QVI NON CREDIT CONDEMNABITVR MARC 16. OR A discourse prouing that a man who beleeueth in the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. yet beleeueth not all other inferiour articles of Christian fayth cannot be saued AND Consequently that both the Catholike and the Protestant seeing the one necessarily wanteth true fayth cannot be saued Written by WILLIAM SMITH Priest He that beleeueth not shal be condemned Marc. 16. Without fayth it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. AT S. OMERS For Iohn Heigham with permission Anno 1625. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY TO THE READER GOod Reader such are the lamentable times wherin we liue as that they not only bring forth men who with great contention and heat of dispute do vndertake to maintaine particuler Errour directly repugnant to the Scripture and the iudgement of Christ his Church but also they affoard some others who as if wickednes would striue to raise it selfe to its highest pitch are not afraid to entertaine all Religions with such a cold indifferency as that they would that saluation may be obtayned in any Religiō so that the professours therof do belieue in the Trinity the Incarnation other such fundamental points of Christianity whether they be Papists Protestants Anabaptists Brownists or any other of these later Sects They heereupon further do teach that we are not obliged vnder the paine of any spirituall losse to embrace any one of these Religions before another scornefully traducing in their conceipts all others who exact a more strict and articulate beliefe of our Christian mysteries which later kind of men is far more daungerous and hurtfull then the former since those our of a preposterous zeale their vnderstanding being blinded and misinformed do only defende falshoods for verityes so running themselues vpon that rocke of Tertullian Haeresis est probata non credere non probata praesumere It is the propriety of Heresy not to beleeue points proued and to presume or take for graunted things not proued Whereas these Adiaphorists whose secret pulse doth indeed beate vpon Atheisme disclaime from all necessity of truth iustifyinge the defence of errours euen vnder the title of errours and houlding only this one maine controuersy in Christian Religion to wit that in Christian Religion there are no maine controuersies Against these ambidexter Protestants so to call them who draw their soules perdition in the ropes of a supine and careles security I haue thought good to vndergo the wryting of this short ensuing Treatise The subiect of which discourse I find most necessary euen from my owne experience who for the space of thirty yeares and aboue with infinite thankes to God haue beene a Priest of the Catholike Roman Church during which longe compasse of tyme I haue dealt with many soules here in Englād and haue found infinite of them openly professing Protestancy yet inwardly perswaded as is aboue touched that men of most contrary fayths so that in grosse they beleeue in Christ may be saued as if saluation were a Center indifferently extending its lines to the circumference of all Religions yea diuers of these men were not ashamed to contest with me in the open defence of this wicked opinion and fortifying themselues principally with this following reason 2. God say they is most mercifull and therfore it would be much repugnant to his infinite mercy to damme for all eternity any man that beleiueth in him and in Iesus Christ as his Redeemer so that withall he forbeare dooing of all wronge but leade a vertuous or at least a morall lyfe though in other articles of lesse importance he may erre To this I answeare with the Apostle (a) Rom. cap. 11. O altitudo diuitiarum sapientiae scientiae Dei Gods iudgments are inscrutable and to be admired not to be ouercuriously pried into If it was his diuine pleasure for many ages to make choyce only of the Iewishe Nation a very handful to the whole earth for his elected people and to suffer all the rest of the world generaly speaking to ly drowned in Idolatry and therefore to be damned And if also after our Sauiours Incarnation he vouchafed not for the space of many ages to enlighten whole Countreys with the Ghospel of Christ but permitted them to continue to their soules eternall perditiō in their former Idolatry Heathenisme yea suffering euen to this very day and how long yet after his diuine Maiesty only knoweth diuers vast Countreyes to perseuere in their foresaid Infidelity if I say this proceeding in God is best liking to himselfe and that for the same he cannot be truly chardged with Iniustice or cruelty seeing he gaue them sufficient meanes of saluatiō by the law of Nature and did not withdraw from them grace sufficient leauing them thereby without excuse Then much lesse can any man expostulate God of iniustice or want of mercy for his diuine goodnes is nothing but iustice and mercy it selfe if he suffer men