Proved from the scope of the Evangelists:
For proof that the belief of this article, Jesus is the Christ, is all the faith required to salvation, my first argument shall be from the scope of the Evangelists; which was by the description of the life of our Saviour, to establish that one article, Jesus is the Christ. The sum of St. Matthew’s Gospel is this, that Jesus was of the stock of David, born of a Virgin; which are the marks of the true Christ: that the Magi came to worship him as King of the Jews: that Herod for the same cause sought to kill him: that John the Baptist proclaimed him: that he preached by himself and his apostles that he was that king: that he taught the law, not as a scribe, but as a man of authority: that he cured diseases by his word only, and did many other miracles, which were foretold the Christ should do: that he was saluted king when he entered into Jerusalem: that he forewarned them to beware of all others that should pretend to be Christ: that he was taken, accused, and put to death, for saying he was king: that the cause of his condemnation written on the cross was, JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. All which tend to no other end than this, that men should believe that Jesus is the Christ. Such therefore was the scope of St. Matthew’s Gospel. But the scope of all the evangelists, as may appear by reading them, was the same. Therefore the scope of the whole Gospel was the establishing of that only article. And St. John expressly makes it his conclusion, (John xx. 31), These things are written, that you may know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
From the sermons of the apostles:
My second argument is taken from the subjects of the sermons of the apostles, both whilst our Saviour lived on earth, and after his ascension. The apostles, in our Saviour’s time, were sent, (Luke ix. 2) to preach the kingdom of God. For neither there, nor, Matth. x. 7, giveth he any commission to them other than this, As ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand; that is, that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the King which was to come. That their preaching also after his ascension was the same, is manifest out of Acts xvii. 6, 7, They drew, saith St. Luke, Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, these that have turned the world upside down are come hither also, whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying, that there is another king, one Jesus. And out of the 2nd and 3rd verses of the same chapter, where it is said, that St. Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them; and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures; opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead, and that this Jesus, whom he preached, is Christ.
From the easiness of the doctrine:
The third argument is from those places of Scripture, by which all the faith required to salvation is declared to be easy. For if an inward assent of the mind to all the doctrines concerning Christian faith now taught, whereof the greatest part are disputed, were necessary to salvation, there would be nothing in the world so hard as to be a Christian. The thief upon the cross, though repenting, could not have been saved for saying, Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom; by which he testified no belief of any other article, but this, that Jesus was the king. Nor could it be said (as it is, Matth. xi. 30), that Christ’s yoke is easy, and his burthen light: nor that little children believe in him, as it is Matth. xviii. 6. Nor could St. Paul have said, (1 Cor. i. 21), It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe. Nor could St. Paul himself have been saved, much less have been so great a doctor of the Church so suddenly, that never perhaps thought of transubstantiation nor purgatory, nor many other articles now obtruded.
From formal and clear texts.
The fourth argument is taken from places express, and such as receive no controversy of interpretation; as first, John v. 39; Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they that testify of me. Our Saviour here speaketh of the Scriptures only of the Old Testament; for the Jews at that time could not search the Scriptures of the New Testament, which were not written. But the Old Testament hath nothing of Christ, but the marks by which men might know him when he came; as that he should descend from David; be born at Bethlehem, and of a Virgin; do great miracles, and the like. Therefore to believe that this Jesus was He, was sufficient to eternal life: but more than sufficient is not necessary; and consequently no other article is required. Again, (John xi. 26) Whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall not die eternally. Therefore to believe in Christ, is faith sufficient to eternal life; and consequently no more faith than that is necessary. But to believe in Jesus, and to believe that Jesus is the Christ, is all one, as appeareth in the verses immediately following. For when our Saviour (verse 26) had said to Martha, Believest thou this? she answereth (verse 27), Yea, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. Therefore this article alone is faith sufficient to life eternal; and more than sufficient is not necessary. Thirdly, John xx. 31: These things are written that ye might believe, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name. There, to believe that Jesus is the Christ, is faith sufficient to the obtaining of life; and therefore no other article is necessary. Fourthly, 1 John iv. 2: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God. And 1 John v. 1: Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God. And verse 5, Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? Fifthly, Acts viii. 36, 37: See, saith the Eunuch, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, if thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayst. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Therefore this article believed, Jesus is the Christ, is sufficient to baptism, that is to say, to our reception into the kingdom of God, and by consequence, only necessary. And generally in all places where our Saviour saith to any man, Thy faith hath saved thee, the cause he saith it, is some confession, which directly, or by consequence, implieth a belief, that Jesus is the Christ.
From that it is the foundation of all other articles.
The last argument is from the places, where this article is made the foundation of faith: for he that holdeth the foundation, shall be saved. Which places are first, Matth. xxiv. 23, 24: If any man shall say unto you, Lo here is Christ, or there, believe it not; for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, &c. Here we see this article, Jesus is the Christ, must be held, though he that shall teach the contrary should do great miracles. The second place is, Gal. i. 8: Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than that we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. But the gospel which Paul, and the other apostles, preached, was only this article, that Jesus is the Christ: therefore for the belief of this article, we are to reject the authority of an angel from heaven; much more of any mortal man, if he teach the contrary. This is therefore the fundamental article of Christian faith. A third place is, 1 John, iv. 1, 2: Beloved, believe not every spirit: hereby ye shall know the Spirit of God; every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God. By which it is evident, that this article, is the measure and rule, by which to estimate and examine all other articles; and is therefore only fundamental. A fourth is Matth. xvi. 16, 18, where after St. Peter had professed this article, saying to our Saviour, Thou art Christ the Son of the living God, our Saviour answered, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church; from whence I infer, that this article is that, on which all other doctrines of the Church are built, as on their foundation. A fifth is 1 Cor. iii. 11, 12, &c. Other foundation can no man lay, than that which is laid, Jesus is the Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burnt, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. Which words, being partly plain and easy to understand, and partly allegorical and difficult; out of that which is plain, maybe inferred, that pastors that teach this foundation, that Jesus is the Christ, though they draw from it false consequences, which all men are sometimes subject to, they may nevertheless be saved; much more that they may be saved, who being no pastors, but hearers, believe that which is by their lawful pastors taught them. Therefore the belief of this article is sufficient; and by consequence, there is no other article of faith necessarily required to salvation.