all Christians to know and at all times especially in the Primitive Church of the Apostles have been unanimously received taught and believed by all true Christians as the aforementioned Fundamental doctrine of salvation with all that is evidently and undoubtedly depending from it so that no man can reject it without he rejecteth also the Fundamental doctrine it self But some are but Theological Doctrines which are not necessary for all Christians but onely for some to know to whom God hath imparted before others a fuller measure of knowledge and more excellent gifts and charge from whom also he will require more then of others according to the rule of Christ To whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required Luk. 12.48 So that it is sufficient for one to know and to believe onely implicitely in the principal General Articles that what another doth know and believe explicitely in many Special Points which are comprehended therein For the one that he should believe and do that which in it self and directly is necessary unto salvation for the other that which he knoweth to be consequently necessary or to be inseparably annexed thereunto Yea for one it is necessary to believe many Truths whereof he hath good ground and knowledge out of the Word of God which neverthelesse for another who wanteth such knowledge are either not so necessary or not so profitable to believe without ground yet are necessary not to deny or contradict them obstinately out of carnal affections because he cannot but have lesse ground to deny them and rather ought to search the Truth diligently in the fear and worship of God and to be ready to receive and acknowledge it with thankfulnesse when it is demonstrated unto him out of the Word of God Otherwise the Obstinate denying which is incompatible and inconsistent with true faith and love to Christ and his Word and proceedeth meerly from carnal affections whereby the understanding in the knowledge of the Truth is darkened and eclipsed would prove damnable unto him not onely by reason of the errour it self but rather because of his Obstinacie Thirdly and principally we must discern what is necessary or not necessary in regard of the revealed Word 3. In regard of the revealed Word of God being the rule and means whereby we may know what we ought to believe and to do Which Word though properly there is nor ought to be but onely one yet is delivered to the Believers in a Twofold manner by Preaching and Writing From whence we must distinctly consider Whether and how far the written Word of God and whether and how far the preached and ministerial Word or the traditions and doctrines of the Church and their teachers ought to be the rule of our Faith and life But since this is the Point that principally is controverted and debated betwixt the Romane Catholikes and the Evangelical Protestants we intend at this present to lay down the ground-work of that which is undoubtedly agreed on by both Parties As first of all That the Books of the Prophets and Apostles of the Old and New Testament which we on all sides acknowledge and receive for Canonical are the undoubted Word of God and the perfect and infallible rule of our Faith and life and that consequently every thing that is taught in them so clearly and manifestly that every understanding Christian certainly and undoubtedly may know and conceive it must be necessary for all unto salvation so that though they do not know explicitè and particularly all things yet are ready to believe and receive undoubtedly all things assoon at they do apprehend them The Sum of the Articles we must believe unto salvation is briefly collected in the Apostolical Creed into which all Christians are baptized and received as fellow-members of the Christian Church What we must Morally do is exhibited in the Commandments of the First and Second Table concerning the love and duty towards God and our neighbour But what we must Ceremonially and Sacramentally perform is contained in the words of the Institution of the holy Baptism and the blessed Communion or Supper of the Lord being the Two Sacraments of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ himself as it is generally and undoubtedly agreed on And lastly what we ought to desire and ask of God is included in the Lords Prayer In which Five Fundamental Points of Christian Religion viz. in tribus Symbolis doctrinalibus credendorum faciendorum petendorum what we ought to believe to do and to ask and in duobus Symbolis Sacramentalibus regenerationis nutritionis spiritualis how we ought to be regenerated and as Children of God in Christ spiritually nourished unto a new and eternal life doth consist the whole Catechism which we for our part think generally necessary for all Christians yet all is to be understood in that sense which is most clearly taught and expressed in the Scripture yea also whatsoever so evidently and necessarily doth depend from the said Fundamental Points that every Understanding Christian though he is not able to conceive the Divine Mysteries by his natural reason may yet certainly and undoubtedly apprehend the doctrine or meaning of the Scripture or the necessary consequence of it Therefore although any Controversie should be raised and moved about these Fundamental Articles which in the Primitive Church had not been sufficiently declared or unanimously taught yet they could not be generally necessary unto salvation for all Christians but onely their unanimous and undoubted meaning Moreover besides that what directly in it self is necessary there are yet many other points of doctrine partly Theological partly Historical and partly Philosophical yea in general whatsoever is clearly taught in the holy Scripture though its consequence and dependence from