of fayth that spouse of Christ Church of the liuing God which is the pillar and ground of truth that so they may imbrace her communion follow her directions and rest in her iudgments Thus Doctor Field 5. Now this distinction being presupposed I thus argue both these kinds of faith are necessary to saluation Explicite faith because it comprehendeth all those fundamental and supreme points of Christian Religiō without the expresse and articulate knowledge of which a man cannot be saued And these be those only which Newtralists in Religion hould necessary to be belieued Implicite faith of other points also is necessary to saluation because otherwyse then beleiuing implicitely inuoluedly what the Church teacheth therin we cannot according to the former Doctours wordes find out that blessed company of holy ones the househould of fayth the spouse of Christ Church of the liuing God And seeing Implicite fayth is necessary to saluation we must graunt that this Implicite fayth hath some obiect the obiect is not the article of the Trinity the Incarnatiō the Decalogue c. since these are the obiects of Explicite fayth as is aboue intimated therfore articles seeming of lesser importance are the obiect of implicite fayth the which as a man is bound implicitly to beleeue in the fayth of the Church so is he bound not to beleeue any thing contrary to the sayd articles Seeing then diuers controuersies betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants are included vnder this implicite faith and that the Church of God houldeth but one way of them it followeth that one side of the cōtrary beleiuers of those points doth erre in their beliefe and consequently through want of this true necessary implicite fayth cannot be saued 6. A third reason may be this It is proper peculier to vertues infused such be Fayth Hope Charity that euery such vertue is wholely extinguished by any one act contrary to the sayd vertue Thus for exāple one mortal sinne taketh away al charity grace according that He (i) Iacob cap. 2. that offendeth in one is made guilty of all One act of despaire destroyeth the whole vertue of Hope then by the same reason one heresy wholely corrupteth extinguisheth all true fayth Therefore seeing Fayth is a Theologicall and infused vertue this fayth is destroyed with one act of heresy whether it be about Purgatory Prayer to Saints Freewil or any other cōtrouersy between the Catholiks the Protestants therfore whoseuer denyeth Purgatory or any of the rest granting their doctrins to be true is depriued of all infused fayth touching any article of Christian Religion whether they concerne the Trinity or the Incarnation or any other fundamentall point which he may seeme to beleeue but without fayth that is without true infused and Theological faith it is impossible to please God as the (k) Heb. 11. Apostle assureth vs. 4. Another reason may be this These Newtralists in Religion doe not agree euen in the general grounds of Christian faith to wit in the Articles of one God of the Trinity of Christ c. with any other Christiās This is proued because as all other Christians do beleeue in these general heads so doth each of them particulerly agree that these generall principles are to be limited bounded to euery ones particuler secte as the Protestant for example beleeueth otherwayes in God the Trinity and Christ then the Catholikes doe as is els where demonstrated But now these our Newtralists doe not limit the foresayde principles to any particuler sect or in any particuler manner therefore it euidently followeth that they haue no true beliefe euen of those generall and fundamentall articles 5. A fift reason shal be this It is most certaine that what generall propension Nature or rather God himselfe by nature as his instrument hath ingrafted in all men the same is in it selfe most true certaine and warrantable As for example Nature hath implanted in ech mans soule a secret remorse of Conscience for sinnes and transgressions committed as also a feare of future punishement to be inflicted for the sayd sinnes perpetrated therefore from hence it may infallibly be cōcluded that sinne it selfe is to be auoyded that after this life there is a retribution of punishment for our offenses done in this world since otherwayes it would follow that God should insert in the soule of man idly vainly and as directed to no end certaine naturall impressions instincts which to affirme were most derogatory to his diuine maiesty and wisedome repugnant to that anciently receaued Axiome God Nature worketh nothing in vaine Now to apply this we find both by history and by experience that diuers zealous and feruent Professours of all Religions whatsoeuer both true and false haue beene 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 Religiō proceedeth partly from a generall 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 fayth and Religion in generall And thus according hereto we find that the Athenians who were Heathens though they did erre touching the particuler obiect herein as worshipping false Gods were most cautelous that no one point should be infringed or violated touching the worshiping of their Gods The like religious seuerity was practised by the Iewes as Iosephus (l) Cont. Apion witnesseth And God himselfe euen in his owne writtē word threatneth that VVho (m) Apo. 