fundamentall points of the Trinity Incarnation c. but differing mainly in all other points of Religion yet neuerthelesse promiscuously communicating one with another in prayer and the Sacraments can ioyntly be saued especially seeing it is certayne that the one part defendeth not matters of Indifferency as is commoÌ„ly supposed but iniustifiable errours or rather to speake as the truth is manifest and grosse Heresies THE SAME PROVED FROM the writings of the Catholikes and Protestants wherein reciprocally they charge one another with Heresy Also from the Insurrections War and Rebellions begun only for Religion CHAP. XIIII IF there were no other reason to be alleadged in disproofe confutation of this plurality of Religions them this following it might seeme fully preuayling in all cleare iudgements not wholy darkened with the myst of earthly and temporall respects It is this First the wonderfull and implacable Bookwarrs between Catholikes and Protestants wholy vndertaken in defence of their seuerall Religions and yet both the Catholikes and the Protestants professe to belieue in the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. Secondly the pressures and calamities with which diuers states and countreyes do afflict other states as also the Insurrection of Subiects agaynst their naturall Princes only for difference of Religion not contayning themselues till they burst forth into open hostility and armes for defending their owne Religion subuerting of the others Touching the first good God! how many men on all sides since the first appearing of Luther haue spent their whole times all their seruiceable yeares in writing disputing and preaching in defence of their owne Religion impugning of their aduersaryes accounting the maintayners belieuers thereof as Heretikes pronouncing eternall damnation agaynst them Witnesses hereof are the Libraryes of all the famous vniuersities of Christendome the Stationers shoppes in all great Cittyes and lastly the Annuall Mart of Bookes returned these many yeares from Frankford And is â—t possible that so much paynes trauayle labour of writing and otherwise accompanyed with so great charges should be vndertaken for questions only of Indifferency such as it importeth nothing at all touching â—he gayning of Heauen and auoyding of Hell what a man belieueth therein or of what side he relyeth Concerning the second point which is â—he calamityes afflictions warres which liuers States Countreyes and Kingdomes â—oe prosecute agaynst their neighbours and â—ll originally for matter of Religion â—s also touching the open rebellion of the Subiects agaynst their lawfull Soueraignes â—nly for the sayd occasion the last fifty yeares as also these very tymes do giue ouerlameÌ„table examples hereof Witnesses of this matter purposely to forbeare the presidents of our own CouÌ„trey is ScotlaÌ„d into which Countrey Knox Goodman and Bucanan with other their Agents and confederates first introduced Protestancy by force and armes A point so acknowledged that Doctoâ— Bancroft late preteÌ„ded A chbishop of Canterbury as wholly inuâ—yghing agaynst sucâ— violent proceedings made a booke of thaâ— subiect entituling it Of the proceedings of thâ— Scottish Mynisters according to the Geneuian rule of Reformation Touching France who knoweth not that for this last fifty yeares till the last King of France became Catholike there haue by alwayes almost open warres betweene the State of France the Hugnotts of France vndertaken by the Hugnotts only for Religion And doth not the Citty of Rochell with some other Cittyes at this day stand out agaynst their King vnder pretext of defence of their Ghospell The occurrents of the Low Countreys the Hollanders are no lesse remarkable herein of whose first taking of armes agaynst theiâ— lawfull King only for Religion (a) In Epitom Cent. 16. p. 941. Osiander an earnest Protestant thus confesseth They of the low Countreys by publike wrytings renounced all subiection and obedience to Philip their Lord King And (b) Osiand vbi sup 81. agayne When foure hundred of them of good respect had sued for liberty of Religion and could not preuayle the impatient people stirred vp with fury at Antwerpe and other places of Holland Zeland and Flanders did throw and breake downe Images But of the proceedings Rebellionâ— of the low Countreymen agaynst their King only for cause of Religion it is needles to speake further seeing it is too well known to all men of any impartiall iudgment and vnderstanding I will not much insist in the Example of Switzerland which consisting of twelue or thirteene Cantons or Shyres halfe of the number of them did * See of this Osiander in Epitom Eccles histor Cen. 16. pag. 103. as also D. Bancroft in his suruey p. 13. and Cochlaeus in actis Lutheri ryse vp in armes against the other and by force of armes did set vp the Protestant Religion among them And so the halfe of the Cantons doe continue Protestant to this very day The battalls fought among