these Fundamental Articles is not of such necessitie and therefore not directly necessary unto Salvation yet it is necessary for us to believe it because it is thus certainly and clearly revealed in the Word of God For Example That our Lord Jesus Christ suffered under the Emperour Tiberius and under the Governour Pontius Pilate as it is expressed in the Apostles Creed or that the mother of the Lord was called Mary or that our Lord rose from the dead the Third and not the Fourth day c. These are such circumstances in the historie of the Birth and Death of Christ which though directly they are not necessary for us to believe and know unto salvation yet they are necessary for us to believe because they are as clearly and expresly set down in the Word of God as the Articles themselves so that no man that knoweth them may deny or make a scruple of them unlesse he would also deny together the whole Word of God Likewise that in the last times the great Antichrist shall come That at Christs coming to judge the world not all men shall die but the rest be changed which though it is not absolutely necessary unto salvation to know yet it is
of them that hate and abhore reconciliation may without any difficulty be United nay are already United by the Spirit of Christ upon the evident word of God in the Vniversall saving Faith and sincere love and obedience of Christ who also upon this only solide and firme ground of the universall saving truth and unity may in safenesse quiet and pacifie their own Conscience amongst so many Divisions and Seducing Spirits and withall declare themselves upon good grounds against all different dissenting parties and yet shew themselves peaceable and without scandall CHAP. VII That even these are the safest meanes to restrain all Erroneous Sects THere may be severall objections made against this our Declaration The First Objection against the aforementioned Doctrine As first that in this manner a great gap would be opened to all Sects Arrians Photinians Socinians Weigelians Anabaptists Arminians or of what name soever who though they referre themselves on all sides to the Scripture yet they obscure and pervert the plainest and most evident places of it so that at length we should retaine nothing but the bare words and letters of the word of God nor them also without controversie and disputes But if we do seriously consider the matter this will be rather the only true sure easie and most efficacious meanes not only to maintaine Peace and Unity amongst true beleevers but also to silence and restraine all erroneous Sects yea to cut of all occasions least they disturbe seduce or teare the Church of God any more by their perverse interpretations and opinions namely First That we know that their own particular interpretations inferences must not be necessary unto Salvation because they do either assert affirm some new doctrin which is not so manifestly and expressly asserted in the word of God or deny some what which is not so plainly denied therein That both we and other Christians can in conscience acknowledge and receive the same or the Primitive undoubted true-beleeving Church could have unanimously received such a meaning sence thereof Which is a certain infallible sign that it must be either a false perverted or at least an unnecessary interpretation or meaning and that we therefore may reject it as unnecessary with a good conscience but they may not with a safe conscience disturbe the Church of God with such unnecessary new doctrines Secondly When they cry up such interpretations and opinions of theirs though we certainly know them not to be necessary not only for necessary articles of Faith or Gods Commandements and their owne words for meere words of God Then we know further undoubtedly that they are just such Prophets as God hath warned us from Who shall presume to speak in his name that which he hath not commanded them to speak Deut. 18.19 20. Who shall say The Lord spoke thus when he did not speak it Exod. 13. Especially when they are so obstinate in their opinions that they judge and condemne others for the same or revile and blaspheme the contrary doctrine or otherwise knowingly purposely and wilfully draw thereby some distractions and divisions upon the Church of God For which reason we have good cause to shun and eschew them according to the doctrin of Christ and the Apostles Tit. 1.10 2 Tim. 3.6 to avoid them Rom. 16.17 to withdraw ourselves from them and have no company with them 2 Thes 3.6.14 2 Joh. 10. Who by judgeing others and causing therewith divisions and sects separate themselves from the Assembly of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 19. And also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being condemned of themselves Tit. 3.11 Who also ought to be instructed in meeknesse of spirit and convinced by sounder better surer and plainer interpretations and inferences out of the word of God and sometimes sharply rebuked Tit. 1.9 10.13 2 Tim. 2.24 25. And to restraine them with all other spirituall meanes that Christ hath Ordained least they may prejudicate and hurt the Christian Church by their seductions and spread farther their leaven and sow tares Thirdly How much more when they by their own interpretations and conclusions in doctrine of Faith and life do not only affirme or deny some what which in the word of God is not so expressly affirmed or denied but also do affirme some things which are so evidently and expressly denied therein or deny some things which are so expressly affirmed therein that all learned Christians who will but understand them and not out of carnall affections sticke unto them may comprehend them without any difficultie nay it being evident and palpable to every one that those Interpretations and