17. if no infallible then no Ecclesiastical Judge Pag. 273. l. 3. I no where in the least exclude the use of all means and due helps of Guides and others for the understanding the sense of Scripture Yes for the understanding the sense of Scripture in all necessary Faith For you both in your Principles and in this Book ground the sober Enquirer's not erring in necessaries upon the plainness of the delivery of not some or many for this will be granted to you at least for persons of a good capacity but all such points in Scripture which plainness in Scripture where it is renders an Expositor of such Scripture needless upon such diligence used Or if you mean a plainness by using the help of the Clergy the plainness now is had not in the Text but from the Clergy the mentioning therefore of which by you would have prejudiced such plainness in the Text. Ib. l. 14. To what purpose in an account of the Principles of Faith should I mention those things which we do not build our faith upon I mean the Authority of our Guides I hope in your Principles or Foundations of Faith that you intended to set down all things necessâ—ry to a Christian's having a true Faith as in your 13th Principle that you intended to set down all things that were necessary that a sober requirer might not err in necessary Faith without leaving any of them out Now a most exact and perfect Rule of our Faith if it be not also clear to us requires somthing besides for our belief of its true sense namely an Expositor where this Rule is obscure and then that we may not err in this our belief an Infallible One. For the Scripture or Principle here when obscure abstracted from this Expositor is of it self indifferent between the sense which we receive and which we reject In obscure Scripture we resolve our faith into God's Word indeed but as this is related or expounded to us by the Church And this Church therefore is necessary to be mentioned where we speak of the Resolution of any such part of our Faith Pag. 274. l. 2 Doth this make the whole Profession of Physick useless No. But If Hippocrates his Aphorismes are set down so plainly as that every one that will take the pains to read and compare them may understand them I may safely say an Expositor of these is useless to so many as will take this pains The same is said of Expositors as to plain Scriptures What followes here in him is very true but nothing to our business Pag. 276. l. 11. How comes it now to pass c. Mr. S. C. pitcheth here that as to the knowledge of all necessary faith the guidance of Church-Governours is by Dr St. rendred useless For other matters how great soever Dr St. may make or prove the authority of these Church-Governours to be he troubles not himself Pag. 277. l. 7. S. Austin in his books of Christian Doctrine already mentioned See before Note on p. 236. l. 1. Ib. l. 9. And S. Chrysostom in as plain words as may be c. ‖ Hom. 3. in 2 Thess S. Chrysostome's words in that place reprehending the peoples neglect in the hearing the Scriptures read if there were no Sermon a great fault which the present times are still subject-to are these Cur inquit ingredior si non audio aliquem verba facientem saith he that stayes from Church Hoc saith the Father omnia perdidit corrupit Quid enim opus est aliquo qui verba faciat sermonem habeat Ex nostrâ socordiâ hoc usu venit Quid enim opus est sermone Omnia sunt dilucida recta quae sunt in divinis Scripturis manifesta sunt quaecunque sunt necessaria Sed quoniam estis auditores delectationis propterea haec etiam quaeritis i.e. Sermons Which words taken in a rigid sense prove more than Dr St. doth pretend to make good out of them making such a plainness in the Scriptures as that there is no need of any Sermons But the Eather seems here as Sixtus Senensis on this place hath observed not to speak so much of Dogmata fidei wherein it were strange if in all the things that are controverted and Scriptures urged on both sides nothing should be a necessary or that any simple person needed therein no teacher as of praecepta Morum historiae sacrae formandis moribus utiles his Sermons chiefly aiming at the forming of Manners not stating points of Faith And so in another place where the Father speaks much what the same things he seems to explain himself in Concio 3. de Lazaro Luc. 16. Cui enim saith he there non sunt manifesta quaecunque in Evangelio scripta sunt Quis autem audiens beatos esse mites beatos misericordes beatos mundicordes caeteraque hujusmodi desiderabit praeceptorem ut aliquid eorum discat quae dicuntur Quinetiam signa miracula historiae nonne cuivis nota manifestaque sunt Praetextus iste est causatio pigritiaeque velamentum Yet there he supposeth they may meet with difficulties such wherein it is necessary they should be instructed also and so adviseth them to repair to a Doctor Quod si non peteris saith he assiduitato lectiâ—nis invenire quod dicitur accede ad sapientiorem vade ad doctorâ—â— coâ—â—unica cum his ea quae scripta sunt giving them the example of the Ethiopian Eunuch Nay in this very place cited by the Dr the Father seems to explain himself chiefly of the clearness of Scripture-Stories from whence they might learn instruction of manners in the words following where replying to those who pretended obscurity in the Scriptures read to them Quaenam ea obscuâ—itus saith he Dic quaeso annon sunt historiae Nostine i.e. have you already sufficiently learnt those things quae sunt clara dilucida i.e. that you cannot deny to be so ut de iis quae sunt obscura perconteris i.e. afterward Historiae innumerabiles sunt in Scripturis i.e. very plain Dic mihi unam ex illis c. Ib. l. ult And for the finding out the sense of Scripture without the help of Infallibility I have produced more out of Antiquity in this Discourse He might also as truly say or without the help of Church-Authority He proceeds Pag. 278. l. 2. Than he or his whole party will be able to answer Of this let the Reader judge Mean while let us remember the Apostle's advice Phil. 2.3 Nihil per inanem gloriam Pag. 279. l. 10. I dare appeale to any person whether the Bishops deriving their authority from Christ or from the Pope be the better way of defending their power These two do well consist as also doth an English Bishop's deriving his authority from Christ and from the Metropolitan and his Synod Pag. 280. l. 1. If there be any other Power beside the Pope's in the Church the denying the Pope's Authority cannot in the least diminish
