obiect of implicite fayth thâ— which articles as a man is bound implicitely to belieue in the fayth of the church so â—he is bound expressely not to belieue any thing contrary to the sayd articles Seing then diuers Controuersies betwene the Catholikes the Protestants are included vnder this implicite fayth and that the church of God houldeth of them but one way It manifestly followeth that the contrary belieuers of those points doe erre in their beliefe and consequently for want of this true implicite and necessary Fayth cannot be saued 3. A third reason may be this It is proper and peculiar to vertues infused such â—e Fayth Hope Charity that euery such vertue is wholy extinguished by any one act contrary to the said vertue Thus for example one mortall sinne taketh away all chaâ—ity and grace according to that (f) Matth. 28. He that â—ffendeth mone is made guilty of all One act of Despayre destroyeth the whole vertue of Hope then by the same reason one Heresy wholy corrupteth extinguisheth all true â—ayth Therefore seeing Fayth is a Theoloâ—icall and infused Vertue this fayth is deâ—royed with one act of Heresy whether it â—e about Purgatory Prayer to Saints Freewil or any other Controuersy between the Catholiks the ProtestaÌ„ts Therfore whosoeuer denyeth Purgatory or any of the rest graunting their doctrines to be true is depriued of all infused fayth touching any articles of Christian Religion whether they concerne the Trinity or the Incarnation or any other fundamentall point which he may seeme to belieue But without (f) Hebr. 11. Fayth that is without true infused and Theologicall Fayth it is impossible to please God as the Apostle assureth vs. 4. A fourth reason shal be this It is most certaine that what generall propension nature or rather God himselfe by nature as by his instrument hath engrafted in all men the same is in it selfe most true certayne and warrantable As for example Nature hath implanted in each mans soule a secret remorse of conscience for sinnes transgressions committed as also a feare of future punishment to be inflicted for the sayd sinnes perpetrated therefore from hence it may infallibly be concluded that sinne it selfe is to be auoyded and that after this life there is a retribution of punishment for our offences acted in this world since otherwise it wold follow God should insert in mans soule idlely vainely and as directed to no end certayne naturall impressions and instincts which to affirme were most derogatorâ— to his diuine Wisdome and repugnanâ— to that aunciently receaued Axiome God Nature worketh nothing in vayne Now to apply this we find both by history and by experience that diuers zealous feruent Professours of al Religions whatsoeuer both true and false haue bin most ready to expose their liues in defence of any impugned part or branch of their Religion From which vndaunted resolution of theirs we certainly collect that this their constant determination of defending the least point of their Religion proceedeth from a general instinct of God impressed in mans soule teaching each man that death it selfe is rather to be suffered then we are to deny any part of our Fayth and Religion And thus according heereto we find that euen the Athenians who were Heathens though they did err touching the particuler Obiect heerin as worshipping false Gods were most cautelous that no one point should be infringed or violated touching the worship of their Gods The like Religious seuerity was practized by the Iewes as Iosephus witnesseth And God himselfe euen in his owne written word threatneth that (g) Apoc. 22. Whosoeuer â—hall eyther adde or diminish to the booke of the Apocalyps written by the Euangelist from him he wil take away his part out of the booke of life Now â—f such daunger be threatned for adding to or taking from more or lesse then was set downe by the Euangelist in this one booke how can then both the Catholiks and Protestants haue their names written in the booke of life Since it is certayne graunted on all sides that eyther the Catholike addeth more to the fayth of Christ then was by him instituted or the Protestant taketh from the sayd fayth diuers Articles which Christ and his Apostles did teach But to returne to our former reason From all this we deduce that no points of true Christian Religion are of such cold IndiffereÌ„cy as that they are not much to be regarded or that they may be maintayned contrary waies by contrary spirits without any daunger to mans Saluation but that they are of that nature worth and dignity as man is to vndergoe all kind of torments yea death it selfe