Dissimulation be incident to one to a former Age as well as to another a latter And all this would be much more true when an Error should possess the Church longer than the Arrian did Having now examin'd by Reason's Test the two necessary Qualifications of the Testifiers and Guardians of Christian Faith through Centuries of Years and having prov'd that the Dove can find no rest for the sole of her foot that they are too fluid and sinking for Divine Truth to fix on to conside in for safety in her passage through the many hazards of Time I go on to Experience and to consider what the actual performance of Oral Tradition has been how faithfully it has acquitted it self CHAP. IV. Experience against Oral Traditions being a safe and certain Conveyance of Divine Truths SECT I. IF Oral Tradition be a certain and infallible Conveyance of Divine Truths which is the ground of it's pretended Supreme Authority in Religion then there has been an Vniformity a constancy of the same Belief of the Church from the first through following Ages The Divine Scriptures indeed may retain their Integrity and Authority though They who own them as the only certain Conveyance and Rule of Faith swerve from Them and vary from one another because they do not attend to or misunderstand them as tho' some things in St. Paul's Epistles 2 Pet. 3.16 and other Scriptures were wrested by the unlearned and unstable to their own destruction who also differ'd from those who truly understood them yet notwithstanding those passages in St. Paul and those other Scriptures remain'd still Canonical But Oral Tradition does so intimately and necessarily include in it a successive Harmony of Forefathers and Posterities Belief it being a continued Testification of the one to the other that if this Co-herence fails if after Ages Belief contrariate that of the Primitive Age if one Church's Belief opposes that of another contemporaneous with it or perhaps agrees not well with it self at the same time or else with what it was in times precedent then the Conveyance breaks and so Oral Tradition forfeits its claim to Infallibility and consequently its arrogated Authority Let us then observe what the harmony and agreement of the Church's Belief has been through the several Ages of the World from the first Delivery of the Truths believed SECT II. When God made Man he endow'd him with such a rectitude of Nature as might enable him to glorifie his great Maker and to attain to his own Happiness And when Man had by eating of a forbidden Fruit contracted a general Ataxie of Soul and particularly a great dimness of Understanding God was pleased to relieve him and to repair the decays of his Knowledge of what concern'd him for Spiritual and Eternal purposes Especially doubtless God instructed him so far as he wanted supernatural Information about his Nature and Unity and how he would be Worshipped And questionless the first Father of Mankind and the succeeding Patriarchs did diligently teach their Children what they themselves had received from God And their exceeding long Lives gave them a peculiar opportunity to Catechise their Posterities through several Generations and to recover them upon any revolt from primitive belief or practice and the extraordinary length of their lives was also equivalent to a greater number of Traditioners Adam after the birth of Seth liv'd 800 years with his Children and Childrens Children and above 200 of those 800 years with Methusalah whose death was but a very little before the period of the old World Methusalah was Noahs Contemporary very near 600 years Noah that Preacher of Righteousness surviv'd with his descendents 350 Years after the Flood And before their dispersion and Plantation in remote places They especially the Heads of the Colonies had been educated and influenced by Noah that just Man and whom Gods familiarity with him and special care over him ought to have rendered most venerable and Them very dutifully sequacious of Him So likewise the two first Traditioners were incomparably considerable Adam and Eve were the greatest Miracles that ever were They could assure the World that they had a Being when as yet there was none of their own Kind besides them That they had near converse with the God that made them the Man of the Dust the Woman of a Rib of the Man They could truly relate to their Children many strange things of the World its State before and presently upon Sin And 't is likely there was such an Impress of Majesty upon the First Father of Mankind and a Prophet as Josephus calls him as might and doubtless did much awe his Children into an obsequious Regard to what he told them Then too in the days of Noah the drowning of the World in stupendious Waters and the Confusion of Tongues at the building of Babel were so rare and astonishing Wonders ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. Jos Antiq. Jud. Lib. 1. Cap. 4. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. Joseph Ibid. as the world never since saw and the memory of them so continued and spread though the following Ages that the Flood and the a Ark were mentioned by all Barbarian Historians and that b confusion at Babel was spoke of by a certain Sibyl and by (c) Hago Grotius ex Eusebio in Annotatis ad Lib. de Veritate Religi Christ pag. 244. Abydenus One would think that here was Defence enough of Tradition from miscarriage yet notwithstanding all this as the general Practice of Mankind was so vile All Flesh had so corrupted his way upon Earth which is all the account that Scripture egives that God was provok'd to wash the Earth clean in a Deluge so not long after the Flood there was a great defection in Practice and Opinion also from what had been deliver'd from Pious Fathers concerning God and the true Worship of Him those Fathers who were very qualified Testifiers and who reported to their Children such Divine Wonders as both might answer for the want of a greater Number of lesser Miracles and likewise make the Children to dread to reject what was delivered from God by Them Yet for all this I say corrupt Notions of God and of his Worship crept in Polytheism and Idolatry entred the World Even (d) Josh 24.2 Terah who lived with Noah 127 years and other Fathers of the Holy Abraham served other Gods And how widely Polytheism Idolatry and Superstition afterwards spread in the World and what a long possession they kept of it is notorious Thus the world apostatiz'd and past a Recovery by Oral Tradition which rather confirm'd it in it's Apostacy for thus Symmachus pleads for Heathenisme (e) Suus cuique mos suus cuique ritus est Jam si longa aetas ââthoritatem religionibus faciat servanda est tot Seculis fides et sequendi sunt nobis Parentes qui faeliciter sequuti sunt suos Symmachi V. C. Relatio ad Valent. Theodos Arcad. Augustos pro veteri
