Protestants Religions all who ioyntly do professe to beleeue in generall in the Trinity in Christ his Incarnation his Passion and the creed of the Apostles and so we shall discerne whether the fayth of all these seuerall professors doth inioy the foresayd marke of vnity in doctrine or no. But seeing this subiect is most ample and lardge I will therefore sepose this ensuing Chapter for the more full and exact discouery of the many and great disagreements betweene Catholikes and the Protestants in their fayth and Religion The same proued from want of vnity in Fayth between Catholikes and Protestants touching the Articles of the Creed and from that that the Catholike Protestant do agree in the beliefe of diuers articles necessarily to be beleeued and yet not expressed in the Creede CHAP. IIII. VNdertaking in this place to set downe the multiplicity of doctrines betweene Catholikes and Protestants though they all ioyntly beleeue in the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ his Passion and the like consequently to show that this their generall beliefe wanteth that true vnity of fayth which out of the holy Scriptures Fathers the Protestants I haue aboue showed to be most necessary to saluation I will first examine how the Catholikes and the Protestants do differ touching their beliefe of the creed made by the Apostles Next I will demonstrate that supposing all Professors of both Religions should agree in the true sence and meaning of the creed yet there are diuers other dogmaticall points necessarily to be beleeued are at this instant beleeued both by Protestants and Catholiks which are not expressed or mentioned in the Creed at al or by any immediate inference to be drawne from thence Lastly I will set downe the great difference betweene Catholikes and Protestants in other points of fayth of which the Creed maketh no intimation or mention at all and yet the beliefe of them is houlden necessary to saluation both by Catholike and Protestant from all which it shall appeare how far distant the Catholike and Protestant Religion are from that vnity in doctrine so necessarily required to that fayth whereby a Christian is to be saued 2. I do heere begin with the Apostles creed first because the articles of the Trinity the Incartion the Passion c. are included in the creede Secondly by reason there are many Adiaphorists in Religion as I may tearme them who seeme to deale more lardgly and liberally heerein seeinge they are content to extend the necessary obiect of fayth not only to the articles of the Trinity the Incarnation and Passion but to all pointes set downe in the creed who assure themselues that God exacteth not at our hands the beliefe of any other articles then what are contained in the creed Now heere aforehand we are to conceaue that true fayth resteth in that true sense and meaning of the wordes of the Creed which was intended by the Apostles and not in the wordes themselues seeing both in the iudgment of all learned Catholikes and Protestants to beleeue the words of the creed in a sense different from the intended sense of the Apostles and consequently in a false sense is no better then not to beleeue at all And the reason heereof is because a false construction drawne from the creede no lesse then from the Scripture is not the word of God but the word of man and consequently the sayd letter of the creed so interpreted is subiect to the same censure whereunto the word of man is lyable from whence it followeth that whosoeuer belieueth the wordes of the creed in another sense then was intended by the holy Ghost and the Apostles doth not beleeue the creed at all but only beleeueth the worde of man which euer standeth subiect to errour and mistaking So as the sentence of Saint Hierome deliuered only of the Scripture may iustly be applyed of the creed Scripturae (a) In ep ad Paulinum non in legendo sed in intelligendo consistunt The Scripture or Creed doth not consist in the letter but in the sense and true vnderstanding of the letter 3. This then being truly presupposed let vs begin to examine the articles of the creed and see how we Catholiks and Protestants do differ in the construction and vnderstanding thereof And first touching the first article of our Beliefe in God obserue how different it is The Catholiks do beleeue that their God no way cooperateth or willeth sinne in man that he hath but one simple expressed will touching sinne this in detesting and hating of it that he will not punish vs for not keeping of such precepts the which is not in our power to keepe that he imputeth sinnes to euery man that committeth sinne briefly that he giueth to all men ordinary and sufficient grace to saue their soules and desireth that all men may be saued whereas the Protestants beleeue the meere cōtrary to al these points for they beleeue that their God (b) Beza in his display of popish practise pag. 202. saith God exciteth the wicked will of one thiefe to kill another See Zuinglius tom 2 de proui c. 6. fol. 365. Caluin instit l. 2. c. 18. sect 