prevented In like manner and upon the same grounds the Christians of the first times were more holy more unmoved in their faith more zealous for the glory of God then in following ages because the grounds of assurance and other motives did more immediately and so more strongly make an impression upon their minds Notwithstanding the faith and holinesse of the times further distant from the Apostles caeteris paâ—ibus is perhaps more acceptable to God and more meritori us as having more of the will in it as our Saviour implyes in the forecited speech to S. Thomas CHAP. XXVI Grounds pre-required to the Churches Authority 1. HAving shewed the certainty of Tradition in generall and some severall degrees of it and withall the incomparable advantage which the Church as a simple proponent ha's to prove the certainty of her Tradition of those doctrines which concern the substance of Christian Religion In the next place I proceeded to make some neerer approaches to the consideration of the Authority which she challenges to her self and whereby she obliges all in her Communion to believe receive and embrace whatsoever she thus proposeth that is to â—cknowledge the Verity and divine originall of all those Christian revelations deposited in her hands and severall wayes both by orall instruction practise or writing delivered by her to all Christians to be by them believed practised and obeyed The Church as a simple proponent only tells us that such doctrines books and rites were antiently delivered as divine and attested by divine miracles believed most assuredly to be such by all Christians And in respect of this way of proposing even her enemies may joyn with her to confirm this Tradition proofes thereof we find in Jewish and Heathen Authors The Jewes all confesse that the Religion by Christ and his Apostles preached in the world was at least pretended to be of divine authority That strange wonders pretended likewise to be wrought by a divine omnipotence gave testimony hereto But yet neither Jews nor Heathens assent to what Christians infer from hence namely that these were indeed divine miracles and by consequence the Doctrine confirmed by them divine also 2. This being so the Church before she can interpose and make use of her authority to oblige any to submit to the particular doctrines and practises by her proposed and by her likewise where need is explained and interpreted must give a firm unquestionable assurance of these two things 1. That the Religion in grosse which Tradition on all hands agrees to have been delivered is divine and hath been more then sufficiently proved to be so 2. That one of the speciall doctrines of this Religion is her authority so far extended I say this assurance must be firm and unquestionable in both these points for if it be only probable though in never so high a degree I was not able to comprehend how that which is built upon such a ground could be absolutely firm and unquestionable 3. To demonstrate therefore the former point viz. concerning our assurance of the divine originall of Christian Religion I suppose this for a ground That from sufficient principles reason can conclude certainly and necessarily which not being to be denyed by rrason I adde that the principles to be laid by reason as a ground of this our assurance are 1. The consideration of what a nature those miracles were which that they have been wrought we have from Traditâ—on not only assurance but the highest degree of assurance that Tradition can almost afford 2 Of what a nature Christian Religion delivered by an equally assured Tradition is for the confirmation whereof such miracles were wrought These two principles as they give mutual vertue each to other and both of them together do necessarily conclude all that we desire to demonstrate so they ought not easily be disjoyned For first some of the same effects which in Christianity we call true miracles no doubt have been wrought in places where a false Religion hath been professed And on the other side every Religion wherein there is no impiety is not necessary to be esteemed of divine originall But when can it be demonstrated that true miracles have been wrought for the asserting of a Religion and that that Religion teacheth supernaturall doctrines of holynesse piety justice c. then nothing can in reason be objected against it 4. In the present case therefore 1. Concerning Miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles c. to the end that I may only point at these things since it is not my present purpose to speake of this argument but only as a preparation to my information concerning the churches authority and Resolution of Faith we may consider as in this number of miracles 1. Propeecies in the Old Testament brought to us by most assured Tradition wherein we find expressely foretold that the Messiah should come before the Scepter was departed from Judah that is before the particular Commonwealth of the Jews was destroyed that he should teach a new Covenant to be written not in Tables of Stone but in the hearts of Gods people that he should confirm this Covenant by the same Miracles which our Saviour actually wrought that the Gentiles after the death and glorification of the Messiah should be received into this Covenant and the Jews for their infidelity rejected c. 2. Stupendious miracles apparently wrought by Christ and his Apostles to which because they were but a few persons end therefore lest the narrownesse of the scene should prejudice their authority we may ad a continuance of the like miracles performed by the successors of the Apostles in all the parts of the Roman Empire and by a world of persons learned and unlearned men and women c. None of which could have been performed by any inferiour naturall agent known of us and therefore either by God himself immediately or by good supernaturall spirits at least 5. In the second place for the doctrines and precepts of Christianity the former are indeed many of them above the reach of naturall reason but not directly against it conducing very much to the glory of the divine incomprehensible Majesty and the latter directing mankind in the most perfect manner imagineable to glorifie God to renounce deâ—ie and contemn wicked Spirits teaching men to performe all duties of justice and charity to all manner of persons respectively to preserve peace and tranquility in the world and lastly to perfectionate every single person in sobriety chastity c. after a manner more then humane so that if man be capable of being elevated to a â—elicity beyond nature this is the onely Religion worthy to bring him to it 6. From these principles reason may conclude most assuredly 1. That such miracles were certainly wrought many of them immediately by an omnipotent power and the rest at least by good Angells as Gods Ministers since it is impossible that wicked Spirits should be willing to strain themselves so far on purpose to
of the most learned Protestant writers by which they vertually confesse that if they had lived in S. Gregories dayes they would as well have separated from him Besides it appeares by S. Gregories Epistles that he as Pope enjoyed a supereminent authority and sollicitously exercised a care over all Christian churches As for his Jurisdiction as Patriarch and the extension thereof that I took not here into consideration since it is not a point pretended to be an Article of Faith 3. From S. Gregories dayes till the separation of the East from the externall jurisdiction rather then the Faith of the Pope and Western churches the whole body of the church under one visible Head remained as it did before enjoying the title of the Catholique church no other pretending thereto 4. Since the Division of the East from the Westerne churches caused as I conceive upon a quarrell about the Popes Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and not any point of Doctrine the limits of the Catholique church seem to be much streitned Concerning which Schisme if it be indeed a Schisme properly so called I apprehended no necessity to be very curious to inform my self being perswaded during the time of my being a Protestant that as for that one point of belief concerning the Procession of the Holy Ghost wherein the Greek church expresseth her self otherwise then the Roman if in substance and sense there be a reall difference that the Roman church was Orthodox And besides that I know not any point of doctrine wherein the Greek church agrees with Protestants to condemn the Roman church It is true they communicate in both kinds but I could never find that the Greeks made that point any pretext of their division from the Roman neither indeed can they since they also give the Eucharist to the sick onely in one kind acknowledging withall that such communicants receive the whole effect of the Sacrament As for the story of the Schisme it was begun by Photius the Pseudo-Patriarch of Constantinople upon ambition and interest because the Pope would not confirm his illegall intrusion into that Chair which generally ha's been a fatall occasion of almost all Schismes as long since S. Cyprian hath observed Lastly it is manifest that those rights of Jurisdiction also which since that Schisme have been denied by the Greeks to the Pope were not then begun to be demanded but had been possessed by him for severall ages so that there was at least injustice if not error on the Grecians part 7. Fourthly that the Pope as successor of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles ha's a primacy and superiority over all Bishops and Patriarchs yea an authority over the whole Catholique church so that he may truly be called the Head of the Church ha's been delivered by so constant and universal a Tradition that it cannot without extreme impudence be denied Now how far this superiority and authority extends I thought it needlesse curiously to inform my self since as far as I can learn all that the church requires in this point even from ecclesiasticall persons is a subscription to this profession mentioned in the Bull of Pope Pius IV annexed to the Councell of Trent and collected out of the same viz. Romano Pontifici Beati Petri Apostolorum Principis successori ac Jesu Christi Uicario veram obedientiam spondeo ae juro i. e. I do promise and sweare true obedience to the Pope of Rome successor of blessed S. Peter Prince of the Apostles and Vicar of Jesus Christ. 8. Now that thus much is of universall Tradition what greater proof can be desired then may be afforded us in a late book entituled Les Grandeurs dell ' Eglise Romaine where such a world of testimonies out of Councells Occumenicall and Provinciall Popes Fathers both Eastern and Westerne Histories Ecclesiasticall c. are produced to maintain the Co-union of S. Paul with S. Peter in at least some degree of his universall authority which not withstanding are not an hundredth part of that which may be alledged out of antiquity for S. Peters Principality and the Popes as his successor Yea that great Councell of Chalced on acknowledged and received in England even when it endeavoured to deprive the Pope of some part of Jurisdiction yet acknowledged this his superiority and authority as Pope the Bishops there calling him their Head and themselves with all Christians members under that Head Moreover Socrates and Zozomen writers far from being partiall for the Pope yet mention antient immemoriall canons of the church wherein at least a negative voice is given to the Pope in any thing that shall be introduced to oblige the whole church To conclude Monsieur Blondel the most learned French controvertist that ever undertook their common quarrell against the Pope in that large volume which is spent in confuting particular extravagant opinions concerning that subject as touching the infallibility and Monarchicall Omnipotence of the Pope his Lordly and domineering headship and a Monarchicall power usurped by him by which to subdue all the members of Christ c. yet notwithstanding which is very remarkable he confesseth himself that never any Councell or Nation no not that of Florence nor Trent it self ever adventured to define any thing concerning such excessive titles and power as the Popes Partizans do attribute to him But on the contrary that the titles of the Apostle S. Peter ought not to be put in debate since that the Grecians and Protestants also do confesse that it hath beone believed and that it might be indeed that he was the President and Head or Chiefe Chef of the Apostles the foundation of the Church and possessor of the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven Yea moreover That Rome as being a Church consecrated by the residence and Martyrdome of S. Peter whom antiquity hath acknowledged to be the Head Chef of the College Apostolique having been honored with the title of the Seat of the Apostle S. Peter might without difficulty be considered by one of the most renowned Councells viz. that of Chalcedon as Head Chef of the Church Which is in effect to acknowledge that the necessary doctrine of the Roman church concerning the Popes Primacy and Authority is Orthodox 9. Upon which grounds since it appeares to have been an universall Tradition of the church besides expresse words of Scripture that the Catholique Church was to remaine visible to the end of the world that is a church possessed of all substantiall Christian doctrines preserved in all truth governed by lawfull Pastours as one body consisting of ruling and ruled members under one visible head which S. Cyprian makes the foundation of Unity Ecclesiasticall I concluded as I thought rationally that that part of the Christian world which continued in Communion with and obedience to this so acknowledged Supreme Authority might and ought most justly to challenge the title of the Catholique Church 10. Therefore though the priviledge of an independent Patriarchall church which the English Protestants
practise wherein they differed from and apparently came short of the English Church were indeed of so high a nature as to dishearten me from embracing their communion any other way then by allowing them my Charity in not condemning them which I also afforded even to the Roman Church it selfe 2. Now among the differences where in all other Sects pretending to a Reformation were distinguishable from the English as wanting certaine priviledges and commendable qualities which she enjoyed some I found to be commune to all those Sects especially the Lutherans and Calvinists Others to be proper and peculiar to each Concerning these latter I found it to little purpose to spend much time in examining them because the former commune ones did more then sufficiently dishearten me from adjoyning my selfe to their Communion And those were especially these five viz. 1. Their grounding their beliefe both of the bookes of Scripture and the true sence of them not upon the universall Tradition of the Church but their owne private Spirit which as they pretended assured them that the Apostles and Evangelists were the Authors of them and that the sences which they collected from them were the true undoubted sences of them 2. Their apparent want of a lawfull succession of Ecclesiasticall Governours and Teachers joyn'd with an unsufferable presumption in condemning of Tyranny that Government of Bishops which had been apparently setled in the universall Church without contradiction since the Apostles Times 3. Their Doctrines and practises of Sedition and Rebellion 4. Their professed hatred of peace and Reunion with the Catholique Church 5. The prodigious personall qualities of Luther and Calvin which shewed them to be persons extreamly unfit to be relyed upon or acknowledged for Apostles and Reformers 3. Concerning the first commune difference namely The Calvinist's and Lutheran's grounding their beliefe of Christian Doctrines and their sence of them and generally of the bookes of Scripture not upon the authority and Tradition of the Church so much as upon a private Spirit testimony or suggestion pretended to bee infused from the Spirit of God by which they took upon themselves to be assured of the truth of Christianity of their expressions of severall Articles of Faith and of their perswasion that the Apostles and Evangelists were the Authours of those Divine writings what little satisfaction I found in this maine Foundation of their Religion I shall reserve to demonstrate hereafter For the present I desire that to bee mistaken when I call this one of the differences and disadvantages which the Lutherans and Calvinists c. have in comparing them with the English Church For though it bee true that by rationall consequence from the grounds declared of the English Church the former position will evidently follow notwithstanding shee ha's beene more moderate and wary then publiquely to pretend to such a Private Spirit and by consequence has left a latitude and liberty for them in her Communion to renounce it as many of the most learned among them have done CHAP. X. Apparent want yea renouncing of a lawfull succession of Ecclesiasticall Governours and Teachers among Lutherans and Calvinists I. A Second thing wherein the Lutherans and Calvinists agreed to disagree with the Church of England was their want of Bishops and by consequence of a lawfully ordained Clergy This was an inconvenience so much the more hard to be digested by mee and which deserved neither excuse nor commiseration because by reason of their want of Bishops at their first pretended Reformations they came to that shamelesnesse as to seeke to palliate this defect by a desperate condemning of the Order it selfe as a tyranny and usurpation crept into the Church against the expresse Order of Christ and his Apostles And though they especially the French Calvinists might afterward have in some sort remedied this defect by receiving a Cleargy by the Ordination of the English Bishops whereto they have beene earnestly follicited as namely by Bishop Morton notwithstanding they utterly persisted in the utter refusall of suffering this important disadvantage to be cured which perverse Spirit of theirs Arnobius cont Gen. lib. 6. elegantly describes in these words Quod semel fine ratione fecistis ne videamini aliquando nesciisse defenditis that is That thing which yee once unreasonably did to avoid the imputation of having beene ignorant yee still maintaine Yea to that ridiculous impudence have they arrived in Scotland not many yeares since as to admit one to publique Penance in the Church onely for having beene a Protestant Bishop 2. I cannot forbeare to give a taste of Luthers Spirit with reference to this subject lively represented in a Bull by him published to this Tenour Anno Domini M. D. XXIII Nunc attendite vos Episcopi imò larvae Diaboli Doctor Lutherus vult vobis Bullam Reformationem legere quae vobis non bene sonabit Doctoris Lutheri Bulla Reformatio Quicumque opem ferunt c. That is Now bee attentive O yee Bishops or rather disguises of the Devill Doctour Luther will reade to you a Bull which will not sound pleasingly unto you The Bull and Reformation of Doctour Luther Whosoever brings assistance spends Body Life and Honour to the end that Bishopricks may be wasted and the Government of Bishops extinguished such are the beloved children of God and true Christians observing the Commandements of God and resisting the Ordinances of the Devill Or if they be not able to doe thus much let them at least condemne and avoid that Government But on the contrary whosoever maintaine the Government of Bishops and obey them voluntarily such are tho very Ministers of the Devill and resist the Ordinance and Law of God Hitherto is Luthers Bull. And I desire that any reasonable Christian would confesse whether he can chuse but believe that the very same whom Luther himselfe confesseth to have beene his Counsellour and perswader to leave Masse was his Secretary likewise to write this Bull And that a man should not think that this was onely one of Luthers frantick extravagancies the horrible effect will demonstrate the contrary which was a fearfull insurrection and Rebellion of a World of Countrey people combined by Oath to the ruine of severall Ecclesiasticall Princes in Germany who were content in that cause to stand to Luthers judgement Who when he perceived they were unfurnished of armes and unlâ—kâ—ly to prosper in their designe lest their Rebeâ—lion and the effects of it should be imputed to him was content to exhort them to obedience 3. Calvin and Beza c. though more subtile yet were not lesse malicious against Episcopacy as appeares in severall of their Treatises and Epistles Yea Calvin ascended to that height of arrogance as to professe that that Order and Discipline which hee had forged in Geneva and whereof not one single patterne can be given since Christs Time was not onely justifiable but necessarily obliging all Christians to conforme unto 4. Whether it may in some
