very day of their Birth they should fall into Misery and Evil. Where we see that after all those Brags of Sacred Oracles and Authority of Fathers our Author with all his Reason and Arguments is forced to conclude with probability Pag. 59. The Second Nicene Council would have this Doctrine proposed out of the Book of John Bishop of Thessalonica to be confirmed these are the Words concerning the Angels Arch-Angels and their Powers to which I also joyn our own Souls this is the Opinion of the catholick-Catholick-Church that they are 't is true intelligible yet not wholly incorporeal and invisible ANSWER Supposing that it were true as it is not what Mr. Blount hath delivered concerning the Second Nicene Council 's Confirming the Opinion of John Bishop of Thessalonica yet it cannot be concluded that this was the Opinion of the catholick-Catholick-Church as to the Corporiety of Angels and Souls Who knows not that the Conditions commonly required to make a General Council which only can Represent the catholick-Catholick-Church were wanting to the Second Nicene Petrus de Marca lib. 2. de Concordia c. 17. gives us this Account Secunda Synodus Nicaena ab Ecclesia Gallicana in Concilio Francofordiensi repudiata est The Gallicane Church Assembled in the Council of Francford hath rejected the Second Nicene Council And he subjoyns this excellent Reason Secundam Synodum Nicenam Oecumedicam dici posse negarunt quod occidentis provinciae per Epistolas more Ecclesiastico sententiam rogatae non fuissent The Second Nicene Synod was deny'd by them to be Oecumenical because no regard was had to the Provinces of the Western Churches in order to their consent according to the Custom received in the Church And the same De Marca lib. 6. c. 25. adds In Synodo Francofordiensi agitatum an Secunda Synodus Nicene recipienda foret tanquam septima Synodus oecumenica decretum autem in Canone Secundo Synodum illam repudiandam esse damnandam In the Synod held at Fracford it was Debated whether the Second Nicene Synod should be received as the Seventh General Council but it was Decreed in the Second Canon that it should be rejected and Condemned Agreeable hereunto is that of Launey some time a most Learned Doctor of the Sorbon in his Epistles Par. 8. Epist 11. Antiquiores Gallia Scriptores Nicaenam Secundam Vniversalibus non accensent conciliis The more Ancient French Writers do not enumerate the Second Nicene Council among those which they account Universal And Launey then descends to Particulars proving the same by the Ancient French Annals and many Historians If we consult the Church here in Britain in those times we shall find that they Rejected it also Simeon Dunelmensis an Ancient and good English Historian in his Book de Gestis regum Anglorum ad annum 792 says That Charles King of France seut a Synodal Book into Britain which he received from Constantinople in which Book were contained the Decrees of the Second Nicene Council Now how our Church in those days was pleased or rather displeased therewith the fame Dunelmensis tells us In quo Libro hu proh Dolor Multa inconvenientia verae fidei contraria reperiunt maxime quod ibidem confirmatum imagines adorare debere quod omnino Ecclesia Dei execratur In which Book alas Many inconvenient things were found and repugnant to the true Faith especially that which relates to the Worship of Images which the Church of God doth utterly abominate This Testimony is the more to be regarded for that it appears from hence that in those days our Church abhorred Image Worship This Testimony is Recorded also by Roger Hoveden Matthew Westminster and other our Ancient and best Historians And so much confounded the Romanists in the begining of the Reformation that their great Advocate Harpsfield could make no other Reply but that it was commentitia insulsa fabula a foolish and an invented Fable and that it was not Written by Simeon Dunelmensis or Matthew Westminster He makes no mention of Roger Hoveden nor of the Manuscript History of Rochester in the Cottonian Bibliothec whereas the same is now to be found in the Manuscript of Dunelmensis in Bennet Colledg Library in Cambridge And those who have been conversant in those things assure us that the same is to be seen in divers Manuscripts of Mathew Westminster and Hoveden and that all old and uncorrupted Copies testifie the same thing Of what Quallity Dunelmensis was I need not say much since the Preface to the Decem Scriptures is very full to this purpose I shall only here say that he is accounted one of our best Historians by the Pontifician and Reformed Parties He was Chantour of the Church of Saint Cuthberts in Durham and continued his History to the Days of King Henry the First But Supposing that this Synod was Universal or that which is all one that the Opinion of the Catholick-Church might be gathered from it as touching the Corporiety of Angels and Souls Doth it appear that such was the definition of that Synod in any of its Decrees Or doth it appear that they Confirmed the Opinion of John Bishop of Thessalonica in this Point No certainly nothing less And