WANT OF CHARITY justly charged, ON ALL SUCH ROMAnists, as dare (without truth or modesty) affirm, that protestancy destroyeth Salvation.  
In Answer to a late Popish Pamphlet entitled Charity Mistaken etc.  
By Christopher Potter D. D. Chaplain to his Ma.tie in Ordinary, and Provost of Queen's College in Oxford.  
OXFORD, Printed by the Printers to the University. 1633.   

TO OUR MOST GRACIOUS AND MOST Religious Sovereign, King Charles, etc.  
Dread Sovereign,  
AMongst the many excellent Virtues which have made your Ma.tie Person so dear to God, and so precious in the eyes of all your good People, the most eminent is your Piety; which gloriously shines in the innocency of your Life, in the constancy of your Devotions, in the justice and mildness of Your blessed Government, and especially in your tender cares & thoughts for the conservation of true Religion, and of the Peace of the Church, in this crazy & quarrelling Age. This Piety in your Ma.tie gives me the boldness, humbly to lay at your Foot this unworthy Piece; and the boldness also to hope, that your Ma.tie will graciously accept it. Both because it was undertaken in obedience to your Ma.tie particular Commandment: and because in it I plead (as well as my Weaknesses will permit,) for the Faith and Charity of our Church, against the Faction of Rome, who very falsely pretending to Truth and Unity, are indeed the true Authors and Continuers of the miserable Schisms of Christendom. If here in I have done any acceptable service to God and his Church, and to your Ma.tie, I have my desire. The Father of Mercies crown Your Ma.tie with all the comforts and Benedictions of Heaven and Earth; and continue long the happiness of these Your Fortunate Islands, in the holiness and health of their Gracious Sovereign.  
Your Majesty's humble Servant and Chaplain Ch. Potter.   

Reader,  
THis Answer had been public some Months ago, if it had not been delayed, partly by sickness, and the indisposition of my Body, (and of my Mind also, which was ever averse from Contentions in Divinity, and now rather desirous to spend in Devotion the few and evil days of my life that remain:) and partly out of the hope I had to see a second Edition of the Mistakers Work, which the strong report of that Part promised, or rather threatened. But that hope failing, and being loath to seem to fail in my Observance, I now commend it (such as it is,) to the blessing of God, and to the use and judgement of the Church. My Answers, without further affectation, are true and modest: I speak to the Cause not to the Person. Whosoever the Mistaker be, he hath my pity and my prayers. He thinks unworthily of Truth, that believes it to have need of our Passions. My desire is, all Personal Defects may be charged on myself, none on the Cause. I have not followed the Mistaker in all his wanderings. But let Him not take that for a pretext of clamour. For, if He will be ingenuous, He must confess, that I have not omitted without Answer, any one thing of moment in all his Discourse. Or, if He will not, Our Readers will confess it, I have only neglected his repetitions, declamatory and injurious speeches, and the like impertinencies: which being set apart, the true Summary of the rest, is this that follows.   

Charity mistaken.  

Chapt. 1. & 2.  
ROman Catholics judge, that protestancy unrepented of destroys Salvation. For this judgement, the Protestants charge them with want of Charity. This charge (saith the Mistaker) is 1. improbable, 2. untrue.  
1. Improbable. For the Catholic Church expresses and diffuses her Charity for the temporal and spiritual good of men in all imaginable sorts. She is charitable to their bodies in her Monasteries, Hospitals, redeeming of Captives, providing for Orphans, etc. and to their souls, by converting of Heretics and Infidels, by teaching the ignorant, by directing the scrupulous with books of Cases of Conscience, etc. Charitable to very Protestants: their heresies are only condemned; and it is not said that they sin against the Holy Ghost, because they may be converted to the faith, reconciled to the Church, and so may be saved.  

Answer, Sect. 1.  
SOme Roman Catholics judge charitably of the Reformed. jesuiters furious and destructive in their censures, against all that are not of their faction. That Faction (infamous for their cruelties) charged with want of Charity, not the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church and the Roman ignorantly or cunningly confounded. The Catholic truly and really charitable, and so the English: but not so the Roman, not to her own Children, especially not to Protestants. Of whom the Mistaker, and Others speak and think no better then of Infidels. Though we entirely profess and embrace the Catholic Faith in all the parts of it.    

Charity mistaken. Cap. 3. & 4.  
2. Untrue. The former judgement proceeds not from want of Charity, but from truth. Which may appear by these grounds of truth which follow.  
1. Almighty God hath founded but one Church, and ordained but one Religion wherein he will be served; and out of the communion of this one Church there is no salvation. This Unity of the Church is proved by many testimonies of Scripture, and by the consent of the Fathers of the East and West. And it is likewise proved by the same authorities, that out of the Communion of this One Church salvation cannot be obtained. Wherefore all Heretics, and Schismatics being out of this Church & Communion must needs eternally perish.  

Answer, Sect. 2.  
OF the Unity of the Church. Wherein it consists. How it is violated. Each discord in Opinion dissolves not the Unity of Faith. The Communion of the Church in what sense, and how fare necessary.    

Charity mistaken. Chap. 6.  
2. THis Unity is directly broken between Roman Catholics and Protestants, who are not both Professors of this One Religion, or members of this One Church. For they differ in prime and main points of Faith: in which the Reformers have departed from the Church. Besides, the Protestants are not at Unity among themselves, and therefore much less with Roman Catholics. Their bitter contentions & speeches one against another, declare them to be of different Churches and Religions. Whence it follows that Roman Catholics and Protestants are not both saveable in their contrary ways.  

Answer, Sect. 3.  
THe true difference between the Roman and Reformed Parts of the Church. Protestants have rejected nothing but Popery, that is, corrupt superadditions to the Faith, confessed by learned Romanists to be doubtful and unnecessary novelties. Errors and Abuses of Rome reform by us, without Schism. Those errors damnable; how, and to whom! Of the dissensions of Protestants among themselves. They differ not in any point fundamental.    

Charity mistaken. Cap. 6.  
furthermore, the Protestants are properly Heretics at least, if not Infidels. Heretics, because they reject and disobey the judgement of the Catholic Church. For it is not the matter or quality of the doctrine, but the pride of the man (who prefers his own opinions before the decrees of the Church,) that properly makes the Heretic. The Heretics, recounted by S. Augustine, Epiphanius and Philastrius in their Catalogues, were condemned, not so much for their errors, (which were many ofthem not very material,) as for their contempt of the Church. S. Cyprian and the Donatists differed not in the matter of their error; but the obstinacy of the Donatists, and their disobedience to the Church made them to be condemned for Heretics, when S. Cyprian was absolved, because the Church in his time had not declared herself. And in the like manner the Novatians were condemned, on the same grounds.  

Answer, Sect. 4.  
OF the nature of Heresy. The Church may declare & convince an Heresy, but cannot properly make any Doctrine Heretical, unless it be such in the matter of it. The words Heresy, and Heretic very ambiguous. How commonly used by the Ancients. Of their Catalogues of Heretics. S. Cyprian (though erring in the point of Rebaptisation,) justly absolved from Schism and Heresy. The Donatists guilty of both. And the Novatians of Schism.    

Charity mistaken. Chap. 6.  
Again, the only right ground and true infallible motive of faith (by which it is produced, and on which it relies) is the revelation of God, and the proposition of his Church. He therefore who believes not every particular Article of Catholic Doctrine, which is revealed and propounded by Almighty God and his Church, (which Church is absolutely infallible in all her proposals,) doth not assent to any one (even of those which he believes) by divine faith; because he assents not upon the only true and infallible motive. An assent not grounded on this, is no supernatural divine faith, but only an humane suspicion, or opinion, or persuasion. And such is the faith of Turks, jews, Moors, and all Heretics, & particularly of the Protestants.  

Answer Sect. 5.  
DIvine revelation, the principal motive & last object into which faith supernatural is resolved. The testimony and ministry 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 Church's infallibility. The Church Universal infallible in fundamental doctrines. Not so in points of lesser moment. The Mistaker cannot say what he means by the Church, whereof he says so much. Of the Church represented in General Counsels, of which We speak and think more honourably than do our Adversaries. Yet we think them not absolutely infallible. Of the Pope whom they call the Church virtual. How his Flatterers speak of his authority. No Roman Catholic can be assured of his infallibility, which is (at the most and best) but problematical, by their own principles.    

Charity mistaken. Chap. 7.  
Protestant's object, that Roman Catholics are not at unity among themselves, as appears by many questions wherein their Writers are at variance. Answer. Catholic Doctors differ only in matters of Opinion, not decided by the Church, not in any point of Faith. And besides, their differences are all fairly carried, without any breach of Charity. If it be again objected, that learned Catholics believe more than the unlearned. Answer. This hinders not their Unity. It suffices the Vulgar to believe implicitly what the Church teaches. And by virtue of such implicit faith a Cardinal Bellarmine, and a Catholic Collier are of the same belief.  

Answer, Sect. 6.  
Dissensions in the Church of Rome of greater importance than any among the Reformed. They differ not only in Opinion, but in matters of their Faith. As about the Pope's authority: and the Popes themselves about their vulgar Latin Bibles. Discords among Them uncharitably pursued. Some patterns of their mutual bitterness and revile, Implicit faith, in some points, and in some persons admitted. What it is which we dislike here in the doctrine of some Romanists.    

Charity mistaken. Chap. 8. 9  
THe Protestants pretend to be at unity with the Ancient Church, with the Lutherans, and even with Roman Catholics in fundamental points. That distinction (so ordinary with them) between fundamental points and not fundamental, is vain, & without ground. No Protestant Writer, none of their Universities, Colleges or Societies of learned men amongst them, can or dare define, what doctrines are fundamental, or give us in a List or Catalogue of Fundamentals. 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 works; or of that doctrine of devils, forbidding marriage & meats (which was the doctrine of the Manichees, and not of Roman Catholics, as Protestants perversely affirm:) and finally since there is such great differences between them and us about the understanding of the Articles of Christ's Descent into Hell, of the holy Catholic Church, and the Communion of Saints. Others say, the Book of the 39 Articles of the Church of England, declares all the fundamental points of faith. But that also is most absurdly affirmed. That Book declares only (and that in an extremely confused manner,) what the Church of England believes in most things. And in many Controversies between them and us, it speaks obscurely, not touching the main 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 fundamental and not fundamental 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 Catholic 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.     

ANSWER TO Charity mistaken.  


Charity mistaken. Chap. 1. & 2.  
Roman Catholics judge, that Protestancy unrepented of destroys salvation. For this judgement the Protestants charge them with want of Charity. This charge (saith the Mistaker) is 1. improbable, 2. untrue.  
1. Improbable. For the Catholic Church expresses and diffuses her Charity for the temporal and spiritual good of men, in all imaginable sorts. She is charitable to their bodies in her Monasteries, Hospitals, redeeming of Captives, providing for Orphans, etc. and to their souls, by converting of heretics and infidels, by teaching the ignorant, by directing the scrupulous with books of Cases of Conscience, etc. Charitable to very Protestants: their heresies only are condemned; and it is not said that they sinn● against the holy Ghost, because they may be converted to the faith, reconciled to the Church, an● so may be saved.  

Answer, Sect. 1.  
SOme Roman Catholics judge charitably of the Reformed. Iesuiter● furious and destructive in their censures, against all that are not of their faction. That faction (infamous for their cruelties) charged with want of Charity, not the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church and the Roman ignorantly or cunningly confounded. The Catholic truly and really charitable, and so the English: but not so the Roman, not to her own children, especially not to Protestants. Of whom the Mistaker and others speak and think no better then of Infidels. Though we entirely profess and embrace the Catholic faith in all the parts of it.    
Roman Catholics affirm that Protestants cannot be saved. It matters not much what Roman Catholics affirm. They can affirm much more than they can prove, many dreams and fancies are at this day affirmed to be Catholic verities; and affirmed with great confidence. For want of truth is usually attended with want of modesty. None so forward to affirm as they that have least reason for their affirmations. But strong affirmations are but weak proofs. In the mean while, the boldness of these Dogmatists in affirming so many things in Religion upon so feeble grounds, hath miserably distracted Christendom, and lost us the peace of the Church.  
But do all Roman Catholics affirm this? So the Mistaker seems to imply by his indefinite assertion. But sure the man is much mistaken. It is indeed an old tradition in the Pope's Court, & one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Maxims of the jesuitical Cabal, subesse Romano Pontifici est de necessitate salutis, that none but perfect Papalins can be saved. But all Papists are not Courtiers, nor as yet, I hope, fully jesuited; without doubt, many learned and moderate men living in the outward Communion of that Church (among the French, Venetians, and elsewhere) do believe, that it is possible enough for Protestants to be saved, since they believe in jesus Christ, though they believe not in the Pope. Many of them have said so much in effect, & many more would happily say more, if they might speak freely. But though their thoughts are free, their tongues are not. Yet the Mistaker believes his masters the jesuits, who have told him, that God will exclude out of heaven all sorts and sects of men, that are not (as themselves) fully and furiously Romanized.  
No Protestant can be saved! Here is a quick purging Index for the Book of Life. Woe were it with mankind, if the Fathers of the Society had the keeping of that Book. Their sponge would quickly make it a blotted Catalogue. Out, into hell, must all, but themselves, and their disciples: so many as will not worship the I doll at Rome. But our comfort is, these men shall not be our judges at the last day. Thanks be to God and our Lord jesus Christ, we shall stand or fall to our own Master, in whom we believe, whom we desire to obey, and whose we are: who will bless us the rather for their unjust maledictions and censures. These Fathers may do well (and so may their children and clients) who are so fierce in passing such capital sentences against us, to look well to their own final great accounts. What will become of them God only knows, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: and to his judgement we leave them. Only this we know that he shall have judgement 
jam. 2. 13.  without mercy, that hath showed no mercy. And sure, it will go hard with them if that be true which the prudent Cardinal d'Ossat (lieger for K. Henry iv in the 
Epist. 8. ● Villeroy.  Court of Rome) collected from their wicked doctrines and practices, that (notwithstanding their great pretensions of zeal, yet indeed) they believe neither in jesus Christ nor the Pope. For whatsoever he be, Tros Tyriusue, Catholic or Heretic, if their General have him in a jealousy, he must be cut of from Earth and Heaven. Witness Henry the Great of France, who, after his conversion to the Pope, was struck 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 eternal shame of Popery) for the advancement of the Catholic cause, Papists and Protestants both together, (since they could not be severed,) pell mel must all be blown up. 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 Calendar; intending first to martyr, then to worship them, which had been honour and recompense sufficient for their slaughter. But for all Protestants, dying there or elsewhere, they are sent packing to Hell: for their doom is, no Protestant can be saved.  
But why may not a Protestant be saved? There is no good Protestant, but (for matter of practice) he 
a Nehem. 1 11.  desires to fear God's name, 
b Hab. 6. 1.  reputes for sins past, and for the time to come hath a sincere 
c Act. 11. 23.  purpose of heart to cleau unto the Lord, 
d Heb. 1● 18.  willing in all things to keep a good conscience and to live honestly, obeying God in all his Commandments, so far as humane frailty will permit: and (for matter of faith) he believes entirely the Scriptures, the Catholic Creeds, and whatsoever the Catholic Church in all ages hath believed as necessary to salvation. All Papists in the world shall never be able to prove the contrary: Either that we walk not according to these rules, or that so walking mercy and peace shall not be upon us, as upon the Israel of God. Nay, since we are no further departed from the present Roman Church (as our late most learned Sovereign K. james professed) than she herself is departed from Scripture, from Antiquity, and from herself in her best times: she is most uncharitable in condemning us to Hell, because we refuse to yield a blind obedience to her new dictates. And the same damnatory sentence which she darts against us, involues equally and alike all truly Catholic Christians in the world, with whom in substance we fully consent. Surely in this furious rashness and rigour, there is nothing of that sweet virtue 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 damn all that approve not their fantasies: and this angry unmerciful passion they call Zeal to the holy cause, and that which is mere malice must pass for pure Charity.  
So it fares with the Mistaker and his fellows the jesuiters. They take it ill that we charge them with want of Charity; when in their hopes and desires (for, blessed be God, they can do it no otherwise) they bar us out of Heaven. It seems, they would have us patiently to receive their bloody sentence of damnation, and though they pronounce it against us without authority and without reason, yet we must believe it is not without Charity. But he much mistakes Charity and the Jesuits, who can believe them to be Charitable. Nay he must be a stranger in Europe & in the world, who can believe it. Their own Catholics in France believe it not, where the 
f Voiez ●e Mercure jesuite. 1. part.  University of Paris (in the name of all the others in that kingdom) hath not long since challenged above 30 Jesuits, to have published execrable doctrines, (touching the kill of Kings, and absolving subjects from their allegiance) tending to the ruin of mankind and confusion of all government: and many of their books of this argument, by public arrest of the Parliament of Paris, have been condemned to the fire. And for this reason the whole 
g Hist. Interred. lib. 3.  Senate of Venice, (not one man of that great Body dissenting) did by decree chase these men out of their Dominions into perpetual banishment, because, the Jesuits have been the Authors and Instruments of all tumults, seditions, confusions, and miseries happening in these times, in all Kingdoms and States of the world. And for us Protestants, the innumerable massacres of our Brethren in France, the Netherlands, and elsewhere, the barbarous treasons plotted against our late Sovereigns and this state of England, are demonstrations sufficient of their burning Charity towards us. But all their other cruelties are but mild in comparison of this doctrine, which pursues our souls after death into the neathermost pit.  
Yet the Mistaker thinks this may be affirmed with Charity. For it is improbable the Catholic Church should want Charity: Most true; not improbable only but merely impossible, the Catholic Church should be without Charity. Far be it from us to lay this  and unworthy charge upon our dear Mother, the Catholic Church. Charity is the ligament which connects both that whole mystical Body unto Christ her glorious Head, and each several member one to another. The good spirit of truth and love ever assists and animates that great Body. This Mother of all Christians we honour as her dutiful Children, and are well assured of her blessing. We accuse not Her for want of Charity (she gives no cause:) but that proud and cursed Dame of Rome, who takes upon her to revel in the House of God, to let in and cast out at her pleasure, pretending that she alone is the Mother and Mistress in that House, usurping and confining all the privileges of the Catholic Church to herself alone. A pretention void of colour, and against the principles of reason, which forbids to confound a part with the ●hole. Though she have many ways ●aid the Harlot, and in that regard deserved a bill of divorce from Christ, & ●he detestation of Christians; yet for ●hose Catholic verities which she re●aines, we yield her a member of the Catholic, though one of the most unsound and corrupt members. In this sense the Romanists may be called Catholics. But that the Roman Church ●nd the Catholic are all one, is a very vain and absurd imagination, unknown 
h That the Roman Church was anciently esteemed a Topical or particular Church distinct from others, and in and under the Universal, may appear by Ignatius in tit. epist. ad Rom. Eccles. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Ambros. Epist. 83. ad med. Post Aegyptorum supputationes & Alexandrinae Ecclesiae definitionem, Episcopi quoque Romanae Ecclesiae meam adhuc expectant sententiam, quid existimem de die Paschae. Innoc. ad Victricium Epis. Rothomag. ●initio. Quia Romanae Ecclesiae normam magnoperè postulâsti, advertant Ecclesiarum regionis vestrae populi, qualis servetur in urbis Romae Ecclesijs disciplina. Caelestinus Episc. Rom. Epist ad joan. Antioc. ap. Binn. in Concil. Ephes. Gr. lat▪ par. 1. § 20 pag. 143. Asserat se (Nestorius) fidem tenere, quam secundum Apostolicam doctrinam Romana▪ & Alexandrina, & Catholica Vniversalis Ecclesia tenet. Nicolaus PP. 1. Epist. 8. ad Michael. August. ad fin. Imperatores (Nero, Diocletia●us) persecuti sunt Ecclesiam Dei & maximè Ecclesiam Romanam. Idem. Epist, 70 ad Hincmarum, & caeteros Galliae Episcopos. Conantur Graeci tam nostram specialiter (Romanam,) quam omnem, quae linguâ latinâ utitur, Ecclesiam reprehendere, quòd jejunamus in Sabbatis, etc. Et paulo post. Opprobria haec universali Ecclesiae, in eâ duntaxat parte, quae latinâ uti dignoscitur linguâ ingeruntur. Innocent. 3. lib. 2. Epist. 200. ad joan. Patriarch. Constantinopol. Dicitur Vniversalis Ecclesia, quae de universis constat Ecclesiis, quae Graeco vocabulo Catholica nominatur,— Ecclesia Romana sic non est Vniversalis Eccles●●● sed par● Vniversalis Ecclesiae.  to Antiquity, still loosely & miserably begged by the Mistaker & his fellows, without offer of proof. Catholique-Roman is in true interpretation universallparticular: which are terms repugnant, that cannot be equalled. The latter restrains & cuts off from the former: and therefore to conclude the Catholic Church within that of Rome, is to alter the name and nature of it, & he that will be only a Roman must cease to be a Catholic.  
It is not then the Catholic Church that we charge, or that charges us, but the Roman. And therefore all the discourse of our Mistaker touching the great charities of the Catholic Church to her children, is very roving and impertinent, wind and words without substance. All confess, that she diffuses herself in all acts of charity after all imaginable sorts. So do her several members, the particular Churches. They of the Reformation, and especially this of England, as amply and bountifully as any in the World; and much more effectually and to better purpose than that of Rome. It hath been publicly avowed by some, and cannot be denied by a modest Adversary, that hard●y any age in former times may compare with this of ours, (since this Church was happily purged from Popery,) for public expressions of charity. In so few years, hardly ever so many Churches or Chappells built and beautified for God's service, so many Colleges, Schools, Libraries, Hospitals, erected and endowed for the honour of learning, and relief of the necessitous. And for the other part of charity, which is spiritual, regarding the worship of God and the conduct of souls to their eternal happiness; never did any Church afford more plentifully the means of grace, nor more abound with all helps and advantages of piety, than this of ours. The word of God is diligently preached amongst us, the Sacraments of Christ reverently administered, abuses in both are removed, the two extremes of Religion, Superstition and Profaneness are avoided. The ignorant are instructed, the disorderly admonished, comforts are applied to the afflicted, terrors to the impenitent, censures and punishments to the obstinate. In our Leiturgy, policy & ceremonies, in the government of our Prelates, in the diligence of inferior Pastors, in the who●● face of our doctrine and discipline, we● have a most near and fair resemblance of reverend Antiquity: all tending to th● gaining of souls to Christ, and to guid● them in the way of peace.  
In the Church of Rome appears bu● little of this true Charity, even toward her own Children. Indeed, she brings forth children unto God by her baptism, but then poisons them in thei● breeding. When they ask for bread she gives them a stone, and serpents in stead o● fishes. To the word of God she adde● and equals her own traditions, she reads unto them that word, but in an unknown tongue: teaches them to pray, but in latin, which they understand not: directs them to call upon God, but withal upon Saints and Angels: to worship God, but also dumb blocks and Images. She sends them to Legends and pictures for much of their instruction: and for direction of their conscience to such Casuists, as their 
i Aurel. Sorbonicus in vindicijs contra Loemelij Spong. nuper editis pag. 516. 517. Omnium maximèintolerandi suntilli Theologiae moralis, Institutionum moralium, moralium Praeceptorum,—.— compilatores, penè omnes Iesuitae inter quos Th. S. edidit densum opus de Matrimonio, opus non gloriandum sed pudendum; tam immani curiositate, tam invisa in rebus spurissimis, & infandis, & monstrosis, & diabo●icis perscrutandis sagacitate horrendum, ut mirum sit pudoris alicujus hominem ea sine rubore scripsisse, quae quivis mode stioris ingenij vix sine rubore legate. Portenta ista sunt, non Scripta● animorum insidiae, non mentium subsidia; incentiva libidinum, schola flagitiorum, non honestae disciplinae, non scientiae Christianae instrumenta. insoelix scientia quae omnes perdere, paucos juvare nata est. Quae circ● sordes & sterquilinia volvenda & revolvenda volutatur.  own men say to have dishonoured Christian Religion with their abominable lessons. She feeds them with a dry communion, and bids them obey jesus Christ & the Pope if they will be saved. She hath also her Bishops, Priests, Masses, Monks, Monasteries, etc. but such as have nothing almost common with those of the Primitive times, save only their names. In brief, with all possible artifices, she labours to keep her poor Laity hoodwinked in ignorance: for blind men are more tractable and obedient unto their leaders. She tells them, it is Creed enough for them to believe only in the Catholic Church, that is, to resign up to herself their understanding. But if any of them be farther curious to know more, especially if they will be prying into that dangerous book, the Bible; she sends them into the Inquisition to be there better catechised. Thus she deals with her own. But for all us that are (in her opinion) Heretics, if her power were answerable to the malignity of her desires, no remedy, we should all pass through the Inquisition into Hell.  
Here is the image of the Roman charity so much magnified by the Mistaker. Though we deny not, Romanists may be really charitable in some kind: But doth not that Charity (such as it is) both begin and end at home? Contrary to the nature of true Charity which beginneth at home, and then enlargeth itself to others even to enemies. The Mistaker talks highly of their redeeming of Captives, endowing of Hospitals.— But in conscience, what thinks he? would not a needy jew be sooner relieved in any Roman Hospital (as they are in the City of Rome) than a poor Protestant? And a captive Turk as soon ransomed as a Calvinist? Nay, we are so little beholding to them for any charitable affection towards us, that the civility of fair language is thought too good for us. Our writers are denied the honour of their 
k Ind. Hispanicus Bern. de Sandoval. edit. Genev. p. 167 à Conrado Gesnero. add Auctore damnato ib. per jacobum Frisium. add Auctorem damnatum p. 168. unum integerrimum simistri judicij, deal, virum integerrimum ib. doctissimus Simlerus doctissimè exposuit. deal, doctissimus & doctissime. ib. doctissimi diligentissimique viri. deal. doctissimi diligentissimique ib. clarissimus medicus. deal, olarissimus.  learning or moral parts; and if any modest man among them do but 
l Poss. Bibl. select. pag. 130. de Bodino. universa hâc tractatione haeresin sapit, quod Lutherum, Calvinum, Melancthonem, caeterosque honorificè nominet.  fairly mention any of our names, he is said to savour of heresy. Briefly, their people are taught by their principal 
m Staplet. Orat. de Haeresi & Magiâ. ad fin. sicut cum Magis ac Maleficis commerci a habere, pacem inire, matrimonia facere, omnia, Christianus abhorret; non secùs cum Haereticis eadem commercia repudianda sunt. Sicut Magos publicá authoritate arcemus, civitate pellimus, poenis atroeibus afficimus, eodem studio ac vigore in Haereticos uti oportet. Sicut Magici libri apud Christianos nusquàm tolerantur, ferro & flammâ excinduntur: idem de Haereticis statuendum est.  Doctors to esteem us no better than Dogs, Infidels, & Magicians that have professedly to do with the Devil: to abhor all commerce, truce, and treaties with us, to burn our Books, and pursue our persons with fire & sword, and fare and wide to chase us out of their coasts. Thus are we hated, reviled, persecuted, cursed, even into eternal fire by the Roman Charity. If this be Charity, there is no such thing, as malice, in the world. The mercies of the wicked are cruel. Prov. 12. 10.  
But, it seems, the Mistaker thinks it favour and Charity enough to us, to grant that though our Protestancy be a damnable sin, yet it is not the sin against the Holy Ghost. For that sin excludes repentance; but Protestants may repent, and be converted and reconciled to the Roman Church, and so may be saved. And therefore we are not utterly conclamati, past all hope of life or recovery. This yet is more favour than we could expect from that Pope 
n Caus. 25. qu. I. can. Violatores.  who makes every wilful offender against the Canons, a blasphemer against the Holy Ghost. And yet the Mistaker herein is no more favourable to us, than he is to jews or Mahometans. I presume he thinks no Infidels to sin against the Holy Ghost: upon their repentance and conversion he will grant they may be faved. Just so he thinks and speaks of us. We have a great obligation to him for his charity.  
Well, if we will be saved, we must renounce our errors, be converted to the faith & reconciled to the Roman Church. Our faith is the same which the Apostles (or the apostolic Church) delivered in their Creed; the same which the Catholic Church, in the Creed of Athanasius, calls the Catholic faith: into this faith we have been baptised, in this we live and hope to dye. To renounce this faith were to abjure our Christendom. I hope the Mistaker would not wish us converted from our Creed. Though some of his Ghostly Fathers seem very meanly to esteem it. As appears by that 
o Censura Symboli Apostolici— ad instar Censurae Pari siensis.  Censure which lately they published upon it, or rather against it: wherein they say many Articles of it seem to be ambiguous, dangerous, false, scandalous, heretical, etc. They say, it is in jest, to show the Sorbonists the iniquity of their censures. As if jesuitical Libels and Pamphlets were to be paralleled with the Apostles Creed: or this as justly censurablea as the other. God in justice may give over these men to Atheism in earnest, who dare so profanely dally with the Capital Principles of our faith.  
By the profession of this faith and by the bond of love, we are linked in communion with the Catholic Church and all her true members in the world; and doubt not of God's mercy in Christ, if to our holy faith, we add an holy conversation. For the Church of Rome, in those Catholic truths which she maintains, we are not at odds with her, nor need any reconciling: for that mass of errors and abuses, in judgement and practice which is proper to her and wherein she differs from us, we judge a reconciliation impossible, and to us (who are convicted in conscience of her corruptions) damnable.  
Hitherto the Mistaker hath declamed for the Charity of his party: He will now declare the truth of his assertion, that no Protestant can be saved. Upon examination, we shall find as little truth in the substance of his discourse, as there is in the design of it, little judgement, or conscience, or modesty.   


Charity mistaken. Cap. 3. 4. 5.  
2 Untrue. The former judgement proceeds not from lack of Charity, but from truth. Which may appear by these grounds▪ of truth which follow.  
1 Almighty God hath founded but one Church, and ordained but one religion wherein he will be served; and out of the communion of this one Church there is no salvation. This unity of the Church is proved by many testimonies of Scripture, and by the consent of the Fathers of the East and West. And it is likewise proved by the same authorities, that out of the communion of this one Church salvation cannot be obtained. wherefore all Heretics & Schismatics being out of this Church and Communion must needs eternally perish.  

