and establishing of cleere Articles of the Christian Faith against Hereticks than for the discussing and defining of hard and controversies which are not necessary at all Let us return therefore to that peaceable and Brotherly conference which we lately commended which if it be appointed with that minde and mannaged in that manner it ought we are in great hope very shortly to see an happy agreement of the German Churches This therefore ought first to be setled in the minde of all who are entertained in the Conference that they are not called together that as adversaries they should contend but that as Brethren they should seek and follow all lawfull wayes to establish Peace For if they themselves betwixt themselves saw one another and thinke they must revy contentions they will never perswade Union and Peace betwixt the Churches at variance Therefore let them not so much as offer to enter into the Labyrinths of the wonted disputations but let them aime and direct their meeting to this one marke that they may shew their Churches that there is no cause just enough why they should refuse mutuall Union and so long abhorre from joyning their right-hand of Brotherhood That this may be done let it be stated and determined in the first place concerning every controversie what of old was defined by the Suffrages of the Catholique Church and under the paine of a curse was to be believed of all For about things most Fundamentall there may arise some questions and Problems noâ— at all Fundamentall and which the ancient Fathers if they had been moved in their age would never have offered to have defined within the pâ—rill either of raysing or continuing a Schisme betwixt the Churches For instance That God is one in Essence three in Persons distinguished betwixt themâ—eâ—ves that the Sonne is begotten of the Father that the holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne that these three Persons are Coeternall and Coequall All these are deservedly determined ranked amongst the Fundamentall Articles Now if any should contend that all those things which are disputed of the Schoolemen of the Manner of Proceeding and Begetting are also Fundamentall and necessary to be determined on one side verily he by this his rash Judgement would gaine no favour with Christ or Christs Churches So also That our Lord Jesus Christ is God and Man and hath in one Person the Humane and D vine nature inseparably united together and that we owe our Salvation to God incarnated is a most solid Foundation of our Catholique and saving Faith Notwithstanding whatsoever may be asked and disputed of the unutterable manner of this Union whatsoever of the manner of the Corporall presence in the Holy Supper whatsoever of the properties communicated to the humane nature by the vertue of the Union or of the Operations of the humane nature depending on this Union it doth not presently belong to Fundamentall Faith but to skill in Divinity and perchance not to that neither but sometimes to the curiosity of Divines Let this therefore be the first and chiefe care of the Divines at the conference accurately to distinguish and sever Fundamentalls from those which are not Fundamentall neither to take it for granted that whatsoever seemes to touch and border on a Fundamentall Article is presently Fundamentall After they have agreed on these things care must be taken that these fundamentals be expressed in few cleer words and be propounded to be established with the common consent of the Churches De anima Certa semper sunt in paucis Those things that are certaine are ever comprised in few words saith Tertullian And whatsoever necessary is to be known to the Salvation of Christians whatsoever makes men better or more blessed is set in open veiw Here is no place for subtill distinctions which onely a quick sighted Eagle or some Epidaurian Serpent can perceive and discerne no place for the fringes of long explication or penthouses which we often see jetting out not so much to build up Christians in Fundamentall Faith as for the enlarging of the Doctors opinions Lastly no place for Metaphysicall formalities and abstracted notions which may trouble the heads of the learned and deterre the mindes of the unlearned from the Catholique Faith it selfe but neither bow the hearts of these or those to the embracing of the Faith of Fundamentall Articles But now when those things which belong to the Fundamentall and common Faith of the Churches are comprised in few words and plaine but sound formes of speeches and those set aside and left alone which are not as yet agreed on It follows in the next place that all peaceable Divines endeavour to make all throughly to be perswaded of this That we must no longer sight in hostile manner with the danger of the Churches losse of Peace and scandall of Schisme for those things whereof Christian people may be ignorant without fault or losse of Salvation How wholsome and necessary this Counsell is the rashnesse and contrary practice of the Roman Church doth easily prove For whilest they not at all content with the Articles of the Apostles or Nicene Creed endeavour to thrust upon the Christian world new Articles of the Conventicle of Trent Epist ad Stephan ad Jubajaâ— prefa ad Concil Carthag they have left the everlasting matter of an everlasting Schisme betwixt the Churches How more advisedly did Cyprian that most holy Martyr and most learned Father of his age who professes that he would offer violence to none for difference in opinions or violate the Lords Peace with his Colleagues or remove any man from the right of Communion because he was otherwise minded than himselfe With which Christian charity and gentlenesse erring Cyprian deserved better of Gods Church than Stephen Bishop of Rome being in the right opinion and rending the Churches as much as lay in his power with his Schismaticall spirit Relying on the Example of this most holy Martyr and on the judgement of Augustine in this matter I doubt not to affirm that those Doctors amongst the Dutch Churches which are deceived Vide Aug. de Bapt. l. 2. cap. 5. and yet are ready to retaine Brotherly Communion with others are held more excused from Schisme before God than they who maintaine the true opinions in those controversies and in the mean time disdaine to hold Brotherly Communion with other Churches desiring the same Consent therefore being had in Fundamentalls although the Doctors cannot fully and perfectly agree in other things yet in this let them all agree that with one mouth and heart they cry out together to God Nulla salus bello pacem te poscimus omnes In war no safty Peace we all desire thee But if any here should demand what must be done with those controversies which cannot be composed least by occasion of these the Peace and Union of the Church may either be hindered or troubled and broken againe after once it is made
