a day after the faire as it is a Visible Church we haue not detrested pag. 44. to haue Communion with it as Babylon we haue nothing to do with it He that before was too fine too wittie for you now speakes confusedly strangely You see we haue learned to distinguish betwixt the Church the great whore in the Church with the Church wee yet hold communion in many things though that from Babylon wee separated long agoe He whom I suppose you will not in hast teach to speake spake in this manner As the Apostle doth say of Mr. Hooker Eccles Pol. lib. 3 §. 1. Israel that they are in one respect enemies but in another beloued of God in lâke sort with Rome wee dare not communicate concerning sundrie her grosse and grieuous abominations yet touching those maine parts of christian truth wherin they constantly still persist wee gladly acknowledge them to be the family of Iesus Christ and our hearty praier vnto Almighty God is c. Your distinction therefore of the Diuell in his Essence and as a Diuell with the rest of that stamp you were best lay vp till a deare yeare CHAP. VI. Of the charitable profession of zealous Luther AT length wee are come to consider the weight of zealous Luthers speech Wee confesse that vnder the Papacie is much good nay all yea the very kernell of Christianitie To this M. Burton answereth that be spake this pag. 45. before the Councel of Trent was hatcht and died when they began to be assembled It is well hee did so for had he liued but a while longer he had sure been a fauourer of Poperie as well as Caluin who liued after that Councell and yet confessed the Church of Rome to bee a true Church as wee haue shewed Yet by his leaue if this were true when Luther liued it is as true now If they haue added more errour yet haue they taken away no more truth otherwise than virtually and by consequence Luther thought it not likely or possible that the Church of Rome should bee much more corrupt than it was when hee published at Wittenberg so manie âropositions contrarie to the Romish Religion a Sleidan Com. lib. 1. And Hist of the Councell of Trent lib. 1. 95. in number which preâently brought about his eares Teceâius Eckius Siluester Prierias Hogostrat and I know not how many more Luther thought the Church of Rome wicked enough when hee affimred âhat b âtiam si nâhil praetârâa peâcatum fuisset in doctrina Pontificia quà m quód docuerunt nos debâre vagaâi fluctuare amâââente duâios de remissione peccatorum gratid salute noâtra iustas tamen haberemus causas cur ab Ecclesia infideli nâs seâungâremus Luth ad cap. 41. Gen. If they could not haue bin blamed âor any thing else but onely for teaching âhat we must wauer and doubt and âlwaies remaine vncertaine of the reâission of our sins of grace and saluatiân yet should we haue iust cause to separate from that infidelious Church Thâ ground therefore of Luthers speecâ was Not that hee saw not erroâ enough but that he knew there wâ likewise all truth Vnder it indeedâ as our diuine Bishop obserueth oppressed ouerwhelmed yet there iâ was The Councell of Trent haâ ioyned Traditions to the Scriptureâ making them together the rule â Faith but before that time Luthâ complained that hee could not haâ audience out of the Scriptures bâ the frigid decrees of Popes and thâ fooleries of Schoole-men were obtruded in stead thereof In a word nothing was decreed in the Councel of Trent which Luther had nâ gaine-said before that time So thâ the errours are the same they were but established vnder a more peremptory forme CHAP. VII Of the Deane of Glocesters Authority BVt here the Authoritie of the Reuerend Deane of Glocester is Dr. Feild alledged in his Treatise of the Church Lib. 3. Cap. 47. and it is desired that hee may take vp the matter 7 Vialls pa. 45. Peace is amiable and the mediation of wise men is to vs very acceptable The Person is Reuerend neither will wee dissent from him in any thing without due respect had to his place and learning But wherefore when you are vrged with a cloud of witnesses in this very cause doe you 7. Vialls pa. 51. reiect them as priuate persons whose opinions must not prescribe against truth Caluin Bucer Beza Melanchton See the reuerend Bishops Apologie Mornay Deering Iunius Raynolds Param Hooker Perkins c. all these you sleight and would haue vs bee tryed by one onely who indeede is Reuerend but All these much more Yet as if hee distrusted this alledged Authour somewhere else hee wilâ haue him to Vmpire the Cause in thâ one place Feare not a wise man wilâ not contradict himselfe and it is â receiued Rule in reading both the Scriptures and the Fathers and ãâã Writers That the clearer places