In opere Inscripto Lutherus Septiceps Of the Communion of the Eucharist Gasper Querhamer a Lay Saxon observed in Luther's Works In Tabula contrad Luther Thirty six Contradictions and printed them when Luther was living to his great shame and confusion and the diminution of his Authority And of Communion under both kinds Cochlaeus has noted seven contradictory Articles In fine Cochlaeus's whole Book called Lutherus Septiceps contains nothing else but Luther's Contradictions and contrary Opinions in almost all his controverted Articles in the express Words of Luther Now in every contradiction of necessity one part must be false As to Calvin Coccius relates Twenty four Contradictions of his in his very own Words It is enough for me to set down two of them Touching God's Omnipotency in one place he says nothing is impossible to the Word of God Luk. 1. And in another place he says That Dream of an Absolute Power in God which the School Doctors have introduced is an execrable Blasphemy Psa 23. Again I abhor this Doctrine in which the Papist Divines please themselves feigning in God a certain Absolute Power Of Christ's Godhead in one place he writes That Christ is true God of the same Essence with his Father De Predestin 1 Joh. 5.1 In another place he says The Name of God by way of excellency Contr. Gentil refutat 10. belongs to the Father only that he only and properly is the Creator of Heaven and Earth ay and that Son according to his Godhead is subject to the Father Again That it is a hard and improper expression of the Nicene Creed God of God Light of Light In his Second Epistle to the Polanders he affirms That Christ according to his Divine Nature is less than the Father Lo whither he tumbles by being a Novelist These things being positive and clear in their own Writings what Wise Man can be induced to believe that God sent them to reform the Church For how shall they raise the fallen Church when they so vilely destroy their own Doctrine Who have so little Learning or Prudence and circumspection as not to avoid contradictions in matters of the greatest moment Certainly whosoever contradicts himself and presently pulls down what he hath newly erected 't is clearer than the Noon-day that he speaks not by the Spirit of God For if I build again the things which I destroyed says St. Paul I make my self a Prevaricator Gal. 2.18 The Spirit of God cannot be contrary to himself cannot deny himself Take notice likewise That although in many things they contradict themselves and overthrow their own Principles yet they have Face and Impudence to say that they are certain their Doctrine is true and the very Doctrine of Christ For thus Luther writes I am certain I received my Doctrine from Heaven Cont. Reg. Aug. Again I am certain that my Doctrine is not mine but Christ's And in another place he says that he is so absolutely sure Cont. Stat. Eccles that he will have no Body to be Judge of his Doctrine no not the Angels and that none can be saved who believes not his Doctrine In like manner Calvin oftentimes says That he is a Prophet that he can deceive none unless God deceive him as I have shewed in the Fifth Reason Hereby 't is a clear demonstration that not only they speak not by the Spirit of God having such open and manifest Errours and Contradictions but also are to be look'd upon as Impostors who deceive the People For he that says he is certain that his Doctrine in which are many Errours and Contradictions is of God may well be supposed not to deal fairly and sincerely but to speak against his own Conscience and so to impose upon the People 'T is manifest that such a one hath no Internal Illumination from God to make him certain of the Truth of his Doctrine by the Testimony of God For God cannot testifie or reveal Contradictions With what Face therefore can they so impudently affirm that they are sure their Doctrine is of God or Christ's Doctrine Therefore they deal not honestly and sincerely but endeavour to blind the World But some will confess that they erred now and then at the beginning when they had not yet fully received the Spirit of God but afterwards they did not err nor change their Opinions But this has no colour of Truth at all For all those who ever have been immediately sent by God to teach the People have presently at the beginning of their Mission had the infallible assistance and direction of God so that they could never in the least err in their Doctrine As 't is manifest by the Prophets and Apostles Nay there was greatest need of this direction in the begiuning because then chiefly all things were to be discussed the Teachers and their Doctrine to be examin'd that so they might gain Authority and be believed For if they had been catch'd in any Errour or Contradiction at first all their Authority would have fallen to the ground and perished In the like case if Calvin and Luther were sent by God to reform the Church there was great need that presently at the beginning their Doctrine should be solid and sound free from all Contradiction and Errour least they might justly be rejected as Impostors Then again I ask when at length did they obtain this plenitude or fulness of the Spirit so as never to err any more How could that appear to the World that Men may know they are to be credited at last though they were not at first For unless this can be shew'd we may rightly presume that they may erre in their future who manifestly have erred in their former Writings To conclude that they were various in their Life that they changed and mended their Principles and in divers little Books which they published and sometimes in one and the same Book they writ several contradictions it is apparent by those few things afore-mentioned and by many more which Cochlaeus Coccius and others have recorded in their own words For the longer they stood out in opposition to the Catholick Church more invective and bitter they became against it and what more mildly they alledged at first afterward they made worse or changed to the contrary The Seventh Reason from tht malicious Deceits and Frauds they make use of THat Religion is to be suspected whose Authors and Defenders use malicious Deceits Frauds and Lies to propagate it For the true Religion wants no such helps but only the false which being destitute of true and solid Reasons must necessarily place its hope and confidence in a Lye But the Authors and Propagators of the Lutheran and Calvinistical Religion used many Frauds and Lies to encrease their Sect therefore it is worthily to be suspected That they used most malicious Frauds and Deceits False Tenets imposed upon Catholicks is manifest because they imposed upon Catholicks many things falsely that so they might easier confute them and make their Religion scandalous as to say That Papists worship Images
Man is unable to make his ways good or bad For if there is Liberty there is properly no Sin as a Lyon by devouring a Man though he does a mischief yet he sins not because he does it not freely but by the impulse of Nature nor is is it in his Power to moderate this impulse No Man will deserve punishment because what he does is of necessity therefore there will be no Hell nor punishment after this Life For it would be a great and intolerable Cruelty that Men should be condemned to Eternal Torments for doing that which they cannot possibly avoid Why then do they fear to follow the Lusts and Desires of their Heart and commit what Sins soever they list Fourthly When they teach That all the Works of Men as well good as bad are predestinated of God from Eternity Luth. sup Cal. l. 1. c. 17. § 5. c. 13. § 1. and that they may be done in time God inclines incites forces and decrees Man's Will to act them all For if God equally operates good and bad in us there is no reason why we should fly Evil or fear any punishment For God is not a Revenger of that of which he himself is the Author nor can he justly punish us for those Crimes which he will have done and which he forces us to do for this were more than Tyrannical Cruelty which is far from God Hereby 't is clearer than the Noon Day that these Religions four ways shake off all fear of God from Men's Hearts and give as great License to all manner of Wickedness as ever any Atheist And 't is so much the more pernicious because not so openly impious but having a shew and pretence of Religion and Honour of God namely under the specious and plausible Titles of a Special Faith Satisfaction of Christ Liberty of the Gospel and Providence of Divine Predestination Under colour of these fair Words so much Poyson is swallowed as totally corrupts the Minds and Manners of Men. Who therefore that has but a spark of right Reason and Understanding can believe these Religions are of God The Third Consideration from the Sanctity of the Professors THat Religion is to be preferred wherein most are famous for Holiness of Life For it cannot possibly be that a bad Religion should bring us to Piety or that true Sanctity can consist with a Wicked Religion But the Catholick Religion has had many in all Ages that have led most Holy Lives by the General Confession of all Christians Among whom to single out some of each Age and omitting innumerable others I reckon the Great St. Anthony St. Hilarion St. Gregory Thaumaturge St. Nicholas Bishop of Myre St. Athanasius St. Gregory Nazianzen St. Basil St. Symeon Sty lite St. Cyprian St. Hilary St. Martin St. Ambrose St. Hierome St. Augustine St. Benedict St. Gregory the Great St. Vaust St. Amand St. Wineck St. Bertin St. Willebrord St. Romuald St. Norbert St. Dominick St. Boniface St. Bruno St. Bernard St. Francis St. Bonaventure St. Thomas of Aquin St. Francis of Paul and many in our own Age. That all these were of the Roman Catholick Religion is not to be doubted since they adhered to the Roman Church made profession of her Faith and strongly maintained it and because likewise a great many of them were Monks and obliged by their Vows to lead a Monastick Life yea all the Rules of Monastick profession sprung from them That these were most Holy Men is verifyed by the general Confession of all Christians throughout so many Ages wherein each of them lived nor was there ever any question made of it the same being confessed by Hereticks especially of St. Bernard St. Dominick and St. Francis It would therefore be a great absurdity and impudence to deny the Truth of that or in the least question it which is acknowledged by the general consent of all the World If these Men therefore were Saints and Catholicks as all the World believes the Roman Catholick Religion which they held and professed must necessarily be the true Religion and proceed from the Spirit of God First Because 't is impossible that a false Religion can bring us to true Sanctity for Religion is the Foundation of Sanctity That Celestial Edifice cannot be built upon a vain thing upon a pernicious and sacrilegious Lye as every Lye in Religion is It cannot be that a false Religion should withdraw the Mind from Earthly Things and raise it to Heavenly that it should inflame the Heart with Divine Love and urge it to have a care of our Neighbour's Salvation with so much pains and Labour Now the Holy Catholick Religion which these Men professed and practiced perfected all these things in them and therefore it cannot possibly be false Secondly Without the true Religion it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. But by the consent of all these Men pleased God and were his great Friends Therefore their Religion was true For how by a false Religion could they please God who is the Truth Thirdly If their Religion was not true and from God then 't was from the Devil For he is a Lyer from the beginning and the Father of Lies Jo. 8.44 He hath always contrived by his Lyes and Deceits to deprave and corrupt the true Religion to the end to destroy Men's Souls If it were from the Devil how could it bring them to so great Sanctity and Piety and make them the Devil's Adversaries and Friends of God For what Society hath Justice with Iniquity What Communion hath Light with Darkness And what Agreement hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6.14 c. Fourthly 'T is altogether incredible that God should permit so many innocent Men so great Despisers of themselves and all Earthly things so studious of the Divine Glory and such ardent Lovers of God to be deceived for so many Ages in a matter of so great Concern as the business of Religion which is the Foundation of all Piety Who can so wickedly censure the Goodness of God They omitted nothing on their side whereby to please God to advance his Honour and Glory they undertook the greatest Labours and Difficulties for his sake and did wholly consecrate and devote themselves to his service How can it possibly be that this infinite Goodness this true Light which enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World Jo. 1.9 should not shew his true Light and Truth to such eminent and beloved Servants but leave them in Darkness and Mortal Errours That would then be false which our Lord with double and repeated Promises so often said Ask and it shall be given you seck and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Matth. 7.7 Luk. 11. For S. Bernard S. Benedict S. Francis S. Dominick and other Lights and Miracles of the World all their Life-time earnestly craved sought and knock'd to obtain
