without faith in Iesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Notwithstanding these pettie reasons they must needs acknowledge themselues to bee verie simple and vtterly ignorant in the new Testamēt that beleeue any salvation to bee possible without expresse faith in Christ For there is nothing more cleerlie taught nor more often inculcated then that wee shall never bee saued nor so much as attaine vnto the gate and entrie of salvation which is to bee iustified except wee beleeue in him Let these texts of holy writ bee well cōsidered First our Saviour himself saith to his heavenlie father This is life euerlasting Ioh. 17.3 that is the meanes to obtaine life euerlasting to know thee the only true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Behold the knowledg of Iesus Christ is as well required to saluation as the knowledg of the true God Ioh. 3.18 Againe hee that doth not beleeue in the sonne is alreadie iudged because hee hath not beleeued in the name of the onlie begotten sonne of God See certaine damnation assigned to all them that do not beleeue in the onlie begotten sonne of God Christ Iesus Ioh. 15. The same is also confirmed by his owne mouth where hee taught that hee is the vine and wee bee the branches giving vs to vnderstād that vnles wee be graffed in him and made partakers of his merits and grace wee can bring forth no fruite worth life everlasting Sine me nihil potestis facere without mee you can doe nothing The same doctrine was plainly published by S. Peter prince of the Apostles Act. 4.12 saying There is no salvation in any other for neither is there any other name vnder heauen given to men wherin wee must bee saved with him accordeth that great doctor of the Gentiles pure vessell of election S. Paul verie often teaching that no man can bee iustified by anie other meanes thē through faith in Iesus Christ The iustice of God by faith of Iesus Christ Rom. 3.22 Gal. 2.16 1. Cor. 3.12 vnto all and vpon all that beleeue in him Againe other foundation no man can laie besides that which is laid which is Christ Iesus If faith in Christ bee the foundation of all our spirituall building towards heauen then surely without that no man can enter into possession of the beautifull pallace of heaven no more thē a mā can build vp an earthlie house without laying first the foundatiō therof The dearlie beloued Apostle of our blessed Saviour that Eagle eied Evangelist Apoc. 7. v 9. 14. and high prophet S. Iohn seeing in spirit the innumerable great multitude of the heauēlie citizēs was told that they were those that came out of great tribulation and that had washed their stoles and made them white in the bloud of the lambe And there was not one among them that yeeld not thanks aswell to the lambe as vnto God saying Saluation to our God that sitteth vpon the throane and to the lambe There by giuing vs to vnderstand that there is not one admitted into the ioyes of heauen that had not been before made partaker of Christs merites through faith in his blood The reason whie wee ought to beleeue in Christ to bee made partaker of his merites besids that it is most sensible in it self may bee deduced out of the sacred scriptures Is it not most meete and convenient that hee who is to receiue an inestimable rich gift through the favour and deserts of another bee brought to know his benefactor that hee may at least acknowledge how much hee is beholding and bound vnto him Our blessed Saviour then being that lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world that hath fullie satisfied his fathers iust indignation against vs that redeemed vs out of the most miserable captiuity of the devill and hath purchased for all such as wil bee obedient vnto him the kingdome of heauen Everie man must needs confesse it to bee verie great reason that all this should bee published and made knowen to them that were to receiue the benefitt of it that they might loue honour serue and obey him that had bestowed the price of his owne most pretious bloud to make that heauenlie purchase for them The Apostle doth in effect teach the same though after his divine manner some what darkly in these words Rom. 3.25 Iustified gratis by his grace by the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath proposed a propitiation by the faith that is in his bloud That is to saie god having of his meere mercie through Christs merits pardoned the sinnes of the world Hee sent his Apostles to publish the same into all corners of the earth proposing and promising remission of sinnes vnto all that should beleeue the same Christ Iesus to bee the sonne of God made man to shed his bloud on the crosse for the redemption of all mankind This capitall article of our belief God would haue preached all the world ouer and confirmed by innumerable miracles sealed also with the blood of infinite Martyrs to the euerlasting salvation of them that should willinglie embrace this ioyfull tidings and vnto their iust condemnation who hearing of such happie