for this we appeal to Edmund Richâ—r a Doctor of the Sorbon in his Learned History of General Councils in his First Book p. 655. where we Read Angelos animas esse Corporeas nequaquam approbavit Synodus sed fuit peculiaris opinio Episcopi Thessalonicensis The Second Nicene Synod did not approve of the Doctrine of the Corporiety of Angels or Souls but it was the peculiar and private opinion of the Bishop of Thessalonica And the same Richer farther adds Accedit in Synodis non attendi oportere ad ea quae privatus aliquis narrat sed ad solam Synodi definitionem ut alias observatum est Besides in Reading Councils little regard is to be had to what a private Doctor or Bishop may declare or say we ought only to look to the Decree or Definition of the Synod And this says Richer I have Observed in another Place And now I may without doing any wrong Conclude that Mr. Blount hath Read the Councils very negligently and makes use of them at Second Hand The same may be said of the Fathers he quotes He hath injuriously imputed Heresy to the Catholick Church and hath fastened an untruth on the Second Council of Nice Pag. 73. St. Austin Would have all things that are said to be the Work of Six Days to have been Created in one moment altho Moses divided them into Classes and different times that he might the better help the Imagination of the People to Comprehend the Fiâ—st Originals of things God Almighty did in my Opinion Create out of nothing in one Moment and by one individual Act all Substances whether Intellectual or Câ—â—â—â—â—al nor did St. Austin in that come wide of 〈…〉 ANSWER I Remember that I have Read somwhere in Maldenate that Gregory Nazianzen Compares
Leviathan are Demonstrations Pag. 98. Constantine at first espoused the Arrian Interest to mount the Throne as the present Lewis the XIV did the Interest of the Hugonots ANSWER What ground or Authority our Immortal Deist might have for this His Assertion I do not know I believe it is a Dream of His own I am confident no Chronologer of any repute could affirm so great a Falsity nothing is more notorious both in Ancient and Modern History than that Constantine mounted the Throne before Arius himself much less the Arians made any considerable figure in the World Perhaps the odium He thought might reflect on Constantine by the Comparison of Lewis the XIV prompted Him to commit so palpable an Error Had there been any truth in this Imputation it cannot be imagined that the Arian Historian Philosorgius would have past it in silence who only says That when Constantius was dead and buried that Constantine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Connstantine was His Successor in the Empire Pag. 98. If you will believe the Learned Petavius and other Arians they did offer to be try'd by the Fathers that preceded the Nicene Council ANSWER Petavius is a late Author and unless he brings Proof for what he says he is not to be relied on in historical Matters of so remote Antiquity Sandius in his Nucleus Hist Eccles p. 256. cites our Bishop Taylor to the same purpose viz. That the Arians appealed to the Fathers for Trial and that the Offer was declined To which our learned Dr. Gardiner in the Appendix ad Nucleum makes this Answer Ego vero a reverendi Tayleri manibus venia petita fateor me Socratis Zozomeni verbis potius assenteri c. I for my part am forced to beg Bishop Taylor 's Pardon and do confess that I assent rather to Socrates and Sozomen who report the contrary Which Answer is good and valid The Bishops that lived in those Days were far enough from declining Trial by the Fathers that preceded the Nicene Council that they desired nothing more The Arians were the Men as Socrates says lib. 5. c. 10. that trusted to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were the Men that refused the Judgments of the Ancients and defended themselves by Niceties and Disputations And to the same purpose Sozomen lib. 7. c. 12. I will cite two or three Authorities more which will make this thing so very plain that nothing but reading Fathers at second hand and too great Credulity can apologize for Mr. Blount Athanasius is known to be a Bishop who made as great a Figure in the Church as any one in his time a Man of great Learning and exemplary Piety and one that was as well acquainted with the Methods that the Orthodox and Arians made use of as any Man could possibly be This great Athanasius in his Book of the Decrees of the Nicene Synod says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold we have demonstrated this our Opinion from Fathers to Fathers as they delivered the same to us But for your parts O new Jews and Disciples of Caiaphas What Fathers can you produce that are Fautors of your Heresies Truly ye cannot bring so much as one of the number of those who were accounted Prudent and Wise all such detest you Ye can alledge none but your Father the Devil who was the sole Author of this Heresie and Defection from the Truth Alexander Bishop of Alexandria a Person in nothing inferior to Athanasius one that had all the Qualifications desireable in a good Prelate In an