them only for ReligioÌ„ were many and most cruell and in one of them Zwinglius the chiefe inciter of the rest was slayne I passe ouer Geneua which Citty as the whole world knoweth did first withdraw it selfe from the allegiance of their temporall Liege Lord only by reason that agaynst his will and pleasure they would professe the Protestant Religion and so accordingly to this day they haue made themselues a State or Commonwealth wholly independent of Sauoy of which Citty thus D. (b) In his answere to a certayne libel supplicatory pag. 194. Sutcliffe confessedly wryteth They of Geneua did depose their Catholike Liege Lord and Prince from his temporall right albeit he was by right of succession their temporall Lord and owner of that Citty Territory In like sort I pretermit the many like examples of the Commons rysing agaynst their lawfull Princes and magistrates in (c) See Chitraeus in Chron 1593. 1594. Sueueland (d) See hereof the acknowledgment of M. Fulke in his answere to Farines declamations p. 35. Denmarke (e) See Osiander hereof in Epitom Cent. 16. pag. 115. Poland and (f) See the acknowledgement hereof by D. Bilson in his true defence part 3. pag. 270. 273. Germany And which rysings Insurrections and rebellions were originally vndertaken only for Religion and haue no doubt since Luthers first breach cost the liues in all places of many hundred thousand men haue actually deposed disthroned diuers Kings and Princes of their states and territoryes These things then for their euidency being coÌ„fessed for true vndeniable many of which yet remayne fresh in our owne memory of the nature of which Actions I wil not heere dispute only I heere vrge that it is more then incredible that such rebellions and deuastations of Countreyes besieging of Cittyes deposing of Princes slaughter of so many hundred thousands of men should be practised almost throughout all Christendome within this last threescore yeares oâ—ly for admitting or not admitting the differences betweene the Protestants Catholikes Religion if both the contrary partyes were not persuaded
such is the fayth of our Newtrallists is no true supernaturall fayth seing it beleiueth nothing through the authority of God and his church both which reueale propound all articles alike and indifferently to all men to be belieued Now what more crosse to reason then that a bare opinion not relying vpō any supernaturall grounds as neither hauing God for its Reuealer nor the Church for its Propounder conceaued only through morall inducements and therfore euer standing obnoxious to errour and mistaking should be able to purchase eternall Saluation to mans soule Againe how aduerse is it to all true iudgment to auerre that it is no preiudice or hinderance to mans saluation to belieue those principles of Religion which teach aduaunce all libertie sensualitie in cōuersatiō manners do depresse disparage all Chastity Fasting voluntary Pouertie keeping of the Commaundements and finally all serious and painfull labours and works of vertue piety and mortification for it is most contradictory in the very tearmes and no lesse repugnant to Gods sacred word that that doctrine which (u) 2. Pet. 3. promiseth lybertie and (x) Iudae vers 4. transferreth the grace of God into wantonnesse should be accounted the (y) Mat. 7. Luc. 13. straite way which leadeth vnto lyfe Furthermore can it be conceaued as sorting to Gods most mercifull proceeding with man that he should cut off the liues of those men with most fearefull sodaine and prodigious deaths and particulerly of Caluin who was eaten away with lyce a death peculiar to diuers of Gods most capitall Enemyes as to Antiochus Herod Maximinus others who first broached the Doctrines of Protestancy if the sayd Doctrines had either bene true in themselues or at least of that coldnes and indifferency as that they might comport and stand with the soules saluation No. God is iust withall mercifull therfore neuer extraordinarily punisheth but for extraordinary sinns Poore men that they were who comparted as it should seeme both in the diuulging of their mendacious and lying Doctrines as also in their vnexpected and sudden deaths with the false Prophets (z) 3. Reg. of Achab But to hasten to an end in the enumeration of the Absurdities following the foresaid Paradox of saluation in euery Religion and to come to that which within its owne largenes inuolueth many improbabilities If Catholikes Protestants notwithstanding the disparity of their fayth can both attayne to Heauen in vayne then is the doctrine of Recusancy ioyntly taught on both sides in vayne haue so many scores of Reuerend and Learned Priests and others of the Laytie in our owne Countrey whose blessed soules I beseech to pray to God daylie for the remission of my many sinnes suffered cruell deaths in the late Queenes raigne only because they refused to present themselues at the seruice of the Protestants But they are gone and most happily gone for (a) Tertul. de Praeser Clauis