Answer Sect. 2.  
OF the Unity of the Church. Wherein it consists. How it is violated. Each discord in opinion dissolves not the unity of Faith. The communion of the Church in what sense and how fare necessary.    
TO the first ground. No Protestant denies the Catholic Church to be one; They all deny the present Roman to be that one Catholic. If the Mistaker could prove this, his pains were to some purpose. But his labour is lost in proving the unity of the Catholic Church; where of there is no doubt or Countroversie. Wherefore we might pass over this impertinent discourse; but that some things are here and there intermingled, which merit our consideration.  
That place of 
a Deut. 17. 8, 9  Deut. 17. alleged by the Mistaker, makes little for the unity of the Church, and much less for the Pope's pretence of sovereign power. All Controversies civil or ceremonial are there referred, (not to the high Priest alone, as the Mistaker thinks, but) to the great Tribunal, called the Sanhedrim, mixed of Priests and judges; in which all harder causes Ecclesiastical and Civil should be determined, without further appeal. And therefore in respect of the two kinds of causes, there were ordained two sorts of men to hear them, Ecclesiastical and Civil; the Civil meant by the judge, and the Ecclesiastical by the Priest. And though sometimes amongst the jews, both the offices did meet in one person, as in Eli; yet this was very rare and extraordinary. Ordinarily they were distinct; and in the place which we have in hand, many learned 
b Oleaster, Lyra. Cajeta. apud Bonfrer. in loc. Sigon. de Rep. Heb. libr. 6. cap. 7. The Dowists in their Marginal note on 2 Chron. 19 vers. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Romanists affirm, that by the judge is meant the civil Magistrate; who is directly distinguished and severed from the Priest, both in the 
c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  original Hebrew, and in the 
d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Septuagint. And by the Priest, not the high Priest alone, but (as may appear by this 
e Deut. 17. 9  Text, and another 
f Deut. 2. 1. 5.  parallel to it) the Priests the sons of Levi. It is true, amongst those Priests there was one Chief, in this matter of highest judgement, in doubtful causes: So also was there one principal among the judges, in 
g 2 Chron. 19 11.  matters of the King, that is in civil causes. And therefore if the Mistaker imagine, that Christians must have one sovereign Bishop over all, because the jews had one chief Priest; it may be inferred by as good consequence, that Christians must have one Sovereign Prince over all, because the jews had one chief judge. And as all harder causes of religion must be referred to the Pope, so all civil matters must be referred to the Emperor. And as amongst the jews, the Priest and judge were resident in the place which the Lord had chosen; so the Pope and the Emperor must both abide in Rome. These Inferences are all of equal validity, that is, of no validity at all.  
The Mistaker will here have it further well considered, that the whole people was to submit to the determination of the high Priest, (or of the judge as the 
Vers. 12.  Text hath it) upon no less than the pain of death. True: and there was reason for it. For 1. the sentences of them that are in authority, and judge soveraignely without appeal, should be obeyed or submitted unto, though they be unjust. A lawful power, though unlawfully abused, must be obeyed. A man fined or censured in the Star-chamber, high Commission, or other Courts of justice, may not pretend for his contempt the error or misinformation of the judges. But though Inferiors be always bound to obey the sentences of their Governors; yet they are not bound to believe them always to be just. Those Priests and judges had a rule to govern their judgements by: they were to give sentence 
h Vers. 11. & Eze. 44. 24.  according to the Law. If they erred from this rule, (as sometimes 
i Es. 28. 7. jer. 2. 26. 27 Ezek. 22. 26. Mal. 2. 7, 8. Act. 23. 3. Vide Tirin. in loc. Deut. 17.  they did) the error might be observed, though the authority might not be disobeyed. 2. The high Priest in cases of moment had a certain Privilege from error, if he consulted the 
k Exod. 28. 30. Numb. 27. 21.  divine oracle by the judgement of Urim, (or by the breastplate of judgement, wherein were Vrim and Thummim) whereby he had an absolutely infallible direction. If any such promise from God to assist the Pope could be produced, his decisions might then justly pass for oracles, without examination; till then, his words with us weigh so much as his reasons, no more.  
The sin of 
l Numb. 16.  Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, was a rebellion, yea treason against Moses the civil Magistrate, as well as a schism from Aaron the Priest. That they with all their company descended alive into the pit of hell, is rashly and uncharitably said. God is merciful; and who knows, whether some of them did not repent in the last moment? All that this example teacheth is, that men ought not to rend themselves from the Church of God, or join in the despising of government, with them that seek their own glory, and not the glory of God.  
It is a certain truth, that 
m Matth. 28. 20.  all things ought to be observed which Christ hath commanded: and that 
n Mark. 16.  whosoever believeth not in Christ, shall be condemned. But here is no warrant for the Church of Rome, to force upon the world her own commandments and Creeds, in stead of Christ's.  
That in S. Matthew, 
o Matt. 18. 17.  If thy Brother offend thee tell the Church, is nothing to the point in hand. Our Lord speaks of a brother wronging his brother, and after private admonition refusing to obey the Church: which may be understood of an assembly as well Civil as Ecclesiastical. Howsoever, it cannot be meant of the Church Catholic, (which cannot be told of private injuries,) but of particular Congregations; or as 
p Chrys. hom. 61. in Matth. vide etiam Tirinum in locum.  S. Chrysostome expounds it, of their Pastors. And if any disorderly or obstinato persons will not be reform by their good counsels, they are to be esteemed as profane Publicans and sinners, or to be punished with spiritual censures. Yet in these censures any Church may err, through misinformation or ignorance, and may sometimes strike the innocent; as is confessed by Pope 
q Decretal. lib. 5. tit. 39 c. 28. A nobis.  Innocent the third, and 
r Mag. lib. 4. dist. 18. lit. F.  Lombard. Whether in points of discipline or doctrine, so long as any Church holds to the rule of truth, & governs herself by the word of God, she errs not. We are to hear the Church our mother; true, that is, not rashly to oppose her; especially if she be careful to hear God our Father, and Christ her Spouse, of whom it was said, 
s Matt. 17. 5.  Hear him. The Mistaker therefore vainly infers from this place, that the judgement of the Church in all Controversies is Sovereign and Infallible, and that absolute obedience is due unto Her, no appeal being allowed, no not to Scripture, though expounded in a Catholic sense, and consonantly to the judgement of the most ancient and famous members of the Church. The Text evidently speaks of particular Churches, to which I suppose he will not easily yield these goodly privileges. After his wont, still when he talks of the Church, he means his own; and ever mistakes the Roman for the Catholic. The Church Catholic or universal is confessed in some sense to be unerring, (as shall appear hereafter) and he is little better than a Pagan that despiseth her judgement. For she follows her guides the Prophets and Apostles, and is not very free and forward in her definitions. All this is as false of the Roman Church, as it is true of the Catholic.  
The Treatise of S. Cyprian, of the unity of the Catholic Church, (for that title 
a Epist. 51.  himself gives it) is directed against the schism & error of the novatians; who peevishly severed themselves from the Communion of Catholics, because they gave the peace of the Church to such as repent after their fall, in times of persecution. There is nothing in that Treatise which the Protestants dislike, save only the corrupting of S. Cyprians text by some Romish zealot: 
b Cap. 3. secund. Pam. these words added to the Text. [Primatus Petro datur—] & [super Cathedram Petri fundata est Ecclesia-) & super [illum] unum aedificat Ecclesiam Christus—  who hath added and fourred in two or three false glosses of his own, in favour of S. Peter's Primacy: Contrary to the faith of written copies, and of the elder editions, which were before Manutius and Pamelius; contrary to the constant doctrine of that holy Martyr, in other parts of his works, and even in that very place which is corrupted; and contrary to the reading of their own Gratian, 
c Caus. 24. q. 1. can. Loquitur Dominus ad Petrum.  corrected by Pope Gregory 13. And in this unworthy fashion they have handled many other records and 
d Vide Rog Withring. Apol. Bell. num. 450.  monuments of Antiquity; adding, altering, razing them at their pleasure. Sixtus Senensis highly commends Pope Pius the fift, for the care which he had 
e Epist. dedic. ad Pium 5. P. M. Expurgari & emaculari curâsti omnia Catholicorum scriptorum, ac praecipuè veterum Patrum scripta—  to extinguish all dangerous books; and to purge the writings of all Catholic Authors, especially of the ancient Fathers from the filth and poison of heresy. At Rome they call it heresy, not to speak the language of the Court; or to say any thing in behalf of Protestants. A few years since, when the learned jesuite Andrea's Schottus of Antuerpe, published 600 Greek Epistles of Isidorus jelusiotes, out of the Vatican Library, never before printed; Beyerlinck the Censor of Books there, was content to pass them to the press, 
f In approbatione libri editi Antuerp. Graecè 1623.  because they contained nothing contrary to the Catholic Roman religion. It seems they had not passed, but upon that condition. Though since on better consideration, that unwary clause is left out in the Approbation of the last edition of those Epistles in Greek and Latin, at Francfort. This by the way. 
Anno 1629.   
S. Augustine, in his Epistle of the unity of the Church, largely debates that main controversy between the Catholics and the Donatists, concerning the Church. Those Schismatics pretended, that the Catholic Church was perished in all other parts of the world; and that it remained only in their factious Conventicles, in some corners of Rome and Africa, or (as they loved to speak) in the part of Donatus. Against this fancy, (which is the opinion in effect of our Roman Catholics at this day,) the learned Father proves, that the Catholic Church may not be confined to any corners, or Countries: but that it is universally diffused through all the world. And he constantly fetches all his proofs from the holy Scriptures: often protesting that he will not fight with any other weapons. 
g Aug. de unit. Eccl. cap. 6. Dicitis in nullis terris heredem permanere Christum, nisi ubi cohaeredem habere potuerit Donatum. Legite nobis hoc de Lege, de P●opheus, de Psalmis, de ipso Evangelio, de Apostolicis Literis. Legite & credimus.  You say o Donatists that Christ hath no inheritance, but in the part of Donatus, (as now 'tis said of the Pope's party;) Read and prove this to us, out of the law, the Prophets, or the Psalms, out of the Gospel, or the Apostles Letters; Read it thence, and we will believe you. 
h Ibid. cap. 3. Non audiamus, haec d●co, haec dicis, sed audiamus, haec dicit Dominus. Auferantur illa de medio, quae adversus no● invicem, non ex divinis Canonicis libris sed aliundè recitamus.  Let us hear no more, Thus I say, or Thus thou sayest; but let us hear, Thus saith the Lord. Away with those arguments on both sides, which are not taken out of the Divine and Canonical Scriptures. 
i Ibid. cap. 2. Inter nos quaestio eist, ubi sit Corpus Christi, id est, ubi sit Ecclesia; Quid ergo facturi sumus? in verbis nostris eam quaesituri, an in verbis Capitis sui Domini nostri jesu Christi? Puto quòd in illius verbis potius eam quaerere debemus, qui veritas est, & optimè novit Corpus suum.  It is questioned between us, where the body of Christ is, that is, where his Church is: what then must be done? shall we seek it in our own words, or in the words of Christ the head of the Church? I trow rather in his word, who is Truth, and best knows his one body. 
k Ibid. cap. 4. Ipsum Caput de quo consentimus, ostendat nobis corpus suum de quo dissentimus; ut per ejus verba jam dissentire desinamus.  Let this head, of which we agree, show us his Body, of which we disagree; that our dissensions may by his word be ended. 
l Cap. 19 vid. etiam cap. 7. & 18. & passim.  That we are in the true Church of Christ, and that this Church is universally scattered over the earth, we prove not by our Doctors, or Counsels, or Miracles, but by the divine Scriptures. The Scriptures are the only documents, and foundations of our cause. Hither is his refuge and appeal from all other sentences. The Mistaker was ill advised to send us to this Treatise; which both in the general aim, & in the quality of the arguments and proofs, is so contrary to his pretensions. If the present Roman Church could with S. Austin (and all Antiquity) submit to this judge (or rather Rule) of controversies; both this, in hand, of the Church, and all the rest of our contestations might be quickly ended. Before I leave this piece of S. Austin, I will leave this passage out of it, to the Mistaker to ruminate upon. 
m Ibid. cap. 4.  Whosoever believe aright in Christ the Head, but yet do so descent from his Body the Church, that their communion is not with the whole wheresoever diffused, but with themselves severally in some part; it is manifest that such are not in the Catholic Church. The Protestants communicate with the Catholic Church, in what part or place of the world soever. They of Rome say, the Church is no where to be found but in their faction, none can be saved but Romanists. What will follow from hence, He hath so much Logic that he cannot mistake.  
The Herefies recounted by Epiphanius, Philastrius, and S. Austin in their Catalogues, were many of them wild wand'ring conceits of heads crazed in the Principles of understanding; rather frenzies and dotages against reason, then false opinions in faith, tending to break the unity of the Church. And justly said S. Austin, No Christian Catholic (he might have said, no rational creature) believes them. It is true, divers of those Heretics (as the Arrians, Photinians, Macedonians, Nestorians, Eutychians, &c,) did disturb that unity, by maintaining obstinately their errors against the common rule of faith. But they were convicted, not by their disobedience to the Church, as the Mistaker believes; but principally by the evidence and authority of Scripture: and then after that, by the attestation of the Catholic Church (which is the faithful keeper of all Scripture and divine verities:) as appears clearly in those Counsels, and Fathers, which have opposed those Heretics. Epiphanius alone (of the three above named) disputes the matter with the Heretics; and profesfes to fetch his arguments from Scripture. 
n Haeresi 65. Pauli Samosateni. num. 6. edit Petau. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Vide cund. Haer. 76. pag. 989. & Haer. 78. pag. 1047.  The divine goodness (saith he) hath forewarned, and fore-armed us against Heresies by his Truth. For God foreseeing the madness, impiety, and fraud of the Samosatenians, Arrians, Manichees, and the other Heretics, hath secured us by his divine word, against all their subtleties. And elsewhere to the same purpose. Where by the way, the Mistaker must needs observe, (as he says) that the Protestants hold divers ancient heresies, and particularly that of denying Prayers for the dead: He is very much mistaken in his observation. The commemoration of the deceased in the ancient Church, which 
o Ap. Epiphan. Haer. 75.  Aerius without reason disallowed; was a thing much differing from those Prayers for the dead, which are now in use in the Church of Rome. Our Roman Catholics believe, (at least they say so,) that some souls of the faithful, after their departure hence, are detained in a certain fire bordering upon Hell, till they be throughly purged: and their prayers for them are, that they may be released or eased of those torments. On the contrary, the general opinion of the ancient Doctors, Greek and Latin down almost till these last ages was, (and is the opinion of the 
p Graeci in Concil. Flor. ante Sess. 1. in Quaest. de Igne purgat. apud Bin. Tom. 4. part. 1. pag. 421. edit. vlt.  Greek Churches at this day,) that all the spirits of the righteous deceased are in Abraham's bosom, or some outer Courts of heaven; where though they live in a blessed condition of peace, and joy, and refreshing, being secured of glory and the beatifical vision; yet they expect the full perfection, and consummation of their happiness, till the last day. Some of their Testimonies to this purpose, are collected by 
q Spalat. de Rep. Eccl. lib. 5. cap. 8. num. 98. Sixtus Senens. Bibl. S. lib. 6. annot. 345.  Antonius de Dominis, and Sixtus of Sienna, whereunto many more might easily be added. This opinion seems directly to overthrow two new doctrines of Popery; Purgatory, and invocation of Saints: (Such Invocation I mean as is intended to the Saints as a worship due unto them, and when they are invocated as Commissioners under God, to whom he hath delegated the power of conferring sundry benefits deposited in their hands, and to be bestowed at their pleasure: which is properly new and Popish Invocation.) Which 
r De Beatitud. Sanct. lib. 1. cap. 4. & 5.  Bellarmine well perceiving, passionately labours to overthrow it, and to prove that the Ancients were not of this mind. But his proofs are feeble, and fall short of the thing in question; and, being a man of so great reading, it may be thought he spoke against his knowledge, and conscience. Now conformably to this opinion, the Ancient 
s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Liturg. Basil. & Chrysost. vide Clem. Const. lib. 8. cap. 12. Chrysost. Liturg. Gr. Epiphan. Her. 75. Cyril. Hier. Catech. 5. Mystag. Miss. Muzarab. in Bibl. P P. Colon. Tom. 15. p. 787. Di●nys. Eccl. Hier. cap. 7.  Church in her Liturgies, remembered all those that slept in hope of the Resurrection of everlasting life; and particularly the Patriarches, Prophets, Apostles. Martyrs, Confessors, Bishops, Fathers, such as led a solitary life, and all Saints: beseeching God to give unto them rest, and to bring them (at the Resurrection) to the place where the light of his countenance should shine upon them for evermore. Signifying by this Memorial their faith (as 
t Vbi supra.  St Epiphanius hath it,) that the departed are alive and subsisting with the Lord; and their hope of them, as of those that be from home in another country; and that at length they shall attain the state which is more perfect. Some particular Doctors had in these matters particular opinions, which must be severed from the general sentiment and customs of the Church; which to this day are conserved in the Greek 
u Vide Marci Ephesii Episc. Epist. encyclicam.  Churches, notwithstanding the pretended Union (in this and other points) at the late Council of Florence. This ancient observation of the Church we condemn not. We say prayers are to be made for all that are departed in the true faith of Christ; that is, first Thanksgiving, that they are delivered from the body of death, and miseries of this sinful world: Secondly Requests of God's mercy, that they may have their perfect consummation in body and soul, in the kingdom of God at the last judgement. The Roman writers utterly condemn 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 jespite.  One of them fears not to censure it, as absurd and impious. By this the Mistaker may feel his error, and see that it is not the Protestants but his own Doctors that agree with the old Heretic Aerius.  
The unity of the Church is nothing hindered by diversity of opinions in doubtful 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 we 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 means of knowledge. So long as the 
a jud. 3.  faith once delivered to the Saints is earnestly contended for, and kept entire; that is, the 
b Tit. 1. 4.  common faith of Christians, containing all Catholic and necessary verities; so long as men 
c Phil. 3. 15. 16.  walk according to this rule charitably, though in other things they be otherwise minded; the Church is but one, her unity no way violated. For this unity consists in the unity of faith, not of opinions; and in an union of men's hearts and affections, by true Charity; which will easily compound or tolerate all unnecessary differences. Factious and fiery Spirits kindle and fly asunder on small occasions; but among wise men each discord in Religion dissolves not the unity 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 & utile est de rebus difficilibus in Ecclesia aliter atque aliter disputare; nec hoc unitatem violate, sed veritatem illustrate.  Stapleton. Some, say they, are primitive Articles, of the substance of Religion, essential in the object of faith; dissension in these is pernicious, and destroys unity. Others are secondary, probable, accidental or obscure points, wherein the oppositions and disputations of learned men proceeding modestly are tolerable, and sometime profitable for finding out the truth. Unity 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 jot 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.  form of wholesome words, the 
g Heb. 6. 1. & 5. 12.  Principles of the oracles of God, or of the doctrine of Christ: so again, they were most charitable to allow in other things (beside or without the faith,) a great latitude and liberty. As in a musical consort, a discord now and then (so it be 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 parts of the Church, doth rather commend then prejudice the unity 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 us wise by 
2 Tim. 3. 15.  the faith in Christ jesus. The keeper of this truth, and of the Scriptures in which it is treasured is the Church; not of one City, but the Catholic Church; that is, the fellowship of Saints dispersed through the whole World. And it is not in deep or difficult questions, but in this necessary faith or truth, wherein the Fathers (alleged by the Mistaker) justly require an exact and perfect unity among Catholic Christians. To be ignorant of this faith, or to err in it, though unwarily, is dangerous: but to corrupt or contradict any part of it, though but in a word or syllable of moment, is damnable. The difference between the Arrians and the Catholics 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, etc. with the Catholics. But in this case, for the Catholics to yield in a word or syllable, had been to yield 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 Emperor, 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 Heretics justly cast out of the Church. But though faith be kept entire, yet if Charity be wanting, the unity of the Church is disturbed, her union dissolved. Schism is no less damnable than Heresy. The old 
n Vide Optat. & August. passim.  Donatists did not only unjustly separate from the Catholic Church diffused through the World, but most un reasonably & arrogantly esteemed their own faction to be the only Christians; hated and censured all of the Catholic Communion, as no better than Pagans; and appropriated to themselves alone all the benefits of Christ, and all the privileges of his Church. And accordingly in effect they renounced the society of all other Christians, vaunting that life and salvation was no where to be had but in their assemblies. And are not the jesuiters of our times formally guilty of this Donatisme? Do not the Zelotes of Rome thus speak and think, of themselves and of all other Christians? Witness our Mistaker, and his Pamphlet; wherein his design is to show that Rome compasseth and containeth all Christendom, and that Christ hath no servants, the Church no members, but only those that live under the Pope's obedience.  
Briefly the Unity of the Church Catholic is not hindered by any diversity of opinions, or observations in her several members; so long as the substance of faith, and the bond of Charity is conserved among them.  
The Mistaker goes on.  Out of this one true Church no salvation 
Ch. Mist. ●. 5.  can be had. 
Every term is ambiguous; and therefore the whole proposition true or false, as it may be limited. Salvation may be had either by the ordinary means, or extraordinarily. The Church notes either the Catholic, or Particulars. He may be in the one, who is outed by the others: and an interior Communion may be without the external. A Church may teach many truths, and so fare be true: yet by the addition of many errors and abuses become in regard of them a false Church. And it may be one in the faith, which is not at one (either with itself or other particulars) in opinions. Lastly a man may be out of a particular Church, either actively, by a voluntary separation (which is just or  according to the grounds;) or passively, by exclusion or ejection being cas● out by the Church: And that may be done either unjustly, by ignorance, malice, faction etc. or justly; and this either by suspension for a time from the society of the faithful, or by utter and final abdication from the body of Christ. This may better appear in particular instances.  
Infidels are without the Church. They have no distinct knowledge of Christ, or explicit faith in him. Yet some 
a justin M. in Apol. utraque Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. 5. 6. 7. Chrysost hom. 37. in Matth. etc.  ancient Doctors, and many late 
b Ludou. Vives in Aug. de C. D. l. 18. c. 47. Andrad. Orthod. Explic. lib. 3. ad axiom. 6. Genes. à Sepulveda. lib. 7. Epist. 1. ad Petr. 1. ad Petr. Serramum. Franc. à victoria Relect. 13. Aquinas, Lyra, Abulensis, Bruno, Dionysius Carth. Arboreus, Durandus, etc. apud Casal. de quadr. iustit. lib. 1. cap. 12. Cornelius Must, Claudius Seysellus, Ambrose Catharinus, joan. Viguerius. Bened. Pererius, Dom. Soto. Alph. Salmeron. aoud Franc. Collium de Animabus Paganoium lib. 1. cap. 24. vide eum lib. 5. cap. 7. 8. 22. Sotus, Canus, Vega, Thom. Richardus apud Greg. Val. T. 3. disp. 1. qu. 2. punct. 4. § secunda vero.  Roman writers are of opinion, (concerning Pagans before and since Christ;) that if their life be morally honest, by God's extraordinary mercy, and the merit of Christ, they may be saved. For (say they) though God in his wisdom hath tied us to the ordinary means, he hath not tied himself. Let the Mistaker here compare ●heir Charity with his. They hope well of honest Pagans: He rashly damns the ●est part of Christians.  
Again, a believer may be in no visible Church, and yet in a state of salvation. For first, the ancient Church, whilst she wanted the assistance of the Civil word, used a very severe discipline, to contain her children in obedience, and to prevent scandals. Lapsed sinners were not restored to her peace, nor admitted into the communion of the faithful, but with great difficulty, and after the sharp penance of many years. But if any were guilty of crimes, such as Tertullian calls non delicta sed monstra, monstrous impieties, as Apostasy, Idolatry, Fornication, Murder and the like; 
c Vide Canon's Concilis Eliberitani & Arelatensis. 1. & Albaspin. Obser. lib. 2.  she utterly refused to absolve such persons, even at the last hour of their life, notwithstanding their repentance. Yet for their comfort, though they might not have her mercy, she doubted not but that they were capable of 
d Concil. Valent. 1. Canone 3.  Gods; and upon their true contrition might by him be pardoned and saved. Secondly, the 
e Concil. Nicen. Can. 5.  Churches of those happy times so fairly corresponded in their amity and justice, that whosoever was excommunicated by one, was not received or absolved by any other. And hence it followeth that 
f Potest quis esse in Ecclesia animo & desiderio, quod sufficit illi ad salutem; non tamen esse corpore sive externá communicatione, quae propriè facit hominem esse de Ecclesiâ visibili que est in terris. Bell. lib. 3. de Eccl. milit. cap. 6. § Respondeo. & cap. 3. § Denique.  external communion even with the truest & noblest Churches is not of absolute necessity to salvation When one (and so all) visible Churches denied their peace in that age to some Sinners, yet they denied them not God's pardon.  
Besides that a man may be 
g Saepe sinit divina providentia per nimium turbulentas carnalium hominum seditiones, expelli de congregatione Christianá etiam bono● viros. August. de ver. relig. cap. 6. In foro contentioso & exterion multi sunt Excommunicati quoad Deum, qui non sunt quoad Ecclesiam: & è contrà multi Excommunicats quoad Ecclesiam, qui non sunt quoad Deum, quia Ecclesia non judicat de occultis. Cosm. Philiarch. de office Sacerd. Tom. 1. lib. 3. c. 4. p. 89. Frequenter fit n qui per Ecclesiam militantem foras emittitur, intus habetur in Ecclefiâ triumphante; & contrà. Gloss. in Extra. joan. 22. Tit. 14. cap. 5. solutum in ●●●li●.  a true visible member of the holy Catholic Church, who is not actually (otherwise then in vow,) a member of any true visible Church, appeareth by these instances. The poor man in the Gospel adhered the more closely to Christ, when he was cast out of the Synagogue; which was then the only true Church, the Heathens being excluded, and the Christian Church being not yet founded. And with whom (of his own rank) could Athanasius communicate in that general Apostasy of Christendom? when that noble Champion stood single in defence of divine truth, 
h Vid● Baron. An. 357. Num. 44.  all his Brethren the other patriarchs (not He of Rome excepted) having subscribed to Arrianisme, and cast him out of their communion.  
Voluntary and ungrounded separation from the Catholic communion is without doubt a damnable Schism, yet may it be much mollified or malignified by circumstances. Tertullian was a man passionately zealous, even to superstition. It appears in part by his Treatise de Coronâ militis: where he justifies the vanity and peevishness of a common soldier, who made scruple to wear on his head a Crown of Laurel, as if the Christian religion had forbidden it. And accordingly when the Church thought fit to remit a little of her ancient rigour in the manner and time of her fasts, in the receiving of penitents after public satisfaction, in allowing 2. marriages, and the like: Tertullian ill expounding this just relaxation to be a mere dissolution of good discipline, hence took occasion, (being also provoked by some claumnies and contumelies of the Roman Clergy) to fall off from the Catholics, to the party of Montanus, great pretenders to mortification; and in that separation (as it is likely) he died. Yet why may we not hope that God pardoned the errors of his honest zeal, 
i Nicol. Rigaltius in prefat. Obseruat. ad 9 libros Tertulliani. Quae Tertulliani dicuntur haereses, eae vix aliud praecipiebát quàm martyria fortiora, jejunia sicciora, castimoniam sanctiorem, nuptias scilicet unas aut nullas. In quibus quicquid peccavit, id omne virtutis amore vehementiore peccâsse videatur. Id. mox ibid. Verosimile est Montani dogma quale extitit primordio quidem sui Christianis austerioribus probabili, Tertullianum tenuisse: non quale posteà, quum sequacium quorundam imposturis & fraudibus acu Phrygiâ interpolatum, ab Ecclesiis passim Catholicis despui caepit.  his greatest fault being an excess of indiscreet piety? And if separation, such as hath been said, from all visible Churches, do not exclude from heaven: much less doth a separation from the Church of Rome work such an exclusion. Whilst the Church of Rome stood in her purity, her amity and communion was very much esteemed (& deservedly) by other Churches: yet never esteemed by any to be of absolute necessity for salvation. Nor did Antiquity believe that a separation from the Roman communion in some regards, (whether active or passive,) did induce or imply a disunion with the Catholic Church, or a rejection from God's favour and Kingdom. Many proofs here of might be alleged: but these few which follow may suffice.  
When Pope Victor withdrew his communion from the Churches of Asia for their Easter day, and Pope Stephen from those of Africa, Cappadocia, etc. for rebaptising; their censures were much slighted, and their pride and Schism, in troubling the peace of the Church, much condemned, by 
k Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 23. z. p. Sec. Lation. Cyprian. Epist. 74. 75.  men of the greatest note for learning and piety in those ages. S. Austin himself, and with him 217. Bishops of Africa, and their Successors for a hundred years together, (if their own 
l Bonif. 2. Epist. ad Eulal. Alexandi. Lindan. Panopl. Eu. lib. 4. cap. 89. in fine. Salmeron. Tom. 12. Tract. 68 § Ad Canon. Saunder. de visib. Mon. lib. 7. num. 411.  records be true) were all severed from the Roman communion, for maintaining the liberties of their Churches, against the pretensions and forgeries of the Sea of Rome, in the matter of appeals. Yet during that separation, many holy Souls were sent up unto God by Martyrdom, under the persecution of the Vandals.  
The fifth general Council condemned three Chapters, casually omitted in the Council of Chalcedon: the Bishop of Rome at length consenting. Many Bishops of Liguria and Istria mistaking the Counsels meaning, imagined the Council of Chalcedon to be thereby dishonoured. 
m Sigon. de Occid. Imper. lib. 20.  Therefore in a full Synod of their own, they renounce the communion of their own Patriarch of Rome, and erect a new Patriarch at Aquileia; which was; after translated to Venice, and there (in name at least) continues till this day. And the Bishops of Ireland on the same occasion (as 
n Baron. Tom. 7. an. 566. num. 21.  Baronius reports,) when they perceived that the Church of Rome did both receive the condemnation of the three Chapters, & strengthen the fifth Synod with her consent, they did all jointly departed from that Church, and cleave to the Bishops of Italy & afric in that cause. Whereby it appears that they did not take all the resolutions of the Church of Rome for undoubted oracles; but when they thought that they had better reason on their sides, they preferred the judgement & communion of other Churches before it. The most ancient British & Irish Bishops did so stiffly adhere to the Churches of Asia in their celebration of Easter, that the 
o Baron. ad an. 604. num. 65. D. Usher. Treat. of the Relig. of the ancient Irish. Ch. 9 & 10.  Pope did therefore cut them off from his communion: yet they persisted and neglected his anger, as vain and without danger.  
Like Instances might be numberless. By all which it is clear, that, of old, a total Communion with the Church of Rome (even in her good days) was not accounted so precious and necessary, as is now pretended. On the contrary, men generally believed, that Christians might live and dye in the peace of God, though they were at war with the Pope; and keep the unity of the Church Catholic, though they fell off or were cut off from that of Rome.  
The degrees of communion with particular Churches may be many and different. The ancient Catechumeni and Penitents by degrees attained the spiritual favours of the Church, being in some respects within her communion, without it in others. So in the punishment of sinners, the Church was wont to temper her censures according to the quality of offences. Her censure for the most part was only medicinal, for the sinner's benefit to reclaim him from evil; by suspending him from her society, the comfort of her public prayers and Sacrament; not denying him her inwar● communion and Charity. Sometime was a mortal censure, by Anathema, against malicious & incorrigible wicked nesse. In the former she intended to purge the sinner, by depriving him 〈◊〉 while of her society; in the latter to purge herself, by cutting him off from the body of Christ. And this Tertullia● truly calls 
p Apologet. cap. 39  maximum futuri judic● praeiudicium, a Sentence which will be verified in the last judgement, according to that of our Lord: 
q Matt. 18. 18.  Whatsoever yo● shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven. Whosoever is thus cursed justly by the Church, shall never have the benediction of God; unless he make his peace by true and timely repentance.  
Particular Churches own each to other the mutual offices of love and communion (so fare as may be:) but they own only to the Catholic Mother of all Christians the duty of obedience. If then any Particular will deny to her Equals, the acts and union of Charity, because they deny (what they own not to her) their subjection and service: this is an unsufferable and schismatical arrogance, whereof the Church of Rome hath now for many ages been deeply guilty. Many other things are said against us: but surely the most capital 
r Valent. in Th. 2. 2. Tom. 3. disp. 1. qu. 1. punct. 7. in explic. quaest. § Quibus amnibus Omninò verè & Orthodoxè docetur ad Summum Pontificem pertinere explicationem & editionem Symboli fidei, id est, eorum quae à fid elibus credi debent. Quae veritas usque adeo continet summam & caput totius Christianae Religionis, ut nemo Catholicus esse possit, qui illam non amplectatur; neque ullus sit Haereticus, qui illam non neget. Id. ibid. punct. 7. §. 40. Postremo idipsum. Ab exordio Ecclesiae constat, controversias omnes de religione motas, ex D. Petri Cathedrâ fuisse judicatas: eosquo tandem & solos communi Ecclesiae judicio, Haereticos esse habitos, qui repugnârint definitioni ejus Cathedrae.  Heresy & Schism of Greeks, Protestants &c. is, that they refuse to be commanded and governed by him who will needs be perpetual Dictator at Rome, and from thence give laws to all the world.  
Communion with the Catholic Church may be distinguished and measured according to those different degrees of union which men may have with Christ; for upon this union that communion is founded. Christ may be considered either as a King or Ruler in regard of the whole visible militant Church: or as a Saviour and Head in regard of his mystical body or his true spiritual members. Among the King's liege people, that live in outward obedience to his Laws; some carry in secret, evil and disloyal affections to him others love and obey him with th● heart. So it is with our Lord. All tha● live within the pale of the Church, profess to honour him as their Prince and Governor, even though they deny th● power of godliness, by hypocrisy o● dissolution; others constantly and unfeignedly serve him in all the duties of holiness. He rules them all as King, & they are his Subjects: but he is a Saviour only to these latter, who live and dye in hi● true faith and fear; who are therefore living members of his mystical body, to whom he communicates, by his Spirit effectual graces, spiritual motion, and eternal life. This blessed Company is said in Scripture 
s Col. 2. 19  to hold the head, and is called 
t Heb. 12. 23.  the Church of the first born who are written in heaven, and 
u Gal. 4. 20.  the Mother of us all. When some of the Ancients speak of the Catholic Church, 
w Clem. Alexandr. Strom. lib. 7. pag. 514. edit. Heinsianae. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. & iterum in fin. libr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Origen. contr. Cells. lib. 6. p. 318. Geaec. Haeschel. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Isidor. Pelus. lib. 2. Epist. 246. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Aug. de Bapt. cont. Donat. lib. 5. cap. 27. Ecclesiam veram intelligere non audeo nisi in sanctis & justis. Et sic passim.  many times they understand it in a strict notion; only for this fellowship of the Saints, as it contains all and only them that have spiritual union and communion with Christ as their Saviour. When Saint Cyprian compares the Church to Noah's Ark, the paraleil runs most fully and properly on the Church in this sense. For of the Ark and this Church it is true, whosoever is without is saved, whosoever is without perisheth; neither of which perhaps is truly said of any visible Church. And thus 
x 1 Pet. 3. 21.  S. Peter seems to apply that similitude, and says the Ark was a type or representation of the inward Baptism or the Laver of regeneration, wherein the sprinkling of Christ's blood purges the conscience and saves the soul. Communion then with this Church is no less necessary to Salvation, than union with Christ: nor can he have God for his Father, who hath not this Church for his Mother. Which Sentence S. Cyprian the Author 
y Epist. ad Pompeium.  uses, not of the Church of Rome (as the Mistaker seems to believe,) but where he vehemently disputes against it. Whosoever either wilfully opposes any Catholic verity maintained by this Church, (or the Catholic visible Church) as do Heretics; or perversely divides himself from the Catholic communion, as do Schismatics: the condition of both these is damnable. The Scriptures and Fathers cited here by the Mistaker, prove this and no more: and therefore prove nothing against Protestants, who never denied it.  
We deny, that 
* What this importeth, see the next §. pag. 58.  Popery is any part of the Catholic Church, or maintains any one Catholic verity. We deny also, that Protestants are in any degree dislinked from the Catholic Church, or from the Church of Rome itself, or from any Church or Christian on earth; so fare as they communicate with the Catholic. The contrary is easily and usually affirmed, but not so easily proved by firm and convincing Arguments.   


