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
hinderance Witnesse Luther himselfe and the Helvetians betwixt whom whilst there remained some difference of opinion about the Presence of the Body of Christ a friendly Union was drawn up at Marpurg Hespin Hist Sacra Anno 1529. Luther professing that hee would not grant this prayse to the adverse party that they should be more desirous to embrace peace and concord than himselfe Which agreement I know not by what Engines somewhat battered and shaken they again renewed even whilst Luther rejoyced thereat and counted it necessary Idem An. 1537. after he had diligently considered the Confession of the Helvetians that they should joyne their hearts and right hands together But if any conceive that this agreement was not so full and perfect an Union as that which now we affirme is possible to be made wee deny it not but adde this moreover That not the impossibility of the thing it selfe but the will of some private men not yet well purged from the froth and drosse of suspition have hindred this worthy and godly work from being brought to the finall upshot and happy perfection Ibidem For as touching Bucer and other principal Divines consenting with him they not only requested a brotherly absolute Communion but also endeavoured to demonstrate that it must bee done and omitted no Offices which conduced any thing thereunto Moreover how possible this brotherly Union and Communion is betwixt Protestant Churches is witnessed by that cōsent of the Polonian Churches not long since made at Sendomiria and hitherto religiously observed They could not finally take away all Controversies but they could bid farewell to all dissentions and establish so neere a Communion betwixt themselves that they refused not to admit each other into their Congregations either to the hearing of the Word Preached or receiving of the Sacraments Which holy and brotherly conjunction of the Polonian Churches the most wise Prince Elector Lewys and Count Palatine not only by his Letters congratulated unto them but also heartily prayed that the God of heaven would graunt the same to the German Churches What therefore was once said to peaceable Salomon about the building of the Temple of Jerusalem That say I to all peaceable Divines about the making of brotherly fellowship betwixt Reformed Churches Chron. 22 16. Arise therefore ye godly men and be doing and the Lord bee with you Let us not doubt but that now may be done which elsewhere all confesse hath beene done But least this vaine scare-crow of an impossibility should hinder and delay the endeavours of Princes Divines and all pious men in this matter I will reckon up those obstacles and impediments which in very deed doe make the Communion betwixt Protestant Churches altogether impossible whence it will appeare that no such thing blocks up the way but that the German Churches even whilst these controversies do depend may enter brotherly Communion betwixt themselves and may wholly observe it when it is entered Therefore the first and greatest obstacle wherewith Churches as yet not agreeing in all Questions of Divinity are hindered from meeting together in one is the usurped Dominion which one challengeth over another or the exercising of any Tyrannicall Jurisdiction For if some one Church will so lord it over the Faith of others that it will acknowledge none for Brethren or receive none into Communion with it self save such as first receive from her Lawes what they should beleeve and speake there is no hope left of making or keeping brotherly Union betwixt such in the differences about opinions whatsoever Seeing that the Holy Scripture forbids us in this sort to make our selvs vassals to any mortall men Our only Master forbids us that we should not in this manner acknowledge earthly masters Lords of our Faith That Church which on those termes is received into Communion with another Church gaines not Peace thereby but enters it selfe into a Covenant of most unjust slavery The Romish Church alone hath arrived at such a height of pride and madnesse as to thrust out all those Churches from the Communion of Saints and curse them to the pit of Hell which refuse to undergo this Antichristian yoke of absolute and blind obedience God of his goodnesse keep this madnesse of the Papists farre from Protestant Churches which if it should prevaile in them it were not lawfull not indeed to hope yea not to wish this Conjunction of Churches which all ought to desire But thankes bee to God it is well known it is most sure that all and every one of the Reformed Churches from their whole hearts abhorre their Antichristian ambition of dominiering Therfore this principall hinderance is removed out of their way which useth to make an everlasting Schisme betwixt those Churches which as yet agree not in all things and with the same Act renders the Union betwixt them in very deed impossible The second obstacle comming between makes the Union and Communion of divers Churches suppose the Saxon and Helvetian impossible as the approving of Idolatrous worship on the one side and detesting it on the other Seeing that in Hosea is well known to all the godly Chap. 4.15 Though Israel play the harlot yet let not Judah offend Come ye not into c. And that of the Apostles And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols 2 Cor. 6.16 and almost infinite passages to the same purpose Well spake Tertullian of this matter Idolatry is the principall crime of Mankind and the highest guilt of any age God therefore so severely commanding that we should fly from Idols and all Idolatry though shadowed over with what faire pretences soever that is to be counted morally impossible which cannot be done without some staine of Idolatry grievous offending of Gods Majesty See here the grand and horrible hinderance whereby the Reformed Churches are compelled not without great griefe and horror of mind to remaine out of the Communion of the Romish Church For they so dote on their Idols and enforce them on others to be adored that none can come at least abide in Communion with them except with the same deed he will become a most manifest Idolater If the German Churches could not enter and retaine this holy Communion betwixt themselves but that either they must be tyed to the exercise of an Idolatrous worship or at leastwise bee bound to beleeve and confesse that such a worship is not unlawfull I should not doubt to affirme that such a Communion is impossible which cannot be obtained but on such hard heinous Conditions for we can only doe that which we may doe lawfully as the Lawyers use to speake But here we have that for which we ought againe and againe to give thanks unto God who hath made the Reformed Churches albeit little agreeing in all conclusions of divine knowledge yet unanimously to consent and wonderfully to agree in the condemning and abolishing of all Idolatry If therefore at this very houre the
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
up these things seem to mee must be observed by the Divines of both parties First what things hitherto have been spoken or written rather bitterly and perversly than truly and with good consideration of the adversaries in the very heat of contention Let all those things be mutually pardoned for the publike good and be buried in eternall oblivion And if such bookes shall chance to be reprinted againe let it not be done except all the gall be purged out whence the evill of Brotherly contention may againe arise Secondly whereas no man can patiently endure to have himselfe branded with the mark of Heresie we must take heed least any be defamed with the name of Nestorian Eutychian or any other damned Heretick who expresly condemnes the damnable Doctrines of those Hereticks for they cannot abide firmely in Brotherly Communion who persist to exasperate one another with such rayling speeches for some difference in opinion Moreover it were to be wished that those firnames of Lutherans Zwinglians Calvinists were packt away and utterly abolished which are rather the Ensignes of faction Epiphan Her 42.70 than badges of Brotherly Union and which never pleased the ancient Fathers Epiphanius would not that the Christians should weare any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no By-name but should only be called by the name of Christians Nazianz. Orat. 30. Institut lib. 4. cap. 30. Wee ought not to be called Petrians or Paulines but Christians saith Nazianzen But of all Lactantius most seveerly saith They leave off to be Christians who omitting the name of Christ have put on humane and outward