Church when it is compared to a Building when it is likened to a Man is termed the Head when resembled to a Tree stiled the Root It is called an Head because it maintaineth the members united unto it ceasing not to convey spirituall strength and life into them In the same sense it is named a Root because it spouteth a vitall Sap into all the Boughs and Sprigs ingrafted in it As therefore those are counted Fundamental Doctrines which are sufficiently effectuall and absolutely necessary to joyne Christians to their Foundation so may they also be called Capitâ—â—â— or Radicall Articles which being known and beleeved by any Members of the Mysticall Body they may be united to their Quickning Head and any of the Branches may rely upon that Roote of theirs which conveyeth Life unto them and stick fast to the same Moreover as every thing is not sitly called the Foundation which is usefully imployed about the building but only that which is so underlaid beneath the building that without it it cannot be supported but may stand strongly if coupled and conjoyned with it So all Doctrines profitable for the furthering of edification are not properly termed Fundamentall but only those which are so necessary to be known that without them there is no coupling of the building to the Foundation with them a saving conjunction may be had though somethings be wanting which are requisite to the perfecting of the Knowledge of a Christian Lastly 2 Tim. 3.16 let us acknowledge with the Apostle all Scripture to be profitable for Doctrine for Reproofe for Correction for Instruction of all Christians in Righteousnesse Godlinesse and Truth but we do not call all propositions founded in Scripture Fundamentall Doctrins because the nature of the thing and the propriety of the Metaphor doth forbid it The folly of Tanner in a like case was laughed at by all when in Conference at Ratisbone he feircely maintainedt hat whatsoever is affirmed in the Scripture is an Article of the Christian Faith as for example that Tobiah had a Dog But least we should stay longer than it is meet in handling the bare signification of words be this setled and resolved on that the names of Foundation and Fundamentall agree only to those things which in reference to what is founded on them are of absolute necessity and power to bring unto Salvation I find amongst Divines in this Sense a threefold acception of Foundation 1. Personall Foundation of the Church and this only one properly so called 2. Ministeriall Foundations of Churches so termed but not in the same Propriety of Language 3. Doctrinall Foundations justly so called as deserving that honorable stile not by the Opinion of a few Divines but the constant Judgment of the Catholique Church All the difference betwixt the Reformed Churches is about the two later yet can it not easily be composed Chap. 3 except we discourse of all three So much of thenotion and use of the words we come now to handle them severally in order CHAP. III. Of the only Personall Foundation of the Church Christ Jesus God and Man Mediator betwixt God and Men and of the true conjunction with him THE most wise God and most loving towards mankind was pleased to found a Church which should endure for ever and prevaile against the Gates of Hell Now such a Church could not be except it stood on a solid and eternall Foundation which might not be forced by any strength or foundred by Engines God therefore thought fit to lay no other Foundation than Jesus Christ the eternall Son of an eternal Father whom he sent into the World that every one which beleeveth on him might not dye but have everlasting life The prophets and Apostles witnesse with a joynt consent Him alone to be the Personall Foundation of the Church Psal 118.22 Esay 28.16 Act. 4.11 12. 1 Cor. 3.11 Hence David calleth Him the corner Stone Esaiah termeth Him a tryed Stone Precious and placed in the foundation of Zion This is the Stone set at nought by the Builders which is become the Head of the Corner neither is there Salvation in any other Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ. Now what hath been said of this one only Foundation ought also to be understood of the one only Head Husband Root of the Church and also of all other Metaphorical Titles which import the same dignity of Christ the Churches same dependancy on him For Christ God and man is the only quickning and saving Head of the Church from whom the whole Body is fitly joyned together and compacted Eph. 4.15 16. Ioh. 3.29 Hos 2.20 Fph. 5.26 He is the only Bridegrom of the Church who hath the Bride and hath espoused her to himself that he might Eternally preserve that is that he may sanctifie her in this World and present her glorious in that which is to come Lastly he is the heavenly root of the Church Col. 2.7 in whom whosoever are rooted spring up towards Heaven and shall continually flourish in Heaven This Personall prerogative is so properly invested in Christ God and man that it can agree to no other Heb. 2.11 Not to Angels because they want that conformity of Nature which ought to be betwixt the Foundation and things founded in it the Head and the Members joyned unto it the Husband and Wife coupled to him in lawfull marriage Not to a bare man because no mortall by reason of the corruption and weaknesse of humane Nature can possibly performe the office of a Foundation Head Spouse in upholding quickening and preserving of the Church Not to God himselfe considered alone in the dreadfull nature of his Divine Majestie For though we acknowledge God the founder of the Church we still want a Foundation to which we need not feare to approach draw neare to come and as it were to glue our selves But the Majesty of God considered in it selfe is not only a light not to be approached unto but also is a consuming fire and what mortall man can dwell with a devouring fire Heb. 12.29 Isa 33.14 We cannot therefore have in or under Heaven any other personall Foundation by the Mediation whereof we may be reconciled and united to God save only the Word Ioh. 1.14 Made Man full of Grace and Truth But to what purpose is this dispute about a matter so plaine and granted of all Protestants Namely that it may hence appeare that other Churches neither may nor ought to renounce brotherly Communion with those particular Churches which retaine a saving conjunction with this Foundation We wonder not that the Papists who besides Christ himself make another personall Foundation another Head another Husband of the Church cut and cast off all Churches though firmely and fastly sticking to Christ which cleave not to the Pope of Rome as to their Foundation Head Husband Nor care we for their false clamours whereby they think to affright the
