14 That other hinderance that is of more special force with them al generally is that they have a certain persuasion that they can not join with us in our profession but that so they should depart from the catholik church Which thing indeed is of such importance that if it were tru it were not for any that loved his own salvation or the glorie of God to join with us in our religion For there is but one church as also there is but one faith and whosoever they are that depart from either of both they cannot be of sound religion whatsoever it is they do professe Therfore to examin this matter a little first we may do wel to search out what it is that maketh them to think that if they should reform their profession so far foorth as we have done they should then depart from the catholik church and so consequently deprive themselves of aeternal life then how the same opinion of theirs may be amended Concerning the former me think that the principal cause of this their persuasion is for that they do not rightly gather neither what the church it selfe is nor yet what it is to depart from the same And then if the groundwork it selfe be wrong it is no marvel if the building that be set therupon be awrie likewise The former of them is that in the aestimation of the church they take not unto them a right trial to teach them which is the church indeed For the levels that they commonly use are especially two one taken out of the first foundation of it the other the successe that since it hath had to this praesent time wherin we live Out of the foundation of their church they go about to establish the certaintie of it by two conveiances one from Christ unto Peter the other from Peter unto them For first they imagin that Christ made Peter the cheefe of al and his general substitute heer on earth that he should be under him the head of his church and have the feeding of al that are his Out of this they gather that those onlie are the church that acknowledge Peter next under Christ to be their cheefe principal head Then do they conceive that Peter was disposed to leave this primacy with the church of Rome and to those that should be the bishops therof and that for that cause he left other places and came unto Rome and was bishop there five and twentie yeers And therupon they think they may safely gather that whosoever is not under the church of Rome he also is none of the church of God These conveiances do we take to be of very little force and so consequently no matter of substance to assure us of the truth of this matter For first that Peter had any such praerogative or primacie we find it not set down by Christ himselfe or by any of his Apostles which notwithstanding must needs have been done without quaestion if it had been tru being as it was of such importance Then as touching any assigment over from him to the church of Rome and to those that should be the bishops therof neither do we find by undowted authoritie that he ever did it nor if he had at any time done it yet that he had libertie so to do and that God would ratifie his assigment But I mean not to enter into that discourse sufficiently handled by many others neither is it needful when as our adversaries themselves do of late so much mislike that part of their groundwork that none of them al of any account can finde in their harts to build so much as their own credit theron The other which standeth in the successe that their church hath had is indeed of greater force to such a purpose but yet notwithstanding such as being rightly considered yeeldeth no assurance to the matter that we have in hand The successe which the church of Rome hath had resteth in two principal points in continuance and consent of others By continuance I mean that it hath not fallen bak again to Paganism or heathenish vanitie neither yet stept aside to the sect of Mahomet as the Turks and manie others have done but ever continued after a sort in the profession of the faith since the time that by the Apostles it was delivered unto them Which surely is a very special blessing of God an evident work of the holie Ghost and a very good cause why al those that wish wel to the Gospel of Christ should have the ancient church of Rome so much the more in reverence for it So commeth it to passe that they have not onlie had after a sort a continual succession of bishops teachers but also have in some maner praeserved and hitherto maintained both the word and the sacraments that Christ himself did leave unto us The consent also that they have had hath been verie great yet not ever alike but somtime more than at some other So long as it kept the faith undefiled and was earnestly bent to advance the kingdom of Christ and would in no wise break but carefully maintained the unitie of the church so long they had the consent of al that dwelt about them or by any means could have any dealing with them And that not altogither for the antiquitie and dignitie of the citie bicause it had been of great continuance in a florishing estate and was now the imperial seat but also even for the sinceritie of the faith and for divers excellent gifts that God had powred upon that church in plentiful maner But after that the former zeal being abated it began to fal in love with earthly things and to break the peace of the church to advance it selfe then began manie to let down their former good liking of it al the East churches generally and manie of the better sort in the West likewise Nevertheles even then also the greatest part of al Europe and some others else-where besides did cleave unto it partly of themselves for the former dignitie of the place or for that they perceived not how they began to slide away from the sinceritie of their profession but especially bicause of the great power that the church of Rome did after obtain from which they saw not how to withdraw themselves without some praesent displeasure or danger Hence commeth it that they have had their doings allowed and their opinions confirmed not onlie by manie several persons of best account but also by Provincials abroad and by general Councels at home themselves or their frinds in these latter ages ever bearing the sway in them both So that indeed the church of Rome hath had such successe in these parts of the world among us that to our knowledge there hath not been the like for earthlie pomp any where else Yet notwithstanding this also is over weak wherupon to set that building of theirs needs must it have a faster ground else can it never be able to