newes would either not beleeue it or not accept of it This position having so cleare evidence in the word of God needeth small testimony of the ancient fathers wherfore I wil bee content with the briefe sentences of a few of them Iren. l. 3. cap. 21. S. Ireneus saith plainly that they who know not the Emmanuel that was borne of the blessed virgin are depriued of that great gift of life euerlasting Ambros li. to of sic c. 29. S. Ambrose agreeth with him affirming That the Apostle laid Christ for the foundation that vpon faith in him wee might build the works of Iustice. S. Gregorie the great was of the same mind expounding the same text of the Apostle thus Greg. l 7 epist 47. whosoeuer with the loue of God and his neighbor holdeth the firme faith of Christ doth laie that self same foundation of Iesus Christ which the Apostle speaketh of Aug. de ciuit Dei l 18. c. 47 S. Augustine deposeth the same in these cleere wordes it is to be beleeued that to please God and to liue according to his will was neuer granted to any body vnles vnto him were from heauen reuealed the one mediator of God and man Christ Iesus S. Hierome must not bee excluded out of this holy consort for hee vpō these words of the Apostle S. Hier. in c. 1. ad Ephesios Hee hath predestinated vs vnto the adoption of sonnes in Christ Iesus doth argue that wee cannot bee the sonnes of God vnles wee do imbrace the faith and knowledg of his sonne Iesus Christ This point being thus proued by the word of God and testimonie of the ancient fathers it wil bee verie easie to answere vnto those poore obiections that were propounded in the beginning God I grant will
his sauiour And may it not well be the iust iudgemēt of the same Almightie Lord to punish vs theire Children whom God often visiteth for their fathers faultes in the same kind according to that rule of the law in quo quis peccat in eo puniatur Let them be punished in the same kind that they did offend why should wee not then be content to redeeme our religion with penury which our Ancestors morgaged through their ouergreat superfluitie yea although that were not soe let vs imitate that wise and well aduised marchant cōmended in the Gospell who hauing found out the pretious pearle of the true Christian faith and religion went and sould all that he had and bought it I dare be bold bicause I haue the warrant of Gods word for it to assure all them that so doe that they therby make the richest purchase that can be made vpon the earth vnto which if the best bargaines that wordlings make be compared they are but shadowes and meere dreames If there were a statelie gallāt faire rich Lordshyp to be sold at two or three yeeres purchase what presse would there be of buyers how willing would the veriest pinchpennies in a conutry be to bestow their monie ther vpon and what is this earthly bargaine if it be paralleld to that heauenly of which our sauiour speaketh in the ghospell Matt. 19 v. 29. he that forsaketh father or anie other frind he that leaueth land or liuing or any other comoditie for my names sake he shall receiue not one for one but a hundreth for one and to boote in the world to come life euerlasting And they that doubt least in the meane season they shall want necessarie sustenance they must needes confesse themselues censured by our Saviour to be modicae fidei Matth. 6. v. 30. men of small faith that do not trust confidentlie in the prouidence of our heauenlie father who feedeth the foules of the ayre and clotheth the grasse of the field of which he hath not so much care as of vs Christians if they be worthie the name of Christians that dare not relie vpon Christes infallible promise quaerite regnum Dei Iustitiam eius Matth. 6. v. 33. haec omnia adijcientur vobis Let them that faine would yet with much adoe can ouercome this temptation of pouertie ponder these few points often and aduisedlie and praie to God to strengthen their weaknes then no doubt but they shall be able to prefer pouertie with Christ before the riches of this world with the losse of Christ and of their soules I that do but handle this matter by the waie may not dwell long in it but will make it vp with these memorable and comfortable wordes of the Apostle Heb. 13. v. 5. Let your manners he without auarice contented with things present for he that is the soueraigne Lord of heauen and earth said I will not leaue thee neither will I forsake thee so that we doe confidentlie saie Our Lord is my helper and I will not feare what man can doe to me To our purpose then M. Abbot how wise an Auguret soeuer he would seeme to bee cannot by the impouerishing of Catholikes diuine that the vtterruin of their religion as at hand when as by blessed pouertie patientlie endured for Christs sake it is much more like that the same holie religion shal be the sooner restored 1. Nor imprisonement Moreouer they cannot be assured to make an end of the said religion by imprisoning the constant professors therof If to be locked vp in prison were to be secluded