Charity Mistaken. Cap: 6.  
2. THis unity is directly broken between Roman Catholics and Protestants, who are not both professors of this one Religion, or members of this one Church. For they differ in prince and main points of faith: in which the Reformers have departed from the Church. The Protestants are not at unity among themselves, and therefore much less with Roman Catholics. Their bitter contentions and speeches one against another, declare them to be of different Churches and Religions. And hence it follows that R. Catholics and Protestants are not both saveable in their contrary ways.  

Answer, Sect. 3.  
THe true difference between the Roman and Reformed Parts of the church. Protestants have rejected nothing but Popery, that is, corrupt superadditions to the faith, confessed by learned Romanists to be doubtful & unnecessary novelties. Errors and Abuses of Rome reform by us, without Schism. Those errors damnable; how, and to whom! Of the dissensions of Protestants among themselves. They differ not in any point fundamental.    
THe 
a See D. Abbot. True ancient Roman Catholic. Ch. 2. p. 81. & Ch. 3. §. 3. p. 111. & p. 113. 114.  Protestants never intended to erect a new Church, but to purge the old; the Reformation did not change the substance of Religion, but only cleansed it from corrupt & impure qualities. We preach no new faith, but the same Catholic faith that ever hath been preached. Whatsoever is good and true in the Roman profession, we approve. We have abandoned nothing but Popery; which is no branch of Religion, but the shame and stain of it; nor any part of the Church, but a contagion or plague in it; which dangerously affected the whole body, though by Gods great mercy, the vital parts kept out the poison. Naaman was still the same man, before and after he was cured of his ieprosie: but a man before distempered, after sound and healthy. In the prime grounds or principles of Christian Religion we have not forsaken the Church of Rome: we leave her only in her intolerable errors and abuses. She hath mingled with God's Bread her own sour leaven, and with good milk some dams of poison. We have cast out only this poison and leaven; and feed God's people with the true bread of life, and the sincere milk of his word. Where the late Popes wander in by-paths, we leave them; that we may more safely walk 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 Roman & the latter only a Catholic. The difference at this day between the Reformed part of the Western Church and the Roman, consists in certain points which they of Rome hold for important and necessary articles of the Christian faith; which the Protestants cannot believe or receive for such. Whereas contrarily, the things which the Protestants believe on their part, and wherein they 
b Voiez Vray vsage des Peres, par jean Daillé Ch. 1.  judge the life and substance of Religion to be comprised, are most, if not all of them so evidently and indisputably true, that their Adversaries themselves do avow and receive them as well as they. For they are verities clearly founded upon Scripture, expressly acknowledged by all Ancient Counsels, and Doctors of the Catholic Church, summarily delivered in their Symbols or Creeds, & unanimously received by the most part of Christians that have ever been in the world. Such are the verities which make up the faith of Protestants: and which are 
c Semper, ubique, ab omnibus credita. Lirin.  properly Catholic, having carried the consent of all ages and Parts of the Church universal. And if all other Christians could be content to keep within these general 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; quàm cùm unoillo eoque brevissiino Symbolo contentus esset Orbis. Vide eundem in Praefat. ad Hilar. & in Paracles: ad Lector. ante Edit. N. T. an. 1519. Bafil.  the woeful Schisms and ruptures of Christendom (worthy to be lamented with tears of blood,) might the more easily be healed: and all the Disciples of the Prince of peace, blessedly united in an holy link of Faith and Charity, of Love and Communion.  
The piety and wisdom of Antiquity did think fittest to walk in this latitude, and clearly rested satisfied with the simplicity of such a Catholic confession. But no bounds of reason could ever limit the unbounded extravagancies and excesses of the Court of Rome. That body of faith, which the Ancients thought complete enough, to them seems defective. Therefore they have adjoined to that old Body many new Articles. And to those twelve, which the Apostles in their Creed esteemed a sufficient summary of wholesome doctrine, they have added many more in their new Roman Creed. Such are, for instance, their Apocryphal Scriptures and unwritten dogmatic Traditions, their Transubstantiation and dry Communion, their Purgatory, Invocation of Saints, Worship of Images, Latin Service, traffic of Indulgences; and shortly all the other new Doctrines and Decrees canonised in their late Synod of Trent. These (and the like) very vain imaginations our Mistaker calls the prime and main points of Christian Religion. Let him but change Christian Religion (as his faction hath done) into the Roman faith; and he says true, he is not mistaken. Upon these and the like new Articles is all the contestation between the Romanists and Protestants: while they are obtruded on the one side as undoubted verities; and on the other side rejected as humane inventions, cunningly devised to advance ambition and avarice, without any solid ground or countenance of Scripture, Reason, or Antiquity.  
The most necessary and fundamental truths, which constitute a Church are on both sides unquestioned: and for that reason 
e junius 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 judgement 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 yield them the name and substance of a Christian Church, though extremely 
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 fairly propounded their new opinions to be discussed by the learned, with reservation of liberty in judgement & conscience, to themselves and others; they had erred much more tolerably, and much less disturbed the peace of the Church. But they are fare from this modesty and moderation. With unsufferable tyranny the prevailing faction amongst them presses them upon all Christians; as matters of faith, not only of opinion; not as disputable problems, but as necessary truths: having both canonised them in their Council of Trent, with a curse against all gainsayers; and put them in their Creed by Pope Pius the fourth, who hath obliged the whole Clergy of Rome to affirm that Creed by their subscription and solemn oath; obliging also all Christians to believe it under pain of damnation.  
In the latter ages before the Reformation, though the Court of Rome by cunning and violence had subdued many noble parts of Christendom under her yoke: yet the servitude of the Church and her misery was somewhat more supportable; because these base and pernicious adjections were not yet the public 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, etc. de corrupto Ecclesiae statu. vide Espenc. in Tit. 1. Digress. ●.  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. Sci●nus in hac sanctá sede, aliquot jam annis, multa abominanda fuisse, abusus in spiritualibus, excessus in mandatis, & omnia denique in perversum mutata. Nec mi●um si aegritudo à capite in membra, à summis Pontificibus in alios iuferiores Praelatos descenderit. Omnes nos, id est, Praelati Ecclesiastici declinavimus unusquisque in vias suns, nec fuit iam diu qui faceret-bonum, non fuit usque ad unum— Subiecimus colla summae dignitati ad deformatam eius sponsam Ecclesiam Catholicam reformandam, etc. Staplet. Relect. Contr. 1. q. 5. Art. 3. Vix ullum peccatum cogitati potest (solà Haeresi exceptâ) quo illa Sedes (Romana) turp●ter maculata non fuerit, maximè ab anno 800. He need not except Haeresy, into which Biel (In Can. Mass. Lect. 23.) grants it possible the Bishops of that Sea may fall. And Stella (in Luc. cap. 22.) & Almain (L. 3. D. 24. q. 1.) and Gabr. a Porta, a jesuite now professor at Bordeaux (in 2. 2. q. 1. a. 10. dub. 1.) cited by Aurelius the Sorhonist, (In octo causas Spongiae praeambulas— pag. 560,) grants if freely that some of them did fall.  confessed them to be just, but resolved to neglect them. This forced Luther and his associates to cry out more vehemently; not against the Church but her corruptions. Yet calmly, and without any thought or design of separation at the first. When lo the 
i Leo. 10.  Pope answers all their just complaints with  and violent censures. Because Luther and his favourers tell him modestly of his faults, wishing him to correct foul disorders; He therefore in a rage beats them out of doors, excommunicates and chases them all out of his Romanc communion. And his Successors take care to continue the Schism. For yearly each Maundy Thursday in the Bull called Caenoe Domini, all Heretics are with great solemnity cursed into hell. By Heretics, they mean all them that are not of the Roman obedience; and such as cannot believe the vices of Rome to be good manners; or her new inventions to be Catholic, and (as our Mistaker will say) fundamental doctrines. 
k Cum carpuntur vitia, & inde scandalum oritur; ipse sibi scandali causa est; qui fecit quod argui debet, non ille qui arguit. Bern. ad Hugon. de S. Vict. Ep. 78.  here is the true cause of this miserable Schism in Christendom, & the just grievance of all Christians in the world besides their own zelotes.  
Rome cast us out before we left her, 
l Non. fugimus sed fugamur. Rex. jac. in Epist. Is. Casaubon. ad Perrhon. Cardin. Anathematibus & diris nos expulerunt; Quod satis superque nos absolvit. Calv. Inst. l. 4. c. 2. § 6.  as our late most learned Sovereign truly observed. It is true when the first Reformers were driven out, they were not unwilling to be gone. And when they saw the Church of Rome in love with her diseases, so as she would not be cured: 
m Though Israel transgress, yet let not judah sin. Hos. 4. 15. vide in cum loc. S. Hieron.  other Churches (who owed her amity but not obedience) used their just power and liberty, and reform themselves: 
n Gerson de Concil. generali unius obedientiae part. 1. pag. 222. vlt. edit. Paris. Nolo dicere quin in multis partibus possit Ecclesia per suas partes reformari, imo hoc necesse esset; & ad hoc agendum sufficerent concilia provincialia— But the good man complains: this was neglected. Heu desolatione desolata est omnis terra! quia nemo est qui recogitet cord, & omnes quaerunt quae sua sunt. Concil. Tolet. 4. can. 3. Si causa fidei est, aut quaelibet alia Ecclesiae communis, generalis totius Hispaniae & Galliciae Synodus convocetur, Alb. M. in 1. D. 11. A. 9 unicuique etiam particulari Ecclesiae licet id quod Catholicum est promulgare. Rome herself added Filioque to the Creed of a General Council, not only without the consent of the Greek Church but they vehemently opposing it.  in provincial or Nationall Synods, confirmed by public Authority. Yet with such a temperament of wisdom and Charity, (especially in the Church of England, whereof I especially speak) that they left the Church of Rome in nothing which makes her a Church; in nothing which she holds of Christ, or of apostolic tradition; Not in any part of the Catholic faith, or God's service such as is acceptable to him; not in a charitable affection to their erring and seduced brethren of that Church. For whilst they hate and curse us, we love and pity and pray for them. We return not curses again: our 
o Luc. 6. 28.  Lord hath taught us otherwise. All damnatory and capital Censures we leave to him, 
p jam. 4. 12  who alone is able to save and destroy.  
Only we cannot, we dare not communicate with Rome; either in her public Leiturgy, which is manifestly polluted with gross superstition; as themselves in effect confess by their several pretended reformations of it: or in those corrupt & ungrounded opinions which she hath added to the faith of Catholics. These abuses and errors deface the beauty, and taint the purity of divine truth: they make up the Popery of Rome, not the Church. In them our Communion is dissolved: but we have still a true and real Union with that and all other members of the Church Universal, in Faith and Charity.  
The state of the Church under the Roman obedience, and that part which is Reform, is very fitly 
q Mr Bedel▪ ag. Wadsw. cap. 4.  resembled to a field overgrown all with weeds, thistles, tares, cockle: Some part whereof is weeded and cleansed, some part remains as it was before; which makes such a difference to the eye, as if it were not the same corn. But being better considered it will be found all the difference is from the weeds, which remain there, and here are taken away. Yet neither here perfectly, nor every where alike; but according to the industry of our weeders, or conveniency of the work, with care of the safety of the good corn. Those worthy Husbandmen that in these last 600 years have taken pains in plucking up those pernicious weeds out of the Lords field, and severing the chaff from his grain, cannot be rightly said in doing this, either to have brought in another field, or to have changed the ancient grain. The field is the same, but weeded now, unweeded then: the grain the same, but winnowed now, unwinnowed then. Such tares are all those Roman additions, which we have rejected: which the best learned of their own confess in effect, to be 1. doubtful and perplexed opinions, 2 doctrines unnecessary and foreign to the faith, and 3. novelties unknown to Antiquity.  
1 Doubtful. The Roman Doctors do not fully and absolutely agree in any one point among themselves, but only in such points wherein they agree with us: In the other disputed between us, they differ one from another as much almost as they differ from us. In each Controversy there is not only variety but contrariety of judgements amongst them; and in conclusion nothing but perplexity and uncertainty. I appeal for proof of this to the famous Tomes of Card. Bellarmine; where in the front and stateing of every question, he hath with great diligence noted the contentions & contradictions of his Fellows.  
2. They are confessedly Unnecessary and Superfluous. For they confess, that setting aside all matters controverted, the main positive truths wherein all agree, are abundantly sufficient to salvation; and give direction sufficient to every good Christian both for his knowledge and for his practice; teaching him what to believe, and how to live so as he may be saved. For Knowledge first, it is confessed a very small measure of explicit knowledge is of absolute necessity. Some 
a Apud Greg. de Val. Tom. 3. in Aqu. disp. 1. qu. 2. punct. 4. v. 10. Bergomens. Concordant. Contrad. dub. 419  Schoolmen think it needful to believe only so much of the Creed concerning Christ, as the Church solemnizeth in her Holidays, his Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection, etc. Some require an explicit belief of the whole Apostles Creed. And some (which go highest) add to that the Nicen, and Athanasian, to make a complete believer. The jesuite 
b Vbi supr●.  Valentia mislikes this last imposition as too rigorous, and seems most to incline to the first most moderate opinion. And 
c De verb. Dei. lib. 4. cap. 11. initio.  Bellarmine is confident, that the Apostles never used to preach openly to the people other things than the Articles of the Apostles Creed, the ten commandments and some of the Sacraments: because (saith he) these are simply necessary and profitable for all men: the rest besides, such as that a man may be saved without them. Thus for matter of belief. Now secondly for matter of practice, they cannot except against any part of the public service of God in our Leiturgy. They will grant, I suppose, that God may be worshipped without an image, nay that the interior and spiritual worship is most acceptable to him: that a Christian may comfortably and with success call upon God alone, by the only mediation of Christ, seeing the 
d Sancti caeperunt coli in Ecclesià Vniversali, non tam lege aliquâ quam consuetudine. Bellarm. de SS. Beat. lib. 1. cap. 8. §. vlt.  worship and invocation of Saints was brought into the Church rather by custom then any precept: that inward repentance and confession of sins to God is of absolute necessity, not so their auricular 
* Secret confession, abstracting from the abuses of it, our Church allows and injoines, in some cases, as very convenient for the comfort of afflicted consciences.  confession, and penal works of satisfaction: that it is necessary to be really united to Christ by his spirit and our faith, and very comfortable to receive both parts of the Eucharist; but no way necessary to eat the flesh of Christ carnally in the Sacrament, or to want the Sacrament of his blood: that those prayers must needs be most fruitful and effectual which are done with understanding and in a known language: that when a man hath constantly endeavoured with all his forces to obey God in all the duties of Piety and Charity, yet it is not amiss for him after all this to confess himself Gods unprofitable servant; and his 
e Bellar. de justif. lib. 5. c. 7. §. sit 3. Propositio-Tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sold Dei misericordia & benignitate reponere.  safest course not to trust to his own merits, but wholly and solely to cast himself on the mercy of God in jesus Christ. So then by the precepts and conduct of our Religion, a Christian is fully instructed in all necessary points of faith and manners, and directed how to live religiously, how to die comfortably: and all this, without any addition of Popery; and all this by the confession of Papists. Hence it follows, that by their own Confession the doctrines debated are unnecessary.  
3. They are also confessed Novelties. Themselves yield, that for above a thousand years after Christ, 
a Bellar. de Rom. Pont. lib. 4. cap 2. §. Secunda opinio.  the Pope's judgement was not esteemed infallible: nor his authority 
b Bellarm. de Conc. lib. 2. cap. 13.  above that of a general Council; the contrary being decreed in the late Counsels of Constance and Basil, constantly defended by the ancient Sorbon, and at this day by the 
c Revision du Concile de Trent. liur. 4.  best learned in the Gailicane Church. 
d Bellar. de Indulg. lib. 2. cap. 17.  That Eugenius the 3. (who began his Papacy 1145.) was the first that granted Indulgences: & 
e Bellar. de Sanctorum Beat. lib. 1. cap. 8. §. Dices plur.  Leo the 3. (who lived 800. years after Christ) the first that ever canonised any Saint: That not any 
f Greg. de Valent. in Thom. Tom. 4. disp. 6. p 2. §. Tertio prob.  one ancient writer reckons precisely seven Sacraments; the first 
g Bellar. de Sacarm. lib. 2. cap. 25.  Author that mentions that number being Peter Lombard, and the first Council that of Florence. That transubstantiation 
h Scotus apud Bellarm. lib. 3. de Euchar. cap. 23.  was neither named, nor made an Article of faith before the Council of Laterane. That Antiquity, even till these 
i Lombard. Sent. lib. 4. c. 12. & Aqu. 3. p. cue 83. art. 1. in corp.  latter times believed the sacrifice in the Eucharist to be no other, but the image or commemoration of our Saviour's sacrifice on the Cross. That in 
k Lindan, Panopl. lib. 4. cap. 25. Albaspin. Obseru. lib 1. cap. 4.  former ages for 1300. years, the holy Cup was administered to the Lairy. And divine service celebrated 
l Nic. de Lyra. in 1. ad Cor. cap. 14. & Cassand. in Liturgicis cap. 28.  for many ages, in a known and vulgar Language, understood by the people. That 
m Polyd. Virgil. de Invent. lib. 6. cap. 13.  the Fathers generally condemned the worship of Images, for fear of Idolatry; and 
n Azor. Moral. lib. 8. cap. 26. part. 1. §. Respondeo.  allowed, yea exhorted the People with diligence to read the Scriptures. Many more confessions of this kind might be produced.  
If now the Mistaker will suppose his Roman Church and Religion purged from these and the like confessed excesses and novelties: he shall find in that which remains little difference of importance, between us.  
But by this discourse the Mistaker happily may believe his cause to be advantaged, and may reply. If Rome want nothing essential to Religion or to a Church, how then can the Reformers justify their separation from that Church, or free themselves from damnable Schism? For surely to separate from the communion of the Church, without just and necessary cause, is a Schism very damnable.  
All this in effect is formerly answered. Yet to satisfy our Mistaker, (if it may be) we will here further say somewhat to the point, more plainly and distinctly.  
There neither was, nor can be any just cause to departed from the Church of Christ; no more than from Christ himself. But to departed from a Particular Church, and namely from the Church of Rome, in some doctrines and practices, there might be just and necessary cause; though the Church of Rome wanted nothing necessary to salvation. I said signantèr, in some doctrines and practices. For there is great difference between a Schism from them, and a Reformation of ourselves: And it is one thing to leave the communion of the Church of Rome, another to leave communicating with her in her errors.  
Whosoever professes himself to forsake the communion of any one member of the body of Christ, must confess himself consequently to forsake the whole. And therefore her communion we forsake not, no more than the Body of Christ, whereof we acknowledge the Church of Rome a member, though corrupted. And this clears us from the imputation of Schism, whose property it is, (witness the 
o August. de Vnit. Ecc les. cap. 13. Periisse dicunt de caetero mundo Ecclesiam, & in part Donati in solâ Aphrican remansisse. See more of them below.  Donatists and 
p Hieron. adverse. Luciferian. initio Dialogi. Afferebant Luciferiani universum mundum esse diaboli, & ut jam familiare est eis dicere, factum de Ecclesiá lupanar. Et mox. Vestra Ecclesia (Catholicos alloquens) Antichristi magis Synagoga quàm Christi Ecclesia debet nuncupari.  Luciferians,) to cut off from the Body of Christ, and the hope of Salvation, the Church from which it separates. And if any zelotes amongst us have proceeded to heavier censures, their zeal may be excused, but their Charity and wisdom cannot be justified. Unless happily they intended not the Church but the Court of Rome: which two if any Roman Catholic cannot well distinguish, let him read the French Doctor Peter Charron, in his third Verity, 
q Charr. Verit. troisiesme. Ch. 14. §. Mais les Schismatics. Il faut prudemment distinguer entre l' Eglise Roman & la Court Roman— Ceste Court demeure, se cowre, & se nourrit dedans ceste Eglise, ainsi que le ver dedans la pomme, comme aussi est elle née de sa gross & de son abondance. C'est contrè la Court Roman, què Saint Bernard en tant de lieux, & autres Anciens ont crié & escrit.  where he likens the Court of Rome in that Church to a worm in an apple, and confesses all the maladies and miseries in the one to flow from the other.  
But to forsake the errors of that Church, and not to join with her in those practices which we account erroneous, we are enforced by necessity. 
r Aug. de ●apt. contr. Donat. lib. 1. cap. 4. & 5. Alia causa est corum qui in istos Haereticos imprudentèr incurrunt, ipsam esse Christi Ecclesiam existimantes; alia corum qui noverunt non esse Catholicam.  For though in themselves they be not damnable, to them which believe as they profess: yet for us to profess (& to avow by oath, as the Church of Rome enjoins) what we believe not, were without question damnable. And they with their errors by the grace of God might go to heaven; when we for our hypocrisy and dissimulation, without repentance, should certainly be condemned to hell. It is the doctrine of the Roman School, that venial sins to him that commits them, not of subreption or a sudden motion, but of presumption that the matter is not of moment, change their kind & become mortal. The like may be said of their errors. To him who in simplicity of heart believes and practiseth them, & withal feareth God & worketh righteousness, to him they shall prove venial. Such an one shall, by the mercy of God, either be delivered from them, or saved with them. But he that against faith and conscience, shall go along with the stream to profess and practise them, because they are but little ones; his case is dangerous and without repentance desperate.  
We hope and think very well of all those holy and devout souls, which in former ages lived & died in the Church of Rome. For though they died in many sinful errors; yet because they did it ignorantly through unbelief, 
s Cypr. Epist. 63. Pam. num. 13. Si quis de antecessoribus nostris, vel ignorantèr vel simpliciter non hoc obseruavit & tenuit, quod nos Dominus facere exemplo & magisterio suo docuit, potest simplicitau ejus de indulgentiâ Domini venia concedi: nobis verò non poterit ignosci, qui nunc à Domino admoniti & instructi sumus.  not knowing them to be either errors or sins; and repenting in general for all their unknown trespasses; we doubt not but they obtained pardon of all their ignorances. For it were an unreasonable incongruity to imagine, that the God of mercy should not be as ready to pardon errors of understanding, as wilful impieties. Nay our Charity reaches further, to all those at this day, who in simplicity of heart believe the Roman Religion and profess it. But we understand only those, who either have not sufficient means to find the truth; or else such as after the use of the best means they can have, all things considered, find not sufficient motives to convince their conscience that they are in error, But they that have understanding and means to discover their error, and neglect to use them; we dare not flatter them with so easy a censure. And much less them, that dare profess the Religion of the Church of Rome, when they do not believe it, or only believe it, because some carnal or worldly respect doth blind or mislead their understanding.  
Wherefore, to that demand of our Romanists, If we believe their Religion to be a safe way to heaven, why do we not follow it? We answer, we believe it safe, that is, by God's great mercy not damnable to some, such as believe what they profess: but we believe it not safe, but very dangerous if not certainly damnable to such as profess it when they believe, (or, if their hearts were upright and not perversely obstinate might believe) the contrary. The jesuires and Dominicans hold different opinions touching predetermination, and the immaculate conception of the blessed Virgin: Yet so, that the jesuite holds the Dominicans way safe, that is his error not damnable, and the Dominicans hold the same of the Jesuits. Yet neither of them with good consequence can press the other to believe his opinion, because by his own confession it is no damnable error. For as the Dominicans might urge the Jesuits after this manner, so the Jesuits might return it upon the Dominicans: and so the Argument being common to both, either it must conclude for both, (and so both parts of a contradiction must be true;) or else, (which is most certain and evident,) it concludes for neither. And if for neither of them against the other, then by the like reason it is vain for Papists to use it against Protestants. All false opinions are not damnable errors, to them that believe them: yet may they be so manifestly false, that there can be no wisdom in believing them. If one should believe, that twice two were not four, all would confess he held no damnable error: But if the same man should think all men bound in conscience to be of his opinion, and urge them (as the Romanists do us) that, by their own confession there were no danger in his way, and therefore in wisdom they were to follow it; who would not laugh at his ridiculous folly? So if they have no better ground of their belief, than their Adversary's charitable judgement of their errors, they will be so fare from convincing their Adversaries of lack of wisdom, that themselves cannot escape the imputation of folly.  
By all this it is evident, that although we confess the Church of Rome to be (in some sense) a true Church, and her errors to some men not damnable: yet for us who are convinced in conscience, that she errs in many things; a necessity lies upon us, even under pain of damnation, to forsake her in those errors. Which is not so much a forsaking of her, as a purging of ourselves. To cleanse some part of the Church from vile abuses, is not to go out of the Church. If a Monastery should reform itself, and reduce into practice ancient good discipline, when others would not; in this case, could it with reason be charged with Schism from others, or with Apostasy from its rule and order. Or as in a Society of men universally infected with some disease, they that should free themselves from the common disease, could not be therefore said to separate from the Society: So neither can the Reformed Churches (especially ours of England) be truly accused for making a Schism from the Church, seeing all they did, was to reform themselves; yet with resolution, to continue in communion (as much as in them lay,) even with those parts of the Church, that would not do so. Indeed if they of Rome could first make it appear by any sound proof, either that the Church was pure and needed no Reformation; or that it is all one to leave the communion of the Church, and to cease communicating with some Churches in their errors; or lastly, that it is all one to forsake the Church of Rome and to forsake the obedience to that Church as it is now required; then the crime of Schism might with some colour be laid to our charge. But all these are groundless assumptions, talked of very freely and commonly, but such as never will be proved by any one Argument of validity.  
In sum, we can never be joined with Rome, in such corruptions as make her Popish: But we were never disjoined from her in those main essential truths, which give her the name and effence of a Church. Whereof if the Mistaker doubt, he may be better informed by some late Roman Catholic writers, of milder judgement and temper: One of 
t Examen pacifique de lafoy doctrine des Huguenots. à Caen. 1590.  France, who hath purposely in a large Treatise proved (as He believes,) the Hugonots & Catholics of that Kingdom to be all of the same Church and Religion, because of the truths agreed upon by both. And another of our own 
u Syllabus aliquot Synodorum, Colloquiorum, Doctorum pro pace Ecclesie. Aureliae. 1628.  Country, (as it is said,) who hath lately published a large Catalogue of learned Authors, both Papists and Protestants, who are all of the same mind.  
But he is persuaded, it seems, that Protestants among themselves are not of the same Church and Religion. For he says, their differences are many and material: & Luther with his followers, Schlusselburgius, Grawerus, Hunnius, and their like, do rigorously curse and condemn the zwinglians & Caluinists. And some of their harsh censures to this purpose he transcribes out of Brierly; who, with a curious, and (I doubt) a malicious diligence, hath raked up their intemperate speeches.  
For answer: first, the Protestants, especially we of the Church of England, acknowledge not any factious names of Lutherans, zwinglians, or Caluinists; with which we are injuriously nicknamed by our Adversaries, as of old good Orthodox Christians were called 
a Phot. cod. 280. in Excerptis Eulogi● ad fin. libri.  Cornelians, and 
b Act. Conciliab. Ephes. in Epist. legate. Schismat. ad suos in Epheso. pag. 287. edit. Bin. 1618.  Cyrillians, by the seditious followers of Novatus, and Nestorius. With Pacianus we profess, Christian is our name, and Catholic our Surname. We esteem of Luther, Zuinglius, and Caluin, as worthy men: but we esteem them not worthy to be Lords or Authors of our Faith, or to lead our understandings captive. Both themselves were fare from affecting such divine honour; and we fare from bestowing it. We remember who said of Christ, Hear Him, not hear them: and therefore though these men's reasons may gain our assent, their Testimony is at the best but probable. We believe not what they say, but what they prove. Much less can we endure, being once baptised into the name of Christ, to be marked with the name of any man, as with a note of our servitude. Gregory 
c Nyssen▪ contr. Apollinar. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Nyssen makes a sore complaint of his times; The great and venerable name of CHRISTIAN (saith he) is neglected; men profanely divide themselves into humane appellations. And he laments the miserable ambition of many Sectaries, who surname themselves from their grand Seducers. His Brother 
d Basil. in Ps. 48.  S. Basil gives instance in the Marcionites and Valentinians, 
c Optar. lib. 3.  Optatus in the Donatists. So might we in them that call themselves Franciscanes, Dominicanes, Thomists, Scotists, Jesuits, etc. To all these we say with 
f Epiphan. haer. 70. in fin. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Epiphanius, The holy Spouse of Christ bears only her Husband's name. And for us, as the same 
g Idem. haer. 42.  Epiphanius and 
h Nazianz. orat. 31. in fin.  Nazianzene speak, Though we reverence S. Peter and S. Paul, yet we are neither Petrians nor Paulians, but Christians. Our reason is that which we read in 
i Lact. lib. 4. cap. 30. Christiani esse desierunt, qui Christi nomine omisso, humana & externa vocabula induerunt.  Lactantius; They are no Christians, who seek after foreign titles. And therefore we disclaim the name of Caluinists: we own no service, we have no dependence upon Caluin or any other man, as Doctor or Master of our Faith. We own him, and the rest of the first Reformers many thankes for their painful labours, which shall remain of honourable account in all posterity. We cannot bless God sufficiently for such Instruments of his glory. Yet we do not idolise their Persons, or adore their dictates and opinions, as if they were divine Oracles, as the Romish zelotes do with their Pope. This were not to shake of our old servitude, but to exchange it; and for one infallible Pope to set up many. Thanks be to God, among the many Idols which we have cast off, this Idol of humane authority is one; which hath rob God of much glory. That Doctor, who hath the command of our conscience, hath his chair in heaven. We take up no opinions upon the credit of any of our Teachers, whom we censure as well as follow, and freely descent from their judgement or approve it, when we have weighed it with reason. We love and honour them as our Friends; yet so, that we honour Truth, and love it above all 
Arist. Eth. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Friendship.  
Wherefore the jars and divisions between the Lutherans and Caluinists do little concern the Church of England, which followeth none but Christ. Yet to speak somewhat in favour of them and of the truth: 
k See D. Field of the Ch. l. 3. cap. 42. the Append. pag. 819. & seqq. vlt. edit.  their dissensions are neither many nor so material, as to shake or touch the foundation; easily reconcileable, if men of any moderation had them in handling. The bitter speeches of Luther none can excuse: and much less the virulent Pamphlets and Proscriptions of some of his Disciples, who in a preposterous imitation of his zeal are little less than furious. But the consequence of opinions must not be measured by the passions or outrages of opinionate men. Two Brothers in their choler may renounce each other, and disclaim their amity; yet that heat cannot dissolve their inward and essential relation. There are some doubts and questions (saith 
l August. de pecc. Orig. contr. Pelag. & Caelest. cap. 23. Sunt quaestiones, in quibus saluâ fide quâ Christiani sumus etc. Vide eum contr. julian. Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 2. & Enchirid. cap. 59  S. Austin) wherein, without any damage to that Faith whereby we are Christians, a man may be ignorant, or suspend his opinion, or conjecture amiss, through humane frailty. In such, what wonder if learned men  in their judgements; especially seeing the best of men are here below but men at the best, obnoxious to numberless passions and infirmities; and (as the same 
m Aug. de Ciu. D. lib. 15. cap. 5. Proficientes, nondumque Perfecti inter se pugnare possent.  S. Austin says) Not perfect, but proficient If Charity might still moderate in disputations of this nature, if truth were ever aimed at more than victory, if men contended for their opinions in a fair and manly fashion, that is, (as 
n Orat. 3. de Pace. p. 220. edit. Paris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  S. Gregory Nazianzen advises) with reasons without revile; then might they be an exercise of great use and fruit for the discovery of truth. But this temper of wisdom and charity is rarely to be found: it hath been the miserable calamity of the Church in all ages, that the pride and confidence of Some, either too to learned in their own opinion, or too to ignorant in other men's, hath caused these debates to degenerate into unworthy & scandalous contentions.  
The contentions of Catholics in the ancient Church, upon very trifling occasions, were so very bitter and intemperate; that they were with scorn objected by 
o Cells. apud. Orig. lib. 3. Euseb. de vit. Const. lib. 2. cap. 60. Chrysost. in 1. ad Gal.  Pagans, and derided in their open theatres; much 
p Cypr. Epist. 8. Basil. Ascet. lib. de judic. Dei. Nazianz. Orat. 1. 14. Pelus. l. 4. ep. 55. Vide Baron. an. 400. n. 51.  lamented by men of modesty; though excused 
q Pelus. ib. & Themist. apud Socr. l. 4. c. 27.  by some as well as they could. Many times the ground of a violent quarrel was not real but imaginary, upon a mere mistake of one another's meaning. Chrysostome and Epiphanius agreed against the errors of Origen: but so passionately contended about the condemnation of his writings, 
r Sozom. Lib. 8. c. 15. Phot. cod. 96.  that they proceeded to mutual imprecations one against the other: and God heard the rash desires of them both, the former dying out of his Bishopric, and the other out of his Country. In like manner, Cyrill of Alexandria anathematised Theodoret, as favouring the Nestorian Heresy: yet quickly after 
s Concil. Caleed. act. ●.  in the Council of Cbalcedon, upon examination of the cause, Theodoret was absolved and declared Orthodox. 
t Nazianz. orat. 21. in laud. Athan. Hieron. epist. ad Damas. numero 57 Tom. 3.  The Churches of the East and West on a vain suspicion charged each other with Heresy; and had been schismatically divided, if Athanasius had not cleared the seeming difficulty. The orientals professing to believe three Hypostases in the glorious Trinity, would not admit three Persons, and were therefore thought to be Arrians: On the contrary the Western believing three Persons, could not be induced to confess three Hypostases, & therevpon were taken to be Sabellians. Here was a great jealousy, grounded upon a great error; which Athanasius easily discovered, and restored again their good amity, & intelligence: showing, that they differed not in judgement, all meaning the same thing, and that Hypostasis on the one side, was the very same in effect with Person on the other.  
This last example much resembles the divisions of the Lutherans and Calvinists, as they are called: who (especially, the moderate of either side,) differ rather informs and phrases of speech, 
u See D. Field Append. to the 5. book pag 819. & 869.  then in substance of doctrine. The first and main Controversy between them is that about Consubstantiation, which after occasioned that other of ubiquity. (I omit the questions of Predestination, being no less debated in the Roman Schools then in the Reformed.) In both these Controversies, the main truth on both sides is out of Controversy; that Christ is really and truly exhibited to each faithful communicant, and that in his whole Person, he is every where. The doubt is only in the manner, how he is in the Symbols and how in heaven & earth. Which being no part of faith, but a curious nicety inscrutable to the wit of man; we should all here believe, where we cannot understand, and not fall a quarrelling about that which we cannot conceive. 
a Just. M. in Expos. Fid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  How or why are sawey questions in divine mysteries.  
Their other differences in ceremony or discipline, are diversities without discord. 
b Vide Tertul. de Virg. vel. cap. 1. Firmil. apud Cypr. epist. 75. August. Epist. 86. Socrat. hist. lib. 5. cap. 21. etc.  All wise men in the world have ever thought, that in such things each several Church is left to her own judgement and liberty; so as she keep herself to the general apostolic rules of Order and Edification, and to the general judgement and practice of the Church universal. Though the body of Religion in divers Churches & Countries be clothed in divers suits and fashions, yet for substance it may be one in all.  
In all these Contestations, (as it commonly falls out, blessed be God!) they that are for truth, have ever been for Charity and mutual toleration: as appears by their 
c Vide junij & Parei scripta Irenica.  published writings, all tending to pacification. Luther himself, though of a rough and vehement spirit, yet before his death, being tempered by mild Melancthon, (that honour of Germany) did 
d Admon. Neustad. de libro Concord. cap. 6. pag. 236.  much relent & remit of his rigour against Zuinglius, and began to approve the good counsels of peace. And among the Lutherans, all are not of the same intractable disposition. As they in Polonia for instance; 
e Vide Corpus Confess. & ibi Poloniae Consensum.  where the followers of Luther & Calvin have long lived together, in a fair and brotherly concord & communion; notwithstanding their several opinions, which they still retain.  
Since than our discords are of no higher degree, we say as 
f Prudent. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. § vlt.— concordia laesa est, Sed defensa fide: quin & concordia sospes Germanam comitata Fidem, sua vulnera ridet.  Prudentius, a Christian Poet, of the unity of his times. It hath been a little violated, but is defended by Faith her sister: in whose company being safely come off, she laugheth at her wounds, as being easily curable.   