1. cooperateth forceth and willeth a man to sinne that he hath a double (c) Luther tom 2. Wittemburg de cap. Babil fol. 74. D. VVhitakerus de Eccles cont Bell. controuersia 2. quest 5. pag. 301. wil and therefore a dissembling will the one expressed in Scripture according to which he forbideth man to sinne the other concealed to himselfe by the which he impelleth man to sinne that he will punish (d) Reynolds in his 2. conclusion annexed to his conference pag. 697. vs transgressing the ten commandmēts it not being in our power to keepe the sayd commandements that to the (e) Luth. tomo 2. Wittemb de capt Babyl fol 74. Whitak vt supra faythfull sinning neuer so wickedly no sinne shal be imputed Finally that to certaine (f) Cal. instit l. 3. c. 23. saith God doth ordaine cōsilio nutuque by his Councell pleasure that among mē some be borne to certaine damnatiō from their mothers wombe See D. Willets synopsi p. 554. affirming the same men he giueth not sufficient meanes of saluation but purposeth and decreeth from all eternity that some men lyuing in the eye of the world and in their owne conscience neuer so vertuously shal be damned and cast into sempiternall perdition Thus we see how great a difference there is betweene the Catholikes and Protestants in beleeuing the first article of the creede and how ineuitably it followeth that eyther the Catholiks or protestants do stand subiect and obnoxious to that saying of S. Augustine quest 29. sup Iosue who imagineth God such as God is not he carryeth euery where another God to wit a false God in his mind 4. Touching the 2. article which is And in Iesus Christ his only Sonne wee (g) Con. Trident. Catholikes belieue in
Treatise I haue thought good to entitle it with the words of our Sauiour Qui non credit condemnabitur (e) Marc. 16. He that beleiueth not shal be condemned as being a sentence which best sorteth to the matter here handled and which indeede really though breifly inuolueth in it selfe the truth here discussed The sourse from whence this Libertinisme beleife did take its first emanation and flowing is the contempt of the authority of the Catholike Church for thus reasoneth our Newtralist in Doctrine 4. Both Papists and Protestants doe agree in beleiuing the Trinity the Incarnation the Paession c. but they mainly dissent touching Purgatory Praying to Saints Freewill the sacrifice of the Masse Iustification c. therfore I will embrace and follow that doctrine meaning the doctrin of the Trinity the Incarnation Passion c. and hould it necessary to saluation in which all sides doe agree But since the dissentions and disagreements in Religion are of these secondary lesse principall points to wit Purgatory Praying to Saints c. and since it is impossible that both the Papist and Protestant should teach truly in the said articles for they teach meere contrary doctrines therin And further seeing I haue no more reason to belieue the one side then the other and it is impossible for me to belieue both therfore my resolution is contemning the authority of Gods Church in its definitions of these articles peremptorily to stand to neither but will hold the doctrine of Purgatory Praying to Saints and all other controuerted points of fayth at this day betwene Papists and Protestants matters meerly of indifferency and of that nature as that neyther the true nor false beleife of them can eyther further or hinder a mans saluation Thus disputeth our Newtralist And thus whilest he wil be of all Religions he wil be of no Religion Then which as if Religion were only but an intentionall and no reall name or word what can be inuented more impious and Atheistical in it selfe more repugnant to sacred scriptures more crosse to the practice of all antiquity and as herafter shal be proued more adueise to all naturall reason so dangerous it is for a Christian once to dismember himselfe by pertinacy of iudgmeÌ„t from the Church of Christ and so truly is verified of such a man that sentence of Optatus Deserta (f) Lib. contra Parmentan matre Catholica impij filij dum foras excurrunt se separant errando rebelles abscedunt Our mother the Catholike Church being once forsaken her wicked children do goe out and depart from her and thus being become Rebells through erring do hyde themselues Thus we see how these all reconciling Omnifidians doe carry themselues who through the pretended immensity of their pretended charity forsooth can promise saluations to al Religions and who seeke to introduce a peace into Gods Church by compounding al controuersies of faith farre more dangerous then are the warres contentions of Heretikes 5. Now seeing all such men make no more accompt of diuersity of Religions then others doe of wearing suits of apparrel of different coulours and seeing by such their lukewamenes in matters of faithe they seeme to be all Laodiceans therfore wee may asure our selues that the commination and threat denounced against the Church of Laodicea registred by the (g) Apoc. cap. 3. Euangelist shall without finall repentance fall vpon them