opinions of theirs are but meerly strained and spun out of their own fancies and not grounded upon the text and words of the Scripture it self or equivalent places of it Especially the true Primitive undoubted Church having with one accord taught absolutly the contrary Those if they in such a manner obtrude and urge their own forced Interpretations or rather perversions of the Scripture both without and against the manifest Word of God as necessary as the Word of God it self and thereby deny or pervert the true necessary Articles of Faith or Precepts of God and that obstinately as hath been mentioned before They are not onely like to those Prophets who presume to speak in the Name of the Lord that which he hath not commanded them to speak but also like them that speak in the name of other gods Deut. 18.20 because they will thrust as out of the way which the Lord our God hath commanded to walk in Deut. 13.25 From whom he hath warned us that we should not believe nor hearken unto their words though they shew great signes and wonders Deut. 13.1 2. Matth. 24.24 25. Whereby I hope every one may see that by the often-mentioned ground of the manifest Scriptures not onely no occasion is given to the erroneous Sects but rather the Sectaries mouth may be stopped with much facility and safety and with more efficacie then by many subtil and endlesse Altercations and Disputes or by all-Excommunications and Persecutions of Hereticks although we do disapprove also this to be used against manifest obstinate Blasphemers as Servetus was who vomited such terrible and horrid Blasphemies and contumelious words against the holy and blessed Trinity that they are noways to be suffered amongst Christians Or when they under the colour of Religion plot Tumults and Insurrections against legal Magistrates as formerly Munzerus and the Anabaptists at Munster did which is not justifiable though it happeneth for true Religion much lesse for erroneous Doctrines sake But those that peaceably and closely adhere to the words of the Scripture without maintaining and introducing singular By-Interpretations and opinions of theirs as hath been told those I say though they do not receive ours or any other particular Churches true Interpretations and expressions we cannot nor will therefore judge as Hereticks but ought to tolerate and receive as weak brethren in faith
words if we do examine the Coherence by the precedent and subsequent Verses the Apostle collecteth for us Two most necessary Rules 1. What and why we ought not to judge one another especially in matters of Religion and Conscience 2. What and how far we may and are bound in conscience to judge Whereof as I have heretofore given a publike Exposition to the Christian Assembly I intend at this present upon the request of some Well-wishers to Truth and Unanimity to impart to them a more ample Treatise with an Application to the Modern Differences not affecting Contention but Peace and Unitie As the Apostle himself doth sufficiently intimate and imply that this is the most exact Rule for Peace and Edification when he addeth Vers 19 Let us follow after the things which make for Peace and things wherewithal one may edifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another Chap. 2. The Father of all Mercie who is also a God of Judgement and Peace grant to me and all that shall peruse this present Treatise to set before our eyes his Judgements and Mercie that we his children in all our Judging may exercise Mercie Love and Peace to the end that in the Great day of Judgement we may not be judged by him according to the severitie of his Justice but according to his Grace and Mercie CHAP. II. Wherein we ought not to judge one another in matters of Religion IN the beginning of the Fourteenth Chapter to the Romanes the Apostle admonisheth them Him that is weak in the faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations The Greek Text hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Vulgar Version Non disceptationes cogitationum Beza Non ad altercationes disceptationum that is not to a debate of disputes or as some expound it more properly with Augustine Not to judging of thoughts that is to say Do not set your selves as judges over his thoughts to reject him because of his weaknesse of faith Which afterwards he applieth chiefly to those who though they had received the Gospel of Christ and believed to obtain salvation by his grace yet did observe the distinction of days and meats or made a scruple whether they might eat such meat without sin and offence which God himself had forbidden in the Law Though some will have understood thereby the meats offered to Idols concerning which 1 Cor. 8 he teacheth almost the very same Doctrine Where the Apostle exhorteth those that were strong in faith who had sufficient knowledge that such distinctions of meats and days in the Law were now not any more requisite according the Gospel in Christ but were a meer indifferent thing that they neverthelesse should not contemn or condemn such as were weak in faith who had not yet the knowledge of their liberty or were doubtful of it nor should judge their thoughts why they did abstain from such meats but receive them in love and charitie Moreover he giveth to them both this Rule Vers 3. Let him that eateth understand every thing by reason of the libertie of the Gospel not despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not every thing by reason that he thinketh the difference of meats according to the Law to be necessary or doubteth thereof judge him that eateth For God hath received him in the Gospel Who art thou that judgest another mans servant To his own master he standeth or falleth Which he repeateth over again in the Tenth verse But why doest thou judge thy