Church when it is compared to a Building when it is likened to a Man is termed the Head when resembled to a Tree stiled the Root It is called an Head because it maintaineth the members united unto it ceasing not to convey spirituall strength and life into them In the same sense it is named a Root because it spouteth a vitall Sap into all the Boughs and Sprigs ingrafted in it As therefore those are counted Fundamental Doctrines which are sufficiently effectuall and absolutely necessary to joyne Christians to their Foundation so may they also be called Capitâ—â—â— or Radicall Articles which being known and beleeved by any Members of the Mysticall Body they may be united to their Quickning Head and any of the Branches may rely upon that Roote of theirs which conveyeth Life unto them and stick fast to the same Moreover as every thing is not sitly called the Foundation which is usefully imployed about the building but only that which is so underlaid beneath the building that without it it cannot be supported but may stand strongly if coupled and conjoyned with it So all Doctrines profitable for the furthering of edification are not properly termed Fundamentall but only those which are so necessary to be known that without them there is no coupling of the building to the Foundation with them a saving conjunction may be had though somethings be wanting which are requisite to the perfecting of the Knowledge of a Christian Lastly 2 Tim. 3.16 let us acknowledge with the Apostle all Scripture to be profitable for Doctrine for Reproofe for Correction for Instruction of all Christians in Righteousnesse Godlinesse and Truth but we do not call all propositions founded in Scripture Fundamentall Doctrins because the nature of the thing and the propriety of the Metaphor doth forbid it The folly of Tanner in a like case was laughed at by all when in Conference at Ratisbone he feircely maintainedt hat whatsoever is affirmed in the Scripture is an Article of the Christian Faith as for example that Tobiah had a Dog But least we should stay longer than it is meet in handling the bare signification of words be this setled and resolved on that the names of Foundation and Fundamentall agree only to those things which in reference to what is founded on them are of absolute necessity and power to bring unto Salvation I find amongst Divines in this Sense a threefold acception of Foundation 1. Personall Foundation of the Church and this only one properly so called 2. Ministeriall Foundations of Churches so termed but not in the same Propriety of Language 3. Doctrinall Foundations justly so called as deserving that honorable stile not by the Opinion of a few Divines but the constant Judgment of the Catholique Church All the difference betwixt the Reformed Churches is about the two later yet can it not easily be composed Chap. 3 except we discourse of all three So much of thenotion and use of the words we come now to handle them severally in order CHAP. III. Of the only Personall Foundation of the Church Christ Jesus God and Man Mediator betwixt God and Men and of the true conjunction with him THE most wise God and most loving towards mankind was pleased to found a Church which should endure for ever and prevaile against the Gates of Hell Now such a Church could not be except it stood on a solid and eternall Foundation which might not be forced by any strength or foundred by Engines God therefore thought fit to lay no other Foundation than Jesus Christ the eternall Son of an eternal Father whom he sent into the World that every one which beleeveth on him might not dye but have everlasting life The prophets and Apostles witnesse with a joynt consent Him alone to be the Personall Foundation of the Church Psal 118.22 Esay 28.16 Act. 4.11 12. 1 Cor. 3.11 Hence David calleth Him the corner Stone Esaiah termeth Him a tryed Stone Precious and placed in the foundation of Zion This is the Stone set at nought by the Builders which is become the Head of the Corner neither is there Salvation in any other Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ. Now what hath been said of this one only Foundation ought also to be understood of the one only Head Husband Root of the Church and also of all other Metaphorical Titles which import the same dignity of Christ the Churches same dependancy on him For Christ God and man is the only quickning and saving Head of the Church from whom the whole Body is fitly joyned together and compacted Eph. 4.15 16. Ioh. 3.29 Hos 2.20 Fph. 5.26 He is the only Bridegrom of the Church who hath the Bride and hath espoused her to himself that he might Eternally preserve that is that he may sanctifie her in this World and present her glorious in that which is to come Lastly he is the heavenly root of the Church Col. 2.7 in whom whosoever are rooted spring up towards Heaven and shall continually flourish in Heaven This Personall prerogative is so properly invested in Christ God and man that it can agree to no other Heb. 2.11 Not to Angels because they want that conformity of Nature which ought to be betwixt the Foundation and things founded in it the Head and the Members joyned unto it the Husband and Wife coupled to him in lawfull marriage Not to a bare man because no mortall by reason of the corruption and weaknesse of humane Nature can possibly performe the office of a Foundation Head Spouse in upholding quickening and preserving of the Church Not to God himselfe considered alone in the dreadfull nature of his Divine Majestie For though we acknowledge God the founder of the Church we still want a Foundation to which we need not feare to approach draw neare to come and as it were to glue our selves But the Majesty of God considered in it selfe is not only a light not to be approached unto but also is a consuming fire and what mortall man can dwell with a devouring fire Heb. 12.29 Isa 33.14 We cannot therefore have in or under Heaven any other personall Foundation by the Mediation whereof we may be reconciled and united to God save only the Word Ioh. 1.14 Made Man full of Grace and Truth But to what purpose is this dispute about a matter so plaine and granted of all Protestants Namely that it may hence appeare that other Churches neither may nor ought to renounce brotherly Communion with those particular Churches which retaine a saving conjunction with this Foundation We wonder not that the Papists who besides Christ himself make another personall Foundation another Head another Husband of the Church cut and cast off all Churches though firmely and fastly sticking to Christ which cleave not to the Pope of Rome as to their Foundation Head Husband Nor care we for their false clamours whereby they think to affright the
which may be seen in the large prospect of the Scriptures are not to bee ranked with Fundamentals this is to be added in the third place that our Faith is so subject and tyed to the whole word of God that every one is bound to embrace every Truth which hee sees revealed in the holy Scriptures or duly derived from them For although out of the nature or matter of a Proposition we are not bound and obliged to beleeve and know it under the perill of losse of Eternall Life Yet notwithstanding because of the authority of the revealer so oft as it shall appeare unto us that such a proposition is revealed in Scripture we are bound not to refuse it For whatsoever he should pretend on the contrary who at his pleasure shall trample on a proposition which he understands to bee founded on the Scripture he is to be accounted one that gives not that beleefe which he ought to any proposition For Instance sake That Christ is God and Man is a plaine Fundamentall Article which if not at all beleeved we can neither beleeve in Christ himselfe nor so worship God as to be restored into his favour and admitted into his Kingdom But many things are expresly mentioned in Scripture of this Christ himselfe Incarnated which are not Fundamentall also many things may bee deduced from this Fundamentall Article Christ is God and Man which are not to be reckoned as Fundamentals If notwithstanding they be perceived and understood to bee placed in or duly deduced from the Scriptures hee contemnes God speaking in the Scriptures who beleeves not such Propositions But as often as it shall happen not out of the perversnesse of the Will but weaknesse of the Judgement that he being deceived with an Imagination Aug lib 4. ad Vinc. Vict. cap. ult that Truth and Piety are on his side shall affirme or deny any thing repugnant to the Scriptures even in those his Tenets which thorough his Ignorance are not Catholique his heart and mind notwithstanding is Catholique because it is prepared for amendment on better information Of such therefore we may rightly say Heb. 5.14 Rom. 14.1 that they have their Senses not so well exercised in heavenly matters that they are weak and children in Faith that they are not to be taken along with us to doubtfull Disputes but we cannot truly call them forraigners estranged from Christ Apostates from the Faith such as are to be separated from Brotherly Communion with the Godly However therefore let it be taken for granted that the Romish Prelats do not deny any Fundamentall point truly and properly so called hence notwithstanding it appeares that they both hurt the Unity of the Catholique Faith and hinder the Union of the Catholike Church For what Church soever shall patch their own uncertain opinions to the fundamentall Articles of the Christian Faith must needs mishape and deforme the body of the Catholique Faith by joyning to it so many members both useles and monstruous But as for those which use the same and inforce them on other Churches to be beleeved under the necessity of Salvation it manifestly appeares that they alone are guilty of the rents in the Catholique Church Herein the pride of the Romish Church swels so big that it leaves no room to receive the Truth but I hope that all Protestant Churches will at length consent in this to renew the Brotherly Communion betwixt them and not to thrust their private opinions on others That attempt of the Papists to shut out all from the Catholique Church and eternall Salvation which in all things give not their assent to the Creed of Trent ever seemed to me so desperate and foule that all the water of the Ocean powred upon Rome can not wash away the staintherof Wee desire that all which wee have spoken be understood of casting them off from Brotherly Communion who either out of obstinacy or ignorance contradict the Scriptures in any Principle of Catholique Faith which not at all being known we can neither have Union with Christ nor Adoption by him into the Son of God which not at all being beleeved we can neither rightly perform Gods worship nor from him obtaine Eternall Salvation Such things are neither denied nor unknown of any which challenge to themselves the name of Christians save only those 2 Cor. 4.3 4. in whom the God of this world hath blinded their mind lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them Moreover neither are the things which we have said so to be taken as if thereby leave and liberty were given to Christian people to set up their rest in fundamentals and to go no further in searching the Scriptures as if it were lawfull to sleight any Doctrine which we confesse not to be fundamentall 2 Tim. 3.16 Yea all Scripture given by Inspiration of God is prositable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnes We must therefore endeavour Col. 3.16 that the Word of God may dwell in us plentifully in all wisdome that we go on to perfection and not always make our abode only in Fundamentals In the words of Saint Augustine wee thus call upon all Christians Epist. 