Epistle of his to Alexander Bishop of Constantinople as we find it in Theodoret's Ecclesiastical History Book the first Chapter fourth says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You Arians have so good Opinion of your selves as that you think none of the Ancients are worthy to be compared to you Neither will ye endure that those who in my younger Days were esteemed as our Guides and Masters should upon any Terms be equalled to you Neither will ye grant that any of our present Colleagues have any competent Knowledge of these Controversies Ye think your selves to be the only wise Men and that although ye have nothing yet ye enjoy all things You boast that you alone are the finders out and possessors of Truth and that to you such Mysteries are revealed and kept from other Men. By which Words Alexander of Alexandria signifies that the Arian Sentiments were repugnant to the Doctrine of the most ancient Fathers to the Doctrine of his immediate Predecessors and of all those Bishops who had the Government of the Church when this unhappy Arian Heresy began He signifies also that the first Defenders of Arianism were Enthusiasts and pretenders to extraordinary Revelation To these two I will only add St. Austin who treating of the blessed Trinity at large in fifteen Books in his first Book Chapter the 3d. he delivers his Mind as fully and as much to the purpose as either of the two before quoted Thus he says Omnes quos legere potui qui ante me scripserunt de Trinitate divinorum librorum vetorum novorum Catholici tractatores hoc intenderunt secundum Scripturas docere quod pater filius spiritus sanctus unius ejusdemque substantiae inseparabili aequalitate divinam insinuent unitatem All the Authors that I have met with who have written before me of the holy Trinity all the Orthodox Writers and Commentators of the Divine Books of the Old and New Testament proposed this to themselves to prove that according to the Holy Scriptures the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost have one and the same Substance which includes a Divine Unity with an inseparable Equality This last Testimony of St. Austin is very remarkable and as comprehensive as the most zealous Trinitarian could desire And from hence we cannot but observe how blameworthy some very learned Men of the Roman Communion have been who though they sincerely believe the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity yet by affirming either by mistake or design that this heavenly Doctrine cannot be proved by Scripture nor by the Fathers that preceded the Nicene Council but only by unwritten Tradition they have given great advantage to the Antitrinitarian to triumph and have confirmed them in their Heterodox Opinion nempe hoc vult Ithacus magno mercantur Achivi Pag. 98. For at that Council the Arians were rather condemn'd by a Party than by the General Consent of the Christian Church because Constantine out of above two Thousand Bishops then Assembled excluded all but Three hundred and Eighteen nor were those perhaps for Accounts vary all Bishops that made up this great Council ANSWER This is a heavy Charge against the Nicene Council it had been but reasonable that the Immortal Deist should have showed the Grounds which he had for this Accusation No Truth nor Innocence can be sufficient if an Accusation goes for Proof He that should read the ancient View of Bishopricks in Aubertus Miraeus or the Sacred
although if they had then a being yet they made no Figure in the World He fully tells us that the Arians appealed for tryal to the Fathers that they were condemned at Nice by a Party and by the Artifice of the Emperor Where he also gives us a monstrous Account of the Number of the Bishops there assembled And p. 99. he affirms that the Arians had not Freedome to dispute their Cause He represents the Arian Councils of Ariminum very Erroneously He manifests his Malignity when he accuses the Trinitarians of Ignorance and for Proof cites a Canon of the Church and p. 103. he gives many Instances of the same where we have proved that there is no such Canon as far as a Negative is capable of being proved And we have discovered his disingenuity in not mentioning Du Ranckin from whom he borrowed all his Materials word for word The seventh Section is of the Immortality of the soul and of the Original of the Jews In this Section the necessity of revealed Religion is proved from the insufficiency of Philosophical Reasons to this purpose As also with relation to a future State Which as Mr. Blount confesses p. 118. hath so much ruffled and entangled mens Minds The principal philosophic Reason is examined and refell'd From whence it will be evident that the Scriptures alone give a satisfactory Account of those things Sir Henry Savil's translating Tacitus and omiting the Original of the Jews is here defended Institution of Divine Worship proved to be before Moses and Abraham As also that Moses and the Israelites did not learn Circumcision from the Aegyptians and that our Author in this Method followed Celsus and Julian The eighth Section of marrying two