A Case for the Spectacles, Chapter 18 – Title page 2
Concerning the confession of all sides for the safety of the Protestant Religion; Spectacles, Chapter 18. à page 509. us{que} ad finem.
THAT the ground of safety which the Knight thinketh he taketh from Catholikes, is foolish, impertinent, and without sense as he setteth it downe; for thus he saith, it is the safer way to persist in that Church, where both sides agree that salvation may be had, then where one part standeth single by themselves in opinion: for I would know what Church is that wherein there be two sides to agree or disagree? or what Church that is, that doth not stand single in opinion by it selfe, if it be a Church of a different faith (as we speake here of a Church?) A Church must have unity, it being a company of men, all professing the same faith and Religion, therefore it is plaine there is no sense in this principle of his.
I would aske him whether the Protestants doe not stand single as well as we, by affirming of what we deny, or denying what we affirme: or rather whether he and his Church be not so much more single then we, as they have not one on their sides for every million, which we have or have had on ours.
By the Knights argument, a man may prove any haeresie that ever was, nay, Iudiasme and Turcisme to be a safer way then the Catholike, or even the Knights Protestant faith: for Arius may say, he agreeth with us Catholikes in all things, save onelyonly in the Divinity of the second Person of Trinity, whom he acknowledgeth with us to be an Holy Man: and that we stand single by our selves in the assertion of his Divinity. Macedonius may say the same of the Holy-Ghost: Nestorius of the plurality of persons in Christ: Eutyches of the singularity of Natures: Sergius Pyrrus, and the Monothelites of the unity of will in Christ: Ebion, Ceri…thus, Marcion, and almost all haeretikes in their severall haeresies, may say as the Knigh… doth, of the points controverted, that we stand single by our selves in them: and so it is the safer way to beleeve onelyonly that wherin they and wee agree; nay, the Iewes may make the same argument thus, That they agree with us, that there is one God Creatour of heaven and earth, and that the old Testament is Canonicall Scripture; for the rest wee stand single: and the Turke may say that hee agreeth with us, that Christ was an holy man, and a Prophet; for the rest wee stand single: and therefore hee is in the safer way.
What can the Knight say for defence of his Argument? For though Iewes and Turkes doe not agree with us in the profession of the Christian Faith, yet I see not why that should be necessary by the Knights Argument; and thereby a man may see what a good guide he is, and how safe a way he goeth: and whether the saying of Salomon be not truly verified of his Safe Way; Prov. 14.12.There is a way which seemeth to a man straight, and the end of it leadeth to death, and consequently to hell: for what other is the end of Heresie, Judaisme, and Turcisme? whereto the Knights rule doth leade all such as will be ruled thereby.
The Hammer.
SEmper ego auditor tantum nunquam ne reponam? Hitherto the Knight held up his Buckler, and stood upon his owne defence: but here hee setteth upon his Adversarie, closeth with him, wresteth his owne Sword out of his hand, and therewith giveth him as many wounds as Iulius Caesar received in the Senate. For, besides the 12. Articles of Pope Pius the fourth his Creed., in all which, the Papists stand single, hee instanceth in eleven points more, wherein the Papists agree with us in our affirmative positions, but they alone maintaine their affirmative addition; wherupon hee condemneth the Iesuit as Christ doth the Evill Servant in the Gospell, out of his owne mouth thus:
That Religion is lesse safe, in which the Professours stands single, than that in which the parties, other wayes dissident, agree.
But in all or most of the affirmative points of Popish Religion, they stand single; but in all such positive points of the reformed Faith, not only Papists, but in a manner all Christians of the world concurre with us.
Therefore the Popish Religion, by the Iesuits owne rule, is lesse safe.
To illustrate this by a few instances, the positive points of our Doctrine are chiefly these:
1. That the three Creeds; the Apostles, the Nicene, and that of Athanasius are to be received upon paine of damnation.
2. That religious worship is due to God.
3. That God is to be called upon.
4. That Christ is h…ad of the Church.
5. That hee is our Mediatour and Advocate.
6. That hee was conceived without sinne.
7. That wee are saved by his merits and satisfaction.
8. That the Scripture is a rule of Faith.
9. That there are two and twenty Canonicall Bookes of the old Testament.
10. That the originals in the Greek and Hebrew are authenticall.
11. That there are two Sacraments of the new Testament, Baptisme, and the Lords Supper.
12. That Children of the Faithfull are to bee christened.
13. That in Baptisme, water is necessarily to be used.
14. That Christ is truly present at his Supper; and that the worthy Receiver is by faith made spiritually partaker of the true and reall body and blood of Christ.