222. Let every one of you gaine to himselfe as much Knowledge of Faith as he can greater if he desires more lesse if lesse yet so that he gives not off from his journey till he attaine unto perfection Last of all I would not have these things which are spoken in generall of the doctrinall foundations of the Christian Faith to be so understood as if this care and duty did not lye upon Doctors and Pastors to instruct their people in every Doctrine of the Scripture wherby they may bee furthered and edifyed in Faith and Piety but that principally they urge and inculcate these Fundamentals as of principall moment to Salvation This was the judgement of Luther in his Preface to the greater Catechisme where he willingly confesseth himselfe to be a Scholar of the Catechisme Tom. 5. p. 645. Surely great is the unhappinesse of Christian people where by reason of the noyse and over much heat of controversies they have scarce leave or leasure to heare or thinke of the Fundamentall and saving Doctrin of the Scriptures and not at all to doe those deeds most necessarily required by Gods Commandements Now as concerning forreigne Churches I deny not but that other Churches may and ought to confute their errors although they contradict not the Foundations of the Christian Faith Nazian orat in S. Epiph. But let their Errours be confuted and not the Parties erring be traduced let the matter be handled by Arguments not by Outcries by Reasons not by Railing nor let them contend about Words when the divers sound of Syllables may be brought to Spell and make up the same Sense To shut up all in a word we must so dispute of all Points not Fundamentall with the Doctours of other
Church conceive the Roman may be hindered and broken off and yet by no default of ours as often as it shall demand and require that we should approve or exercise any Idolatrous Acts in the publike service of God or should command or compell us to acknowledge or receive any doctrines repugnant to Scriptures or Godly mens consciences Yet in the meane time that Church which is counted no whit sound or Orthodox is to be esteemed a visible Church of Christ and to be ranked amongst the particular Christian Churches Yea as much as lies in us wee are to afford to the same all offices of brotherly Charity although our Actuall and outward Communion with the same be neither suffered of them nor may be retained of us because of the false doctrine and superstitious worships prevailing in the same Now out of those things which we before have disputed concerning the difference of Fundamentall points from those which are not Fundamentall we will endeavour to shew that those things are not Fundamentall about which hitherto there hath been such strife with so great heate of mens minds betwixt Protestants Those points onely are to be owned for Fundamentall Reas 1 which being overthrown or not at all beleeved no congregation of men can worship God so as to obtaine from him Pardon Grace and Glory But no point controverted is of this nature Therefore not Fundamentall None will call our Major Proposition into question because it is cleere that those who start asunder from the very foundations of saving Faith are not capable of those benefits which are promised to the Faithfull alone As touching the Minor If any dare affirme that no hope of pardon Grace or Glory doth shine to them who are otherwise minded than the rest in these controverted Doctrines him I conceive to sin more against charity than any of the Protestant Churches sin against verity Yea I dare adde this if any converse or persisteth in this errour alone he more shakes the foundation of the Protestant Truth than those whom he rashly chargeth to have violated the foundation for other errours whatsoever in controversall Divinity Those Points Reas 2 whereabout Protestants contend were neither Preached to the whole world by the Apostles as all those things were which were absolutely necessary to be known and believed to the salvation of Christians neither were they for such recommended by the succeeding Churches universally to Christian People whatsoever therefore divers Churches diversly determined concerning the Truth of these opinion yet ought they all to agree in this That they ought not to be reckoned with the fundamental articles of the Christian Faith If any man can cast and contrive any head of controverted divinity betwixt Protestant Churches into a short and no whit doubted of Proposition and truly affirme thereof This Proposition was maintained by the Apostles was received of the Vniversall Church amongst the Articles of Catholike and saving Faith I yeeld up the bucklers and grant the cause I will call it a Fundamentall Doctrine and I will pronounce those Churches which reject it to have fallen off from the Foundation and I will adjudge them unworthy of Brotherly communion with other Churches But if no Protestant can doe this none ought to call that a fundamentall Doctrine which himselfe defends or to challenge the Divines of other Churches being of another opinion of overthrowing the Foundation much lesse for this cause to deny the Rites of brotherly communion to whole Churches The affirming of Fundamentall Doctrines is so cleerly set down in the holy Scriptures Reas 3 that none of the unlearned much lesse of the learned can fall into the contrary damned opinions except they bee very negligent in learning the Catholike Faith or such as will not learne the Faith it selfe which is manifest in the Scriptures which is truly observed of Augustine De Agone Christi 6.28 But it is plaine to all that in these Doctrines whereabout Protestant Churches dissent that at the least on the one side numberlesse Christians are deceived and they men godly pious and most desirous of the Truth yea many Divines of the first ranke being versed and exercised in reading and meditating of the Scriptures through the whole course of their life Neither let any here object against me that the modern Anti-Trinitarians daily doe search the Scriptures and yet neverthelesse persist in the obstinate deniall of a Fundamentall Article for they are not only negligent in learning the Catholike Faith and drawing it out of holy Scriptures but also they are wilfully contemptuous in opposing the Catholike Faith and furiously bold in recalling the manifest Doctrine of the Scripture to the account of their doating and giddy Reasons subject to an erroneous Vertigo therefore to them agrees that of the Apostle 2 Thes 2.11 For this cause God shall send them strong delusion c. But none can passe the same sentence upon those Christians which adhere either to the Saxon or Helvetian Churches None therefore ought to set downe that those Doctrines are Fundamentall or necessato be known to Salvation in which it is probable that now this side now that side is deceived but impossible that both should be in the right as often as they contradict one another It is no Fundamentall point which Reas 4 cannot otherwise bee extracted or deduced out of the Scriptures than by the hard and long pathes of controversies alwayes untraceable to simple Christians sometimes scarce sometimes not at all evident even to the learned themselves Such are all those things which are in controversie betwixt Protestant Churches whose connexion with the Foundations of the Catholike Faith the Disputants on both sides say they see plainly necessary but the Adversaries on both sides cry it down that they see no connexion at all but plaine people ignorant of the art of Logick oftentimes give a blinde assent to their Doctors being themselves in the meane time altogether uncertaine of the strength of such consequences Things that in this manner are by their Doctors extracted and propounded to Christians may sometimes be true but can never be fundamētall that is absolutely necessary for every Christian to be known and beleeved for the obtaining of eternall life For even as they may enjoy the light and benefit of the Sun who cannot perceive the Mathematicall demonstrations of the bignesse and motions thereof so those may enjoy the light and benefit of fundamentall Doctrines to Salvation who cannot behold the Theologicall inferences and deductions drawn out of them Therefore they are not Fundamentalls but things rightly deduced in some mens Judgements from the Fundamentalls which are so much urged to be beleeved from the Divines which strive amongst themselves It is not the part of wise Divines Reas 5 so to swell and increase the number of Fundamentall points that all Christians as well learned as unlearned should be wholly uncertaine and ignorant what and of what kinde those be which are adjudged properly to belong to the
hinderance Witnesse Luther himselfe and the Helvetians betwixt whom whilst there remained some difference of opinion about the Presence of the Body of Christ a friendly Union was drawn up at Marpurg Hespin Hist Sacra Anno 1529. Luther professing that hee would not grant this prayse to the adverse party that they should be more desirous to embrace peace and concord than himselfe Which agreement I know not by what Engines somewhat battered and shaken they again renewed even whilst Luther rejoyced thereat and counted it necessary Idem An. 1537. after he had diligently considered the Confession of the Helvetians that they should joyne their hearts and right hands together But if any conceive that this agreement was not so full and perfect an Union as that which now we affirme is possible to be made wee deny it not but adde this moreover That not the impossibility of the thing it selfe but the will of some private men not yet well purged from the froth and drosse of suspition have hindred this worthy and godly work from being brought to the finall upshot and happy perfection Ibidem For as touching Bucer and other principal Divines consenting with him they not only requested a brotherly absolute Communion but also endeavoured to demonstrate that it must bee done and omitted no Offices which conduced any thing thereunto Moreover how possible this brotherly Union and Communion is betwixt Protestant Churches is witnessed by that cōsent of the Polonian Churches not long since made at Sendomiria and hitherto religiously observed They could not finally take away all Controversies but they could bid farewell to all dissentions and establish so neere a Communion betwixt themselves that they refused not to admit each other into their Congregations either to the hearing of the Word Preached or receiving of the Sacraments Which holy and brotherly conjunction of the Polonian Churches the most wise Prince Elector Lewys and Count Palatine not only by his Letters congratulated unto them but also heartily prayed that the God of heaven would graunt the same to the German Churches What therefore was once said to peaceable Salomon about the building of the Temple of Jerusalem That say I to all peaceable Divines about the making of brotherly fellowship betwixt Reformed Churches Chron. 