names But that I may speak as the matter is particular Churches rather have these firnames put upon them than that they put them on themselves or desire to be cloathed therewith Thirdly as much as may be let all hard and undetermined controversies be removed from Sermons preached to the people and bookes written in the Mother tongue and let them rather be counted amongst exercises fit for the Schoole then for food for mens Soules For these subtile questions and intricate controversies may without any discommodity be wanting in the Pulpits but charity which is wont to be wounded by the discussing of such questions cannot be wanting from the hearts of Christians without the extreame perill of their soules The Soules of common people doe play and not profit with such questions and when they have done playing with them not at all understanding these controversies they begin to fall a fighting and skirmishing betwixt selves Lastly If it shall please the Doctors themselves for time to come to enter discourse or to set forth their writings concerning these controversies Orat. 3. de Pace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let them meet together not in an hostile manner but in a rationall way as Nazianzen doth wisely admonish Let both aime at this not to conquer or shame their brethren by what means soever but gently and courteously to instruct them and as it were leading them by the hand to bring them back into the way of truth He that in this manner shall be freed from his errour will never count himself conquered but better taught nor will he be confounded as overcome and cast down of his Enemy but will rejoyce as one helped and relieved of his Brother For no man that reapes benefit hath cause to blush Hitherto we have made the draught of the manner of making Peace and preserving Union betwixt different Churches standing upon equall terms of Jurisdiction But because it may and often doth happen that some both learned and unlearned may live under the Government of the same Prince or Church which are forbidden by their conscience either rightly informed or erroneous from subscribing to the common judgement in these controversies let us make enquiry what is to bee done concerning these Now as touching the Ministers of Churches if they desire to make provision for their weak Brethren in these Articles of Religion or if they be willing that their briefe forms of Confession be received and approved of all subject unto them let them not cast into them the nice points of difficult controversies or decisions of subtile questions but rather let them be ordered to the popular capacity the edification of the unlearned the Salvation of all They must well weigh the wisdome of our Ancestours whose ancient Confessions if we had not on set purpose to disturb the Church interlined and stuffed with new opinions no man well in his wits would have been found who would not willingly have subscribed unto them Neither is there any need at all that we should clog and burthen the publike confessions of the Church with such additions when God himselfe hath decreed to bring his people to a blessed life not through the rough and rugged places of hard and long questions but by the plaine even and short way of Faith and Charity To what purpose therefore are disputes and strifes about words What make the subtleties of the Schoolemen in the Confessions of the Church All the Salvation of Christians consists in beleeving and worshipping In orat unum esse Christum as of old it was gravely said of great Athanasius To these things it may be added that they can scarce or not at all preserve Peace unviolated with other Churches not at all subject unto them who for the same Doctrine they professe persecute those which are under them and persist to cut them off as Hereticks from their Communion They may seem truly silently to upbraid Heresie to other Churches and by this very deed to intimate as much that though with their mouth they acknowledge them for Brethren yet in their hearts they much detest and abhorre them Lastly unlesse the briefe formes of publike Confession be restrained and confined to doctrines necessary and not to all controverted betwixt the Protestants themselves this inconvenience will follow thence that many Pastors learned pious and peaceable will be excluded and quite shut out nor shall they be able to doe any service in those Churches in which they live But if any doubt whether lawfully they may keep holy Communion amongst themselves in one and the selfe same Church who embrace not at all one and the self same opinion in every respect in all the heads of Doctrine in Divinity that I indeed conceive ought to be resolved on as a thing beyond all reach of doubting For as pertaining to that holy Communion which Christians have amongst themselves in the Lords Supper it chiefly consists in these things That with the common band of the holy Spirit wee are joyned to Christ the onely head of the Church That by the tyes of the selfe same holy Spirit and saving Faith and Charity we stick together amongst our selves and as it were are made up into one Body Lastly that as fellow-commoners we eate and drink the same living bread and drink to wit the flesh and blood of Christ to the salvation of our Soules In all these
the bitter and hostile ones pacified and laid a sleep But what is to be bemoand those Divines which are too much drawn away with Selfe-love are by the breath of popular applause and desire of vaine-glory driven farther than they themselves at first intended or thought it ever possible For men troubled with this evill will trouble all things humane and Divine rather than they will confesse themselves deceived or weary of the fight or overcome by their Adversaries Yea except they may conquer and carry the adverse party captive before their Triumphant Chariot they are determined continually to clash the Protestant Churches together with deadly discords I am not ignorant that all pretend the desire of truth and Gods Glory but that too many continue these contentions for the love of vaine-glory would I might deny it and at the same time speak truth Surely 't is scarce to be beleeved that those who must needs know what dammage States Churches and Mens soules bought with Christs pretious bloud receive from these dissentions betwixt Protestants can in the midst of these contentions have their eyes only fastned on the glory of God Wherefore let the hot disputants on either side examine their owne Consciences whether they perpetuate these Controversies and Discords of the Churches that God may lose no honour or rather that there be not wanting an apt and lasting matter to their own vaine-glory Other occasions and causes of these dissentions we have no leasure to recite but of one wee must more largely dilate which hath made these Controversies as it were hereditary and will make them everlasting except God pitying the Protestant Churches put new minds into the Pastors thereof For this opinion hath possessed the minds of many pious and learned Divines that the matters controverted betwixt Protestants are of such moment that such as are found erroneous therein are thereby convicted to shake yea to overturne the very Foundations of the Catholique Faith and mans Salvation Hence whilst both partyes are fully perswaded that the truth stands on their side they must also perswade themselves that their Adversaries lay at and loosen the Foundations of the Christian Faith Ionah 4.9 What therefore Jonah once said unto God that he did well to be angry even unto death for his Gourd which was cut down these men use to say that they do well to contend to death with their Protestant enemies for overthrowing as they conceive the foundations of mans Salvation No wonder then if pious men seasoned with this Opinion detest such men so farre as to entertaine no peace or brotherly Communion with them Seeing therefore this is justly counted the principall cause of this long dissention let us a while withdraw the eyes of our mind from received opinions and with peaceable affections enquire concerning the Foundation and what is Fundamentall CHAP. II. Of the signification of these words Foundation and Fundamentall which often offer themselves in this discourse HE that will not erre in the knowledge of things themselves must begin from the expounding of words In Cratylo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For rightly Plato Whosoever knowes the Names will also know the Things Foundation therefore is a metaphoricall terme borowed from builders and signifies the whole ground-work of the building placed in the bottom which upholds the structure and which being taken away the edifice tumbles downe and is shattered into pieces Forasmuch therefore as the Church is called the City of God Psal 122. 