purè divina nec purè humana sed quasi media another In truth and to speake properly an humane testimony saith a q Aegid de Conick disp 9. dub 5 Conc. 2. Quantumvis Ecclesia dirigatur infallibili Sp. S. assistentiâ atque ita ejus testimoniū nitatur suo modo authoritate divinâ atque ab ea firmitatem accipiat tamen non est verè propriè testimonium sive verbum revelatio Dei sed propriè est testimonium humanum Ergò illud nequit esse objectum formale fidei Theologieae consequenter haec nequit in illud tanquam in suum objectum ultimò resolvi third who thereupon well inferres that therefore the voyce of the Church cannot be the formall object of divine faith or that where-into it is lastly resolved The Church then is onely the first inducer to beleeue and the watchman that holdeth out the light in open view and presenteth the shining beams thereof to all that haue eyes to discerne it but the principall motiue and last object of beliefe is the divine authority of Scripture it selfe And that Scripture is of divine authority the beleever sees by that glorious beame of divine light which shines in r Bellarmin de verbo Dei li. 1. c. 2. Certissimas divinas esse Scripturas quae Propheticis Apostolicis literis continentur nec humana inventa sed divina oracula continere testis est ipsa Scriptura O. rig de Princip l. 4. c. 1. Quòd ipsae divinae Scripturae sint divinitùs inspiratae ex ipsis divinis Scriptuis is ostendemus Salv. Massil l. 3. de Gubern mox a◠initio Alia omnia id est humana dicta argumentis ac testibus egent Dei autem sermo ipse sibi testis est quia necesse est quicquió incorrupta veritas loquitur incorruptum sit testimonium veritatis Scripture by many internall arguments found in the letter it selfe though found by the helpe and direction of the Church without and of grace within Herein the Church leades but the Scripture resolues The Ministery of the Church as a Candlestick presents and holds out the light but this supposed there is in the Scripture it selfe * 2 Pet. 1. 19. light sufficient which though blinde * 1 Cor. 2. 14 sensuall mindes see not yet the eye of reason cleared by grace and assisted by the many motiues which the Church useth for enforcing of her instructions may discover to be divine descended from the father fountaine of light To this light the Church addes nothing at all but onely points at it directs us to it disposes and prepares us for it introduces it as the dawning of the morning doth the cleare Sunshine So farre as any Church walks in this light and carries it with her we may safely follow her if she bring a divine word for her warrant she must be beleeved But if her propositions or doctrines be meerely voluntary her owne and not according to that word there Es 8. 20. is no light in them neither can her authority make such doctrines proper objects of divine faith An Object how sensible soever it be in it selfe yet it doth not actually moue the Sense unlesse it be conveyed applyed to it by some Meane So here God hath appointed an ordinary outward meanes to present and propound divine verities to our faith and this ordinary means wee grant is the Church to which wee willingly attribute these two excellent uses in that imployment 1. of a witnesse testifying the authority and sence of the Scriptures unto us 2. of Gods instrument by whose ministery in preaching and expounding the Scriptures the Holy Ghost begets a divine faith in us But in that assent which wee yeeld unto the mysteries propounded and delivered by the Church though the Church be one cause to wit inductiue or preparatiue s Gretser Append. 2. ad lib. 3. Bellar. de verb. D. Col. 1514. principaliter Scripturis fidem habemus propter divinā revelationem at ob Ecclesiae authoritatem non aliter quā ut ob conditionem sine qua non Et infra Sacris litetis assensum prae bemus primariò ob divinam revelationem secundariò ob Ecclesiae testimonium without which men ordinarily do not beleeue yet it is not the principall or finall upon which wee lastly depend The chiefe principle or ground on which faith rests and for which it firmly assents unto those truths which the Church propounds is divine revelation made in the Scripture Nothing lesse then this nothing but this can erect or qualifie an act of t Becan Sum. tract de fide ca. 1. q. 2. §. 9. Assensus qui nititur authoritate Ecclesiae non est assensus fidei Theologicae sen divinae sed alterius inferioris ordinis super naturall faith which must be absolutely undoubted and certaine and without this faith is but opinion or persuasion or at the most an acquired humane beliefe This power in the Church to instruct her children in the faith according to Scripture which is her ground and rule from which she may not depart we willingly admit But we cannot yeeld that the present Church hath an absolute or unlimited authority to propound what she pleases or an infallible assistance in all her propositions which is our Mistakers meaning and the new doctrine of some of his Masters Who teach 1. that the authority of the Church is absolute not depending on Scripture but on which the Scripture it selfe and so our whole faith depends The words of u Bellar. de effect Sacram. lib. 2. cap. 25. §. tertium testimonium Bellarmine are remarkable If saith he we take away the authority of the present Church of Rome and of the Trent Councell the decrees of all other ancient Councels the whole Christian faith may be questioned as doubtfull For the strength of all doctrines and of all Councels depends upon the authority of the present Church And elsewhere againe to the same purpose lest the former words might seeme to haue fallen from his pen unawares w Bellar. de Eccl. mil. lib. 3. cap. 10. §. Adhaec necesse est The Scriptures Traditions and all doctrines whatsoever depend on the testimony of the Church he means that of Rome without which all are wholly uncertaine Here 's a plaine principle of Atheisme For if this be true all the faith we haue of God of our Redeemer of the Scripture of any thing in Religion is all but an ungrounded and uncertaine opinion unlesse the Church confirme it And as the Idols of old Rome could not be consecrated or deified but by consent of the Senate who tooke upon thē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. x Chrys in 2. ad Cor. hom 26 in Moral Et Tertul. Apolog cap. 5. Nisi homini Deus placuerit Deus non erit Chrysostome merily speakes to make gods by most voyces So here it seemes our true God and
salutis humanae anted non portiuncula aliqua fidei nostrae sed quòd Dominus noster in Ecclesia neminem voluit sexus utriusque ignorare Novatianus de Trin. cap. 1. 9. Symbolum regula est veritatis cap. 29. fidei auctoritas Maximus Taurin Homil. de tradit Symboli Signaculum Symboli inter fideles perfidósque secernit Petr. Chrysol Sermon 59. Est placitum fidei pactum gratiae salutis Symbolum Caelestin Episc Rom. in Epist ad Nestorium citante Ioanne Foroliviensi Episcopo in Concil Florent sess 10. Quis unquam non dignus est anathemate judicatus vel adiiciens vel detrahens fidei in Symbolis contentae Plenè enim ac manifestè tradita nobis ab Apostolis nec augmentum nec imminutionem requirunt Bessarion Nicaenus Concil Flor. sess 8. pag. 464. edit Bin. ult Sacro Symbolo nihil est addendum quia in Ecclesia locum obtinet principii ac fundamenti fidei nostrae Marcus Ephesius ibid. sess 3. pag. 431. Arbitramur nihil omissum esse a Patribus in Symbolo fidei neque omnino positum esse quicquam manoâ—m quod correctione aut additamento indigeat Et haec est potissimâ— schismatis inter Graecos Latinósque causa praecipientibus Patribus aullum aliud Symbolum esse unquam recipiendum nec esse quicquam addendum vel detrahendum quòdilli omnia satis complexi sunt Andraeas Rhodi Archiepi scopus Latinus ibid. sess 7. pag. 451. Ad illud quod aiebat Dominus Ephesius Symbolum esse perfectum perfecto nihil posse addi respondemus perfection sumi dupliciter vel quoad fidem vel quoad explanationem Et quidem quoad fidem Symbolum esse perfectissimum nec indigere additamento quoad explanationem verò non suisse satis propter haereses quae erant emersurae Augustine to young novices You must know that the Creed is the foundation of the Catholique faith and of the Church laid by the hands of the Apostles and Prophets My margine will adde some more to this cloud of Witnesses and fully make good my word that the Fathers here come in with full consent And now our Mistaker hath his Catalogue of fundamentalls recommended to him by such reason and authorities as I presume will satisfie his longing and content him If so then he is satisfied both for the question which be fundamentalls and for the state of our Church that we agree in fundamentalls If this please him not then it will be in his choice whether he will reject the constant opinion of his owne DDrs and the old Fathers or show us some way how they and he dissenting herein from them may be reconciled If he reject them and their opinion we shall be content to be condemned by him together with the Fathers and his owne Brethren If he approve the perfection of the Creed with them he may be pleased to make answer to his owne objections which if he will calmely consider he may happily finde to be but weake and of small moment His Objections are In the Creed there is no mention 1. of the Canon of Scripture 2. or of the number and nature of the Sacraments 3. or of Iustification whether it be by faith or by works 4. That Doctrine of devills 1. Tim. 4. 1. forbidding marriage and meates is not there condemned 5. Lastly the sence of diverse Articles is questioned as that of the Descent into hell and the other of the Catholique Church Therefore the Creed is no perfect rule of faith Answer To the first The Creed is an abstract or abridgement of such necessary doctrines as are delivered in Scripture or collected out of it and therefore needs not expresse the authority of that which it supposes These Articles are principles which are proved by Scripture the Scripture it self a principle which needs no proofe amongst Christians The Creed containes onely the materiall object of faith or the things which must be beleived expressely according to Scripture The Scripture is further the formall object of faith or the motive and ground whereupon faith is founded being as Philosophers say of light in regard of the sight both the objectum quod in respect of the things therein revealed and objectum quo in respect of that divine verity and authority which reveales them Although the Nicene Fathers in their Creed confessing that the holy Ghost spake by the Prophets do thereby sufficiently avow the divine Authority of all Canonicall Scripture To the 2. we say 1. That the Sacraments are to be reckoned rather among the Agenda of the Church then the Credenda they are rather divine rites and ceremonies then doctrines 2. For their numbers the Mistaker who hath so little moderation as to thinke his Seaven fit matter for the Creed shall be answered in the words of a o Examen pacifique Ch. 1. pag. 22. Prenantce mot de Sacrement propremeÌ„t S. Aug. dit de Doctr. Chr. li. 3. ca. 9. qu'il ny en a que deux a sçauoir le Baptesme l'Eucharistie Dauantage c'est vne phrase coÌ„mune parmy nous Catholiques de dire que tous les Sacremens sont coulez du coste de nostre Seigneur Or ne coula de son costé que sang eau Ce que representoit selon l'interpretation de Chrysostome Cyrill autres anciens les deux Sacrements de l'Eglise a sçauoir le Baptesme parl'eau le calice de l'Eucharistie par le sang Et nos Docteurs Catholiques ne font autre responce a ceci si non que ces deux sacremens on t quelque dignité par dessus les autres qui n'est autre chose si non dire qu'ily a deux Sacremens principaux plusieur sinferieurs Ce qui est demesme que les Huguenots disent mais en diuers termes eux disans qu'il ny en a que deux proprement nous qu'il ny en a que deux principalement nous disons aussi qu'il y en a plusieurs inferieurs eux qu'il y en a aussi plusieurs si nous parlons des Sacremens â—â— la signification generale Car Calvin dit que l'ordre est vn Sacrement Melancthon ditle mesme y adjouste la penitence Bref ils dironâ— qu'il y en a sept mais non pas seulement sept de fait il ny a aucun des Anciens Peres qui aye iamais trouue ce nombre de sept moderate Roman Catholique Takeing the word Sacrament properly S. Augustin saith there are but two to wit Baptisme and the Lords Supper And it is a common saying among us Catholiques that all the Sacraments flowed from the side of our Lord. Now there came from his side onely bloud and water which represented according to the interpretation of Chrysostome Cyrill and others of the Ancients the two Sacraments of the Church Baptisme by water and the Chalice in the Eucharist by bloud To which our Catholique Doctors give no other