22 16. Arise therefore ye godly men and be doing and the Lord bee with you Let us not doubt but that now may be done which elsewhere all confesse hath beene done But least this vaine scare-crow of an impossibility should hinder and delay the endeavours of Princes Divines and all pious men in this matter I will reckon up those obstacles and impediments which in very deed doe make the Communion betwixt Protestant Churches altogether impossible whence it will appeare that no such thing blocks up the way but that the German Churches even whilst these controversies do depend may enter brotherly Communion betwixt themselves and may wholly observe it when it is entered Therefore the first and greatest obstacle wherewith Churches as yet not agreeing in all Questions of Divinity are hindered from meeting together in one is the usurped Dominion which one challengeth over another or the exercising of any Tyrannicall Jurisdiction For if some one Church will so lord it over the Faith of others that it will acknowledge none for Brethren or receive none into Communion with it self save such as first receive from her Lawes what they should beleeve and speake there is no hope left of making or keeping brotherly Union betwixt such in the differences about opinions whatsoever Seeing that the Holy Scripture forbids us in this sort to make our selvs vassals to any mortall men Our only Master forbids us that we should not in this manner acknowledge earthly masters Lords of our Faith That Church which on those termes is received into Communion with another Church gaines not Peace thereby but enters it selfe into a Covenant of most unjust slavery The Romish Church alone hath arrived at such a height of pride and madnesse as to thrust out all those Churches from the Communion of Saints and curse them to the pit of Hell which refuse to undergo this Antichristian yoke of absolute and blind obedience God of his goodnesse keep this madnesse of the Papists farre from Protestant Churches which if it should prevaile in them it were not lawfull not indeed to hope yea not to wish this Conjunction of Churches which all ought to desire But thankes bee to God it is well known it is most sure that all and every one of the Reformed Churches from their whole hearts abhorre their Antichristian ambition of dominiering Therfore this principall hinderance is removed out of their way which useth to make an everlasting Schisme betwixt those Churches which as yet agree not in all things and with the same Act renders the Union betwixt them in very deed impossible The second obstacle comming between makes the Union and Communion of divers Churches suppose the Saxon and Helvetian impossible as the approving of Idolatrous worship on the one side and detesting it on the other Seeing that in Hosea is well known to all the godly Chap. 4.15 Though Israel play the harlot yet let not Judah offend Come ye not into c. And that of the Apostles And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols 2 Cor. 6.16 and almost infinite passages to the same purpose Well spake Tertullian of this matter Idolatry is the principall crime of Mankind and the highest guilt of any age God therefore so severely commanding that we should fly from Idols and all Idolatry though shadowed over with what faire pretences soever that is to be counted morally impossible which cannot be done without some staine of Idolatry grievous offending of Gods Majesty See here the grand and horrible hinderance whereby the Reformed Churches are compelled not without great griefe and horror of mind to remaine out of the Communion of the Romish Church For they so dote on their Idols and enforce them on others to be adored that none can come at least abide in Communion with them except with the same deed he will become a most manifest Idolater If the German Churches could not enter and retaine this holy Communion betwixt themselves but that either they must be tyed to the exercise of an Idolatrous worship or at leastwise bee bound to beleeve and confesse that such a worship is not unlawfull I should not doubt to affirme that such a Communion is impossible which cannot be obtained but on such hard heinous Conditions for we can only doe that which we may doe lawfully as the Lawyers use to speake But here we have that for which we ought againe and againe to give thanks unto God who hath made the Reformed Churches albeit little agreeing in all conclusions of divine knowledge yet unanimously to consent and wonderfully to agree in the condemning and abolishing of all Idolatry If therefore at this very houre the
as they repent of their errors they are to be received againe into the Bosome of their Mother Thus may they deale with their own But when they are to meddle with Churches not at all subordinate unto them they may hold Divine concord and keepe Gods Peace with those which think and teach otherwise than themselves as we may see it in Cyprian Epist. 72. ad Stephanum 73 ad Julianum It will not be from the matter after this our discourse of Particular Churches to adde something concerning some famous and eminent Doctors in the same For private Doctors are also in their distance to be accounted Ministeriall foundations who in the maintaining expounding defending preaching or writing the Truth of the Gospell have imployed their commendable paines And here amongst the principall Doctours of the Reformed Churches wee reckon those Worthyes Luther and Philip Melancthon not fearing to joyne unto them Bucer Calvine Martyr and others whom we need not to name But of all these though exellent Divines of our Age we ought so to esteeme as accounting them Stars but not Deities in our Churches nor do we reverence them as the Prophets and Apostles inspired by God but value them as godly Men worthily learned and raised up by God for the generall good of the Church withall confessing them to bee but ordinary Ministers and subject to their mistakes Besides we must beware that we do not suffer the Churches themselves to be sirnamed by Epithets from these famous Men. Lactan. Instit lib. 4. cap. 30. For to put off the Name of Christ and to put on and weare humane and outward names is far from Christians and most times is the fuell of endlesse dissention That therefore of Nazianzens ought wonderfully to please all prudent and pious Christians Orat. 30. I reverence Peter yet will I not be called a Petrian I honour Paul yet will I not be called a Paulian If private Christians can not take this in good part how much lesse is it fitting to nick-name a whole Church from a single man Last of all I may adde this concerning private Doctors It is a most in jurious thing that a whole Church should be indited guilty of the errors of that Doctor whatsoever hee bee which hath or doth use his Ministery therein unlesse it doth appeare that that Church by their publique assent doth approve and maintain his errors But where is there one of an hundred amongst common Christians who so searches the books of their Doctors that he giveth his consent to all their Opinions Yea where is there one amongst those Doctours themselves which doth not from his whole heart abhorre such errors when his adversaries charge him with them Lastly where is there one to be found amongst the Learned in any Church who hath so sworne to defend the words of Luther or Calvin or any other writer but that he thinks it lawfull to depart from them where they depart from the Truth Now seeing it is manifest these things are so if these which wee call Ministeriall Fundamentals sometime in some things do shake or stagger we must not pin their Personall errors upon the whole Church Apud Luth. Tom. 1. disp de Author Eccles pag. 439. B. For the Church properly so called doth not allow whatsoever ill Doctours mingled in the Church do allow as rightly Melancthon to which we adde neither every thing which good Doctors have taught ill CHAP. CHAP. 5. V. Of the Doctrinall Foundations of the Christian Faith in Generall and how farre they are to bee beleeved under the necessity of Salvation THE Doctrine of the Holy Scripture contained in the Books of the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles is that Foundation on which alone the Faith of Christians may safely rely because of the most certaine authority of God revealing it Nor must we give eare to the Papists when they object Augustin Confes lib. 6. cap. 5. Irenaeus li. 3 cap. 1. Whence know you those Books to have been given to mankind by the Spirit of the most true God If God as yet hath not perswaded me in this point he hath not as yet perswaded me that I am a Christian For the will of God hath commended the Scriptures unto us to be the Foundation and Pillar of our Faith If the Romanists will give no credence neither to Augustine nor Irenaeus they ought notwithstanding undoubtedly to beleeve Peter 2 Pet. 1.19 20 21. who calleth the voyce of the Scriptures a voyee more sure than that which came down from Heaven and not brought by the will of man but holy men of God spake it as they were moved by the holy Ghost Therefore the holy Scripture so propoundeth the foundations of our Faith and fastens the Rule of our Doctrine that the Faith of Christians only trusteth and reposeth it selfe on those Revelations which are contained in the canonicall Books I will say nothing against that fantastick imaginary Doctrinall foundation which the Papists trislingly defēd to be in a word not written and couched in the privy cabinet of the Popes breast because I conceive so profane and grosse an error in a matter of so great moment amongst wel instructed Christians is not worthy of a confutation He that seeks for the Doctrine of Salvation and Eternall Life out of the Scriptures shall find it no sooner than if hee looked for the Tree of Knowledge and Life out of Paradise But although wee straitly maintain that no fundamentall Doctrine of Faith is to bee sought for out of the Bookes of the Old and New Testament yet wee do not defend that all things contained in these books are fundamentall points so necessary to be known and beleeved that if any of these be unknown or denyed of any we should presently adjudge them to have falne off from the foundation of Salvation Many things in the Books of both Testaments are Historicall some things are dogmaticall which are truly affirmed and profitably placed there and yet are accounted not to come into the Number of Fundamentall points Numberlesse things there are which by true firme consequence may be deduced out of the Scriptures and yet mount not up to this high pitch of honour Therefore those things only are to be set apart and owned for Fundamentals without the plaine and explicite Knowledge whereof none can be saved in which as well Negative infidelity not at all to know them as positive infidelity to refuse to beleeve them doth condemn Now such are all those things without which we can neither savingly beleeve in Christ nor rightly call upon God in Christ and worship him to the obtaining of eternall Life In a word without which Christians can neither have pious affections towards God nor exercise the Religious Acts of Faith Hope and Charity being absolutly necessary to Salvation These two things beene yeelded and granted that our Faith is to trust on the Scriptures alone and that all every one of those things