Wherin although they could never be able either to condemn us or else but to justifie themselves yet is it more than we need to give them and more than we think they use wel when they have it Therfore to cōclude both these points as I said before so say I again that it is no marvel if divers of them think that joining with us they should utterly depart from the church so long as they do wander so far both in determining what the church is and what it is to depart from the same 16 For amendement wherof it must needs be a good and a readie way more truly to learn what the church is indeed and what is the undowted departing from it Concerning the former it shal be needful not onlie to consider what the church is in the whole but also what it is in the several parts that is who are the tru members therof Concerning the whole there is a way which if we take we shal never be able plainly to find out the thing that we seeke yet notwithstanding determin therin the very truth Again there is a way which if we take we shal quikly find that which is not onlie tru in it selfe but also carrieth such a light with it as that easily we shal be able to perceive the truth of the thing that we have in hand The former of these is when as we go about to compas those things that are beyond our reach and cannot come under our capacitie As namely when we labor to finde out the church in heaven either in the secret election of God or in the glorie wherunto it shal come in the end or on earth by the largenes of the bounds which it hath being spred al over the face of the earth For thogh it be very tru that that indeed is the tru church which is chosen from the beginning and which shal be glorified in the end yet are not we able by either of those to finde out who they are For we cannot looke into the secret purpose of God nor in the end it selfe espie the end before it come we must either have better tokens than these or else can we do no good at al. So likewise the earth is so very large that we are not able to reach foorth our knowledge unto the outmost bounds therof and so consequently can never see what faith it is that is there professed nor so much as whether there be any people at al that there inhabit If therfore we should take such a course as that we could not in our conscience set down with our selves that we knew the church until we could get the view of the whole then could we never resolve our selves but must needs remain uncertain so long as we live And in this our adversaries have as it seemeth at the first a just occasion ministred unto them to turn aside their adhaerents eies to the church of Rome being such as for neernes and evident shew that it hath may easily come under our knowledge and for that many others hang therupon carrieth a special credit withal Howbeit althogh they have rightly espied the inconvenience on the one side yet have they not sufficiently holpen the same on the other They see in deed what is the disease but the medicin that they give for the same wil not serve Therfore now concerning that other way that wil serve our turn we have the direction alreadie given as in manie other places of scripture besides so namely by a special place of Christ himselfe at his last going up to Ierusalem a little before the time that he suffered At what time being disposed to leave that point decided unto them before he should leave them he first asked his disciples what opinion others had of him and when that came short what was their own persuasion of him Wherunto when Peter answered in the name of himselfe the rest that they beleeved that he was the Christ the son of the living God he plainly declared that that was the tru profession indeed that it was not an opinion or conceit of mans wisdome but was given unto them from his father in heaven that it was the rok plot of ground wherupon he would build his church that against it the power of hel should never praevail and that by it they should open and shut the kingdome of heaven to al the world setting at libertie from the danger of hel those that beleeved and binding up al others to aeternal perdition In which place we have to consider what is the faith that is so commended and what cōmendation is given unto it But bicause to the praesent purpose that we have in hand we need but the former of these two therfore in the other we need to consider no more but this now that there is so special cōmendation given unto it as that it cannot be but that whosoever are of the same they must needs be of the church indeed The faith it selfe that is there professed resteth in two principal points one that he was the Christ the other that he was the son of the living God Of which two the latter is with so ful consent received of al and so cleer from al maner of dowt among us and every point therunto belonging that it again may