before he yield or suffer the least relapse in denying any of the sayd verityes 5. The fift and last reason to proue that the maintayning of false doctrines now questioned betweene the Christians of these tymes are most preiudiciall and hurtfull to the obtaining of our Heauenly blisse wherin at this tyme I will insist may be taken from the consideration of the different effects which the contrary doctrines particulerly betweene the Protestants and Catholikes produce in mens soules touching the exercising of vertue or vice Since most vndoubted it is that the belieuing of such opinions which of their owne nature do impell and as it were violently draw the soule to vice loosenes and impurity of manners and conuersation cannot stand considering Gods infinite hate to sinne and sinners with the hope of eternall happynes And the chiefe reason hereof besides others is this In that the Will which is the seate of vertue or vice doth necessarily irresistably worke as the Vnderstanding in which resideth Fayth all false doctrine doth dictate to the Will Now then the Vnderstanding being infected with Heresies tending directly to the planting of vice and eradicating of all vertue in the soule it of necessity followeth that the Will must worke and exercise it selfe according to those false principles which the Vnderstanding suggesteth to the will for true this with the greater facility in regard of the pronesse of mans nature throgh our first Parents fall enclined to liberty pleasure and sensuality But because the subiect of this reason is a large field to walke in and the truth therof is to appeare by seuerall instances drawne from diuers particuler doctrines maintayned at this present by the Protestants and all breathing nothing but vice dissolution and all turpitude in manners therefore I will reserue the ensuing Chapter for the fuller manifestation of the truth in this point THE SAME PROVED FROM the different effects of Vertue and Vice which Catholike and Protestant Religion doe cause in their Professours CHAP. XI THE first doctrine of this Nature wherein we will insist mantayned by the Protestants denyed by the Catholikes is the Impossibility of keeping Gods commaundements according heerto (a) Ser. de Moyse Luther sayth The ten commaundements appertayne not to Christians with whom Fox conspireth in
(b) Act. mon. p. 1335. these words The Commaundements were giuen not to doe them but 〈◊〉 know our damnation and to call for mercy to God Doctor Willet also saying The (c) In Sinop Papismi p. 564. law remayneth still impossible to be kept by vs through the weâ—kenes of our flesh neyther doth God giue vs abilityâ— keep it but Christ hath fulfilled it for vs. And â—â—nally Doctour Whitaker in that his seâ—tence (d) Contra Camp rat 8. Qui credunt ij non sunt sub lege sed sub gratia Quid plura Christiani execrâ—tione legis liberantur They who belieue are 〈◊〉 vnder the law but vnder grace What more in this point is to be sayed Christians are freed from the curse of the law Now then if Christians be freed from the curse of the law wherin the ten Commaundments are contayned how can the breach of them be any way hurtfull to the violators of them And if the Commandments were neither giuen vs to keep nor we haue power to keep them to what end should any man endeauour to keep theÌ„ Why should the Thiefe forbeare to steale or the Homicide to commit murther whoseeth not how this doctrine discourageth a man from liuing vertuously by bridling his vnruly and sensuall desires 2. Touching Chastity The Protestants do teach that Chastity is not in our power And hence it is that Luther thus wryteth It is (e) Tom. 5. Wittenb ser de matrimonio not in our power to be without a woman c. It is not in our power that it should be stayed or omitted but it is as necessary as to eate drinke purge make cleane the nose c. To whom omitting all others for greater breuity M. Perkins subscribeth saying The vow of (f) In his reformed Catholike pag. 161. CoÌ„tineÌ„cy is not in the power of him that voweth Now this doctrine being imbraced for true how forcibly doth it inuite or rather impell all people vnmaryed both men or women to satisfy their lust by their owne incontinent liues In like sort what great encouragemeÌ„t doth it giue to maryed persons to violate the bond of matrimony when either of the persons through absence or long sickenes or some other suddayne and accidentall impotency cannot render the act and due of matrimony And the partyes thus sinning eyther maryed or vnmaryed being expostulated and charged with their offence therein may they not iustly reply in