15. That the Sacrament may be administred in both kinds.
16. That the Images of Christ and his Saints may serve for Ornaments and Memorials, and that there is a lawfull historicall use of them.
17. That Peter had a Primacie of Order among the Apostles.
18. That there are two places for soules departed, Heaven and Hell.
19. That there are three holy Orders in the Church, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons.
20. That Confession to a Priest, in case the Conscience be troubled with any grievous Sin, is profitable and behoovefull.
To all these points, and many more like unto these, the Papists assent; but in all their additions they stand single, as namely:
1. That a fourth Creed made by Pius the fourth, is likewise to be received under paine of damnation.
2. That religious worship is due to Saints.
3. That Saints and Angels are to be called upon.
4. That the Pope is the visible head of the Church.
5. That Saints are our Mediatours and Advocates.
6. That the Virgin Mary also was conceived without sinne.
7. That wee are justified and saved in part by our owne Merits, and superabundant satisfactions of Saints.
8. That Tradition is a rule of Faith as well as Scripture.
9. That besides those two and twenty, there are other Books of the old Testament, to wit, Tobit, Judith, Baruch, The Wisdome of Salomon, Ecclesiasticus, and the Maccabees, to be admitted into the number of Canonicall Scriptures.
10. That the vulgar Latin translation of the Scripture is most pure and authenticall.
11. That besides Baptisme and the Lords Supper, there are five other Sacraments; Confirmation, Order, Penance, Matrimonie, and Extreme Vnction.
12. That Gallies and Bels may, and ought to be christened.
13. That besides Water; Creame, Salt, and Spittle are to be used in Baptisme.
14. That Christ is present in the Sacrament by Transubstantiation, and that his body and blood is not onelyonly received spiritually by Faith, but also carnally by the mouth.
15. That the Sacrament of the Lords Supper may lawfully be administred to the Laity in one kind onelyonly.
16. That besides an historicall, there is a religious use of Images; and that they are to bee worshipped.
17. That Peter had not onelyonly a Primacie of Order, but a power also, and jurisdiction over the Apostles.
18. That besides Heaven and Hell, there is a third place of abode for soules, to wit, Purgatorie; and a fourth also, termed Limbus infantum.
19. That besides those three holy Orders of Bishops, Prists, and Deacons, there are others, as namely, Exorcists, Acolyts, &c.
20. That confession of every knowne Sin to a Priest, is necessarie.
Now because Negatives are not properly Articles of Faith, but Positives or Affirmatives; it appeareth evidently, that the Faith of the reformed Churches is assented to by Papists themselves, and all Christians in the world, and therfore is most certain & safe by the confession on all sides: wheras the Popish additions, wherein we stand onelyonly upon the Negative, and they are to make good the Affirmative, are assented to by none but themselves; and therefore by the Iesuits rule, are weak, doubtful, and lesse safe. This is Vulcaneum telum et argumentum palmarium, the main and principall argument whereby the Knight demonstrateth the title of his Booke; and hee is so confident of it, that if that be to be accounted the safer way, wherein different parties agree both in one, as the Iesuit laid it downe in the former chapter, hee will joyne issue with all Papists in the world in this very point: and if in this hee make not good the title of his Booke, that wee are therefore in the safer way, because they agree in the principall and Positive points of Religion with our Doctrine; hee will reconcile himselfe to the Roman Church, and creepe upon all foure to his Holinesse for a Pardon. At this the Iesuit is so mad, that he fometh at the mouth, and raveth, saying,Pag. 512. That to creepe upon all foure is a very fit gate for men so devoid of reason, as to make such Discourses, and to use such malicious insinuations, as if men used to creepe upon all foure to the Pope,
Parce sepulto
Parce pias scelerare manus:
be not so inhumane and barbarous, in tearing the fame of the dead; there is no cause at all given of such rage and furie. The Knight doth herein no way blaspheme, or falsly traduce Dominum deum Papam; for those that ordinarily kisse the Popes toe, unlesse his Holinesse be the more courteous to hold up his foot the higher, must needs be neere creeping on all foure. To say nothing of Dandalus King of Creete and Cyprus who was upon all foure, and that under the Table before the Popes Holinesse, as Iewell in his Apologie, and the defence thereof undeniably proveth out of good Authors against Mr. Harding; yet the Knight in this place chargeth not the Pope with any such imperious demand of Luciferian pride: but onelyonly professeth what penance hee would willingly enjoyne himselfe, if hee should abuse the Reader, and not make good the Title of his booke by the argument above propounded; against which, what the Iesuit here particularly Articleth and objecteth, I will now consider.
