Paul 's Expression by commending themselves and their Doctrine to the Consciences of all Men. To shew the Prevalence of Men of Reputation in Matters of this Nature If as the Romanists do generally confess the Doctrine of the Millennium obtained almost generally in the Church from the Relation of one Papias a Man of very slender Intellectuals If as Eusebius informs us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccl. Hist l. 3. c. 39. most of the Churchmen embraced that Sentiment by his Authority pleading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Antiquity of the Man If one Agrippinus as they also tell us could prevail over all Africa to receive Hereticks by Baptism If Origen could deserve to be condemned in the Fifth and the Sixth Synods as an Heretick and yet whilst he lived Hieron in Verbo Origenes Socrat Hist Eccl. l. 4. c. 26. Hieron Prolog in l. 2. com in Micham Pamphil. Apol. Orig. praefat in libr. nom Hebr. T. 3. f. 12. could by his Learning and his Piety prevail to be had summo in honore in the highest Reputation to obtain after his Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great Glory throughout all the Christian World insomuch that he was very grateful cunctis prudentibus to all wise Men and did for many Years obtain the Title of Magister Ecclesiae The Master or Teacher of the Church If the Authority of Jerom could prevail to have his Translation of the Old Testament received against the Judgment of the Universal Church If one St. Austin could introduce into the Church the Belief of the Ascension of the Blessed Virgin though none of the Fathers who had as good Opportunity to know and as much Reason to believe it spake one Tittle of it I say if all these things are so how can it be conceived a thing incredible That Popes Patriarchs and Councils and other Persons of great Authority and Vogue in their respective Ages should have had like Influence to introduce new Doctrines and Practices into the Church under pretence of Piety or the Authority of Scriptures or the Holy Fathers or some like plausible Account Theodor. Lector l. 2. p 566. Niceph. Hist Eccl. l. 15. c. 18. Why might not Petrus Gnaphaeus Patriarch of Antioch bring Invocation of Saints into the Prayers of the Church in the Fifth Century Pope Gregory introduce Purgatory in the Sixth Boniface the Third Paulus Diac. de Gest Longobard l. 4. c. 11. obtain from Phocas the Title of Caput omnium Ecclesiarum The Head of the Universal Church in the Seventh The Second Nicene Council introduce Image-Worship in the Eighth Paschasius give Rise to Transubstantiation in the Ninth Lombard and Hugo de S to Victore fix the Number of Seven Sacraments in the Twelfth And Pope Hadrian the Third introduce the Adoration of the Host in the Thirteenth Century Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socr. Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 12. Soz. H. Eccl. l. 1. c. 23. If one Paphnutius could by his Reason and Authority prevail with the First Nicene Council to rescind their intended Decree touching the Celibacy of Priests If Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople could abolish the Custom of repairing to an established Penitentiary for the disclosing secret Sins and that with the ensuing Approbation of almost all the Catholick Bishops of the Church In a Word if so many Practices and Customs relating to the Discipline and to the Sacraments of the Church could be entirely altered and rejected in the following Ages as is here partly proved and by the Learned on both sides confessed why might not other Practices and Doctrines which obtained in the more pure and early Ages of the Church run the same Fate and by the same Authority and Methods be discarded For as it is judiciously observed by the Lord Faulkland when the Reasons offered for or against a Practice have in them some Appearance of Truth or Probability as they may have to many Persons though they be not valid when the Persons Authorizing or Approving them are of great Authority or Credit in the Church as they may be especially in darker Ages and yet be subject to great Errors and when the People upon whom these Doctrines or Practices are pressed have either a great Veneration and Esteem for those that press them or a great Dread of them then meet together most of those things which tend to work Perswasion or prevail for an Assent unto the Doctrine and a Compliance with the Practice recommended Seeing then Not. in Concil Clar. Can. 28. conc To. 10. p. 582. as Petrus de Marca doth inform us the Approbation of the half Communion by Thomas Aquinas made others certatim amplecti hanc sententiam to embrace greedily the same Opinion why might not others of as good Authority and Credit be instrumental to produce like Changes in other Constitutions of the Church Fourthly § 10 Old Doctrines and Practices might easily be changed and new obtain by reason of the corrupt Manners of the Clergy and by their Example of the People And that 1. Because such evil Practices deprive the Clergy of that Spiritual Wisdom and Divine Assistance which is their best Conducter into the Way of Truth and is their chief Preservative from dangerous Delusions and pernicious Errors Wisd 1.4 For as the Book of Wisdom saith Into a malicious Soul Wisdom will not enter nor dwell in the Body that is subject unto Sin. St. De Judicio dei To. 2. p. 393. Basil grievously laments the Discords and Contentions the perverse Doctrines and Opinions which had prevailed in his time amongst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rulers of the Church of God by which they verified the Prediction of St. Paul Acts 20.30 That from Christians themselves should proceed Men speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them And this he doth resolve into their Rejection of God their true and only King their Departure from the Laws of Christ and chusing rather to rule others in contradiction to the Commands of Christ than to be ruled by him By which things saith he they have render'd themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 394. unworthy of the Government of the Lord. Clemangis is still more express and Argumentative in this Particular Super Materia Conc. Gen. p. 71. For with them saith he is the Spirit those he directs and brings to a salutary End who have prepared for him within themselves an Habitation worthy of him and by good Works have render'd themselves worthy of his Inspiration and Visitation but how can he hear visit and enlighten them who are Adversaries to him and when they cannot do it in themselves endeavour to extinguish him in others and are inflamed not with the Fire of Love but with the Ardor of Ambition For with Hypocrites and self-Seekers the Holy Spirit is not wont to be present but to fly from them as his Enemies according to that saying of the Book of Wisdom the Holy Spirit of Discipline
defect virorum Eccles q. 1. vid. etiam q. 22 74. Cent. 16. When Bishops of good Life and Doctrine were not chosen any where but carnal Men and ignorant of spiritual Things saith Gerson When ignorance of Tongues and all parts of good Language and neglect of the Study of Scriptures Epist ad Leo 10th were the Vices of the Age saith Mirandula When every where there was so great a Neglect of the Word as made it necessary that Faith should Perish In 2. Ep. ad Tim. c. 3. p. 116. saith Espencaeus When neither Greek nor Hebrew the only Languages in which the Scriptures were indited were understood by the Divines and the Disputers of Four Centuries Loc. com l. 2. c. 13. saith Canus When it was the Custom of the Age to make Priests and Bishops out of the most unlearned and irreligious Persons and the Bishops generally were more ignorant of the Scriptures than the People saith Duarenus De Sacr. Eccl. Ministr Benef l. 1. c. 11 q. P. 153 168. Hist of the Trent Council p. 784. When the Bishops assembled in the Trent Council had but little Understanding in Religion When few of them had any Knowledge in Theology saith F. Paul When the prevailing part were both unlearned and simple saith Dudithius If therefore false Traditions might so easily prevail Apud Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 24. even in the first and purest Ages of the Church as Irenaeus doth inform us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason of the Simplicity and Ignorance of the Governours how much more might they carry all before them in those times of Aegyptian Darkness If two or three hundred Bishops in the more learned Ages of the Church could be so tamely bubbled by a few cunning Arians how easy might it be for Men of Credit in the thick Darkness of those times to lead the Blind into the Pit of Error Act. 2. p. 102. If the pretended Donation of Constantine though so gross a Cheat Dist 96. c. 14. Const Imperator could obtain so long and generally as to be urged in the Second Nicene Council and put into the Decretals If the decretal Epistles now generally acknowledged to be Forgeries were received as genuine for Eight hundred Years Sess 45. Sess 8. insomuch that the General Council of Constance condemneth them as Hereticks who reject them why might not many other spurious Pieces as useful to promote Popish Doctrines as these were to establish the Pope's Supremacy and the Veneration of Images prevail as generally in those darker Ages If the Credit of one Marianus Scotus made the whole West even for Five Centuries believe the Story of Pope Joan which cast so great an Infamy on St. Peter 's Chair why might not other things in favour of the Church of Rome Manual c. 11. n. 22. obtain an equal Credit by like Means If as Navar declares throughout the whole Church of Christ Multos passim invenias nihil magis explicite de hisce Symboli Articulis quos Ecclesia solemnizat credere quam Ethnicum philosophum you may find every where many who explicitely believe nothing more of the Articles of the Creed than a Heathen Philosopher must not such Men be ready to receive any thing suggested as an Article of Faith Is it to be expected that they should rise up with great Zeal in opposition to new Doctrines or conveigh them by oral Tradition to Posterity Lastly If Doctrines of Faith and Rules of Manners be to be decided even in General Councils by Scripture and Tradition is it impossible for Men so ignorant and void of any Knowledge of what the Scriptures or Tradition teach should pass wrong Judgment in these Matters Sixthly New Doctrines and Practices might easily prevail and silence all that Opposition which was or would have otherwise been made against them when Force and Violence was used to promote them and to suppress the contrary Doctrines and Traditions For though Force can do nothing to the Conviction of the Conscience or to clear up the Vnderstanding nor can the Fire or the Faggot give new Light unto it yet have those things a very powerful Influence upon the Fearful the Lovers of the World and of the Comforts of it to engage them outwardly and hypocritically to profess what they do not believe and to deny conceal or not profess what really they do believe hence doth the Scripture so often teach us that when Persecution did arise for the Truths Sake Matth. 13.21 the stony Ground would be offended that because Trouble would abound the Love of many would wax cold Matth. 24.12 Hence the Apostles were so sollicitous to arm their Proselytes against these fiery Trials so frequent in their Exhortations to Patience and Perseverance Hebr. 11 32-36 1 Thess 3.3 5. so desirous to know the Constancy of their Faith so careful that they might not be moved by their Afflictions Hence also under the Heathen Persecutions we find such sad and numerous Examples of Apostacy St. Cyprian complains that by the Fury of the Decian Persecution Christianity was much weakened Ep. 11. p. 23 26. Ep. 10. p. 22. that they were very few who then stood firm but they who languished were very numerous De lapsis §. 3. §. 5. p. 123 124. ed. Oxon. that the Church then with Tears lamented the Fall of very many that there was then a manifold Decay of that once numerous People which professed the Christian Faith yea that even at the first Onset of the threatning Enemy the greatest Number of the Brethren betrayed their Faith. Dionysius of Alexandria informs us That when the Edict of the Emperor came forth all the Christians were wonderfully terrified that presently through this Fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many of the most celebrated Christians came in to the impure and prophane Sacrifices some being called by Name some brought thither by their Friends some by their Office or the Example of others some of them so pale and trembling as if they had not come to sacrifice but to be sacrificed some came boldly denying they had ever been Christians some fled and others being caught clap'd into Prisons and into Irons Apud Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 41. presently abjured the Faith others as soon as they were brought before the Judges And Lastly others when they had suffered Torment valiantly for a while at length grew weary and renounced In the Persecution under Dioclesian Ibid. l. 8. c. 3. Eusebius saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Myriads out of Fear fell presently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the first Assault and what then may not be expected of this Nature in the declining Ages of the Church when that strict Discipline and self-denial which prepared the Christians of that Age for Sufferings was laid aside That Love of God which then was fervent waxed very cold and that Iniquity which renders it impossible Men should be willing to
sufficient to satisfie the curiosity of this inquiry here being Symbols delivered as the entire Summary of Articles of Christian Faith by the Consent of the Apostles the four first General Councils received by all Orthodox Christians of all Places and Ages as such for at least Six hundred Years here is as Irenaeus saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Tertullian Regula immobilis irreformabilis as the Greeks in the Council of Florence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Rule invariable unmovable unchangeable not to be shaken or reformed a Rule which say the Fathers Concil Hor. Apud Bin. Ses 5. Tom. 8. p. 590. admits of no diminution or addition this being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a secondary Foundation of Faith after the Symbol that it was not to be changed in the least saith the Bishop of Ephesus Whereas the Catalogue of Fundamentals in the Roman Church is still variable and increasing every new General Council having it in their power by defining any new Thing disputed in the Schools to advance it into a New Article of Faith. Sixthly § 10 Hence also we return a satisfactory Answer to that Question so captiously put unto us Where was your Church before Luther by saying that our Church was in all places of the World where these ancient Foundations were retained and not subverted by introducing Doctrines plainly opposite unto them our Church exactly is the same with that in Irenaeus and Tertullian's days and could undoubtedly have had with them free Communion by virtue of her Symbol yea if that which always was professed to be the entire Summary of Faith be sufficient when owned and Baptized into to render us of the same Church with them who so professed they may here find our Church where they will scarce find their own in all the Ages from the Apostles to the Tenth Century in the West and till the Reformation in the East For though our first Reformers in the Church of England differ'd a little from the Greek and Eastern Churches in some Rites and Practices yet were we one in Faith and so as far as it is needful for Sister Churches to be of one Church Concil Flor. apud Bin. To. 8. Sess 5. For they maintained stifly in the Council of Florence that the Nicene or Constantinopolitan Creed contained all the Articles of Christian Faith necessary to be believed or which were to be imposed on Christians and that it was lawful for no Man to add to or take from it or to propose another Faith Sess 5. p. 586. Pag. 580. that this was the Catholick Faith which ought to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one and the same among all Christians that in this Symbol of Faith nothing was by the Fathers permitted nothing put defectively nothing that wanted Correction or Addition Censura Orient Eccles Edit per Stanisl Socolovium c. 1. Atque hic quidem est ille verae incorruptae fidei thesaurus ab ipso spiritu sancto ne quid ex eo aut auferatur aut aliquid alienum adulterinum illi addatur sancte obsignatus haec est illa divina sanctissima perfecta ac universalis per orbem terrarum confusi populi Christiani tessera haec est illa communis confessio omnium sanctorum patrum hic est certissimus universae Christianae fidei limes quem in utrisque manibus complectentes quem ubique magna libertate alacritate confitentes velut quoddam coeleste integrum incorruptum nullaque parte contaminatum sanctorum divino numine afflatorum hominum depositum ad extremum usque finem vitae nostrae conservabimus Censur Orient Eccl. Edit per Stanislaum Socolovium Cap. 1. Apud Bin. Ibid. p. 580 577. In their Censure of the German Churches they set down the Constantinopolitan Creed as that Treasure of the true incorrupted Faith sacredly sealed by the Holy Ghost that nothing should be taken from it nothing alien or adulterine added to it as that Divine most Holy Perfect and universal Tessera of the Christian People diffused over all the World the most common Confession of all the Holy Fathers the most certain boundary of the whole Christian Faith and they declare That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this was the chief cause of the Schism betwixt them and the Western Churches that the Romans had added to the Nicene Creed there therefore was at that time no real difference betwixt them and us in the Symbol of our Faith and therefore nothing which could hinder our Affection to Her or Hers to us as a Sister Church with which was maintained and ought to be maintained the Union of Peace and Charity by reason of this universal Tessera of Christian People owned by both parties as the perfect Summary of their Faith. Lastly § 11 Hence you may see why the Divines of the Church of England acknowledge the Church of Rome still to continue a true Church and those in Communion with her as true parts of the Catholick Church visible though far from being only so because they are Baptized into this Faith alone and it is delivered to them even by the Church of Rome as the whole Catholick Faith the whole Faith necessary to Salvation For through the wonderful Providence of God it hath so happened Part. 1. c. 2. p. 13. that the Trent Catechism hath declared suitably to the Tradition of the Ancients that the Apostles made the Symbol which now bears their Name to be a form of Christian Faith to those whom they should call ad fidei unitatem to the Vnity of Faith and to be a mark of distinction betwixt false Brethren and those who verè Christo militiae Sacramento se obligarent truly did oblige themselves to Christ by the Sacrament of their Warfare And the Trent Council in prejudice to all her following Decrees hath also taught That Symbolum Apostolorum est principium illud in quo omnes qui fidem Christi profitentur necessario conveniunt ac Fundamentum Ecclesiae firmum ac unicum Sess 3. p. 7. the Symbol of the Apostles is that Principle in which all who profess the Faith do necessarily agree and it is the firm and only Foundation of the Church And at their Baptism of Infants and Adult Persons the Questions and Answers run thus Ritual Rom. de Bapt. parvul p. 13. de Baptismo Adult p. 28. Pr. What askest thou of the Church of God to which the Adult Person or the God-Father of the Infant replies I desire Faith. Pr. What will Faith procure for thee Godf. Life eternal And yet the God-Father of the Child or the Elect with the Adult Baptized when they come to repeat this Faith only recite the Apostles Creed and so they still retain the Ancient and Apostolick way of admitting Members into the Church as to matters of Faith required of them to be believed CHAP. IX The Novelty of the Romish Doctrines proved farther First from the Instructions given by the Church-Rulers to their Clergy what
as appears touching the Greek Church and their Dependants from the continuance of this Practice to this very Day Notandum quod ex hoc quod dicitur hic nisi manducaveritis c. dicunt Graeci quod hoc Sacramentum est tantae necessitatis quod pueris debet dari sicut baptismus Nichol de Lyra in Joh. 6. touching the Eastern Churches from their continuance of it by Tradition even since their Separation from other Churches in the Fifth and the Sixth Centuries for it is practised still by the Cophti or Aegyptian Christians Brierw p. 157. p. 165 173. 178. by the Habassines by the Armenians and by the Maronites saith Brierwood Moreover in the Third Century De laps p. 132. Cyprian speaks of it as a Thing then in use witness that Story he relates of the Child who through the Wickedness of the Nurse having tasted of the Idol Sacrifice when the Deacon came to give it the Cup turned away its Face and shut its Mouth and when the Deacon forced the Wine into its Mouth presently threw it out again and Witness the Apology he thus makes for such Children We did not on our own Accord make hast to the profane Contagions Derelicto cibo poculo domini Ibid. p. 125. leaving the Food and the Cup of the Lord 't was the Perfidiousness of others that destroyed us and he seems to assert the Necessity of it from the Sixth of John Cap. 25 26. in the Third Book of Testimonies to Quirinus In the First Form of Liturgy we meet with in the Church of Christ Constit Apost l. 8. c. 13. we find this Practice prescribed to be used in Christian Churches Let the Bishop communicate and after him the Priests the Deacons Subdeacons the Readers Singers and Ascheticks the Deaconesses Virgins Widows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then Children Hier. Eccles c. 7. p. 360 361. Dionysius also saith That Children in his time were made Partakers of the Holy Mysteries In the Sixth Age we find this was still the received Custom of the Western Church from the Gregorian Office which takes care that Baptized Infants Ad Sabb. Pasch p. 73. Non ablactarentur antequam communicent should not suck before they had communicated The Practice of the Western Parts in the Seventh Century is Evident from the Council of Toledo which decrees Concil Tom. 6. p. 552. That they shall not be punished Qui tempore Infantiae Eucharistiam receptam rejiciunt who in time of their Infancy vomit up the Eucharist In the Eighth Century we are informed by Charles the Great Car. Mag. de Imag. l. 2. c. 27. That this was then the General Custom of the Church of God. For against the Doctrine of the Second Nicene Council and of the Roman Church pronouncing Anathema to those who did not Worship Images he and his Council of Three hundred Bishops argue thus That then Infantes Baptismatis unda loti Corporis Dominici edulio Sanguinis haustu satiati pereunt Infants who have been Baptized and have received the Sacrament of our Lords Body and Blood must perish In the Ninth Century it was a known Constitution of the Western Church That the Priest should always have the Eucharist ready that if any little Child be infirm he might give him the Communion and the Child might not die without it which Constitution is extant in the Capitular of Charles the Great L. 1. c. 161. Cap. 7. L. 1. c. 69. in Walter Aurelianensis in Regino de Ecclesiasticis disciplinis in Ivo Decret part 2. cap. 20. in Burchardus l. 5. c. 10. and so undoubtedly obtained till the Twelfth Century Not. in Reg. p. 551 552. Not. ad librum Sacrament p. 298. In the Old Pontificials of the Eighth or Ninth Century saith Baluzius there is a Rubric requiring the Bishop or the Priest to give the Communion to the new baptized Infant And this continued saith Menardus till the time of Paschal the Second And Hugo de Sancto Victore saith That if it can be done without peril De Ceremon Eccl. l. 1. c. 20. Sive de Sacram l. 1. c 20. Juxta primam Ecclesiae institutionem Sacramentum Eucharistiae in specie Sanguinis tradendum est pueris according to the Primitive Institution of the Church the Sacrament of the Eucharist must be delivered to Children in the Species of Blood. Now by these Testimonies we learn how neatly the Trent Council minceth this Matter Sess 21. c. 4. when they say That Antiquitas eum morem in quibusdam locis aliquando servavit Antiquity did in some Places for some time observe this Custom More ingenuous is Cardinal Bona Rerum Litur l. 2. c. 19. p. 877 878 879 882. who confesseth it was an ancient Custom That Quicunque Baptizabantur sive adulti sive Infantes sacra statim Communione reficerentur whatsoever Infants were Baptized they should presently be refreshed with the Holy Communion and proves this Custom from the Third to the Twelfth Century And Baluzius admires Not. in Regin p. 552. That any one should say Universalem Ecclesiam nunquam recepisse hunc morem sine nota novitatis that the universal Church never received this Custom without a Note of the Novelty of it Secondly They declared in the General from these Words § 4 That this Sacrament was as necessary for all as Baptism and that where they could be had they were both necessary to Salvation St. Basil saith Tom. 1. p. 580. Tom. 2. p. 431. That the Baptized Person ought to be nourished with the Food of eternal Life and that the Communication of the Body and the Blood of Christ is necessary to eternal Life and proves both these Assertions from this Passage of St. John. Amphilochius in his Life saith In vita Basil c. 17. p. 221. It is impossible that any Man should enter into the Kingdom of God unless he be regenerate by Baptism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and partake of the Life-giving Mysteries of the Body and the Blood of Christ St. Chrysostom declares That none can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven if he be not Baptized with Water and the Holy Ghost Hom. 3. de Sacerdotio Tom. 6. p. 16. l. 38. Tom. 2. p. 748. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if he do not eat his Flesh and drink his Blood. And upon that passage of St. John Christ shews saith he that this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. l. 2. 2. Ep. 52. very necessary and ought always to be done These saith Isidore Pelusiota are the divine Mysteries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without which none can obtain the heavenly Rewards as is apparent from the Divine Oracles John iij. 3. vi 53. In Cap. 6 Joh. l. 4. p. 361. They are void of Life saith St. Cyril of Alexandria who receive not the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the participation of the Eucharist Tom. 2. p. 92 96. Hincmarus
were all confirmed and even ascribed to the Holy Spirit by the general Council held in Trullo and by the Second Nicene Council or who now thinks himself obliged by that Text to do so Fifthly Who knows not that anciently it was esteemed § 10 by the whole Church a thing unlawful for a Bishop Presbyter or any of the Clergy to go from one Church or Diocess to another The first Nicene Council declares That some Can. 15. who before their sitting had done this did it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the Canon and decrees That for the future neither Bishop Priest or Deacon shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 go from City to City Can 21. The Council of Antioch approved by the whole Church renews the same Decree The Council of Sardica represents the Attempt of such a Change as Can. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most pernicious Custom to be pulled up by the Roots and as a Wickedness which deserved Translationes ab Ecclesia ad Majores apud Hilar. Frag. p. 437. Can. 1. Apud Athanas Apol. p. 744. Ep. 84. c. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be severely punished and therefore they declare That they who made such Changes should be excluded even from Lay-Communion and they object these Translations to the Arians as their great Crime The General Council of Chalcedon confirms all the Canons made touching this Matter by these Councils Pope Julius not only condemns this Transmigration but saith That he who practiseth it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 despise the Station God hath given him Pope Leo adds That he who doth so shall not only be expell'd from the Chair he had invaded Sed carebit propria but shall be deprived of his own Pope Damasus declares That he will have no Communion with such Persons Moreover this Practice they condemn as Spiritual Adultery declaring That the Church to which the Bishop or the Priest is chosen is his Wife which therefore he cannot dismiss and take another without Adultery Thus the Synod of Alexandria accuse Eusebius of Nicomedia for going from Berytus to that City as having forfeited his Bishoprick and committed Adultery against the Import of that Precept Apud Athanas Apol. 2. p. 727. Art thou bound to Wife seek not to be loosed which if it be said of a Woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how much more of a Church of the same Bishoprick to which one being tied ought not to seek another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud Binium Tom. 4. p. 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 15. That he may not be found also an Adulterer according to the Holy Scriptures In the Synod under Mennas it was also laid to the Charge of Anthimus That having been Bishop of Trabisond he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adulterously snatch that of Constantinople against the Ecclesiastical Laws and Canons Apud Regin de Eccles discipl l. 1. c. 250. Pope Calixtus from the same Scripture determines That if a Bishop or Priest leave his Church or Parish which is his Wife bound to him whilst he lives he commits Spiritual Adultery And suitably to the Determinations of so many Councils they who refused to be thus promoted were highly commended as observing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb de vita Constant l. 3. c. 61. the Commands of God and the Canons of the Apostles and the Church Thus when upon the Deposition of Eustathius Bishop of Antioch they would have preferred Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea to that See he refused the Offer Sozom. Hist Eccl. l. 2. c. 19. because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law of the Church forbad it and this Fact Constantine commended as acceptable to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb ibid. and agreeable to the Tradition of the Church But they who did transgress this Canon were removed from that See they were translated to though never so well deserving of the Church Thus Gregory Nazianzen though removed from Sasima to Constantinople by the Emperor though he had laboured so much in that Church to convert the Heathens he found there and hinder the Endeavours of the Hereticks yet the General Council of Constantinople observing saith Sozomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hist Eccl. l. 7. c. 7. the Laws of the Fathers and the Ecclesiastical Order took his Bishoprick from him no ways regarding the great Merits of the Person But who now in the Church of Christ regards these Canons of so many General Councils or looks upon it as a Crime to admit of or even sue for a Translation from a less Bishoprick to a greater It were easy to shew the like Difference betwixt the Practice and Judgment of the present Church and that of former Ages touching the corporal and pecuniary Punishments of Men for difference in Religion which they of former Ages most plainly disapproved of touching the Suffrage of the People being requisite to the Election of their Bishop which they expresly did assert disowning such pretended Bishops as wanted the Consent and Suffrage of the People to omit many other Instances which might be easily produced to shew that Doctrines and Practices have passed for currant and even Apostolical in former Ages which are now utterly rejected and disapproved of in this present Age. But Lastly though when the whole Church is unanimous § 11 nd all her Members do agree in the asserting any Doctrine as an Article of Christian Faith necessary to be owned by all Christians the Plea from the concurring Judgment of the Church is highly plausible and never ought without the clearest Evidence of Reason or of Scripture to be gainsaid nor hath the Church of England ever disowned any such Doctrine yet when whole Churches or Nations are divided in their Sentiments concerning any Doctrine and Number may be pleaded by both Parties then say we with the Fathers That we must have Recourse unto the Scriptures This is at present visibly the State and the Condition of the Church of Christ she agrees now in nothing but the Apostles and the Nicene Creed there is East against West and West against East Protestant against Papist and Papist against Protestant Now in this case the ancient Fathers of the Church declare it is our only safe and prudent Course to fly as doth the Church of England to the Holy Scriptures and to primitive Antiquity and say That a Necessity is laid upon us so to do Thus Hippolytus or whosoever is the Author of that Book which bears his Name having given an Account of the Prevalence which Antichrist shall have clearly insinuates That the best Preservative against him is P. 60. Scripturas audire to hear the Scriptures and that Christ will pronounce them Blessed who have done so And that they who do not Diligenter legere Scriptures P. 13. diligently read the Scriptures shall run up and down saying Where is Christ and shall not find him The
it seems generally to have prevailed in the Fourth and Fifth Centuries yet doth it plainly seem to contradict the Testimony of the Holy Scriptures which teach That when the days of her Purification were accomplished Luk. ij 22 23 Puram aperiens vulvam according to the Law of Moses they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord as it is written in the Law of the Lord Every Male that openeth the Womb shall be called holy to the Lord. L. 4. c. 66. In partu suo nupsit ipsa patefacti corp lege Lib. de Carne Christi c. 23. vid. etiam c. 4. 20. Hom. 14. in Lucam Tom. 2. f. 101. According to the import of which Scripture Irenaeus doth expresly teach That our Lord at his Birth opened the Womb of the Virgin. Tertullian adds That she was a Virgin as not having known Man but was no Virgin quantum a partu at her teeming her Womb being then opened according to that saying Every Male that openeth the Womb c. Origen That Matris domini to tempore vulva reserata est quo partus editus the Womb of the Mother of our Lord was opened when she brought forth her Son. Clemens of Alexandria evidently shews that this was in his time only the saying of some Men attending to the Fable of the false Gospel of St. James That the Midwives after her delivery found by Inspection that she was a Virgin and that others held the contrary for saith he It seemed to many and yet seemeth that Mary was by the Birth of her Son a Woman properly delivered of a Child though she was not Strom. l. 7. p. 756. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Woman properly delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for some say that being inspected by the Midwives after the Birth of her Son she was found a Virgin. De Incarn l. 14 cap. 6. §. 1. He respects saith Petavius the Old Wife's Tale invented by some idle Trifler which we find in Suidas and in the Proto-Evangelium S. Jacobi which I could wish he had no otherwise related than by way of Contempt and Derision Thus we learn upon what Grounds this was believed by him against the Opinion of many others St. Basil grounds this Opinion upon another Story of like nature De human Christi Gener. Tom. 1. p. 509. The Story of Zacharias saith he proves that the Virgin Mary was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an entire Virgin for it is derived to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Tradition that Zacharias was slain between the Porch and the Altar for saying Qui hujusmodi Traditioni non credunt that Mary was a Virgin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the Birth of our Lord. Origen delivers the same thing in the like words In Matt. Hom. 26. f. 49. b. In Matth. 23.35 Venit ad nos Traditio quaedam Such a Tradition hath come down to us And Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have it from Tradition and yet Origen in the same place confesseth that this Tradition was not believed by others In locum and Jerom saith That it came Ex Apocryphorum Somniis From apocryphal Dreams and adds That Quia de scripturis non habet autoritatem eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur Because it hath no Authority from Scripture it is as easily condemned as approved of And thus we see the rise of this Tradition which afterwards prevailed over the Christian World. 3ly § 5 That our Lord lived above Fourty if not to Fifty Years Sicut Evangelium omues seniores testantur qui in Asia apud Joannem Discipulum Domini convenerunt id ipsum tradidisse eis Joannem L. 2. c. 39. is the express Assertion of Irenaeus and for this he produceth the Testimony of the Gospel and of all the Elders of the Church who met S. John the beloved Disciple of our Lord in Asia and declared that he delivered to them the same thing yea saith he some of them saw not only John but the rest of the Apostles and heard the same things from them testantur de hujusmodi Relatione and testifie the truth of the Relation To say with Feuardentius upon the place that he might have had this from Papias is a very unlikely thing for he speaks not of the Testimony of one Man but of all the Seniors not of Men who had never seen the Apostles as Papias had not but of them who had he cites not Papias as in the Case of the Millennium he did here therefore is a solemn Declaration of a Tradition received from the Mouth of the Apostles and attested by all the Seniors and yet so far from being in the Gospel as is pretended that by the Gospel it may be evidently confuted so far from being owned as such in after Ages that upon a very slight Ground even the saying of the Prophet Isaiah Vid. Feuard in Iren. p. 46. 188. That Christ was sent to Preach the Acceptable Year of the Lord many of the Fathers took up a contrary Opinion that our Lord Suffered in the Fifteenth Year of Tiberius and preached One Year only When Jesus came to his Baptism saith Clemens of Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strom. 1. p. 340. he was about Thirty Years old and that he was to Preach but One Year is thus written He sent me to Preach the Acceptable Year of the Lord this both the Prophet and the Gospel according to the plain meaning of the Words averr say some in Origen Hom. 32. in Luk. f. 111. That our Lord Preached the Gospel but one Year and that on this account it was said Cap. 8. that he was sent to Preach the Acceptable Year of the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L 1. c. 1. p. 16. Tertullian in his Book against the Jews saith That Christ suffered annos habens quasi triginta being about Thirty Years Old. Lactantius Africanus and others cited by Feuardentius say the same And yet this was no better than an Opinion first invented by the Gnosticks as we learn from Irenaeus and for which they produced the same Text and 't is as easily confuted by the Enumeration of the Passovers our Saviour Celebrated after his Baptism and before his Death Now if a Tradition could so generally obtain in the Fifth Century which had its rise from Fabulous Legends and Apocryphal Dreams against plain Words of Scripture and plain Assertions of the Fathers living in the former Centuries as that of our Lords coming out of the Womb of the Virgin without opening of it did why might not other Traditions pretended by some later Councils and the Church of Rome be of like nature Why may we not credit the Council of Frankford In lib. Carol. p. 3. c. 30. declaring that the Second Nicene Council for their pretended Tradition of Image-Worship had recourse ad Apocryphas quasdam risu dignas naenias to Apocryphal and Ridiculous Tales Comment