A DISCOURSE OF THE NECESSITY OF Church-Guides For Directing Christians in Necessary Faith WITH Some ANNOTATIONS on Dr Stillingfleet's Answer to N. O. By R. H. Matt. 18.17 Si ECCLESIAM non audiverit sit tibi sicut Ethnicus Publicanus 2 Cor. 6.8 Vt Seductores VERACES Printed in the Year MDCLXXV THE PREFACE BEfore my entrance upon the following Discourse it seems necessary to pre-acquaint the Reader with the occasion thereof § 11 Doctor Stilling fleet at the end of his Book of the Roman Idolatry upon his Adversary's importunity published Thirty Principles drawn up as he saith immediatly before them ‖ p. 557. to give an Account of the Protestants Faith in the way of Principles In the 13th of which he affirms That the Scriptures may be understood by all persons who sincerely endeavour to know the meaning of them in all such things as are necessary for their salvation Again in the 15th That these Writings contain in them the whole Will of God so plainly revealed that no sober enquirer can miss of what is necessary for salvation Again in the 19th That the assistance which God hath promised to those who sincerely desire to know his Will where I suppose he means such assistance as includes not that which God hath promised to Christians from the direction and instruction of his Ministers for this assistance here is opposed by him to that may give them greater assurance of the truth of what is contained in the Books of Scripture than it is possible for the greatest Infallibility in any other persons to do supposing they have not such assurance of their Infallibility Where you may observe that it follows much more may give them greater assurance than it is possible for the highest Church-Authority Wisdome Learning or Divine assistance short of Infallibility in any other persons to do And so in his first Consequence he saith There is no necessity at all or use of an infallible I add much less of a fallible society of men to assure men of the truth of those things of which they may be certain without them and cannot have any greater assurance than that they have already supposing such Infallibility to be in them § 2 These his Principles were considered and especially the forenamed opposed by a Roman Catholick as appearing to him not only untrue but of most dangerous consequence as being very derogative from Church-Authority as to these chief parts of their Office the Expounding of the Scriptures the Teaching and Guiding Christ's Flock in all Truth necessary to be known by them and their Defining also matters of Necessary Faith as Controversies in them do arise and Requiring from their Subjects a Belief of them and also very hazardous to mens salvation in leaving each private person to entertain in Religion especially as to points thought more necessary in which therefore the Scriptures also are affirmed by the Doctor more plain what in his own judgment after a to him-seeming sincere perusal of them he likes best even though a much major part of Christianity reading the same Scriptures assert the contrary and this without any obligation of submitting his judgment in such things to his Spiritual Superiours § 3 And indeed from some such Principle it seems to be that Luther when he had said to himself ‖ De abrogand Missâ privat praefat Tu solus sapis Totne errant universi And Quoties mihi palpitavit tremulum cor reencouraged himself to proceed in his Reformation though contradicting the whole World viz. Because the Scriptures were cleare and for him against them all often using S. Paul's Licet Angelus de Caelo c. Gal. 1. The Holy Scriptures the rest of the Christian World had read as well as himself but he meanwhile was conscious only of his own sincere endeavour and so the Principle secured him that he did not mistake if any such point were necessary wherein he opposed them From such Principle was the confidence of the Protestants then but a very few against the sacred Council of Trent i. e. all the other Church-Governours of that Age Soave Hist Couc Trid. p. 344.641 when they desired that the Authority of the Fathers might be qualified with a Fundantes se in Scripturis Of which fundantes whether it were so or no they themselves for themselves at least would be the Judges From such a Principle the Socinians departed from the whole Church of God Ancient Modern only pleading the Scriptures clear on their side See Volkelius De Vera Relig. l. 5. c. 7. Praesertim saith he si sapientiam a Deo petat quam ille nemini denegat i. e. if using their prayers and sincere endeavours though not consulting or obeying any Guides or the Church Quam in iis quoque rebus quae ad salutem sunt necessariae errare constat From such Principle it is that the Presbyterians ‖ Reasons shewing Necessity Reform p. 5. denied Subscription to the 39. Articles except this clause were added so far forth as the same Articles were agreeable to Gods Word of which how farre they make themselves the Judges And so also do the many latter Sects who for a sufficient knowledge in all necessary points and triall of the Doctrine of their Teachers therein need nothing more than a Bible and learning to read From such Principle that Mr. Chilling worth denies that any Church-Authority not excepting the first four General Councils hath just cause to oblige others to receive their Declarations in matters of Faith ‖ c. 4. §. 18. And elsewhere saith †c. 6. §. 5◠That the Bible the Bible only is the Religion of Protestants and that the belief of any thing besides Scripture and the plain irrefragable indubitable consequences of it indubitable i. e. to those on whom they are imposed cannot i. e. by Protestants with coherence to their own grounds be required of any without most high and most Schismatical presumption From such Principle that Dr Stilling fleet accuseth the whole Church Catholick Eastern and Western for so many Ages before the Reformation of so manifold an Idolatry where his own sincere endeavour to understand the Scriptures in so necessary a point he holds cannot be mistaken and therefore all that World must be so And thus what opinion may not One maintain against all if he have first a confidence concerning himself that he hath used a requisite industry which industry also must not be maintained greater than the meanest condition of life may practise and so that Scripture is clear to him in all necessary matter and Next the consequent of this if he have a perswasion concerning others how many soever whom by their differing from him he knows to be in an errour that either they have been defective in a sincere enquiry or having with him discerned the Truth yet for some secular ends falsify it § 4 From this Principle also proceeds that Assertion That there is amongst Christians no Necessity