of our Lord what was necessary to Salvation and to know his Divine Will in all things that they might do it and yet were never the nearer and got nothing That Speech of our Blessed Saviour will likewise prove false If you being evil know how to give good Gifts unto your Children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the good Spirit to them that ask him Joh. 11.13 For the good Spirit cannot be had without a good Religion I omit other things which to this purpose might be alledged But if it be Blasphemy to say that God's Promises are false we must needs confess that these Men received of our Lord the true Faith and Religion Wherefore since 't is manifestly apparent that they were of the Roman Catholick Religion and stedfastly adher'd to the Church of Rome and detested any other Faith and Religion contrary to it 't is not to be doubted but that the Roman Catholick Religion is the true Religion and inspired of God and all other false and invented by the Devil To conclude if their Religion were false and that of any of our Adversaries true we must necessarily grant that all those men aforesaid whom the World ever esteemed Saints were not only no Saints nor the Friends of God but also impious and Enemies of God and for that cause damn'd to eternal Torments For without the true Religion it is impossible to please God Heb 11. Neither can it be said that they were excusable for their Ignorance Because Ignorance excuseth not but only in some less principal things and which are less necessary being so only by reason of some positive Precept and not in Fundamentals and first Principles Otherwise every one might be saved without any knowledge of God or Christ which is contrary to Scripture But if these erred as our Adversaries would have it they erred in the chiefest Points 1st because they did not acknowledge a special Faith by which alone we are justified and made partakers of Christ's Redemption and Justice and Sins not imputed to us as the Authors of these new Religions teach Therefore they remain'd in their Sins were destitute of Christ's Justice and consequently the Children of Hell 2dly Because by their own Judgment and Confession they were not of the Church of Christ out of which by the consent of all there is no Salvation but adher'd to the Whore of Babylon for so they call the Church of Rome and were the Ministers and chief Instruments of Anti-Christ 3dly Because they were Idolaters worshipping the Creature namely Bread and Wine in the Eucharist instead of Christ honouring Saints and their Images c. There is no Ignorance which can excuse these things Therefore all these Men were wicked and condemned to Hell-Torments But how improbable and incredible is all this and even against the Common Sence of all Christians that have hitherto been Mean while in all other Religions it is sufficiently manifest that none have ever appear'd of such eminent Sanctity in their Life and Conversation as to breed Admiration in the World For none could ever be named Their first Authors were earthly minded and addicted to Worldly Pleasures nothing exceeding in their Lives above the Vulgar nay rather guilty of the greatest Crimes But of this more shall be said hereafter Nor does it signifie any thing to say that also amongst Catholicks there are many An Objection refuted which are so far from leading holy Lives that they defile their Souls and Bodies with fundry Vices For they do not this by the grant and leave of their Religion which prohibits them and uses all means possible by threats punishments and promises to prevent and deter them Therefore their evil Life is in no wise to be attributed to their Religion nor can it argue the same to be imperfect For since there are three things to divert Man from Evil and excite him to Good that is the fear of Punishment hope of Reward and the beauty of good Works these three things the Catholick Religion most excellently propoundeth and inculcates every where to her Professors Therefore it omits nothing to make them sly Sin and encourage them to Vertue and Holiness And if any don't aspire to it we must not impute it to their Religion but their Free Will which frustrates and contradicts all these motives and encouragements But indeed if Catholick Religion should take away the fear of Punishment and hope of Reward and declare all good Works to be polluted with the stain of Sin then the pravity of Men's Lives and neglect of good Works might worthily be ascrib'd to it For as he that takes away the buttresses and props of a house which keeps it from falling is the cause of the house's Ruine so he that subtracts the fear of God or future Punishment whereby Men are restrain'd and kept back from falling into the gulph of Sin is the cause of their ruine Likewise he that takes away all that which is wont to animate to the study and practice of good Works is the occasion of such neglect and contempt of good Works Hereby is manifest that the neglect of good Works and the evil Life which are discerned in some Catholicks are not to be referred to their Religion but only to the liberty of their Will But in Lutherans Presbyterians and other Professors of new Religions it is to be imputed properly to their Religion which takes away all those things that are a hindrance to Evil and encouragement to Good as plainly appears by their Principles in their Books afore mentioned not excluding also in them that Free Will by which they become guilty in chusing and adhering to such a false Religion The Fourth Consideration from the Miracles of its Professors THat Religion wherein most Miracles have been done in all Ages is to be preferred before others which are without Miracles For Miracles are a kind of Seals and certain divine Evidences whereby Religion is authoriz'd and approv'd For since many things in Religion are above Nature exceeding humane Capacity and cannot be prov'd by natural reason there is need of certain supernatural Arguments to convince Men. These are Miracles But the Catholick Religion only is famous for Miracles therefore the only true Religion and to be esteemed above all others as that only which hath God for its Witness Now that many Miracles have been done in Confirmation of the Catholick Religion throughout all Ages since Christ's and his Apostles time is evident to all Christians by divers Histories the Annals of Kingdoms and the Lives and Acts of Saints But our Adversaries say these Miracles are not true Calv. p. fac in Instit but partly feigned and partly diabolical The which is void of all probability For it is against the Judgment of the whole World and of so many Ages For all Nations so many hundreds of years have without any scruple accounted them true Miracles For whoever doubted the Miracles of St Gregory Thaumaturge St. Anthony the
by the most blessed Virgin Mary which in the places where they are wrought are manifest to all and may he seen by every one with their Eyes and felt with their Hands which also after a strict examination by sworn Witnesses and publick Testimonies are confirm'd But say our Adversaries the true Miracles were to confirm the Gospel yours overthrow it Calv. prefac in Instit by setting up Idolatry that is the Worship of Relicks and Images Invocation of Saints the Mass c. therefore they are from the Devil But this is plain Sophism and is called a begging of the Question for they take for granted as a truth that which is to be proved and whereof the Controversy is For they suppose as a certain and undoubted truth that the Catholick Religion is false and thence they conclude that her Miracles are false and delusions of the Devil like the Scribes and Pharisees who first supposed Christ's Doctrine to be false and against the Law of Moses and then conclude that his Miracles were false and that he cast out Devils by Belzebub the Prince of the Devils Matth. 4.12 So the Heathens calumniated the Miracles of Martyrs saying they did them by Art-Magick And so did the Arians Eunomians and Vigilantians vilifie the Miracles of Catholicks as Victor St. Ambrose and St. Hierome writeth But we on the contrary Vict. Vticen l 2. de persecut Ambr. ser de S. Gervas Protas Hier. contr Vigil by the truth of Miracles which are perspicuous and obvious to all seen with their Eyes and felt with their Hands conclude the verity of the Catholick Religion about which is the Controversie for we read no where that Miracles are wrought in confirmation of false Doctrine as the Saints have done many in confirmation of the truth of the Roman Catholick Faith Did ever any Heretick raise the Dead give sight to the Blind cure the Lame and sick of the Palsie and cast Devils out of Mens Bodies Neither Luther nor Calvin nor their followers did ever any such thing Luther indeed attempted once to cast a Devil out of one of his Disciples but with great peril of his own life as Fredericus Staphylas who was present and an Eye-witness writeth Calvin also tried to raise a man to life who by his perswasion counterfeited himself dead but with that success that of a live man he made a dead one for by the just Judgment of God he who had feigned himself dead was deprived of his life while Calvin was endeavouring to restore him to life In vit Cal. c. 13 This story Hierome Boscus relates at large with the circumstances thereof Wherefore since they are not successful by true or false Miracles they strive to take away the foundation of Miracles from the Catholick Church which is the chiefest and most convincing but with no reason or probability as I have shewn As therefore they who consider the Miracles of our Lord or of his Apostles and ponder them seriously setting aside all Envy Hatred Worldly Interest or other depraved affections cannot doubt but their Doctrine was from God who ratified and confirmed it with so many prodigious Signs and Miracles So in like manner they who laying aside all malice prejudice passion and temporal profit or advantage maturely weigh and reflect on the Miracles which are every Age wrought in the Roman Catholick Church by the Saints thereof living or dead cannot chuse but believe their Doctrine and Religion is of God and the Church to which they adhere to be the true Church of God The Fifth Consideration from the Conversion of Nations THat Religion is to be esteemed the true Religion of Christ and therefore to be embrac'd to which there has been a Conversion of Nations For our Lord hath in divers places of holy Scripture Psal 1.12.21 Osea 1. Matth. Mark Luke ult promised this Conversion of the Gentiles to the true Faith and Worship of God But the Religion to which the Gentiles in all Ages have been converted is the Roman Catholick Religion and therefore not to be doubted but that it is the true Religion of Christ That this Religion to which the Gentiles have been always and even lately converted is the Roman Catholick Religion it is manifest by the things which have been done in this and former Ages In this Age innumerable have been and daily are converted in the East Indies in Japan in the great Kingdom of China and many Islands of the Indian Sea Likewise in America where are many and spacious Kingdoms All these came over to the Catholick Religion and were joined to the Church of Rome and that by Religious Mon sent for this end and purpose by the Authority of his Holiness the Pope And to look back to the foregoing Ages In the Fourteenth Age one Vincentius Ferrerius a Dominican converted to the Catholick Faith Five and Twenty Thousand partly Jews and partly Sarazens as St. Antoninus a Writer of the same Age witnesseth 3 p. Hist tit 23. c. 8. s 4. In the Thirteenth Age many in Tartary were converted to the Catholick Religion by two Dominicans sent by the Pope at the instance of their Emperor which they call the Great Cham as Paulus Venetus writeth who was an Agent to that Emperor In the Twelfth Age were converted the People of Norway by Adrian the Fourth before he was Pope as Platin writes in his Life In the Eleventh Age the greatest part of Hungary was converted and Bishops sent them by the Pope at the request of their King St. Stephen soon after his Conversion as the Centuriators tell us Cent. 11. c. 2. In the Tenth Age many Kingdoms were converted by means of Henry the First Emperor and two Arch Prelates as the Centuriators note Cent. 10. c. 2. In the Ninth Age the Vandals Bulgarians Sclavonians Polonians Danes and Moravians were converted and united to the Roman Church So the Cent. 9. c. 2. In the Eighth age most part of Germany was converted by S. Boniface sent to that end by Pope Gregory the Second Cent. 8. c. 8. In the Seventh age the Franks were converted by S. Kilian who received his Commission from the Bishop of Rome Cent. 7. c. 2. In the Sixth age the English were converted to the Catholick Faith by Monks sent into England by the authority of S. Gregory the Great In Fine Who converted Brabant Flanders Holland Freesland Westphaly France and other bordering Nations Were they not Sons of the Roman Church namely S. Servatius S. Eligius S. Rumoldus S. Amand S. Vaust S. Livinus S. Remigius S. Willebrord S. Swithbert S. Wulfranus and others who were all devoted to the Church of Rome By which it appears that all Nations that have been converted to Christ from Paganism or Judaism for above a Thousand Years were converted to the Roman Catholick Faith and adhered to the Church of Rome as appears not only by what has been already said but is more clearly manifest by the Priests Altars Sacrifice of