from Gods help as they are debarred of their wordlie frinds companie or to be depriued of our heauenly fathers fauour as it is of some earthlie mens countenance then ther were no doubt but that poore weake mortall men would quickly wax wearie of their Imprisonment but if to be a ptisoner for that holie cause of the Catholike religion be rather a retreit from the conuersation of worldlings and a recalling of our minds from all terrestriall cares to be more neat pure and at better leisure to receiue and intertayne coelestiall inspirations then surely to him that knoweth to make the true vse of that inclosure imprisonment will seeme as a promotion in the fauour of God so an augmentation in the feruor of his religion Are we not by prison wayned from many vanities and follies yea preserued from diuers dangerous temptations which others liuing at their libertie and pleasure abroad do often fall into And how manie thousands of deuout soules haue of their owne free choice most willinglie forsaken all the world and shut themselues vp within religious Cloisters to be freed from the ordinary perils of wordly conuersation and to liue a more retired and religious life why then should not Christs prisoners make a vertue of necessitie and seing that now by Gods pleasure they are drawne from their owne houses and houshold affaires where they were perhaps to much busied about horses sheepe hawkes hounds or other like base or idle creatures let them hardely imploy their studie to make a good generall confession therby to enter assuredlie in to the fast fauor of the almightie let them studie to answere well according to that measure of vnderstanding and learning that God hath giuen them in the cause of religion for which they suffer Let them spend the most of their time in praier and other workes of Christian deuotion and pietie and then no doubt their imprisonment will not seeme tedious vnto them but must needes be verie comfortable fruitfull bicause therby they purge their soules from sinne make satisfaction for their faultes past breake of manie euill customes lay a good foundation for the time to come purchase the fauour of God and draw his manifold heauenly blessings vpon themselues their family and friends finally they shall serue for burning lampes to the world abroad and for good example to their neighbors and acquaintance at home for albeit their bodies be confined within a small compasse yet the fame of their constancy and vertuous retired life will flie abroad far and neare and carrie with it a verie sweet fragrant sauour vnto others animating them to suffer more willinglie and constantly what they see their honorable frinds or honest neighbours to haue well passed through before them Neither ought anie man to feare ouer much the laying vp in darke loathsome holes or deep dungeons 3. Not dungeous for if it please our heauenly father to suffer that rigor to be exercised vpon vs he will giue vs courage and strength enough to abide it The chast patriarch Ioseph was cast into a dongeon and it is recorded to our comfort Sapient 10.14 that the wisedome of God descended downe with him and did not forsake him in his fetters Daniel 6 22 That great Prophet Daniel was cast into a denne of lions And his God was with him there shutting vp the mouthes of those
church vpon him when he said to him Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my church these wordes would haue marred M. Abbots market therefore he did wisely to ouerskip them now that which followeth may serve rather to confirme our opinion then make anie whit for theirs for thus it may bee vnderstood Saint Peter for that his confession of faith received power and vertue from Christ to confirme others in the faith thereby to establish them to life And so by that confession of faith made by Saint Peter the faithfull are established to life Againe Saint Ambrose who elswhere often and in that verie place teacheth S. Peter to bee that rocke vpon which the church was built might make a secondarie good morall construction of those wordes teaching every man to believe as Saint Peter did and to make the like confession of their faith that they might be setled in the right way to life everlasting which moralization of Christs words doth not crosse but suppose the true litterall sence to bee as before you haue heard out of Saint Ambrose with the vniforme consent of other fathers To that which followeth in the same Author these words of the Apostle in him all the building is coopled together c. are the sense and meaning of that which our lord said vpon this rocke I will build my church I answer there is a cunning tricke vsed in cutting of the Apostles wordes in the middest with an c and making that to be the exposition of the first part of the sentence which Sainct Ambrose makes the interpretation of the last as may appeare vnto him that will see the place for his reason is fideles enim sunt superficies templi dei c. for the faithfull of holy conversation bee the walls