Paradisi sanguis Martyrum In vayne likewyse these later yeares haue diuers lay Persons endured cōtrary to his Maiesties naturall inclination most prone to mercy and commiseration great losses disgraces and imprisonments only for the said cause But who can thinke that vertuous and learned men are so prodigall of their lyues and bloud and English Lay Catholikes so insensible of their temporall states children and posterity as that they would wilfully precipitate and cast themselues into those miseries only for not belieuing and exercising points of Indifferencie and such as may stand with their soules eternall Happines In vayne also then haue the Learned men on both sydes spent out their whole liues in defending ech man his owne Religion in their most painfull and voluminous bookes and wrytings if so they dissented one from another in matters of such supposed small importance In vayne and without iust cause and therfore most cruelly haue many States in Christendome in our age imposed proscription banishments and other insupportable disgraces to such of their owne subiects as will not imbrace their owne doctrine though both sydes did conspire and agree in the fundamentall points of fayth In vayne also both euer since Luthers reuolt as also at this present haue there byn and still are such Insurrections of Subiects against their Princes such bloudy and implacable warres betweene absolute Princes themselues such deuastation and depopulation of whole Countreys such maine battayles and fieldes fought with losse of diuers hundred thousand lyues and lastly such incessant and interrupted besieging and taking of great Citties townes with effusion for the most part of much innocent bloud of Women and Children and all this originally and principally for matter of Religion I say in vayne and most iniuriously haue all these attempts actions byn vndertaken if the disagreements in Religiō for which they were vndertaken betweene Catholikes and Protestants were of that reconcileable nature as that the professours on both sydes notwithstāding their diuersity of fayth might ioyntly be saued What can we now reply heereto in the behalfe of our Newtrallists Shall we say that the most learned men of all Religions that Kings Princes States and many hundred thousand subiects of Christendome were and still are actually mad and out of their senses in menaging these their deplorable attempts for Religion that the all-reconciling peaceable Newtrallist who throgh his pliable sterne of disposition in these spirituall matters is become of the halfe-bloud with the Atheist and who wanteth as is commonly noted both learning grace vertue is particulerly enlightened by God in setting downe what articles of fayth are only necessary to mans Saluation and what are to be reputed but as accessory and of smaller importance To such straites we see is the defence of the former doctrine driuen vnto Seeing therefore this doctrine of our Omnifidians or rather Nullifidians for indeed while they seeme to allow all Religions they take away all Religion is encompassed on all sides with so many notorious absurdityes as are displayed in this Chapter and seing it cannot be true except there be a retrogradation of all matters heere on earth and a turning of the world as they say vpside downe that is except the most learned become most madde and the most ignorant most wise Therfore since such comportment and carriage of thinges is not sorting to Gods Prouidence and Charity towards manking let euery man who thinketh he hath a soule to saue or loose vndoubtedly assure himselfe that there is but one true Fayth or Religiō wherin he may auaileably expect saluation and that the sauing fayth of Christ wherewith the soule is cloathed is like vnto the inconsutible garment of Christ both being incapable of diuision renting or partition Now for the greater illustration of this point by way of similitude and as tending towards the closure of this treatise Imagine that a man pretendeth right and title to certaine Lands taketh aduice of all the learned Lawyers Coūsellours of the whole Realme to
more then darkeâ— an produce light since Truth himselfe 〈◊〉 taught vs (i) Luc. 6. That we cannot gather figges â—ornes nor grapes of bushes And hence by premises we are to vnderstand that we â—n entyre perfect fayth that by the â—h we belieue all supreme articles of the Trinitie Incarnation Passion c. anâ— all the articles of the Creed expressely articulately in their true sense and do belieue all other inferiour articles at least implicitely that is that we haue a readie preparation of mind to belieue all other articles which the Church of Christ dotâ— propound to be belieued so as that thougâ— we do not belieue euery article of Chrâ—stian Religion with an explicite and expresse faith yet we are bound vnder painâ— of damnation nor to belieue any doctrinâ— contrary or repugnant to the said articleâ— which the Church of Christ doth prâ—pound to be belieued from which it