decrees of the Church that properly makes the Heretique The Heretiques recounted by S. Augustine Epiphanius and Philastrius in their Catalogues were condemned not so much for their errours which were many ofthem not very materiall as for their contempt of the Church S. Cyprian and the Donatists differed not in the matter of their errour but the obstinacy of the Donatists and their disobedience to the Church made them to be condemned for Heretiques when S. Cyprian was absolved because the Church in his time had not declared her selfe And in the like manner the Novatians were condemned on the same grounds Answer Sect. 4. OF the nature of Heresie The Church may declare convince an Heresie but cannot properly make any Doctrine Hereticall unlesse it be such in the matter of it The words Heresie and Heretique very ambiguous How commonly used by the Ancients Of their Catalogues of Heretiques S. Cyprian though erring in the point of Rebaptization justly absolved from Schisme and Heresie The Donatists guilty of both And the Novatians of Schisme Charity mistaken Chap. 6. AGaine the onely right ground and true infallible motiue of faith by which it is produced and on which it relyes is the revelation of God and the proposition of his Church He therefore who beleeves not every particular Article of Catholique Doctrine which is revealed and propounded by Almighty God and his Church which Church is absolutely infallible in all her proposalls doth not assent to any one even of those which he beleeves by divine faith because he assents not upon the onely true and infallible motiue An assent not grounded on this is no supernaturall divine faith but onely an humane suspicion or opinion or persuasion And such is the faith of Turkes Iewes Moores and all Heretiques particularly of the Protestants Answer Sect. 5. DIvine revelation the principall motiue last object into which faith supernaturall is resolved The testimony and ministery of the Church is of great use for the begetting of faith But the Church hath not an authority unlimited and absolutely infallible in all her doctrines as Some Romanists pretend Others of them reasonably fairly limit the Churches infallibility The Church Vniversall infallible in fundamentall doctrines Not so in points of lesser moment The Mistaker cannot say what he meanes by the Church whereof he sayes so much Of the Church represented in Generall Councells of which VVe speak and thinke more honorably then doe our Adversaries Yet we thinke them not absolutely infallible Of the Pope whom they call the Church virtuall How his Flatterers speake of his authority No Roman Catholique can be assured of his infallibility which is at the most and best but problematicall by their owne principles Charity mistaken Chap. 7. PRotestants object that Roman Catholiques are not at unity among themselves as appeares by many questions wherein their Writers are at variance Answer Catholique Doctors differ onely in matters of Opinion not decided by the Church not in any point of Faith And besides their differences are all fairely carried without any breach of Charity If it be againe objected that learned Catholiques beleeue more then the unlearned Answer This hinders not their Vnitie It suffices the Vulgar to beleeve implicitly what the Church teaches And by vertue of such implicite faith a Cardinall Bellarmine and a Catholique Collier are of the same beleife Answer Sect. 6. DIssentions in the Church of Rome of greater importance then any among the Reformed They differ not onely in Opinion but in matters of their Faith As about the Popes authority and the Popes themselves about their vulgar Latine Bibles Discords among Them uncharitably pursued Some patterns of their mutuall bitternesse and revilings Implicite faith in some points and in some persons admitted VVhat it is which we dislike here in the doctrine of some Romanists Charity mistaken Chap. 8. 9. THe Protestants pretend to be at unitie with the Ancient Church with the Lutherans and even with Roman Catholiques in fundamentall points That distinction so ordinary with them betweene fundamentall points and not fundamentall is vaine without ground No Protestant Writer none of their Vniversities Colledges or Societies of learned men amongst them can or dare define what doctrines are fundamentall or give us in a List or Catalogue of Fundamentalls Some say they are contained in the Creed But those men may be ashamed of that opinion seeing in the Creed there is no mention of the Canon of Scripture or of the number or nature of the Sacraments of justification whether it be by faith alone or by workes or of that doctrine of devills forbidding marriage meats which was the doctrine of the Manichees and not of Roman Catholiques as Protestants perversly affirme and finally since there is such great differences between them and us about the understanding of the Articles of Christs Descent into Hell of the holy Catholique Church and the Communion of Saints Others say the Booke of the 39 Articles of the Church of England declares all the fundamentall points of faith But that also is most absurdly affirmed That Booke declares onely and that in an extreamly confused manner what the Church of England beleeves in most things And in many Controversies betweene them and us it speakes obscurely not touching the maine difficulty of the questions As in the points of the Visibility and infallibility of the Church of Freewill and of the Canon of Scripture Answer Sect. 7. THe distinction between doctrines fundamentall and not fundamentall avowed as most necessary It hath ground in reason and in Scripture The Creed of the Apostles as it is explained in the later Creeds of the Catholique Church esteemed a sufficient Summary or Catalogue of Fundamentals by the best learned Romanists and by Antiquity The Mistakers exceptions to the contrary answered As also his exceptions against the Confession of the Church of England The Conclusion ANSWERE TO Charity mistaken Charity mistaken Chap. 1. 2. ROmane Catholiques judge that Protestancy vnrepented of destroies saluation For this judgement the Protestants charge them with want of Charitie This charge saith the Mistaker is 1. improbable 2. vntrue 1. Improbable For the Catholique Church expresses and diffuses her Charitie for the temporall and spirituall good of men in all imaginable sorts Shee is charitable to their bodies in her Monasteries Hospitals redeeming of Captiues prouiding for Orphanes c. and to their soules by conuerting of heretiques and infidels by teaching the ignorant by directing the scrupulous with bookes of Cases of Conscience c. Charitable to very Protestants their heresies onely are condemned and it is not said that they sinnâ— against the holy Ghost because they may be conuerted to the faith reconciled to the Church anâ— so may be saued Answere Sect. 1. SOme Romane Catholiques judge charitably of the Reformed Iesuiterâ— furious and destructiue in their censures against all that are not of their faction That faction infamous for their cruelties charged with want of Charitie
duty is only to e Bâ—larm lib. 2. de Concil cap. 12. Concilia quùm definiunt non faciunti liquid esse in fallibilis veritatis sed declarant Gers de err circ praecâ—â— Non occides part oper 1. pag. 406. vlt. edit Papa vel generale Comlium determinando de fide nihil faciunt aliud nisi declarare talia esse fide Canus lib. 2. cap. 7. Ingenuè fatemur non esse nunc novas revâ—â—tiones expectandas five à summo Pontifice five à Concilio five a Ecclesiâ totâ Vide Th. 2. 2. q. 1. A. 10. ad 1. explaine and declare the truth according to Scripture and from thence to draw all her conclusions f Aquin. 2. 2. q. 1. A. â— in corp For the Articles of the faith cannot encrease in substance bâ—â— onely in explication Hence it followes that all necessary or fundamentall truth is contained in Scripture which is the rule according to which the Church is to judge of g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist lib. 1 de Anim. truth and errour Her declaration is only to fetch out that truth which is in the Scripture her exposition of the Text must not be an addition to it It is a faulty and erronious declaration which in stead of declaring giues another See the learned Answere to Fishers Relation of his 3. Confer pag. 9. and a contrary sense Neither is any doctrine necessary or true because the Church declares it such but because it is such in it selfe by warrant of Scripture If the Church walke not by this rule h Mag. 1. D. 11. lit C. Qui pretergreditur fidei regulam non incedit in via sed recedit à viâ Quod volumus Sanctum est Ticonius Donatista apud S. Aug. cont Epist Parmen lib. 2. c. 13. she is out of her way And in this by-way never any Church hath wandred so farre as the Church of Rome which hath defined or declared very many things to be fundamentall Truths or Heresies which are nothing lesse following herein no other rule but her owne fantasy As in Truth so in Heresy the Church may declare what is Heresy shee may convince and censure it but still according to her Rule the Scripture Neither is any doctrine Hereticall because it opposeth the definition of the i Alph. à Castro lib. 1. adv Haeres cap. 8. Ecclesia sâ—â— definitione non facit talem assertionem esse Haeresim cùm eâ—amsi ipsa non definivisset esset Haeresis Sed id efficit Ecclesia vt nobis per suam Censuram pate at illud esse Haeresim ibid. Ideò dicitur veritas aliqua Catholica quia à Deo in Scripturis revelata est è contra Church but because it opposes that Scripture on which the Church grounds her definition The doctrines of Arrius Macedoâ—ius Nestorius Eutyches were in themselues Hereticall even before they were solemnely condemned in the 4 generall Councells But saith the Mistaker the Heresier mentioned by Philastrius Epiphanius and S. Austin in their Catalogues were many of them errours in themselues of no greaâ— moment or importance yet they were alâ— esteemed Heresies because they were helâ— in disobedience to the Church So likewise the errour of rebaptization was for the matter of it the very same in S. Cyprian and in the Donatists yet the Donatists were accounted Heretiques for despising the iudgement of the Catholique Church and S. Cyprian not so because hee conserved himselfe within the amity and communion of the Church Therefore properly and formally he is an Heretique that contradicts the definitions of the Church Answ In all ages almost the imputation of Heresy hath beene too too frequent and familiar among Christians and in this age aboue all wherein Christendome is so miserably broken into numberlesse fragments and pieces It is a thing purely impossible for the learnedst man in the World exactly to recount all the severall Sects and subdivisions of Christians or such as pretend to Christianity And every Sect hath some Zelotes so passionately in loue with their owne Opinions that they condemne all others differing from them to be Hereticall So there liues not a Christian on earth who in the judgement of many others is not an Heretique I speake not this in favour of any Heretique or Heresy justly so called ancient or new But surely as this imputation is a grievous crime where it is true so it is no lesse grievous a calumny if it bee vngrounded And it is good counsell which k Cont. Haeres lib. 3. lib. 1. cap. 7. Qui tà m leviter de Haeresi pronunciant saepè fit vt suâ ipsorum feriantur sagittâ incidantque in eam foveam quam alijs parabant Alphonsus à Castro giues let them consider who pronounce so easily of Heresy how easy it is for themselues to erre Very good advise though Alphensus himselfe makes very little vse of it and forgets it too often As all Truth is not of equall moment or necessity so al errors are not of the same malignity and danger Every Heresy is an error but l Aug. de Haeres in praef Non omnis error Haeresis est quamvis omnis Haeresis errore aliquo c. Jd. alibi Errare postium Haereticus esse nolo Bellar. lib. 3. de Euchar. cap 8. §. Ac primum Haeresis est cuius contraria est veritas fidei à Deo revelata each error is not Heresy What Heresy is properly or what it is that makes an Heretique is a thing either meerely impossible or extreamely difficult to define in the opinion of m Quid faciat Haereticum regulari quadam definitione comprehendi sicut ego existimo aut omnino non potest aut difficilimè potest Id. vbi suprà Sâ— Austine who promised and n In fine libri ad Quodvultdeum intended a treatise purposely of this matter buâ— his death or other thoughts prevented him But it is most evident that those o Bellar. de Script in Philastrio Observandum est multa a Philastrio inter Haereses numerari quae verè Haereses non sunt Dion Pctau Animad in Epiphan initio de Inscript operis Haeresis nomen latissimè ab Epiphanio vsurpatur nec ad Theologorum normam vocabuli istius vsus exigendâ—â— est ancient writers in their Catalogues and elsewhere doe not vse the words Heresy or Heretique in their exact oâ— proper notion but in a very large anâ— generall signification not distinguishing betweene Heresy and errour Whatsoever opinion they conceived to bee contrary to the common or approved opinion of Christians that they called as Heresy because it differed from the received opinion not because it opposed any formall definition of the Church This may appeare by many circumstances 1 St Austin was desired by his Frienâ— Quodvultdeus to set downe all p Praefat. lib. de Haer. ad Quodv Petis exponi omnia omninâ— quibus à veritate dissentiunt opinions of Heretiques differing from