esse potest the true Catholick Faith without which no man can be saved whereas it is here proved that the whole Church of Christ in general and in particular the Roman Church believed that the Apostles and the Nicene Creed contained all the Articles of the Christian Faith. 9. Concil Trid. Sess 21. can 4. The present Roman Church pronounceth an Anathema on those who say the Eucharist is necessary to Children before they come to Years of Discretion that is on Pope Innocent Chap. 12. Sect. 3 4 5. Pope Pelagius and the whole Church of Christ for Six hundred Years And truly if the Tradition or the Doctrine of the present Church of Rome § 4 must be the Rule by which alone we are to judge of the Tradition Practice and Doctrines of the whole Church of Christ throughout all Ages if we lie under any Obligation to determine thus That this is the Practice the Tradition the Doctrine of the present Roman Church therefore this was the Doctrine the Practice the Tradition of all former Ages of the Christian Church then all the Reason God hath given us and all the Learning which we can with all our industry acquire from Scripture and all the Testimonies of the Fathers and Church Writers could we shew them throughout Fifteen Centuries Canon of Script as Dr. Cousins hath done declaring themselves fully in opposition to the Church of Rome I say if the Declarations of the Church of Rome must wholly over-rule us in these matters all the knowledge we can acquire from Scripture Reason or the Fathers is not worth one Straw we may even burn all our Books of Antiquity our Fathers and Church History yea and our Bibles too and lay aside our useless Reason for whatsoever service these things may do to Holy Church they can do none to us The reading of these Authors the use of Reason to discern betwixt good and evil right and wrong true and false in Christian Practices and Doctrines must be the most pernicious things in which we can be exercised for sure I am no Man of honest Conscience and sound Judgment can read the Scriptures and the Fathers carefully but he must very strongly be tempted by his Reason to suspect and must in many things seem absolutely certain that Apostolical Tradition cannot be known by the Tradition of the present Church of Rome yea that many of her present Traditions Doctrines and Practices are evidently and unquestionably repugnant to the Traditions Practices and Doctrines of the Apostles and the whole Church of Christ for Six Eight Ten Twelve or Fourteen Centuries To add some farther Instances to these § 5 I have already mentioned Sess 6. can 23. Ecclesia tenet de Beata Virgine quod ex speciali Dei privilegio in tota vita peccata omnia etiam venialia vitaverit The Church of Rome now holds saith the Trent Council that the Blessed Virgin was through her whole Life free from venial Sin and yet such is the Evidence of Truth to the contrary that many Doctors of the Roman Church are even forced to confess that this Determination is contrary to the common Judgment of the Fathers In John ij Maldonate speaks thus Among the Ancient Fathers I find very few who either do not openly say or obscurely signifie that the Blessed Virgin was guilty of some Fault or Error And though some have endeavoured saith Petavius to mollifie the Sayings of the Fathers De Incar l. 14. c. 1. sect 7. yet their endeavour is vain Nam adeo disertam continent cujusque modi delicti significationem ut aliorsum detorqueri se minime patiuntur For their Sayings do so expresly import the signification of some guilt that they cannot be wrested to another sence and that they had good reason to make these Confessions will be apparent from these Citations following Our Lord saith Irenaeus L. 3. c. 18. p. 277. repellens ejus intempestivam festinationem repelling her unseasonable hastiness said to her Woman what have I to do with thee In the Third Century Tertullian expresly charges her with incredulity for he declares L. de came Christi cap. 7. That our Lord Christ therefore denied his Mother and his Brethren saying Who is my Mother and my Brethren because his Brethren did not believe in him and because Mater non adhaesit illi his Mother did not cleave unto him In this place saith he appears incredulitas eorum the unbelief of them that when he was Preaching the Word of Life and healing of Diseases and Sins his Relations stood without and were so far from harkening to him that they did rather interrupt and call him from so good a Work and will Apelles say That Christ unworthily used these words Ad percutiendam infidelitatem foris stantium To smite the incredulity of them who stood without Origen upon Luke asks what that Sword was which Simeon foretold of saying it should pass through her Heart and answers that it is manifestly written Hom. 17. s 102. b. That in the time of our Lord's Passion all the Apostles should be scandalized and saith he can we think that the Apostles being Scandalized Mater Domini a scandalo fuerit immunis the Mother of our Lord could be free from Scandal If she suffered no Scandal Jesus did not suffer pro peccatis ejus for her Sins but if all sinned and fell short of the Glory of God being justified freely by his Grace utique Maria illo tempore scandalizata est then doubtless Mary also at that time was scandalized And this is that which Simeon here Prophesieth saying Tuam ipsius animam pertransibit infidelitatis gladius ambiguitatis mucrone serieris the Sword of Infidelity shall pass through thy own Soul and thou shalt be smitten with the Sword of doubtfulness In the Fourth Century St. Basil saith That Simeon here prophesieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Mary her self thus Tom. 3. Ep. 317. p. 310. 311. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There shall be some fluctuation even in thy Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some doubting touching the Lord this is the Sword but after this Scandal which shall happen to Mary and the Disciples of our Lord he presently will minister a Medicine and confirm their Hearts in the Faith of Christ Moveover he makes this Scandal of the Blessed Virgin necessary upon this account That Christ was to taste Death for all to be the propitiation for the World and to justifie all Men by his Blood. In Psalm 118. St. Hilary declares That at the Day of Judgment that incessant Fire is to be endured in quo subeunda sunt gravia illa expiandae a peccatis animae supplicia in which are to be suffered those heavy Punishments designed for the expiating of the Soul from Sin and that then the Sword shall go through the Soul of Mary and if saith he even Dei virgo illa in judicii severitatem ventura est that
to ground Faith upon For on this ground they proceeded in defining all the Books in our Canon to be Canonical Pope Innocent the First A. D. 402. St. Austin P. Gelasius A. D. 492. confirm the same Canon and the Sixth General Council celebrated A. D. 680. confirms the Council of Carthage and the true Canon is again set forth in the Council of Florence A. 1438. And after these Declarations of the Council of Carthage and Pope Innocent no one pertinaciously dissented from the Canon but such as Protestants themselves confess to be Hereticks J. L. adds That Gregory Nazianzen acknowledged them Canonical and St. Ambrose Lib. de Jacob vitâ beatâ and that since the Churches Declaration no Catholick ever doubted of them Now for Answer to these things let it be noted First That whereas they are pleased to say that it was till the time of the Third Council of Carthage that is till the Fifth Century doubtful and undetermined in the Church whether these Books were Canonical or not because the Church had not then declared them so they by just consequence must grant that the Apostles and all the Ancient Bishops of the Church for Four Centuries knew nothing of the Roman Canon for had they known the Books contested to be Canonical we cannot doubt but they would have delivered them to the Church as such as well as those which we receive and which saith Eusebius were received by the consent of all Lib. 4. c. 26. We therefore are contented to be no wiser than they were and rather chuse to hearken to that advice of Cyril of Jerusalem Read the Twenty two Books of the Old Testament and have nothing to do with the Apocrypha 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the Apostles and ancient Bishops the Rulers of the Church who delivered these Twenty two Books as the Canon were wiser than those that came after them we therefore being Sons of the Church in compliance with his advice will not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 break over the bounds which they have set us especially considering they so expresly have informed us that they delivered this Catalogue of the Twenty two Canonical Books of the Old Testament as they received them from Tradition Obs 1. That they made this Enumeration of them to prevent mistakes in this matter for the good of the Church and that Men might know out of what Fountains to draw the Water of Life and might clearly learn which were Canonical Obs 4. And as the Canon received and owned not only by the Jewish but the Christian Church Obs 3. Secondly The falshood of these bold Assertions hath been shewed sufficiently in what hath been discoursed upon this subject for had the Authority of the Books we stile Apocryphal been undetermined had the true Canon of the Books of the Old Testament been doubtful in the Church till the Fifth Century why did Athanasius think it necessary to advertise Christians that the Books which we reject were not Canonical St. Cyril That they were out of the Canon Nazianzen That they were not Genuine Ruffinus That our Ancestors held them not Canonical not sufficient to confirm Doctrines of Faith St. Jerom That the Church deemed them Apocryphal and received them not into the Canon Why do they add that these things we delivered to them by the Fathers and by them recorded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for more exactness sake and to prevent mistakes Had the Canon of the Books of the Old Testament been till then doubtful and undetermined in the Church why was the Canon produced by Melito Bishop of Sardis judged so exact a Canon of the Books of the Old Testament why do the Fathers of the four first Centuries with one accord declare that the number of the Canonical Books of the Old Testament if Ruth were added to Judges and the Lamentations to Jeremiah Can. 59. were but Twenty two if reckoned separately Twenty four why is it that the Council of Laodicea having said that Christians in the Church ought to read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only the Canonical Books of the Old and the New Testament reckons up the Cononical Books of the Old Testament as we do excluding all that we call Apocrypha as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 books not contained in the Canon Moreover this Canon was received into the Code of Canons of the Vniversal Church both by the East and West the Canons of this Council were confirmed by the fourth General Council of Chalcedon Can. 1. Can. 2. Novel 131. by the Sixth General Council of Trullo by the Imperial Law of the Emperor Justinian and so must give us the Sence and Definition of the whole Church touching this matter Thirdly If that may be doubtful and undetermined in the Church which is so positively asserted so expresly and frequently declared in a matter of Fact as this hath been for the first Four Centuries then I hope we may be permitted to pronounce all those New Articles which the Church of Rome hath added to the Creed doubtful and undetermined in the first Four Centuries at least till they can give us better proof that they were then received than hath been here produced for this Canon and then I think they will be no great Gainers by this false Assertion And sure I am they cannot here pretend Tradition handed down from Father to Son from all the Christians of one Age to all the Christians of the next unless it be asserted that all those Fathers and this whole Council spake these things in a flat opposition to what they had been taught by their Fore-fathers touching the Canonical Books of the Old Testament so that this instance is a full confutation of that idle Dream Fourthly Whereas these Authors have produced some few Testimonies from the Fifth Century in favour of their Canon Let it be noted first That J. L. hath been told already Answ p. 82 83. that neither Gregory nor St. Ambrose have any thing pertinent to his purpose in the places cited and this he by his silence seemeth to confess As for the pretended Definition of Pope Innocent the First made saith J. L. A. D. 370. Cap. 11. p. 22. Schol. Hist p. 118 180 188. though he was only made Bishop of Rome A. D. 402. Bishop Cousins hath proved it to be Spurious as he hath also fully proved the pretended Decree of the Council of Florence to be Bishop Pearson Vindiciae Epist Ignat. part 1. c. 4. a p. 44. ad p. 54. And another Bishop of our Church of unquestionable Credit among all learned Men hath proved beyond all possibility of Contradiction that the Decree ascribed to Gelasius is also Spurious so that we have nothing left to consider but the judgment of St. Austin the Council of Carthage and the pretended confirmation of it Now to these I say Fifthly That were these Testimonies exactly for the Canon of the Church of Rome yet here is neither a Decree of any General Council
nor a Decree received into the Code of Canons by the Vniversal Church as was the contrary Decree of the Council of Laodicea nor were the men that made it likely to judge better what were the Books of the Old Testament received as Canonical than all the Writers now produced for our Canon they whom we have produced as our Witnesses being either men who lived upon or near the place where the Canon of the Old Testament was published and known or travelled many of them thither and one of them on purpose to learn exactly the number of those Books And surely it is too ridiculous to imagine that it should in the Fifth Century be better known in Africa what Books of the Old Testament were Canonical than at Jerusalem Caesarea Alexandria or any of the Eastern Churches Moreover This Canon of the Council of Carthage in the Roman Code lately set forth by Paschasius Quesnel hath only Tobit and Judith and two Books of Esdras of all the Apocryphal Books now Canonized at Rome nor in the Collection of Cresconius Can. 299. an African Bishop is there any mention of the Books of Macchabees or Baruch nor in the Edition of it by Balsamon so that this cannot be a proof that the Trent Canon was received then And lastly 't is true they stile the Books there mentioned Canonical but this may only be in that large Sence in which those Books were sometimes called so which were read in the Church though they were not sufficient to confirm matters of Faith as may be argued from the Reason which they give us why they stiled them Canonical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Balsam in can 27. Concil Carthag viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because we have from the Fathers received these Books to be read in the Church and from the Gloss of Balsamon upon it who to know what Books were Canonical in the strict Sence sends us to the Council of Laodicea Athanasius Nazianzen and Amphilochius who all declared against the Apocrypha and to the last Canon of the Apostles which leaves out most of them And whereas it is added that the Canons of the Council of Carthage were established in the Sixth General Council held in Trullo let it be noted First That at other times the Romanists will by no means admit this Council Can. 36. Can. 13. Can. 55. because it equals the Bishop of Constantinople with him of Rome forbids Priests to be separated from their Wives condemns the received Customs of the Church of Rome and prescribes contrary Laws to her but now because they hope their Forlorn Cause may have some small advantage by it they give it the Title of a General Council Note 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. 2. That this Synod in the same Canon in which it confirms the Council of Carthage confirms also the Canons of the Council of Laodicea together with the Canonical Epistles of Athanasius Nazianzen and Amphilochius which number the Canonical Books of the Old Testament as we do rejecting the rest with us as Apocryphal when therefore the Fathers in the Synod confirm the Canons of the Council of Carthage they must either contradict themselves by contradicting the Council of Laodicea and these Canonical Epistles now mentioned and by them equally confirmed or else they must believe that this Canon of the Council of Carthage did not declare these controverted Books to be properly Canonical or divine Scripture but only in that larger sence in which that Name was given to Ecclesiastical Books thought worthy to be read in the Church Fifthly Whereas Mr. M. and J. L. farther assert That after these Books were declared Canonical by Pope Innocent and the Council of Carthage all cited these Books as Scripture none pertinaciously dissented from this Decree no Catholick ever doubted of them we are bound to thank them for their kindness to us in these words in which they plainly have renounced their Title to almost all the best Writers of the Christian World who as the Reverend Dr. Cousins hath demonstrated through every Century till the very Year of the Session of the Trent Council not only doubted of but plainly did reject these Books as uncanonical in the strict acceptation of the Word declaring that they read and cited them indeed as Books containing good instruction but not as properly Canonical or as sufficient to confirm any Article of Christian Faith. Lastly The Testimony of St. Austin in his Book of Christian Doctrine is so inconsistent with his other works and so fully answered by the Reverend Dr. Consins Can. 7. that it is needless to say any thing distinctly to it To proceed therefore to the Books of the New Testament § 14 observe First That the four Gospels the Acts of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 3. c. 25. l. 6. c. 25. the Thirteen Epistles of St. Paul the First Epistle of St. Peter and the First of St. John were always 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confessed by all true Christians to be sacred Books of the New Testament and their Authority was never questioned by any person of the whole Church of God. Now sure we have unquestionable certainty of such Books as have been handed down to us by the Tradition of all Ages of the Church inserted into all her Catalogues cited by all her Writers as Books of a Divine Authority and of which never any doubt was made by any Member of the Church of God. Secondly § 15 Observe That it cannot be necessary to Salvation to have an absolute assurance of those Books of the new Testament which have been formerly Controverted by whole Churches as well as private Doctors of the Church for either these Churches had sufficient certainty that the Books which they rejected were Canonical or they had not if they had how could they be true Churches who rejected part of their Rule of Faith when known to be so If they had not it seems not necessary that we at present should be certain of them for why may not we go to Heaven without this assurance as well as they of former Ages Thirdly § 16 There can be no assurance of the true Canon of the Books of the New Testament from the Testimony of the Romish or the Latin Church in any Age because she in some Ages hath rejected from the Canon that Epistle to the Hebrews Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 20. which she now receives It was rejected in the Third Century by Cajus Presbyter of Rome by Tertullian in the same Century who also in his Book Cap. 20. de pudicitia insinuates that it was not received as Canonical by some other Churches Origen in his Epistle to Africanus having cited a passage from the Eleventh Chapter of this Epistle adds That it is probable some being pressed with it Pag. 232. may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 embrace the Sentence of them who reject this Epistle as
And amongst these he reckons the Seven Catholick Epistles of the Apostles Pag. 59. comprised in one Volume which he calls the Sixth Volume of the New Testament Fourteen Epistles of St. Paul comprised in the Seventh Volume and in the Eighth the Revelation of St. John of which he testisieth that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 60. shewed and judged to be his by the Ancient and holy Fathers led by the Spirit of God And then concludes Pag. 61. These are the Canonical Books of the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as it were the first fruits Anchors and supports of our Faith. St. Cyril is another who professeth to write his Catalogue from the Church and to hand down the Canonical Books as she received them from the Apostles the Ancient Bishops and Governors of the Church and he among the Canonical Books of the New Testament reckons the Seven Catholick Epistles and Fourteen Epistles of St. Paul leaving out only the Apocalypse The Council of Laodicea reckons them exactly as St. Cyril doth leaving out with him the Apocalypse not that they question its Authority but because they reckon up only the Books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which ought to be read in the Churches Cyril Catech. 4. p. 38. Concil Laod. Can. 60. among which the Apocalypse was not because it is so very Mystical and accordingly the Council concludes their Canon thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Books we have received from the Fathers to be read in the Church and yet they do command that nothing should be read there but Canonical Scripture Apud Hieron Tom. 4. f. 51. Ruffinus declares he reckoned the Volumes of the New Testament as they were delivered to the Church of Christ secundum majorum Traditionem and according to the Tradition of the Ancients and then he accounts Fourteen Epistles of St. Paul Seven Catholick Epistles and the Apocalypse saying Haec sunt quae patres intra Canonem concluserunt These are the Books which the Father 's put into the Canon Can. 27. The Council of Carthage undertaking to reckon up the Canonical Books of the New Testament enumerates Fourteen Epistles of St. Paul Two of Peter Three of John One of James and One of Jude and the Apocalypse of St. John as received from the Fathers St. Jerom reckons the Canonical Books of the New Testament after the same manner only saying That the Epistle to the Hebrews was by most shut out of the number of the Epistles written by St. Paul that is some in his time conceived St. Barnabas others St. Clemens either did interpret it from the Hebrew or write it either from the Mouth or from the Notions of St. Paul but then he adds Ep. Tom. 3. f. 13. That the whole Greek Church and some of the Latins did receive it That all the Eastern Churches and all the Churches which used the Greek Tongue did Anciently own it as the Epistle of St. Paul and that he also owned both that and the Apocalypse not respecting the Custom of his present Age but following the Authority of the Ancient Writers who cited Testimonies from both not as sometimes they are wont to do from Apocryphal Books but as from Canonical Scripture And good reason had he to say 1. § 19 Lib. 3. c. 24. That he received the Apocalypse on the Authority of the Ancients when Eusebius expresly declares That a judgment might easily be passed of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Testimony of the Ancients Athanasius that it was determined Synop. p. 60. and demonstrated to be his by the Ancient and Holy Fathers led by the Spirit of God. And indeed Ep. ad C. §. 34. Dial. cum Tryph p. 308. Pag. 373 477 128 347 376 480 486 500 503. Lib. 5. c. 30. p. 485. Pag. 201. 528. Tom. 5. in Joh. Hom. 7. in Jos pag. 269 270 411 510 c. De opere Elem p. 202. de bono pat p. 219. Hist Eccl. l. 4.24 Ibid. c. 26. Lib. 5. c. 18. p. 186. Lib. 7. c. 25. it is cited in the First Century by Clemens Romanus as a Prophetical Writing In the Second Century by Justin Martyr as a Book writ by John one of Christ's Twelve Apostles By Irenaeus in the same Century as the Revelation of John the Disciple of the Lord the Revelation of St. John and he declares it was written by him pene sub nostro saeculo almost in our Age at the end of the Reign of Domitian It is mentioned in the Third Century as holy Scripture and a Prophetick Vision by Clemens of Alexandria as the Revelation of that John who lay in the bosom of our Lord by Origen it is mentioned by Tertullian as the Prophecy the Revelation the Vision of the Apostle John in above Twenty places by St. Cyprian as that Revelation in which we hear our Saviour's Voice and in which he speaks to us Eusebius informs us That Melito Bishop of Sardis writ upon the Revelation of St. John that Theophilus Bishop of Antioch owned it and cited from it many Testimonies Now both these flourished in the middle of the Second Century That Hippolitus the Disciple of Irenaeus did the same And that Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria professed That he durst not reject it by reason of the multitude of Christians who had a veneration for it and that he owned it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the work of an holy Man inspired of God. And judge now whether he had not sufficient ground to say this matter might be decided by the Testimonies of the Ancients That this Book was refused by Marcion the Heretick Contra Marcion l. 4. c. 5. Haer. 51 54. Haer. 30. we learn from Tertullian that it was rejected by the Alogians and Theodosian Hereticks we learn from Epiphanius and St. Austin and that when some Orthodox Christians began to dislike the Doctrine of the Millennium they began also to dispute some the Author of this Book ascribing it to another John Presbyter at Ephesus and others the Authority of it because they could not answer the Testimony produced from the Twentieth Chapter in favour of the Saints Reign on Earth a Thousand Years But then their Arguments against it are only taken from some vain and weak Imaginations of their own Brains as v. g. That St. John here names himself which in his Gospel and Epistles he never doth by which Argument we must reject either the Lamentations or the Book of Jeremy 2. Because he doth not use the same Expressions here as he did there that is in a Prophetick Stile as in a Doctrinal on which account Ecclesiastes and the Canticles cannot be writ by the same Author And 3. Because he writes here better Greek than elsewhere which if so may be because he writes not to the Jews but to the Asiaticks or after he had more conversed with them who spake that Language in its Purity As for those who ascribe
judgment adding that he therefore embraced this Doctrine Because he chose not to follow Men or their Doctrines Pag. 306. but God and telling Trypho That if the Jews had met with any who did not confess this Pag. 307. but blasphemed the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob he was not to esteem them Christians though they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For I and all Christians that are entirely Orthodox do know there will be a Resurrection of the Flesh and a thousand Years in Jerusalem built adorn'd and enlarged as the Prophets Ezekiel Esaias and others have confessed Now by comparing of these words with what before was spoken by him of the Gnosticks and the following branches of that Heresie the Marcionites the Valentinians Basilidians and Saturnilians p. 253. it will be evident that Justin M. speaks here especially of them For 1. There you will find him saying of those Hereticks That they taught Men to Blaspheme the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. And here That some of them who did not own the Millennium were Men who dared to Blaspheme the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. 2. There you will find them expresly stiled the Marcionites Valentinians Basilidians and Saturnilians Here you will find them generally described by this character That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they say there is no Resurrection of the Dead but that as soon as they die 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Souls were received into Heaven as Irenaeus before noted of those deniers of the Millennium and as is certainly true of all the Hereticks here mentioned Danaeus in Aug. de Haeres c. 22. f. 100. b. Dan. ibid. c. 4. f. 60. b. Ibid. cap. 11. f. 79. a. for the Marcionites denied the Resurrection of the Flesh and held That the Soul only should be saved Basilides denied The Resurrection of the Flesh The Saturnilians said That there would be no Resurrection of the Flesh because the Body would not be saved The Valentinians denied the Resurrection of the Flesh saying That our Souls only not our Bodies were redeemed by Christ Moreover he promises to write a Book against these Deniers of the Millennium which what it should be except his Book against Heresie in general or against Marcion in particular I would gladly know 3. There he declares that true Christians did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in nothing Communicate with these Men as knowing they were Atheists i. e. wicked ungodly and unjust and here he forbids Trypho 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to account them Christians saying they no more deserved that Name than the Sadducees and other Hereticks amongst the Israelites deserved the Name of Jews Now let it be considered 1. § 4 That this Doctrine was owned in the first Ages of the Church by the greatest number of the Christian Clergy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 H. Eccl. l. 3 c. 39. In Jer. 19. Proem in lib. 18. Com. in Esa as is confessed by Euscbius that by the confession of St. Jerom Multi Ecclesiasticorum virorum Martyrum ista dixerunt Many Ecclesiastical Men and Martyrs had asserted it before his time and that even in his days it was the Doctrine quam nostrorum plurima sequitur multitudo which a great multitude of Christians followed that it was received not only in the Eastern parts of the Church by Papias Justin Irenaeus Nepos Apollinaris Methodius but also in the West and South by Tertullian Cyprian Victorinus Lactantius and Severus and if we may credit Gelasius Cyzicenus by the first Nicene Council 2. That these Men taught this Doctrine not as Doctors only but as Witnesses of the Tradition which they had received from Christ and his Apostles and which was taught them by the Elders the Disciples of Christ which pass among the Romanists for Authentick marks of Apostolical Tradition 3. That they pretend to ground it upon numerous and manifest Testimonies both of the Old and New Testament and speak of them as Texts which could admit no other meaning and which they knew to have this meaning and then let any Romanist shew any thing of a like nature for any Article pretended by the Church of Rome to be derived from Tradition to them Now if the Scriptures thus Interpreted for these Two Centuries with so much confidence and assurance § 5 if a Tradition of this early date delivered by Men of such great Reputation from the Disciples of our Lord and from the Seniors of the Church may yet be Scriptures falsly Interpreted Traditions falsly said to be received from the Apostles or the Rulers of the Church Semijudaei Hier. in Esa 60. f. 100. b. Praefat. in lib. 18. f. 107. Ridiculi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in cap. 66. v. 22. and they who thus Interpreted them might be looked upon as Judaizing as Men whose God was their Belly as Men who loved their Belly and their Lusts and as Ridiculous which Epithetes St. Jerom freely doth bestow upon the Assertors of the Millennary Doctrine how much more reason must we have to doubt of those Interpretations of Scripture and those Traditions which are now represented as true Traditions and true Interpretations of the Scripture by the Roman Church If that which once passed for the Doctrine of all Christians that were Orthodox A. D. 373. n. 14. Vitanda est istiusmodi explanatio imo Haeresis In Jer. 19. f. 137. b. may pass in after Ages for Heresie as saith Baronius the Doctrine of the Millennium was pronounced by Damasus and as St. Jerom seems in his invective stile to call it and that which Hereticks then chiefly held must be now held of all who would not be accounted Hereticks sure what is Orthodox in one Age may become Heresie in the succeeding Ages or else the Church of Rome can be no certain judge either of what is Orthodox or Heretical Sure they may be ashamed to ask us any more how Errors could come into their Church and no beginning of them known till they can tell us the beginning of this Error And lastly if the Fathers of the purest Ages could be so easily cozened by Papias a Man of no Judgment in this Matter as some of them assert why might they not be cheated by such half witted Men in Twenty other Matters why not by Twenty other Men of as weak Parts And what assurance can we have of any other thing in which Tradition is pretended on the account of Testimonies less Primitive less plain less numerous than these were If they who had matters at Second-hand from the Apostles could be thus mistaken in a Tradition on which they founded their future Hopes and Expectations must they not much more be subject to like mistakes in matters of meer Speculation and Opinion Moreover hence we have a demonstration of the Falshood of the pretended Tradition of the Church of Rome touching the Invocation of Saints Sess 25. for that according to the Trent Council
