The Safe Way Leading All Christians, Title page – Table of contents
Via tuta: THE SAFE WAY.
Leading all Chriſtians, by the teſtimonies, and confeſsions of our beſt learned Aduerſaries, to the true, ancient, and Catholique faith, now profeſſed in the Church of England.
By HVMFREY LYNDE Knight.
IEREMIAH 6.16.
Stand ye in the wayes, and ſee and aske for the old pathes, where is the good way, and walke therein, and you ſhall find reſt for your ſoules; but they ſaid, we will not walke therein.
LONDON, Printed by G. M. for Robert Milbourne, and are to be ſold at his ſhop in Pauls Churchyard, at the ſigne of the Gray-hound. 1628.
To the Religious and well affected Gentrie of this Kingdome.
IF for no other cauſe, yet for this alone that the world may know it is no difficult matter for a meane Lay-man to prooue the ancient viſibilitie of the Proteſtant profeſſion, I hauehave attempted to ſend foorth this Eſſay of my poore endeuours in this cauſe, being thereunto prouoked by a challenge heretofore ſent vntounto me, by a Ieſuite, in theſe words: (viz.) That Sir Humfrey, or his friends ſhould prooue out of ſome good Authors, that the Proteſtant Church was in all ages viſible, eſpecially in the ages before Luther.
It is not my profeſſion, I muſt confeſſe, to returne challenges or publiſh works of this nature; yet knowing that Truth is iuſtified of her children; I hauehave preſumed, as a child of that Mother, to vindicat her cauſe, and maintaine my owne reputation: and in anſwer hereunto I ſhall preſent ſuch proofes as are warranted by Certificat and confeſsion, not onelyonly of the moſt orthodox Fathers, but of the Romiſh Biſhops and Cardinals, and other moderne Writers in the Romane Church.
It is an vndoubted truth & ſubſcribed by both parties, that the faith which Chriſt and his Apoſtles taught in the firſt age had viſible profeſſors in al ages. It were therefore ſufficient (without any further recital of duplicate page duplicate page ſucceeding witneſſes) to proue that the now Faith of the Church of England is that Faith which was once deliuered to the Saints by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, but I rather condeſcend to meete the Aduerſarie vponupon his owne ground, and to deale with him at the ſame weapon which himſelfe hath choſen, wherein on our part the Ancient Fathers ſhall be my Champions, and his owne Romiſh Biſhops, and Cardinals, and Schoolemen ſhall be my Seconds, as being Teſtes veritatis witneſſes of Gods truth profeſſed in our Church.
Of what ſtrength and force is Truth, ſhal appeare … his that ſhee extorts a full and ample teſtimonie from her ſworne enemies to make good the viſibility of our Church, nor that only, but ſhe denyes antiquity and vniuerſalitie to the principall Articles of the new Romane Creed, wherin ſhe points forth that old and true way, and this is acknowledged on both ſides to be Via tuta, The ſafe Way: vponupon which ground it is likewiſe lawfull for me to frame a counterchallenge by demanding, By what authoritie of Scriptures, & ancient Fathers they hauehave impoſed new Articles of Chriſtian beliefe vponupon Prieſts & people? ſure I am, thoſe twelue new coined Articles declared by their grād Councel of Trent and publiſhed by Pope Pius the fourth, are ſo far ſhort from the knowledge of antiquitie, that as yet they are ſcarce vnderſtood amongſt their own Diſciples for Articles of Faith. And their best learned Romanists profeſſe openly, that moſt of them were vnknowne to former ages.