to perishe eternally and damne them for want of an entire compleate and perfit faithe in all the articles of Christianity especially in these times when no Christian can pretend for excuse any inuincible ignorance in matters of faithe by reason that the true articles of Christian Religion are sufficiently propounded and diuulged by Gods Church to all Christians whatsoeuer therfore touching Gods secret iudgements and disposales heerein we will conclude with (b) Cap. 30 Esay Deus iudicij Dominus 3. This then being thus from hence it appeareth how much the Protestants wronge the Catholikes in charging them with want of charity for houlding that Protestants dying Protestants cannot be saued wheras on the contrary part diuers learned Protestants do say they graunt the hope of saluation to Catholikes or Papists dying Papists To this we reply that here is no want of Charity but rather a Seraphicall and burning Charity for what greater charity can there be then seeing it is an indisputable verity that men dying in a false hereticall faith cannot be saued to premonishe and forwarne withall conuenient sedulity endeauour opportunè importunè their Christian Brethren of so great a daunger as the perdition of their soules commeth vnto Noe the soules interminable and endles weale or woe is not a matter of complement that so for ceremony sake it is to be forborne to be inculcated and often spoaken of especially where the most certanie truth of the matter insisted vpon the charitable conscience of the speaker do warrant the discourse And if Catholikes must be accompted vncharitable for these their admonitions then by the same reason they must insimulate the Apostle of the said fault of want of Charity who (c) Tit. c. 3. 2. Thessal 3. seuerely chargeth vs to fly the company and society of an Heretike and who rangeth (d) Gall. cap. 5. Rom. 16. schismes and heresies among those sinnes the workers wherof shall not obtaine the kingdom of God But to returne more particulerly to the subiect of this
death Conradus Schlussenburge a famous Protestant thus writteth Deus (m) In Theolog. Caluinis l. 1. f. 72. manu sua potenti c. God with his mighty hand did visit Caluin for he despaired of his saluation called vpon the Diuels and gaue vp his soule swearing and blaspheming Caluin dyed being eaten away with lice for they so bred about his priuy members that none about him could endure the stench and smell Thus farre the foresayd Protestant 3. Now then seeing all these men beleeued all the fundamentall points of Christian Religion as the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. seeing also they were the most principal men that first introduced and after disseminated Protestancy throughout the world spending their whole liues in spreading defending the same by their writings Finally seeing God did cut them off by such most miserable calamitous and prodigious deaths which is to be feared were but presages of the eternall deaths of their soules who can otherwaies be persuaded but that all this was wrought by the iust hand of God Not so much for their personall sinnes proceeding of humane frailty for there were many others as great sinners as they who haue escaped such dreadfull ends but for their first inuēting maintaining preaching of the Protestant faith and Religion infecting all countreyes with such their false and sensuall doctrines which being granted how then can it with any touche of reason be supposed that the positions of Protestancy impugned by the Catholikes should containe nothing but matters of indifferency Or that a man whether he beleeue them or not beleeue them may alike and indifferently be saued The same proued from the doctrine of Recusancy taught by Catholikes and Protestants CHAP. XII I Haue thought good to draw another argumēt from the common taught and approued doctrine of Recusancy in euery Religion though this head may seeme to haue a speciall reference to the reason aboue touched in part be therin implicitely included wherein is shewed that nature her selfe hath imprinted in the professours of all Religions a religious care punctually to keep preserue euery article of their Religion both in beliefe practise Now here we are to premonish that if in the iudgment of all learned men both Catholikes and Protestants it is thought an action most wicked and vnlawfull and not to be performed but without finall repentance vnder paine of eternall damnation that a man should communicate only in going to the Church to heare but a sermon contrary to that Religion which himselfe beleiueth to be true though this may seeme to be coloured vnder pretence of obseruing the Princes commandements and for feare of loosing our temporall estates I say if this action be thought vnlawfull wherein neuerthelesse the performers therof doe punctually vndertake not to maintaine or to beleeue any one hereticall or erroneous position how then can it be reputed as consonant to reason