Vnity and Welfare of all the Churches and States in Christendom But Card. Bellarmine himself speaks high enough Says he (a) De quâ re agitur cùn de primââu pântificis agitur bâe issime dâcam de summà rei Christianâe Id enim quâeritur debeatne Fââlesia diutiùs consistââe ãâ¦ã dâssolâi con ãâã ââd eniâ alâud est ãâã an eporteat ab âdificio fuââ ãâã nâuânâr moâere a greâe pasterem âb exercitu imperatorem solâmâab astris caput a corpore quà m an oporteat aedifictum ruere gâegem dissipari eââcâum suedâ ãâã obsâuâari corpus iâcere Bellarm. In Praefatiâne ad Libros de suânmo pontifice habitâ in Gymnâsio Romano Anno. 1577. clica initium What Subject is treated of whilest the Primacy of the Roman Pontife is treated of I will tell you very briefly It is discours'd of the sum of Christianity For it is discuss'd whether the Church must longer remain entire or fall asunder and perish He goes on as in the Margent Why now if the Pope have a Power given him by Christ of Governing the Vniversal Church of Christ as was the definition of the Council of Florence apud Caranzam and the Christian Church be so infinitely concern'd in the Pope and his Government as is affirm'd then it can't be rationally questioned but that our Blessed Saviour and Lord the Head of the Church did declare his Pleasure concerning the true state of the Papal Office and Power to his Apostles and charg'd them to Communicate it to the Church to be preserved through all Ages The reason is because it can't be conceiv'd consistent with our Lord's Wisdom and Goodness to have established an universal Empire over Christians in Peter and his Successors and yet not to have determined and given a punctual Scheme of that Power and Jurisdiction and consequently of Christians due obedience and dependance seeing that as is pretended such a Power was design'd for the guidance and preservation of all Christians in Truth Holiness and Peace For the Papal Power without such a clear stating of it would be utterly insufficient for attaining such glorious Ends. That which was intended to prevent and to compose differences would be it self an unhappy occasion of the greatest ruptures as it proves to be at this day Forasmuch then as the Papacy is so transcendent an Interest of the Christian Church in the claim of our Adversaries and that in plain reason the fixation and certainty of the Pope's Inerrability and of the just latitude of his Power is so necessary to a fit discharge of the Papal Office for the behoof of the Church and that therefore Christ was not wanting in the Revelation and Communication of it to his Apostles and Church Hence it follows that because the Romanists are so uncertain disagree so much about it therefore they differ among themselves not in Theological Quodlibets or meer speculative niceties but in very grave and substantial Points let them call them Points of Faith or by what other names they please and which the Church was at the first instructed in 4ly Between the infallibility of the Church which the (a) Suprà Trent Catechism affirms in which are contain'd the (b) Sacrae Synodi decreto Catechismus consâribitur certaque formula ratio Christiani populi ab ipsis fidei rudimentis instituendi In Epist dedicat grounds and principles of the Roman Faith and which (c) Bellarm. suprà all Catholicks teach and the Authority of the Church only which was (d) Suprà Cressie's belief in which he was confirm'd (e) Exomol Cap. 41. by very Learned Catholicks there is a very wide difference and there are consequent very divers obligations and effects For if the Church cannot err then what it proposes ought to be believ'd as soon as it is made known and understood But if the Church may err and have an Authority only then its Articles and Canons may be soberly examin'd by some standard which is infallible and accordingly as they shall be found to agree with it or to contrariate it to yield or to suspend Belief quietly and without more noise than what a meek submission to the Church's censure makes or also Obedience to the Church's Authority may be a disobedience to the higher and supreme Authority of God who commands Christians Orthodoxy of Belief as well as holiness of Life I must not omit that even about this so weighty Subject which we are now upon viz. Oral Traditions being the only Rule of Faith the Romanists are not at accord among themselves as I touch'd in the Preface (a) De verbo Dei non scripto Lib. 4. Cap. 12. Sect. Dico Secundò Bellarmine held that the Word of God or Revelation made by God was the whole and entire Rule of Faith And this he says is divided into two partial Rules Scripture and Tradition If Scripture be in Part a Rule and Tradition a Rule but in Part then in the judgment of Bellarmine Tradition is not the onely Rule of Faith And no question but still there are those who are of Bellarmines mind There 's a Confession of (b) The Title of the 9th Par. of the 3d Dialo is that the dissention of the Catholique Doctors concerning the Rule of Faith doth not hurt the certainty of Tradition Rushworth that there is a Dissension of the Catholique Doctors concerning the Rule of Faith but he says that this does not hurt the certainty of Traditions To clear which and to satisfy the Nephews Scruple grounded on this Dissension the Vncle says Truly Cousin your Objection is strong yet I hope to content you For I see no great matter in the variety of Opinions amongst our Divines c. See what follows in the Margent (c) For you see they seek out the Decider of Points of Doctrine i. e. by whose mouth we are to know upon occasion of dispute what and which be our Points and Articles of our Fà ith to wât whether the Pope or a Council or both Which is not much Material to our purpose whatever the truth be supposing we acknowledge no Articles of Faith but such as have descended to us by Tradition from Christ and his Apostles Rushworth Ibid. But under savour this variety of Opinions is very Material For tho' suppose all Romanists should agree to acknowledge no Articles of Faith but such as have descended to them by Tradition from Christ and his Apostles should agree to acknowledge this in general yet if they are still to seek if it be still unresolved among them who is the decider of Points of Doctrine i. e. by whose mouth they are to know upon occasions of dispute what and which determinately be their Points and Articles of Faith then there must be an uncertainty among them about the Points and Articles of Faith For the belief of Articles of Faith can be no more certain no more fix'd and uniform than the Deciders and Mouths are by which
AN ENQUIRY WHETHER Oral Tradition OR THE SACRED WRITINGS Be the Safest Conservatory and Conveyance OF Divine Truths Down from their Original Delivery through all Succeeding Ages In Two PARTS London Printed for Robert Clavel at the Sign of the Peacock in St. Paul's Church Yard 1685. THE PREFACE DOubtless it would more conduce to the honour of Christ the Peace of Christendom and the Welfare of Souls if Christians would agree at the least in this rather to live as becomes the Gospel we all believe than curiously dispute Why we believe For nice tamperings with and eager contests about the Foundation of Religion are apt rather to shake than to strengthen the Superstructures It may prove a Snare to the profane or unstable who when they shall see the Ground of their Belief and Eternal Hopes not to be agreed on after so many Ages perhaps may be tempted to doubt whether their whole Profession be not aery and have no Basis at all Yet notwithstanding if some will attempt to displace the true One and to justle in a false and ruinous Ground of Christian Faith and Practice a due regard to a matter of so great Importance may justifie an appearance against so dangerous a Commutation The Basis of Christian Belief suffers from more than one sort of Adversaries The injuries done to the Sacred Oracles of God by the impious Drollings and perverse Disputings of Profane and Atheistical Men are too notorious The Foundation of Faith has no part in the Value and Care of those Men who scorn Believing But this Crew is abhorr'd by all who have any ordinary sense of Religion or have not debauch'd