confessed by the most and best learned of the c Th. 1. p. q. 1. art 8. ad 2. Innititur fides nostra revelationi Prophetis Apostolis factae Can. loc Theol. lib. 2. c. 8. Nec si nobis aditum praebet Ecclesia protinus ibi acquiescendum est sed ultrà oportet progredi solidâ Dei veritate niti Staplet princs doctr lib. 8. cap. 20. Apostolorum prophetarum immediatè revelata sides in solum revelatorem Deum ultimò resolvebatur eum solum pro formali objecto habuit in eum solum tanquam supremam atque ultimam credendi causam desinebat sistebat Ergò reliquae totius Ecdesiae fides idem formale objectum habet Becanus Sum. 3. p. cap. 8. quaest 8. Conclus 3. Assensus fidei formaliter resolvitur in primam veritatem revelantem Atque hîc sistitur Aegid de Coninck de Actib supernat disp 9. dub 5. concl 4. Id in quod nostra fides tanquam objectum formale ultimò resolvitur five objectum formale propter quod credimus non solùm articulos fidei esse veros sed etiam eos esse à Deo revelatos est testimonium primae veritatis Roman Doctors And that this revelation for all necessarie points is f Basil M. de judicio Det five proaem in Ethic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas Orat. contr Gentes initio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrill Hierosol Catech 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret. Dial. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hilar. lib. 2. ad Constant August laudat Imp. fidem tantùm secundùm ea quae scripta sunt desiderantem Vinc. Lirin cap. 2. perfectus Scripturarum canon ad omnia satis supérque sufficit Et iterum Commonit 2. cap. 1. Th. 2. 2. qu. 1. A. 10. ad 1. In doctrina Christi Apostolorum veritas fidei est sufficienter explicata Idem disp de fide art 10. ad 11. Successoribus Apostolorum non credimus nisi in quantum nobis annuntiant ea quae illi in Scripturis reliquerunt Durand Praefat. in Sent. S. Scriptura mensuram fidei exprimit Scot. in Prol. Sent. qu. 3. Theologia nostra non est nisi de his quae continentur in Scriptura de his quae possunt elici ex ipsis Gers de examin doctr p. 2. con 1. nihil audendum diecre de divinis nisi quae nobis à Scriptura Sacra tradita sunt sufficiently and g Basil Regul brevior cap. 267. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. de doctr Chr. lib. 2. cap. 9. In his quae apertè posita sunt in Scriptura inveniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem mor ésque vivendi Bellar. lib. 4. de verb. non Script cap. 11. §. His notatis Dico illa omnia scripta esse ab Apostolis quae sunt omnibus necessaria Et Iterum §. vltimò Loquitur Augustinus loco praedicto de illis dogmatibus quae sunt necessaria omnibus simpliciter clearely made in the Scriptures either in expresse termes or by manifest deduction is the constant Doctrine of Antiquity even till the latter times If the whole object of faith be thus contained in Scripture then surely no new doctrines or revelations without or beside Scripture may be admitted neither is the proposition of any Church or any person in matters of faith to be beleeved further then it may be maintained or warranted by Scripture Our faith then is safe enough which builds on this firme ground and relyes on this solid h Iren. lib. 3. cap. 1. Scriptura fundamentum est columna fidei nostrae Eph. 2. 20. foundation Now for the Church she that is the mother of all Christians hath two dugs saith i Aug. in Ep. Johan tract 3 init Est mater Ecclesia ubera ejus duo Testamenta Scripturarum divinarum S. Austine which are the Old and New Testament out of these she feeds and giues milke to all her children That Church or any particular which delivers onely what she hath received and propounds not her owne traditions in stead of Gods Commandements we are ready in all things to heare and reverently to submit our selues to Gods truth delivered by it We doe not depriue the Church of that prerogatiue office which Christ hath given it k Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing the word of God and the ministery of the Church is necessary in ordinary course for the begetting of faith But the force and validitie of that ministery is different according as the Church may be taken either for the Prime Church or for the Present The Prime Church I call that which included Christ and his Apostles who had immediate revelation from heaven The voyce testimony of this Church is simply divine and infallible and the word of God from them is of like validity written or delivered The testimony of the present Church though it be not the last resolution of our faith yet it is the first externall motiue to it It is the l Hooker lib. 2. §. 7. key or m Gretser Defens de verb. lib. 4. c. 4. col 1581. prima janua See the learned Answ to Fishers Relat. of his 3. Confer pag. 24. doore which lets men in to the knowledge of divine mysteries It workes very powerfully and probably as the highest humane testimony 1. Upon infidels to winne them unto a reverent opinion of that faith and those Scriptures which they see so many wise learned and devout men in the Church constantly to esteeme as the very truth and word of God 2. Upon Novices weaklings and doubters in the faith to instruct and confirme them till they may acquaint themselues with and understand the Scriptures which the Church delivers as the word of God 3. Upon all within the Church to prepare induce and perswade the minde as an outward means to imbrace the faith to read and beleeue the Scriptures But the faith of a Christian findes not in all this any sure ground whereon finally to rest or settle it selfe till it arise to greater assurance then the present Church alone can giue Humane authority consent and proofe may produce an humane or acquired faith and infallibly in some sort assure the minde of the truth of that which is so witnessed but the assent of divine faith is absolutely divine which requires an object and motiue so infallibly true as that it neither hath nor n Cui non potest subesse falsum can possibly admit of any mixture of errour or falshood And infallible in this sence is onely that testimony which is absolutely divine Now our Adversaries yeeld that the testimony of the present Church is not absolutely divine It is not simply but in a manner divine saith o Staplet Relect contr 4. qu. 3. A. 1. Vox Ecclesiae est suo modo divina one not meerly divine nor meerly humane but as it were in the middle saith p Becan 3. p. Summ. cap. 8. qu. 8. §. 8. nec
Scriptures and Religion must all stand at the courtesie and suffrage of the Roman Conclaue 2 They teach that much of the object or matter of faith is not contained in Scripture any way that the Church hath an unlimited power to supply the defects of Scripture and that she may propound any doctrines as necessary to salvation which haue no other ground but her owne authority which is equall to that of Scripture There are many things saith y Mel. Canus Loc. lib. 3. c. 3. fund 3. Canus belonging to the faith of Christians which are neither manifestly nor obscurely contained in the sacred Scriptures And Doctor a Princip Doctrin li. 12 c. 5. initio Stapleton Very many things necessary to salvation and necessarily to be beleeved are not comprehended in the Scriptures but are commended to us onely by the authority of the Church And againe b Id. Relect. Contr. 4. qu. 1. art 3. ad arg 12. Etiamsi nullo ScripturaruÌ„ aut evidenti aut probabili testimonio confirmetur The Church may propound define matters of faith without any evident nay without any probable testimony of Scripture Do not these words of Stapleton imply that the Church of Rome propounds many things to the beliefe of Christians without any probability from Scripture With what ingenuity then or conscience do they pretend Scripture in each Controversie against us since by their owne confession many of their assertions are meere unwritten Traditions leaning onely on the authoritie of their Church On the contrary for the fullnesse and sufficiency of Scripture in all necessary points we have the full consent of Antiquity and of many learned Writers of their owne even of Bellarmine himselfe whose plaine words to this purpose have been already noted And the same Cardinall though herein as not seldome contradicting both himselfe and his fellowes c Bellar. lib. 3. de verb. D. interpret cap. 10. ad arg 15. Sciendum est propositionem fidei concludita li Syllogismo Quicquid Deus revelavit in Scripturis est verum hoc Deus revelavit in Scripturis ergò hoc est verum Ex propositionibus hujus Syllogismi prima certa est apud omnes secunda apud Catholicos est etiam firmissimas nititur enim testimonio Ecclesiae Concilii vel Pontificis grants that a proposition is not de fide unlesse it be concluded in this Syllogisme whatsoever Gâ—â— hath revealed in Scripture is true but thâ— or that God hath revealed in Scripture ergâ— it is true If matters of faith must be revealed in Scripture as this reason supposes then the proposall of the Church cannot make any unwritten veritie to become matter of faith Yet to salve the soveraigne power of His Church he makes all the strength and truth of the minor in this Syllogisme to depend on the testimony of the Church and by consequence the truth of the conclusion which ever resembles the weake Premisse So as if this be true there is no truth in the Scriptures or in our Religion without the attestation of the Church 3. They teach that the Church is infallibly assisted in her proposalls and doctrines so as she cannot erre And this dreame hath made Rome sencelesse of her errours and careles to seek any remedie nay utterly incapable of remedie For to mindes really possessed with this fond persuasion and prejudice the most convincing reasons the most plaine Scriptures the most pregnant authorities of Fathers which proue the Church of Rome may erre or hath erred are all lost and made ineffectuall and seeme not strong arguments of the truth but strong temptations against it And this imagination of their Churches infallibility is to them at once both a sufficient reason of what is most unreasonable and a sufficient answer for what is most unanswerable That the Church is infallible we do not absolutely deny wee only deny the Church to be absolutely infallible Some of the most able Writers of the Roman partie do so fairly limit this priviledge that in their sence we do without difficulty admit it Their limitation is double regarding 1. the subject of this infallibility 2. the object of it First for the subject they plant this infallibility only in the Church Universall or the Catholique body of Christ on earth comprehending all his members not in any particular Church or any representation of the Church in CouÌ„cels Generall or particular much lesse in any one member of the Church no not in him who pretends to be the Head So d Walden lib. 2. Doct. fid art 2. cap. 19. §. 1. Ecclesia Universalis fideÌ„ habet indefectibilem non quidem in Generali Synodo congregata quam aliquoties errâsse percepimus Sylv. Sum. verb. Ecclesia cap. 1. §. 4. Ecclesia quae non potest errare dicitur noÌ„ Papa sed congregatio fideliuÌ„ Et vide gloss in cap. 24. qu. 1. call A recta Waldensis Sylvester and others 2. For the object or extent of this infallibility they grant it reaches not to all points or questions in Religion that may arise but only to such Articles as belong to the substance of faith such as are matters essentiall fundamentall simply necessary for the Church to know belleue To omit e Maldon in Iohan. 14. 26. Dubium est an illud docebit omnia referendum sit ad illud quaecunque dixi vobis quasi non aliud docturum Spiritum sanctum dicat quà m quod ipse anteà docuiffer Non repugnabo si quis ita velit interpretari Charron vetité 3. chap. 5. §. lc second poinct L infallibilité de l'Eglise ne s'entend que des choses qui concernent la substance de la foy laquelle ne reçoit point de contrarieté divet sité changement pource nulle correction reformation ou amendement estant vne tousiours immuable non reformable dit Tertullien de virg Veland Et ibid. saepe others Dr f Staplet Princip Doctrin lib. 8. controv 4. cap. 15. Stapleton is full and punctuall to this purpose He distinguishes controversies of Religion into two sorts Some saith he are about those doctrines of faith which necessarily pertaine to the publique faith of the Church Others about such matters as doe not necessarily belong to the faith but may be variously held and disputed without hurt or prejudice to faith To the first sort he restrains the infallibility of the Church But in the second he yeelds that the Church may sometimes erre either in her discourses or in her conclusions that without any violation of Christs promise made to the Church for infallibilitie And of this assertion He giues diverse good reasons The first and chiefest taken from the end for which infallibility was given to the Church It was given saith He for the common salvation of the faithfull and not for the satisfaction of unprofitable curiosities or for the search of unnecessary subtleties For as nature so God is neither defectiue in necessaries nor lavish in