or over parts of that temple of God which suteth well with the latter end of Saint Pauls sentence which is in whom you also are built togither into an habitation of God in the holy Ghost in brief S. Ambrose meaning in that place is no other then that the Apostle vsed the same Metaphore of building which our Saviour did when he said Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church Of which spirituall building the faithfull are the over partes the Apostles the foundations amoÌ„g whom S. Peter is the rocke and Christ the head corner stone that closeth all togeather and beareth vp both peoples aswell those that went afore as those that came after his incarnation M. Abbots fourth obiection Epla Iuuenalis â—t Epist pal in Apendice Concil Cholced the whole number of the Bishops of Palaestina in the councell of Chalcedon vnderstood Christs words so vpon this confession the church of God is confirmed and strengthened ANSWERE THat whole number I find to bee but two or three and they not in the councell neither nor during the time of that councell but after they came home from the councel and their meaning is plaine for vs. They having been att the councell of Chalcedon and there heard and saw how Discorus patriarch of Alexandria was for his heresie and obstinacie censured and condemned by the sentence of Leo the great Bishop of Rome did certifie all them that were vnder their charge that the church of God was confirmed and strengthned by the confession and declaration of the Bishop of Rome S. Peters successor and how in him was verified that sentence of our Saviour vpon this rocke I will build my church and that other also Thou being conuerted confirme and strengthen thy brethren which is all as direct for vs as can bee besides what other pregnant proofe there is in that generall councell for S. Peters supremacy and that the Bishop of Rome is his successor in the same supreme authoritie shal bee heerafter declared more at large Out of these former arguments M. Abbot maketh this inference that by the exposition of the ancient fathers it maie appeare that Christ eueÌ„ the true faith of Christ for Christ is nothing to vâ— but by faith is the true rocke whervpon the church is builded to which S. Iohn accordeth This is the victorie that over cometh the world even our faith for who is hee that overcometh the world but hee that believeth that Iesus is the sonne of God what is this good Sir to the preseÌ„t purpose of the popes supremacie though faith in some good sense may bee called a rocke bicause it is the foundation and ground worke of all other Christian vertues yet how doth it follow therof that S. Peter is not that rocke vpon which it pleased Christ to build his church what because ther is an order in the frame of a vertuous life must it needes ther vpon ensue that there is no order in the government of Christs Church is not this a very strange inference For the clearer explication of this doubt â—â—t this distinction bee observed the building of Christs church as it is like to a kingdome differeth much from the building of a spirituall temple vnto the holie Ghost in our soules to the first kind of building beloÌ„g subiects and magistrates Bishops Archbishops and so forth the highest wherof vnder Christ was S. Peter To the other inward building concurre all such divine graces and qualities that serue for the reformation of our soule as faith hope Charitie humilitie and such like among which vertues faith in Christ Iesus is at it were the fundamentall stone to the argument then this is the answere that albeit faith in Christ be as it were the rocke and foundation of all Christian vertues yet that is no let but that in the order of Christian magistrates S. Peter may be the rock and haue the chief commaunding power giuen to him and to his successors the Bishops of Rome purity of faith boldnes of confession fervour of Charitie rare gifts of God bestowed on S. Peter were the principall dispositions in him to that other high dignitie and authoritie but the authoritie it self of government was not bestowed on those vertues but vpon the person of Saint Peter though in regard of the same divine qualities After these arguments M. Abbot inferreth that if Christ bee the rocke properly and truly Saint Peter cannot bee the rocke but accidently and vnproperly in respect of his doctrine and example of saith vttered in his confession As Abraham is the rocke from whâ—nce wee are hewed so is Peter the rock wheron wee are built not that either of them conferreth any thing to vs but only for that they staÌ„d before vs for patterns of imitation I answer that he should rather haue made this inference bicause Christ is the rocke of the Church most properly therfore S. Peter is the rocke therof also properly both for that Christ made him the rocke who maketh all things well and properly and also because the properties of a rocke do fitlie agree to S. Peter that is to bee constant and firme in the faith to strengthen and vphold