even their Reason Indeed the danger is more sly and spreading from those who seem to be more serious and Friends to Religion Among such the Enthusiasts undermine the Holy Scriptures by pretence to an extraordinary illuminating Conduct and Incitations by the Holy Spirit of God But the Mode of this Sect commonly suites but with the more Melancholy and Muzing Natures and the Experience of their follies and risques within a while exposes the Vanity of their Pretences The Romanists way is the more generally plausible and winning They present the World with a Conveyance of Religious Truths and a Rule of Faith Whose (a) Sure Footing in Christiaty Or rational discourses of the Rule of Faith p. 54. Virtue they say is grounded on a far stronger Basis than all material Nature Such they affirm the virtue to be by which Tradition regulates her Followers to bring down Faith unerringly And whereas as seems by Cardinal (b) De verbo Dei non Scripto L. 4. C. 3. In initio 1. dem Ibid. C. 12. Sect. Dico secundò Bellarmine they formerly divided the honour of being the Foundation of Faith between Holy Scripture and Tradition of later years Oral Tradition has quite carried away the Credit and has been by some Zealous Asserters cry'd up for the infallible Conveyance (c) Sure Footing p. 98. 41 and only Rule of Faith That from which we are to receive the (d) Ibid. p. 117. Sense of Scripture which without This would be (e) Ibid. p. 38. quite lost to all in the uncertainty of the Letter That which is undertaken in the ensuing Papers is an Enquiry after the Nature of Oral Tradition and its best strength especially in Religious Affairs as also the full Force of Writings especially of the sacred Scriptures in point of Conservation and Conveyance of what is committed to them Vpon which Enquiry it will appear which of them is the most sufficient and sure for that purpose And that of the (a) There being only two grounds or Rules of Faith own'd viz. Delivery of it down by Writing or by Words and Practices Ibid. p. 52. two which after Examination shall be found to be so preserves to us and materially considered is the Rule of Christian Faith forasmuch as bringing down to succeeding Times the Christian Faith unvaried and entire which was primitively committed to the Church by the divinely inspir'd Planters of it it may satisfie and command our Belief secures us from assenting to any thing but what is true Whereas that which approves not it self to be such a faithful Depository and Convoy provides us not with a Rule of Faith deserves not that Authority over our Souls may betray us to believe a lie Hence therefore Oral Tradition's errability and defectiveness in Conveyance which shall be proved disables it for being the over-ruling Standard of Christians Belief and Practice in all Ages And on the other side the sureness and safety of Conservation and Transmission of Divine Truths by the Holy Scriptures which shall be prov'd likewise qualifies them for the Trust and Honour of being the Rule of Christian Faith through all Generations The Author is sensible that the Competition between Oral Tradition and Scripture has been already so excellently manag'd by Reverend and Learned Persons that this present Vndertaking by an obscure man may be judg'd Supernumerary or worse But he has observ'd that it was (a) Sancta Augustini sententia est nota multis digna quae ab omnibus cognoscatur optandum esse ubi Haereses vigent ut quicunque aliquâ scribendi facultate praediti sunt ii scribant omnes etsi non modo de rebus iisdem scripturâ fint sed eadem etiam allis verbis fortasse scripturi Expedit enim c. Bellarm. in Praefatione ad Lectorem Tom. 1. Edit Ingolstadii 1588. Cardinal Bellarmine's Opinion and he quotes and commends St. Augustine wishing that in the Church's danger all who in some measure could should Write tho' they wrote not only of the same thing but also the same in other words Fas est ab hoste doceri It may be fit sometimes to take Advice from an Adversary especially when he has so great and pious a Second This the Author hopes may be an excuse of his Adventure into the Publick and that even his Gleanings after others plentiful Harvest their Learned Labours and Success may yet be not altogether unacceptable or useless to the Christian Church THE CONTENTS PART 1. CHAP. 1. Of Tradition in general Pag. 1. CHAP. 2. Of Oral Tradition and as apply'd to Religion what is allow'd and what denied to it Pag. 17. CHAP. 3. Reasons against the Certainty and Safety of Conveyance of Divine Truths by Oral Tradition Pag. 26. CHAP. 4. Experience against Oral Tradition's being a certain Conveyance of Divine Truths Pag. 46. CHAP. 5. The Arguments alleg'd for Oral Tradition answer'd Pag. 111. PART 2. CHAP. 1. Sacred Scriptures prov'd to be the safest and most certain Conservatory and Conveyance of Divine Truths Pag. 157. CHAP. 2. Objections answer'd Pag. 203. AN ENQUIRY Whether Oral Tradition or the Sacred Writings be the safest Conservatory and Conveyance of c. PART I. CHAP. I. Of Tradition in general SECT I. MAN is an active capacious Creature fitted for and desirous of knowledge and furnish'd
suppos'd for private Interest to have dissembled their Religion either then or immediately before But if we look higher there is what is much more remarkable It is Famous there was a time when the (a) Tum haeresis Arrii prorupit totúmque Orbem invecto Errore turbaverat Etenim duobus Arriis acerrimishujus perfidiae Autoribus Imperator etiam depravatur Dúmque sibi Religionis Officium videtur implere vim persecutionis exercuit actique in Exilium Episcopi saevitum in Clericos animadversum in Laicos qui se ab Arrianorum communione secreverant Sulpic. Sev. Sac. Histor Lib. 2. World turn'd Arrian the Orthodox Profession being under Persecution After what has been said among such hazards such incident Biassings of the Affections and Judgment how unsafe must an Oral Tradition be i. e. the trusting of the great Concerns of Religion with Man's good Nature his Constancy and Faithfulness to Divine Truths through Ages But it may be it will be replyed to the mention of the Doctrines of Arrius and Pelagius and the bustle they made in the Christian world that yet the Catholick Doctrines did recover and pass to after-Ages And we are told that (a) Sure Footing p. 118 119. erroneous Opinions and absurd Practices tho' they may creep into the Church and spread there awhile yet can never gain any solid Footing in the Church Forasmuch as the Church is a Body of Men relying on Tradition or the Authority of Attesting Forefathers not on the Authority of Opinators c. In return to this 'T is confess'd that the Doctrines assaulted by Arrius and Pelagius were rescued and preserved But 1. In and about that time there was such a Constellation of Pious and Learned Lights of the Church as could scarce be parallell'd in the Ages before or afterwards This might be an especial Cause that those Truths out-liv'd their Opposition It may be questioned whether if the Errors of Arrius or Pelagius had been started and as vigorously manag'd in the Ignorant and Corrupt Ages which follow'd afterwards they might not have found as easy an Entertainment and have as generally prevailed as some other Errors did 2ly But how will it be prov'd that it was by the strength of Oral Tradition that these Truths were recovered and continued To speak only of the Divinity of Christ impugn'd by Arrius besides what has been said in the foregoing part 1. There was manifestly a Civil Cause interposing