22. shall eyther adde or diminish to the booke of the Apocalips written by the Euangelist from him he will take away his part out of the booke of life Now if such dāger be threatned for adding to or taking frō more or lesse thē was set downe by the Euangelist in this one booke how can then both the Catholiks and Protestants haue their names writtē in the booke of life Since it is certaine and granted 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 his Apostles did teach But to returne to our former reason From al this we deduce that no points of true Religion are of such cold indifferēcy as that they are not much to be regarded or that they may be maintayned cōtrarywayes by contrary spirits without any danger to mans saluation but that they are of that nature worth dignity as a man is to vndergo all torments yea death it selfe before he yeald or suffer the least relapse in denying any of the sayd verityes 6. The sixt and last reason to proue that the maintayning of false doctrins now questioned betwene the Christians of these tymes are most preiudicial hurtful to the obtaining of our heauēly blisse
wherin at this tyme I wil insist may be takē frō the consideration of the differēt effects which the contrary doctrines betweene the Catholiks the Protestants produce in mans soule touching the exercising of vertue or vice since most vndoubted it is that the beleeuing of such opinions which of their owne nature do impel as it were violētly draw the soule to vice loosenes impurity of manners conuersation cānot stand with the hope of eternal happines And the chief reasō hereof besids others is this in that the wil which is the seate of vertue or vice doth necessarily and irresistably worke as the vnderstanding in which reside fayth all false doctrines doth dictate to the wil now then the vnderstāding being infected with heresies tēding directly to the plāting of vice eradicating of all vertue in the soule it of necessity follweth that the will must worke and exercise it selfe according to those false principles which the vnderstanding suggesteth to the will for true and that with the greater facility in regard of the prones of mans nature through our first Parents fall inclined to liberty pleasure and sensuality But because the subiect of this reason is a lardge field wherin to walke the truth therof is to appeare by seuerall instances drawne from diuers particuler doctrines maintained at this present by the Protestants and all breathing nothing but vice dissolution and all turpitude in manners therfore I will reserue the next ensuing chapter for the fuller manifestation of the truth in this point The same proued from the different effects of vertue and vice which Catholike and Protestant Religion do cause in their Professors CHAP. X. THE first doctrine of this nature wherein we will insist maintayned by the Protestants and denyed by the Catholikes is the impossibility of keeping Gods commandments According heereto Luther sayth The (a) Ser. de Moise ten commandements appertaine not to Christians With whome Fox conspireth in these wordes The (b) Act. mon. pag. 1335. ten Commandements were giuen not to do them but to know our damnation and to call for mercy to God As also D. Willet saying The (c) In sinops Papism pag 564. law remayneth still impossible to be kept by vs through the weaknes of our flesh neyther doth God giue vs ability to keep it but Christ hath fullfilled it for vs. And finally D. VVhitaker in that sentence of his Qui (d) Cont. Camp cat 8. p. 153. credunt ij non sunt sub lege sed sub gratia Quid plura Christiani execratione legis liberantur They who beleeue are not vnder the law but vnder grace VVhat more in this point is to be sayd Christians are freed from the curse of the law Now then if Christians be freed from the curse of keeping the law wherin the ten commandements are contained how can the breach of them be any way hurtefull to the violatours of them And if the comandments were neither giuen vs to keep nor we haue power to keepe them why should the theife forbeare to steale or the homicide to commit murther Who seeth not how this doctrine discourageth a mā from liuing vertuously by brideling his vnruly and sensuall desires 2. Secondly touching Chastity the Protestants teach that Chastity is not in our power And hence it is that Luther thus writeth It is (e) Tom. 5. Wittē serm de matrim 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 whome omitting all others for greater breuity M. Perkins subscribeth saying The vow (f) In his reformed Catholik pag. 161. of continency 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 vnmaried either men or women to satisfy their lust by their owne incontinent liues In like sort what great encouragement doth it giue to maried persons to violate the band of matrimony when either of the persons through absence or longe sicknes or some other suddaine and accidentall impotency cannot render the debt of matrimony And the parties thus sinning either maried or vnmaried being expostulated chardged with their offence therin may they not iustly reply in excuse of them selues that they are not to be blamed or rebuked for their incontinency seeing by their owne doctrine Religion they are expresely taught that they haue not the guift of Chastity and that it is not in their power to liue chastly