for this time be set aside though otherwise in it selfe it be as needful as the other And so to find out what is the sense of the former of them that is that he was the Christ it is as much to say that he was the annointed or that very savior which before was promised unto them In which his annointing there are two things to be considered that he was appointed and made able to be our savior and so consequently appointed and made able to be our preest our prophet and king Our preest to make a ful attonement betwixt God and us to the purchasing of aeternal redemption in him and to the attainment of the same our prophet to teach us whatsoever is expedient for us to know and our king under whom we have to live until by his government he shal bring us thither Out of which we may safely set down and that by the authoritie of Christ himselfe who they are that may be accounted the church of God that is the universal assemblie of those that professe the Son of the virgin Marie to be the promised savior by God himselfe both ordained and enabled to save so manie as do beleeve in him Or if we go more specially to work those that rest in Iesus Christ alone for the whole work of their salvation in his preesthood for the ful satisfaction of the justice of God both to escape hel and to come unto heaven in his doctrine and scepter to bring us unto it So commeth it to passe that whersoever there be any countries or nations that do professe this faith in Christ those must we needs acknowledge
for to belong to the church of Christ as on the other side whosoever they are that have not this faith that those are none of the church of Christ whatsoever thing else they can praetend So that the church of which we speak at this praesent is that universal assemblie or gathering togither of al those whether congregations or several persons in any part of al the world that beleeve in Christ or professe the same that we cal christianitie or the Christian faith Concerning the members it may sufficiently appeer by this that is said alreadie who they are that do appertain to that account whether they be whole congregations or several persons that come in quaestion For whosoever they are that professe according to the pattern aforesaid those must needs be very good members and those that swerve from it whether more or lesse are in like sort to be accounted to be in the like proportion departed from the sinceritie of the better sort So that in any wise we must take heed that in this account we measure not the goodnes of any member either in the secret election of God for that it is unknown unto us or in the framing of the conversation to outward sobrietie or holines of life wherin we may be very soone guiled but only that we now seeke out those that are visible members alone measuring the woorthines of everie member by the profession before set down until that once having found out the truer members of the church we then examin among themselves who they are that more sincerely answer their holie calling 17 Having so found out what it is to be of the church who are the visible members therof now may we with lesse labor espie what it is to depart from the same especially if we take heed of this that we use no other tokens for to teach us when we are wrong than only that same wherby we have lerned when we are right For as a sea mark on the shore or a beakon upon the hil doth by one and the selfesame labor teach them both so the same likewise that before is set down is sufficient to declare unto al that do walk by direction therof who they are that are right who on the other side do wander amis out of the way We have therfore first to resolve our selves that for this matter we wil take our aim therat then to seek out by direction therof who they are that depart from the church That we should so resolve our selves we have as good reason as can be desired for that otherwise we may be deceived but never if we take our aim by this The reason that otherwise we may be deceived is for that al things else wherby others do commonly judge what is the course that they hold are nothing else but either points of lesse importance if they do belong unto this or else are of some other kind either directly contrarie to it or divers from it If it be of the former that is appertaining indeed to sound religion and yet nevertheles not so material or very needful but that christianitie may stand without it then if any man depart from it although that therin he do withdraw himselfe from the truth yet may not that be accounted any departing away from the church so long as he keepeth unto the substance of christianitie As for example the truth is that of al that were born of women Christ only was without sin and yet for our sin that he sustained for which he had to satisfie the justice of God he was hartily touched with the horror of death Nevertheles if any there be that cannot be as yet persuaded but needs he must think it more honorable for the blessed virgin yea for Christ himselfe that tooke flesh of hir to have been without sin therupon for his part do rather think that by special praerogative she also was praeserved frō original corruption or els do but dowt it to be somwhat reprochful to Christ that being as he was the son of God he should be so much afraid of death although that heerin he do indeed depart from the truth in those two points or at least in his weaknes come short therof yet bicause that neither of them is so much of the substance of religion but that christianitie may be acknowledged where nothing else but these or such like are wanting therfore may we not by any aequitie account any such to be out of the church that holding