to erect her own absolute soveraignty over the consciences and faith of Christian people Whatsoever these Masterly Doctors shall define or prescribe in matters of faith that they say must be received without c Greg. de Valentia Anal. fid lib. 8. cap. 6. §. Quòd verò Sine contradictione ulla obedire iussi homines sunt Sacerctoti judicanti-Quod ipsum persuadere nobis de summo Ecclesiae Pastore nunc jubemur contradiction yea without d Bellarm. de verbi Dei interpret lib. 3. c. 10. §. SeptimuÌ„ arg Christiani tenentur doctrinam Ecclesiae recipere non dubitare an hâ—c ita se habeant Et ib. §. Addo Debet Christianus sine examine recipere doctrinam Eccles Et ib. ad arg 16. Doctor non proponit sententiam suam ut necessariò sequendam sed solùm quatenus ratio suadet at Judex proponit ut sequendam necessariò Patres sunt Doctores Concilia verò Pontifices sunt Judices examination yea though it be e Tannerus in Colloq Ratisbon Sess 9. Si Praepositi Eccles in aliquo dubio definiendo errarent populus Christianus vi talis regiminis errare posset imò deberet false and erroneous This indeed is a sure meanes to keep the Court of Rome in quiet possession of her tyranny and errors if men may be persuaded to resigne unto her their judgement and reason and yeeld her a blind and brutish obedience in all things The colour is that in all doctrines she is assisted with an infallible Spirit and therefore being all divine truths and inspirations they may not be inquired into The ordinarie pretence of Deceivers of f Dictum Apellis apud Euseb Hist Eccleslib 5. cap. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apelles the old heretick in Eusebius of Mahomet the great impostor and of some Others besides the Romanists in this age But as a learned man hath well observed g Ludov. Vives de verit fidei Christ li. 4. pag. 478. contra errores Mahumetis Tutissimum mentiendi genus est nolle rationem eorum quae dicas reddere veritatem dictorum ad Deum referre authorem quem nemo de veritate possit interrogare The safest way of lying is for men to entitle God to their owne dreames and for all reason to say they are heavenly verities which may not be examined It is very meet that the ignorant people should obey h Heb. 13. 17 their overseers in the Lord and submit themselves to the Ministry and direction of the Church in many profound doctrines above their reach But it behoves them to have a distinct comfortable knowledge of the essentiall points of faith and not securely to rest in a babish simplicity but so far as God hath enabled them to i Heb. 6. 1. be led on to profection To which purpose they are commanded to k Joh. 5. 39 search the Scriptures that they may l 2 Pet. 3. 18. grow and m Col. 1. 10. encrease in knowledge that the n Col. 3. 16. word of Christ may dwell richly in them and that they may be able both to beleive o Rom. 10. 10. with the heart and confesse with their mouth and render p 1. Pet. 3. 15. a reason of that hope that is in them The words of q Lactantius lib. 2. cap. 8. Oportet in ea re maximè in qua vitae ratio versatur sibi quemque confidere suóque judicio ac proptiis sensibus niti ad investigandam perpendendam veritatem quà m credentem alienis erroribus decipi tanquaÌ„ ipsum rationis expertem Quare cùm sapere id est veritatem quaerere omnibus sit innatú sanientiamsibi adimunt qui sine ullo judicio inventa majorum probant ab aliis pecudum more ducuntur Lactantius to this purpose are observable In those things which concerne our welfare and life especially that of our soules it is fit for every man to make use of his owne discretion in the search and triall of truth rather then without reason to relie upon the credit of others that may abuse him Every man by nature desires to be wise and to know the truth And therefore they befoole themselues who without judgement follow the judgement of their leaders which is the propertie of sheepe rather then of reasonable men And by that of n Theodoret Graec. Affect Curat Serm. 5. sub fin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret we learne what kind of knowledge the ancient Church required in Christians Every where saith he you may see the points of our faith to be knowen not onely by them who are Masters in the Church and Teachers of the people but even of Coblers Smiths and Weavers and all kind of Artificers and of women also which get their living with their hands yea Maid-servants and Waiting-women Husband-men also do very well know them and Ditchers and Neate-herds and Woodsetters All these may ye find discoursing of the Trinitie and the creation of things and as skilfull in the nature of man as Plato or Aristotle Charity mistaken Chap. 8. 9. THe Protestants pretend to be at unitie with the Ancient Church with the Lutherans and even with Roman Catholiques in fundamentall points That distinction so ordinary with them betweene fundamentall points and not fundamentall is vaine without ground No Protestant Writez none of their Vniversities Colledges or Societies of learned men amongst them can or dare define what doctrines are fundamentall or give us in a List or Catalogue of fundamentalls Some say they are coÌ„tained in the Creed But these men may be â—shamed of that opinioÌ„ seeing in the Creed there is no mention of the Canon of Scripture or of the number or nature of the Sacraments of justification whether it be by faith alone or by workes or of that doctrine of devills forbidding marriage meats which was the doctrine of the Manichees and not of Roman Catholiques as Protestants perversly affirme and finally since there is such great differences betweene them and us about the understanding of the Articles of Christs Descent into Hell of the holy Catholique Church and the Communion of Saints Others say the Booke of the 39 Articles of the Church of England declares all the fundamentall points of faith But that also is most absurdly affirmed That Booke declares onely and that in an extreamly confused manner what the Church of England beleeves in most things And in many Controversies betweene them and us it speakes obscurely not touching the maine difficultie of the questions As in the points of the visibility and infallibility of the Church of Freewill of the Canon of Scripture Answer Sect. 7. THe distinction betweene doctrines fundamentall and not fundamentall avowed as most necessary It hath ground in reason and in Scripture The Creed of the Apostles as it is explained in the latter Creeds of the Catholique Church esteemed a sufficient Summarie or Catalogue of fundamentalls by
h Replique liur 1. chap. 10. Perron calls the faith of adherence or non-repugnance may suffice to wit an humble preparation of minde to beleeve all or any thing revealed in Scripture when it is sufficiently cleared By which virtuall faith an erring person may beleeve the truth contrary to his owne error inasmuch as he yeelds his assent implicitely to that Scripture which containes the truth and overthrowes his errour though yet he understand it not This maine distinction of doctrines whereof we speak hath expresse ground in the Scriptures of the N. Testament Therein the Church of Christ is often called i 1. Tim. 3. 15. 1. Pet. 2. 5. Heb. 3. 5. 6. the Spirituall house of God The foundation of this house is either reall personall or dogmaticall and doctrinall The Reall foundation is k 1. Cor. 3. 11. Eph. 2. 20. Christ the Dogmaticall are l Matt. 16. 16. 18. Heb. 6. 1. those grand and capitall doctrines which make up our faith in Christ that is that m Tit. 1. 4. common faith which is n 2 Pet. 1. 1. alike precious in all beeing one and the same in the highest Apostle and the meanest beleever which the Apostle o Heb. 5. 12. elsewhere calls the first principles of the oracles of God and the p 2. Tim. â— 13. forme of sound words These hold the place of the common foundation in which all Christians must be grounded The materialls laid upon this foundation whether they be sound or unsound are named by S. Paul q 1. Cor. 3. 12. super structions which are conclusions either in truth or in appearance deducible from those principles Concerning all which superstructures the generall rule is that the more neere they are to the foundation of so much greater importance be the truthes and so much more perilous be the errors as againe the further they are removed off the lesse necessary doth the knowledge of such verities prove to be and the swarving from the truth lesse dangerous It is cleere then that some points are fundamentall others not so But here all Protestants are defied by the Mistaker not onely particulars but in corps their Colledges Universities all or any of them dared to give him in a list or Catalogue of fundamentall points So high a Challenge in a subject of this nature might better have beseemed his betters some Cardinall rather then a * See Char. Mist pag. 1. Cavallier It seems the man thinks excellently of his owne learning and judgement and that conceit fills him with this courage But his strength is not answerable They that have tried it say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The prudent Vlysses in r Iliad ss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et ad Ther 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer gave good counsell to some busie persons that were forward to meddle in matters beyond their Spheere the Mistaker stands in neede of it and may do well to follow it By fundamentall points of faith for of them alone the Mistaker expresly speakes in this discourse we understand as hath been noted not the necessarie duties of Charity which are comprehended in the Decalogue nor the necessarie acts of hope contained in the Lords prayer there beeing the same object both of our prayers and of our hope though both these vertues of Charity and Hope are fundamentally necessary to the salvation of Christians but we meane those Prime and Capitall doctrines of our Religion which make up the holy Catholique and Apostolique faith once for all delivered to the Saints which faith is the same which Jude 3. the Church received from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ Christ from God as Tertullian speakes that faith which essentially constitutes a true Church and a true Christian These fundamentalls are all contained in the rule of faith which rule being cleerely but diffusedly set downe in the Scriptures hath been afterwards summed up and contracted into the Apostles Creed either by the Apostles themselves or by the Church of their times from them This Creed taken in a Catholique sence that is as it was further opened and explaned in some parts by occasion of emergent Heresies in the other Catholique Creeds of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon and Athanasius is said generally by the Schoolemen and Fathers to comprehend a perfect Catalogue of fundamentall truths and to imply a full rejection of fundamentall heresies and hath beene received by Orthodox Christians of all ages and places as an absolute summary of the Christian faith For proof wherof we will first argue ad hominem and teach the Mistaker how to esteeme of his Creed out of his own Masters whom he will not distrust or gainsay Begin with the a Concil Trident Sess 3. Symbolum Apostolorum est principium illud in quo omnes qui fidem Christi profitentur necessariò conveniunt ac fundamentum Ecclesiae firmum ac unicum Councell of Trent The Apostles Creed is that principle wherein all that professe the faith of Christ do necessarily agree that being the firme and onely foundation of the Church The b Catec Trident pag. 13. ac 14. Apostoli hanc Christianae fidei ac spei formulam composuerunt veritatis summa ac fundamentum primò ac necessariò omnibus credendum Catechisme of Trent to the same pupose The Apostles composed this profession of Christian faith and hope as a summary and foundation of that truth which is necessarily to be beleived of all c Azor. par 1. lib. 8. cap. 5. Symbolum Apostoâ—orum est brevis fidei complexio ac summa omniuÌ„ credendorum veluti nota quaedam signum quo Christiani homines ab impiis infidelibus qui vel nullam vel non rectam Christi fidem profitentur discernendi ac internoscendi sunt Huic Symbolo addâ—ta sunt alia duo Nicaenum Athanasianum ad uberiorem explicationem fidei Azorius This Creed briefly comprehends the faith and all things to be beleived is as it were a signe or cognisance whereby Christian men are differenced from the ungodly and misbeleivers who have either no faith at all or hold not the right faith To this the other Creeds of Nice and Athanasius were added onely for further explanation d Jacob. Gordon Hunt Controv 2. cap. 10. num 10. Regula fidei continetur expressè in Symbolo Apostolorum in quo continentur omnia prima fundamenta fidei Neque enim adeò obliviosi fuerunt Apostoli post acceptum Spiritum S. ut in Symbolo fidei quod omnibus credendum tradiderunt praetermittereÌ„t primum praecipuum fidei fundamentum Huntley a Scottish Iesuite The rule of faith is expressely contained in the Apostles Creed wherein are contained all the prime foundations of faith For the Apostles were not so forgetfull as to omit any fundamentall point in that Creed which they delivered to be beleived by all Christians e Greg. de Val. in 2. 2. disp 1.