Salvation as not only all Catholick but likewise Lutherans Calvinists and Anabaptists teach Therefore your special Faith will avail you nothing unless you have the true Religion of Christ Now that all Professors of the Catholick Religion may easily render an account of their Religion to the Supreme Judge and fear no danger for being Catholicks is manifest For suppose that I stand before that terrible Judgment-Seat of Christ and am asked why I followed the Catholick or as Hereticks call it the Papists Religion and not rather by forsaking it turn'd to the New Reformed Religion of Calvin I will answer with great security Therefore I professed the Catholick Religion because it teaches me to withdraw my mind from the love of earthly things and fix it upon heavenly It teaches me to mortifie the Flesh to fear God to practice Good works to obey my Superiours to be instant in Prayer and to cut off all occasions of Sin I stuck to the Catholick Religion because I saw therein many famous over all the World for Wisdom Holiness Miracles and the Spirit of Prophecy it being impossible for them to be deceived in so great a matter because I saw God hath established this Church for several Ages by many Miracles because I saw therein the Promises of God fulfilled for it is spread over all the World To this Church the Conversion of Nations has been made hitherto and is dayly making In this Church there has been a continual Concord of the Doctors in points of Faith In this Church there has been a perpetual Succession of the Chair and Connexion of all Ministers with the Apostles In this Church there is a speedy decision of all Controversies This Church for many Ages has stood immovable against all Heresies and Persecutions of Tyrants so that the Gates of Hell could never prevail against it Matth. 16.18 But I perceived in all these New Religions all things contrary to this therefore there was no reason for me to renounce the Catholick Religion or in the least to doubt of it But though I should omit all this which I haye said Is not this alone sufficient for my security that I have followed a Religion which those have been of who were most Holy and Famous for Miracles over all the World as S. Benedict S. Bernaod S. Diminick S. Francis c. For it clearly appears that such Heavenly Souls so dear and devoted to God such beloved and familiar Friends could not possibly be deceived in so great a business as the Salvation of their Souls Therefore I may securely follow these Guides in reference to Religion But you now who have followed some other New Religion What a Heretick can answer what account I pray can you make of it when you shall be examined before the terrible Judgment-Seat of Christ Perhaps you will answer the Judge Therefore I deserted the Catholick Religion because I thought it full of Idolatry Superstition and Humane Traditions I thought that Antichrist reigned in it and I thought that Catholicks depended upon their own Merits and not upon the price of your Blood But what if the vail of Diabolical delusion which now blinds you being then taken off you see your self clearly deceived what Counsel will you take For there will be ro more time and place for repentance Perhaps you will plead Ignorance but this will not excuse you because you might have easily known the Truth if you had used that diligence which the matter required nor did you ever want a just occasion of doubting which should have stirred you up to a diligent enquiry As therefore it shall not excuse the Jews that they erred by ignorance because they might have known the Truth if they would so neither shall it excuse you For to depart from the Catholick Religion without sin you ought not only to think and surmise by reason of some slight suspicions but to know certainly that such Evil Doctrine is taught in the Catholick Church by using diligence and setting aside all worldly interest so that no farther scruple could be left nor any just reason to doubt But you are so far from having any such certainty of the Churches Errors that no probable reason can be given for it For what probability or shew of Truth could induce you to believe that Religion was full of Idolatry and Errours which you saw professed by so many eminent Men for Wisdom and Holiness of Life Which you saw or might have seen confirmed with so many Miracles and Martyrs Which you beheld diffused through the whole World In which you saw so great Concord in points of Faith and constant Succession Continuation and Conjunction with the Apostles How could it possibly be that in so many Ages none of the Holy Fathers and Doctors should spy this Idolatry these Superstitions and Errors Again how could you be perswaded to believe that to be the true Religion of Christ which makes God the Author and Forcer of all Sin Which takes away from Men Free-will Which extirpates all Good Works Which opens the Gate to all manner of Wickedness as much as Atheism Which takes away subjection to Laws and obedience to Princes under pretence of Christian Liberty Which recalls from Hell many old and condemned Heresies Whose Authors were renowned for no austerity of Life no Piety no Miracles but Men given to the Pleasures of the Flesh covetous of worldly Goods ambitious slanderous envious seditious infamous for Apostacy sacrilegious Marriages preposterous Lust and inconstancy of Doctrine Lastly If any of these New Religions are true then the Church of Christ is fallen for so many Ages the Kingdom of Christ is overthrown the Divine Promises touching the stability of the Church are frustrated and the Gates of Hell have prevailed against it Then for so many Ages the Gospel has been Preached in vain and in vain believed so many Gentiles have been in vain converted from Paganism in vain Baptized and received other Sacraments in vain they fasted and mortified the Flesh and so many thousands in vain suffered Mrrtyrdom by the effusion of their Blood for the Confession of Christ Then all our Ancestors are perished the Holy Fathers are perished so many Myriads of Confessors which were wholly devoted to God and famous for Sanctity Miracles and Prophecy are all perished and damned For they were all without the true Religion and Righteousness of God and all addicted to Idolatry But if these things are false blasphemous and horrible to think how could it be you did not conceive these New Religions to be false or at least to doubt of them from which such cruel and frightful things are clearly deduced But if you doubted why did you not endeavour to know the Truth upon which your Salvation depends Our Lord admonishes us to beware of False Prophets which come to us in Sheeps-cloathing but inwardly they are ravening Wolves Matth. 7.16 What 's the reason it did not come into your Mind sometimes and make you afraid lest
Christians about it out of hatred to Christian Religion or any other cause they render themselves inexcusable before God For the Affair of Religion and Salvation is of so great moment and concern that it is to be preferred before all other things and ought with the greatest care and diligence to be sought after where there is just occasion to doubt although you were to go into the remotest Countries for satisfaction The Second Question THe other Question is Whether it be sufficient to Salvation to believe in Christ and that he died for our Sins although we refuse to believe many other things Many especially the Vulgar think this to be sufficient if they believe those things concerning God and Christ which are contained in the Apostles Creed all other matters they count indifferent and that every one may believe of them as he is really convinced for they think that every one may believe the Creed according to his own sense and interpretation Therefore they judge that every one which confesseth Christ may be saved in his own Faith or Belief whether he be a Papist or Lutheran or Preâ—byterian or Anabaptist or of any other Sect For all these hold the same Head which is Christ Col. 1.19 and 2.8 all rely on the same Foundation which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 Therefore they cannot fail of their Salvation although they dissent in many other things Hence it is that some Princes which are of these New Religions labour very much to establish and amplifie their Dominions by making the Lutherans and Calvinists but one Church and endeavouring to perswade the People that there is no difference amongst them but only in some small Matters and Ceremonies But this Opinion brings with it many ill Consequences First Because it saves almost all ancient Hereticks This Opinion is confuted with Ten Reasons First Reason For many of them confessed Christ and believed the Apostles Creed according to their own interpretation The Arrians then may be saved in their Heresie who deny the Son of God to be of the same Substance with his Father The Macedonians who made the Holy Ghost inferiour to the Son The Nestorians who held two Persons in Christ The Eutychians who affirmed that the Flesh of Christ was converted into his Divinity The Apollinarists who held the Divine Word instead of a Rational Soul united to the Flesh of Christ The Monotholites who maintained that there was but only one Will and Operation in Christ The Pelagians who denied Original Sin and taught that Man by the force of Nature might be able to merit the Grace of God and Salvation The Donatists who averr'd that the Church of Christ was every where perish'd but only in their own Communion The Novatians who denied repentance to faln Sinners The Montanists who thought Montanus was the Holy Ghost All these according to this Opinion are saved in their several Faiths and Heresies because they believed in Christ and the Apostles Creed as now the Lutherans and Calvinists do But what can be counted more absurd and a greater Paradox in the Church of Christ For if Salvation may be had by such a Faith why were so many Councils by a Convocation of Bishops throughout the whole World celebrated at so great labour and charge against these Heresies Why were they so often Anathematized Why did the Holy Fathers strive so much to extirpate them Why were Catholicks so much afraid of society and familiarity with those Hereticks Why did many of them rather suffer banishment death and all kind of torments than subscribe to any of their Heresies Certainly all these things were done in valn foolishly and injuriously if Salvation might be obtained in these Sects which since no Wise Man can affirm we must needs confess that these Heresies are the Plagues of the Mind and no Salvation can possibly consist with them Second Reason Because it condemns all Antiquity of Errour which always judged that Hereticks could not be saved and therefore so