al things else besides only sticketh in some of these So likewise if any should depart from that which hath been for a long time received and yet is either against the truth of religion as the worshipping of images or but more than the scripture teacheth as the altering of the sabboth to another day than was woont to be observed as in the former he were so much the rather of the church of God so in the latter he were not to be condemned as no member therof holding al things else sincerely For though our selves do like the altering of the sabboth new from that which was observed of the Iews unto the day of Christs resurrection yet must we needs grant with al that it was somwhat more than needed and that if it had stood as it did it had not been against the Christian faith which is so much the rather to be noted for that not only divers of the antient fathers in times past have been but we also at this praesent in like sort are a great deal too hastie to condemn in such cases al that do not fully accord in al points with us In these cases therfore or any such like whosoever wil condemn al those to be none of the church that are not fully persuaded as we are therin he might soone condemn many such as might after be found to be the children of God when himself and his fellows should be excluded and besides that in the mean season commit an uncharitable part towards those his brethren and that which might grow to an il example for others to follow The reason that we cannot in any wise be deceived if we cleave to the other hangeth on two principal points the one that there is no other way to the kingdome of God the other that it is the only faith that is common to al that unto this kingdome do appertain That there is no other way than Christ alone it is in it selfe so very cleer that it needeth no further help Out of it likewise must the other very necessarily arise that seeing there is none other way but it alone therfore so many as belong therunto must needs be of the same profession In which respect that which is the substance of this profession by divers of the fathers of old hath bin termed catholik yet is so called to this praesent day For howsoever Christian churches have at al times varied in
if they should ioin with us they fear that therby they should depart from the Church Concerning which First the hardnes of the matter is unfolded Which is done by shewing First how they are deceived which is for that they do not rightly conceive Either what the Church is Sect. 14. Or what it is to depart from it Sec. 15. Then how the error may be amended which is by right understanding What the Church is Sect. 16. What it is to depart frō the same Se. 17. Then the Resolution therof is gathered which is that of departing altogither from the Church there ought to be at al no quaestion among us but only who are the truer members of that Church that we al are of In which point so long as the quaestion is but betwixt us and them the advantage is wholy and only ours Sect. 18. The Treatise tending to Pacification TO persuade or move others to the truth of Religion that being as by yet preiudice deceived cānot persuade themselves to be so short therof as they are hath been and ever must be in al ages so needful an argument as that many do gladly bestow their labor therin Of which as other ages have ever given sufficient testimonie so this of ours doth most plentifully witnes the same being so much more fruitful and abundant therin as it hath pleased God to blesse it with so rare and singular a light of the truth as to our knowlege he never yet bestowed on others Therfore among us also there are and those very many that have taken this argument in hand and have done so wel therin that God is glorified the church is increased and themselves have gotten a reverend aestimation among the people of God therby So commeth it to passe that whatsoever I shal do therin according to the smal talent that God of his goodnes hath bestowed on me may seem to be needlesse and as it were to come out of season when the church is so wel stored alreadie with such persuasion and others long since seem to themselves halfe cloied therwith Neverthelesse seeing that now I was purposed to get foorth this booke of Resolution that goeth before which so treateth of godlines of life that in a maner it maketh no mention of knowledge or faith as also it appeereth that the author himselfe was in some things of a contrarie judgement to us therin I thought the case it selfe to be such as that it behooved me to say somwhat therof as before in the preface I have declared The effect wherof is no more but this first to shew that there is very reason why they should join in profession with us and then to declare in what sort to remoove such things as most do hinder the weaker sort The reason why they ought to join in profession with vs is for that it becommeth and behooveth the church of God in many respects to be at unitie in it selfe and yet the case so standeth in this matter that we are not able in our profession to yeeld unto them but they verie wel may and of dutie ought to accord unto us It becommeth and behooveth the church of God to be at unitie in it selfe for so many good and substantial causes that it needeth no confirmation at al insomuch that it shal not be needful to bestow any labor in the prooving of it The other is not so fully concluded of al and yet notwithstanding we dowt not but we have sufficient ground-work to be persuaded therin as we are The reason why we may not yeeld unto them is for that there can be no other account made of the matter but that the benefit we should get therby would be verie little and the