I leave to the Readers examination § 11 This to the Dr's Principle as restraining the clearness of Scripture to Necessaries to salvation Next In its affirming the Scriptures in such necessaries clear to men only on this condition viz. their using a sincere endeavour for knowing the right meaning of them wherein also I suppose he includes the divesting themselves of all passion and Interest that may any way blinde them in the search of Truth N.O. hence observes that no private person can be secure of their right understanding them till they are first assured of having used a just endeavour and reduced themselves to a clear indifference and disengagement And by what means may they be certain of this Or are not the simple or illiterate obliged to use much greater industry herein than others And thus one being left to himself all things will be still in suspense For Example The Socinians esteemed as great Scripturists as any it is by all of them erring to this day in a necessary point of Faith very manifest that according to this Principle they have not used a sincere and upright endeavour to underâ—tand them Nor yet the Major part of the Christian World in some other Necessaries to have used their endeavours aright if the Dr. have so used his for these differ from him in this sense of Scripture How then shall any be assured of his having used a just diligence herein Or will not all be driven for the want of this assurance notwithstanding the truth of such a Principle to their Obedience and submission of judgment herein to the Church And the same may be said of ones duty of using also other helps besides his own industry as their repairing to the instruction of Church-men or others more learned which helps for their understanding of matters that are doubtful and require skill to resolve them ‖ p. 267.269 the Dr. owns and recommends in his Answer to N.O. though in his Principles speaking of Necessaries he forbears to mind the sincere endeavourer or sober enquirer of them at all One would think because the consulting such helps if recommended by him would have seemed to imply as indeed it doth some non-clearness of Scripture at least to such persons contrary to the Dr's Thesis Here I say how shall one know when he hath sufficiently used such helps also herein But if a person may be certain when he hath done so so may he be when he hath not namely when upon searching he is not certain that he hath and so all those that erre in necessaries suppose the Socinians and Roman-Catholicks must be affirmed if they examine it conscious to themselves of a defect herein § 12 But after this the Dr. allowing the same effect of such sincere endeavour to all sorts of persons to the unlearned and Plebeians as well as the Divines and Doctors Consid p. 16 this sincere seems to mean not all possible endeavour such as is learning the languages perusing Commentators c. but Chillingw Answ to Prefac §. 26 as Mr. Chillingworth who anchored his whole Religion upon it states this point such a measure thereof as humane prudence and ordinary discretion their abilities and opportunities and all other things considered shall advise And thus such a clearness in necessaries must the Scriptures be affirmed to have as sutes with the very lowest capacities Such a clearness I say even as to all the Articles of the Athanasian Creed if these be esteemed necessaries and even as to the Consubstantiality of the Son with God the Father In which notwithstanding the whole Body of Socinians dares to oppose all Antiquity upon pretence of clear Scripture to the contrary But then such a sincere endeavour put as the meanest persons are well capable of using how can we deny it to be used also by the Church Governors and so by it them also well to discern all necessary Truth and then may not the simpler sort with all safety â—ely on their judgment and rather in a due humility suspect a defect in their own than in their endeavours But of this more by and by CHAP. II. Concerning a Necessity of Church-Guides for the instruction of Christians in Necessaries § 13 II. SEcondly Wheras this Principle of the Scripture's being so clear as that every one who sincerely endeavours it may understand their sense in all things necessary to their salvation is advanced by the Dr. as he often saith thence to inferr no necessity of any infallible Society of men to instruct and guide Christians in such necessaries N. O. in the second place observes Consid p. 24. that from such a Principle seems to follow something more than haply the Dr. would willingly admit viz. the non-necessiry of any Society at all fallible or infallible to explain these Writings Consid p. 24 as to Necessaries unless perhaps these Teachers may be said to be left by our Lord either for others to supersede their endeavours or else only for instructing them in non necessaries And again p. 49. upon the Dr's assertion Princip Consid p. 49 19. That the Assistance which God hath promised to those who sincerely desire to know his will may give them greater assurance of the truth of what is contained in the books of Scripture than it is possible for the greatest Infallibility in any other persons to do N. O. observes that whatever Divine Assistance is there advanced by the Dr. against the assurance that can be received from Church-Infallibility the same is more against any assurance that may be had from the same Church fallible and that thus it happens more than once in these Principles that in too forward a zeal of demolishing the one the other also was dangerously that is as to this particular the need of the Clergy for instructing the people in necessaries undermined by him And again p. 83. upon the first Consequence drawn by Dr. St. from his own Principles Consid 83. That there it no necessity at all or use of an infallible society of men to assure men of the truth of those things of which they may be certain without them c. observes that this concludes the uselesness as well of any Ecclesiastical Authority to teach men as of an Infallible to assure men of the truth of those things which by using only their own sincere endeavour they may know without them So that as by this Principle he takes away Infallibility so doth he also the Office of Gods Ministry though not as to every thing in the proof of which Church-Authority and Office as to many other things the troubled Dr. would relieve himself in his Answer Or as to this of Teaching the people if he will as to non-necessaries Yet as to this the need that there is of any such Clergy for teaching the people in the Necessaries to their salvation § 14 The Reader may see for this his Reply in his Answer to N. O. from p. 260. to