fiercely opposed them and always studied so carefully to confute them Third Reason Because it condemns the Apostle who thus writes to Titus A Man that is an Heretick after the First and Second Admonition avoid knowing that he that is such a one is subverted and sinneth being condemned by his own judgment Why is he commanded to avoid him if his Errour was not prejudicial to Salvation Why does he say that he is subverted Again Their Speech spreads as a Canker or Gangreen 2 Tim. 3.17 As therefore a Canker is Mortal to the Body unless it be cut so is an Heretick to the Company of the Faithful and therefore they are forbid to hear their Sermons or read their Heretical Books which are infectious spreading like a Canker But it may be some will say that no Body is to be esteemed a Heretick unless he denies Christ or some Article of the Apostles Creed But this is altogether ignorantly and absurdly said for then he would not be an Heretick that should renounce the Old and New Testament and say that it is connterfeited or written by the Spirit of Man and liable to many Errours as are the writings of prophane Authors He would not be an Heretick that should deny Hell or Eternal Punishment or that should hold that all the Devils shall be saved since none of these things are in the Apostles Creed He would not be an Heretick that should condemn Marriage and alledge that Matrimony is Diabolical that should judge some Meats to be impure or unclean of their own Nature which the Apostle esteems Heretical Lastly he would not be an Heretick that should affirm that there were Two Persons in Christ whom St. John calls an Heretick and Antichrist 1 Epist c 4. nor would he be an Heretick that denies Baptism and all the Sacraments Lastly none of those fore-mentioned should be reckoned Hereticks which is repugnant to all Antiquity and all Doctors of the Church since the Apostles days Fourth Reason This Opinion renders all Heresies and Sectaries equal with the Orthodox Faith judging Salvation may as well be obtained by them as by it Then the true and Orthodox Religion will be no better than Arrianism Pelagianism Nestorianism Eutychianism and other false Religions whieh is in it self most absurd and nothing else but to introduce meer Atheism For to grant all Religions to be good and that it concerns nothing our Salvation what Religion we profess is to regard no Religion at all For if there be any Religion this can be but only one as there is but one Truth one Justice one Faith one Beatitude one God and Lord of all things one Mediator of God and Men the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 Fifth Reason 'T is ridiculous to say that it is enough for a Man to believe the Creed Of the Faith of the Creed according to his own sence or meaning since there is but only one Truth which if he does not attain to then he believes falsely but what
ean a false Faith avail to Salvation Then 't is all one Whether you believe the Creed in such a manner or in no manner Then every one may be saved though he does not believe many Articles of Faith The same I may say of the Scriptures for if it be sufficient to believe the Scriptures according to every one's interpretation since his sence may be oftentimes erroneous 't will be also enough though you do not believe them at all For a false Faith can be no more necessary to Salvation than no Faith whereby a Man believes nothing absolutely But if you say that we must believe the Symbol or Creed in its true sence then you condemn the Sectaries of these times none of which believe all the Articles of the Creed in the same sence with Catholicks and all of them differ in the explication of the Creed amongst themselves Therefore since there is but only One Truth all the Religions of these Times must necessarily swerve from the Truth except One only and therefore are insufficient to Salvation That they differ much in the sence or meaning The differences of Sectaries in understanding the Creed of the Creed is manifest For that Article And in Jesus Christ his only Son is explicated one way by the Arrians and many Calvinists namely that the Son is less than the Father and by the Catholicks and Lutherans another way for they hold him equal and of the same Substance with the Father The Article concerning Christ's descent into Hell the Calvinists interpret one way saying Christ sustained the Torments of the Damned doubted of his Salvation and was afraid he should have been utterly swallowed up by Eternal Death The Catholicks and Lutherans interpret it another way and will admit of no such exposition saying it is Calvin's Blasphemy The Article of Christ's Ascension into Heaven c. the Lutherans and Vbiquitarians expound one way holding Christ's Body to be every where as his Divinity is otherwise the Calvinists and Catholicks who doubt not but that such Expositions do overthrow in a manner all the Creed as Christ's Incarnation Nativity Passion Death Assension into Heaven and his Coming to Judgment The Article of Judging the Quick and Dead Catholicks expound one way saying that Christ shall so Judge as to reward our Good Works in Heaven and punish our Bad Works in Hell otherwise the Calvinists and Lutherans who deny all reward to Good Works and averr that an account will be only had of our special Faith at the Day of Judgment The Article concerning the Holy Ghost Catholicks and Lutherans understand one way the Arrians and many Calvinists another way The Article of the Church Lutherans and Calvinists understand of the invisible Congregation of the Predestinate Catholicks of the visible Congregation of Catholicks in which many are Predestinated and many Reprobate The Article of the Communion of Saints the Luthcrans and Calvinists so extenuate that they take away almost all Communion which is taught by Catholicks The Article of Remission of Sins they explicate of no imputation not acknowledging any Internal Renovation by inherent Justice and Grace infused as Catholicks judge Sins to be remitted Hereby is manifest how great a difference there is in the understanding of the Creed Therefore since there is but one Truth this we have shewed in our Consultation to be amongst Catholicks all Sects must of necessity hold a false Faith and false exposition of the Creed If therefore a true belief of the Creed is requisite it cannot be that every one may be saved in his own Faith If a false Faith sufficeth how can a false Faith be profitable to Salvation Sixth Reason The Holy Scripture is of no less Authority than the Apostles Creed nor is it a less injury to God to deny any thing expresly declared in the Scriptures than to reject any Article of the Apostles Creed therefore there is no reason why our Faith should be tyed to the Creed and in other things we should be left to our Liberty seeing we are as much obliged to believe all things in Scripture as in the Apostles Creed For although we are not bound to know all things distinctly contained in the Scriptures yet we ought to believe in general insomuch that we cannot without the sin of Heresie reject any part thereof as false and doubtful With what colour therefore or what probable shew of reason can it be said it matters not how you believe in other things so be it you believe in Christ and the Apostles Creed Why are we bound to believe the Creed rather than the whole Scripture since it is not of greater Authority than the Scriptures This is a fancy certainly too vain and rude void of any foundation Seventh Reason In all our Faith we must not only regard what we believe Our whole Faith depends on the foundation or motive of our belief but likewise and that chiefest of all upon what foundation we believe or what is the sole motive of our belief For upon this the whole Nature and Property of our Faith depends For as the motive of our belief is which we call the Foundation of our Faith such is the Faith it self If that be certain and cannot be deceitful our Faith also is certain and infallible If it be deceitful our Faith also will be uncertain and liable to Errour For Example The Turk believes that there is one God Creator of all things Why Because the Alcoran so teaches which he believes to be written by the Spirit of God His Faith although this which he believes be true depends on a false and fallacious foundation by force of which he is bound to believe many false and blasphemous things as that there are not Three Persons in the Godhead Father Son and Holy Ghost that Christ is not God and that he is less than Mahomet that Circumcision is to be observed and the like Therefore this Faith by virtue of this foundation is fallible and erroneous 'T is the same case with all Hereticks The Faith of all Sects depends on a false foundation This being laid down I thus argue That Faith which depends on a fallacious foundation although it believes some things which are true yet cannot be said to be sufficient to Salvation but the Faith of all Sectaries of this time depends on a fallacious or wrong foundation therefore it cannot be sufficient to Salvation The Proposition is manifest of it self For how can that which is false and lying be the Basis or Foundation of Eternal Salvation how can the true Religion whereby we please God be founded on a false belief Certainly this is as far from all reason as if you should say that Truth depends on a Lye Wisdom upon Errour and Vertue upon Vice It remains then to prove the Assumption or other proposition viz. That all Sectaries rely on a fallacious foundation A threefold foundation I shew thus They believe their Opinions either for the authority of
their Apostles such as Luther Calvin Melancton Zwinglius c. who they suppose were indued with the Spirit of God or because each one by his own judgment conceives them to be contained in the Scriptures or lastly because the private Spirit inwardly witnesseth them to be true or that such is the sence and meaning of the Holy Scripture For whatsoever the Sectaries of this time believe they believe for some of these three reasons and one of the three they make the foundation of their Faith and motive of belief But these three Foundations or Motives of belief are altogether deceitful as you shall see That the first Foundation namely the authority of Luther Calvin and others that devised these New Religions is deceitful is manifest because experience shews they could be deceived and did really err in many things For many things they revoked many things they corrected they contradicted themselyes in many things as is clearly demonstrated in the Ninth Consideration and Sixth Reason of my Consult about Religion Hence it is that now but few depend on their Authority saying they were Men subject to Errour and therefore their Followers desert them as they list where they think they can find some better Doctrine Their Authority therefore is deceitful even in the Opinion of their own Disciples and Followers Nor is the other ground less deceitful to wit their own private judgment whereby they expound the Scriptures For many things which are indeed false to a private Judgment seem to be true and those things which at first seemed to be true are afterwards found to be false Hence it is that there are such diversity of Opinions such chopping and changing of Religions because Humane Judgment is very weak especially in the Mysteries of Faith and Understanding of the Scripture which transcend Humane Capacity Many Answer that in believing Whether they rely on Scripture they do not rely on their own judment but the Holy Scriptures which cannot err How miserably they are deceived herein appears by this that almost all Sectaries say they rely upon Scripture when they disagree in many things amongst themselves and teach things contrary to one anothers Doctrine which could not rationally be done if they relyed upon the lawful understanding of Scripture and not on their own private judgment For the Scripture is no where contrary to it self it disagrees in no place with it self therefore the reason why they so much differ amongst themselves is because they interpret the sence of Scripture according to their own private Judgment which is divers according to the variety of Judgments and Understandings of Men. They rely therefore upon Scripture not as 't is interpreted by the Holy Fathers of the Catholick Church but according to their own private Judgment For the virtue and efficacy of the Scripture consists not in the naked Words but in the right meaning and interpretation Therefore their whole foundation is their own private judgment