together and whose faith was neuer spred one quarter of the world ouer But such Catholikes as ioyne with the church of Rome whose faith and religion was first coÌ„mended in the Apostles daies and hath continued ever since vnmoveable and besids hath florishedd in all christian nations of the world and therfore is indeed truly Catholike Our coniunction therfore with the Roman church associateth vs with the faithfull not only of all Europe Afrike and Asia but also with the faithfull of the East and west Indies and of all the world besides wherfore M. Abbot was fowly deceiued when he said that the word Roman was a tearme of diminution or that it abridgeth the whole vnto a part wheras the Roman is fully as large and ample and hath the very same and no narrower limits and borders then the Catholike faith and religion excluding none of any nation of the world out of that communion but heretiks only and schismatiks and such like counterfeit Catholikes And let him and his companions that blush not to lay that imputation of sect and schisme vpon the Roman church declare if they can from what church the Roman deuided it self in what popes daies it became schismatike And in what countrie was the vnity of the true church then preserued None of all which if they bee able to declare we must needs take their words for wind if not for passionat and womanish scolding without any colour of reason I maruell where M. Abbot hath read that it is the peculiar badg of Antichrist to chalenge to him his alone to be the whole church of Christ May not Christs lieutenant on earth chalenge that truly which Antichrist by intrusion will presume to do vniustly Or is there no whole church of Christ in the world out of Antichrists tents And may he not rather be thought to rove at random then to speake in his right senses that averreth Antichrist to bee willing to stand for Christ and to professe to fight vnder Christs banner against whom as the holy scripture and ancient fathers most manifestly teach hee will proclayme open warr and do the vttermost of his most wicked endeauor to coÌ„pell all Christians openly to forsake and forsweare Christ too and that not covertly and by consequencies but in plaine and formall tearmes and to acknowledg no other soueraigne lord besids himself wherfore to conclude this section let the indifferent reader duly consider whether I haue deliuered in sufficient premises to proue that the church of Rome may be vsed to signifie any church of the world that in faith and religion doth agree with it My promises are not the practise only of Catholiks but also of Protestants who in all countries giue vs a name taken from the church of Rome as Romanists or Papists to signifie that we all be members of the same church in what countrie soever we dwell And not only men of our dâ—â—es do so commonly speake but in ancient tymes also it is as well recorded of the Orthodox fathers as by heretiks that men of all countries who imbraced the true faith were called Romans as I haue once before proued at large wherfore it is no novelty to avouch the church of Rome to comprehend all the true Christians of the world Against which it maketh nothing that heretiks and schismatiks be no members of the church of Rome for they be no better then rotten boughes cutt of from the vine like scattered sheepe out of Christs fold wherfore no part nor parcell of Christs church THE FOVRTH Paragraffe w. B. NOw to M. Abbots second sophistication The Roman church by your rule is the head and all other churches are members to it but the Catholike comprehendeth all Ergo to say the Roman is the Catholike church is to say the head is the whole body To which I saye first as I said to the former argument that it is missshapen and by the like it maie bee proued that their English church is not the Catholike church which M. Abbot is content to grant Seâ—ondly I say that it is a fault in arguing when a word is vsed Metaphorically to take hold vpon anie other property of the Metaphore besides that wherin the resemblance lieth I gaue for example that our blessed Saviour is called a Lion for his invincible fortitude Now if anie man would out of that metaphore argue that our Saviour had foure feete bicause a Lion hath so he should be not only ridiculous but also blasphemous In like manner though the church of Rome be by vs called the head church bicause of her superiority Yet doth it not follow that anie other properties belonging to a head be of necessity attributed to the same church And to our present purpose though a head cannot be called by the name of the whole it being but one part of the whole called dissimilare that consisteth of diuers parts one vnlike to the other yet might the church of Rome not withstanding that it is the head be called by the name of the whole Catholike church For that the Catholike church is totum similare a whole consisting of parts that bee all a like as the aire is every part wherof is called by the name of the whole as euery part of the aire