thousand years An Answer to the Foundation of the other Opinion left the whole World in Idolatry except the Jewish Nation a little part of it and suffered the same to run headlong into destruction although amongst them there were many famous Wits and serious Worshippers of their Gods and Lovers of Humane Justice and Honesty it ought not to seem incredible that the Turks and Jews at this time live in the state of damnation Secondly The Turks and Jews now who believe not in Christ are less excuseable then of old the Heathens were that did not acknowledge one God Maker of Heaven and Earth The reason is because when almost the whole World was overspread with Idolatry the violence of common custom swept away all nor did reason much sway with private Men to doubt of their Religion and if any doubt did arise there was no easie way of knowing the Truth But now since the Christian Faith hath compassed the World so that Christians are to be found every where both Jews and Turks have manifold occasions to doubt of their Religion and if they refuse or carelesly neglect to confer with
Christians about it out of hatred to Christian Religion or any other cause they render themselves inexcusable before God For the Affair of Religion and Salvation is of so great moment and concern that it is to be preferred before all other things and ought with the greatest care and diligence to be sought after where there is just occasion to doubt although you were to go into the remotest Countries for satisfaction The Second Question THe other Question is Whether it be sufficient to Salvation to believe in Christ and that he died for our Sins although we refuse to believe many other things Many especially the Vulgar think this to be sufficient if they believe those things concerning God and Christ which are contained in the Apostles Creed all other matters they count indifferent and that every one may believe of them as he is really convinced for they think that every one may believe the Creed according to his own sense and interpretation Therefore they judge that every one which confesseth Christ may be saved in his own Faith or Belief whether he be a Papist or Lutheran or Preâ—byterian or Anabaptist or of any other Sect For all these hold the same Head which is Christ Col. 1.19 and 2.8 all rely on the same Foundation which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 Therefore they cannot fail of their Salvation although they dissent in many other things Hence it is that some Princes which are of these New Religions labour very much to establish and amplifie their Dominions by making the Lutherans and Calvinists but one Church and endeavouring to perswade the People that there is no difference amongst them but only in some small Matters and Ceremonies But this Opinion brings with it many ill Consequences First Because it saves almost all ancient Hereticks This Opinion is confuted with Ten Reasons First Reason For many of them confessed Christ and believed the Apostles Creed according to their own interpretation The Arrians then may be saved in their Heresie who deny the Son of God to be of the same Substance with his Father The Macedonians who made the Holy Ghost inferiour to the Son The Nestorians who held two Persons in Christ The Eutychians who affirmed that the Flesh of Christ was converted into his Divinity The Apollinarists who held the Divine Word instead of a Rational Soul united to the Flesh of Christ The Monotholites who maintained that there was but only one Will and Operation in Christ The Pelagians who denied Original Sin and taught that Man by the force of Nature might be able to merit the Grace of God and Salvation The Donatists who averr'd that the Church of Christ was every where perish'd but only in their own Communion The Novatians who denied repentance to faln Sinners The Montanists who thought Montanus was the Holy Ghost All these according to this Opinion are saved in their several Faiths and Heresies because they believed in Christ and the Apostles Creed as now the Lutherans and Calvinists do But what can be counted more absurd and a greater Paradox in the Church of Christ For if Salvation may be had by such a Faith why were so many Councils by a Convocation of Bishops throughout the whole World celebrated at so great labour and charge against these Heresies Why were they so often Anathematized Why did the Holy Fathers strive so much to extirpate them Why were Catholicks so much afraid of society and familiarity with those Hereticks Why did many of them rather suffer banishment death and all kind of torments than subscribe to any of their Heresies Certainly all these things were done in valn foolishly and injuriously if Salvation might be obtained in these Sects which since no Wise Man can affirm we must needs confess that these Heresies are the Plagues of the Mind and no Salvation can possibly consist with them Second Reason Because it condemns all Antiquity of Errour which always judged that Hereticks could not be saved and therefore so fiercely opposed them and always studied so carefully to confute them Third Reason Because it condemns the Apostle who thus writes to Titus A Man that is an Heretick after the First and Second Admonition avoid knowing that he that is such a one is subverted and sinneth being condemned by his own judgment Why is he commanded to avoid him if his Errour was not prejudicial to Salvation Why does he say that he is subverted Again Their Speech spreads as a Canker or Gangreen 2 Tim. 3.17 As therefore a Canker is Mortal to the Body unless it be cut so is an Heretick to the Company of the Faithful and therefore they are forbid to hear their Sermons or read their Heretical Books which are infectious spreading like a Canker But it may be some will say that no Body is to be esteemed a Heretick unless he denies Christ or some Article of the Apostles Creed But this is altogether ignorantly and absurdly said for then he would not be an Heretick that should renounce the Old and New Testament and say that it is connterfeited or written by the Spirit of Man and liable to many Errours as are the writings of prophane Authors He would not be an Heretick that should deny Hell or Eternal Punishment or that should hold that all the Devils shall be saved since none of these things are in the Apostles Creed He would not be an Heretick that should condemn Marriage and alledge that Matrimony is Diabolical that should judge some Meats to be impure or unclean of their own Nature which the Apostle esteems Heretical Lastly he would not be an Heretick that should affirm that there were Two Persons in Christ whom St. John calls an Heretick and Antichrist 1 Epist c 4. nor would he be an Heretick that denies Baptism and all the Sacraments Lastly none of those fore-mentioned should be reckoned Hereticks which is repugnant to all Antiquity and all Doctors of the Church since the Apostles days Fourth Reason This Opinion renders all Heresies and Sectaries equal with the Orthodox Faith judging Salvation may as well be obtained by them as by it Then the true and Orthodox Religion will be no better than Arrianism Pelagianism Nestorianism Eutychianism and other false Religions whieh is in it self most absurd and nothing else but to introduce meer Atheism For to grant all Religions to be good and that it concerns nothing our Salvation what Religion we profess is to regard no Religion at all For if there be any Religion this can be but only one as there is but one Truth one Justice one Faith one Beatitude one God and Lord of all things one Mediator of God and Men the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 Fifth Reason 'T is ridiculous to say that it is enough for a Man to believe the Creed Of the Faith of the Creed according to his own sence or meaning since there is but only one Truth which if he does not attain to then he believes falsely but what