vnauoydably followeth that once grauntinâ— that the Church of Christ propoundeth 〈◊〉 be belieued that there is a Purgatory â— that we may pray to the Saints he incureth damnation who belieueth that theâ— is no Purgatory or that we ought not 〈◊〉 pray to Saints Now in this third place we will toucâ— that inseparable Attribute of true Chrâ—stian fayth which is Vnity in fayth 〈◊〉 doctrine This marke is so indissolubâ—â— annexed to the true fayth of Christ as thâ— we find his Apostles euer readie most â—â—riously to inculcate the same to their dâ—ciples Thus accordingly the Aposâ—â— exhorteth the Ephesians saying (k) Ephes 4. Be you carefull to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace And immediately againe (l) Ephes vbi supra There is one Lord one fayth one Baptisme Where we see that Vnity in fayth is expressely set downe As also in another place (m) Ephes loc cit I beseech you that you speake all one thing be you kâ—it together in one mind and one iudgment And as this was the exhortation of the Apostle To we read that the first belieuers followed â—he same of whom S. Luke thus saith The (n) Act. 4. multitude that belieued were of one hart and â—ne soule And hence it proceedeth that the Church of Christ which comprehendeth the Professours of this vnanimous faith is â—tyled by Gods holy writ (o) Rom. 12. One Bodie one (p) Cant. 6. Spouse (q) Ioan. 10. one flocke of sheepe A truth â—o euident as that besides the frequent teâ—timonies of the Faâ—hers (r) Athanasius orat 1. con Ani. Chrysost opere imperfecto in Mat. Hom. 20. Tertullian de praescript Irenaeus l r. c. 5. confirming the â—ame euer the Protestants subscribe in iudgâ—ent heerto For thus (Å¿) Luther tom 3. Wittenberg in psal 5. fol. 166. Luther himselfe to omit (t) see herâ—â—â—f the Deuines of Mansfeild against the Sacramentaries And the Deuines of Heidelberg against the Anabaptists others writeth A kingdome deuiâ—ed in it selfe shall not stand neither haue any â—eretikes at any tyme bine ouercome by force or â—btility but by mutuall dissention neither doth â—hrist fight with them otherwise then with a spiâ—â—t of giddines and disagreement Now then this Vnitie of faith is so to be â—nderstood as that it is not repugnant therto that one and the same point should at one time not be houlden as necessary to be belieued the which after it hath vndergone a definitiue sententionall decree of Gods Church is necessarily to be belieued As for example it was not necessary in the beginning of Christianity to belieue that the booke of the Machabees the Epistle of S. Iames S. Iude the second Epistle of S. Peter the second and third of S. Iohn to be Canonicall Scripture till they were defined so to be by the third Councell (u) Can. 47. of Carthage at which S. Augustine was present But after this Councell had by the assistance of the holy Ghost defined them to be Canonicall and this after confirmed by the consent of the whole Church then it was and is Heresy to deny them to be Canonicall And the reason of this disparity is because it is Gods good pleasure wisdome not to reueale to his Church all articles of faith in the beginning and at one time but at seuerall times and vpon seuerall occasions as to his diuine Maiesty best seemeth expedient Thus the fayth of a Christian is capable of dilatation and of a more large vnfoulding or exposition but not of any contrariety in beliefe chaunge or alteration Anâ— thus to insist in the former example yâ— may well stand with Christian faith in the â—eginning not to accept the former bookes or Canonicall till the authority of the Church had pronounced them for such But it standeth not with sound faith that one man should positiuely belieue now after the Churches definition therof giuen as an article of fayth that the Machabees and the rest of the bookes aboue specified are not Canonicall Scripture but the prophane writings of man and another man should belieue as an article of Faith that they are Canonicall Scripture since the one of these contrary beleifes must be Hereticall This verity of the Vnity of faith being warranted by the word both of God and man as is aboue said we will take into our consideration the Catholike and Protestant Religions both which ioyntly do professe to belieue in generall in the Trinity in Christs Incarnation his Passion and the Creed of the Apostles and so we shall discerne whether the faith of all these seuerall Professours doth inioy the foresaid marke of vnity in doctrine or noe But seing this Subiect is most ample and large I will therfore sepose this ensuing chapter for the more full and exact discouery of the many and great disagreements betweene the Catholikes and the Protestants in their fayth and Religion THE SAME PROVED FROâ— want of vnity in fayth betweene Catholikes anâ— Protestants touching the Articles of the Creed CHAP. IIII. VNDERTAKING in this place tâ— set downe the multiplicity of opinions betweene Catholikes anâ— Protestants though they all iointly belieue