not the Catholique Church The Catholique Church and the Romane ignorantly or cunningly confounded The Catholique truely and really charitable and so the English but not so the Romane not to her owne children especially not to Protestants Of whom the Mistaker and others speake and thinke no better then of Infidells Though we entirely professe and embrace the Catholique faith in all the parts of it ROmane Catholiques affirme that Protestants cannot bee saued It matters not much what Romane Catholiques affirme They can affirme much more then they can proue many dreames and fancies are at this day affirmed to be Catholique verities and affirmed with great confidence For want of truth is vsually attended with want of modesty None so forward to affirme as they that haue least reason for their affirmations But strong affirmations are but weake proofes In the meane while the boldnesse of these Dogmatists in affirming so many things in Religion vpon so feeble grounds hath miserably distracted Christendome and lost vs the peace of the Church But doe all Romane Catholiques affirme this So the Mistaker seemes to implie by his indefinite assertion But sure the man is much mistaken It is indeed an old tradition in the Popes Court one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Maximes of the Iesuiticall Cabale subesse Romano Pontifici est de necessitate salutis that none but perfect Papalins can be saued But all Papists are not Courtiers nor as yet I hope fully Iesuited without doubt many learned and moderate men liuing in the outward Communion of that Church among the French Venetians and elsewhere doe beleeue that it is possible enough for Protestants to be saued since they beleeue in Iesus Christ though they beleeue not in the Pope Many of thē haue said so much in effect many more would happily say more if they might speake freely But though their thoughts are free their tongues are not Yet the Mistaker beleeues his masters the Iesuits who haue told him that God will exclude out of heauen all sorts and sects of men that are not as themselues fully and furiously Romanized No Protestant can be saued Here is a quicke purging Index for the Booke of Life Woe were it with mankinde if the Fathers of the Society had the keeping of that Booke Their sponge would quickely make it a blotted Catalogue Out into hell must all but themselues and their disciples so many as will not worship the I doll at Rome But our comfort is these men shall not be our Iudges at the last day Thankes be to God and our Lord Iesus Christ we shall stand or fall to our owne Master in whom we beleeue whom we desire to obey and whose we are who will blesse vs the rather for their vniust maledictions and censures These Fathers may doe well and so may their children and clients who are so fierce in passing such capitall sentences against vs to looke well to their owne finall great accounts What will become of them God onely knowes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to his judgement we leaue them Onely this we know that hee shall haue judgement Iam. 2. 13. without mercy that hath shewed no mercy And sure it will goe hard with them if that be true which the prudent Cardinall d'Ossat lieger for K. Henry IV. in the Epist 8. ◠Villeroy Court of Rome collected from their wicked doctrines and practises that notwithstanding their great pretensions of zeale yet indeed they beleeue neither in Iesus Christ nor the Pope For whatsoeuer he be Tros Tyriusue Catholique or Heretique if their Generall haue him in a jealousie hee must bee cut of from Earth and Heauen Witnesse Henry the Great of France who after his conversion to the Pope was strucke first in the mouth by one of their Disciples and at last in the heart by another And in that See Anticoton black Powder plot the eternall shame of Popery for the advancement of the Catholique cause Papists and Protestants both together since they could not be seuered pell mell must all bee blowne vp And that by the warrant and advise of these conscientious Casuists the Fathers But happily though they meant to kill their friends in that massacre yet they meant afterwards to put them in the Kalender intending first to martyr then to worship them which had beene honour and recompence sufficient for their slaughter But for all Protestants dying there or elsewhere they are sent packing to Hell for their doome is no Protestant can be saued But why may not a Protestant be saved There is no good Protestant but for matter of practice hee a Nehem. 1 11. desires to feare Gods name b Hab. 6. 1. repents for sinnes past and for the time to come hath a sincere c Act. 11. 23. purpose of heart to cleau vnto the Lord d Heb. 1◠18. willing in all things to keep a good conscience and to liue honestly obeying God in all his Commandements so far as humane frailtie will permit and for matter of faith he beleeues entirely the Scriptures the Catholique Creeds and whatsoever the Catholique Church in all ages hath beleeued as necessary to salvation All Papists in the world shall never be able to proue the contrary Eyther that we walke not according to these rules or that so walking mercy and peace shall not be upon vs as upon the Israel of God Nay since we are no further departed from the present Romane Church as our late most learned Soueraigne K. Iames professed then shee her selfe is departed from Scripture from Antiquitie and from her selfe in her best times shee is most vncharitable in condemning vs to Hell because we refuse to yeeld a blind obedience to her new dictates And the same damnatorie sentence which shee darts against vs involues equally and alike all truely Catholique Christians in the world with whom in substance we fully consent Surely in this furious rashnesse and rigor there is nothing of that sweet vertue of Charity which e 1. Cor. 13 4. 5. 6. S. Paul describes by other properties quite contrary to these But this is the wont of factious Zelotes to hate and damne all that approue not their fantasies and this angry vnmercifull passion they call Zeale to the holy cause and that which is meere malice must passe for pure Charity So it fares with the Mistaker and his fellowes the Iesuiters They take it ill that we charge them with want of Charity when in their hopes and desires for blessed be God they can doe it no otherwise they barre vs out of Heauen It seemes they would haue vs patiently to receiue their bloudy sentence of damnation and though they pronounce it against vs without authority and without reason yet wee must beleeue it is not without Charitie But he much mistakes Charity and the Iesuites who can beleeue thē to be Charitable Nay he must be a stranger in Europe in the world who can beleeue it Their owne
Mystag Miss Muzarab in Bibl. P P. Colon Tom. 15. p. 787. Diâ—nys Eccl. Hier cap. 7. Church in her Liturgies remembred all those that slept in hope of the Resurrection of everlasting life and particularly the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors Bishops Fathers such as led a solitary life and all Saints beseeching God to giue vnto them rest and to bring them at the Resurrection to the place where the light of his countenance should shine vpon them for evermore Signifying by this Memorial their faith as t Vbi supra St Epiphanius hath it that the departed are aliue and subsisting with the Lord and their hope of them as of those that bee from home in another country and that at length they shall attaine the state which is more perfect Some particular Doctors had in these matters particular opinions which must be severed from the generall sentiment and customes of the Church which to this day are conserved in the Greeke u Vide Marci Ephesii Episc Epist encyclicam Churches notwithstanding the pretended Vnion in this and other points at the late Councell of Florence This ancient observation of the Church we condemne not Wee say prayers are to be made for all that are departed in the true faith of Christ that is first Thanksgiuing that they are deliuered from the body of death and miseries of this sinfull world Secondly Requests of Gods mercy that they may haue their perfect consummation in body and soule in the kingdome of God at the last iudgement The Roman writers vtterly condemne the former doctrine and practise of Antiquity z Azor. Instit moral tom 1. c. 20. lib. 8. See of this matter the learned Primate of Armagh in his defence against the Iespite One of them feares not to censure it as absurd and impious By this the Mistaker may feele his errour and see that it is not the Protestants but his owne Doctors that agree with the old Heretique Aerius The vnity of the Church is nothing hindred by diversity of opinions in doubtfull matters It is a great vanity to hope or expect that all learned men in this life should absolutely consent in all the pieces and particles of divine truth The light whereby wee see in this state of mortality is very feeble and very different in regard of the good spirits illumination the capacities of men and their diligences in study prayer and other meanes of knowledge So long as the a Iud. 3. faith once deliuered to the Saints is earnestly contended for and kept entire that is the b Tit. 1. 4. common faith of Christians containing all Catholique and necessary verities so long as men c Phil. 3. 15. 16. walke according to this rule charitably though in other things they be otherwise minded the Church is but one her vnity no way violated For this vnity consists in the vnity of faith not of opinions and in an vnion of mens hearts and affections by true Charity which will easily compound or tolerate all vnnecessary differences Factious and fiery Spirits kindle and fly asunder on small occasions but among wise men each discord in Religion dissolues not the vnity of faith or Charity Points of Religion are well distinguished by d Aqu. 22. q. 2. art 56 q. 29. art 3. ad 2. Thomas and e Staplet dupl lib. 1. c. 12. n. 3. Rel. c. 1. qu. 3. art 6. notab 1. 2. Licet vtile est de rebus difficilibus in Ecclesia aliter atque aliter disputare nec hoc vnitatem violat sed veritatem illustrat Stapleton Some say they are primitiue Articles of the substance of Religion essentiall in the obiect of faith dissention in these is pernicious and destroyes vnity Others are secondary probable accidentall or obscure points wherein the oppositions and disputations of learned men proceeding modestly are tolerable and sometime profitable for finding out the truth Vnity in these matters is very contingent and variable in the Church now greater now lesser never absolute in all particles of truth And therefore those ancient Worthies the Fathers of the Church as they were most zealous to defend even with their blood to the least iot or title the rule of faith as they called it or the Creed of Christians or as the Scripture calls it the f 2. Tim. 1 13. forme of wholesome words the g Heb. 6. 1. 5. 12. Principles of the oracles of God or of the doctrine of Christ so againe they were most charitable to allow in other things beside or without the faith a great latitude and liberty As in a musicall consort a discord now and then so it bee in the descant and depart no tfrom the ground sweetens the harmony So the variety of opinions or of h Firmilianus ap Cypr. epist 7 5. num 5. August ep 86 Socrat. Hist lib. 5. cap. 21. rites in partes of the Church doth rather commend then prejudice the vnity of the whole Indeed in the multitude of opinions there is but one truth but among sundry truths there is but one necessary to salvation that wherein the holy Scriptures as the Apostle saith are able to make vs wise by 2 Tim. 3. 15. the faith in Christ Iesus The keeper of this truth and of the Scriptures in which it is treasured is the Church not of one City but the Catholique Church that is the fellowship of Saints dispersed through the whole World And it is not in deepe or difficult questions but in this necessary faith or truth wherein the Fathers alleadged by the Mistaker justly require an exact and perfect vnity among Catholique Christians To be ignorant of this faith or to erre in it though vnwarily is dangerous but to corrupt or contradict any part of it though but in a word or syllable of moment is damnable The difference betweene the Arrians and the Catholiques was but in one letter the least in the Alphabet yet never was the Church troubled with a more pernicious heresy And many times the addition or alteration of one word or two in the confession of faith had reconciled the Eunomians Photinians Sabellians Macedonians c. with the Catholiques But in this case for the Catholiques to yeeld in a word or syllable had beene to yeeld their cause and to betray the truth Therefore worthily and truly said k Basil 〈◊〉 apud Theodoret Hist l. 4. c. 17. S. Basil to the officer of Valens the Arrian Emperour not a syllable of divine doctrine must be betrayed For though Faith be sound in other respects yet one word saith l Naz. Tract de fide S. Greg. Nazianzen as truly like a drop of poison may taint and corrupt it and as m Hier. Apol 3. adv Ruff. cap. 7. S. Hierome for such a word contrary to this faith are Heretiques justly cast out of the Church But though faith be kept entire yet if Charity be wanting the vnity of the Church is