for the Restauration of a publick and free Profession of it For as the Frown of the Prince Constantius and his Party arm'd with force suppress'd the Orthodox Opinion So the contrary inclination and favour of succeeding Princes countenance from the secuâular Power restor'd it So that this Resurrection of that Truth was not from Orel Traditions strength an impossibility of its sailure but was owed to Causes extrinsick and which might or might not have been For there was no necessity that the Emperers should be Orthodox or Favourers of the Orthodox Opinion and if they had continued still Arrian and Persecutors of the Orthodox and so there had been still the same Fears it is as likely that Arrianisme would still have been the general Profession as it is That the same Cause still existing and working after the same manner would produce the same Effect 2ly If we look after the Religious Cause why may we not ascribe the Revival of the Truth to Holy Scriptures For the Fathers had recourse to Them during it's Depression and after it (a) Vnum hoc ego per hanc dignationis tue sinceram audientiam rogo ut praesente Synodo quae nunc de fide litigat paucis me de Scripturis Evangelicis digneris audite Fidem Imperator quaeris audâ eam non de novis chaâtulis sed de Dei libris Audi rogo ea quae de Christo sunt Scripta ne sub eis ea quae non Scripta sunt praediâentur Summitte ad ea quae de libris locuturus sum aures tuas In Libâo ad Constantium Augusâum propiùs ââem St. Hilary Truth 's great Champion against the Arrians is frequent in Citation of Scripture for it And in his Address to Constantius He entreats that Constantius would vouchsafe the Synod being present which debated about the Faith to hear him in a few words from the Evangelical Scriptures And soon afterwards Thou requirest my Faith O Emperor hear it not from new Papers but from the Books of God Where He opposes New Papers or Writings not to Antient Oral Tradition but to the Divine Books There is something more to the like Sense in the Margent After him (a) Nec ego Nicaenam Synodum tibi nec tu Arimenensem mihi debes tanquam praejudicaturus objicere Scripturarum authoritatibus res cum re causa cum causa ratio cum ratione concertet Contra Maxim Lib. 3 Cap. 14. St. Augustine tells the Arrian Maximinus He would not object to him the Synod of Nice nor should he urge to him that of Ariminum but he would have the dispute to be manag'd by Authority of Scriptures That which was thus us'd in Proof and Defence of this Article of Faith both under Persecution and after it why may not That deserve to have the honour of it's Preservation and Restitution viz. the Holy Scripture Especially when as Holy Scriptures being an unvaried and permanent Standard in all alterations of the Church's State have an aptitude for such a Purpose whereas Oral Tradition has no probable Energy for it For they of that Age when Arrianism was generally regnant either really changed their Judgment about the Consubstantiality of the Son with the Father and then according to our Adversaries Principle they would teach their Children as they judg'd and believ'd themselves and so the Arrian Opinion would have continued Or they smother'd and dissembled their Opinion out of fear and profess'd contrarily to their Judgment And in this Hypocrisie either their Children discover'd them or not If not then much the same Effect would follow If they did know it then they would scruple to believe them even in other Truths as Witnesses and Traditioners are no more than such For Hypocrisie weakens the Credit of a Witness and gets him this disadvantage that he will be the more hardly believ'd even when he speaks truth And in this particular Truth Children would have been put at the least to the stand For tho' the Posterity might satisfie themselves that the Age before the last generally embrac'd the Tenent contrary to the Arrian yet they might be tempted to doubt whether as their immediate Fathers made shew of believing the Opinion they secretly condemn'd so in remoter Ages Forefathers might not publickly profess the Divinity of Christ rather out of compliance with the humour of the Times they liv'd in than from their Hearts and so the Tenent might have stoln down through following Ages the manner of it's old reception and Hypocritical Profession being lost For why might not
did decline so soon how much more probable is it that it should grow yet more feeble and corrupt at such a far greater distance of time As Waters which arise clear and of qualities agreeing with their Fountain the farther they run do the more contract a new relish and gather a foulness from the Chanels through which they travel SECT V. I proceed to the Christian Churches since the more Primitive times and as they are commonly divided into the Eastern and Western Churches so I shall begin with the Eastern and there speak of the Greek Church only In which I suppose none will question but that Christian Religion was planted in a very ample and punctual manner such as might have secur'd a perpetuity of Primitive Truths among the Professors of them as well as among any other Body of Christians This Church administers the Eucharist to the Laiety in both kinds allows Married Priests denys Purgatory-fire to add no more In these things the Roman Church differs from them One of them therefore must err and have receded from what was delivered at the first to them We believe the Roman Church to be guilty of the Recess and they to be sure will deny it But yet which soever it be of the Churches which is in the wrong and one of them must be so Oral Tradition is guilty of Mal-performance of its Duty But moreover this Church holds that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and not from the Son Which is a Tenent condemned by Protestants and Romanists both And the Grecians misbelief in this Article was judg'd by Card. Bellarmine so criminous that he counted it meritorious of the sacking of Constantinople which hapned accordingly in his calculation at the Feast of Pentecost Bellarm. de Christo lib. 2. cap. 30. as a Judgment of God upon them for this error about the Procession of his Holy Spirit And he adds That many compare the Greek Church to the Kingdom of Samaria which separated from the true Temple and for that was punish'd with perpetual Captivity How far charitable in his Censure and right in his (a) Vossius de tribus Symboli in Addendis Chronology the Cardinal was let others judge But this is clear that they of that Communion as they are very numerous so do generally consent in this Opinion that there has been an entail of it upon Posterity through hundreds of years and that though their Reduction has been more than once attempted yet endeavours have prov'd succesless the wound may have been skin'd over but it has not been heal'd (b) Idem Ibid. Though at the Councils of Lyons and Florence it is said there was something of a Closure yet as soon as the Greeks return'd home there was presently a Rupture again and the Churches remain'd at as great a distance as before And they retain their old Error (a) Ricaut of the Greek Church to this day and are observed to defend it with a particular dexterity The same Greek Church denies the Pope's Supremacy that (b) Summa Rei Christianae Bellar In Praef. ad lib. de summo Pontifice Diana of the Romanists They may have yielded the Bishop of Rome a (c) See Nilus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Primacy of Order and yet that too not as enstated on him by Divine