Qvi non credit condemnabitvr Marc. 16. Or A discourse prouing, that a man who beleeueth in the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Passion &c. & yet beleeueth not all other inferiour articles of Christian fayth, cannot be saued: And consequently, that both the Catholike, and the Protestant (seeing the one necessarily wanteth true fayth) cannot be saued. Written by William Smith, Priest.

The same proued from that principle, that neither He∣retikes nor Schismatikes, are members of Christs Church. CHAP. VIII.

IN this last place concerning the Church, we will set downe, another principle of Christian fayth, and after will deduce from thence by way of most necessary inference, our conclusion heere handled. The principle is this: That Heretikes houlding any heresyes whatsoeuer, are no members of the church of Christ. The deduction is, that Here∣tikes therefore cannot be saued; since none can be saued, but such as are members of Christes church. This principle is proued (as aboue is in∣timated) out of Gods holy word, as where it it(a) sayd: Certaine men made shipwracke touching fayth,

that is, they fell out of the ship of the Church by forging of Heresies. And againe: They(b) went out of vs, that is, as S. Augustine expoundeth, out of the Church, of which we are. The expositions of which texts are warranted, euen by force of rea∣son: for seeing the Church is an vnited multitude (for it is one Spouse, one Kingdome, and one Body) & this vnion chiefly consisteth in the profession of one fayth; it is repugnant to reason, that they should be reputed as members of the body of the Church, who haue no coniunction at all, in the chiefest matters with the sayd body.

2. If we proceed to the testimonyes of the ancient Fathers, we shall find them of an vnani∣mous iudgment herein, to wit, That Heretikes are no members of the Church, and therfore cannot be saued. And first, occurreth S. Irenaeus(c) who sayth, that Policarpe did conuert many Heretikes vnto the Church; therefore it may be concluded, that those Heretikes before their conuersion, were out of the Church. S. Cyprian(d) sayth: Heretikes, though they be out of the Church, do challenge to them∣selues the authority of the Church, after the manner of Apes, who not being men, yet would be accounted to be men. The same Father thus plainly writeth in another place. Cum(e) Deo manere non possunt, qui

in Ecclesia Dei vnanimes esse noluerunt. They cannot remaine with God, who dissent in iudgment from the church of God. And yet more fully in the same pla∣ce: Non peruenit ad Christi praemia &c. He arriueth not to the rewards of Christ, who leaueth the church of Christ, he is an alien, he is prophane, he is an ennemy; for he cannot haue God to his Father, who hath not the Church for his Mother. And S. Hierome sayth: Quê non(f) à Domino Iesu Christo, sed ab alio &c. VVho take their denomination or name not from our Lord Ie∣sus Christ, but from some other (as the Marcionists, Va∣lentinians, Montenses, &c.) are not the Church of God, but the synagogue of Antichrist. Finally S. Augustine (for I haue already dwelled ouerlong, in the au∣thority of the Fathers) pronounceth that: Nihil sic(g) formidare debet &c. A Christian ought to feare nothing so much, as to be separated, from the body of Christ, which is his Church, and which is one and Ca∣tholike; for if he be separated from the body of Christ, he is not a member of Christ; if no member of Christ, then is he not strengthned with his spirit. But who hath not this spirit of God, the same mā is not of God. Thus farre S. Augustin; with whome euen the Prote∣stants do ioyne heere in iudgment; for D. Doue in his booke of persuasions thus sayth: This propositi∣on, that Heretikes are not to be communicated withal, is

vndoubtedly true. And D. Sutcliffe in his Examen of petitions, pag. 9. alleadgeth the Laodicean Coun∣cell can 31. 32. 33. in proofe thereof, thus conclu∣ding: The Laodicean Councell doth directly condemne, communion with Heretiks, eyther in marriage or prayer.

3. This already alleadged may serue to proue that Heretikes, are no members of the Church of Christ, & consequently cannot attaine saluation; since it is agreed among all learned men, that on∣ly the members of the church of Christ can find saluation in Christ, we will in this place descend to Schismatikes, who if they be neyther of the Church of God, nor can iustly expect any saluati∣on (during such their state) then à fortiori, no He∣retike, can expect any saluation; since a Schisma∣tike beleeuing all articles of Christian fayth, doth only diuide himselfe by disobediēce, in not com∣municating with the Church in prayer & Sacra∣ments. Whereas an Heretike (as is aboue sayd) willfully & contumaciously maintayneth errours, & false opinions cōdemned by the Church. Now that a Schismatike is not a member of Christs Church, is first proued from the Texts of Scripture (aboue in part touched) where the Church is called one fould of sheep Ioan. 10. One body. Rome 12. One spou∣se, and one Doue Cant. 6. But now Schisme accor∣ding

to its Etimology, deuideth that, which was one, into parts; for Schisma, being a greeke word, commeth of the verbe Schizo, which is scindere, therefore as a member being cut off from the bo∣dy, is no longer a part of the body; so a Schisma∣tike diuiding himselfe by his owne disobedience, from the communion of the Church, is no longer a member of the sayd Church.