inconvenience that commeth withal marvelous great The benefite that we should get therby seemeth to rest but only in a certain persuasion that we should be in better case than now we are For whether we should be so or not that must needs as yet lie in question betwixt us But this is very tru in deed that if we were of their profession then should we be with them persuaded that our estate were so much the better And our estate would then seem to be bettered both for the certaintie of our salvation in the world to come and in some things that do concern this present life For as touching our salvation we should account our selves more sure of it bicause that then we should imagin our selves to have the mediation and help of angels and saints in heaven and the benefite of our own and other mens merits on earth wheras by the profession that now we are of we so rest in Iesus Christ alone that we seeke for no help by any of those And if Iesus Christ be not only sufficient to work our salvation which themselves do never denie but also sufficient in himselfe not going out of his own person for any part of his sufficiencie but keeping only to his own merits and mediation having no respect at al to the mediation or merits of any others which also I think very few of them wil denie though when they have granted it they are fain somtime to borrow it again to establish the doctrine of those other helps what special advantage is it to us for to have any mo besides when we have inough and inough only in him For although it were not il to mingle any other with him which at this present we wil not urge yet if be but more than needeth it can be no special benefite to us He that hath wel dined alreadie can very little be holpen by more plentie of meat be it never so good and otherwise welcome unto the taste Now that Christ is sufficient even in himselfe without the help of any other if it be not in the scripture so plainly set down and so derived through al antiquitie in the judgement of any but that stil they wil hold it needful to seeke unto others so far as before they were woont to do neither wil we labor at this present to make it plainer The things that do belong to this praesent life wherin it might seem our estate might be bettered are of two special sorts wherof some concern our inward and one other concerneth our outward government Our inward comfort may seem might be increased under that profession two principal wais First that then we need not fear the excommunication or curse of the bishop of Rome under which we are now and long have been then for that they have a more copious representation as they take it of heavenly comforts than we for that in sacraments and ceremonies they far exceed us and have that use of images also wheras we have none at al. First therfore concerning the Popes curse we do not find it now to be of that force that heertofore we thought it to be neither by the word of God neither by experience it selfe And if we
stand Although therfore that in their own opinion their church hath had a special foundation and although it hath had indeed such successe since as themselves do stil imagin yet notwithstanding when they point us unto the church and undertake to shew us undowted tokens therof then we allow not that they should think to put us over onlie to this and shew us no better tokens than these We do not denie them to be of the church but we allow not the bounds of the church to be so taken in nor these things to stand for sufficient proofe that any such praeeminence belongeth to them 15 The other point that seemeth to yeeld some part of the groundwork of that persuasion is for bicause that they do conceive that to be a departure from the church which is none indeed after that once the truth is tried Concerning which matter it shal be good to consider these two things how this kind of persuasion doth grow and what inconvenience this one point of mistaking doth breed in the end This persuasion groweth most of al by the means of our adversaries then also by some of our selves too Those adversaries of ours by whom it commeth are lightly the most cunning and most learned of them who seeing themselves to have some advantage if they can win us to acknowledge or others to beleeve that we are simplie or in al things departed from them and make another peculiar church of our selves earnestly labor even at the first to obtain that advantage Hence commeth it that both they do so busily urge that point and would have neither us nor others to make at al any quaestion of it and so readily apply to that sense whatsoever they finde in our writings that doth import a division betwixt us Those on our part by whom it commeth are most of al those that are most zealous who being much mooved with the manifest corruption that the adversarie part maintaineth and with their unreasonable thirst of innocent blood in the quarrel of religion are by that occasion carried so far somtime that they do not ever speak and write in so sensed maner but that when they acknowledge that division that indeed is and ought to be betwixt them and us so long as they stand in such sort as they do they may seem to acknowledge that we are altogither divided that we are a distinct visible church from them and they but a synagog in no sense appertaining to the visible church Wheras notwithstanding by the whole course of al our writings it is cleer again that we do not sunder our selves from them nor them from us but only in those points that are in controversie betwixt us and for the rest agree togither and acknowledge likewise that in those we are one But bicause that whensoever we speak of the division that is betwixt us