in the Trinity the Incarnation oâ— Christ his Passion and the like and consequently that this their general beliefe wanteth that true Vnity of fayth which out of thâ— holy Scriptures Fathers the Protestants I haue aboue shewed to be most necessary to Saluation I will first examine how the Protestants and Catholikes doe differ touching the beliefe of the Creed made by the Apostles Next I will demonstrate that supposing all Professours of both Religions should agree in the true sense and meaning of the Creed yet there are diuers other dogmaticall points necessarily to be belieued and are at this instant belieued both by Protestants and Catholikes which are not expressed or mentioned in the Creed nor by any immediate inference can be drawne from thence Lastly I wil set down the great difference betweene Catholiks ProtestaÌ„ts in other points of fayth of which the Creed makes no intimation or
commauÌ„ded by the church not to performe the publike lyturgy of the church if he did contrary therto he was adiudged by the church to sinne mortally In like sort a Bishop leauing his Fayth and maintayning any one Heresy did thereby loose all his authority of Iurisdiction and thereupon during such his state all his AbsolutioÌ„s censures punishments and sentences practiced by him towardes any Person were adiudged by the church of God to be of no force or validity To which practice of the church (a) In 3. p. q. 39. ar 3. Saint Thomas subscribeth in these words Haeretici non possunt absoluere nec excommunicare nec Indulgentias facere aut aliquid huiuscemodi quod si fecerint nihil actum est Heretikes speaking of Cleargy men cannot absolue any one nor excommunicate nor giue Indulgences nor exercise any such like point of spirituall Iurisdiction and if they attempt contrary heereto they do but practice in vayne Touching Politicall or ciuill censures or punishments anciently inflicted vpon Heretikes The first may be that such men were forbidden to contract any marriage with other Religious and faythfull Christians and such of the faythfull christians as did marry with them did sinne mortally This is proued out of the (b) Can. 31.32.33 Laodicean councell aboue touched prohibiting all such mariages also all praying and communicating in Sacraments with Heretiks of which point I will heerafter intreate more fully Another punishment was that Heretiks were wholy restrained by the church from all practice of their Religion This appeareth from the actions of Constantine the Great who was so farre from graunting liberty of Religion to the Arians as that he threatned banishment to all who would not subscribe to the Nicene councell The same is proued from the like iudgement of Iouinianus who being elected Emperour by the souldiers admitted the acceptance thereof with this condition and not otherwayes to wit that all the subiectes of the Empire would promise to keep an entire vnity of christian beliefe practice The like iudgment herein is of the Auncient Fathers And first S. (c) Epist. 33. ad Mar. cell soror Ambrose though sollicited therunto by the Emperor Valentinianus would not suffer the Arians to haue within his Iurisdiction any one Church for the practice of their Religion to be allotted for them (d) As appeareth out of Theodor. l. 5. c. 32. S. Chrysostome being mooued by the Emperor of his tyme to graunt a Church to one Gayn as a Duke for the practice of his Heresy with great Christian courage openly withstood the same (e) Ep. 76. S. Leo did much reprehend Anatholius Bishop of Constantinople for permitting Heretikes to liue promiscuously with Catholikes Finally (f) Ep. 29. S. Augustine did vehemently persuade one Olympius an Earle that he would diuulge and put in practice the lawes of the Emperour made against the Heretikes Donatists who taught the Inuisibility of the Church that so throgh force of the lawes they might not be suffered to make any profession of their Religion A third punishment concerneth thâ— books of Heretikes which the Church 〈◊〉 God euer prohibited to be read indiffereÌ„tlâ— of all but only by such learned men 〈◊〉 were able to refute the Errours and Heresie contained in the sayde books And hence 〈◊〉 is that we finde that the fourth Counceâ—â— of (g) Ca. 18. Carthage admonished the Bishop that they would reade the bookes of Heretikes 〈◊〉 only for necessity In like sort the seauenth Câ—uncell prohibited the books of the I conoch Heretiks who did write virulent Treatises against the Religious vse of Images To proceed further there were diuers other chasticements appointed for Heretiks in the auncient Church (h) Wherof see L. Ariani ca. de Haereticis and by the auncient Christian Emperours in their lawes as Bannishment a pecuniary (i) L. Cuncti Haeretici mulct or fine the losse (k) L. Manichaeri of all their goods And lastly when the insolencie of Heretiks did grow insufferable euen death it selfe which punishment of death Valentinian and Marcian the Emperours did first decree of which point see the