4. This verity, to wit, That Schismaticks are not members of the Church of Christ, is (besides the former proofes) warranted with the authorityes; & sentences of the ancient Fathers. And first S. Cyprian thus purposely writeth of Schismatikes: Qui(h) cum Episcopo non sunt, in Ecclesia non sunt. Those, who agree not with the Bishop (meaning the su∣preme Bishop of Gods Church) are not in the Church. And againe, the sayd(i) Father most elegantly cō∣pareth Schismatikes, to Beames diuided from the sunne, to Boughs cut off from the tree, & to Ri∣uers wholy separated from their springes. Saint Chrysostome discoursing of Schismatikes thus sayth: Schismatis(k) significantia satis eos arguit &c. The very signification of this word schisme, is a suf∣ficient and vehement condemnatiō of them &c. Which Father in another(l) place, compareth a schisma∣tike, to the hand cut off from the body, which

thereupon ceaseth to be a member; and expressely affirmeth, that Schismatiks, though they consent with the Church of Christ, in doctrine, yet are not in the Church of Christ, but in altera Ecclesia, meaning in a Church different from the Church of Christ. S. Hierome distinguishing schisme from heresy thus discourseth: Inter(m) heresim & schisma hoc interesse arbitramur &c. VVe take this to be the difference betweene heresy & schisme; that heresy main∣tayneth a peruerse and false doctrine, whereas schisme ab Ecclesia pariter separat, in like manner separateth a man from the Church in regard of dissention and diso∣bedience towardes our Bishop. S. Augustine thus woū∣deth a Schismatike: Haeretici(n) & Schismatici congregationes suas Ecclesias vocant &c. Heretiks and Schismatikes, do call their congregations the churches. But Heretikes doe violate their fayth, in beleeuing fal∣sely touching God, whereas Schismatikes, though they beleeue the same points, which we beleeue, yet through their dissentions, they do not keep fraternall charity, wherefore we conclude, that neyther an Heretike, belon∣geth to the Catholike church, because he loueth not God, nor a Schismatike, because he loueth not his Neighbour. To conclude, Fulgentius(o) agreeth with the for∣mer Reuer. Father in this point, saying: Firmissi∣me tene &c. Beleeue for certaine, and doubt not that

only Pagans, but also Iewes, Heretikes, and Schisma∣tikes, who dye out of the Catholike church, are to go to euerlasting fire.

5. And thus farre touching Schismatikes, who because they be not of the Church of Christ, cannot obtaine saluatiō; which point being made euident, by so many authorityes both diuine and human, then much more strongely may we con∣clude, that Heretikes (as exceeding the Schisma∣tikes in prauity and malice, and being excluded in like sort with thē out of the Church of Christ) cannot he saued. But before I end this Chapter, giue me leaue, good Reader, to expatiate a little, beyonde my designed limits: O then you Schis∣matikes heere in our owne country, whose soules are so wholy absorpt in earthy & muddy conside∣rations, cast your eyes vpon your owne states, & vse some small introuersies vpon your selues. You see what a dangerous censure the ancient Church of Christ, by the mouthes of its chiefe Pastors & Doctors, hath thundred against you. It sayth: You are not of Christs church, you are aliens and strangers therto. It further pronounceth, That dying in such your state, you are all depriued of all hope of saluation. Good God, what stupor & dulnes of yours is this? Are you Christians? Preferre then Christ before

the world. Feare your God more then man. Giue then to God, what is Gods, & to Caesar, what is Caesars. Reflect vpon these ensuing principles of the Catholike, & therefore your owne Religion.

6. The one that God ordinarily deriueth his grace vnto mans soule, by the conduicts of his sacraments, and giueth absolution of ones sinnes, particulerly by the sacrament of Pennance, and confession: you wilfully depriue your selues, of the participation of the Sacraments, and therby of grace & of the remission of your sinnes, & are you not then as dryed branches, void of that hea∣uenly grace, which giueth life to the soule? You wāt the grace & forgiuenes of your sinne, s where then is your hope of eternall life? Remember the Apostles wordes, & be afraid: Gratia Dei vita ae∣eterna, & do not disioyne those asunder, which S. Paul hath so inseparably vnited.

7. The second, the vncertainty of any parti∣culer mans saluation, which point is able to strike you dead through feare; & the rather, since it is noe small signe of mans future damnation, deli∣beratly and willfully, yeare after yeare, to diuide himselfe from the Church of Christ, and from al the spirituall influences streaming from thence.

8. The third, that there is a Purgatory, the

paines wherof, though terminable, yet are insup∣portable. Suppose then the best, that is, that you finally dye with true repentance, and reconciled to Gods Church (which yet is not in your power, but out of the maine Ocean of Gods mercy) ne∣uertheles your owne fayth assureth you, that you must suffer in that place euen insufferable tormēts for your former dissimulation, & that your con∣tinuance, in thus dissembling with God, serue but as bellowes the more to blowe that dreadfull fire. Oh how great interest then, are you to pay in the end, for the enioying of this your mispēt time? If you be Catholikes (though but in hart) you be∣leiue all here said, and therfore may the more as∣suredly presage of your owne future misery. If you doe not beleiue these three former points of Catholik Religion, then are you lesse damned for want of true faith, then otherwayes by your vn∣chaungeable schismatical liues, for want of due conformity to the Church of Christ; therefore I wishe you to awake, out of that schismaticall letargy of the soule, and dayly meditate of that of the Apostle Rom. 10. Corde creditur ad iustitiam, ore fit confessio ad salutem. With the hart we be∣leeue vnto iustice: but with the mouth confession is made to saluation. But I will stay heere my

penne, remembring my vndertaken subiect, and will proceed to the next head.

Notes

• (a)

  1. Tim. 1.
• (b)

  1. Io. 2.
• Cant. 6.
• (c)

  Lib. 3 Cap. 3.
• (d)

  Epist. ad Iubai∣num.
• (e)

  lib. de vnitate Eccles.
• (f)

  In di∣alog. con. Lucifer.
• (g)

  Trae. 27. in Ioann.
• (h)

  Lib. 4. ep 9. ad Florē.
• (i)

  Lib. de vnitate Ecclesiae.
• (k)

  Hom 3. in ep. 1 ad Cor.
• (l)

  Hom. 13. in ep. ad Ephes.
• (m)

  In c. 3. ad Tit.
• (n)

  lib. de side & simbol. c. ••0.
• (o)

  lib. de fide ad Petrum cap. 38. & 39.