but a man before distempered after sound and healthy In the prime grounds or principles of Christian Religion wee haue not forsaken the Church of Rome wee leaue her onely in her intolerable errors and abuses Shee hath mingled with Gods Bread her owne sowre leauen and with good milke some drammes of poison We haue cast out onely this poison and leauen and feed Gods people with the true bread of life and the sincere milk of his word Where the late Popes wander in by-paths we leaue them that wee may more safely walke with the old good Bishops of Rome in the old and good way And in the issue that which distinguishes a true Papist from a true Protestant is no more but this the former will needs be a Romane the latter only a Catholique The difference at this day betweene the Reformed part of the Westerne Church and the Romane consists in certaine points which they of Rome hold for important and necessary articles of the Christian faith which the Protestants cannot beleeue or receiue for such Whereas contrarily the things which the Protestants beleeue on their part and wherein they b Voiez Vray vsage des Peres par Iean Daillé Ch. 1. iudge the life and substance of Religion to be comprized are most if not all of them so evidently and indisputably true that their Adversaries themselues doe avow and receiue them as well as they For they are verities cleerely founded vpon Scripture expressely acknowledged by all Ancient Councells and Doctors of the Catholique Church summarily deliuered in their Symboles or Creeds vnanimously receaued by the most part of Christians that haue ever beene in the world Such are the verities which make vp the faith of Protestants and which are c Semper vbique ab omnibus credita Lirin properly Catholique hauing carried the consent of all ages and Parts of the Church vniversall And if all other Christians could be content to keepe within these generall bounds d Erasm Epist ded ad Arch. Warhamum Praefat. 2. Tomo Epift. S. Hieron speaking of the Apostles Creed faith Nunquam suit sincer or castiorque Christiana fides quà m cùm vnoillo eoque breuissiino Symbolo contentus esset Orbis Vide eundem in Praefat. ad Hilar. in Paracles ad Lector ante Edit N. T. an 1519. Bafil the wofull Schismes and ruptures of Christendome worthy to be lamented with teares of bloud might the more easily bee healed and all the Disciples of the Prince of peace blessedly vnited in an holy linke of Faith and Charity of Loue and Communion The piety and wisdome of Antiquity did thinke fittest to walke in this latitude and cleerely rested satisfied with the simplicity of such a Catholique confession But no bounds of reason could ever limit the vnbounded extravagancies and excesses of the Court of Rome That body of faith which the Ancients thought complete enough to them seemes defectiue Therefore they haue adjoyned to that old Body many new Articles And to those twelue which the Apostles in their Creed esteemed a sufficient summary of wholsome doctrine they haue added many more in their new Romane Creed Such are for instance their Apocryphall Scriptures and vnwritten dogmaticall Traditions their Transubstantiation and dry Communion their Purgatory Invocation of Saints Worship of Images Latine Service traffique of Indulgences and shortly all the other new Doctrines and Decrees canonized in their late Synod of Trent These and the like very vaine imaginations our Mistaker calls the prime and maine points of Christian Religion Let him but change Christian Religion as his faction hath done into the Romane faith and he saies true hee is not mistaken Vpon these and the like new Articles is all the contestation betweene the Romanists and Protestants while they are obtruded on the one side as vndoubted verities and on the other side reiected as humane inventions cunningly devised to advance ambition and avarice without any solid ground or countenance of Scripture Reason or Antiquitie The most necessary and fundamentall truths which constitute a Church are on both sides vnquestioned and for that reason e Iunius lib. de Eccl. cap. 17. Falluntur qui Ecclesiam negant quia Papatus in eâ est D. Rain Thes 5. negat tantùm esse Catholicam vel sanum ejus membrum See the iudgment of many other of our writers in the Advertisement annexed to the Old Religion by the Reverend Bishop of Exeter The very Anabaptists grant it Fr. Johnson in his Christian plea pag. 123. learned Protestants yeeld them the name and substance of a Christian Church though extreamely f August de Donatistis Nonideo se putent sanos quia dicimus eos habere aliquid sanum De Bapt. contra Donat. lib. 1. cap. 8. defiled with horrible errors and corruptions And if they had fairely propounded their new opinions to bee discussed by the learned with reservation of liberty in iudgement conscience to themselues and others they had erred much more tolerably and much lesse disturbed the peace of the Church But they are farre from this modesty and moderation With vnsufferable tyranny the prevailing faction amongst them presses them vpon all Christians as matters of faith not only of opinion not as disputable problemes but as necessary truths hauing both canonized them in their Councell of Trent with a curse against all gaine-sayers and put them in their Creed by Pope Pius the fourth who hath obliged the whole Clergy of Rome to affirme that Creed by their subscription and solemne oath obliging also all Christians to beleeue it vnder paine of damnation In the latter ages before the Reformation though the Court of Rome by cunning and violence had subdued many noble parts of Christendome vnder her yoake yet the servitude of the Church and her misery was somewhat more supportable because these base and pernicious adjections were not yet the publique decisions or tenets of any Church but only the private conceits of the domineering faction Yet still the best learned and g Notissimae sunt querelae Bernardi Occhami Marsilis Clemangis Alvari Gersonis c. de corrupto Ecclesiae statu vide Espenc in Tit. 1. Digress â— conscientious of Europe called as loud as they could or durst for a Reformation Rome heard their complaints and h Adrian 6. PP Instruct pro Franc Cheregato in Fascic ror exper pag. 173. Sciâ—nus in hac sanctá sede aliquot jam annis multa abominanda fuisse abusus in spiritualibus excessus in mandatis omnia denique in perversum mutata Nec miâ—um si aegritudo à capite in membra à summis Pontificibus in alios iuferiores Praelatos descenderit Omnes nos id est Praelati Ecclesiastici declinavimus vnusquisque in vias suns nec fuit iam diu qui faceret-bonum non fuit vsque ad vnum Subiecimus colla summae dignitati ad deformatam eius sponsam Ecclesiam Catholicam reformandam c. Staplet Relect. Contr. 1. q. 5.
Catholique Church is spread and diffused over the Earth among all Nations and may not be inclosed within any one or other society or communion of men whatsoever Wherein he doth as clearely oppose our Romanists who inclose all Catholiques and Christians within the Popes communion as he did the ancient Donatists It is not then resisting the voice or definitue sentence of the Church which makes an Heretique but an obstinate standing out against evident Scripture sufficiently cleared vnto him And the Scripture may then be said to be sufficiently cleared when it is so opened that a good and teachable minde louing and seeking truth cannot gainsay it For some froward and obstinate persons will not bee convicted by any evidence of truth whatsoever And if the authority of a Councell or of some Church doe interpose in this conviction the obstinacy of Gainsayers is the greater because there is the greater reason to perswade them And if any Church doe vpon such conviction excommunicate or condemne any refractary Gainsayer hee standeth guilty of obstinacy and so of Heresy in foro exteriori and for such is to be reputed by the members of the same Church But it is possible such a sentence may bee erronious either because the opinion condemned is no Heresy or error against the Faith in it selfe considered or because the party so condemned is not sufficiently convinced in his vnderstanding not clouded with prejudice ambition vaineglory or the like passion that it is an errour As these Donatists so the Novatians also were Schismatiques for disobeying the publique determination of the Catholique Church in the same Generall Councell of Nice In the first Ages before that Councell the Church was very rigorous in her Discipline Shee vtterly refused as wee haue before observed to admit vnto her Peace and communion f Vide Canones Concil Eliberini Tertull. de pudic Cypr. Epist ad Antonian passim some kindes of sinnners as Idolaters Apostates Murtherers Adulrers and the like though they had done many yeares penance and though they were in their last extremity thinking fit to leaue them to the mercy of God alone and to make their peace with him by inward repentance Afterwards Shee saw it convenient to bee more mild and mercifull in her censures and accordingly declared her selfe in the Great g Nic. Concil Can. 11. 12. 13. 14. Councell allowing to all sinners the hope and comfort of her absolution when they had made her satisfaction by their humility and penance according to her Canons The h Albaspin Sacr. Observ lib. 2. cap. 21. Novatians stubbornely opposed this publike resolution pretending that the judgement and practise of former Agesought not to be altered that this releasing of severe Discipline would open a gap to vice and licentiousnesse that the Church had no power to reconcile or receiue into her society such enormious Sinners though penitent that if she did she was polluted by their communion And vpon these pretences they breake out into a formall Schisme and separation Before the Nicene Councell many good Catholique Bishops were of the same opinion with the Donatists that the Baptisme of Heretiques was ineffectuall and with the Novatians that the Church ought not to absolue some grievous Sinners These errours therefore if they had gone no farther were not in themselues Hereticall especially in the proper and most heavy or bitter sense of that word neither was it in the Churches intention or in her power to make them such by her Declaration Her intention was to silence all disputes and to settle peace and vnity in her governement to which all wise and peaceable men submitted whatsoever their opinion was And those factious people for their vnreasonable and vncharitable opposition were very justly branded for Schismatiques Now for vs the Mistaker nor his Masters will never proue that wee oppose either any Declaration of the Catholique Church or any fundamentall or other truth of Scripture and therefore he doth vniustly charge vs either with Schisme or Heresy Charity mistaken Chap. 6. AGaine the onely right ground and true infallible motiue of faith by which it is produced and on which it relyes is the revelation of God and the proposition of his Church He therefore who beleeues not every particular Article of Catholique doctrine which is revealed and propounded by Almighty God and his Church which Church is absolutely infallible in all her proposalls doth not assent to any one even of those which he beleeues by true faith because he assents not upon the onely true and infallible motiue An assent not grounded on this is no supernaturall divine faith but an humane persuasion or suspicion or opinion And such is the beleefe or faith of Turkes Iewes Moores and all Heretiques and particularly of the Protestants Answer Sect. 5. DIvine revelation the principall motiue last object into which faith supernaturall is resolved The testimony ministery of the Church is of great use for the begetting of faith But the Church hath not an authority unlimited and absolutely infallible in all her doctrines as some Romanists pretend Others of them reasonably and fairely limit the Churches infallibility The Church Vniversall infallible in fundamentall doctrines Not so in points of lesser moment The Mistaker cannot say what he meanes by the Church where of he sayes so much Of the Church represented in generall Councells of which we speak and thinke more honorably then doe our Adversaries Yet we thinke them not absolutely infallible Of the Pope whom they call the Church virtuall How his flatterers speak of his authoritie No Roman Catholique can be assured of his infallibilitie which is at the most and best but problematicall by their owne principles Answer FAith is said to be divine and supernaturall I in regard of the author or efficient cause of the habit and act of divine infused faith which is the speciall grace of God preparing inabling and assisting the soule to beleive For a 1 Cor. 12. 3. 4. faith is the gift of God alone 2. In regard of the object or things beleeved which are b Phil. 1. 29. c. aboue the reach and comprehension of meere nature or reason 3. In regard of the formall reason or principall ground on which faith chiefly relies into which it is finally resolved which is divine revelation or the authority of God who is the first truth If it faile in any of these it is no divine or supernaturall faith Of the two first respects there is no controversie For the 3d that the formall object or reason of faith the chiefe motiue the first and farthest principle into which it resolues is onely divine revelation is a truth denied by some of the c Scotus Durand Gabriel apud Can. loc lib. 2. cap. 8. Schoole indeed some other d Vide passim apud Eckium Pighium Hosium Turrianum Costerum nequiter contumeliosè dicta in S. Scripturas unwise and unwary writers against Luther but yet
