Thus we see what the visible Church is: now further concerning it, three questions are to be scanned. The first is, how we may discern whether particular men and particular Churches holding errors, be found members of the Catholic church or no. For the answering of this, we must make a double distinction, one of errors, the other of persons that err. Of errors, some are destroyers of the faith,1 some only weakeners of it. A destroyer is that, which overturneth any fundamental point of religion; which is of that nature, that if it be denied, religion it self is overturned; as the denial of the death of Christ, and the immortality of the soul, justification by works, and such like: and the sum of these fundamental points is comprised in the Creed of the Apostles and the Decalogue. A weakening error is that, the holding whereof doth not overturn any point in the foundation of salvation; as the error of freewill, and sundry such like. This distinction is made by the holy Ghost, who saith expressly that the doctrines of repentance, and faith, and baptisms, and laying on of hands, and the resurrection, and the last judgement,2 are the foundation, namely of religion: and again, that Christ is the foundation, and that other doctrines consonant to the word, are as gold and silver laid thereupon. Secondly, persons erring, are of two sorts: some err of weakness, being carried away by others; or of simple ignorance, not yet being convicted and informed concerning the truth. Some again err of obstinacy, or affected ignorance, which having bin admonished and convicted, still persevere in their forged opinions. This being said, w•e now come to the point. If any man or Church, shall hold an error of the lighter kind, he still remains a member of the Church of God, and so must be reputed of us. As when a Lutheran shall hold, that images are still to be retained in the church; that there is an Universal Election of all men, &c. for these and such like opinions may be maintained, the foundation of salvation unrazed. This which I say is flatly avouched by Paul. If any man (saith he) build on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones;3 timber, hay, or stubble, his work shall be made manifest by the fire, &c. and if any mans work burn, he shall loose, but yet he shall be safe himself.
Thus we see what the visible Church is: now further concerning it, three questions are to be skanned. The first is, how we may discerne whether particular men and particular Churches holding errours, be found members of the Catholicke church or no. For the answering of this, we must make a double distinction, one of errours, the other of persons that erre. Of errours, some are destroiers of the faith,1 some onely weakners of it. A destroier is that, which ouerturneth any fundamentall point of religion; which is of that nature, that if it be denied, religion it selfe is ouerturned; as the deniall of the death of Christ, and the immortalitie of the soule, iustification by workes, and such like: and the summe of these fundamentall points is comprised in the Creede of the Apostles and the Decalogue. A weakning errour is that, the holding whereof doth not ouerturue any point in the foundation of saluation; as the errour of freewill, and sundrie such like. This distinction is made by the holy Ghost, who saith expressely that the doctrines of repentance, and faith, and baptismes, and laying on of hands, and the resurrection, and the last iudgement,2 are the foundation, namely of religion: and againe, that Christ is the foundation, and that other doctrines consonant to the word, are as gold and siluer laid thereupon. Secondly, persons erring, are of two sorts: some erre of w•aknes, beeing carried away by others; or of simple ignorance, not yet beeing conuicted and informed concerning the truth. Some againe erre of obstinacie, or affected ignorance, which hauing bin admonished and conuicted, still perseuere in their forged opinions. This beeing saide, w•e nowe come to the point. If any man or Church, shall hold an errour of the lighter kinde, he still remaines a member of the Church of God, and so must be reputed of vs. As when a Lutherane shall hold, that images are still to be retained in the church; that there is an Vniuersall Election of all men, &c. for these and such like opinions may be maintained, the foundation of saluation vnrased. This which I say is slatly auouched by Paul. If any man (saith he) build on this foundation gold, siluer, pretious stones;3 timber, hay, or stubble, his worke shall be made manifest by the fire, &c. and if any mans worke burne, he shall loose, but yet he shall be safe himselfe.
- 12. Tim. 2.•••
- 2Gal. 5.•.3. Heb. 6.1. 1. Cor. 3.10,
- 31. Cor. 3.35.