that men beleiuing different opinions of faith and promiscuously communicating in prayer with a contrary Religion to their owne should neuerthesse all be saued since the first fault consisteth as some would interpret though falsely only in an externall and materiall as the schoolemen speake going to the Church of a different Religion wheras the others do directly and openly sinne in defending articles of Religion contrary to the truth of Christian Religion for such is the case herein either of Catholiks or protestants 2. Now that this kind of going to Church of a different Religion is wholely condemned as most vnlawfull and wicked I first proue from the iudgments of the Protestants secondly from the resolutions of the Catholikes And to begin with the Protestants we find this kind of Recusancy I meane to be present at the sermons or prayers of a different Religion is taught by (a) De vitandis superstitio extant in tract Theolog. p. 584. Caluin by the (b) Alleaged by Sleydan in com englished l. 7. f. 87. Deuines of Germany by (c) In cōcil Theol. p. 628. Melancthon by (d) In his discourse hereof recited in Melanct. treatise de concil Theolog. pa. 934. 635. Peter Martyr and finally to omit others by D. Willet (e) In synops printed 1600. p. 612. 613. c. who for the better fortifying and warranting of the sayd opinion produceth his testimonyes from the authorityes of Latimer Bradford Philpot Ridley and others diuers of which according to this their doctrine suffered death in Queene Maries tyme as appeareth out of Foxes acts and Monuments And thus much for the Protestants That the Catholikes do with the like or greater feruour teach practise this recusancy is cleare by the example in our owne Countrey where since Protestancy was first planted many stores of venerable and learned Priests haue chosen rather to suffer death then they would change their Religion or goe once to the Protestants Church their liues being commonly proferred them if so they would conforme themselues and leaue their recusancy In like sorte many hundred of the laity pay yearely great sommes of money for their recusancy diuers of them enduring further oppressions disgraces and imprisonement only for the same cause through the rigour malice and couetousnes of subordinat Magistrates his maiesty whose clemency is most remarkeable whome God long preserue in his gouernement ouer vs being herein mightily wronged through the false and most iniurious informations of their aduersaryes 3. Now that the doctrine of learned Catholikes is answearable to the practise heerein appeareth from the frequent testimonies of diuers learned men of the Catholike Church of this tyme yet for greater breuity I will insist in the authorityes only of three to wit Cardinall Baronius Cardinall Bellarmine the two late lampes of Gods Church and of Mutius Vitellescus then but Prouinciall now Generall and head of the order of the Iesuits dispersed throughout all Christendome For some yeares past their iudgments being demanded whether the Catholiks of Englād for the sauing of their goods liuings and liberty might goe to the Protestant Church or not to heare a sermon though otherwayes they did not communicate in prayers and sacraments with the Protestants these three learned holy men besides diuers others most eminent Doctours and writers whome I heere omit did giue their negatiue sentence therein whose particuler wordes in latine I haue thought good heere to set downe The iudgment of Cardinall Baronius Visis consideratis quae superius diligenti peruestigatione in vtramque partem disputata reiectis omnino exsufflatis quae pro parte affirmatiua fuere proposita quod scilicet liceret Catholicis adire Ecclesias Haereticorum vt superius sunt proposita inhaeremus saniori sententiae posteriori ab Ecclesia Catholica antiquitus receptae vsu probatae quod scilicet ita facere pijs non liceat quam rogo nostros Catholicos Anglos amplecti ex animo Caesar Card. Baronius tituli SS Nerei Achillei Presb. I hauing seene and
considered meaning in the question of English Catholiks going to the Church al these points which haue beene disputed of on both sides but reiecting and wholely abandoning al the reasons alleadged for the affirmatiue part to wit to proue that it was lawfull for Catholikes to go to the Church of Heretikes I doe adhere to the more sound and later opinion which anciently was receaued of the Catholike Church and allowed by vse and custome That is that it is not lawfull for pious and godly men so to do and I intreate desire all our English Catholikes to embrace this my opinion and iudgment Caesar Cardinall Baronius Priest of the title of the Church of S. Nereus and Achilleus The iudgement of Cardinall Bellarmine Consideratis rationibus pro vtraque parte allatis existimo non licere viris Catholicis in Anglia Haereticorum adire Ecclesias multo minus concionibus ipsorum interesse minime autem omnium cum ipsis in praecibus vel