And if the Canons of Councells be divinely inspired then they must be admitted into the Code of holy Scriptures as of equall authoritie with them which though h Vide Can. loco lib. 5. c. 5. qu. 3. some grosser Papists admit yet the i Bell. de Concil lib. 2. c. 12. wisest dislike and deny Upon these or the like grounds Bellarmin leaves his companion Stapleton to walke alone in this dangerous path and avowes to the contrarie k Ibid. §. Dicuntur igitur that Councells neither have nor write immediate revelations Yet may some decrees of Councells in regard of their matter and consonancy to Scripture be of divine and infallible truth as those of the first Councells against Arrius Macedonius and the rest If in other things of lesser moment or in any thing they erre or mistake the Universall Church hath meanes of remedie either by antiquating those errors with a generall and tacite consent or by representing her selfe againe in an other Generall Councell which may review and correct the defects of the former as the great Councell of Chalcedon did with the second of Ephesus So sayes l De Baptis contr Donat. lib. 2. cap. 3. S. Augustine Provinciall Councells may be corrected by plenarie and plenarie Councells the former by the latter But still all examined by Scripture and submitted to it as the same Father m Aug. ad Donat post Collat. ca. 15. Item l. 3. contr Maxim de unit Eccl. cap. 18. 19. constantly teaches But if our Mistaker will be ingenuous and speake out he will confesse that he meanes by his infallible Church onely the Church virtuall that is onely the Pope In whom alone all the vertue and power of the Church is eminently conteined by whom all Councells must be judged and all Controversies determined on whom the whole frame of the Romane Catholique faith depends and into whom it is lastly resolved For this is the new Catholique doctrine of his new Masters especially of the Fathers of hiâ— society who teach with great consent that n Bell. lib. 4. de Rom. P. c. 3. §. Secundò probatur Quilibet Successor Petri est petra fundamentum Ecclesiae every Successor of S. Peter is thâ— rocke and foundation of the Church thaâ— o Skulkenius Apol. pro Bell. cap. 6 pag. 255. Pontificia potestas est velut cardo fundamentum ut uno verbo omnia complectar summa fidei Christianae Vide Bell. Praef. in lib. de R. P. the Popes authority is the hinge foundation and in briefe the summe of Christian faith that p Gretser Defens cap. 10. lib. 3. 〈◊〉 verb. Dei pag. 1450 1451. per Ecclesiam intelligimus Pont. Romanuâ— Et per Ecclesiam Papam interpretantur Non abnuo Franc. Albeâ—â— Corollar Theolog. Tom 1. Corol. 4. punc 7. num 35. 36. Dico primo quòd praeter veritatem primam revelantem est in universo aliquâ— regula infallibilis animata rationalis qualis est Ecclesia Quò◠autem haec regula animata rationalis sit summus Pont. Romanus nâ—â— est hîc locus proprius probandi sed inter recentiores videndus Valent. 22. q. 1. Card. Bell. Medina-Dico secundo stante hâc regulâ rationâ—â—â— infallibili omnes Articuli fidei ultimatè resolvuntur in ipsam tanquâ—â— in rationem formalem quâ in proponendo by the Church is understood the Pope in q Greg. de Valentiâ— Anal. fid lib. 8. cap. 7. §. Porrò Authoritas quae in uno Pontifice reâ—det authoritas dicitur Ecclesiae Conciliorum whom alone resides all the authority of the Church and oâ— Councells that r Bell. l. 4 de Roâ— P. cap. 3. §. At contra Apparet totam firmitatem Conciliorum esseâ— Pontifice non partim à Pontifice partim à Concilio vide Long. à Coriâ— in Sum. Concil praelud 6. the strength of all Councells depends upon him alone that s Gretser defens cap. 1. lib. 1. de verâ— Dei p. 16. Id solum pro verbo Dei veneramur ac suscipimus quod noâ—â—â— Pontifex ex Cathedra Petri tanquam supremus Christianorum Magâ—ster ac omnium Controversiarum Judex definiendo proponit he iâ— the supreme Master of Christians and judge of all Controversies and whatsoever â—e propounds out of his chaire and that â—nely must be received as the word of God that his judgment is so absolutely infalâ—ible t Valent. Anal. fid lib. 8. cap. 3. ad 6. object sive Pontifex in definiendo studium adhibeat sive non adhibeat modò tamen controversiam definiat infallibiliter certè definiet that whether he be carefull or negligent in his definitions it matters not let him but define and without doubt he defines infallibly that u Jesuitae in Regulis Patavii inter schedas relictis An. 1606. quum illinc ob interdictum discederent reg 13. Apud Paulum Soarpium Theologum Venerum in Histor Interd lib. 2. if he who is the Hierâ—rchicall Church define that to be white which the eye judges to be blacke it must be so admitted that w Bell. de R. P. lib. 4. cap. 5. §. Quod autem Si Papa erraret precipiendo vitia vel prohibédo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiam peccare if he should erre and command the practise of vice or forbid the exercise of vertue the Church were bound in conscience to beleive vices to be good and vertues to be bad This is plaine dealing Scriptures are obscure unlesse the Pope interpret them All Fathers and Councells may erre unlesse the Pope confirme them The Church without him is a bodie without an head an house without a foundation Controversies cannot be decided but onely by his definition and in that there can be no error nor any appeale from it But this being so these men deale not plainly with us when they pretend often in their dispuâ—ations against us Scriptures and Fathers and Councells and the Church since in the issue their finall and infallible argument for their faith is onely the Popes authority But infallibly there is nothing in Scripture which favours this infallibility unlesse the Pope may be admitted to expound it which he will do infallibly for his owne advantage And as little in reason or in Antiquity The Ancient Church was very carefull to conserve the puritie of the faith against heresies Some x Tertullian Vinc Lirin Fathers have written purposely of the plea's or prescriptions which the Church hath against them and how Catholique doctrine may be discerned and maintained to wit by authority of Scripture and tradition of the Catholique Church If they had beleived the Bishop of Rome to be the infallible Judge surely without more a doe they had appealed all Heretiques to his Tribunall And what needed the Christian Emperours anciently and sometime at the request of the Bishops of Rome themselves to
in Religion Now he pretends there is great Unitie in doctrine among his Roman Catholiques With little reason and with as little ingenuitie For certainly if in this point we be not innocent they are much more guilty The truth is that old complaint of Optatus fits our times better then his a Lib. 5. Omnes contentiosi homines sumus there is but too much quarrelling on all sides which exposes our holy faith to the scorne of Infidells and ill beseemes them that pretend as we doe all to serve and follow the Prince of peace But sure the Romanists are not in case to fasten this reproach on us since it will reflect more strongly on themselues who have many more and more weighty Controversies among their owne Doctors then those of ours For our dissensions I have already said enough if not to justifie yet to excuse them To which I now adde by way of just recrimination that they are both for their number and in their nature of farre lesse importance then the dissensions in his Romane Church But our Mistaker answers in the behalfe of his jarring Doctors two things 1. that they differ onely in some schoole-questions of opinion not in matters of faith 2. that they dissent in iudgement onely without breach of charitie But in both the parts of this answer I shall briefly let him see that he is Mistaken His first plea is a very true and reasonable Apologie for our Reformed Churches but not so for his Romane Our controversies are none of them in the substance of faith but onely in disputable opinions not cleerly defined in Scripture wherein learned and charitable men do each one abound in his ow◠sence still keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace The summe of our faith is the same which we have received from the Apostles We have no◠added any new Articles to the Creed nor do we differ about any of the old ones But they of b Bulla Pii 4. post Concil Trident. Rome have inlarged the Creed of Christians one moity and will needs have the world to beleive many things as points of faith which at the best are but doubtfull opinions among all which there is hardly one wherein themselves do fully agree The c The new title of Cardinalls by the decre of Pope Urban Jun. 10. 1630. See it in the French Merc. Tome 16. pag. 592. most eminent Cardinall Bellarmine in his Controversies against us hath fairly confessed as hath been formerly noted that each opinion almost is controverted amongst themselves A d Contradictiones DD. Rom. Eccl. ex Rob. Bellarmino Autore Joan Pappo Argentorati Ann. 1597. Vide etiam Matthiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sectis controversiis religionis Papisticae Basil 1565. German Doctor hath collected out of Him their contradictions and set them down in his owne words to the number of 237. and withall a Catalogue of such Romane Writers as Bellarmine himselfe hath contradicted and confuted which contains the most part of Writers in his owne Church famous for learning in later ages Ioannes de Radae hath filled two grosse volumes with the contentions of the Thomists and Scotists And the Dominicans and Iesuites have filled libraries with their quarrells in the matter of Grace and Freewill wherein either side pretends the definition of the Trent Councell for their contrarie opinions It seemes that Councell like the Devill in the old Oracles hath deluded them both with ambiguous sentences Or if the definition be cleare one of the Factions doth obstinately contradict it Why doth not his Holinesse all this while interpose and give out his infallible judgment in the questions If he will not he wants charity towards his owne children if he cannot how is he the infallible Iudge Or is it rather his wary wisedome not hastily to decide Controversies wherein witty and learned men on both sides are engaged * As Widdrington and his followers have done See Widdringtons Purgation against the Popes Decree wherein he was condemned for an Heretique and no child of the Church lest in stead of changing their opinions they should fall to challenge not onely the infallibility but which were more dangerous the authority of their Iudge and in stead of reforming their owne judgement despise his The most capitall point of all others in their new Creed is that of the Popes authority and that obedience which he challenges in spirituall and temporall matters yet of all others they are most at discord among themselves about this point The old doubts are not yet resolved whether he be under or above a Generall Councell and whether he may erre in his definitive sentence some advance him with priviledges above the condition of men Others thinke more soberly of his power and are bold to resist him when they see him abuse it In the Trent Councel the Spanish Bishops stood stoutly for the independency of Episcopall authority and strongly maintained residence to be de jure divino being overborne onely with most voices by the Italian faction The Divines of Venice in the late quarrells of pope Paule the 5. against that State neglected the Popes Interdict so that he was fain with shame enough to revoke his Censures e Voiez la Declaration de l' Assemblee Generale du Clergé de France An. 1625. Very lately the Bishops of France have brought the Regulars of that Kingdome under their jurisdiction notwithstanding their exemptions by the Pope And whereas his Flatterers tell him that he hath either directly as f Carerius Bosius c. some say or indirectly as g Bell. c. others to the same purpose a Tempor all Monarchy over all the earth that all Princes are his vassals and may be deposed when he thinkes fitt that he may dispense with subjects for their oath of Allegeance and license them to take armes against their Soveraignes Many good Catholiques detest these damnable doctrines and have h Barclay Withrington The Divines of Venice confuted them as tending to bring ruine and confusion on all states and in France the seditious bookes of Mariana Bellarmine Becanus Suarez Santarellus and such like containing these horrible Maximes of the Society have been cast into the fire by the hand of the publique Hangman But among their discords there is none more memorable or of greater consequence then that of the two Popes Sixtus 5. and Clement 8. about their vulgar See Dr James his Bellum Papale and Cortuptions of the Fathers part 3. Latin Bibles When the Councell of Trent declared that Translation only to be authenticall there were abroad in the World above 60. severall Editions of it each differing from other Which Sixtus taking into consideration with great diligence and advise of many Cardinals he compared the Copies and out of them all published one which he straitly commanded to be received as the onely true Vulgar by a solemne Bull abolishing all others which did not exactly ad verbum and ad