Sisters Judaism Christianity Millenaries In which the Scriptures brought to prove it unlawful are defended The Nature of Penal Laws in this case makes more against our Deists then for him his Error proceeds from neglecting the Hebrew and following the Greek Translation The Apostolic Canon in this case considered Dr. Hammond's Mistake discovered about a Woman's leaving her Husband and marrying again As also Mr. Blount's Abuse of the Council of Eliberis where we are necessitated to speak on something concerning Excommunication the Churches great Censure Grotius his Error in his Inference from the Apostolic Canon reproved and his Collection from the Council of Eliberis proved unwarrantable St. Basil's Epistle to Diadorus in this case is considered Mr. Blount's great Falshood and Abuse of the civil Law in this case is laid open the Sects of the Jews and the case of the Messiah is rightly stated Mr. Blount's manner of Arguing is reprehended We have defended the Prophecy of Daniel in this case and have shown the Original of the Millinaries The ninth Section of Augury Origine of Good and Evil plurality of Worlds Ocellus Lucanus c. From his account of Augury I have collected the Necessity of revealed Religion discovered his mistake of Christian Processions If what Varenius concerning whole Nations being Atheistical affirms be true the most learned Dr. Stilling fleet seems to be under some mistake Varenius his Assertion argues the Necessity of revealed Religion the Chinensian and Aegyptian account of time proved to be vain and ridiculous as also the Chaldean the main Props of our Author's Hypothesis the Origine of Good and Evil not to be known by natural Religion If Mr. Blount's Supposition be granted concerning the Persians the Deist must be an Idolater his reason for plurality of worlds refuted the principal Arguments of Ocellus Lucanus refell'd his Age examined with some uncommon Observations relating to him and our Author 's great Vanity in making him cotemporary with or ancienter then Moses exposed Mr. Blount's great Argument for a double Creation out of the first and second Chapters of Genesis enquired into and proved ineffectual From hence we may see the reason why in his 5th Page he propounds it as a Difficulty how distinct pieces of the World should be Peopled as America and the like without a miracle and of Mathusalem's being the longest llv'd of all Adam's Posterity because in his Hypothesis of two distinct Originals of mankind they have an easie Solution although they have a truer and a much easier one in ours This method of his is indeed allowable in Philosophy which varies according to every new Phaenomenon but hath no place in matters of Religion His Disingenuity in relation to Cicero reproved the Difference between Ocellus and the Chaldeans is observed There are many other Matters contained in this Book which for Brevities sake I have omited but are perspicuously treated of and I hope to the Readers satisfaction Two things remain which I think fit to acquaint my Reader with one is that these Oracles are many of them transcribed out of modern Authors of whom I have taken no Notice but require all at Mr. Blount's Hands he being the Person that gave them the Title of Oracles neither take I any Notice of others concerned he being the chief Architect The other is that these Controversies depending much on Authority I am necessitated to make frequent appeals to Greek and Latin Authors whom for the Benefit of some Readers I have translated into English where if I have not kept my self strictly to the Words yet I have taken all care not to deviate from tne true sense Lastly As in all Duty bound I humbly submit the censure of what I have written to my Superiors in the Cnurch of England Farewel Mr. BLOUNT's Oracles of Reason Examined and Answered In Nine SECTIONS c. SECT I. Of the Mosaic Creation and the Divine Miracles MR. Blount Page the Second says That many Fathers of the Church have concluded that the whole Mosaic Creation seems to have been but a pious Allegory ANSWER It is worth observing that although the Author of these pretended Oracles of Reason hath little regard for the Holy Scriptures and without all peradventure less for the Fathers of the Church yet upon all Occasions he makes use of their Authorities and frequently quotes them Upon reading this Imputation and his fastning such a Charge upon many Fathers of the Church I forthwith consulted Mr. Dally of the Use of the Fathers Book the second Chapter three and fourth where he treats professedly of the Fathers Errors and I find nothing there that favours this bold Assertion On the contrary I find an Expression of Dally's from the unanimous Consent of the Fathers which if it be true this of the Oracle must necessarily be false None of the ancient Fathers can be charged with this Mistake if Origen his Interpreters I take not into the Number and perhaps St. Ambrose be excepted St. Ambrose Chap. 2. of Paradise speaks not of above One that was of this Opinion and the Margent refers us to Origen Whereas had it been true what these Oracles suggests p. 49. That in the first Ages of the Christian Church the more candid Interpreters deviated from the literal reading of Moses's History