It is no wonder, that a blind obedience and an implicit faith is ſo much obtruded to the ignorant of the Romane Church, when their best learned Doctors are forced to confeſſe touching the chiefe Articles (wherein they differ from vsus) that they can neither ſubſiſt by Antiquitie, nor ſtand with the ſafety of the beleeuer: Neither may it ſeeme ſtrange that theſe mē ſhould create new Articles of faith, when as they dare alter and detract from the Commandements of God; witneſſe their Decalogue ſo often publiſhed by the Church of Rome, (here now prefixed) wherein not only the ſecond Commandement is left out (as it is vſually in all their Pſalters) but the fourth Cōmandement, touching the Sabbath day is changed into theſe words: Remember thou ſanctifie Holy-dayes: But as for theſe peccadillos, the recitall of them I account a ſufficient refutation: In the meane time, thoſe men who call for a Catalogue of names of ſuch Proteſtants as taught and profeſſed the 39. Articles of Religion of our Church, in all ages, let them in eueryevery age produce one Ancient and orthodox Father, who did teach and maintaine their twelue new Articles de Fide (which they command vnderunder a curſe to be beleeued of all men) I ſay let them produce but one in eueryevery age, or but anyone in all the ages for 1500. yeares after Chriſt, till the dayes of Luther, that taught and beleeued all their twelue new Articles de Fide as points of faith, and for that one good Authors ſake, I will be ſo liberal, as to acknowledge their profeſſors viſible in al ages; I will ſay their Biſhops, and Cardinals, and Schoolemen, which hauehave witneſſed the Antiquitie of our doctrine, were miſtaken, and ought to bee reformed by an Index Expurgatorius, I will teſtifie the Reformed Churches are guiltie of Noueltie, and ſubmit my obedience with an implicit faith to the Romane Church.
And, as touching my owne particular, I profeſſe, through the prouocation of a Ieſuite, I hauehave vnwillingly thruſt my ſickle into other mens harueſt; yet I witneſſe a true confeſsion before God and man, that I hauehave neither willingly, nor wilfully falſified any one Author either in citation, or tranſlation in this Treatiſe: If any ſlips hauehave hapned (which I doe confeſſe for want of helpe and opportunitie may befall me) let it be ſhewed mee by anſwer moderately, plainely, and faithfully, and I will ingeniouſly confeſſe the weakneſſe, not of our doctrine, but of my own handling.
So for this time, vntill it pleaſe God to giuegive opportunitie to publiſh ſome further fruits of my labours in this kind: I heartily deſire good interpretation, and fauourable acceptance of the beginnings and endeuours of him, who is
At your ſeruice in Chriſt, and for his Truth, H.L.
THE NEW Creed of the Church of Rome. Bulla Pij Quarti pro forma Iuramenti profeſſionis fidei Datum Romae. Anno 1564.
1.This new Creed is added to the Nicene Creed, and preſcribed by Pope Pius the fourth to be receiued with an oath as the true Catholique faith, and that it might reſemble the Apoſtles Creed, they hauehave ſet it in an Apoſtolique forme in twelue Articles. I Admit and embrace the Apoſtolicall & Eccleſiaſticall Traditions, and the other obſeruations and conſtitutions of the Church.
2. I admit the holy Scriptures according to that ſence which the holy Mother Church hath and doth hold, whoſe right is to iudge of the true ſence and interpretation of holy Scriptures: neither will I euer receiue and expound it, but according to the Vniforme Conſent of the Fathers.
3. I profeſſe, that there are truly and properly ſeuen Sacramēts of the new Law inſtituted by Chriſt: and the rites receiued in the ſolemne adminiſtration of them all, I do embrace.
4. I admit and receiue all thoſe points touching originall ſinne and Iuſtification, which are defined and declared by the Councell of Trent.
5. I profeſſe, that there is a true, proper, and propitiatorie ſacrifice offered to God in the Maſſe both for the quicke and the dead: and that in the Euchariſt the Bread and the Wine are Tranſubſtantiated into the bodie and bloud of Chriſt.
6. I acknowledge that vnderunder one kind, whole and perfect Chriſt, and the true Sacrament is receiued.
7. I doe conſtantly hold, that there is Purgatorie, and that the ſoules there detained, are helped by the Prayers of the faithfull.
8. I hold that the Saints are to bee worſhipped and called vponupon: and that they offer prayers for vsus vntounto God, and that their relickes are to be worſhipped.
9. I doe reſolutely affirme that the Images of Chriſt and of the Virgin Marie: and alſo of other Saints are to be had and retained: and that due honor and veneration is to bee yeelded to them.
10. I do hold that the power of Indulgences was left by Chriſt in the Church, and that the vſe of them is moſt wholſome to Chriſtian people.
11. I acknowledge the holy Catholike and Apoſtolicke Romane Church, to be the Mother and Miſtriſſe of all Churches, and I promiſe and ſweare true obedience to the Biſhop of Rome, the ſucceſſor of Saint Peter, the Prince of the Apoſtles, and the Vicar of Ieſus Chriſt.