Epist 150 161. and Epist 162 163 164. Tom. 7. de unitate Ec. cap. 13. 16. and he saith it is an unwise part to goe about to condemne the Communion of the whole world He sheweth moreover That for the good of Vnitie we must beare with some things wee approve not at all and that the knowne bad prejudice not the Good in the Church if either they want power to forbid and drive them from the Communion or if some reason hinder for the preserving of Peace In a word he avoucheth That the Donatists who would acknowledge no Brethren besides those on their owne part did erect an altar of sacrilegious dissension against the whole world Thus farre Augustine Also Optatus fights fiercely against this manner of restraining Brotherly Communion He saith a Lib. 1. in mitio That the Donatists were owned of the Orthodox for Brethren He saith that b Lib. 2. prope ab initio They by this their restrained Brotherhood suffer not the Son of God to possesse the Inheritance promised unto him by his Father but doe place the Church where they please and where they please not there again do banish it out He saith c Lib. 3. init That the very name of Brotherhood however odious to the Donatists is notwithstanding necessary for the Orthodox to use towards the Donatists themselves He saith d Lib. 6. That those follow Gods Will and Commandements who loving Peace hold Communion with the Church in the whole world Lastly he saith e Lib. 7. That this Separation of some Brethren from others which the Donatists defend was displeasing to God To finish our fourth Reason although I perswade my selfe that there is none of the Protestant Churches which abhor from Brotherly Communion with others with as high a straine of Pride and malignitie of minde wherewith the Donatists detested communion with others yet I ingenuously professe that I understand not how they can cleere and winde themselves off who retaine not Brotherly Communion with other Churches but endeavor to confine the Priviledges of Christian Brotherhood onely within the bounds of their owne Churches No particular Church Reas 5 holds it self bound to break off and renounce brotherhood with another Church for the vices of men living therein though known dispersed and reigning Seeing we all know Gluttony reignes in one place Drunkennesse in another Lust in a third and these nationall vices are no lesse known to us than their Opinions If therefore for these haynous offences in life which reigne in many we take not occasion to dissolve our tye of brotherhood with whole Churches neither ought we to doe it for the errors of the Understanding which are of lesse guilt in the sight of God and often stretch not to the whole Body of Christian people 1 Cor. 5.11 2 Thes 3.6 If wee will make use of the Apostle for our Counsellour wee should depart from the company of other Christians rather for their wickednesse than for their ignorance yet for neither injoyneth he Churches to separate from Churches but only private persons to withdraw from the company of private persons Yea it is unlawfull for the Heresie of few or many Doctors ruling in particular Churches to cast off any whole Christian Church and separate it from Brotherly Communion with us A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject Titus 3.10 knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself saith the Apostle It is lawfull to exclude a single man from the communion of other Christians for a damnable Heresie See Aug. Epist 162 tom 6. de util cred cap. 1. wherein he is condemned by his owne judgement or convicted of obstinacie but it is not lawfull for an errour into which he is trained in by the deceit and subtiltie of others and which he defendeth not with any wilfull stomack but only being deceived with an imagination and conceit of Truth and Pietie But no Protestant Church can seperate or banish any other whole Protestant Church for example the English or French from Brotherly Communion with it either for faults in life or errrors in Doctrine The reason is at hand Because it cannot be proved that that whole Church hath fallen into a damnable heresie because the obstinacy of a whole Church in an error whatsoever can neither be demonstrated to forraign churches nor ought to be presumed of them Lastly because wee have no command from God nor Admonition from the Apostles to breake the bond of Brotherhood betwixt whole Churches If any here should aske why the Doctors of the Churches who never perswaded their People to disjoynt themselves from the Brotherly Communion with other Churches for the grosse and enormous vices every where reigning amongst Christians should so vehemently perswade that this must be done because of the Errors they conceive them to be fallen into Let him receive this answere That this commeth thence to passe because we more affect the praise of knowledge than of holinesse and take it in worse part from them who oppose our Dictates which are doubtfull than from them that break and violate the plaine and open Commandements of God If the matter were otherwise we might easily perceive that it was no more lawfull to breake off Brotherhood which is betwixt particular Churches for their errours in Doctrine than for the sinnes of Life which we behold generally and openly to reigne amongst them Chap. 10 Therefore wee must beware of the errours of others but in no case must separate from those Christian Churches wherein they are predominant whether they belong to life or to doctrine because for the doing of such an Act there is no lawfull power in the Ministers of any particular Church CHAP. X. That Brotherly Communion is not to he broken betwixt the Protestants is showne by the nature and quality of those points whereunto they contend THis as it seems to me must be premised in the first place That the Bands of Brotherly Cōmunion ought not to bee dissolved betwixt Christian Churches for all discords of Opinions but only for the opposing or denying of Fundamentall doctrines For it seems to be confessed amongst all Protestants that this separation is not to be made for every straw of Erroneous opinions For hence it is that when they desire to maintain that this Joynting of Churches was concluded on good ground together herewith they alwayes commenc'd this suite That they have made a discession or departed from some Foundation of the Catholique Faith For unlesse this appeare to be done not of this or that Doctor in the Church but of the Church it self as it is considered under the respect of a Body compacted or conjoyned together it ought not to availe to the parting of one Protestant Church from another But in this place it will not be unseasonable to advise in a few words that the actuall exercise of outward Communion with some particular
