Apology for the Reformed Churches, Title page – Table of contents
AN APOLOGIE FOR THE REFORMED CHURCHES; Wherein is ſhew'd The neceſsitie of their ſeparation from the Church of Rome: Againſt thoſe who accuſe them of making a Schiſme in Chriſtendome. BY JOHN DAILLE Paſtor of the Reformed Church at PARIS. Tranſlated out of French. And a Preface added; containing THE JUDGEMENT OF AN UNIVERSITY-MAN, concerning Mr. Knot's laſt book againſt Mr. Chillingworth.
Printed by Th. Buck, Printer to the Ʋniverſitie of Cambridge. MDCLIII.
To the Right Worſhipfull the Maſter, Wardens, and Aſſiſtants of the Honourable Company of Mercers, LONDON.
Right Worſhipfull;
THough I am very much obliged to the Authour of this Book, and other friends, for whoſe ſake I tranſlated it; yet I am to none more than unto You, whoſe bounty enabled me: of which I have been a partaker, untill the yeare laſt paſſed, ever ſince the fifth of my age, through my education at S. Pauls Schole. And that it is not ſtill continued to me, is not any cauſe in You, but my ſuperannuation.
Thus (though my catalogue be ſhort) I have reckoned up almoſt all the friends I have living; which (as my books) I ever deſired might be few and good; if they be not, it ſhall never be my fault.
And with You, (whom I number among the chief of them) I here deal as Sinaeta in the Perſian ſtory did with Artaxerxes; who knowing it was the cuſtome of the Countrey to offer the King ſomewhat, each time he rid abroad, meeting him accidentally, and having nothing in readineſſe, ran to the river-ſide, where ſnatching up his hands full of water, he preſented it to his Soveraigne, crying, foreign Who conſidering the gratefull mind wherewith it came, graciouſly accepted it.
If You ſhall, in like manner, vouchſafe to look upon this ſmall book; which is preſented (with the ſame affection, and with my hearty prayers to God for the continuance of His Bleſſings on You, and your Munificence to poor Students) as a tender of my many humble thanks, which I ſhall ever acknowledge due to You, I ſhall think it (next to the glory of God, and converſion of ſouls) the greateſt reward to this devoir, that can be hoped for, by
Your obliged ſervant, THO. SMITH. Chriſts-Coll. Cambr. Aug. 2. 1653.
A Table of the Chapters.
I. THE occaſion and importance of this Treatiſe Page 1
II. The neceſſity of an union among believers pag. 2
III. That it is ſometimes lawfull to ſeparate from a company of men, profeſſing Chriſtianitie p. 3
IV. That our ſeparation from the Church of Rome, was not made raſhly, wilfully, or unneceſſarily. p. 6
V. Reaſons of our ſeparation from Rome, founded upon the diverſity of our beliefs p. 8
VI. That our ſeparation ariſeth not from particular matters of fact, or private opinion; but from ſuch things as are believed generally, by all the Romane Church. And ſo, that it is not like to the ſchiſme of the Donatiſts. p. 13
VII. That there are two ſorts of Errours; the one overthrows the foundation of faith, and obliging man to ſeparate; and the other not. That the opinions of the Church of Rome, which we reject, are of the firſt ſort; and thoſe of the Lutherans are of the ſecond p. 18
VIII. That the adoration of the Euchariſt, as it is practiſed by the Church of Rome, doth overthrow the foundation of piety and religion p. 26
IX. That the opinion of the Lutherans, which we bear withall, doth not bring with it the adoration of the Euchariſt, either de jure, or de facto p. 32
X. That the dignity and excellencie of the Euchariſt, doth not hinder it from being a mortal ſinne to adore it, if it be bread in ſubſtance, as we believe it to be p. 37
XI. That the opinion which thoſe of the Romane Church have of the Euchariſt, excuſeth not ſuch as adore it p. 45
XII. The errour of thoſe, who think they may give to the Hoſt of the Church of Rome, that reverence which ſhe commandeth, without adoring it p. 55
XIII. That he who believeth the Euchariſt to be bread in ſubſtance, cannot give it the reverence which is practiſed in the Church of Rome, without evident falſhood, hypocriſie, and perfidiouſneſſe. p. 61
XIV. That every man who exerciſeth the ceremonies and ſervices which the Church of Rome renders to the Hoſt, declareth thereby that he adoreth it, and taketh it for his true and eternall God. p. 65
XV. An anſwer to the example of Naaman the Syrian, objected by ſome p. 72
XVI. That to think it is lawfull for a man to exerciſe the ceremonies of a Religion which he believeth not, doth by conſequence diminiſh the glory of, and caſt a ſlur upon the Martyrs p. 78
XVII. That this diſſembling is condemned by our Lord in the Scriptures p. 81
XVIII. That this diſſembling, grievouſly offendeth God, and ſcandalizeth men. p. 85
XIX. That there are many other beliefs in the Church of Rome, which overthrow the foundations of our faith and ſalvation, as the Veneration of images, the Supremacie of the Pope, &c. p. 91
XX. A concluſion of this Treatiſe. That They, who are of our perſwaſion, are obliged to forſake the communion of Rome; and, They who are not, are to prove and trie their own faith, before they condemne our ſeparation from them.