psalmodia alijsque ipsorum Ecclesiasticis ritibus cōuenire Ideo propria manu subscripsi Robertus Bellarminus Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Presbiter Cardinal tit Sanctae Mariae in via Thus in English The reasons brought vpon both sides considered to wit touching the lawfullnes or vnlawfullnes of the English Catholikes going to the Protestants church I am persuaded that it is not lawfull for English Catholikes to go to the Church of Heretiks much lesse to be present at their sermons but least of al to communicate with them in prayers or singing of psalmes and other their Ecclesiasticall rites and customes And therefore this my iudgment heerin I haue subscribed with my owne hand Robert Bellarmine Priest Cardinall of the holy Romā Church of the title of Sanctae Mariae in via The sentence of Mutius Vitellescus then Prouinciall now generall and head of the order of the Iesuits Vidi rationes quae in hoc scripto pro vtraque parte afferunt existimo non licere viris Catholicis in Anglia Ecclesias Haereticorum adire c. puto hoc debere esse extra conuersiam Mutius Vitellescus Prouincialis Rom. Societatis Iesu In English I haue seene the reasons which are alledged in this booke or writing on both parts touching the going or not going to the Protestants church and I am of opinion that it is not lawfull for Catholikes in England to goe to the churches of Heretiks And I am perswaded that this point ought to be out of all controuersie Mutius Vitellescus Prouinciall of the Society of Iesus in Rome 4. And thus farre touching the sentences of these three learned men deliuered in warranting the doctrine of recusancy in Catholikes Now to turne our eye vpon the premises if the going to the Church of another Religion only for auoyding of temporall losses but to heare a sermon of the said Religion be to be accounted a sinne not to be done vnder paine of damnation as being presumed to be an externall conformity to a false Religion as by all the former testimonyes aboue alleadged is plentifully proued though the party so offending may perhaps beleeue al points truly of Christian Religion with what reason thē can it be warranted that both Catholikes Protestants conspiring only in the fundamētal points of the Trinity Incarnation Passion c. but differing mainly in all other points of Religion yet neuerthelesse promiscuously communicating one with another in prayers and the Sacraments can all ioyntly be saued And the rather seeing that both sides teaching contrary and irreconciliable doctrines touching Freewil Purgatory Praying to Saints c. It must needes follow that the one part defendeth not matters of indifferency as is commonly supposed but iniustifiable errours or rather to speake as the truth is manifest and grosse heresie The same proued from the writings of Catholikes and Protestants wherin they reciprocally charge one another with heresy As also from the Insurrections warres and Rebellions originally vndertaken only for Religion CHAP. XIII IF there were no other reason to be alleadged in disprouffe and confutation of this plurality of Religions so to tearme it then this following it might seeme fully preuayling in all cleare iudgments not wholely darkened with the mist of earthly and temporal respects First the wonderfull and ireconcileable booke-warrs betwene Catholikes and Protestants wholely vndertaken in defence of their seuerall Religions Secondly the pressures and calamities with which diuers stats Countreys do afflict other states as also the Insurrection of subiects against their naturall Princes only for difference of Religion not contayning themselues till they burst out into open hostility and armes for defending their owne Religion and subuerting of the others 2. Touching the first good God how many learned men on all sides since the first Apostasy of Luther haue spent their whole time and al their seruiceable yeares in wryting disputing preaching in defence of their owne Religion impugning of the aduersaries accounting the maintainers and beleiuers therof as heretikes and pronouncing eternal damnation against their Religion Witnesses hereof are the libraries of al the famous Vniuersities of Christendome the Stationers shoppes in all great Citties and lastly the yearely Mart of books returned these many years from Franckefort And is it possible that so much paines trauaile and labour of writing otherwayes accompanied with so great charges of printing should be vndertaken for questions only of indifferency and such as it importeth nothing at all touching the gayning of Heauen auoiding of Hell what a man beleiueth therin or of what side he relyeth 3. Concermig that second point which is the afflictiōs warrs with which one state Coūtrey or kingdome do persecute their neighbours and al originally and primatiuely for matters of Religion as also touching the open Rebellion of the subiects against their lawful Soueraignes only for the said