p. 278. a reply long enough to be good Wherein he will first needs suppose See p. 264 262. 267. 270. 273. 274. that N.O. chargeth him by this Principle with undermining or taking away All Church Authority ‖ p. 84. and next shews that he maintains still a manifold Authority in the Governors of the Church as this Of their inflicting Censures upon offenders commonly called the Power of the Keyes Of their making Rules and Canons about matters of Order and Decency in the Church p. 267. p. 268. Of their proposing matters of faith and directing men in Religion where he mentions also this the particular instruction of persons doubtful which those using sincere endeavour may well be in things not necessary and so wherein the Scripture may not be clear and the publick declaring i.e. in Sermons what is the mind and will of God contained in Scripture in order to the salvation and Edification of the souls of men Of Declaring what errours and abuses there are and doing as much as in them lies to reform them But concerning that only point N.O. speaks of namely a necessity of this Ministry Clergy or Church-Authority for guiding Christians in Necessaries to their salvation so that they cannot by their own endeavours attain the knowledge of all these sufficiently without them I find not a word he that can let him So that N. O's charge remains still in force and could I find any such thing in him I see not but it must point-blank contradict his Principles and the words of his first Consequence he draws from them but now recited § 15 I find him saying there indeed p. 266. That there are some common Principles of Religion that are or may be known to all and some precepts so plain that every Christian without any help I understand him here any help either of his Guids or any else may know them to be his duty And also that within the compass of these plain and known duties lies the capacity of persons judging of their Guides if they carry them out of their beaten way c. which Guides therefore he holds may misleade them in these Principles so that here is not only their not needing Guides but if need be di-or-cor-recting them § 16 Again I find him saying p. 267. That these Guides may be of great use for the direction of unskilful persons in matters that are doubtful and require skil to resolve them but this is not in matters necessary for if the Clergy here may be needful or useful once so surely an infallibility of them would be more And he saith p. 189. That be doth not deny that there are doubtful and controverted places but denies that the sense of Scripture is so doubtful and obscure in the things which are necessary to mens salvation that persons without an infallible Guide cannot know the meaning of them And again We do not deny that there are places of great difficulty in the Books of Scripture but we assert that the necessaries to Salvation do not ly therein And afterward If a person then by reading and considering those things believe and do what Christ requires for his salvation what necessity hath such a one to trouble himself about an infallible Guide I add or about any Guide at all as to such matters For where one knows a thing once no Guide fallible or infallible is necessary for his knowing that thing And if an infallible Guide is not necessary here it must be because a person may know the certain sense of such Scriptures without him but if he knows the certain sense without such a Guide so may he without any Guide fallible also for the fallibility of a Guide surely doth not render the Scripture more certainly knowable by him than an infallibility doth and therefore in such case neither is a fallible Guide necessary § Pag. 273. I find him saying That he no where in the least excludes the use of all means and due helps of Guides and others for the understanding the sense of Scripture i. e. where Scripture doubtful but such he affirms it not to be in necessaries to the just endeavourer to understand it of whom and which N. O. speaks And if it be said though not to the just endeavourer yet to such others as will not use their own endeavour such Guides may be needful or useful for directing them in necessaries so also I suppose will be a Guide infallible that so such may not err in necessaries after their having consulted them Ibid. I find him excusing himself that in the Principles he drew up he no where mentions these due helps of our Guides because his business was only about the Foundation of Faith and whether Infallibility was necessary for that or no. But then he ought to speak nothing for the excluding Infallibility that doth also exclude as well such due helps And again as he mentions in his laying this foundation of faith a sincere endeavour so ought he any other helps without which as well as without a sincere endeavour he holds the understanding of Scripture though clear cannot be had § 18 Again p. 274 he saith that If all those things which are necessary to salvation are plain in Scripture to all that sincerely endeavour to understand them it doth not hence follow that there can be no just authority in a Church no use of persons to instruct others but he saith not to instruct them in these necessaries already plain to them So he asks there If he should say that the necessary rules for a mans health are so plainly laid down by Hippocrates that every one that will take the pains may understand them doth this make the whole Profession of Physick useless To which who would not answer Yes as to such person taking such pains for his understanding the necessary Rules of health but not therefore useless as to all other things P. 275. I find him distinguishing between Necessaries to Salvation and to Government and granting that for Church-Government these Guides are necessary But meanwhile N. O's enquiry is concerning the other member how needful they are for knowledge of necessaries to Salvation Again Ibid. That as Christians are joined together in a Christian Society many other things are necessary for thâ—t end besides what make them capable of Salvation And ‖ p. 276. that mon understanding what is necessary to salvation yet have need to be ruled and governed True but thus the Church-Men are required for Rule and Government but not for instruction in necessaries to Salvation In all this I find no necessity of a Clergy for guiding Christians in necessaries and if there be should he not have mentioned the consulting them if it were but for the Independents and Quakers and other extravagant Sects that may read him as well as mention the using a sincere endeavour and should he not have given the reason thereof Because Scriptures in some points necessary are obscure