is called the aire euery part of water is called water so every particular church that is part of the Catholike church may truly be called the Catholike church though it be not the whole Catholike church To which M. Abbot after much idle speech mingled with scornfull scoffing answereth nothing els in effect but that hee had said before these be his wordes R. AB TAke a head in what sence you will it must needs bee a distinct part from the rest of the body and then repeats his goodly argument in these tearmes The church of Rome is by their learning the head of all other churches and all other churches are as the members and body of this head But the Catholike church comprehendeth all both head and body To say then that the Roman church is the Catholike church is all one as if a man should say the head is the whole bodie After which he addeth who can speake more cleerly then I haue done where if you wil be his favorable and fast frind you must applaud him and say that no man is able to do better nor to set it out more cleerly then hee hath done A high conceit of his owne writing vttered with vanity enough Now of mee his poore Antagonist hee saith who can answere more absurdly then he hath done I haue put him to his trumps I warrant him c to omit much such trumpery which followeth without any fortification of reason or temper of modestie W. B. I am so farr of from being troubled with his trumpes which are nothing els indeed then very frumpes besids that one old halting spurgald Iade of an argument so confusedly set downe by him even there where hee crakes most of cleernes
diuine sauiour to testify of himselfe that one of the principall causes for which hee was made man was to publish and declare those heauenly verities vnto mankind Ioan. 18.37 for this saith hee was I borne and for this came I into the world that I may giue testimony to the truth and for the same purpose as hee was sent himself from his heauenly father so did he send his Apostles and disciples into all coasts of the earth that they might annouÌ„ce and preach the same diuine doctrine vnto all nations Math 24 14. This Gospell of the kingdome shal bee preached to the whole world in testimonium omnibus gentibus for a testimonie to men of all countries And as it hath pleased God to make choice of some certen persons to be principall preachers to the same his diuine word so his will and ordinaunce is that none of his seruants shall bee ashamed to make professioÌ„ of anie part therof wheÌ„ it shall concerne either the honour of God or the good of his neighbor The first reason therof may bee collected out of that which went before thus if our blessed Lord and redeemer Christ Iesus was borne to giue testimony to the truth everie good Christian that is a liuely member of his misticall bodie must needs take himself also to be borne anew to the same end and purpose and therfore when time and place do require it they must either testify the truth publikely or shew themselues bastards and cowards much vnworthie the name of Christians The chosen vessell of grace S. Paul speaketh learnedly and noblie when be saith corde creditur ad iustitiam ore autem fit confessio ad salutem By harâ— wee beleeue to iustification but by mouth confession is made to saluation Like as there must bee a pious and devout inclination of the soule to bow it to the obedience of faith wherby as by the prime meanes we attaine to Iustification even so to arriue happely vnto the hauen of saluation we must by word of mouth make open professioÌ„ therof For if one should bee conuented before the magistrate and questioned about his faith if he then do not stand to the profession of it he first depriues Almighty God of that due honour which wee all do owe vnto his diuine Maiestie for we shewe our selues to feare men more then him and do besides betray his truth and make it contemptible in the estimation of the beholders For how should other men be induced to value Gods testimonies at that high rate at which king Dauid who was a most cunning spirituall Ieweller set them when hee said They are to be desired much aboue Gold and the rich pretious stone If they see them that are accounted Gods seruants wisemen to set so light by them that they are euen ashamed to make profession of them Is it not a great dishonor to Gods cause to see his followers wheÌ„ it comes to the triall to turne the shoulder and shrinke awaie from it The vngodlie do assemble together to out-countenance the truth of God to reuile and vilify his seruants to terrifie all the beholders from the embracing of his truth And Gods vnworthy and faint-harted souldiers called thither to vphold his honor and to testifie the verity therof to all the assemblie be dumbe and dare not speake one word in defence of it Shall not such men in vpright iudgment bee conuinced to haue forsaken God when hee stood in most need of their seruice and to haue betraied his cause by not defending of it at all when they were called forth to haue â—â—oken in defence