same Author l. 5. c. 19. taught his Disciples many Traditions not written Again S. Dyony Arcop Hier. Eccl. c. 1. at least even by acknowledgment of the most learned Protestants an Author of the second or third age Those prime Captains and heads of our Hierarchy thought it necessary to deliver unto us those sublime and supersubstantiall Mysteries both in written unwritten instructions Again S. Fab. Pope â—â— Martyr Ep. 1. ad Episc. Orientis speaking of holy Chrisme to be renewed every yeare of which no mention is in Scripture addes These things we received from the Holy Apostles and their successors which we require you to observe Againe Tertullian de Cor. Mil. cap. 4. discoursing as he often does of severall rites and practises not mentioned in Scripture concludes in one place thus Of all these and other disciplines of the like nature if thou shalt require a law out of Scripture thou shalt finde none Tradition shall be alledged to thee for the Author Custome the confirmer and Faith the observer Againe S. Irenaeus Cont. Haer. lib. 3. c. 4. What if the Apostles had not left us Scriptures ought we not to have followed the Order of Tradition which they delivered to those to whom they committed the Churches to which ordination give proofe many nations of those Barbarous people who beleeve in Christ having salvation written in their hearts by the Spirit without characters or inke and diligently observing the ancient Tradition Againe the Fathers assembled in that ancient Councell of Gangres Can. 21. We desire that all those things which have been delivered in divine Scriptures and by Tradition of the Apostles should be observed in the Church Againe S. Basil de Spir. Sanc. to cap. 27. 29. of the dogmes and instructions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserved in the Church some we have by written institutions others we have delivered by the secret Tradition of the Apostles Both which sorts have the same authority for as much as concernes piety and there is no man will contradict this that is never so little experienc'd in the law of the Church The same Father in the same Chapter The day would faile me if I should produce all the Mysteries which the Church observes without writing And a little after I account in an Apostolique thing to persist constantly in observing Traditions not written Againe Eusebius Caesariensis de dem Evang. lib. 1. who having said that Christ did not as Moses leave his Law written in Tables or Paper but in the hearts of his Apostles who likewise following the example and intention of their Master Have consign'd their doctrines some indeed in writing and others they have delivered to be observed by lawes unwritten Againe S. Chrysostome 2 Thes. cap. 2. From hence it appeares that the Apostles have not delivered all things by Epistles but likewise many things without writing now both those and these deserve to be equally believed Againe S. Epiphanius haer 61. We must likewise make use of Tradition for all things cannot be taken out of Scripture And therefore the Holy Apostles have given us some things in writing and others by Tradition Againe S. Augustin de Bap. cont Don. lib. 5. cap. 23. speaking against those that maintained that Haeretiques ought to be rebaptised The Apostles sayth he have prescribed nothing concerning this thing But this custome which was opposite to S. Cyprian ought to be believed to have taken its originall from their Tradition as there are many things which the uniuersall Church observe â—â—h and for that reason are rightly beleeved â—â— have been commanded by the Apostles although they are not found in their writings These quotations seemed sufficient to me to shew the generall Opinion of the Fathers to be consonant to the Conclusion before mentioned CHAP. II. The Roman Church agreeing with Fathers in the same Rule of Faith All Sects of Protestants disagree with the Fathers 1. NOw to the end to confront with Antiquity the present Roman and Protestant Churches that it may appeare which of them are the true legitimate children of those Fathers Wee will begin with the Roman Church whose mind we finde clearly expressed in the Decree of the Councell of Trent Sess. 4. concerning Canonicall Scriptures in these words Sacrosanâ—â—a c. Tridentina Synodus c. Perspiciens hanc veritatem c. that is The most holy c. Synod of Trent c. Clearly perceiving that this truth and discipline namely the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles is contained in bookes written and unwritten Traditions which were received from Christs Mouth or delivered as it were from hand to hand from the Apostles to whom the Holy Ghost dictated it hath arrived even to us Following the Oxthodox examples of the Fathers receives and venerates with an equall affection of duty and reverence all bookes as well of the Old as New Testament since one God is the authour of both as likewise the Traditions themselves whether perteining to Faith or Manners as dictated either by Christs own Mouth or by the Holy Ghost and by a continued succession preserved in the Catholique Church Thus far the Councell of Trent 2. Whether the Roman Church has indeed made good this her profession viz. That in this decree shee followes the Orthodox examples of the Fathers besides so many formall proofes before alledged the confession of many learned Protestants will justifie her As Cartwright Cartw. Witgift Def p. 103. speaking of the forementioned or like quotations out of S. Augustin saith To approve this speech of Augustin is to bring in Popery c. So likewise Whittaker Fulk Kemnitius c. Whit. de Laec. Ser. p. 678. 681. 690 c. Fulkâ— con Purg. p. 362. 397. Kemnit Exam. part 1. p. 87 c. for such like assertions of the Fathers condemne then generally and by name Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Epiphanius Tertullian Augustin Ambrose Hierome Chrysostome Eusebius Baesile Leo Maximus Theophilus Damascene c. 3. In opposition to this decreed Doctrine of the Roman Church and by consequence to the Orthodox examples of the Fathers aâ—â— manner of Sects that have separated from the Church or from one another since Luthers â—â—me agree almost in no other point unanimously except in this That the Scripture conteins in it expresly all things both concerning beliefe and practise which are necessary or but requisite to salvation And by consequence that no man is or ought to be obliged to submit to any Doctrine or precept any further then as it can be proved manifestly to him to be conteined in the written word of God 4. The Church of England Art 6. of English Church in particular makes this one of her peculiar Articles That the Holy Scripture conteineth all things necessary for salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an Article of Faith or to be thought requisite necessary to salvation
considered in a desperate estate for want of means or space to inform himselfe further then not only the Scripture or the Creed or one Gospell but perhaps this one verse in a Gospell This is eternall life to know thee the only true God Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent may be instruction sufficient to salvation and so arising proportionably to other circumstances in respect of other single persons more truths and instructions are necessary and more yet to persons enjoying sufficient means to information to Clergy-men to Congregations to well-ordered Churches Besides if the same Conclusion be considered in another sense without altering the expression a sense obvious enough not improper in which among other ancient Fathers S. Aug. explaines it as he was before quoted cap. 38. viz. that the Scripture here as likewise the Creed is to be taken as joyned with the Churches authority to which saith hee we are expresly referr'd in Scripture then it not onely conteines whatsoever is necessary to salvation in some qualifyed degree of necessity and to some certaine persons considered in some certaine circumstances but likewise in the most exalted importance of the word necessary and to all persons considered either as single or in actuall Communion c. Lastly if the same Conclusion be so understood that the words of Scripture may be I doe not say supplyed but even interpreted by the Tradition of the ancient Church and authority of the present so many Catholiques will subscribe to it 3. This conclusion therefore being so variously applicable and by consequence capable of being orthodox or erroneous according to severall applications in the next place I was to reflect upon my present condition to try whether it befitted mee or no. Now for the present I was in quest of a Church that Church wherein I had been bred e're this time being almost ready to expire I lived in an age wherin there was no want of meanes of learning and instruction even to excesse for the overmuch light made many men too too wanton and curious I had been bred after such a manner that I was capable in some reasonable degree not only of information but likewise of an ability to judge what instructour could approve himselfe to be the fittest to be followed and beleived and for that purpose I endeavoured all I could to free my mimd from all prejudices and partiality in these circumstances two parties invited me to their communion and a Communion some where or other I knew was necessary The one sayd You may without inevitable danger perhaps take your choice of eiâ—her but certainly your best and safest way is to come to us for we will propose to your beleife nothing but the acknowledged written word of God and that wee have for this hundred yeares beleived to conteine all things necessary not only for your salvation but any mans else You shall have the satisfaction to bee freed from all visible authority interpreting that Word The Spirit will teach you to interpret it as truly as wee doe for otherwise we shall not suffer you in our Communion The other party on the contrary protested aloud that if I joyned not with them I was utterly lost that they would propose to me nothing but Divine Revelation conteined not onely in bookes written but Traditions unwritten both conveyed by the same hand and with the same authority and therefor if either both to be received that the former inviters were a new faction for worldly interests divided from the whole world and apparently from a Church which had continued ever since Christs time in an un-interrupted succession of instructers and Doctrine of Teachers appointed for Guides not onely by testimonie of all ages but likewise of the same Scriptures upon which their adversaries pretended to ground their Schismeâ— that these Guides had continually preserved the Church in a perfect unity of beliefe whereas the other party within one age that they have appeared have been torne into near an hundred Sects All of them with equally-noâ— Justice pretending to the same Rule and with the same Rule fighting with one another without the least effect of union not one controversy among them having been to this day cleared 4. In these circumstances coming to the examination of this fundamentall ground of Protestantisme That the Scriptures conteine all points of beliefe and practise necessary to salvation I found it necessary without any change made in the words to apply the termes necessary to salvation not to one or more persons ignorant destitute of meanes of knowledge and in some particular unavoydable exigence but to my self considered in the conditions before mentioned yea further to all Christians in generall and to the exigence of Churches well ordered and setled as on all sides they pretended to be And having done thus I found that no Antiquity ever delivered this Conclusion in so large a sense yea on the contrary that generally all Antiquity protested against it I found that no reason could require that writings evidently intended for sepciall uses and confuting three or foure Haeresies should be made use of or however should be accounted sufficiently and expressly convictive against Opinions not named in them and not them thought upon by the Authours as if they had been entire Systemes of Christianity In a word I found that after I had applyed this conclusion to the present use and Hypothesis the arguments and reasons produced by Mr. Chillingworth c. dâ—d not evince or conclude that which would give me in the case I was any satisfaction at all especially considering that if the Protestants had gained the better in this particular concerning a Rule yet I should be far from being at rest in their Churches unlesse they could further demonstrate that the Scripture conteined all these things so expresly and clearely to all eyes naming those particular necessary doctrines in contradistinction to others unnecessary or but profitable or perhaps requisite onely and applying them to the persons respectively to whom they are necessary and all this after such a manner that no honest reasonable man could remaine in doubt or be in danger of quarrelling with others a thing which mine owne eyes confuâ—ed since I apparently saw earnest contentions and separations about points not onely by my selfe but by the whole Christian world for above thirteene hundred years together esteemed necessary And since by my small reading I had found that there was not one Article of the Creed which had not been questioned and contradicted Or unlesse they could demonstrate that there was no particular point at all necessary Or lastly that there was some visible authority to decide unappealeably what was to be acknowledged for the true sense of Scripture and in it what was onely true what usefull what requisite and what necessary But these were conditions such as that the Protestants had not confidence enough to promise the former and they were too proud and confident of themselves to allow the
latter CHAP. XIII An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's discourse and reasonings premised before his proofes out of Scripture 1. BUt to come at last to Mr. Chillingworth's reasons and quotations out of Scripture to prove that all things necessary to salvation are not onely sufficiently conteined in the bookes of Scripture in generall but even in any one of the Gospells mentioned before cap. 26. And first for the examination of that which he layes as a ground of his enforcing the said quotations viz. That no man ought to be obliged upon paine of Excommunication to believe any thing but what God hath revealed to be necessary to eternall salvation which is the substance of the New Covenant made by God in Christ conteining points of necessary beliefe and precepts of necessary Evangelicall obedience His reasons being Why should any errour or ignorance exclude him from the Churches Communion which will not deprive him of eternall salvatio Why should men be more rigid then God c. 2. In stead of answering to this I acknowledge the foundation to be very substantiall and the Reasons very concluding Onely I must take leave to explaine one phrase in this discourse viz. Things which are of the substance of the New Covenant For if his meaning be that onely those things are necessary to be believed explicitely which are essentiall substantiall parts of the New Covenant and that directly and of their owne nature I must then deny it and so does himselfe elsewhere although in this place that which followes in consequence to this foundation does seeme to require such a sence of the words And to prove the reasonablenesse of my denyall he being now unfortunately dead I desire any Protestant to resolve these questions To believe that our Lord was descended according to the flesh from Abraham or David is it of the substance of the New Covenant directly and of its own Nature We shall both of us answer No. Nor by consequence is it necessary to salvation to know or believe it I aske then further But suppose a man finde that proposition expresly in Scriptures sufficiently proposed to him and acknowledged to be the word of God is it not then necessary to salvation to believe it I will answer againe as both of us should doe Yes without any question the reason being evident because though to believe Christ to be the Son of Abraham be not in it selfe of the essence of the Covenant yet to believe that whatsoever God sayes is true is and by consequence an accessory may by some circumstances be made essentiall and a man may come to be damned for not believing that which without any the least prejudice to him he might never have known or heard of So likewise for any one who believes that the Church is the depositary of divine Revelation and that she is endued with authority from Christ to command things though in themselves not necessary yet such as she thinkes helpfull to piety for such a man I say to refuse to believe the unlawfulnesse of Rebaptization for example acknowledged by the whole Church both in her universall practise and profession that it was a Tradition unwritten which came from the Apostles and confirm'd by the authority of a lawfull Councell or againe to refuse to absteine and fast in Lent Fridayes Quatuor-Temporibus c. the Church commanding him both these refusalls though the former be of a doctrine of it selfe not of the essence of the New Covenant and the later of an action little more then circumstantiall are mortall sinnes and the Church may justly excommunicate and by consequence God will assureedly condemne such as persist obstinately in such refusalls And this for a reason more effectuall then the former because namely obedience to the Chnrch is not onely commanded expresly in Scripture as in the former case but commanded under this very penalty of Excommunication which the former was not for saith our Lord If any one heare not the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican 3. But to proceede Mr. Chillingworth to prove that this New Covenant is entirely conteined not onely in the whole Scripture but also in the foure Gospells yea sufficiently even in any one of the foure he first alledges these reasons Because saith he the Evangelist's having a purpose to write the Gospell of Christ or new Covenant no reason can be imagined that they who have set downe many passages unnecessary should neglect any necessary for what a negligence must this needs be such an one surely as no man in these dayes undertaking the same designe would commit Besides with what truth could they stile their bookes the Gospell of Christ if they were onely a part of it 4. Hereto I answer that if by the Gospell of Christ he had meant the story of the life acts discourses sufferings death Resurrection and Ascension of our Saviour as I mentioned in my preparatory grounds I should willingly grant that the foure Evangelists joyntly have written the Gospell of Christ entirely not omitting any passage thereof necessary or very requisite to be known I say the foure Evangelists joyntly for of each severally I cannot say so For for example S. Marke either because S. Mathew had done it sufficiently before or for what other reason I will not trouble my selfe to divine but S. Marke omitting the Incarnation of our Lord of a pure Virgin his birth and all things that followed till he was thirty yeares old begins his Gospell with S. Iohn Baptists mission to preach now I suppose these Mysteries omitted by S. Marke are at least in a high degree requisite to be known and believed generally yea I will adde necessary since they are expressed in the Apostles Creed as short as it is yet not necessary absolutely and indispensably to every person in what state soever but only to those that live in the Church much more to persons of ability and parts yet more to Teachers and most of all to Congregations and Churches and if so then that which Master Chillingworth would conclude from hence cannot be satisfactory in this controversie among such persons and Sects and at this time as I shewed before So likewise the Evangelist S. John besides almost all the miracles Sermons and parables mentioned by other Evangelists omitt's the Blessed Sacrament and the Story of our Saviours Ascension Now I desire any Protestant to say whether what ever would become of some particular person ignorant of these things by an excuse of an impossibility of instruction a man living as now in sufficient light and much more one obliged to be a teacher of others could be saved with ignorance of these things omitted by S. John I further desire him to say whether a society of men desiring to be joyned and ordered so as to be made a Christian Church if they had onely S. Johns Gospell for their Rule and patterne yea though they had all the foure Evangelists yea all the Evangelicall writings whether