which how deceitful it is the dissentions of so many Sects clearly demonstrate Lastly The Third Foundation of their belief on which many The private Spirit at this time depend is the most deceitful of all because among the Fanaticks who pretend most of all to the instinct of the Spirit there are the greatest differences and divisions amongst themselves which could not be unless the Spirit which rules and governs them and on which they depend were deceitful and various The same is observable amongst the Lutherans and Presbyterians and the different Sects and Factions of them both for every one is certain of the truth of his Opinion by the private Spirit which instructs him whereby it is most manifest and clear that this Spirit is not the Holy Spirit the Spirit of God and Truth which cannot teach contradictions and be against it self but the Wicked Spirit the Spirit of Errour Who is a Lyar from the beginning and the Father of Lies who lives in the Children of unbelief Joh. 8.44 of whom the Apostle says Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions to believe a Lye c. 2 Thes 2.11 And in another place In the latter times some shall depart from the Faith attending to the Spirits of Errour and Doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4.1 for every Heresie is the Doctrine of Devils And S. John Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the World 1 Joh. 4.1 This is that Spirit which rules in the Hearts of Hereticks and whose Testimony brag of as thinking it to be the Holy Ghost This so blinds their Understandings and perverts their Fancies that they take Light to be Darkness and Darkness Light they esteem the most clear Truth of the Catholick Faith to be Errour and their own foul and dismal Errours to be the clear Truth and certainly were they not totally bewitched and blinded they might easily perceive that that Spirit which inwardly they feel is not the Spirit of God or at least they could not choose but doubt of it since every Sect amongst whom there is so great dissension touching their chiefest Principles lays equal claim to the Testimony of this Spirit boast of it and follow it and in maintaing their Tenets repugnant to each other chiefly depend on it But this happens by the just Judgment of God For as the Jews who would not receive Christ were permitted to be blinded by the Devil as 't is plainly gathered from the Apostle 2 Thess 2. So Hereticks who have deserted the Catholick Faith which is no less a Sin than that of the Jews are permitted to be blinded by Satan and led into all Ernour And if a Man but attentively consider A greater facination of the Devil in our Hereticks than in the Jews he shall perceive a more powerful operation of the Devil in our Hereticks and a greater facination of their Mind than there is in the Jews and Turks and this for two Reasons First Because the Jews agree in their Belief and have no different Sects amongst them Among the Turks or Mahometans there be only two and they not much different But amongst the Hereticks of our days there are numbers of Sects some propagated one out of another by the rise of New Opinions mutually condemning one another of Heresie and all these are sprung up within 100 years or thereabout which is a clear sign that the Devil has a great power in the Minds of these Man to disturb their Fancies pervert their Imaginations and Judgments that they can neither stand nor rest any where Secondly Because the vulgar People among the Jews and Turks rely not upon their own judgment nor the instinct and testimony of the private Spirit but upon the judgment of their Doctors or which is the same thing upon their Scripture as 't is expounded by the Doctors of their own Religion Therefore they
even to Natural common Sense do appear so equitable that they are required in Disciples of all Arts and Sciences how much more then are they to be demanded in all Persuits of Divine and Supernatural Knowledge The Teachers and Professors of which seem to have a Right to exact them of all who pretend to be their Disciples and they may and ought to protest before-hand against all Passionate Prejudiced Self-interessed Self-conceited Arrogant Presumptuous Unserious and Insincere Discoursers To such Books Written by Angels and Sermons Preach'd by God himself would prove unfruitful as was the Case of the Scribes and Pharisees even for these very Reasons whilst of the Poor and Simple of the Meek and Lowly a few words of an unlearned Fisherman could Convert Thousands To Conclude if these Dispositions are so necessary in all other Inquests they are much more so in the perusers of the following Treatise Which being a Consult does in a most particular manner require an Impartial Unbiast and Unprejudiced Reader for as much as he is invited hither not so much as a Party as a Judge in whom a contrary Disposition is intolerable Let him therefore consider that he is to sit and hold the Ballance in the Scales of which are to be put and weighed the opposite Practices of Two contrary Parties great and zealous Pretenders to and Assertors of the True that is as each thinks of their own Respective Religion Nothing will be offered to his Animadversion but unquestionable Matters of Fact of which the common Sense of Mankind may be judge all begun and transacted within these Hundred and Fifty Years The Effects and Consequences of which do infinitely Touch and Concern him And therefore though he be advised to hold indifference in the Examen yet let him have a care he do not so in the Decision for it is of terrible importance to him either not to determine at all or to determine wrong For when all is done he must unavoidably in the end become a Party who here in the beginning is made a Judge and the Sentence which he shall or shall not Pronounce it matters not which if it be not the right will fall heavy only upon himself Let him therefore Read and attend with Fear and to all the Preparations recommended before in this Preface let him add this one more of Earnest and Fervent Prayer that God the Enlightner of all Minds and the Mover of all Hearts will please to Visit his with the Twofold Grace of Faith and Charity that he may see and chose and for ever Embrace and Adhere to the only means for Everlasting Life The True Religion Amen ERRATA PAg 15. l. 1. read Contrition or Sorrow for sins past is necessary p. 18. l. 30. r. No Liberty p. 32. l. 4. r. Paralytics ibid. l. 7. Dele such p. 37. l. 2. r. Bolsecus p. 51. l. 2. Dele only p. 57. l. 30. r. regimen p. 63. l. 22. r. his head p. 65. l. 14. r. Faith ibid. l. 15. r. Evinced ibid. l. 21. r. Gods Comandments p. 67. l. 7. Dele that p. 70. l. 5. r. profession p. 72. l. 26. r. them p. 73. l. 21. r. Ordination of Degree Descending p. 79. l. ult r. Heresie p. 82. l. 9. r. Advantagious to their own Authority p. 88. l. 9. r. The Prophets ibid. Their Mission p. 92. l. 25. r. Raisers ibid. l. 26. r. thò they p. 104. l. 30. r. in two p. 105. l. 12. r. free p. 107. l. 10. r. The Son p. 110. l. 21. r. They varied as long as they lived p. 114. l. 23. r. Faith in Christ p. 119. l. 6. r. or p. 123. l. 16. r. probation p. 124. l. 12. r. Adde ibid. Dele and. ibid. l. 14. r. Contrivances They p. 132. l. 3. r. required p. 134. l. ult r. Occultly p. 137. in the Margin r. Foxio p. 138. l. 4. r. Salvation ibid. l. 8. r. Christ has p. 139. l. 9. r. this p. 141. l. r. Basilides Carpocrates p. 143. l. ult r. de Iconomachis p. 155. l. 26. r. preside p. 156. l. 6. Dele .. after Scriptures p. 164. l. 22. r. Dominic p. 170. l. 19. r. infinite p. 173. l. 18. r. Day and Night p. 189. l. 6. r. Sacrifice p. 190. l. 6. for Know r. Honour p. 198. l. penult r. Vain p. 199. l. 15. r. is p. 208. l. 27. r. themselves What Faith and Religion is best to be imbrac'd NEver was there greater Variety of Religions than in these our days and never more dispute about the True one Many waver up and down therein all their Lives long and never come to fix upon any but shift their Religion as Men do their Lodgings to try where their Minds may be most at ease Others without any deliberation blindly venture upon the first that comes in their way and if you ask them why this rather than any of the rest all they can say for themselves is they take this for the best or perhaps which yet every one pretends in behalf of his own because it is most conformable to the Pure Word of God And yet such a choice as this requires the greatest search and deliberation imaginable as upon which our eternal Salvation depends Surely Eternal Salvation and Damnation are Matters of no small Moment in comparison with which all other things good or bad are as nothing Now these depend upon the Goodness of your Religion If your Religion be good 't will be easie by the Grace of God to obtain Salvation but if bad it is impossible to be saved For by a bad or false Religion you cannot please God Heb 11. and consequently you can never obtain pardon of your Sins nor true Justice nor by any Means be made partaker of Christ's Redemption And so you still remain in Death and the Wrath of God abideth on you For all Mankind without such Redemption and New Life in Christ do remain in the Death of Sin and are the Children of Wrath but whosoever has not the true Religion has no share in such Redemption and therefore must necessarily abide in Death be a Child of Wrath and become Fewel for Hell-fire Now this true Religion is but one and cannot be many fold For there is but one Truth one Faith one Baptism one God and one Lord of all Eph. 4. From whence it follows First That all Religions all Beliefs and Confessions of Faith besides one are false noxious pestiferous and introduc'd by the Devil the first Author of them who is the Father of Lies And Secondly That none who does not profess this Religion can ever obtain Salvation and all that are without it though they live otherwise never so laudably will perish everlastingly For that which the Apostle says of Charity If I could speak with the Tongue of Men and Angels if I should know all Mysteries and should distribute all my goods to the Poor and deliver my Body to be burnt but want Charity it would nothing profit me may
Great and St. Hilarion St. Martin St. Nicholas St. Benedict St. Malachy St. Bernard St. Dominick St. Francis of Paul St. Francis Xaverius to omit innumerable others Besides that their Miracles were not counterfeited Their Miracles were no Lies may easily be proved many ways 1st Because they were written by most grave and authentick Authors For the Miracles of St. Gregory who was therfore call'd Thaumaturgus that is the Worker of Miracles were written by St. Gregory Nyssen in the Life of him and by St. Basil in his Book of the Holy Ghost chap. 29. The Miracles of St. Anthony by St. Athanasius and St. Hierome of St. Martin by Severus Sulpitius of St. Nicholas by divers Greek Authors of St. Benedict by St. Gregory the Great and others of St. Malachy by St. Bernard of St. Bernard by several eminent Authors in his own time of St. Francis by St. Bonaventure of St. Dominick by those who being Eye-witnesses of them were reconcil'd to the Catholick Faith of St. Francis of Paul by the Bull of his Canonization and the Miracles of St. Francis Xaverius after a strict scrutiny and sworn Witnesses were approv'd of by publick Testimony of the Vice-Roy of India Who can believe that these Men famous for Sanctity Learning and Authority would to the damnation of their Souls and eternal infamy of their good Name forge these Miracles and impose them upon the World For a Lie in things pertaining to Religion is a most grievous mortal Sin Then again if they were false and feigned the vanity of them might easily have been discovered by the Men of that Age wherein they were written But no body ever rejected them except Heathens Jews or Hereticks Add hereunto that many of these Miracles were confirm'd by the publick Testimony of Bishops or Magistrates through a previous knowledge of them Lastly to say that they were false and counterfeited is to take away all belief of History and overthrow all knowledge of former times For all the Acts of Antiquity may be said to be false and feigned since they cannot be proved but by the Authority of the Writers In like manner that their Miracles were not wrought by help of the Devil nor by the Devil is manifest divers ways 1st Because they were done by most holy Men and such as were entirely devoted to God's Service Who can believe that St. Francis St. Dominick St. Bernard St Benedict St. Martin c. had any Commerce with the Devil Again because their