47. the House of the Lord it must have some Foundation on which whilst it leanes and relyes it remaineth safe and sound from which if it giveth off and starteth aside it presently perisheth and is brought to nothing It is plaine therefore that whilst we speake of the Church founded by God that hath the name and nature of a Foundation by which all the parts therof are supported and from which they borrow both their strength and safety And as in some great Aedifice the severall parts have not all the same strength beauty yea some somtimes may seem somewhat more inclined to fall which as yet stand and stick to the foundation So in this far stretched building which we call the House and Church of God there is great difference of particular Churches For some are fairer and firmer than the rest because better and neerer joyned to the Foundation others somewhat ruinous and shaken because not so well fastened to the foundation yet all which are not as yet plucked off from the foundation are sustained by the strength and benefit thereof and are continued to the firmer and fairer parts of the building Hence it is plaine when we speak of the Churches what a kind of thing that is which challengeth to it self the name of a Foundation Let us see now retaining still the former Metaphor what manner of things they be which we use to call Fundamentall for this is the word that hath made so much work for our Divines and hindered them in the advancing of the whole businesse of the pacification But first of all here we must observe that a materiall Edifice built of Wood and Stone is founded nothing like unto a Spirituall Building whose structure consists of Living Trees and Stones that is of Men enjoying the use of their Reason and Will For in this Quick and Lively Building nothing either hath due conjoyning with or receiveth any strength from the Foundation except it be coupled thereunto by the Act of the Reason and Knowledge and by the Act of the wil cleave fast to it obey it Those things therfore are truly counted and called Fundamentall which being known Christians may have a saving conjunction with their Foundation which they cannot have if the same things be not known or not beleeved In like manner if we consider the Will those ought to be called practicall Fundamentals by the observation and doing whereof we may remaine joyned to our Foundation but may not if we dispise or neglect them And let the Knowledge of Christians be never so imperfect yet if they know and beleeve these Fundamentals they shall not be parted from the Foundation for the defects of their Understanding Let the righteousnes of Christians be never so imperfect yet if they do these practicall Fundamentals they shall not be separated from the Foundation for the defects of their good will It being therefore a matter of such moment with God himself to be joynted and joyned to our Foundation that to all such life and eternal Salvation is promised let us be very wary how rashly we cut off either particular Churches or private Men from this Conjunction and by the same verdict cast them from all hope of life and happinesse But because besides these Metaphoricall words of Foundation and Fundamentall sometimes other termes are used having the same force and intimating also the same dependancy of the Church on another of them also briefly What therefore is called the Foundation of the
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
by the Act of Repentance are made subject to God and his Commandements by the act of Loving and Obeying him No doubt is to be made but that these Churches remaine firmely fastned to their saving Foundation Therefore this saving and undoubted Union of them with Christ ought to bring a Tye and a Band of no meane Consequence to the binding of the Affections of all Reformed Churches together CHAP. IV. Chap. 4 Of certaine Foundations which use to be called Ministeriall and of their Office and Power ALTHOUGH We acknowledge our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the only personall Foundation of his Church yet do we not deny but that the name Foundation is in a different sense ascribed to others To whom in what respect this high Title is given and what Power and Command they have who are thus intitled it must be afterwards enquired into The name therefore of Foundation is sometimes lent to others but then always in a lessened and restrained acception For they are called Foundations in no other right than because the personall Foundation is layd by their Ministery through the preaching of the Gospell and by the continuation of that preaching always kept in the Church Amongst these Ministeriall Foundations the Prophets and Apostles possesse the prime place Hence the wall of the Heavenly Jerusalem is said to have twelve Foundations Rev. 21.14 and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lambe Also Christians are said to be built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Eph. 2.20 In this sense Peter and Paul and all the Apostles were Ministeriall Foundations because all they as wise Master-builders bestowed their excellent paines in laying that only Foundation of which we spake before Wherefore when the Prophets and Apostles are adorned with this honorable Title it is rather to be referred to their saving Doctrin concerning Christ than to their own particular Persons The power of these was far greater than that of their succeeding Ministers because they were so enlightned and governed by the holy Spirit that they could not at all erre either in Preaching or Writing Therefore we acknowledge their Doctrine as the Doctrine of God and Christ certaine infallible and wholly Divine with Tertullian that saith There is no Divine Word but of God alone In that his booke of the Soule Which Word was thundred both by the Prophets by the Apostles by Christ himselfe But the Papists to these Ministeriall Foundations endeavour to joyne another in words calling it a Second and subservient but in very deed making it a Principall and plainly Divine one This honour the Jesuites thinke fit to be conferred on the Pope alone whom they so appoint to be the Second Foundation of the Catholike Church that in the meane time they maintaine him to be the only Foundation of the Church next unto Christ But there is no need to speake much of this fading foundation and palsy-shaking head the Scriptures being silent of any such sole Ministeriall foundation as the Papists do faine Besides all Protestant Churches long since have cast this filthy Idoll of a secondary head and foundation with others of the like nature to the Moles and Bats as fit for so blind companions We owne no power placed in this secondary foundation of the Papists to subject the Faith of Christians unto it counting those little better than mad when they write and maintaine Bellâ—â— praefâ—t in lib. dâ— Rom. Poâ—â— That the power and infallibility of the Pope of Rome is the summe of Christian Religion and his judgment is to bee accounted the square and Rule of Faith But leaving the Pope of Rome le ts come to the Catholique Church which on a farre better title might challenge to her selfe the name of Ministeriall Foundation because the Faith of every one may seeme in some sort to rely upon her For in this even to the end of the World that Doctrine shall bee kept and preached to which those Christians which afford beliefe and obedience are rightly joyned to their foundation and in it shall obtaine eternall Life To this purpose that of Paul to Timothy is often alleadged where he calleth the Church the Pillar and Ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3 15. Neither may we doubt but that in this Holy Catholique Church which wee beleeve in the Creed the truth of the Gospell ever hath and ever will be preserved so farre forth as it shall suffice for the Salvation of those that beleeve it Therefore to know what hath been beleeved received and published of all Christian Churches always and every where is to know all those things which are sufficient for the obtaining of Salvation in Christ the Foundation thereof But this Catholique Church scattered over all the world is presented rather to our mind than outward senses Wherefore when we desire to heare the voyce of the Catholique Church wee are forced to fly to the Church which they call Representative that is to say to a Generall Councell Of which Representative