To the first. The words which the Iesuit would make seem so ridiculous, are related by the Knight, as their owne words not ours, as any may perceive by the Preface to them, therefore say they, and by this that they are written in a lesser Character, and is it not senslesse in the Iesuit, and most ridiculous to laugh at himselfe, and put his owne nonsense upon the Knight, who taking the Iesuits words as he found them, scorning to nible at syllables, interpreted the Iesuits words at the best, and taking his meaning, joynes issue with him upon the point in this manner. In a Church professing Christianity, where the Scriptures of the old and new Testament are received, and the two Sacraments instituted, by Christ administred, suppose we there to be two sorts of Professors, either publikely allowed as in France, or at least tollerated, as in other Kingdomes, both these entituling themselves to be members of the pure Orthodox Church, and neither of them having beene particularly condemned in any generall Councell, received through the Christian world; the probleme then is, whether of these two, that party is not in the safer way, who holdeth no positive Article of faith, to which both parties (besides all other Christians) give not their assent unto: then the other who maintaineth twelve Articles of faith at least, wherein they themselves stand single, and are forsaken by all Christians, not onelyonly of the reformed Churches, in England, France, Germany, Denmarke, Swethland, Norway, Poland, Transylvania, but also in the Eastern, and Greek Churches dispersed through the large Dominions of the Turke in Europe, Asia, and Africa. But thus it standeth betweene us and Papists, all the positive Articles which we hold necessary to salvation, they themselves, and all other Christian Churches in the world assent unto: whereunto the Church of Rome hath added many other positive Articles in joyning all under paine of damnation to beleeve them; in all which additions, she standeth alone by her selfe: therefore it is safer to adhere to the doctrine and faith of the reformed Churches, then the Pope his new Trent Creed. The Iesuits exceptions against this argument are very idle, and all his instances in Turkes, Iewes, and Haeretikes, nothing to the purpose: for the unbeleeving Iewes and Turkes never were, nor yet are members of the Catholike Christian Church: the Arians, Nestorians, Eutychians, and Marcionites have beene long agoe excluded out of the true Church of Christ, and their Haeresies are by name condemned in ancient generall Councells approved by the whole Christian world. These therefore come not within the verge of the Knights proposition, which is restrained to Christian Churches, and such whose Tenets have not in particular as yet beene cryed downe, and censured as erroneous in any oecumenicall Councell: among such, doubtlesse those are in the safer way, who hold nothing for an Article of faith necessary to salvation, which is not clearely deduced out of Holy Scripture, and assented unto, even by the opposite part, whose testimony, saith the Iesuit, Page 498. must needs proceede from evidence of truth.
To the second. The Iesuit hath received answer already to the former of these demands, where I shewed by twenty instances that we stand not single as they doe, by affirming what they deny, and denying what they affirme: for the most, if not all the affirmative Articles of our Creed, are firmed and subscribed by Papists themselves, whereas their additionalls to them are firmed by none but themselves: and therefore herein our cause hath a great advantage on theirs. For if their beliefe be true, our beliefe in all the affirmative Articles thereof must needs be so; but not on the contrary, because they have many affirmative Articles which we give no credit unto. To his second demand I answer, that though a multitude of Professors is no perpetuall and infallible marke of the true Church:Luke 12.32. Matth. 7.13. Apoc. 13.17. Apoc. 20.2. Apoc 17.4. The woman arrayed in purple and scarlet, called The Whore of Babylon, had a cup of gold in her hand, &c. Apoc. 13.3. All the world wondered, and followed the Beast. & ver. 8. All that dwell upon the e…rth shall worship him▪ whose names …re not written in the Booke of Life. for Christs flocke is but a little flocke in comparison, and broade is the way that leadeth to death and destruction; and though it is true that in the latter and worser ages of the Church, especially after the yeare 666. which is the number of the name of the Beast, and much more after the thousandth yeare wherein Satan was let loose, the Romish Church was much more visible to the eye of the world then the Protestant, as it is prophecied in the Apocalypse the 16.6. that the false and malignant Church should be farre more glorious and pompous then the true Spouse of Christ: yet in the first and best ages of the Church, our adversaries have not so much as one single witnesse, who can be proved to have given testimony to their Trent faith, and since the happy reformation began by Martin Luther in King Henry the eights dayes, the better part of Europe is fallen from the Pope; adde we to them all those, who in Asia and Africa professe the Christian faith, and yet acknowledge not the Pope, nor subscribe to the Trent faith: and it will appeare we have neere a thousand for one in the Catholike visible Church scattered far and wide over the face of the earth, as may be seene in the Mapps set forth in a booke printed the last yeare, and intituled Christianographie, or the Description of the multitude and sundry sorts of Christians in the World, not subject to the Pope, with their unity, and how they agree with the Protestants in the principall points of difference betweene them and the Church of Rome.