are to interpret those that bee more obscure But because you shall acknowledge your selfe in our debt we yeelde yââ this request though vnreasonable but vpon this condition that if Dr Field be found to speake against yââ rather than for you you neuer appeare more in this cause Courteoââ Reader the passages are but short therefore reade and iudge The wââthy Deane bringeth in Bellarmâââ obiecting against vs that by the coâfession of our owne Writers Luther and Caluin c. the Church of Româ is a true Church What now dotâ he answer to this He saith not Tââ before the Councell of Trent they were a Church but none since buâ grants him That they might in some sense truely say that they were a true Church But saith he neyther Luther nor Caluin nor any of vs doe acknowledge that the Popish Religion is the true Religion or the Romish faction the Orthodoxe Church of God See then wee may affirme Rome to bee a true Church and yet the Romish cause gaine nothing by it for the Popish Religion is neuer a whit sooner the true Religion and though we giue this attribute to the Church of Rome yet the Romish faction is nothing the better for it for all this while they are not the Orthodoxe Church of God Where me thinkes the Deane giues more than we delire for wee haue alreadie distinguished betwixt the Church of Rome and the Faction of Rome and this we doe not hold to bee a Church at all much lesse the Orthodoxe Church of God He proceeds to speake of the Councell of Trent touching which hee layeth downe his opinion in these words The generall and maine Doctrine agreed vpon in the Councell of Trent in such sort as it is most generally conceiued is damnable But there are noe doubt some of a better Spirit The French receiue not the Councell of Trent to this day and haue in them particularly a better conceit of things than generally is holden So that the faith of the Councell of Trent is not
Paul euery spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God saith S. Iohn 1. Iohn 42. Where let the words of St. Paul interpret the meaning of St. Iohn that not onely euerie spirit which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God if so be that in workes they deny him not with which condition some would haue those words to bee vnderstood for many thinke aright of the incarnation of the son of God who in other things are not answerable to their profession but that this their confession is of God and from him and that as the Deuill is the Author of all cuill so there is âo good whatsoeuer but proceedeth ârom God and his most blessed spirit When the Scribes and Pharisees âorded it in the seat of Moses and the Prophets many there were no doubt who though they communicated with them in the outward Sacraments and discipline of the Church yet were the flocke of another fold and like a few Oliues at the end of a twig after the shaking of the tree claue to the right stocke and waited for the redemption of Israel by Christ And thus doubtlesse it was with many heretofore and with some at this day which beeing outwardly of the Church of Rome wee may iustly notwithstaÌding challenge to our selues Some of Gods people Doctor Chaloner âredo Eccles Râuel 18. 4. are certainely in Babilon seeing such are warned by the spirit to come out of her and it were in vaine to command a man to depart a place if hee were not there But to conclude our first argument who can denie which is the principall that God hath his Church where Antichrist hath his Throne seeing as the Apostle tels vs he musâ 1. Thes â ãâ¦ã 4 ãâ¦ã sit in the Temple of God its God Quòâ sedes ciââ in Templo Dei collocatur itâ innuâtur tale fore eius Regnum quoâ nec Christi nec Ecclesiae nomen aboleat That the seate of Antichrist is placeâ in the Temple of God thereby is intimated vnto vs that his Kingdome should be such as should abolish neither the name of Christ nor of the Church saith that great Geneua Light I permit it ãâ¦ã to your wise considerations saith one of no meane credit in our Church whether it bee more likely that as frenzic though it selfe take away the vse of Reason doth notwithstanding proue them reasonable Creatures which haue it because none can bee franticke but they so Antichristianitie being the bane and plaine ouerthrow of Christianitie may neuerthelesse argue the Church wherin Antichrist sitteth to be Christian CHAP. IX Our second Argument prouing that Popery taketh not away from fundamentall truth but addeth to it AS an Infant at the first both little and vnable to helpe it selfe gathereth strength and stature by degrees and likewise insensibly till he become a perfect man such hath beene the growth of