Image of the Catholique Church and of the Ministeriall power therof we will briefly discourse That this Representative Church did excellently discharge the Office of a Ministeriall Foundation in Oecumenicall Synods is witnessed by those foure Councils of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon In which the Divinity of Christ against Arius of the holy Ghost against Macedonius the Union of two Natures in Christ against Nestorius the distinction of two Natures against Eutyches were declared defended and established In these and the like Councils those Doctrines of the Christian Faith which were there in common handled and discussed because therein all that professed Christianity were represented are therefore with great reverence to bee received For it ever belongeth to the Office and lawfull power of this Representative Church to divide and distinguish Fundamentall Doctrines of the Christian Faith from those which were not fundamentall provided alwayes that they passed not the bounds set by the Apostles and Primitive Church to multiply or diminish the Number of these Fundamentals 2a 2ae Qu. 1. Art 7. Resp ad 4. For it is credible what Aquinas observed that the Apostles and others which were nearer to Christ had a fuller Knowledge of the mysteries of the Faith than we that are further off which Cajetan in the same place confesseth to be most true For however that the Apostles and the Fathers of the Primitive Church were not much given to controversall Divinity and disputing about Questions yet were they of all most skilfull in saving necessary and Fundamentall Divinity Moreover after this Representative Church had once published her resolution founded in Gods Word of Fundamentall Articles which were simply necessary to the Salvation of Christians the care and charge also lay upon her to defend fence and fortifie those Articles against all fraud and force of Heretiques For it is the wont of Heretiques to undermine the very Foundation of Christian Religion whilst they retaine the words
but deny the matter of the Articles Thus the Arians in words confessed Christ to be the Son of God but they hatcht a Monster in their hearts when they would not acknowledge him to be coessentiall to the Father Hee is but mocked with a Title to whom the thing signified by that Title is denyed It was lawfull therefore for the Representative Church that is for the generall Councell for the better declaring of the true meaning of an Article to frame and fit a new but apt terme and to compell Christians to confesse Christs Divinity under this forme of words Christ is Coessentiall with God the Father For to be God and to be the Son of God though not in sound in sense are the same as to be coessentiall with God Lastly we do not straiten and confine the power of an Oecumenicall Synod or representative Church only to the declaring and defending of Fundamentall Articles such whereof an explicite and cleare unfolded Faith must be had to Salvation but wee confesse the same also doth extend to any true doctrines and profitable for the edification of mens Soules Yea we conceive this definitive sentence of the Church to bee so armed with the sharp edged sword of Excommunication that they may be separated from the outward Communion of the Catholique Church which dare stubbornly oppose their private opinions against her determinations Notwithstanding if that wherein they do erre be not of the Fundamentall and absolutely necessary Doctrins we ought not to despaire but that some who justly are cut off from the outward CommunioÌ„ of the Church God in his mercy pardoning their errors arising from the weaknesse of their Understanding may still retain an Inward and saving Communion with Jesus Christ their Foundation For the outward Excommunication is not a certaine or infallible signe of the inward Excommunication Tom. 1 an disp pag. 374. as rightly Luther What we have said of the Power of a Generall Councill we desire should also be understood of any lawfull and free Councill rightly representing the Catholique Church not of those Councils which are meere Vassals to the Pope of Rome and represent the Catholique Church in the same manner as an Ape doth a Man But because it is altogether impossible to call the Catholique Church into a Councill representing the whole body by reason of the Popes Tyranny and other hinderances let us come to explaine what power particular Churches have in this matter If therefore the name of Ministeriall Foundation doth agree to the Representative Church or Generall Councill for the Ministeriall power it hath in publishing explaining and defending that Doctrine which joyneth Christians to their saving foundation it agreeth also in its kind and degree to every particular Church suppose the English French Dutch and others which take their denomination from divers Countries For what the Catholike Church assembled in a Council may and ought to do towards the founding of all Christians in the saving Truth of the Gospell that every Particular and Provinciall Church may and ought to do to those that are under it From this Office the Church of Ephesus wherof Timothy was President is called the pillar and ground of Truth because it is the duty of every Church to defend and maintaine the Truth preached by the Apostles to the World commending and explaining the same to the people and to unsheath and draw the Sword of Ecclesiasticall censures against forgers and Heretiques But least every particular Church should advance her power and authority even to match and equall it with the Catholike Church in a Generall Council we must marke and observe first that the particular Doctours of particular Churches met in a Synod only represent their own and nâ—t forraigne Churches and therefore to have no power of prescribing to others what they must beleeve or refuse much lesse to cut them off from the Brotherly Communion which they hold with the Catholique Church who either out of conscience or ignorance cannot assent to their Decrees and Determinations For an Equall hath no power over him which is his Equall Herein the moderation of Cyprian is commended who held communion with those Churches whom he conceived to live in a grievous errour The African Churches are commended Apud August de Bapt. cont Donat. lib. 2. cap. ult Idem super gestis cum Emerit Serm. for their not condemning of any nor removing them from the right of communion but continuing in fellowship with those Churches which were of a different opinion and would not rest and rely on their judgement For no particular Church ought so far to tender her own honor as thereby to envy prejudice or dammage the unity of other Churches Secondly we must observe that particular Churches for instance those of Saxony and Switzerland may and ought to commend the Summe of the Doctrin of the Gospell which they professe to such as are subject to their Ministery which abridgement of Doctrine compiled and digested into Articles we use to call the Confession of the Churches or Articles of Religion But a speciall care must be had that in the framing of these Articles we insert not into them any thing that is subtile superfluous and litigious For it is not the part of wise Doctors to stuffe those things which should further Peace and the Edification of Soules with that which may trouble the Learned help the Unlearned little or nothing to Salvation For what is this else than to minister to the Learned matter of striffe and to thrust on the unlearned Wind for Milk and Stones for Bread We ought also to have some respect of neighbouring Churches in these our Confessions which wee set forth and nor to affect in our Articles to expose to the view of all that whence occasion of wrangling may bee given to our neighbour Protestant Churches and matter of rejoycing afforded to the Papists These inconveniencies might easily bee avoyded if it would once enter into the hearts of Divines to sever hard and obscure Controversies from the publike Confessions of the Church and confine them to private exercises in the Schooles For whilst we place and proclaime our Controversies in the light Mat. 10.27 and as it were on the house top of our publique Confessions wee shew abroad the nakednesse of the Reformed Churches which it was farre better going backward with our faces wee should desire to cover Lastly when these Confessions are ordered in this manner it is lawfull and usefull for every particular Church to exercise that Jurisdiction over their owne people which in no case they ought or can usurpe over the subjects of another Church For if their own oppose the received Doctrine of their Church established by publique consent they may both for the errors they scatter and for the disturbance they cause in the Church put them aside from the Communion of their Church so long till they leave off to infect others and trouble the Church with their errours But as soon