no other Originall and obstinate persisting in a Schisme but brotherly hatred Most sure it is that the proper duties of Charity cannot appeare and shew themselves in these differences of the Protestant Churches I appeale to the Apostle himselfe for my witnesse Rom. 12.9 10 11 Ioh. 13.35 1 Ioh. 3.14 1 Cor. 13.1 2. c. 1 Cor. 13.5 6 7 c. If we grant those Churches which wee conceive somewhat to erre in the Faith yet to be sanctified and preserved in Christ the foundation of the Church our Faith though something the sounder Chap. 9 will little availe us August de Bapt. contr Denat lib. 1 cap. 8. if our Charity be wanting towards all the Saints For saving Faith cannot bee unlesse conjoyned with Charity or Brotherly love as the Scriptures every where doe witnesse For what shall a mans sound Faith profit him where the soundnesse of his Charity is baned with the deadly wound of Schisme CHAP. IX That Brotherly Communion betwixt the Protestant Churches is not to be broken off for their divers opinions about questions in Controversy is proved by Arguments drawn from the want of lawfull power in Ministers to cause such a breach or dissolution NONE can be ignorant but that at the first the very Doctors and Ministers of the Churches were the chiefe yea the sole Authours of this Separation which we so desire may be taken away For it is not to be doubted but they alone are the hinderance why the Reformed Churches though by wofull experience they have found the numberlesse discommodities of this long lasting dissention yet they will not amongst themselves renew the Charter of their Brotherly Communion For if it seemed good to their Doctors to give each to other the right hands of brotherly fellowship in this selfe same houre we should see the Churches mutually embracing one another Therefore let us see whether they have done or now doe rightly who either have perswaded that the bands of Brotherly Communion betwixt the Protestant Churches should be broken or earnestly maintaine that for the present they ought not to be renewed againe We are of the contrary opinion being induced thereunto by these Arguments It is not in the power of the Ministers of any particular Church Reas 1 to separate or cut off another particular Church from the brotherly Communion which it hath with the Catholique therefore neither from that which it hath with any part of the Catholique Church and by the same reason not from the brotherly Communion which it ought to have with it selfe unlesse she will confesse her selfe to be no part of the Catholique Church The truth of the Antecedent seems therefore plaine to me because all just and lawfull seperation of every member from its body Catholique ought to leane and rely on the authority of the Catholique Church for one member hath not this judiciary power over another It is a known Rule of Lawyers A sentence given by him that is not his Judge is voyd in Law But particular Churches are not the Judges of private persons living in forreign churches how much lesse then over the Churches themselves If therefore any Church should pronounce another to be disjoynted from the Communion with the Catholique Her sentence were to be sleighted and contemned as of a Judge that presumed to make laws out of the bounds of his owne Jurisdiction But perchance they who easily grant the Antecedent of our Argument will yet doubt of the Consequent and set downe that one part of the Catholique Church may cast off another part thereof that is one particular Church may separate another particular Church from Brotherly Communion with her selfe by the power of her own private sentence and authority I deny that any particular Church hath any lawfull power to dissolve Christian Brotherhood with any other except so farre forth as the separation rely on the Authority of the Catholique Church which one claspes and containes within her embraces the Churches of all Nations Now this separation relyes on this authority so often as it is made for those points which are so established by the judgement of the Catholique Church that they are to bee counted shut out from the cōmunion of faithfull Christians who are known to oppose or deny them Trusting on this authority we justly deny brotherly Communion to those Churches which falsely and equivocally are entitled with the name of Christ who with joy and jeering hisse out the Divinity of Christ Who carpe at the mystery of the Trinity which is to be adored or with sacrilegious boldnesse overthrow any foundation of the Christian Faith For all these things have been passed for things judged on and that by the well known and famous authority of the Apostolike and Catholike Church But this separation is not made rightly nor according to the custome of the Catholike Church as often as one particular Church shall deny Brotherly Communion to another for dissenting from them in questions newly risen and never determined on one side or other by the authority of the Catholike Church as points of the Catholike Faith For no Church can at its own pleasure breake off the Band of Brotherly Communion by which all the members of the Catholike Church are coupled together with any particular Church but that with the selfe same Deed shee divides her selfe from the body of the Catholike Church in which those members can have no being which have lost their due joynting and Union with their fellow members We will conclude this argument with the Testimony of Augustine who every where teacheth Tom. 3. de side ad Petr. Diac. cap. 43. that this Separation of the good from the evill being within the Catholike Church is unlawfull and they which endeavour to pluck other members from the joynting of the body doe rather separate themselves from the Vnity of Christ Tom. 4. de side oper cap. 4 5. Lastly it nothing hurteth or hindereth those that are good that they abide still in Vnity and participation of the Sacraments with those whose Deeds they disallow Neither with those whose opinions they cannot approve For if we will beleeve the same Augustine they cannot be excused of unlawfull presumption who too much loving their own judgement arrive at such an height of boldnesse as to cut off Communion with others Tom. 7. de Bant. contra Don. For they neither ought nor can be cut off from communion with particular Churches which remaine conjoyned with the Catholike Church Particular Churches ought not in our age Reas 2 to challenge that to themselves which none ever durst to do in the time of the Apostles The Ministers of the Churches ought not to urge that which the Apostles themselves durst never perswade to be done But that one particular Church should renounce all Brotherly communion with another is a thing altogether unheard off wholy swerving from the prudence and practice of the Apostles Amongst the seven Churches to which S. John wrote
Churches concerning Fundamentalls and that the whole Bickering is either about certaine manners of speech which are not founded in the Scriptures themselves or about consequences which some affirme others denie that they can be rightly inferred out of the Scriptures meane time the Fundamentalls being safe on both sides although all errour be not excluded about things not Fundamentall The truth of this Assertion will appeare First if with a sincere and prudent Judgement we ponder all those things in which those who wrangle about other matters yet acknowledge there is one Consent and Harmony of all Protestant Churches Pag. 18. James Andrews reckons up seven Propositions of all which he confesseth there is no Controversie betwixt the Churches Pag. 20. Also Beza recites certaine heads of doctrine of the Person of Christ and Communication of his Properties in all which it is evident That all Protestant Divines doe Consent Not many yeeres since the Conference at Lipsigh Pag. 5.6 certaine famous Divines summ'd all these Points up to twelve Articles in which there is unanimous consent of the Communication of the Person of Christ and his Properties In these things wherein we have the opinions of all Protestant Churches so well agreeing I dare not say that nothing is wanting which belongs to knowledge in divinity yet I confidently affirme That there is nothing deficient which pertaines to the Catholike Faith nothing which is necessary to be knowne and beleeved to the Salvation of a Christian man Lastly nothing which argues either these or those to have started asunder from the Foundation or that they ought to start from mutuall Communion If therefore in this Controversie of the Person of Christ and Properties of his Natures there remaine some knotty things which are more smoothly to be explained Let Divines afford their helping hand to this matter and not for this thing rend their Churches in pieces Let them kindly bring back their wandring Brethren into the way let them not furiously break asunder the bands of Brotherly Unity Let them build upon the fundamentall Doctrines their owne Gold Silver or Pretious stones and let them throw downe the hay and stubble built up by others Let them not thrust downe others from the Foundation nor disjoynt themselves from those whom they themselves see stick fast to the Foundation and Fundamentall Articles Secondly what hath been said of the joynt Consent in Fundamentalls may be plainly seene if we weigh all those Heresies that ever opposed the Fundamentall Articles of the Person of Christ and overturned the Foundation of mans salvation For they who damne and curse all these cannot be accused of violating the Foundation except by Slander cannot be condemned but by high injustice But now it is well knowne that no Heresie can be reckoned up whether ancient or moderne against which all the Protestant Churches are not most ready to bring their voice to condemne them In the Conference at Lipsigh whereof we have often made mention for the hope it gave to us of renewing of unity all the speakers with joynt consent Pag. 10. and from their whole heart did damne and reject all errours of ancient and later Arians Nestorians Eutichians Monothelites Marcionites Photinians and by what other names soever they be called On the other side with mouth and heart they gave their consent to the Apostolicall Nicene and Athanasian Creed He that in this manner approves all Points received and allowed of the Ancient