Churches concerning Fundamentalls and that the whole Bickering is either about certaine manners of speech which are not founded in the Scriptures themselves or about consequences which some affirme others denie that they can be rightly inferred out of the Scriptures meane time the Fundamentalls being safe on both sides although all errour be not excluded about things not Fundamentall The truth of this Assertion will appeare First if with a sincere and prudent Judgement we ponder all those things in which those who wrangle about other matters yet acknowledge there is one Consent and Harmony of all Protestant Churches Pag. 18. James Andrews reckons up seven Propositions of all which he confesseth there is no Controversie betwixt the Churches Pag. 20. Also Beza recites certaine heads of doctrine of the Person of Christ and Communication of his Properties in all which it is evident That all Protestant Divines doe Consent Not many yeeres since the Conference at Lipsigh Pag. 5.6 certaine famous Divines summ'd all these Points up to twelve Articles in which there is unanimous consent of the Communication of the Person of Christ and his Properties In these things wherein we have the opinions of all Protestant Churches so well agreeing I dare not say that nothing is wanting which belongs to knowledge in divinity yet I confidently affirme That there is nothing deficient which pertaines to the Catholike Faith nothing which is necessary to be knowne and beleeved to the Salvation of a Christian man Lastly nothing which argues either these or those to have started asunder from the Foundation or that they ought to start from mutuall Communion If therefore in this Controversie of the Person of Christ and Properties of his Natures there remaine some knotty things which are more smoothly to be explained Let Divines afford their helping hand to this matter and not for this thing rend their Churches in pieces Let them kindly bring back their wandring Brethren into the way let them not furiously break asunder the bands of Brotherly Unity Let them build upon the fundamentall Doctrines their owne Gold Silver or Pretious stones and let them throw downe the hay and stubble built up by others Let them not thrust downe others from the Foundation nor disjoynt themselves from those whom they themselves see stick fast to the Foundation and Fundamentall Articles Secondly what hath been said of the joynt Consent in Fundamentalls may be plainly seene if we weigh all those Heresies that ever opposed the Fundamentall Articles of the Person of Christ and overturned the Foundation of mans salvation For they who damne and curse all these cannot be accused of violating the Foundation except by Slander cannot be condemned but by high injustice But now it is well knowne that no Heresie can be reckoned up whether ancient or moderne against which all the Protestant Churches are not most ready to bring their voice to condemne them In the Conference at Lipsigh whereof we have often made mention for the hope it gave to us of renewing of unity all the speakers with joynt consent Pag. 10. and from their whole heart did damne and reject all errours of ancient and later Arians Nestorians Eutichians Monothelites Marcionites Photinians and by what other names soever they be called On the other side with mouth and heart they gave their consent to the Apostolicall Nicene and Athanasian Creed He that in this manner approves all Points received and allowed of the Ancient Church concerning the Person of Christ and properties of both his Natures rejects all things condemned of the same may perchance in manner of speech retaine a forme of words not very sound or in some consequences may make a small swerving from the Truth but cannot make a departure from the foundation or fundamental Doctrine of the Catholike Church seeing Melanct. said rightly Apud Lutherum Tom. 1o. in disp p. 441. B. That opinions unknown to the ancient church although at this time they be generaly received yet are no Doctrines of the Catholik Church much lesse such Fundamentall doctrines as are of force before God to break the Peace Unity of Churches Thirdly in this matter of the Person of Christ and communication of his Properties that those things are not fundamentall which as yet hang undecided may appear from the very terms and words which Divines are constrained to use to expresse their opinion For in fundamentalls we heare Plaine cleer propositions such as these are In Christ God and Man the humane and divine nature are most neerly coupled together each nature in Christ hath and retaines its owne proprieties The proprieties of one nature can never be made the proprieties of another nature In the person of Christ there is a Communication of Properties by which that is attributed and ascribed to the whole Person which is proper to one of his natures As when we say God was crucified for us or the Man Christ is Omnipotent In this Communication the divine nature neither powreth forth the properties of its Divinity nor infuseth them into the humane nature These and all other things which are cleerly spoken of the Person of Christ and Communication of his Properties are contradicted by none But those things which are conceived and infolded in strange forreign and doubtfull termes beget strifes upon strifes and questions upon questions Such are those Problems Whether the proprieties of the Natures in the Person of Christ be communicated only verbally or really Whether they bee communicated in the abstract or the concrete and others of the same stampe which by the very sound of the words doe appeare to have sprung out of the Schoole of Grammarians and Logicians not of the Apostles and ancient Fathers and therefore not to bee recounted in the number of fundamentalls But let us adde some few things of the questions themselves That some affirme that this question is propounded Whethere there be such an Union of natures in the person of Christ in which neither nature communicates any thing to the other besides the bare name they seem to me to feigne a question which never was betwixt the protestant Churches For with one voice they confesse That such is the Union of the natures in the Person of Christ in which many things are communicated to the humane Nature yea all things although excellent gifts whereof a created nature can be a subject capable to receive them And even as no Protestant corrupteth this Proposition The Man Christ is God with this wicked Interpretation The Man Christ hath the bare and empty title of God So neither doe any deprave this proposition The Man Christ is omnipotent with this perverse exposition The Man Christ is in word only or title Omnipotent but acknowledgeth the matter it selfe which is signified in this Praedicate truly and really to agree to the Man Christ because it truly agrees to his person which the terme Man doth designe and denote They which on the other side defend that it is