Charity mistaken. Cap. 6.  
furthermore, the Protestants are properly Heretics at least, if not infidels. Heretics, because they reject and disobey the judgement of the Catholic Church. For it is not the matter or quality of the doctrine. But the pride of the man (who prefers his own opinio●s before the decrees of the Church,) that properly makes the Horetique. The Heretics, recounted by Saint Austin, Epiphanius and Philastrius in their Catalogues, were condemned, not so much for their errors, (which were many of them not very material,) as for their contempt of the Church. S. Cyprian and the Donatists differed not in the matter of their error; but the obstinary of the Donatists, & their disobediencs to the Church made them to be condemned for Heretics, when St Cyprian was absolved, because the Church in his time had not declared herself. And in like manner the Novatians were condemned on the same grounds.  

Answer Sect. 4.  
OF the nature of Heresy. The Church may declare & convince an Heresy, but cannot make any Doctrine Heretical properly, unless it be such in the matter of it. The words Heresy, and Heretic very ambiguous. How commonly used by the Ancients. Of their Catalogues of Heretics. St Cyptian (though erring in the point of Rebaptisation,) justly absolved from Sohisme and Heresy. The Donatists guilty of both. And the Novatians of Schism.    
But though we do agree in the substance of Religion with all true Christian Catholics in the world; yet all this cannot win us the Charitable opinion of our Mistaker. For notwithstanding all this, he believes us to be not only Heretics, but no better in effect then Infidels. And he gives his reason, which he says, strikes at the root and unanswerably convinces. His custom is to give us only words: it is well that he offers us reason, which we shall be ever willing to hear and consider of. His reason then. First we are Heretics, because in many opinions we disobey the Church; and Heresy properly consists not in the matter or quality of the false doctrine believed, but in the pride of him that maintains it in contempt of the Church. Our faith then is defective, because we believe not all that is commanded by the Church. But 2. which is worse, we have no true faith at all; no, not of those things which we truly believe. For though we firmly assent to many truths, yet we do not believe them upon the only true and infallible motive, or upon the right ground, which is the revelation of God, and the proposition of his Catholic Church. The faith which relies not on this ground is not any true faith, but only an humane opinion or persuasion.  
Answ. If we did not descent in some opinions from the present Roman Church, we could not agree with the Church truly Catholic. But the Mistaker after his fashion, is ever begging what will never be granted or proved, that his Roman Church is all one with the Catholic. What Optatus said of the Donatists (who arrogated to themselves alone 
Optat. lib. 3.  the name and privileges of the Church, exclusively to all others,) the same say we of the Pope's part; Vestra pars quasi Ecclesia est, sed Catholica non est; Their Church is truly so called in some sort, being a corrupt member of the Catholic, but the Catholic Church it is not.  
The Catholic Church is careful to ground all her declarations in matters of faith upon the divine authority of Gods written word. And therefore whosoever wilfully opposeth a judgement so well grounded, is justly esteemed an Heretic: not properly, because he disobeyes the Church; but because he yields not to Scripture sufficiently ' propounded or cleared unto him. So saith 
a August. de Gen. ad. lit. lib. 7. cap. 9 Omnes. Haeretici Scripturas Catholicas legunt, nec ob aliud sunt Haeretioi, nisi quòd eas non rectè intelligentes, suas falsas opiniones contra earum veritatem pervicaciter asserunt. Idem habet Epist. 222.  St Austin, and 
b Hier. in Galat. cap. 5. Haereticus est quicunque aliter Scripturam intelligit, quam sensus Spiritûs S flagitat, licèt de Ecclesiâ non recesserit.  St Hierome expressly. The best 
c Divinae Scripturae integra & firma regula verita tis. Dist. 37. c. Relatum. Bellarm. de verb. Dei lib. 1. c. 2. Sacra Scriptura regula credendi certissima tutissim●que est. Gers. de exam. doctrine. par. 2. consid. 1. Oper. part. 1. pag. 541. Scriptura nobis tradita est tanquàm regula sufficiens & infallibilis pro regimine totius Ecclesiastici corporis— usque in finem.— cui se non conformans alia doctrina vel abjicienda est ut haereticalis, vel ut suspecta & impertinens ad religionem prorsus est habenda.  learned in the Church of Rome confess, that the Scripture was given as a sufficient and infallible rule for the government of the whole Church, so as any doctrine not conformable thereunto must either be rejected as heretical, or suspected as impertinent to religion. It is confessed also that the Church 
d Almain. in 3. D. 25. q. 1. Resolutio Occham est, quòd nec tota Ecclesia, nec concilium generale, nec summus Pontifex potest facere Articulum quod non fuit Articulus. Sed in dubijs propositionibus potest Ecclesia determinare an sint Catholicae-— Tamen sic determinando, non facit quod sint Catholicae quùm prius essent antè Ecclesiae determinationem. Sic etiam Turrecremata, Adrianus apud Can. lib. 12. cap. 8. S●tus in 1. D. 11. q. 1. in fine. In nova Haeresi veritas prius erat de side, etsi non ita declarata. Bonavent. in 1. D. 11. A. r. q. 1. ad fin. Haere●●● multa, quae erant implicita fidej nostrae, compulerunt explicare.  hath no power to make any Article of faith, or to add any thing to the doctrine of faith. Her duty is only to 
e B●larm. lib. 2. de Concil. cap. 12. Concilia quùm definiunt, non faciunti liquid esse in fallibilis veritatis, sed declarant. Gers. de err. circ. praec●● 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 rev●●tiones expectandas, five à summo Pontifice, five à Concilio, five a Ecclesiâ totâ. Vide Th. 2. 2. q. 1. A. 10. ad 1.  explain and declare the truth according to Scripture, and from thence to draw all her conclusions. 
f Aquin. 2. 2. q. 1. A. ●. in corp.  For the Articles of the faith cannot increase in substance, b●● only in explication. Hence it follows, that all necessary or fundamental 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 error. 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 erroneous declaration, which in stead of declaring gives another 
See the learned Answer to Fisher's 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 itself by warrant of Scripture. If the Church walk 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 wandered so fare, as the Church of Rome, which hath defined or declared very many things to be fundamental Truths or Heresies, which are nothing less: following herein no other rule but her own fantasy.  
As in Truth, so in Heresy, the Church may declare what is Heresy, she may convince and censure it: but still according to her Rule, the Scripture. Neither is any doctrine Heretical, because it opposeth the definition of the 
i Alph. à Castro. lib. 1. adv. Haeres, cap. 8. Ecclesia s●● definitione non facit talem assertionem esse Haeresim, cùm e●amsi ipsa non definivisset, esset Haeresis: Sed id efficit Ecclesia, ut nobis per suam Censuram pate at illud esse Haeresim— ibid. Ideò dicitur veritas aliqua Catholica, quia à Deo in Scriptures revelata est, & è contra.  Church, but because it opposes that Scripture, on which the Church grounds her definition. The doctrines of Arrius, Macedo●ius, Nestorius, Eutyches were in themselves Heretical even before they were solemnly condemned in the 4 general Counsels.  
But, saith the Mistaker, the Heresier mentioned by Philastrius, Epiphanius and S. Austin in their Catalogues, were many of them errors in themselves of no grea● moment or importance: yet they were al● esteemed Heresies, because they were hel● in disobedience to the Church. So likewise the error of rebaptisation was for the matter of it the very same in S. Cyprian, and in the Donatists: yet the Donatists were accounted Heretics for despising the judgement of the Catholic Church, and S. Cyprian not so, because he conserved himself within the amity and communion of the Church. Therefore properly and formally he is an Heretic that contradicts the definitions of the Church.  
Answ. In all ages, almost, the imputation of Heresy hath been too too frequent and familiar among Christians; and in this age above all, wherein Christendom is so miserably broken into numberless fragments and pieces. It is a thing purely impossible for the learnedst man in the World, exactly to recount all the several Sects and subdivisions of Christians, or such as pretend to Christianity. And every Sect hath some Zelotes, so passionately in love with their own Opinions, that they condemn all others, differing from them, to be Heretical. So there life's not a Christian on earth, who in the judgement of many others is not an Heretic. I speak not this in favour of any Heretic 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 less grievous a calumny if it be ungrounded. And it is good counsel, which 
k Cont. Haeres. lib. 3. & lib. 1. cap. 7. Qui tàm leviter de Haeresi pronunciant, saepè fit ut suâ ipsorum feriantur sagittâ, incidantque in eam foveam, quam alijs parabant.  Alphonsus à Castro gives, let them consider who pronounce so easily of Heresy, how easy it is for themselves to err. Very good advice, though Alphensus himself makes very little use of it, and forgets it too often.  
As all Truth is not of equal moment or necessity, so all 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, etc. 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 Heretic, is a thing either merely impossible, or extremely 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. ubi suprà.  S● Austin: who promised and 
n In fine libri ad Quodvultdeum.  intended a treatise purposely of this matter, bu● 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 usurpatur, nec ad Theologorum normam vocabuli istius usus exigend●● est.  ancient writers in their Catalogues (and elsewhere) do not use the words Heresy or Heretic, in their exact o● proper notion, but in a very large an● general signification, not distinguishing between Heresy and error. Whatsoever opinion they conceived to be 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 formal definition of the Church. This may appear by many circumstances.  
1 St Austin was desired by his Friend Quodvultdeus, to set down all 
p Praefat. lib. de Haer. ad Quodv. Petis exponi, omnia omnin● quibus à veritate dissentiunt.  opinions of Heretics differing from truth. Every false opinion is not properly a● Heresy, or condemned by a definition of the Church.  
2 The same Author saith of 
q Haer. 80. Alias ipse commemorat, quae mihi appelland ae Haereses non videntur.  Philastrius, that he ranked many things in his Catalogue of Heresies, which in his judgement were not truly so named. Therefore either Philastrius set down many Heresies, not defined to be such by the Church, or else S. Austin should be an Heretic, who denied them to be Heresies after the Church had defined them.  
Lastly, he notes that Philastrius and Epiphanius differ in the number of their Heretics, because they differed in their judgement of Heresy; 
r August. ibid. proculdubio in ea quaestione ubi disputatur, quid sit Haeresis, non idem videbatur ambobus, etc.  that seeming an Heresy to the One, which seemed not so to the Other. Himself differs from them both; professing the reason to be, because it is hard to agree upon the true nature and definition of Heresy. He was not then of our Mistakers opinion, that the definition of the Church is that which makes an Heresy.  
The like difference may be observed in the Writers of the Roman Church. 
s Alph. in Praefat. & lib. 1. cap. 9 Pater. miserè errâsse Bern. de Lucemburgo Hereticorum, Catalogum describentem.  Alphonsus à Castro often taxes the miserable errors, as he calls them, of Guido Perpinianus, Bernardus de Lucemburgo and others in their Catalogues of Heretics, and in their judgement of Heresy, wherein he thinks them many times mistaken. And will the Mistaker say, that all the Heresies recounted by Alphonsus himself, Prateolus, and the like were errors publicly condemned by the definition of the Church?  
It is true, when the Church hath declared herself in any matter of Opinions or of Rites, her Declaration obliges all her Children to peace and external obedience. Nor is it fit or lawful for any private man to oppose his judgement to the public. He may offer his contrary opinion to be considered of, so he do it with evidence (or great probability) of Scripture or reason, and very modestly, still containing himself within the dutiful respect which he owes. But if he will factiously advance his own conceits, and despise the Church so fare as to cast off her communion: he may be justly branded and condemned for a schismatic, yea and an Heretic also in some degree, and in foro exteriori; though his opinion were true, and much more if it be false. And this was it that made one great difference between Saint Cyprian and the Donatists, though they agreed in the error of Rebaptization. For the Donatists had other errors more gross and dangerous, and even amounting to Heresy in the matter of them, where of Sr Cyprian was no way guilty as shall appear.  
St Cyprian was of opinion that all Heretics returning to the Catholic Church ought to be rebaptised. Steven at the same time Bishop of Rome held the direct contrary, that no Heretics should be rebaptised. Both of them erred, and both said true, in some sense. The ambiguity of the word Heretic deceived them. For the Catholic Church, afterwards in the Council of Nice declaring herself in that Controversy, distinguished of Heretics, and decreed that 
t Concil. Nic. Can. 8. Cathari.  Some should not be rebaptised, but received with a simple benediction; and that 
u Paulianistae s●u Samosateniani ibid. Can. 19 & Concil. 6. in Trull. Can. 95.  Others should be. But the disposition and carriage of Steven and Cyprian in this business was very different, and very remarkable.  
Steven in a violent heat 
w Eusch. Hist. lib. 7. cap. 4.  excommunicates all the Bishops of Cilicia, Cappadocia, Galatia, etc. because they were not of his mind. When they sent some Bishops of their Company to him fairly to treat of the matter, He 
x Vide Firmiliani Epist. inter Epist. Cypriani 75. ad fin.  forbids them to be received into any house or harbour. He uses Cyprian with terms of reproach, calls him 
y Ibid.  false Christ, false Apostle, deceitful Worker. With Steven agreed his Italian Bishops.  
On the other side, notwithstanding this Declaration of the Bishop and Church of Rome in this Controversy, S. Cyprian 
a Bellar. lib. 2. de Concil. cap. 5. Constat Cornelium Papam cum nationali Concilio omnium Episcoporum Italiae statuisse non debere Haereticos rebaptizari, & eandem sententiam posteà approbâsse ●●am Stephanum Papam, & jussisse ut Haeretici non rebaptizarentur. Et simu constat Cyprianum contrarium sensisse & mordicus defendisse; id quod etiam ipse fatetur in Epist. ad Pompeium, ubi arguit Stephanum Pa●am erroris. Et tamen Cyprianus semper est habitus in numero Catholicorum.  persisted in his opinion; and with him 80. Bishops of Africa, Synodically assembled at Carthage, besides those other of the East. For in that age men did not believe, that the Roman Church was infallible, or that it was Heresy to descent from her judgement, or not to submit to her authority. But the behaviour of Cyprian was full of sweetness and modesty. He delivers his own firm opinion; but withal 
b Cypr. Epist. 72. ad Stephan. Quâ in re, nos vim nemini facimus, nec legom damus; cùm habeat in Ecclesiae administratione voluntatis suae arbitrium liberum unusquisque Praepositus. Id. Epist. 73. ad jubaianum in fine. Haec brevitèr pro nostra mediocritate rescripsimus, nemini praescribentes aut praeiudicantes, quo minùs quisque Episcoporum, quod putet, faciat, habens arbitrij sui liberam potestatem. Nos, quantum in nobis est, cum Collegis & Coepiscopis nostris non contendimus, cum quibus divinam concordiam & Dominicam pacem tenemus. Et mox. Seruatur à nobis patientèr ac firmitèr Charitas animi, Collegii honour, vinculum fidei, & concordia Sacerdotij. Id. in Praefat. Concil. Carthag. Superest ut de hâc re Singuli, quid sentiamus, proferamus: Neminem judicantes aut à jure communio nis aliquem, si diversum senserit, amoventes. Neque enim quisquam nostrûm tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitatem Collegas suos adigit.  professes, that he meant not to prescribe or give laws to any, that every Bishop might freely follow his own judgement, that he would not contend with any of his Colleagues about this matter, so fare as to break divine concord and the peace of our Lord; that he was fare from judging or censuring any of his Brethren, or cutting off from his communion any that were of a different mind: that in such cases none ought to constrain his Colleagues by tyrannical terror (therein glancing at the procedures of Steven,) to a necessity of believing or following what he thinks meet. This modesty and Charity is very often and very deservedly commended by 
c Aug. de Bapt. cont. Donat. lib. 1. cap. 18. & lib. 2. cap. 1. & 2. & 3. & 4. & 10. lib. 3. cap. 1. & 3. lib. 4. cap. 10. lib. 5. cap. 17. lib. 6. cap. 6. & Epist. 48. & passim.  S. Austin: who upon this ground frees that holy Martyr from Schism, (and much more from that Heresy) whereof the Donatists after him were deeply guilty.  
For the Donatists pursued and maintained their error with extreme pride, faction, and fury. They dissented without reason not only from the Roman or African Particular Churches, but from the great and grave Council of Nice, representing the whole Catholic Church. They separated from the Communion of all other Christians, 
d Aug. Epist. 172. So●etis nobis objicere, non solùm in nostris crimina non probata, sed potiùs in vestris probata. Id. lib. 2. de Bapt. cont. Donatist. c. 6. vestros fuisse Traditores monifestissima rerum gesta testantur. Optatus l. 1. Omnia quae in Traditores & Schisinaticos dici potuerunt, Parmeniane, ●●stra sunt. Vide Gesta purgationis Faelicis.  charging them with false crimes whereof themselves were guilty. They vaunted that 
e Optat. lib. 2. Ecclesia una est. Eam tu, frater Parmeniane, apud vos solos esse dixisti. Et post. Nitimini suadere hominibus apud vos solos esse Ecclesiam. Vide Aug. Epist. 50. & 161.  Christ had no Church on earth but in the part of Donatus, and that Salvation could not be found but in their Assemblies. They esteemed Catholics to be no better than 
f Optat. lib. 3. Verbaseductionis vestrae sunt, Attendite post vos, Redimite animas vestras. Vestrum est dicere hominibus Fidelibus & Clericis, Estote Christiani. Et unicuique dicere, Caiazzo Sei, aut Caia Seia, adhuc Paganus es aut Pagana. Idem lib. 4. Vester sermo est, quem ad pacis filios habetis, dum dicitis, per●istis; attendite pos●●vos, periit anima vestra. Aug. Enarr. in Ps. 32. conc. 2. ad fin. Isti qui dicunt, non estis Fratres nostri, Paganos nos dicunt. Id. de Bapt. cont. Donat. l. 2. c. 7. Consul animae tuae, ●iunt, esto Christianus. O improbam rabiem, quùm Christiano dicitur, esto Christianus!  Pagans, 
g Optat. lib. 4. Vos odio nos habetis, Fratres utique vestros. Auditorum animis infunditis odia, inimicitias docendo suadetis docentes ne Aue dicant cuiquam nostrûm; tollunt commune inter homines salutationis officium.  hated them, disdained to salute them, 
h Optat. lib. 6. Rasistis Altaria, fregistis Calices, lavistis Pallas, parietes & inclusa spatia salsà aquâ spargi praecepistis. Ad Aggaeum Prophetam video vos velle confugere, ubi scriptum est, Quae tetigerit pollutus, polluta sunt.  washed their Church-wals and their vestments, broke their Chalices, scraped their Altars, pretending that all were polluted by the very touch of Catholics. (Is not much of this Donatisme to be found at this day, in some that pretend themselves to be the only Catholics? They may do well to look to it.)  
For this unworthy contempt of the Catholic Church, those wretches were worthily accounted Schismatics in the highest degree: And Heretics also for denying the Church to be Catholic, by their restraining of it to a corner of Africa. But because the most of them erred out of a well meant zeal, being seduced by their Guides, and so Heretic is credentes rather then Haeretici, (according to S. Augustine's distinction. De utilitat. Cred. cap. 1.) and rather 
i Optat. lib. 7. Vos jamdudum in communionem nostram voluimus recipere, quia vos illo tempore non peccâstis, sed Principes vestri.  continuing in the Schism, than Authors of it; and because the worst of them in the midst of their Schism and Heresy retained the 
k Optat. l. 5. Et apud vos & apud nos una est Ecclesiastica conversatio, communes lectiones, eadem fides, ipsa fidei Sacramenta, eadem mysteria. Et lib. 1. Ideò post vos non emendamus, quia & apud nos & apud vos, unum est Sacramentum Aug. Epist. 164. Sacramenta, quae non mutantur, approbantur à nobis. Et Id. Epist. 48. In multis estis nobiscum, in Baptismo, in Symbolo, in caeteris Dominicis Sacramentis. Id. contr. Epist. Parmen. lib. 2. cap. 13. Sicut Baptismus in eyes, sic ordinatio mansit integra, quia in praecisione fuit vitium, non in Sacramentis, quae, ubicunque sunt, sancta sunt.  substance (for the most important parts,) and Sacraments of our Religion: Therefore the Catholics much more mildly judged of them then of the followers of Arrius, Eunomius, or the like, expressly 
l Optat. lib. 1. Benè clausisti hortum Haereticis frater Parmeniane, benè subduxisti anulum ijs; vobis verò Schismaticis, quamuis in Catholicâ non sitis, haec negari non possunt, quia nobiscum vera & communia Sacramenta traxisits. Et mox. Quid tibi visum est haec & vobis voluisse negare, quos Schismaticos esse manife stum est. Et statim. Volebam ut soli damnarentur Haeretici: quantum in te est & jam vos ipsos cùm eis unâ sententia ferire voluisti. August. Epist. 164. Non objicimus vobis nisi Schismatis crimen, quod etiam haeresin malè perseverando fecistis.  severing them from such capital Heretics as erred in the prime and most fundamental Verities, concerning the Deity, the Incarnation of Christ, etc. They requited all their hatred with good will, acknowledged them to be their 
m Aug. in Psal. 32. Conc. 2. ad fin. Velint, nolint, fratres nostn sunt. Vide eum etiam contr. Donatist. post Collat. cap. vlt. Optat. lib. 1. Quamuis Donatist. nos odio habent & execrentur, & nolint se fratres nostros dici; tamen nos recedere à timore Domini non possumus. Sun sine dubio Fratres nostri, quamuis non boni. Quare nemo miretur, eonos appellare fratres, qui non possunt non esse fratres. Et mox. Non sint Collegae si nolint; tamen, ut suprà diximus, fratres sunt. Frater igitur meus Parmenianus, & sic passim. Id. lib. 4. initio. Si tu non vis esse frater, ego esse incipio impius, si de nomine isto tacuero. Estis enim fratres nostri, & nos vestri. Et statim. Vos nobiscum, id est, cum fratribus vestris, pacem habere non vultis. Non enim potestis non esse fratres, quos ijsdem Sacramentorum visceribus una matter Ecclesia genuit, quos eodem modo adoptivos filios Deus pater excepit.  Brethren, 
n Aug. Epist. 166. Concordate nobiscum fratres, diligimus vos; hoc vobis volumus quod & nobis. Id. Epist. 68 Nos cum magnâ dilectione seruamus vestros illaesos: legimus illis loca, quibus ipse error convincitur, qui fratres à fratribus separate. Optat. lib. 4. Oramus pro vobis quia volumus: & vos pro nobis & cùm non vultis. Vides, frater Parmeniane, sancta germanitatis vincula inter nos & vos in totum rumpi non posse.  loved and pitied and prayed for them. Though the peevish Schismatics did much abuse this Charity of good Catholics towards them. For hence they took occasion to argue in favour of their Schism and Heresy: as if their Adversaries by their own confession did justify it and them: reasoning thus. 
o Aug. Cont. lit. Petil. lib. 2. cap. 108. Petilianus dixit: Venite ad Ecclesiam populi, & aufugite Traditores, si perire non vultis. Nam ut facilè cognoscatis, quòd cùm ipsi sint rei, de fide nostrâ optimè judicant; Egoillorum infectos baptizo, illi meos recipiunt baptizatos. Quod omninò non facerent, si in Baptismo nostro culpas aliquas agnovissent. Videte ergo, quod damus, quam sit sanctum, quòd destruere metuit sacrilegus inimicus. Id. contr. Crescon. Gram. lib. 1. cap. 21. Intentio tua est, in part Donati hominem potius baptizari oportere: hanc intentionem hins probare conatus es, quòd etiam Nos esse illic Baptismum non negamus. Id. ibid. lib. 4. cap. 4. Quaeris a me, à quo to baptizari conveniat, utrùm ab eo potius quem & ego Baptismum habere confirmo, an ab co quem tuus hoc non habere contendit. Vide eundem, de Bapt. contr. Donatist. lib. 1. cap. 10. & 11.  Yourselves (said they to the Catholics) confess our Baptism and Sacraments and Faith (for the most part) to be good and available; We deny yours to be so, and say there is no Church, no Salvation amongst you. Therefore it is safest for all to join with us. Do not the Romanists at this day in the very same manner abuse the Charity of Protestants? And is not this directly that Charm, wherewith they work so powerfully upon the Spirits of simple people? Our answer is the same which S. Austin opposed to the Ancient Donatists in the places cited.  
By the way: from that favourable judgement and opinion which good Catholics in that age had of the Donatists, esteeming them to be their Brethren, notwithstanding their Schism and Heresy, these Corollaries may be probably deduced.  
1. It seemeth that an Heretical Church (where in some Heresy is publicly maintained by the Guides and Pastors of it,) is in some kind the Spouse of Christ, and bringeth forth 
p August. ●le Bapt. con. Don. l. 1. c. 10. Ecclesia Catholica etiam in communionibus diversorum ab unitate separatis, per hoc quod suum in cis habet ipsa utique generat Filios Christo per Baptismum.  Children to God, and Brethren to the Orthodox believers. Especially, if She baptise her Children in the name of the Trinity; as did the Donatists.  
2. It seemeth, that even in an Heretical Church Salvation may be had; as a child may be borne in a plaguy house, and may live, though he hath a running botch on his body. In such Churches the very ignorance and simplicity of the Vulgar is a preservative to them against the poison; more hopes of them then of the Learned.  
3. It seemeth to some 
q Mr. Hooker lib. 3. §. 1. The Morton of the Church. cap. 1. §. 4. & cap. 7. §. 10.  men of great learning and judgement (but herein I had rather leave the Reader to his judgement, then interpose mine own,) that all who profess to love and honour jesus Christ, (though it be in much weakness and with many errors, yet) are in the visible Christian Church, and by Catholics to be reputed Brethren. Or to the same purpose; wheresoever (say they) a company of men do jointly and publicly profess the substance of Christian Religion, which is, Faith in jesus Christ, the Son of God and Saviour of the world, with submission to his doctrine, and obedience to his Commandments: there is a Church wherein Salvation may be had, notwithstanding any corruption of judgement or practice; yea although it be of that nature that it may seem to fight with the very foundation, and so heinous as that in respect thereof the people stained with this corruption are worthy to be abhorred of all men, and unworthy to be called the Church of God.  
For further illustration and proof of this opinion, these things are said.  
That to believe in jesus Christ the Son of God and Saviour of the world with submission to him, is sufficient to constitute a Church, wherein Salvation may be had, is warranted, as they think:  
1. By Scriptures. 
a 1 joh. 4. 15.  Whosoever shall confess that jesus is the Son of God, dwelleth in him, and he in God. Again, 
b ibid. v. 2. Vide in h. loc. Tirinum.  Every Spirit that confesseth that jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God. The like passages are 
c 1 joh. 5. 1. &. 5.  elsewhere, S. Peter's Faith was the same 
d Matt. 16. 16, 17.  with this; and the Faith of 
e joh. 11. 27.  Martha, and of the 
f Act. 8. 37.  Eunuch. And the Faith of all these is approved in Scripture.  
2. Heretics themselves must be acknowledged, though a maimed part, yet a part of the visible Church. 
g Hooker ubi supr. Magaltanus idem probat contra Bellar. in Tit. 3. vers. 11. Ann. 2.  For if an Infidel should pursue to death an Heretic professing Christianity, only for Christian processions sake, could we deny unto him the honour of Martyrdom? Yet this honour all men know to be proper unto the Church. Heretics therefore are not utterly cut off from the visible Church of Christ. If the Fathers do any where, as oftentimes they do, make the true visible Church of Christ, and Heretical Companies opposite, they are to be construed as separating Heretics, not altogether from the Company of Believers, but from the fellowship of sound Believers. For where professed unbelief is, there there can be no visible Church of Christ: there may be, where sound belief wanteth. Infidels, being clean without the Church, deny directly and utterly reject the very Principles of Christianity: which Heretics embrace, and err only by misconstruction. Whereupon their opinions, although repugnant indeed to the Principles of Christian Faith, are notwithstanding held otherwise, and maintained as most consonant thereunto. To which purpose the words of 
h Salu. de Gubern. l. 5. Eyes traditio Magistrorum suorum & doctrina inveterata quasi Lex est, qui hoc sciunt quod docentur. Haeretici ergo sunt, sed non scientes. Denique apud nos sint Haeretici, apud se non sunt. Name in tantùm se Catholicos judicant, ut nos ipsos titulo Haereticae appellationis infament. Quod ergo illi nobis sunt, & hoc nos illis. Nos eos injuriam divinae generationi facere certi sumus, quod minorem Patre ●lium dicunt: Illi nos injuriosos Patri existimant, quia aequales 〈◊〉 credamus. Veritas apud nos est, sed illi apud se esse praesumunt. Ho●●● Dei apud nos est, sed illi hoc arbitrantur honorem divinitatis esse quod credunt. Inofficiosi sunt, sed illis hoc est summum Religionis officum Impij sunt, sed hoc putant veram esse pretatem. Errant ergo, sed bo●● animo errant, non odio sed affectu Dei, honorare se Dominum atq●● a●are credentes. Quanmuis non habeant rectam fidem, illi tamen 〈◊〉 perfectam aestimant Dei Charitatem. Qualiter pro hoc ipso falsae opnionis errore in die judicij puniendi sunt; nullus potest scire nisi Index  Saluian an ancient Bishop of Marseilles are very remarkable, concerning some Arrian Heretics, of whom he speaks thus: The tradition of their Teachers, and the doctrine which they have learned, is to them as it were a Law▪ they believe as they have been instructed. They are Heretics then, but not wittingly. Briefly, they are Heretics in our judgement, but not in their own. For they esteem themselves so good Catholics▪ that they defame us with the title of Heresy. Such therefore as They are to us, such are We to them. We know assuredly that they are injurious to the Divine Generation of the Son of God, because they say He is inferior to his Father: They contrarily think us injurious to the Father, because we believe the Son to be equal to Him. The truth is on our side, but they presume it is on theirs. Our opinion truly honours God, but they suppose their opinion to be more honourable to Him. They are indeed undutiful to God, but this they esteem a great duty of Religion. They are impious, but this they think to be true piety. They err then, but they err with a good mind: not out of any hatred to God, but with affection to him, thinking to honour hereby and love the Lord. Although they have not the right Faith, yet they imagine their opinion to be perfect Charity towards God. How they shall be punished in the last day of judgement for this error of their false opinion; the judge alone knows.  
3. In the Society of such Professors there is (at least there may be) true Baptism administered, and rightly for the substance of it. And where true Baptism may be rightly administered, there is the Covenant of Salvation in Christ settled and established, because the Seal of the Covenant is there allowed. And every Society, in which is the Covenant of Grace, is a Church of Christ. Again, where true Baptism is, there, by the Confession of the Romanists, every one by Virtue of that Baptism, if himself do not ponere obieem, is made a member of the Church and of Christ, & an Heir of heaven. And hence it followeth, that Children baptised in that Church are regenerated, because they do not ponere obicem. And hence again, that that Society is a Church of Christ, and his Spouse, which bringeth forth Children unto God.  
4. The people of the ten Tribes, after their defection, notwithstanding their gross corruptions and Idolatry, yet because they professed (by Circumcision and otherwise,) to honour the true jehovah, they remained still a true Church, (though a very imperfect and impure Church:) and were therefore called the 
i Rom. 9 25, 26. 1 King. 16. 2.  people of God, the beloved of God, the Children of the living God, and God was called the 
k 1 Kin. 18. 36. etc. 20. 28.  God of Israel, and said to be among them, being also ever ready to direct and counsel them by his true 
l 2 Kin. 5. 8. 1. 16. 1 Kin. 22. 5, 7.  Prophets: and lastly, the Kings of Israel are often said to do evil in the eyes of God, that is, (as it may be probably expounded) in that place, whereupon God did as yet look with the eyes of his mercy, as upon his Church. Though in regard of their halting between God and Baal, they were said to be without 
m 2 Chron▪ 15. 3.  the true God, without Priests and Law, that is, without that pure and comfortable worship of God, which his Priests according to his Law ought to have performed. And it seems by S. Paul, that a Christian serving the true God after a false and devised manner, may be at once both 
1 Cor. 5. 11.  a Brother and an Idolater.  
And forignorances' (yea or errors) of the understanding, though very gross, and (perhaps, by some thought to be) fundamental, it seems true Faith may be lodged in the same mind together with them. The Faith of Rahab in 
o Heb. 11. 31.  commended, who surely had no great knowledge of the Messiah to commend her. After our Lord had long conversed with his Disciples and instructed them, yet did they not believe 
p Matth. 20. 21. Act. 1. 6.  his Kingdom to be spiritual, nor 
q Matth. 16. 22.  S. Peter the necessity of his Passion, though immediately before he had made that goodly Confession, on which the Church is founded. The Christians of Ephesus knew not 
r Act. 19 2.  whether then were an Holy Ghost or no: and many thousand Christian jews, 
s Act. 21. 20.  did both believe the Gospel, & yet were zealous for the old legal Ceremonies, which were by Christ fulfilled and abolished. A learned 
t Synesius apud Phot. Myriobibl. cod. 26.  man anciently was made a Bishop of the Catholic Church though he did professedly doubt of the last Resurrection of our Bodies.  
The Authors of this opinion are o● age and ability enough to speak for it and themselves. The Reader may be pleased to approve or reject it, as he shall find cause.  
No doubt, the errors of Popery, and those other of Ubiquity, Consubstantiation and the like, are errors gross and palpable: yet not such as presently and absolutely cut off all, that profess and believe them, from the Catholic Church and all hope of Salvation; especially if withal they profess resolutely and hearty to believe in jesus Christ, and to obey him according to his word so fare as they can understand it, or can be taught it. For howsoever some skilful Disputant by Logical deduction may from those opinions infer some consequences damnable and destructive to the Faith: yet the erring persons many times do not see or believe that any such consequences follow clearly from their opinions; nay they do (happily) so fare abhor them and are so well disposed towards truth, that rather than admit any such dangerous consequents, they would readily renounce and rectify their opinions.  
But I find myself digressing; I return and proceed.  
By all this it is manifest that S. Cyprian agreed with the Donatists only in a part of their error: but not wholly, nor in their chiefest errors, nor in their faction and obstinacy, which made them guilty of Schism and Heresy.  
S. Cyprian was a peaceable and modest man; dissented from others in his judgement but without any breach of Charity; condemned no man (much less any Church) for the contrary Opinion. He believed his own Opinion to be true, but believed not that it was necessary, and therefore did not proceed rashly and peremptorily to censure others, but left them to their liberty: and finally, he had a teachable and tractable mind, willing to alter his Opinion if he had seen reason, and to yield to Truth if it had been cleared unto him, or if he had lived to hear the judgement of the Nicene Fathers. And this good disposition kept him from falling further into such errors, as the pride and obstinacy of the Donatists plunged them.  
For contrarily the Donatists, whilst they suriously contended for one false Opinion, fell by degrees into many more and worse. Such as were these doctrines of theirs, That 
u Aug. Ep. 167. De Bap. tismo dicere solent, tunc esse verum Baptismum Christi cum ab homine justo datur— vide eund. de unit. Ecclesiae cap. 21.  the efficacy of Sacraments depends on the dignity of the Minister, that being no true Baptism which is not given by a just man: That 
w Aug. count. Epist. Parmen. lib. 3. & Passim.  the Church ought not to tolerate evil persons in her communion; That communion with such persons pollutes and profanes the Church, and makes it no Church: That therefore 
x Aug. de Haer. ad Quodvultd. cap. 69. Donatistae— pertinaci dissensione in Haeresin Schisma verterunt: tanquam Ecclesia Christi propter crimina Caeciliani, seu vera, seu, quod magis judicibus apparuit, falsa, de toto terrarum orbe penerit, ubi futura promissa est, atque in Africa Donati parte remanserit, in aliis rerrarum partibus quasi contagione communionis extincta.  all the Churches of the World were perished, because they communicated with Caecilianus Bishop of Carthage, whom they accused (
y Vide Gesta purgationis Faelicis, & Opt. lib. 1.  falsely too) to have been ordained by such as were Traditors, or had given up the Bible to be burnt in times of persecution: Consequently, 
z Aug. de unit. Eccl. cap. 13. perijsse dicunt de caetero mundo Ecclesiam, & in part Donati in sola Africâ remansisse. & ibi mox, totus mundus, inquiunt, apostatavit, nos autem— in Ecclesia remansimus. & iterum— suam paucitatem commendare conantur, & in sanctis Ecclesiae multitudinem toto orbe diffusam blasphemare non cessant.  that the Church remained only with them in the part of Donatus, and that themselves were the only Christians.  
Now to omit the rest, this last error was in the matter and nature of it properly Heretical, against that Article of the Creed, wherein we profess to believe the holy Catholic Church. For by limiting the Church only to such as were of their own communion (in Africa, Rome, or elsewhere) excluding all others, they denied the Church to be Catholic. And when they were pressed with this absurdity by the Catholics; for a shift they divised a new and vain interpretation of the Word Catholic, saying, that the Church was called Catholic, 
a Aug. Ep. 48. ad Vincentium. Acutum aliquid videris dicere, cùm Catholicae nomen, non ex totius orbis communione interpretaris, sed ex observatione omnium praeceptorum divinorum & omnium Sacramentorum. Brevic. Collat. cum Donatistis die. 3. cap. 2. Donatistae responderunt, non Catholicum nomen ex Vniversitate gentium sed ex plenitudine Sacramentorum institutum. Et Gaudentius Donatista Coll. 3. cap. 102. Hoc est Catholicum nomen quod Sacramentis plenum est, quod perfectum, quod immaculatum.  not because it is spread over the whole World or to import the Universality of Nations, but because their Church retained all the Sacraments and observed all God's Commandments, and was perfect and unspotted.  
This perverse confining of the Catholic Church was the principal Heresy of the Donatists, which the Catholic Writers, Optatus, St Austin, and others did most of all detest and oppose in them. And in their disputations of this point, they convince their Adversaries, not by any authority or definitions of the Church (as our Mistaker pretends,) but by testimonies of Scripture as hath been observed before, 
b Aug. Collatine. Carth 3. cap. 187. Sola divina testimonia ad Ecclesiam demonstrandam sufficient, & mox. Sola divina loquatue authoritas, sola Dei Scriptura, cui utrique subdimur, in medium proferatur. Et ib. cap. 155. volumus & optamus, negotium Ecclesiae, non nisi divinis eloquijs terminare. Id. de unit. Eccl. cap. 3. Non audiamus, haec dico, haec, dicis, sed audiamus, Haec dicit Dominus— sunt libri Dominici— ibi quaeramus Ecclesiam, ibi discutiamus causam nostram. Auferantur illa de medio, quae adversus nos invicem, non ex divinis Canonicis Libris sed aliunde recitamus.— & sic passim.  and every where summon them to the judgement of Scripture alone. St Austin purposely debates this matter with them in his Treatise de unitate Ecclesiae: and therein professes almost in each page, that he will wave all other reasons or arguments, and confute them only by Scriptures. And that not by Scriptures 
c Aug. de unit. Eccl. cap. 5. Illa interim sunt seponenda, quae (in Scriptures) obscurè sunt posita, & figurarum velaminibus involuta & secundum nos & secundum illos possunt interpretari— & anted iam praedico & propono ut quaecunque aperta & manifesta eligamus. & mox. Prorsus quae alicuius interpretationis indigent— seponamus. vide c. 24.  dark or doubtful, but so 
d Aug. ib. c. 19 Aliquid proferte, quod non contra vos veriùs interpretetur, quod interprete omninò non egeat. Sicut non eget interpret, in semine tuo benedicentur omnes. Sicut non eget interpret, terra tua orbis terrarum. Sicut non eget— & cap. 20. Nullo interpret indigent Canonicarum Scripturarum testimonia, quae commendant Ecclesiam in totius orbis communione. Et cap. 25. Ostendant Donatistae aliqua manifesta de Canonicis libris testimonia. & cap. 4. notissimis & apertissimis testimonijs contradicunt, & cap. 15. Manifestissimis testimonijs asservimus Ecclesiam toto orbe diffusam.  clear that they need not to be expounded, so full and express that they cannot be avoided or eluded. Briefly such as the Donatists could not resist without wilful 
e Aug. ubi supra cap. 1. De Scriptures sanctisita sunt omnia prolata & probata, ut ea negare non possit, nisi qui illarum Scripturarum inimicum se esse profitetur. ib cap. 7. Quis tam surdus, tàm demens, tàm ment caecus, ut his tam evidentibus testimonijs obloquatur? Sed ad manifestiora veniamus. ib. cap. 11. Istae divinae voces de universa Ecclesia ita manifestae sunt, ut contra eas nisi Haereticè animosa perversitate, & caeco furore latrare non possint.  malice and blindness. Now the point which he proves by so many clear and full Scriptures, is this; that the Catholic Church is spread and diffused over the Earth among all Nations, and may not be enclosed within any one or other society or communion of men whatsoever. (Wherein he doth as clearly oppose our Romanists, who enclose all Catholics and Christians within the Pope's communion, as he did the ancient Donatists.)  
It is not then resisting the voice or definitue sentence of the Church which makes an Heretic; but an obstinate standing out against evident Scripture sufficiently cleared unto him. And the Scripture may then be said to be sufficiently cleared, when it is so opened that a good and teachable mind (loving and seeking truth) cannot gainsay it: For some froward and obstinate persons will not be convicted by any evidence of truth whatsoever. And if the authority of a Council, or of some Church do interpose in this conviction, the obstinacy of Gainsayers is the greater, because there is the greater reason to persuade them. And if any Church do upon such conviction excommunicate or condemn any refractory Gainsayer, he 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 be erroneous, either because the opinion condemned is no Heresy, or error against the Faith, in itself considered; or because the party so condemned is not sufficiently convinced in his understanding (not clouded with prejudice, ambition, vainglory or the like passion) that it is an error.  
As these Donatists, so the Novatians also were Schismatics, for disobeying the public determination of the Catholic Church, in the same General Council of Nice. In the first Ages, before that Council, the Church was very rigorous in her Discipline. She utterly refused (as we have before observed) to admit unto her Peace and communion 
f Vide Canon's Concil. Eliberini. Tertull. de pudic. Cypr. Epist. ad Antonian. & passim.  some kinds of sinners, (as Idolaters, Apostates, Murderers, Adulrers and the like,) though they had done many year's penance, and though they were in their last extremity: thinking fit to leave them to the mercy of God alone, and to make their peace with him by inward repentance. Afterwards She saw it convenient to be more mild and merciful in her censures: and accordingly declared herself in the Great 
g Nic. Council. Can. 11. 12. 13. 14.  Council, 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. Observe. lib. 2. cap. 21.  Novatians stubbornly opposed this public resolution, pretending that the judgement and practice of former Agesought not to be altered, that this releasing of severe Discipline would open a gap to vice and licentiousness, that the Church had no power to reconcile or receive into her society such enormous Sinners though penitent, that if she did, she was polluted by their communion. And upon these pretences, they break out into a formal Schism and separation.  
Before the Nicene Council, many good Catholic Bishops were of the same opinion with the Donatists, that the Baptism of Heretics was ineffectual; and with the Novatians, that the Church ought not to absolve some grievous Sinners. These errors therefore (if they had gone no farther) were not in themselves Heretical, especially in the proper and most heavy or bitter sense of that word; neither was it in the Church's intention (or in her power) to make them such by her Declaration. Her intention was to silence all disputes and to settle peace and unity in her government: to which all wise and peaceable men submitted, whatsoever their opinion was. And those factious people, for their unreasonable and uncharitable opposition, were very justly branded for Schismatics.  
Now for us, the Mistaker (nor his Masters) will never prove, that we oppose either any Declaration of the Catholic Church, or any fundamental, or other, truth of Scripture; and therefore he doth unjustly charge us either with Schism or Heresy.   