we do not therwithal shew how far we agree therupon it seemeth to them that we can easily be content to be altogither abandoned from them and to have no societie at al with such a people So commeth it to passe that as they upon the advantage disclame in us and bear us in hand that both they and we cannot be the members of any one and the selfesame church as indeed in some sense we cannot and in that sense is by us acknowledged so we likewise seem unto divers to be in that point of the selfesame mind with them and as fully to disclame in them as they do in us and as absolutely to hold that both sorts of us cannot in any sense or construction be members of one and the selfesame bodie especially of that which is ancient and tru and the catholik or apostolik church as notwithstanding we are generally The inconvenience that this mistaking dooth breed in the end is very great and hurtful to the cause of religion but some branches therof there be which are common to both parties and some that are proper to either Common to both are these two the inward hart burning and greefe of mind that is betwixt us one towards another and bitter contentions insuing theron whensoever occasion is offered And touching the former we need go no further than to appeal every one to his own conscience For there shal we finde both that we have an inward greefe one towards another and that we think we may and ought maintain the same in the cause of religion that we have in hand Our contentions are so apparant and known unto al that al Christendome is witnes of them Which also are for the most part so bitterly handled as if in religion we were utterly sundered one from another and had no point of faith at al that were common betwixt us to the increase of variance among our selves and to the great hinderance of many of those that are without and otherwise might be woon to the Christian faith Proper unto our adversaries it is that if it do fal out in the end as I trust it wil anon appeer that there was no such cause in us as deserved so to be abandoned from the church of God then abideth an heavie judgement for them that have been so bold as to set down that we are not of the church of Christ and therwithal for to power forth whatsoever curses they had against us And no marvel if they stand in such danger in the judgements of God when as being so they sin very greevously both against God and against their neighbor Against God for that they fight against his truth and abuse the place of justice that he hath given them against their neighbor for that so they discourage and terrifie many of the weak ones that are among us and among themselves are the only cause that many of the simpler sort that belong unto them are persuaded that we are none of the church and behave themselves accordingly towards us Then also if it should be so as we hope it wil appeer that we have a better title to be of the church than they thēselves have then would their subtiltie and fearcenes return to them again and conclude upon themselves that if we do not belong to the church much lesse do they Proper unto us are two others likewise if we at any time suffer them to make such an absolute division betwixt us For so commeth it to passe first that by consenting so far with them in this error we also must stand chargeable before God for whatsoever il fruits do spring of the same ratably at the least so far as the proportion of our fault requireth Then also we bring our selves to needles trouble for that it is great probabilitie with them that so we make our selves answerable for to finde out a distinct a several church from them from which we descend which hath continued frō the Apostles age to this praesent else that needs we must acknowledge that our church is sprong up of late or at least since theirs
certain by-matters concerning their profession yet that which is the very substance indeed have they ever professed togither so long as themselves abode in Christ therupon acknowledged ech other for catholiks notwithstanding the diversitie that in those other points they stil maintained As also we see in the law of arms that howsoever countries and kingdoms are divided among themselves yet therin do they agree togither notwithstanding the diversitie of government or laws and notwithstanding the mortal enmitie that otherwise may be betwixt them For even so is it in the church of God very much divided in many matters of lesse importance but in the substance of Christian religion which we term the catholik faith agreeing togither And as it is in men and al other creatures that God hath made that generally al are like unto the kind of which they are but otherwise varieng among themselves even so is it in this likewise al that are Christians holding togither that which is the common faith of al the material and essential points of Christian religion and yet very often greatly divided in other matters therunto appertaining but not of the very substance indeed Seeing therfore that the substance of Christian religion the very effect of the whole is to rest in Christ alone for the whole work of our redemption in his preesthood for our attonement in his doctrine for al our wisdome and in his kingdome for our obedience whosoever they are that hold the same they hold without quaestion the catholik faith whosoever they are that diminish of this or put to any other they dowtles do that which hath not ever been in the church of God nor whersoever it hath been spread and so conseqvently that which in neither of these respects nor in any other can truly be aesteemed catholik For whatsoever it is that is catholik indeed it must needs have the testimonie of al ages