Hallier and Aurelius in two severall Volumes By them the Author of the Sponge is accused of q Idem Aurelius in libri sui titulo Hallier in Admon ad Lect. p 8. 9. 16. 24. lying ignorance and heresie of prophane scurrilitie of blasphemy and impiety of furious filthy and devillish rayling of unsufferable arrogance c. It were easy to note * The like may be seene in Bzovius and Cavellus their Abbetters about Scotus and Thomas See also Harwartus Chanceler of Bavaria his booke against Bzovius in defence of Lewis of Bavaria against the base lying slanders aspersions cast upon that Emp. by Bzovius more such examples of this Roman Charity if it were worth the while to looke after them The Protestants may well comfort themselves when they suffer under these sharpe tongues which so cruelly lash one another Now further that the Unity of Faith is not impeached nor any discord in Religion induced betweene learned men the ignorant vulgar people although they differ much in the measure of their knowledge and in the manner of their assent to divine verities it will be easily yeelded to the Mistaker And I do not thinke any learned Protestant will denie the great use of that distinction which hath ground in reason and nature betweene explicite and implicite faith for which he contends if it be rightly interpreted and all faith of what kind soever directed upon the proper Object which is holy Scripture and not the Church The best advised of his owne Catholique r Bannes in 2. 2. q. 2. art 8. §. Ultima sententia Tolet. Instruct Sacerd. lib. 4. c. 2. n. 9. ibi Victorellus annot ult Aquin. 2. 2. q. 2. Art 5. in Corp. Divines yeeld that there are some points necessary to be knowne of all sorts necessitate medii in which points implicite faith doth not suffice but expresse particular knowledge is to be joyned to the assent of faith in all them that will be saved This granted we will yeeld that in other s espencaeus in 2. Tim. c. 3. dig 17. p. 119. edit Paris 1564. Alia certè credibilia implicitè in animi praeparatione credant populares quatenus parati sunt credere quicquid Scriptura continet explicitè credituri quum quid eis constiterit in fidei doctrina tradi contineri in secundariis inquam credendis sive in iis quae fidei objecta per accidens vocantur In subtilibus item considerationibus In istis fides simplicium velata atque implicita valeat sufficiátque In iis autem quae fidei per se sunt objecta per quae nimirum homines justi beatÃque fiunt quales sunt superbenedictae Trinitatis incarnation isque Dominicae articuli definitâ opus est adultis explicitâ fide nec sufficeret decantata hodie per Catholicos carbonarii fides matters of great difficulty and not of such absolute necessity a generall infolded or virtuall beleife may suffice to some persons who either want capacity or meanes of better instruction so as they diligently and conscionaby endevour to encrease their knowledge not affecting ignorance and withall carry an humble preparation of mind to beleive distinctly and particularly any truth when it is cleered unto them out of the word of God In this case that of S. Augustin t Contra Epist Fundam cap. 4. is most true not the vivacity or quicknesse of understanding but the simplicity of beleiving doth make the common sort of people most safe In some sence the faith of the best learned Clerkes in the world may truly be said to be an implicite faith For though the assent of faith be more certaine if it be possible then that of sence or science or demonstration because it rests on divine Authority which cannot possibly deceive yet is it also an assent inevident and obscure both in regard of the object which are things u Heb. 11. 1. that do not appeare and in respect of the subject the eye of faith in this state of mortality being dimme and apprehending heavenly things as through w 1. Cor. 13. 12. a glasse darkly Our faith is not yet x 2. Cor. 5. 7. 1. Pet. 1. 8. sight or vision till we be in our heavenly Country And therefore though any faithfull man may apprehend the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the revelation of God in Scripture that the Mysteries of our Religion the Trinity the Hypostaticall union and the like are divine and true yet no faithfull man can fully comprehend the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reason or manner how these Mysteries are true Here y Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 1. proaem Sancti Apostoli fidem Christi praedicantes quae cunque necessaria omnibus credentibus crediderunt manifestissimè tradiderunt rationem assertionum relinquentes inquitendam De aliis dixerunt quidem quia sint quomodo autem aut undè sint siluerunt Cyrill Hieros Catech. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret. de provid lib. 10. sub fin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith for beares all curious and bold inquisitions and requires not any distinct knowledge but sits downe involved in an humble and devout ignorance leaving these secrets only to God The things which we dislike in the doctrine of implicite faith as it is delivered by some Roman D Drs are specially two 1. They teach that implicite faith alone and of it selfe may suffice to salvation without any distinct knowledge or explicite faith of any Article in the Creed This is the doctrine of many a Parisiensis Altisiodorensis Summa Rosella fi fides adhibenda fit BanniÌ„ in 2. 2. qu. 2. A. 8. §. Secundâ sententiâ Richardus Mediavill Soto Vega apud Lorin in Act. 10. 2. learned Writers in the Church of Rome if others do them no wrong who hold that it is not necessary to beleive any Article of the faith expressely no not in this time of grace after the cleere publication of the Gospell but that it is enough to beleive all which the Church beleeves So as if a man be demanded whether Christ were borne of a virgine or whether God be one and three in Persons he may answere I cannot tell but I beleive all that the Church beleives and this faith may justifie and save him The modell of this faith is that confession of the Catholique Collier so much memorated and applauded by b Hofius Pighius Staphylus and his Translator Stapleton them as a very good faith and the safest way of beleiveing yea more safe then the meditation and exercise of the Scripture 2. They make this implicite faith to rest it selfe not on the Scripture the onely foundation and rule of faith but on the Church still meaning by the Church not the Church Catholique or any sound member of it but onely the Church of Rome that is the Pope assisted with some few of his Cardinalls and Prelats Wherein the Church of Rome manifestly aimes
troisiesme iour le sens de ces mots il est assis à la dextre de son Pere il ne scroit damné pour cela Le simple se peut sauuer auec moindre cognoissance que celuy qui ne peut estre tenu pour tel C'est assez au simple de voir comme nous anons dit vne cognoissance du Symbole suffisante pour la diriger ◠sa derniere fin Au lieu que le Curé le Prelat qui ont charge d'instruite les autres sontobligez desçauoir distinctement tous les Articles du Symbole qui plus est de le pouuoir expliquer au peuple Learned judge may suffice For conclusion of this discourse concerning Fundamentalls I will propound to the consideration and censure of the judicious these thoughts following It seemes fundamentall to the faith and for the salvation of every member of the Church that he acknowledge beleeue all such points of faith as wherof he may be sufficiently convinced that they belong to the doctrine of Jesus Christ For he that being sufficiently convinced doth oppose is obstinate an Heretique and finally such a one as excludes himselfe out of heaven whereinto no wilfull sinner can enter Now that a man may be sufficiently convinced there are three things required 1. Cleare revelation 2. Sufficient proposition 3. Capacity and understanding to apprehend what is reveiled and propounded 1 Revelation from God is required for we are not bound to beleeue any thing as Gods word which God hath not declared to be his word and that in such cleare manner as may convince a reasonable man that it is from God For want of this not onely the Church before Christ but even Christs owne Disciples are excused from being guilty of any damnable errour though they beleeved not the death resurrection or ascension of our Lord as it is plaine they did not Marc. 16. 11. 13. Luk. 24. 11. Ioh. 20. 9. Marc. 9. 10. But now that these things are so clearely reveiled in Scripture he were no Christian that should deny them 2. Sufficient proposition of reveiled truths is required before a man can be convinced For if they be not propounded to me in respect of me it is all one as if they were not reveiled This proposition includeth 2 things 1. that the points be perspicuously laid open in themselves for want of this Apollos beleeved not some points of the faith till he was further informed Acts 18. 25. 2. that the said points be so fully and forcibly laid open as may serve to remove reasonable doubts to the contrary and to satisfie a teachable minde against the principles in which he hath beene bred to the contrary For want of this the Apostles believed not the resurrection when yet they were plainely told of it See Luke 9. 44. 45. and Mar. 9. 10. compared with Marc. 8. 31. 32. Note here 1 This proposition of reveiled truths is not as the Mistaker saith by the infallible determination of Pope or Church but by whatsoever meanes a man may be convinced in conscience of divine revelation If a Preacher doe cleare any point of faith to his Hearers if a private Christian doe make it appeare to his neighbour that any conclusion or point of faith is delivered by divine revelation of Gods word if a man himselfe without any other teacher by reading the Scriptures or hearing them read be convinced of the truth of any such conclusion this is a sufficient proposition to prove him that gain sayeth any such truth to be an Heretique and obstinate opposer of the faith Such a one may be truly said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned by his owne conscience v. g. He that should read in Scriptures Now is Christ risen from the dead 1. Cor. 15. 20. or The word was made flesh Ioh. 1. and yet should deny Christs Resurrection or Incarnation he were an Heretique without any determination or sentence of the Church And such Heretiques there were many in the Primitiue Church fore any Councell was celebrated and long before any Pope pretended to Infallibility 2 Note A man may be truly thought thus convicted not onely when his Conscience doth expressely beare witnesse to the truth but when virtually it doth so and would expressely doe it if it were not choked or blinded by some unruly and unmortified lust in the will For if a man make himselfe a slave to ambition covetousnesse vaineglory prejudice c. these untamed passions will not onely draw the man to professe what he thinketh not but to thinke what he would dis-avow if in synceritie he sought the truth And in this case the difference is not great betweene him that is wilfully blinde 24. qu. 3. §. 28. Haereticus est and him that knowingly gainsayeth the truth 3 Note A man may be sufficiently convinced either in foro exteriori or in foro interiori In the former he is convinced who by an orderly proceeding of the Church is censured and condemned and such a one ad omnem effectum juris and in the esteeme of the said Church is to be reputed an heretique though perhaps the Censure be erroneous He that is convicted in the later kinde is an Heretique before God though no authority of the Church have detected or proceeded against him And this conviction onely is necessary to prove one an Heretique excluded from Heaven 3. There is required capacity or ability of wit and reason to apprehend that which is cleerly revealed and sufficiently proposed For want of this not onely fooles and mad men are excused but those who are of weaker capacity or lesse knowledge may be excused from beleiving of those things which they cannot apprehend as the Apostles are by Christ Ioh. 16. 12. But where there is no such impediment as hath been said the revealed will or word of God is sufficiently propounded there he that opposeth is cōvinced of error he who is thus convinced is an Heretique and Heresie is a worke of the flesh which excludeth from heaven Gal. 5. 20. 21. And hence it followeth that it is fundamentall to a Christians faith and necessary for his salvation that he beleive all reveiled truths of God whereof he may be convinced that they are from God The cavills of the Mistaker against the Church of England and her Articles in this matter are easily answered When the Church of England had orderly reformed her selfe she was loudly accused by the Romane faction of Heresie and Schisme as it hath been in later ages the cunning custome of Rome to blast and disgrace all them that dared to oppose any of her corrupt opinions or usages Wherefore to cleare her innocency Shee published to the world a Declaration of her judgement in matters of Religion which we call her Confession Wherin her aime was not in any curious method to deliver a Systeme of Divinity but plainly without fraud or artifice to set downe first the positive