not only truly said of the Man Christ that he is Omnipotent Omniscient c. but also that of the humane nature of Christ that the same is Omnipotent Omniscient c. yet doe so temper and explaine this their opinion that they deny these divine properties to bee powered into the humane nature or ever become properties fixed and setled in the humane nature and determine them only by the personall Union and exaltation that followed upon it to be attributed to him in his Person and not severally If there be any difference betwixt these Opinion it is so subtle so farre removed from the capacity and cōmon understanding of Christian people that it cannot be in the number of fundamentall Doctrines except we will faine a new kinde of fundamentalls hitherto unknown and unheard of to the Catholike Church and people of God As concerning other questions which those foure words have bred unto us Verbally Really in the Concrete in the Abstract we may freely say such termes of Art ought not to enter into the articles of the Christian Faith from the knowledge wherof depends the life and Salvation not only of learned men and Logicians but of the unlearned and of all common Christians Moreover it is little suteable that we should seek fundamentall Doctrines in Propositions as long as it is not agreed on of the sense and signification of the termes which are used in the framing of them But what comes to be understood Colloq Mompel pag. 222. c. 22◠under the name of Concrete what under the name of Abstract could not be consented on betwixt James Andrewes and Theodore Beza neither as yet doe the Divines of both sides well agree in the signification of these words when they are referred to Christ Therefore it is enough for the retaining of Unity betwixt Churches that all acknowledge the Communication of Properties not to be verball but reall so farre forth as that the same and one only Person to whom it is attributed is truly and really God is also truly and really man and therefore things may really be predicated of God which belong to Man and of the Man Christ which belong to God But if we should change the name of God into Godhead or Man into Manhood all also will acknowledge that the Propositions are not to be received with the same certainty None will doubt of this Proposition God was Crucified for our sins But if it be thus altered The Godhead or Divine Nature was Crucified for our sins It will afford occasion not only of doubting but of being deceived So this Proposition is placed without the reach of all question The Man Christ is omnipotent omnipresent c. But if the word Man be changed into the word Manhood as to say The Manhood or humane nature of Christ is omnipotent omnipresent c. it will not appeare so plainly to the Orthodox in their Judgement Tom. 2. vide Epist 102. Tom. 6. contra Ser. Arian tom 7. De Pecc mer. lib. 1. c. 31 tom 10. S.N. 14. de verbis Dom. Hist Sacra vart 2. pag. 15 16 17. 18. Augustine sheweth us the light to frame and understand such Propositions made of Christ God and Man almost in every book Let the places noted on the margin be consulted with Also Luther himselfe in Hospinian hath many things most worthy to bee considered of the Person of Christ and communication of his Attributes and most to the purpose for the true understanding of this question I will adde this one thing that those two Propositions The Man Christ is God The God Christ is Man Which are the foundation of all the rest in which this communication of Attributes whereof the strife is is made are above and against all rules of Logicians and Philosophers In vaine therefore doe we leane to the consequencies of Logick when we endeavor to annex other new fundamentalls unto them we doe it in tearing and rending the unity of the Churches when they cannot see alike the force of such consequencies For those which acknowledge and embrace the truth of all fundamentals in this question about the Person of Christ are not to be cast off from other Churches for every error in the manner of speech or ignorance in the manner of inferring or deducing of consequencies Now in the last place let us briefely see what is to be determined in that controversie which is about divine Predestination Of Divine Predestination AS concerning this controversie many things in the very heat of disputation have fallen from some private Doctors of great account which seem not to agree square to the exact rule of Truth But these things ought not to be urged to the breaking asunder of the Unity and Communion of the Churches if once it appeare to all Protestant Churches that that is confessed whatsoever in this matter is necessary to be believed unto Salvation and that all errors are rejected of all which crosse and oppose Mans Salvation to be obtained by Christ Look into all the Confessions of the Reformed Churches you shall finde nothing left out of them which may be called fundamentall nothing put into them which overthroweth any fundamentall Article All doe consent that none is elected or Predestinated from Eternity to Salvation except out of the meer and most free mercy and grace of God that none in time is brought to Salvation or Eternall Life except by the way of Faith Repentance and new Obedience Also all grant that God from Eternity did as well decree to give to the Elect as he did foresee all those saving goods should bee given them by helpe whereof they are brought to Eternall Life That he did also decree so to give to them and did foresee that this saving grace should so bee given that they cannot boast of any cause or occasion found or foreseen in themselves of this Gods bounty unto them Lastly they grant that all the certainty which single persons have or ought to have to eternall Life ought not to be sought a Priori beginning at the Top in the Decree or Prescience of God but a posteriori beginning at the bottome in the fruits of Faith and Holinesse And moreover they conclude this That the Elect themselves cannot be sustained or refreshed with the comfort of their electiō or salvation when and as long as they wander out of the way of Salvation because the holy Spirit will not beare witnesse to their hearts Rom. 8.14 15 16. that they are the sonnes and heires of God but when they are led by the Spirit of God But men cannot have a sure and firme comfort of their Election and Adoption except the Spirit witnesse this unto their spirits Now as touching that Passing men by or not Electing them which is commonly called Reprobation I see nothing Fundamentall whereof there is any dissention betwixt the Reformed Churches If as yet all things be not well agreed on betwixt particular Doctors Let them so
