A Trial of the Romish Clergys Title to the Church, Text and commentary · Quoted chapter 2
A. D.
CHAP. II. That this faith neceſſary to ſaluation, is but one.
A. W.
If the plainneſſe, pretended in the title of this booke, had bene truly intended, and performed, we ſhould not hauehave had the contents of this chapter ſo obſcurely deliuered. This faith neceſſarie to ſaluation is but one. VVhat ſhould a man make of theſe words? An ordinarie Reader would thinke, you meant, that there is but one kinde of faith neceſſarie to ſaluation; how eaſie had it bene for you to hauehave ſaid ſo plainely, to the capacitie of the ſimpleſt? But it is a humor in men (commonly) to wonder at the depth of that, they vnderſtand not; and theſe great ſchollers may not abaſe themſelues, to ſpeake like vsus of the meaner ſort: and yet nAriſtot. Eth. lib. 1. cap. 2.a wiſe Philoſopher ſaid, That a man ſhould thinke as the wiſe doe, but ſpeake as the people doe. But we muſt remember, that in poperie there is moſt deuotion, where there is leaſt vnderſtanding. Well, let vsus take the words as they are; once his meaning is, as himſelfe afterwards expreſſeth it, that oBellar. de Roman. Pont. lib. 1. ca. 9. §. 8.the beleefe of one man differeth not from the beleefe of another: and that pBellar. de Iuſtif. lib. 1. ca. 5. §. Sed iſta.euerie faithfull man beleeueth euerie point, for one and the ſame reaſon.
A. D. §. 1.
This faith (which I hauehave ſhewed to be abſolutely neceſſarie to ſaluation) is but One onelyonly. This is plainly prooued out of Saint Paul, who ſaith, Vnus Dominus, vna fides, vnum baptiſma, ſignifying, that, like as there is but one Lord and one Baptiſme: ſo there is but One faith.
A. W.
Faith (as I ſhewed before) is taken ſometimes for the habit, vertue, gift, grace, qualitie, (call it what you will) whereby we hauehave power to beleeue: ſometimes for the points that are to be beleeued. Here the queſtion is of the former, as any man would gather, both by the title, and by ſome of the proofes. The firſt whereof is a place of Scripture, qEpheſ. 4. 5.There is one Lord, one faith, one baptiſme: of which I ſay firſt, as of the whole Chapter, that it might well hauehave bene ſpared, conſidering that we acknowledge the truth of the matter in the ſame ſenſe, in which himſelfe propoūds it: Secondly, I think it had bin a point of good iudgement to hauehave forborne the allegation of a text ſo inſufficient for the purpoſe: for the Apoſtle hath no meaning to ſhew by thoſe words one faith, that one mans beliefe (taking faith for the inward quality) differeth not from another mans; but that all the beleeuing Epheſians, and ſo all true Chriſtians, profeſſe one and the ſame religion, as they worſhip the ſame Lord, and receiue the ſame baptiſme: and therefore ought to agree in peace one with another, and not rHieron. ad Eph. 4.to make the gifts of God diuerſly beſtowed vponupon diuers men, an occaſion of ſchiſme and diuiſion. This might you hauehave learned of ſSalmer. in Euang. prolegom. 14. formul. 8.Alphonſus Salmero a Ieſuite, who brings this place to proue, that nownes, that ſignifie qualities or habits, are taken alſo for the obiects to which they appertaine: as faith ſignifieth (ſaith he) the articles which are beleeued by faith, according to that of Paul: There is one faith. The like hath tBellar. de Iuſtiſ lib. 1. ca. 4. §. Iam vero.Bellarmine. By the name of faith (ſaith he, ſpeaking of this place) the obiect of faith ſeemes to be noted out. So that the ſenſe is, we all beleeue the ſame thing, as we hauehave bene all baptized after the ſame manner. One faith (ſaith uCatharin. ad Eph. 4. 5.Catharin) becauſe we beleeue one thing. And this interpretation is acknowledged for good, by xLombard, Thomas, Caiet. ad Eph. 4.Lombard, Thomas, and Caietane; though they allow of the other alſo: which notwithſtanding I am the bolder to refuſe, becauſe the places you bring out of the fathers, agree better to the former expoſition.