Right but indulg'd him by the favour of Princes and Ecclesiastical Canon But they would never grant him a Superiority of Power and Authority They will not (d) Ricaut of the Greek Church yet allow it him These Opinions of the Greek Church cannot in the Judgment of the Romanists who hold contrarily to both and are so especially concern'd in the latter descend from Christ and his Apostles Therefore they must confess that Tradition has miscarried And Traditions miscarrying among so great and formerly renowned tho' now afflicted a Society of Christians for so very long a time and in Points of such moment must needs decry it much below that value to which its friends have enhans'd it SECT VI. Next shall succeed a consideration of the Western Church And what Church in the West would be more taken notice of than the Roman VVhere we are to find the most accurate Tradition or to despair of meeting with it any where They of that Communion having dress'd up and strengthned the Cause of Oral Tradition with the greatest advantages which their wit and learning can give it and claiming it as their (a) Sure Footing P. 116. Priviledge to be the most infallible Traditioners of any Church whatsoever Two things here may be considered 1. VVhat the Accord is of the Roman with the Antient Church 2ly VVhat her Harmony is with herself How well Oral Tradition has preserv'd her in both these respects First how little the Church of Rome comports in her Opinions and Practices with the most antient and purest Churches has been demonstrated by many Learned Protestants I shall insist but on one thing viz. The denyal of the Cup to the Laiety in the Eucharist by the Roman Church The Learned Cassander thought it could not be prov'd that (a) Non puto demonstrari posse totis mille ampliùs annis in ullâ Catholicae Ecclesiae parte sacrosanctum hoc Eucharistiae Sacramentum aliter in sacrâ synazi è mensâ Dominicâ fideli populo quà m sub utroque panis vinique Symbolo administratum fuisse De saerâ Comm. sub utrâque specie He is positive and large in this in his Consultation likewise Much to the same purpose Alphonsus a Castro Tit. Eucharistia Haeresi 13. For above a 1000 years the Sacrament of the Eucharist was otherwise administred to the faithful People than under the Elements of Bread and Wine both Several of our Adversaries give their suffrages with Cassander And the Greek Church administers to the Laiety in both kinds to the present Age. But let us come to that which will with our Adversaries be of more Authority The Council of (a) Praeterea declarat hane potestatem perpetuò in Ecclesiâ fuisse ut in Sacramentorum dispensatione salva illorum substantia ea statueret vel mutaret quae suscipientium utilitati seu ipsorum Sacramentorum venerationi pro rerum temporum locorum varietate magis expedire judicaret Quare agnoscens mater Ecclesia hanc suam in administratione Sacramentorum Anthoritatem licèt ab initio Christianae religionis non infrequens utriusque speciei usus fuisset tamen hanc consuetudinem sub alterâ specie communicandi approbavit pro lege habendam decrevit Sess 5. Can. 2. Apud Caran Trent confesses That from the beginning of Christian Religion the use of both Bread and Wine was not uncommon Yet licèt although such had been the Primitive and not uncommon usage the Council approv'd of Communicating under one kind and decreed it to be observed as a Law And this the Council did by virtue of a pretended Power of the Church to appoint and to
alter in the administrations of the Sacraments as should be judg'd expedient for the Communicants profit and the Veneration of the Sacraments according to the variety of Circumstances Before this the Council of (b) Hoc generale Concilium declarat decernit definit quòd licèt Christus post caenam instituerit suis discipulis administraverit sub utraque specie panis vini hoc venerabile Sacramentum tamen hoc non obstante sacrorum Canonum Authoritas approbata comuetudo Ecclesiae servavit servat Et similiter quòd licet in primitivâ Ecclesià hâjusmodi Sacramentum reciperetur a fidelibus sub utâââque specie tamen haec consuetudo ad evitandum aliqua pericula scandala est rationabiliter introducta quòd a conficientibus sub utrâque specie a laicis tantummodo sub specie panis suscipiatur Sess 3. Apud Eundem Constance had acknowledg'd That Christ after Supper Instituted and Administred the Venerable Sacrament to his Disciples under both kinds of Bread and Wine and likewise that in the Primitive Church this Sacrament was received by the faithful under both kinds Yet licet although this was so and hoc non obstante notwithstanding this the Council declar'd decreed and defin'd that the Bread only should be received by the Laiety And this Council thus defin'd by virtue of certain Canons and because of a Custom rationally introduc'd for the avoiding certain dangers and scandals We have had a clear and express acknowledgment of the Institution and Primitive use of the Eucharist in both kinds of the generality and very long continuance of the Practice We have this granted by two Councils and by others who were of the Roman Communion How came it to pass then that a Primitive Institution and Usage and that so long perpetuated should be laid aside nay decreed against by those very Councils and that they who should say that the Communicating under one kind only were Sacrilegious and Vnlawful should be dealt with as (a) Concil Constan lbid Hereticks VVhy we may observe two Reasons given in those Councils 1. The Church's Authority 2ly Expediency Both these shall be considered of 1. Of the Authority of the Church in the Case I confess that the Church has Authority in determining and altering things indifferent as Edification Decency and Order shall require But Governours of the Church must beware how they deal with That which was so remarkably honoured with our great Lord's and good Saviours solemn Institution and first Administration of it in his own Sacred Person and that in Commemoration of no less than of the breaking his holy Body and of the shedding his pretious Blood and for to shew the Lord's death till he come In this August Ordinance Times Place and Gesture are Circumstances but surely Bread and Wine are Substantials For to the substance and integrity of a Sacrament do concurr the (d) Sacramentum est sacrae rei signum ut Sacramentum sit sacrum signans sacrum signatum Pet. Lumb Lib. 4 Distinct 1. B. outward sensible Signs as well as the inward retired things signified and the Eucharist consists as (e) Eucharistia ex duabus rebus constans terrenâ caelesti Adversus haereses Lib. 4. Cap. 34. Irenaeus says of something earthly and of somthing heavenly And 't is the Trent Fathers caution that (f) Salvâ illorum substantiâ Conc. Trid. suprà the substance of the Sacraments be preserv'd safe Now I desire to know of our Adversaries whether they think that the Church has power to lay aside the Wine and Bread both I believe they would answer negatively Then with what reason and by what Authority do they dismiss One of them i. e. the Wine and afford the whole Laiety but a dry Communion Did the Soveraign Ordainer permit any such halving and mutilation of his Sacrament There is no such Permission to be found in the first Institution and Administration of it by Him nor in the Doctrine and Practice of his Apostles afterwards How then should the Subjects and Councils and Popes too are no bigger dare to make any distinction where the Supreme Lawgiver Himself has made none Let things be scan'd and it