Church concerning the Person of Christ and properties of both his Natures rejects all things condemned of the same may perchance in manner of speech retaine a forme of words not very sound or in some consequences may make a small swerving from the Truth but cannot make a departure from the foundation or fundamental Doctrine of the Catholike Church seeing Melanct. said rightly Apud Lutherum Tom. 1o. in disp p. 441. B. That opinions unknown to the ancient church although at this time they be generaly received yet are no Doctrines of the Catholik Church much lesse such Fundamentall doctrines as are of force before God to break the Peace Unity of Churches Thirdly in this matter of the Person of Christ and communication of his Properties that those things are not fundamentall which as yet hang undecided may appear from the very terms and words which Divines are constrained to use to expresse their opinion For in fundamentalls we heare Plaine cleer propositions such as these are In Christ God and Man the humane and divine nature are most neerly coupled together each nature in Christ hath and retaines its owne proprieties The proprieties of one nature can never be made the proprieties of another nature In the person of Christ there is a Communication of Properties by which that is attributed and ascribed to the whole Person which is proper to one of his natures As when we say God was crucified for us or the Man Christ is Omnipotent In this Communication the divine nature neither powreth forth the properties of its Divinity nor infuseth them into the humane nature These and all other things which are cleerly spoken of the Person of Christ and Communication of his Properties are contradicted by none But those things which are conceived and infolded in strange forreign and doubtfull termes beget strifes upon strifes and questions upon questions Such are those Problems Whether the proprieties of the Natures in the Person of Christ be communicated only verbally or really Whether they bee communicated in the abstract or the concrete and others of the same stampe which by the very sound of the words doe appeare to have sprung out of the Schoole of Grammarians and Logicians not of the Apostles and ancient Fathers and therefore not to bee recounted in the number of fundamentalls But let us adde some few things of the questions themselves That some affirme that this question is propounded Whethere there be such an Union of natures in the person of Christ in which neither nature communicates any thing to the other besides the bare name they seem to me to feigne a question which never was betwixt the protestant Churches For with one voice they confesse That such is the Union of the natures in the Person of Christ in which many things are communicated to the humane Nature yea all things although excellent gifts whereof a created nature can be a subject capable to receive them And even as no Protestant corrupteth this Proposition The Man Christ is God with this wicked Interpretation The Man Christ hath the bare and empty title of God So neither doe any deprave this proposition The Man Christ is omnipotent with this perverse exposition The Man Christ is in word only or title Omnipotent but acknowledgeth the matter it selfe which is signified in this Praedicate truly and really to agree to the Man Christ because it truly agrees to his person which the terme Man doth designe and denote They which on the other side defend that it is
against them because the common consent of the whole Church doth not in the same appeare Those who would not have the Churches themselves Arg. 4 to bee rent and torn asunder because of the controversies bandied betwixt Protestants they seem to be of this opinion that every one may be saved in his own Religion and that a promiscuous multitude of erroneous people may bee received into the same Church Militant and Triumphant but this must not be granted If we will speak with the Scriptures Answ the name of one Religion is to be fitted and applyed not to difficult questions but to the points of Christian Faith preached to all and received of all Christian Churches throughout the whole world They therefore embrace the true and one only Religion which believe those things of God of Christ of the Church of all other matters and doe them which are necessary to be known done to the attaining to Salvation Wee conceive not therefore that every one may be saved in his own Religion which he feignes to himselfe but believe that they may be saved in the Christian Religion and be received into the same Church both Militant and Triumphant who so farre forth agree in the Doctrine of the Gospell as it is required that the Faith of Christians be saving to those that beleeve and that the worship which they yeeld unto God be gratefull and accepted of him in Christ But they who thinke that the perfect consenting of Churches is necessary to their meeting together in the Communion of one Church Militant and Triumphant can scarce free and disengage themselves from their error who conceived the Catholique Church to reside in one determinate party They therefore who in things either to be done or be beleeved defend such points with which the saving of Soules and Spirituall worship of God cannot consist they are truly said to have made a defection from that which is the alone saving Religion but they who retaining all fundamentals of faith and Gods worship differ from others and erre in some consequences or Doctrines of lesse moment professe no new or other Religion but are convicted not as yet to have attained in that one onely Religion to perfect knowledge For such imperfection of knowledge God excludes none from the Church Militant neither ought we to doe it We ought not to retaine brotherly Communion with those Arg. 5 whom it is an heinous sin to admit to the Lords Supper together with our selves But it seemed unlawfull for the Lutherans in taking the Lords Supper to communicate with the Helvetian or French Churches See the pres to the confer at Mompelg For the holy Supper of the Lord amongst other ends hath this use that it should bee the note and badge of the Religion which every one professeth For they who communicate with any Church in the receiving of this Sacrament by this deed doe publikely professe that they embrace the doctrine of the same Church and reject the contrary and separate themselves from others We must therefore in no case sport and play with the receiving of the Lords Supper nor therin dissemble any thing from which our heart doth abhorre and therefore wee cannot communicate with those Churches which embrace not our Confession For by such communicating we should seem to derogate from our Confession and syncere Religion and either to Patronize or surely closely to favour the errors of other Churches It is more safe therefore to Imitate the Christian Emperours who when the Arians did request to be received into Communion with the Orthodoxe they would not grant it unto them before they did approve the doctrine of the Orthodoxe We make no strife about that which is affirmed in the first place Answ But as for the Assumption namely That it is unlawfull to admit any to the Lords Table except them alone who are ready to subscribe to the Confession of one the same particular Church this seemes to me ought not to be defended For the Principall use of the Lords Supper is to recount the death and Passion of Christ which he suffered for the Salvation of men and to receive eternall Life by the Partaking of his Flesh and Blood It serveth also to witnesse and confirme the Union which Christians ought to have betwixt themselves 1 Cor. 10.17 and with Christ Jesus their head Lastly we confesse that this Sacrament as also that other of Baptisme is the note and badge of that Religion which wee professe Aug. cont â—austum 19.12 For men can be united together into no name of Religion whether true or false unlesse they be bound together in some fellowship of signer and visible Sacraments But as Baptisme is indeed the badge of the Christian Religion we professe and not of the particular opinions and confessions which we embrace before others so also must we conclude of the Lords Supper For to the mutuall Communion of all Christians in the Eucharist it is not required that all who Communicate together should agree in the same confession either the English or the French or the Dutch but that they agree in one Profession of the Christian and Catholik Faith Let us leave these rigid and Tyrannicall domineerings to the Papists who adjudge all to be separated from their Communion which would not sweare unto the Confession of Trent Cyprianus Cornelius The holy Fathers did not doe soe but they kept the Lords peace with those Churches which were of different opinions from themselves removing none from the right Communion because he refused to consent to the private Judgement of another particular Church for they acknowledged the Catholike Faith received with an unanimous consent of the Catholike Church to be the certaine Aug. Ser. 181. and sole Rule of Faith by which Beleevers retaine the Catholike Vnity But let him who can shew that Particular Churches ever usurped this to themselves that they did cut off others from the Brotherly Communion with themselues for diversitie of opinions in matters not as yet determined by the Judgement of the Catholike Church Socrat. l. 5. c. 21. on one side or other Victor indeed attempted to doe this and after him Stephen Lib. 5. cap. 23. lib. 7. cap. 4. both Bishops of Rome But it is plaine out of Eusebius that this Separation was founded on no right and therefore highly displeased the pious and Godly Fathers Therefore farre be it from us that in the very Communion of the Lords Supper we should as it were proclaime war against all other Churches which will not make our particular Confession their owne or will not forsake their own that they may embrace ours If we conceive our Churches to be of the righter and truer opinion than other Churches in certaine Questions not as yet determined wee have just cause not to Communicate with them in their errorss but thence have no cause at all to Communicate with them in the Sacraments Forasmuch as no errour in which