A. D. §. 2.
The ſame is confirmed, with the authoritie of the ancient Fathers. Ser. 4. in natiu. Dom.Niſi vna eſt (ſaith S. Leo) Fides non eſt, dicente Apoſtolo, Vnus Dominus, vna fides, vnum baptiſma. Ʋnleſſe it be one, it is not faith, ſith the Apoſtle ſaith, one Lord one faith, one Baptiſme.
A. W.
yEides integra magnit praeſidium.Faith that is ſound (ſaith zLeo 1. ſer. 4. in N…ti…. ca. 5. In qua nec quicquam augeri poteſt.Leo) faith that is true, is a ſtrong bulwarke; to which faith nothing may be added by any man, from which nothing may be taken; becauſe vnleſſe it be one, it is not faith: ſith the Apoſtle ſaith, one Lord, one faith, one baptiſme. Is it not euident, that he ſpeakes of the points of faith that are to be beleeued? For to them may a man adde, (I ſpeake of power, not of lawfulneſſe) from them may he take; wheras the qualitie of faith ſeated in the ſoule, is free from all ſuch danger. The learned father had found by experience, that hereticks from time to time tooke vponupon them to diminiſh and augment the faith of the Church: that is, the articles of religion; and therefore denieth them to hauehave any faith, that hold not firmly and onelyonly the truth of doctrine, according to the faith of the Church, agreeable to Scripture.
A. D. §. 3.
Omni ſtudio (ſaith S. Hierome) Laborandum eſt, primùm In cap 4 ad Eph.ocurrere in fidei vnitatem. We must labour with all diligence, firſt to meete, in the vnitie of faith.
A. W.
aHieron. ad Eph. 4. 13.Ieroms teſtimonie (wherein either the printer, or you reade vnitatem for vnitate, which is alſo the word in the text) is to the ſame purpoſe, that Leos was. There are (ſaith Ierome) many winds of doctrine, and by their blaſt, when the waues are raiſed, men are caried hither and thither in an vncertaine courſe, and with bVario errore.diuers errors; then follow the words you alledge. Therefore we muſt labour with all diligence, firſt to meete cIn vnitate.in the vnitie of faith then in the ſame vnitie to hauehave the knowledge of the ſonne of God. Which laſt point is added; becauſe dVide Hieron. ibi ad v. 5. 11.of Sabellius, who denied the diſtinction of the perſons, and againſt whom Ierome ſpeaketh profeſſedly in that chapter, as alſo againſt Arius, Macedonius, and Eunomius about the holy Ghoſt, and our Sauiour Chriſt.
A. D. §. 4.
Hanc fidem (ſaith Irenaeus) eccleſia in vniuerſum mundum diſſeminata diligenter cuſtodit, quaſi vnam domum inhabitans: & ſimiliter credit ijs, quaſi vnam animam habens & vnum cor: & conſonanter haec praedicat, & docet, & cradit, quaſi vnum poſſidens os. Nam quamuis in mundo diſſimiles ſint loquelae, tamen virtus traditionis vna & eadem eſt. This faith, the Church ſpread ouer the whole world, doth diligently keepe, as dwelling in one houſe: and doth belieue in one like manner thoſe things, (to wit, which are propoſed for points of faith) as hauing one ſoule and one heart: and doth preach, and teach, and deliuer by tradition thoſe things, after one vniforme manner, as poſſeſſing one mouth. For although there be diuers and different languages in the world, yet the vertue of tradition is One and the ſame. Thus ſaith this Father. By whoſe words we may vnderſtand, not onelyonly, that there is but one faith, but alſo, how it is ſaid to be one; which might ſeeme not to be one, conſidering there are ſo many points or articles, which we beleeue by our faith; and ſo many ſeuerall men, who hauehave in them this faith; yet One (ſaith this Father) it is, becauſe the whole Church doth beleeue thoſe points in one like manner. That is to ſay, becauſe the beliefe of one man, is in all points like, and nothing different from the beliefe of another: or, becauſe eueryevery faithfull man beleeueth eueryevery point or article, for one and the like cauſe, or for mall reaſon: to wit, becauſe God hath reuealed it; and deliuered it to vsus, by his Catholicke Church, to be beleeued, For which reaſon eueryevery one ſhould beleeue, whatſoeuer he beleeueth as a point of Chriſtian faith.
