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which is built upon the same foundation with herself? And how can it be imagined, that the servants of God cannot be saved now, as in the days of the apostles? Are we wiser than they? are our doctors more learned, or more faithful? Is there another covenant made with the church since their days? or is God less merciful to us, than he was to them? Or hath he made the way to heaven narrower in the end of the world, than at the beginning of the Christian church? Do men live better lives now, than at the first; so that a holy life is so enlarged, that the foundation of faith laid at first is not broad enough to support the new buildings? We find it much otherwise. And men need not enlarge the articles and conditions of faith in these degenerate ages, wherein, when Christ comes, he shall hardly upon earth find any faith' at all: and if there were need, yet no man is able to do it, because Christ only is our Lord and Master,' and no man is master of our faith.

But to come closer to the thing. It is certain, there is nothing simply necessary to salvation now, that was not so always; and this must be confessed by all that admit of the so much commended rule of Vincentius Lirinensis; That which was always and everywhere believed by all; that is the rule of faith:' and, therefore, there can be no new measure, no new article, no new determination, no declaration, obliging us to believe any proposition that was not always believed. And, therefore, as that which was first is true, that which was at first, and nothing else, is necessary. Nay, suppose many truths to be found out by industry, and by Divine assistances, yet no more can be necessary; because nothing of this could ever be wanting to the church. Therefore, the new discovered truth cannot of itself be necessary : neither can the discovery make it necessary to be believed, unless I find it to be discovered and revealed by him, whose very discovery, though accidental, yet can make it necessary, that is, unless I be convinced that God hath spoken it. Indeed, if that happen, there is no further inquiry. But, because there are no new revelations since the apostles died, whatever comes in after them, is only by man's ratiocination: and, therefore, can never go beyond a probability in itself, and never ought to pretend higher, lest God's incommunicable right be invaded, which is to be the Lord of human under

standings. The consequent of all this is, there can be nothing of necessity to be believed, which the church of God, taught by the apostles, did not believe necessary.

SECTION V.

That the Church of Rome pretends to a Power of introducing into the Confessions of the Church, new Articles of Faith; and endeavours to alter and suppress the old Catholic Doctrine.

Now then, having established the Christian rule and measure, I shall, in the next place, show how the church of Rome hath usurped an empire over consciences, offering to enlarge the faith, to add new propositions to the belief of Christians; and imposes them under pain of damnation. And this I prove: 1. Because they pretend to a power to do it. 2. They have reason and necessity to do so, in respect of their interest, and they actually do so both in faith and manners. 3. They use indirect and unworthy arts, that they may do it without reproach and discovery. 4. Having done this, they, by enlarging faith, destroy charity.

1. They pretend to a power to do it. The authorities, which were brought in the first part of the Dissuasive,' did sufficiently prove this; but because they were snarled at, I shall justify and enlarge them, and confirm their sense by others. First, the pope hath authority (as his doctors teach the world) to declare an article of faith, and this is as much as the apostles themselves could do; that is, as the apostles, by gathering the necessary articles of faith, made up a symbol of what things are necessary, and by their imposing this collection on all churches, their baptizing into that faith, their making it a rule of faith to all Christians, did declare, not only the truth, but the necessity of those articles to be learned, and to be believed; so the pope also pretends he can declare. For declaring a thing to be true,' and declaring it to be an article of faith,' are things of vast difference.

a Chap. 1. sect. page 10. edit. Dublin, 1664.

He that declares it only to be true, imposes no necessity of believing it; but if he can make it appear to be true, he, to whom it so appears, cannot but believe it. But if he declares it to be an article of faith, he says, that God hath made it necessary to be known, and to be believed; and if any hath power to declare this, to declare I say, not as a doctor, but as an apostle, as Jesus Christ himself, he is Master and Lord of the conscience. Now that the pope pretends to this, we are fiercely taught by his doctors, and by his laws. Thus the gloss upon the extravagant 'de verborum significatione, cap. cum inter. verb. declaramus,' says, "He being prince of the church, and Christ's vicar, can, in that capacity, make a declaration upon an article of the catholic faith." He can declare it 'authoritativè,' not only as a doctor, but as a prince; by empire and command, as princeps ecclesiæ.' The Sorbon can declare as well as he, upon the catholic faith, if it be only matter of skill and learning; but to declare so, as to bind every man to believe it; to declare so, as the article shall be a point of faith, when before this declaration it was not so 'quoad nos;' this is that, which is pretended by declaring and so this very gloss expounds it; adding to the former words, "The pope can make an article of faith, if an article of faith be taken not properly, but largely, that is, for a doctrine which now we must believe; whereas, before such declaration we were not tied to it."-These are the words of the gloss; the sense of which is this: there are some articles of faith, which are such before the declaration of the church, and some which are, by the church's declaration, made so; some were declared by the Scriptures, or by the apostles; and some by the councils, or popes of Rome: after which declaration, they are both alike, equally necessary to be believed; and this is that which we charge upon them, as a dangerous and intolerable point. For it says plainly, that whereas Christ makes some articles of faith, the pope can make others; for if they were not articles of faith, before the declaration of the pope, then he makes them to be such; and that is truly (according to their own words), 'facere articulum fidei:''this is making an article of faith.' Neither will it suffice to say, that this proposition, so declared, was, before