Because thou art lukewarme and neither colde nor hot I will vomit thee out of my mouth But good Reader as vnwilling to transgresse the accustomed limits of a preface I will detaine thee noe longer only I haue thought good to put thee in mind and so to end with the sentence and iudgment of Saint Augustine passed vpon the Pelagians as for some delibation and tast of the subiect herafter handled who beleeued in the Trinity in Christ and his Passion were men of moral and honest conuersation yet for houlding that only by the force of nature without the assistaunce of Gods grace a man was able to exercise vertue and flye vice a point no more fundamentall theÌ„ most of the controuersies betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants they are registred for Heretikes by the saide S. Augustine consequently not to be in state of Saluation his words (h) Epist. 129. â—37 are these Nec tales sunt Pelagiani quos facile contemnas sed continenter viuentes atque in bonis operibus laudabiles nec falsum Christum sed vnum verum equalemque patri coeter num veraciterque hominem factum venisse credentes venturum expectantes sed tamen ignorantes Dei iustitiam suam coÌ„stituere volentes Heretici sunt In English thus Neither are the Pelagians such men as are easily to be contemned for they doe liue continently and are laudable for their good workes They further doe belieue not in a false Christ but in one true Christ who is equall coeternall with his father and who was truly made man They beleeue that he is allready come and they expect him hereafter to come yet because they are ignorant of the iustice of God and would make it their owne iustice meaning because they taught it might be obtained by their owne naturall force therfore they are Heretikes Thus farre Sainct Augustine with whome I end leauing thee Good Reader to the deliberate and studious perusall of these ensuing leaues and intreating most earnestly the praiers of all good Catholikes for the remission of my manifould and infinite sinnes and for an happy houre of the dissolution of my ould and decaied body Your soules well-wishing friend William Smith QVI NON CREDIT CONDEMNABITVR MARC 16. That a man who belieueth in the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. and yet beleeueth not all other articles of Christian Faith cannot be saued And first of the definition of Heresy and an Heretike CHAP. I. BEFORE we come Good Reader to dispute particulerly of the subiect of this discourse I hould it most conuenient in place of a short Prologomenon or Preface to prefixe and set downe the true definition of Heresy or an Heretike since this method wil giue light to the whole ensuing Treatise and wil best manifest what opinions be Heresies and what men Heretikes and consequently seeing heresy is incompatible with saluation cannot stand with the purchase of heauen will demonstrate that not any one Religion professinge the name of Christians though it maintaineth but one heresy can iustly promise to it selfe the hope of saluation or eternall life Well then Heresy or Heresis as we tearme it in latine is a greek word signifying as much as Electio Election or choyce comming of the greeke Verb aireo in latin Eligo to choose or make choice of So as this word Haeresis originally and primatiuely signifyeth election or choice as is sayd in generall yet because they who deuide themselues by maintayning false opinions from the Church of Christ doe make choyce of these their
Christ who is God of God and equall with his Father a Sauiour who suffred death quoad sufficentiam for all mankind and who accomplished the functioÌ„ of his Sauiourship only according to his humanity a Sauiour who dyed only in body and not in soule finally a Sauiour who from his first conception was endued with all knowledge wisedome prouidence and exempt from all ignorance passion and perturbation wheras the Protestants doe belieue in Christ as their Sauiour who according to their fayth is God of (h) D. Whitak approueth this opinion alleadging Caluin in proofe thereof cont CaÌ„p p. 121. himselfe and (i) MelaÌ„ in loc com edit 1561. p. 41. inferiour to the Father who dyed only for the (k) D. Willet in his synops printed 1600. p. 780. as also Caluin and Beza in whole treatises elect who performed his mediation not only according to his humanity but also according to his (l) MelaÌ„ supra D Fulk diuinity though in the iudgment of all learned men true diuinity is impassible who in the time of his Passion besides the death of the body as insufficient for our saluation suffred in soule the (m) Cal. instit l. 2. c. 16 sect 10. D. Whitak cont Duraeum l. 8. p. 556. (m) Beza in respon ad acta Colloquij Montisb part 1. pag. 147. D. Willet in his synopsis p. 599. 600. D. Sutliffe in his reueu of D. Kellisons suruay printed 1606. p. 55. torments of hel briefly who laboured with n ignorance passion and euen desperation it selfe 5. Touching the article of Christs descending into hell the Catholikes doe belieue hereby that Christ descended in soule after his passion into that part of hell which is called lymbus Patrum to deliuer from thence the soules of the iust there detayned till his comming of which iudgement are also some learned (o) D. Bilson in his suruay of Christs sufferings and descent to hell p. 650. 