the God of Israel was an evil God and not the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and they denied the truth of our Saviour's Manhood and the Resurrection of the Flesh Secondly Observe That the Opinion of St. Cyprian and those who in Africa and elsewhere adhered to him Dicimus omnes omnino Haereticos Schismaticos c. Ep. 69. p. 180. was this That all Persons who only were Baptized by Hereticks were to be admitted into the Church by Baptism St Cyprian Bishop of Carthage thought Hist Eccl. lib. 7. cap. 3. Apud Cypr. Ep. 75. pag. 221. Omnes Schismaticos Haereticos qui ad Ecclesiam conversi sunt Baptizari Apud Cypr. p. 231. saith Eusebius that being first purged from their Error they ought to be admitted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no otherwise than by Baptism Not only the Cataphrygae saith Firmilian but caeteri quique Haeretici all other Hereticks whatsoever are deprived of the Power of Baptism In the Council of Carthage consisting of Eighty five Bishops assembled out of Africa Numidia and Mauritania Novatus a Thamugade defines according to the Testimony of the Scriptures and the Decree of our Collegs of Blessed Memory That all Schismaticks and Hereticks who are converted to the Church should be Baptized Januarius a Lambese saith According to the Authority of the Holy Scriptures I decree Haereticos omnes Baptizandos that all Hereticks shall be Baptized and so admitted into the Church Repudiandum esse omne omnino Baptisma quod sit extra Ecclesiam constitutum Firm. apud Cypr. Ep. 75. pag. 226. The Council of Iconium decreed That all Baptism was to be rejected that was celebrated out of the Church That of Synnada That no Baptism was to be found amongst Hereticks which were out of the Church Apud Haereticos nullum Baptisma reperiri and that therefore returning to the Church they ought to be Baptized in it Thirdly Observe That Pope Stephen § 17 in prosecution of this Quarrel or Dispute proceeded to a Separation of himself from and a refusal of Communion with his Brethren both in the Southern and the Eastern Churches who declared for the Baptism of Hereticks returning to the Bosom of the Church Pope Stephen saith Dionysius to Pope Xystus writ to me Apud Eusebium Hist Eccl. l. 7. c. 5. as you do and for the same Cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one who would not communicate with Helin Firmilian or any of the Bishops of Cilicia Cappadocia Galatia or of the Neighbouring Regions because they Rebaptized Hereticks In many other Provinces saith Firmilian many things do vary Rumpens adversus vos pacem Ep. 75. apud Cypr. p. 228. but yet for these things they do not depart from the Peace and Vnity which yet Pope Stephen hath been bold to do breaking that Peace which all his Ancestors have preserved with you in mutual Love and Honour And turning his Discourse to him he speaks thus How great Sin hast thou heaped upon thy self quando te à tot gregibus scidisti by cutting off thy self from so many Flocks Siquidem ille est vere Schismaticus qui sea Communione Ecclesiasticae unitatis Apostatum fecerit Ibid. Sacerdotes Dei abstinendos putat Deceive not thy self for thou hast cut thy self off from them he being indeed the Schismatick who makes himself an Apostate from the Communion of Ecclesiastical Vnity and whilst thou thinkest thy self able to separate all from thee thou only hast separated thy self from all St. Cyprian saith Ep. 74. Pag. 214. That he had passed his Judgment for the Excommunication of the Priests of God who kept the Truth of Christ and the Unity of the Church St. Austin also doth affirm Stephanus non solum non rebaptizabat Haereticos verum etiam hoc facientes Excommunicandos fore decernebat Libr. de Baptismo contra Petil. cap. 14. pag. 504. That Pope Stephen judged they should be Excommunicated who endeavoured to pull down the Ancient Custom of receiving Hereticks without Baptism Fourthly Observe That after the Death of Stephen Pope Xystus his immediate Successor asserted the same Doctrine and was as vehement as he for the Exclusion of all those from Church Communion who did oppose it For Xystus with Philemon and Dionysius two Roman Presbyters wrote Letters to Dionysius of Alexandria declaring That they would not communicate with them who held that Hereticks were to be admitted into the Church by Baptism Apud Euseb Ibid. This will appear from the Letter of Dionysius to Pope Xystus where having told him that his Predecessor Pope Stephen had written to him that he would not Communicate with them for this very reason he adds That he had written formerly both to Philemon and Dionysius of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb H. Eccl. l. 7. c. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were before of the same judgment with Pope Stephen as they were now of the same mind with Xystus and who writ to him about the same things Whence it is evident that Xystus the succeeding Pope Philemon and Dionysius Presbyters of Rome persisted in this Resolution not to Communicate with those who held That Hereticks were to be received into the Church by Baptism and seeing Dionysius who was of the same judgment succeeded Xystus it follows that three Succeeding Popes had then defined that Article Fifthly § 18 Observe That the Opinion and Practice of the Africans and many Eastern Churches was asserted by very many Christian Doctors Churches and Councils It was the Opinion of Tertullian Sine dubio non habent De Baptism c. 15. Apud nos Haereticus etiam per Baptisma veritatis utroque homine purgatus admittitur De pudicitia Cap. 19. that Hereticks had no Baptism and this saith he is without doubt It was the Doctrine of Agrippinus and of St. Cyprian in the same Century In Aegypt it was the Doctrine of Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria In Asia of Firmilian Bishop of Caesarea In Cilicia of Helen Bishop of Tarsis In the Fourth Century it was the Doctrine of Optatus Lib. 4 5. who frequently asserts Apud ipsos non esse Sacramenta That the Hereticks had no Sacraments Orat. 3. Contr. Arian p. 413. Of Athanasius who declares the Arians Baptism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly vain and unprofitable That the Baptism given by them was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alien from the Truth though they used the name of the Father and the Son because they found them written Ibid. 13. for not he who simply calls him Lord gives true Baptism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he who with the names holds the true Faith. Hence our Saviour gave not commission to Baptize any how but first to Teach that by teaching aright Faith might be obtained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. and with Faith might be added the Consecration of Baptism and of other Hereticks he faith
the Roman Church were in this case opposite to Scripture and the plainest Reason And as St. Basil doth to Amphilochius in the same case Can. 47. Eos qui Romae sunt non ea in omnibus observare quae sunt ab origine tradita Ep. 75. p. 220. Though you and the Romans hold the contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet ought our Sentence to take place And as Firmilian expresly doth That 't is usual with them of Rome to vary from Apostolical Tradition Could so many Fathers so many Churches so many Councils have not only practised in opposition to the Doctrines and Customs of that Church but also have condemned them in such opprobrious Terms as they have done Cyp. Ep. 69. p. 185. Ep. 73. p. 206 208 210. Ep. 74. p 212 c. pronouncing the Assertors of them Prevaricators in matters both of Faith and Truth Betrayers of the Church Enemies to Christians Friends and Abettors of Hereticks Men who did plead their Cause and partake with them in their Sins Men who did null evacuate destroy the Baptism of the Church and give up the Spouse of Christ to Adulterers Fifthly § 25 Hence it is manifest That in that Age they verily believed that what had passed for Apostolical Tradition in the Church of Rome and her Adherents might be no such matter that both that Church and her Abettors might impose upon their fellow Christians in pretending to it and that there lay no Obligation on other Churches to comply with them in such matters as they delivered for Apostolical Tradition For otherwise how could it happen that so many populous Churches so many Councils so many famous Bishops that Athanasius Optatus St. Basil Cyril of Jerusalem all great Assertors of true Apostolical Tradition should declare so plainly and expresly against this practice of the Church of Rome that Firmilian should declare Neminem tam stultum esse qui hoc credat Apostolos tradidisse Ep. 75. p. 219. Nemo infamare Apostolos debeat quasi illi Haereticorum Baptisinata probaverint Ep. 74. p. 211. No Man could be so Foolish as to believe the Apostles had delivered any such thing that St. Cyprian should say That this pretence of Romanists was manifestly false and tended to blaspheme the Reputation of the Blessed Apostles that the Africans should not only reject this pretended Apostolical Tradition in the opprobrious Terms forementioned but should declare so oft in Council that the contrary Doctrine descended from Evangelical Authority and Apostolical Tradition Vid. Supra and was confirmed by the Divine Law and the Holy Scriptures How lastly could it happen that all the other Churches excepting that of Rome were all at Peace and still maintained Communion with these Opposers and Traducers of this pretended Tradition and did not blame them in the least on this account but rather interceded with the Roman Bishop to lay aside his Fury and entertain Communion and Friendship with these Churches as they did Sixthly Hence it appears that in that Age they thought not Custom or Tradition though practised by the Church of Rome and by the major part of Christians any certain Rule of Manners but thought themselves obliged sometimes to vary from it and that they might have Truth and Reason and Scripture on their sides against it that it concerned them to examine then whether the Custom they were required to follow had its rise from Christ and his Apostles and could be proved from their Writings and if not to reject it For in this matter they declare Non esse consuetudine praescribendum Cypr. Ep. 71. p. 194. sed ratione vincendum Their Adversaries were not to prescribe to them from Custom but to convince them by reason St. Paul having taught every one not to adhere pertinaciously to what he had once imbibed Pag. 195. but willingly to embrace any thing which he found better or more profitable That 't was in vain when Men were overcome by reason Ep. 73. p. 203. to oppose Custom to it as if Custom were better than Truth and that were not rather to be followed which was revealed for the better by the Holy Spirit that Non semper errandum Ibid. p. 208. quia aliquando erratum est We must not always erre because we once have done so Ep. 74. p. 215. that Custom without Truth was only old Error and vainly was preferred before it that the Truth being manifested Concil Carth. apud Cypr. p. 236 240 241. Custom was to yield to it that no Man ought to preferr Custom to Reason and Truth that Christ being Truth we ought rather to follow that than Custom that it was obstinacy and presumption Cypr. Ep. 74. p. 212. humanam traditionem divinae dispositioni anteponere to preferr humane Tradition to divine Orders and not to consider that God is angry when humane Tradition evacuates divine Precepts that when it was said to them let nothing be innovated Ibid. p. 211. but that which was delivered be observed it was to be enquired unde est ista traditio whence is that Tradition Whether from the Authority of Christ and the Gospel the commands and Epistles of the Apostles and if in Evangelio praecipitur Ib. p. 215. aut in Apostolorum Epistolis aut Actubus continetur it were commanded in the Gospel or contained in the Acts or Epistles of the Apostles then was it to be observed and that when Truth shook and staggered we were to have recourse to the Head and Original of Divine Tradition ad originem dominicam Evangelicam Apostolicam Traditionem to the Gospel and Apostolical Tradition Lastly Hence it is evident § 26 That in those early times Tradition Apostolical and from the beginning must falsly be pretended by Great Men and Churches even in a matter of continual practice and occurrence in the Church of God for here you see it was pretended for the Admission of Hereticks without Baptism by Pope Stephen and his Church and the fame Tradition Apostolical and from the beginning was pretended for the opposite Doctrine by Firmilian and St. Basil and their Party and yet the Church did in the following Ages declare against the Pretences of them both If then in these plain matters of Fact and of continual practice Tradition did so fail both the Pretenders to it must it not be more apt to fail in matters of meer Speculation If by Tradition these Churches could not truly tell what their Forefathers did how should they by it tell assuredly in all things what they held since that could only be made known unto them by their Words and Actions if actually they handed down unto posterity for a traditionary Practice that which was not truly so why might they not also hand that down to them as a traditionary Doctrine which was nothing less than so CHAP. V. Eightly We distinguish also betwixt Traditions which appear from Reason to be such as ought to be received and
Lib. 1. c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Apostles and their Disciples The true and life-giving Faith quam ab Apostolis Ecclesia percepit distribuit filiis suis Lib. 3. c. 1. Apol. c. 47. which the Church received from the Apostles and distributes to her Sons It saith Tertullian is the Rule of Truth quae venit à Christo transmissa per comites ejus which came from Christ and was by his Companions handed down to us De praescrip Cap. 9. Cap. 14. Cap. 21. Epist ad Jov. Tom. p. 246 247. Pag. 501. Epist 81. The Institution of Christ which all Nation ought to believe Regula à Christo instituta The Rule prescribed by Christ and which the Churches received from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ This saith Athanasius is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine and Apostolical Faith which was preached from the beginning It is saith Cyril of Jerusalem the Tradition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Holy and Apostolick Faith. Is is saith Ambrose the Symbol of the Faith of the Apostles which Symbol the Church of Rome keeps undefiled Ruffinus in his Exposition of this Symbol saith Apud Hieron Tom. 4. f. 46. That their Ancestors left to them this Tradition that the Apostles being to depart one from the other did first agree upon this as the Rule of what they afterwards should preach and determined hanc credentibus dandam esse regulam this should be given as a Rule to Believers and as an Index of their Faith by which he should be known qui Christum vere secundùm Apostolicas regulas praedicaret who preached Christ truly according to the Rules of the Apostles It is saith Austin De Temp. Serm. 181. To. 10. p. 984. certa Regula Fidei the sure Rule of Faith which the Apostles delivered And then he proceeds almost in the very words of Ruffinus De Off. Eccles l. 2. c. 22. to declare That this was the Tradition of the Ancients Isidore Hispalensis saith Tali ratione institutum majores nostri dixerunt Our Ancestors have said that the Apostles Creed was instituted after this manner and then he goes on in the very words of Ruffinus to the end of that Chapter De instit Cler. l. 1. c. 27. l. 2. c. 56. Rabanus Maurus also hath transcribed the same words and in them brought down the Tradition to the Ninth Century And to return to the Age following Ruffinus Pope Leo tells us Ep. 96. This is the short and perfect Confession of the Symbol which is signed with the twelve Sentences of the Apostles Praefat. ad Expos Symb. Apost Apud Ivon decret part 1. c. 35 36. Venantius Fortunatus in the Sixth Century informs us That this is the Symbol which they among themselves wholesomely made by the assistance of the Holy Spirit It is saith venerable Bede the Symbol of Faith delivered by the Apostles 3. It is also evident from Tradition § 6 that Christians were received into the Church by Baptism on the profession of this Faith or that this only was the Faith which they required them to believe and to profess at Baptism Justin Martyr saith only in the general That as many as believed Apol. 2. p. 93. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the things which were said and taught by Christians were true were admitted by Baptism among the number of Christians But Irenaeus his Cotemporary L. 1. c. 1. p. 40. gives us the Creed delivered by the Apostles and says it was the undeclinable Rule of Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Christian received by Baptism and the preaching of that Truth by which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church illuminates all that are willing to come to the knowledge of the Truth L. 7. c. 40 41. The Apostolical Constitutions tell the Priest what the Catechist who is to be Baptized must renounce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the things which cencern his being Listed among Christians Now they are these I rank my self among the Souldiers of Christ and I believe I am Baptized into the one unbegotten only true God c. And after he hath made profession of this Creed he is to be Anointed and Baptized Can. 46. The Council of Laodicea saith That they who are to be Baptized must first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 learn the Faith and recite it to the Bishop or his Presbyter The Seventy eighth Canon of the Sixth General Council saith the same thing Now what it is to learn the Faith we know from all the Fathers of those times who do with one consent inform us that the Catechists were prepared for Baptism by being taught the Creed the Symbol or the Rule of Faith delivered and taught by the Apostles and afterwards explained by that of Nice or of Constantinople and that they were Baptized into the profession of this Creed Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 18. Sozomen and Gelasius inform us that a plain Lay-man and Confessor undertook to confute a Philosopher in the Council of Nice Gelas Cyz l. 2. c. 13. And that he did this by repeating of his Creed saying to the Philosopher There is one God who having made all things sustained them by his Word and holy Spirit This word O Philosopher we adore knowing him to be the Son of God and believing that for our Redemption he was incarnate of a Virgin and was born and was made Man and that by his Death and Passion on the Cross he delivered us from eternal condemnation and by his Resurrection he purchased for us Life eternal whom being ascended into Heaven we hope that he will come again to be judge of all our Actions And that the Philosopher answering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syn. Const sub Menna Act 5. Bin. Tom. 4. P. 78 82. He believed this the Confessor bid him then follow him to the Church to be Baptized at which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Nicene Synod rejoiced From both which Instances we learn what was the Symbol into which Christians were Baptized when that Council met and which they owned as sufficient for that end Eusebius Caesariensis speaks thus of his own Creed approved by the Nicene Council As we have received from the Bishops that were before us Socr. Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 8. p 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both when we were Catechized and when we received Baptism and as we have learned from the Scriptures and as we have both believed and taught when we were made Priests and Bishops so believing at present we declare this our Faith unto you The Council of Constantinpole confirms the Nicene Confession of Faith as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 9. being most ancient and annexed to Baptism Con. Constant sub Menna Act. 5. Bin. Tom. 4. p. 78 87 85. 91 96. The Synod of Jerusalem says it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Symbol into which we were Baptized and
do Baptize The Synod at Tyre saith the same thing The Council of Constantinople under Menna stiles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy Symbol into which we were all Baptized Basilicus and Maurus in two several Edicts confirmed the same Nicene Creed with these words Evagr. Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 4 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it was the Creed into which they and all the Believers before them were Baptized St. Jerom writing against the Luciferians calls the Apostles Creed the Faith of the Church which Lucifer se die Baptismatis servanturum promiserat had promised to keep at the day of his Baptism Theodoret saith Ep. 145. Tom. 3. p. 1023. We require those who come every Year to Baptism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to learn the Faith expounded at Nice Ep. 97. ad Mon. Palaest c. 8. p. 637. Pope Leo saith of it That it is the Confession which pronouncing before many Witnesses Sacramentum Baptismi suscipimus we receive the Sacrament of Baptism and that it was the Symbol Ep. 24. ad Flav. c. 1. 2. quod per totum mundum omnium regenerandorum voce depromitur which was pronounced by all that were Baptized throughout the World. After this time we find one of these two Symbols required to be rehearsed in the baptismal Offices either by those who came to be Baptized or by their Sureties Pag. 39. as is evident from the Ordo Romanus were it is required to be pronounced at Baptism in Greek and Latin. De Eccles Off. l. 2. c. 21 22. From the Treatise of Isidore Hispalensis where it is called the Symbol quod competentes recipiunt which they who were prepared for Baptism received and learn'd Lib. 1. c. 27. From the Treatise of Rabanus Maurus of the Institution of the Clergy which saith That before the Catechumen was brought to Baptism Apostolicae fidei ei ostenditur Symbolum the Apostles Symbol was shewed to him and he was asked whether he believed it From the Degrees of Ivo which say Part. 81. 90. c. 223. That Baptizandis traditur salutare symbolum the wholesome Symbol is delivered to those that are to be Baptized De consecr Dist 4. c. 155 156 158 c. From the Canon Law compiled by Gratian were we find many Canons to the same effect And lastly from the form of Baptism still retain'd in the Roman Church 4. § 7 The same Tradition teacheth That the Creed used in the Church till the Nicene Council and that of Nice as the true Explication of it were by the whole Church of Christ for many Centuries esteemed and embraced and taught to others as the whole system of all things necessary to be believed by Christians in order to Salvation or as a perfect Summary or Rule of the meer Articles of Christian Faith. Irenaeus in the second Century having cited the Creed of the whole Church which with unanimous consent she preached taught and delivered L. 1. c. 1. p. 42. as having but one Mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the truth preached by the Church and which the Church dispersed through the World Cap. 2. Cap. 4. received from the Apostles and their Disciples the one and the same Faith which the Church retained throughout the whole World. The Tradition of the Apostles manifested in the whole World Lib. 3. cap. 3. Ibid. p. 234. and to be seen in every Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one and only truth which she received from the Apostles and delivered to others I say he speaking of this Creed this Faith this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this preaching of the truth declares That he who among the Governors of the Church was the most able Speaker could say no other things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 1. cap. 2. for none of them was above his Master nor could he who was infirm in Speech lessen the Tradition for the Faith being one and the same neither did he who was most able to speak of it exceed nor he who spake least of it diminish it And as a farther Witness of this matter he brings in Polycarp attesting Lib. 3. c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he received this truth from the Apostles and this only Tertullian producing a like Creed of his times De praescrip Haer. cap. 37. which he declares to be that Rule which the Church received from the Apostles De Resur Car. cap. 18. and the Apostles from Christ the unum apud omnes edictum Dei the one Edict of God which hangs up among all Christians that is saith Rigaltius on the place The Symbol of the Christian Faith. De Virg. Veland cap. 1. I say having produced this Creed he stiles it Regulam fidei unam omnino solam immobilem irreformabilem That Rule which is entirely one and which alone is unmoveable and not to be reformed that is which admits not novitatem correctionis of any new Correction as other things belonging to the Church's Discipline might do This Rule saith he we having once believed De praescrip Haer. c. 8. nihil desideramus ultra credere hoc enim prius credimus non esse quod ultra credere debeamus desire to believe nothing more for this we first believe that we ought to be believe nothing more that knowing this Cap. 14. there is no need of seeking after other things quia quod debeas nosti because in it we know all that we ought to know the only Article to be believed besides it being this aliud non esse credendum Cap. 9. Cap. 14. that nothing else is to be believed this being regula fidei quae salvum facit the Rule of Faith which brings Salvation Origen in his Book of Principles lays down this Rule Let the ecclesiastical Preaching delivered by order of Succession from the Apostles and to this present time continuing in the Churches Proem in libr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be observed Adding That we ought to know this that the Holy Apostles preaching the Faith of Christ did manifestly deliver even to those who were most slow in Inquisition of divine Knowledge quaecunque necessaria crediderunt omnibus credentibus all things which they believed necessary for all Believers and then he runs over the Articles of the Apostles Creed as they were then received in the Church of God and saith These are the form of those things quae per praedicationem Apostolicam manifeste traduntur which are manifestly delivered by the Preaching of the Apostles St. Cyril calls this Creed Catech. 4. p. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The teaching of the Faith and the instruction of the Catechist in the Doctrines of the Church Adding That the Church had in few words comprized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catech. 5. p. 44. the whole Doctrine of Faith and advising his Catechist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to keep the Faith alone delivered to him by the Church
they should teach the People in which they profess that they comprized the whole Faith and all things necessary to be believed taught and done and yet make not the least mention of the Romish Doctrines § 1. Secondly From the Examination of a Bishop at his Ordination who though he was not examined touching one of the Roman Articles yet was he upon his belief of other Articles approved as one fully instructed in the Documents of Christian Faith § 2. The full agreement of the Eastern Churches with the West in this Matter § 3. Thirdly From the Ancient way of confuting Hereticks by producing the Apostles and the Nicene Creed and declaring touching other Doctrines not contained in them that they are of Curiosity not of Faith § 4. Fourthly From the ancient Treatises written on purpose to instruct Christians in the Articles of Christian Faith which contain none of these New Articles § 5. A Farther Demonstration that the pretended Traditions of the Church of Rome were not received anciently as Articles of Christian Faith or as things necessary to be believed or practised by all Christians may be taken from the instructions given to the Clergy concerning what they were to teach the People committed to their Charge For amongst these things we find all the positive Articles of the Faith of Protestants the whole Symbol of the ancient Church our whole Duty towards God and to our Neighbour all that we are to believe and pray and hope for but not one tittle of Romish Faith. In their Instructions quid sit a Presbyteris praedicandum what the Priests are to teach the People The a L. 1. c. 82. Capitular of Charles the Great b De Discipl Eccl. l 1. c. 102. Regino and c Decret part 6. 155. 161. Ivo tell us from the Councils of Rouën and Challon 1. That they are to preach to all in General § 1 That they believe in the Father Son and Holy Ghost one God Omnipotent who made all things and that the Deity Essence and Majesty of the Three Persons the Father Son and Holy Ghost is one 2. That the Son of God was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary for the Salvation of Mankind that he suffered was buried rose again the Third Day ascended into Heaven and is to come in the end of the World to judge all Men according to their Works that the Wicked with the Devil shall be sent into eternal Fire and the Just with Christ shall possess everlasting Life 3. That all Men shall rise again in their own Flesh 4. He is to teach them for what Crimes Men shall be deputed with the Devil Gal. v. 19 20 21. which the Apostle thus Enumerates Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murthers Drunkenness Revellings and such like They who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and therefore let all these things with all care be prohibited 5. He is to teach of the Love of God and our Neighbour of Faith and Hope in God of Humility Patience Chastity Kindness Mercy of Alms Confession and Forgiving our Brethren from the Heart for he that doth these and the like things shall inherit the Kingdom of God. Moreover they tell us from the Councils of Gangra Reims and Challon that every Priest must teach all his Parochians Symbolum orationem Dominicam the Creed and the Lord's Prayer and cause them to repeat them when they come to Confession at Lent and not administer the Sacrament to them till they can rehearse them because none can be saved without the knowledge of them in uno enim sides credulitas Christiana continetur for in the one is contained the Faith of Christians Ivo Ibid. c. 158. in the other is expressed what we are to ask of God and these things are so great that he who can fully understand them sufficere sibi credatur ad salutem aeternam understands what is believed sufficient to eternal Salvation And secondly Because in the Lord's Prayer are comprized all things necessary for humane Life and in the Apostles Symbol Cap. 159. sides ex integro comprehenditur the Catholick Faith is entirely contained and by learning it they would rightly learn sidem Catholicam the Catholick Faith. Hence then the Argument runs thus If the Faith of Christians was equally contained in many other Doctrines why did not the Church equally require her Clergy to teach them also to the People Why do these Councils say That her Eaith her Catholick Faith is entirely contained in this Creed of the Apostles and that the belief of these things is sufficient for the Salvation of him who fully understands them Sure there is some great Reason of that signal difference betwixt the Church of those Ages which say the Apostles Creed alone is that Faith without which nemo salvus esse potest no man can be saved and the present R. Church which saith of all her new Articles added to the Creed Haec est vera fides Catholica extra quam nemo salvus esse potest Ab illis quorum cura ad me in munere meo spectabit teneri doceri praedicari quantum in me erit curaturum Bull. Pij 4 ti This is the true Catholick Faith without which no Man can be saved betwixt that Church which only instructs her Priests to teach the Apostles Creed and that which maketh all her Clergy swear to hold all the Articles contained in the Creed of Pius the Fourth And also to take care that they be held taught and preached by all who do belong to their Care. 3dly § 2 That none of the Doctrines contained in the New Creed of Pius the Fourth and added to the Nicene Creed are ancient Articles of Faith will farther be made evident from the Examination which the ancient Canons of the Church required of him who was to be ordained Bishop Can. 1. Concil Tom. 2. p. 1199. For by the Canon of the Fourth Council of Carthage he was first to be examined si fidei documenta verbis simplicibus asserat Whether in plain words he asserted the Doctrines of Faith that is Whether he held the Father Son and Holy Ghost to be one God and the whole Trinity to be Co-essential Consubstantial Co-eternal and Co-omnipotent whether he held that every Person in the Trinity was perfect God and that neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost but the Son only was incarnate as being as to his Divinity the Son of the Father and as to his Humanity the Son of an humane Mother true God of his Father and true Man of his Mother receiving true Flesh from his Mother and having an humane rational Soul so that both Natures were in him that is he was God and Man one Person one Son one Christ one Lord Creator of all things which are and with the Father and the Holy Ghost the Author Lord and Ruler of
all Creatures who suffered truly in the Flesh died a true bodily death rose again with a true Resurrection of his Plesh and a true resuming of his Soul in which he shall come to judge the quick and the dead It also is to be enquired of him Whether he believes one and the same God to be the Author of the Old and New Testament that is of the Law Prophets and Apostles and that the Devil was not made wicked by Nature but by his own Will whether he believes the Resurrection of that Flesh which dies and not another whether he believes a future judgment and that every one shall receive according to the things which they have done in the Flesh Punishments or Glory whether he doth not disapprove of Marriage nor condemn Second Marriages nor condemn eating of Flesh whether he Communicates with reconciled Penitents and believes that all Sins both Original and Actual are remitted in Baptism and that no Man can be saved out of the Catholick Church Cum in his omnibus examinatus inventus fuer it plene instructus When by Examination he is found fully instructed in all these things let him be ordained Bishop c. These were all the Doctrines of Faith required to be known or held by the Bishop in the 4th Century And this continued to be the Rule of his Examination and the whole Faith required to be professed by him at his Ordination till the Thirteenth Century as you may learn from the Pag. 97 98. interrogatio de credulitate Episcopi question touching the Faith of a Bishop in the Ordo Romanus which form of Examination they profess to have received from the ancient Institution of the Holy Fathers and especially from the Council of Carthage From the Council of Nantes Can. 11. and from Regino in the Ninth Century De Disc Eccl. lib. 1. cap. 443. who transcribe this Canon of the Council of Carthage as containing the form qualiter Episcopus ordinandus examinabitur How a Bishop that is to be ordained shall be examined Decret part 5. c. 62 l. 1. c. 8. Dist 23. c. 2. As also doth Ivo in the Eleventh Barchardus in the Twelfth and Gratian in the Thirteenth Century These therefore from the Fourth to the Thirteenth Century were reputed all the Articles of Christian Faith in which it was thought necessary that a Bishop should be instructed and if he did assert these things he was thought fully instructed in the Documents of Christian Faith. And to shew the Concord of the Eastern with the Western Churches in these matters § 3 let it be considered that Theodoret having given an account of Heretical Fables in Four Books he proceeds Cap. 4. p. 262. Book the Fifth to Discourse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Doctrines of the Church and to lay before us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Evangelical Doctrine that by comparing it with that of the Hereticks we may discern the difference betwixt Light and Darkness perfect Health and mortal Sickness and then he proceeds to give us all the Doctrines contained in this Form of Examination but not one of the Articles which they of Rome have added to the Nicene Creed In his First Chapter he speaks of God the Father the Creator of all things and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ In the Second Of his only begotten Son co-essential and co-eternal with the Father In the Third Of the Holy Spirit of the same Nature and Substance with them both In the Fourth Of the Creation of all things by the Father with the Son and Holy Ghost In the Eighth Of the Devil asserting that he had not his wickedness from his Creator but his own perverse will. In the Eleventh Of the Incarnation of our Lord that he took flesh of the Virgin Mary had a reasonable Soul united to it and so became God and Man in one Person That he took a true Body chap. 12. A true Soul ch 13. A perfect humane Nature ch 14. That he raised up the same Flesh in which he suffer'd ch 15. That the same God was Author of the Old and New Testament ch 17. That Baptism procures the Remission of all our old Sins ch 18. That there would be a Resurrection of that very Body which was corrupted and dissolved ch 19. And a future Judgment where every one shall receive according to what he hath done in the Body ch 20. That this shall be at our Lord's Second coming to judge the quick and the dead ch 22. That Matrimony was to be allowed ch 25. yea Second Marriages ch 26. That the wounds received after Baptism might be healed ch 28. That the Church forbids not the use of Flesh ch 29. And here concluding his Discourse concerning Ecclesiastical Doctrines respecting Faith and Manners he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are the Doctrines of the Holy Spirit which we must always follow preserving this Rule of them immovable And that you may be sure that Scripture was the Church's Rule that taught her all these things he doth not only call these Doctrines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Doctrines of the Gospel and often say in his Discourse upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 249 250 259 262 275 304. These things we have been taught by the Holy Scriptures the Holy Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Teacher of these things but concludes his Discourse of the Doctrinals of the Church thus P. 304. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Doctrines the Church hath received from divine Men the Prophets and Apostles and their Successors these then were in his Age reputed all the Doctrines of Christian Faith and they were all conceived clearly to be contained in and proved from the Holy Scriptures their Faith then did not differ in one Article from that of Protestants nor did they differ from them in assigning Scripture as the Rule of Faith. And 4ly § 4 This will be farther evident from the consideration of the most Eminent Fathers of the Church who have employed their Time and Labour in refuting Hereticks For they still lay down the Apostles or the Nicene Creed as the Foundation of their Faith and the entire belief of Christians and speak of other Doctrines as such in which they were at liberty to exercise their parts and curiosity but were by no means to obtrude them as Articles of Christian Faith. Thus Irenaeus having given us the Faith which the Apostles delivered to the Church Lib. 1. cap. 4. and which she did through the whole World profess without Addition or Diminution he proceeds to shew That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church retaining one and the same Faith throughout the World they exercised their knowledge about other matters to explain the dispensation of God towards Men his long suffering both towards Men and fallen Angels to enquire why one and the same God made some things Temporal others Eternal some Heavenly and some Earthly things why being invisible he