occasion The last threescore years as also these very times do giue ouer lamentable examples heerof Witnesses of this matter purposely to forbeare the presidents of our owne Country is Scotland into which Countrey Knox Goodman and Bocanan with other their Agents and confederats first introduced Protestancy by force and armes a point so acknowledged that Doctor Bancroft the late pretended Archbishop of Canterbury as wholely inueighing against such violent courses made a booke entituling it Of the proceeding of the Scottishe Ministres according to the Geneuian rules of reformation 4. Touching France who knoweth not that for this last fifty yeares there haue beene alwayes almost open warres betweene the Kinges of France the Huguenots till the last King of France became Catholike vndertaken by the Huguenots only for Religion And do not the Cittyes of Rochell Mont-albons Montpelliers with diuers others at this very day stand out against their King vnder pretext of the defence of their Religion and Ghospell The occurences of this nature of the low Countreyes and the Hollanders are no lesse remarkable of whose first taking of armes against their lawfull King
of God the personal vnion of two natures in Christs c. 4. But to come nearer home the (h) In their mild defence of the silenced ministers supplication to the court of parlamēt Puritans here of England thus complaine of the Protestants Do we vary from the sincere doctrine of the Scriptures Nay rather many of them do much more swarue from the same c And thus answerably we find that the Puritans hould the Bishops of England for Antichristian whereas the Protestants do teach that of necessity Bishops ought to be in the Church of God Doctor VVillet speaking of diuers opinions taught by the more moderate Protestant as M. Hooker D. Couell and others thus writeth From (i) In medit in psal 122 this fountaine hath spronge forth these and other such whirle pooles and bubbles of new doctrine as that Christ is not originally God c. And then after he thus cōcludeth Thus haue some byn bould to teach and write who as some Schismatiks mening herby the Puritās haue disturbed the peace of the Church one way in externall matters concerning discipline they haue troubled the Church another way in opposing themselues by new quirkes and deuises to the soundnes of doctrine among Protestants M. Parkes in his booke dedicated to the then pretended Archbishop D. Bancroft thus writeth of the proceedings of some Puritans heere in England They (k) Epist dedic are headstronge and hardened in errour they stricke at the maine points of Faith shaking the very foundation it selfe Heauen and Hell the diuinity and humanity yea the very soule and saluation of our Sauiour himselfe And againe more plainly in the former place he sayth thus They haue pestilent heresies And yet more They are hereticall and sacrilegious 5. To conclude this point of their particuler sayings and redargutions heerin D. Couell repeating and registring the positions of the Puritans here in England In his defense of Hooker ◠65. 74. 75 among other of their positions setteth downe these following The statute Congregations of England are no true Church And againe The Protestant church of England hath no forme of a Church Now that all these dissentions among English Protestants cannot be interpreted only about ceremonies or about gouernement as some Protestants doe answeare (l) Vbi supra when they are chardged herewith by the Catholikes the foresaid M. Parkes plainly and truly confesseth the cōtrary saying The Protestants deceaue the world and make men beleeue there is agreement in all substantiall points They affirme that there is no questions among them of the truth Now the former point is furthermore made euident by the reciprocall deportment and demeanour of Protestants among themselues For first besides the chardging one another with flatt heresy as is aboue shewed they doe not only prohibite the reading (m) So Hospiniā a Protestant witnesseth in histor sacrament parte altera fol. 693. of ech others books but they also set downe articles of visitation for the inquiry (n) Hospiniā vbi supra apprehending of such their aduersaries and being apprehended do imprison (o) Hosp vbi supra them yea further they proceede not allowing the trauailers (p) so relateth Osiander in Epitom of either party common entertainement due in al Nations to strangers Finally their dissentions are so implacable among them though all be Protestants as that in defence of their seuerall doctrine they haue with great hostility taken (q) This is showed exemplifyed by Hospiniā vbi supra fol 395. 