as they repent of their errors they are to be received againe into the Bosome of their Mother Thus may they deale with their own But when they are to meddle with Churches not at all subordinate unto them they may hold Divine concord and keepe Gods Peace with those which think and teach otherwise than themselves as we may see it in Cyprian Epist. 72. ad Stephanum 73 ad Julianum It will not be from the matter after this our discourse of Particular Churches to adde something concerning some famous and eminent Doctors in the same For private Doctors are also in their distance to be accounted Ministeriall foundations who in the maintaining expounding defending preaching or writing the Truth of the Gospell have imployed their commendable paines And here amongst the principall Doctours of the Reformed Churches wee reckon those Worthyes Luther and Philip Melancthon not fearing to joyne unto them Bucer Calvine Martyr and others whom we need not to name But of all these though exellent Divines of our Age we ought so to esteeme as accounting them Stars but not Deities in our Churches nor do we reverence them as the Prophets and Apostles inspired by God but value them as godly Men worthily learned and raised up by God for the generall good of the Church withall confessing them to bee but ordinary Ministers and subject to their mistakes Besides we must beware that we do not suffer the Churches themselves to be sirnamed by Epithets from these famous Men. Lactan. Instit lib. 4. cap. 30. For to put off the Name of Christ and to put on and weare humane and outward names is far from Christians and most times is the fuell of endlesse dissention That therefore of Nazianzens ought wonderfully to please all prudent and pious Christians Orat. 30. I reverence Peter yet will I not be called a Petrian I honour Paul yet will I not be called a Paulian If private Christians can not take this in good part how much lesse is it fitting to nick-name a whole Church from a single man Last of all I may adde this concerning private Doctors It is a most in jurious thing that a whole Church should be indited guilty of the errors of that Doctor whatsoever hee bee which hath or doth use his Ministery therein unlesse it doth appeare that that Church by their publique assent doth approve and maintain his errors But where is there one of an hundred amongst common Christians who so searches the books of their Doctors that he giveth his consent to all their Opinions Yea where is there one amongst those Doctours themselves which doth not from his whole heart abhorre such errors when his adversaries charge him with them Lastly where is there one to be found amongst the Learned in any Church who hath so sworne to defend the words of Luther or Calvin or any other writer but that he thinks it lawfull to depart from them where they depart from the Truth Now seeing it is manifest these things are so if these which wee call Ministeriall Fundamentals sometime in some things do shake or stagger we must not pin their Personall errors upon the whole Church Apud Luth. Tom. 1. disp de Author Eccles pag. 439. B. For the Church properly so called doth not allow whatsoever ill Doctours mingled in the Church do allow as rightly Melancthon to which we adde neither every thing which good Doctors have taught ill CHAP. CHAP. 5. V. Of the Doctrinall Foundations of the Christian Faith in Generall and how farre they are to bee beleeved under the necessity of Salvation THE Doctrine of the Holy Scripture contained in the Books of the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles is that Foundation on which alone the Faith of Christians may safely rely because of the most certaine authority of God revealing it Nor must we give eare to the Papists when they object Augustin Confes lib. 6. cap. 5. Irenaeus li. 3 cap. 1. Whence know you those Books to have been given to mankind by the Spirit of the most true God If God as yet hath not perswaded me in this point he hath not as yet perswaded me that I am a Christian For the will of God hath commended the Scriptures unto us to be the Foundation and Pillar of our Faith If the Romanists will give no credence neither to Augustine nor Irenaeus they ought notwithstanding undoubtedly to beleeve Peter 2 Pet. 1.19 20 21. who calleth the voyce of the Scriptures a voyee more sure than that which came down from Heaven and not brought by the will of man but holy men of God spake it as they were moved by the holy Ghost Therefore the holy Scripture so propoundeth the foundations of our Faith and fastens the Rule of our Doctrine that the Faith of Christians only trusteth and reposeth it selfe on those Revelations which are contained in the canonicall Books I will say nothing against that fantastick imaginary Doctrinall foundation which the Papists trislingly defēd to be in a word not written and couched in the privy cabinet of the Popes breast because I conceive so profane and grosse an error in a matter of so great moment amongst wel instructed Christians is not worthy of a confutation He that seeks for the Doctrine of Salvation and Eternall Life out of the Scriptures shall find it no sooner than if hee looked for the Tree of Knowledge and Life out of Paradise But although wee straitly maintain that no fundamentall Doctrine of Faith is to bee sought for out of the Bookes of the Old and New Testament yet wee do not defend that all things contained in these books are fundamentall points so necessary to be known and beleeved that if any of these be unknown or denyed of any we should presently adjudge them to have falne off from the foundation of Salvation Many things in the Books of both Testaments are Historicall some things are dogmaticall which are truly affirmed and profitably placed there and yet are accounted not to come into the Number of Fundamentall points Numberlesse things there are which by true firme consequence may be deduced out of the Scriptures and yet mount not up to this high pitch of honour Therefore those things only are to be set apart and owned for Fundamentals without the plaine and explicite Knowledge whereof none can be saved in which as well Negative infidelity not at all to know them as positive infidelity to refuse to beleeve them doth condemn Now such are all those things without which we can neither savingly beleeve in Christ nor rightly call upon God in Christ and worship him to the obtaining of eternall Life In a word without which Christians can neither have pious affections towards God nor exercise the Religious Acts of Faith Hope and Charity being absolutly necessary to Salvation These two things beene yeelded and granted that our Faith is to trust on the Scriptures alone and that all every one of those things
the Fundamentall Points can scarce or not at all to be brought to a set number First of al that which hinders is this that according to the diverse conceits of diverse men the formes of Propositions are altered and one Divine breaks that into two which another makes up into one Proposition Hence of necessity must arise an uncertainty of their number Which wee see to have happened in the very Articles of the Creed Aquâ—n 2. 