77. That none are obliged to such a necessary belief of them as that a person nescient of them cannot be saved or that the explicite knowledge of them is absolutely necessary though always in some manner beneficial it is to salvation but that this indeed is necessary to salvation that any subject of the Church when knowing them to be determined by her obey her definitions and not reject or dissent from them Such disobedience being conceived a mortall breach of Gods command Ib. l. 11 But nothing of this nature can be objected against our Church by dissenters But this is objected by them that Assent is required to the Common Prayer Book and 39. Articles as containing in them nothing erroneous or repugnant to Scripture upon Excommunication if any one affirm it till such person repents of such his wicked errour and without any qualification that such assent be yielded only as far as the same Articles are agreeable to Gods Word Here then I ask Whether such a wicked errour and herein such an obstinate disobedience to ones lawful Spiritual Superiours and continuance out of their communion unrepented-of is not held by the Church of England to exclude such person from being a member of Christs Body and from Salvation Which Church declares Art 33. concerning a just excommunication That the person which by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off from the unity of the Church and excommunicated ought to be tâ—ken of the whole multitude of the faithful as an heathen and a Publican until he be openly reconciled by Penance and received into the Church by a Judge that hath authority thereunto Of which matter thus also Calvin ‖ Instit 4. c. 12. §. 4. Nequis tale Ecclesiae judicium spernat aut parvi astimet se fidelium suffragiis damnatum testatus est Dominus istud ipsum nihil aliud esse quà m sententiae suae promulgationem ratumque haberi in coelis quod illi in terrâ egerint and § 10. Qui Ecclesiae censurâ speaking of a just Excommunication by a Church Reformed excommunicantur suae etiam ipsorum perpetuae damnationis nisi resipuerint certi fiunt Ib. l. 4 That it was necessary to salvation to be in subjection to the Bishop of Rome The words in the Lateran Council under Leo are these In Ecclesiâ esse non potest qui Romani Pontificis Cathedram deserit It is necessary to salvation that one be in the Church Catholick be nâ— Heretick or Schismatick but yield obedience to his lawful Ecclesiastical Superiours the Supreme amongst whom is the Bishop of Rome the Successour of S. Peter in the Prime Apostolick See who also presides in and confirms lawful General Councils So that Obedience to all lawful General Councils in this sense involveth also obedience to him their President Pag. 184. l. 1. The Guides of the Roman Church pretend to as immediate authority of obliging the consciences of men as Christ or his Apostles had Means he not here requiring Assent to their Decrees upon Anathema But let him then urge this against lawful General Councils which have practised it and declared such matters to oblige mens consciences to obedience as being Gods Word But if he means here that the Roman Church pretends such an immediate authority in obliging mens consciences as to her Injunctions or Conâ—titutions in matters indifferent and no way commanded by God i.e. as if she enjoined their obedience also to them as to things necessary and commanded by God this is utterly denied and makes the Church contradict her self for if they are commanded by God how are they enjoined as things indifferent But the Church affirms men are bound in conscience to obey these not because they are divine Commands but only because the Persons are obliged by the Divine Command which binds the Conscience to obey the Church's Command in all such matters Necessary such things are to be observed because the Church commands them and men also bound in conscience to observe them because they are commanded by God to obey such Commands of the Church And this obligation of Conscience I think the Dr admits as well as Catholicks See his Irenieum c. 2. p. 65. where he saith that What is left undetermined by the Divine Law if it be determined by lawful Authority in the Church of God doth bind the Consciences of those who are subject to such authority to obedience to those determinations and cites for it Rom. 13.5 that we are to be subject to these Governours for Conscience sake The Church may pretend to any authority our Lord or his Apostles have given it without dishonouring or degrading or equalling themselves to the Donor He goes on Ib. l. 6. But our Guides challenge no more than teaching men to do what Christ had commanded them and in other things not commanded or forbidden to give rules which on the account of the General Commands of Scripture they look on the members of our Church as obliged to observe Obliged to observe I hope he means as obeying here a just authority and not as he explains himself in his Irenicum ‖ cha 2. §. 7. â— 46 Thus far I acknowlege a binding power in Ecelesiastical Constitutions that though they neither bind by vertue of the matter nor of the authority commanding there being no legislative power lodged in the Church yet in respect of the circumstances and the end they should be obeyed unless I judge the thing unlawful that is commanded rather than manifest open contempt of the Pastors of the Church or bring a scandal to others And here when the Church of England thus obligeth her subjects to the practice of such things as she holds indifferent unless she makes this a condition of her obligation if they first hold them lawful she obligeth them also to hold such things lawful since none may practise any thing apprehended by his conscience to be unlawful Lastly as the Church of England hath authority to give Rules in things neither commanded nor forbidden by God so I ask Hath she no authority in Controversies of Faith for the deciding them See Art 29th of the Church of England Ib. l. 17. In the Church of Rome it is accounted as much a mortall sin to disobey their Guides in the most indifferent things as to disobey God in the plain commands of Scripture As much No. But as well for Mortal Sins admit degrees And Mandata Ecclesiastica non anteponi sed postponi debere dicimus Divinis Praceptis ‖ Bellarm. de Rom. Pontif l. 4. c. 17. saith the Cardinal Though all disobeying our Superiours in lawful things is also disobeying God when He in such commanding obedience to them Again As well a Mortal Sin in some disobedience of these Governours but not in all not in things of no great consequence in respect of the benefit or damage that is received by the doing or omitting them And lastly these things are extended as well to the Laws of