Charity mistaken. Chap. 6.  
Again, the only right ground and true infallible motive of faith (by which it is produced, and on which it relies) is the revelation of God, and the proposition of his Church. He therefore who believes not every particular Article of Catholic doctrine, which is revealed and propounded by Almighty God and his Church; (which Church is absolutely infallible in all her proposals,) doth not assent to any one (even of those which he believes) by true faith; because he assents not upon the only true and infallible motive. An assent not grounded on this, is no supernatural divine faith, but an humane persuasion, or suspicion, or opinion. And such is the belief or faith of Turks, jews, Moors, and all Heretics, and particularly of the Protestants.  

Answer Sect. 5.  
DIvine revelation, the principal motive & last object into which faith supernatural is resolved. The testimony & ministry 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 fairly limit the Church's infallibility. The Church Universal infallible in fundamental doctrines. Not so in points of lesser moment. The Mistaker cannot say what he means by the Church, where of he says so much. Of the Church represented in general Counsels, of which we speak and think more honourably than do our Adversaries. Yet we think them not absolutely infallible. Of the Pope whom they call the Church virtual. How his flatterers speak of his authority. No Roman Catholic can be assured of his infallibility, which is (at the most and best) but problematical by their own principles.    
Answer.  
FAith is said to be divine, and supernatural, I in regard of the author or efficient cause of the habit and act of divine infused faith, which is the special grace of God preparing, enabling and assisting the soul to believe; For 
a 1 Cor. 12. 3. 4.  faith is the gift of God alone. 2. In regard of the object or things believed, which are 
b Phil. 1. 29. etc.  above the reach and comprehension of mere nature or reason. 3. In regard of the formal reason, or principal ground on which faith chief relies, & into which it is finally resolved; which is divine revelation, or the authority of God, who is the first truth. If it fail in any of these, it is no divine or supernatural faith.  
Of the two first respects there is no controversy. For the 3d that the formal object or reason of faith, the chief motive, the first and farthest principle into which it resolves is only divine revelation, is a truth (denied by some of the 
c Scotus, Durand. Gabriel apud Can. loc. lib. 2. cap. 8.  School 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) 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. concls. 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 necessary 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 Scriptures 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 examine. 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. §. ultimò. Loquitur Augustinus (loco praedicto) de illis dogmatibus quae sunt necessaria omnibus simpliciter.  clearly made in the Scriptures, either in express terms, 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 believed, further than it may be maintained or warranted by Scripture. Our faith then is safe enough, which builds on this firm ground, and relies 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 matter Ecclesia, & ubera ejus duo Testamenta Scripturarum divinarum.  S. Austin, which are the Old and New Testament; out of these she feeds and gives milk to all her children. That Church (or any particular) which delivers only what she hath received, and propounds not her own traditions in stead of God's Commandments, we are ready in all things to hear, and reverently to submit ourselves to God's truth delivered by it.  
We do not deprive the Church of that prerogative & office which Christ hath given it; 
k Rom. 10. 17.  Faith comes by hearing the word of God: and the ministry of the Church is necessary (in ordinary course) for the begetting of faith. But the force and validity of that ministry 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 voice & 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 external motive to it. It is the 
l Hooker. lib. 2. §. 7.  key, or 
m Gretser. Defence. de verb. lib. 4. c. 4. col. 1581. prima janua. See the learned Answ. to Fishers Relat. of his 3. Confer. pag. 24.  door which lets men in to the knowledge of divine mysteries. It works very powerfully and probably (as the highest humane testimony) 1. Upon infidels, to win them unto a reverend opinion of that faith, and those Scriptures, which they see so many wise, learned and devout men in the Church constantly to esteem as the very truth and word of God. 2. Upon Novices, weaklings, and doubters in the faith, to instruct and confirm them, till they may acquaint themselves with, and understand the Scriptures, which the Church delivers as the word of God. 3. Upon all within the Church to prepare, induce, and persuade the mind, as an outward means, to embrace the faith, to read and believe the Scriptures. But the faith of a Christian finds not in all this any sure ground whereon finally to rest or settle itself; till it arise to greater assurance than the present Church alone can give. Humane authority, consent and proof may produce an humane or acquired faith, and infallibly (in some sort) assure the mind of the truth of that which is so witnessed: but the assent of divine faith is absolutely divine, which requires an object and motive so infallibly true, as that it neither hath, nor 
n Cui non potest subesse falsum.  can possibly admit of any mixture of error or falsehood. And infallible in this sense is only that testimony which is absolutely divine.  
Now our Adversaries yield 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 merely divine, nor merely humane, but as it were in the middle, saith 
p Becan. 3. p. Summ. cap. 8. qu. 8. §. 8. nec purè divina, nec purè humana, sed quasi media.  another: In truth and to speak properly an humane testimony, saith a 
q Aegid. de Conic. disp. 9 dub. 5 Conc. 2. Quantumvis Ecclesia dirigatur infallibili Sp. S. assistentiâ, atque ita ejus testimonium 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 infers that therefore the voice of the Church cannot be the formal object of divine faith, or that where-into it is lastly resolved.  
The Church than is only the first inducer to believe; and the watchman, that holdeth out the light in open view, and presenteth the shining beams thereof to all that have eyes to discern it: but the principal motive and last object of belief is the divine authority of Scripture itself. And, that Scripture is of divine authority, the believer sees by that glorious beam 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. Salu. 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 internal arguments found in the letter itself; though found by the help and direction of the Church without, and of grace within. Herein the Church leads, but the Scripture resolves. The Ministry of the Church, as a Candlestick, presents and holds out the light: but, this supposed, there is in the Scripture itself 
* 2 Pet. 1. 19  light sufficient, which (though blind & 
* 1 Cor. 2. 14  sensual minds see not, yet) the eye of reason cleared by grace, and assisted by the many motives, which the Church useth for enforcing of her instructions; may discover to be divine, descended from the father & fountain of light. To this light the Church adds nothing at all; but only points at it, directs us to it, disposes and prepares us for it, introduces it as the dawning of the morning doth the clear Sunshine. So fare 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 believed. But if her propositions, or doctrines be merely voluntary, her own, 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 itself, yet it doth not actually move the Sense, unless it be conveyed & applied to it by some Mean. So here: God hath appointed an ordinary outward means to present and propound divine verities to our faith, and this ordinary means we grant is the Church: to which we willingly attribute these two excellent uses in that employment, 1. of a witness, testifying the authority and sense of the Scriptures unto us: 2. of God's instrument, by whose ministry in preaching and expounding the Scriptures, the Holy Ghost begets a divine faith in us. But in that assent which we yield unto the mysteries propounded and delivered by the Church, though the Church be one cause, to wit, inductive or preparative, 
s Gretser. Append. 2. add lib. 3. Bellar. de verb. D. Col. 1514. principaliter Scripturis fidem habemus propter divinam revelationem: at ob Ecclesiae authoritatem non aliter quam 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 believe; yet it is not the principal or final, upon which we lastly depend. The chief 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 less than this, nothing but this can erect or qualify 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.  supper natural faith which must be absolutely undoubted and certain; and without this, faith is but opinion or persuasion, or at the most, an acquired humane belief.  
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 departed) we willingly admit. But we cannot yield 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 itself (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 Council; the decrees of all other ancient Counsels, & the whole Christian faith may be questioned as doubtful. For the strength of all doctrines and of all Counsels depends upon the authority of the present Church. And elsewhere again, to the same purpose: (lest the former words might seem to have 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 uncertain. Here's a plain principle of Atheism. For if this be true, all the faith we have of God, of our Redeemer, of the Scripture, of any thing in Religion, is all but an ungrounded and uncertain opinion, unless the Church confirm it. And as the Idols of old Rome could not be consecrated or deified but by consent of the Senate, who took upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (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 merrily speaks) to make gods by most voices: So here, it seems, our true God, and Scriptures, and Religion, must all stand at the courtesy and suffrage of the Roman Conclave.  
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 have no other ground but her own authority, which is equal 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. Doctrine. li. 12 c. 5. initio.  Stapleton: Very many things necessary to salvation, and necessarily to be believed are not comprehended in the Scriptures, but are commended to us only by the authority of the Church. And again: 
b Id. Relect. Contr. 4. qu. 1. art. 3. ad arg. 12. Etiamsi nullo Scripturarun 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 belief of Christians, without any probability from Scripture? With what ingenuity then, or conscience do they pretend Scripture in each Controversy against us, since by their own confession many of their assertions are mere unwritten Traditions, leaning only on the authority of their Church? On the contrary, for the fullness and sufficiency of Scripture in all necessary points, we have the full consent of Antiquity, and of many learned Writers of their own; even of Bellarmine himself, whose plain words to this purpose have been already noted. And the same Cardinal (though herein, as not seldom, contradicting both himself and his fellows) 
c Bellar. lib. 3. de verb. D. interpret. cap. 10. ad arg. 15. Sciendum est propositionem fidei concludita li Syllogismo: Quicquid Deus revelavit in Scriptures est verum, hoc Deus revelavit in Scriptures, 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, unless it be concluded in this Syllogism: whatsoever G●● hath revealed in Scripture is true, but th● or that God hath revealed in Scripture, erg● it is true. If matters of faith must be revealed in Scripture, as this reason supposes: then the proposal of the Church cannot make any unwritten verity to become matter of faith. Yet to salve the sovereign power of His Church, he makes all the strength and truth of the minor in this Syllogism to depend on the testimony of the Church; and by consequence the truth of the conclusion, which ever resembles the weak: 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 proposals and doctrines, so as she cannot err. And this dream hath made Rome senseless of her errors and careless to seek any remedy, nay utterly incapable of remedy. For, to minds really possessed with this fond persuasion and prejudice, the most convincing reasons, the most plain Scriptures, the most pregnant authorities of Fathers, which prove the Church of Rome may err, or hath erred, are all lost and made ineffectual: and seem not strong arguments of the truth, but strong temptations against it. And this imagination of their Church's 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: we only deny the Church to be absolutely infallible. Some of the most able Writers of the Roman party do so fairly limit this privilege, that in their sense 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 Universal, or the Catholic body of Christ on earth, comprehending all his members; not in any particular Church, or any representation of the Church in Counsels, (General or particular) much less 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 fidem habet indefectibilem, non quidem in Generali Synodo congregata, quam aliquoties errâsse percepimus— Sylu. Sum. verb. Ecclesia cap. 1. §. 4. Ecclesia, quae non potest errare, dicitur, non Papa sed congregatio fidelium. 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 essential & fundamental, simply necessary for the Church to know & belleve. To omit 
e Maldon. in johan. 14. 26. Dubium est, an illud docebit omnia, referendum sit ad illud— quaecunque dixi vobis— quasi non aliud docturum Spiritum sanctum dicat, quàm quod ipse anteà docuiffer. Non repugnabo si quis ita velit interpretari. Charron. vetité 3. chap. 5. §. lc second point. 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 amendment, estant une tousiours immuable & none reformable, dit Tertullien de virg. Veland. Et ibid. saepe.  others, Dr 
f Staplet. Princip. Doctrine. lib. 8. controv. 4. cap. 15.  Stapleton is full and punctual to this purpose. He distinguishes controversies of Religion into two sorts. Some (saith he) are about those doctrines of faith, which necessarily pertain to the public faith of the Church. Others, about such matters as do 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 yields, that the Church may sometimes err, either in her discourses, or in her conclusions; & that without any violation of Christ's promise made to the Church for infallibility. And of this assertion He gives divers 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 faithful, and not for the satisfaction of unprofitable curiosities, or for the search of unnecessary subtleties. For as nature, so God is neither defective in necessaries, nor lavish in superfluities. A second reason He adds, taken from the office of the Church after the Apostles, which is not to make new Articles of faith, but only to consign and deliver those which she hath received. Thus Dr Stapleton.  
Briefly, their meaning is, (& ours is the same) that the whole Militant Church (that is, all the members of it,) cannot possibly err, either in the whole faith, or any necessary article of it. For such an error must needs disunite all the members from Christ the Head; and so dissolve the Body, and leave him no Church, which is impossible. Christ ever hath had, and ever shall have a true Church on earth: now a true Church is all one with a Church not erring in the foundation.  
By these reasonable restrictions of this infallibility, they give us a fair and certain interpretation of all those promises, which our Lord hath made unto his Church, for his assistance: Such promises are intended, not to any particular Persons or Churches, but only, to the Church Catholic: and they are to be extended not to every parcel or particularity of truth, but only to points of faith or fundamental. Thus we are to understand those passages;  