He quotes Acts 24 ver 19. who ought to have been before thee and object if they had ought against me or else let these same here say if they have found any evil doing in me whilst I stood before the Council And he quotes the 25. About whom when I was at Jerusalem the chief Priests and the Elders of the Jews informed me desiring to have judgment against him to whom I answered It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him Can it now be possibly conceived that Athanasius should thus expose himself and the Sacred Synod as He must of necessity have done if either He or they had been obnoxious to the same charge Sozomen lib. 1. c. 15. Eccles Histor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the Bishops were assembled together they sent for Arius and proposed his Opinion to be disputed and discussed Socrates lib. 1. c. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Opinion of Arius was defended by Eusebius Bishop of Nicomede by Theagnis Bishop of Nice by Maris Bishop of Chalcedon in Bithynia who were opposed with great zeal by Athanasius a Deacon of the Church of Alexandria Theodoret lib. 1. c. 7. I have formerly made mention of some who in the Council defended the cause of Arius besides those Menophantus of Ephesus Patrophilus of Scythopolis Theognis of Nice Narcissus of Neroniad this Neroniad is a City of the other Cilicia now called Irenopolis ' Theonas of Marmarita Secundus of Ptolemais a City of Egypt opposed the Catholiek Faith and took on them the Defense and Patronage of Arius Ruffinus lib 1. c. 2. For many days there was a great dispute in the Council where some vehemently favoured Arius and contended for his Doctrines Who can now believe after such a cloud of of Witnesses that there should be the least Mite of truth in this Position of Mr. Blount's That the Arians had not the freedom to dispute their cause at the Council of Nice What should occasion this grand Mistake in our Deist may without great difficulty be conjectured I do not find any ground for it in the Arabian Historians before mentioned but in that impudent Writer Sandius pag 167. I find the whole charge For there He affirms That Arius and his Complices were censured judged and condemned causa inaudita multo minus rationibus expensis They were condemned says He without being heard much less had they permission to produce their Arguments and Reasons And that which overcomes all Impudence is that the said Sandius for proof cites Socrates Theodoret and Athanasius himself whereas there is nothing in those Authors but makes against Him for the places I have cited I have viewed in the Original Upon the whole this plainly appears that Arius was cited before the Fathers in the Council His Propositions were debated His cause was espoused by some in the Council with much zeal every thing on either side was weighed with great deliberation that nothing might be rashly concluded in so weighty and important an Affair Pag. 99. The Arian Doctrine was not only confirmed by eight Councils several times assembled at Tyre Sardis Syrmium Millain Seleucia Nice Tarsis and particularly at Ariminum where six hundred Bishops were of their opinion with only three which held the contrary they also punished others who were of a contrary opinion with Confiscations Banishments and other grievous Punishments ANSWER The Arian Doctrine according to Athanasius was confirmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Arian Doctrine was confirmed by ten Synods and more Neither is this any wonder for the Arians had for a long time the Sun-shine of the Secular Power The Question then is not of the Number of Synods but of the Methods by which they did proceed As to the Arian Methods we have this account from Athanasius All their Councils were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Methods they took were irregular they were grounded on Hatred Ambition and Violence and this made their Councils void to all intents and purposes And as to the Council of Ariminum He says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things were there determined by ambition and violence Nay He is so positive as to this of Ariminum that he plainly says That the Advocates thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That if the Advocates of that Council did but know how irregular the Proceedings at Ariminum were they would be silent and not plead for it So charitable was this good Man that altho' the Arians persecuted Him causelesly with all imaginable malice and wickedness yet He could not think that they would proceed to such boldness as openly to defend such notoriously unjustifiable courses As to the Number of Bishops pretended to be present at the Council of Ariminum there is some difference between our Author and Sandius the latter making the Number to be a thousand or more Interea qui Arimini convenerunt Pontifices numero millenarium excedente fuerunt And this Hunerick testifies in Victor Vticen lib. 3. I have consulted