Answer to Book by Romish Priests, Doctrine 10
X. The Reformers, he ſaith, hold That the Church's Ʋnity is not neceſſary in all points of Faith.
Anſwer.
THIS Writer hath ſo accuſtomed himſelf to Fraud and Deceit, that we can ſcarce hope to have any truth from him. For no Reformers hold any thing of this nature, if by Points of Faith be meant what the Apoſtle means in the Text he quotes; where he ſaith,IV. Epheſ. 5. there is One Faith. Which we believe is neceſſary to make One Church: every part of which, bleſſed be God, at this very day, is baptized into that one and the ſame Faith (and no other) contained in the common Creed of Chriſtians, called the Apoſtles Creed. Therefore ſo far Church Ʋnity is ſtill preſerved. But it is not neceſſary there ſhould be unity in all Opinions that are not contrary to this Faith. Nor ſhould the Differences, which may be among Chriſtians, about ſuch matters, break Unity of Communion. And if they do, thoſe Churches which are thus broken and divided, by not having external communion one with another, may notwithſtanding ſtill remain, both of them, Members of the ſame one Catholick Church, becauſe they ſtill retain the ſame one Catholick Faith. Thus the Aſian and Roman Churches in Pope Victor's time, and the African and Roman in Stephen's time, differed in external Communion, and yet were ſtill parts of one and the ſame Church of Chriſt.
This is more than I need have ſaid in anſwer to him, but I was willing to ſay ſomething uſeful to the Reader; who cannot but ſee that he produces Texts of Scripture to contradict his own Fancies, not our Opinions. We believe as the Apoſtle teaches us,IV. Epheſ. 5. IV. Epheſ. 5. and from thence conclude, That Unity is neceſſary in all points of Faith, truly ſo called; that is, all things neceſſary to be believed. Nor do we differ in any ſuch things; and therefore have the Unity requiſite to one Church.
II. Jam. 10.The ſecond Text II. Jam. 10. ſpeaks not a word of Faith, therefore, inſtead of expreſs words, this man tells us, by a likeneſs of reaſon, it is the ſame in Faith, that it is in Sin: he who denies one Article, denies all. We deny none; but only their New Articles, which are no part of the Ancient Apoſtolick Catholick Faith.
IV. Act. 32.The next, IV. Acts 32. ſpeaks of the Brotherly affection and unanimity that was among the Firſt Chriſtians. And that which follows,1 Cor. I. 10. 1 Cor. I. 10. doth not tell us what was, but what ought to be in the Church: For among thoſe Corinthians there were very great Diviſions, as appears by that very Chapter. Therefore he is ſtill beſide the Book; and very childiſhly objects to us the Sects that are among us, as an Argument we are not the true Believers the Apoſtle ſpeaks of: when the Apoſtolical Churches were not free from them while the Apoſtles lived: nor is the Church of Rome, or any other Church, at ſuch unity, but there are various Sects among them.
He hath little to do, who will trouble himſelf, upon the account of ſuch a Scribler as this, to conſider that heap of Texts which he hath hudled together, without any order, or any regard to his Point he was to prove. What St. Auſtin alſo, and the reſt of his Fathers ſay about Unity, doth not at all concern us: who preſerve that Unity which they have broken, by preſerving that One Faith, from which they of the Church of Rome have departed. For it will not ſuffice them to believe as the Apoſtles did; but they have another Faith of their own deviſing. This is that wherein we cannot unite with them. And all the Unity they brag of, is, in truth, no better than that of the Jews, Hereticks and Pagans: who, as St. Auſtin *De Verbis Domini Serm. VI.ſpeaks, maintain an Ʋnity againſt Ʋnity. In this they combine together to oppoſe that one Faith the Apoſtles delivered, as inſufficient to Salvation. Which is a conſpiracy in Error, rather than unity in the Truth.