of it yes verily for their inditement is already drawen and registred by that great cleark S. Iohn the Euangelist vnder the name of certaine principall persons among the Iews in these words Ioah 12.42 Of the Princes also many beleeued in Christ but for the Pharises they did not confâ—sse that they might not bee cast out of the Sinagogue for they loued the glorie of men more then the glory of God Those Princes partlie to keepe their credit with that state and partlie for fearâ— of being cast out of the Sinagogue durst not confesse Christ though they beleeued in him Is not this the very case of them that beleeue our faith and religion to bee the true Catholike faith and religion yet to keepe their credit in the world or to avoide those discommodities which by professing of the Catholike faith they should incurre dare not come to that noble act of confessing it they must needs therfore yeeld theÌ„selues guiltie of that which foloweth in the same text that they loue the glorie of men more then the glory of God They had rather please bee well thought of by poore mortall creatures for condescending to do what they would haue them to doe then to bee highlie esteemed of their most dreadfull lord and Creator as his trustie faithfull seruants They do ouer and besides wonderfullie scandalise their poore brethren that bee of the same religion wherof the weaker sort are by their ill exaÌ„ple shaken and induced to forsake their faith And the stronger cannot but greatlie grieue to see Gods cause so wretchedly betrayâ—d and their infirme brethren scandalized To say nothing of the glory and triumph which they leaue vnto Gods enimies as conquerors ouer his feeble seruantes and the occasion they giue them to harden their harts in their errors wherfore as principally for the honor of God and his holie cause so also that we giue no offence vnto his faithfull seruants or occasion of ioy to his aduersaries wee must plucke vp our spirits when wee bee called to answere in matters of religion And not regard either the shame of the world or anie temporall losse that therby may betide vs but lift our harts to heauen and consider how honorable it wil bee in the sight of Angels how gratefull to God and acceptable to our glorious blessed Saviour to acknowledg him before men not to feare or be abashed to giue testimony to his truth in the presence of his enemies which we shall the sooner and more willingly performe if wee then call to mind these his most comfortable words Math. 10 22. Every one therfore that shall confessâ— me before men I will confesse him before my father which is in heauen Behold what esteeme and great reckening Christ maketh of this out ward confession of his truth though he shall get to himself litle or nothing therby yet wee shall gaine exceeding much in that we shall purchase his extraordinary fauour against the daie of our last reckening be therfore most gratiously welcomed of him and by himselfe be presented to his heauenlie father in the presence of that most glittering and noble company of heauen as verie faithfull and stout seruants that stood valiantlie for the defence of his cause in the face of the enemie we shall then heare these most confortable and ioyfull words Euge serue bone fidelis
not condeÌ„ne anie man for not beleeuing that which hee neuer heard of wherfore if in any coast of the world the Doctrine of Christ bee not sufficientlie published no man there shal bee condeÌ„ned for not beleeuing in him but for other mortall grieuous offeÌ„ces which they haue in their life time comitted against the light of reason law of nature If any amogst those infidels haue beeÌ„ so happie as not to haue committed any such mortall sinne Act. 10. which caÌ„not bee without the speciall aide of Gods grace if there bee any such I saie like the good Italian Captaine Cornelius meÌ„tioned in the acts of the Apostles hee shall find the like extraordinarie succour froÌ„ heaueÌ„ as to haue an Angell to teach him or at least to direct him to some Peter that maie throughly instruct him in the Christian faith Among Christians there can hardly bee found anie one I think so vngratiously bred that neuer heard of Christ because that is contained in the Creede that all Christians are taught even from their infancie and are bound to know so farr fourth as their capacitie and wit will giue them leaue which if they should neglect to learne after they come to yeares of discretion they are worthie to bee depriued of all benefits issuing and growing by Christ because they contemned somuch as to know him To that text of S. Paul that hee who cometh to God must know that hee is and that hee is a rewarder c. I answere first that the Apostle saith verie well that hee must know those two points but hee doth noth saie there that hee needs to know no more And elswhere in all his Epistles doth teach that ouer and besides that the faith in Iesus Christ is necessarie for all men wherfore this point must bee added to the rest I answere secondly that one