Truth of Faith is sufficiently explained In the same Article our Church having reckoned up the Books of the Old Testament which she esteemed Canonical Art. 6. and which by both Churches are recieved as such she adds the other Books as Hierom saith The Church doth read for Example of Life and Instruction of Manners but yet doth not apply them to establish any Doctrine Such are these following The Third Book of Esdras The Fourth Book of Esdras The Book of Tobias The Book of Judith The rest of the Book of Esther The Book of Wisdom Jesus the Son of Syrach Baruch the Prophet The Song of the Three Children The Story of Susanna Of Bell and the Dragon The Prayer of Manasses The First Book of Maccabees The Second Book of Maccabees Of all which excepting only the Third and Fourth Books of Esdras and the Prayer of Manasses the Council of Trent saith Whosoever shall not receive them as Sacred and Canonical Sess 4. let him be Anathema And yet this Determination is so apparently repugnant to the Doctrine of the Ancient Church that Mr. Du Pin a Doctor of the Faculty of Divinity in Paris and his Majesty's Professor Royal in Philosophy hath entirely given up this Cause unto the Protestants For 1. Whereas it is confessed by all the Learned of both Churches that we in this distinction betwixt Books of the Old Testament Canonical and Apocryphal or not Canonical exactly follow the Canon and the Judgment of the Jews Tom. 1. dissert praelim p. 51. from whom the Christians received the Books of the Old Testament He also saith The Christian Antiquity for the Books of the Old Testament hath followed the Canon of the Jews that no others were cited in the New Testament but those which belonged to the Canon of the Jews That the first Catalogues of Canonical Books made by Ecclesiastical Authors both Greek and Latin comprehend no others in the Canon P. 612 613. In his Abridgment of the Doctrine of the Three first Centuries he saith expresly That the Christians of those times owned no other Canonical Books of the Old Testament but those which belonged to the Canon of the Hebrews and that they sometimes cited the Apocryphal Books but never put them in the number of Canonical Books And whereas Mr. M. and J. L. have had the confidence to say Mr. M. p. 85 86. That after the Declarations of the Council of Carthage Pope Innocent and Gelasius c. no one ever pertinaciously dissented from it but such as Protestants themselves do confess to be Hereticks J.L. c. xi p. 23. until the days of Luther Or that no Catholick after the Church's Declaration in the Year 419. ever doubted of them Qui depuis les decisions des Conciles de Carthage de Rome la Declaration d'Innocent I. n'ont compte que vingt deux ou vingt quatre livres Canoniques de l'Ancien Testament Tom. 1. Diss praelim p. 60. Mr. Du Pin having produced the express words of Gregory the Great after that time to the contrary adds in flat contradiction to them these ensuing words We ought to make the same reflection on all the other Ecclesiastical Authors Greek and Latin which we have produced who After the Decisions of the Council of Carthage and of Rome and the Declaration of Innocent the First have counted only Two or Four and twenty Books of the Old Testament which makes it evident that these Definitions were not yet followed by all Authors and by all Churches till such time as this Matter was fully determined by the definition of the Council of Trent And indeed § 3 the Truth of this Confession is as clear as the Light For as Mr. M. and J. L. confess Vid c. 3. §. 13. Lib. 1. de verbo Dei. c. 20. S. ad alterum That the Canon of Scripture was not defined till the Fifth Century As Bellarmine acknowledgeth That Melito Epiphanius Hilarius Hieronymus Ruffinus in expounding the Canon of the Old Testament followed the Hebrews not the Greeks De locis Theol. l. 2. c. 11. Sect. Quid Ecclesiâ—sticum As Canus excuseth Ruffinus for rejecting with us the Apocrypha because he did it in eo tempore quo res nondum erat definita when this thing was not defined on which account saith he we also do excuse the rest and so all these men virtually confess that there was no Tradition of the Church against us during those Ages So in the following Centuries even till the time that the Trent Council met approved Authors do declare the Doctrine of the Church to have been still according to the Doctrine of this Article and contrary to the Definition of the Trent Council For In the Western Church Primasius a Bishop of the African Church saith Cent. 6. In Apocalyps cap. 4. The Books of the Old Testament of Canonical Authority which we receive N. B. are Twenty-four which St. John insinuated by the Twenty-four Wings Leontius Bizantinus having said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Sectis Act. 2. Let us reckon up the Books received by the Church he adds That the Books of the Old Testament are Twenty-two and concludes thus These are the Books Canonized in the Church of which they that belong to the Old Testament are all received by the Hebrews In the Ninth Century Nicephorus Patriarch of Constantinople Cent. 9. undertakes to reckon up the divine Scriptures which were received and Canonized in the Church and of these in the Old Testament he numbers only Twenty-two as we do Canon Scrip. Chron. p. ult Quibuscontradicitur non recipiuntur ab Ecclesia Bibl. H. Eccl. de vitis Pontif. and among the Books contradicted and not received in the Church he puts the Maccabees Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Esther Judith Susanna and Tobit Anastasius the Keeper of the Library of the Church of Rome among the Books which are contradicted and not received by the Church reckons the Maccabees Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Susanna Judith and Tobit In the Twelfth Century Peter Mauricius Cent. 12. Abbot of Clugny in his Epistle against the Petrobusians tells them they ought of necessity to receive the whole Canon which is received by the Church and then having reckoned up the Canonical Books of the Old Testament as we do he adds That after these Authentick Books of the Holy Scripture Restant post hos Authentiâ—os sex non reticendi libri sapientia c. Pag. 25. c. de Autor Vet. Test there be Six not to be concealed viz. the Books of Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Tobit Judith and both the Books of Maccabees Hugo de Sancto Victore saith Sunt praeterea alii quidem libri ut sapientia Solomonis c. Qui leguntur quidem sed non scribuntur in Canone de scripturis scriptoribus Sacris Cap 6 Prolog in l. de Sacram c 7 And the division he says is made Authoritate universalis Eccl. Didasc l. 4. c. 1.2 Richardus
whilst there was no Regard to Purgatory no Man looked after Indulgences which depend upon it Coeperunt igitur Indulgentiae postquam ad purgatorii cruciatus aliquandiu trepidatum est Indulgences therefore began after Men had for some time trembled at the Torments of Purgatory Concerning Indulgences saith Antoninus Florentinus We have nothing expresly in the Sacred Scripture Nec etiam ex dictis antiquorum Doctorum sed modernorum nor from the Sayings of the Ancient Doctors but of the Modern only Of Indulgences saith Durand few things can be said with any certainty because neither doth the Scripture speak expresly of them Sancti etiam Ambrosius Hilarius Augustinus Hieronymus minime loquuntur de Indulgentiis And St. Ambrose Hilary Austin and Jerom do in no wise speak of them Indeed I find not any of these Authors who pretend to derive them higher than the Stations of Gregory the Great who lived in the Sixth Century Concerning the Worship or Veneration of Images § 8 it hath been fully proved in a late Treatise of the Fallibility of the Church of Rome touching this Article First That when the Second Nicene Council taught That the Worship or Veneration of Images was to be received as a Tradition of the Apostles P. 4 5 6. and the Primitive Church this Assertion in the Eighth and the Ninth Centuries was rejected as a plain Falshood and on the contrary it was declared That they who endeavoured to introduce this practice brought into the Church New and unusual Customs without and against the Doctrine of the Holy Fathers and execrated by the Church of God and condemned by the Tradition of their Ancestors Secondly P. 61. §. 6. That from the Eighth to the Fifteenth Century this Doctrine of the Veneration and Worship of Images was rejected by very eminent Persons of the Western Church Thirdly That many learned Persons of the Church of Rome ingenuously have confessed P. 70. §. 3. either that in the Primitive Church they had no Images and did not regard them or that they paid no Veneration to them but rather disapproved and condemned it Church Govern. part 5. §. 117. to which I add these words of our late Oxford Writer viz. Thus much is granted that Images and so the Veneration or Worship of them were very seldom if at all used in the Christian Church for some of the first Centuries Concerning Invocation of departed Saints Altissiodorensis saith § 9 That multi dicunt In Sum. part 4. l. 3. tr 7. c. de Orat. q. 7. Ergo non vident quorum sunt orationes quas vident ergo inutile est orare ipsos Propter istas rationes consimiles dicunt multi Opinio Commun is quod nec nos oramus sanctos nec ipsi orant pro nobis nisi improprie Altissiod Sum. l. 3. Tract 8. c. 5. qu. 6. ult In Can. Miss Lect. 30. Vid. Bishop Usher 's Answer to the Jesuit pag. 452. many do say we pray not to them but improperly to wit because Oramus Deum ut Sanctorum merita nos juvent we pray to God that the Merits of the Saints may help us and in the Margent he saith that this was a common Opinion in his time And Gabriel Biel having propounded the Arguments against the Invocation of them adds That by these and the like Reasons not only the Hereticks of old but nonnulli nostro tempore Christiani decipiuntur some Christians of our times are deceived John Sharpe informs us That à quibusdam famosis verisimiliter aestimatur quod istiusmodi orationes in Eoclesia Dei superfluunt it was thought by some eminent Men that such Prayers were superfluous in the Church of God. Eckius saith Enchir. c. 15. That if the Apostles and Evangelists had taught that the Saints should be Worshipped it would have been objected to them as arrogance acsi ipsi post mortem gloriam istam quaesivissent as if they had sought for that Honour after their Death And Cardinal Perron ingenuously doth confess Replic l. 5. c. 19. That in the Writings of the Authors that approach nearest to the Age of the Apostles one shall find no Footsteps of the Custom of invoking Saints Moreover § 10 It is a thing saith our Twenty-fourth Article plainly repugnant to the Word of God and the Custom of the Primitive Church to have publick Prayer in the Church or to minister the Sacraments in a Tongue not understood of the People and that this was the Custom of the Primitive Church Treat of Latin Service c. 1. §. 2. hath in a late Treatise on this Subject been fully proved from the Confessions of the Romanists That they esteemed it necessary so to officiate is proved by the Testimonies of the Western Church till the Thirteenth Century Chap. 2. Chap. 5. §. 3. and from the Romish Commentators on the Fourteenth Chapter to the Romans To all which add the Confession of Lindanus Panopl l. 4. c. 78. That quae nunc passim cantantur non tam ad populi intelligentiam erudiendum quod priscos ubique spectasse indubitatum The things which are now every where sung in the Roman Church do not so much tend to instruct the People though without doubt that was the thing the Ancients every where respected The Church of England in her Twenty-fifth Article affirms § 11 1. There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel that is to say Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. 2. Those five commonly called Sacraments that is to say Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimony and Extream Vnction are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel nor have they the like nature of Sacraments with Baptism and the Lord's Supper for that they have not any visible Sign or Ceremony ordained of God. Accordingly Johannes a Munster in Vortilage confesseth Et in margine haec habet Saeculum duodecimum duo tantum agnovit Sacramenta Nobilis discurs prop. 3. That Theophylact Duo tantum agnovit Sacramenta acknowledged only two Sacraments There is no Controversie saith Cassander but that there are two Sacraments in which principally consisteth our Salvation whence it is that among the more ancient Writers the Sacraments properly so called are sometimes reckoned two sometimes three when Confirmation by Chrism is added to Baptism and sometimes four when the Body and Blood of Christ are reckoned as two Sacraments in which Sence that from the Sixth to the Twelfth Century they were reckoned only four Pref. to the Treat of Latin Serv. hath been fully proved elsewhere of the other Sacraments we read not that the Ancients comprehended them in any certain number Consult Cass Art. 13. p. 106 107. nec temere quenquam reperias ante P. Lombardum qui certum aliquem definitum Sacramentorum numerum statuerunt nor will you hardly find any one before Peter Lombard who assigned any certain and determinate number of the Sacraments From this Confession of the Novelty of
in the dark Ages of the Western Church gave the Rise to her Errors We therefore do exhort them in the Words of Justin Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cohort ad Graec. p. 15. Not without trial to assent to the Errors of their Fore-fathers nor presently to think that true which they mistaking delivered to them for Tradition Fourthly They retorted the Objection saying That if it were a Fault Arnob. p. 91. A veteribus institutis in alias res novas migrare to quit their ancient Institutions for things new it was as well their fault as ours That whereas they objected to the Christians Divortium ab institutis majorum Tert. ad Nation cap. 10. their departure from the Institutions of their Ancestors they communicated with them in the same Crime For Exclusa a vobis Antiquitas you though you plead Antiquity against us have your selves cast it off Totam Authoritatem majorum vestra Authoritas dejecit Your own Authority hath destroyed or overthrown the whole Authority of the Ancients and we see even whilst you urge it against us Per omnia corruptam imo deletam in vobis Antiquitatem Antiquity wholly corrupted and even extinguished amongst you which is the constant Plea of Protestants that they desert the Roman Church only as far as she hath palpably deserted the pure and Ancient Church of Christ they separate from her only in those things in which she hath most plainly separated from the Faith and Discipline of ancient Rome and the whole Church of Christ and this hath been so demonstratively proved in the Article of the true Canon of Scripture by Bishop Cousins of the Pope's Supremacy by Doctor Barrow in the Articles of Service in Latin Veneration of Images Communion in one Kind the Seven Sacraments in Three late Treatises designed to prove the Fallibility of Romish Councils by their actually false Decrees that none of the Disputers of the Church of Rome have dared yet to meddle with them and thereby give us good Assurance who know they want not will to do it that they cannot Answer them The like hath excellently been performed in all the other controverted Articles if not to the Conviction yet to the Silencing of our Adversaries Fifthly They constantly tell the Heathens That there was a time when their Religion was New and when their Gods began to be so that this being so Arnob. l. 2. p. 92 93. Cum de novitate loquimini Religionum nostrarum vestrae vobis in mentem non veniunt when they spake of the Novelty of the Christian Faith they forgat the Novelty of their own Religion our Religion say you P. 94. was not Four hundred Years ago and your Gods say we were not Two thousand Years ago Now is it not shameful and impudent in you Quod agere te videas in eo alterum reprehendere to reprehend another for what you do your selves and to object that as a Crime to others which may be retorted on your selves Since then we as constantly affirm and have as fully proved That there was a time when the Religion of the Church of Rome was new in the contested Articles That Christianity had gone through several Centuries before any of them were received as Articles of Christian Faith That many of them have been introduced since the Ninth Century may we not also add that therefore Romanists forget their own Religion when they Charge ours with Novelty and reprehend that in us which they themselves are truly guilty of Sixthly § 12 In defence of their Proceedings against this Objection they declare That it was the property of Wise Men Theodo Serm. 1. contr Graec p. 477. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to be enslaved to their former Opinions nor to be bound to follow the Customs of their Fathers but to seek the Truth wheresoever they could find it That every Man ought in those things especially which concern the manner of his living to trust to his own judgment and rather to depend on his own Senses in seeking out the truth than as if he himself were bereft of Reason Lact. l. 2. c. 7. P. 273. Credentem alienis erroribus decipi to be deceived by giving credit to the Errors of others God having given reason to him sufficient to find out the Truth Athan. contr Gent. p. 32 33. And speaking of the way of Truth they tell them That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there needs no-nothing but our selves to come to an exact knowledge and comprehension of it If you ask them by what internal Principle we may arrive at this knowledge they Answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it is every Mans Soul and the faculty of Reason in it If you enquire by what external Directions this Mind must be assisted Ibid. p. 1. they reply They must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 find the Truth from the Divine Oracles That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are of themselves sufficient for the Declaration of the Truth and that even an Heathen Macarius might learn it there Now this is plainly sending us to our private Reason and Apprehension of the Sense of Scriptures to find out the Truth and to assure us That it is an act of Wisdom in us not to be enslaved to our former Opinions nor bound up by the Customs of our Fore-fathers from searching after Truth wheresoever we can find it Seventhly They add That the Heathens ought not to prejudge and run them down with this Prescription or by objecting to them their revolt A Religione majorum from the Religion of their Ancestors but fairly ought to come unto the merits of the Cause Lib. 2. p. 90. Causam convenit ut inspiciatis non factum nec quid reliquimus opponere sed secuti quid simus potissimum contueri You are not saith Arnobius to condemn us for the Fact without enquiring whether we had not a just Cause for doing it nor object to us what we have left without considering what we have embraced in lieu of it for what hinders why as others who invented Falshoods delivered them to Posterity Sic nos qui verum invenimus posteris meliora tradamus so we who have found the Truth may deliver better things to Posterity Which Passages are a full Answer to all the French Rhetorick touching the Prejugez legitimes comre les Calvinistes Eighthly In particular against this manner of prejudging § 13 which is now become almost the only Refuge of the Romanists they say 1st That they ought not to be run down with multitude that Religion could not be proved true because it had many Followers or false because it had but few Assertors Arnob. l. 3. ab initio and that even the Christian Religion could neither be proved nor disproved upon this account and that this vain pretence of Heathens had already been answered by the Christians mille modis a thousand ways and refuted by most cogent Reasons And indeed among the Relicks
the Pride Haughtiness Perfidiousness Fraud Wickedness Luxury Avarice of the Clergy was not to be endured they being worse than Turks Saracens Tartars and Jews Apud Aventin l. 7. p. 720 721. and did more offend against Christian Simplicity than they saith Meinardus In the Fourteenth Century De planctu Eccl. l 2. c. 15. when Alvarus Pelagius complained of the Popes That many of them came into their Sees by Simony that they were exceedingly Covetous that they savoured of the things of the Flesh but were very careless of the good of Souls C. 16. Of the Cardinals That by their pernicious Examples they were commonly the Odor of Death unto Death that many of them were unworthily promoted and that they were insatiable Thirsters after Benefices C. 20. Of the Bishops That they were notoriously guilty of Simony Fraud Uncleanness Pride Envy Covetousness That the Prelates of the Church were an Army of Devils Companions of Thieves C. 5. and did nothing but for Gifts and Rewards Of the Priests C. 27. That they were commonly promoted by Simony lived incontinently and committed Fornication with the Women that came to Confession Of the Clergy in general C. 28. That they entered into Orders not out of Love to God but temporal Advantage that Drunkenness Gluttony and Incontineney were their common Vices that many of them were Sodomites that they gave ill Example to the Laity and commonly were worse than they In the Fifteenth Century when the Cup was taken away from the Laity by the Decrees of the Councils of Constance and Basil and Purgatory was established in the Council of Florence Ep. Synod de Con. Author Super Papam Bin. To. 8 p. 124. Bin. To. 9. p. 10. Since then all Ecclesiastical and Christian Discipline was in a manner extinguished in every Place saith the Council of Basil Then Oppression Rapine Adultery and Incest and all pestilent Vices did confound all sacred and prophane things saith Aegidius in the Fifth Council of Lateran to omit the Treatises written in this Age by Clemangis of the corrupt State of the Church by Gerson of the Defect of worthy Persons and by the Cardinal of Cambray of the Filthiness of the Church of Rome In the Sixteenth Century in which the Council of Trent was held when amongst the Primates of Religion there was either none or very little Service of God no good Life no Shame no Modesty Justice declined into Hatred or Favour Piety was turned into Superstition and by all Orders of Men Sin was openly committed and very often the Vertue of an honest Man was made his Crime Orat. ad Leon. 10. in Concil Lat. saith Picus Mirandula When all Flesh had corrupted their Ways and were become Citizens not of Rome but of Babylon saith Staphilaeus Orat. hab ad Auditores Rotae Concil To. 14. p. 993 994. When the Bishop of Bitonto in the Trent Council crys out with what Monsters of Filthiness what Sinks of Uncleanness what pestiferous Contagion is not both Priest and People defiled Begin at the Sanctuary of God and see if there be any Shamefacedness any Charity any Hope or Help of honest Life if there be not unbridled Lust notorious Boldness incredible Wickedness that the more powerful proceeded from the Worship of God to Impiety from the Defence of the Church to the Excision of it and fell with one Consent from Religion to Superstition from Faith to Infidelity from Christ to Antichrist from God to Epicurism I say in Ages and in times in which such Floods of all Impiety had overwhelmed the Clergy such Pride Ambition Covetousness and Luxury reigned uncontrolledly among them 't is easy to discern how Practices and Doctrines so well comporting with their vicious Inclinations might easily be introduced by them and difficult to believe it could be otherwise For if in the Fourth Century so great Defection was caused by the wicked Arians notwithstanding all the Opposition which the vertuous and learned Bishops made against them if then by reason of the abounding of Iniquity the Orthodox declared their Expectations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of an entire Apostacy Theodoret Ep. 63. Epist 10. If St. Basil 's Complaint That the Office of the Bishop was sunk down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to miserable Men Servants of Servants who reproached the Name of Bishop was attended with another that concerned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the corruption of the Faith. If Isidore Peleusiota 's Epist l. 3. Epist 223 259 408 410. sad and manifold Complaints of the Tyranny Soul-Murther Luxury Covetousness the Ignorance the Enmity to Vertue which reigned in the Clergy of his Age concludes in this These are the Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom the Affairs of the Church are turned topsy turvey If when Theodoret Ep. 134 135 142. saith the Clergy did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 labour under a general Impiety he also speaks more fully of their Declension from the Faith and their establishing a new Heresy what might not be expected in these last and worst of Ages which were the very Sinks of Wickedness the non ultra of Impiety Sure if ever Religion was or can be made to trucle unto Interest and Faith to Faction and Government to degenerate into Empire and Tyranny it must be in those Ages when Men were so unworthy of the Assistance or Direction of the Holy Spirit and were so worthy to be given up unto the Spirit of Delusion Fifthly These novel Practices and Doctrines might easily prevail by reason of the gross Ignorance and Negligence of Christian Knowledge both in the Clergy and the People For who sees not that Ignorance in the Clergy must render them unable to discern betwixt Truth and Falshood to chuse the Good and refuse the Evil and make it easy to impose upon them in those Matters by any specious Pretences whatsoever Thus when the Prophets erred in Vision Esa 28.7 15. and stumbled in Judgment then was it that they made Lyes their Refuge and under Falshood hid themselves When the Watchmen of Israel were all blind and could not understand then did the People become a Seed of Adulterers Esa 56.10.57.3 4. inflaming themselves under every green Tree with Idols When the Priests said not where is the Lord and they that handled the Law knew him not Jer. 2.8 13. then did the People commit two Evils forsaking the Fountain of living Waters and hewing them out Cisterns which can hold no Waters When the Pastors were become brutish and knew not the Lord Jer. 10.21 then was it that their Flocks were scattered When the Scribes and Pharisees had got the Government of Religion and religious things into their Hands Matth. 15.14 our Saviour informs us that the blind led the Blind and both were in the greatest Danger of falling down into the Ditch That the Key of Knowledge was then taken away and the People left as Sheep without a Shepherd Luke
11.52 Mark 6.34 and then did vain Traditions and corrupt Interpretations of the Scriptures mightily prevail St. Basil in his Epistle to Gregory the Divine tells him there was little Help to be expected from the Pride of the Western Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who neither knew the Truth nor will endure to learn it but being prepossessed with Lyes and false Suspicions they do now as they did before in the Case of Marcellus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contending with those who shew them the Truth and stablishing Heresy by themselves And again I would write saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their Head but only enigmatically touching Ecclesiastical Affairs Ep. 10. p. 54. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for they neither know the Truth of our Affairs nor do they take the Way to learn it And agreeably to this Complaint we find the Arians in the Council of Ariminum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret. Hist Eccl. l. 2. c. 16. deceiving the Western Bishops because of their Simpleness and the Historians telling us That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were bubbled by them into a Subscription Sozomen informs us of the Three hundred Western Bishops met at Milan Hist Eccles l 4. c. 9. that they consented to the Deposition of Athanasius through Fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fraud or Ignorance of what they were about And in the general Theodoret informs us that the Arians made it their Business Hist Eccles l. 2. c. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to gull the Western Bishops by reason of their Simplicity Again That Ignorance in the People renders them easy to receive any thing which is imposed upon them as Matter of Revelation or Devotion or under the venerable Name of a Tradition of the Church a Doctrine of the Holy Fathers or a Definition of a Council will be evident if we consider that being once bereft of the Assistance of the Holy Scriptures they have no Principle left them by which they can examine no Judgment to discern the Truth or Falshood of any thing which comes proposed to them under these specious Colours and so they are not qualified to judge of or in Capacity to discover the Cheats thus put upon them Accordingly we find that in the Times of Ignorance the People were carried away after dumb Idols 1 Cor. 12.2 even as they were led and were cajol'd into the most superstitious vile unnatural and cruel Practices under the semblance of paying their religious Worship to their Heathen Deities Now of the prodigious Ignorance of those Ages in which most of the Romish Doctrines were introduced or else conciliarly were established and so advanced from Opinions and Practices permitted in some places to Articles of Faith and Rules of Manners we cannot reasonably doubt when we find the Second Nicene Council making a Canon That he who was promoted to a Bishoprick should be well acquainted with his Psalter that so he might be able to instruct his Clergy in it and that the Metropolitan should strictly examine whether he were sufficient to read the Canons Conc. Nic. 2. Can. 2. the Gospel the Epistle and the rest of the Scriptures discreetly and not imperfectly Cent. 9. when the Enquiry made by the Bishops in their Visitations was 1. Regino de Eccl. Discipl p. 28 29. Whether the Priest did pleniter intelligere fully understand the Exposition of the Creed and the Lords Prayer 2. Si bene intelligat Whether he well understood the Prayers the Preface and the Canon of the Mass Si Epistolam Evangelium bene legere possit Whether he could well read the Epistle and Gospel And when Baluzius saith ea erat saeculi istius infelicitas Not. in Regin p. 540. ut necesse erat Presbyteros ab Episcopis interrogari utrum bene legere possent the Infelicity of that Age made it necessary for the Bishop to ask whether the Priests knew how to read well and that this happened not only to the inferiour Clergy sed etiam in illis interdum qui ad summum Sacerdotium eligebantur but sometimes also to them who were chosen to the Office of Bishops as Carolus Calvus and the Bishops of the Council of Valence complain when good Learning perished almost throughout Europe Cent. 11. p. 152. Cent. 12. Barbarity prevailing every where saith Balaeus When all the Priests had abandoned the Scriptures appointed for Man's Salvation and were blind Guides De Praedest lib. Arbitrio l. 2. going before the Blind to Perdition saith Honorius Augustodunensis When the Bishops Priests and Ministers of the Church were ignorant almost of all things and the Waldenses carried the Vogue among the People by their Learning and were admitted by the Priests to preach publickly In Collect. de vrb Tolos Cent. 13. not that they approved their Opinions but because they were inferiour to them in Learning saith Jacobus de Riberia When he that had learned nothing became a Teacher of others and though he were like the sounding Brass and tinkling Cymbal usurped the Office of a Teacher being an unprofitable Trunk and a dumb Idol and they who were ignorant of the Holy Scriptures usurped that Burthen of Dignity which they could not bear saith Petrus Blesensis Ep. 23. When there neither appeared Piety or Learning in the Clergy saith William Bishop of Paris Lib. de Collat. benefic Cent. 14. When the Pope appointed to almost all ecclesiastical Dignities Men ignorant of the Holy Scriptures Idiots and Unlearned who knew not the Language of the People over whom they presided Defensor pacis l. 2. c. 24. p. 354 355 356. When not one among Ten of the Bishops arch-Arch-Bishops Patriarchs of Provinces were sufficiently instructed in Divinity saith Marsilius of Padua When the Church was eclipsed with the black Mist of Ignorance De planctu Eccl l. 2. cap. 5. 20. Cent. 15. When the Bishops ordained Men whom they knew to be unlearned and unfit and being Idiots suffered themselves to be made Bishops saith Alvarus When it often happened through the Defect Negligence and deceit of them to whom by the Bishops A. D. 1473. apud Bin. To. 8. p. 1053. cap. 3. was committed the Examination of Persons to be ordained that Men Unlearned and altogether Ignorant were presented as fit to the Bishops and so ordained by them saith the Council of Toledo When such Men were admitted to the Priesthood and other Holy Orders as were Idiots Unlearned and scarce able to read though way wardly and without Understanding not knowing when they read or prayed whether they blessed God or blasphemed him When the Church was stock'd with ignorant and wicked Men De corrupto statu Eccl. c. 11 12 13 25. and no Man learned in the Scriptures was advanced to great Dignities When the Parish-Priests could not read and scarce knew A from B and knew not the Words much less the Things they read saith Clemangis Declarat de
such a Doctrine for Apostolical Tradition and therefore so it is than of this other which plainly contradicts it The Greek and Eastern Churches with their Adherents teach such and such Doctrines opposite to the pretended Traditions of the Church of Rome as Doctrines delivered to them from the Apostles and from the former Ages of the Church of Christ and therefore they are truly such For these Churches never pretended to have made any Reformation but that they since the days of the Apostles have kept safe and sound as Barlaam saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Traditions of the Catholick Church The Oriental Patriarchs in the Council of Florence allow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hist Concil Flor. §. 3. c. 3. that others should be their Vicars and that they would assent to what was done in that Council provided that they acted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Traditions of the Holy Oecumenical Synods and the Holy Doctors of the Church and that nothing were added to or taken from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or was innovated in the Faith. The Legats of Iberia in the same Council speak thus to the Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hist Concil Flor. S. 9. c. 12. Our Church preserveth whatsoever she hath received from the Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Tradition of the Holy Apostles and the Oecumenical Synods and the Holy Doctors of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and she hath not at all deviated from their Doctrine nor added to or taken away any thing from it The Greeks in the Florentine Council shew their zeal Sess 5. apud Bin. Tom. 8. p. 589. that nothing should be added to or taken from the Faith because they were not to change the Old Land-marks which their Fathers had set P. 596. And they approve that Decree of the Second Nicene Council 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any Man make void any Ecclesiastical Tradition written or unwritten let him be Anathema Such Reason had Barlaam to say That among them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing by them was more esteemed than the Tradition of the Catholick Church Thirdly If the belief § 3 and declaration of the present Church of Rome and her adherents be a sufficient Evidence of the Tradition of all former Ages and what she now averrs to be Tradition Apostolical must always have been so and what she now denies to be Tradition must never have been so then many things must be derived from Primitive and Apostolical Tradition and yet must not be so for the Church of Rome cannot be more infallible in declaring in this present Age what is Tradition than she was in all past Ages they being once the present Age. And yet it is exceeding certain that the present Church of Rome with her Adherents holds many things to be Traditions Apostolical which in the former Ages were by her and by the whole Church Catholick declared to be no such matter and that she holdeth many things to be no Traditions truly Primitive and Apostolical which she and others who consented with her formerly declared to be true Primitive and Apostolical Traditions as will be evident by these ensuing Instances 1. She holds at present all the Books of the Old Testament enumerated in the Fourth Session of the Trent Council to have been handed down as Canonical Scriptures continuâ Successione in Catholica Ecclesia by continual Succession of the Catholick Church whereas I shall hereafter prove that for the Four first Centuries and from the Sixth to the Fourteenth she and all other Churches held some of them to be Apocryphal or Vncanonical 2. Ibid. Sess 4. She holds at present That it is a Tradition preserved by continual Succession in the Church Catholick that the Canonical Epistles of St. Paul are Quatuordecem Fourteen and that the Epistle to the Hebrews is Canonical See Chap. 3. Sect. 16. whereas formerly she and other Western Churches agreeing with her in that matter did not receive the Epistle to the Hebrews as Canonical and consequently could not believe that the Church Catholick did by continual Succession hold that the number of St. Paul's Canonical Epistles were Fourteen 3. Concil Trid. Sess 7. Can. 1. She pretends at present Apostolicis Traditionibus atque aliorum consiliorum patrum consensui inhaerendo Adhering to Apostolical Tradition and the Consent of Fathers and of Councils to define That the Sacraments of the New Law instituted by Christ Jesus and truly and properly so called are neither more nor less than Seven Treat of Latin Serv. praef p. 5 6 7 8. Sess 13. cap. 3. and yet it hath been lately proved that from the days of Gregory the Great or from the Sixth to the Twelfth Century she declared the contrary 4. She holds at present That semper haec fides in Ecclesia Dei fuit This was the Faith perpetually received in the Church that by virtue of Concomitance the Body of Christ in the Sacrament is under the Species of Wine and his Blood under the Species of Bread and his Soul under both and that this is the Doctrine quam semper Catholica Ecclesia retinuit which the Catholick Church being taught by Christ and his Apostles Treat of Com. in one Kind c. 7. §. 5 6 7. and the Holy Spirit hath always retained and yet it hath been fully proved that to the Tenth Century she taught the contrary 5. She holds at present That the Roman Institution to pronounce some things in the Mass with a low and others with a loud voice Ibid. c. 5. §. 1. Tr. of Lat. Serv. c. 16. p. 69. proceeded ex Apostolica Doctrina Traditione from the Apostolical Tradition and Discipline whereas it hath been proved that formerly she taught the contrary 6. It is the present Tradition of the Romish Church Concil Trid. Sess 25. and her Adherents That the Veneration and Honorary Worship of Images is suitable to the Tradition Catholicae Apostolicae Ecclesiae of the Catholick and Apostolick Church Treat of the Veneration of Images whereas this hath been proved contrary to the Ancient Tradition of the whole Church of Christ in general and of that of Rome in particular 7. The present Church of Rome pretends following ipsius Ecclesiae judicium consuetudinem Sess 21. c. 1. the Custom and Judgment of the Church to declare and teach That Laicks and Clerks not consecrating are not obliged to receive the Sacrament in both Kinds whereas it hath been proved that for a Thousand Years the contrary was both the Judgment and Custom of the whole Church in general Treat of Com. in one Kind and of that of Rome in particular 8. The present Church of Rome declares touching her new Creed containing Twelve New Articles neither comprized in nor deducible from the Apostles or the Nicene Creed that it contains Ch. 7. §. 4.10 veram Catholicam fidem extra quam nemo salvus