To the third. If the argument bee so weake, let the Iesuit remember that it is his owne, and that he confesseth as much in the first words of this Chapter, which are these, The substance of this Section is contained in the title, and it is nothing but to turne the Catholike argument, mentioned in the former Section the other way for the Protestant side. The argument then is a Catholike argument of their owne, and if it make for Haeretikes, Iewes, and Turkes, as he saith it doth, the blame and shame thereof must light upon the Iesuits, that first framed it, and not upon the Knight who retorteth it onelyonly upon them: for thus it mooveth upon their Axletree, that wherein Professors of different religions both agree, is safer to beleeve then that wherein they stand single, but Iewes and Christians agree in the beliefe of the old Testament; Christians and Turkes agree in the truth of Christs humane nature, in other points the Christians are single, therfore the beliefe of a Iew or a Turke is safer then the beliefe of a Christian. The conclusion is here false and blasphemous, the minor or assumption is evidently true, and confessed on all sides: the fault therfore must needs be in the major or ground of this argument, but the major or ground is your owne, as will appeare by reducing the Iesuits Argument, propounded in the former Section, into forme: That Church wherein parties of a different Religion, as Papists and Protestants agree, is a safer way than that wherein one party stand single. But Papists and Protestants both agree, that salvation may be had in the Romish Church; but the Protestants stand single, in that they say, salvation may be had in the Protestant Church: therefore it is safer living and dying in the Papists Church than in the Protetestant. In this Syllogisme, the Knight and all Protestants, though they answer to the Assumption by distinguishing, as is expressed in the former chapter: yet they simply & absolutely deny the Major, which is not universally true, nor at all necessarie. Secondly, Dato & non concesso: that the Major is true, the Knight nimbly turnes the mouth of the Papists owne Canon, to batter their owne walls, thus: That position, say you, in which both Papists and Protestants agree, is safer than that wherein one partie standeth single: but in the eleven Points mentioned by the Knight, Papists and Protestants agree: in the twelve Articles coyned by Pope Pius the fourth, the Papists stand single; therefore the Protestant Faith is the safer.
To the fourth. A strange Argument, for the Iesuit to conclude other mens sight from his owne blindnesse: because hee seeth not how the Knight can avoid the instances in Jewes, Heretikes, and Turkes, whereby hee goeth about to disable the Knight his retorted Argument; therfore will hee inferre, that any man may see that the Knight is no good guide. For pitty let some fit the Iesuit with a paire of Spectacles, that he may better see the Knight his way, and his own wandrings. *How far the Romish Religiō is distant from Heresie, Iudaisme, and Turcisme, or rather trencheth upon all three; See P: Croy his booke of Conformities, and Sutcliffe his Turco papismus.Iews and Turks are out of the Christian Church, hold not all Positive Articles necessary to salvation, and therefore they come not in the Knights way at all; nor hath hee to doe with them in this Argument, which proceedeth from professed Christians, and not open enemies to the Faith. For the Knight from his heart detesteth all pathes leading to any of those dangerous precipices; and chaulketh to all men Viam vere tutam, certam, rectam & regiam; a faire and Safe Way, and the very Kings High-way to his Pallace, wherein wee have Christ and his Apostles for our Leaders; the holy Spirit for our Guide; the blessed Angels for our Convoy; the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church for our fellow Travellers through the whole, and the best learned of the Romane Popes, Cardinals, Bishops, and Schoolemen to beare us companie the greater part of our way. Wherefore, I doubt not, but that the indifferent peruser of the Knights Book, and the Iesuits Answer, and my Reply unto it; will breake out into the Apostles exclamation, and say to this Romish Sorcerer, Acts 3.13.or rather if hee will so, false Spectacle-maker, Flood: O full of all subtiltie and mischiefe, thou child of the devill, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right way of the LORD?
FINIS.
Laus DEO sine fine.
A SERMON PREACHED AT THE FVNERALL OF THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL, Sir Humphrey Lynd, Knight.
A Cobham, June the 14th. 1636.
By DANIEL FEATLEY, Doctor in Divinitie.
NVMB: 23.10.
Let my last end be like unto his.
LONDON, Printed by M. Parsons, for Robert Milbourne, at the signe of the Vnicorne in Fleet-street, neere Fleet Bridge. 1638.