g Joh. 16. 13. John 14. 16. See the judicious Author of the Answ. to Fisher's Relation of his 3. Confer. p. 49.  The spirit shall lead you into all truth and shall abide with you for ever. Though that promise was directly and primarily made to the Apostles, (who had the Spirits guidance in a more high and absolute manner, than any since them, yet it was made to them for the be hoof of the Church, and is verified i● the Church Universal. But all truth 〈◊〉 not simply all, but all of some kind. T● be led into all truths, is to know and believe them. And who is so simple as to be ignorant, that there are many millions of truths (in Nature, History, Divinity,—) whereof the Church is simply ignorant? How many truths lie unrevealed in the infinite treasury of God's wisdom, where with the 
* Deut. 29. 29. 1 Cor. 13. 12.  Church is not acquainted? How many obscure texts of Scripture which she understands not? How many School questions which she hath not, and happily cannot determine? And for matters of fact, it is apparent and 
h Bellar. l. 2. de Conc. cap 8. §. Respondeo. Quidam.  granted that the Church may err. So then, the truth itself enforceth us to understand by all truths not simply all, not all which God can possibly reveal; but all appertaining to the substance of faith, all truth absolutely necessary to salvation.  
That other promise of Christ's being with his 
i Mat. 28 20.  unto the end of the world, is properly meant (as some 
k Auth. de vocat. Gent. lib. 2. cap. 2. Ecce ego vobiscum. i e. nolite de vestra infirmitate trepidare, sed de mea potestate confidere, qui vos usque ad consummationem saeculi in omni hoc opere non derelinquam:— praestiturus ut nullâ sevientium crudelitate superemini. In mea enim potestate praedicabitis, & per me fiet, ut inter contradicentes, interfurentes. Abrahae filii de lapidibus suscitentur.  Ancients truly give the sense) of his comfortable aid and assistance, supporting the weakness of his Apostles and their Successors in their ministry, or in their preaching of Christ. But it may well be also applied (as it is by 
l Leo Serm. 10. de Nativ. cap. 5. Idem Salvator noster est super coelorum altitudines victor mortis ascendens, & usque ad consummationem soeculi univer same Ecclesiam non relinquens.  others) to the Church Universal: which is ever in such manner assisted by the good Spirit, that it never totally fails or falls off from Christ.  
For it is so firmly 
m Math. 16. 18.  founded on the Rock (that is on Christ 
n 1 Cor. 3. 11.  the only foundation) that the gates of hell (whether by temptation or persecution) shall not prevail against it. Not prevail so far as to sever it from the foundation, or clearly to undermine, or 
o Bernard. Serm. 79. in Cant. Non deficit genus Christianum, nec fides de terra, nec charitas de Eccles. que fundata est super petram. Petra a. est Christus. Bellarmin, de Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 13. Quòd Ecclesia non possit deficere ostenditur primùm ex Scriptures, Math. 16. Super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam.  overthrow it. The Church may err, and dangerously too; but every error destroys not the Church. The whole Church cannot so err as to be destroyed. For than our Lords promise here of her stable edification should be of no value.  
Lastly, that prayer of our Saviour for S. Peter, 
p Luke 22. 32.  that his faith might not fail, in the native sense of the place, regarded only S. Peter's person, for whom our Lord prayed, and obtained perseverance in the grace of God, against the strong temptation which was to winnow him above the rest: Yet is it very well referred by 
q Aqu. 2. 2. q. 2. A. 6. ad 3. Ecclesiae Universalis sides non potest deficere, Domino dicente Luc. 22. Ego pro te rogavi, Petre, ut non deficiat fides tua.  Aquinas to the whole Church; which is never so far forsaken by Christ that it should utterly forsake and fall off from him. But the faith of the Church cannot be totally corrupted in the Essentials of it, or abolished; yet may it be foully infected with many vile and unworthy additions, though not with direct repugnancies.  
In these promises then there is no foundation to support that very vain and  pretention of the Church of Rome: who challenges to herself an absolute and universal infallibility in all her proposals. For neither do these promises principally respect the Church of Rome, and more than the Church of Corinth, Ephesus, or the like, any further or longer than such parts do cleave and consent to the whole body and Spouse of Christ: nor hath the Church Universal the like assurance from Christ that she shall not err in unnecessary additions, as she hath for her not erring in taking away from the faith what is fundamental and necessary. It's comfort enough for the Church, that the Lord in mercy will secure her from all capital dangers, and conserve her on earth against all enemies: but she may not hope to triumph over all sin and error, till she be in heaven. Hay and stubble and such unprofitable stuff, laid on the roof, destroys not the house, whilst the main pillars are standing on the foundation. The Giant in Gath, 2. Sam. 21. 20. was a true man, though much deformed with superfluous fingers and toes; but if one lose any vital part, he is a man no longer. There is not so much danger in adding superfluities, as in detracting what is essential and necessary. That the Church shall never be robbed of any truth, necessary to the being of the Church, the promises of Christ assure us: But that to necessary truths, she shall add no unnecessary opinions; for that we have no warrant, either from the Scripture, or any promise of God. And were it otherwise, the Doctors above mentioned had betrayed the Church's cause, in stead of maintaining it. For if in all her doctrines and definitions she be infallible, why should they restrain her infallibility in defining unto matters necessary? They should have professed her roundly and plainly infallible in all her determinations. For to limit her infallibility in defining, only to things necessary; and then to say that all defined by her, is eo ipso necessary because defined, is to delude the world, and seemingly to yield something when nothing is yielded.  
The Roman cause at this day (as it appears by the vulgar Writers of the Pope's quarter, and, among others, by our Mistaker,) wholly depends on this pretended absolute infallibility. All Controversies in the issue are reduced to this, and decided by it. And with great reason, if there were any reason in it, or for it. For if Rome cannot err or be deceived, then without doubt all they err and are deceived, who descent from her. And therefore, me thinks, learned men of that party, might do very well to ease themselves and the world of much trouble and pains, in the scanning of other questions; if with all their strength and wit they can but settle on the Pope or his adherents such an infallibility, by any one convicting argument; this will instantly and evidently conclude all our other differences. No wise man will any way contradict them, who cannot any way err.  
But surely this doctrine, that the Church is infallible in all her definitions, is so far from being certain and divine, that it is at the best but doubtful and problematical; and that even by, and from their own principles.  
The Roman Drs deliver us these Maxims concerning the Church's authority. 1. 
r Staplet. lib. 9 Princip. doctr. & passim contr. Whitak.  That the truth of Scripture itself and of all contained in it relies, in respect of us, upon the testimony of the Church; so as nothing is credible to us, but by the Church's attestation. 2. 
s Valent. Tom. 3. disp 1. qu. 1. pun. 1. §. 6. col. 29.  That the proposition of the Church is so necessary to the act of divine faith, that nothing can be believed without it. 3. That 
t Bellarm. lib. 4. de Pont. R. cap. 14. §. Respondeo. Inprimis.  until a doctrine be declared or defined by the Church, so long it may be either doubted of, or denied without danger. These propositions are their own. Hence we assume: But this doctrine [that the Church is infallible in all her decrees and definitions] was never yet declared, decreed or defined by the Church, no not by any Council, or by any Pope. And hence we infer; Therefore it is a doctrine which may be doubted of, or denied without danger; a doctrine which no man can believe by divine faith; a doctrine (whatsoever it be in itself) to Christians not credible. If any man will deny the assumption, he will oblige himself to disprove it by a contrary instance: Let it be showed where, and when, and in what terms the Church hath published any such declaration. And suppose (which will not be granted) that such a declaration had been made, it may be demanded with reason, upon what warrant the Church can assume to herself a power so divine and boundless, as to authorise all her decrees in so high a form, that they must be accounted divine and infallible? If the promise of God in Scripture be pleaded for this power, we have already showed how the learned among themselves have voided this plea, and so restrained those promises that they are by much too narrow to support so wide a privilege. If it be said that this authority of the Church is a principle admitted by all Christians without any doubt or proof, this is a saying voluntary and and groundless. For 1. they will confess every principle in Religion to be founded either in nature, or in Scripture, or in tradition, or in Church definition; and in none of these will they find any footing for this. 2. All Christians in the world confess the authority of Scripture, to be a principle indemonstrable; yet are we by them perpetually urged to prove that authority, and that by Scripture. 3. Dr 
u Princ. Doctrine. l. ●. c. 21.  Stapleton thinks it not only fitting, but necessary, in respect of us, that the Church should give testimony to herself: especially them, in this point of so great importance & consequence, concerning her infallible authority, wherein all Religion is so much concerned. 4. Lastly, it is a great error and vanity to believe, that this absolute infallibility of the Church is believed by all Christians: especially in the sense of our Adversaries, who ever by the Church intent that unsound piece, which they call the Roman Catholic. The Protestants and Greeks, expressly accuse this Church (and have convicted her too, as they think,) of many gross and dangerous errors. The 
w See Mr. Brierwoods' Inquiries.  Armenians, Syrians, Indians, jacobites, Maronites, Abassines, with other innumerable assemblies of Christians, have many doctrines and customs directly repugnant to those of Rome: which were an unreasonable presumption and absurdity, if they esteemed the Church of Rome so wholly infallible. Nay, within the Roman Church itself, many Authors of great learning and judgement, by name 
x Horum omnium testimonia legere est apud Rob. Baronium de objecto fidei. Tract. 5. cap. 19  Occam, Cameracensis, Waldensis, Panormitanus, Antoninus' Archbishop of Florence, Cardinal Cusan, Nicholas Clemangis— have declared their opinion, that any particular Churches, and particularly the Roman, any Counsels though General, any Popes may err, even to heresy: and I doubt not but the best learned Romanists at this day are of the same opinion.  
Before we proceed, it will not be from our purpose, to note one thing more in passing. The Church of Rome pretends, that it is an office belonging only to Her, to deliver the entire rule of faith to all Christian people. And she pretends further that this divine and infalliable rule is made up of three integral parts; to wit, Scriptures, Traditions, and Church definitions. If this be true, she doth but loosely discharge her office, & very ill satisfy the obligation which she hath unto the Christian world. For 1. Why hath she not yet defined that her definitions are of divine authority? The late Fathers of Trent have canonised unwritten traditions, and equalled them to Scriptures; but why did they omit to canonize the decrees of all Popes, & Counsels? Why did they not add to Traditions, their Church definitions, and command them both, and them all to be received with no less devotion than the holy Scriptures. 2. The same Fathers have given us an exact catalogue of all the books of Scripture: but why did they not give us the like list of divine and infallible Traditions? Is it because they are numberless and cannot be recounted? Or because it may be a thing full of danger to confine them to any certain number, lest some be omitted? Or because they are not yet agreed which are divine Traditions? Or is it (as Dr. 
y Defence. author. Eccles. l. 1 cap. 2. §. 5.  Stapleton excuses his Church on the like occasion) because that Church hath not yet throughly weighed all her Traditions, either for want of opportunity, or by reason of other thoughts & distractions which have not permitted her seriously to consider of this business? But there cannot be a business of greater moment in Religion, or more worthy of the Church's care, then to deliver the rule of truth clearly and precisely, by which all doctrines in the Church are to be squared and examined. And therefore the Church of Rome herein so careless, cannot be excused from supine negligence.  
Now to return from this short digression. So far as truth and reason will permit, we have yielded an infallibility to the Church: That is, infallibility in the Essentials of faith, to the Church Universal. And this confession satisfies the best of our Adversaries, who demand no more.  
But when our Mistaker talks so often of the infallibility and supreme judgement of the Church, He means somewhat else by the Church. Though, surely, he knows not well what he means; or at least will not be forward to let us know his meaning; whether he means the Church representative, which is a General Council, or the Church virtual, which is the Pope; in whether of the two he plants this infallibility, as in the Proper Subject, it will perplex him to say; and whatsoever he say he shall touch a sore, and find strong opposition within his own party.  
First, for General Counsels, we give them all the respect which is due unto them, and much more than do the most of our Adversaries. We say, that such General Counsels, as are lawfully called and proceed orderly, are great and awful representations of the Church Catholic; that they are the highest external Tribunal which the Church hath on earth; that their authority is immediately derived and delegated from Christ; that no Christian is exempted from their censures or jurisdiction; that their decrees bind all persons to external obedience, & may not be questioned but upon evident reason, nor reversed but by an equal authority; that if they be careful and diligent in the use of all good means for finding out the truth, it is very probable the good Spirit will so direct them, that they shall not err, at least not fundamentally. But they are not absolutely freed from all error. Such a Council is but an assembly of men, and those sometimes not of the most able and sufficient. The Church Universal may have many more able members, out of the Council, than she hath in it. For though that representing body, have all the legal power or binding strength of the whole, yet it hath not all the natural power or wisdom which is in the whole. The Catholic Church cannot possibly communicate her strength or power in that kind to any Council. Yet suppose the best of men to be in that meeting; even they are but men when all is done, neither all of them equal in the endowments of nature or grace, nor any of them perfect, being every one subject to all the infirmities and passions which attend our nature. Their meeting then cannot make them infallible in all things; though the act that is hammered out by so many heads, must needs in reason be perfecter, then that which is the issue of one man's sufficiency.  
But happily they are infallibly assisted! No doubt, the holy infallible Spirit assists at all such holy meetings; but how 
Math. 18. 20.  far, or in what manner, is all the doubt. The good Spirit ever assists the endeavours of the devout and diligent, so far as is necessary: and is ready to guide them that are desirous to be guided by him. But his guidance is not a violent rapture, or a wild Enthusiasm; but in searches of truth He ever directs us to the infallible rule of truth, the Scripture. And it is possible that a General Council may misapply, or misunderstand, or neglect that rule, weakly or wilfully; and so err, notwithstanding the Spirits assistance. A lawful Council may in some things proceed not lawfully, and so err, saith 
a Bellar. lib. 2. de Concil. cap. 7. §. Respondeo. Concilium.  Bellarmine; nay saith he, 
b Id. ibid. c. 8. § Alii dicunt.  it may chance to be most manifestly convicted of an intolerable error. His meaning is, they may be deceived where they follow not the instructions of the Pope: as 
c Id. ibid. c. 11. in titulo.  elsewhere he expresses himself. We say, and with more reason, no Council is further privileged than it follows the instructions of Jesus Christ, and of his Scriptures, whose warrant all unerring Counsels have had for their decrees, and all Counsels must have that will not err.  
Besides, 
d Bellar. de Council l. 2. c. 12. § Dicuntur igitur. Concilia per ratiocinationem deducunt conclusiones. & iterum ibidem §. Alterun discrimen. Patres in Concil●is debent rem ipsam quaerere, id est; conclusiones investigate disputando, legendo, cogitando.  the Fathers in a Council are discursive in their deliberations: they use the weights and moments of reason for the drawing out of conclusions from their principles. Wherein 
e Staplet Relect. Cont. 4. qu. 2. notab. 2. Ecclesia in singulis mediis non habet infallibilem Sp. S. directionem, sed potest in illis adhibendis probabili interdum, non semper necessariâ collectione uti▪  it is confessed they may mistake by ignorance or negligence; being not herein infallibly directed, and making collections sometime but probable. Now fallible principles can never produce an infallible conclusion.  
Yet 
f Relect. contr. 4. qu. 2. Notab. 4.  Stapleton here hath a new pretty device, that the Church though she be fallible and discursive in the Means, is yet prophetical, and depends upon immediate revelation (and so infallible) in delivering the conclusion. Which is a fancy repugnant to reason and and to itself. for to infer a conclusion by argument or discourse, and yet to expect the same conclusion from immediate revelation, his is to argue and not to argue; to in●er it, yet not by inference. A conclusion follows the disposition of the Means and results from them. A proposition immediately inspired without discourse may be a divine prophecy, or an oracle, but it is not a conclusion. And what use can there be of diligence or discourse in Counsels, if all their conclusions come by divine inspiration? Prophetic infallibility is a mere 
g 1. Cor. 12. 10.  gift of God, which cannot be acquired or increased by study: neither can a Prophet be discursive in that which he delivers from God as an infallible truth. And if the Canons of Counsels be divinely inspired, than they must be admitted into the Code of holy Scriptures, as of equal authority 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 walk alone in this dangerous path; and avows to the contrary, 
k Ibid. §. Dicuntur igitur.  that Counsels neither have, nor write immediate revelations.  
Yet may some decrees of Counsels, in regard of their matter and consonancy to Scripture, be of divine and infallible truth; as those of the first Counsels against Arrius, Macedonius and the rest. If in other things of lesser moment, or in any thing they err or mistake, the Universal Church hath means of remedy; either by antiquating those errors with a general and  consent, or by representing herself again in an other General Council, which may review and correct the defects of the former; as the great Council of Chalcedon, did with the second of Ephesus. So says 
l De Baptis. contr. Donat. lib. 2. cap. 3.  S. Augustine, Provincial Counsels may be corrected by plenary; and plenary Counsels 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 speak out, he will confess that he means by his infallible Church only the Church virtual, that is, only the Pope. In whom alone all the virtue and power of the Church is eminently contained; by whom all Counsels must be judged and all Controversies determined; on whom the whole frame of the Roman Catholic faith depends, and into whom it is lastly resolved. For this is the new Catholic doctrine of his new Masters, especially of the Fathers of hi● 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 th● rock and foundation of the Church; tha● 
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 Pope's authority is the hinge, foundation, and (in brief) the sum of Christian faith: that 
p Gretser. Defence. cap. 10. lib. 3. 〈◊〉 verb. Dei. pag. 1450, & 1451. per Ecclesiam intelligimus Pont. Romanu● Et, per Ecclesiam Papam interpretantur, Non abnuo. Franc. Albe●● Corollar. Theolog. Tom 1. Corol. 4. punc. 7. num. 35. 36. Dico primo quòd praeter veritatem primam revelantem, est in universo aliqu● regula infallibilis, animata, rationalis, qualis est Ecclesia. Quò● autem haec regula animata, rationalis, sit summus Pont. Romanus, n●● est hîc locus proprius probandi, sed inter recentiores videndus Valent. 22. q. 1. Medina-Dico secundo, stante hâc regulâ ration●●● infallibili, omnes Articuli fidei ultimatè resolvuntur in ipsam, tanqu●● in rationem formalem, quâ, in proponendo—  by the Church is understood the Pope, in 
q Greg. de Valenti● Anal. fid. lib. 8. cap. 7. §. Porrò. Authoritas quae in uno Pontifice re●det, authoritas dicitur Ecclesiae & Conciliorum.  whom alone resides all the authority of the Church and o● Counsels: that 
r Bell. l. 4 de Ro● P. cap. 3. §. At contra. Apparet totam firmitatem Conciliorum esse● Pontifice, non partim à Pontifice, partim à Concilio. vide Long. à Cori● in Sum. Concil. praelud. 6.  the strength of all Counsels depends upon him alone: that 
s Gretser. defence. cap. 1. lib. 1. de ver● Dei p. 16. Id solum pro verbo Dei veneramur ac suscipimus, quod no●●● Pontifex ex Cathedra Petri, tanquam supremus Christianorum Mag●ster, ac omnium Controversiarum Judex definiendo proponit.  he i● the supreme Master of Christians, and judge of all Controversies; and whatsoever ●e propounds out of his chair (and that only,) must be received as the word of God: that his judgement is so absolutely infallible, 
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 careful 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. Interred. lib. 2.  if he (who is the Hier●rchicall Church) define that to be white which the eye judges to be black, 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 err, and command the practice of vice, or forbidden the exercise of virtue, the Church were bound in conscience, to believe vices to be good and virtues to be bad. This is plain dealing. Scriptures are obscure, unless the Pope interpret them. All Fathers and Counsels may err, unless the Pope confirm them. The Church without him, is a body without an head, an house without a foundation. Controversies cannot be decided, but only by his definition; and in that there can be no error, nor any appeal from it. But this being so, these men deal not plainly with us, when they pretend often in their dispu●ations against us, Scriptures, and Fathers, and Counsels, and the Church: since in the issue their final and infallible argument for their faith is only the Pope's authority.  
But infallibly there is nothing in Scripture which favours this infallibility: unless the Pope may be admitted to expound it, which he will do infallibly for his own advantage. And as little in reason, or in Antiquity. The Ancient Church was very careful to conserve the purity of the faith against heresies. Some 
x Tertullian. Vinc Lirin.  Fathers have written purposely of the pleas or prescriptions which the Church hath against them, and how Catholic doctrine may be discerned and maintained; to wit, by authority of Scripture, and tradition of the Catholic Church. If they had believed the Bishop of Rome to be the infallible Judge, surely (without more a do) they had appealed all Heretics to his Tribunal. And what needed the Christian Emperors anciently (and sometime at the request of the Bishops of Rome themselves,) to have gathered together so many Bishops, from so distant parts of the world, to celebrate General Counsels; if this had been then known or imagined, that Counsels can conclude nothing to purpose without the Pope; and that his sentence alone must clear all controversies, and silence all Heresies? Nay, his judgement hath been formally opposed and rejected anciently, by particular Doctors, (men of eminency and esteem in the Catholic Church,) by Counsels Provincial and General; by the Churches of the East for above 800 years now past; and the only cause of that Schism is by the Greeks cast upon the vast ambition, and pretensions of the Bishop of Rome; 
y Nilus Thessalon. de causes dissidii inter Graecoes & Latino's. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Who refuses to have the grounds of that dissension fairly heard and discussed in a General Council; but, in a Masterly fashion, will needs be judge himself in his own cause, and have all men besides stand by, and obey him as his Scholars. And here in the West, it is not long since the Counsels of Constance and Basil, deposed some Popes, and decreed against all, that as inferiors they may be sentenced by Counsels. And their judgement herein hath been ever constantly avowed, and maintained by the best learned 
a Vide Vigour. in Comment. ad Resp. Synod. Basil. Em. Richer. de Ecclesiastica & Polit. potestate. jac. Leschass. de libertate Eccl. Gallicanae ap. Laur. Bochell. Decret. Eccles. Gall. l. 4. tit. 21. Revision du Concile de Trente liu. 4. etc.  Roman Catholics of France, as a branch of the liberties of the Gallican Church; and by the Sorbon itself, till of late 
b Du Val & Similes.  some of that body have been corrupted, by the practices of the Jesuits, to flatter the Pope contrary to their own ancient Maxims, and (as I verily think) contrary to their own judgement. For however the Authors of this imagination can be content to abuse simple people, persuading them that the Pope is infallible; yet I am persuaded 
c Franc. à Victor. Relect. 4 de Potest. Pa. & Concil. prop. 12. add fin. Da mihi Clementes, Linos, Sylvestros, & omnia permittam arbitrio eorum. Sed, ut nihil gravius dicatur in recentiores Pontifices, certè multis partibus sunt priscis illis inferiores.  they are so far from believing it themselves, that they secretly deride all those that believe it, well knowing it to be but one of their holy frauds devised for the advancement of their Catholic cause.  
If this than be the infallible ground and motive of our Mistakers faith, without doubt all his faith (in this point, and so in all the rest which depend on this) is but a fancy, and comes far short of a probable opinion. Especially considering that in all this conceit of the Pope's authority and infallibility, there is no certain ground for a divine faith to build upon: nay, there is nothing but uncertainties and probabilities. Divine faith must have a firm and divine foundation that cannot fail or deceive: it cannot rely on conjectures, on which only this pretended infallibility relies. As may shortly appear by this that follows.  
S. Peter sat many year's Bishop of Rome, and there he died. Well, grant this; though it seems it can hardly be proved. For Bellarmine's first reason for it is so weak, that himself says only 
d Bell. lib. 2. de Rom. Pont. cap. 4. §. Restant.  suadere videtur, it seems to persuade; it doth not convince but persuade, and but seem to do so. There God commanded him to fix his Chair, and to leave his full power to his heirs and Successors, the Popes. But what certainty of this? Indeed saith 
e Bell. lib. 2. de Rom. P. cap. 12. §. Observandum est tertiò.  Bellarmine, it is no where expressed in Scripture that the Pope succeeds S. Peter, and therefore happily it is not of divine right that he succeeds him; 
f Bell. ibid. §. Et quoniam. & lib. 4. de R. P. cap. 4. §. Accedit.  yet it is not improbable that God commanded him to fasten his seat at Rome, and it may be devoutly so believed. Happily it is thus, and happily otherwise. This is not improbable, nor that. This may be believed, and may not be. Here's some little feeble ground for opinion, none at all for faith: a conjectural certainty here may be, no certainty of faith at all.  
Yet further: if S. Peter left this privilege of infallibility to his Chair, surely he left it only to his lawful Successors; such as were lawfully elected and ordained Bishops of Rome, not to intruders. But here again we have nothing but mere uncertainties.  
For first, Onuphrius, and other Roman Writers have noted six & twenty several Schisms in the Sea of Rome; wherein two Antipopes, and sometime three, have each one pretended to the Chair, and pretended also their claim to be just and reasonable, disabling their concurrents as unjust and unreasonable. The last of these Schisms continued above 40 years; from Vrban. 6. until the Council of Constance: during which time all these Western parts were distracted, & perplexed, 
g Plat. in Vrb. 6. Adeò perplexum fuit Schisma ut etiam doctissimi viri & conscientiosi non valerent discutere, cui esset magis adhaerendum.  as Platina says, the most learned and devout men being not able to judge which of the pretenders was the true Pope. If the faith of Christians did then depend on the infallible Pope, then infallibly all that while Christians had no means to settle their faith in any thing that should be questioned.  
Again, by the Pope's own 
h Leo PP. apud Gratian. Cons. 1. qu. 1. Can. Gratia. Gratia si non gratis datur vel accipitur, gratia non est. Simoniaci autem non gratis accipiunt; igitur gratiam, quae maximè in Ecclesiasticis ordinibus operatur, non accipiunt. Si auten non accipiunt, non habent, nec gratis, nec non gratis, cuiquam dare possunt. Quid ergò daunt? profectò quod habent. Quid autem habent? Spiritum utique mendacii. Bull. jul. 2. Si contingat Simoniacè quenquam ad Pontificatum promoveri, electio ipsius, seu assumptio ad Pontificatum, co ipso nulla existat; nec ullam electo seu assumpto administrandi facultatem vel in spiritualibus, vel in temporalibus tribuat, & à nemine pro Pontifice Romano habeatur.— Imo liceat omnibus Electum talem, ut Magum, Ethnicum, Publicanum & Haeresiarcham evitare.  Canons, all ordinations of men promoted symoniacally, or for money, are mere nullities, of no validity. Now it is clear, out of their own 
i Baronius ad an. Chr. 912. §. 8. Romae tunc dominabantu● potentissimae aequè ac sordidissimae meretrices, quarum arbitrio mutabantur sedes, dabantur Episcopi, & (quod auditu horrendum atque infandum est) in Sedem Petri earum amasii Pseudo-Pontifices intrudebantur. Nusquam cleri eligentis, vel consentientis poste à populi aliqua mentio: Canon's omnes pressi silentio, decreta Pontificum suffocata, proscriptae antiquae traditiones, veterésque in eligendo summo Pontifice consuetudines, sacrique ritus ac pristini usus prorsus extincti. Genebrard. Chronol. ad an. 901. Per annos ferè centum quinquaginta, à Johanne scilicet. 8. ad Leonem 9 usque, Pontifices circiter quinquaginta à virtute majorum prorsus defecerunt: Apotactici, Apostaticiuè potiùs quàm Apostolici; quando non per ostium sed per posticum ingrediebantur.  Historians, that very many Popes have been simonically advanced to the chair. And who can be infallibly assured that Leo 10th, or Paul 5th, or Vrban 8th, or any Pope whosoever hath been fairly and freely elected without any corruption of rewards or promises? A Roman Catholic may wish or hope well, that his Holiness hath entered Canonically: (though, if the 
i Mant. lib. 3. de Calam. Tem.— Romae Templa, Sacerdotes, altaria, sacra, coronae Ignis, thura, Preces, Coelum est venale Deúsque.  Monk Mantuan said true, his hope must needs be mixed with very much fear;) but he cannot be 
k Puteanus in 2. 2. qu. 1. A. 6. Dub. ult. Papam existentem (verbi gratià Paulum. 5.) esse verum vicarium Christi & successorem Petri, non est absolutè de fide Catholica. 1. Quia supponit haec duas istas alias propositiones, Paulus 5. est baptizatus, & Paulus 5. est canonicè electus in Ro. Pontificem; at neutra ex istis duabus est de fide Catholica absolutè.—  sure. And if he be not sure that any of them is Pope, he is not sure of his infallibility.  
But besides all this, it is a thing most certain that no Roman Catholic in the world can be certain of any Pope, that he is either a Bishop, or a Priest, or even a Christian. For this is one point of their Catholic doctrine 
l Decret. Eugenii post Concil. Florent.  that the force and virtue of all Sacraments depends on the intention of all the Minister, who, if he have not an intention to do as the Church doth, all he doth is nothing, he confers no Sacrament. And accordingly 
m Andr Veg. lib. 9 de justific. cap. 17. Nemini potest per fidem constare se recepisse vel minimum Sacramentum. Estque hoc ita certum ex fide, ac clarum est nos vivere. Nulla siquidem est via, quâ citra revelationem, nôsse possumus intentionem ministrantis, vel evidenter, vel certò ex fide. Bellarm. lib. 3. de justif. cap. 8. §. Dicent. Non potest quis esse certus certitudine fidei, se percipere verum Sacramentum; cùm Sacramentum sine intentione Ministri non conficiatur, & intentionem alterius nemo videre potest.  they grant, that no man can possibly know (otherwise then by bare conjecture) whether himself, or any other, have received either Baptism, or Orders, or any Sacrament: being impossible for him to know the intention of the Minister. None is capable of holy orders, unless he be baptised. Pope Vrban 8. then cannot be either Bishop or Priest, unless he were made a true member of the Church by true baptism. And he was not truly baptised, or ordained, if the Bishop ordaining him, or the Priest baptising him, (or any other who formerly baptised or ordained them) failed in their intention. And whether they did so fail, neither urban himself nor any man else can be assured, no not by an humane certainty, much less by a divine faith. How then, is our Mistaker sure that his Pope is the infallible Head of the Church, when he cannot be sure that he is a member of it?  
Lastly, admit the Pope infallible in his definitions, yet how can any Papist in Europe (excepting only those few that stand by and hear his Holiness when he gives out his Oracles,) be infallibly sure what it is which he hath defined? Their assurance hereof is only so much faith as they can give to the reports of their Priests and Jesuits: which at the best can produce in them but a strong opinion, unless they can believe their Priests and Jesuits also to be infallible in their relations.  
It much concerns our Mistaker, and all Roman Catholics to consider, how feeble and wavering that faith must be which is concluded from these slippery principles. Every lawful Bishop of Rome is infallible, but urban the 8th is lawful Bishop of Rome, therefore he is infallible. And then again. Whatsoever urban the 8th. defines is infallibly true, but this or that urban hath defined, therefore it is infallibly true. In these Syllogisms imagine the Propositions to be certain & true, (as they are most certainly false,) yet the assumptions to a very Roman Catholic, at the most can be but probable, he cannot be certain of either. Not certain that Vrban was lawfully ordained, and elected into the chair; nor certain that out of his chair he hath published this or that definition. An opinion or a conjecture of these things he may have; but he cannot have certainty, and much less divine faith. Wherefore, since the conclusion cannot be stronger than the weaker of the Premises, his faith is not divine nor certain, but only a conjecture, or an opinion. Unless happily he can comfort himself with that witty invention of Cardinal 
n Bell. l. 1. de Purg. cap. 4. §. Respondeo, non.  Bellarmine, who thinks a firm conclusion may follow out of feeble premises by the rules of prudence, though not by the rules of Logic.  
We may now conclude this point, and return our Mistakers words upon himself. If his faith be grounded on so fallible a motive as the Pope's infallibility, it is clear that he hath no true divine or supernatural faith at all, but only opinion, or persuasion, or humane belief.   


Charity mistaken. Chap. 7.  
Protestant's object that Roman Catholics are not at unity among themselves, as appears by many question● wherein their Writers are at variance. Answer Catholic Doctors differ only in matters of opinion not decided by the Church, not in any points of faith. And besides their differences are all fairly carried, without any breach of charity. If it be again objected, that learned Catholics believe more than the unlearned. Answ. This hinders not their unity. It suffices the vulgar to believe implicitly what the Church teaches. And by virtue of such implicit faith a Cardinal Bellarmin, and a Catholic Collier are of the same belief.  