excuse of themselues that they are not to be blamed or rebuked for their incontinency seing by their owne doctrine and Religion they are expresly taught that they haue not the guilt of chastity and that it is not in their power to liue chastly continently 3. The Protestants doctrine of Venial and Mortall sinne doth wonderfully extenuate and lessen the atrocity and malice of sinne in the belieuers of that doctrine For the Protestants do teach that there is noâ— such difference of sinnes in themselues buâ— that the most grieuous sinnes whatsoeuer being perpetrated and committed by any one that hath true fayth are but veniall their reason heereof is because in their doctrine no sinnes are imputed to those whâ— haue true fayth Thus accordingly D. Whitaker teacheth (g) De Eccles cont Bellarm. Controuer â— q. 5. p. 301. Si quis actum fidei habet 〈◊〉 peccata non nocent Sinne is not hurtfull to him whâ— actually belieueth who did learne this of his great mayster Luther thus writing of this point (h) Luther in his sermons Englished printed 1578. pag. 176. No worke is disallowed of God vnles the authour therof be disallowed before All which being graunted as true doctrine it must needs follow that who shall take himselfe to be one of the Faythfull as euery Protestant is bound by his owne Religion to belieue of himselfe shall make small accompt of committing any sinne considering he is taught by the former doctrine to belieue that to vse the words of one of their owne maysters (i) Wotton in his answere to the lute Popish Articles pag. 92. Sinne is pardoned him as soone as it is committed 4. The Protestants doctrine of Reprobation and denyall of Freewill mightily disanimateth and discourageth the belieuers thereof from imbracing of vertue and eschewing of sinne for if it be true as this their Doctrine suggesteth that some men are borne euen from their mothers wombe Reprobats and thrall to damnation and cannot be saued to what end should they seeke their owne saluation by a true Fayth auoyding of sinne and practizing of a penitentiall vertuous lyfe Or if we haue not Freewill with the concurrence of Gods grace to do well as the former doctrine instructeth why should we giue our best endeauours to imbrace vertue and fly all vice Since it is not in our power according to the Protestants fayth to exercise the one and fly the other 5. To this may be adioyned the ProtestaÌ„ts like doctrine of Predestination and their supposed certainty of Saluation For admit that men be Predestinated without any respect or reference to their works and lyues and that do what wickednes they can imagine yet certaine it is that they shal be saued is not this Doctrine most potent and forcible to diswade all the belieuers therof from exercising an austere pious and Religious lyfe and to engulfe them easily in all kind of enormities and sinnes and the rather considering how precipitious headlong mans nature is to sinne to decline all rigorous and exemplar courses of vertue especially if so the case stands that man can neither aduantage or hurt himselfe by any such different maner of lyfe Now that by the Protestants Doctrine no sinne can endaunger the Predestinate in regard of their certainty of SaluatioÌ„ appeareth seeing according heerin we find D. Fulke thus to say of Dauids adultery (k) In his tower disput with Edm. Campian the 2. dayes coÌ„ference Dauid when he committed adultery was and remained the child of God And Beza himselfe to the like purpose thus wryteth therof (l) In Respons ad Colloq Montisbel part altera p. 71. Dauid by his adultery and murther did not loose the holy Ghost So powerfully do these their positions incline men to satisfye their desires in all vice impiety and sensuality 6. Touching the Protestants Doctrine of Iustification by Fayth only which potentially includes diuers of the other points heere set downe and which position of it owne nature excludeth from Iustification all works how vertuous and pious soeuer we find the Protestants thus to say And first Luther speaking heereof bursteth forth with wonderfull rashnes saying (*) Tom. 1. prop. 3. Fides nisi sit sine c Vnlesse fayth be without the least Good workes it doth not iustify nay it is not fayth That Iustification by fayth only extinguisheth all exercise of vertue is iustifyed not only by experience of these dayes but also by the acknowledgmeÌ„t euen of some learned Protestants for thus Iacobus Andraeas a famous