397. In like sort by Osiander in epitom cent 16. pag. 735. armes one against another as appeareth by the late memorable example in Holland of the Arminians and Gomarists who only for some difference touching Freewill and Predestination betweene them did rise in hostile manner against their aduersaryes and ceased not that course till Barnauille the chiefe of one side faction was beheaded All which violences and extremityes would neuer haue beene vndertaken if their diuersity of doctrine which is the cause of such and so great exhorbitancies did consist only in articles indifferent of themselues and such as did not concerne the necessity of saluation 6. The foresayd point touching the Protestāts dissentions in essentiall points of fayth is most clearely manifested by taking a view of their bookes written one against another though this method is partly inuolued in the displaying of their particuler sentences and writings aboue alleadged The number heerof amounteth to diuers hundreds yet as desirous to be short and compendious I will set downe the titles only of twenty of them euen from which titles the indifferent Reader may iudge whether the authours of them being al eminent Protestants did maintaine the subiects of the sayd books to be matters of indifferency and such as may be either way houlden without breach of that true fayth which is necessary to mans saluation And heere I will forbeare to reckon within this number any book written only eyther for or against the reall presence maintained by the Lutherans because heerein they conspire partly with vs Catholikes and consequently the controuersy heerin resteth not only betweene the Protestants themselues but also betweene them and vs. 7. First then may be reckoned that booke intituled Oratio de incarnatione filij Dei contra impios blasphemos errores Zuinglianorum Caluinistarum printed Tubingae Anno Domini 1586. Secondly Alberti Graueri bellum Ioannis Caluini Iesu Christi Brapiae 1598. Thirdly Antipeus hoc est refutatio venenati scripti a Dauide Pareo editi in defensionem Stropharum corruptelarum quibus Ioannes Caluinus illustrissima scripturae testimonia de mysterio Trinitatis nec non oracula Prophetarum de Christo detestandum in modum corrupit Francofurti 1598. Fourth Aegidij Hunnij Caluinus Iudaizans hoc est Iudaicae glossae corruptelae quibus Ioannes Caluinus illustrissima scripturae sacrae loca testimonia de gloriosa Trinitate deitate Christi Spiritus Sancti cum primis autem vaticinia Prophetarum de aduentu Messiae natiuitate eius Passione Resurrectione Ascensione ad caelos sessione ad dexteram Dei detestandum in modum corrumpere non abhorruerit VVittenbergae 1593 Fift Conradi Schlussenburgij Theologiae Caluinisticae libri tres in quibus seu in tabula quadam quasi ad oculum plusquam ex ducentis viginti tribus sacramentariorum publicis scriptis pagellis verbis proprijs authorum nominibus indicatis demonstratur eos de nullo fere Christianae fidei articulo recte sentire c. Francofurtae 1594. Sixt Pia defensio aduersus Ioannis Caluini Petri Boquini Theodori Bezae VVillelmi Clebitij c. similium calumnias Item Refutatio Pelagiani seu Anabaptistici Caluinistarum erroris de baptismo peccato originali Adduntur collectanea plurimorum Caluini contra Deum eiusque prouidentiam praedestinationem Effordiae 1583. Seauenth Demonstratio imposturarum ac fraudū quibus Aegidius Hunnius Ecclesiae
transibunt verba autem mea non transibunt Math. 24 Heauē and earth shall passe away but my wordes shall not passe 5. But to proceede further touching the foresaid want of vnity disagreements if euery Christian might be saued in his owne Religion then might those be saued which beleiue the articles of the Creed in a most differēt sence manner then which what can be more rashly exorbitātly spoken For seeing there is but one true intended sence by the Apostles of the Creede which if we attaine not then doe we beleiue that which is false but to beleeue the Creede in a false sence is no better then not to beleiue it at all as is aboue said and therefore it would followe by way of inference that he might be saued who beleiued not any one article of the Creede at all Now that the Catholikes Protestants do beleiue the articles of the Creede in different or rather contrary senses and consequently that the one side beleiueth it in a false and erroneous sense is aboue proued in the fourth chapter 6. If it be here replyed that the maintainers of this doctrine do so farre yeald that they only are to be saued which in a true sence beleeue the Creed yet by this their restrainct they condemne all those others which beleeue it in any other sense different from that intended by the Holy Ghost and the Apostles and consequently they condemne in their iudgment and depriue of saluation either the Catholikes or the Protestants since of necessity the one of these do beleeue the Creed not in its true sense but in a false and hereticall sence and construction different from that of the Apostles 7. But granting that the Catholikes and Protestants beleeue the Creed in one true sence intended by the holy Ghost yet if our Newtralists would haue the Creed the square or rule thereby to measure our fayth then marke the absurdityes following For by this doctrine one