will be plain that the Sacramental Bread and Wine in the Administration of them to the Faithful have the same bottom and that there is no reason why if the One be alterable the other may not be so likewise For 1. There is the same express command of Christ for the One as for the Other 'T is said (a) 1 Cor. 11.24 25. Do this in the administration of the Wine as well as of the Bread And that it may not be catch'd at that it is said (b) As for the words of our Saviour do this in remembrance of me they do no ways inser a precept of receiving in both kinds First because our Saviour said these words absolutely onely of the Sacrament in the form of Bread but in the form of Wine onely conditionally do this as oât as y shall drink in remembrance of me not commanding them to drink but in case they did drink that then they should do it in memory of Christ Dr. Vane's lost sherp c. pag. 311 312. of the Body Simply Do this but of the Cup Do this as oft as ye drink it as if there were a tacit intimation of a greater necessity of communicating of the Bread than of the Cup and that therefore it were sufficient if the Bread be received tho' the Wine be not to preclude I say any such Evasion St. Paul presently applys the same ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to the Bread as well as to the Cup (c) 1 Cor. 11.26 For as oft as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew c. 2ly Both these were administred to the same Persons 3ly There is the same end expresly and distinctly assign'd to both Do this in remembrance of me 4ly There 's as much spiritual benefit and comfort which redound to the Communicants by the participation of the One as of the Other The Wine appears to have the advantage rather of the other sacred Element For the Substance colour and manner of the delivering the Wine separately from the Bread have a peculiar Aptness to represent Blood and Bloodshed and consequently to impress the quicker apprehensions and spiritual sense of our blessed Jesus's bloody death upon and to excite the smarter affections in the Communicants By what has been said there is evident an Equal necessity of the use of both the Sacramental Elements and therefore the Wine is as little mutable and dispensable with in the Eucharistical Administration by the Churches and Canons Authority as the Bread As for Expediency of withholding the Cup from the Laity and the Inexpediency of the contrary it is not safe or consequential upon such grounds to discourse against what is divinely instituted and commanded But let us attend to what is pleaded The Council of
Sacramental Practice For in Religion and even the Agendis of it the things to be done Faith and Practice are interwoven with each other the former must guide the latter The understanding must be right in its Belief before the Actions can be regular Now that Christ did ordain the Sacrament and command the Administration of it in after Ages in such a way as he himself had ordain'd and administred it are Credenda things to be believed tho' the Execution of or Obedience to the Command be a Practical So then the Church of Rome denying the Cup to the People and avowing it disobeying a Divine Command and maintaining that disobedience doth offend in a matter of Practice and Faith both For they do not barely omit a Practice or Duty but also oppose and evacuate a Divine Command and the obligation from it which are Objects of Faith And that Faith has to do in this Affair was the Judgment of the Council of Constance whenas they denounc'd Concil Constant Ibid. that an Assertion of the unlawfulness or sacriledge in administring in one kind only should be sufficient for a Man's Conviction of Heresie After all which has been discoursed in this Section it must be concluded that the Church of Rome have in their Half-Communion and peremptory defence of it departed from primitive Institution divine command and the Church's ancient general Vsage that Posterity has deserted Fore-fathers and therefore that Oral Tradition has not done its Duty SECT VII Secondly let us examine what the Agreement is of the Romanists among themselves And if we find them at difference then Tradition has not been so faithful as to bring Truth whole and sincere to them for if Tradition were full and uniform it would keep them at Vnity with one another But even among them there may be observed Parties who tho' in Complement they acknowledge one first Mover yet have each their counter-motions tho' that Church boast of their Harmony yet they have their discords only they are not so loud perhaps as those are among their Adversaries Let account be taken of some of their Civil Wars The Contests between the Jesuits and Dominicans concerning Grace and Freewil Predetermination and Contingency as also between the Molinists and Jansenists are well known The (a) Les provinciales or the Mistery of Jesuitism pag. 92. Doctrine of Probable Opinions and many practical Doctrines of the Jesuites questionless please themselves and likewise the (b) pag. 194. polite Saints and Courtier-like Puritans Yet others mislike them and believe they never descended from Jesus nor from his Apostle St. Peter The difference between the Cassandrians and the Church in communion whereof they live is so great as that it seems to be as it were one State within another State and one Church within another Church as (c) Mr. Daille Of the right use of the Fathers Lib. 1. Cap. 11. one reports who had reason to know Some will have the (a) Bellarm. De Concil Auctor Lib 2. Cap. 14. Pope to be above a Council others a Council to be above the Pope Some affirm that the Pope (b) Bellar. de Romano Pontif. L. 4. C. 2. cannot err Others that he may Some are for the Pope's plenary Power over the whole world both in Ecclesiastical affairs and also Political but others allow him (c) Idem de Pont. Rom. L. 5. C. 1. only a Spiritual Power directly and immediately yet in virtue of that spiritual Power to have likewise a Power indirectly and that the highest even in Temporal matters Of this latter Opinion Bellarmin himself was yet it seems the French denied the Pope's power in Temporals whether directly or but indirectly when as Bellarmin's (a) Gold in Repl. pro. Imp. cited by Dr. Crakanthorp of the Popes Tempor Monarchy Chap. 11. Book against Barclay in which Bellarmin defends the Popes Power over Princes was so detested by that State that in their publique Assembly they did prohibit and forbid any and that under the Pain of High Treason either to keep or receive or print or sell that Book (b) Exomolog C. 40. H. P. de Cressy calls Infallibility to him an unfortunate word confesses that Chillingworth has combated it with too too great success will have it that the Church of Rome maintains no more than an Authority and says he has reason moving him to wish that the Protestants may never be invited to Combat the Authority of the Church under the notion of Infallibility And to shew that he is not alone in this he makes very bold with the Council of Trent Ibid. and Pope Pius 4th if they are not on his side for he shelters his Opinion under a Decision of the former and a Bull of the latter concerning the Oath of the Profession of Faith And likewise Dr. Holden in his (d) Quem Cathel cae Fidei consonum inveni c. Approbation of Cressy's Book without any Censure of this passage says He found it consonant to the Catholique Faith If this be so as Cressy would sain have it to be then the Romanists and we are not at so much distance as we thought