brother that eateth every thing or why doest thou set at nought thy brother that eateth not We shall all stand before the Judgement-seat of Christ where every one of us shall give account of himself to God Whereupon these words follow Let us not therefore judge one another any more viz. in such a manner whereby we should reject one another and not receive one another in things that are not necessary and indifferent and notwithstanding are accounted to be necessary by some out of their weaknesse of faith Out of which words and discourse of the Apostle we frame this general Rule and Doctrine That in those things A General Rule wherein we ought not to Judge one another which in themselves are not necessary for salvation though by some they are counted to be necessary none shall judge or condemn the other but one ought to tolerate and receive the other in love and charity as brethren that are weak in faith And this Rule is of great force and validity as well in matters that we ought to believe as practise For both were called into question by the Primitive Christians in the Apostles times Some believed that it was requisite to make a distinction of meats and therefore did not eat every thing Others believed and counted it unnecessary and therefore did eat every thing promiscuously Both did also herein rely upon the Word of God Those upon the bare and simple letter of the Law These upon the liberty of the Gospel according to which they did declare the true meaning of the Law which they had received from Christ and the Apostles And although those did greatly erre in the letter of the Law which was not intended for the times of the Kingdom of Christ among the Gentiles but had its reference onely to the Old Testament Yet the Apostle will that none shall judge despise or reject the other neither in their faith nor works but receive him as a weak brother in faith Whereunto this Observation ought to be annexed That the Apostle doth speak onely of those who out of meer weaknesse and fear to transgresse the Law made it a matter of necessity or at least a scruple of it to whom it would have been sin if they had eaten of the forbidden meat against their own though erroneous consciences according to the doctrine of the Apostle Verse 23. He that doubteth is damned if he eat viz. against his own conscience because be eateth not of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sin But those that rather out of malice and obstinacie then out of meer weaknesse and fear did make it necessary after such a manner that they not onely for themselves believed and did it but also enforced it upon the believers among the Gentiles as necessary to their own and other mens salvation without any true ground from Gods Word and consequently besides the distinction of meats and days did presse upon them the necessity of the whole Ceremonial Law Circumcision Sacrifices c. and therefore condemned and reviled the Apostle Paul and others as enemies to the Law who did faithfully maintain and defend the liberty of the Gospel Those I say the Apostle by the vertue of his Apostleship hath very earnestly judged reproved and condemned yea stigmatized and branded with an Anathema especially in his Epistle to the Galatians Chap. 1. vers 8 9. If any man though an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that ye have received
then to be extracted out of the same by consequence But if we desire to have a certain undoubted and necessary Exposition of these words Christ himself and the Apostle Paul hath declared it unto us That the breast and wine is called the Body and Blood of Christ because it is the New Testament and the Communion of his Body and Blood and because we ought to eat and drink it in remembrance of him If we desire also to know how we ought worthily to eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ Christ himself hath taught it so plainly Joh. 6 that our Adversaries themselves must confesse that not onely the afore-mentioned Spiritual eating of the Lords Supper is principally required but also is the onely true and saving eating without which the oral manducation is rather noxious then profitable and wholesome Wherefore we hold this declaration of Christ sufficient unto Salvation and him that onely standeth to it or giveth us but libertie to stand to it we will in like manner not compel necessarily to receive our interpretations and expressions which we acknowledge to be conformable to the words and exposition of Christ much lesse will we judge or condemn any man for an Heretick because of the verbal alterations and disceptations in Schools whether what Figure or Tropus Metonymia or Synechdoche or praedicatio inusitata it may be called Likewise it is clear and manifest that Jesus Christ hath promised to be present with us and all Believers as true God and Man with his assistance and grace Spirit and gifts power and operation which no Christian can deny But to infer and conclude thereby that also his body flesh and bones must necessarily be present with us all creatures on earth That is no ways plain and evident so that some of their own Divines do contradict it themselves by other manifest and plain testimonies of the Scripture And thus much may we say of all other different Points of Doctrine betwixt us and them and also of the Controversie of Predestination and Election and what doth depend on it wherein we next to the holy Scripture not onely refer our selves to Augustine Prosper Fulgentius and other Ancient Fathers and withal to the principal Scholastick Authors and Divines among Papists Thomas Scotus and others that followed them especially to the Modern Dominicans but also to Dr Luther himself and many Ancient learned Lutheran Divines Brentius Herbrand Flacius Hofmann Spannenberg