3. As concerning books of Scripture the Tradition of them may appear certaine in a high degree at least for the substance of the books For though at first they were written for the use and necessity of particular Churches and persons and no Obligation appears expressely to have been imposed to disperse them through the whole Church Notwithstanding the infinite reverence which all Christians bore to the Apostles made every church desirous to possesse themselves of whatsoever writings proceeded from them Yet this not out of any extreme necessity for from their first foundation all churches were instructed in all points and doctrines of Christianity as likewise the same orders of government publique worship c. and this after an uniform manner as appeared to me evident not only from the antient Liturgies but severall testimonies out of Tertullian S. Epiphanius S. Augustine c. But there was required a long time e're such writings could be universally spread yea several ages were passed before they were all of them received even at Rome it self as appears out of S. Hierome For before they were admitted into the Canon we may be sure that great caution and exact information was used So that after all this they having been now many ages acknowledged by the whole church for divine writings we may have a greater assurance of them then of the books of Aristotle Cicero c. which by reason men were not much concerned whether they were legitimate or supposititious have not been examined with so much advice and caution and yet that man that should pretend to a doubt of them would be suspected of all men to be tainted in his understanding But this high degree of certitude we have only of the divine books considered in gross not of the true reading of particular Texts as appears by the infinite variety of readings in Manuscripts yet even in this respect also we may assure our selves that there is no corruption very considerable or of very dangerous consequence by considering not only Gods providence and promises to his church but likewise by comparing the originall Texts with such a world of Translations Syriake Arabick AEthiopian Latin c. many of which were made in the very infancy of the church long before the Archetype or Original copies were lost some of which Tertullian sayes remained in his dayes 4. In the third place reason told me that such ceremonies as were universally practised through the whole church from the first times though not mentioned in Scripture might justifie themselves to be derived from the Apostles with a greater certainty then even the books of Scripture themselves according to that saying of S. Augustine Ep. 118. Those things which we observe and are not written but delivered and are practised all the world over are to be understood to have been commanded and appointed either by the Apostles themselves or by Generall Councells the authority whereof is most healthfull in the Church Which Tertullian before him thus expressed de Praesor This custome certainly proceeded from Apostolique Tradition for how could that come into generall practise which was not delivered by Tradition Now of such kind of rites many examples are extant in antient Liturgies and many more mentioned as universally received by Tertullian S. Cyprian c. who wrote before there had been in the church any plenary Councell and therefore by S. Augustines rule argue such rites to have come from the Apostles The reason is because it is not imagineable how it could be possible that such rites should be received by all churches through the world and that so immediately after the Apostles times and in such a season when there had never been any generall meeting of Bishops yea when by reason of the horriblenesse of the persecutions it was extremely difficult for the Bishops of one Province to meet together to settle particular necessary affairs in none of which Synods notwithstanding is the least mention made of ordaining such ceremonies if together with Christian Religion they had not been introduced by the Apostles Let now any reasonable man judge if the books of Scripture which he acknowledges only upon the ground of generall Tradition however certainly and unquestionably divine yet do not want some of these arguments of demonstration and enjoy some of the rest in an inferiour degree 5. But fourthly Doctrines or customes shining in the generall practise of the Church and withall more or Lesse clearly expressed in Scripture that is indeed the whole substance and and frame of Christian Religion as was shewed before and therein many points now in controversie between Catholiques and Protestants c. and above all other this point of the Churches authority may prove themselves certain in a degree beyond all these and with as much assurance as Tradition is capable of I am confidently perswaded beyond the highest degree that I mentioned for secular Tradition in the example of King William the Conqueror of England For first all the persons living in the time of Luthers Apostacy in all Provinces not of one Kingdome but of the whole Catholique Church agreed in testifying that their ancestours had delivered such things to them as of Tradition Apostolicall and by consequence since the contrary cannot be made apparent we are to judge the same of all precedent ages ascending upwards till the first times not one Catholique expressely dissenting and much lesse any one age So that unlesse in some one age of the church all Catholiques should should have conspired to tell a lye to their children and not only so but should have been able to have seduced them not one appearing that would have the honesty to discover the deceit I could not conceive it possible that a Tradition of such a nature could be false Add to the confirmation of the same doctrines the testimonies of Histories and Records yea even of enemies for many doctrines and practises Moreover the laws continually in force through the Catholike Church lastly the publike forms of Devotions Feasts times of mortifications c. All these arguments of certainty conspire in a far more eminent manner to prove these kind of doctrines and rites then in the example of William the Conquerour 5. But beyond all these something may be added to which that secular example doth in no visible distance approach For did William the Conqueror ever appoint any persons about him to write all the considerable particulars of his story supplying them with all things for the enabling them to that purpose Did he work miracles himself for the confirming his authority and give power to his servants and their successors for severall ages to do the like Did he appoint a succession of Teachers to the worlds end sufficiently instructed commanding them to keep warily the depositum of that Religion both from mixture and perishing and so to deliver it to their successors and this upon great penalties of disobeying Did he besides solemn dayes for severall uses institute outward rites
not only to receive the Scriptures from her as a depositary of them but the true interpretation likewise of them preserved by her together with all other Traditions as much as concerns the substance of Christian Religion This authority seems to be grounded especially upon the promise of indefectibility an indefectibility I mean of the Church considered as one body composed of parts ruling and obeying teachers and persons instructed as S. Paul describes the Church as it is to continue to the perfecting of the Saints Eph. 4. Not as Mr. Chillingworth who would make our Saviours meaning to be no more but that till his second coming his Gospell should not be so utterly rooted out of the world but that somewhere or other there should be some that should professe it 2. By vertue of this promise the Church is assured 1. not to be deprived neither of any necessary truths nor of lawfull Pastors to teach those necessary truths when I say necessary I mean not absolutely necessary to every single person considered in any circumstance exigence or extremity as Mr. Chillingworth and Doctor Potter c. through their whole books understand it whether mistaking their adversaries or no I thought it unnecessary to trouble my self to examine but I am sure without any prejudice to the established doctrine of the Church which remains untouched though all the inferences which they would make from such a notion of the word necessary were allowed them but I mean truths necessary to the constitution of a glorious visible Church which must be furnished with a world of Doctrines and Orders which to all single persons are far from being necessary to be believed or known much lesse to persons wanting abilities or means or time to be instructed 2. She is secured from Schisme or Heresie for remaining to the worlds end one holy Catholique Church as we professe in the Creed how can she be divided from her self either in Faith or Charity For unlesse all Bishops in Councells Oecumenicall and indeed all Christians should conspire to renounce that truth to day which they believed yesterday how can novelty or heresie enter universally into the Church under the notion of Tradition 3. Concerning the subject of this authority the principall subjects are indeed the Governours and Pastours of the Church with whom Christ hath promised that he will be to the end of the world But the adequate subject are all Catholique Christians as well instructers as instructed since Tradition is continued by them both shining in the doctrines taught and received in devotions exercised and in outward practises and ceremonies celebrated by all Christians 4 Now of this authority of the Church there are generally speaking two acts 1. An Obligation lying upon all Christians to acknowledge that doctrine to be true and necessarily to be believed and those practises necessarily to be conformed to which are taught and received by the whole Church and all this upon penalty of being accounted Heretiques that is no members of the Church and therefore by consequence divided from Christ the head of the Church which inspires life into it here and will glorifie it hereafter 2. A coërzion or infliction of spirituall penalties and censures as suspensions deprivations excommunications c. on those that persist stubbornly in opposing those truths and practises And this belongs to the Teachers and Governours of the Church more or lesse according to their severall qualities For every Parish Priest ha's some degree of this coercive power over his stock every Bishop over both Priests and severall congregations within his Diocesse ha's more every Metropolitan a yet larger power A Provinciall Synod above a single Bishop or Metropolitan c. And in conclusion the supreme Ecclesiasticall tribunall is a Synod Occumenicall lawfully called confirmed and some adde universally received by all Catholique Churches that is by their Prelates from which there is no appealing for if there were all authority would be vain enjoying the name but without any effect or use at all as shall be shewed hereafter 5. Concerning the former act of Ecclesiasticall authority viz. an Obligation lying upon all Christians under pain of Heresie to receive the doctrines and practises of the universall Church that it is in the Church antecedently to a generall Councell appears by this namely that there were in the Church very many Heresies taken notice of acknowledged for such by all Catholikes and dissipated before any generall Councell had been called as the Ecclesiasticall history S. Epiphanius will assure us And this is grounded ◠Upon evident reason for what is heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a relinquishing of a former received opinion or practise and the choice of a particular new one an act this is which implies an extreme contempt of the whole mysticall body of Christ and a preferring ones own single judgment or wilfullnesse before whatsoever els is prudent or sacred in the world 2 Upon expresse Scripture for S. Paul commands the Thessalonians and S. John all Christians to abstain from the conversation of and not so much as to bid God speed to all disordinate walkers swerving from the rule established and all introducers of novelties in the Church Yea S. Paul sayes that an Heretique even before the Bishops censure is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned by himself that is as severall Fathers expound it voluntarily and by himselfe separated from the body of the faithfull so that the solemn excommunication of the Bishop against him may seem to be onely a ratifying of that mans censure against himselfe For I conceive it can hardly be affirmed of all Heretiques in generall that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-condemned that is professing and maintaining errors against their own conscience and knowledge 6. Now this authority residing in the whole body of the Catholique Church I must adde of the present Catholique Church has been in all times preserved so inviolable that besides the fore-cited testimonies of the Fathers this observation will sufficiently justifie it viz. That there was never in any age of the Church as far as I have been able to inform my selfe any one single person esteemed a Catholique that ever either spoke against or in the least degree censured or seemed to render suspitious any doctrine or practise universally believed or received by the Catholique Church during the time that he lived Many Fathers have been very bold and eager against abuses and errours particular some of them perhaps too largely dispersed but never any of them whether private person or Governour learned or unlearned taxed the Church either of errour in doctrine or of superstition prophanenesse or any other enormity in practise Many of them have earnestly called for a free Councell to reform particular disorders and errours in the lives and writings of both Clergy and Laity sometimes not sparing Popes themselves but never to have the Church it self to alter any of her doctrines or to change any of her practises
the universall Christian world Again The letters of Bishops may be corrected by Nationall Councells and Nationall Councells by Plenary ones and former Plenary Councells may be corrected by others that succeed And again We should not have the boldnesse to affirm any such thing were it not that we are confirm'd by the most unanimous authority of the universall Church Now I suppose their intention is not to refund all authority finally upon the ignorant people but upon the whole Body of the Prelates admitting and attesting what was decreed by a few in Councells by which means the universall Government of the Church sets their seal to the Doctrine of Faith and vertually or by consequence in and with them all Christians universally in their communion and under their charge By this means indeed all possible objections will be taken away and the Decisions of Councells will be the Acts not of ten Bishops representing a hundred and perhaps giving suffrages to Doctrines never questioned or debated by them but of all the Bishops of the Christian world Now it is not necessary according to these Authors grounds that there must be such a Reception of conciliary acts by particular Pâ—â—â—â—â—s â—â—prossely fâ—â—mally and directly it being sufficient â—hat it be done interpretatively that is when such Doctrines are known and permitted to be published â—emine reclamante And till this be done shy they the Councell though in it self it be very legitimate and deserving the â—itle of Oecumonicall yet it does not sufficiently and evidently appear to be so whereas a Provinciall Councell yea a Private Fathers or Doctours opinion so received ha's in it the vertue of a Generall Councell 4. Now this opinion maintained by such considerable learned Catholikes and not apparently contrary to any decision of the Church though I did not intend to subscribe to as undoubtedly true for my resolution alwaies was not to engage my self in any private Sects or topicall opinions and least of all in such as appeared to be exotick and suspitious notwithstanding I was very well contented to perceive that it was at least an allowable opinion For I found it of great convenience to my self to free me from many difficulties For thereby 1. Here is no entrenching on the points of controversie between Catholiques and Protestants since they are all not only decided by the authority of Councells but likewise actually assented to and imbraced by all particular Catholique Churches neither as matters of controversie do now stand is it necessary to require any more from Protestants then what ha's been so both decided and received 2. Hereby all the objections which Protestants make from certain reall or imaginary contradictions which may be found in decrees of Councells about other points not now in controversie are apparently rendred ineffectuall for if that be to be only necessarily accounted an article of Catholique Faith which is actually acknowledged and received by Catholiques and since contradictions cannot be actually assented to it will follow that whatsoever decisions of Councells may seem to oppose such articles are not necessarily to be accounted Catholique Doctrines and by consequence not obligatory 3. That so much objected speech of S. Augustine de Bapt. Dom. l 2. c. 3. viz. The letters of Bishops may be corrected by Nationall Councells and Nationall Councells by Plenary ones and former Plenary Councells may be corrected by others that succeed though it be understood of points of Doctrine as it seems to require such a sense because S. Augustine speaks it upon occasion of rebaptization yet makes nothing against Catholiques who upon the forementioned grounds and authorities need account that only to be Catholique Doctaine which is actually imbraced by Catholiques Yea upon the same grounds the like may be said of that yet more bold speech of Cardinall Cusanus viz. It may be observed by all experience that an Universall Councell may fail Cusan concord l. 2. c. 14. 