and of al Christian churches which only agreeth to that which is taught by the written word And whatsoever is not such that also to abide by is not catholik 18 Now to find out who they are that depart from the church but so that we incumber our selves no further than to the praesent busines that we have in hand doth appertain the quaestion standeth betwixt the adhaerents of the church of Rome on the one side us on the other they plainly affirming that we are departed from the church we denieng it and not only claiming to have a lawful interest therin but also pleading a continual possession that we never were nor yet are departed nor excluded from it For the plainer demonstration wherof we are to justifie that of departing from the church there ought to be no quaestion at al among us but only of the members therof who they are that more truly answer unto their calling For we both acknowledge the holy Trinitie and three persons therin of aequal glorie and those three to be but one and the selfesame God we both acknowledge Iesus Christ to be the onlie begotten son of God and to be man of the virgin Marie we both acknowledge him to be the promised savior that there is no redemption in any but only by him the canonical scriptures we both acknowledge to be the undowted word of God and likewise observe those two sacraments that God ordained to be in perpetual use among us we both acknowledge that it behooveth Christians to mortifie the flesh and to walk in holines of life that one day we shal be raised up again and stand at the judgement seat of Christ and so manie as have done wel shal go to fruition of everlasting joies but al the rest to everlasting pains So that as touching the profession of the faith generally both sorts of us do so far agree that neither of us may justly account the other to be none of the church of God And therfore as it was very il done of those that first urged such a separation so likewise those that seemed so easily to accept therof as though that both sorts of us could not be of one and the selfesame church generally did unadvisedly likewise For whersoever this cōmunitie of profession is there whosoever make such division they are not able to justifie their doings therin bicause that so they make an utter separation wheras notwithstanding in general profession they are reasonably wel united togither and are not sundered but in some special matters of controversie But now if we come to the consideration of the several members heerunto appertaining whether they be whole congregations as national churches or but ordinarie parishes or whether they be but particular persons therin may we be bold to determin that both are not right but that one part whosoever it light on must needs be wrong For though by their outward profession generally we are both sorts to be accounted of the church yet in such diversitie as is betwixt us we cannot both sorts be tru members of the same If they be right then we are wrong if we be right then they are wrong Such is the diversitie that is betwixt us and of so material and needful points though both sorts be of the catholik church yet is it not possible for both sorts to be catholik members of the same Whether of us therfore it is that is wrong is now to be seen Where first as touching them we cannot account them to be catholik members for two principal causes First bicause that they do professe maintain divers opinions that very directly go against the Christian faith that generally they do otherwise hold For they do not content themselves only with Christ nor with his word nor with his sacraments or at the least not so fully as we but set them up other mediators in heaven other doctrines sacraments on earth And though it may be they wil say that they have not done these things in such sort or not in such measure as we would seem to charge them withal yet can they not denie but that they have done it and do it stil more than we and then if the quaestion lie betwixt them and us whether are the truer members needs must we in that respect praevail against them The force and power of his annointing they impeach very much when as they do not content themselves with him alone whom the father appointed made able to serve our turn Then also bicause they do so earnestly impugn the truth of religion in divers points and so bitterly persecute the persons of those that either professe religion sincerely or join not with them in al their corruptions and usurpations For so doing we can make no other account of them but that they have suffered themselves to be made the members of antichrist or man of sin that sitteth in the church of God and insolently confoundeth al at his pleasure Concerning our selves they wil not charge us but that we rest
in Christ alone for the whole work of our redemption seeking none other to be mediators or to help forth with the attonement betwixt God and us coveting none other doctrines than those that himselfe hath delivered unto us neither yet giving over our obedience to other observations than such as the written word doth teach us But the cheefe thing they charge us withal is for that we receive not more than Christ his Apostles in the written word hath delivered unto us as the supremacie of the church of Rome worshipping of images their miraculous praesence of Christ in the sacrament ordeining our service to the common people in a toong that they do not understand praier to saints and for the dead and many others such like as these Concerning which the truth is that we do not receive them and the reason is bicause they are not catholik but devised or crept in of latter time and not professed in al ages nor of al