this plea seems to imply more iucluded in the word Prescription than the Dr allows viz. includes not only a just exception against their pleadings but a just plea against their exeeptions But this shall make no contention between us Pag 215. l. ult And makes that sufficient evidence of the truth of a body that it is the object of three senses of sight and touch and hearing Which is the same way of arguing we make use of against Transubstantiation And it is granted a sufficient evidence where no Divine Revelation intervenes declaring such arguing mistaken Which in the matter of our Lord's Resurrection there doth not And in vain had Marcion made any such pretence herein against these senses where he could produce no Divine Revelation for it Pag. 216. l. 14. And the universal reception i.e. by the Churches of the true Gospels Vniversal Reception Which Tertullian urgeth as an infallible proof of the truth of these Gospels See his words Contra Marcion l. 4. before in Note on p. 210. l 2. As also Ibid. contrary to what the Dr saith below his calling in an infallible Guide the same Churches for giving a certain sense of Scripture Pag 218. l. 6. Hitherto we find nothing c. Concerning this let the former places ‖ Note on p. 201. produced out of them bear witness Though this hath the infirmity of a Negative argument Pag. 219. l. 1. I now proceed to Clemens of Alexandria And therefore so must I though methinks he hath led his Reader and me a great way from the Consideration of his Principles He that reads the 7th Book of his Stromata here cited as he will find much of studying the Scriptures and learning Demonstrations from thence against Hereticks so will he of the Vnity of the Church contradistinct to Heresies and of the verity of its Traditions Of which he saith there Num ergo si quis pacta conventa non obseâ—vaverit i.e. adhaerendo Regulae Ecclesiasticae transgressus fuerit eam quae fit apud nos confessionem propter eum qui non stetâ—t suae professioni abstinebimus nos quoque a veritate i.e. hujus confessionis And he cals this afterward via regia trita Non dubit averit quispiam viam ingreâ—i propter dissensionem of some others strayin sed utetur viâ regiâ tritâ sejuncta a periculo ita cùm alii alia dicant de veritate hujus Confessionis Regulae Ecclesiasticae non est discedendum sed est exactiùs diligentiùs inquirenda ejus exactissima accuratissima cognitio Ibid. he saith In solâ veritate antiquâ Ecclesiâ i.e. Ecclesiâ deriving its doctrine from Antiquity est perfectissima cognitio ea quae estreverâ optima haeresis id est electio And Homo Dei esse Domino fidelis esse perdidit qui adversus Ecclesiasticam recalcitravit traditionem in humanarum haeresum desiluit â—piniones There he saith Qui in ignoratione quidem versantur sunt gentes qui autem in scientiâ vera ecclesia qui verò in opinione ti qui sectantur haereses And afterward Exciso ostio muro Ecclesiae jam perfosso veritatem transgredientes efficiuntur principes ac duces mystâ—riorum animae impiorum and then shewing as also Irenaeus and Tertullian the Doctrine of the Church ancienter that of Hereticks later he goes on Exiis quae dicto sunt manifestum esse exâ—stimo unam esse veram Ecclesiam eam quae verè est antiqua quam conantur haereses in multas discindere Et substantiâ ergo cogitatione principio excellentiâ solam esse dicimus quam etiam dicimus antiquam Catholicam Ecclesiam in unitatem unius fidei quae est ex proprus testamentis i.e. contained in the Scriptures in quibus Dei voluntate per unum hominem congregat eos qui jam sunt ordinati ‖ Act. 13.48 quos praedestinavit Deus c. saith he Ecclesiae quoque eminentia sicut principium constructionis est ex unitate omnia alia superans nihil habens sibi simile vel aequale And that Fuit una omnium Apostolorum sicut doctrina ita etiam traditio Ex haere sibus autem aliae quidem appellantur ex nomine aliae ex loco aliae ex gente aliae ex propriis dogmatibus c. A parallel to which both in his description of the Church and Heresies may be observed in our present times These things then he hath of the Church there where he hath those things our Authour brings of the Scriptures And in all these things he seems to own and remit us to this Church antiqua sola una eminens omnia alia superans as a Guide that cannot sail us in necessary truth And as he presseth the studying of the Scriptures to the contemplative so he leaves the unity of the Church and the verity of its doctrine as a secure refuge for all the rest that cannot intend such studies Pag. 222. l. 10 Stephen was against rebaptizing any Hereticks and the others the Eastern and Affrican Bisho were for rebaptizing all Any Hereticks i.e. such whose former Baptisme was not for want of a right Forme nulled the baptizing of whom when returning to the Church was indeed no Rebaptization and thus S. Stephen and latter Councils well accord Of whose sanctity and orthodoxness thus Vincentius Lerinensis ‖ c. 9. after these Councils Quo quisque floreret religiosior eo promptiùs novellis adinventionibus coâ—trairet Exemplis talibus plena sunt omnia Sed ne longum siat unum aliquod hoc ab Apostolicâ potissimùm Sede sumemus ut omnes luce clariùs videant beatorum Apostolorum beata successi qu nâ—â vi semper quanto studio quantâ contentione defenderit susceptae semel relâ—gionis integritatem speaking of this Stephen Mâ—an wâ—â—le the affection Reverence this Author pretends to Antiquity and the Holy Fathers is not unliable to suspition when he upon every or rather no occasion given endeavours to uncover their nakedness and lay open their deficiencies and divisions Those that defend their departure from the novelties of the Roman Church by their retreat to Antiquity and the doctrine of the Fathers methinks should have a greater tenderness of Their Reputation But here meanwhile the more He aggravates the dissentings about this point the more he confirms the necessity of the Infallibility of General Councils for fetling such Truths and allaying such Contests to which Councils we owe the present peace that the Church in latter times enjoys in this matter once so much agitated Pag. 225 l. 13 What course was taken in this important Controversy with Samosatenus concerning the divinity of Christ to find out the certain sense of Scripture Do they appeale to any infallible Guides Nothing like it But in the Councils of Antioch c. The sense of Scripture may be cleared either by comparing Scriptures c. or by examining Church-Tradition for confuting