continently 3. Thirdly the Protestants doctrine of veniall and mortall sinne doth wounderfully extenuate and lessen the atrocity and malice of sinne in the beleeuers of that doctrine For the Protestants do teach that there is no such difference of sinnes in themselues but that the most grieuous sinnes whatsoeuer being committed by any one that hath true fayth are but veniall and their reason therfore is because in their doctrine no sinnes are imputed to such who haue true fayth (g) De eccl cōtra Bellarm. contro 2. q. 5. pag. 301. Thus accordingly D. VVhitakers teacheth Si quis actum fidei habet ei peccata non nocent Sinne is not hurtefull to him who actually beleeueth who did learne this of his graund Maister Luther who wryting of this point sayth No (h) Luth. in his ser englished printed anno 1578. p. 176. worke is disallowed of God vnles the author thereof be disallowed before All which being grāted as true doctrine it must needs follow that who so shall take himselfe to be one of these faythfull as euery Protestant is bound by his owne Religion to beleeue of himselfe shall make small accompt of omitting any sinne considering he is taught by the former doctrine to beleeue that to vse the wordes of one of their owne Maisters Sinne (i) VVotton in his answere to the late popish articles pag. 92. is pardoned him as soone as it is committed 4. The Protestants doctrine of Reprobation and deniall of Freewill mightily disanimateth and discourageth the beleeuers thereof from embracing 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 without any reference to their workes reprobates or thrall to eternall damnation and cannot be saued to what end should they seeke their owne saluation by a true fayth auoyding of sinne and the practising of a penitentiall and vertuous life Or if we haue not Freewill with the concurrency of Gods grace to doe well as the former doctrine instructeth vs why should we bend our best endeauours to embrace vertue and to flye all vice since it is not in our power accordinge to the Protestants fayth to exercise the one and to fly the other 5. To this may be adioyned the Protestants like doctrine of Predestination and their supposed certainty of saluation
for admit that men be predestinated to heauen without any respect or reference to their workes or liues and that doe what wickednes they can imagine yet certaine it is that they shal be saued is not this doctrine most potent and forcible to dissuade all the beleeuers therof from exercising an austere pious and Religious life and to engulfe themselues in all kindes of enormityes and sinnes and the rather considering how precipitious and headlong mans nature is to sinne and to decline all rigorous and exemplar courses of vertue especially if so the case stands that man can neyther aduantage or hurt himselfe by any such different manners of life Now that by the Protestants doctrine no sinne can endanger the predestinate in regard of their certainty of saluation appeareth Answearably heereto wee finde Doctour Fulke to say of Dauids Adultery Dauid (k) In his tower dispute with Edmund CaÌ„p the 2. dayes confereÌ„ce when he committed adultery was and remayned the childe of God And Beza himselfe to the like purpose thus writteth thereof Dauid (l) In respons ad colloq Monâ—â—â— parte aâ—tera pag. 73. by his Adultery and murther did not loose the Holy Ghost So powerfully doe these their positions incline men to satisfy 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 pointes heere set downe and which position of its owne nature excludeth from Iustification all workes how vertuous meritorious and pious soeuer we find the Protestants thus to say Luther speaking heereof bursteth forth with wounderfull rashnes saying Fides (m) Concione 4. in ca. 21. Luc. nisi sit sine c. Vnlesse fayth be without the least good workes it doth not iustify nay it is no fayth That iustification by fayth only extinguisheth al exercise of vertue is iustifyed not only by experience of these dayes but also by the acknowledgement euen of some learnedst Protestants for thus Iacobus Andreas a famous Protestant complayning and disliking of this doctrine writeth A serious and Christian discipline is censured with vs as a new Papacy and a new Monachisme they say we haue now learned to be saued by only fayth in Christ c. VVe cannot satisfy by our fasting prayer c. therefore permit that we may giue ouer these seeing we may be saued otherwise by the only grace of God And to the end sayth this Author further that all the world may know they be no Papists nor trust in good workes they take a course to put none in practice With whose true iudgment heerein M. Stubbs an english Protestant seemeth to conspire saying The (n) In his motiue to good workes printed 1566 pag. 42. Protestant trusteth to be saued by a bare naked fayth deceauing himselfe without good workes and therefore eyther careth not for them or at least setteth little by them And thus farre touching good works wholely exiled and banished by the doctrine of Iustification by fayth only Now that this doctrine of Iustification by fayth only doth incorporate as it were within it selfe and admit all kind of sinnes appeareth no lesse from the frequent acknowledgement of the learned Protestants And first Luther thus writeth heereof A (o) Tom. 2. WitteÌ„ de capt