moderate Papists which begin to open their eyes at the light of the Gospell from joyning with us whilst they observe that we cannot or which is worse will not joyne among our selves Lastly they scarce seem to acknowledge that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth who because of these controversies lately started make a separation from other Reformed Churches as if there were no hope of the Salvation of all those Christians which have not attained an exact knowledge of these Controverted points For my part I conceive it no great difference whether we place unwritten Traditions in joint commission with the holy Scriptures or whether we enforce our Controversies on all Churches to be knowne and beleeved under the same necessity of Salvation with the solid and manifest doctrin of the Gospel We ought therfore to beware lest whilst the Pastors of the Reformed Churches on both sides command theirs to depart from the Tents of those wicked men Num. 16.26 as infucted with heresie the Romish Wolves break in upon both and drag both Sheep and Shepheards to their Dens Indeed if Divines could calmly debate these disputes with brotherly minds some good or lesse evill at least would redound to the Church But seeing that experience for so many yeares hath approved that this can scarce if at all be done better were these disputes buried in silence than that the discussing of them should teare and mangle so many Churches into peeces For the Christian Church may now take up the old complaint of Hilary Dum propter haec alter alteri Anathema esse coepit nemo â—eâ—e Christi est Whilst for these things each accounted other occursed searce any were of Christ. Seeing these and worse grievances arising from the discords of the Reformed are obvious to every ones eyes Let us enquire what first might cause these bitter and hurtfull strifes betwixt Learned Wise and Godly men what since did daily increase them what now doth perswade them to entaile these Controversies as hereditary on their Posterity The nature of supernaturall knowledge and heavenly things gave the cause or occasion rather to these our contentions For as it is easie for minds inlightned and sanctified to embrace with Obedience to the Faith all things needfull to be knowne to Salvation which are plainly delivered in the holy Scriptures concerning God and Christ and all things to be beleeved and practised so to desire to dive deeper into the Mysteries of Faith than is fitting and thence to draw consequences by the help of our Reason and to annexe them to the fundamentall Articles is a matter of difficulty and danger and the necessary occasion of contentions For 't is impossible but that the wits of men must often differ and sometimes erre in those things which are collected by the mediation of humane understanding Meane time there is none but dotes on the darlings of his own Braines as beautifull and entitles them to be borne of the Bowels of the Scripture hating the reasonings and inferences of others as deformed and springing from the puddles of Reason corrupted Thus whilst men desire to see more in the Mysteries of Faith than is clearely showne in the Glasse of Gods Word rather the heat of their dissentions than light of their knowledge is increased It would apply some plaister to this soare if the Divines of both sides would remember that although all the Articles of the Catholique Faith are plaine and perspicuous as written in Gods Word with capitall Letters so that he that runneth may read them yet what thence is extracted by the chymistry of mans understanding are divers and of different kinds most of them so obscure that they escape the eyes of the most sharpe sighted Divines We must therefore confidently leane with all our weight on what the Scriptures have decided but not lay so much stresse on the consequences of our own deduction * Luth. Tom. 1. in Disp pag. 413. R. C. Facessant Dialectici ubi credendum est Piscatoribus Nam in Mysteriis fidei majestas materiae in Angustias rationis seusyllogismorum includi non potest Luther said well out of Ambrose Away with Logicians where wee must beleeve Fishermen For in the mysteries of Faith the majesty of the matter will not bee pent within the narrow roome of Reason nor come under the roof of Syllogismes wherfore the same Luther wisely admonisheth us that in matters surmounting the capacity of humane Reason we beware of Etymologies Analogies Consequences and Examples Also the imperfection of humane knowledge chiefly when puffed up with a false opinion that it is perfect in us affords a necessary occasion of endlesse contentions Wee all only know in part and in part apprehend Divine matters Wherefore wee ought to conceive that we may as well as others be deceived in that part which we know not wherein we apprehend not If wee were perfect Good Men could not fall out with good Men but those may which as yet are not perfect yea they cannot but fall out except they continually remember this their imperfection That therefore these discords may be avoyded al ought always to remember the Apostles admonition Rom. 12.3 Not to think of themselves more highly than they ought to thinke but to thinke soberly To which this is to be added quietly to beare with them who are of a different opinion from us praying dayly to God that he would be pleased to reveale unto us his truth as yet not fully knowne But in the meane time whereto we have already attained Phil. 3.16 let us wâ—lke by the same rule and be well affected each to others That these things are most true and profitable we cannot deny which being granted why then neverthelesse are these controversies dayly increased Why do these wounds grow more and more raw and bleed a fresh If one may speak the plaine truth there is in all mortall men an inordinate love of themselvs and of their own inventions and pleasing conceits this fault causeth that we see not at all the falshood of those opinions we have once entertained nor vouchsafe admittance to the truth which is shewed unto us by others * August contra Julianum l. 1. Periit siquidem judicium postquam res transiâ— in affectum nostram qualemâ—unque quia nostra jam facta est praevalere volumus sententiam For judgement perisheth when the matter is passed into the affections and wee desire that our opinion whatsoever it bee because now it is made ours may prevaile For where this Selfe-love doth rule Divines whatsoever they pretend will study more to tune the Scriptures to their opinion than their opinions to the Scripture and by head and shoulders drag the Fundamentall Articles of the Christian Faith to the supporting of their doctrines not Fundamental If any could find a cure for this Epidemicall disease we should presently see many controversies and all contentions at least