cannot know particulary how God is a rewarder vnles hee know the incarnation of Iesus Christ because God will reward no man with life euerlasting but through the merits of Iesus Christ and for that hee is a member of Christ and for such good works which a man without faith in Christ and without aide of his grace caÌ„not performe Thus much of the first point Now to the second which is the principall question whether holding the right faith in Christ Iesus and beleeuing the other fundamentall articles which are conteyned in the Apostles creed one may bee condemned for not beleeuing any other article of the Christian faith For the plainer explication of the state of this question it is to bee vnderstood that many of the vnlearned and simpler sort maie bee ignorant of many matters appertaining to faith without daunger of damnation because by reason of their lacke of capacitie or for other necessarie occupatioÌ„s about getting of their poore livings they are not bound to know expresly much more then is deliuered in the Apostles Creed and what doth concerne the right vse of the sacraments which they themselues are obliged to receiue Nevertheles euerie Christian man and woman may verie well bee bound not to defend the misbeliefe of anie one article of faith after hee shal bee given to vnderstand that the Catholike church hath declared the same to be so There is a great difference betweene the dispositions of two such parties for it is one thing to bee ignorant what the church teacheth in such a case and another not to bee willing to beleeue it abeit hee knew well enough that the church commaundeth him so to beleeue In the former there is a ready good will to obey the truth assoone as due information shal bee given him and meere ignorance in the meane season hindreth his consent But in the other partie there is a loose libertie of believing what him listeth and an obstinate resolution not to beleeue and obey the church any further then they themselues shall thinke good These men I say albeit they beleeue aright in Iesus Christ touching his owne person and mediation and do not deny anie article of the Apostles Creede at least as they vnderstand it yet do they dwell in the state of damnation and shall not bee saued vnles they repent This proposition I know will seeme ouer rigorous and terrible vnto many but being a matter of eternall saluation or damnation at least as I take it they must giue mee leaue that preferre the honour of Gods truth before the phansies of men and the care of their salvation before currying of false favour with them to aduertise them of it whiles they haue time to take heed to it requesting them to consider well of the reasons that I shall now deliuer vnto them in proofe of the same and then I trust in God they will also come to bee of my opinion therin The first may bee thus propounded If it were sufficient to saluation to beleeue in Christ and in the other articles of the Creede as they take them this great absurdity would ensue therof that all heretikes anciently condemned were vniustlie condemned might well notwithstanding their heresies and condemnation haue liued and died in the state of saluation which to imagine were to condemne all the Orthodox churches and ancient fathers of great impiety and extreame want of Christian Charity I will proue that absurd sequele by the enumeration of the most notorious Heretikes The Arrians for example did professe to beleeue in Christ so farre forth as is deliuered in the said Creede To wit that hee was the only sonne of his father borne of the virgin Mary and our Lord. They did indeed denie him to bee consubstantiall that is of the same substance with his father and coeternall but thervpon discoursed much like as some Protestants do now about Transubstantiation who professe Christs bodie to bee really present in the blessed SacrameÌ„t because Christs words do teach that plainly but they will not admitt of Transubstantiation in any case for that they find not that word set downe in the scriptures So thes Arrians did professe to beleeue Christ to bee the Saviour of the world to bee also the sonne of God trulie and really yet because there was no meÌ„tioÌ„ of Consubstantiall in the scriptures therfore they were content to beleeue so much as was in the scriptures but their tender coÌ„sciences forsooth would not suffer theÌ„ to adueÌ„ture one pace beyoÌ„d the express word of God Notwithstanding their faire pretence they were roundly condemned by the church in the first generall councell for most damnable Heretikes if vnder that pretext they refused to bâ—leeue that Christ Iesus was consubstantiall vnto his father and coeternall The Nestorians beleeued all that the Orthodox church taught of our saviour Christ Iesus and of all the other articles of faith saving that they held him to haue two distinct persoÌ„s aswell as hee had two differeÌ„t natures To wit the nature of man to haue had his owne person of man euen as the nature of God had the person of God The