651. 652. and the Lutherans are generally of the same opinion ProtestaÌ„ts but the greatest part of Protestants doe interpret this article of Christ descending into his (p) D. Willet in lymbomastix D. Fulke so alleadged by VVillet in synopsi pag. 605. 606. graue soe by the worde hell vnderstanding the graue but (q) Lib. 2. instit cap. 16. §. 20. Caluin teacheth that by Christs descending into hell is vnderstoode that Christ apprehended God to be most angry and offended with him for our sakes and that thervpon Christ suffred great anxiety and griefe of soule and which is more most blasphemously Caluin teacheth that Christ vttered words of desperation in saying my God why hast thou forsakeÌ„ me Touching the article of Christs ascending into heauen we Catholikes and the Caluinists doe belieue hereby that Christ truly in body ascended vp into heauen wheras (r) Luth l. de sacr Coenae Domini tom 2. f. 112. saying credimus quod Christus iuxta humanitateÌ„ est vbique presens Brentius in Apolog. pro cons VVittem Illyricus l. de asceÌ„ Domini and finally by all LutheraÌ„s Lutherans doe teach that Christs body is in all places with the diuinity and that therefore it did not really after his passion ascend vp into heauen it being there both before after his passion thus the Lutherans both in ours and the Protestants iudgments doe destroy by this their construction the whole creede and particulerly Christs incarnation natiuity passion death ascending into heauen and his comming to iudgment seeing supposing Christs body to be in all places all these articles were but apparantly or phantastically and not truly or really performed 6. Touching the article of Christs iudging the quicke and dead wee Catholikes doe beleeue that Christ at his comming to iudgment will so iudge man as that his good workes receauing all their force from our Sauiours passion shal be rewarded whereas the Protestants denying all (s) Cal. l. 3. instit c. 5. §. 2. Bucer in actis collo quij Ratisb Beza Zuingli and most other Protestants merit of workes as iniurious and derogatory to his death and passion do hould that Christ shall then reward only a bare and (t) Calu. in Antid Concil Trident. Kemnitius in exam Con. Trid. and most other Protestants speciall fayth 7. Concerning the Article I belieue in the Holy Ghost Whereas all Catholikes and many Protestants do beleeue that the Holy Ghost is the third person in the most Blessed Trinity Caluin howsoeuer he was persuaded of the truth or falshood therof much lamenteth notwithstanding to auoyd the force of arguments drawne from the chiefest places of Scripture and vsually alleadged by all Antiquity in proofe of the holy Ghost being the third person in the Trinity Thus we find that (u) Iust l. 1. c. 13. §. 15. Caluin will not haue contrary to all Antiquity that passage of Scripture Psalm 33. By the word of the Lord the heauens were made and all the host of them by the spirit of his mouth to be vnderstood of the diuinity of the holy Ghost In like sort he reiecteth the argument (x) See of this subiect against the Trinity Iluumus a Protestant in l. Caluin IudaizaÌ„s drawne from that other most remarkable Text 1. Ioan. 5. There be three that giue testimony in Heauen the Father the VVord and the holy Ghost and these three be one Caluin vpon this place thus saying therby to take away from thence the proofe of the Holy Ghost Quod dicit tres esse vnum ad essentiam non refertur Luth. in l. contra Iacobum LatomuÌ„â—omo 2. Wittem 〈…〉 diâ—â— anno 1552. sed ad consensum potius Finally Luther was so farre from acknowledging the Holy Ghost to be the third person in the Trinity or to acknowledge the Trinity it selfe that thus he writteth Anima mea odit hoc verbum homousion vel consubstantialis My very soule doth hate the worde homousion or consubstantial 8. Concerning the article I beleeue the holy Catholike Church The Catholikes do beleeue this to be a visible company of meÌ„ professing the present Roman Catholike fayth of which some are predestinated others reprobated The ProtestaÌ„ts do belieue this Church to consist only of the elect and (y) Confess Aug. act 5. Luther l. de Concilijs eccles Cal. l. 4. inst c. 1. §. 2. predestinated 9. Touching the article The Communion of Saints The Catholikes do heereby beleeue such a communion to be betweene the Saints in Heauen the soules in Purgatory men vpon earth that the one part doth helpe the other with their most auaileable prayers and intercessions The Protestants deny all such intercourse of benefites betweene these seuerall partes of the Church of Christ accounting (z) Caluin l. 3. inst c. 5. § 6. Conturiatoreâ— Ceâ—â— 1. lib. 2. c. 4. col 460. Brentius in conses Wittenberg c. de Purgatorio the Catholike doctrine heerein superstitious and sacrilegious 10. Lastly touching the article of Forgiuenes of sinnes we Catholikes do beleeue