any Censure past upon them by that Church or any refusal of Communion with them upon that account I say after all this surely it cannot be denied but that the Church of Rome is of a contrary Opinion in this matter to the Ancient Church of Christ that she cannot agreeably to her Decrees and Practice say That 't is unlawful to cut off the Heretick that it is a thing alien from the Church and from the meanest Christian that it is matter of Lamentation that any one should stir up King or Emperor to do it that Christ hath taught that such Men ought not to be taken away by Death that no good Catholicks allow it that they judge it Damnable that they who act thus against Hereticks are Disturbers of the Church's Peace and separate themselves from her Vnity that they may expect their Judge should require the Lives of these Hereticks at their Hands and should inflict his Judgments on them that if the Church permitteth any of her Sons to do this she is Guilty of the Fact or that such Persons who are Guilty of it or Instrumental to it are to be excluded from Catholick Communion that is she cannot say that she is now of the avowed Judgment of the Ancient Church of Christ in this Affair It were easie to give many other Instances in which the present practice of the Church of Rome § 8 is plainly opposite to that of the Church Catholick of old For It was the Custom of the Ancient Church to permit the People to carry home the Eucharist to their Houses and reserve it there to be received as they had occasion this saith St. Basil Ep. 289. Ad Ux. l. 2. c. 5. de orat c. 14. Cypr. de laps p. 132. was confirmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Custom of a long continuance of which Tertullian and Cyprian are Witnesses But now this surely would be esteemed a great Prophanation of the Holy Mystery by them who now will not permit the Laity even to touch the Sacrament with their Hands Anciently In Liturg. c. 26. saith Cassander the Prayer used at the Consecration of the Eucharist was read out with a loud Voice and so as that all the People might be able to hear it Vid. Treat of Latin Serv. c. 5. P. 75 76. and say Amen to it Justinian 's Novel commands all Christian Bishops subject to his Empire so to read it and that by virtue of an Apostolical command to do so Nor did any Christian that we read of in those Ages gainsay oppose or contradict either this Edict or the reason of it whereas now the Church of Rome commands that the words of Consecration should be pronounced voce submissa Concil Trid. Sess 22. can 9. with a low Voice and Anathematizeth all who condemn that Custom 3. The Fathers generally take notice of and lay great stress upon the breaking of the Bread distributed to the People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. ad Philad §. 4. Fractus panis fit Eucharistia corporis Christi l. 5. c. 2. Caten in Matth. xxvi 28. One Loaf was broken for all saith Ignatius The broken Bread is made the Eucharist of the Body of Christ saith Irenaeus Christ saith Cyril of Alexandria gives us an example first to give Thanks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so to break the Bread and to distribute it Frangimus in Sanctificationem nostram We break it for our Sanctification Ep. Paschal 1. Hom. 24. in 1. ad Cor. p. 256. saith Theophilus of Alexandria In the Eucharist he suffers himself to be broken saith Chrysostom that he may fill all Ad distribuendum comminuitur It is broken in pieces that it may be distributed Ep. 59. qu. 5. saith St. Austin The Flesh of Christ in populi salutem partitur is divided for the Salvation of the People saith P. Gregory Dial. l. 4. c. 58. By taking a whole Loaf and breaking it and giving a part of it to his Disciples he signified without doubt quod nos in posterum facturos edocuit that which he taught us to do afterwards saith the Sixteenth Council of Toledo The Action of the Mass A.D. 693. c. 6. Apud Baron Tom. 11. p. 1008. contr Graec. ibid. p. 971. saith Humbert is not compleat without the breaking of the Bread and the communication of it for our Lord gave a perfect commemoration to his Disciples pane fracto distributo by the Bread broken and distributed He blessed a whole Loaf and dristributed the broken particles of it to every one sicut Sancta R. Ecclesia usque nunc observat as the Holy Roman Church even now doth The Interpreter of the Roman Order saith Apud Cass Lit. c. 29. p. 67. Some of late times think it strange this Order enjoins the Bread to be broken as if they had not read that Christ brake it and gave it to his Disciples or that the Primitive Church continued in the Apostles Doctrine in communicatione fractionis panis and in the Communication of broken Bread. But though all the Evangelists take especial notice of this Action though St. Luke according to many Commentators thought it of so great moment as to express the whole Eucharist by breaking of Bread yet is this Action though of our Lord 's own practice and Institution wholly laid aside by the Roman Church which distributes whole Wafers and not broken Bread. But to omit innumerable Instances of this nature § 9 I shall conclude with that of the supposed Freedom of the Blessed Virgin from the guilt of Original Sin for it was doubtless the Tradition of the Vniversal Church from the Second to the Fourteenth Century that Christ alone was conceived without Sin and consequently that the Blessed Virgin was not so conceived For even A. D. 1368. it was determined by the Council of Vaur Concil Gallic edit Baluz c. 1. p. 140. That Baptism was the Remedy appointed for Original Sin contra vulnus originale sinc quo secundum sanctos in filiis hominum nemo unquam conceptus est praeter Christum without which according to the Holy Fathers no person besides Christ was ever conceived It were easie to prove this Assertion by plain Testimonies through every Century to this very Age but the full and numerous Confessions of the Romanists and their own Writings have rendered this Work needless For when the Feast of her Immaculate Conception was first introduced at Lyons Ep. 174. St. Bernard thus confutes it This is a new Festival quam ritus Ecclesiae nescit non probat ratio non commendat Antiqua Traditio which the Custom of the Church knoweth not Reason doth not prove and no Ancient Tradition doth commend Johannes Poza confesseth Elucidar Deipar l. 4. That Blandellus and Cajetan have produced against it the general Sayings of Irenaeus Origen St. Cyprian Theophilus Alexandrinus G. Nazianzen Nyssen and St. Basil St. Jerom and Fulgentius and in a manner all the Ancient
Euseb H. Eccl. l. 3. c. 10. We have only Twenty two Books which deserve belief among us and then he reckons them up as doth our Article adding that the Books written from the time of Artaxerxes to their days were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so worthy to be credited From Christ and his Apostles Luk. xxiv 27. for the Gospel of St. Luke informs us That Christ beginning from Moses expounded to two of his Disciples in all the Scriptures the things concerning him and also that all things concerning him were written in the Law of Moses vers 44. and in the Prophets and in the Psalms that is in those Books which by the Jews are stiled Hagiographa The Apostles in their Epistles teach 2 Tim. iij. 15. That all Scripture is of Divine Inspiration and that Timothy from a Child had known them and yet he doubtless only knew the Canon then received by the Jews 2 Pet. i. 21. they add That the whole Scripture was a word of Prophecy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud Euseb l. 3. c. 10. Genebrard Chron. ad An. 3640. Jansen ad cap. 48. Ecclus the Prophecy of Men moved by the Holy Ghost Now Josephus doth inform us That after the Days of Artaxerxes the Jews had no certain Succession of Prophets and it is confessed by many Romanists That from Malachy to John they had no Prophets In the Second Century Onesimus requesteth of Melito § 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 4. cap. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Bishop of Sardis a perfect Catalogue of the Books of the Old Testament whereupon this Bishop being to take a Journey into the East went to the place where those things were done and preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. ibid. and learning thence the exact number of them he sent their Names to Onesimus numbring them just as our Sixth Article doth And of this Catalogue Eusebius saith That it contained all the Books of the Old Testament which the Church owned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. and that he thought it necessary to preserve this Catalogue of them in writing to Posterity Here then we find upon the first enquiry after the Death of the Apostles a Catalogue exactly formed from the East and from Jerusalem agreeing with the Judgment of the whole Church of God and as exactly with the judgment of the Church of England In the Third Century Origen informs us § 4 That we must not be ignorant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Psal 1. Ed. Huet T. 1. p. 40 41. that the Canonical Books of the Old Testament are Twenty two according to the number of the Jewish Letters and then he reckons them exactly as we do adding That as these Letters are an Introduction to knowledge and divine Wisdom so these Twenty two Books are an Introduction to the Wisdom of God this saith he is the Tradition of the Jews The Tradition of the Church in the Fourth Century unanimously concurrs with the Article of the Church of England in all the Catalogues then given of the Books of the Old Testament § 5 Eusebius of Caesarea the Metropolis of Palestine who not only hath preserved the Catalogues of Melito and Origen but also doth approve them and saith They were the Books of the Old Testament received by the consent of all and of which he thought necessary to preserve the Catalogue in writing to posterity L. 4. c. 6. elsewhere saith That he is not able exactly to reckon the Governors of the Tribe of Judah that ruled the Jewish Nation after Zorobabel Demonst Evang l. 8. c. 2. p. 368. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because that from his time to that of our Saviour's there was no divine Book written Athanasius in his Festival Epistle gives the same Catalogue which we receive and having finished it he saith Ad Ruffinum Tom. 2. p. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In these are comprehended the Books of the Old Testament The same Archbishop of Alexandria in his Book stiled a Synopsis of the Holy Scriptures tells us the number of the Books of the Old Testament are Twenty two Ibid. p. 58. and he there reckons them up according to our Article St. Cyril Bishop of Jerusalem speaks to his Catechumen thus Know thou studiously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Church the Books of the Old Testament read the divine Scriptures the Twenty two Books of the Old Testament interpreted by the Seventy Interpreters Catech. 4. cap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 36 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by all confessed to be divine Meditate upon these Twenty two Books of the Old Testament and be careful to remember them as I name them and then he reckons them up exactly as we do Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine in the Island of Cyprus in his Book of Weights and Measures Tom. 2. p. 161 162. doth in like manner inform us That the number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Canonical Books of the Old Testament is Twenty two and then he reckons them up as our Article doth St. Cap. 3. Basil Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia in his Philocalia puts this Question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why are the divine Books Twenty two and answers it as Origen had done before him Gregory Nazianzen in his Treatise upon this very subject of the true genuine Books of Scripture Concil Oxon. Tom. 2. part 1. p. 179. declares That the Historical Books of the Old Testament are Twelve and the Metrical are Five and the Prophetical Five and then he names them all according to our Article Amphilochius in his Canonical Epistle to Selcucus gives us the same account of them Apud Balsamon p. 1083. with this only difference that the Book of Esther is said to be not so generally received for Canonical as the rest St. Jerom in several places of his works is so clearly for us that our Article is founded on his Judgment who often tells us That the Canonical Books of the Old Testament are Twenty two or if you will reckon Ruth and the Lamentations as distinct Books Tom. 3. f. 6. a. Ibid. f. 3. a. T. 1. f. 41. a. Apud Hieron Tom. 4. f. 51. they are Four and twenty In his Preface to the Book of Kings in his Epistle to Paulinus to Laeta and in divers places of his other works he is expresly of the same Judgment Ruffinus having numbered the Books of the Old Testament as we do adds That in these Books the Fathers did comprize tha◠number of the Books of the Old Testament St. Hilary saith Prolog Expla in Psalmos That the number of the Books of the Old Testament are Twenty two according to the number of the Hebrew Letters and having reckoned them up as we do saith These compleat the number of the Twenty two Books The Council of Laodicea Decrees Can. 59. That only the Canonical Books shall be read
in the Church and then this Council reckons up the Canonical Books as we do leaving out of their account those which we call Apocryphal Now this Canon being received into the Codex Canonum-Ecclesiae universalis or the Code of the Canons received by the whole Church it must have the force of an Oecumenical Synod and give us the concurring judgment of the whole Church of God on our side And yet for farther confirmation of this matter let these few things be noted First That these Fathers generally say § 6 they deliver these Catalogues as they received them by Tradition and as they were delivered to them by the Fathers and as they were received by the whole Church of Christ * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanasius in his Pascal Epistle speaks thus Because some dare to mix Apocryphal Books with the divine Scriptures of which we are fully assured from the Tradition of them to the Fathers by them who were Eye-witnesses and Ministers of the Word It seemed good to me being exhorted to it by the Orthodox Brethren and having learnt them from the beginning in order to declare which are the Canonical Books delivered as such by Tradition and believed to be of divine Inspiration St. Hilary saith Prolog Expla in Psalmos That they were thus computed secundum Traditiones veterum according to the Traditions of the Ancients These saith St. Cyril are the Books you learn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Church and which we read publickly in the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catech. 4. p. 37. The Apostles and the ancient Bishops and Governors of the Church who delivered these as the Canonical Books were much wiser than you thou therefore being a Son of the Church do not transgress her Laws or go beyond her Rules Quae secundum majorum Traditionem Ecclesiis Christitradita What are the Volumes of the Old and the New Testament which according to the Tradition of the Ancients are believed to be inspired by the Holy Ghost and delivered to the Churches of Christ It seems convenient saith Russinus here evidently to declare as we have received them from the Monuments of the Fathers and having reckoned up the Books of the Old Testament proceeding to the Books of the New Testament he adds Haec nobis a patribus tradita sunt Apud Hieron Tom. 4. f. 51. a. These are the Books which the Father 's comprized in the Canon these things are delivered to us by the Fathers Note § 7 Secondly That of the Books which we reject and call Apocryphal they also teach that as such they were rejected by the Church that though the Church permitted them to be read yet did she not receive them into the Catalogue of the Holy Scriptures or use them to confirm any Article of Christian Faith and that they spake of them as Books without the Canon Thus Athanasius in his Paschal Epistle saith That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for more exactness sake Apud Balsam p. 921. I add this necessary advertisement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That besides these Books of the Old and New Testament now mentioned as divine Scripture there be other Books which are not put into the Canon which are yet appointed by the Fathers to be read to those who first come to be Catechized in the way of Piety to wit The Wisdom of Solomon the Wisdom of Syrach and Esther and Judith and Tobias and the Book called the Doctrine of the Apostles and Pastor these are read and not to be despised the others are put into the Canon Tom 2. p. 58 59. The very same words he repeats in his Compendium of the Holy Scripture where also afterwards he reckons the Four Books of Macchabees and the History of Susanna among the Books contradicted Baruch and the additions to Daniel among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament Catech. 4. p. 38. St. Cyril having cited the Canon we receive as that which was delivered to the Church by the Apostles and ancient Governors of the Church adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all the rest which are extro-canonical be placed in a second Order Gregory Nazianzen having given an account of Twenty two Books of the Old Testament saith You have them all Ubi Supra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that all besides them are not Genuine After his Catalogue delivered from the Tradition of the Fathers Sunt alii libri non Canonici sed Ecclesiastici a majoribus appellati Quae omnia legi quidem in Ecclesia voluerunt non tamen proferriad authoritatem ex his fidei confirmandam Apud Hieron Tom. 4. f. 51. Ruffinus saith You must know that there be other Books which are not Canonical but called by our Ancestors Ecclesiastical as the Wisdom of Solomon the Wisdom of the Son of Syrach Tobit Judith and the Books of Macchabees which they were willing to have read in the Church but not to have produced to confirm Doctrines of Faith the rest they called Apocryphal and would not have read in the Church These things are delivered to us by the Fathers Praefat. in librum Regum Tom 3. f. 6. St. Jerom saith he made his Catalogue ut scire valeamus quicquid extra hos est inter Apocrypha esse ponendum that we might know that all besides these Twenty two are to be deemed Apocryphal He adds Praef. in Esdr Neh. ibid. f. 7 8. That the Books which are not received by the Hebrews are to be rejected by us Christians and that the Church indeed Reads them but receives them not into the Canons Note Thirdly § 8 That they declare not only that these are the Books received into the Canon by the Jews but by the Christians also that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synops Tom. 2. p. 55. the entire Scripture of us Christians saith Athanasius All the Books delivered by the Apostles and ancient Governors of the Church and by the Church to others saith St. Cyril Ubi Supra All the Books delivered to the Church of Christ saith Ruffinus That as for others which we stile Apocryphal Ecclesia nescit Apocrypha Tom. 3. f. 7. a. f. 9. a. the Church owns them not Ecclesia inter Canonicas Scripturas non recipit The Church receives them not among the Canonical Scriptures saith St. Jerom. Note Fourthly § 9 That they declare that they made this Enumeration of these Books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of necessity to prevent mistakes in this Matter and for the good of the Church and that Men might know out of what Fountains they were to draw the Waters of Life Having made mention of the Hereticks saith Athanasius as of Dead persons Apud Balsam p. 920 921. and of our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as having the Holy Scriptures for Life and because I fear least some harmless Men through their Simplicity and Ignorance may be deceived by
libr. Regum Tom. 3. f. 6. a. say That the Canonical Books of the Old Testament are Twenty four which say they from St. Jerom St. John in his Revelations introduceth under the Name of the Twenty four Elders Dr. Cous p. 131 133. P. 147. P. 152. P. 164 178 196. so in the Sixth Century Primasius and Leontius in the Eighth Century Venerable Bede in the Ninth Century Ambrosius Ausbertus in the Twelfth Century Peter Abbot of Celle in the Fifteenth Century Thomas Anglicus and in the Sixteenth Frances Georgius Now manifest it is even from the very number here assigned of Twenty two or Twenty four Canonical Books that all these Authors must exclude those Books we call Apocrypha from the Canon and it is still more evident from their own Words in which they expresly say P. 133. These are the Books received the Books put into the Canon by the Church P. 151. P. 157 194. P. 197. the Books received by the Church and Canonized The whole Canon which the Church receives and which was handed down unto them by the Authority of the Ancients And of those which we stile Apocryphal they say Ibid. P. 151. These are the Books which are contradicted and not received by the Church The Books of the Old Testament which are not received by the Church P. 152 162 177. P. 158 159 163 169 175 The Books which are read indeed sed non scribuntur non habentur in Canone sed leguntur ut scripta patrum as are the Writings of the Fathers but are not put into the Canon non reputantur in Canone are not reputed to belong unto it The Books which the Church reads and permits for Devotion and the instruction of Manners but thinks not their Authority sufficient ad confirmandam Ecclesiasticorum dogmatum Authoritatem P. 166 173 176 191 193. to confirm the Authority of Ecclesiastical Doctrines The Books which are not to be received ad confirmandum aliquid in fide to confirm any Article of Faith. The Contents of which she obligeth no man to believe P. 189 190. nor doth she judge him guilty of disobedience or infidelity who receives them not Concerning which the Church receives the Testimony of St. Jerom as most Sacred P. 194. who did undoubtedly exclude them from the Canon To whom say they the Church Catholick is much indebted upon this account P. 199. and to whose sence the sayings both of Councils and Fathers are to be reduced Books with whose Authority no Man was pressed Books P. 202. P. 174 188. Lastly which were not genuine but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spurious and Apocryphal which the Christian Church doth not receive P. 166 201. pari Authoritate or pari veneratione with the like Authority or Veneration with which she doth receive the Holy Scriptures Now hence the Doctors of the Church of Rome may learn what it is they are to do § 12 if they would prove any of their Doctrines to have descended to them by a like Tradition with that of the Canonical Books of the Old Testament viz. they must prove they were owned in the New Testament were delivered as Traditions by the Apostles and all the Ancient Bishops and Governors of the Church They must produce express Testimonies of Christian Writers in all Ages asserting That the Church received such a Doctrine and that they in delivering of it followed the Tradition of the Church and their Fore-Fathers and saying That the contrary Doctrine was not received by the Church They must shew That even from the first Ages of the Church Christians were solicitous to enquire what were the Apostolical Traditions not left in writing to the Church that upon this enquiry they found that these Traditions were of such a certain number neither more nor less that they thought it necessary to preserve them by writing Catalogues of all such Traditions as were received or owned as such by Christians That this Catalogue of Traditions was delivered to them by the Primitive Fathers as they had been received by the whole Church and that they had received them from Eye-witnesses and Ministers of the Word That they took care to leave this Catalogue of Traditions because some persons dared to mix Apocryphal Traditions with Divine and that they made it out of necessity to prevent mistakes in this matter and for the Instruction of those who received the first Rudiments of the Faith that they might know out of what Fountains to draw the Waters of Tradition They must produce from the first Four Centuries Testimonies of this nature from Fathers living in most places where there were any Christians and Testimonies uncontrouled throughout those Centuries And seeing one of these Traditions viz. that which concerneth the Canonical Books of the Old Testament is expresly contrary to a Tradition delivered and handed down to us with all these circumstances they must prove that in this matter Tradition hath plainly delivered Contradictions throughout Four whole Centuries which being done we cannot chuse but think her Testimony is Infallible Hence also we may see what an unparallell'd confidence they shew when in their Disputations the Romanists are bold to say and lay the stress of their whole certainty of Faith upon this Proposition That they hold the same Doctrine to day which was delivered yesterday and so up to the time of our Saviour seeing it is as clear as the Sun that the Books of the Old Testament which they now hold for Sacred and Canonical were for Fifteen whole Centuries together declared not to belong unto the Canon but excluded from it by the Church And this will be still more apparent by considering what the Authors of the Question of Questions § 13 and of The Papist Misrepresented and Represented say touching this matter Mr. M. saith Sect. 19. n. 6. p. 410. That when it was grown doubtful in the Church whether such and such Books were part of the Canon of Scripture the Tradition which recommended these Books was examined in the Third Council of Carthage and there all the Books of the R. Canon were found to be recommended to the Church by a true and Authentical Tradition and therefore we embrace them as the Word of God. And again Sect. 3. n. 12. p. 84 85 86. As yet the Church of Christ had not defined which Books were God's true word which not wherefore then it was free to doubt of such Books us were not admitted by such a Tradition of the Church as was evidently so universal that it was clearly sufficient to ground an infallible belief but in the days of St. Austin the Third Council of Carthage A. 397. examined how sufficient the Tradition of the Church was which recommended these Books for Scripture about which there was so much doubt and contrariety of Opinion and they found all the Books contained in our Canon of which you account so many Apocryphal to have been recommended by a Tradition sufficient
the Africans passed a severe Judgment on the Assertors of the contrary Opinion though they refused not Communion with them § 20. 6. That neither Stephen 's Opinion nor Saint Cyprian 's prevailed but the Church went a middle Way betwixt both § 21. Inferences 1. Hence it appears that the Doctors of the Western Churches are no good Judges of the Practices of the East § 22. 2. That in Matters of this obscurity the Custom of each Church is to be followed without breach of Peace § 23. 3. That in those Ages they knew nothing of the Pope's Supremacy or the Rule of the Guide of Controversies § 24. 4. That they belived what passed for Apostolical Tradition in the Church of Rome might be no such thing § 25. And Lastly That even in those early times Tradition Apostolical must falsly be pretended by great and many Churches § 26. FUrthermore we distinguish betwixt Traditions touching Points purely Doctrinal Dist 6th or Divine Revelations which concern matters of meer Belief as the Doctrine of the Millennium of the time of the Day of Judgment of Antichrist and what did hinder his Appearance and the like and Traditions touching points of Practice such as were the Observation of the Lord's Day the Superiority of Bishops over Presbyters the Ordination of Presbyters and Deacons by Bishops c. Touching the first kind we say That it is no sufficient evidence that they were Doctrines received from the Apostles that they have been asserted by after-Ages to be such it being evident both from Church History and the Confessions both of Protestants and Papists that in these matters the Fathers have been subject to mistakes in Doctrines not belonging to the Fundamentals of the Christian Faith but touching matters of Practice we say That we are ready to receive all such Traditions as have that Evidence that they were generally practised from the first and purest Ages of the Church which we are able to produce for observation of the first Day of the Week the Superiority of Bishops over Presbyters the Ordination of Presbyters and Deacons by Bishops and the like To give some Instances of the first kind First The Doctrine of the Millennium § 1 or the Reign of Saints on Earth a Thousand Years is now rejected by all Roman Catholicks and by the greatest part of Protestants and yet it passed amongst the best of Christians for Two hundred and Fifty Years for a Tradition Apostolical and as such is delivered by many Fathers of the Second and Third Century who speak of it as the Tradition of our Lord and his Apostles and of all the Ancients that lived before them who tell us the very words in which it was delivered the Scriptures which were then so Interpreted and say that it was held by all Christians that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exactly Orthodox And 1. this is delivered by the Fathers of the Second and Third Centuries as a Tradition received from the Mouth of Christ and his Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 3. c. 39. Eusebius confesseth That Papias declared it to be the Doctrine of our Saviour handed down to him by unwritten Tradition Lib. 5. c. 33. Euseb H. Eccl. lib. 3. c. 39. Now of this Papias Irenaeus saith That he was an Hearer of St. John the Author of the Revelations He himself professeth that he only followed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them who taught the Truth and who related 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Commands given by Christ himself and coming from the Truth it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. That he received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words of the Apostles from those who followed them or conversed with them and only writ the things he had well learned and well remembred Eusebius moreover adds That his Relation touching the Tradition of the Millennium prevailed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with most of the Clergy that lived after him to entertain it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dial cum Tryph. p. 308. Justin Martyr speaking of the same Doctrine premiseth That he chose not to follow the Doctrines of Men but of God and the Doctrines delivered by him and then he adds That there was a Man among them named John one of Christ's Twelve Apostles who in his Revelations had foretold that the Faithful should reign with Christ a Thousand Years in Jerusalem Lib. 5. cap. 33. and that our Lord Christ said the same thing Presbyteri meminerunt qui Joannem Discipulum Domini viderunt audisse se ab illo quemadmodum de temporibus illis docebat Dominus Ibid. Irenaeus adds That the Seniors who saw St. John the Disciple of the Lord remembred how they had heard him say that he had heard our Lord Christ teach this Doctrine and then he doth repeat the very words in which Christ taught thus and tells us that he had them also from Papias the Friend of Polycarp Cap. 36. Hanc esse ad ordinationem dispositionem eorum qui salvuntur dicunt Presbyteri Apostolorum Discipuli ibid. adding That this according to the Seniors the Disciples of the Apostles is the Ordinance and the appointment concerning those that shall be saved and that our Lord taught this when he promised to drink New Wine with his Disciples in the Kingdom of God Hanc Ezechiel novit Apostolus Joannes vidit qui apud fidem nostram est novae Prophetiae sermo testatur Adv. Marcion l. 3. c. 24. and St. Paul when he said That the Creature should be freed from the Bondage of Corruption into the liberty of the Sons of God. As for the Kingdom promised to us after the Resurrection for a Thousand Years Ezechiel knew it saith Tertullian the Apostle John saw it and the new Word of Prophecy which we believe gives Testimony of it And if Gelasius Cyzicenus may be credited this was the Doctrine delivered by the Nicene Council in these words We expect new Heavens and new Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hist Concil Nic. l. 2. c. 30. according to the Scriptures at the Appearance of the Kingdom of our Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ and then as Daniel saith the Saints of the most High shall receive a Kingdom and the Earth shall be pure and holy which David by the Eye of Faith foreseeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith I believe to see the Goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living and the Son of David Blessed are the Meek for they shall inherit the Earth These things we have established from the Ecclesiastical Constitutions most diligently framed by the Holy Fathers 2. They speak of this not as a probable Opinion but as a thing which they were certainly assured of We know saith Justin Martyr Dial. cum Trypk p. 307. the Resurrection of the Flesh and the Thousand Years in Jerusalem Predicta benedictio sine contradictione