Althamer Heshusius and others CHAP. VI. Which is the chief and principal Question in this present Difference of Religion and what are the safest means for the settlement of a Christian Vnity COnsiderirg exactly every thing that hitherto hath been declared it is apparently manifest thereby that all differences in matter of Religion that now adays are in agitation betwixt the said Christians especially betwixt those who acknowledge the holy Scripture to be the onely perfect Rule of their Faith and Religion meerly reside in this chief and cardinal question which if it were rightly and unanimously answered on all sides no doubt all such Contention and Controversie or all uncharitable Judging and Condemning would fall of it self and a happie Unitie might be setled among all Christians in Doctrine and Religion as much as may be necessary unto their salvation Namely Whether besides the holy Scripture it self such Interpretations and Consequences or Inferences which by some Teachers or Particular Churches that follow them are collected and deduced out of the Word of God according to the understanding they have for their part in the Scripture and held and received for certain undoubted or necessary expositions and consequences although they are not so plain and manifest that all other knowing and understanding Christians besides them may conceive them or as the Primitive Christian Church hath unanimously and undoubtedly received and taught ought yet to be absolutely necessary for all men unto salvation insomuch that all those that do not acknowledge and receive such Interpretations and Inferences as agreeable to Scripture may therefore be judged and condemned for Hereticks To which we directly answer No such matter But supppse that such Interpretations or Inferences were certain and true or in themselves necessary to be received by those that understand them yet they are not necessary for those that do not comprehend and conceive them as yet in their consciences neither can they therefore be judged as Vnbelievers but ought to be received as weak in faith according to the Apostles admonition Them that are weak in faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations not to judge their thoughts and to distract their consciences The main cause of all dissentions and differences in the Church of God I think rather even this to be the main and principal source and origine of all Divisions and Tyrannie in the Church of God that men set upon their own Interpretations Illations Comments Glosses Formula's Expressions which peradventure they pretend themselves to infer out of the Word of God according to the profunditie of their understanding or else adde thereunto out of Humane Traditions and Opinions as high nay a higher estimate and price and insist as vehemently thereupon as upon the Indubitable Word of God it self As if their words and expositions were as certain and necessary unto salvation as the Word of God yea as if they were able in some points to utter and deliver more plainly expresly fully and considerately the heavenly Mysteries then the holy Ghost hath expressed them in the whole Scripture Or as if all men did see whatsoever they think themselves to see and to know in the depth of their Understanding or though they do not see it yet were obliged to believe upon their word This this is the main and chief cause of all Divisions and Dissentions and of all unreasonable judging and condemning in the Universal Christian Church This is also the true fundamental point of Popery The Fundamental Point of Popery whereon all the Disputes and Controversies betwixt us and them depend That the Pope with his Prelates pretend to be an Infallible Judge of all different and doubtful Doctrines whose sentence and decision all men upon pain of damnation as certainly ought to believe and obey as the Word of God it self Upon this One onely ground all Popery is built And principally for this Point we are constrained to abandon it For otherwise for our part we could well yeeld to him his Primatum or Supremacie above all Bishops yea above Emperours and Kings as long as it pleaseth them upon condition he would not presume to take upon him Dominatum and ruling over mens consciences and expound also the Word of God the best he can and propound his sentence and opinion to his children within his Bishoprick or also to others that will believe and obey him if he would but acknowledge withal that he as well as others could erre and fail in those things which are not expresly and plainly
as it hath been said many times heretofore Which we may illustrate with one or two Examples As the first Chapter of John which the Primitive Church whose Writings and Doctrines are descended and conveyed to us whereof no doubt but it hath together with the Books of the Scripture received also from the Apostles themselves the true meaning thereof at least in the principal necessary points of which this si one hath Unanimously and Undoubtedly interpreted of the Son of God who was in the beginning of all things as the Substantial Word with the Father If the Modern Socinians interpret it of the beginning of the Gospel and the humane nature of Christ to the end that they may deny the Article of Christs Godhead we rightly reject such Interpretation not onely as not necessary but as false and heretical not that it is onely contrary to our Interpretation but that it is so manifestly repugnant to the words of Saint John that the Primitive Church hath with one consent taught the contrary Insomuch also that none of the Ancient Arrians or Photinians to our and all Modern Socinians knowledge ever thus understood or expounded it But Socinus was the first man as he himself must confesse that spun this Interpretation out of his own head wherein