Works were far above the Devils Power For the Devil cannot open the Eyes of the blind nor cure the lame nor raise the dead nor give immediate cure to Paralitticks or restore dead and withered Limbs c. All these things are above the power of Nature And hence never any Magicians could do such such things by the Devil's aid But our Saints have done many such Miracles and almost innumerable and that in a trice by the touch only or by the sign of the Cross by a short prayer and oftentimes only by a word of Command 3dly Because those which are done by the Art of the Devil either continue but a little while being delusions and deceptions of the Sight as appears by that which Conjurers do or if they last long they are done by natural Causes and exceed not the power of them Moreover they are for the most part unprofitable to Men vain and hurtful as to make Fire to descend from Heaven to make a Statue or Idol speak c. which shall be done by Anti-Christ and his false Prophets in the last days as 't is written in the Revelations Chap. 13. nor do they tend to amendment of Life But the Miracles of the Saints have a permanent and solid effect and are profitable to Mankind exciting us to the fear of God and amendment of our Lives 4thly New Miracles are never allowed of in the Church but by great Examination before-hand for Witnesses are examined and commonly under Oath the Fact it self is also looked into whether 't was not done by Virtue of Nature or Help of the Devil all Circumstances are likewise considered as by what means order and occasion in what place and time to what end and for whom and before whom the Miracle was wrought And oftentimes there are not wanting Persons that are emulous who are willing to undervalue and slight the matter overmuch or endeavour what they can to render it suspicious and therefore they let nothing escape untry'd or unexamin'd So that it is impossible the Fraud should lie hid long if there were any and it concerns the Divine Providence not to permit Men to be so miserably deluded especially after so great care and diligence used by them to find out the Truth 5thly If the Miracles of the Church were from the Devil to retain Men in a flase Religion Why does he not do the same in other false Religions namely amongst the Turks Arrians Anabaptists Libertines c. Why does he forbear to work Miracles amongst all these and do them only in the Catholick Church Is it because he loves it better than all the rest But he should not neglect them by whom he may enlarge his Dominions He is delighted with variety of false Worships and accommodates himself to the Genius Dispositions and Affections of all Therefore since only the Catholick Religion hath Miracles and no false Religion hath or can have them 't is a clear sign that the Miracles of the Catholick Church are not from the Devil Lastly What reason is there that they should be counted Fictions or performed by the Devil Is it because they cannot be done But God is Omnipotent and did many the like by his Apostles as appears in Scripture Or is it because they are repugnant to Scripture But our Lord hath plainly promised this Grace of Miracles saying Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth in me the Works that I do shall he do also and greater Works than these shall he do because I go to my Father and whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son Joh. 14.12 c. By which Words he insinuates that the Gift of Miracles shall always remain in the Church not only amongst the Apostles but many Apostolical Men and People of eminent Sanctity in due time and place This Promise therefore of our Lord we see fulfilled when Holy Men do Miracles Or is it for lack of Witnesses Besides the Writers most worthy of belief we have the credit and consent of the People the Testimony of Bishops and Magistrates after a strict enquiry and examination of the matter by Sworn Witnesses There are not any ancient Matters of Fact except those recorded in the Holy Scriptures which have so many and so considerable Witnesses Add hereunto that in every Age yea almost every year there are many great Miracles done in several places by the Saints reigning with Christ in Heaven especially
of Faith no end of Dissentions and Contradictions and it must necessarily in a short time have been divided into a Thousand Sects as we see it happens by the Conventicles of Hereticks Hence it is that in the Catholick Church all points of Faith are certain and defined and no variation made of them and all Catholicks unanimously consent acquiesce and are satisfied in the belief of them Hereby it follows Thirdly If you depart from the Catholick Religion you have no certainty to depend on for the true way of Salvation For what Religion will you make choice of in so great a variety The Lutheran But why not the Presbyterian or any other Fanatick Why do you profess Luther's Religion before the rest For the Presbyterians and Fanaticks have Scripture for their Religion as well as the Lutherans Again if you will imbrace the Religion of Luther which sort would you have the mild or rigid That pure Religion which Luther the German Prophet recommended or that which Philip Melancton renewed But this also is of divers sorts for the Augustane Confession was often changed If you are for Calvin's Religion why not Luther's since he is the Parent of all and the first that brought into the World this new Light of the Gospel Again if you are for Calvin's Religion whether that of Puritans or Protestants For they are very different as the English well know I omit many differences wherein these Sects are divided There is no solid Reason can be given why you should profess one for the certainly of it rather than the other since they all stiffly alledge the Word of God to be of their side that they have the Spirit of god and that the sence of Scripture is clearly for their Doctrine and that all the rest are false and manifestly against Scripture nor can they otherwise prove it but by saying that 't is clear to every one that has the Spirit Therefore they all urge the same reason for their Doctrine and rely on the same foundation You must therefore be of all their Religions or of none But the Catholick Religion proves her Tenets far otherwise namely from Sacred Scripture according to the exposition of the Holy Fathers and Doctors of all Ages from the Sanctity Miracles and Prophetick Spirit of those that profess this Religion from the perpetuity and uniformity of Doctrine through all Ages from the purity of Life which this Doctrine induceth from the Conversion of Nations to this Doctrine and from all the other Considerations set down in the foregoing Chapters The Ninth Consideration proceeding from divers Reasons why these New Religions are to be suspected and avoided ALL other Religions besides the Catholick expresly and particularly that of Luther Calvin and the Fanatick which I chiefly speak of here ought worthily to be suspected and abandoned as Heretical Sects for many Reasons which I shall here briefly commemorate and referr to your serious Consideration The First Reason from the Novelty of it ALL Novelty or all New Cutts and Fashions as St. Gregory Nazianzen calls it in any Government and chiefly in the Affair of religion are to be shunn'd and avoided The Christian religion is an ancient solid and immutable thing intended to last to the end of the World For it is the Form Strength and as it were the Soul of Christ's Church for as by the Soul the Flesh is animated into a Living Man so by religion an Assembly of Men who otherwise of themselves are but carnal is formed into the Church of Christ which is a Spiritual Kingdom As therefore the Church and Kingdom of Christ is ancient and never to be rooted out as against which the Gates of Hell that is to say no Herefies or other wicked attempts shall ever prevail Mat. ult and with which Christ has promised to remain to the end of the World De August de utit caeden c. 17. Such also must the Religion be by which this Church and Kingdom of Christ do subsist Therefore Novelty is repugnant to the true Religion But that these are New Religions is manifest First Because we can shew the first Authors of them the place time and manner how they began who resisted them what great Commotions Troubles and Mobbs were raised by reason of them and finally by whom they were condemned Now what clearer signs can there be of Novelty In the same manner all Heresies introduced against Apostolick Doctrine are convinced of Novelty because we can shew how they crept into the Church at what time they began in what place by what Author who opposed and condemned them Secondly Before the year of our Lord 1517. Luther's religion was not in the World nor Calvin's nor the other Fanaticks which are but two branches of the Lutheran Religion For it appears by Historians of that time wherein Luther first shew'd Head that there was no religion in the World but the Catholick Religion and a very few Hereticks called Hussites except the Judaick Mahometan and Pagan Religion Thirdly If you should say that some of them were existent in the World namely the Lutheran Religion c. but lay hid I ask in what place it was in what Kingdom in what Town who were the Defenders or Maintainers of it Lastly How do you know it was in Being before since it could not be manifest but by Writers who report no such thing but the contrary Besides when there were in every place Inquisitors of Heresies how could this Religion lie hid so many hundred years and not be discovered and never any one of the Followers of it fall into their Hands and be corrected Never any Heretical Sect could so hide it self but be often taken and publickly called in question and examination Again if this religion was in the World before Luther why did not the Professors of it who have hitherto lay hid come forth and acknowledge him as a Doctor of their Faith and a Champion of their religion Why did they not appear in publick and join with him as their Partner and Patron who had set at liberty their religion before suppressed and persecuted But no such ever appeared that had been of this religion before him but all of them were of the Catholick Religion before they turned to Luther as Luther himself before he revolted was a Roman Catholick and a Friar L. de Missa augular l. 2 contr Swingl and said Mass seriously and devoutly fifteen years together as himself confesseth Whereby it is clearer than the Sun at noon day that Luther's Religion is altogether new and was unknown to the World before his time Not any Congregation of Men and perhaps no single person was ever in Being before him that professed the same Religion that is all the same points of Faith his whole Body of Doctrine For although he might hold some Opinions of ancient Hereticks yet the Relagion of Luther and the ancient Hereticks is not therefore the same but in part For Religion is a