2. quaest 1. aâ—an coâ—p which Divines commonly count to be twelve and yet some reckon them up fourteen What shall I say that as yet Divines are not well agreed amongst themselves of the very distinction of a Fundamentall point Some restraine this name to those Doctrines alone which with an expresse Faith are to be beleeved of all Christians to the obtaining of Salvation and eternal life by Christ and this I professe to bee mine opinion Yet are there some most learned and famous Divines which terme all Propositions Fundamental Doctrines which they themselves by good and strong Consequence inferre out of the former Fundamentals although few or none bee found in their neighbouring Churches who plainely perceive the Truth of these Consequences Many things deterre me from being of this opinion but this most especially that this would bee a necessary and everlasting cause of an unnecessary and everlasting Rent betwixt the Churches of Christ Lastly there never were nor will bee wanting some who will require that it may bee reckoned amongst the Fundamentals whatsoever themselves unlearnedly and erroneously dreame that they have digged and drawn out of the Word of God And these for the most part are those hatefull and troublesome Brawlers who presently give out the Alarum that the Foundations of Religion are pluckt up from the very roots if any dare shake their imaginary Fundamentals Whilst the very nature and definition of a Fundamentall Doctrine flotes in this manner it is no more impossible to count the waves of the Sea than it is percisely to define the set and certaine number of Fundamentall Doctrines ebbing and flowing according to mens severall opinions But least I might seeme wholly to wave and decline the marking out of Fundamentall Doctrines I will shew plainely what was the opinion both of Ancient and Moderne Divines in this matter by publique producing of their testimonies As touching things to be beleeved all Foundations of the Christian Faith are comprised in the Apostles Creed neither shall he who from his heart professeth that he affordeth beliefe to all and every thing therein contained be deficient in any thing so farre as concernes things to be beleeved to the partaking of Salvation in Christ and retaining of Communion with the brethren of Christ Now let us see how honourably the ancient Fathers did both thinke and speake of this Creed Irenaeus saith That the Church dispersed thorow the whole World received this Faith from the Apostles Lib. 1. cap. 2 3. and carefully kept it so that by consent in this Faith they as it were dwell all in one house and have one heart And hee sheweth that this Faith doth suffice for the Vnity of all Churches together amongst themselves as the Dutch Spanish French Easterne Egyptian Lybian in a word all Christian Churches Irreformabâ—â—em lib. de Virgin velan Tertullian calleth this Creed the one Rule of Faith sole immoveable and which need not or may not be altered or reformed Hilary tyred with the contentions of the Arians takes breath with this speech Ad Conslat August It is most safe for us to retaine the first and sole Evangelicall Faith Confessed and Vnderstood in our Baptism Augustine cals this Creed the comprehension and Perfection of our Faith Tom. 10. de temp Serm. 2. Domâ— in Ramis palmar pag. 849. Serm. 131. adding with all that it is plaine short and full so that the plainenesse doth provide and take order to helpe the homelinesse of simple Auditours The shortnesse easeth the memory and the fulnesse compriseth all Doctrine In another place he cals it the certain rule of Faith by which Beleevers may hold the Catholique Truth and by which they may convince all hereticall wickednesse Russinus saith Exposit in the Creed that this Creed may also be called the Triall or Touchstone if we meet a man we doubt of do but examine him by this Creed and he will presently discover himselfe whether he be a foe or a Friend Lastly Serm of the Creed Maximus Taurinensis writes that the Apostles did deliver the mystery of Faith to the Church of God that because there was to be diversity of Beleevers under the one name of Christ the privy signet of the Creed should distinguish the Faithfull from the Vnbeleevers Come we now to see what was the Schoolmens Judgement of this Creed Alexander of Hales brings this reason why the Creed was composed Parte 3. quaeâ— 69. mâ—mb 2. That it might be the Instruction of the Faithfull in one Vnderstanding and Confession of the Truth and Devotion of Religion in which the nature of Man is to obtaine blessednes Somewhat after To instruct in the Faith was the cause of making the Apostles Creed for to this purpose was it composed that the Faithfull might be taught in one Faith to beleeve all things necessary to Salvation Aquinas determines that as touching these first believables 2.2 quaest 2. art 5. in corp whith are the Articles of the Faith every one is bound explicitely to beleeve them but as concerning other believables he is bound only implicitely to beleeve them and in the Preparation of his mind that is having his Heart in readinesse to imbrace them when it shall appeare to him that they are contained in the Doctrin of the Faith Bonaventure saith Sent. l. 3. dist 25 qu. 1. in conclu respâ—ad 2. When it is demanded whether the Doctrin of the Faith be sufficiently contained in the Apostles Creed we may answer that if we speak of the Doctrin of Faith in respect to those things which therein are most principall and proper they are sufficiently contained in the Creed Neither is there any thing to be beleeved which may not be reduced to the Articles contained in the Creed as the principles and stable foundations I passe other Schoolemen because it is their generall judgement that the plaine and unfolded beliefe of the Apostles Creed is enough for Common Christians for the attaining of Salvation though a greater measure of Knowledge bee required from men of greater Learning Whence the Master of the Sentences after hee had concluded Sent. lib 3. dist 25. That in the time of Grace all things ought to be beleeved which are contained in the Creeds afterwards hee addeth that it is one thing to know only what a Man ought to beleeve to obtaine eternall lift and another to know how the same may be maintained and defended against wicked men opposing it which Knowledge many Faithfull men cannot skill of and yet they
many are one body with Christ and every one one anothers members From the connexion with this foundation depends and followes of necessity the connection and communion betwixt severall Churches and private single persons 1 Cor. 12.12 Eph. 4.16 except were account no credit to be given to the Apostle Of every single man Reason 3 and much more of every single Church we must presume well till the contrary doth apeare Therfore the Churches of Saxony are bound to presume that those of Swizerland do adhere to Christ their foundation till they can prove it to bee otherwise by some evident or at least wiseprobable reason Now they are so far from being able to prove their Separation from Christ that most evident Reasons and of Proofe against any doubt present themselves to the eyes and hearts of all that they are savingly united with Christ Eph. 4.5 6. who hold this One Lord one Faith one Baptisme Who duely worship one God and Father of all who is above all Either these things ought to suffice that Churches bee carefull to keepe betwixt them the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Eph. 4.3 or Paul the Apostle knew not what might availe to the soddering of this unity together If any object that the Churches of Switzerland are not sound in the point of the presence of Christs body in the Eucharist in the manner of the eating of it in the Communication of Christs properties and in many other heads of Knowledge in Divinity I would aske of him but this one thing for here is no place to dispute of these matters whether hee conceives these errours to be of such moment that they pluck up the erring Church from its foundation so that they suffer it not to have the same Lord the same Faith the same Baptisme the same God and Father of whom the Apostle speaketh If hee dare not affirme this the Churches may object to those who deny to entertaine Brotherly Communion with them De Schismat Donat lib. 4. in initio that of Optatus Milevitanus You will not keep and hold peace with us that is with your Brethren whom one Mother Church bred in the same bowels of the Sacraments whom God the Father in the same manner received to be his adopted sons But if any shall stil proceed to distract and rend asunder those Churches which are conjoyned in this personall foundation we conceive those words of Isayah fit to be objected against him Destroy them not for a blessing is in them Esay 65.8 We may draw a strong argument from the practice of the Apostles Reason 4 to be used against those who think the Brotherly Communion betwixt Churches may be dissolved for the errours of particular persons For the Apostles did never so much as offer this they never divided asunder or clasht together whole Churches which did stick to Christ the foundation of mans salvation taking advantage of the occasion or pretence of their errors whatsoever It is well known that there were divers errours brought into the Churches of Corinth and Galatia it is well knowne that they were maintained of great men and of great account and yet Paul never went about to perswade the purer and sounder Churches of the Ephesians Philippians and Collossians not to retaine Brotherly Communion with those Churches more impure 1 Cor. 1.2 Gal. 1.3 5 11. 