of them will be the Six thousandth Year so Irenaeus His Scholar Hyppolitus in the fore-cited passage saith the same thing Vide Sixt. Senen Bibl. Sanctae l. 5. annot 190. Lib. 7. c. 25. Eustathius in his Hexaemeron and the Author of the Question and Answers passing under the Name of Justin Martyr Lactantius Hilary and Jerom are all of the same mind and hence Lactantius took the confidence to say in his time It could not be above Two hundred Years before the World would have an end St. Cyprian De Exhort Mart. p. 168. That Sex millia annorum jam fere complentur the Six thousand Years are almost compleated And St. Jerom Ep. ad Gerontium de Monogamia Tom. 1. f. 33. b. when he heard of the taking of Rome by Alaricus the Goth crys out Qui tenebat de medio fit non intelligimus Antichristum appropinquare He who hinder'd is taken out of the way and do we not consider that Antichrist is at hand And this Opinion Disert de Mart fortitud §. 21.24 as it is well noted by the Learned Mr. Dodwell they collected from the Prophetick writings and from the Phrase of the last Days so frequent in the Scripture and from those Expressions which mention our Lord's coming to destroy Jerusalem as at hand And yet we have already lived long enough to see the falseness of this Doctrine and so to be convinced that in these matters the Church Guides were not Infallible Interpreters of Scripture nor Aâ—thentick derivers of Tradition down to future Ages And which is in this matter more observable 2 Thes ij 6. the Apostle plainly had foretold them what it was that hindered this appearance of the Man of Sin and yet 't is manifest that they retained not what he told them Nor hath the Church of future Ages been able to inform us nor can our pretenders to Infallibility tell us with any certainty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. 6. what was the hindrance which St. Paul there meant and his Thessalonians then knew for that they did know it we are sure because it is written But what it was none of them knew because it was unwriten The Church that infallible Oracle and excellent keeper of Tradition hath lost this and many more Traditions that is discourses of our Lord and his Apostles by word of mouth because they were not written And therefore blessed be the goodness of that God who seeing what an unfaithful keeper of Traditions the Church was took order that what his wisdom saw necessary for us to know and practise should be written 2. Dist 7 In matters of Practice we distinguish betwixt such practices as have been generally received and owned without contest from the first and purest Ages of the Church as the Observation of the Lord's Day the Ordination of Presbyters by Bishops and such as have been matter of long contest and in which the Tradition pleaded by some hath been as evidently disowned by others as good Members of the Church as they and that we have no sufficient Reason to depend much on such pretences to Tradition will appear from the dispute betwixt Pope Victor and the Asiatick Bishops about the observation of the Easter Festival of which let it be Noted First § 9 That Pope Victor and the R. Church kept the Easter Festival on the Lord's Day only whereas the Asiaticks and some few Churches with them did celebrate that Festival on the Fourteenth Day of March on whatsoever Day of the Week that happend whence sometimes it fell out that some Christians were Feasting and rejoicing when others were observing their Lent Fast For this cause Synods met in divers places and particularly a R. Synod which decreed with Victor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That all with one consent should keep the Easter Festival on the Lord's Day And consonant to this was the Practice and Judgment of many other Churches for that this Festival should be by them observed on the same day was determined by St. Irenaeus who presided in France by Theophilus Bishop of Caesarea by Narcissus Bishop of Jerusalâ—m and the Priests subject to them by the Bishops of Pontus in a Synod where Palma presided and by the Churches of the Province of Osdroena And the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 23. saith Eusebius was the Eunanimous determination of most other Bishops and Churches of the Christian World. And though the Asiatick Churches kept this Feast upon the Fourteenth Day of March yet was the contrary practice observed saith the same Eusebus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through the whole World beside So that 't is evident the much major part of the Church concurred in practice with the Pope and judged it reasonable and expedient to observe this Festival upon the Lord's Day only And of this their determination they sent Letters to all the Churches round about and consequently to all the Asiatick Churches Secondly Observe That according to Eusebius § 10 they who kept this Feast upon the Lord's Day did it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a Tradition Apostolical Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. c. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 5. c. 17. p. 258. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Bishops of Palestine spake much of the Tradition touching the Paschal Feast descending down unto them by succession from the Apostles The Constitutions stiled Apostolical command all Christians to take especial care that they observe the Paschal Feast only on the Lord's Day and forbid them to celebrate it any longer with the Jews And the Fifth and Sixty second of those Canons which pass under the same stile forbid all Bishops Priests or Deacons under the penalty of deposition to celebrate the Paschal Feast before the vernal Equinox or to Feast with the Jews Thirdly Observe That notwithstanding these Assertions § 11 the Evidence that they who did observe this Festival when the Jews celebrated their Paschal Feast followed the Practice and Tradition of the Apostles seems more strong and cogent For even Eusebius confesseth that they who celebrated this Festival with the Jews Lib. 5. cap. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. told the very names of the Apostles from whom they received this Tradition and of their Successors who handed down this practice to them declaring that it was thus celebrated before them by Philip and John the Apostles of our Lord by Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna Thraseas Bishop of Eumenia by Papirius Melito and Sagaris and by seven Bishops Predecessors to Polycrates who all observed it as they did All these who in the first or second Centuries did very laudably perform the office of a Bishop and who had many of them extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kept the Paschal Feast saith Polycrates upon the Fourteenth Day according to the Gospel in nothing varying from what they had received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Ibid. p. 193. Moreover Irenaeus adds That Polycarp who conversed with the Apostle John and the other Apostles always observed the same Rite Since therefore he was Eccl. Hist l. 3. c. 36. saith Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Man familiar with the Apostles and made Bishop of Smyrna by the Servants and Eye-witnesses of our Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. it is more than probable that he derived this Custom from St. John and from those Eye-witnesses of Christ from whom he received his Office. Epiphanius not only doth informs us That all Christians did celebrate the Paschal Feast with the Jews whilst the Bishops of Jerusalem were of the Circumcision that is for One hundred and thirty Years Haer. 70. §. 9. but also saith That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole world ought then to follow their Example and celebrate the Feast with them and to this Effect he often cites a Canon of the Apostles requiring them to keep it when their Brethren of the Circumcision did so Fourthly § 12 Observe That Pope Victor writ a Letter to Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus upon this Subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb ibid. c. 24 p. 192. desiring him to call a Synod of the Asiatick Bishops and endeavouring in it to terrifie them by his Threats to a compliance with his Custom and the determination of his Roman Synods Fifthly Observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid pag. 191. That Polycrates having received this Letter writes back to Victor and the Church of Rome after this manner That they had a contrary Tradition from which they never did nor would recede that he was not at all moved with their Threats as knowing it was better to obey God than Man that he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 192. according to their desire called together his fellow Bishops and found them all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same mind with him and all consenting to his Letter Whence note That all the Asiatick Bishops and Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. and the neighbouring Provinces did judge the Pope and Church of Rome guilty of doing themselves and of imposing upon others that which was contrary to Apostolical Tradition and to that Obedience they owed to God and do not only refuse compliance with their Determinations and Customs but also add That they regard not what they threaten They therefore then knew nothing of the Pope's Superiority over them or his Supremacy over the whole Church or of any Obligation lying on them to comply with the Constitutions of that Church nor did they think it such a dreadful thing as is now imagined to be separated from their Communion Yea since they do so stifly refuse compliance with that Determination of the Pope in which he had the suffrage and concurrence of most other Churches it is demonstratively evident that they knew nothing of R. H.'s feigned Rule of Vniversal Church Practice Disc 2. c. 3. §. 23. That in Judges subordinate dissenting all Christians must adhere to the Superior in those of the same Order and Dignity to the major part for this Rule had they known it must have convinced or confounded them Sixthly Observe § 13 That Pope Victor having received this Letter from the Asiatick Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieron in verbo Victor and the Neighbouring Provinces he tried saith Eusebius to separate them from the common Vnity and writ invective Letters against them to other Churches declaring that all the Brethren of those Churches were by him wholly separated from Communion or Men not at all to be Communicated with and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commanding them to have no fellowship with them He tried to do this by these means saith Eusebius he therefore did not think it in his power to separate them from the common Unity without the consent of other Churches nor was his act esteemed then sufficient for this work Seventhly Observe That Victor in this angry mood doth not attempt to Excommunicate them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as men disobedient to the commands of his Holiness or the decisions of the Church of Rome but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Men of Heterodox Opinions on which account it did belong to any Church as well as that of Rome to move for their exclusion from Communion Pope Victor therefore was not then acquainted with that Arcanum of the Romish See that she had power over all other Churches and that whosoever did not comply with the injunctions of his Holiness deserved the censure of Excommunication for his disobedience nor did the Churches of those times believe any such matter For Eighthly § 14 When Victor sent his invective Letters to other Churches exhorting or requiring them to renounce Communion with these Asiaticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they return him a contrary Exhortation with equal vehemence requesting him to mind the things which did belong unto the Peace the Vnity and Love which ought to be preserved among Brethren They therefore clearly do insinuate that he did not mind the Peace and Unity of the Church i. e. he was Schismatical in that Action and could they then conceive he was the Head and his Church the principle of Vnity They also writ back Letters in which they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 24. sharply reprehend him upon this account they therefore did not think themselves and others obliged to submit to the decisions of the Pope and his Council unless perhaps they thought themselves obliged by their Example to do things opposite unto the Peace and Union of the Church of Christ and to that Charity which was to be preserved among Christian Brethren St. Jerom not only Notes that the other Bishops did not consent to Victor's Excommunication In qua sententia his qui discrepabunt ab illis Victori non dederunt manus Ibid. Haec posui ut ingenium Authoritatem viri demonstrarem In verbo Polycrates but commends Polycrates as a Brave Stout Man in this affair Ninthly Observe That Iraeneus in his Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 5. c. 24. writ to Victor in the name of all the Brethren under his jurisdiction in France that he should not reject whole Churches of God observing their Ancient Tradition saith Eusebius their Apostolical Tradition saith Nicephorus Niceph. l. 4. c. 37. In pursuance of which design he minds the Pope that long before there were and still continued other differences in the Church touching the observation of the Lent Fast and that notwithstanding they who thus differed all preserved Peace and were at present all in Peace one with the other He adds That his predecessors in the See of Rome who observed the Feast as he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nevertheless kept Peace with them who observed the Feast after the manner of the Asiaticks Eusebius Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 24. P. 198.
and never cast out any from the Church who practised as they did particularly that Polycarp coming to Rome in the time of Anicetus acted like Polycrates and would not be perswaded to comply with the custom of the Church of Rome in this particular yet they communicated and Received the Sacrament together departed in Peace without contention about this matter and both of them preserved peace with all the Churches which differed from them in this observation From all which it is evident that Irenaeus charged Victor as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of Contention a breaker of the Church's Peace one who denied Communion with and did attempt the rejection of the Asiatick Churches without cause and therefore must necessarily judge him to be the Schismatick and so he could not possibly conceive that by Victor's Excommunication the Asiaticks could be separated from the common Union but rather that the Pope and his Church if they concurred with him in the second Letter as in the first they did and as it was the custom of those times to do must be the Schismaticks And therefore whereas Pope Victor writ Letters to engage all Churches to break off Communion with the Asiaticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. p. 193 194. Irenaeus writes Letters of the same import with this to Victor to the Bishops of most other Churches to engage them to preserve Peace and Communion with the Asiaticks So opposite is he in all things to the proceedings of the Pope and Church of Rome and yet in all this he is commended as a Man who in this matter acted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fittingly as a true Irenaeus or Peacemaker that is as one who answered his name by his endeavour to preserve the Church's Peace which Victor laboured to disturb And 't is observable that all the Churches of God complied with the Desire of Irenaeus for though they differed Eccl Hist l. 1. c. 8. saith Socrates about this Feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet did they not separate from Communion one with another on that account Now the Inferences which naturally flow from this Relation in favour of the Protestants against the Doctrine of the Pope's Supremacy the necessity of Union to and Communion with the Church of Rome and other Articles of like nature I shall not farther insist upon only hence note First § 15 The falseness of the Rule forementioned which is the Ground and Foundation of the Guide of Controversies for here we find the Pope deciding of a Controversie E Cathedra and with his Roman Synod we also find that most other Bishops and Churches of the Christian World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pass the same Judgment of the Controversie with the Pope and his Roman Council and yet by no means will they allow that they who were of another Judgment and acted contrary to their determination should be molested for it or treated otherwise than Christian Brethren 't is therefore imposible they should have held that all Christians were obliged either to adhere in any matter of dissent to the decision of the major part or to the decision of the Pope and Church of Rome for then they must have held the Asiaticks and others who agreed with them to be Schismaticks and to deserve exclusion from the Communion of the Church for acting in opposition to her Great and only Rule of Peace and Unity yea it is impossible that should have always been as he pretends an universal Rule of Church Practice according to which so many Churches do refuse to practise and yet are by their fellow Christians owned as Brethren and persons not to be molested upon that account Secondly Hence note How difficult a thing it is to know even in a matter of the constant practice of all Christians in the Second Century what the Tradition of the Apostles was a Tradition being pretended on one side to derive from Peter and to be Apostolical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Syn. Arim. p. 872. Ep. ad Pag. 933. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Tom. 6. Hom. 28. p. 379. l. 33. and yet all the Churches of Asia Syria Mesopotamia Cilicia saith Athanasius of Antioch saith Chrysostom having a contrary Tradition which say they derived from Philip and St. John and so undoubtedly was Apostolical and Canons as from these Apostles being produced on both sides if then they were so divided about Tradition when the Apostles was scarce cold in their Graves and that in matters of their daily practice what assurance can we have of any Traditions contested in this present Age If a Custom might then arise and be delivered to Posterity with great variety in the Lent Fast so that some Christians thought they were to keep it but One day some Two some more some Forty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Iren. apud Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 24. p. 192 193. and all this through the negligence of the then present Rulers of the Church how may the practice of the whole Church of Rome now vary from what it was in the beginning Or why should that be judged impossible with them which by their own confession hath actually happened for this last Seven hundred Years to the whole Eastern Church Or what certainty can be had of contested Traditions subject to such variety and change in a short time and in a matter of continual practice when we are distant from the Fountain of them One thousand six hundred Years A Second Instance of like nature is that of the dispute betwixt Pope Stephen and St. Cyprian touching the Rebaptizing of those Persons who only were Baptized by Hereticks as will be evident from these ensuing Observations viz. First That the Opinion of Pope Stephen was professedly this § 16 That whatsoever Hereticks did take upon them to Baptize the Persons so Baptized were to be admitted into Church Communion without farther Baptism so his Opinion is propounded in his own words by Cyprian viz. Si quis a quacunque N.B. Haerest venerit ad nos manus illi imponantur ad poenitentiam Ep. 74. p. 211. That from whatsoever Heresie a Person did return into the Church he was to be admitted only by imposition of Hands and not by Baptism Eusebius infroms us that the Controversie which arose betwixt them was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccl. Hist l. 7. c. 2. Whether they who returned from any kind of Heresie were to be purged by Baptism or only by imposition of Hands with Prayer St. Cyprian adds De Marcionis Baptismo item Valentini Apelletis contendit filios deo nasci Ep. 74. p. 214. 73. p. 199 200. That he declared the Baptism of Valentinus Marcion and Apelles to be valid and beget Sons to God although it was the Baptism of Men who did Blaspheme the Father and the Son August de Haer. c. 11 22 23. vide Danaeum Ibid. which certainly they did for they asserted That there were two Gods and that
That he who was sprinkled by them was rather defiled than washed It was confirmed by Four African Councils one under Agrippinus Cypr. Ep. 71. p. 196. Plurimi Coepiscopi Ibid. p. 193. Ep. 73. p. 198. consisting of the Bishops of Africa and of Numidia one at Carthage under St. Cyprian another under the same St. Cyprian of Seventy one Bishops Anno. Dom. 256. and lastly by a Synod of Eighty seven Bishops convened from Africa Numidia and Mauritania It was confirmed by a Council of Fifty Bishops met at Iconium August contra Crescon Gram. l. 3. c. 3. Quod totum nos jampridem in Iconio confirmavimus tenendum firmiter vindicandum Ep. 75. apud Cypr. p. 221. Apud Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 7. c. 5. Ibid. c. 7. where also were present the Bishops of Galatia Cilicia Cappadocia and the neighbouring Provinces and where it was decreed saith Firmilian That this Doctrine should be firmly held and vindicated it was confirmed by a Synod held at the same time at Synnada in Phrygia it was determined saith Dionysius of Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the greatest Synods of Bishops and by many Synods besides those now mentioned of Iconium and Synnada It was observed saith the forementioned Dionysius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the most populous Churches Cyril of Jerusalem speaks of it as of the practice of the Church in his time saying there is one Baptism Praefat. p. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Amphil Can. 47. Lib. 6. c. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for only Hereticks are re-baptized because their Baptism is no Baptism St. Basil saith That they received not such Hereticks without Baptism as the Encratites the Saccophori and Apotactites The Constitutions of the Apostles declare the same thing their Forty sixth Canon commands That the Bishops Presbyters or Deacon should be deposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who admits the Baptism of Hereticks because there is no Communion betwixt Christ and Belial and the Forty seventh determines That the Bishop shall be deposed who neglects to Baptize them who have been defiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the wicked that is saith Zonaras by the Hereticks their Baptism being represented in the forecited Constitutions as a Pollution not a washing of the Baptized person In a word Vallesius confesseth Not. in Euseb l. 7. c. 5. p. 141. that it appeareth from the Council of Arles That the Africans retained their Custom till the time of Constantine And from the Epistle of St. Basil to Amphilochius That the Cappadocians and other Orientals retained their Custom till the Council of Constantinople Sixthly Observe § 19 That for the Confirmation of his Doctrine Pope Stephen pretended to a Tradition from the beginning a Tradition derived from the Apostles Lib. 7. c. 3. That saith Eusebius which moved Stephen to be so stiff in this Opinion was that he conceived nothing was to be done by innovation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the Tradition which had prevailed from the beginning Nihil innovetur nisi quod traditum est let nothing be innovated but that observed which was delivered was his plea Ep. 74. p. 210. saith Cyprian And again Quod accepimus ab Apostolis hoc sequimur Ep. 73. p. 204. their saying was What we have received from the Apostles that we follow Stephen asserteth saith Firmilian Ep. 75. p. 219. That the Apostles forbad the Baptizing of those who return to the Church from Heresie hoc custodiendum posteris tradiderint and delivered this to be observed by Posterity Seventhly Observe That the Asserters of the contrary Opinion pretended also to Tradition and some of them to a Tradition from the beginning and which derived it self from the Apostles Our Assertion That they who only were Baptized by Hereticks should be Baptized when they return to the Church Ep. 70. p. 189. is saith St. Cyprian no new Opinion but long ago established by our Predecessors and accordingly observed by us And again it is many Years and a long Age since many Bishops Ep. 73. p. 199. Non novam sententiam neque nunc fundatam asserimus sed quae olim ab Antiquioribus accuratissime diligentissime fuit examinata Concil Oxon. Tom. 1. p. 366. Apud Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 7. meeting under Agrippinus established the same Practice and many thousand Hereticks have been since Baptized in our Provinces This Practice saith the Carthaginian Synod is that quod semper fortiter stabiliterque tenuimus which we have always stoutly and firmly held It is not the Africans alone saith Dionysius of Alexandria who have now introduced this Custom but it was practised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long before by the preceeding Bishops in most populous Churches and established in the Synods of Iconium and Synnada 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in many others whom I dare not provoke to Contention by subverting their Decrees it being written thou shalt not remove the bounds which thy Fathers have placed of old time We saith Firmilian to the Truth join Custom and to the Custom of the Romans we oppose the Custom of the Truth Ep. 75. apud Cypr. p. 226. Ab initio hoc tenentes quod à Christo ab Apostolo traditum est Holding that from the beginning which was delivered by Christ and his Apostle Nor do we remember that this Custom had a beginning among us Can. 1. St. Basil saith expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it seemed good to them who were from the beginning wholly to null the Baptism of Hereticks Eightly § 20 Observe what these Africans and Orientals judged of the contrary Opinion that Hereticks were to be received into the Bosom of the Church without Baptism Cyp. Ep. 69. ad Mag. p. 185. Cypr. Ep. 73. p. 207 210. Conc. Carth. p. 234 239. they stile the Assertors of it Praevaricatores fidei veritatis atque Ecclesiae proditores Men who betrayed the Church and did prevaricate in matters which belonged to Faith and Truth Suffragatores Fautores Haereticorum Men who did cherish and abett Hereticks were Friends to them and Enemies to Christians They add That they who allowed their Baptism did null and evacuate that of the Church and destroyed their own Concil Carth. apud Cypr. p. 230 234 237 238 239 240. that they made themselves partakers with blaspheming Hereticks and did Communicate with them that they did Communicate with other Mens Sins that they were Patrons of Hereticks did plead their Cause against the Church of Christ that they defiled Christians betrayed the Faith and Truth gave up the Spouse of Christ to Adulterers and did act the Judas to her As for their own Doctrine they confidently say Concil Carth. Ibid. p. 230 231 232 241. Cypr. Ep. 73. p. 205. 74. p. 214. That it was Catholicae Ecclesiae Canon Syn. Carthag apud Balsam pag. 588. That it was every where declared in the Holy Scriptures that it was proved by the Divine Law
is exceeding evident that his Opinion was by the Church of God condemned both in General and in Particular Moreover it was the Judgment of Pope Stephen That the Baptism of Hereticks though administred only in the name of Christ and not of the whole Sacred Trinity was valid and not to be reiterated when they returned into the Bosom of the Church This is apparent from these words of Cyprian No Man to circumvent the Christian Truth should oppose the Name of Christ and say in nomine Jesu Christi ubicunque quomodocunque Baptizati gratiam Baptismi sunt consecuti Ep. 73. p. 205. that wheresoever howsoever Men are Baptized in the Name of Christ they obtain the Grace of Baptism And again Since after the Resurrection the Apostles being sent by our Lord to the Gentiles are commanded to Baptize them in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost how do some say That out of the Church yea against the Church a Gentile may obtain Remission of Sins Ibid. p. 206. modo in nomine Jesu Christi ubicunque quomodocunque Baptizatum wheresoever and howsoever he be Baptized provided it be done in the name of the Lord Jesus when Christ himself commands the Gentiles to be Baptized in plena adunata Trinitate into the whole and united Trinity If then that be the Truth which usually is affirmed that the Ancients did admit the Baptism of those Hereticks who Baptized in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and nulled their Baptism who Baptized not into the Sacred Trinity then must they plainly have condemned the Doctrine of Pope Stephen and his Abettors But though some of the Ancients seem to speak after this manner and to assert this Doctrine as is evident from the Apology made for the Baptism of the Novatians in St. Cyprian That they did Ep. 69. p. 183. eandem legem tenere quam Catholica Ecclesia teneat eodem Symbolo quo nos Baptizare eundem nosse deum patrem eundem filium Christum eundem Spiritum Sanctum use the same Symbol with Catholicks in Baptism and Baptized into the same Sacred Trinity And from the Canon of the first Council of Arles which Decrees That they should be admitted by Imposition of Hands only who were Baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost yet the Opinion of the Ancient Church seems rather to have been this that their Baptism alone was to be admitted who both Baptized into and believed aright touching the Sacred Trinity as the Novatians did This St. Basil doth expresly teach saying Ad Amphil. can 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Ancients judged that Baptism valid which in nothing differed from the Faith. And therefore having told us That the Baptism of the Encratitae the Saccophori and Apotactites was rejected by the Church he adds And let them not say we are Baptized into the Father Can. 47. Son and Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who make God the Author of Evil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 3. contr Arian p. 413. And Athanasius condemns the Baptism of the Arians though they named the Father and Son because they saw them in the Form of Baptism delivered in the Scripture seeing they did not conceive aright of them nor retain the right Faith adding That as the Manichees the Phrygae the Samosatenians pronounced the right Names and yet were Hereticks so the Arians though they recited the Names and Words of Baptism deluded them who received Baptism from them Again St. Cyprian and his party in Africa held the Baptism not only of Hereticks but Schismaticks to be void and in particular of the Novatians his words are these Ep. 69. p. 180. Dicimus omnes omnino Haereticos Schismaticos nihil habere potestatis ac juris propter quod Novatianus nec debet nec potest excipi We say that no Heretick or Schismatick hath any power or right to Baptize and therefore Novatian should not and cannot be excepted And again Ibid. p. 183. Audet quisquam dicere aquam Baptismi salutarem communem cum Schismaticis esse posse Ep. 72. p. 196. Dares any one say That Schismaticks can have the salutary Water of Baptism The same he Asserts in several other places and the Fathers of the Council held under him do often say Baptisma quod dant Haeretici Schismatici non est verum Pag. 231. ter 232. bis 236. bis that the Baptism of Hereticks and Schismaticks is not true and that both returning to the Church were to be admitted by Baptism Now in this indeed he differed from the received Opinion of the Church 〈◊〉 Amphil. can 1. to whom it seemed good saith Basil to reject the Baptism of Hereticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to receive that of Schismaticks 2dly Whereas St. Cyprian and his party held the Baptism of all Hereticks to be void we find the Church did afterwards judge that some Hereticks should be admitted into the Church by Baptism and that others should be received only by Imposition of Hands 'T is therefore evident That the Church equally disallowed both their Assertions and decided the Controversie against them both and did as much condemn Pope Stephen's Traditum est as St. Cyprian's Scriptum est the Pope's Appeal to Tradition as the Bishop of Carthage's to Scripture Now the Corollaries which naturally do result from these Ten Observations are as follow First § 22 Hence we learn That the Latins though comparatively Ancient are not much to be relied upon in giving an account of matters in which their Church is concerned and in which they differed from the Eastern Churches For to omit St. Commen c. 9. Austin the Account Vincentius Lirinensis gives of this matter is as full of Errors as of Sentences for he averrs that Agrippinus was the first of 1 all Men who against the 2 Divine Canon against the 3 Rule of the Vniversal Church against the 4 Sence of all his own fellow Priests against the 5 Customs and 6 Institutions of the Ancients Rebaptizandum esse censebat judged for Rebaptization and that 7 all men disclaimed the novelty of the thing and 8 all the Priests every were resisted it but above all Pope Stephen who said Nihil innovandum nisi quod traditum est Nothing must be innovated but that which was delivered us to be retained that retenta est igitur Antiquitas explosa novitas hereupon Antiquity was retained and novelty exploded In which few words are no less than Eight gross mistakes as will appear by comparing these words with the Testimonies above cited In Ep. 70. p. â—89 And as it is truly observed by the Oxford Commentator upon Cyprian That the Eastern Writers were in rebus Occidentalium Hospites Strangers in things which concerned the West so is it as true that the Western Writers were many of them Strangers to the true State of Matters in the East Secondly § 23
such as want the Evidence of Reason to assure us of their Truth of the latter kind is the Tradition that Enoch and Elias are to appear as Christ's Fore-runners at the Day of Judgment § 1. This Tradition is very ancient and found no Contradiction in the Church § 2. It was also the general Tradition of the Jews that Elias was to come in Person before the first coming of their Messiah Ibid. And yet this is not countenanced but plainly is confuted by the Scriptures § 3. The promise in Malachy belongs not to Christ's Second but to his first Advent Ibid. The Elias there promised was not Elias in Person but John the Baptist § 4. The Objections against this Assertion answered Ibid. Two Corollaries 1. That Tradition is not always a sure Interpreter of Scripture 2. That Oral Tradition is not of absolute certainty in matters of Speculation § 5 6. The Tradition of the Superiority of Bishops over Presbbyters may be relied upon because it is strengthened by Reason § 7. So also is the Tradition of the true Copies of Scripture where note 1. That we cannot know the Scriptures are not corrupted from the Infallibility of the Jewish or the Christian Church § 8 9. But we may know from Reason grounded upon Scripture 1st That the Scriptures were committed pure to the Christian Church § 10. 2dly That the immediate succeeding Age could want no assurance of their Purity whilst the Autographae were extant § 11. 3dly That these Records being so generally dispersed could not be then corrupted § 11. 4ly That the whole Church would not and part of them could not corrupt them § 13. 5ly That the Providence of God would not permit them to be corrupted in Substantials § 14. No like proof can be given that the pretended Traditions of the Church of Rome have been thus handed down unto us § 15. The Objection of Mr. Mumford is answered § 16. WE distinguish betwixt Traditions which can be made appear by Reason to be such as ought to be received Dist 8. and which we therefore think our selves obliged to receive and such as cannot by Reason be proved to have derived from the Apostles though they appeared very early in the Church Of the first Nature are the Traditions of the Canon of Scripture of the Copies handed down to us without Corruption in any necessary Articles of Christian Faith of the Observation of the Lord's Day c. Of the Second Order are the Traditions of the Millennary Doctrine of the Appearance of Enoch and Elias the Tisbite as the Forerunners of the Day of Judgment And of Traditions of this Nature we say we have no Ground sufficient to receive them as Articles of Christian Faith or Apostolical Traditions The Appearance of Enoch and Elias § 1 then to resist the Seduction of Antichrist and to be slain by him is delivered thus De Resur Carnis c. 22. Enoch and Helias are saith Tertullian Translated caeterum morituri reservantur ut Antichristum sanguine suo extinguant but they are reserved to die and shed their Blood for the Extinction of Antichrist This saith Petrus Alexandrinus is In Chronico 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Apoc. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tradition of the Church That Enoch is to come in the last Days with Helias to resist Antichrist It is saith Aretas unanimously received by the Church from Tradition that Enoch and Elias the Tisbite are to come The Tradition of the Advent of the Tisbite is as old as Justin Martyr § 2 Dial. cum Tryph. p. 268. and hath been constantly believed in the Church from that time till the Reformation that of Enoch's coming with him is as old as Tertullian it generally obtained in the following Centuries and found no Contradiction from any of the Writers of those times and yet I find no ground at all for this Tradition concerning Enoch For the Two Witnesses in the Revelations are not described like Enoch and Elias but like Moses and Elias Rev. xi 6. it being said They have Power to shut Heaven that it Rain not in the Days of their Prophecy which Elijah did and have Power over Waters to turn them into Blood and to smite the Earth with all Plagues as often as they will which we know Moses did but there is nothing in the description of these Witnesses relating in the least to Enoch As for Elias let it be considered First That it was the general Tradition of the Jewish Nation that Elias the Tisbite was to come in Person as the Forerunner of the Messiah of the Jews that he in Person was to Anoint him and make him known unto the People that before the Advent of the Son of David Elias was to come to Preach concerning him This is the Import of the Question of St. Joh. i. 21. Matt. xvij 10. Mal. iv 5. John Art thou Elias and of the Saying of the Scribes Elias must first come and restore all things of the Interpretation of the Seventy Behold I send unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elias the Tisbite and of that Saying of the Son of Syrach Elias was ordained for reproofs in their times Ecclus xliij 10. to pacifie the wrath of the Lord's Judgment before it break into fury and to turn the Heart of the Father to the Son and to restore the Tribes of Jacob. And suitably to these Assertions Trypho the Jew declares That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dial. p. 268. all we Jews expect Elias to Anoint Christ at his coming Secondly Observe That it was the general Tradition of the Writers of the Christian Church even from the Second Century that Elias the Tisbite is to come in person before our Lord's Second Advent to prepare Men for it This Opinion of the coming of Elias In Tetull de resur carn c. 22. Not. in Orig. p. 41. c. 1. tradit tota Patrum antiquitas all the ancient Fathers have delivered saith De la Cerda Constans est patrum omniumque consensu receptissima Ecclesiae opinio It is the constant and most received Opinion of the Church and all the Fathers saith Huetius Constantissima semper fuit Christianorum opinio It was always the most constant Opinion of Christians In Mat. xi 14. That Elias was to come before the Day of Judgment saith Maldonate It is saith Mr. Mede well known Disc 25. p. 48. that all the Fathers were of this Opinion He is to come saith Petrus Alexandrinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Tradition of the Church saith Arethas Caesariensis In Apoc. 11. According to the unanimously received Opinion of the Church And yet if we may credit either the Angel or our Blessed Lord § 3 the Prophecy on which the Jews built this Tradition was fulfilled in John the Baptist And if we may believe the Ancient Fathers they built their Tradition on those words of Christ Elias cometh first and restoreth