their Apostles such as Luther Calvin Melancton Zwinglius c. who they suppose were indued with the Spirit of God or because each one by his own judgment conceives them to be contained in the Scriptures or lastly because the private Spirit inwardly witnesseth them to be true or that such is the sence and meaning of the Holy Scripture For whatsoever the Sectaries of this time believe they believe for some of these three reasons and one of the three they make the foundation of their Faith and motive of belief But these three Foundations or Motives of belief are altogether deceitful as you shall see That the first Foundation namely the authority of Luther Calvin and others that devised these New Religions is deceitful is manifest because experience shews they could be deceived and did really err in many things For many things they revoked many things they corrected they contradicted themselyes in many things as is clearly demonstrated in the Ninth Consideration and Sixth Reason of my Consult about Religion Hence it is that now but few depend on their Authority saying they were Men subject to Errour and therefore their Followers desert them as they list where they think they can find some better Doctrine Their Authority therefore is deceitful even in the Opinion of their own Disciples and Followers Nor is the other ground less deceitful to wit their own private judgment whereby they expound the Scriptures For many things which are indeed false to a private Judgment seem to be true and those things which at first seemed to be true are afterwards found to be false Hence it is that there are such diversity of Opinions such chopping and changing of Religions because Humane Judgment is very weak especially in the Mysteries of Faith and Understanding of the Scripture which transcend Humane Capacity Many Answer that in believing Whether they rely on Scripture they do not rely on their own judment but the Holy Scriptures which cannot err How miserably they are deceived herein appears by this that almost all Sectaries say they rely upon Scripture when they disagree in many things amongst themselves and teach things contrary to one anothers Doctrine which could not rationally be done if they relyed upon the lawful understanding of Scripture and not on their own private judgment For the Scripture is no where contrary to it self it disagrees in no place with it self therefore the reason why they so much differ amongst themselves is because they interpret the sence of Scripture according to their own private Judgment which is divers according to the variety of Judgments and Understandings of Men. They rely therefore upon Scripture not as 't is interpreted by the Holy Fathers of the Catholick Church but according to their own private Judgment For the virtue and efficacy of the Scripture consists not in the naked Words but in the right meaning and interpretation Therefore their whole foundation is their own private judgment which how deceitful it is the dissentions of so many Sects clearly demonstrate Lastly The Third Foundation of their belief on which many The private Spirit at this time depend is the most deceitful of all because among the Fanaticks who pretend most of all to the instinct of the Spirit there are the greatest differences and divisions amongst themselves which could not be unless the Spirit which rules and governs them and on which they depend were deceitful and various The same is observable amongst the Lutherans and Presbyterians and the different Sects and Factions of them both for every one is certain of the truth of his Opinion by the private Spirit which instructs him whereby it is most manifest and clear that this Spirit is not the Holy Spirit the Spirit of God and Truth which cannot teach contradictions and be against it self but the Wicked Spirit the Spirit of Errour Who is a Lyar from the beginning and the Father of Lies who lives in the Children of unbelief Joh. 8.44 of whom the Apostle says Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions to believe a Lye c. 2 Thes 2.11 And in another place In the latter times some shall depart from the Faith attending to the Spirits of Errour and Doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4.1 for every Heresie is the Doctrine of Devils And S. John Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the World 1 Joh. 4.1 This is that Spirit which rules in the Hearts of Hereticks and whose Testimony brag of as thinking it to be the Holy Ghost This so blinds their Understandings and perverts their Fancies that they take Light to be Darkness and Darkness Light they esteem the most clear Truth of the Catholick Faith to be Errour and their own foul and dismal Errours to be the clear Truth and certainly were they not totally bewitched and blinded they might easily perceive that that Spirit which inwardly they feel is not the Spirit of God or at least they could not choose but doubt of it since every Sect amongst whom there is so great dissension touching their chiefest Principles lays equal claim to the Testimony of this Spirit boast of it and follow it and in maintaing their Tenets repugnant to each other chiefly depend on it But this happens by the just Judgment of God For as the Jews who would not receive Christ were permitted to be blinded by the Devil as 't is plainly gathered from the Apostle 2 Thess 2. So Hereticks who have deserted the Catholick Faith which is no less a Sin than that of the Jews are permitted to be blinded by Satan and led into all Ernour And if a Man but attentively consider A greater facination of the Devil in our Hereticks than in the Jews he shall perceive a more powerful operation of the Devil in our Hereticks and a greater facination of their Mind than there is in the Jews and Turks and this for two Reasons First Because the Jews agree in their Belief and have no different Sects amongst them Among the Turks or Mahometans there be only two and they not much different But amongst the Hereticks of our days there are numbers of Sects some propagated one out of another by the rise of New Opinions mutually condemning one another of Heresie and all these are sprung up within 100 years or thereabout which is a clear sign that the Devil has a great power in the Minds of these Man to disturb their Fancies pervert their Imaginations and Judgments that they can neither stand nor rest any where Secondly Because the vulgar People among the Jews and Turks rely not upon their own judgment nor the instinct and testimony of the private Spirit but upon the judgment of their Doctors or which is the same thing upon their Scripture as 't is expounded by the Doctors of their own Religion Therefore they