Gildas Salvianus: The Reformed Pastor

or if we must make a blind bargain, with the Papists to come as near them as ever we dare, and so to compass another Interim, and make that a test (when God never made it so, and all Christians never be of a mind in it, but some dare go nearer Rome, then others dare, and that in several degrees) or if we must thrust in all the Canons of the former Councils about matters of order, discipline and ceremonies into our test, or gather up all the opinions of the Fathers for the three or four first ages, and make them our test; None of all these will ever seem to do the business! and a Catholic Union will never be founded in them. It is an easy matter infallibly to foretell this. Much less can the writings of any single man, as Austin, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Beza, &c. or yet the late Confessors of any Churches that add to the ancient test, be ever capable of this use and honour.

or if we must make a blind bargain, with the Papists to come as near them as ever we dare, and so to compass another Interim, and make that a test (when God never made it so, and all Christians never be of a mind in it, but some dare go nearer Rome, then others dare, and that in several degrees) or if we must thrust in all the Canons of the former Councils about matters of order, discipline and ceremonies into our test, or gather up all the opinions of the Fathers for the three or four first ages, and make them our test; None of all these will ever seem to do the business! and a Catholike Union will never be founded in them. It is an easie matter infallibly to foretel this. Much less can the writings of any single man, as Austin, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Beza, &c. or yet the late Confessors of any Churches that add to the ancient test, be ever capable of this use and honour.

I know it is said that a man may subscribe the Scripture, and the ancient Creeds, and yet maintain Socinianism or other heresies: To which I ⟨p. 291⟩answer, 1. So he may another test which your own brains shall contrive; and while you make a snare to catch heretics, instead of a test for the Churches Communion, you will miss your end, and the heretic by the slipperiness of his conscience will break through, and the tender Christian may possibly be ensnared. And by your new Creed the Church is like to have new divisions, if you keep not close to the words of Scripture. 2. In such cases when heretics contradict the Scripture, which they have subscribed, this calls not for a new or more sufficient test, but the Church must take notice of it, and call him to account, and if he be impenitent exclude him their Communion. What I must we have new Laws made every time the old ones are broken? as if the Law were not sufficient because men break it? Or rather must not the penalty of the violated Law be executed? It is a most sad case that such reasons as these should prevail with so many learned godly men, to deny the sufficiency of Scripture as a test for Church-Communion, and to be still framing new ones that depart (at least) from Scripture-phrase, as if this were necessary to obviate heresies? Two things are necessary to obviate heresies, the Law and good execution; God hath made the former, and his Rule and Law is both for sense and phrase (translated) sufficient: and all their additional inventions as to the foresaid use are as spiders webs. Let us but do our part in the Due execution of the Laws of Christ, by questioning offenders in orderly Synods, for the breaking of these Laws, and let us avoid Communion with the impenitent; and what can the Church do more? The rest belongs to the Magistrate (to restrain him