Protestant Churches desire all to meet in one brotherly Communion not so much as the least spot or staine of Idolatry were to be feared on either side Away therefore with all pretence of Impossibility drawn from this Reason neither let it make mens mindes or endeavours step aside from this so holy a purpose and designe The third and last obstacle whence the Communion of divers Churches betwixt themselves is held impossible is the asserting and defending of some Fundamentall Article necessary to be known and beleeved to the salvation of Christians on the one side which is sound and Catholique and the denying and opposing the same on the other side which is Hereticall For to grow together into one with Hereticks subverting the foundations of the Christian Faith is to start off from Christ the Foundation of the Christian Church Concerning this hinderance because it is a matter of greatest moment we must dispute somewhat more largely Therefore in the first place I conceive that is to be counted a Fundamentall Article which through the will of God revealing it to the attaining of Salvation and eternall happinesse is so necessary to be known and beleeved that from the Ignorance and much more from the opposing thereof men runne the manifest hazard of losing eternall Life This care and charge lyes not upon the Divines of our age that they should forge new and fundamentall Articles of the Catholique Faith for Christian people That which was not Fundamentall in the times of the Apostles and Primitive Church cannot with all our Affirmings wranglings and Cursings become Fundamentall These first Beleevables which we have gathered and brought together out of the whole body of the Scriptures into the Apostles Creed Epist 57. ad Dardan makes up that Rule of Fundamentall Faith which Auâ—ustine cals common to small and great and determines that it must be maintained of all with Perseverance whereof Hilary almost to the same purpose It is most safe for us to retaine that first and sole Evangelicall Faith confessed and understood in Baptisme Ad Constan August And I think the Apostle had an eye to these Fundamentall Articles when he calls Titus Titus 14. mine owne son after the common Faith This common faith comprised in the Apostles Creed proposeth to all Christians to beleeve the admirable workmanship of all Creatures made of nothing the unsearchable Mystery of the Trinity which is to be adored the benefit of Christ Incarnated Suffering Rising againe Glorified bestowed on miserable sinners and those things which flow from thence the Redemption of mankinde the Sanctification of Gods peculiar people the Communion of the Saints betwixt themselves the forgivenes of sinnes the Resurrection of the bodyes and the Glorification of the faithfull Who so believeth all things which we have contained in this short Creed and endeavours to lead his life conformable to the precepts of Christ is not to be dashed out of the lift of Christans nor to be driven from the Communion of other Christians members of what Church soever On the other side He that filcheth away or carpeth at any of these Articles though he challengeth to himself the name of Christian is to be driven and kept off from the Communion of those which rightly beleeve yet I acknowledge that besides these Articles many Doctrines are contained in the holy Scriptures out of the holy Scriptures may be deduced by firme consequence which are very profitable to be known and conduce much to proficiency in Divine knowledg but then at last are to be â—eld under the perill of losing Salvation or Communion when they are manifestly declared and understood to be contained in the Scriptures or necessarily to follow out of them In these things if any Church cannot so cleere the truth of her opinion to other Churches as to draw them to the same opinion shee ought to cast off their errors but ought not to cast off brotherly Communion with them because of these errours To these I adde that although some place of Scripture may seem to these Churches to establish a Fundamentall Article seems not unto others yet in this diversity of opinions there is not cause just enough to break off the Communion so be it both sides piously beleeve the same Article and acknowledge it to be cleerly and solidly sounded on other places of holy Scripture Lastly and this also must be added It is neither impossible nor swarving from the duty of good Christians to retain communion with those Churches who seem to us to follow some opinion which truly cannot hold together with a fundamentall Article so be it as in the meane time they professe the same Article and with both armes as we say embrace it For it abhors from the rule of Charity yea from sound reason that any for those Consequences by himselfe neither understood nor granted should be conceived to have denied or rejected a fundamentall Article which he firmly beleeves explicitly affirmes and if need were would Seale and Signe the truth thereof with his own blood More true and favourable is the judgement of a great and peaceable Divine Bucere It is not our part to have respect to that which of it selfe followeth of any opinion but to that which followeth in their consciences who hold that Point which we conceive opposite to a fundamentall Article For even as he that believeth any true Principle doth not presently believe and understand all those things which learned Men by consequences may deduce from the same so he that holds any false opinion doth not instantly hold all those things which those of better sight do perceive to be conjoyned with or â—oâ—lowing after that false opinion It is lawfull therefore to urge such consequences to snatch our brethren from their Errors but odiously to charge them therewith as if they were their own proper Doctrines it is unlawfull How farr this spreads it selfe and how forcible it is to establish brotherly union betwixt Reformed Churches Wise men and lovers of the Peace of the Church may easily observe For if it be granted that Communion onely is impossible that is unlawfull with those Congregations which explicity reject any fundamentall Article or defend an Heresie which stabs the Heart and cuts asunder Communion with Christ himselfe that also will follow that this brotherly Communion which we so much desire betwixt the German Churches may be establishes between Churches which are found and those which are not so well in health between Churches of a more and of a lesse refined Standard Therefore lâ—t those Churches which stick to the foundation depart from those which by Apostacy slide back from it but in the meane time from those which erre in matters of lighter moment neither disjoyn from Christ the fountain of life let them not depart Rom. 14.1 Rom. 15.1 The Apostle commands us to receive the weake in faith not to cast them off Wee that are stronger ought to beare the infirmities of the weake
moderate Papists which begin to open their eyes at the light of the Gospell from joyning with us whilst they observe that we cannot or which is worse will not joyne among our selves Lastly they scarce seem to acknowledge that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth who because of these controversies lately started make a separation from other Reformed Churches as if there were no hope of the Salvation of all those Christians which have not attained an exact knowledge of these Controverted points For my part I conceive it no great difference whether we place unwritten Traditions in joint commission with the holy Scriptures or whether we enforce our Controversies on all Churches to be knowne and beleeved under the same necessity of Salvation with the solid and manifest doctrin of the Gospel We ought therfore to beware lest whilst the Pastors of the Reformed Churches on both sides command theirs to depart from the Tents of those wicked men Num. 16.26 as infucted with heresie the Romish Wolves break in upon both and drag both Sheep and Shepheards to their Dens Indeed if Divines could calmly debate these disputes with brotherly minds some good or lesse evill at least would redound to the Church But seeing that experience for so many yeares hath approved that this can scarce if at all be done better were these disputes buried in silence than that the discussing of them should teare and mangle so many Churches into peeces For the Christian Church may now take up the old complaint of Hilary Dum propter haec alter alteri Anathema esse coepit nemo â—eâ—e Christi est Whilst for these things each accounted other occursed searce any were of Christ. Seeing these and worse grievances arising from the discords of the Reformed are obvious to every ones eyes Let us enquire what first might cause these bitter and hurtfull strifes betwixt Learned Wise and Godly men what since did daily increase them what now doth perswade them to entaile these Controversies as hereditary on their Posterity The nature of supernaturall knowledge and heavenly things gave the cause or occasion rather to these our contentions For as it is easie for minds inlightned and sanctified to embrace with Obedience to the Faith all things needfull to be knowne to Salvation which are plainly delivered in the holy Scriptures concerning God and Christ and all things to be beleeved and practised so to desire to dive deeper into the Mysteries of Faith than is fitting and thence to draw consequences by the help of our Reason and to annexe them to the fundamentall Articles is a matter of difficulty and danger and the necessary occasion of contentions For 't is impossible but that the wits of men must often differ and sometimes erre in those things which are collected by the mediation of humane understanding Meane time there is none but dotes on the darlings of his own Braines as beautifull and entitles them to be borne of the Bowels of the Scripture hating the reasonings and inferences of others as deformed and springing from the puddles of Reason corrupted Thus whilst men desire to see more in the Mysteries of Faith than is clearely showne in the Glasse of Gods Word rather the heat of their dissentions than light of their knowledge is increased It would apply some plaister to this soare if the Divines of both sides would remember that although all the Articles of the Catholique Faith are plaine and perspicuous as written in Gods Word with capitall Letters so that he that runneth may read them yet what thence is extracted by the chymistry of mans understanding are divers and of different kinds most of them so obscure that they escape the eyes of the most sharpe sighted Divines We must therefore confidently leane with all our weight on what the Scriptures have decided but not lay so much stresse on the consequences of our own deduction * Luth. Tom. 1. in Disp pag. 413. R. C. Facessant Dialectici ubi credendum est Piscatoribus Nam in Mysteriis fidei majestas materiae in Angustias rationis seusyllogismorum includi non potest Luther said well out of Ambrose Away with Logicians where wee must beleeve Fishermen For in the mysteries of Faith the majesty of the matter will not bee pent within the narrow roome of Reason nor come under the roof of Syllogismes wherfore the same Luther wisely admonisheth us that in matters surmounting the capacity of humane Reason we beware of Etymologies Analogies Consequences and Examples Also the imperfection of humane knowledge chiefly when puffed up with a false opinion that it is perfect in us affords a necessary occasion of endlesse contentions Wee all only know in part and in part apprehend Divine matters Wherefore wee ought to conceive that we may as well as others be deceived in that part which we know not wherein we apprehend not If wee were perfect Good Men could not fall out with good Men but those may which as yet are not perfect yea they cannot but fall out except they continually remember this their imperfection That therefore these discords may