12. I vndoubtedly receiue and profeſſe all other things deliuered, defined, and declared by the holy Canons and Oecumenicall Councels, & eſpecially by the holy Synod of Trent, &c.
The ten Commandements.
1. I Am thy Lord God.The Chriſtiā doctrine cō poſed by the Reuerēd Father Iames Ledeſma Prieſt of the ſocietie of Ieſus: and printed permeſſu Superiorum. An. 1609. & 1624. Thou ſhalt hauehave no other Gods but me.
2. Thou ſhalt not take the name of God in vaine.
3. Remember to ſanctifie the holy-dayes.
4. Honour thy father and mother.
5. Thou ſhalt not kill.
6. Thou ſhalt not commit adulterie.
7. Thou ſhalt not ſteale.
8. Thou ſhalt not beare falſe witneſſe.
9. Thou ſhalt not deſire thy neighbours wife.
10. Thou ſhalt not deſire thy neighbours goods.
The Contents.
Sect. 1.
THe cauſeleſſe bitterneſſe of the Church of Rome againſt the Reformed Churches. pag. 1
Sect. 2.
The occaſion of the contention betwixt the Churches originally, proceeded from the Romaniſts by their owne confeſſion. p. 10.
Sect. 3.
Corruptions both in faith and manners confeſſed by the members of the Romane Church, and yet the Reformation denyed by the Pope, and why, &c. p 18
Sect 4.
Many learned Romaniſts conuicted by the euidence of Truth, either in part or in whole, hauehave renounced Poperie before their death. p. 26.
Sect. 5.
Worldly policie and profit hinders the Reformation of ſuch things which are altogether inexcuſable in themſelues. p. 35.
Sect. 6.
The common pretence of our Aduerſaries refuſing reformation becauſe we cannot aſſigne the preciſe time when errors came in; Refuted. p. 43.
Sect. 7.
The pedigree of the Romiſh faith drawne downe from the ancient heretiques; and the Proteſtant faith deriued from Chriſt and his Apoſtles. p. 59.
Sect. 8.
The Teſtimonies of our Aduerſaries touching the Antiquitie and vniuerſality of the Proteſtant faith in generall. p. 68.
Sect. 9.
The Teſtimonies of our Aduerſaries touching the Proteſtant and the Roman faith in theſe particular paragraphes.
1. Iuſtification by faith onelyonly. p. 80.
2. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper and the doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation. p 86.
3. Priuate Maſſe. p 116.
4. Seuen Sacraments. p 132.
5. Communion in both kinds. p. 164.
6. Prayer and Seruice in a known tongue. p. 175
7. Worſhip of Images. p. 189.
8. Indulgences. p. 211.
Sect 10.
The Teſtimonies of our Aduerſaries touching the infallible certaintie of the Proteſtant faith, and the vncertaintie of the Romiſh. p. 233.
Sect. 11.
The Teſtimonies of our Aduerſaries touching the greater ſafety, comfort, and benefit of the ſoule in the Proteſtant faith, then in the Romiſh. pag. 249.
Sect. 12.
Our Aduerſaries conuicted by the euident Teſtimonies of the ancient Fathers, either ridiculouſly elude them, or plainly reiect them. p 263.
Sect. 13.
Our Aduerſaries conuinced of a bad cauſe and an euill conſcience, by razing of our Records, and clipping their owne Authors tongues. p. 272.
Sect. 14.
Our Aduerſaries conuicted of their defence of a deſperate cauſe by their blaſphemous exception againſt the Scripture it ſelfe. 278.
Sect. 15.
Our chiefeſt Aduerſarie Cardinall Bellarmine teſtifies the truth of our doctrine in the principall points of controuerſie betwixt vsus. p 287.
Sect. 16.
Our Aduerſaries obiection drawne from the Teſtimonies of pretended Martyrs of their Religion: Anſwered. p 295.
Sect. 17.
Our Aduerſaries common obiection drawne from the charitable opinion of Proteſtants touching the ſaluation of profeſſed Romaniſts liuing and dying in their Church: Anſwered. p. 303.
Sect. 18.
Prouing (according to the Title of the booke) by the confeſſion of all ſides, that the Proteſtants Religion is ſafer, becauſe in all poſitiue points of doctrine, the Romaniſts themſelues agree with vsus, but in their additions they ſtand ſingle by themſelues. p 315.