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WHerevnto it may bee answered, that in Paganism•• in∣deede there was nothing could saue, nor no word of grace, but in the most ignorant and corrupt
tyme of Poperie, there was ever so much light and knowledge to bee had of the mysterie of redemption, and principles of fayth, lyke good Golde mixed with drosse, and good Seede, tho growing amongst Tares; that who-so-ever of our fore-fathers, did adjoyne them∣selues to the common ensigne of the Christian name, and had the knowledge of the common Arti∣cles of fayth, (in the vnitie where∣of all doe agree, and vpon the sole profession whereof, admis∣sion hath ev••r beene by Baptisme into the Church of CHRIST,) and with this meane measure of saving and sound knowledge, whosoever joyned an holie and righteous lyfe, and speciallie died relying onelie for salvation on the merites of CHRIST, (as allmost all did) these (I say) in a safe and holie simplicitie, contenting themselues in those tymes, with the former measure of knowledge, and beeing ignorant of the manie erroures of Poperie, which make
vp the mysterie of iniquitie, died (wee hope charitablie) vnder the mercie of GOD, and are sa∣ved eternallie.
Neyther was it to bee accoun∣ted a small happinesse to them, that that by that invincible ignorance wherein they were detayned, wanting the meanes of farder knowledge, and which was then counted the mother of devotion, they were fred from the guiltinesse of these erroures, which other∣wayes might haue proven so pre∣judiciall to their soules, so that their sober simplicitie, contenting themselues with the common prin∣ciples of Christian Religion, and not suffered to dy••e into the bot∣tome of such mysteries, (as are indeede the deepnesse of Satan) was to them a happie sort of igno∣rance, lyke Adams, not knowing of evill in his estate of Innocencie, which thereafter hee too well knew.
But as for them who now liue in the time of the light of the Gos∣pell,
when these foggie mistes are dispelled, which arose before out of the bottomlesse pit, and ob∣scured both Sunne and Ayre; that is,* 1.1 (as sayeth their Valentia) when some doctrines of fayth were bu∣ried in darknesse & overwhelmed as it were there-with, by errour, malice, or negligence of men: such men (I say) who in so cleare Sunne-shyne, will yet remayne in willfull errour and ignorance, refusing to heare GOD'S Word, the ordinarie meane of knowledge and conversion, vpon all such is our Saviours speach spoken of the Iewes, verified, If I had not come and spoken vnto them,* 1.2 they should not haue had sinne: and therefore, as it is sayde, This shall bee their just condemnation, that light is come vnto the world, but they haue loved darknesse rather than the light. The lyke whereof can neyther bee sayde of those who then lived in the tyme of prevay∣ling Poperie, nor of such as liue
in these places now where the crueltie of inquisition, and Po∣perie as yet onelie dominiereth, the estate of such beeing onelie, the want of the meanes of the knowledge of the trueth; but the errour of the other beeing a per∣verse disposition, that they will not hearken to instruction, nor imbrace the trueth.
Of both which sortes, (sayeth S. Cy∣prian)* 1.3 If anie of our Elders haue not observed these thinges, ••yther through ignorance or sim∣plicitie, nor haue helde that which our LORD hath, both by His example and doctrine taught vs, the LORD may pardon (sayth hee) the simplicitie of such men: but wee can not bee pardoned at all, who beeing now admoni∣shed, and instructed by the LORD, yet reject these admoni∣tions and instruction▪ of His: the first sort beeing onlie lyke those who followed Absolon, ignorantlie in his rebellion agaynst DAVID
his father, and therefore as being excuseable, are sayde in holie writ, to haue done this in the simplicitie of their heart; whereas the other are lyke the complotters with him, and treasonable adhearers to him, even to the ende.
Valen¦tom. 3. d••sp. 1. q. 1. p. 6. col. 102▪
Iohn 15. 22
Cyprian Epist. 63. 13