The By-Way, Treatise · Section 26
SECT. XXVI. The Concluſion of this Treatiſe, ſhewing in ſundrie particulars, the certaintie and ſafetie of the Protestant, and the vncertaintie and danger of the Romiſh Way.
THe Philoſopher tels vsus, that Trueth and Falſhood are neere neighbours, & the outmoſt poſtes of their doores are both alike; yet their way is contrary: for the one leadeth vntounto life, the other vntounto death. If we ſhal inquire further how to diſtinguiſh the houſe of Truth from the houſe of Errour, hee giues this Character. The doore of Falſhood is painted and beautifully adorned, but the doore of Trueth is plaine and homely; and heereby it appeares, that many times men are deceiued, and miſtake the doore, and goe into Errours houſe, when they ſeeke the Trueth.
Theſe two wayes I hauehave briefly ſuruayed, and diſtinguiſhed by two ſeuerall Titles, The Safe way, an… The By way: The one (like the houſe of Trueth) is plaine and naked, and knowne only by the Scriptures; and this is Via Tuta, a certaine & Safe way. The other (like the houſe of Falſehood) is adorned with ſpecious ſhewes, and colourable pretences of Traditions, of Fathers, of Coūcels, of a pompous outſide, of an eminent and glorious Church; and this is Via Deuia, an vncertaine and By-way. Let vsus looke back, and take a ſhort view of the particulars.
We ſay the Scripture is a ſure, euident, & perfect rule of Faith, and this is Via Tuta, a certaine and Safe way: They ſay the Scripture is ambiguous, obſcure, and inſufficient; and this is Via Deuia, an vncertaine and By-way.
Wee ſay, all Traditions concerning Faith and maners, that can bee proued by Scriptures, are of equall authority with the Scriptures; and this is Via Tuta, a certaine and Safe way: They ſay, that diuers Traditions of faith and manners, wherof there is no ground nor euidence in the Scriptures, are to bee receiued with equall reuerence, & religious reſpect, as the Scriptures themſelues; and this is Via Deuia, an vncertaine and By-way.
Wee ſay, the vndoubted writings of the ancient Fathers are to be followed, according to their owne rule, ſo farre as they diſagree no from the Scriptures; and this is Via Tuta, Bulla Pij 4 pro Forma Iuramenti &c.a certaine and Safe way: They ſay, and take an oath, to follow the iudgement of the Fathers, making no diſtinction of true and doubtful Authors, nor limiting their doctrine to the Scriptures; and this is Via Deuia, an vncertaine and By-way.
Wee ſay, that Generall Councells lawfully called, are of great authoritie, and ſingular vſe in the Church, to determine Controuerſies of Religion, but yet are ſubiect vntounto errour; and this is Via Tuta, a certaine and Safe way: They ſay, that Generall Councells called and confirmed by the Pope, are of an infallible auhoritie; and their Decrees are to be obeyed vnderunder a curſe by all Chriſtians; and this is Via Deuia, an vncertaine and By-way.
We ſay, the Church is a Congregation of Paſtors, & people, wherin the word of God is truely preached, and the Sacraments rightly adminiſtred, and theſe are Eſſentiall marks of the true Church, and this is Via Tuta, a certaine and Safe way. They ſay, ſometimes a Councell, ſometimes a Pope and his Conſiſtorie, ſometimes the Pope alone, is the Church, & the marks of their Church are amplitude, and ſplendor, and miracles, &c. and this is Via Deuia, an vncertaine and By-way.
Wee ſay, the Rocke vponupon which the Church is built, is Christ; and this is Via Tuta, a certaine and Safe way: They ſay, the Rocke is the Succeſſion of Popes deriued from Peter; and this is Via Deuia, an vncertaine and By-way.
We ſay, the effect of the Sacraments depends vponupon the Inſtitution of Chriſt; and this is Via Tuta, a certaine and Safe way: They ſay, the efficacie of the Sacraments depends vponupon the Intention of the Prieſt; and this is Via Deuia, an vncertaine and By-way.
We ſay, we ought to call vponupon God by Chriſt, and that he is our Mediator who onelyonly knowes the ſecrets of our hearts, and ſits at the right hand of God, to make interceſſion for vsus: And this is Via Tuta a certaine and Safe Way: They ſay, wee ought to vſe Saints and Angels for Interceſſors, when as they hauehave no commiſſion from God to preſent our prayers, nor can know the ſecrets of the heart, nor hauehave wee any aſſurance that they heare us at all, and this is Via Deuia, an Vncertaine and By-Way.
We ſay wee ought to adore Chriſts bodily preſence in Heauen where he ſits at the right hand of the Father, according to the Apoſtles Creed: and this is Via Tuta, the certaine and Safe Way: They ſay, wee ought to adore Chriſts very body and bloud in the Pix, vnderunder the accidents of Bread and Wine, according to their Trent Creed, and this is Via Deuia, an vncertaine and By-Way.
Laſtly, we ſay that we are all vnprofitable ſeruants, and no man liuing can bee iuſtified in the ſight of God by his owne merits; and therefore all that expect ſaluatiō muſt lay hold on Chriſt by a liuely faith, and wholly rely vponupon his merits only; & this is Via Tuta, a certaine and Safe way: They ſay, that the Law of God may be fulfilled in this life, and that they can merit and performe workes of Supererrogation, and accordingly they rely partly vponupon their merits, & partly vponupon their ſuperabūdant ſatisfaction of Saints, for their Saluation, and this is Via Deuia, an vncertaine and By-Way.
Thus I hauehave ſet before you Truth and Error, Light and darkeneſſe, the Safe Way, and the By-Way. GiueGive Me leaue therefore by way of Concluſion to adiure You in the ſacred forme of words, ſometimes vſed by the great Prophet,Deut. 30.19 and faithfull Seruant of God. I call Heauen and Earth to record this day againſt you, that I hauehave ſet before you life and death, bleſsing and curſing, therefore chuſe life, that both thou and thy ſeed may liue.
foreign.
End of the text · Humphrey Lynde, The By-Way (1630)