thunderbolt of Anathema In the Councell of Rome houlden vnder Pope Cornelius as (x) lib. 6. hist. c. 33. Eusebius reporteth was condemned for heresy the errour of Anabaptisme as the same (y) l. 7. hist c. 2. 1. Eusebius relateth 9. The Councell of Chalcedon condemned the heresy of Eutiches who taught that there was but one (z) vt patet in act 1. Conc. Nature in Christ after the Incarnation In like sort the first Councell of Ephesus condemned the heresy of Nestorius teaching two persons to be in Christ as appeareth out of (a) In Chronico Prosper and (b) Lib. 7. c. 3â— Socrates Now touching both these last heresyes we are to vnderstand that both Nestorius and Eutiches did beleeue in Christ Iesus our Sauiour as the Redeemer of the world yet they were registred braÌ„ded for heretiks only for their pertinacious erring touching the Person Natures of Christ as now the Protestants may be reputed Heretikes for their ascribing of ignorance Passion and desperation to Christ 10. The Councel of Chalcedon also decreed that vowed virgins and monks could not marry condemning those with an Anathema for heretiks that should hould maintaine the contrary as is to be seene out of the Councell it selfe The fourth Councell of Carthage whereat S. Augustine was present pronounced that the (c) Can. 79. doctrine of prayer and Sacrifice for the dead was according to the true fayth of Christs Church and condemned the contrary opinion for heresy and the maintainers of them for Heretikes The Councell of Constantinople vnder Pope Vigilius condemned Origen for his heresy in which he taught that the deuils should in the ende be saued as (d) In rita Iustiniani Zonaras and (e) Lib. 17. c. 27. Nichephorus relate Finally the seuenth synod or 2. councell of Nice condemned all them for Heretikes who taught that the Images of Christ of his Saints were to be depriued of all due respect and reuerence and to be condemned and broaken of this point see Paulus (f) Lib. 23. reriâ—â— Roman Diaconus and (g) In compeÌ„diu historius Cedrenus 11. Thus farre concerning Councells condemning for heresy false opinions touching fayth and Religion where I haue restrayned my selfe only to those Councels this last only excepted which were within the first fiue hundred yeares or little more because those tymes are more prized esteemed then the now later tymes The like course was continued by Councells for condemning and resisting of Innouations and false doctrines though not concerning the Trinity the IncarnatioÌ„ or the Apostles Creed in the succeeding Ages which I purposely omit 12. But now I heere demand first how can it stand with the infallible authority of Gods Churche in not erring in matters of fayth of which priuiledge I haue intreated in the beginning of this Chapter if so she shall define the former errours for condemned heresyes and Anathematize and curse the maintaynors of them for branded Heretikes if the doctrines are but oÌ„ly matters of indifferency such as may stand with saluation Secondly I aske how both the deffendours impugners of the sayd doctrines can be freed from the brand of Heresy Seeinge the true definition of Heresy necessarily agreeth to the doctrines maintayned by the one side for it is certaine that eyther the Catholikes or the Protestants do make choise of new opinions herin do stubbornely maintayne these their Innouations against the Church of God The same proued from the authority of the Church condemning heresies manifested by the writinges of particuler Fathers CHAP. VII NOW to come to the second way of discouering the Churches sentence in the foresayd point which is by the particuler iudgment of the ancient learned Fathers which were in their seueral ages the shyning lamps of Gods Church whose authorityes that all succeeding ages are to reuerence is easily euicted from Gods holy writ for answearably heerto we read in Deutronom 32. Remember the ould dayes thinke vpon euery generation aske thy father and he will declare vnto thee thy elders and they will tell thee And the Protestant confession of Bohemia conspireth therunto saying The (a) Harmonia confess p. 400. ancient Church is the true and best mistresse of posterity and going before leadeth vs the way Comming then to the Fathers I will first insist in the particuler errours not touching eyther the Trinity the Incarnation Passion of our Sauiour or the articles of the Creed but points seeming of more indifferency condemned by them for open and damnable heresyes And heere I haue purposely made particuler choice of diuers Controuersies of this tyme handled betweene the Catholikes the Protestants to the end that our Adiaphorists who maintayne that both Protestants Catholikes may be saued may see that the denyall of those very articles of fayth were reputed by the Fathers of the primitiue Church for heresies the denyers of them for Heretikes and consequently in the Fathers iudgment not capable of saluation Next I will set downe diuers of the Fathers sayinges sentences