Answer Sect. 6.  
Dissensions in the Church of Rome of greater importance than any among the Reformed. They differ not only in opinion, but in matters of their faith. As about the Pope's authority; and the Popes themselves about their vulgar Latin Bibles. Discords among them uncharitably pursued. Some patterns of their mutual bitterness and revile. Implicit faith, in some points, and in some men, admitted. What it is which we here dislike in the doctrine of some Romanists.    
THe Mistaker hath formerly upbraided us with our discords in Religion: Now, he pretends there is great Unity in doctrine among his Roman Catholics. With little reason, and with as little ingenuity. 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 than his, 
a Lib. 5.  Omnes contentiosi homines sumus, there is but too much quarrelling on all sides, which exposes our holy faith to the scorn of Infidels, and ill beseems them that pretend (as we do 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 themselves, who have many more, and more weighty Controversies among their own Doctors, than those of ours.  
For our dissensions I have already said enough (if not to justify, yet) to excuse them. To which I now add, by way of just recrimination, that they are both for their number, and in their nature, of fare less importance, than the dissensions in his Roman Church.  
But our Mistaker answers in the behalf of his jarring Doctors, two things. 1. that they differ only in some schoole-questions of opinion, not in matters of faith. 2. that they descent in judgement only, without breach of charity. 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 Apology for our Reformed Churches, but not so for his Roman. Our controversies are none of them, in the substance of faith, but only in disputable opinions, not clearly defined in Scripture; wherein learned and charitable men do each one abound in his ow● sense, still keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. The sum 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 enlarged the Creed of Christians one moiety; and will needs have the world to believe many things as points of faith, which at the best are but doubtful opinions; among all which there is hardly one wherein themselves do fully agree. The 
c The new title of Cardinals by the decree of Pope Urban. Jun. 10. 1630. See it in the French Merc. Tome 16. pag. 592.  most eminent Cardinal 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.  Germane Doctor hath collected out of Him their contradictions, and set them down in his own words, to the number of 237. and withal a Catalogue of such Roman Writers as Bellarmine himself hath contradicted and confuted, which contains the most part of Writers in his own Church, famous for learning in later ages.  
joannes de Radae hath filled two gross volumes with the contentions of the Thomists and Scotists. And the Dominicans and Jesuits have filled libraries with their quarrels in the matter of Grace and Freewill: wherein either side pretends the definition of the Trent Council for their contrary opinions. It seems that Council (like the Devil in the old Oracles,) hath deluded them both with ambiguous sentences: Or, if the definition be clear, one of the Factions doth obstinately contradict it. Why doth not his Holiness all this while interpose, and give out his infallible judgement in the questions? If he will not, he wants charity towards his own children; if he cannot, how is he the infallible judge? Or is it rather his wary wisdom, 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 Pope's Decree, wherein he was condemned for an Heretic and no child of the Church.  lest in stead of changing their opinions, they should fall to challenge not only the infallibility (but which were more dangerous) the authority of their judge; and in stead of reforming their own judgement, despise his.  
The most capital point of all others in their new Creed is that of the Pope's authority, and that obedience which he challenges in spiritual and temporal 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 General Council, and whether he may err in his definitive sentence, some advance him with privileges above the condition of men. Others think more soberly of his power, and are bold to resist him, when they see him abuse it. In the Trent Council the Spanish Bishops stood stoutly for the independency of Episcopal authority, and strongly maintained residence to be de jure divino; being overborne only with most voices by the Italian faction. The Divines of Venice in the late quarrels of pope Paul 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 Kingdom under their jurisdiction, notwithstanding their exemptions by the Pope. And whereas his Flatterers tell him, that he hath either directly, (as 
f Carerius, Bosius etc.  some say) or indirectly, (as 
g Bell. etc.  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 thinks fit; that he may dispense with subjects for their oath of Allegiance, and licence them to take arms against their Sovereigns: Many good Catholics detest these damnable doctrines, and have 
h Barclay. Withrington. The Divines of Venice.  confuted them, as tending to bring ruin and confusion on all states; and in France the seditious books of Mariana, Bellarmine, Becanus, Suarez, Santarellus, and such like, containing these horrible Maxims of the Society, have been cast into the fire by the hand of the public 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 Father's part. 3.  Latin Bibles. When the Council of Trent declared that Translation only to be authentical, there were abroad in the World above 60. several 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 straight commanded to be received as the only true Vulgar; by a solemn Bull abolishing all others which did not exactly, ad verbum, and ad literam agree with that; and was so curious as with his own hand to correct many errors escaped in the Press, because he would have it more complete. This Bible was published with the Pope's Declaration before it, the year 1590. a Copy whereof is extant (though they have consumed as many as they could) in the public Library of Oxford. Clement 8. shortly after, observing many defects and corruptions in that Edition, published another, with the very like Declaration, wherein he authorises only his own Bible, revoking all others. These two Bibles infinitely differ, not only in words, phrases, and entire verses, but in very many absolute and direct contradictions: yet are they both equally justified, and equally enjoined, under the penalty of a curse to them that obey not. So as hereby all Roman Catholics are involved in a miserable necessity, either to use no Bible at all, or to undergo the curse of Pope Sixtus if they use that of Clement, or of Pope Clement if they use the other of Sixtus. Nothing can be said with truth or reason to salve this contradiction. Now I suppose our Mistaker will yield, that the authentical Edition of the Bible, and the Pope's Authority are not matters of opinion only. Their differences therefore are not only in matters of opinion.  
The second part of his Answer for his Doctors is, that their differences are all fairly and peaceably carried without any breach of charity. Happy were the poor Church of Christ, if all Controversies in Religion might be so handled: but it hath been and is her misery, that it is far otherwise. And here again the Roman Part is as guilty (at least,) as the Reformed. I love not to be raking in dunghills: Yet to show the Mistaker, that Lutherans alone are not troubled with passions of the Spleen, I will give him some few examples of Papists railing as unmercifully at their own Brethren, as they are wont to do at us.  
Alex. Carerius is so zealous for the Popes direct temporal Monarchy, that all who deny it are, in his language, 
i Carerius in tit. libri sui, & lib. 2. cap. 12. § Quorum.  impious politicians, and heretics, and their reasons all false heretical dotages. Now it is denied by the Cardinals 
k Bell. lib. 5. de R. Pont. cap. 1. §. Tertia.  Bellarmin, Turrecremata, Cajetan, and a great number of other learned Romanists.  
In that bitter contention between the Seculars & Jesuits of this Kingdom in the year 1600, and after, about the authority of Blackwell the Archpriest; the two Factions are notably deciphered each by other. The Seculars by the 
l Parsons his Apol. for Subord. ch. 4. 8. etc. and the Table prefixed.  Jesuits to be mad heads, seditious libelers, notorious calumniators, factious, turbulent, obstinate brawlers, tumultuous, of scandalous life, writing evident egregious malicious untruths, impudent fictions, and wicked slanders; rebels, betrayers of the Catholic cause, etc. On the other side the Jesuits by the 
m watson's Quodlibet. pag. 61. 151. & passim.  Seculars to be Schismatics, Donatists, Anabaptists, Arrians, Vipers, men that run such a desperate course, as if Religion were but a mere political and Atheall devise; living by the principles of Machiavelli, taught by their Arch-rabbies how to maintain (with equivocations,) dissimulation, detraction, ambition, sedition; surfeiting sorer than ever did Heliogabalus; busied in setting division, breeding of jealousy, and making of hostile strife, by opposition of King against King, State against State, Priest against Priest, Peer against Peer, Parents against Children, raising of rebellions, murdering of Princes, making uproars every where. Men unworthy to be called Religious, or Catholics, or Christians: For howsoever they boast of their perfections, holiness, meditations, and exercises, yet their plots are heathenish, tyrannical, satanical, and able to set Aretine, Lucian, Machiavelli, yea and Don Lucifer, to school. Wicked Jesuits, who would have all Catholics to depend on the Archpriest, when as the Archpriest depended upon father Garnet, Garnet on Parsons, and Parsons upon the Devil, etc. These are our Mistakers friends whom he commends so much for unity and charity. But sure, if this be charity, it is, such as he calls in the title of his book, Charity mistaken.  
This very contention is now again of late revived amongst them, on the like occasion, and pursued with the like intemperate bitterness, both in 
* See the Treatise of Paul Harris Priest against the Excommunication published against him and D. caddel, by the Archbishop of Dublin. Th. Fleming alias Barnewell, a Franciscane Friar. Printed Anno 1632.  Ireland, and especially in this Kingdom. The present Pope Vrban hath given to one Richard Smith the title of Bishop of Chalcedon, and hath sent him (not to reside upon his See, for that had been to punish him and send him a begging, but) hither into England, appointing unto him for his Diocese the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland; and investing him with the power and jurisdiction of Ordinary over all his Catholics in these Kingdoms, without any exception of laity or Clergy, Secular or Regular. The Jesuits cannot brook any subordination, but where some of their own command in chief. Therefore being questioned by this Bishop for their Faculties, they straightway question him for his Authority; and publish to the world in divers 
n Discussio assertionum D. Kellisoni. Autore Nichol. Smithaeo. Apologia pro processione sedis Apostolicae. Autore Daniele à Jesus. Declatatio Catholicorum Laicorum Angliae.  Declarations that his power is merely usurped and pretended; that there is no necessity either of particular Bishops for the government of particular Churches, or of the Sacrament of Confirmation, especially in times and places of persecution, (for so these men speak of the most mild government of our most religious Sovereign:) that the Regulars, as such, are proper and principal members of the Ecclesiastical Hierachie; that their state is a state of greater perfection then that of Bishops or Presbyters; that their exemption from the power of Bishops is essentially annexed to their condition; that their privileges cannot be revoked, no not by the Pope, etc.  
These Maxims, and the like pass for Catholic doctrine among the Jesuited party. But on the other side they are condemned and censured (not only by their own secular Clergy here, but) in France, by the Archbishop of Paris; by 34 of their other Bishops in a full assembly; and by the Sorbon to be 
o Censura quarundam propositionum per Facult. Parisiensem. Parisiis. 1631.  propositions rash, presumptuous, false, absurd, scandalous, profane, injurious to Episcopal dignity, destructive to the Church, and heretical.  
This Censure was quickly well washed with the bitter Sponge of john Floyd a Jesuit, 
p Aurelius in vindiciis pag. 385.  lurking under the name of Hermannus Loemelius, who charges the Sorbonists with malice, ignorance, stupidity, schism and heresy; and with great scorn insults upon them. But against him, the Censure and Censors are defended by two Doctors of that Society, Hallier, and Aurelius, in two several 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 heresy, of profane scurrility; of blasphemy and impiety; of furious, filthy and devilish railing; of unsufferable arrogance, etc.  
It were easy to note 
* The like may be seen in Bzovius, and Cavellus, & their Abbetters, about Scotus and Thomas. See also Harwartus chancellor of Bavaria his book 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 look after them. The Protestants may well comfort themselves when they suffer under these sharp tongues, which so cruelly lash one another.  
Now further that the Unity of Faith is not impeached, nor any discord in Religion induced between 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 yielded to the Mistaker. And I do not think, any learned Protestant will deny the great use of that distinction, (which hath ground in reason and nature,) between explicit and implicit 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 own Catholic 
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 yield that there are some points necessary to be known of all sorts, necessitate medii, in which points implicit faith doth not suffice; but express particular knowledge is to be joined to the assent of faith in all them that will be saved. This granted, we will yield 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 beatíque 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 general, enfolded, or virtual belief may suffice to some persons, who either want capacity or means of better instruction: so as they diligently and conscionaby endeavour to increase their knowledge, not affecting ignorance; and withal carry an humble preparation of mind to believe distinctly and particularly any truth when it is cleared 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 quickness of understanding, but the simplicity of believing doth make the common sort of people most safe.  
In some sense, the faith of the best learned Clerks in the world, may truly be said to be an implicit faith. For though the assent of faith be more certain (if it be possible) then that of sense, 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 appear; and in respect of the subject, the eye of faith in this state of mortality being dim, and apprehending heavenly things as through 
w 1. Cor. 13. 12.  a glass, 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 faithful man may apprehend the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the revelation of God in Scripture, that the Mysteries of our Religion (the Trinity, the Hypostatical union, and the like) are divine and true: yet no faithful 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 provide. lib. 10. sub. fin. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  faith for bears all curious and bold inquisitions, and requires not any distinct knowledge, but sits down involved in an humble and devout ignorance, leaving these secrets only to God.  
The things which we dislike in the doctrine of implicit faith, as it is delivered by some Roman D Drs, are specially two.  
1. They teach that implicit faith alone, and of itself may suffice to salvation without any distinct knowledge, or explicit faith, of any Article in the Creed. This is the doctrine of many 
a Parisiensis, Altisiodorensis. Summa Rosella: fi fides adhibenda fit Bannin 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 believe any Article of the faith expressly, no not in this time of grace after the clear publication of the Gospel, but that it is enough to believe all which the Church believes. So as if a man be demanded whether Christ were borne of a virgin, or whether God be one, and three in Persons, he may answer, I cannot tell, but I believe all that the Church believes: and this faith may justify and save him. The model of this faith is that confession of the Catholic 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 than the meditation and exercise of the Scripture.  
2. They make this implicit faith to rest itself, not on the Scripture, the only foundation and rule of faith, but on the Church: still meaning by the Church (not the Church Catholic, or any sound member of it, but) only the Church of Rome, that is, the Pope assisted with some few of his Cardinals and Prelates. Wherein, the Church of Rome manifestly aims to erect her own absolute sovereignty 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. §. Septimun arg.. Christiani tenentur doctrinam Ecclesiae recipere, & non dubitare an h●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 means to keep the Court of Rome in quiet possession of her tyranny and errors, if men may be persuaded to resign unto her their judgement and reason, and yield 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 ordinary pretence of Deceivers; of 
f Dictum Apellis apud Euseb. Hist. Eccleslib. 5. cap. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Apelles the old heretic 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 Ludou. 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 own dreams, 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 essential 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.  increase in knowledge, that the 
n Col. 3. 16.  word of Christ may dwell richly in them, and that they may be able both to believe 
o Rom. 10. 10.  with the heart, and confess 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, quàm credentem alienis erroribus decipi, tanquam 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 concern our welfare and life, (especially that of our souls) it is fit for every man to make use of his own discretion in the search and trial of truth, rather than without reason to rely 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 befool themselves, who without judgement follow the judgement of their leaders; which is the property of sheep rather than of reasonable men. And by that of 
n Theodoret Graec. Affect. Curate. Serm. 5. sub. fin. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Theodoret we learn, what kind of knowledge the ancient Church required in Christians. Every where, saith he, you may see the points of our faith to be known, not only by them who are Masters in the Church, and Teachers of the people, but even of Cobblers, Smiths, and Weavers, and all kind of Artificers, and of women also, which get their living with their hands, yea Maidservants and Waiting-women: Husbandmen also do very well know them, and Ditchers, and Neate-herds, and Woodsetters. All these may ye find discoursing of the Trinity, and the creation of things, and as skilful in the nature of man, as Plato or Aristotle.   