might be saued who beleeued 1. Not that there were any Scriptures at all written by the Prophets Apostles since the Creed maketh no mention of any such diuine writinges 2. In like sort he might be saued who did not beleeue there were any Angells or Diuels 3. Or that there is a materiall place of Hell 4. Or that the paynes thereof are eternall 5. Or that Adam did presently vpon his creation fall from grace and therby transported original sinne vpon all his posterity 6. Or that our Sauiour whilest he conuersed heere vpon earth wrought any miracles 7. Or made choice of certaine men to be his Apostles to preach the Christian fayth throughout the whole worlde 8. Or that Circumsicion is now forbidden and antiquated 9. Or that there are any Sacraments of the new testament as Baptisme the Eucharist c. 10. Or that finally before the dissolution of the world a designed ennemy of Christ shall come who is tearmed Antichrist I say by our Newtralists Religion he should be saued who beleeued none of the foresayd articles seeing not any one of them is expressed or set downe in the Apostles creed and yet the beliefe of the sayd articles is necessarily exacted required to saluation both in the iudgments of the Catholikes the Protestants both which partyes do with an vnanimous consent teach the necessity of beleeuing the sayd articles 8. But to proceed further to come to the different articles of fayth differently beleeued by the Catholikes Protestants and yet not expressed in the Creed articles of such nature as that they are houlden by the Catholikes to be instituted by our Sauiour as subordinate yet necessary meanes of the grace of God and of saluation whereas the Protestants as not beleeuing at all the sayd articles do wholely disclayme from acknowledging all such meanes These articles I haue recited aboue to wit 1. That Sacraments in generall do conferre grace 2. That a childe dying without baptisme cannot be saued 3. That mortall sinne is not remitted without the sacrament of Pennance and confession 4. That we are to adore with supreme honour the Blessed Sacrament 5. That not only fayth but also workes do iustify man 6. That a Christian by thinking himselfe to be iust is not thereby become iust 7. That euery Christian hath sufficient grace offered by God to saue his soule that therefore God on his part would haue all men saued 8. That without keeping the tenne commandements a man cannot be saued 9. Finally that all Christians ought vpon payne of eternall damnation to communicate in sacraments and doctrine with the church of Rome and to submit themselues in al due obedience to the supreme pastour of Gods church In al which points the Protestants do beleeue directly the contrary condemning vs of heresy superstition yea idolatry for our belieuing the foresayd points Now I say seeing the former articles do immediatly touch concerne either remission of our sinnes or grace of our soule or our iustification or our due honour adoration to our Sauiours body being accompanied with his diuinity or lastly our communion with Christ his church and the head therof in any of which as concerning so nearely our eternall happines who erreth cannot possibly be saued 9. And seeing the Protestants as is sayd do in all the sayd points maintaine the iust contrary to the Catholikes and thereby do abandone the Catholikes acknowledged meanes of their saluation I heare aske in all sobernes of iudgment what can be reputed for a greater absurdity then to affirme with our Newtralists that the Catholikes and Protestants notwithstanding their so different and contrary beliefe and answearble practise in the former articles so neerely touching mans saluation may both be saued Seeing it must needs be that either the Catholikes shal be damned for setting downe certaine means of our saluation contrary to Christs mind and institution supposing the sayd means to be false or that the Protestants shal be damned for reiecting the former meanes of Saluation instituted by Christ admitting them to be true 10. But to passe forward If euery Christian might be saued in his Religion in beleuing only the fundamentall points of the Trinity the Incarnation c. then hath the Church of Christ euen in her primitiue dayes at what time the Protestants themselues (h) See of this acknowledgement the defence of the Apology of Englād written by Doctor Iewel Kemnit in exam Concil Trid. par 1. p. 74. the cōfess of Bohemia in the harmony of confess pag. 400. besides diuers others doe exempt her from errour most fondly intollerably erred in condemning certaine opinions which are not fundamentall for Heresies and the maintayners for Heretikes and consequently the scripture and Christ himselfe haue deceaued vs by ascribing vnto the Church an infallibility (i) Math. 18. Luc. 10.2 Tim. 3. of erring in her definitions of Faith and cōdemnation of heresies and by commanding vs to obey the churches authority and sentence in all thinges as