Christian churches generally In which one point they do unto us a very great and a double injurie both for that they denie us the name of catholiks that nevertheles receive the catholik faith both in the whole and in every point and for that they take that name to themselves who mingle with the catholik faith many inventions of their own devise and sufficiently hold not much of the truth that they do professe But when we do constantly hold al the holy scriptures without exception and al such sums of the Christian faith as have been gathered by the fathers of old and now are authentik in the church among us as that which is called the Apostles creed the Nicene likewise and that other of Athanasius and whatsoever the churches agreed on togither among themselves in the four first general councels and last of al whatsoever at any time since hath been ordeined by the church of Rome or whomsoever else that is not contrarie to the holy scriptures and they on the other side have mingled togither with the catholik faith with the truth and substance of religion which in al ages and in al churches hath been professed many other novelties besides utterly unknown not only to the scriptures but also to the fathers of old yet notwithstanding hold many of these as fast as they do any thing else let any indifferent man be judge whether they or we be better catholiks and then if it please him whether they are meet so resolutely to judge of others that are so far overshot themselves So for this matter we resolve our selves that we are no several church from them nor they from us and therfore that there is no departing at al out of the church for any to depart from them unto us nor from us unto them Al the difference that is betwixt us is concerning the truer members whether they or we may be found more woorthy of that account In which point of controversie we dowt not for to praevail against them and as for the other we allow no such quaestion to stand betwixt us 19 Wheras therfore the case so standeth betwixt us that it were no benefit or advantage to us in any respect to join with them in their profession but mo wais than one great inconvenience and they on the other side by joining with us should reap great benefits have no incōvenience withal wheras also such things as have hitherto hindered many by better advisement may soone be found to be of no such force to stay thē what could there be on behalfe of the common cause more seemly in respect of their own benefit more circūspectly done than so to tender the unitie peace of the church and their own salvation withal as that they would no longer stand out against the truth but lay down their affections now and willingly submit themselves to the kingdome of Christ The magicians of Aegypt being set on by the king willingly did for a certain time what they were able against Moses and Aaron to the discredit both of their persons and of the just cause that they had in hand but afterward being touched somwhat neerer they persisted not then but yeelded themselves and gave glorie to God If any of these have been set on to do as they do it wil not acquit the cost in the end if they have done it of their owne accord it is not like to scape unpunished if they see not unto it betime The Ephramites were of the people of God and yet revolted away from the law though stil they held after a sort the profession therof and having so done they so continued a long time after as a wanton untamed and unrulie heifer notwithstanding al the most earnest warnings that GOD by his prophets did give unto them But yet is it recorded of them that at the length they turned again smiting upon the thigh and acknowledging that they had committed very shameful things If with Ephraim they have so erred and stept aside pittie it were but they should be as readie with him to repent and turn again especially seeing that they have greater provocation now than ever had Ephraim before The Iewes that put their savior to death and utterly renounced whatsoever salvation was offered by him did notwithstanding yeeld from among them very shortly after three thousand persons at once that diligently inquired of the Apostles what they should do and immediately therupon were baptised likewise And it is not to be denied but that many thousands of these also are alreadie come in but yet is it pittie if it might be amended that any one of them al should so far have crucified the Lord again and yet be so long before that he do repent him of it S. Thomas an Apostle himselfe nevertheles dowted very much for a time of the resurrection of Iesus Christ and would in no wise beleeve the others affirming the same but upon very hard conditions and such as agreed not with the nature of his resurrection For needs would he find the badges of mortalitie in his glorified and immortal bodie or else he would in no wise beleeve But when Christ condescended therto and for the time by special dispensation allowed those badges of his mortal nature in his immortal bodie now reteining for the time his wounds he quikly forsooke his unbeleefe and foorthwith acknowledged him to be as he was his Lord God These also beleeve not that the Gospel of Christ is risen again they suppose it is either manifest haeresie or at least but some newfangled doctrine the ancient Christian and catholik faith they can in no wise think that it is The conditions also that they require are as hard as the others for manie of them such as are verie seldom found in the most glorious truth of Christ but commonly haunt the corruption of faith and those beggerly rudiments of the world the doctrines of men But wheras God hath so disposed and ordered this matter