5. But to proceed to the severall grounds upon which I conceived Stapleton determined this question with a greater latitude and indulgence then most other Writers and yet notwithstanding he hath escaped the censure of any being commended even by those who use much more rigor in it then he has done The first is That no Doctrine can be called an Article of Faith but what was in the beginning revealed and delivered to the Church by Christ and his Apostles 2. That these doctrines have been preserved and continued to these times by Tradition that is not only in books approved and delivered Traditionally but rather in an orall practicall Tradition from one age to another For the Church pretends not to any new immediate revelation though she enjoys an effectuall assistance of Gods holy Spirit 3. That there is a double obligation from decisions of Generall Councells the first an obligation of Christian belief in respect of doctrines delivered by Generall Councells as of universall Tradition the second only of Canonicall obedience to orders and constitutions for practise by which men are not bound to believe that these are inforced as from divine authority but only to submit to them as acts of a lawfull Ecclesiasticall power however not to censure them as unjust much lesse to oppose and contradict them 4. That many I may say most constitutions of Councells in order to practise do yet vertually include some degree of belief as that of Communion under one kind of the use of Images in Churches and upon Altars c. of residence of Bishops of authorised Translations of Scripture c. And that in such cases we are not obliged to believe that Christ or his Apostles gave order that such practises should follow but only that considering Christs continuall care over his Church so clearly promised neither these nor any other orders universally established and practised are destructive to any substantiall doctrine or practise of Christianity and that the authority left by Christ in his church was so large and ample as that when she shall judge it fit considering the various dispositions of succeeding timesâ— she may alter externall practises and formes not essentiall orâ— of the substance of Christian Religion even in the Sacraments themselves as we see acknowledged in some cases by all Christian churches as about the altering of the time and posture of receiving the Eucharist the triple immersion in Baptisme abstaining from things strangled and from bloud c. 5. That doctrines determined by Nationall Councells lay no obligation at all upon any other churches but only those whose Bishops meet together and all the obligation even of those Christians who live within such Provinces is only not to contradict they are not bound to receive such decisions as Articles of Faith the reason being evident because one Nation cannot be a competent judge of Catholique Tradition and there neither is nor can be any Article of Faith but what is delivered that way 6. That the authority of the Pastours of the present Church is not of
the true way to eternall happinesse These are the directions which he professeth that he would give to any man desirous to save his soule and requiring whose instructions to rely upon for that purpose and this in opposition to a Catholique that would advise such a man to have recourse to the Catholique Church c. 3. Now for a more orderly examining of Mr. Chillingworth's direction for finding out the true sense of Scripture and judging controversies I will yet more distinctly set down his grounds in severall propositions collected out of his book in such a method as may shew the respect and dependence of the one on the other together with the chief reasons which he alledges for the proof of them and afterward I will subjoyn thereto the reasons which moved me to judge such grounds of his insufficient and his reasons unconcluding and in conclusion I will declare how I satisfied mine own reason that all the severall objections which he makes against the Churches authority under the notion of infallibility have not that force that both he and I my self once imagined 4. The abridgement of Mr. Chillingworth's whole discourse I conceived might be reduced to these Propositions following viz 1. That Christian Religion having been planted so many ages since the only ordinary way that we can arrive to the knowledge of it is Tradition and the only assured way universall Tradition of all ages and Churches which is of it selfe credible and admits not of any proof 2. That for himself he could find nothing delivered by such an universall Tradition as of divine authority but only books of Scripture for if he had he would have imbraced it with equal submission since the being written makes not any thing more credible 3. That the Scripture is a most sufficient and the only rule of Faith most sufficient because it self sayes so the only rule because nothing else can be proved to be of universall Tradition 4. That by consequence the Scripture contains in it all things necessary to be believed and practised by all sorts of persons and this so plainly and expressely that no reasonable man can doubt of the sense thereof much â—esse be mistaken for otherwise God would not have provided sufficiently for the salvation of mankind 5. That concerning those passages of Scripture wherein are contained doctrines of Christianity but not so plainly men are not obliged necessarily to understand or believe them since it cannot consist with the goodnesse of God that men should be bound to have an expresse knowledge or belief of that which God himself ha's purposely delivered obscurely 6. That since no proof can be made either out of Scripture or universall Tradition that there is any authoritative visible Judge of the sense of the Scripture and since each mans understanding or reason is the only faculty capable of judging that therefore it only is to judge of the sense of the Scripture as far as concerns each mans particular 7. That fince every mans reason may possibly be deceived especially proceeding upon objects not immediately offered to sense therefore an infallible faith is not required such a probability will serve tqe turn as is sufficient to produce in a man obedience to the precepts of holinesse commanded in the Gospell 8. That since all Christians cannot but agree in necessary doctrines which are expresse they ought not to deny communion to one another for other doctrines not expressely contained in Scripture And that this is the only affectuall means of reducingâ— and preserving unity among Christians 5. These are in brief the grounds of Christian Faith and of the means afforded us to attain to the true sense of as much of it as is necessary and likewise to beget charity and unity among Christians as they lye dispersed up and down in Mr. Chillingworths book and which I have set down faithfully and ingenuously in the most rationall method that I could devise I will now with as convenient dispatch as I can adjoyn likewise in the same order respectively the reasons why I could not content my self with them but was forced to relinquish them to abase mine owne reason and to have recourse to a foundation as I thought more firme and rationall and I am confident farre more safe viz. the Catholique Church CHAP. XXXVI An answer to the three first grounds of Mr. Chillingworth 1. TO the first ground therefore viz. That there is no other way to be assured of a Religion established many ages since but universall Tradition I grant it But whereas it is added A Tradition of all ages If the meaning be that it is required to such an assurance that a man should have precisely from every age a sufficient testimony of this universal Tradition this is uâ—terly impossible any other way then as including the testimony of former ages in that of the present for though there may be preserved a few writings in every age all which may contur in this testimony and so make it indeed very probable yet the testimony of three or four Writers is not equivalent to the testimony of the age Add to this that such a way of proof though it may give good satisfaction to learned persons and is practised more by Catholiques then any other who yet rest upon the present Church for the certainty of Tradition yet it is very laborious and uncertain and whereof very few persons are capable and therfore not to be made a ground for all men to build all Religion upon The testimony therefore of all former ages is alwaies most safely included as to particular men in the testimony of the present age if that be universall for place and grounded upon Tradition as I shewed before and made the proofe of the assurance of it to be because it was impossible it should be false unless some one whole age should conspire to deliver a thing as of Tradition which was not so and not only conspire but should actually deceive their children no man discovering the imposture a thing beyond all imagination of possibility I will therefore add no more here but only the confession of a learned Protestant in his own words viz. When a Doctrine is in any age constantly delivered as a matter of Faith and as received from â—â— ancestors in such sort as the contradictors thereof were in the beginning noted for novelty and if they persisted in contradiction in the end charged with heresie it is impossible but such a doctrine should come by succession from the Apostles 2. To the second where he sayes That he could find nothing as of divine authority delivered by universall Tradition of all ages but only books of Scripture I answer that any one that will search with a willingnesse to find shall doubtlesse have better fortune then Mr. Chillingworth For I desire any one to consider with himself â—â— Whether the Apostles did not in all churches established by them settle the whole doctrine and form of Christian Discipline
church as a doctrine Traditionary and moreover it is attested by all antient Records of the Fathers of the church nemine explicite contradicente and it ha's been practised by Councells in all ages not one Catholique renouncing his obedience In so much as to my understanding there is not one Christian doctrine delivered with so full an assurance nor in the sense and meaning whereof it is lesse possible for a man to be mistaken Now by vertue of this speciall truth of the churches authority Universall Tradition which of it self is most credible and certain being believed and attested by the present church becomes most necessary to be believed by us the Church supplying the place not only of a witnesse but of an Embassadour likewise instructed and employed by Christ himself as S. Augustine most effectually maintains so that in believing and obeying her we believe and obey Christ himself according to Christs own expression He that heareth you heareth me and If any one heareth not the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican And therefore they that believe Christian doctrines only because they think they find them in the Scripture and believe the Scripture only because their reason or fancy which they miscall the testimony of Gods Spirit tells them that it is the Word of God though the doctrines themselves believed by them be true yet it is a hazard as to them whether they be so or no or however whether that be the sense of them or no it being all one as if a man by some casualty had found a transcribed copy of some part of an Embassadors Pattent or instructions Whereas Catholiques receive the commands of their heavenly King and Master from his Embassadours own hands which not only will not conceale any thing necessary or requisite from them but likewise will be able upon occasion to cleare all manner of difficulties that may arise about the sense of the said instructions or Patent having received glorious promises of continuall residence among us and of divine assistance to preserve him from any at least dangerous error 8. These things thus supposed Mr. Chillingworth's pretended circles and absurdities in the Resolution of Catholique Faith doe clearly and evidently vanish For a Catholique does not only or chiefly believe the Churches authority because to his privaâ—e understanding and reason the Scripture seems to say so but because he knows that the present Catholique Church teacheth so both by profession and practise and that she teacheth this as a Catholike Tradition believed and practised in all ages then which it is impossible there should be any testimony more assured and infallible so that if a man can be sure of any thing done before his own times as all reasonable men do agree that one may he cannot avoid being most sure of this if his passion or interests do not hinder him from searching into the grounds of it I need not therefore particularly give an answer to Mr. Chillingworth's discourse before produced since it wholly proceeds upon a mistake of his adversaries and other Catholiques grounds and since himself in the close of it seemes to confesse by objecting to himselfe Universall Tradition that if this doctrine of the Churches authority could be made appear to be grounded upon Catholike Tradition it would be as much credible as if the Scripture had expresly testified it since in his opinion the Scripture it selfe and nothing besides enjoyes its authority because it is delivered by Universall Tradition and by consequence would not be lyable to any circles or absurdities So that truly I wonder why seeing Mr. Chillingworth could not be ignorant that Catholiques do generally pretend that this doctrine comes from Tradition besides the proofs of it out of Scripture he should notwithstanding dispute against it as if there were no other ground for it but two or three questionable passages of Scriptâ—re CHAP. XLIII An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's allegations of pretended uncertainties and casualties in the grounds of the faith and salvation of Catholiques 1. THere is in Mr. Chillingworth's book another rank of objections which though they do not directly combat the churches infallibility or authority yet they had great effect upon me because they seemed to infer that the faith and salvation likewise of Catholiques depended upon extreme uncertainties and casualties and by consequence that a Catholique could not give any assurance that his faith was safely grounded For thus he argues c. 2. parag 63. ad 68. The salvation of many millions of Papists as they suppose and teath depends upon their having the Sacrament of Penance duly administred to them This again upon the Ministers being a true Priest which is a thing that depends upon many uncertain and very contingent supposalls As 1. That he was baptized with due matter 2. With due forme 3. With due intention 4. That the Bishop which ordained him Priest ordained him likewise with due form intention c. 5. That that Bishop himselfe was a person fitly qualified to give orders that is was no Simoniake c. 6. That all that Bishops Progenitors were fitly qualified and so till he arrive to the fountain of Priesthood Now he that shall put together and maturely consider all the possible wayes of lapsing and nullifying a Priesthood in the Church of Rome I believe saith he will be very inclinable to believe that in an hundred seeming Priests there is not one true one But suppose this inconvenience assoyled yet still the difficulty will remain whether he will pronounce the absolving words with intent to absolve you for perhaps he may be a secret Jew Moor or Antitrinitarian which if he be then his intention which is necessary to the validity of a Sacrament will be wanting c. 2. Hereto I answer 1 That such kind of pretended uncertainties or nullities in particulars do not prejudice the authority and stability of the church in generall but that if it be true which ha's alwayes been believed in the church viz. That Christ ha's promised to continue till the worlds end a church governed by lawfull Pastors and preserved in all truth he will engage his omnipotency to make good his fidelity and by consequence he will take care to prevent or remedy all obstacles that can be imagined to be otherwise able to evacuate such his promises and I suppose two such Attributes of Christ are a foundation strong enough to build a faith not obnoxious to such a world of casualties as Mr. Chillingworth suspects 2. That Mr. Chillingworth's whole discourse proceeds upon a mistake of the established doctrine of the Catholique Church which ha's not declared all those things to be nullities nor any of them in the sense that he alledges It is true in the Canon law and among Câ—suists there are mentioned many nullities of Orders and other Sacraments as Simony or Heresie or Schisme are said to nullifie the Ordination of a Bishop or Priest But how to nullifie it by taking away the
by the Church though there is not any one point of controversie in debate between us and them for which we have not all this authority as being proved ex superabundanti in what I shall say hereafter 9. That therefore which I undertake to make evident to I. P. is That the Church speaking by a general Councel confirmed by the Pope is an infallible Guide and that with greater evidence then he can bring for any contradiction pretended betwixt any decision of such a Councel and the Scripture yea with more evidence then he can produce for the Scripture it self which he owns for his Guide which truly to an impartial hearer is no difficult matter even going upon his own grounds For if I should ask I. P. Why do you acknowledge the Scripture to be an infallible Rule as far as it is a Rule He would answer me Because it is delivered unto us as such by an infallible Catholick Tradition for if he talks of any other proof as a private spirit or natural reason it will be ridiculous He may as well say he can judge and demonstrate it to be such by smelling with his nose If I should further ask him how it appears evident to him that the Scriptures have been delivered by an infaâ—ible Catholick Tradition He could not deny but that many Hereticks have denied many books of Scripture yea that there is not any one book in the Old or New Testament but has been renounced by some Hereticks and their followers yet because some Councels have decided and Fathers witnessed and the Catholick Church in all ages since have received them as such therefore it is evident that they have been delivered by the Church by Catholick Tradition And this is most rational and convincing Upon these grounds therefore I proceed and ask any discreet indifferent man Whether an authority that shall after this manner propose any doctrine This we have received from Christ and his Apostles that such and such a doctrine proposed is a divine infallible truth and we command all Christians whatsoever under the pain of anathema and eternal damnation to beleeve it for such whether I say such an authority does not assume to it self the office of a Guide and of an infallible Guide Certainly he that should speak in this stile and yet have a guilt or be in a possibility of seducing were the most impious abhorred tyrant in the world What an attentat an usurpation upon Gods Scepter and Throne would this be if God had not derived this authority upon the Church represented in a Councel What a cruelty to souls What a blaspheming of the Holy-Ghost Now that this hath been the stile of all General Councels is evident and that Councels speaking in that stile have been submitted to by the Fathers and accepted by the Church with all veneration as the Oracles of God is equally apparent nay I do not know that ever any Heretick before these daies did expresly contradict this in the Thesis though in Hypothesi they have renounced such particular Councels as themselves were Anathematized by Therefore not onely all Councels but every Decision of every Councel to which an Anathema is annexed decides this question