Protestant Church can be named which professeth not with the Eucharist the true Presence of the Body and Bloud of Christ although it acknowledgeth the very manner of the Presence to be Supernaturall and plainly divine And sets down that the same doth consist not in any Physicall touch or contact but in a lively influence and mysticall Union and that most reall and neer It is a Fundamentall point That the Bread and Wine were the means ordained by Christ by which those which duely eat this bread being consecrated and drinke this wine eat the lively Flesh of Christ and drinke his saving blood to the Salvation of their soules The agreement of all Protestants in this point is so well known we need not take paines to prove it It is a Fundamentall That Bread and Wine are present in the Supper and are eaten and drunke in a locall naturall sensible manner but that Christs Flesh and Bloud are present and partaken of in a Divine admirable manner and not to be searched out So James Andrewes Col. Momp p. 17. 18. Concerning the manner wee can only say this That it is Supernaturall and imcomprehensible to humane reason and therefore there is no disputing thereof A little after Pag. 25. in not is marg The manner is heavenly supernaturall insomuch as it is wholly spirituall And as the Church is a mysticall body with Christ so also this receiving is done in a Mysterie In the Conference lately had at Lipsigh the Saxons did grant That the manner of the receiving which they defended to be done by vertue of the Elements was notwithstanding heavenly supernaturall and knowne to God alone None is ignorant that Calvin Bucer and all the rest were in the same opinion Col. Mompelg p. 66. Beza saith expresly The manner of the Receiving is a Mystery to be beleeved which exceedeth the capacity of mans wit and understanding Hitherto the Doctors and Churches well agree amongst themselves Secondly nothing can be conceived contrary to the Fundamentall doctrine of this Sacrament which is not rejected and damn'd of all Protestant Churches they are point blanck against all erroenous doctrines of the bare representation of the Body and Blood of Christ parted from the true and reall exhibiting of him of the prodigious Transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ the Accidents only remaining safe without a Subject Of the Locall and naturall presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Lords Supper Of the Locall Consubstantiation Coexistency or Inexistency of the Body and blood of Christ with the earthly Elements or in the same These and if there be any other which oppose or fight against the very nature of a Sacrament and the truth of the Body of Christ are condemned by the common assent not only of the Helvetian but Lutheran Churches Col. Mompel p. 16. Let James Andrewes speake for all the rest Wee doe not determine a Physicall or Locall presence of the Body and blood of Christ in the holy Supper These words Substantially pag. 183. Corporally Really Orally signifie nothing else to us but the true presence and eating of the Body and Blood of Christ We reject all Physicall Consubstantiation whether it be visible or invisible and only teach such a Conjunction as is Sacramentall The same was the opinion of the Saxons in the conference at Lipsigh to which these of Brandenburg and Hessland did subscribe Thirdly nothing remaineth undecided in this Controversie which can be called a Fundamentall point or for which the Brotherly Communion of Churches cannot be established For that word Orally which is used of the Saxons and is disallowed of other Churches is so used of these that they bring in no Fundamentall errour and is so rejected of those that they overthrow no fundamentall Doctrine For they that defend the Orall eating as well of the Body of Christ as of the bread notwithstanding denie such a Presence of the Body of Christ as is Locall to mens mouthes without which an Orall eating cannot properly be performed For that body cannot be eaten with the mouth betwixt which and mens mouthes there is granted a great distance of place That cannot be eaten with the mouth of the Body which is so present to the place of the mouth that it is not locally present to the mouth When therefore they allow of such a distance and give such a Location to the Body of Christ it is plaine that they passe and transferre the Orall eating which is truly and properly affirmed of the bread alone by a new and figurative manner of speech to the Flesh of Christ locally remaining in the Heavens and not locally present to the mouthes of men Moreover when they remove from this Orall eating all champing and chewing of the body of Christ the letting down of the thing chewed into the stomack the increasing and nourishing of the body of man by this flesh thus chewed it is evident however they thinke fit to retaine this forme of speech yet they meane nothing by this Orall eating that is joyned with the Capernaites rending of the Flesh of Christ with their teeth or agreeable with the signification of the words as they sound to mens eares in the Latine They only seeme to desire to affirme this That this Orall eating which truly properly usually and immediately is affirmed of the eating of the Bread may by the force of the consecrated bread comming between by a new unusuall mysticall and plainly heavenly signification of Orall eating be fitted and applyed to the Flesh of Christ Now as touching those who on the other side contend That the eating of the Flesh of Christ is not to be called an Orall eating but rather a Mentall Spirituall or Personall because the Person eating the bread with his mouth with his minde together eates the true and lively flesh of Christ Yet they denie not but that the visible bread is the Instrument or means appointed by Christ which the person useth to the cating of the Invisible bread but they thinke that the eating of that thing is properly called Orall which may be done by the Teeth and instruments in the mouth but that the eating of that thing cannot be called Orall which is neither locally present to the mouth neither if it were present could it be subject to any Act of mans mouth because of the Glorious and impassible nature which it hath Betwixt these Opinions I see some contrariety about the propriety of words and phrase of speech but of the maine and of the Truth of the Catholique Faith either none at all or at least so little that notwithstanding there may be place for the establishing of Brotherly Communion betwixt the Churches This of the first Controversie we passe to the Second Of the Person of Christ and Communication of his Properties IT is easie to shew out of their Writings who have handled this Controversie that there is a full Consent betwixt Reformed