babil fol. 74. Christian baptised is so rich that (p) Vbi supra although he would he cannot loose his saluation by any sinne how great soeuer vnles he will not beleeue And further in another place As nothing (q) Luth. in loc comm class 5. c. 27. iustifyeth but beleefe so nothing sinneth but vnbeliefe To which doctrine D. VVhitaker as aboue is showed accordeth saying Sinnes (r) Vbi supra are not hurtfull to him that beleeueth And thus much now touching the doctrine of IustficatioÌ„ by faith wher we see euen by the confession of the Protestants that this doctrine preuayleth in the Professours of it no lesse for committing of all sinne and iniquity then for the expelling and banishing away of all good workes vertue and deuotion 7. Touching the Protestants particuler doctrines of Fasting Voluntary pouerty and Chastity or Virginity And first of Fasting M. Perkins teacheth thus Fasting (s) In his reformed Catholik pag. 220 in it selfe is but a thing indifferent as is eating or drinking With whome conspireth D. VVillet in more full tearmes saying Neyther (t) In synops p. 243. is God better worshipped by eating or not eating 8. Voluntary pouerty is so debased by the Protestantes doctrine as that the foresayd Doctour VVillet thus teacheth heereof He (v) In synops pag. 245. is an ennemy to the glory of God who chaungeth his riche estate wherein he may serue God for a poore so contrary is he to the iudgement of our Sauiour Matth 10. saying If x thou wilt be perfect go sell thy substance and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen 9. Lastly touching single life in comparison with marriage Maister Luther thus sayth VVe (y) Tom. 5. WitteÌ„ in exeg ad cap. 7. 1. Cor. f. 107. conclude that mariage is as gould and spirituall or single life as dunge And Doctour VVhitaker likewise teacheth thereof in this manner saying Virginity is not simply good but after a certaine manner it is neuer better then (z) CoÌ„t Campia rat 8. marriage but in regard of the circumstance that is of the troubles accompanying mariadge Now I heere demand with what encouragment can any man goe about to practise these foresayd vertues of fasting voluntary pouerty and perpetuall virginity if he be firmely and inwardely perswaded that the Protestantes former positions and doctrines touching the sayd vertues be true and agreeable to Christes sacred institutions But to hasten to an end in this matter I will conclude with the Protestants doctrine touchinge Purgatory and Confession of sinnes 10. Concerning Confession of sinnes it is found by experience that besides the first institution therof by Christ Matth. 18. Ioan. 20. a man is much deterred from sinning through the shame that he is to endure by confessing his most secret sinnes to a Priest as on the contrary it much enboldeneth one to sinne if he be fully perswaded by his owne Religion that confession of them vnto God alone is sufficient 11. Touching the doctrine of Purgatory how doth the denyal of this doctrine open the sluce to all libertye And concerninge Iustice it taketh away all restitution of things wrongfully detayned since by the Protestants doctrine teaching that no temporall punishement remayneth for sinne once remitted all satisfaction for wrongs and for committing of former sinnes and al mortification of body and soule are needles and finally this doctrine freeth a man from all feare of suffering any punishment after this life and this vnder couler that Christ hath satisfyed for the sins of the whole world by which reason we may as well say that we neede not to pray at all since Christ in the tyme of
vpon the diligent perusall of the euidences the ioynt consent iudgments of all the sayd Lawyers should after their longe and serious demurs conspire in this one point to wit that for the recouering and obtayning of the sayd lands the foreshewed euidences in generall are not only sufficient seeing diuers other mē not hauing any true interest in the lands may neuerthelesse insist and vrge their like general clayme but that with the help of the sayd common euidences he must more punctually rely for the gayning of his presumed inheritance vpon other more particuler and personall euidences and assignements Now all these learned Counsailours agreeing in this sentence and fortifying their iudgments heerein with their owne experience in the like case with the new Reports warranting the same with the authorityes of all the ancient learned and reuerend Iudges before them and lastly with the cōformity of reason confirming no lesse If here now some one Emperick Atturney or other skilfull only by a little experience in making a Nouerint vniuersi c. should steppe forth armed ōly with impudency and ignorance and should pronounce the foresayd sentence of all these learned sages to be false and that the party pretending right to the sayd landes were sure by his generall title and euidences only to obtaine the same all other his more particuler euidences being but vnnecessary needlesse therto who might not iustly contemne reiect the censure of such a fellow Or could not the party clayming the foresayd inheritance be worthily reprehended if by abandoning the graue counsaile of the learned Lawyers following the aduise of this ignorant man he should finally loose all clayme title and possibility to his sayd inheritance 22. Our case is heere