the place and can avouch for Sandius that he hath rightly cited Victor Utic For thus it is in the Bibliotheck of the Fathers But the Authority of Hunerick is of no moment He was an Arian Prince a Vandal and one who to carry on designs would not confine himself to numbers and peradventure the consideration thereof might move Mr. Blount to make allowance and to confine Himself to six hundred a very competent number and more than I am willing to acknowledge For I cannot but think that they are both out of the way since Sulpitius Severus an ancient Author and one that had many conveniences of knowing the truth much better than either of them assures us that there were very few above four hundred Quadringenti aliquot amplius are the words of Sulpitius Severus lib. 2. Hist Sacra And whereas Mr. Blount says That out of the number of six hundred there were only three that dissented he is under a great mistake and to make it very plain I shall cite Theodoret lib. 2. Eccles Hist cap. 23. where we find what here follows The Great Athanasius in his Epistle to the Africans writes after this manner of the Council of Ariminum Who can bear with them who prefer the Council of Ariminum before that of Nice or rather who cannot but hate such as reject the Decrees of those at Nice and are in love with such as were extorted by force and violence at Ariminum It happens to such as it happened to the Jews accordingly as it is written by the Prophet They have forsaken the fountain of living waters and have digged to themselves broken cisterns that cannot hold water So these Men leaving the Sacred Nicene Council have betaken themselves to many Synods which are in themselves vain and of no effect And yet at Ariminum there were no
less than two hundred Dissenters and not three only as Mr. Blount bears us in hand that held the contrary As to what is added concerning the Persecutions used by the Arians we own it to be true and the Orthodox frequently inveighed against the Arians for these their Barbarities I shall therefore acquaint my Reader what Grotius says lib 2. De Jur. Pacis Belli cap. 21. sect 5. Athanasius is very vehement against the Arian Heresy for in his Epist ad Solit. they were the first who made use of the Temporal Power to punish dissenters with Stripes Imprisonments Confiscations and Banishments says Mr. Blount Those Bishops were condemned in France by the judgment of the Church which persecuted the Priscillianists to death and in the East that Synod was condemned which consented to the Burning of Bogomilus Page 100. As for the Trinitarians of those times I must confess that I cannot but esteem them as enemies to all Humane Learning for they had Canons forbidding them to read any Ethnick Books ANSWER I have seldom found such Confidence any where as these Oracles do in all places afford us How ridiculous this insulting of Mr. Blount's is will fully appear in handling this Point In prosecution of which I shall First Lay down the Discourse of Father Paul relating hereunto Secondly I shall show what Reasons I have to dissent from that learned and worthy Person Thirdly I shall consult the Opinions of some of the most Learned of the Eastern Church with my Reason for so doing Lastly I shall make plain Inferences which will be sufficient to cramp the Presumption of our Deist and to defend the Trinitarians as he calls them against the Imputation of Ignorance Of what Candor and Learning Father Paul was every Man knows that hath read his History of the Council of Trent where p. 472. he hath this Discourse In the Church of Martyrs there was no Ecclesiastical Prohibition though some godly Men made Conscience of reading bad Books for fear of offending against one of the three Points of the Law of God to avoid the Contagion of Evil not to expose ones self to Temptations without Necessity or Profit and not to spend time vainly These Laws being Natural do remain always and should oblige us to beware of reading bad Books though there were no Ecclesiastical Law for it But these Respects ceasing the Example of Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria a famous Doctor did happen who about the Year of our Lord 240. being reprehended by some of his Priests for these Causes and troubled with these Respects had a Vision that he should read all Books because he was able to judge of them yet they thought that there was greater Danger in the Books of the Gentiles than of the Hereticks the reading whereof was more abhorred and reprehended because it was more used by Christian Doctors for a vanity of Human Eloquence For this cause St. Jerom either in a Version or in a Sleep was beaten by the Devil So that about the Year 400 a Council in Carthage did forbid to read the Books of the Gentiles but allowed them to read the Books of Hereticks the Decrees whereof is among the Canons collected by Gratian and this was the first Ecclesiastical Prohibition by way of Canon Thus far Paul And now I come to the second thing The Council of Carthage which Father Paul relates to is that which is commonly called the 4th Carthaginian Council whose 16th Canon