and proclaims to all the ends of the world this truth That the Church speaking in General approved Councels is an infallible Guide to all Christians Against this not a passage or word in any Father can be produced but infinite passages for it Hence it is that the Fathers unanimously profess That out of the Church there is no possible salvation because there is no Guide to Heaven but in the Church If therefore it be a proof evident enough to I. P. of an universal infallible tradition of Scripture that one or two not General Councels did with some variety set down the number and names of the books and that generally speaking the Fathers have amongst them given attestation to them some to some books and some to others few to all and that the Church in after ages hath universally accepted them as such How short comes that tradition of this concerning the infallible Guidance of the Church that is vertually decided in all Councels and every decision of all attested by all Fathers not one in one passage contradicting or condemning that stile but unanimously in all ages since Councels were accepted by the Church approved and submitted to how opposite is this truth to the main design of his following discourse which attempts to prove that there is in the Church no infallible Guide at all And how contradictory to that Article of his Church concerning not onely the fallibility but actual erring of Councels And again how conformable is this way of proceeding to the authority given upon Record in Scripture by our blessed Saviour to his Church I say to his Church for the Fathers assembled in Councel speak not thus in their own persons nor as so many learned men but in the person of the whole Church which they represent and do no more but subsume particulars under that General Anathema pronounced by our blessed Saviour when he said If he refuse to here the Church let him be unto thee as a Heathen and a Publican 11. I conjure therefore I. P. and all his and my friends that he and they would produce or at least set before their own eyes those Decisions of Councels which seem to them evidently false because clearly contradictory to Scripture and compare his evidence of a seeming contradiction with this evidence that it is impossible there should be such a contradiction and if they do this with a serious minde and desire to finde the truth that they may embrace it and with hearts lifted up to God to free them from all respects of the world and to enlighten their souls with the love of his truth then perhaps they may see that which as yet it seems is invisible to them it is most certain there is not one express formal text of Scripture contradictory to any Catholick Doctrine this they confess themselves And indeed even abstracting from the promises made by Christ to his Church it is morally impossible that so many wise and vertuous men should with the one hand give the Scripture as Gods word and with the other present Doctrines expresly and directly contradictory to it and none be able to observe the contradiction though their daily study was to meditate upon and interpret the Scripture Now whether any consequence from obscure texts can be more forcible then that which I have named from the stile of General Councels I leave not to their wits but consciences to judge 12. Matters therefore being impartially weighed that triumphing Epiphonema of his in the fourth and fifth Sections vanishes in which himself with admiration exposeth to the admiration of others those great conquering defenders of the doctrine of the late Church of England that with such excellent conduct and valour and such admirable success have combated and defeated this our Darling
is an argument for Heresy That it is a proofe of a truely pure Reformation to abjure not only all the ancient Ceremonies of Ordination but even the Officers yea the very names of all Ecclesiasticall Orders For mine own part I must acknowledge my want of courage I durst not range my selfe in such a Congregation where I should be exposed point blanck to receive all the shot which so many by all acknowledged Saints have darted against the ancient Heretiques CHAP. XII Seditious Doctrines universally taught by Calvinists c. 1. A Third important inconvenience which I could not see any meanes to avoyd being adjoyned to the Lutheran or Calvinist Churches was the scandall of Sedition Rebellion An imputation this was which I could never perceive that any of those two factions and principally the Calvinists took any care to clear themselves of any other way then by recrimination upon some particular persons among Catholiques Never could I meet with or heare of any decree Synodicall any treatise or writing by which they pretended to free themselves from this charge or to give security to Princes in whose Dominions they lived of their intention to be loyall and obedient 2. Indeed at the end of the Confession of Faith of the French Calvinist Churches there is a seeming plausible acknowledgement of obligation to submission to lawes and Magistrates but with this expresse reservation moyennant que l' Empire Souverain de Dieu demeure enâ—son entier that is upon condition that Gods supreme authority remaine inviolated a reservation so large and so ambiguous that they having both by writings and too frequent practises declared that they conceive themselves in conscience and by vertue of Gods law obliged to maintaine the pretended-true Religion not by suffering for it but by active opposing whatsoever humane authority shall seeke to destroy it Yea more that they are obliged to use all endeavours to destroy Idolatry that is say they Catholique Religion this restriction mentioned in their Confession seemes to have beene intended on purpose to put them in mind of their duty to rebell whensoever they have opportunity to maintaine or propagate their owne or chase out and exterminate Catholique Religion For mine â—owne particular I professe I never yet conversed with any of them so ignorant but when wee spoke concerning this argument was able to say some thing to any objections and many of them had arrived to the skil to alledge the subtillest reasons that that their infernall book stiled Iunius Brutus ordinarily attributed to Bâ—za did suggest And by one tryall made since I came into France I am become confident that if the next Synod of Charenton were summoned by such as might constrein them to explaine themselves Whether incase of Religion they might not actively oppose the presâ—n supreme authority or whether if in France they had the same advantage over Cotholiques which Catholiques have over them they would allow the same freedome they would endeavour to give an answer as unsatisfactory as their Confession of Faith 3. It was not altogether the many seditious passages in Luther's and Calvin's writings which scandalised mee so farre as to conceive my self by communicating with them engaged to profess at least not to professe against such horrid doctrines for liberty is sometimes taken by them to renounce some particular Texts even of Calvin but the not seeing any one protesting against or disavowing such scandalous assertions I confesse I wondred how they could hope to make any Christians believe that their pretended Reformation proceeded from the Spirit of Christ when instead of those spirituall armes of charity humility patience most indispensable obedience even to Nero himself by which Christ enabled his Apostles to conquer the world to the belief of the Gospel Calvin and Luther put into the hands of their Sectatours malice pride hatred to suffer for conscience sake active resistance against all authority in a word the very same weapons that the Devill suggested to Mahomet 4. Now to make this appear to be no wrongfull imputation besides the manifest experience of all the blood shed in Germany France England c. and besides such bloudy treatises of Beza Knox Good-man and others of these later times I will produce expresse testimonies out of the writings of Luther and Calvin First Luther loc com class 4. c. 30. directing his speech to one Spalatinus hath these words I will not endure that which thou sayest viz. that the Prince will not suffer that any thing should be written against the Electour of Mentz nor any thing that my disturbe the publique peace I will rather confound both thee and the Prince For if I have opposed the Pope which is his Creatour why should I not oppose the creature And Is it not a pretty opinion of yours that the publique peace ought not nion of yours that the publike peace ought not to be disturbed but the eternall peace of God may No such matter Spalatinus no such matter And again cap. de Bapt. We are exempted from all humane lawes by the Christian liberty given us in Baptisme Then for Calvin Calv. Inst. l. 4. c. 20. p. 10. com in Dan. c. 2. v. 39. c. 5. v. 5. Id. in Dan. c. 6. v. 2. 25. it is observable first how in severall places he labours to discredit Monarchy in general then how seditiously he speaks elswhere as in this expression Earthly Princes devest themselves of their power when they oppose themselves against God yea they are unworthy to be reckoned in the nâ—mber of men And therefore it is fitter that a man should spit in their faces them obey them when they grow so sawey as toâ—be willing to deprive God of his right Lastly D. Bancroft Archbishop of Canterbury in his Booke of dangerous Positions pag. 9. imputes to Calvin this damnable position openly both in writing and deeds defended by his followers viz That it is lawfull for subjects if Princes will not to reforme Religion and that by force and armes if it can be done no other way 5. I should have been willing to let such horrible speeches as these pass for personall faults and have attributed to them Luthers frenzy and Calvins malicious spirit if any of their party would have thought fit to disavow them or if the yet more horrid books of Beza other of Calvins disciples had not justified their Masters to have beene â— modest in comparison of them and lastly if I had not knowne that when any among them I never heard that any put it in a publique tryall but one to whom such damnable doctrines have appeared odious and were willing to publish their detestation of them had not been interrupted and publikely silenc'd in such a dsigne But to give a proof irrefragable that this Sect especialy of Calvinisme is bred and nourished with this poyson of sedition and that even in the infancy thereof not being able to keepe in the sting when it was so weake as
But withall professeth that The three Creeds Nicene Creed Athanasius Creed and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed ought throughly to be received and believed Moreover that she receiveth the foure first Generall Councells yet not saying that she thinkes her selfe obliged to the one or other for the authority of Tradition or the Councells for if so she would be obliged likewise to accept of and submit to many other Traditions and Councells as likewise many points and practises confirmed in those Councells besides the Mysteries of the Blessed Trinity many of which notwithstanding shee relinquishes if not condemnes Yea on the contrary for those three Creeds she gives this reason for her admitting of them because they may be proved by most certaine warrants of holy Scripture And how little or no authority she allowes to the Church or Generall Councells shall be shewn in the next Conclusion For the present therefore taking those words of accepting the three Creeds and foure Councells rather for a complement of Civility to Antiquity then as importing any reall intention to admit any judge or Rule of Faith but only Scripture and that interpreted by her selfe for her selfe at least Come we to consider how rationall and safe a ground this is That nothing is to be beleeved but only Scripture CHAP. III. English Protestants unwilling to Justifie this Position and Why. Mr. Chillingworths late booke against the Catholique Church and the Character given of it 1. THis Position of Scripture being the only Rule of Faith though it be the main foundation upon which all Heretiques and Schismatiques◠almost that are and ever were doe rely and therefore in all likelyhood since so many millions of people of all Sects and in all ages have been concern'd to study and make it good should in reason be best upheld Yet to my apprehension of all other controversies this is the most weakly grounded and guiltily maintained 2. The experience I have of the particular disposition of English Protestanats properly so called and the happinesse I have enjoyed in the acquaintance and friendship with very many the most considerable persons for Learning Prudence and Piety in that Church gives mee warrant to say this of them that there is no point of Controversy that they are more unwilling to touch upon then this of Scriptures being the onely Rule and no visible Judge to interpret it I meane as to the positive maintaining thereof for as concerning the disputing against the infallibility of the Church there is none more ready to make Objections then they One reason hereof may be because the English Church out of gratitude to the Ancient Church and Fathers which have hitherto maintained their Ecclesiasticall Government against the Calvinists till they came to dispute with fire and sword professeth therfore greater reverence to antiquity and Tradition then any other Sect whatsoever And therefore her children are unwilling to renounce or oppose that great army of Saints Martyrs of the Primitive times who unanimously acknowledge that besides Scriptures they had received from their Ancestors Traditionary Doctrines and Ritts and these so universally spread through all Churches Easterne and Westerne no man being able to name any particular fallible Authour of them that they were as firmely assured that they proceeded from the Apostles as that the books of Scripture proceeded from the same Authours Yea for many of these Traditions greater proofe might be made of their authentique and Divine Originall then of most books of Scripture in as much as they were from the beginning universally apparent in the Practise of the Church visibly shining in their Publique liturgies for example Prayer for the Dead and by consequence Purgatory that is a State of deceased Christians capable of being bettered and eased by the Charity and Devotions of the living Sacrifice of the Masse and Offering it for the Quick and Dead Adoration of Christ really present there Baptisme of Infants Non-rebaptization of Heretiques Observation of Ecclesiasticall Feastes Lent-fasts c. Invocation of Saints Veneration of Reliques Images c. Practise of Crossing themselves Rites in administring Sacraments c. Whereas the bookes of the New Testament especially the Epistles and Apocalypse being written upon emergent occasions and for the present neede of particular Persons and Churches were a great while before they could be generally dispersed and great caution and circumspection used before they would be admitted into the Cannon and being all except some few that have perished received there it was impossible to prevent infinite corruptions in the writing since every one had leave to transcribe thē 3. A second reason why English Protestants I speake knowingly at least of my selfe and not a few others dispence the more easily with themselves for examining the sufficiency of this Rule of Faith is because there being but two ways imaginable of assigning such a Rule that is either expresse Scripture alone or that joyn'd with Ecclesiasticall Tradition which is to be received upon the authority or as the Schooles call it the infallibility of the Church and Protestants being perswaded that they can unanswerably confute this fallibility they take it for granted that the former is the only Rule and therefore surcease from undergoing the paines of diligent enquiry how firmely their foundation is layd and what course to take for the answering of those inextricable inconveniences which follow upon that ground for feare lest if both these foundations should come to shrinke Christianity it selfe would become questionable and a way made for direct Atheisme Hereupon it is that generally their writers have proceeded the destructive way willingly undertaking to contradict the Churches infallibility and it is not without extreame violence that they can be brought to maintaine their owne grounds Which when the earnestnesse of Catholiques extorts from them though they must conclude for only Scripture and No-judge yet either shame or remorse makes them deferre somewhat to the ancient Churches authority as it were excusing themselves that they dare not suffer themselves to be directed by her For if by her as a visible Church then by all Churches succeeding her to these our times 4. In these latter times since that great unfortunate Champion against the Churches infallibility Mr. Chillingworth published his booke in defence of Doctour Potter this guilt of English Protestants ha's beene farre more conspicuous His objections against the Church that is his destructive grounds are avowed and boasted of as unanswerable in a manner by all but his positive grounds that is the making onely Scripture and that to be interpreted by every single mans reason to be the Rule of Faith this is at least waved if not renounced by many But most unjustly since there is no conceivable meanes how to finde out a third intelligible way of grounding beliefe and determining controversies besides divine revelation proposed and interpreted authoritatively by the Church or meere Scripture without any obligatory interpretation as shall be demonstrated hereafter Hence