we had been for of an Authority of the Church there 's no dispute between us and them But sure there 's more in the case than so For the Roman Catechisme set forth by decree of the Council of Trent and by the Command of Pope Pius 5th (e) Quemadmodum haec una Ecclesia errare non potest in fidei ac morum disciplinâ tradendâ cùm a spiritu S. gubernetur ita c. Catech Rom. Cap. 15. Quest 15. says that the Church cannot Err in delivering Faith and Manners forasmuch as it is govern'd by the holy Spirit cannot Erre i. e. is infallible And this Church thus inerrable is that of the Roman Communion for the same Catechism (f) Quid de Romano Pontifice visibili Ecclesiae Christi Capite sentiendum est De eo fuit illo omnium Patrum ratio c. Ibid. quest 11. says a little before that the Roman Pontife is the visible Head of Christ's Church And the great Defender of the Romish Faith Card. Bellarmin affirms that (a) Catholici verò omnes constanter dâcent Concilia generalia a summo Pontifice confirmata non posse errare nec in fide explicandâ nec in tradendis morum praeceptis toti Ecclesiae communibus Bellarm. de Conciliorum Autoritate L. 1. C. 2. circa initium all Catholiques do constantly teach that General Councils confirm'd by the Pope cannot Err in Faith or Manners in explicating the one or in delivering Precepts about the other And in the same Chapter he adds that (b) Tota Autoritas Ecclesiae fermaliter non est nisi in Praelatis ergo idem est Ecclesiam non posse errare in definiendis rebus fidei Episcopos non posse errare Idem Ibid. Sect. ex his enim locis manifeste colligitur the whole
was great enough but can lay no Obligation upon Christians The result of the Discourse foregoing concerning the Books of the Old and New Testament is this 1. Seeing the Books of the New Testament were never doubted of much less rejected by all were so early receiv'd by all 2ly Seeing the Jewish Church never for so many hundred years admitted more Books into the Canon than Protestants do likewise that the Christian Church did from the beginning distinguish between the Canonical and Apocryphal Books as has been the concurrent Testimony of the most considerable Members of it in its several Ages Forasmuch I say that so it is there can lie no rational Objection against the sufficient care of the Divine Providence or the Churches diligence in the preservation of the Holy Scriptures upon supposal of which it can justly be pretended that Christians must be uncertain about the Integrity of the Scripture Canon I might add that supposâ there were a much more considerable uncertainty concerning the truly Canonical Books of Scripture both of the Old and New Testament than there is yet there would be a fair Salvo for the care of Divine Providence and for the security of Christians necessary Belief and Practice For I humbly conceive that if 1. The Books of the New Testament at the first not generally receiv'd were still as controversible yet we should not be at a loss for any Article of Faith there being in the Books never disputed of enough to establish it Or 2ly Were it so that it were altogether doubtful whether the Books call'd Apocryphal were not as truly the word of God as those styl'd Canonical perhaps yet there is no Doctrine which can be prov'd from those Apocryphal Books contrary to what we maintain against our Adversaries But this is Supernumerary After the Author had confuted by several Testimonies of the Antients the Canonicalness of the Books called Apocryphal he adds Etsi in hac re longè superior est causa nostra nullam tamen satis gravem causam video cur acriter de numero Canonicorum librorum cum Pontificiis digladiemur Apocryphos quos illi in Canonem referre volunt usque adeò aver semmr quasi Fides Religio Christiana propterea vacillatura sit si illi in Canonem admittantur Eisi enim non nego esse in iis quaedam quae vel contradictionem vel falsitatem vel absurditatem manifestariam prae se ferant difficulter aut cum iis quos Canonicos esse utrinque in confesse est conciliari aut cum historiae veritate aut cum recta ratione in gratiam reduci possunt tamen non modò nulla esse in t is credo per quae dogmatis alicujus ad salutem necessarii veritas labefactari possit sed non pauciora esse in iis mihi persuadeo quae convellendis Pontificiorum erroribus faciunt quam quae iis aut fulciendis aut stabiliendis servire possunt Sim. Episcopii Instit Theol. p. 227. Afterwards speaking of the Books of the New Testament antiently questioned says he Sive admittantur sive non admittantur Certissimum nihilominus manet caeteris qui extra controversiam omnem positi sunt abundè satis contineri universam doctrinam religionem istam quam Revelationem tertiam intelligit Religionem Christianam esse dicimus Nullus enim in istis omnibus controversiis est apiculus qui singulare aliquid habet inse quod in aliis indubitatis desideratur imò non abundè iis continetur ad Religionis doctrinae Jesu Christi tum perfectionem tum integritatem pertinens Idem Ibid. pag. 229. and might be untrue without any prejudice to what I have discours'd in this Section SECT III. Obj. 3. Whereas I have said that the safe descent of Divine Truths is so greatly provided for because they are treasur'd up in the Holy Writings it may be perhaps reply'd that Oral Tradition is not destitute of this ãâã Advantage also For one means which Bellarmine alledges of the preservation of Oral Traditions is Scriptura writing them in the antient Records of the Church Therefore he says that (a) De Verbo Dei non Scripto L. 4. C. 12. a Doctrine is called unwritten (b) Idâm Ibid Ch. 2. not because it is no where written because it was not written by the first Author but Ans 1. The Adversaries I have to deal with talk of Oral Tradition as a Plenipotent thing which is a support to itself and needs not the prop of a Pen is it self a spring of perpetuity to itself and therefore that the being written must be an accidental and no necessary Preservative of it This sure is the importance of several passages concerning it viz. (a) Sure Foot pag. 115. Christian Tradition rightly understood is nothing but the Living voice of the Catholick Church essential as Delivering (b) Ibid. pag 101. None can in reason oppose the Authority of Fathers or Councils against Tradition (c) Ibid. pag. 103. No Authority from any History or Testimonial writing is valid against the force of Tradition So that Oral Tradition is it seems so far from a want of assistance from any writings whatsoever that it is their strength and over-rules them There is yet more said (d) Ibid. pag. 56. Oral Tradition is a Rule not to the learned only but also to the unlearned to any vuloar enquirer therefore it must not rest on Books for its Authentickness for the unlearned and vulgar enquirers have not ability to read to examine to understand Books accordingly 't is said that the Tradition of the (a) Ibid. pag. 203 204. present Church is to be believ'd There is something to the same purpose in another (b) Enchirid of Faith pag. 14 15. Author who has form'd his Book Dialogue-wise After the Master had read his Scholar a Lecture about Tradition the Scholar asks him Sir It seems a matter of great study not easily to be overcome except by very learned men to know or to find out a constant Tradition as to read all the Fathers Liturgies or Councils Is it not therefore sufficient Testimony of this if the present Catholick Church universally witnesses it to be so To this the Master after some premises answers It must by necessary consequence be concluded the Testimony of any age he means any present age to be sufficient And after a while he closes thus This surely convinces the Testimony of any age to be sufficient Thus whatsoever just exception this Divinity is expos'd unto yet it appears by the Authors quoted that there are some such as I have to do with in this work who maintain a self-sufficiency in Oral Tradition and that though it may have yet it can sustain it self without the aid of Books 2. Let it be that Oral Tradition has help from Scripture from writing yet upon a Scrutiny it will be found that in the last issue this relief will be insufficient so far at