Church conceive the Roman may be hindered and broken off and yet by no default of ours as often as it shall demand and require that we should approve or exercise any Idolatrous Acts in the publike service of God or should command or compell us to acknowledge or receive any doctrines repugnant to Scriptures or Godly mens consciences Yet in the meane time that Church which is counted no whit sound or Orthodox is to be esteemed a visible Church of Christ and to be ranked amongst the particular Christian Churches Yea as much as lies in us wee are to afford to the same all offices of brotherly Charity although our Actuall and outward Communion with the same be neither suffered of them nor may be retained of us because of the false doctrine and superstitious worships prevailing in the same Now out of those things which we before have disputed concerning the difference of Fundamentall points from those which are not Fundamentall we will endeavour to shew that those things are not Fundamentall about which hitherto there hath been such strife with so great heate of mens minds betwixt Protestants Those points onely are to be owned for Fundamentall Reas 1 which being overthrown or not at all beleeved no congregation of men can worship God so as to obtaine from him Pardon Grace and Glory But no point controverted is of this nature Therefore not Fundamentall None will call our Major Proposition into question because it is cleere that those who start asunder from the very foundations of saving Faith are not capable of those benefits which are promised to the Faithfull alone As touching the Minor If any dare affirme that no hope of pardon Grace or Glory doth shine to them who are otherwise minded than the rest in these controverted Doctrines him I conceive to sin more against charity than any of the Protestant Churches sin against verity Yea I dare adde this if any converse or persisteth in this errour alone he more shakes the foundation of the Protestant Truth than those whom he rashly chargeth to have violated the foundation for other errours whatsoever in controversall Divinity Those Points Reas 2 whereabout Protestants contend were neither Preached to the whole world by the Apostles as all those things were which were absolutely necessary to be known and believed to the salvation of Christians neither were they for such recommended by the succeeding Churches universally to Christian People whatsoever therefore divers Churches diversly determined concerning the Truth of these opinion yet ought they all to agree in this That they ought not to be reckoned with the fundamental articles of the Christian Faith If any man can cast and contrive any head of controverted divinity betwixt Protestant Churches into a short and no whit doubted of Proposition and truly affirme thereof This Proposition was maintained by the Apostles was received of the Vniversall Church amongst the Articles of Catholike and saving Faith I yeeld up the bucklers and grant the cause I will call it a Fundamentall Doctrine and I will pronounce those Churches which reject it to have fallen off from the Foundation and I will adjudge them unworthy of Brotherly communion with other Churches But if no Protestant can doe this none ought to call that a fundamentall Doctrine which himselfe defends or to challenge the Divines of other Churches being of another opinion of overthrowing the Foundation much lesse for this cause to deny the Rites of brotherly communion to whole Churches The affirming of Fundamentall Doctrines is so cleerly set down in the holy Scriptures Reas 3 that none of the unlearned much lesse of the learned can fall into the contrary damned opinions except they bee very negligent in learning the Catholike Faith or such as will not learne the Faith it selfe which is manifest in the Scriptures which is truly observed of Augustine De Agone Christi 6.28 But it is plaine to all that in these Doctrines whereabout Protestant Churches dissent that at the least on the one side numberlesse Christians are deceived and they men godly pious and most desirous of the Truth yea many Divines of the first ranke being versed and exercised in reading and meditating of the Scriptures through the whole course of their life Neither let any here object against me that the modern Anti-Trinitarians daily doe search the Scriptures and yet neverthelesse persist in the obstinate deniall of a Fundamentall Article for they are not only negligent in learning the Catholike Faith and drawing it out of holy Scriptures but also they are wilfully contemptuous in opposing the Catholike Faith and furiously bold in recalling the manifest Doctrine of the Scripture to the account of their doating and giddy Reasons subject to an erroneous Vertigo therefore to them agrees that of the Apostle 2 Thes 2.11 For this cause God shall send them strong delusion c. But none can passe the same sentence upon those Christians which adhere either to the Saxon or Helvetian Churches None therefore ought to set downe that those Doctrines are Fundamentall or necessato be known to Salvation in which it is probable that now this side now that side is deceived but impossible that both should be in the right as often as they contradict one another It is no Fundamentall point which Reas 4 cannot otherwise bee extracted or deduced out of the Scriptures than by the hard and long pathes of controversies alwayes untraceable to simple Christians sometimes scarce sometimes not at all evident even to the learned themselves Such are all those things which are in controversie betwixt Protestant Churches whose connexion with the Foundations of the Catholike Faith the Disputants on both sides say they see plainly necessary but the Adversaries on both sides cry it down that they see no connexion at all but plaine people ignorant of the art of Logick oftentimes give a blinde assent to their Doctors being themselves in the meane time altogether uncertaine of the strength of such consequences Things that in this manner are by their Doctors extracted and propounded to Christians may sometimes be true but can never be fundamētall that is absolutely necessary for every Christian to be known and beleeved for the obtaining of eternall life For even as they may enjoy the light and benefit of the Sun who cannot perceive the Mathematicall demonstrations of the bignesse and motions thereof so those may enjoy the light and benefit of fundamentall Doctrines to Salvation who cannot behold the Theologicall inferences and deductions drawn out of them Therefore they are not Fundamentalls but things rightly deduced in some mens Judgements from the Fundamentalls which are so much urged to be beleeved from the Divines which strive amongst themselves It is not the part of wise Divines Reas 5 so to swell and increase the number of Fundamentall points that all Christians as well learned as unlearned should be wholly uncertaine and ignorant what and of what kinde those be which are adjudged properly to belong to the