is ut Episcopus Gentilium libâ—os non legat Haereticorum autem pro necessitate tempore That a Bishop do not read the Books of the Gentiles but in reading the Books of Hereticks He is to have regard to Necessity and Opportunity Now in this particular I dissent from Paul and joyn with that great Antiquary Justellus who in his Preface to the Code of the African Church says Concilium quod vocant quartum Carthaginense plane repudiandum est nec fides adhibenda Canonibus 104 quos sine auctoritate huic Concilio adscribunt The Council which is commonly called the fourth Carthaginian is to be wholly rejected neither is there any Faith to be given to the 104 Canons which without any good Authority they ascribe to it There is no mention of these Canons in the Collection of Ferrandus nor in that of Dionysius Exiguus nor in the Code of the African Church nor in the Collection commonly called the Afr. Council In a Manuscript that belonged to Cardinal Barberini they are entituled Ancient Statutes of the Eastern Church But these Canons themselves prove the contrary The Ceremonies of the Ordination of the lesser Orders as they are sate forth in this Council are agreeable enough to the Practice of the Western Church where these Orders were conferred by delivering holy Vessels but not to the Eastern Church where these Orders were always conferred by Imposition of Hands In other Manuscripts they are entituled The ancient Statutes of the Church In a word there can be no sufficient reason given why they should not be found in the ancient Collections if they were genuine The ancientest Author Father Paul cites is Gratian whose testimony is of no weight if not strengthen'd by some collateral Evidence For all know He is a perfect Rhapsodist and this is so fully made out by August Tarraconensis in his Book de Emendat Gratiani that there is not any place left for the least doubt Which prejudice together with that of Moderness may be objected against Isidore Burchardus Hincmare Ivo Carnotensis c. and the defence which Schelstrate makes is so weak and dull as that it savours little of a Vaticane Library keeper whereas otherwise in his Ecclesia Africana He discovers much Learning and Reading I am now to consult the Opinions of some in the Eastern Church and to bring my reason for doing so Saint Basil in the first Tome of his Works hath a Homily whose Title is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Homily was compos'd for young Men not to prohibite them to read the Books of the Gentiles but to direct them and to shew what benefit they might reap thereby Amongst other things He takes notice that Moses was educated in the Learning of the Egyptians and so proceeded to the knowledge of the true God In like manner in following ages Dauiel at Babylon learned the Learning of the Chaldeans and from thence proceeded to Divine Doctrines Gregory Nazianzen ad Seleucum Iambie 3. treats of this matter where he prohibits nothing as touching reading the Books of the Gentiles but only lays down this Rule That from the same Plant Roses may be gathered and Thorns and that we ought to take one and leave the other The reason of these two citations is to stop the mouths of those who pretend that the Apostles prohibited the reading the Books of the Gentiles and for that purpose quote chap. 5. of the Apostolical Constitutions whose Title is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning reading the Books of such as are
he allows it to no Historian but Moses whom alone he makes to be divinely inspired As to the point of Antiquity we appeal to our Author himself who notwithstanding what he hath here written of this matter page 224. confesses That we have no Writer extant at this time more ancient than Moses unless it be Ocellus His exception of Ocellus is of no moment as we have proved in the foregoing Discourse After all my Search I can no where find Josephus absolutely affirming That the Egyptians Chaldeans and Phenicians had any certain Records of their Original but only Comparatively with the Greeks He no where affirms directly or indirectly that the forenamed Nation had more ancient Records of their Country to refute him and that therefore he thinks more convenient to yield to them in Antiquity and therefore our Deist is forc'd to use this Device This is the secret meaning of what Josephus says What Josephus says is clear and perspicuous there is no colour for so slanderous an Insinuation and I think I may affirm witout any Calumny or Controversy That not Josephus but our Deist had a Secret meaning to impose on credulous Readers by abusing good Authors We may bid Farewell to all Evidence in Matters of Fact if Secret meanings be allow'd of but perhaps our Deist had herein a regard to Himself hoping that at a dead lift This Secret meaning might gloss and varnish over some of his monstrous and incredible Tenents I am sure that by this Hocus-pocus Trick he might have cited The Hind and Panther which he quotes pag. 150. for the Antiquities of his Chaldeans Egyptians Phenicians and have quoted Josephus for the Frauds and Imposings of the Priest