Protestant complayning and dislyking this Doctrine writeth (m) Conc. 4. in c. 21. Lucae A serious and Christian discipline is censured with vs as a new Papacy a monachisme they say we haue now learned to be saued by only fayth in Christ and we cannot satisfy by our fasting and prayer and therfore permit that we may giue ouer these seeing we may be saued otherwyse by the only grace of God And to the end sayth this Authour further that all the world may knowe they be no Papists nor trust in good workes they take course to put none in practice With whose true iudgment heerin M. Stubbs an English Protestant seemeth to conspire saying (n) In his Motiues to good works printed 1566. p. 42. The Protestant trusteth to be saued by a bare and naked fayâ— deceauing himselfe without good works thâ—â—â—fore either careth not for them or at least setteth litle by them And thus much touching gooâ— works wholly exiled and banished by thâ— Doctrine of Iustification by fayth only Now that this Doctrine of Iustification by only fayth doth incorporate as it were within it selfe and admit all kind of sinnes appeareth no lesse by the frequent acknowledgments of the most learned Protestants And first Luther thus wryteth thereof (o) Tom. 2. wittenb de capt Babilon fol. 74. A Christian baptized is so riche that although hâ— would he cannot loose his saluation by any sinnâ— how great soeuer vnlesse he will not belieue Anâ— Luther in another place (q) Luther in loc com class 5. c. 27. As nothing iustifyeth but beliefe so nothing sinneth but vnbeliefe To which Doctrine D. Whtaker as aboue is shewed accordeth saying (r) Vbi supra Sinnes are not hurtfull to him that belieueth And thus much now touching the Doctrine of Iustification by fayth where we see euen by the confession of the Protestants that this Doctrine preuayleth in the professours thereof no lesse for the committing of all sinne and iniquity then for the expelling and banishing of all good works vertue and deuotion 7. Touching the Protestants particuler Doctrines of Fasting voluntary Pouerty and Chastity or Virginity the three steps of Iacobs adder by the which a vertuous soule ascenâ—eth to Heauen And first of fasting Perkins â—eacheth thus (s) In his Reformed Catholike p. 220. fasting in it selfe is but a thing â—ndifferent as is eating and drinking with whome coÌ„spireth D. Willet in more full tearnes saying (t) In Synops pag. 243. Neither is God better worshipped by eaâ—ing or not eating Voluntary pouertie is so debased by the Protestants Doctrine as that the foresaid Willet thus teacheth thereof (u) In Synops pag. 245. He is an enemy to the glory of God who chaungeth his rich estate wherin he may serue God for a poore So contrary he is to the iudgement of our Sauiour saying (x) Mat. 19. If thou wilt be perfect goe sel thy substance giue to the poore and thou shalt haue a treasure in Heauen Lastly touching single lyfe in comparison of Marriage Luther thus sayth (y) Tom. 5. wittenb in exeg ad c. 7. 1. Cor. fol. 107. We conclude that Marriage is as gould and spirituall or single lyfe as dung And D. Whitaker likewyse teacheth thereof in this maner saying (z) Contra Camp rat 8. Virginity is not simply good but after a certaine maner it is neuer better then Mariage but in regard of the circumstance that is of the troubles accoÌ„panying Mariage Now I heere demaund with what encouragement can any man goe about to practice these foresayd vertues of fasting voluntary pouerty and perpetuall virginity if he be firmely and inwardly persuaded that the Protestants former positions 〈◊〉 Doctrines touching the sayd vertues bâ— true and agreable to Christs sacred Institutions 8. But to hasten to an end in this matter I will conclude with the Protestant Doctrines touching Purgatory and Confession oâ— Sinnes And as concerning confession of Sinnes it is found by experience that besides the first Institution therof by (a) Mat. 18. Ioâ—n 20. Christ a man is much debarred from sinninge through the shame that he is to endure by confessing his most secret sinnes to a Preist as on the contrary it much enbouldeneth one to sinne if he be persuaded by his owne Religion that confession of them alone to God is sufficient Touching the Doctrine of Purgatory How doth the denyall of this Doctrine open the sluce to all liberty and iniustice Since by the Protestants teaching that no temporal punishment remayneth for sinnes once remitted it taketh away all restitution of things wrongfully detayned all satisfaction for committing of former sinnes and finally all mortification of body and soule and to conclude it freeth a man of all feare of suffering any punishment after this lyfe and this vnder colour that Christ hath satisfyed for the sinnes of all the world by which reason we might take