iudgment of the Councell (l) Act. 1. of Chalcedon of (m) In c. 5. ad Galat. Ierome and lastly of (n) Li. 2. contra literas Petiliaeni c. 83. Augustine who ex professo proueth that Magistrates haue power to punishe Heretikes euen which the sword Thus far touching the punishments auncieÌ„tly appointed by the church of God against Heretiks Now to apply this to our purpose I do heere wish the reader to take into his consideration two things first that here is no mention made in the former authorities what the Heresies were against which such seuere proceedings were put in execution neither is there any intimation in them of the deniall of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. but the sayd punishments were extended to all Heretiks indifferently and without any limitation of peculiar Heresies Now that these punishments were not ordayned for the denyers of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. is euident for two reasons first because as is often aboue sayd the denyers of these supreme poynts are not Heretykes but Infidels or Iewes secondly because the punishment of death only and no inferiour punishment aboue mentioned was appoynted by the church for those who once were Christians but after did fall into Infidelity by denying those supreme poynts of Christian fayth Secondly the Reader is to obserue that seing Heretikes though not denying the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion the Decalogue c. did vndergoe the foresayd punishments the whole Church oâ— God with is gouerned with the spirit of the holy Ghost would neuer haue inflicted vpon them erring only in lesser matter then about the Trinitie IncarnatioÌ„ Passioâ— c. such seuere and rigorous punishments aâ— are aboue meÌ„tioned if she had thought thaâ— the defence of those errours how small soâ—uer they seemed could haue stood with thâ— saluatioÌ„ of mans soule since otherwaies thâ— church should haue discouered her selfe 〈◊〉 be a most cruell Tyrant and not an Induâ—gent mother to her Children members THE SAME PROVED FROM Arguments drawne from Reason CHAP. X. TO passe froÌ„ the authority of Gods sacred word his holy church the Auncient Fathers the pillars thereof touching the nature of Heresy and Heretiks as also touching the vnity and Infallibility of the same church and the persons disincorporated separated from it from all which heads it hath been euidently euicted that a man obstinatly defending any one Errour in faith and Religion cannot expect saluation It now remaynes that the same be made euident euen by force of reason that therby all men enioying the faculty of reason may the more easily subscribe to so vndeniable a veritie say with the Psalmist heerin (i) Psa 91. Testimonia tua credibilia facta sunt nimis Well then the first and cheifest reason is taken from the causes of true fayth
whom he sheweth all his Euidences some of which Euidences do cary a title only in grosse and in generall others proue a more particuler more restrayned right to the sayd Lands Imagine further that vpon the diligent perusall of these Euidences the ioynt consent and iudgment of all the sayd Lawyers should after their longe and serious Demurrs conspyre in this one point to wit that for the recouering obtayning of the said Lands the foreshewed Euidences in generall are not sufficient alone seeing diuers other men not hauing any true interest in the sayd Lands may neuerthelesse insist and vrge their like generall clayme but that with the help of the sayd Common Euidences he must more punctually relye for the gayning of his presumed inheritance vpon other more particuler and personall Conueyances and Assigments Now all these learned Counsellours agreeing in this sentence fortyfying their iudgments herein with their owne experience in the like case with the new Reports warranting the same with the authority of all the auncient learned ReuereÌ„d Iudges before them lastly with the force of reason confirming no lesse If some one Empericke Atturney or other skilfull only by a litle experience in making a Nouerint vniuersi should steppe forth armed only with impudency and ignorance pronounce the foresayd sentence of all those learned Sages to be false and that the party pretending right to the sayd lands were sure by his generall Title and Euidences only to obtayne the same all other his more particuler Euidences being but vnnecessary needelesse theerunto who might not heere iustly contemne and reiect the rash censure of such a fellow Or could not the party clayming the former inheritance be worthily reprehended if by reiecting the graue Counsell of the learned Lawyers and following the aduyce of this ignorant man should finally loose all clayme title and possibility to his sayd Inheritance Our case is not much vnlike heerto Wee all pretend a right to the Inheritance of the kingdome of Heauen for we reade (*) lac 1. Coronam vitae praeparauit Dominus diligentibus se Our title in generall therto is our beliefe in