Complex or comprehension of all those things which pertain to Faiths But no body before him ever taught all the same Tenets This is also convinc'd by another reason for 't is manifest the ancient Doctors and Fathers florishing in former Ages were not of Lutheran's Religion for They all confess Free-Will the necessity of Good Works Merits of life eternal and possibility of keeping Gommandments They approve of the Invocation of Saints the Veneration of holy Relicks and Images the Sacrifice of the Mass for the living and dead the Ordination of Ministers the Evangelical Counsils of Monaftick Vows the custom of Fasting in Lent c. all which Luther's Religion denies and denounces as superstitious injurious to God and wicked That the ancient Fathers confess and approve all these things is clear by their Writings nor can Lutherans and Calvinists deny the fame but say they were the Spots of the ancient Fathers beautiful spots indeed Superstition Idolatry Impiety But if the Doctors of former Ages were not of this Religion but always decry'd and condemn'd the same 't is evident that it is not Ancient but New Now in the Church there is no Religion taken for the true Religion of Christ besides that which the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church have held Hence it plainly follows that the Lutheran Religion is not the Religion of Christ for Christ's Religion is not new but old But Luther's Religion is new and not old as 't is shewed The Religion of Christ has been always in the World from the time of the Apostles but the Religion of Luther has not been always but began in the year of our Lord 1517 as aforesaid Again if Luther's Religion is the true Religion of Christ the Congregation of People holding this Religion is the true Church of Christ therefore the Church of Christ was not before Luther as has been declared because the Lutheran Religion which constituted this Church was not before Luther If you say it was in the Apostles time and some Ages heretofore it is to be proved there were some then living that held all Luther's Tenets We can for certain and with ease prove the contrary For it is aparent the Sacrifice of the Mass for the living and the dead Ordnation of Ministers Monastical Vows and the like which are repugnant to Luthers Religion were in the Church of God in the Apostles time and the Ages nearest to it Moreover suposing but not granting that that it had been in the Apostles time and some time after yet at least in the Third and Fourth Age it began to vanish and be quite lost which also the Lutheran Doctors confess in the Book of Centuries published by them Therefore Cent. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. cap. 4. for 1300. years the Church of Christ fell away and perished For at least so long it is manifest the Lutheran Religion was not but what florished was point blank contrary to it The true Religion then for so so many Ages was extinct the Gospel obscured the Church of Christ overthrown till Luther the German Prophet rose and dispell'd this mortal darkness brought into the World the light of the Gospel and repaired the ruines of the Church The Lutherans in several Towns of Germany declare this in writing upon the Frontispiece of their Houses in Capital Letters in these or the like words in such a year the true light of Christ's Gospel shin'd first in this City by abolishing Superstition c. Now if the Church of Christ had perished for so many Ages how is it true that it was built upon a Rock Matth. 16. and not rather upon Sand How is it true that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it How is the House of God the Ground and Pillar of Faith 2 Tim. 3. How is the Kingdom of Christ which is th Church stable firm eternal and never to be dissolved Dan. 2. If you say the Church and Lutheran Religion hath continued in all Ages from the time of Christ and his Apostles but lay hid it is more than can be proved and without any probability as hath been demonstrated But les us grant it to be hid therefore it was not the Church of Christ For the Church of Christ is like a City placed upon a Hill which cannot be hid Matth. 5. She is the Mountain of our Lord's House established in the top of the Mountains and exalted above the Hills conspicuous to all and all Nations shall flow unto it Isa 2. She is extended from Sea to Sea and from the River unto the ends of the Earth Psal 71. She is that great Mountain which filled the whole Earth Dan. 2. For the Church of Christ ought to be manifest that by her Worship Splendor Manners and outward Form the Nations might be attracted to her and that those who desire to be made Christians might know whom to go to advise with and receive instructions from In like manner her Doctrine and Belief ought to be manifest or else 't would be unprofitable to the World and could not convert Nations Therefore in the time of Persecutions it was never so obscure but every where known as Ecclesiastical Writers tell us And from hence came such a multitude of Martyrs Again if it lay dormant so many Ages it was altogether unworthy of the Christian name For how could this be call'd the true Church of Christ which durst not confess the sincere Doctrine of Christ But was of such a cowardly nature and so affraid of death as to hide it self in the dark and not dare for so many Ages to appear in the light Nay did not only hide her self so many Ages and suppress the sincere Profession of Faith but also confess a false Faith namely the Papistical adore Idols and defile her self with a thousand Superstitions and Sacriledges For before Luther all Christians in outward shew at least behav'd themselves like Catholicks or else they would have been presently taken by the Inquisitors and Bishops and punished as Heriticks So that the Church of Christ would have been more miserable and deformed than the ruines of the Synagogue or the Jewish Sect which always held their Meetings in some places or other and made a profession of their Religion nor was ever compell'd at least in general to the Worship of Idols It would also have been more wretched and in a worse condition than all Heretical Sects For there has been no Sect of any name which has not had their Churches Preaching Houses or Conventicles and some form and prtfession of their religion whereby it was known From these things it is clear nothing can be more absurd than to say that the Church of Christ for so many Ages absconded I conclude therefore with this Dilemma either the Lutheran and Presbyterian religion were before their Authors or not If not then they are plainly Novelties and therefore not the Religian of Christ which is ancient but if they were existent then they
Hereticks though never so contrary in their Opinions boast and bragg of and from which every one thinks the Truth is revealed to himself which certainly he that is not stark Blind may easily perceive because the Spirit of God cannot reveal contraries Add hereunto that the sacred Scripture no where sends private Men to search the Scriptures in Doubts of Faith but to the Church and those which precede therein So in Deut. 17. they are sent to the Priests in doubtful matters who were then appointed Judges and those that would not obey them were to be put to death Therefore in the Church God hath appointed Pastors and Doctors and would have the Church conspicuous to the whole World the Pillar and Ground of Truth Eph. 4.11 1 Tim. 3.15 that all People might easily consult it and acquiesce secure in her Decrees The Spirit of understanding the Scriputres is not granted to every one as 't is plain by the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 1 Jo. 4. ' Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God Therefore although the Spirit should suggest any thing to you yet you are not secure because you are not certain it is of God For 't is manifest that innumerable have been deceiv'd For all Hereticks brag of this Spirit and Satan frequently transforms himself into an Angel of Light Hereby it is manifest that the private Spirit can be no Rule of faith The Twelfth Reason from another great absurdity IF any of these New Religions for example the Lutheran Religion were the true Religion of Christ besides the absurdities afore-mentioned this would follow that all Catholicks which have been hitherto from the time of the Apostles are damned and sentenced to the Eternal Torments of Hell-Fire because according to the chief Tenet of this Religion they wanted justifying Faith and therefore Justice before God so that they remained in their sins and died in them For the Faith necessary to Justification as this Religion teacheth is that whereby a Man firmly believes that he is just before God by reason of Christ's satisfaction which by Faith is applied and imputed to him But 't is manifest that this Faith was unknown to the World till the time of Luther Nor does he deny but rather glories that he manifested to the World the true Nature of Justification hid from the antient Fathers The same is clear by the Writings of all the antient Fathers because besides Faith in Christ they require an inward change of the Will and purpose of keeping the whole Law also for that they condemn this security of Salvation and will have Men to work out their Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 and be always sollicitous Hence it is that this peculiar special Faith whereby every one certainly believes he is just they all reject as meer presumption For although we ought to believe that Christ has fully satisfied for us on his part yet it does not appear to us that we have done all things necessary on our part to be made partakers of his satisfaction and that we may not sometime or other fall from him 'T is clear then that all the Antients wanted this Faith Therefore so many Holy Fathers so many Martyrs so many Virgins are damned St. Irenaeus St. Justin St. Gregory Thaumaturgus St. Gregory Nazian St. Basil St. Chrysostome St. Damascen St. Hilary St. Ambrose St. Hierome St. Augustine St. Martin St. Nicholas St. Anthony St. Gregory the Great St. Benedict St Bernard St. Dominick St. Francis are all damned also St. Laurence St. Vincent St. Sebastian St. Catharine St. Caecilia St. Agnes and innumerable others who for Sanctity of Life Miracles and the Honour of Martyrdom were renowned through the whole World are damned To conclude all our Ancestors are damned that have been from the Apostle's till Luther's time and to use the Words of Tertullian The Gospel has been wrong Preached L. de prescrip advers Heret for so many Ages and wrongly believed so many Millions of Men wrong Baptized so many Works of Faith wrong administred so many Virtues and Graces wrong laboured for so many Sacrifices and Divine Services wrong offered and so many Martyrdoms wrong Crowned But how incredible absurd and blasphemous are all these things How contrary to the judgment of the whole World and of all Ages Nor can it be said that they were excused for their ignorance because no Body can be saved without Faith without the justice of Christ without participation of Christ's Redemption as every where the Scripture teacheth especially the New Testament No ignorance can excuse that a Man may be saved without these things therefore there is no refuge here either they are all damned or the Religion of Luther and Calvin in their principal Opinion of Justification is false and impious Behold Twelve Reasons whereby 't is clearly demonstrated that these New Religions are to be avoided as false and pernicious The last Consideration now follows The Tenth Consideration and Conclusion of the whole Consult LAstly That Religion is to be imbrac'd in this Life which Men are most like to be willing to profess at the hour of death and of which they can render a just account at the Tribunal of Christ For in the practice of things we cannot be better advised than by the consideration of Death and Eternal Judgment namely to love that here which at the point of death will be most profitable to us and to shun that which may bring upon us certain ruine and destruction at least put us in great peril of it But the Catholick Religion is such as we shall certainly prefer at the hour of death As is manifest First By the example of many who although they have lived Hereticks yet when they came to die have desired to die Catholicks as judging it the safer way Secondly Because every one wishes then that he had done many Good Works and with great diligence had avoided all sin to both of which the Catholick Religion efficaciously exciteth and to neither of which does the Religion of Luther or Calvin but rather to a contempt of all Good Works and licentiousness of Life Thirdly Because the Catholick Religion has many Remedies which in that dreadful passage are not to be despised as Repentance for Sin Absolution of the Priest the Sacrament of Extream Unction and the Eucharist which give great consolation and confidence to the Faithful For by this means the satisfaction of Christ is communicated to us But bare Faith is a very cold comfort and a weak thing at the point of death For how can you perswade your self that God will be merciful to you that you are just and shall be saved by the Merits of Christ who have despised the Remedies ordained by him and determined to die out of the Catholick Church All the Sects of this time boast of this Faith and yet certainly all are not saved For the true Religion of Christ is but one out of which there is no