As to the certainty of Scripture's Sense is Scripture in earnest so utterly obscure Will their Author say so of the Histories of Livie or Tacitus or of the Philosophical Writings of Plato and Aristotle or of Euclid's Elements Could not God speak clearly and intelligibly to Men as Men have done and that in matters of the greatest consequence to them or would he not do so The Assertion of the one would impeach his Wisdom of the other his mercy and kindness to Souls And if Scriptures leave us so quite in the dark why do they call themselves a Light a Lamp say Ps 119 105.13â Ps 19.7 8. that they enlighten the Eyes and make wise the simple Were the Books of the Old Testament the Gospels Acts and Epistles of the New Testament in the respective times in which they were writ in themselves unintelligible by them to whom and for whose Souls health they were writ If they were so then they were useless and vain And Oral Tradition could not expound them which was not in Being when those Books were first written for That deals with the Ages following the first conveys what was at the first delivered unto Posterity Did God then write only to amaze his Church 'T is acknowledged that there are several ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã things hard to be understood which it might please God should be partly to win the greater veneration to the Scriptures for what is obvious and presently seen through is in the more danger of contempt partly for the exercise of Christian's Industry Humility and Charity towards each other on occasion of dissent But howsoever the Scriptures are not so lock'd up but that a compâtent diligence and a Beraean ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or readiness of mind may be a Key to them may open them in all Points necessary to Salvation And if in other things we remain ignorant or not so certain we may well bear with it while we are yet but in viâ and not comprehensores on our way unto but have not yet reach'd perfection That which makes the noise of Scriptur's obscurity the more loud is that Men are apt to look upon the many subtilties of the Schooles and Niceties of Polemick Writers as Articles of Faith and that men have more mind to fathom depths and to humour their curiosity for which end I believe the Scriptures were not intended and hence are ever racking the Scriptures and vexing the Sacred Text than to exercise themselves in a sober understanding of what is sufficiently plain and in a consciencious practise of the Holy Rules of Life which are evident enough If Christians would more seriously apply themselves to these two things they would find in the Scriptures employment enough and they would be more contented with their difficulties The Romanists have raised a cry of Scriptur's darkness upon another account and out of Policy For having embrac'd several Tenents and Practices which Scripture does condemn or not countenance either it is wholly silent of them or they are but meer appearances there which are snatch'd at and yet it is inconsistent with their grandeur or profit or the affected reputation of an infallibility to part with they are faine to press Tradition to serve in their Wars and for the defence of them Thus they have first made a necessity and then have invented a Remedy for it But when all is done the Remedy is more imaginary than real For how unsure a Conveyance and consequently how weak a Proof Oral Tradition is in matters of Christian Faith and Practice has been already evicted So that if we must be ignorant of Scriptures Sense unless Oral Tradition bless us with the Exposition of it and Scriptures no farther a Light than it is tinded at Tradition's Candle we must sit still in much ignorance or wander in great uncertainties for that cannot relieve us it is not that infallible Commentator it is pretended to be 2. To the upbraiding us with our Distractions I reply 1. Before the charge can be made good that the choice of Scripture for our Canon was the cause of our many Differences and that upon that pretence we should exchange Scripture for Oral Tradition it must be suppos'd that Oral Tradition is a sure and infallible clew to guide us out of the Labyrinth of Errors into the way of Truth and Peace the contrary to which has been sufficiently proved For otherwise to leave Scripture and to follow Tradition would be to relinquish a Guide or Rule which being indited by an unerring Spirit cannot mislead us and to chuse one which may and will carry us out of the way Nor will the pretence of Vnity make amends for this For true Christian Peace can't be otherwhere bottom'd than on Truth when and so far as it is a Cement of Men to the disservice of Truth it commences Faction Nor Reason nor Religion allow much less commend an Agreement of Persons to err together 2. They who have the most amorously espoused Tradition have also their many and great Differences as has been shew'd above only through Fear in some and Policy in the rest they are hush'd up more than amongst us and so do better escape the observation and talk of the World Nay that Church may be justly arraigned as the guilty cause of that which they call a great Schism viz. The Separation of so many Churches from them the Churches call'd Protestant by their imposition of unlawful and therefore impossible termes of Communion with them And (a) ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Nilus tells the World that their Imperiousness was the reason of the great Schism between the Greek and the Latin Church ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã pag. 21. 22. Thus as the Church of Traditioners have no few Dissentions among themselves so they have given a beginning and continuance to the quarrels between them and a considerable part of Christendom 3. Ther 's no need of fetching our Distractions from the Rejection of Oral Tradition there are are other true manifest Causes of them assignable Our Church once flourish'd with Peace and that without the aid of an Oral Tradition whil'st the Reverend Bishops were suffered to govern it and the Royal was able to countenance the Ecclesiastical Authority But when the pious King and blessed Martyr was engag'd in and diverted by the turmoils of a Civil War when Episcopacy was chang'd for Anarchy when the Golden reins of Government in Church and State were broken then begun and increas'd our Divisions and Calamities Unto which it may be there were some assisting Causes from without some who helped to kindle and to blow our Fires And if the Roman Church should chance into the like afflicted State with ours it would be obnoxious to the like Confusions If the Mitre should be forsaken by the secular Crowned Heads and a mutinying multitude should pull their Holy Father out of his infallible Chair then 't is not altogether improbable but that Children would less heavken