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T. W. Dissentions among the Protestants are not meerely personall, or about points a diaphorous, but they concerne most profound doubts of their religion; since otherwise they would neuer anathematize or condemne one another with such acerbity of words. And it is affirmed, by D. Willetf,
D. Whitakere, and Lutherf, that the differences are not in small points of gouernment and ceremonie, &c.
Answ. 1. Master White acknowledgeth, that there be differences and iarres among the Protestantsg. 2. He denieth that there is any such discord, or difference a∣mong them as dissolueth the vnitie of faith, essentiall to the true Church. 3. The difference among the Prote∣stants is no other, then such as hath formerly bene in the true Church of Christh, since the Apostles age. 4. Com∣ming home to the Church of England, he affirmeth that there is no contrarietie or iarres betweene the same and other Protestant Churches; or at home in it selfe, in points of faith, meaning (according to Stapletoni, and Thomask their distinction) in primitiue articles of faith, or about things essentiall in the obiect of faith. But the difference is either in accidentall, probable, and secon∣dary points, or touching things difficult in religion, for the searching out of the veritie whereof, it is profitable, that learned men proceeding modestly, dispute pro and conl: Or else the disagreement is personall, either a∣mong priuate men, or raised by priuate men, schismati∣cally and factiously against the Church.m
Now, what hath D. Whites aduersary to except a∣gainst this? 1. If he dispute the question of vnity in it selfe, the Scripture, & Fathers, and the History of the Church will conuince him, that vnity in the substance of faith and religion obserued by the firmest members of the Church, is simply necessary and an essentiall proper∣tie; and other vnitie is of the perfection and wel-being of the Church, and yet contingent and variable, some∣times greater, sometimes lesse; and at no time absolute in all the parts: and the same many times by reason of
the malice of wicked impes, is greatly wanting. In the daies of Constantine, wherein it is acknowledged by all men, that the visible Societie of Christians was a true Church, there hapned so greeuous and vnseemely con∣tentions among the Bishops and Pastors: that the dis∣cord of Christians was brought vpon the stage, and reli∣gion derided and traduced by infidels.
Saint Augustine acknowledgeth that the concord of godly men in this life, wherein they are not perfect, but pro∣ficient, is sometimes interrupted with discord, & dissentiō ariseth euen among brethrenm and Saintsn. And there be diuers things, (saith he) wherein the best learned and most worthy defenders of the Catholike rule, without preiu∣dice to the body of faith do not accord, and one of them spea∣keth more truly then another of the same thing.
2. The Popish Priest endeuouring to impeach the truth of D. Whites assertion in matter of fact, and con∣cerning his report of the concord of the Church of Eng∣land: proceedeth insufficiently in two respects. 1. He relateth his assertion imperfectly, omitting diuers bran∣ches thereof, as appeareth by my former collection out of D. White, compared with this mangled relation of the Popish Priest.
2. The testimonies produced out of D. Willet, D. Whitaker, and Luther, containe no more then my bro∣ther acknowledgeth. 1. D. Willet blameth some priuate men, to wit, Master Hooker, &c. (how iustly, let him∣selfe vpon second thoughts reuise:) for singular and new opinions. Secondly, he taxeth the Puritanes, for disturbing the peace of the Church about ceremonies: This censure of D. Willet opposeth not my brother, hauing for the generall affirmed the same; and such diffe∣rences
destroy not the vnitie of the Church, for two rea∣sons. 1. The latter striue, but preuaile not, and therefore euen as a furious assault against an armie strongly keep∣ing his order and rankes: or waues beating against a rocke and dissolued into froath; so these blasts and waf∣ting encounters being resisted, vanish into nothing; the bodie and firme parts of the Church, like an inuincible armie and immoueable rocke, still persisting in vnitie. 2. The contrarie disputations of priuate men, about hard questions of Theologieo, impeach not the vnitie of the Church any more, then the contrary pleading of Law∣yers, subuerteth the publike concord of the State.
D. Whitakers speaketh of oppositions and conten∣tions, vsed by learned men in disputation for the finding out of the truth, and increasing knowledge, and which your selues maintaine to be lawfull and profitable.
Luthers personall and fretfull speeches, proceeding from passion against such as were contrary minded to him, proue that godly men haue infirmities, and are sometimes ouer bitter one against another: like as Cy∣prian was against Pope Steuen, calling him proud, ignorant, and of a blind and wicked mindp; and Epiphanius against Chrysostomeq: &c. But they are insufficient to demon∣strate that Protestant Churches want the note of vnitie; neither doth condemning and anathematizing one ano∣ther, imply dissention in profound points of religion, but may proceed from affection and want of charitie: as ap∣peareth by Pope Victor, proclaiming anathema against the East Churches about an adiaphorous ceremonyr: By Pope Stephen, and by Sergius, condemning their pre∣decessor
Medit. in Psal. 122.
De Ecclesia q. 5. c. 2.
Cont. Louan. thes. 27. & tom. 7. Wittemb. pa. 381, &c. Et tom. 2. Germ. de coe∣na. dom. p. 174.
Sect. 33. n. 2.
Aug. de ciuit. dei l. 15. c. 5. proficientes, nondum{que} per∣fecti inter se pugnare pos∣sunt, &c.
Digress. 21.
Stapl. Rel. c. 1. q. 3. ar. 6. notab. 1. & 2.
Aq. 2. 2. q. 2. ar. 5.
Stapl. Rel. c. 1. q. 3. ar. 6. licet & vtile est, de re∣bus difficilibus in Ecclesiam a∣liter atque aliter disputare, nec hoc vnitatem vi∣olat, sed verita∣tem illustrat.
Euseb. vita Constantin. l. 2. c. 60. & l. 3. c. 12. Socrat. hist. l. 1. c. 3. Sozomen. hist. lib. 1. c. 15. Chrys. in 1. c. Gal. deridiculo facti sumus & genti∣bus, & Iudaeis, dum ecclesia, in mille partes scinditur.
De ciuit. Dei, l. 15. c. 5.
Aug. in Psal. 3.
Aug. cont. Iulian. l. 1. c. ••.
See Aug. epist. 19. de ciu Dei, li. 11. c. 19. de doct. Christ. l. 1. c. 36. de Gen. ad. lit. c. 18. Hieron. ep. 13.
Bel. d. Pontif. l. 4. c. 7.
Socrat. hist l. 6. c. 17. Niceph. l. 13. cap. 17. & 21. Chrys. 2. Cor. hom. 27. Nomi na fratrum ha∣bemus, opera autem hostium: & membra om∣nes dicimur, & sicut bestiae dis∣sidemus.
Euseb. hist. l. 5 c. 23. Niceph. hist. lib. 4. c. 28. Socrates. hist. lib. 5. c. 21. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. pag. 249.
Luitp. d. viti•• Pontif. Rom. in Formoso. Martin. Polon. in Sergio 3 Formosum è sepulchro extractum & in sede Pontificali sacerdotali∣ter indutum, decollari praecepit, & in Tiberim iactari, & omnes per ipsum ordinatos deordi∣nauit, &c.