away prayer or that Christ prayed for all in the garden But now to cast our eye backe vpon the foresayd Doctrines If all the different opinions of fayth in Controuersie betwene the Catholiks the Protestants were meerely speculatiue without any reference to the vertuous or vicious working operation of the Will deryued from them then with greater shewe of reason in a vulgar iudgment it might be auerred that supposing they teach not the fundamentall points of Christian fayth they might be either affirmatiuely or negatiuely houlden without any daunger of saluation such were the Heresyes of (b) See heerof S. Augustine Haeres 43. Origen teaching that the Diuells in the end of the world should be saued Of Cyprian touching Rebaptization and diuers such like from the maintayning of which points either way the Will in respect of any externall working or operation drawne from thence can sucke noe poyson But the Case is farre different in the former Doctrines set downe aboue for we fynd that the sayd Doctrines which breath nothing but all dissolution and turpitude of manners euen in speculation do most forcibly immediately touch the pulse of the Will the Will strongly beating and indeed breaking out into outward actions of vicâ— and lyberty according as shee remayneth afore infected with the contagion and poyson of the former Doctrinall speculations Well then this vpon necessary inference being graunted so as the working effect and force of the sayd Doctrines are in the Will nothing but liberty dissolution of manners improbitie sensualitie and sinne I referre to the iudgment of any man whether the sayd Doctrines be but points of Indifferency oâ— noe and may be defended either way without preiudice to the beleiuers fayth and daunger to his Saluation as our Formallists doe auerre For can it possibly be conceaued that these Doctrines should be reputed as indifferent to mans SaluatioÌ„ or in themselues true which as is proued most strongly drawe the will to all vice against which God hath thundred out such dreadfull threats as where it is sayd Psal
whom he sheweth all his Euidences some of which Euidences do cary a title only in grosse and in generall others proue a more particuler more restrayned right to the sayd Lands Imagine further that vpon the diligent perusall of these Euidences the ioynt consent and iudgment of all the sayd Lawyers should after their longe and serious Demurrs conspyre in this one point to wit that for the recouering obtayning of the said Lands the foreshewed Euidences in generall are not sufficient alone seeing diuers other men not hauing any true interest in the sayd Lands may neuerthelesse insist and vrge their like generall clayme but that with the help of the sayd Common Euidences he must more punctually relye for the gayning of his presumed inheritance vpon other more particuler and personall Conueyances and Assigments Now all these learned Counsellours agreeing in this sentence fortyfying their iudgments herein with their owne experience in the like case with the new Reports warranting the same with the authority of all the auncient learned ReuereÌ„d Iudges before them lastly with the force of reason confirming no lesse If some one Empericke Atturney or other skilfull only by a litle experience in making a Nouerint vniuersi should steppe forth armed only with impudency and ignorance pronounce the foresayd sentence of all those learned Sages to be false and that the party pretending right to the sayd lands were sure by his generall Title and Euidences only to obtayne the same all other his more particuler Euidences being but vnnecessary needelesse theerunto who might not heere iustly contemne and reiect the rash censure of such a fellow Or could not the party clayming the former inheritance be worthily reprehended if by reiecting the graue Counsell of the learned Lawyers and following the aduyce of this ignorant man should finally loose all clayme title and possibility to his sayd Inheritance Our case is not much vnlike heerto Wee all pretend a right to the Inheritance of the kingdome of Heauen for we reade (*) lac 1. Coronam vitae praeparauit Dominus diligentibus se Our title in generall therto is our beliefe in the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. the beliefe whereof is most necessary but not sufficient All emineÌ„t men for learning both Catholikes and Protestants do proue from the Scriptures from the authority of Gods Church from the nature of Heresy from the definition of true fayth from diuers other principles and reasons aboue expressed that no man can attayne to his heauenly