A. W.
eIren. li. 1. 6. 3.Irenaeus (as the two former) ſpeaketh of the articles of religion, many wherof he had recited in fCap. 2.the next chapter before: whereupon he infers the words, you ſet downe. The Church (ſaith he) hauing receiued this doctrine, or preaching of this faith, gEt quidem in vniuerſum mundum.though it be ſpread ouer the whole world, keepes it diligently, &c. And this your ſelfe acknowledge in theſe words, To wit, which are propoſed for points of faith; whereby you expound that which Irenaeus ſaid, The Church beleeues thoſe things; which is all one with his former words in ſenſe. This faith the Church holds. So doth hFevard. ad Iren. lib. 1. cap. 3. annot. 1.Feuardentius one of your learnedſt Fryers vnderſtand Irenaeus, telling vsus, that he ſets the conſent of all Churches, as a braſen wall that cannot be ouerthrowne, againſt hereticks. Of the ſame things (ſaith Feuardentius) they thinke, beleeue, write and teach the ſame.
By this place it is manifeſt that you take faith as it is a qualitie: becauſe you diſtinguiſh the points we beleeue, from our faith, by which we beleeue: and ſo ſpeaking of faith in that ſenſe, neuer a one of your proofes is either plaine or certaine. But let vsus ſee how you interprete Irenaeus. He ſaith, The whole Church doth beleeue iSimiliter.alike: meaning that all beleeue the ſame things; not that the habit by which they beleeue, is of like force & like ſtrength in eueryevery particular Church or man: which neither belongs to his purpoſe, nor is true. kIntentio cumulatior.The intention or inward ſtrength euen of the Catholick faith may be greater in one mā (ſaith lSotus Apol. contra Cathar. cap. 2.Domingo à Soto) then in another: and according to that increaſe, our faith. Therefore your former reaſon which you giuegive, why faith is ſaid to be one, namely becauſe the beleefe of one man is in all points like the beleefe of another, muſt be vnderſtood of likeneſſe, in regard of the articles they beleeue, not of any equalitie in the habit or qualitie it ſelfe: and in that ſenſe onelyonly doth Irenaeus ſay that faith is one. Which (ſaith he) no man by his eloquence maketh greater, no man by his weaknes in ſpeaking of it, leſſe. We ſee (ſaith mFeuardent. vbi ſupra. annot. 11.Feuardentius) that Irenaeus vehemently vrgeth the vnitie of doctrine and conſent of faith, which we affirmed to be one of the notes of the true Church. Therefore whereas you ſaid of Irenaeus, that he affirmes faith to be one, becauſe the whole Church doth beleeue thoſe things (points of faith) in one like manner: you miſtake his meaning, and auow that which is vntrue. It is great pitie, but that ſuch as you are, coming in the name, and by the authority of the Church, ſhould hauehave abſolute credit giuen to that you teach, without doubting or examining it at all.
Your ſecond reaſon, why faith is ſaid to be one, neither agrees with Irenaeus meaning, as appeares by that which hath bene alreadie ſaid, and in the latter part is falſe too: for both it is a fanſie of yours, that God hath deliuered it to vsus by the Catholicke Church, ſince the Prophets, Apoſtles and Miniſters are not the Catholicke Church, but members of it: the laſt, all of them ſeuerally and ioyntly ſubiect to many errors though not fundamentall. And nBellar. de Iuſtif. lib. 1. cap. 5. §. Denique quod.the reaſon of beleeuing, is ſimply and onelyonly the authoritie and will of God made knowne to vsus by the miniſterie of men, the holy Ghoſt enlightening our vnderſtanding, and enclining our hearts to beleeue. But of this matter we muſt ſpeake more at large hereafter.