one way to Eternal Happiness It is an Atheistical Opinion that every one may be saved in different Religions for as there is but one God one Christ one Truth one Right-way one Justice so there is but one true Faith one true Religion one true Congregation or Church of God and Christ out of which there is no Salvation Let them beware lest by a curiosity of reading or hearing or uncautious conversation with Hereticks or desire of pleasing any Mortal Man or fear of Persecution or loss of Temporal Life or Estate or loss of gain or ambition of Honour or for any other cause they lose so great a Good For what is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul But a loss of the true Religion is a loss of the Soul which no Wise Man will part with upon any account Those are unhappy Souls and unworthy the Name of a Christian who little regard the ruine of the Catholick Church or Religion so they may but safely and quietly enjoy a Temporal Peace to live in sensuality or hoard up riches and the trifling goods of this Life But this madness and vile esteem of so great a Good shall cost them dear when this momentary Life shall be ended and they suddenly fall into an endless Eternity Many Seducers are gone forth into the World many under Sheeps cloathing under a smooth pretence of God's Word hide a Wolfish Nature to the destruction of Christ's Sheep Our Lord hath admonished us more than once carefully to beware of them The Apostles and Holy Fathers have often warned us Eccles 13. He that touches pitch shall be defiled and he that loveth danger shall perish therein Eccles 3. The Times were never more dangerous and destructive to our Salvation than now the Fascination of the Devil was never greater nor a Spiritual frenzy more powerful with Men the operation of Errour was never more prevailing and successful and the minds of Men never blinder all which deservedly possess the understandings of those that disesteem this great Gift of the Catholick and Orthodox Religion and prefer Temporal Things before it Let those therefore that heartily desire to be saved preserve this Celestial Jewel and keep it with all carefulness because Life proceeds from it and because 't is a Supernatural Gift which without the Divine Assistance can neither be acquired nor preserved being invironed with so many Enemies Let them daily implore Gods help for themselves their Children and whole Family and add unto their Prayers Alms to the Poor with other Works of Piety for Prayer is good with Fasting and Alms and better than to heap up Treasures of Gold Job 12. Let them lead Lives agreeable to their Religion and allay their Thirst after the Goods of this Life with expectation and hope of Celestial and Eternal remembring the Saying of the Apostle 1 Tim 6.9 They that will be rich fall into Temptation and the snares of the Devil and many unprofitable and hurtful desires which drown Men in destruction and perdition for the root of all Evil is Covetousness which some desiring have erred from the Faith and intangled themselves in many sorrows By these helps they may securely walk amongst the differences and dangers of these Times and preserving intire the Gift of the only true Religion by it easily obtain Everlasting Life Amen To the Immortal and Invisible King of all the World the only God be all Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen An APPENDIX to the foregoing Consultation Whether every one may be saved in his own Faith and Religion WE have said in the Preface of the foregoing Treatise that it was a stupid and gross Errour of some that think it sufficient to Salvation if they believe in Christ and that he died for our Sins and we briefly demonstrated their Errour with certain Reasons But because this Errour is now far spread and hath infected the Minds of many I am intreated to explicare the same more at large Therefore I shall divide the matter into Two Questions The First is Whether it be sufficient to Salvation to believe in God and do no Body any injury that is to say Whether every one may be saved in his own private Faith or Belief if he endeavours to live honestly and virtuously The Second is That supposing that Faith in Christ is necessary Whether that alone be sufficient or whether we ought to believe something else The First Question AS to the First Question many at this time The Foundation of our Adversaries Opinion are of Opinion that every one may be saved in his own Faith or Religion The Reason which they chiefly give is because it seems to them incredible that all Jews and Turks many of which Worship God devoutly in their way and deal justly with their Neighbours should be damned eternally only because they do not believe in Christ since in this regard they seem not to offend very much because from their infancy they were taught otherwise For why should God who would have all to be saved make the way of Salvation so strict 1 Tim. 2.4 Joh. 3.17 Why should he condemn to Eternal Punishment these miserable Wretches who study to please him according to their Capacity who do no Man any Wrong but observe Justice and honesty of Life meerly for ignorance of that which they have not been sufficiently instructed in But this Opinion though consulting only Natural Reason It is refuted with Four Reasons ir seems to have some shew of Truth and Equity yet considering those things which God hath revealed to us in Scripture is altogether a Paradox For if every Turk or Jew may be saved in his own Faith or Belief then in vain the Apostles and Holy Fathers laboured so much to plant the Faith of Christ for they might abstain from a profession of this Doctrine without loss of their Salvation and remain contented with the Jews with a coufession of one God I add moreover Christ therefore was made Man in vain he wrought so many Miracles in vain that People might believe him to be the Messias and Saviour of the Would in vain he was Crucified and died for none of these things were necessary to Man's Salvation It had been enough to have sent Preachers through the World to perswade Mortals to believe in one God The Apostle uses this way of arguing saying If Justice be by the Law then Christ died in vain Gal. 2.21 that is if Justice may be obtained by the knowledge of one God and observation of the Law then Christ died in vain because his Death was not necessary to Salvation Second Reason Again the whole Scripture will he found false and lying which teaches That Christ is our Mediator Redeemer and Saviour which proposes him a Propitiator for us by Faith in his Blood Rom. 3. by whose Svcrifice we are reconciled to God by whose Blood we are
cleansed from our Sins and by whose Faith we are justified Apoc. 1.7 for there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Act. 4.12 All these things were in vain and false if every one might be saved in his own Religion Object Perhaps some will say that Christ is indeed our Redeemer and all Good to us proceeds from him yet a belief in him is not abfolutely necessary to Salvation for it sufficeth to believe that all our Happiness springs from the Bounty of God and is needless to know the means of conferring it Answ But this is repuguant to the Holy Scripture and Reason because the Scripture plainly teaches that Christ's Redemption is not applied to us Why Faith in Christ is necessary to Salvation but by Faith in him and therefore all that bâ—lieve not in Christ are without Justification remain in Sin and are the Children of Wrath and Damnation 'T is likewise against Reason because to be made partakers of any great and singular benefit all reason requireth to know our Benefit and Benefactor that we may know him as 't is meet with all thanksgiving for the condition of the Benefit and Benefactor requires this gratitude therefore since the benefit of our Redemption is so strange and great and he that gave it so sublime and excellent and the manner of bestowing It so wonderful 't is requisite we should know all this least we should live and die altogether ungrateful to so great a Benefactor least like the Jews we should return Curses for a Blessing and Blasphemies for Thanksgiving 'T is therefore absurd that those who believe not in Christ should be partakers of the same Happiness with them that are to be saved by Faith in Christ the which also is confirmed by this that none can be saved who is ignorant of God and the benefit of his Creation else all Idolaters may be saved therefore neither he can be saved that is ignorant of the benefit of our Redemption because the benefit of our Redemption is far greater and more admirable and pertains more to the Glory of God and Christ and requires of us a more ample Honour Service and Thanksgiving Nor is it sufficient to know in general The benefit of our Redemption is to be known in particular that all this Happiness comes to us from God this is not enough to pay that gratitude and honour due to him but we ought to know what and how great this benefit is how and in what manner and way he conferred it namely that he delivered us from Sin and Eternal Death that he opened us the passage to Eternal Life and that also by a way most stupendious and strange to wit by uniting our Nature to his own and therein suffering death for us For this chiefly commends his Charity Mercy and Justice this requires of us all Obedience all Praise Benediction and Thanks-giving and these are principally to be known by us as necessary to Salvation Third Reason Again if every one may be saved in his own Faith then that Faith sufficeth to Salvation which is no infused gift of God but a Humane Perswasion conceived by a private judgment supported by Humane Authority and built on a fallible foundation For although the Turks believe one God Maker of Heaven and Earth and Rewarder of Good and Evil Works yet this Faith is not from the Holy Ghost but from a private Judgment or rather from the Devil for they do not so believe because God hath revealed it to Men by some true Prophet but because Mahomet whom they imagine to be God's Prophet and Instrument to instruct Mortals has so declared it in his Alcoran Therefore although that which they believe is true yet because the Foundation and all their reason of believing is false and pernicious to wit that Mahomet is a Prophet of God the Faith it self whereby they believe is deceitful and in regard of the foundation on which it depends is noxious and destructive to Salvation necessarily infecting the Mind with the contagious Errours of that Sect. How then can it be said that that Faith is sufficient to their Salvation or that they can be saved by this Faith How can that Faith which is uncertain fallible and pestilential be laid for a foundation of Justice and Salvation In like manner the Jews although they believe the same things and many more consonant to Truth yet that Faith whereby they believe these things is deceitful and far from the Spirit of God For the main reason of their belief is because their Rabbins and Doctors of their Synagogue so interpret the Scriptures for these are a Rule of Faith to them or which is the same thing the Holy Scripture as 't is subject to their Interpretation But all this reason of believing is false and deceitful and no less harmful than that of the Turks For now it is as bad to believe the Rabbins to be indued with the Spirit of God for the right interpretation of Scripture as Mahomet to be a Prophet of God nor are they driven to less absurdities by force of that Principle How then can such a Faith be the Basis or Ground-work of Salvation Fourth Reason Lastly This Opinion makes no difference between Turcism Judaism and Christianity but in some small matters nothing at all necessary to Salvation so that 't is all one what Religion you live in because you may be saved in any which is to open a way to the Alcoran and to equalize Mahomet with Christ or rather to introduce Atheism For to allow of every Religion is to take away all Religion and think none necessary since there can be but one only true Religion The Fundamental Reason on which this Opinion chiefly depends is of no moment For First if it be not incredible That God for many thousand years An Answer to the Foundation of the other Opinion left the whole World in Idolatry except the Jewish Nation a little part of it and suffered the same to run headlong into destruction although amongst them there were many famous Wits and serious Worshippers of their Gods and Lovers of Humane Justice and Honesty it ought not to seem incredible that the Turks and Jews at this time live in the state of damnation Secondly The Turks and Jews now who believe not in Christ are less excuseable then of old the Heathens were that did not acknowledge one God Maker of Heaven and Earth The reason is because when almost the whole World was overspread with Idolatry the violence of common custom swept away all nor did reason much sway with private Men to doubt of their Religion and if any doubt did arise there was no easie way of knowing the Truth But now since the Christian Faith hath compassed the World so that Christians are to be found every where both Jews and Turks have manifold occasions to doubt of their Religion and if they refuse or carelesly neglect to confer with