the Man of sin at the first a Pigmy but now become a Sonne of Anak By what meanes from so small beginnings he attained to so great an height the wisedome of the wise hath discouered vnto vs. Impossible it were for the Rulers of that Synagogue either to haue gotten that power into their hands which now they hold or to mainetaine it now they haue it by making an open inuasion vpon the truth and oppugning the bulwarkes of Faith with hostile fury No Popery is a clandestine conspiracie and opposeth Doctor Chaloner Vnde Z. zânia the Faith not directly but obliquely not formally but vertually not in expresse termes but by consequences and therefore vntill the Trumpets sounded the alarum and the Thunders in the Reuelation gaue warning few suspected it Wherefore is it said to be a mysterie of iniquitie but that it subtilely and secretly vndermineth the Faith not bidding open defiance vnto it Arius of old boldly and plainely denied the Diuinity of Christ Macedonius openly opposed the Diuinity of the Holy Ghost and the like If Popery should goe thus to worke what mysterie were there in it What which were not obuious to euery mans conceiuing Yea Vid. Dr. Chal. Vnâe Z zââia what errour in doctrine or discipline is there brought into the Church by those builders of Babel which had not its first Originall from truth as it is iudiciously obserued that scarce any errour hath crept into the ãâ¦ã lib. 1. Caââ Church which tooke not its Originall and sourse from the ancient approued Discipline of the Church Thus we see their generall policie If we enquire into their particular practice we shall finde that the Popes Arithmeticke Dr. Chaloner credo Eâclesiam sanctâm Cathol which hee vseth in calculating the Articles of Faith is not substraction but addition What we purely affirm the Popish Writers for the most part do affirme the same the difference is that they affirme somewhat more than wee do They deny not so much that our affirmations are truth as that they say we affirme not all the truth whereupon they vsually stile vs in their writings * Harding against B. Iewell Negatinists For example sake Wee agree on both sides That the Scriptures are the rule of Faith That the Bookes of the Old Testament written in Hebrew are Canonicall That we are iustified by Faith That God hath made two receptacles for mens soules after death Heauen and Hell That God may be worshipped in Spirit without an image That we are to pray vnto God by Christ That there be two Sacraments That Christ is really receiued in the Lords Supper That Christ hath made one oblation of himselfe vpon the Crosse for the redemption propitiation and satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world But see our affirmations content them not To the Scriptures they adde and equalize vnwritten traditions to the Hebrew Canon the Apocrypha to faith in the act of Iustification works to Heauen and Hell Purgatory Limbus Patram and Limbus Puerorum to the worship of God in Spirit Images to prayer to God by Christ Inuocation and Intercession of Saints to Baptisme and the Lords Supper fiue other Sacraments to the reality of Christ in the Sacrament his corporal presence to the sacrifice of Christ vpon the Crosse the sacrifice in the Masse with other like and these we deny These things being well weighed wee see how iustly wee may say since the Councell of Trent as Luther did before it That vnder the Papacy is much good nay all yea the very kernell of Christianity for as much as such affirmatiues of ours at least such as concerne the foundation of Faith haue been in all ages professed by the Church of Rome it selfe The nature then of an addition being such that it doth not directly M. Hocker his discourse of iustification deny but by consequence at the most that if that which is added bee such a priuation as taketh away the very essence of that whereunto it is added then by sequell it ouerthroweth wee
you the Victorie if you can performe this latter promise proue but the Church of Rome directly to deny saluation by Christ alone and yours bee the day How or where pag. 51. In the Councell of Trent you say Sess 6. Can. 10. If any shall say that men are formally iâst by the righteousnesse of Christ let him bââ accursed Is not this a direct and ãâã expresse deniall of the Foundation Answ I will not pronounce Anathema to those that shall bee otherwise minded but this I say That this alledged passage is so farre from implying a direct deniall of tâe Foundation of Faith that it opposeth no truth it fauoureth no errour Formall iustice is the same that inherent Righteousnesse inherent Righteousnesse is the Righteousnesse of