follows 1. § 5 That the renowned Scribes and Doctors of the Jewish Church were all mistaken in their Interpretation of this place of Malachy That they and the whole Jewish Church had entertained a false Tradition in a matter of so great Consequence as the Fore-runner of their true Messiah for they all had embraced it as a Tradition That Elias was to come in Person before the first Appearance of the true Messiah Trypho apud Justin M. p. 268. they all interpreted that place of Malachy to that effect and thence concluded as they still obstinately do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That because Elias is not yet come in Person their Messiah was not come And yet this general Tradition of the Jewish Church gives no Assurance of the Truth of this Assertion or if it doth it must be then confessed that their Messiah is not yet come 2. Hence also we may learn how vainly Men pretend to absolute Certainty on the account of Oral Tradition for that Tradition was received as much as highly reverenced and regarded by the Scribes and Pharisees as by the Romanists I hope will easily be granted when we consider how zealous they were for the Customs and Traditions of the Fathers How they advanced the Tradition of the Elders even to the dissolution and making void the Law of God. And how frequent are such Maxims as these among them Vid. Leight in Matth. 15.2 The Words of the Scribes are more worthy than the Words of the Law and more weighty than the Words of the Prophets That the Words of the Elders are more weighty than the Words of the Prophets That they came from the Mouth of Moses as well as the written Law. That the written Law is narrow but the Traditional is longer than the Earth and broader than the Sea. And yet these Patrons of Tradition had not only generally received such Traditions as made void the Law of God but also such Traditions touching their Messiah his Fore-runner his temporal Kingdom his glorious Reign on Earth c. as gave Occasion to their Rejecting of him when he came If then the Jewish Church might pretend to oral Tradition as much as that of Rome and yet receive such Falshoods as Tradition which did evacuate the Law of God and cause them to reject their Saviour why may not they of Rome receive such Falshoods for Tradition as do evacuate the Law of Christ If the People were deceived and abused by following their Traditions why may not others be equally deceived in following the supposed Traditions of the Church of Rome 3. § 6 Hence also it will follow That the Tradition of the Doctors of the Christian Church can be no certain Evidence in Matters of meer Speculation or of Interpretation of Scripture that what they thus deliver is the Truth for they have generally taught from the third Century That Enoch is to come in the last days to resist Antichrist and be slain by him without the least appearance of any Ground for this Tradition And they have taught more generally even from the Second Century That Elias the Tisbite is to come in Person before our Saviour's second Advent and grounded this their Doctrine upon the Words of Malachy and of St. Matthew against the plain Assertion of our Lord and the most clear convincing Evidence that John the Baptist and he only was that Elias which according to the Prophecy of Malachy was to come as the Fore-runner of our Saviour In a word the Tradition of the Millennium of the Appearance of Enoch and Elias seem to have had their Rise from the Jewish Converts zealous of the Tradition of their Fathers and from them not from the Apostles to have gain'd Reputation in the Christian Church And the Tradition of Prayers for the Dead seems to have had the same Original But now if a Tradition hath been very ancient § 7 and can by Reason be demonstrated to have derived from the Apostles or to be worthy of Acceptation upon rational Grounds then it is sit to be embraced as such For Instance First We have it from Tradition That presently after the Apostles times all Churches were governed by Bishops presiding over Presbyters and Deacons as their lawful Governors whence we inferr we have just Reason to believe this form of Government was Apostolical since otherwise the Government left in all Churches by the Apostles must in the immediate following Age have been not only changed but corrupted every where But that in the frame and Substance of the established Government of the Church a thing always in use and practice there should be so suddain a Change so universal a Corruption in so short a time and that all Christians without the least Opposition that we read of De praescript c. 28. should conspire in this Corruption is a thing morally impossible For as Tertullian argues in like Case Variasse debuerat Error doctrinae Ecclesiarum quod autem apud omnes unum est non est erratum sed traditum What all Christian Churches did so early agree in practising Vniformly came not by Error but Tradition Moreover it is clearly proved by the most learned Bishop of Chester L. 2. c. 13 prima Assertio p. 157 c. That the Writers of the Second Century distinctly mention the several Orders of Bishops and their inferior Presbyters in the same Church and thereby give us Reason to conclude that this Disparity was generally setled in that Age. Now how improbable it is that either such a Change as must be here supposed were this an Innovation should happen unadvisedly or thorough Negligence or that the whole Church should have conspired so early to swerve from the established Order by placing Bishops above Presbyters without Complaint or the Resistance of any single Person that we hear of will appear if we consider 1. The Subjects of this Constitution viz. The Persons appointed by the Apostles to govern and preside in every Church they being constant Objects of every Persons common Sence seen in every Assembly imploy'd in every ecclesiastical Affair publick and private in which all Christians Sick or Well Living or Dying were concerned we may reasonably conceive that which some of the Apostles to gain upon the Jews did observe the Christian Feast of Easter on the Fourteenth Day of the Moon others might have mistaken this compliance as if the Apostles had judged that the fittest time for Christians of succeeding Ages to observe it in or that when they heard of an Elias to come before the terrible Day of the Lord or of the Reign of Christ on Earth a Thousand Years represented to St. John in a Vision they might mistake the genuine import of those Scriptures and of others of like nature but in a matter of this kind which was the daily object of the Senses of all Christians we cannot easily conceive how they could possibly mistake and not perceive that such a change was made if really it
was done 2. We shall be more convinced that this was not performed by Conspiracy or by a joint consent of Christians to make so great an alteration in that form of Government which the Apostles had established if we consider 1. The general agreement of all Churches in this matter since not one single Church or Corner of the world can be produced in which this Government did not obtain For how can we imagine that in a time when no General Council could meet to appoint it and when there was no Christian Prince to set it forward on a political Account and when by reason of the heat of Persecution and the distance of Christian Churches there was so little commerce and intercourse between them from the Churches of Armenia and Persia in the East to those of Spain in the West from the African Churches in the South to our British Churches in the North this constitution should have been universally received and submitted to if it had not been established by the Apostles or the first Founders of those Churches 2. If we consider how much it did concern all Christians that such an Innovation should not obtain among them and tamely be submitted to For all the people were obliged to know the Governors to whom they were by Scripture commanded to submit and so they could not yield to this supposed Innovation without the greatest danger to their Souls The Presbyters if they had by the Apostles been advanced to the highest Power would not so meekly have submitted to an Authority usurped over them but either out of a just Zeal for asserting their Freedom or out of Indignation at the insolence of the usurping Bishops or out of an unwillingness to submit and obey which is natural to most Men they would have asserted their Equality 3. This will be farther evident if we consider that even the persons thus exalted could have then no motive or temptation to accept of this advancement for Men do not usually desire a change but upon prospect of some ease or temporal Advantage much less when they perceive the Change is only like to add to their trouble and encrease their danger now this was really the case of the first Christian Bishops they being still exposed to the sharpest fury of their Persecutors and commonly begun with first in any storm that was raised against the Church their Labours also were very great for the care of the Flock lay on them and they were unwearied in the discharge of their Pastoral Care can we then reasonably think that they should be so fond of so much toil and peril as to violate the Institution of the Blessed Jesus or his Apostles to obtain it Let any reasonable Person duly weigh these things and ask his Conscience whether it can be really perswaded that such an early Innovation could generally have prevailed in the Church of God. Such also is the Evidence that we pretended to § 8 touching the Canon of Scripture and that those Books have not been so corrupted or depraved as not to be sufficient Rules of Christian Faith or Manners Concerning this matter let it be considered First That we have the true Canon of the Old Testament and that the Books of the Old Testament are not corrupted we cannot know from the Infallibility of the Jewish Church or her Traditions for when she handed down these Scriptures to the Christians as the pure word of their inspired Prophets she was not Infallible but actually had renounced her true Messiah and judged him an Impostor and had embraced such false Traditions as did engage her so to do So that if Chap. 14. p. 29. according to the Author of Popery Misrepresented As the Jews received the Books of the Old Testament from the Jewish Church and the Christians also so also were they to receive from her the sence of them the Jews if not the Christians also were obliged to reject our Saviour as an Impostor and one who taught and acted contrary to their Law and their Traditions Secondly § 9 That the Books of the New Testament are not corrupted or forged we cannot know from the Infallibility of the Christian Church The Reason is because the Infallibility of the Church is so far from being a proof of Scriptures incorruption that no proof can be pretended for it but uncorrupted places of Scripture For if any man should attempt to prove the Scriptures uncorrupted because that Church says so which is Infallible I would demand of him seeing the Infallibility of the Church is not self-evident and seeing Infallibility is a Prerogative which no Man can pretend to but from God's Assistance and therefore no Man can be sure of that Assistance but from God's free Promise how shall I be assured of her Infallibility If he say from Scripture promising it unto her I would ask how shall I be assured that the Scriptures are not corrupted in those places and if to this it be answered From the Church's Infallibility is it not evident that he runs in a Circle proving the Scripture's incorruption by the Church's Infallibility and the Church's Infallibility by the Scripture's incorruption Moreover this is further evident from the Tradition Practice and Acknowledgment of the whole Church of Christ for to inform us in any controverted Text which is the Reading to be owned as true her Doctors never have sent us to Oral Tradition or the infallible Assistance of the Church but always to the readings of former Ancient Authors and to the Inspection of ancient Manuscripts and Versions and have declared what in it self is manifest and owned by all that ever treated on this Subject That there is no other way whereby we can attain to any knowledge or assurance in this matter Thus Sixtus Quintus in his Preface to his Bible In hac Germani Textus pervestigatione satis perspicue inter omnes constat nullum esse certius ac firmius Argumentum quam Antiquorum probatorum codicum Latinorum fidem tells us That in Pervestigation of the true and genuine Text it was perspicuous to all Men that there was no Argument more firm and certain than the Faith of ancient Latin Books Let any Man peruse all Commentators Ancient and Modern of what Perswasion soever and he will be convinced of their unanimous concurrence in this Assertion Thus St. Austin tells us That the Latins have need of Two other Tongues for obtaining the knowledge of the Divine Scriptures viz. De Doctr. Christ l. 2. c. 11. de Civ Dei l. 15. c. 13. the Hebrew and the Greek Ut ad exemplaria praecedentia recurratur si quam dubitationem attulerit Latinorum Interpretum infinita varietas That if any doubt should arise from the great variety of Latin Versions they might recurr to the Greek or Hebrew Originals That the Latin Versions of the Old Testament where it is necessary Chap. 14 15. Graecorum Authoritate emendandi sunt are to be corrected by the Authority of
the Greek And that their Versions of the New Testament where they vary Graecis cedere oportere non dubium est must yield to the Greek Copies is without doubt St. Jerom in his Epistle to Lucinius saith Ep. Tom. 1. f. 69. b. That he had Translated most of the Old Testament according to the Hebrew and that he had Translated the New according to the Authority of the Greek Ut enim veterum librorum fides de Hebraeis voluminibus examinanda est ita novorum Graeci sermonis normam desiderat For as the Truth of the Books of the Old Testament is to be examined by the Hebrew so is the Truth of the Books of the New Testament to be examined by the Rule of the Greek In his Epistle to Sunia and Fretela he tells them Tom. 3. f. 28. a. That as in the New Testament if at any time a Question arise among the Latins and there is a diversity among the Copies recurrimus ad fontem Graeci sermonis we recurr to the Greek the Original Language in which the New Testament was writ so in the Old Testament if there be a diversity between the Greek and Latin Copies ad Hebraicam recurrimus veritatem Ep. Tom. 3. f. 10. b. we recurr to the Hebrew Verity In his Epistle to Damasus he saith That he had at his command Translated the Four Evangelists codicum Graecorum emendatâ collatione mending the former Versions by the Collation of the Greek Copies it being the desire of Damasus that because the Latin Copies differed he would shew quae sunt illa quae cum Graeca consentiunt veritate which best agreed with the true Copies of the Greek and indeed saith he If we must trust to the Latin Copies let them who think so say to which for they are almost all different one from the other surely the Scripture of the New Testament being writ in Greek when that differs in the Latin Tongue uno de fonte quaerendum we must have recourse to the Fountain Now by the way they who speak so expresly of the Hebrew and the Greek Verity by which the truth of the Latin Copies is to be examined shew that the Decree of Trent that the vulgar Latin Sess 4. pro Authentica haberetur should in all Readings Disputations Preachings and Expositions be received as authentick and that no Man should dare under any pretence to reject it agrees with Antiquity after their usual manner by way of Opposition and flat Contradiction to it though in this matter I confess they are the more excusable seeing as Espenceus saith In 1 Tim. c. 3. it rendred any of the Latins suspicious to know Greek and it was almost Heretical to know the Hebrew Tongue And as Melchior Chanus doth inform us The School-men for Four hundred Years Loc. Com. l. 2. c. 12. p. 108. retained only the Latin Edition quippe linguae Graecae Hebraicae non habuerunt peritiam because they had no skill in Greek or Hebrew Thirdly § 10 That the Books of the New Testament have been handed down unto us uncorrupted in the necessaries and substantials of Christian Faith and Manners we conclude from Reason grounded upon matter of Fact delivered and testified by the Doctors of the Vniversal Church and we receive them as such from the rational Evidence which Tradition affords in this Case Whence we collect 1. That the Apostles and Holy Spirit which did assist them in inditing of this Canon for the Church's use could not be wanting in causing them to be transmitted to those Christians for whose use they were indited because they could not be wanting to pursue the end for which they were endited Besides that they were actually thus committed to them is the Tradition of the whole Christian World which owned and cited read and received them for such from the Apostles Days as is apparent from the Epistles of Clement Polycarp Ignatius and others who were contemporary with the Apostles and from the works of Justin M. Irenaeus and many others of the Second Century They were read also by the Jews as Trypho doth confess and by the very Heathens at the invitation of the Christians For our Doctrines and Writings saith Justin M. Apol. 1. p. 52. Apol. 2. p. 7. are such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as all Men are permitted to read and if you will vouchsafe to look into them you may learn these things for we do not only read them our selves Ibid. p. 82. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but we bring them to you to peruse knowing that they will be acceptable to all that read them Apol. c. 31. We our selves do not suppress them saith Tertullian and many Accidents do put them into the Hands of Strangers They were attested to by the Sufferings of the Primitive Christians who rather chose to suffer Death than to deliver up these Books which Sufferings they could have no Temptation to endure besides their full Conviction that they were as they always stiled them Passio S. Felicis saepius Deifici libri Scripturae deificae Books which instructed them to lead a Divine Life and which their Persecutors could have had no Temptation to suppress and burn had they not known them to have been the Records of the Christian Faith with which their Faith must live or perish Moreover they contained things of the highest moment and which it was their chiefest interest to be well assured of they being the sole Ground and matter of their support under their sharpest Trials and of their future Hopes and therefore Writings they were concerned to get and hear and read and keep Add to this that they very early were translated into other Languages into the Syriack by apostolical Men saith the Tradition of the Eastern Churches by Men of great Antiquity who lived before the Canon was established as is apparent from their neglecting to translate the controverted Books of the New Testament into the Latin and other Languages Praeleg in Bibl. polyglott 13. p. 91. saith Bishop Walton From the Beginning as we may rationally conjecture seeing the Church of Rome and other Churches which understood not Greek were founded in the Apostles Days or quickly after nor could it rationally be supposed that they were without the Scriptures long Especially if we consider That it was part of their Lord's day Exercise saith Justin Martyr Apol. 2. p. 98. to read the Writings of the Apostles As for the Books themselves we find them mostly written to whole Churches Nations 1 Cor. i. 1. 2 Pet. i. 1. or the whole World of Christians To all that called upon the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place who could not easily have received them had the Apostles by whom they were at first converted given no sufficient indication of them They were Books which could not have been spread abroad as they were in the Apostles Names whilst they were living unless the Apostles had endited them
nor be esteemed so presently the Charter of the Christian Faith had they been so forgetful as not to make them known to them for whose Sakes they were written They were Books which pretended to a Commission from the Holy Jesus to give Rules of Life and Doctrine to the Christian Churches which none but the Apostles and Evangelists could do all others still pretending to deliver what they received from them Lastly They being written partly to confirm and to ascertain to us the Story of Christ's Birth Life Passion Resurrection and partly to engage us to believe that Jesus was the Christ partly to put an end to those Contentions and to rectify those Errors which had crept into the Church in the Apostles Days and which did need a speedly Reformation partly to give Instructions for the Bishops Priests and Deacons and Governours of the Church how to behave themselves in their Offices partly to justify themselves against false Brethren and deceitful Workers and to preserve their Proselytes from such as did pervert the Faith and partly to instruct them how to bear up in fiery Trials and to support their Souls under the Sufferings and Temptations to which Christianity exposed them and therefore on those Grounds which did require their quick Dispatch upon that Errand and to those Churches for whose use they did intend them it is evident the Apostles must design that early Notice should be given of them and so commit them to their new born Proselytes and Babes in Christ Accordingly the Tradition of the Church assures us that when the Apostles went to preach to the Gentiles they desired them to leave in Writing the things which they had taught Vid. c. 7. §. 1 2. and that in compliance with their Desires they writ their Gospels and having preached the Gospel to them Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Postea verè per voluntatem dei in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum Columnam fidei futurum They afterwards by the Will of God delivered to them the Gospel they had Preached in Writing to be the Pillar and the Ground of Faith hereafter St. Peter speaks of all the Epistles of St. Paul shewing that at least many of them were then written Euseb Eccl. Hift. l. 3. c. 3. and others of the Ancients that they were all Fourteen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noted by and manifest to all though some doubted whether he were indeed the Author of one of them 2. § 11 It is evident that the immediate succeeding Age could not be ignorant of what was thus delivered to the Church and was commended to them by the Apostles as the Pillar and the Ground of Faith De Praescript c. 36. especially if we consider that the Autographa were still extant saith Tertullian some of those Persons were still living to whom they were directed and with whom they were intrusted and all those Churches still continued flourishing to whom they were sent and to whom they were read in publick and by whom in private 3. § 12 Those Records being once so generally dispersed through places at so great a distance as they were in the Second Century so universally acknowledged and consented to by Men of curious Parts and different Perswasions and repugnant Judgments and great Aversions from each other preserved in their Originals to succeeding Ages multiplied into divers Versions copied out by Christians for their private and for publick use esteemed by them as digesta nostra their Digests saith (a) Adv. Marc. l. 4. c. 3. Tertullian as (b) Concil Carthag apud Cypr. p. 232. Optatus l. 1. libri divini Scripturae deificae say the Martyrs believed by all Christians to be divine saith (c) Euseb H. Eccl. l 6. c. 25.3.25 Orig. contr Cels l. 3. p. 138. Origen And as the Records of their Hopes and Fears and thereupon being so carefully (d) Euseb H. Eccl. l. 4 c. 26. Lib. 8 cap. 11 13. Euseb l. 6. c. 19 p. 222. Justin M. Ap. 2. p. 98. sought after so riveted in their Minds for many say the Ancients had them entirely in their Memory they being so constantly rehearsed in their Assemblies by Men whose work it was to Read and Preach and to exhort to the performance of those Duties they enjoin'd being so frequent in their Writings so often cited in their Confessions Comments Apologies and Epistles of the Christian Worthies Euseb l. 6. c. 19. p. 219. as also in the Objection of those Adversaries to whose view they still lay open It must be certain that they were handed down to the succeeding Generations pure and uncorrupt Indeed these things render us more secure of the Scriptures being preserved entire than any Man can be of the Statutes of the Land or of any Histories or Records whatsoever because the Evidence of it depends upon more Persons more Holy and so less subject to deceive more concerned that they should not be corrupted than that no other Records should and so we must renounce all certainty of any Records or grant the certainty that these are truly what they do pretend And 4. This Corruption of the Word of God § 13 or Substitution of any other Doctrine than that which it delivered could not be done by any part or Sect of Christians but they who had embraced the Faith and used the same Copies of the Word of God in other places of the Christian World must have found out the Cheat and therefore this corruption if at all effected must be the work of the whole World of Christians But can it be supposed that the immediate succeeding Ages should universally conspire to substitute their own Inventions for the Word of God and yet continue stedfast in and suffer so much for that Faith which denounced the severest Judgments against those which should do such things Or that a World of Men should with the hazard of their Lives and Fortunes avouch the Gospel and at the same time make an essential Change even in the Frame and Substance of its Doctrine whilst it yet daily sounded in their Ears employ'd their Tongues and by so doing make it ineffectual both to themselves and their Posterity Can it be reasonably thought that they should venture upon that which were the Gospel true or false must needs expose them to the greatest Evils whilst they continued Abettors of it Moreover had such a thing been done can we in reason think that of those many Thousands who in the Primitive Ages did renounce the Gospel that of those many wavering Spirits those excommunicate Members especially those Hereticks who upon other motives did renounce the greatest part of Scripture can it I say be thought that none of those should publish and disclose the Forgery or answer the Alligations made from Scripture by saying They were Citations of false and of corrupt Scriptures but that such apparent Forgeries should find a general Reception from all that looked into their Truth and be unquestionably received as genuine
and vehement in declaring his and our freedom from the legal Ceremonies saith notwithstanding that to the Jew he became as a Jew 1 Cor. 9.20 that he might gain the Jews to them that were under the Law as under the Law that he might gain them that were under the Law and therefore his example in these cases will as much prove that we are to observe the Law of Moses and the Jewish Customs as that we are obliged to keep the Jewish Sabbath Mr. M. farther adds §. 17. Obj. 4. p 210. 1 Cor. 7.19 That St. Paul tells us that in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision but the keeping of the Commandments of God of which the Sanctification of the seventh day was one Answ To which I answer that here he plainly begs the Question which is only this Whether the Saturday under the Christian Oeconomy be still by God's Commandment to be observed as a day of Rest and contradicts the plainest declaration of our Lord and the whole Christian Church that it was Ceremonial a shadow of things to come a temporary precept which laid no obligation on the Christian Mr. M. closeth with the common Sabbatarian Objection §. 18. Obj. 5. p. 211. That Christ foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem which was to happen forty years after his Resurrection when all the Ceremonial Laws belonging to the Jews were abrogated bids his Disciples pray their flight might not be in the Winter or on the Sabbath-day Mat. 24.20 that they might avoid the profanation of that day whereas if that Commandment had been Ceremonial and then abrogated they might have fled upon that day as well as upon any other and could not by so doing have profaned it Answ 1. To this I Answer first That these words of Christ cannot be rationally deemed to import that he advised them to pray their flight might not be on the Sabbath because he thought such flying then a sinful action or a profanation of that day seeing he so expresly hath declar'd the contrary Mark 3.4 saying that it was lawful to save life upon the Sabbath-day and that in all such cases God would have mercy and not Sacrifice Mat. 12.7 that the Rest of that day might be violated to preserve the life of a Beast and much more to preserve the life of man that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath and therefore man might wave the Rest required on that day when it was for his good to do so Having then so oft and so expresly taught his Disciples that it was lawful to fly for saving of their lives upon that day he could not use these words to intimate the contrary 2ly Tho' it were lawful even when the Fourth Commandment was still in force to flee upon that day from danger and travel upon case of urgent necessity yet many of the Jews thought otherwise esteeming this an intolerable profanation of the Sabbath persecuting and condemning our Lord for teaching the contrary If therefore his Disciples or other Christians should have been compell'd to flee upon that day they might have been molested and persecuted by their own Superstitious Nation and so had cause to pray their flight might not be on the Sabbath-day And 3ly The believing Jews adhered stiffly to the observance of the Jewish Rites and consequently to the observance of the Rest commanded on the Jewish Sabbath till the destruction of Jerusalem and thought themselves obliged so to do and therefore Christ might well advise them knowing that they would still retain these apprehensions to pray their flight might not fall out upon that day And tho' it cannot be expected that we should know the Reasons of all his actions yet might he still permit the Christians to continue under this apprehension of their obligation to observe the Law of Moses that so the unbelieving Jews might be the less offended at them and so might be more ready to embrace the Christian faith and because he knew the time would shortly come when the Temple should be destroyed and they should thereby be convinced that the Rites confined to that Temple were abolished OF TRADITION CHAP. VI. That there is no Evidence of Traditions for the Doctrines of the Church of Rome is proved 1. Because there is no mention of them in the ancient Councils the Codex canonum Ecclesiae universalis the Discourses of the Ancients Church Government and Discipline or in their Rituals § 1. 2. Because we find no mention of their Articles of Faith in the Creeds Enchriidions Compendiums of Christian Doctrine and Ecclesiastical Opinions or in the catechistical Discourses of the ancient Fathers § 2. 3. Because the Fathers of the first Ages were very careful and concerned to preserve the Traditions of the Apostles truly so called and so esteemed by them and had occasion to mention them by reason of the pretences of the Hereticks of their Times to Tradition and yet they have not been concerned to preserve the pretended traditionary Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome § 3. HANING thus Stated the Question in these propositions I come now to shew that there is no Evidence of Tradition for any much less for all those Doctrines of the Church of Rome which she hath put into her Creed and hath required all her Clorgy to believe and teach as that true Catholick Faith without which no Man can be saved For First § 1 Had they this Evidence concerning the Exercise of the papal Jurisdiction over all Christians the practice of auricular Confession and Indulgences of Prayer to Saints and Angels of Veneration of Images of performing the publick Services of Prayer Singing Reading in a Tongue not understood by the People I say had they that evidence of Apostolical Tradition for these things it would be as notorious that these Doctrines were handed down by the Catholick Church throughout all Ages to this present as it is of other matters of continual practice viz. The Lord's Day Assemblies the Ordination of Presbyters and Deacons by Bishops the Government of the Church by them the Observation of the Easter Festival Baptizing by Trine Immersion the mixture of Wine with Water in the Sacrament c. For all these matters are therefore evident in the Tradition of the Church because being continually practised by her Members they had continual occasion to speak of them in their Discourses of Church Government and Church Assemblies and of the Sacraments of the Church and made numerous Constitutions about them they all appear in their most ancient Rituals in the Accounts they give us of their Assemblies and of their practice when Assembled and in their ancient Councils the Primitive Writers mention them upon all Occasions they draw Arguments and Conclusions from them and shew the Reasons why such establishments were made by the Apostles The like we see now practised in the Roman Church touching the Novelties now mentioned since they have