the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion c. the beliefe whereof is most necessary but not sufficient All emineÌ„t men for learning both Catholikes and Protestants do proue from the Scriptures from the authority of Gods Church from the nature of Heresy from the definition of true fayth from diuers other principles and reasons aboue expressed that no man can attayne to his heauenly Inheritance by belieuing only the former fundamentall points of Christianitie if so he haue not a true and particuler fayth of many other lesse principall Articles of Christian Religion Nowe commeth heere a dissolute gamnelesse ignorant fellowe not practised in any kind of good literature for it is obserued as aboue is sayd that all our most forward Neutrallists are meÌ„ for the most part voyde of Learning Vertue and Conscience who pereÌ„ptorily out of his Pythagorean chayre that is without any proofe affirmeth that a beliefe in generall of the Articles of the Trinity the Incarnation the Passion is only sufficient to mans saluation that the doctrines of Purgatory Freewil Reall Presence and other Controuersies betweene the Catholiks Protestants are not in any sort necessary to the purchasing of our eternall welfare what way soeuer we hould but are to be reputed in respect of that end points indiffereÌ„t vnauayleable and as the Greeke is meerely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Bye-matters Who would heere not commiserate the folly and ignorance of such a man but especially pittie the soules seduced by so blind a Guyde THE CONCLVSION of the whole Treatise CHAP. XVII HITHERTO Good Reader it is sufficiently I hope demonstrated that euery Religion though professing the name of Christ and belieuing in the Trinity the Incarnation and the like fundamentall points of christian Fayth if their beliefe in other secondary lesse principall points be erroneous cannot promise to it selfe any security of Saluation and consequently that the controuerted articles at this day betweene Catholikes and Protestants touching Purgatory Freewill Praying to Saints Sacrifice c. are of that great importance as that the professours on both sides to vse the phrase of a blessed martyr (*) Camp in decem rationib rat 10. in the same case vnuÌ„ caeluÌ„ capere non potest It now remayneth to shew that seeing at this day there are originally but two different Religions among christians to wit the catholike Religion and the Protestant within which are included all its branches and descendents whether the catholike or the Protestant Religion is that wherein a man may be saued But seeing this Subiect is most learnedly and painefully intreated â—f by many Catholike wryters who from 〈◊〉 authorities both Diuine humane haue â—efragably euicted the truth of their owne â—eligion and falshood of the Protestants â—ofession and consequently that in the â—atholike not in the Protestant fayth the â—ules eternall happynes is to be purchased â—erefore I doe remit the reader for his greaâ—er satisfactioÌ„ therin to the perusal of the said â—ookes particulerly to the studying raâ—er theÌ„ to the reading only of that most elaâ—orate learned and vnanswerable Worke â—f the Protestants Apology of the Roman Church Only before I heere end I must make â—ould to put the Reader in remeÌ„brance with that the Protestant Religion in this former Treatise though but casually and incidentâ—y is most truly charged to wit First with â—articuler coÌ„demnations passed vpon diuers â—f its chiefest articles euen by seuerall senteÌ„â—es iudgements of the Primitime church â—nd that therefore those doctrines so condeÌ„â—ed yet after defended with all froward â—ertinacy agaynst the church of God are hereby discouered for playne and manifest Heresies this point being further euicted â—mplicitely both from the testimonies of hoâ—y Scripture as also from the definition of Heresy aboue expressed Secondly that the doctrinall speculations and positions in thâ— Protestants fayth most strongly mooue tâ— Wills of such as beliefe them to all vice â—â—berty and sensuality Thirdly that God oâ— of the infinite abisme of his Iustice hath pâ—nished euen in this world as earnest giuen 〈◊〉 far greater punishment reserued in the lyâ— to come with most fearefull vnnaturall 〈◊〉 prodigious deaths the first InueÌ„tours in oâ— age Promulgatours of the sayd doctrineâ— and such deathes as his diuine Maiesty is accustomed to send to his professed enemyes Fourthly that Protestancy is torne asundeâ— with intestine diuisions diuers Professourâ— of it charging their Brethren-Professourâ— with Heresy despayring of their future saluatioÌ„ From all which we may conclude that except Heresy dissolution of manners most infamous and calamitous deathes anâ— disagreements in doctrine betweene one the same sect be good dispositions meanâ— to purchase Heauen the Protestant Religioâ— can neuer bring her Belieuers thereto What then remayneth but who will expect saluatioÌ„ should seeke it only in the Catholike