I believe necessary to be believed and I do not begin to believe so now I was taught so when I lived in England CHAP. XVI The second Conclusion out of the Fathers concerning a Iudge of Controversies The Authours confession of his willingnes that his opinion against the Churches infallibility might appeare to have been groundlesse II. Conclusion The second Conclusion out of the Fathers c. was this viz. That it belongs alone to the Catholique Church which is the onely depositary of Divine Revelations authoritatively and with obligation to propose those revelations to all Christians c. to interpret the Holy Scriptures and to determine all emergent Controversies and this to the end of the world in as much as the Church by vertue of Christs promises and assistance is not onely indefectible but continually preserved in all truth 1. IN this conclusion there are severall parts as 1. That the Catholique Church is the depositary of all Divine Revelations written and unwritten 2. By consequence that it belongs to her to propound them to all persons 3. That she has authority and that such as requires submission from all not only to propound but also to expound these Revelations and finally to determine all emergent controversies And 4. That this authority is sufficiently grounded upon the great promises of our Saviour made unto his Church Now of these severall Propositions the two former not being questioned by me when I was in England I conceived it not suitable to my designe which was a narration especially of mine owne doubts and resolution with as much brevity as possibly I could to fill paper with quotations of Fathers or other proofes to resolve that of which I was resolved before My only scruple was concerning the third and fourth Propositions Or to speake properly it was not a scruple for I was on the contrary fully resolved and to my thinking satisfied that there was not upon earth any visible authority that could so interpret Scriptures or determine Controversies is that all men should be obliged necessarily to embrace her interpretations and determinations And therefore my purpose is to insist principally upon his Architectonirall controversie not neglecting in the meane time to examine likewise the other propositions but briefly and quasi aliud agens 2. It may be believed and since this treatise is intended by mee for an Exomologesis or publique Confession I will not forbeare to confess it that when the progress of my enquiry after a Church led me at last to take into debate even those grounds of which before I had not the least scruple at all namely Whether as the Roman Church professed there were extant in the world visible any such authority I could not free my selfe from so much partiality against my owne understanding as to wish that it could be made appeare unto me that there were to be found any tribunall whose decisions I might believe my selfe obliged to follow without any scruple or â—ergiversation For then I should not onely in a moment be free from all scruples and doubts in particular points proposed by that authority in which they would all be swallowed up but likewise from a world of inconveniencies inevitably attending upon my position viz. That in doubts of Religion we had onely a Rule of it selfe indeed infallible but challenged by all Sects and no Judge to apply that Rule when necessity required every man being left to his own reason at his own perill to take heed that he wrested not that Rule according to his owne interests or prejudices CHAP. XVII The Calvinists c. presumtuous renouncing of the Churches authority even in proposing of Scripture And pretending to an immediate Revelation 1. BUt before I proceed further to shew how and upon what grounds I found satisfaction in this point of the Churches authority after which I could not long remaine unsatisfyed in all other points beside I have somewhat though not much to say concerning the first part of this Conclusion namely of the Churches being depositary of divine Revelation I do not remember that the Church of England hath said any thing of it more then what may be inferred from those words in the 6. Article In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those Canonicall bookes of the Old and New Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church By which expression She seemes to make the Churches authority the onely ground that may ordinarily be relyed upon for the discerning which books are Canonicall and which not And this Mr. Chillingworth acknowledges in severall passages of his booke 2. But as for the Calvinist Churches in France whether the Lutherans agree with them or no I had not meanes to informe my selfe I could not without both indignation and shame read how they have declared their mindes touching this Point in their publique Confession of Faith Where after the premising what particular bookes of Scripture they received as Canonicall they adde these words Nous recognoissons c. that is We acknowledge these books to be Canonicall and a most certaine Rule of Faith not so much for the commune agreement and consent of the Church as for the Testimony and inward perswasion of the Holy Spirit which makes us able to discerne them from the other Ecclesiasticall books upon which although they be profitable cannot be grounded an Article of Faith By which expression they do clearly tell the world that their meaning is not to ascribe to the assistance of the Holy Spirit this their beliefe for generally all Christians doe acknowledge a necessity of such an influence upon the soule whereby the understanding is perswaded to captivate it selfe to the beliefe and the will inclined to the love and acceptation of all divine revelations proposed by the Church But that they have a new immediate distinct revelation and testimony of the Holy Ghost inwardly informing them what bookes are Canonicall and what not And this not only more certaine then the testimony of the present Church but likewise contrary thereto inasmuch as thereby they renounce severall books which the Church proposes as divine and Canonicall 3. Was it possible that reasonable men could write such things and ever hope to finde any other men foolish enough to believe them There seems to have been many persons conspiring to the writing or at least the signing of this Confession Had all these this testimony of Gods Spirit revealing to them and so enabling them to judge and discerne which particular writings are Canonicall and which not And does this testimony which certainly if not falsely pretended to is infallible extend to all the particular passages and Texts in these books without which the believing of the books in grosse would be uselesse VVell since they may say what they please without feare of being silenced and so may all their Off-spring For what other way is left to silence him that sayes he has the Spirit but only Exorcismes Yet for
those that wrote this Confession to say this both for themselves and in the name of all their faction to the worlds end and this without consulting any of them to know whether they had received such an immediate revelation or testimony and without pretending to such an eminent gift of Prophecy as never was example of the like since the world began this exceedes all wonder Good Lord to what strange times are we reserved to see a Sect so numerous so powerfull as they have shewed themselves upon many sad occasions and not one of them but is a Prophet What a stupendious thing is this that there should not be found one Calvinist destitute of this so certeine so divine a testimony beyond the assurance of all Churches since Christ and yet not one Englishman or Frenchman unlesse of that faction nor any Christian that I know of besides that knowes any such thing of himselfe or dares pretend to it For surely if any one had it some would professe it since a man cannot have a Testimony but he knowes he has it This is a miracle beyond all that Christ and all his Apostles ever wrought in the Church But is it not more probable nay is it not beyond all probability most certaine most palpable that all these men knowingly and wilfully deceive themselves and would fain but cannot deceive others Is not this apparently a lying against the Holy Ghost Why may it not as well be expected that in their next Confession or rather their Presumption they should pretend as at least most particular writers among them doe for themselves and their heires a discerning infallible Spirit to judge of the sense of Scripture as well as the books Indeed what may not be expected from such as having had a hatred to charity and therefore no true love to the truth God has justly given over to strong delusions to believe such palpable lyes 4. But leaving these men miserably pleasing themselves in pretended inspirations and by that meanes attributing to the Holy Ghost not only all their errours but likewise their renouncing of Christian Charity Unity which is impossible as long as they take upon them to believe that it is from the Spirit that they have divided themselves from Gods Church both in opinion and practise I will returne to my enquiry concerning the authority of the Church CHAP. XVIII Importance of the Controversie concerning the Churches authority Meanes for satisfaction in it abundantly sufficient in Antiquity This Controversie before all others ought to be most diligently studyed by Protestants 1. PRoceeding therefore for mine owne satisfaction to read the Fathers upon this argument and resolving to read them as unpartially as possibly I could that is silencing mine owne understanding when it would interpose that no discourse or Rhetorique ought to have force against those demonstrations which I thought I had against the Churches infallibility or when it would invent forced senses to that world of passages which I found in the Fathers inconsistent with my pre-assumed assurance Proceeding I say in the best manner I could to the reading of the Fathers upon this point I found that as this controversie was of so infinite importance that upon the decision thereof eternall peace or warre in Religion among Christians depended the most wise and mercifull Providence had suitably furnished us with meanes of satisfaction in so important a point infinitely more copious evident and powerfull then in any other besides For in other speciall points of Controversie we must be content to informe our selves of the minde of Antiquity therein onely by particular dispersed passages of the Fathers commonly spoken en passant they having no occasion ordinarily to combate with Heretiques about them But in this businesse of the Churches authority I found Epistles Treatises Bookes yea volumnes full of almost no other subject I found that I may here before the proper season declare the successe of so many moneths labour that the maintaining of the authority of the Church against Heretiques alledging onely Scripture as a Rule and disclaiming all Judges of that Rule but themselves as to themselves had beene the businesse of many Ages the principall employment of many the learnedst holiest Fathers of the Church I found that such an authority of the Church had been a Tradition of all others most Universall not any one booke of Scripture being so often testified of in Antiquity as this I found that if this authority of the Church were not to be preserved inviolable all Synods and Councels that ever were in the Church fell to the ground yea more became not only of no validity but were to be esteemed the most unjust Tyrannicall conspiracies that ever were as presuming without sufficient warrant to accuse and anathematize whosoever opposed or accepted not their determinations even in such points as were not in Scripture at all or at most onely there in consequence to their interpretation Lastly I found to my infinite satisfaction and for which I thinke my selfe obliged to spend the greatest part of my life in glorifying Almighty God for it a full effectuall and experimentall satisfaction by acknowledging this authority and suffering my selfe to be taken out of my owne hands to be conducted by her that Christ had appointed for that office in a word I found that that saying of S. Hierome was most true viz. That the Sun of the Church presently dryes up all the streames of errour and Schisme 2. For these reasons I cannot chuse but adjure all Protestants especially English who think satisfaction and repose of mind upon earth and glory to be revealed in heaven to be things desirable that omitting or at least deferring all particular disputes with Catholiques they would in the first place without prejudice and partiallity examine what the present Catholique Church sayes and in what words Shee sayes it when Shee comes to declare her necessary doctrine concerning this her authority and that having found what it is that Shee requires to be believed they would without altering her expression and without applying thereto any particular Schoole-man's or Doctours interpretations as by an obliging necessity to be subscribed to or received compare what the Church defines with what the Fathers Councels do generally and purposely agree in And if this method produce not in them the same effect which by the blessing of God it did in mee yet at least they will have this contentment after an ingenuous and to my knowledge not-much by them-practised way of examination to conclude that they finde that their owne single judgement and interpretation of Scripture deserves rather to be relyed upon and to be preferr'd above all manner of visible authority of all persons and ages how sacred soever esteemed by others they will either become Catholiques or remaine in their own then not very unreasonable opinion Protestants still but persons meriting from themselves the highest esteem for infallibility that the Church ever enjoyed since the Apostles times CHAP.
XIX Passages out of Fathers concerning the Churches Authority 1. BUt I will no longer defer the testimonies which Antiquity affords to the third Proposition conteined in the second Conclusion forementioned viz. of the Churches authority to intepret Scriptures and define Controversies I confesse I might have contented my selfe considering the superabundance to omit single passages when so many Fathers have written whole books to witnesse it as Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Vercentius Lirinensis c. mentioned before and whereas all Councells in whatsoever they have determined have virtually determined this otherwise their determinations were to be esteemed any thing else but determinations Notwithstanding I will not refuse the trouble of selecting a few passages more expresly declaring what at large most of the bookes wherein they are found endeavour generally to prove whether Logically and rationally or no let the world judge I am sure they proved it so effectually that they have thereby utterly destroyed the Heresies that opposed them Let the first witnesse therefore be S. Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 4. Where the Church is there is the Spirit of God and where the Spirit of God is there is the Church and all grace The same Father againe lib. 4. c. 43. We must obey those Priests that are in the Church those that have succession from the Apostles who together with Episcopall power have according to the good pleasure of the Father received the certain gift of Truth And all the rest who depart from the originall succession wheresoever they be assembled to have suspected either as Haeretiques or Schismatiques or Hypocrites and all these do fall from the truth Againe lib 4. c. 62. The spirituall man shall judge them that be out of the Church Which Church shall be under no mans judgement For to the Church all things are known in which is perfect faith of the Father and of the dispensation of Christ and firme knowledge of the Holy Ghost teacheth al truth Again l. 5. c. 4. What if the Apostles had not left Scriptures ought we not to have followed the Order of Tradition which they delivered to those to whom they committed the Churches To which order many yeild assent who believe in Christ having salvation written in their hearts by the Spirit of God without letters or ink and diligently keeping ancient Tradition It is easy to receive the truth from God's Church seeing the Apostles have most fully deposited in her as in a rich Store-house all thinges belonging to truth For what if there should arise any contention of some small questions ought we not to have recourse to the most ancient Churches and from them to receive what is certaine and cleare concerning the present question 3. Witness Tert. de Preser Therefore we must not appeale to Scriptures neither is the controversy to be settled upon them in the which there will be either no victory at all or very uncertaine c. Againe Order did require that that should be proposed in the first place which ought now to be onely debated viz. Which of the parties is possessed of that faith to which the Scriptures agree from whom and by whom and when and to whom that discipline was delivered by which men are named Christians For wheresoever it shall appeare that the truth of the Christian discipline or Faith is there will also be found the truth of Scriptures and expositions and all Christian Traditions Witnesse Origen Since there be many who thinke they believe the things which are of Christ and some are of different opinion from those who went before them let the doctrine of the Church be kept which is delivered from the Apostles by order of succession and remaines in the Church to this very day That onely is to be believed for truth which in nothing disagrees from the Tradition of the Church And again in our understanding of Scriptures we must not depart from the first Ecclesiasticall Tradition nor believe otherwise then as the Church of God hath by succession delivered to us 4. Witnesse S. Cyprian de unit Eccl. There is one head one Source one Mother by the Issue of her fruitfulnesse copious by her encrease we are born we are nourished with her milk with her Spirit we are quickned The Spouse of Christ cannot be defiled with adultery Shee is pure and chast Shee knoweth one house and with chast bashfulness keepeth the sanctity of one bed This preserveth us in God This advanceth to the Kingdome the Children that shee hath brought forth Whosoever divideth from the Church and cleaveth to the adultresse hee is separated from the promises of the Church He cannot have God to his Father that hath not the Church to his Mother Witnesse Lactantius l. 4. c. ult It is onely the Catholique Church that hath the true worship and service of God this is the wel-spring of truth the dwelling-place of Faith the temple of God into which whosever entreth not and from which whosoever departeth is without all hope of life and eternall salvation Witnesse S. Basile and S. Gregory Naz. who as Ruffinus Hist. Eccl. l. 2. c. 29. relateth took the interpretation of Scripture not of their own sense but from the Tradition of the Fathers Witness S. Cyril of Jerusalem lat 18. The Church is called Catholique because it is spread over the universall world from one end to the other and because it teacheth Catholiquely and entirely all doctrine which are to be known Witnesse S. Ambrose Faith is the foundation of the Church for it was not spoken of the flesh of Peter but of his faith That the gates of Hell should not prevaile His Confession overcame Hell and this Confession excludes many Haeresies for seeing the Church like a good Ship is beat upon by many waves the Foundation of the Church must prevail against all Haeresies L. de incarn dâ—â— 5. Witnesse Dom. in Psalm 37. In the Church the truth resids Whosoever is seperated from it it is necessary that he speak false things Againe Ep. 54. The heighth of all authority all the light of reason for the reparation and reformation of mankinde consists only in the saving name of Christ and in his only Church Again Ep. 56 The supream Emperour of our Faith hath fortified his Church with the cittadell of authority and by meanes of a few persons piously learned hath armed it with copious provisions of unconquerable reason That therefore to him is the most right discipline that especially the weak should retire into this cittadell of Faith to the end that for their defence being placed most securely others should combat with most strong reasons Again de util Cred. c. 16 if the Providence of God doth not precide over humane affairs no care is to be had concerning Religion But if the severall variety of creatures which ought be believed to have flowed from some fountain of most perfect beauty and by certain inward instinct doth exhort both publiquely and privately those