at first his own brethren have partly contradicted him Yet since that time hath he together with his followers preferred it as if it were the undeniable Word of God it self and a most necessary Interpretation before the words of Saint John and the Uniform meaning of the Primitive Church Which may not be done without great presumption nor if it be obstinately urged without damnable Heresie principally in such a deep important and necessary Article of Faith as it is accounted not onely by us but the true Primitive Church and the word of God it self On the other side if they in such profound and incomprehensible Mysterie did adhere positively and closely without mutilation and contention to the words of the Scripture nor added thereunto their own Interpretations and Inferences of their reasoning beyond and against the Articles of Faith we should then have no cause to judge them so sharply though they would not receive or use all our expositions or humane expressions Likewise when Socinus and his followers do wrest and pervert so many manifest places of the Scripture which speak of Christs death that he died for the propitiation satisfaction and remission of our sins to this sense as if he had not appeased Gods wrath against us or which is as much made satisfaction to appease Gods wrath or purchased propitiation and forgivenesse but that he died meerly to this end that he might by his doctrine and example convert us from our sins to God and to pacifie our hearts towards him And account their own Interpretations as worthy and necessary as Gods Word it self So that they grievously slight and revile the Doctrine concerning the reconcilation of Gods wrath against us and the satisfaction for our sins which neverthelesse is so manifestly and evidently taught by so many testimonies of the Scripture that the Universal Christian Church hath professed it with one accord at all times and ever therefore held Jesus Christ for its onely High-Priest Mediatour and Saviour Insomuch that even the greatest Papists though they supply by way of concomitancy the merits of Christ by the Intercession and merits of other Saints and their own merits and satisfaction the daily Sacrifice of Masse Indulgences Purgatory and such like things yet have not denied the propitiation by Christs merits and satisfaction nor any other Sectary as far as we know nor Pelagius himself hath directly opposed it except onely Socinus and perhaps before him Adailerdus Whereas Socinus himself cannot but acknowledge that the Mediatour of the Old Testament Moses hath in some manner appeased by his intercession as Aaron and some other high-Priests by their Sacrifices Gods wrath against his people of Israel and yet will deny such power and vertue of the propitiation for our sins to the most-perfect Obedience Sacrifice and Intercession of our Mediatour and high-Priest Jesus Christ Who seeth not then that they intend arrogantly to prefer their own singular Interpretations before the manifest Word of God and the unanimous consent of the Universal Christian Church and thereby as much as lies in their power shake and subvert the very foundation of our chief consolation in Jesus Christ The Second Objection against the aforesaid Doctrine In the Second place may be objected against the aforesaid ground of Saving Truth and Unitie that neverthelesse the Primitive Christian Church hath condemned many Sects not onely for not receiving the plain words of the Scripture but also for refusing the Interpretations and words of the Church For example The ancient Arrians in the Councell of Nicen and others Chap. 8. for not receiving the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consubstantial alledging that such a word was not to be found in the Scripture But we Answer to this That they were not condemned even for this bare word but rather because of their peculiar Arrian phrase and expressions and expositions concerning the created Divinitie of Christ Against whom the Orthodoxall and true-beleeving Church did very earnestly insist upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though not in the letter yet it is found in the Scripture more plainly and evidently and more conformably to the unanimous understanding and meaning which the Churches in the first three hundred yeers professed concerning the eternall God-head of Christ not that it was directly necessary unto Salvation but conducible to the confutation of the ambiguous terms and opinions of the Arrians Otherwise there hath been in those times true-beleeving Bishops who though they had rejected the Arrian Heresie concerning the created Divinitie of Christ and yet doubted of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was not to be found literally in the Scripture were therefore not condemned but tolerated as weak in Faith This very same we may say of all other ancient Sectaries Macedonius Nestorius Eutiches Pelagius which were at all times condemned for their singular new fangled Interpretations out of the word of God according to the unanimous meaning and doctrine of the Churches in the first three or four hundred yeers CHAP. VIII That in the Reformed Churches no new Doctrin as necessary to Salvation is taught IN the third place it will be objected The Third Objection against the aformentioned Doctrine That we our selves defend many doctrines as necessary unto salvation which yet neither in the Scripture were so plainly expressed nor unanimously taught in the Primitive Church I will give but a touch in some few but principall Instances That we deny the free will in man the merits of good works and the Sacrifice of the Masse Which points were with one consent asserted of all ancient Fathers almost That we teach the Justification ex Solâ fide onely by Faith That we hold the