6 18. Yea morover he acknowledgeth those Churches which are full of errors and troubles for the Sanctified Churches of Christ nor disdaineth he to grace and honour those that erred and were deceived with the name of Brethren Indeed it is never lawfull for us to approve and allow those errours which are scattered in other Churches but it is ever lawfull for us to professe Brotherly communion with the Congregations of particular Churches whilst they professe and retaine saving union with Christ the Foundation of the Catholique Church Even as the good ought not otherwise to be separated from the evill in the Catolique Church Aug. de Fide ad Pet. Diaco cap. 43. than by the difference of their works So Churches which are sound in any point ought not to be separated from those which are erroneous save only by their dis-agreeing from their errors Tom. 4. de fide ope To desire by the gulfe of wicked Schismes to part the good from the bad is rather the rashnesse of men which be mad than the strictnesse of those which are diligent saith Augustin Now we say It savours more of rashnesse than care of the truth by wicked Schismes to desire to part the not erring Churches from those which be erronious Piety commands us to depart from those heretiques who overturne the very Foundation because this is necessary But Charity forbids us by unjust dissentions to start asunder from those erring Churches who stick to the foundation because this is Schismaticall Betwixt particular Churches all those offices should be performed Reason 5 which tend to the mutuall edification and nothing to the destruction of the body of Christ I confesse it partaines to edification for us to shew wandring Churches their errors but I maintaine it tends to their destruction that those Churches which we confesse remaine conjoyned to the very foundation wee should disjoyne them for any errors they defend For it was never heard spoken that one Church brought backe another into the way of truth or joyned it closer to Christ by raylings revilings cursings and renouncing of Brotherly Communion The counsels must be more mild and plaisters more lenitive which must be applied to the healing of an erroneous and setling of a shaken Church As for these intentions and decrees of separation and breaking off Communion they have not only hither to been vaine and uselesse but also mischievous and much more forcible to the disturbing than building up of the Churches If therefore any Church be not as yet pluckt asunder from its Foundation it belongs to the neighbouring Churches to restore such a one in the Spirit of meeknesse Gal. 6.1 and not with hostile cruclty to cut them off and cast them away They who are founded in the same Christ Reas 6 and rooted to the partaking of Eternall life ought to be founded and rooted in mutuall Charity but no Protestant will deny but that the Protestant Churches are founded in the same Christ our Lord and Saviour It ought therefore to be well weighed and considered whether the office and nature of Charity it selfe doth not wholy detest this to make an endlesse Schisme and rent betwixt Churches for some diversity of opinions It was Augustine's judgement that Christian Charity could not be kept Contr. lit Petiliani li. 2. c. 77. contra Donat 1.15 c. ibid. cap. 12. except in the unity of the Church and that those who persist in discord belong to the lot and portion of Ismael For who will say that there is not brotherly hatred in a Schisme when there is
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
Foundation of Religion Catholike Faith But if we should let the matter run on so long till all the controverted Problemes betwixt Protestants bee counted Fundamentall long since they have grown to too numerous hereafter they may grow to an almost numberlesse multitude For this solemne course and practice is observed of many that what they themselves have added to any Fundamentall Axiom as over weight and what they beleeve to be a consequence of the same this they presently require of all to be counted in the number of Fundamentalls If we grant to any particular Churches or to their Doctors this power of creating and multiplying Fundamentalls all hope is past of the certainty of the Catholike Faith all hope is gone of the Brotherly communion of the Catholike Church The mad error of the Church of Rome may confirme the Truth of our opinion who by stuffing a medley of uncertain opinions into the Creed of Trent by the same deed did both shake the immoveable certainty of the Catholike Faith and the Union of the Catholike Chuch so much desired of all we ought not therefore to mingle controversies lately born betwixt us with the foundations of Catholike Faith which are few and published by the preaching of the Apostles through the Christian world and received by the joynt consent of Christians In the last place that these things whereabout we contend Reas 6 were never counted in the number of Fundamentalls plainly appeares out of the very Augustane confession penned by Ph. Melancthon and approved and commended by Luther It is not likely that the Authors of so solemne a confession would have omitted any Fundamentall Doctrine of the Christian Faith without the knowledge and beleife whereof Salvation could not be attained by Christ Jesus But in this confession none of those points doe appeare about which so fierce a strife hath been been maintained betwixt the Helvetian and Saxon Churches In the third Articles of the Union of the two Natures in Christ in the tenth Article of the presence of the Body and Bloud of Christ in the Lords Supper they have established nothing which is not approved by the consent of all the Protestants And if we should run over the rest of the Articles we shall finde very few things after the last correction of which there is any dissenting betwixt the Protestant Churches nothing of so great moment that it should bring in a Schisme into the Church But grant some things to be in this confession to which other Churches cannot afford their consent it sufficeth to the retaining of Peace that they consent in all things necessary to be known for the Salvation of Christians For the confessions of particular Churches are not streitned to fundamentals alone but sometimes are extended to the declaring of their judgement of all heads of Divinity as they conceive it expedient for the Aedification of their people in Truth and Piety Therefore their errour is not to be born with who what ever they finde in their confessions will have it counted so fundamentall that they feare not to ranke those forreign Churches which in all and every thing will not admit the same to be the Rule of saving Faith among damned Hereticks overthrowers of the Foundation in a word amongst wicked men estranged from the holy brotherhood of good Christians Nothing could be done or thought of more injurious For if we weigh the confessions or disputes of all Reformed Churches and place on one side those things wherein they exactly agree and set on the other side those things which are in controversie wee shall perceive that the former out of the very Nature and Quality of the points themselves belong to the foundations of Faith and Piety the later either to the no wise necessary speculations of subtile braines or if they have any soliditie in them to the true inferences of the more skilfull Divines out of well grounded Propositions But those things which in this manner are built upon the foundation are not to be made equall with the fundamentalls themselves nor are they to bee accounted to erre in fundamentalls which swarve somewhat herein from the right line of Truth CHAP. XI Chap. 11 That there is no Controversie betwixt Protestants about Fundamentalls is shewn by instancing in three particular questions which are conceived before all other of greatest moment to the disjoynting of Churches BEFORE wee enter into this dispute wee must premise this firme and unmoveable rule That Christian Churches are not to be disjoynted which agree in all things necessary to be known or done to the Salvation of Christian men For no Authority lyes in one particular Church to make enquiry into others or office to compell other particular Churches to the rule of their owne confessions or power to dissolve the bands of brotherly Unity betwixt their owne and other Churches whatsoever which consent in the same common Faith that is in fundamentalls and the saving Articles of the Christian Religion Let us see therefore whether the Protestants agree so farre forth and let us take example only from those three controversies Of the Presence of the Body and bloud of Christ in the Eucharist Of the Communication of Properties in the person of Christ God and man Of Divine election and