uniformly and whether this doctrine and discipline was not carefully preserved in the Primitive churches all the world over if these things be granted as plaine Texts of Scripture for the former and an agreement of most of the Fathers within the time of the four first Generall Councells will testifie for both Then I desire to know whether from the fourth Councell till S. Gregory the Great 's days any substantial part of either ha's perished If any one say it ha's he will find it a labour beyond Hercules his forces to prove it for to this hour I could never see one pressing testimony out of any Ecclesiasticall Writer Then from S. Gregories dayes to these it is visible that not any the least substantiall part of either is lost and this by the confession of severall learned Protestants by the agreement of all Catholique Writers by S. Gregories own writings and which is a proof irrefragable by comparing the Gregorian Liturgy and Missall with those of the present age In the next place let him consider that most of the books of the New Testament were written by the Apostles and Evangelists for the use of particular churches some to particular persons sent by single messengers Besides that severall ages were passed before all the books were communicated and dispersed and accepted as Canonicall by the whole Catholike Church Now after a comparing of these two Traditions together let any man judge whether of them is the more universall either for time or place 3. To the third viz. Of Scriptures being an entire Rule of Faith c. It is already answered cap. 31 32. c. Whereto I shall for the present only add this viz. That Mr. Chillingworth cap. 1. parag 5. 6. 7. takes great advantage from a speech as he sayes of his adversaries namely That the Scripture is a perfect rule forasmuch as a writing can be a rule I am confident his learned adversary never intended to allow him all this in the sense and extent that Mr. Chillingworth presseth it as if all points of Faith were as fully set down in Scripture as they could be in any writing But I have no commission to interpose between them two and therefore all I have to say is that there appeared to me no kind of necessity nor any probability that it was his Antagonists intention that such a large allowance should be made to Protestants for I would fain know since evidence is one necessary condition to make a rule perfect could Mr. Chillingworth believe that the meaning of his learned adversary should be that for example the doctrine of Faith concerning the blessed Trinity is as evidently and intelligibly stated in Scripture as in the first Councell of Nice or all points in controversie now adayes as in the Councell of Trent or that all Texts of Scripture are so unquestionably evident that no interpretations or Commentaries could make them plainer his meaning therefore surely was that Scripture in regard of evidence and with relation to fundamentall Doctrines chiefly intended to be published in it is as evident as can be expected from any one single writing standing alone Not but that one writing explained by a second and those explanations further cleared by a third may be plainer Or though it might have been possible that for example the Doctrine of the Trinity might have been declared so manifestly that Photinianisme or Arianisme might have been prevented notwithstanding no plainnesse of writing can prevent malitious spirits from extracting novelties of some kinds of senses or heresies either those or others as pernicious since as our blessed Lord sayes Necosse est ut veniant scandala that is It is necessary that scandalls must come Mat. 19. 9 And S. Paul Oportet haereses esse that is It is needfull that there should be heresies 1 Cor. 11. 19. both for the tryall of those that love God and discovery of those that hate him For unlesse God should quite change the nature of mankind it is impossible that any one writing should be so plain but that either the curiosity or pride or interests or malice or at least the debility of mens wits may and doubtlesse will find or extract obscurities and difficulties out of it especially such a writing as the Scripture is which being composed by men of severall dispositions and spirits moreover belongs to all mankind of all conditions and dispositions so that if they be let alone every one will be forward yea even take a glory to dig and search into the treasures of it and challenge an equall right to maintain his own and disparage the discoveries of any other every Sect and Sectary will think they see and read therein all their owne distinctive opinions clearly shining and a confutation of all opposite tenents Yea perhaps the blind sensuall Passions worldly interests and proud fancies of vain man will have recourse thither and not want the impudence to seek for nor blush to pretend that they have found a covert and protection for the works of Satan in the divine Word of God In vain therefore doth Mr. Chillingworth triumphantly boast of his inferences to his seeming advantagious to himself since they are all extracted meerly from his own misunderstanding of that most reasonable and prudent saying of his worthy Antagonist 4. Yea this one consideration that the necessary mysteries of Faith are not nor could be so evidently set down in any one place of Scripture but that other places may be found which may afford ground even to an understanding man to raise objections will make any man conclude that either there are no mysteries necessary to be believed or that something besides Scripture must be made use of to clear all difficulties CHAP. XXXVII An answer to M. Chillingworth's fourth and fifth grounds Severall Novelties introduced by him 1. To the fourth where it is said That all things necessary to salvation are contained in Scripture so plainly that no reasonable man desirous to find the true sense can doubt or be mistaken in the sense of them so that for such matters there is no need of any interpreter An assertion this is which is one of the main foundations upon which all manner of Sects that withdraw themselves from the Churches authority do and must relye therefore I thought it necessary to spend more thoughts in examining the firmnesse of it and after all I professe I found it of all others most weak most contrary to reason and every daies experience 2. For demonstrating the justice of this censure of it and that I may expresse my self more clearly I will lay down certain positions to which I conceive all rationall men will assent As first touching the word necessary besides what hath already been spoken of the ambiguousnesse of that word which is relative and variable according to it's application to severall objects and subjects which I will not now repeat I suppose that all men will call that necessary for which being
an act of reason is an act of reason or a reasonable act and indeed otherwise it would be impossible to terminate faith ultimately in God but a man should believe God not for Gods authorities sake but his own 9. The use of reason antecedent to faith and act of the understanding in assenting to a thing revealed for the authority of God the revealer do not prejudice neither the supernaturalnesse nor certainty of Faith because the same things have place in any revelation though made immediately by God for it is with my senses that I receive the thing revealed and convey it to my understanding it is with my understanding that I assent to it and the reason why I assent to it is because it is most reasonable to believe God yet none of these things diminish either the supernaturality or absolute certainty of this belief 5. But to come to a more particular examination of Mr. Chillingworth's Positions 1. He argues that private reason ought to be acknowledged the Judge of controversies and interpreter of Scripture because whatsoever we do in Religion we do it by our particular reason yea even those that deny private reason to be a Judge do this because their reason tells them this is more reasonable c. It is confessed that Faith is an act of reason that is of the reasonable faculty of the soule and that it is the same faculty of reason which submits and captivates it self to divine or Ecclesiasticall authority for as to be Gods slave is the greatest liberty so to renounce carnall reason when God commands it is most reasonable It is moreover confessed that in such a case when reason with submission to God captivates it self and renounces all discourses of reason that would oppose such an a bnegation of it self that it does this from a rationall principle viz. that it is most reasonable to believe and submit to God who is veracity it self But what will follow from hence Will any one therefore either be so unreasonable as to conclude that divine faith is ultimately resolved into reason as into the motive of assenting it is indeed the efficient cause producing the act of assent but the last and principall motive is divine authority or that divine revelations are to be examined and exacted according to the rule and principles of naturall reason thereby either to stand or fall Or lastly that when reason judges it reasonable to receive the sense of divine Revelations from the Church endewed with authority for that purpose Reason in that case shall be called the interpreter or judge 6. In the second place where he sayes The difference between a Papist and a Protestant is this not that the one judges and the other judges not Thus far I grant But that the one judges his guide to be infallible the other his way to be manifest To this I answer that here are two judges 1. a Catholique and his judgement is that his guide is infallible or rather speaking in his guides language that she ha's authority to direct him This is true but not all that is true for he judges of his way too namely that that way and rule by which and in which his guide sets and directs him is manifest And he judges of this more rationally then a Protestant can because the same that God appointed to be his guide is both entrusted with this rule and an explainer of it likewise to him having not only words but sense delivered to her 2. A Protestant Judge and his judgement is that his way is manifest it is true he judges so but how injudiciously hath been already shewn But does he not judge of his guide or ha's he no guide to judge of Yes that is himself or his own reason and that he judges to be all sufficient both for authority and prudence He that in interpreting an Heathen Orator or Poet would not trust his own judgment or adventure his reputation to the world without alledging authorities by which he might justifie his judgment and much more he that in a tenure of land would willingly submit his judgment to the authority of those judges whom the Law ha's deputed will notwithstanding trample upon all authority upon the traditionary interpretation of many ages he will despise Fathers and Councells and adventure eternall happinesse or misery upon his own single judgment and when all this is done will call it a judgment of reason and discretion 7. In the third place To speak properly saith he the Scripture is not a Judge of Controversies but only a rule c. This I grant to Mr. Chillingworth and withall that he is the first Protestant that I know of that ha's spoken properly in this point But he adds and the only rule to judge them by But the contrary I think I have already proved Yet before I leave this passage I desire to be informed what controversies are here spoken of namely whether concerning points necessary or unnecessary surely not of necessary for how can there be controversies about such points as according to his belief are set down in Scripture so plainly that no reasonable man can doubt of the sense of them and if of unnecessary why will they confesse that they quarrell unnecessarily It follows Every man is to judge for himself with the judgement of discretion This is true if the sense be that it is by the faculty of reason that he embraces and assents to divine revelations not that such revelations are to be admitted or refused according as they are consonant or repugnant to the principles of discourse of naturall reason It follows And to chuse either his Religion first and then his Church as we say But what Church do Protestants chuse since though in effect there are infinite Churches among them separating from and damning one another Yet if the grounds of Protestantisme be true and reasonable viz. 1. That the belief of necessary fundamentall doctrines is sufficient to make a true Church 2. Since all such points are so plainly contained in Scripture that no reasonable man can doubt of the sense of them much lesse disbelieve them And 3. Since no Protestants will deny but that in all Churches even the Catholique also there are reasonable men it will follow that they must say that indeed there is but one Religion and one Church and so no choice at all It follows Or as you Catholiques his Church first and then his Religion For my part I know no Catholique sayes so nor any reason that should move Mr. Chillingworth to put such words in their mouths For if we speak of one that is yet to chuse Christianity and is in pain to find a Congregation to joyn himself to the difference between such a Director as Mr. Chillingworth and a Catholique would be this Mr. Chillingworth would tell him Search the Scriptures attested by universall Tradition as will appear if you peruse all the Records since Christs time there you will find
whether that authority which is indeed supreme be not unappealable from and necessarily to be submitted to by all particular subordinate persons To say such persons have no authority to be Guides is to contradict expresse Scripture And to say that there can be a subordination of authority without one that is supreme Or that that which is indeed supreme may by particulars persons or churches be opposed or so much as appealed from is to contradict not onely what is assumed but evident reason and all order 3. Where it is said That no Church is fit to be a Guide in Fundamentalls but only a Church of one denomination as Greek Roman Abyssine c. For otherwise no man can possibly know which is the true Church but only by a pre-examination of the doctrines and that were not to be guided by the Church to the true doctrine but by the true doctrine to the Church I answer That a Catholique Church there is as we profess in the Creed and that this Catholique Church is visible and easily to be designed plainly distinquishable from new Sects and innovating congregations and that this body representatively united is the supreme authority on earth and that every particular Church or member of this Catholique Church as such is a sufficient guide to those that live in her Communion As concerning his phrase a Church of one denomination I grant that God ha's not apparently obliged himself to confine his Promises to any particular Dioecose Province or Nation no not perhaps even to Rome it self Only this may certainly be affirmed that the Catholique Church shall by vertue of Christs promises continue to the worlds end a visible Church teaching all substantiall doctrines of Christianity guided by a lawfull succession of Pastors under one visible Head which visible Head ha's hitherto for above sixteen Centuries been the Bishop of Rome and that is a fair presumption that it will be so to Christs second coming for I know nothing but a generall earthquake there and swallowing up of that place that is likely to hinder such a succession since it ha's already abidden all variety of oppositions and tempests when the whole power of the Roman and infernall Empire sought to extinguish it and when all sorts of Heretiques and Schismatiques sought to undermine it But I shall speak more of this when I come to the last conclusion concerning the perpetuall visibility of the Church 4. In the fourth place to his first proofe that no Church of one denomination can be an infallible guide in fundamentalls because if so then she should be infallible in non-fundamentalls also I answer that even by Mr. Chillingworth's own confession it does not follow that if Christ hath promised to preserve his church from all errour in fundamentalls that therefore by vertue of that promise she should be exempted from all errour whatsoever and the reason given by Mr. Chillingworth is worth the marking The Church sayes he may erre and yet the gates of hell not prevaile against her for seeing you Catholiques do and must grant that a particular Church may hold some errour and yet be still a true member of the Church Why may not the universall Church bold the same errour and yet remain the universall Church unlesse every the least errour be one of the gates of hell 5. And indeed many Catholique Writers there are who upon the same grounds with Mr. Chillingworth extend the promise of the holy Spirits assistance to the church not to all inconsiderable circumstantiall doctrines but substantiall and traditionary only And for a further proof we may add that there are some Fathers of great antiquity and authority who hold whether justly and truly or no I debate not but they hold that there are reall differences between the four Evangelists in some circumstances of no considerable moment related by them and by consequence there must of necessity in their opinion be an errour such as it is in some one of them at lâ—ast The which inconsiderable differences whether reall or imaginary there being an exact demonstrable agreement amongst them all in points of Doctrine do rather in S. Chrysostomes judgement in Mat. Hom. 1 establish then invalidate or any way prejudice the divine infallibility of their writings since thereby it is apparent sayes he that they did not compose them by consent and conspiracy for then they would have been scrupulously punctuall in all even the smallest circumstances but in the ingenuous simplicity and sincerity of their hearts In like manner S. Hierome tells us that in his time some learned Catholiques were of opinion that the Apostles and Evangelists in the New Testament quoted some passages of the old Testament and the Septuagint meerly out of their memory not looking into the books themselves and that by that means their memory failing their quotations were not exactly true yet notwithstanding those Fathers were far from questioning the authority or infallibility of any one of the Evangelists as concerning any substantiall doctrine contained in any of their Gospells c. So likewise in the Latin Translation of the Bible there are not only differences of senses from Originalls Hebrew or Greek now extant not only great and uncertain variety of reading in the antient Latin Copies but likewise as the Protestants brag very great diversity between the Impressions published by the Authority of Pope Sixtus Quintus and Clemens Octavus since the Councell of Trent wherein notwithstanding they are mistaken for though Sixtus Quintus had design'd an Impression and prepared a Bull for the authorizing of it yet God took him away before he effected his intent thereby as it were signifying that it was his pleasure to take away from Heretiques all seeming advantages against his Church But though this had been as the Protestants imagine surely a more corrected reimpression does not imply that the Church wanted the true Scripture since none of such differences are of such considerable moment as to cause any uncertainty in points of Doctrine For I conceive it was never heard that any errour was grounded meerly upon a various reading of any Text of Scripture But to proceed certain it is that there were much greater differences between the antient Italica and other Latin Translations of the antient Church and this of S. Hierome as likewise yet greater between the Septuagint and the Hebrew and yet neither do the Apostles refuse to quote some passages out of the Septuagint wherein the Translation is manifestly faulty however in a matter inconsiderable neither will any Catholique affirm that the promise of the holy Spirits assistance did fail the antient Church although it only made use of a Translation of the Scripture very imperfect if compared with S. Hieromes no not though upon such differences of reading it were possible to ground doctrines which might be circumstantially erroneous It is true such doctrines would be of no considerable moment but however they might be erroneous yet without any prejudice to Christs