b Gloss. ibid.

such a declaration, really and indeed, an article of faith in itself; but not in respect of us. For this is all one in several words. For an article of faith is a relative term; it is a proposition which we are commanded to believe, and to confess; and to say, this is an article of faith, and yet that no man is bound to believe it, is a contradiction. Now, then, let it be considered; no man is bound to believe any article till it be declared; as no man is bound to obey a law, till it be promulgated; faith comes by hearing; till there be hearing, there can be no faith; and, therefore, no article of faith. The truth is eternal, but faith is but temporary, and depends upon the declaration. Now, then, suppose any article; I demand, did Christ and his apostles declare it to the church? If not, how does the pope know it, who pretends to no new revelations? If the apostles did not declare it, how were they faithful in the house of God? and how did St. Paul say truly, "I have not failed or ceased," avayyina, to "declare," to annunciate to you all the whole council of God. But if they did say true, and were faithful, and did declare it all; then was it an article of faith, before the pope's declaration; and then it was a sin of ignorance not to believe it,—and of malice, or pusillanimity not to confess it, and a worse sin to have contradicted it. And who can suppose that the apostolical churches and their descendants, should be ignorant in any thing that was then a matter of faith? If it was not then, it cannot now be declared that it was so then; for to declare a thing properly, is to publish what it was before; if it was then, there needs no declaration of it now, unless by declaring, we mean preaching it; and then every parish priest is bound to do it, and can do it as well as the pope. If, therefore, they mean more, as it is certain they do,-then, declaring an article of faith, is but the civiller word for making it. Christ's preaching, and the apostles' imposing it, made it an article of faith, in itself, and to us; other declarations, excepting only teaching, preaching, expounding, and exhorting, we know none, and we need none; for they only could do it, and, it is certain, they did it fully.

But I need not argue, and take pains to prove, that by

• Acts, xx. 27.

declaring they mean more than mere preaching; themselves own the utmost intention of the charge. The pope can 'statuere articulos fidei;' that is more than declare merely; it must be to appoint, to decree, to determine, that such a thing is, of necessity, to be believed unto salvation: and because Luther said the pope could not do this, he was condemned by a bull of pope Leo. But we may yet further know the meaning of this; for their doctors are plain in affirming, that the pope is the foundation, rule and principle of faith.' So Turrecremata: "For to him it belongs to be the measure and rule, and science of things that are to be believed, and of all things which are necessary to the direction of the faithful unto life eternal.”-And again, "It is easy to understand that it belongs to the authority of the pope of Rome, as to the general and principal master and doctor of the whole world, to determine those things which are of faith; and by consequence to publish a symbol of faith to interpret the senses of Holy Scriptures: to approve and reprove the sayings of every doctor belonging to faith."

Hence comes it to pass, that "the doctors say, that the apostolical see is called the mistress and mother of faith." And what can this mean; but to do that which the apostles could not do; that is, to be lords over the faith of Christendom? For to declare only an article of faith, is not all they challenge; they can do more. As he is pope, he can not only declare an article of faith, but introduce a new one: and this is that, which I suppose Augustinus Triumphus to mean, when he says, "Symbolum novum condere ad papam solum spectat:" and, if that be not plain enough, he addsi, "As he can make a new creed, or symbol of faith; so he can multiply new articles, one upon another." For the conclusion of this particular, I shall give a very considerable instance, which relies not upon the credit and testimony of their doctors, but is matter of fact, and notorious to all the world. For it will be to no purpose for them to deny

d Art. 27. Certum est in manu ecclesiæ aut Papæ prorsus non esse, statuere articulos fidei, &c., f Idem ibid.

e Turrecrem. lib. ii. cap. 107.

Extravag. de verb. signific. cap. Quia quorundam gloss.

h Que. 59. art. 1.

i Art. 2.

* Vide Salmeron. prolog. in comment. in epist. ad Roman. part 3. p. 176. Sect. Tertiò dicitur.

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