Sanctification Now who can say that we are formally iust that is that wee are sanctified by the righteousnesse of Christ That which wee haue of Christ is the righteousnesse not of his Person but of his Merit not inherent but imputed Quiâ vnquam è nâstris nos per iustitiam Christi imputatam formaliter iustificari asseruit An non fââmam quamlibet inharentem qua formaliter iusti denominemur semper explosimus Annon fidem vtcunque inbaeret non vt formam sed vt organon non formaliter sed relatiuè tantùm iustificare astrnimus who of vs eâer affirmed that wee are formally iustified by the imputed righteousnesse of Christ Haue not wee alwaies exâloded any inherent forme which âhould denominate vs formally iust And although Faith bee inherent âet we teach that it iustifieth not as ââ forme but as an instrument not âââmally but relatiuely saith that Dr. Prideaux Lect. de iustific âorthy Oxford Light Mee thinkes âee that can tell others that they will âewray their shamelesse ignorance âf they deny that the Church of âome in the Councell of Trent âdmitteth of any other Faith than such as the Diuels and damned in * 7. Vialls pag. 2â Hell haue which must bee deduced by I know not what blinde consequences should not himselfe be thus foulely mistaken Wee haue past one danger thââ which is alledged in the next place will make more against the Councell of Trent but will aduantage hiâ that alledged it as little as the formââ Can. 11. If any shall say that men are iustified by the sole imputation ââ Christs righteousnesse or by sole ââmission of sinnes otherwise than ââ inherent righteousnesse in vs obtaiâââ thereby or also that the grace wherâby we are iustified is the onely faâââ of God let him bee accursed Answ Noâ consider whether they which affirmâ that by the righteousnesse of Chrisâ Offer thâm the fundamentall wordâ and âee ãâ¦ã them will refuâe to ãâã to them that inherent righteousnesse whicâ we haue is obtained and the merââriousnesse thereof whereby wee ââ iustified doe directly deny thââ Iesus Christ came into the world ââ saue sinners Now this is the Popââ doctrine of Iustification Christ hath ââârited to make vs iust but as a Medicine which is made for health doth not heâlâ by beeing made but by being applyed so by the Merits of Christ there can bee no iustification without the application of his Merits Thus farre we ioyne hands with them but in the Application âee disagree Wee teach that by âaith the Merits of Christ are apprehended and applyed to our âules and so wee are imputatiuely iustified they that the Merits of Christ haue obtained for our workes ââat pitch of aduancement that by them wee are made iust and so our inherent righteousnesse is our Iustification Let no man thinke that I sââke to varnish their opinions or to âââ the better foote of a lame Cause âoâ most Thus they teach yet is their doctrine contumelious to God ãâã iniârious to the bloud of Christ The Pelagians beeing ouer great M Hooâer in his discourse of iustification ââiends to Nature made themselues enemies vnto grace for all their confessing that men haue their soules and all the faculties thereof their wils and all the abilitie of their wilâ from God And so the Church of Rome is still an Aduersary vnto Christs Merits notwithstanding her acknowledging that wee haue receiued the power of meriting by the bloud of Christ And if it were not a strong deluding spirit which hath possession of their hearts it were not possible but they should see hoâ plainely they doe herein gaine-say the very ground of our Faith Gaine-say it they doe not directly deny it all the paines which shall bee taken to proue it will beâ vtterly lost Nay what greatââ Argument against them to prâââ their Cause weake than the painââ they take in it seeing the direct dâniall To Iewes and Turkes Christ is an execration we doubt it not but Popery is a mystery of the Foundation is not â thing that can bee done in a comââ If it bee it is as manifest as the Noâââ day it is not if it neede prâââ Now for the other clause touching the Grace whereby we are iustified wee must bee content to take them according to their meaning Whensoeuer they speake of Iustifying they vnderstand that which wee call sanctifying and when they mention Iustification they meane iusti-faction Thus it is euident that Papists doe not directly deny the foundation of Faith which if they did they were no Christian Church by iust consequence wee grant that they doe yet euen in this impietie some are deeper than the rest The Philosopher noteth in mens capacities that weakenesse that the common sort cannot see things which follow in reason when they follow as it were