likewise impute superstition idolatry and other crimes unto it thereby to justifie such their separation by which means not a Schisme only and that most properly so called is happened but Heresie likewise is to be imputed to one of the parties divided That neither of these titles belongs to the Romane Church and therefore that both of them are justly and necessarily to be charged upon the Church of England and by consequence much more upon all other Sects of Protestants as being much more violent and uncharitable against the Roman Catholique Church may to my understanding be demonstrated most evidently after this manner viz. 2. First with respect to separation from externall communion In a manifest Schisme as this is apparently those who are but a part who are new beginners whose prime authors may be named who have introduced among Christians novelties not heard of in the world even by their own confession for above a thousand years and have actively separated themselves from the externall communion of the whole in which they did formerly remaine those and those onely are Schismatiques and such are Protestants as is evident For 1. The English church is at the best but a particular church which in the beginning of the raigne of King Henry the VIII did live in externall communion with the then whole Catholique Church but afterward in the same Kings dayes divided it self from the same externall communion by renouncing obedience to the Pope whom before they acknowledged the visible Head of the Catholique Church 2. The same English Church in the dayes of his Son King Edward the VI. but especially to his Daughter Q. Elizabeth to the former Schisme added an alteration of severall other points of doctrine confessedly for very many ages universally embraced by all Catholiques and conspicuous in the publique profession and practise of the church and in this double division both from the Faith and externall communion of the Catholique Church ha's the English Nation continued ever since Therefore according to the notion of Schisme which we have from Antiquity and plain expresse reason the English-Protestant-Church is properly Schismaticall and Hereticall 3. On the contrary the Romane Church acknowledged by all Englishmen to have been the Catholique Church and even since the separation allowed by English Protestants themselves to be at least a true member of the Catholique Church ha's continued to this day in the same forme of externall communion that she had before ha's not actually nor actively separated from any church pre-existent much lesse from the whole body ha's changed nothing of doctrine c. therefore if she was the Catholique Church before she is so still however she cannot in any the least shew of reason be called Schismaticall 4. For further proof of this let us consider the first beginners of separation Luther Zuinglius or to apply this discourse to the Church of England Tindall I desire to know whether when Tindall alone of his owne head without any authority either civill or ecclesiasticall yea in open desiance of both began to disperse doctrines unheard of among his countreymen all Catholiques dividing himselfe from the externall communion of the whole world whether I say Tindall thus standing alone as supposed as yet not to have gained Proselites was properly and truly a Schismatique or no If he was I would fain know by what right he or his followers came to lose that name when he had perverted a company suppose a Parish or Diocess or Province yea that whole Kingdome is it become a meritorious thing to gain Proselites to Schisme or Heresie Is one single person when he is out of company a child of hell and being joyned with seven other as wicked or perhaps more wicked then himself does he thereby become a child of God Then certainly all Pharisaicall Sectaries have good reason to do what our Saviour sayes of the Pharisees namely to travell Sea and Land to make Proselites since ill company it seemes may bring them to heaven whereas if they had been alone they could not avoid sinking into helll But if Tindall so standing alone in reall separation from all other Christians was no Schismatique then since by confession on all sides the Catholique Church cannot fail it will follow that Tindall in his own single person was the Catholique Church and the whole body of Christians divided from him were Schismatiques 5. If this way of arguing be not demonstratively concluding both out of the forementioned grounds of the Fathers and evident reason yea even palpable sense it will be impossible to make a Syllâ—gisme or to conclude rationally from any principles whatsoever we must alter Dictionaries and all formes of language and affirm that there is no means left to understand one another though we endeavour to speak never so plainly For if he be not a Separâ—â—tist who doth by his own confession actually separate and he an Innovator who doth actually innovate And if that church which in An. D. 1516. was confessed not to have been Schismaticall because then all things were peaceable no Schisme was yet begun if the same church continuing without any alteration in doctrine or practise till the year following that Luther taught and divided against it and so ever since be to be called Schismaticall because others would stay no longer in it then to change is to be constant and to be constant to change to run away is to stand still and to stand still to run away 6. If Protestants reply that though in respect of the then present state of the church Luther Tindall c. did make alterations in regard of some precedent ages before Luther in which the church had been wholly drowned in errour and superstition they did indeed innovate Yet since they sought to reduce the present distempered church to the form and soundnesse of the antient Apostolicall church they were neither alterers nor innovators but rather took away all alterations and innovations I answer that if Luthers or Tindalls judgement alone deserved to be ballanced with the whole world and if there were any suspition that Christ had forgot his promises or were become unable to perform them there might be some pretence for such a plea otherwise such an excuse doth augment their guilt in as much as they do dishonor Christ calumnâ—ate the one holy Catholique and Apostolique Church charge themselves with the extremity both of infidelity and pride or in the language of S Augustine blasphemy and intolerable madnesse CHAP. XLIX A continuation of proofes that Schisme and Heresie cannot with the least shew of reason be imputed to the Roman Câ—urch but only and wholly to Protestants c. 1. A Further proof as evident as the former viz. that the imputation of compleat Schisme with Heresie annexed is onely to be charged upon Protestants c. and not with the least shew of reason upon the Roman church and that with respect of doctrine innovated is this 2. It is first confessed that all
of late begin to challenge to the end to excuse their church from the title of Schisme for withdrawing it selfe from the Popes Jurisdiction were just and legal yet they will never be able to justifie themselves for disbelieving what they together with all the other Western churches so many ages agreed to have been true or for denying the title of Oecumenicall Head to the Pope Let it be supposed therefore what some of them alledge that it is in the power of such a King of England as Henry the VIII with the forced consent of his Clergy to erect the English church into a Patriarchate as Justinian the Emperour did Justinianaea Prima Or that England being an Island like Cyprus might have the priviledge to be independent of any Patriarch all that will follow thereon will be only that the Pope as Patriarch of the West shall by this meanes be deprived of some Patriarchall Jurisdictions Investitures Rights of Appeals c. which have antiently been endeavoured to be withdrawn from him by the African Churches c. Yet what is this to his title of S. Peters Successor and Head of the Church Or was Justinianaea or the Isle of Cyprus so independent in matters of point of Faith or publique practise on the Pope or other Patriarchs or however on a Generall Councell as that they could dejure alter any thing established by Universall Authority Could they renverse decisions of Oecumenicall Councells Or did they ever usurp such an authority to themselves as to impute superstition idolatry prophaneness heresies c. to all other churches under a shew of Reformation ruining the whole order of Discipline and Belief confessedly continued in the whole church for above a thousand years Till they can produce examples of an authority of Reformation of such a nature assumed by any Catholique Prince or particular Kingdome the other pretended right of exemption from Jurisdiction will be so far from excusing them that it will make it apparent to the world that it was meerly their Princes lusts ambition and unquenchable thirst after ecclesiasticall revenewes that first put the thought of Reformation into their heads and that upon as just grounds they may expect from others a Reformation of their Reformation which will perhaps prove more durable when those baits shall be utterly taken away which first whetned their wits to contrive that project of a Reformation 11. For my own part therefore seeing these severall conclusions concerning the Catholique Churches indefectibility authority unity and Visibility so unanimously attested confirmed and made use of by all Antiquity with so good successe against all manner of antient Heresies and Schismes And on the contrary perceiving no such method practised by Protestants disputing with one another no mention in any of their writings or arguments from Christs promises to the church but onely presumptuous boastings of greater sagacity and cunning to wrest Scripture to their severall purposes without the least successe of unity with one another yea to the utter despair thereof Having shut mine eyes to all manner of worldly ends and designes yea resolving to follow truth whither soever it would lead me though quite out of sight of countrey friends or estate at length by the mercifull goodnesse of God I found my self in inward safety and repose in the midst of that City set â—pon an hill whose builder and maker is God whose foundations are Emerauds and Saphirs and Jesus Christ himself the chief Corner Stone a City that is at unity within it selfe as being ordered and polished by the Spirit of Unity it selfe a City not enlightened with the Meteors or Comets of a private Spirit or changeable humane reason but with the glory of God and light of the Lamb Lastly a City that for above sixteen hundred years together hath resisted all the tempests that the fury of men or malice of hell could raise against it and if Christs promises may be trusted to and his Omnipotence be râ—lyed upon shall continue so till his second coming To him be glory for ever and ever Amen SECT III. Containing a brief stating of certain particular points of Controversie c. CHAP. I. The Question of the Church being decided decides all other controversies How it is almost impossible that errour should have crept into the publike doctrine of the Church Of what force objections out of Scripture or Fathers are against the Church 1. AFter that Almighty God had changed that which was to me a stone of offence into a rock of foundation making me to find repose of mind in submitting to the authority of his church which by reason of my former misapprehensions I carefully avoided as if the greatest danger that a Christian could be capable of had beene to be a member of Christs mysticall body which is his Church or as if the hearkning to the Church had been the way to make a man worse then a Heathen and a Publican I then found an experimentall knowledge of the truth of that speech of S. Hierome cont Lucifer viz. that the Sun of the Church presently dryes up all rivelets of errors and dispells all the mists of naturall reason as likewise of that of the Prophet Quicredit intelliget i. e. He that believes shall understand For being arrived to the top of that mountaine upon which God had built his church I found clear weather on all hands I found that there remained nothing for me to do afterwards but to hearken to and obey her that both Scripture and Fathers and now mine own reason taught me was only worthy to be obeyed And therefore the truth is here should be an end of my Exomologesis or account of my inward disputes about controversies concerning Religion which quickly ceased after that I left off to be mine own Guide and Teacher 2. Notwithstanding among the particular controversies in debate between the Romane Catholiques and other Sects I will select especially six of the most principall on purpose to shew that if any regard had been had either to the authority or peace of Gods church there would never have been any differences about them and that in the judgement even of moderate Protestants the differences are indeed of so small weight that if there had been amongst them but the least measure of charity or if Schisme had not been esteemed by them a vertue they would never have made such fatall and deadly divisions upon pretences so unconsiderable 3. They indeed lay to the charge of the Catholique church novelties in doctrines and practises and yet Catholiques even out of those few that remain of the most antient Ecclesiasticall Authors shew clear proofes of these doctrines and practises and desire no more of them then that they would speak in the language of the antient church They accuse her of impieties and idolatries and superstitions yet Catholiques shew them that the most holy learned Saints and Martyrs that ever were in Gods church practised and maintained such pretended superstitions c. They
the Church to be the interpreter of Scripture or that acknowledged lawful General Councels are not obliging under the penalty of manifest Schism that is damnation And again on the otherside what one Protestant is there who will not protest against the Infallibility of the Church and yet this Infallibility in the meaning of the Church neither dose nor must comprehend more then is imported by the other expressions Is it not apparent therefore Since no such word as Infallibility is to be found in any Councel and since the Church did never enlarge her authority â—â— so vast a wideness as Protestants will needs hither to collect from the word Infallibility but rather that she does deliver the victory into our hands when we urge her Decisions that any Catholick that had any charity in disputing with Protestants would either wholly abstain from the word it self or since it is become so common and with all so convenient for no other single word can be imagined so proper would in using of it confine it to its necessary acception in the present matter and so prevent Protestants that they should not if they would make use of it to their most disadvantagious advantage And this latter expedient I have in this review made use of keeping the word Infallibility in it self good and innocent yet withal using caution that it should not be mistaken 8. What is now become of your exclamations my good unknown friend I. P. how impertinent are they and how harshly and inharmoniously do they sound O the strength of reason rightly managed by the Great Defendors of the English Church O the power of truth clearly declared That it should force an eminent member of the Church of Rome alas eminent in nothing but in miserable imperfections to retract so necessary so fundamental a doctrine to desert all their Schools and contradict all their controvertists For is it not apparent even from the first impression of my Book that it was so far from being true that the strength of reason rightly managed by you or the power of truth clearly declared by you compelled me to use such expressions that on the contrary it was your manifest unreasonableness and your wilful mistake of Truth that forced me out of compassion and charity to you not to retract any doctrine of the Church nor to desert any community in it but to temper what the Church and the Schooles and Controvertists likewise say to your too much depraved palats 9 Having been so large hitherto I may the better dispence with my self to be brief in what follows Therefore whereas in the sixth Paragraph I. P. says That it is not the name or word Infallibility that is deserted by Mr. Cressy but the whole importance and sum of it since he does not except against the word but to receive it in the sense of Cardinal Bellarmine that is Infallibilis est qui nullo casu errare potest c. To this I must needs say that truly I. P. is mistaken for it is onely the word Infallibility that is in controversie and that protestants I do now except Mr. Chillingworth c. who are far from being truly English Protestants do make meer nominal controversie of this great fundamental one for no argument that ever I saw is so much as intended by them to disprove this truth That it belongs to the Church to be the interpreter of Scripture and not to any private spirit or natural reason or this That the Decisions of the Catholick Church in lawful approved General Councels are not obliging under pain of Anathema incurring of schism and by consequence damnation and it is this I say principally this that the Church understands by the notion of Infallibility Therefore it is in your own sense onely and not Bellarmines that you will understand those words of his Infallibilis est qui nullo casu erraâ—e potest for Bellarmine himself as I have shewed in my book acknowledges a General Councel to be infallible yet not Infallible as the Scripture that is Quod in nullo casu errare potest for the Scripture is Infallible not onely in Essential Doctrines but even in all circumstantial historical passages phrases and and words whereas Councels are onely Infallible in the substance of their Decisions the which Decisions as Salmanticensis saith are likewise to be extended no further then the latitude of the Heresies which they intend to condemn but as for other passages in Decrees or decisions as the grounds principles and reasons from which a Councel deduces its conclusive Decisions c. In those it may be deceived and much more in orders and reformations which depend upon prudence or information It is therefore a very great apparent mistake when you say that Mr. Cressy retracts either the word Infallibility it self which he often makes use of or or much less the full importance and sense of that word unless you will mean that he will not use it in your full importance and sense for that he acknowledges he will not he is too charitable to you to justifie or encourage you in your mistakes As for Mr. Chillingworth my lord Falkland and if there be any other that proceed upon their grounds whom you ought to have called not the Great Defenders but the great Destroyers of the Church of England though they do indeed mistake the word Infallibility extending it to too comprehensive a sense yet that does not hinder them in their way for by making every ones personal reason to be judge and interpreters of Scripture they do thereby destroy all obliging authority whether fallible or infallible 10. In the seventh Paragraph the Author I. P. very rationally that is very consequently to his most irrational mistaking me First imputes unreasonableness to me in making any answer to the arguments made against that which he confesses himself cannot be maintained Hereto I answer That 1. Since it was Mr. Chillingworth's book and not any Prelatical Protestants argument against the Catholick Churches authority that perplexed and entangled me And 2. since I knew that Mr. Chillingworth beleeved his arguments unanswerable not onely by his Adversary and such as proceeded upon his Adversarie's special grounds but by any Catholick upon what grounds soever and that the onely grounds upon which Catholick authority could be destroyed were not such as my Lord of Canterbury c. proceeded on viz. To set up a little authority and seemingly to contradict an universal one but onely such as Mr. Chillingworth used viz. To disoblige every Christian from all authority whatsoever as obliging the conscience to the beleeving of any thing and making private reason the judge where was this unreasonableness of mine when I attempted to shew the world how I came to be undeceived and upon what grounds I ceased to think what before not I onely but very many Protestants besides my self thought namely that Mr. Chillingworths book did wholly destroy not only his mistaken Infallibility but the true real