be avoyded al ought always to remember the Apostles admonition Rom. 12.3 Not to think of themselves more highly than they ought to thinke but to thinke soberly To which this is to be added quietly to beare with them who are of a different opinion from us praying dayly to God that he would be pleased to reveale unto us his truth as yet not fully knowne But in the meane time whereto we have already attained Phil. 3.16 let us wâ—lke by the same rule and be well affected each to others That these things are most true and profitable we cannot deny which being granted why then neverthelesse are these controversies dayly increased Why do these wounds grow more and more raw and bleed a fresh If one may speak the plaine truth there is in all mortall men an inordinate love of themselvs and of their own inventions and pleasing conceits this fault causeth that we see not at all the falshood of those opinions we have once entertained nor vouchsafe admittance to the truth which is shewed unto us by others * August contra Julianum l. 1. Periit siquidem judicium postquam res transiâ— in affectum nostram qualemâ—unque quia nostra jam facta est praevalere volumus sententiam For judgement perisheth when the matter is passed into the affections and wee desire that our opinion whatsoever it bee because now it is made ours may prevaile For where this Selfe-love doth rule Divines whatsoever they pretend will study more to tune the Scriptures to their opinion than their opinions to the Scripture and by head and shoulders drag the Fundamentall Articles of the Christian Faith to the supporting of their doctrines not Fundamental If any could find a cure for this Epidemicall disease we should presently see many controversies and all contentions at least
clouds of speculation but in the plaine propositions of the holy Scriptures to the conceiving whereof there is more need and use of Faith than Art of an obedient Heart than of a subtile and piercing Wit Fourthly as all points justly challenging to themselves the Title of Fundamentall are plaine and naked for the manner of their Expression so ought they to be few and so framed that they do not swell to an infinite number yea that they grow not into so great a bulk burthensome to bee portable in the memory of Gods little ones Hence Aquinas cals them the First things to be beleeved 2a 2ae Qu. 2. de Fide cap. 2. and speciall Articles of the Faith William Paris termes them the Fundatories of Religion Others stile them Radicall Truths But although these first Fundatory and Radicall Doctrines of the Christian Religion may beget and bring forth a great uncertaine and numerous of-spring of Consequenceâ— arising from and following after â—â—â—m yet it beares no proportion with reason that they in themselves should 〈◊〉 many or uncertaine When therefore wee behold that to these First credibles of the Divine Essence and Attributes of the Incomprehensible Trinity of the Hypostatical Union of two Natures in Christ of the Cómunication of his Properties and almost of every Object of Knowledge in Divinity there is annexed so great a traine of severall points as thick Volumes are not able to containe them it is most certainely sure that the greatest part of them is not Fundamentall All Christians ought to heare the Counsell of Learned Nazianzen Orat. de Modest observ in D sp Contemplate saith he on Divine things but stay stil in the Termes Speake the Phrases and Language of the Spirit and if it be possible nothing else Do not thou curiously pry thorow those narrow rifts into the Nature of the Father the Essence of the only begotten Sonne the Glory of the Holy Ghost and one God in three Persons Vse the words accustomed the reason of them belongs to those that are Wiser to inquire Let it satisfie thee that thou hast the Foundation and let alone to Artificers to build thereupon Would to God only Artificers would build upon them would to God they would not mingle their many and almost infinite superstructures with the few and plaine Fundamentals to bee embraced with equall affections and to bee received with honour alike If they endeavour thus to do yet it becomes all pious and prudent Christians to discerne and make a difference betwixt those first and few things to bee beleeved immediately revealed by Christ and his Apostles and those numberlesse deductions of Divines which they according to their severall minds and opinions seeke to thrust and crowd into the same roome with Fundamentals Fiftly it is no Fundamentall point which though furbished and attired in new termes is not the same in effect with the Doctrine expressed in the words of the Holy Scripture For if the addition of our new coyned words importeth any thing more than what is in the Scripture this new accession may bee allowed for a consequent of the Fundamentall Doctrine but it cannot with this new peece bee urged for a direct downeright Fundamentall Doctrine But if the new word or the addition therein for matter of the Sense of the Proposition brings no new thing at all but so that understanding the Termes the effect of both appeares to be the same then wee acknowledge both to bee Fundamentall For the disserence of the expression alters not the nature of a Fundamentall Doctrine where the essence and meaning of the Proposition remaines the same What wee have said somewhat obscurely we will make plaine by an example Christ is God and the Sonne of God This is a Fundamentall Point and so also is this Christ is coessentiall with God his eternall Father For although in the latter there is a new Terme yet it addes no new thing nor affirmes any thing which will cause the cumberance of a toilesome deduction to extract it out of the former but whosoever understandeth the termes of both presently understands that they agree so well as in sense they are the same For no man of sound sense can have a conceit of diverse Gods in the same Essence or substance But if the Doctrine or Proposition deck't in forraign Termes and new language cannot bee annexed to a plaine and cleare Fundamentall Article without a busie and artificiall deducing of it it ought not to bee inserted into the Catalogue of Fundamentals Indeed those which perceive the force of the Consequence or Deduction are bound to afford beliefe to such Consectaries But they to whom it doth not sufficiently appeare that such a Proposition followeth from any Fundamentall point they are not bound to embrace it for a tried Truth much lesse for such a Doctrine without which no hope is left to obtaine Salvation To conclude in a word As often as it is inquired whether any Doctrine bee Fundamentall or no let us not give heed to the clamours of Disputants But have recourse to those Notes which now wee have reckoned up If the Doctrines they presse on us bee not clearely recommended by the Apostles themselves to the Catholique Church in the first preaching of the Gospell if in succeeding Ages they were not Universally received if they bee not suited to the capacity of simple Christians but only fitted to the braines of Philosophers and Logicians if they bee too many and not comprised within certaine bounds Lastly if expressed in such formes of Speech that they cannot bee reduced to an equivalent sense with a cleare and of all confessed Fundamentall Article sometimes they may bee Truthes but they can never beâ— counted Fundamentals CHAP. Chap. 7 VII Of the Summe of Fundamentall points contained in the Creed and Commandements so farre as wee ought to Beleeve or Practise MANY of the Papists and somme of ours when we maintaine that the difference betwixt the Reformed Churches is not about Fundamentals presently require of us to bring in a Bill and set forth an acurate Catalogue of Fundamentals so that we may say so many Fundamentals there be of the Christian Faith neither more nor lesse We easily answer the Papists that it were presumption in Protestants who confesse themselves subject to errour to undertake so hard a Taske let Papists rather addresse themselves to the Pope of Rome who alone can speake Oracles and is said to have all Laws Humane and Divine lockt up in the Closet of his Brest But if any of our men shall earnestly maintaine that unlesse this first be done no Brotherly love can be renewed betwixt the Protestant Churches let him try which is somewhat more easie if he can but only reduce the Propositions in Controversie which he desires should be Fundamentall to a certain and stinted number If he shrinkes to do this let him not blame the backwardnesse of others in the same matter Although it be not hard to show the reasons why
excell most in Faith it selfe Nor doe the modern Papists differ herein from the Schoolmen Let the Fathers of Trent speake Sesâ—ion 3. The Apostles Creed is that Principle in which all that professe the Faith of Christ do necessarily agree and it is that firme and only foundation against which the gates of Hell shall never prevaile And in the very Catechism of the Council of Trent this Creed is called Pag. 14. The short forme of the Christian Faith and Hope the summe and foundation of Truth first and necessarily to be beleeved of all Canifius affirmes That the words in the Creed tend to this purpose that we may have the true Knowledge of God and Heavenly things which is necessary to every man towards the leading of a godly and happy life comprised in briefe abridgement James Baius cals it the rule of the Christian faith prescribed to all Beleevers because by this common Profession of the faith those of the same houshold and brethren are distinguished from their Enemies Out of which testimonies we gather that it was the generall opinion of Divines that all Fundamentall Doctrines of the Christian Faith necessary with the necessity of the meanes to the Salvation of men were comprehended in the Creed so that none shall perish for meer ignorance of God and Christ who give an explicite Faith to these things Yet we say not that besides these few Fundamentals Christians should make no account of all other Doctrines which are placed in the Holy Scriptures Yea all Pastors and Doctors are bound by the necessity of the Precept to further the perfecting of the Saints and edifying of the Body of Christ Eph. 4.11 12. till we all come into the unity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect Man The people themselves also are bound where ability and opportunity is afforded them to grow unto the riches of the full assurance of Vnderstanding Col. 2.2 to the acknowledgement of the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ But neither Doctours of Particular Churches nor Christians living in them are bound to break off the band of Brotherly Communion with other Churches which embrace this Summe of the Christian Faith in that sense wherein the Catholique Church always received it and professe themselves enemies to all Heresies that overthrow the same Now as we have set downe the Apostles Creed for the briefe of Fundamentals pertaining to the saving Mysteries of Faith so wee acknowledge the Decalogue as the Symbole and Summe of all things to be done as touching