pronounced of heresy and Heretikes in generall 2. But before we come to the condemnatioÌ„ of particuler heresyes we must conceaue that reason it selfe reuerence due to the chiefe Doctors Fathers of the primatiue Church must presuppose that in those tymes all those opinions were generally acknowledged for damnable heresyes which are placed in the Catalogue of heresyes by Irenaeus Hierome Epiphanius Philastrius Augustine Theodoret and other approued Authors of those dayes This by drift of reason is to be acknowledged for two respects First because we cannot find any Doctor or Writer of the same ages who contradicted the foresayd Fathers for planting in their Catalogues any opinion as heresy which was not heresy Secondly in that the forenamed Fathers and Authours of the Catalogues of heresies were godly and learned men and therefore neyther would nor durst brand any opinion with the note and marke of heresy which the whole Church of God did not then take as heresy All this then iustly truely presupposed let vs proceed to the particuler heresyes so registred for such by some of the foresayd Fathers where for the fuller conuincing of our Newtralists in Religion my greatest choise some few only excepted shal be of the Controuersies remayning still at this day betweene the Catholikes and Protestants 3. First then That God was the author of sinne was maintayned by Florinus and condemned for heresy or rather blasphemy by (b) Euseb l. 5. hist. cap. 20. Irenieus and (c) In coÌ„monitorio Vincentius Lyrinensis 4. The opinion touching the impossibility of the Commandments was maintayned by certaine Nouelists of those tymes condemned for heresy by (d) In explan simbol ad Damas S. Hierome in these words Execramus c. VVe doe execrate and abhorre the blasphemy of those who say that any impossible thing is commanded by God to be kept and obserued by man See also the like
it followeth that both the Catholikes and Protestants the one beleiuing them the other not cannot be saued seeing Heretikes dying Heretikes cannot be saued 16. Now to come to the sentences of the Fathers powred out in great heate and feruour of zeale against Heretikes Heresies in generall And to beginne with S. Ihon the Euangelist S. Irenaeus (b) Lib. â— c. 3. apud Euseb l. 4. c. 13. relateth to set downe Irenaeus own wordes that Policarpus the martyr who was scholler to the Apostles was wont to tell how that Saint Iohn the Apostle of our Sauiour being at a certaine tyme in Ephesus and going into a publicke bath finding Cerinthus the Heretike to be within the bath ranne presently out of the bath saying to them who were with him Let vs flee from hence for feare least the bath fal vpon vs and kil vs in which the ennemy of God Cerinthus abideth 17. The sayd authour (c) Vbi supra Irenaeus in like sort relateth in these wordes following how that the foresayd Policarpus meeting at Rome by chance Marcion the Heretike and being demanded of Policarpus whether he knew him or not answered Yea I know thee for the chiefe child of Sathan To conclude with the testimony of this Father the sayd Irenaeus writing to Florinus an heretike who once was scholler to S. Policarpe with him thus sayth These opinions (d) Iren. in epist ad Flori. of thyne O Florinus to speake friendly are not true nor holsome These opinions are repugnaÌ„t to the Church c. I may trulie protest that if the holy Apostolicall Priest Policarpus had heard of such opinions as thou defendest be would haue stopped his eares cryed out according to his fashioÌ„ O good God vnto what miserable tymes hast thou reserued me to heare these thinges And presently would haue runne out of the place where he had beene standing or sitting where such doctrine had beene vttered But now to reflect a little vpon the premises Cerinthus Marcion and Florinus did all belieue in the Trinity the Incarnation of our Sauiour and receaued the Apostles Creede and erred only in lesser points and yet wee see what sharpe reprehensions were vsed towards them by S. Iohn S. Policarpe his scholler As to fly out of their company to acknowledge one of them to be the child of the Diuell to stoppe their owne eares for not hearing of their errours c. All which speaches had beene ouer much aggrauated and transcended the boundes of Charity if their errours had rested vpon matters only of indifferency and had beene compatible with mans saluation 18. But to proceed to the sentences of other Fathers in this point Athanasius sayth in his creed to vse his wordes VVhosoeuer doth not hould the Catholike faith whole and inuiolable he shall perishe for euer And S. Hierome expressely thus writteth For (e) Lib. 3 Apol. coÌ„t RuffinuÌ„ one worde or two contrary to the fayth many haue beene cast out of the Church Yea he proceedeth further thus writting Haeretici (f) Dial. contra Lucif c. 1 quicumque Christiani non sunt VVhosoeuer are Heretikes these men are not Christians S. Basil was wount to say as Theodoret recordeth Those (g) Lib. 4. hist c. 17. who are truly instructed in the diuine doctrine will not suffer