in the places controverted between thâ—◠〈…〉 Story in brief is this Maximinus an Arian in the beginning of their dispute hath these words Si quid de divinis Scripturis protuleris quod commune est cum omnibus necesse est ut audiamus Hae verò voces quae extra Scripturam sunt homousion nullo casu a nobis suscipiuntur alluding to the definition of homousion by the Nicene Council S. Augustine takes his challenge and as he waved the Council of Nice so did S. Augustine that of Ariminum Upon which here lib. 3. c. 14. after he had said Hoc est illud Homousion quod in Concilio Nicaeno adversus Haereticos Arrianos a Catholicis Patribus veritatis i. e of the Scriptures authoritate authoritatis i.e. by the just authority of a lawfull free General Counci veritate firmatum est quod postea in Concilio Ariminensi c. multis paucorum fraude deceptis Haeretica impietas labefâ—ctare tentavit He condescends thus I say after this uttered in Justification of Nice Sed nunc nec ego Nicaenum nec tu debes Ariminense tanquam praejudicaturus proferre Concilium Nec ego hujus authoritate nec tu illius detineris he saith not tu non teneris but nunc non detineris Scripturarum authoritatibus non quorumque propriis as the two Councils were sed utrisque communibus testibus res cum re causa cum causâ— ratio cum ratione concenset That is this our conference or dispute shall only be as you desire from Authorities of Scripture Of the sense of which Scripture it is willingly granted that in many things many persons may be sufficiently certain without the directions of a Guide but not therefore all persons in all points necessary See before Note on p. 230. l. 15. Mean while none more than S. Austin pleads or vindicates the Authority of the Council of Nice needless to be further proved one would think to Dr St. Pag. 236. l. 1. This is in terms asserted by him ‖ De Doctrin Christian l. 2. c. 9 as a fuundamental principle that in those things which are plainly set down in Scripture all things are to be found which concern our faith and rule of life S. Austin doth not meane that all things containing our faith or manners are so plainly set down in Scripture as to all capacities that many do not need the direction of an infallible Church-authority for settling a certainty of their faith in them a thing affirmed by the Dr To which infallible Authority that this Father referrs such persons for learning the true Faith see that excellent Treatise of his De Vtilitate Credendi i.e. of believing Church-authority Where he saith Cûm res tanta sit ut Dens tibi ratione cognoscendus sit omnes ne putas idoneos c. And Tu in cos libros qui Sancti divinarumque rerum pleni c. sine duce irruis And Omnesne putas idoneos esse percipiendis rationibus quibus ad divinam intelligentiam mens ducitur humana an plures an pnucos paucos ais existimo Quid caeteris ergò hominibus qui ingenio tam screno praediti non sunt negandum Religionem putas Whom therefore he refers to this security of believing Church authority For In religione quid iniquius fieri potest saith he ‖ Ibid quà m ut Dei Antistites nebis non fictum animum pollicentibus credant nos eis praecipientibus nolimus credere And c. 16. that for such persons non esse desperandum ab eodem ipso Deo authoritatem aliquam constitutam quâ velut gradu certo innitetes aâ—â—ollamur in Deum Hanc autem authoritatem seposu â rationc quam sinceram intelligere ut diximus difficillimum stultis est dupliciter nos movere parâ—â—â— miraculis partim sequentium multitudine And ‖ Ib. c. 17. Quid est aliud ingratum esse opi atque auxilio divino quà m tanto labâ—re nost praedictae authoritati velle resistere And De Baptismo l. 3. c. 14. Fieri potest ut integra teneat verba Symboli I may say or of Scripture tamen non rectè credat sive de ipsâ Trinitate sive de Resurrectione vel aliquid aliud Neque enim parva res in ipsâ intus Catholicâ tenere integram fidem ita ut omnino non de aliquà creaturâ sed de ipso Deo nihil aliud credat quà m veritas hâ—bâ—t And in this book de Doctrinâ Christianâ l. 3. c. 2. he joines these two the clearer places of Scripture and the authority of the Church for our learning the Rule of Faith Cùm adhibita imentio saith he incertum esse providerit quomâ—do distinguendum aut pronunciâ—ndum sit consulat Regulam fiaci quam 1 de Scripturarum planioribus locis 2 Ecclesiae authoritate percepit More of this needs not Many excellent Rules this Father gives by which to understand the Scriptures i.e. for the more prudent and learned but not this exclusively to those person 's submitting their Judgments to the Church's authority who have no leisure or parts by these Rules to study the Scriptures or else to other's repairing to it where any thing in the Scriptures after their study still seems to them obscure Pag. 238. l. 12. ‖ S. Austin de Doctrin Christian l. 3. c. 16. Which words ‖ Jo. 6.53 seeming to command somthing evil must be figuratively understood of communicating in the Passion of Christ and calling to mind that his flesh was crucified and wounded for us And not imagining as the words strictly taken sound that our Lords Body and Bloud in a carnal or natural and sensible manner as other flesh is to be eaten and drunk by us as some of our Lords Auditors grossly mis-understood him and so forsook him in which sense Dominus flagitium videtur jubere saith S. Austin Not imagining thus I say but yet believing that his flesh and bloud is there really exhibited to us and fed on by us This Real so as also ineffable Presence of Christs Body and Blood though not to the Symbols yet in the Eucharist and so a reall participation thereof the Church of England and her learnedst Writers have much spoken of and contended for heretofore as well as Catholicks before that the Rubrick or Declaration about kneeling in receiving the Communion was by the importunity of some later Sects admitted a second time into the Common-Prayer Book A.D. 1660. Which Rubrick contrary to the Real Presence in that it denies that Christs substance can be both in Heaven where certainly it is and on earth at the same time was first contrived and published in the 5th year of the Reign of King Edward 6. in the new-moulding and correcting of the former Common Prayer Book published in the first yeare upon the Exceptions and complaints of some forraign Reformed Divines made against it and was then backed also with the 28th Article of Religion under the same King in