Charity mistaken. Chap. 8. 9  
THe Protestants pretend to be at unity with the Ancient Church, with the Lutherans, and even with Roman Catholics in fundamental points. That distinction (so ordinary with them) between fundamental points and not fundamental, is vain, & without ground. No Protestant Writez, none of their Universities, Colleges, or Societies of learned men amongst them, can or dare define what doctrines are fundamental, or give us in a List or Catalogue of fundamentals. Some say they are contained in the Creed. But these 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 works; or of that doctrine of devils, forbidding marriage & meats (which was the doctrine of the Manichees, and not of Roman Catholics, as Protestants perversely affirm:) and finally since there is such great differences between them and us about the understanding of the Articles of Christ's Descent into Hell, of the holy Catholic Church, and the Communion of Saints. Others say, the Book of the 39 Articles of the Church of England, declares all the fundamental points of faith. But that also is most absurdly affirmed. That Book declares only (and that in an extremely confused manner,) what the Church of England believes in most things. And in many Controversies between them and us, it speaks obscurely, not touching the main difficulty 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 between doctrines fundamental and not fundamental 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 Catholic Church) esteemed a sufficient Summarie or Catalogue of fundamentals, by the best learned Romanists, and by Antiquity. The Mistakers exceptions to the contrary answered. As also his expections against the confession of the Church of England. The conclusion.    
IN humane Sciences, the great Philosopher hath taught us 
a Analyt. Poster. lib. 1. c. 2.  to distinguish between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, principles and conclusions. The first principles are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Maxims so clear by their own light, that they can not be proved, nor denied, or doubted of, by any man that understands the Terms wherein they are propounded. In the bosom (as it were) of these principles lurk innumerable conclusions, which must be deduced, and drawn out by the help of Discourse; some of them issuing out immediately, and evidently, others obscurely and by a long circuit of consequences; and are either certain, or only probable, according as they approach nearer to the principle, or are further off removed.  
In like manner, that there be divers degrees of truths and errors in Religion, which necessarily must be distinguished, is a thing acknowledged by all learned men, even in the Church of Rome, (expect our Mistaker will have himself excepted.) 
b 2. 2. qu. 2. art. 5. in Corp. Dicendum, quòd fidei objectum pierce, est id per quod homo beatus efficitur: Per accidens aut secundariò se habent ad objectum fidei omnia quae in sacra Scriptura continentur; sicut quòd Abraham habuit.—  Aquinas, having divided the object of faith, into that which is so by itself, & that which is by accident and secundarily, defines the First to be that whereby a man is made blessed and saved; the Latter that which is revealed, whatsoever it be; as that Abraham had two sons, and David was the son of jesse, etc. 
c Dialog. part. 1. lib. 2. cap. 2.  Occam sets down three differences of verities to be believed. Some touching God and Christ, whereon principally depends our Salvation; 
Non direct è sed indirect è quodammodo ad salutem humani generis pertinere noscuntur.  as the doctrines of the Trinity, Incarnation, etc. Some whereon our salvation depends not so principally or directly; as the Histories of Scripture: Of the third sort, such as are not revealed; but either agree with that which is revealed, or follow manifestly of it. Melchior 
d Canus Locor. lib. 12. cap. 11. init. Quaedam sunt Catholicae veritates, quae ita ad fidem pertinent, ut his sublatis fides quoque ipsa tollatur. Quas nos, usu frequenti, non solum Catholicas sed fidei veritates appellavimus. Aliae veritates sunt etiam ipsae Catholicae & universales, nempe quas universa Ecclesia tenet; quibus licet eversis fides quatitur, sed non evertitur tamen. Atque in hujusmodi veritatum contrariis erroribus, dixi fidem obscurari non extingui, infirmari non perite. Has ego nunquam sidei veritates censui vocandas, quamvis doctrinae Christianae veritates sint. Canus iterum lib. 12. cap. 3. ad fin. Praeter articulos fidei, omnia quae in sacris literis assumuntur— tametsi non sunt fidei nec Theologiae praecipua capita, sed his ex accidenti conjuncta, & quasi principia secundaria; accipit tamen ea Theologus, non aliter ac Philosophus principia per se nota, sine medio aut ratione— Haec enim quasi naturalis arque insira est in animis fidelium notio, ut quicquid ab Apostolis scriptum traditúmque est verum esse sentiant. Vide Staplet. Espenc. alios suprácitatoes.  Canus to the same purpose. There be some Catholic verities which do so pertain to faith, that these being taken away, the faith itself must be taken away also. And these, by common use, we call not only Catholic, but Verities of Faith also. There are other verities, which be Catholic also and universal, namely such as the whole Church holdeth, which yet being over thrown, the faith is shaken indeed but not overturned. And in the errors which are contrary to such truths as these, the faith is obscured, not extinguished, weakened, not perished. These may be called verities of Christian doctrine, but not of faith. Briefly, it is the common and constant doctrine of 
e Mag. 3. d. 25. Aquin. 2. 2. qu. 2. art. 5. & ibi DD.  Schoolmen and 
f Tolet. Navarr. Sayr. Filiucius. Reginaldus— caeteri.  Casuists, that have written of the nature of heresy, and the measure of Catholic faith; that there is a certain measure and quantity of faith, without which none can be saved, but every thing revealed belongs not to this measure. It is enough to believe some things by a Virtual faith, or by a General, & as it were a Negative faith, whereby they are not denied or contradicted: and in some things men may be ignorant or err in them, without danger of their salvation.  
All this evidently confirms that most necessary and most useful distinction between fundamental and not fundamental doctrines: which our Mistaker here with so great noise and so little reason cries down. By Fundamental doctrines we mean such Catholic verities, as principally and essentially pertain to the faith; such as properly constitute a Church; and are necessary (in ordinary course) to be distinctly believed by every Christian that will be saved. Other points of truth are called not-fundamental, because they are not of such absolute necessity, and do not primarily belong to the Unity of faith, or to the Essence of a Church, or to the Salvation of a Christian: Such as, for their subtlety and profoundness, are disputable in themselves, and happily by plain Scripture indeterminable: Such finally as may admit an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or a non liquet; both ignorance (if it be not affected,) and error, if it proceed not from negligence or wilfulness, without peril. It is true, whatsoever is revealed in Scripture, or propounded by the Church out of Scripture, is in some sense fundamental, in regard of the divine authority of God and his word, by which it is recommended: that is, such as may not be denied or contradicted without infidelity; such as every Christian is bound with humility and reverence to believe, whensoever the knowledge thereof is offered to him. But in regard of the matter and moment of things revealed, and of their use to us; though all be revealed alike, yet not all under the like penalty. We are told by Cardinal 
g De Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 14. §. Quinto. Multa sunt de fide, quae non sunt absolutè necessaria ad salutem. Sane credere historias U. T.—  Bellarmine, that many things are de fide, to be believed, which are not absolutely necessary to salvation. The knowledge or faith of Christ's passion is necessary, not so that of his Genealogy. Fundamental therefore properly is, that which Christians are obliged to believe by an express and actual faith. In other points, that faith, which the Cardinal 
h Replique. liur. 1. chap. 10.  Perron calls the faith of adherence or non-repugnance, may suffice: to wit, an humble preparation of mind to believe all or any thing revealed in Scripture, when it is sufficiently cleared. By which virtual faith, an erring person may believe the truth contrary to his own error: inasmuch as he yields his assent implicitly to that Scripture, which contains the truth, and overthrows his error, though yet he understand it not.  
This main distinction of doctrines, whereof we speak, hath express 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 Spiritual house of God. The foundation of this house is either real & personal, or dogmatic and doctrinal. The Real foundation is 
k 1. Cor. 3. 11. Eph. 2. 20.  Christ; the Dogmatic, are 
l Matt. 16. 16. 18. Heb. 6. 1.  those grand and capital 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, being one and the same in the highest Apostle and the meanest believer; which the Apostle 
o Heb. 5. 12.  elsewhere calls the first principles of the oracles of God, and the 
p 2. Tim. ●. 13.  form of sound words. These hold the place of the common foundation, in which all Christians must be grounded. The materials 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 general rule is, that the more near they are to the foundation, of so much greater importance be the truths, and so much more perilous be the errors: as again the further they are removed off, the less necessary doth the knowledge of such verities prove to be, and the swarving from the truth less dangerous.  
It is clear then, that some points are fundamental, others not so.  
But here all Protestants are defied by the Mistaker, not only particulars, but in corpse, their Colleges, Universities, all, or any of them, dared to give him in a list or Catalogue of fundamental points. So high a Challenge, in a subject of this nature, might better have beseemed his betters; some Cardinal rather than a 
* See Char. Mist. pag. 1.  Cavalier. It seems, the man thinks excellently of his own 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 Ulysses in 
r Iliad. ss. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Et ad there's. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Homer gave good counsel to some busy persons, that were forward to meddle in matters beyond their Spheere: the Mistaker stands in need of it, and may do well to follow it.  
By fundamental points of faith (for of them alone the Mistaker expressly speaks in this discourse,) we understand (as hath been noted) not the necessary duties of Charity which are comprehended in the Decalogue, nor the necessary acts of hope contained in the Lord's prayer, there being the same object both of our prayers and of our hope, though both these virtues of Charity and Hope are fundamentally necessary to the salvation of Christians; but we mean those Prime and Capital doctrines of our Religion, which make up the holy Catholic and apostolic faith, once (for all) delivered to the Saints: which faith is the same which 
Judas. 3.  the Church received from the Apostles, the Apostles from Christ, Christ from God, as Tertullian speaks: that faith which essentially constitutes a true Church and a true Christian. These fundamentals are all contained in the rule of faith: which rule being clearly, but diffusedly, set down 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 Catholic sense, that is, as it was further opened and explained in some parts, (by occasion of emergent Heresies,) in the other Catholic Creeds of Nice, Constantinople, Ephesus, Chalcedon, and Athanasius, is said generally by the Schoolmen and Fathers to comprehend a perfect Catalogue of fundamental truths, and to imply a full rejection of fundamental heresies: and hath been received by Orthodox Christians, of all ages and places, as an absolute summary of the Christian faith. For proof whereof, we will first argue ad hominem, and teach the Mistaker how to esteem 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.  Council of Trent. The Apostles Creed is that principle, wherein all that profess the faith of Christ do necessarily agree, that being the firm and only 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.  Catechism 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 believed of all. 
c Azor. par. 1. lib. 8. cap. 5. Symbolum Aposto●orum est brevis fidei complexio, ac summa omnium 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 add●ta sunt alia duo Nicaenum & Athanasianum, ad uberiorem explicationem fidei.  Azorius. This Creed briefly comprehends the faith, and all things to be believed; & is as it were a sign 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 only 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, praetermitterent primum & praecipuum fidei fundamentum.  Huntley a Scottish jesuite: The rule of faith is expressly contained in the Apostles Creed, wherein are contained all the prime foundations of faith. For the Apostles were not so forgetful, as to omit any fundamental point in that Creed which they delivered to be believed by all Christians. 
e Greg. de Val. in 2. 2. disp. 1. qu. 2. punct. 4. in fin. Articuli fidei in Symbolo contenti sunt veluti prima principia fidei Christianae— in quibus continetur summa Euangelicae doctrinae, quam omnes tenenrur explicitè credere.— Ita judicant Sancti Patres, quum affirmant ab Apostolis compositum esse illud Symbolum fidei, ur omnes haberent brevem summam corum quae sunt credenda & sparsim continentur in Scriptures.  Gregory of Valence. The Articles of the Creed are the first principles of Christian doctrine, wherein the sum of the Gospel is comprised, which all are bound expressly to believe. So say the Ancient Fathers, that this Creed was framed by the Apostles, to the end that all Christians might have a short abridgement of those things that must be believed. 
f Vinc. Filiucius Moral. Quaest. Tract. 22. c. 2. num. 34. Nulla brevior & accommodatior assignari potest regula in Ecclesia, unde scire possunt fideles quaenam credenda sint populo Christiano explicitè, eâ quae continetur in Symbolo— cujus Articuli sunt prima rudimenta fidei.  Vincentius Filiucius. There cannot be assigned a shorter and fit rule of faith in the Church, by which Christian people may be instructed in matters to be explicitly believed, then that which is contained in the Apostles Creed; the Articles whereof are the first rudiments of our faith. 
g Puteanus. in 2. 2. Qu. 2. Art. 3. Dub. ult. Concl. ult. Ideo Symbolum hoc fuit ab Apostolis compositum, ut Christiani formam aliquam haberent, quâ possent se Catholicos profiteri. Ita D. Th. art. 5. qu. hujus.  Puteanus late professor at Tholouse. This Creed was made by the Apostles purposely, that Christians might by this form of faith profess themselves to be truly Catholics, as Aquinas here saith. The great Cardinal of France 
h Instruction du Chrestien Leçon premiere. Le Symbole des Apostres, est le sommaire & l'abbregé qu' ils ont faict de la foy necessaire au Chrestien. Ces saints personages ayant receu commandement de Jesus Christ de s' espandre par tout le monde, pour y prescher l'Evangile, & y planterla foy de toutes parts, estimerent qu'il estoit du tout necessaire de reduire en abbregé, ce que tout Chrestien doit sçavoir, à fin que separiez en diverses party's du monde i●● preschassent une mesme chose, & ce d'autant plus aisé à retenir, qu' elle seroit reduitte à peu. Pour cét effect ils appellerent cét abbregé Symbol, qui signify mark & sign, parce qu' il leur servoit de mark, pour distinguer les urays Chrestiens qui l'embrassoient, des infidelles quila rejettoient.  Richelieu, in his Homilies published for the instruction of his Diocese. The Apostles Creed is the abridgement of that faith which is necessary for a Christian. For those holy persons being by the commandment of jesus Christ to disperse themselves over the world, and in all parts by preaching the Gospel to plant the faith; esteemed it very necessary to reduce into a short sum, all that which Christians ought to know and believe; to the end that being separated in divers quarters of the earth, they might all jointly preach one and the same faith, in a form short and brief, that it might be the better remembered. Therefore they called this abridgement the Symbol, that is, a mark or sign, which might serve to distinguish true Christians which embraced it from Infidels and misbelievers. It were easy to multiply testimonies to this effect out of their late & ancient Schooledoctors, if it were not tedious. All agree that the Creed briefly comprehends all fundamental principles or rudiments of faith; that it is a distinctive note or Character severing Orthodox believers from Infidels and Heretics; that it is a full, perfect and sufficient summary of the Catholic faith.  
And their judgement herein seems full of reason. For how can it be necessary for any Christian to have more in his Creed, than the Apostles had, and the Church of their times? May the Church of after ages, make the narrow way to heaven narrower than our Saviour left it? Shall it be a fault to streiten and encumber the King's high way with public nuisances; and is it lawful, by adding new Articles to the faith, to retrench any thing from the latitude of the King of Heavens high way to eternal happiness? The yoke of Christ, which he said was easy, may it justly be made heavier, by the Governors of the Church in after ages? The Apostles profess they revealed to the Church the 
i Act. 20. 27.  whole Counsel of God, keeping back nothing needful for our salvation: what tyranny then to impose any new unnecessary matters on the faith of Christians, especially (as the late Popes have done) under that high commanding form, Qui non crediderit, damnabitur? If this may be done, why then did our Saviour reprehend the Pharisees so sharply, for 
k Mat. 23. 4.  binding heavy burdens, and laying them upon men's shoulders? And why did he teach them, that in 
l Mat. 15. 30.  vain they worshipped God, teaching for doctrines men's traditions? And why did the Apostles call it a 
m Act. 15. 10.  tempting of God, to lay those things upon the necks of Christians, that were not necessary? It is true, to guard the depositum committed to her charge, and to defend it and every part of it from the incursion of heretics, and to maintain the ancient sense of it against their new and adulterate glosses, the Church hath authority, and hereto shall not fail of assistance. But to add to it is high presumption, almost as great as to detract from it.  
All that can be replied to this discourse is this; that the whole faith of those times is not contained in the Apostles Creed; which is all one, as if a man should say, This is not the Apostles Creed, but a part of it. For the Apostles and the Church of their times in giving it this name, do they not plainly tell us, that the sum and substance of their Credenda is comprised in it? For to call it Creed, and to leave out of it any necessary Article of faith, what had it been but to deceive the world? The Ancient Church appointing her Infants to be instructed (for matter of belief) 
n De consecrdist. 4. can. Ante viginti. & Symbolum & Baptizandos, & Nonliceat.  only in the Creed; & admitting her Catechumen, upon their profession of the Creed, to baptism, & into the number of the faithful; & exacting of strangers the same profession, before they could be received into the Communion of Catholics: did she not by all this evidently declare her judgement, that the profession of this Creed and these Articles alone was an absolute profession of the Catholic faith? Nay, whereas the laudable custom of the Catholic Church required, that each new 
o Marcus Ephesius in Concil. Florent. Sess. 12. pag. 480. ex edit. Binn. ann. 1618. Colon. Gr. & Lat. Olim quilibet Arcl ●episcopus & Patriarcha literas, quae Synodicae appellantur, inter se dabant, nihil aliud continentes quàm rectfidei suique sensus confessionem; quod in Orientalibus Ecclesiis hodiéque fit usque ad hoc tempus.  Patriarch, immediately after his assumption to a place of so great trust and authority in the Church, should render an account of his faith by his Synodical or Circular letters, (called otherwise 
p Optat. Milevit. lib. 2. Siricius hodiè (Episcopus Rom.) noster est Socius, cum quo nobis totus orbis, commetcio Formatarum, in una communionis societate concordat.  literae formatae, and 
q Aug. Epist. 162. Communicatorias literas jam olim propter suam perversitatem, ab unitate Catholica quae toto orbe diffusa est, non accipiunt Donatistae. Et saepe de illis in ea Epistola.  communicatoria) directed to his Peers and Companions in that dignity; that by the sight of his profession his faith might be judged, whether he were a sound Catholic, or tainted with heresy; and so whether he were fit or unworthy to be admitted into their Communion: If in those Letters he did profess entirely to adhere to the Catholic Creeds, his profession & person was accepted as sound & Orthodox. The Circular Epistles yet extant, of 
r Extant Concil. 6. Gener. Act. 11.  Sophronius Patriarch of Jerusalem, of 
s Conc. 7. (sieve Syn. 2. Nic.) Act. 3.  Tarasius Patriarch of Constantinople, of 
t Apud Baron. ad ann. 556. num. 33.—  Pelagius Patriarch of Rome, of 
u Extat inter Epistolas Photii MSS. Graecè, in Bibl. Bodleiana.  Photius of Constantinople, and many others testify this. So truly said S. Austin, 
w Aug. Epist. 57 Regula fidei pusillis magnisque communis.  that the Creed is a rule of faith common to great and small. The meanest Catechumen must believe so much, and the greatest Patriarch can believe no more. In those old and golden times those Articles were thought abundantly sufficient, and it was thought a great sacrilege to add any thing to them, or diminish them. No Catholic in the world was then required to believe the Pope's Supermacie, or his Indulgences, or Purgatory, or Transubstantiation, or any doctrine now debated between us and Rome. No such matter. These things were brought in long after the beginning: the Church of Christ was long without them, and was well without them; and happy had she been, whether we regard truth or peace, if she had still so continued. Nor can it be reasonably said, that all (or any of) these things, though not expressed in the Creed, are yet contained eminently in the belief of the Catholic Church. For (to omit, that these are no traditions or doctrines of the Catholic Church, but only the partial and particular fancies of the Roman; unless happily the opinion of Transubstantiation may be excepted, wherein the later 
* Vide Nicetae Thesau. Orthod. Gr. Ms in Bib. Bodleiana. Euthym. in panoplia. tit. 21. & Hierem. Patr. CP. in Resp. 1. ad Lutheranos. cap. 10. & Resp. 2. cap. 4. § 3. Nichol. Episc. Methon. & Samonam Arch. Gaz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: inter Liturgica Graecè edita Parisiis, 1560.  Greeks seem to agree with the Romanists:) 1. what reason can be imagined, why amongst many things of equal necessity to be believed, the Apostles should so punctually and distinctly set down some, and be altogether silent in others? As well, nay better, they might have given us no Article but that, and sent us to the Church for all the rest. For in setting down others besides that, and not all, they make us believe we have all, when we have not all. 2. I suppose no learned Romanist will say, that in the belief of the communion of Saints all the new doctrines of the Roman Church are virtually contained. Yet the learned 
y Replique ch. 1.  Card. du Perron thinks it probable, that the Article of the Catholic Church and the Communion of Saints is all one, this latter clause being only an explication of the other. 3. Many of the Ancient Doctors have left us their expositions on the Creed, Ruffinus, S. Augustin, Cyrill of Jerusalem, Chrysologus, Maxim. Taurinensis, others. Where they speak of the Catholic Church, all say we must believe the unity, universality, perpetuity, sanctity of the Church; none at all say any thing of any sovereign & infallible power in the Church, to prescribe or define what she pleases. 4. Lastly Azorius the jesuite gives a fair meaning to this Article of the Catholic Church, and such as little favours the conceit of our Mistaker. 
z Azor. pa●. 1. lib. 8 cap. 6. §. Sed mibi probabilius. Substantia articuli, quo credimus unam, Sanctam & Catholicam Ecclesiam, est, neminem posse salvum esse extrà congregationem hominum qui Christi fidem & religionem profitentur susceptam; & posse salutem obtineri intrà hanc ipsam congregationem hominum piorum & fidelium.  I believe the holy Catholic Church, that is, (saith he) I believe that none can be saved out of the Congregation of those men, who profess the faith and religion of Christ; and that within that company of holy and faithful people salvation may be obtained.  
Now to the reasons alleged for the full and formal sufficiency of this rule of faith, to which nothing essential can be added or may be detracted; we may adjoine the full consent of the Ancient Doctors, Greek and Latin; who come in with one voice (each one almost contributing his suffrage,) to testify for this perfection of the Creed, & that in their days it was so acknowledged. 
a Iren. lib. 1. cap. 2. & 3. Ecclesia per universum orbem seminata ab Apostolis & corum discipulis, accepit eam fidem, quae est in Deum omnipotentem— Hanc fidem diligenter custodit Ecclesia, in Celtis, in Oriente, Aegypto— Cùm enim una & eadem fides sit; neque is, qui multùm potest de ea dicere superfluit; neque is qui parùm, imminuit.  Irenaeus, having repeated the most important Articles of it, saith, It is the faith which the Church throughout the world hath received from the Apostles; being every where one and the same, admitting neither addition nor diminution. Therefore it is called by 
b Tertul. de vel. virg. cap. 1. Regula fidei una omninò est, sola immobilis, irreformabilis. Hâc lege fidei manente caetera admittunt novitatem correctionis.  Tertullian, one only , and unreformable rule, which remaining safe, other matters (of discipline) may be altered or corrected, as occasion requires. And the same Author again, 
c Id. de Prescript. cap. 13. & 14. Haec regula— null as habet apud nos quaestiones, nisi quas herefes inferunt, & quae haereticos faciunt.— manente form âejus in suo ordine quantumlibet quaeras & tracts— Fides in regula posita est, cedat turiositas fidei. Nihil ultrà scire est omnia scire.  This rule ordained by Christ, is not questioned by any among us but by heretics, (Valentinus, Martion and the like:) All beyond, and beside this rule is but curiosity and exercise of wit. The faith which saves, consists in this rule. Let curiosity yield to faith— to know no more is to know all. And a little 
d Ibid. cap. 8. Hoc primùm credimus, nihil esse ultrà quod credere debeamus.  before. This first of all we believe, that no more ought to be believed, as necessary to all. 
e In Symb. initio & fine. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Athanasius of his Creed (received by the Catholic Church;) This is the sound Catholic faith. If this be the Catholic faith, than it is not only a piece or parcel of it; then there is no part of the Catholic faith, besides or beyond this, more or less than this. The Fathers of the 
f Patres Concilii Chalced. Act. 5. in fine. post recitata Symbola. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Chalcedon Council; The Symbol is sufficient to the perfect knowledge and confirmation of piety. Gregory the 
g Nazianz. Orat. 52. init. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Divine; It is a short breviary, or boundary, or rule of the faith and sense of Christians. 
h Cyril Hierosol. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Catech. 4. Symbolum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Iterum Cat. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Cyrill of Jerusalem; It is the sum of all necessary doctrines. Again. That no soul might be lost through ignorance, we have all the doctrine of faith comprised within the little compass of the Creed: which we must carefully conserve as the only provision for our journey towards heaven, regarding no other (for point of belief.) For herein are collected out of all the Scriptures, the most useful main articles of our Religion: and as a small grain of mustard seed contains within itself many branches; so doth the Creed in a few sentences all the substance of godly knowledge, revealed in the old and new Testament. 
i Cyril. Alexandr. in Ep. ad Joan. Antioch. cítatus à Marco Ephesio in Concil. Florent. Sess. 5. statuit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  The other Cyrill of Alexandria: It is utterly unlawful any way to alter (by adding, detracting—) one word or Syllable in the holy Creed. 
k Epiphan. in Exp. fide● Cath. num. 19 exedit. Petau. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Epiphanus: This confession is the pillar or foundation of truth; our life, our hope, and the assurance of our immortal happiness. 
l Hil. ad Constan. Aug. post confessam & juratam in baptismo fidem, non oportet quicquam aliud vel ambigere vel innovare. Et mox. Tutissimum est primam ac solam Euangelicam fidem, co●fessā in baptismate intellectámque retinere.  Hilary of Poitiers: After that faith which we all confessed and avowed in our Baptism, it is not fit to add or innovate or doubt of any thing. It is the safest course for all Christians, to retain constantly that first and sole confession of Evangelicall doctrine. 
m Hier. ad Pam. Ep. 61. c. 9 In Symbolo fidei & spei nostrae, omue Christiani dogmatis Sacramentum concluditur. & in Prov. c. 2. lit. 1. Fides dominica in Symbolo continetur, quam se die baptismatis servaturum quisque promittit.  Hierome: All the holy doctrine of Christianity is concluded within the Creed, which is the profession of our faith & hope, which we all promised to keep at our Baptism. 
n August. de Symb. ad Catech. lib. 3. c. 1. Noveritis hoc Symbolum esse fidei Catholicae fundamentum, super quod aedificium surrexit Ecclesiae, constructum manibus Apostolorum & Prophetarum. Idem August. de Tem. Serm 115. Symbolum comprehensio est fidei nostrae atque perfectio, simplex, breve, plenum ut simplicitas consulat audientium rusticicati, brevitas memoriae, plenitudo doctrinae— totius Catholicae legis fides, Symboli colligitur brevitate. Serm. 119. Symbolum est breviter complex a regula fide: ut mentem instruat, nec oneret memoriam. Serm. 131. Doctrina Symbols virtus est Sacramenti, illuminatio animae, plenitudo credentium; breve est verbis, sed magnum est Sacramentis: parvum ostendens imminutione latitudinis, sed totum continens compendio brevitatis; exiguum est ut memoriam non obruat, sed diffusum ut intelligentiam supercedat; confirmans omnes perfectione credendi, desiderio confitendi, fiduciâ resurgendi. Quicquid praefiguratum est in Patriarchis, quicquid nunciatum est in Scriptures, quicquid praedictum est in Prophetis— totum hoc breviter Symbolum in se continet. Eadem verba repetit. Serm. 181. Serm. 181. Sancti Apostoli certam regulam fidei tradiderunt quam Symbolum vocaverunt, per quam credentes Catholicam tenerent unitatem, & per quam haereticam convincerent pravitatem. Illi enim in diversa ituri, normam priùs sibi futurae praedication is in common statuerunt, ne diversum vel dissonum praedicarent his qui ad fidem Christi invitabantur— arque hanc it a credentibus dandam esse regulam instituerunt. Ambros. Serm 38. de jejun. & quadrag. ad fin. Duodecim Apostolorum Symbolo fides sancta concepta est, qui velut periti artifices in unum convenientes, clavem coelorum suo consilio conflaverunt. Clavem enim quandam ipsum Symbolum ●ixerim; per quod reserantur diaboli tenebrae, ut lux Christi adveniat. Ruffinus in praefat▪ ad expos. In his verbis Symboli, Sp. S. nihil ambiguum, nihil obscurum, nihil à reliquis dissonans providit poni. Apostoli enim discessuri breve istud futurae praedicationis, unanimitatis, & fidei suae indicium, fidei normam, munimentum, turrim in common constituunt— atque hanc credentibus dandam esse regulam statuunt. Hoc indicium est seu tessera, per quam agnoscitur is qui Christum vere secundùm Apostolicas regulas praedicat. In Ecclesia urbis Romae, mos servatur antiquus, eos qui gratiam baptismi suscepturi sunt, publicè, i. e. fidelium populo audiente, Symbolum reddere: & utique adiectionem unius saltem sermonis eorú qui precesserunt in fide, non ad mittit auditus. 〈◊〉. Rom. Epist. 1. ex version Ruffini add med. Apostoli discedentes ab invicem Symbolum condiderunt, ut hance regulam per omnes gentes praedicarent, summam totius fidei Catholicae recensentes, in qua integritas credulitatis ostenditur. Cunctis credentibus quae continentur in praefato Symbolo salus animarum & vita perpetua bonis actibus praeparatur Leo. Ep. 13. ad fin. Symbolum brevis est & perfecta confessio instruct a munitione coelesti, ut omnes haereticorú opiniones solo ipsius possint gladio detruncari. Cujus Symboli plenitudinem si Eutyches puro & simplicivoluisset corde concipere, in nullo deviaret ib. Singular est Sacramentum 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 joanne 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 mano●m, quod correctione aut additamento indigeat. Et haec est potissim● schismatis (inter Graecoes 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 Catholic faith, and of the Church, laid by the hands of the Apostles and Prophets. My margin will add 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 fundamentals, recommended to him by such reason and authorities, as I presume will satisfy his longing, and content him. If so, than he is satisfied both for the question, which be fundamentals! and for the state of our Church, that we agree in fundamentals. If this please him not, than it will be in his choice whether he will reject the constant opinion of his own 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 own Brethren. If he approve the perfection of the Creed (with them,) he may be pleased to make answer to his own objections: which if he will calmly consider, he may happily find to be but weak 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 justification, whether it be by faith or by works. 4. That Doctrine of devils, 1. Tim. 4. 1. forbidding marriage and meats is not there condemned. 5. Lastly, the sense of divers Articles is questioned, as that of the Descent into hell, and the other of the Catholic 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 express the authority of that which it supposes. These Articles are principles which are proved by Scripture; the Scripture itself a principle, which needs no proof amongst Christians. The Creed contains only the material object of faith, or the things which must be believed expressly according to Scripture: The Scripture is further the formal 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 reveals them. Although the Nicene Fathers in their Creed confessing that the holy Ghost spoke by the Prophets, do thereby sufficiently avow the divine Authority of all Canonical Scripture.  
To the 2. we say 1. That the Sacraments are to be reckoned rather among the Agenda of the Church, than the Credenda: they are rather divine rites and ceremonies, than doctrines. 2. For their numbers, the Mistaker, who hath so little moderation as to think his Seven fit matter for the Creed, shall be answered in the words of a 
o Examen pacifique Ch. 1. pag. 22. Prenantce mot de Sacrement proprement, S. Aug. dit (de Doctr. Chr. li. 3. ca 9) qu'il ny en a que deux, a sçavoir, le Baptesme & l'Eucharistie. Davantage c'est une phrase common parmy nous Catholics, 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 sçavoir le Baptesme parl'eau, & le calice de l'Eucharistie par le sang, Et nos Docteurs Catholics ne font autre responce a ceci si non, que ces deux sacraments 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 diverse terms; 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 sacraments ●● la signification generale. Car Calvin dit, que l'ordre est un Sacrament, & Melancthon ditle mesme, & y adjouste la penitence. Bref, ills diron● 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 number de sept.  moderate Roman Catholic. Takeing the word Sacrament properly, S. Augustin saith there are but two, to wit Baptism and the Lords Supper. And it is a common saying among us Catholics, that all the Sacraments flowed from the side of our Lord. Now there came from his side only blood and water; which represented (according to the interpretation of Chrysostome, Cyrill and others of the Ancients,) the two Sacraments of the Church; Baptism by water, and the Chalice in the Eucharist by blood. To which our Catholic Doctors give no other answer; but that these two Sacraments, by reason of their dignity, are specially so called: which is all one to say, that there are only two principal Sacraments, and many inferiors, which is the very thing which is said by the Huguenots in other terms. They say there are but two properly, and we say there are but two principally: Again we say there are many inferior Sacraments, and they yield it if the name Sacrament be taken in a general signification. For Calvin saith that Order is a Sacrament; and Melancthon says the same, and moreover adds Penance. Briefly they grant there are seven, but not only seven: and in truth, none of the ancient Fathers have ever found this number of seven 3. For the two principal Sacraments, 
p Azor. par 1. l 10. 8. cap. 5. §. Praetereà dices. Cur inter Articulos fidei non recenserur venerabile Eucharistiae Sacramentum, & Baptismi? Respondeo cum S. Thomâ, 2. 2. q. 1. a. 8. a● 6. & Richardo 3. d. 25. a. 1. qu. 1 ad 4. eos articulos contineri & includi in articulo fidei quo credimus unam sanctam Ecclesiam, sanctorum Communionem, remissionem pecca●orum: nam per Sacramenta peccata remittuntur à Deo.  Azorius propounds his objection: Why is not the Sacrament of the Eucharist and of Baptism reckoned among the Articles of our faith? and thus answers it, out of Aquinas and others: The two Sacraments are implied in the articles, where we profess to believe the holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, and the remission of sins. The Creed of Nice expresses Baptism by name; I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins. And the Eucharist, being a seal of that holy Union which we have with Christ our Head, by his Spirit and faith, and with the Saints his members by Charity; is evidently included in the Communion of Saints.  
To the 3. we grant good works to be necessary (in ordinary course) to salvation; and that a reward is due unto them, not for any dignity in them or us, but by divine dignation, and by God's free and gracious promise. The faith which justifies is ever fruitful of such good works; a living & a working faith. But no wise man will put any confidence in the goodness of any works; he will rather wholly cast himself on the mercies of God, who for Christ's sake accepts of our weak obedience, pardons our sins, 
Manes. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  and crownes us with happiness. This is properly the justifying of a sinner, and this we believe when we profess to believe the remission of sins; wherein with the Scripture and all Antiquity we place our justification.  
To the 4. The Creed is a rule of positive truths, not a rejection of errors but only by consequent or implication. He that believes aright in the Lord Almighty, believes all his creatures in themselves to be good, and all his institutions to be holy: and therefore cannot believe either any meats to be in their nature polluted, or marriage in any persons to be profane. Many of the old heretics who believed so, were men marveilously abused by the Father of lies: especially the Manichees, who had in them much more of the Infidel then of the Christian; if they were not rather madmen, (according to the name of their Founder) than Infidels. Yet to do them, no wrong, it seems by 
a Aug. de Mcrib. Eccl. & Manich. lib. 2. c. 18. Hic non dubito vos esse clamaturos invidiámque facturos, castitatem perfectam vos vehe menter commendare atque laudare non tamen nuptias prohibere quamdoquidem Auditores vestri, quorum apud vos secundus est gradus, ducere atque habere non prohibentur uxores. Id. Epist. 74. Auditores qui appellantur apud eos, & carnibus vescuntur, & agros colunt, & fi voluerint, uxores habent; quorum nihil faciunt qui vocantut Electi.  S. August. they did not forbid meats or marriage, as absolutely impure, or to all: only their choice Elect ones must abstain: the other vulgar, their Auditors, were left at their liberty. The Mistaker desires passionately to free his Church from this Manicheisme, and if he can do it we desire not to find her guilty. But if She be not, why is single life called Chastity, and commended as an eminent degree of sanctimony? why is marriage said to be in compatible with 
b Innocentius Papa dist. 82. can. Proposuisti. Neque eos fas sit ad officia Sacra admitti, qui exercent vel cum uxore carnale consortium: quia scriptum est, Sancti estote quoniam sanctus sum, dixit Dominus.  holiness, or with 
c Id. ibid. Qui in carne sunt Deo placere non possunt.  God's favour? nay counted a 
d Pelagius Papa dist. 61. can. Catinensis. Hominem qui necuxorem habeat, nec liberos, nec aliquod crimen canonibus inimicumeligi suadeas.  crime? nay a 
e Bell. de Clericis cap. 19 §. Jam vero. Non ●olum conjugium sacerdotum, quod sacrilegium est non conjugium, sed etiam Sanctorum matrimonium sine pollutione quâdam & turpitudine non exercetur.  sacrilege? worse than 
f Coster. Enchirid. cap. de Coelib. Sacerdos si for●itetur, aut domi concubinam alat, tamet si gravi sacrilegio se obstringat, graviùs tamen peccat si contrahat matrimonium.  whoredom? And for meats, why is abstinence from flesh counted a perfect Christian fast, yea holy and meritorious? and why is he that eats flesh in Lent punished with a more grievous penance, than he that commonly blasphemes the name of God, or defiles his neighbour's bed, or abuses himself by drunkenness, or others by railing, slandering etc.  
To the 5. The Church of England questions not the sense of those Articles: She takes them in the old Catholic sense, and the words are so plain they bear their meaning before them. Men abounding with wit and idleness may seek knots in a bull rush, and cast a mist over the most clear truths. It is by the Roman Doctors that they are questioned, who can neither agree with us nor with themselves. 
g Contr. 5. q. 5. A. 1.  Stapleton affirms the Scripture is silent that Christ descended into hell, and that there is a Catholic and an apostolic Church. 
h 4. de Christo. c. 6. & 12. Scripturae passim hoc docent.  Bellarmine on the contrary is resolute, that the Article of the descent is every where in Scripture; and 
i 2. 2. q. 1. A. 9 ad 1.  Thomas grants as much for the whole Creed. Then for the sense of that Article, 
k Thom. p. 3. q. 52. A. 2. in Corp.  Some hold Christ descended really into hell; 
l Durand. in 3. d. 22. q. 3.  Others virtually only and by effects. And by Hell, some understand the lowest pilt, or the place of the damned, as 
m 4. de Christo cap. 16.  Bellarmine at first: others the Limbus Patrum as 
n Recogn. p. 11.  Bellarmine at last, following the common opinion of the 
o In Th. p. 3. qu. 52. A●z.  Schools. These jars concern not the Church of England, which takes the words as they are in the Creed, and believes them without further dispute, and in the sense of 
p Aug. Epist. 99  Ancients. As also She doth in that other Article of the Catholic Church.  
It remains then (notwithstanding all this feeble opposition) very probable, according to the judgement of Antiquity and even of the Roman D Drs, that the Creed is the perfect Summary of those fundamental truths, wherein consists the Unity of Faith, and of the Catholic Church: the Articles whereof all Christians ordinarily are bound expressly to believe, and distinctly to know, for their salvation.  
I say such explicit faith and actual knowledge is necessary to Christians ordinarily; for I meedle not with the extraordinary dispensation of God's mercies, which is a secret reserved to the Lord himself. And I say men are bound to it by necessity; that is, necessitate praecepti, but happily not so, necessitate medij vel finis. For as the 
q De explicitè & necessario credendis; vide quae scripserunt Sylu. in Sum. ver. Fides. Azor. Instit. moral. par. 1. l. 8. c. 6. Tolet. Instruct. Sacerd. lib 4. c. 2. Greg. de Val. in 2. 2. disp. 1. q. 2. punc. 3. 4. 5. B●nnes in 2. 2. q. 2. a. 8 Became. in sum. pur. 3. c. 12. Filivo. de casib. tract. 2. 2. cap. 1. & 2. Putean. in 2. 2. q. 2. 〈◊〉. ●. 3. dub. 4. Aegyd. Connick. disp. 14. dub. 9 & 10. & DD. communiter in 3. d. 25. & in 2. 2. q. 1. a. 7.  Casi●ists and Schoolmen do well and truly observe, in this dispute of necessary and fundamental truths, both Truths & Persons must be wisely distinguished: That truth may be necessary in one sense, which is not so in another; and fundamental in some persons, in certain respects, which is not so to some others.  
1. Every thing fundamental is not alike near to the foundation, nor of equal primenes in the faith. Among the fundamentals of the Creed, some are radical and primary, others like branches issuing or descending from them, as 
a Paris Tract. de fide cap. 2. Communiter credendorum, quae usualiter Articuli fidei vocantur, alia sunt ut radices primitivae & fundamenta primaria; alia sunt ut rami descendentes &.  Parisiensis: or as 
b Th. 2. 2. q. 1. a. 7. in Corp. Omnes Articuli implicitè continentur in aliquibus primis credibilibus; sc. ut credatur Deus esse & providentiam habere circa hominum salutem:  Aquinas, there are certain prime principles of faith, in the bosom whereof all other Articles lie wrapped or folded up. Such is that of S. Paul. 
c Heb. 11. 6.  He that comes to God must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him: but especially that most important and most 
d Joh. 17. 3. & 20. 31. Matth. 16. 16. 17. Act. 4. 12. & 8. 37. & 16. 31. Rom. 10. 9 10. 1. Cor. 3. 11. & 12. 3. 1. Joh. 2. 22. & 4. 2. 15. & 5. 1. 5. 2. Pet. 2. 1.  fundamental of all Articles in the Church; that jesus Christ the son of God and the son of Mary is the only Saviour of the world. These are so absolutely necessary to all Christians, for attaining the end of our faith, that is, the salvation of our souls; that a Christian may lose himself, not only by a positive erring in them, or denying of them; but by a pure ignorance, or nescience, or not knowing of them, 
e Dom. Bannes in 2. 2. q. 2. arr. 8. Illa quae sunt necessaria necessitate finis, si desint nobis etiam sine culpa nostra, non excusabunt nos ab aeterna morte, quamvis non fuerit in potestate nostra illa assequi: quemadmodum etiam si non sit nisi unicum remedium, ut ali quis fugiat mortem corporalem, & tale reremedium ignoretur & ab infirmo et medico; sine dubio peribit homo ille.  The Roman DDrs themselves say, that Invincible ignorance cannot here excuse from ever lasting death: even as if there were one only remedy whereby a sick man could be recovered from corporal death; suppose the Patient and the Physician both were ignorant of it, the man must perish, as well not knowing it, as if being brought unto him he had refused it.  
2. Again of Persons, some are invincibly disabled from faith and knowledge, through want of capacity, 
f Pet. de Allinco in quaest. vesperiarum. Sicut ad legis Christi habitualem fidem omnis viator obligatur sine ulla exceptione; sic ab ejus actuali fide nullus excusatur nisi solâ incapacitate. Parvulos autem et furiosos, caeterisque passionibus ment captos seu aliâ naturali impossibilitate prohibitos incapaces voco, et si non simpliciter, tamen secundum quid, ●●. dumb his defectibus laborant.  as Infants, Naturals, and distracted Persons; or through want of means of instruction: which may be saved, but God only knows how. Others have capacity & means but in very different degrees, and accordingly they differ in that measure of faith and knowledge, that is necessarily required in them. More knowledge is necessary in 
g Aegid. de Conninck. disp. 14. dub 10. Hominum sunt tres classes, majores, medii, infimi, qui hic distinguendi, Similiter Puteanus in 2. 2, q. 2. art. 3. d. ult. & ●lii.  Bishops and Priests, to whom is committed the government of the Church and the cure of souls, then in vulgar Laickes: amongst whom in them of the rudest and meanest sort, (if there be a studious care of holiness and obedience in their life, which is ever supposed as most necessary) the knowledge of those main Artiles concerning our Saviour's Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection, etc. (which are purposely to that end celebrated by the Church, in her Festivities) as many 
h Almain in 3. d. 26. Minores tenentur explicitè credere Articulis por festivitates solennes celebratis, ut Ecclesia celebrat Festum de Nativitatc-sic Durand: Bonavent. Alii, in eum loc. Sylu. ver. Fides. §. 6. Azor. lib. 8. ca 6. §. 2ᵒ quaeritur Filiucius de Casib. tract. 22. c. 1. §. Dices. Aliique piurimi. Le Card. de Richelieu▪ Instruct. du Chrestien. Leçon premiere. Gen'est pas chose necessaire que celuy qui ignorera quelques vns des Articles de foy, ne puisse aucunes fois fair son salut; mais il est besoin qu'il ait une cognoissance de ces Articles, suffisante pour le diriger à sa derniere fin. Si quelque un ignoroit la Communion des Saints, la descente de nostre Seigneur aux Limbs, que sa passion ait esté soubs , qu'il ait este au Sepulchre, le temps auquel il est resuscité, sçavoir est le 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 sawer avec moindre cognoissance que celuy qui ne peut estre tenu pour tel. C'est assez au simple de voir, comme nous anons dit, une cognoissance du Symbol suffisante pour la diriger ● sa derniere fin: Au lieu que le Curé & le Prelate, qui ont charge d'instruite les autres, sontobligez, & desçavoir distinctement tous les Articles du Symbol, & qui plus est de le powoir expliquer au peuple.  Learned judge, may suffice.  
For conclusion of this discourse concerning Fundamentals, I will propound to the consideration and censure of the judicious, these thoughts following.  
It seems fundamental to the faith, and for the salvation of every member of the Church, that he acknowledge & believe all such points of faith, as whereof 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 Heretic, and finally such a one as excludes himself out of heaven, whereinto no wilful sinner can enter.  
Now that a man may be sufficiently convinced, there are three things required. 1. Clear 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 believe any thing as God's word, which God hath not declared to be his word, and that in such clear manner, as may convince a reasonable man that it is from God. For want of this, not only the Church before Christ, but even Christ's own Disciples are excused from being guilty of any damnable error, though they believed not the death, resurrection, or ascension of our Lord: as it is plain they did not. Marc. 16. 11. 13. Luk. 24. 11. joh. 20. 9 Marc. 9 10. But now that these things are so clearly reveiled in Scripture, he were no Christian that should deny them.  
2. Sufficient proposition of revealed 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 Apollo's believed 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 satisfy a teachable mind against the principles, in which he hath been bred to the contrary. For want of this, the Apostles believed not the resurrection, when yet they were plainly told of it. See Luke 9 44. 45. and Mar. 9 10. compared with Marc. 8. 31. 32.  
Note here (1). This proposition of revealed truths is not, as the Mistaker saith, by the infallible determination of Pope or Church, but by whatsoever means a man may be convinced in conscience of divine revelation. If a Preacher do clear any point of faith to his Hearers, if a private Christian do make it appear to his neighbour, that any conclusion or point of faith is delivered by divine revelation of God's word; if a man himself (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 Heretic, and obstinate opposer of the faith. Such a one may be truly said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, condemned by his own 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. joh. 1.— and yet should deny Christ's Resurrection or Incarnation, he were an Heretic, without any determination or sentence of the Church. And such Heretics there were many in the Primitive Church fore any Council was celebrated, and long before any Pope pretended to Infallibility.  
(2) Note. A man may be truly thought thus convicted, not only when his Conscience doth expressly bear witness to the truth, but when virtually it doth so, and would expressly do it, if it were not choked or blinded by some unruly and unmortified lust in the will. For if a man make himself a slave to ambition, covetousness, vainglory, prejudice, etc. these untamed passions will not only draw the man to profess what he thinketh not, but to think what he would dis-avow, if in sincerity he sought the truth. And in this case the difference is not great between him that is wilfully blind, 
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 esteem of the said Church, is to be reputed an heretic, though perhaps the Censure be erroneous. He that is convicted in the later kind, is an Heretic before God, though no authority of the Church have detected or proceeded against him. And this conviction only is necessary to prove one an Heretic excluded from Heaven.  
3. There is required capacity or ability of wit and reason to apprehend that which is clearly revealed and sufficiently proposed. For want of this, not only fools and mad men are excused, but those who are of weaker capacity or less knowledge may be excused from believing of those things which they cannot apprehend: as the Apostles are by Christ joh. 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 convinced of error, & he who is thus convinced is an Heretic, and Heresy is a work of the flesh which excludeth from heaven. Gal. 5. 20. 21. And hence it followeth, that it is fundamental to a Christians faith, and necessary for his salvation, that he believe all revealed truths of God, whereof he may be convinced that they are from God.  
The cavils of the Mistaker against the Church of England and her Articles (in this matter) are easily answered.  
When the Church of England had orderly reform herself: she was loudly accused (by the Roman faction) of Heresy and Schism; (as it hath been, in later ages, the cunning custom of Rome to blast and disgrace all them that dared to oppose any of her corrupt opinions or usages.) Wherefore, to clear her innocency, She published to the world a Declaration of her judgement in matters of Religion, which we call her Confession. Wherein her aim was not, in any curious method, to deliver a Systeme of Divinity: but plainly, without fraud or artifice, to set down, first the positive principles of her faith, or the fundamentals of it, wherein she hath sufficiently declared herself, both in 
a Aro. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.— 8.—  most particulars, and in sum by 
b Art. 8.  avowing the Catholic Creeds,) and then a rejection of such errors (especially Popish) as She judged to be without ground of Scripture, reason or Antiquity. Now Popery is not any univocal part or member in the body of Divinity: it is only an Aposteme gathered of corrupt and heterogeneous matter. All the Logic in the world cannot possibly range such a confused lump of falsities into any certain or distinct method. And therefore if the Declaration of our Church against these errors be extremely confused, as our Mistaker pretends; the cause is in the errors themselves, wherein there is nothing but extreme confusion. By the other part of his charge, that our Church in divers points speaks obscurely, and not home to the question, it is evident that he doth not well understand himself or those points, wherein he gives instance.  
That particular Churches (and particularly his) have erred, our Church believes and 
c Art. 19  professes; and we believe further, that if any particular Church presume She cannot fall by error, She is fallen already by pride. That the Catholic Church can err in the foundation, our Church believes not and therefore 
1. Cor. 1. 2.  professes not. But by the infallible Church, I doubt not, the man means that which they call the Roman Catholic; for it is the perpetual and palpable paralogism of the Faction to confound the Roman and the Catholic, and to argue from this to that; as if all the privileges of the Catholic Church belonged only to the Roman quarter.  
Likewise, it is not denied that the true Catholic Church is always visible and cannot be hid. And wheresoever there is a Congregation of men, that profess and desire to honour the true God, Calling upon the name of jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours, and believing the Scriptures of the old and new Testament; there (as very 
* Vide supra pag. 111.  Learned men are of opinion) is a true Christian Church, wherein salvation may be had, and a visible member of the holy Catholic Church. Innumerable such there ever have been since Christ, and ever shall be scattered over the face of earth. For 
d Joh. Serranus Appar. ad fid. Cathol. Paris. 1607. pag. 172. Quicquid vel molitus est, vei moliturus mendacii Pater, non tamen vel effecit hactenus vel effectures est posthac, ut doctrina Catholica, omnium Christianorum consensu, semper & ubique rata, aboleatur: Quin potius, ' illa in densissimâ maximè involutarum perturbationum caligine victrix extitit, & in animis & in apertâ confessione Christianorum omnium, in suis fundamentis nullo modo labefactata. In illa quoque veritate una illa Ecclesia fuit conservata, in mediis saevissimae hyemis tempeftatibus, vel densissimis tenebris suorum interluniorum. Hanc successionis perpetuae vim esse & illius usum omnes sobrii animadvertunt.  whatsoever the Father of lies either hath attempted, or shall attempt, yet neither hath he hither to effected, nor shall ever bring it to pass hereafter, that the true Catholic doctrine ratified by the Common consent of Christians always & every where should be abolished, but that in the thickest mist rather of the most perplexed troubles it still obtained Victory, both in the minds and in the open confession of all Christians, no ways overturned in the Foundations thereof. And in this verity that One Church of Christ was preserved in the midst of the tempests of the most cruel winter, or in the thickest darkness of her wanings. Which true succession of the Faith & Church all sober men observe & acknowledge. And as a most learned 
e Bp. Usher Serm. of the unity of faith.  Prelate hath observed further, if at this day we should take a survey of the several professions of Christianity that have any large spread in any part of the world, & should put by the points wherein they differ one from another, and gather into one body the rest of the Articles wherein they do all generally agree; we should find, that in those Propositions which without all Controversy are universally received in the whole Christian world, so much Truth is contained, as, being joined with holy obedience, may be sufficient to bring a man unto everlasting salvation. Neither have we cause to doubt, but that as many as walk according 
Gal 6. 16.  to this rule, (neither overthrowing that which they have builded by superinducing any damnable heresies thereupon, nor otherwise vitiating their holy Faith with a lewd and wicked conversation,) peace shall be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.  
In the point of Freewill, our Church professes (withal Catholic Antiquity, Greek and Latin, before and after Pelagius,) that though the Will be naturally and essentially free from all constraint and necessiity, yet it is not spiritually free from sin, or to any good, until it be freed by inward supernatural and undeserved Grace; which both prevets, prepares & excites the Will to every good act that it may be helped, & then helps it when it is prepared. That the Will of itself hath no power to any good act, till it be thus quickened, enabled and assisted by Grace, which in all good works and desires is the principal agent, to which the Will is subordinate. But that this grace corrects and perfects nature, doth not abolish it. Wherefore the Will being moved by grace as aforesaid, is not idle but freely moves itself to consent, having still a natural and corrupt liberty to sin. So as all the good we do (or have or hope for) must be ascribed to God and his free grace, and all the sin we do, only and wholly to our own will and freedom. And by this doctrine, we fully avoid and contradict the two contrary errors, of the Manichees on the one side, who deny the natural liberty of the Will, and of the Pelagians and their Relics on the other side, who give the will a spiritual liberty of itself, and so deny the necessity of preventing grace. If some Protestant Writers go farther 
Piscator, etc.  in this point, so fare as to affirm that God determines and necessitates the Wills of men to every act, good or bad, natural, moral or spiritual, so as the motion of Providence or grace leaves no power or possibility in the Will actually to descent (in sensu composito:) Answ. 1. this is nothing to the Church of England, which approves not this dangerous doctrine. 2. The Mistaker cannot with reason or modesty upbraid them (much less others) with this opinion or the ill consequents of it; since no Calvinist (as he calls them) herein speaks more harshly or rigorously than his own Dominicans, Bannes, Alvarez, Zumel, Ledesma, Herrera, Nugnus, Navarrete, & many others; for proof whereof I refer him to a late 
f Apple. pro Dom. Banne per Ariviere Doct. Paris. Lugd. An. 1630. Vide etiam Andr. Rivet. sum. Controv. Tract. 4. quaest. 6.  Sorbonist who hath published, by way of parallel, the exact argiement of Dominicus Bannes, (and Others) with Calvin in this matter, quoting and comparing their very words.  
For the Canon of Scripture, it is true, our Church admits of no other Books in the Old Testament, as divine and Canonical, but only those which 
Rom. 3. 2.  were commended by God himself, to his own people the Church of the Jews. Wherein we have the consent of the most ancient 
g Clem. Rom. Const. lib. 2. ca 57 Melito Sard. ap. Euseb. Hist. lib. 4. cap. 27. Grae. Origen. ap. Eund. lib. 6. cap. 25 Sec. Graec. Athanas. in Synopsi. Nazianz. in Carm. Cyrill Hieros. Catech. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Epiphan. de Mensu: & Ponderibus num. 4. edit. Paris. Concil. Laodic. Can. ult. Ruffin. in Expos. Symb. Hieron. in Praefat. ad lib. Regum. & ad libros Salom. & in Prol. Galeato. Damasc. de fid Orth. lib. 4. cap. 18. Glossa. in dist. 16. Canon's. Lyra. Prologue. primo Rich. à S. victore. Exceptionum lib. 2. c. 9 Caietan. in come. hist. v. Test. fine. Vide Canum. l. 2. c. 10. etc.  Christian Churches & Writers for the most part; who expressly exclude the Apocryphal, and by name the 
h Hicr. Praefat. in lib. Salome. judith & Tobiae & Machabaeorum libros legit quidem Ecclesia, sed cos inter Canonicas Scripturas non recipit. August. lib. 2. Contr. Epist. Gaudent. cap. 23. Scriptura Machabae orum recepta est ab Ecclesia non inutiliter, si sobriè legatur & audiatur. Greg M. moral. li. 19 cap 17. Macch. vocat Libros non Canonicos.  Maccabees, whereof the Mistaker makes so great esteema. The Books of the New Testament are fitly severed by Eusebius into three ranks. 1. Some were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, whose authority or Authors were never debated. 2. Others were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, doubted of (not by the Church so much, as) by Some in the Church, & rather for their Authors then their authority, as the Epistles to the Hebrews, of S. James, the latter of S. Peter, etc. 3. Others were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, rejected by consent of all, as the Pastor of Hermes, the pretended Gospels of S. Thomas. S. Bartholomew and the like. The doubts of the Second rank are now long since cleared, and all 
Euseb. Hist. lib. 3. cap. 3.  those Scriptures generally received by all Christians (in their Western parts at least,) and particularly by the Lutherans (at least, by the best learned among them,) who admit the Epistle of S. james (and the rest) as Canonical; which the Mistaker may learn (for it seems He knows it not) from their own Writers, and by name from their learned Dr 
k Exeges. Plen. Locor. Loc. 1. de Scrip. S. §. 279. 280. 281.  Gerhard.  
The Mistaker ends his Discourse as He began it, with Rhetoric and Passion. But this weapon wounds not, being commonly— 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the reasoning of them that want better reasons.  
I shall conclude with a part of my daily prayers; humbly beseeching the Father of mercies, (who is the lover of souls, and hath said that he delights in mercy, and sworn that he takes no pleasure in the death of them that die, being not willing that any should perish, but willing that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of his truth;) that he would be pleased to look with the eyes of his compassion, upon all those miserable Nations that sit in ignorance and infidelity, in darkness and in the shadow of death, calling them out of darkness into his marvellous light, out of the power of Sainto the Kingdom of his dear Son; that it would also please Him to take away out of his Church all dissension and discord, all Heresies and Schisms, all abuses and false doctrines, all idolatry, superstition and tyranny; and to unite all Christians in one holy bond of truth and peace, faith and charity; that so with one mind and one mouth, we may all join in his service, and for ever glorify the holy name of the most glorious and holy Trinity.   
Amen, Amen.  
FINIS.