duties due to the worship of God and offices of Charity which wee owe to our Neighbour For wee may fitly enough call Fundamentall Doctrines not only those Mysteries of Faith whose explained Knowledge is altogether necessary to the Salvation of Christians but also those Doctates of the Divine Law which if we know not at all we cannot worship God as we ought to the obtaining of Salvation In this sense we terme the Decalogue the Summe of things to bee done even as wee styled the other of which we have spoken before the Sum of things to be beleeved For the meere speculative Knowledge of the Divine Mysteries without the practicall knowledge of the Divine Mandats can bring none to blessednesse Therefore Luth. Tom. 1. in disp p. 406. Philip. pag. 436. the teaching of Gods Law in Churches is plainly necessary and altogether to be retained without which Christ cannot be retained For to this Law not only our corporall life but also our spirituall life ought to bee subjected Now those things which are propounded in this Law of God are so fundamentall that they cannot be broken without the guilt of death nor opposed and denyed without the staine of Heresie The Fundamentals of the Creed aime at this end that we may know God and Christ to eternall Life as either hath revealed himselfe The Fundamentals of the Decalogue drive at this That wee may worship both as they have commanded themselves to be worshipped If any overthrow the Fundamentals of Gods worship he is shut out from Salvation as much as if hee had overturned the Mysteries of Faith Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived Aquin. quaest disp de superb art 4. neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers c. As if the Apostle had said It is no lesse damnable to erre in these morall than in speculative principles For the corruption of ones opinion about those things which pertaine to manners may make an Heretique no lesse than about those things which pertaine to Faith if it be in any Universall Principle of Gods Law Hee that beleeves he may worship many Gods or adore the true God in an Image made with hands that is of the opinion that theft or fornication are things lawfull grates upon a Fundamentall Doctrine and runs into a deadly and dangerous Heresie For the practicall dictate which is included in every mandate of the Law is a Fundamentall truth and ought equally to bee beleeved as an Article of the Creed in speculative things If any man therefore should beleeve or teach that our Parents are not to be honoured or any thing else against a Commandement of God although he reverenceth his Parents with due honour or keepes that Commandement himselfe yet should hee bee an Hetetique and justly to bee accused for overturning a Foundation of Faith Let the Church of Rome therefore looke to it which boasteth that the Foundations of the Christian Faith hitherto have been preserved chiefly by her care whether or no she hath not grosly and damnably erred in the Fundamentals of the Decalogue to say nothing of her other errors Now if any will adde unto the Fundamentall Doctrines of the Creed and Commandements the Doctrine also of the Sacraments clearely revealed in the Gospell I am not against it provided on this condition that as they shall not all passe for fundamentals which Divines endeavour to build upon the fundamentall Articles of the Creed but that those only bee counted fundamentall which are necessary for all to know and beleeve to Salvation So also in the matter of the Sacraments every thing shall not presently bee a Fundamentall which may bee disputed about the Sacraments or gathered by the occasion of the Words which Christ spake but whatsoever Christ hath so set down and established that it is absolutely necessary to the receiving of Grace and Salvation in the use of the Sacraments As concerning the Sacrament of Baptisme it is a Fundamentall Doctrine that Christians must be Baptized in the Name of the most Holy Trinity that they may bee grafted into Christ Now they that beleeve and doe this retaine the Fundamentall doctrine of Baptisme although it may happen that the same men may in their minds conceive some false opinions of Baptisme or mingle some vaine and uselesse rites in the Administration thereof So in the Sacrament of
Churches that wee keep and preserve our own people safe and sound from their Errours and not that wee may render the others odious branding them for obstinate Heretiques Seeing it is easie to call any man an Heretique but not so easie to comprise in a certaine regular Definition what makes an Heretique Yea if we beleeve Augustine it is a matter of very great difficulty CHAP. VI. Chap. 6 Of the notes and markes whereby we may know that any Point is not Fundamentall WEE have showne already that Fundamentall points have this character plainly printed upon them that without the knowledge of them neither Salvation of Christians nor the Worship of God can consist Now let us adde some other signes and tokens out of which we may safely set down that any point is not Fundamentall although some urge and enforce it for Fundamentall and they especially who have long laboured and sweat soundly in the maintaining of it First therefore that is not Fundamentall which was never clearely revealed from the beginning by the Prophets and Apostles inspired from Heaven to Christian people and to Christian Churches founded by them through the whole World For they had not been pure from the bloud of them all if they had shunned to declare all the Counsell of God to all so far forth as it was necessary to the procuring the Salvation of all by Faith in Christ Jesus And the saving Truth in such necessary and fundamentall things was so revealed by the Apostles that all might behold it Mark 16.15 Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospell to every creature Rom. 1.16 For it is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that beleeveth We preach Christ Col. 1.28 warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdome that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus What therefore in the time of the Apostles was not declared to all that cannot in our Age begin to bee Fundamentall Yea neither the Papists themselves dare deny this although they arrogate to the Pope of Rome and Romish Church more power than is meet over the Articles of the Christian Faith For Canus set all those things apart from the Doctrines of the Catholique Faith Lib. 4. cap. ult pag. 145.146 which were not univorsally preached by the Apostles How much more then ought they to be severed from the Fundamentals Lib. 12.6.10 p. 391. The same Author alloweth that some propositions may bee called Truths of the Christian Doctrine which he thinks not worthy to be called Truths of the Catholique Faith For this name he counts peculiarly to belong to those Doctrines which so nearly concerne the Faith that by removing them Faith it selfe is taken away Lib. i. quest 17. p. 148. And Corduba to the same purpose saith It is no Catholique Truth nor is the contrary opinion Heresie unlesse such a Truth be revealed and generally propounded to all to be necessarily beleeved Last of all Bellarmine himselfe grants us Lib 4. de Verbo Dei cap. 11. That those things which are absolutely necessary for all to Salvation were preached unto all by the Apostles themselves Let this therefore bee the first signe of a Doctrine not Fundamentall that it hath not beene delivered by the Apostles to all publiquely generally and plainely Secondly that is no Fundamentall Point which was never admitted and held for such in the Primitive Church succeeding the Apostles and never recommended to all by generall consent of the Catholique Church For if any will maintaine that the Catholique Church did ever refuse or was ignorant of any Fundamentall Doctrine he must by the same reason maintaine that the whole Church was severed from her Foundation which no man well in his wits will ever suffer to enter into his Thoughts It was well observed by the right Reverend Arch-bishop of Armach a man of singular Piety and stored with the commendation for Learning in all kinds That if at this day wee should put by the points wherein Christians differ one from another and gather into one body the rest of the Articles wherein they generally agree Vsher Sermon before the King pag. 43. which worship Christ God and Man and acknowledge him for their Saviour We should find that in those propositions which without all Controversie are Vniversally received in the Christian World so much truth is contained as being joyned with holy Obedience may be sufficient to bring a man unto everlasting Salvation Which plainely evinceth that these things alone of the common Faith are those which rightly are called Fundamentall but as for those points which we so dearely prise and for love of them clash the Protestant Churches together because of the right of neare alliance which they have with the Fundamentals they may sometimes be ranked amongst true and profitable Doctrines but may not be accounted absolutely necessary or Fundamentall Thirdly it is not a Fundamentall maxime of the Christian Religion which is so handled or propounded that to conceive the truth thereof and to apprehend it with Faith we stand in need of the Wit and cunning of Logicians and of the abstracted and abstruse speculation of Metaphysitians Nazian Orat. 21. For nothing were more unjust than the Christian Faith if it should only sit and belong to those who are Learned and Skilfull in these Arts. Nothing is more usuall amongst Learned Men than in their minds and conceits to abstract the manner of things from the things themselves nothing more common than to propound the same single numericall thing to be considered under severall formall differences and to reare and raise these touring speculations on the plaine Doctrines of the Christian Faith If any such matter were Fundamentall or necessary to be knowne to Salvation there were no hope of the Salvation of all unlearned People But we defend with Augustine Epist 3.22 that the Faith of the holy Church is apprehended not by the Reason of Disputation but the Piety of beleeving otherwise none but the Philosophers should obtaine blessed happinesse Yea we say with the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.20 27. Where is the Wise where is the Scribe where is the Disputer of this World c. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the Wise As if he had said Where art thou O Learned man and skilfull in lofty speculations Art thou alone meet to receive the Doctrine of Life Yea every one of the plaine countrey People is more fit than thy selfe and thou altogether unfit if thou thinkest that in these things thou mayst rely on thy own Art and witty apprehension for the way of Salvation is not only a holy way but also so plaine and direct that the foolish cannot wander in it Isa 35.8 So be it they stick to the Word in the simplicity of their hearts On the place As Luther well affirmeth Therefore saving and Fundamentall Doctrines are not to be sought for in the dark