preterition according to the good pleasure of the Divine will For if in these questions by occasion whereof mighty surges and billows of contention have been blown up betwixt the Saxon and Helvetian Churches so much bee confessed on both sides as is necessary to know to Salvation All the rest may be left indifferent in the middle or to be disputed of betwixt learned men with peaceable mindes the brotherly Communion betweene Churches being no whit broken or torne a pieces Wee will begin from that which gave beginning to all the rest namely from the Presence of the Body of Christ in the Lords Supper and the eating of the same First of all nothing can be conceived fundamentall which is not by joint consent admitted by or received on both sides This is Fundamentall That the Body and Bloud of Christ are so truly present in the Administration of the Sacrament that Communicants may partake of them so as to draw life from thence and they may justly be condemned who so receive Bread and Wine as that withall they receive not the Flesh and Bloud of Christ to the Salvation of their Soules Hospin ad annum 1544. p. 191 Of this there is no dissention For Bucer grants That the Body of the Lord in the Eucharist is truly present and partaken off An annum 1540. p. 178 Calvin saith Wee all confesse with one mouth that we when we receive the Sacrament by Faith according to the Lords institution In Cons Mompelg p. 66. are made truly partakers of the Substance of the Body of Christ Beza saith we deny not the Body of Christ to be truly present to bee truly given and received I passe by the rest because no
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
employ their Armes and use their strength that they pluck not asunder the Churches themselves with a dangerous Schisme The Authors of our English Confession in the XVII Article where Predestination is handled would not so much as in a word touch upon the other Question of Reprobation both because of the uselesse speculations which mens curiositie would extract thence as also because out of the Doctrine of Predestination well grounded so much may easily be gathered as is necessary or profitable to know or hold of Reprobation But neither for this thing is there cause to dissolve the Brotherly Union betwixt Protestants All grant and agree that these Propositions are most true That the Act of Reprobation in God as that of Election is from Eternity That none is Reprobated from Eternity which might not be Reprobated without all Cruelty or Injustice That no one was fore-damned of God from Eternitie whom he from Eternitie did not foresee wrapt up in the guilt of damnation That no one shall in time be damned but through the most just merit of his owne corruption and impiety That the Originall and cause of all Evills which drownes Reprobates in perdition is not found in God Reprobating but in the Reprobates themselves That this Eternall Reprobation cannot appeare to any particular Person unlesse out of the fruits most worthy of damnation which he brings forth and loves to bring forth to the end of his life That there is no single Person which may not attaine Eternall Life by Repenting Beleeving and Persevering according to the Tenor of the Covenant of the Gospell That there is no such Decree of God by which Reprobates should be forced and necessitated to sinne and perish But alwayes they perish by their own voluntary unbeliefe and impiety free and not constrained It appeared lately in the Conference of Lipsigh that there is an agreement in all these Points If there be any other things remaining they are rather Controversies about words than about matter rather discords about subtile Speculations than fundamentall Articles Such are those which are disputed betwixt Schoolmen of the Signification of the very words namely Predestination and Reprobation of the Imaginary order of Priority and Posteriority betwixt the Eternall Acts of Predestinating and Fore-knowing of the unsearchable manner of Divine working about all humane Actions whether good or bad of the necessitie or Contingency of all things which from Eternity were predestinated or fore-knowne of God In such perplexed Controversies it cannot bee but contradictions must arise oftentimes betwixt Disputants Yet brotherly Concord may be made up and maintained betwixt the Churches themselves as anciently it was preserved betwixt the African and Latine Churches Their Doctors in the mean time being of different opinions in the weighty Question of Baptizing of Hereticks Vid. Cypr. Epist ad Jubaiannum Et in sent Episc de de Heret Bapt. To close up all in a word Those Churches falsly so called may be forsaken which possesse not the Foundation of the Apostles preaching But true Churches ought not to be deserted and pluckt asunder from others for the Errors of particular Doctors because the Faith of Churches leanes not upon the names or writings of single Persons CHAP. XII Some Objections wherewith some Learned Divines have been moved to breake off the Communion betwixt Protestant Churches are answered TRuly it is to be bemoaned That some so far abhorre from the Brotherly Communion of Protestants betwixt themselves that they charge this very thing as a fault upon peaceable Divines that they will not suffer that these Controversies which are handled betwixt Learned men ought to break off the Bands of holy Brotherhood betwixt the Churches themselves But let us weigh what Reasons they chiefly rely on who contend that this disjoynting of Churches is absolutely necessary No Communion is to be retained with those Churches which embrace Arg. 1 and with obstinacy defend corruptions of Doctrine intrenching on the Glory and repugnant to the Word of God but the Lutherans thinke that this is done in many points by the Calvinists and on the other side the Calvinists complaine that the same is done by the Lutherans Therefore it is not lawfull for these Churches which are ill distinguished by the names of Luther and Calvin to retaine Brotherly Communion amongst themselves The major Proposition they conceive well founded in that most true Maxime That all things which we doe are to be referred to the Glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 The minor they account themselves to have proved by running over all these heads of Doctrine whereabout they contend for the Divines on both sides doe presume that their Opinions doe ever make to the illustration of Gods Glory and that the contrary alwayes obscures it None denie Answ but that in all our actions we must level at the Glory of GOd and it must also be confessed that this is the nature of sin and false Doctrine that alwaies of it selfe it is of force to impaire the Glory of God in some part But that to me seems weak and unfound which both sides presume upon as on a thing to be granted and not at all to be denyed Namely that it tendeth to the Glory of God for us to renounce Brotherly cōmunion with those Churches wherein Doctrines are defended in some manner and degree crossing the glory of God Those things which so shake the Glory of God that they suffer not at all those which are erroneous in them to have saving Communion with God and Christ neither doe they suffer Orthodox Christians to retaine Brotherly Communion with them But those things which in some measure are repugnant to the truth of the Scriptures and glory of God but yet doe not destroy the said Communion can in no wise afford to any particular Church just cause of departing and dividing it selfe from another for this is the very selfe same fault which the Ancients endeavored to render odious to all under the infamous name of Schisme But that also may be added that the Churches which are in the right doe well enough discharge their dutyes when they provide and take care that their owne People be not intangled in the errors of others when they endeavor with all gentlenesse to reduce the wandring Churches into the way of Truth But when they depart from the Communion and Brotherly Unity of the Church from which Christ hitherto hath not departed they defend not but grievously wound the glory of God and Christ by this their separation Lastly when the far greater part of particular Churches consists not of learned Doctors but of simple people it cannot truly be affirmed that they understand the Errours propagated by the learned much lesse that they stick to them least of all that they stick to them with obstinacy and wilfulnesse Therefore under pretence of these the bands of Christian Brotherhood are not to be broken betwixt whole Churches For Jerusalem is built as a city which is at unity in