And now I am making towards a Conclusion I hope I may do a thing grateful to the Reader and be not thought to deviate from my Subject if I here present him with the great Aversion that our Church hath for Deism The Church of England Article 18. declares in these words They are also to be had accursed that presume to say that every Man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth so that he be diligent to frame his Life according to that Law and the Light of Nature for Holy Scripture doth set out unto us only in the Name of Jesus Christ whereby Men must be saved This Article plainly declares as Mr. Rogers on the Articles p. 87. collects that the Profession of every Religion cannot save a Man live he never so vertuously It also follows from this Article That no Man ever was or shall be saved but only by the Faith and Name of JESVS CHRIST The Opinion of the Deist is diametrically opposite hereunto For pag. 199. and 200. he affirms That Natural and Unrevealed Religion is sufficient to make us happy in a future State And he affirms p. 201. That this his Opinion is Charitable forasmuch as it doth not exclude any Dissenters from Eternal Happiness and that God may be pleased with different Worships St. Austin in his Book of Heresies cap. 72. reckons that of the Rhetorians to be one Forasmuch as they believe that all hereticks hold the Truth and walk uprightly Which Heresy St. Austin calls a Heresy of wonderful vanity and such as seems to him incredible my own part I cannot perceive any great difference between the Rhetorians and the Deists And whereas our Deist seems to value his Opinion upon the pretended Charitableness thereof and thinks that a Recommendation He is much mistaken for this Opinion is rather Turkish than Charitable We read in Busbequius Epist 3. that Rustan the Prime Vizier perswaded that excellent Embassadour to turn Musselman and that if he would do so he should receive great Honours and Rewards from Solyman his Lord and Emperour To whom Busbequins makes this Reply Mihi certum est manere in ea Religione in qua natus essem quamque Dominus meus profitetur Pulchre inquit Rustanus sed tamen de anima quid fiet Et de Anima inquam bene spero Tum ille cum paulisper intercogitasset ita est profecto neque ego ab hac absum sententia aternae beatitudinis consortes fore qui sancte innocenterque hanc vitam traduxerint quamcunque illi Religionem secuti sunt I am resolved says Busbequius to continue in that Religion in which I were born and which my Lord professes Very well says Rustan but what will become of your Soul in another World I am says Busbequius very confident of its welfare Then Rustan after some pause makes this Answer I am of your Mind this is my Opinion That all Persons shall be eternally happy that lead an innocent life notwithstanding their differences in Religion The Prime Vizier's Opinion seems to me to be the same with Mr. Blount's it is altogether so charitable And if our Deist had been present at that Interview 't is apparent enough with whom he would have sided And if the same Offers had been made to him which were made to that incomparable Embassadour 't is plain enough what he would have done So that if I should assert That Deism is a direct Road to Turcism I think I should not be mistaken Our Deist must have more Confidence and all things considered better luck than Polus had in Erasmus his Exorcisms if he can perswade any Persons who seriously consult their own Salvation To behold any Happiness in his Heaven It 's worth our observation in what detestation and abhorrence our Church of England hath the Opinion of the Deists for it affixes an Accurse to it which I think is not very usual for Provincial Councils Mr. Pool indeed in his Appendix to the Nullity of the Romish Faith pag. 240. 〈◊〉 these words If we look into the Records of Councils we shall find That this Practice of Anathematizing was not only in use in general but also in particular and Provincial Councils I doubt not but this Learned Man had good grounds for his Assertion Yet I must confess for my own part I have not observed this Method in Particular Councils if we except that Orthodox Council held at Gangra in Paphlagonia about the Year of our Lord 324. in every one of whose Canons about twenty in number we find an Accurse affix'd a sufficient Instance In Antiquity to justify our Church 's Method And since we have had an occasion to mention this Synod and that we live in an Age in which Atheism and Deism abounds to that degree that the Churches set apart for GOD's Service and our Religious Assemblies are slighted and contemned I shall conclude with the Judment of that Pious Synod Can. 5 Si quis docet domum Dei contemptibilem esse ut conventus qui in ea celebrantur Anathema sit How nearly this concerns our Deists and other despisers of GOD's Publick Worship who frequently abuse GOD's Ministers and make no Religion of traducing and ridiculing them is very plain and palpable and there is here NO SECRET MEANING EXEQUIAS DEISTAE QUIBUS IRE COMMODUM EST JAM TEMPUS EST. 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