any syllable of the diuine decrees to be corrupted but for the defence therof if necessity forceth them will vndergoe any kind of death Tertullian (h) Lib. de preser that ancient Father hath a senteÌ„ce not much different from that of the former Father S. Augustine sayth Imagine a (i) Lib. 4. contra Donatist c. 8. man to be chast continent not couetous not seruing Idols ministring hospitality to the poore ennemy to none malicing no body sober frugall c. but yet if he be an Heretike certainly no man doubteth but for this alone that he is an heretike he shall not possesse the kingdome of God A dreadfull saying of so learned and godly a Father The Donatists for disagreeing from S. Augustine in some traditions not specifyed in the Scripture much lesse in the creed are thus reprehended by him In (k) In explicat Psal 54. these points those Heretikes were with me and yet not altogeather with me in schisme not with me in heresy not with me in many thinges with me in few not with me These few in which they were not with me the many could not help them in which they were with me And yet these Donatists beleeued with S. Augustine the Trinity the Incarnation recyted with him the Apostles Creed Briefly S. Augustine in quest 11. in Matth. thus defineth an Heretike Haereticus est qui de aliqua parte doctrinae falsum credit He is an heretike who beleeueth any false thing touching any point of Christian fayth Within which definition it necessarily followeth that eyther the Protestants for not beleeuing Purgatory Prayers to Saints Freewill Merit of workes or the Catholike for beleeuing of them are to be included S. Gregory Nazianzen in Oratione 37. Vnum vni cohoeret c. One point of fayth agreeth with another so as of them altogether there is made a certaine golden and wholesome chaine therefore if but one opinion or article be taken away or made doubtfull the whole chaine of fayth will be come broken And S. Cyprian Cum (l) Lib. 1 epi. 6. ad MagnuÌ„ Dominus noster Iesus Christus c. VVhen our Lord Iesus Christ did testify in the Ghospell that those were his ennemyes who were not with him he noted not any one heresy but manifestly showeth that all Heretikes whosoeuer are his ennemyes saying He that is not with me is against me and he that doth not gather with me disperseth Luc. 11. And S. Chrysostom QuemadmoduÌ„ (m) In ep ad Gal. c. 10. in moneâ—a regia c. Euen as who pareth away a little of the Kings siluer maketh the whole peece therof to be adulterate Euen so who ouerthroweth the least part or braÌ„che of true fayth may be sayd to corrupt the whole he proceeding from this small beginning to worser courses 19. To come to an end of the Fathers iudgment in this point S. Ambrose (n) Lib. 6 in Luc. c. 9. shall conclude all who thus plainely writeth thereof Si vnum horum retraxeris c. If thou shalt recall or deny any of these points thou hast retracted thy owne saluation for euen Heretiks seeme to challenge Christ to them for no man will deny the name of Christ neuertheles he indeed denyeth Christ who doth not confesse all pointes of fayth instituted by Christ. Thus farre of the Fathers iudgment in this matter where I am to aduertise the Reader First as aboue I haue touched in the Councels that if all false doctrines whatsoeuer pertinaciously defended against the Church of God be heresyes as the definition of heresy aboue explicated proueth them to be and as the Fathers of
the Primitiue Church and in them the whole Church of God haue maintained then either the Protestants or Catholikes for their disentions houlding of cōtrary doctrines touching freewill Purgatory Prayer to Saints sacrifice c. are to be accounted heretiks and consequētly both cānot be saued in their Religon For that Heretikes continuing Heretiks cannot be saued is demonstrated first from those fearefull threats comminations of the Apostles thundred out against Heretikes of which point I haue discoursed aboue Secondly from the authority of Christs church which excludeth all Heretiks as I haue showed from all hope of saluation And lastly to omit many other reasons from that principle That Heretikes are no members of Christs church of which point we are to dispute in the next place Now if the sayd false doctrines be not heresyes then haue the Fathers of the primitiue church generally erred in defyning them for heresyes and consequently the whole Church of God represented in the Fathers as in her Pastors and Doctors hath also therein erred which is repugnant to the holy (o) Math 18. Ioan. 16. 