the same We all pretend right to the inheritance of the Kingdome of heauen for we read Coronam vitae preparauit Dominus diligentibus se Our title in generall therto is our beliefe in the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. the beliefe wherof is necessary but not sufficient All eminent men for learning both Catholiks and Protestants do proue from the Scriptures from the authority of Godes Church from the nature of heresy from the definition of true fayth and from diuers other reasons and principles aboue expressed that no man can attaine to this heauenly inheritance by belieuing only the former fundamentall pointes of Christianity if so he haue not at least implicitly a true and particuler fayth of all other lesse principall points of Christian Religion Now commeth heere a dissolute gamnelesse and left-handed fellow not practised in any kind of good literature for it is obserued that al our most forward Newtralists are men for the most part voyd of learning vertue conscience who peremptorily out of his Pithagorian chayre that is without proofe teacheth that a beliefe in generall of the articles of the Trinity Incarnation Passion c. doth only necessarily conduce to mans saluation and that the doctrines of Purgatory Free-will Reall presence and other contouersies betweene the Catholikes and Protestants are not in any sort necessary to the purchasing of our eternall inheritance and wel fare but are to be reputed with reference to that end points indifferent vnauayleable needelesse and as the greek phrase is Pareria or by-matters Who would not heere commiserate the folly ignorance of such a man but especially pitty the poore soules seduced by soe blind a guide THE CONCLVSION CHAP. XVI HITHERTO good Reader it is sufficiently I hope demonstrated that euery Religion though professing the name of Christ and beleeuing in the Trinity the Incarnation the like fundamentall points of Christian Fayth if their beliefe in other secondary and lesse principall pointes be erroneous cannot promise to it selfe any security of saluation and consequently that the controuerted articles at this day between Catholikes and Protestants touching Purgatory Freewill Praying to Saints Sacrifice c. are of that great importance as that the professours of both sides to vse the phrase of a Blessed Martyr in the same case Vnum caelum capere non potest One heauen cannot containe It now remayneth to show that seeing at this day there are originally but two different religions among Christians to wit the Catholike Religion and the Protestant within which is included all its branches descendents whether the Catholike or Protestant Religion is that wherin a man may be saued But seeing this subiect is most learnedly and painefully entreated of by many Catholike wryters who from all authorityes both diuine and humane haue irrefragably euicted the truth of their owne religion and falsehood of the Protestants profession and consequently that in the Catholike not in the Protestant faith the soules eternall saluation is to be purchased therfore I do remit the Reader for his greater satisfactiō therin to the perusall of the said books and particulerly to the studying rather then to the reading of that most elaborate learned vnanswereable and gauling worke of the protestants Apologie of the Roman Churche 2. Only before I heere end I must make bould to put him in remembrance with what the Protestant Religion in this treatise though but casually and incidently is most truly chardged to wit first with particuler condemnations passed vpon diuers of its cheifest articles euen by the seuerall sentences and iudgments of the primitiue Church and that therfore those doctrines so condemned and yet after defended with all froward pertinacity against the Church of God are not only therby discouered for plaine and manifest heresies but furthermore both implicitely by the testimony of holy scripture as also by the definition of Heresy aboue expressed Secondly that the doctrinall speculations positions of the Protestants faith doe forceibly impell the willes of such as beleiue them to all vice liberty and sensuality Thirdly that God out of the infinite abysse of his Iustice hath punished euen in this worlde as earnest giuen of far greater punishmēt in the world to come with most fearefull vnnaturall and prodigions deathes the first inuentours in our age and promulgatours of the said doctrines and such deaths as his diuine maiesty is accustomed to send to his professed ennemies Fourthly that Protestancy is torne a sunder with intestine diuisiōs diuers professors of it chardging their brethren professours with Heresie and dispayring of their future saluation 25. From all which we may infalliby conclude that except Heresy dissolution of manners most infamous miserable deaths and disagreements in doctrine between one the same sect be good dispsitions and meanes to purchase heauen the Protestant Religion can neuer bring her beleiuers therto What then remaineth but that who will expect saluation should seeke it only in the Catholike Church It being that Arke erected by our second Noe within which who vertuously liue are exempted from that vniuersall deluge of eternall damnation For only in this Church is professed and taught that faith to which by longe prescription a continued hand of time is