these words The Body of Christ cannot be present at one time in many and diverse places c. and because it was taken up into heaven c. a faithful man ought not to believe the Reall and Bodily presence as they term it of Christs Body and Blood in the Sacrament of the Lords supper But not long after in the beginning of Qu. Elizabeths Reign was thought fit by her Divines reviewing this 2d Book to be ejected thence again as being prejudicial to the foresaid Reall Presence and so also was the foresaid clause cast out of the 28th Article of which Reall Presence Queen Elizabeth was a great Patronesse And such a Presence being confessed by Queen Elizabeth and her Clergy I hope this Author here will not make to be denied by S. Austin Pag 239. l. 8. Whatever consequences are charged upon me for making that a fundamentâ—l Principle must reflect as much upon S. Austin as me See the contrary Note on p. 236. l. 1. Pag. 240. l. 4. Who Vincentius Lerinensis seems to attribute more to the Guides of the Church than S. Austâ—n doth yet far enough short of Infallibility Now we must follow our Author to Vincentius Lerinensis As for this Father first he held in all ages the existence and being of a Catholick Church distinct from others if any Heretical how numerous soever they might be in which Catholick Church was preserved entire the Catholick Doctrine especially in all Necessaries and if so therefore a Church in whatever age always consentient with Antiquity So that Vniversalitas as to the consent of the Catholicks of any age and Antiquitas can never be severed 2ly He held the Decrees of the Councils of this Catholick Church in whatever times convened to be true and never to swerve from the Apostolical doctrine i.e. to be infallible and that all were to receive and obey them and all dissenters from them to be Hereticks To this purpose he saith c. 33. on that text 2. Jo. 10. Si quis venit ad vos hanc doctrinam non affert nolite recipere cuns in domum nec Ave ei dixeritis Quam doctrinam saith he nisi Catholicam universalem unam eandemque per singulas aetatum successiones incorruptâ veritatis traditione manentem usque in saecula sine fine mansuram And c. 24. Prophanas vocum novitates devita quas recipere atque sectari nunquam Catholicorum semper verò Haereticorum fuit And c. 32. he describes the Catholick Church thus i.e. the Ecclesiastical Governours and Prelates thereof Christi verò Ecclesia sedula cauta depositorum apud se dogmatum custos nihil in iis unquam permutat nihil minuit nihil addit Hoc unum studet ut quae jam expressa enucleata consâ—lidet firmet siqua jam confirmata definita custodiat Denique quid unquam aliud Concilisrum decretis enisa est nisi ut quid antea simpliciter credebatur hoc idem postea diligentiùs crederetur quod prius a majoribus solâ traditione susceperat hoc deinde posteris etiam per Scripturae chirographum consignaret He saith c. 35. that the Hereticks ancient modern urged the testimony of Scripture Propè nullam omitti paginam quae non novi aut veteris Testamenti sententiis fucata colorata sit And c. 2. Multum necesse esse propter tantos tam varii erroris anfractus ut Propheticae Apostolicae interpretationis linea secundum Ecclesiastici Catholici sensus normam dirigatur Where I ask did the Father think this fallible And c. 41. he saith Duo quaedam vehementer studioseque observanda Primùm si quid esset antiquitùs ab omnibus Ecclesiae Catholicae sacerdotibus Vniversalis Concilii auctoritate decretum Deinde siqua nova exurgeret quaestio ubi id minimè reperiretur recurrendum ad Sanctorum Patrum sententias Et quicquid uno sensu atque consensu tenuisse invenirentur id Ecclesiae verum Catholicum absque ullo scrupulo judicaretur c. 40. Descanting on 1. Cor. 12.28 He saith of the Church-Governours Hos ergo in Ecclesiâ Dei divinitùs per tempora loca dispensatos quisquis in sensu Catholici dogmatis unum aliquid in Christo sentientes contempserit non hominem contemnit sed Dâ—um a quorum veridicâ unitate nequid discrepet impensiùs obtestatur idem Apostolus dâ—cens Obscâ—ro autem vos fratres ut idipsum dicatis omnes non sint in vobis schismata sitis autem perfecti in eodem sensu in eadem sentenâ—iâ i.e. of these Church-Guides unum aliquid in Christs sentientium Quod si quis ab eorum sententiae communione desciverit audict illud ejusdem Apostoli Non est Deus dissensionis sed Pacis And c. 4â— after he had made an instance in the 3d General Council but a little before this writing this Commonitorium its settling the faith in the points then controverted he joines to it in the last place the Authority of the See Apostolical Nequid saith he deesse tantae plenitudini videretur ad postremum adjecimus geminam Apostolicae Sedis auctoritatem unam scilicet Sancti Papae Xysti qui nunc Romanam Ecclesiam venerandus illustrat alteram praedecessoris sui beatae memoriae Papae Caelestini quam hic quoque interponere necessariam judicavimus Let the Reader by this judge now whether Lerinensis hath said nothing for Church-Infallibility Pag. 241. l. 3. Vniversality in any one age of the Church being taken without the consent of Antiquity is no sufficient rule to interpret Scripture by It is true Vniversality departing from or contrary to Antiquity is no sufficient Rule to interpret Scripture by But Vincentius as I have shewed holas the Vniversality of the Catholick Church in any age never to do so especially in any Necessaries And if Arians in any time out-numbred Catholicks which they never did taking in both East and West yet still the whole Body of them was extra-Catholick being formerly condemned of Heresy by a General Council ‖ cap. 6. Tunc quisquis verus Christi amator cultor extitit antiquam fidem novellae perfidiae praeferendo nulla contagie istius pestis maculâ—tus est Here then was in all Arian times a Catholick Body suppose lesser consentient with Antiquity and safely to be relied on in its Decrees But here whenever this comes in question Whether the present Vniversality dissents from Antiquity whose judgment should be sooner taken than its own rather than that of those few who oppose it for both are Parties and if its owne when can we think it will witness its departure from the former Faith Ib. l. 15. In some cases the universal consent of the present Church is to be relied upon c. as in that of the Dona its Vniversal consent of present Churches in any age so this be limited to Churches Catholick contradistinct to Hereticks or those condemned by former Councils can never falsify former