a farre off by many deductions For which cause the vnlearneder sort of Papists seeme more excusable The Masters of the Synagogue of Rome know better and therefore heauie will their account bee Many partake in the errour which are not guilty of the Heresie of the Church of Rome yet euen their errour also is damnable By this time wee may percelue with how good reasââ Mr. Burton could say before coâcerning the Popes Bull or now of the Councell of Trent which yoââ as wee haue shewed is not the beliefe of euery Papist that therein Chrisâ Iesus is renounced as solemnely as ãâã in Baptisme renounce the Diuell and all his workee And I cannot buâ exceedingly wonder that ãâã Diuine should dare to publish to the world such vniustifiable vntruthes ââ if hee should neuer giue an accouââ thereof neither to God nor Man Mee thinkes I could feele his pulse though I neuer saw his face and ãâã you his temper but because soâè Reuerend Friends of mine ãâ¦ã good opinion of him for his honesty though not for his discretion for their sakes I spare him Onely this I adde that his fault to the greateââ that beeing before admonished that See the conclusion of the Reuerend Bish Apologie there is a barre before which we shall once giue account of all our euerlashings hee would yet goe on and despise such Fatherly counsell He shutteth vp his discourse turning himselfe to the learned Bishop and blaming him for trusting the iudgment of * Amongst whom is our royall King Iames to whose Paraphrase on the Râuâlation M Burton acknowledgeth himselfe much beholden particular persons in a Point the contrary whereof the Church hath publiquely resolued and diuers famous and learned haue auouched and againe solliâits him for a Retraction The iudgement of those particular Persons is the vniuersall Concent of Protestant Writers the Church our Mother hath taught vs no such Doctrine nay I dare say she abhorres it You speake of many famous and learned but wee finde not one sentence of theirs alledged and those whose iudgement you would haue vs to stand to are found to speake against you And now let the iudicious Reader iudge to whom it appertaines to make the Palinody For mine owne part I haue now brought that to passe which I earnestly desired and if I haue fauoured any vnsound opinion yea or spoken suspiciously let me suffer as an Hereticke Nay God knoweth that I haue weighed euery word in a Ballance beeing fearefull to giue offence eyther to Protestant or Papist or to the Church of God The Position which according to my weake abilitie I haue maintained is this That all the corruptions in the Church of Rome doe proue her more or lesse sound not more or lesse a Church If in this oâ any other thing I haue erred I shall thanke those that will bring mee into the way againe Let wise men finite mee and it shall bee a precious Oyle that shall not hurt mee but let no man condemne mee till hee haue first shewed mee better and found me obstinate I hate lukewarmenesse I abhorre neutralizing I heartily embrace that speech of the Reuerend Bishop of London of blessed Dr. King 7. ââ Lect. on Ionas ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Memorie It hath beene a fauourable Compromission of men more partiall than wise that the Questions betwixt Rome and the Reformed Churches might easily bee accorded I finde it not c. Wee haue Altar against Altar Liturgie against Liturgie Prayers against Prayers Doctrine against Doctrine Potentate against Potentate Pope against Prince Religion against Religion Subiection against Subiection Faith against Faith so Diametrally opposed as th Northerne and Southerne Poles shall sooner meete together than our opinions standing as they doe can bee reconciled Yet I vnfainedly desire that things may be otherwise and my prayer vnto Almightie God is that they may at length if it bee his will so yeelde to frame and reforme themselues that no distraction remaine in any thing but that * Which is our prayer in the Church Liturgie that all which confesse his holy name may agree in the truth of his holy word wee all may with one heart and one mouth glorifie God the Father of our Lord and Sauiour whose Church wee are I conclude my Apologie for the Reuerend Bishop with his Application of the sweete Apologue before the Bodie of the Clergie met in the Conuocation The Spider in the Cup Concâo ad Clerum the Wormâ in the Apple what else bee they but superstition in their worship rotten and vnwholsome traditions in their Faith without these the Religion pleaseth vs well Nuââââ quit ãâã qui dictum in se inclementiùâ Existimaââssâ sic existiâeâ ãâã Respââsum noâ dictum esse quia ãâã prius FINIS