3. Ephes 1. Scripture and our Sauiours promise 20. The second thing to be aduertised is that of the former authorityes of the Fathers against heresy not any of them are restrayned by them to be heresies touching the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ his Passion the Articles of the creede for of these heere is made no mention or intimation in their authorityes within which compasse our Formalists in Religion seeke to cōtaine their fayth but they are implicitly by the Fathers extended to all heresies whatsoeuer whether they concerne the supreme and fundamental points of Christian Religion or any other secondary and lesse principall point of the same Religion The same proued from that principle that neither Heretikes nor Schismatikes are members of Christs Church CHAP. VIII IN this last place concerning the Church we will set downe another principle of Christian fayth and after will deduce from thence by way of most necessary inference our conclusion heere handled The principle is this That Heretikes houlding any heresyes whatsoeuer are no members of the church of Christ The deduction is that Heretikes therefore cannot be saued since none can be saued but such as are members of Christes church This principle is proued as aboue is intimated out of Gods holy word as where it it (a) 1. Tim. 1. sayd Certaine men made shipwracke touching fayth that is they fell out of the ship of the Church by forging of Heresies And againe They (b) 1. Io. 2. went out of vs that is as S. Augustine expoundeth out of the Church of which we are The expositions of which texts are warranted euen by force of reason for seeing the Church is an vnited multitude for it is one Spouse Cant. 6. one Kingdome and one Body this vnion chiefly consisteth in the profession of one fayth it is repugnant to reason that they should be reputed as members of the body of the Church who haue no coniunction at all in the chiefest matters with the sayd body 2. If we proceed to the testimonyes of the ancient Fathers we shall find them of an vnanimous iudgment herein to wit That Heretikes are no members of the Church and therfore cannot be saued And first occurreth S. Irenaeus (c) Lib. 3 Cap. 3. who sayth that Policarpe did conuert many Heretikes vnto the Church therefore it may be concluded that those Heretikes before their conuersion were out of the Church S. Cyprian (d) Epist ad Iubainum sayth Heretikes though they be out of the Church do challenge to themselues the authority of the Church after the manner of Apes who not being men yet would be accounted to be men The same Father thus plainly writeth in another place Cum (e) lib. de vnitate Eccles Deo manere non possunt qui in Ecclesia Dei vnanimes esse noluerunt They cannot remaine with God who dissent in iudgment from the church of God And yet more fully in the same place Non peruenit ad Christi praemia c. He arriueth not to the rewards of Christ who leaueth the church of Christ he is an alien he is prophane he is an ennemy for he cannot haue God to his Father who hath not the Church for his Mother And S. Hierome sayth Quê non (f) In dialog con Lucifer à Domino Iesu Christo sed ab alio c. VVho take their denomination or name not from our Lord Iesus Christ but from some other as the Marcionists Valentinians Montenses c. are not the Church of God but the synagogue of Antichrist Finally S. Augustine for I haue already dwelled ouerlong in the authority of the Fathers pronounceth that Nihil sic (g) Trae 27. in Ioann formidare debet c. A Christian ought to feare nothing so much as to be separated from the body of Christ which is his Church and which is one and Catholike for if he be separated from the body of Christ he is not a member of Christ if no member of Christ then is he not strengthned with his spirit But who hath not this spirit of God the same mā is not of God Thus farre S. Augustin with whome euen the Protestants do ioyne heere in iudgment for D. Doue in his booke of persuasions thus sayth This proposition that Heretikes are not to be communicated withal is vndoubtedly true And D. Sutcliffe in his Examen of petitions pag. 9. alleadgeth the Laodicean Councell can 31. 32. 33. in proofe thereof thus concluding The Laodicean Councell doth directly condemne communion with Heretiks eyther in marriage or prayer 3. This already alleadged may serue to proue that Heretikes are no members of the Church of Christ consequently cannot attaine saluation since it is agreed among all learned men that only the members of the church of Christ can find saluation in Christ we will in this place descend to Schismatikes who if they be neyther of the Church of God nor can iustly expect any saluation during such their state then à fortiori no Heretike can expect any saluation since a Schismatike beleeuing all articles of Christian fayth doth only diuide himselfe by disobediēce in not communicating with the Church in prayer Sacraments Whereas an Heretike as is aboue sayd willfully contumaciously maintayneth errours false opinions cōdemned by the Church Now that a Schismatike is not a member of Christs Church is first proued from the Texts of Scripture aboue in part touched where the Church is called one fould of sheep Ioan. 10. One body Rome 12. One spouse and one Doue Cant. 6. But now Schisme according to its Etimology deuideth that which was one into parts for Schisma being a greeke word commeth of the verbe Schizo which is scindere therefore as a member being cut off from the body is no longer a part of the body so a Schismatike diuiding himselfe by his owne disobedience