Inheritance by belieuing only the former fundamentall points of Christianitie if so he haue not a true and particuler fayth of many other lesse principall Articles of Christian Religion Nowe commeth heere a dissolute gamnelesse ignorant fellowe not practised in any kind of good literature for it is obserued as aboue is sayd that all our most forward Neutrallists are meÌ„ for the most part voyde of Learning Vertue and Conscience who pereÌ„ptorily out of his Pythagorean chayre that is without any proofe affirmeth that a beliefe in generall of the Articles of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion is only sufficient to mans saluation that the doctrines of Purgatory Freewil Reall Presence and other Controuersies betweene the Catholiks Protestants are not in any sort necessary to the purchasing of our eternall welfare what way soeuer we hould but are to be reputed in respect of that end points indiffereÌ„t vnauayleable and as the Greeke is meerely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Bye-matters Who would heere not commiserate the folly and ignorance of such a man but especially pittie the soules seduced by so blind a Guyde THE CONCLVSION of the whole Treatise CHAP. XVII HITHERTO Good Reader it is sufficiently I hope demonstrated that euery Religion though professing the name of Christ and belieuing in the Trinity the Incarnation and the like fundamentall points of christian Fayth if their beliefe in other secondary lesse principall points be erroneous cannot promise to it selfe any security of Saluation and consequently that the controuerted articles at this day betweene Catholikes and Protestants touching Purgatory Freewill Praying to Saints Sacrifice c. are of that great importance as that the professours on both sides to vse the phrase of a blessed martyr (*) Camp in decem rationib rat 10. in the same case vnuÌ„ caeluÌ„ capere non potest It now remayneth to shew that seeing at this day there are originally but two different Religions among christians to wit the catholike Religion and the Protestant within which are included all its branches and descendents whether the catholike or the Protestant Religion is that wherein a man may be saued But seeing this Subiect is most learnedly and painefully intreated â—f by many Catholike wryters who from 〈◊〉 authorities both Diuine humane haue â—efragably euicted the truth of their owne â—eligion and falshood of the Protestants â—ofession and consequently that in the â—atholike not in the Protestant fayth the â—ules eternall happynes is to be purchased â—erefore I doe remit the reader for his greaâ—er satisfactioÌ„ therin to the perusal of the said â—ookes particulerly to the studying raâ—er theÌ„ to the reading only of that most elaâ—orate learned and vnanswerable Worke â—f the Protestants Apology of the Roman Church Only before I heere end I must make â—ould to put the Reader in remeÌ„brance with that the Protestant Religion in this former Treatise though but casually and incidentâ—y is most truly charged to wit First with â—articuler coÌ„demnations passed vpon diuers â—f its chiefest articles euen by seuerall senteÌ„â—es iudgements of the Primitime church â—nd that therefore those doctrines so condeÌ„â—ed yet after defended with all froward â—ertinacy agaynst the church of God are hereby discouered for playne and manifest Heresies this point being further euicted â—mplicitely both from the testimonies of hoâ—y Scripture as also from the definition of Heresy aboue expressed Secondly that the doctrinall speculations and positions in thâ— Protestants fayth most strongly mooue tâ— Wills of such as beliefe them to all vice â—â—berty and sensuality Thirdly that God oâ— of the infinite abisme of his Iustice hath pâ—nished euen in this world as earnest giuen 〈◊〉 far greater punishment reserued in the lyâ— to come with most fearefull vnnaturall 〈◊〉 prodigious deaths the first InueÌ„tours in oâ— age Promulgatours of the sayd doctrineâ— and such deathes as his diuine Maiesty is accustomed to send to his professed enemyes Fourthly that Protestancy is torne asundeâ— with intestine diuisions diuers Professourâ— of it charging their Brethren-Professourâ— with Heresy despayring of their future saluatioÌ„ From all which we may conclude that except Heresy dissolution of manners most infamous and calamitous deathes anâ— disagreements in doctrine betweene one the same sect be good dispositions meanâ— to purchase Heauen the Protestant Religioâ— can neuer bring her Belieuers thereto What then remayneth but who will expect saluatioÌ„ should seeke it only in the Catholike