to them the Doctrine of the Apostles pretending to have received it as it were by Tradition from the Apostles Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 28. When they had the boldness to affirm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That all the Ancients and even the Apostles taught the same things which they did and that what they delivered was afterwards corrupted by the Orthodox I say that in their Discourses against these Hereticks they should not once endeavour to stop their mouths by telling them what were indeed the Doctriens and Traditions received from the Apostles what were the things revealed to them by the Apostles but should still keep these necessary Traditions which the Church of Rome now teacheth as received from them secret not saying one word of them no not when they in confutation of these pretences of the Hereticks declare what was the Rule of Faith and the Tradition received from the Apostles and preserved by all the Apostolick Churches is so incredible as nothing can be more except this vain Imagination That these very Fathers should concurr with these Hereticks as do some others in this Assertion That saving Truth could not be known from Scripture by them who were ignorant of Tradition as being not delivered down to Posterity by writing but by word of Mouth and yet at the same time should say Lib. 3. c. 1. as Irenaeus doth in his Discourse against them That the Apostles first Preached the Gospel and after by the Will of God delivered it unto us in the Scriptures to be hereafter the Foundation and Pillar of our Faith. And as Eusebius doth Lib. 5. c. 18. That the pretences of the Hereticks unto Tradition might be probable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did not the Holy Scriptures contradict them And as St. Jerom That those things which they feign to have received as Tradition In Hagg. c. 1. fol. 102. a. absque authoritate testimoniis Scripturarum percutit gladius Dei without the Authority and Testimonies of the Scripture the Sword of God doth smite for what is this but to talk like us Northern Hereticks for to quarrel with Men for appealing from Scriture as obscure and insufficient to decide our Controversies without the Suffrage of Oral Tradition to alledge Scripture as a sufficient evidence that others vainly did pretend unto it to reject what others do pretend to have received from Tradition because it wanteth the Authority and Testimony of the Holy Scriptures whatsoever it may pass for in these ancient Fathers is one of those very things for which we are proclaimed Hereticks In a word That there should be unwritten Traditions necessary to be believed unto Salvation and neither the Creed of the Greek nor of the Latin Church make the least mention of any of them That a Creed should be made perhaps at Gentilly in the Seventh Century and to obtain the better credit should be called the Creed of Athanasius That this Creed should inform us in the beginning That whosoever will be saved before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith threatning that he shall perish everlastingly who doth not keep this Faith entire and whole that therefore in the next words it should say and the Catholick Faith is this and should conclude in these Expressions This is the Catholick Faith and yet leave out almost as many necessary Articles of Christian Faith as it contained That the principal written Traditions which in comparison needed it not should be put together into a Creed but that the unwritten ones which needed it very much should be quite left out and never thought of to that purpose till about Fifteeen hundred Years after and that the Ancients Tertullian St. Basil Eusebius and others speaking expresly and professedly of Traditions not contained in Holy Scripture should reckon up many unnecessary things and never mention in their Catalogues one of these necessary Traditions That in their Treatises of Christian Faith and Christian Doctrine and of Ecclesiastical Opinions and their Instructions of the Catechized the Fathers should say nothing the Persons who were to be instructed in all the Doctrines of the Christian Faith should hear nothing of all these Articles and yet they should be throughout all Ages of the Christian World so necessary that no Salvation could be had without them these I confess are truly R. Catholick that is incredible Assertions and if we must give credit to them we must do it upon Tertullian's Ground Credo quia est impossibile Because it is impossible they should be true CHAP. VII The Novelty of the R. Doctrines farther proved First from the general Tradition of the Church that the Four Gospels and the Scriptures comprized all that was necessary to be believed or done by Christians this proved 1. in general § 1. 2. From the particular account Tradition gives us of the Writings of the Four Evangelists § 2. Inference this Tradition shews That to preserve a Doctrine safe to Posterity 't was not sufficient to receive it by Oral Tradition unless it were written § 3. Secondly This is proved from the general Tradition of the whole Church of Christ that the Apostles or the Nicene Symbol was a compleat summary of all things necessary to be believed by Christians § 4. Where it is shewed that the Apostles delivered to their Converts a System or a form of Words Ibid. That this form was delivered to all Churches and was for substance the same with that which afterwards was stiled the Apostles Creed § 5. That Christians were received into the Church by Baptism on the profession of this Faith § 6. That it was taught as the entire System of things necessary to be believed § 7. That it was esteemed a Test of Orthodoxy by which they prescribed to Hereticks § 8. That this whole Summary of Christian Faith was evidently contained in Scripture § 9. And that notwithstanding they unanimously stiled it a Tradition § 10. MOreover That the Articles of Faith owned by the Church of Rome and imposed upon all who hold Communion with her to be believed and owned as such under the penalty of Anathema to him who doth believe or say the contrary were not received from Christ or his Apostles either by unwritten Tradition or by traditional Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures or any portion of them to that sence from whence it may be certainly concluded that they were in the Scriptures mentioned or owned by the ancient Church as Articles of Christian Faith or as things necessary to be believed or practised by all Christians will be exceeding evident from these Considerations v. g. First § 1 From that plain and general Tradition of the Church of Christ that all which the Apostles preach'd and taught their Converts by word of mouth as either necessary to be believed or practised they afterwards at their desire committed unto writing and deliver'd to them in the Gospel and the Holy Scriptures This in the
It is saith Hilary Ad. Const Aug. p. 342. 343. the safest course to retain that first and only Evangelical Faith confessed in Baptism and to innovate nothing in it And this he affirms in opposition to the New Creeds so frequent in his Days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 52. init Ep. ad Epictet Tom. 1. p. 582. a. Epist ad Afric Episc p. 932. The Creed of Nice saith Nazianzen is a short Boundary and Rule of Christian Wisdom It is saith Athanasius sufficient for the destruction of all Impiety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for the confirmation of the true Faith in Christ for the destruction of every wicked Heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for confirmation of the ecclesiastical Doctrine The Synod held at Sardis defined That nothing farther should be written of the Faith but that all Men should rest contented with the Faith confessed at Nice Athanas Ep. ad Antioch p. 576. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was in nothing defective and because if any other Faith should be composed that might be looked upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as imperfect St. De tempore Serm. 115 119 131 Austin saith That the Catholick Faith is made known to the Faithful in the Creed that this Creed is Comprehensio fidei nostrae atque perfectio The comprehension and perfection of our Faith that it is Plenitudo credentium totum continens compendio brevitatis confirmans onnes perfectione credendi The fulness of Believers comprising the whole of their Faith in a compendious brevity Ep. 84. Tom. 3. p. 961. and confirming all in perfect Faith. Theodoret writes to the Bishops of Cilicia that they would require their People tokeep the Nicene Faith entire and undefiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as compendiously teaching the Evangelical and Apostolical Doctrine Damasus closeth his Symbol which for substance is the same with that of Nice Apud Hieron Tom. 4. f. 44. in these expressions Haec crede haec retine believe and retain these things Subject thy Soul to this Faith and thou shalt obtain Life and a reward from Christ which shews he thought this Faith sufficient for that end Ibid. f. 46. Ruffinus informs us that according to the request of Pope Laurence he was to compose something de fide secundum Symboli traditionem of the Faith delivered in the Symbol And of this he declares That it was norma praedicationis the Rule of the Apostles preaching the Rule which they composed credentibus dandam to be delivered to Believers fidei suae indicium the index of their Faith. Petrus Chrysologus saith Serm. 57 58 59 60 61. That it is salutis symbolum vitae symbolum forma fidei credulitatis norma fides quam credimus docemus the symbol of Life and Salvation Ep. 27. ad Pulcher c. 4. p. 492. the Rule of Faith the Faith which we believe and teach Pope Leo That it is a short perfecta confessio and perfect Confession of the Catholick Faith. The Great Council of Chalcedon saith of the Faith of Nice Act. 5. in fine That it sufficeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the perfect knowledge and confirmation of Piety Theodor. Hist Eccl. l. 2. c. 15. The Synod of Ariminum That it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an exact Rule of Faith that of Sardis That nothing was to be added to it Apud Athanas Ep. ad Antioch P. 576. Id. de Synod Arim. Selsach p. 876 878. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because nothing was wanting to it that of Sirmium adds That there was no need of running to Synods that of Nice Having done all things for the Catholick Church a Synod to which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Men assented and all Men judged it sufficient The Ordo Romanus or old Roman Liturgy saith Apud Hittorp p. 38 39. This is that Faith qua credentes justificati sumus by which believing we are justified salutaris sides the saving Faith which the Holy Spirit dictated to the Masters of the Church The summ of our Faith which as they had received so they delivered it unto them Isidore Hispalensis saith of the Apostles Creed De Eccl. Officiis l. 2. c. 22. That they appointed it to be given to Believers as a Rule that it contained few words but in them were contained omnia Sacramenta all the Articles of Faith that they who could not read the Scriptures retaining in their Heart these things might have sufficient and saving knowledge that it contains the Confession of the Trinity and the Vnity of the Church Orig. l. 6. c 19. omne Christiani dogmatis Sacramentum and the whole Christian Doctrine that this Symbol of Faith and the Lord's Prayer Sentent l. 1. c. 21. parvulis Ecclesiae sufficit ad coelorum regna capessenda sufficed to bring the little ones of the Church to the Kingdom of Heaven De Eccles Off. l. 1. c. 16. And of the Nicene Creed he adds That it speaks de omni parte fidei of every part of Faith. Rabanus Maurus in his Book of the Institution of the Clergy Lib. 2. c. 56. transcribes the forecited words of Isidore Regino in the same Century saith That all who come to Penance De Eccl. Discipl l. 1 c. 272. or to receive the Sacrament must be able to recite the Creed and the Lord's Prayer for in the one is contained the Christian Faith in the other we are taught what we are to pray for and that no Man in these matters must pretend the slowness of his Vnderstanding or defect of Memory for these things are so short as that the dullest Man may learn them and yet they are tam magna ut qui eorum scientiam pleniter capere potuer it sufficere ea sibi credatur in salutem so great that whosoever fully understands them will find them sufficient for his Salvation Moreover Ruffinus Isidore and Rabanus Maurus do inform us that the Apostles made this the sign by which he should be known who preached Christ truly secundum Apostolicas literas according to the directions of the Apostles from those deceitful Workers who did not preach him integris traditionum lineis according to the integrity of Tradition Accordingly 5. Observe § 8 That these Fathers do constantly assert this Symbol to be a Test of Orthodoxy and that by which they did prescribe against all Hereticks proving their Doctrines to be new and such as ought to be rejected as being not contained in this Symbol or this Rule of Faith. Irenaeus in his Book against Heresies declares Lib. 3. cap. 3. that it is sola vera vivifica fides the only true and life-giving Faith which the Church received from the Apostles and distributes to her Children That even without arguing we might exactly discern the firmness of the Truth preached by the Church Lib. 1. c. 1. and the falseness of the Heretical perswasions there being nothing of them
follows that the Supremacy of the Pope the Celibacy of Priests the Invocation of Saints the Veneration of Images and Reliques the true and proper Sacrifice of the Mass the Doctrine of Transubstantiation of Concomitance and Communion in one Kind of Purgatory Indulgences Reading the Service in a Tongue unknown the Seven Sacraments the Necessity of the Priests Intention to the validity of a Sacrament must be so far contained in the Nicene Creed as to be only Explications and Interpretations of the same Articles of Faith or it must be confessed that they are no necessary Articles of Christian Faith and since the Greeks did in that Council plead that nothing was to be added by any after-Councils to the Nicene Faith and the Latins in effect did own that nothing should be added to it but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 644 645. another Exposition suitable to the Truth contained in it which was not so much an Addition as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Explication of the same thing they both exclude the Addition of these Articles unless that can be proved which never can be rationally attempted That they are only Explications of the Nicene Faith as the Addition of Filioque to it was declared to be And since we Protestants do acquiesce in the Nicene Faith it follows by the concession of the Latins that in respect to us there was no need for after Councils to be concerned for any other Faith. 2dly The Fathers who made or who embraced this boundary of Christian Faith expresly add That there is no necessity of adding any thing unto it with respect to Hereticks because it is sufficient of it self for the aversion of all Heresies Thus in that great dispute which was between the Aâ—ians and the Orthodox about adding something to the Nicene Faith or making other Creeds besides it Epist ad Epict. Tom. 1. p. 581 582. Athanasius gives his Judgment That the vain talk of all the Hereticks that ever were was baffled and made to cease by the Faith confessed at Nice according to the Holy Scriptures and that this Faith was sufficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the overthrow of all Impiety and that no other Synod ought to be named in the Catholick Church but that for the Confusion of them it being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mark of victory over all Heresie and especially over that of Arius And this demonstratively follows from their constant Doctrine that these Creeds fully do contain all Doctrines of Faith necessary to be believed by all Christians for seeing Heresie must be an Error of Faith in matters necessary to be believed because it otherwise could be no damnable Error there can be no Heresie which is not a denial of something necessary to be believed that therefore which sufficiently instructs me in all things necessary to be believed must also fortifie me sufficiently against all Heresie 3dly This unfolding making plain better interpreting the Faith being that which only can be done by farther Declaration of the Sence of some Article of Faith than formerly was made unto the Church it is already baffled by the Refutation of the former Plea and it is plainly inconsistent with the Pretences of our new Patrons of Tradition for either the Father taught the Son this better Interpretation and made plain this Sence of the Article or he did not if he did there was no need of doing this by any Council if he did not then it is evident that the Son if he believes this Sence and this Interpretation believes somewhat which he received not by Tradition from his Father and so it must be certain that he may believe another sence of that Article than his Father taught and so in any other Article viz. another sence of the Real Presence of the Pope's Supremacy c. Thirdly § 3 Hence it must follow That no Man who doth heartily believe these Creeds and the immediate Doctrines plainly contained in them or evidently deduced from them can deserve to be anathematized or be excluded from the Communion of Christians for not believing any other simple Article of Faith for then he must deserve to be excluded for a thing unnecessary to be believed by Christians He may indeed deserve to be excluded upon other Grounds from the external Communion of the Church as v. gr for irregularity of Life or violating the Church's Peace but cannot justly be excluded for want of Christian Faith. Fourthly § 4 Hence it must follow That all those Councils which have anathematized their fellow Christians for such Doctrines as are not in these Creeds nor can be evidently inferred from them have been so far from being Infallible that they have actually erred And all those Churches who have rejected others from Communion with them upon the same account have acted Schismatically because they excluded others from Communion without just Ground It being therefore manifest that the Church of Rome hath added to the Nicene Creed these following Articles I. That the Pope of Rome is the Successor of St. Peter and the Vicar of Jesus Christ II. That the Roman is the Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church the Mother and Mistress of all Churches III. That to her therefore doth belong to judge of the true Sence and Interpretation of Scripture and that the Sence which she imposeth on them is to be received as true IV. That there be Seven Sacraments of the New Law instituted by Jesus Christ and which conferr Grace viz. Baptism Confirmation the Eucharist Penance Extream Vnction Orders Matrimony V. That in the Mass a true proper and propitiatory Sacrifice is offered for the Living and the Dead VI. That in the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there is made a Conversion of the whole Substance of Bread into Christ's Body and the whole Substance of Wine into his Blood and so the Body and the Blood of Christ is there substantially present together with his Soul and his Divinity VII That under one Species only whole and entire Christ and a true Sacrament is taken VIII That there is a Purgatory and that the Souls detained there are helped by the Prayers of the Faithful IX That the Saints reigning with Christ are to be Prayed to and their Reliques to be Venerated X. That the Images of Christ the Blessed Virgin and of other Saints are to be Honoured and to have due Veneration given to them XI That Christ left a Power of Indulgences to his Church and that their use is most wholesome to Christian People XII That all the Rites used by the Roman Church in Administration of her Sacraments are to be admitted And lastly That this is the true Catholick Faith without which no Man can be saved I say It being manifest that the Church of Rome hath added all these Articles of Faith unto the Creeds forementioned and by the Church declared to be a perfect digest of the Articles of Christian Faith it follows that they must all be evidently proved to be
appeared to the Prophets in divers Shapes why many Covenants were made with Man and what was the Character of every Covenant why God concluded all Men under Vnbelief that he might have mercy upon all why the Word of God was made Flesh and suffered why Christ came only in the last times and of the end of all things and of things to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to explicate other things mentioned in the Scripture But notwithstanding all these Enquiries the Churches Faith was still the same as being comprized in the forementioned Articles of the Apostles Creed Tertullian having laid down the same Rule in his Prescription against Hereticks Cap. 13 14. he reduceth all enquiries beyond this Rule libidini curiositatis to the lust of Curiosity and saith That we may better be ignorant in other things than Curiously concerned to know them whereas had there been as many more Articles of Christian Faith delivered by the Apostles and as necessary to be believed by all Christians as those which were contained in their Creed and Rule of Faith what ignorance or what unfaithfulness to Souls must they be guilty of who mention none of all these necessaries but virtually and in effect exclude them all from being so by thus declaring that all beyond this Rule did only serve to exercise our Wit our Curiosity our Knowledge concerning profound Mysteries which were no part of Faith and of which without detriment to the Christian Faith we might be ignorant Epiphanius having discoursed at large of all the Heresies of his time he closes his Discourse with an exposition of the Catholick Faith in which he speaks Of one God over all § 3. Of the Consubstantial Trinity by which all things were created § 14. Of the Birth of Christ of the Virgin Mary from whom he received a true Body and true Flesh Of his humane Soul and of the imion of both to his Divinity § 15. Of his Sufferings on the Cross in his humane Nature of his descent into Hell of his Resurrection of his Ascention into Heaven whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead § 17. Of the Resurrection of the same Body that died of the future Recompence according to what we have done in the Flesh of the Damnation of the Wicked and the future Happiness of the Just § 18. This saith he is the Faith of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 §. 19. Vid. etiam § 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are the things which the one Catholick Church holds touching the Faith § 21. These things we have discoursed with as much brevity as we could of the Consubstantiality of the Father Son and Holy Ghost of the incarnation of Christ and of his final coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the other Articles of Faith. These therefore in his time comprised all the Articles of the Christian Faith the Doctrines of the Catholick Church and therefore the New Roman Articles could be no parts of Christian Faith no Doctrines of the Church Catholick when Epiphanius flourished in it And upon account of this Symbol of Faith it is that he calls the Church and the way of Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haer. 59. §. 12 13. The Kings High-way and calls them the Servants of God who do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know this firm Rule or Canon and walk in this way of Truth 5ly § 5 This will abundantly appear from an impartial reflection on those Treatises which have been written by the Ancient Fathers at the request or the desire of others to be instructed in the Articles of Christian Faith. Thus when the Emperor Jovianus desired to learn of Athanasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Faith of the Catholick Church Athanasius tells him expresly To. 1. p. 245. That it was that Faith which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confessed by the Nicene Fathers and that he might the better know it he sets down their Creed at length telling him moreover like a true Protestant That the true and pious Faith in Christ was manifest to all Pag. 246. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being known and read from the Holy Scriptures When some Monks had desired St. Basil to send to them De vera pia fide p. 385. a. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a written confessionof the holy Faith. In answer to this demand St. Basil lays down this as his Foundation That it is the property of a Faithful Minister to preserve those things Ibid. B. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pure sincere and unadulterated which are commited to him by his Good Lord to be distributed to his fellow Servants I therefore saith he according to the Will of God will lay before you those things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I have learnt from the divinely inspired Scripture This Fundamental position that it is the property of a Faithful Steward to deliver nothing to his fellow Servants as part of Holy Faith but what he hath learned from the Holy Scripture he confirms in these words Ibid. C.D. For if our Lord himself in whom were hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge said thus He the Father gave me a Commandment what I should say and speak and again The things which I speak as the Father hath told me so I speak And if the Holy Spirit spake nothing of himself but only spake those things which he had heard from him how much more is it as well safe as pious for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to do and mind the same thing in the Name of the Lord Jesus Indeed Ibid. E. saith he when I conflict with Hereticks whose Footsteps I must follow I am compelled sometimes to use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expressions not found in Scripture though neither are they alien from the pious sence of Scripture P. 386. a. but now I have thought it most convenient to the common Scope of us and you to fulfil your command in the simplicity of the sound Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by saying those things which I have been taught from the divinely inspired Scripture abstaining from those Names and Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are not to be found expresly in the Holy Scripture For saith he if the Lord be Faithful in all his words if all his Commandments are Faithful and established for ever and done in Truth and Righteousness Ibid. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a manifest falling from the Faith and a manifestation of Pride either to reject any thing that is written or to superinduce any thing that is not written our Lord having said My Sheep hear my Voice And the Apostle by an Example taken from Men viz. That if it be but a Man's Testament yet if it be confirmed no Man rejects or adds any thing unto it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. d. most vehemently forbids that any thing should be added to or taken from the divinely inspired Scriptures And
therefore though we have used other words in our controversial Discourses against Hereticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. e. yet now that a Confession of the sound Faith and simple manifestation of it lies before us we will temper our stile accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 387. c. explaining it more simply and properly and doing only that which may instruct you according to that saying of the Apostle To give a reason of your Faith. Now Pag 389. b. c. saith he in doing this we neither have ability nor leasure to collect all that is said in Scripture of the Father Son and Holy Ghost but we hope saith he to satisfie your Consciences as to the manifestation of our knowledge in the holy Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and your full assurance of Faith by those few things we shall select out of the Holy Scriptures And after this long Protestant Preface comes a Creed owned by all Protestants in these words P. 389. d. e. We believe therefore and confess one only true and Good God and Father Almighty of whom are all things the God and Father of our Lord and God Jesus Christ And we believe one only begotten Son of God our Lord and God Jesus Christ the only true God by whom all things both visible and invisible were made and by whom all things consist who in the beginning was with God and was God and after was according to the Scriptures seen on Earth and conversed with Men who being in the Form of God coveted not to be in the World like to God but emptied himself and taking upon him the Form of a Servant by his Nativity of a Virgin and being found in fashion as a Man he fulfilled all things which were written of and concerning him according to the command of the Father being Obedient even to Death the Death of the Cross and being raised again the Third Day from the Dead according to the Scriptures P. 390. a. he was seen by his holy Disciples and the rest as it is written and he ascended into the Heavens and sitteth at the Right-hand of the Father from whence he comes at the end of the World to raise up all and to give to every one according to his Work when the Righteous shall be taken up into Life Eternal and the Kingdom of Heaven but the wicked shall be condemned to everlasting Punishment where their Worm dieth not and the Fire is not quenched and we believe one Holy Ghost and Comforter by whom we are sealed unto the Day of Redemption the Spirit of Truth and of Adoption in whom we cry Abba Father who distributeth and worketh in us the Gifts given of God to every one to profit withal as he willeth who teacheth and brings to our Remembrance all things which he hath heard from the Son. The Good Spirit who Guides us into all Truth and confirmeth all Believers in true and exact Knowledge in pious Worship and spiritual Adoration and in the true Confession of God the Father his only Son our Lord and God Jesus Christ and of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This we think this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rule of Holy Men. P. 392. And I beseech you laying aside all curious Questions P. 391. and indecent strifes about words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rest contented with the things spoken by Holy Men and by the Lord himself and to withdraw your selves from them that are alien from the Evangelical and Apostolical Faith the Apostle having said That if an Angel from Heaven preach to you any other Doctrine besides that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed and having warned you to withdraw from every one who walks disorderly and not according to the Tradition which you have received from us So that according to St. Basil this Creed is the Tradition received from the Apostles the Evangelical and Apostolical Faith the Rule of Faith to which nothing is to be superadded besides which nothing to be preached as any portion of the Rule of Faith and this whole Faith expresly is contained in Scripture and is delivered in the words of Scripture Laurentius sends an Epistle to St. Austin to know of him Quid sequendum maximè Enchir. c. 4. quid propter diversas principaliter Haereses sit fugiendum What was chiefly to be followed and what by reason of the diversity of Heresies was principally to be avoided quod certum propriumque fidei Catholicae fundamentum what was the sure and proper Foundation of the Christian Faith In Answer to this Enquiry he receives a Treatise from St. Cap. 3. Austin containing 122. Chapters in which he undertakes to teach him what he was to believe to love and hope for and in the general he tells him Cap. 6. that it is easie to instruct him in these three particulars nam ecce tibi Symbolum dominica oratio in his duobus tria illa intuere Cap. 7. for behold the Symbol and the Lord's Prayer in these two see these three things Faith believes Hope and Charity prays and then he goes on to a particular Discourse on all these Heads not speaking throughout all those numerous Chapters of one Article of the Romish Faith excepting only when Chapter the 69. he speaks of Purgatory Fire as of a doubtful and uncertain thing and Chapter 109. he utterly confounds it by laying down for certain That during the time betwixt the Death of Christians and the last Resurrection of their Bodies their Souls are kept in hidden Receptacles as they by reason of the Actions done in their Life time became worthy of Rest or Misery One thing there is still more considerable that when the Arian Heresie sprung up and even in the time and at the Session of the Nicene Council this was still produced as the Faith of the Apostolick Church the Rule of Faith the Faith which they had learned from the Scriptures and had received at Baptism and on account of which they challenged to be owned as Orthodox by all their Christian Brethren Alexander Bishop of Alexandria in his Epistle to his Namesake of Constantinople recites his Creed with this Preface Apud Theodor Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so we believe as it seemed good to the Apostolick Church viz. We believe in one only unbegotten Father and in one Lord Jesus Christ his only begotten Son. Besides this pious Faith of the Father and the Son We confess as the Holy Scriptures teach us one Holy Ghost the Sanctifier of Holy Men under the Old Testament and of the divine Teachers of the New and one only Catholick and Apostolick Church inexpugnable by the World and triumphing over all the wicked Insurrections of the Heterodox after this we confess the Resurrection of the Dead of which our Lord Jesus Christ was the first fruits who indeed and not in appearance only took his Body from the God-bearing Virgin
almost in all the ancient Councils As to the Second Part of this Article § 5 which teacheth That General Councils may Erre and sometimes have erred even in things pertaining to God P. 295. the same Author there tells us That Communis est doctorum opinio Concilia etiam Generalia errare posse in rebus quae fidem aut mores ad salutem non necessarios concernunt It is the common Judgment of their Doctors that even general Councils may erre in Matters of Faith and Manners which are not necessary to Salvation And whereas our Church infers that therefore things ordained by them as necessary to Saelvation have neither Strength nor Authority unless it may be declared nisi ostendi possint unless it can be shewed that they be taken out of Holy Scripture This Author saith these last Words of the Article Sententiam veterum omnium fere modernorum declarant declare that which was the Doctrine of the Ancients and of almost all the modern Doctors That in the time of Ocham the Church was divided in this Point some holding that a General Council Haeretica potest labe aspergi might be guilty of Heresy and much more of Error some That it could not thus be guilty and that the Doctrine of the Fallibility of General Councils was afterwards maintained by many eminent Doctors of the Church De formali objecto fidei Tr. 5. c. 19 20 21. is fully proved by Baronius against Turnbal so that I shall reserve the farther Prosecution of this Matter to its proper place viz. The Discussion of the Doctrine of the Infallibility of Councils Our Church in her Twenty second Article asserts § 6 That the Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory Pardons Worshipping and Adoration as well of Images as of Relicks and also Invocation of Saints is a fond thing vainly seigned and grounded upon no Warrant of Scripture but rather repugnant to the Word of God And that these Doctrines were not derived to them from Apostolical Tradition their own Writers do ingeniously confess For 1. Concerning Purgatory Alphonsus de Castro declares That in Veteribus de Purgatorio fere nulla De Haeres l. 8. Tit. de Indulg potissimum apud Graecos Scriptores mentio est In the Ancients and especially the Greek Writers there is scarce any mention of Purgatory whence it comes to pass Contr. Luther Artic. 18. that to this very day it is not received in the Greek Church Apud priscos amongst the Ancients saith our Fisher Bishop of Rochester It was not at all or very rarely mentioned nor is it to this Day believed by the Greek Church Let him who pleaseth read the Commentaries of the ancient Greeks and he will find I suppose that they speak not at all or very rarely of it Sed neque Latini simul omnes sed sensim hujus rei veritatem conceperunt Nor did the Latins altogether but leisurely perceive the Truth of this Matter And then he adds Cum igitur purgatorium tam sero cognitum ac receptum universae Ecclesiae fuerit quis jam de Indulgentiis mirari potest quia in principio nascentis Ecclesiae nullus fuerit earum usus Since therefore Purgatory was so lately known to and received by the Universal Church who can wonder that in the Primitive Church there was no use of Indulgences In Cath. Rom. pacif apud Forb consid Mod. p. 264. Father Barns acknowledgeth that the Punishment of Purgatory is a thing quae nec ex Scripturis nec Patribus nec Conciliis deduci potest firmiter which can neither be firmly proved from Scripture the Fathers or Councils And that Opposita sententia eis conformior videtur the contrary Sentence seems more agreeable to them Wicelius saith Meth. Concord Eccles c. 8. Tit. Funus Ibid. p. 259 260. That though there should be some places of Purgation to receive naked Souls yet doth it not become grave and wise Men so certainly to define those things which Scriptures have not expressed nec Antiquorum traditio nor the Tradition of the Ancients hath expounded Erasmus saith Operum Tom. 1. p. 685. q. There be many things about which not only contentious but even learned and pious Men did doubt of old as St. Austin with others doubted long about Purgatory That it was only a private Assertion and not an Article of Faith generally received in the Twelfth Century Chronic. l. 8. c. 26. is evident from these Words of Otho Frisingensis viz. That there is apud Inferos in the infernal Regions a Place of Purgatory wherein such as are to be saved are either troubled only with Darkness or decocted with the Fire of Expiation some affirm Nor can I tell what to make of that saying of Paschasius if it doth not shew that he believeth the contrary for saith he our Lord saith he that eateth my Flesh hath eternal Life ideo dicens habet quia mox anima carne soluta intrat in vitae promptuaria De Corp. Sang. Domini c. 19. ubi Sanctorum Animae requiescunt saying in the Present Tense he hath because the Soul being loosed from the Flesh presently enters into those Receptacles of Life where the Spirits of Saints do rest Secondly § 7 Concerning Pardons or Indulgences their Novelâ—y is still confessed more freely Inter omnes res de quibus in hoc opere disputamus nulla est quam minus aperte S. Literae prodiderunt de qua minus vetusti Scriptores dixerint neque tamen hac occasione contemnendae sunt quod earum usus in Ecclesia videatur sero receptus quoniam multa sunt posterioribus nota quae vetusti illi Scriptores prorsus ignoraverunt nam de transubstantiatione panis in Corpus Christi rara est in Antiquis Scriptoribus mentio de Purgatorio fere nulla potissimum apud Graecos Scriptores qua de causa usque in hodiernum Diem purgatorium non est a Graecis creditum Quid ergo mirum si ad hunc modum contigerit de indulgentiis ut apud Priscos nulla sit de eis mentio praecipue quod tunc magis fervebat Christianorum charitas ut parum esset opus indulgentiis quapropter non est mentio ulla indulgentiarum De Haer. l. 8. Tit. de Indulgentiis De invent rer l. 8. c. 1. p. 325. Part. 1. Sum. Tit. 10. c. 3. In 4. Sentent dist 20. q. 3. h. Alphonsus Castro saith That among all the things of which he disputed in his Book against Heresies there was nothing of which the Scripture spake less plainly de qua minus vetusti Scriptores dixerint and of which the Ancient Writers had said less Many saith Polydore Virgil from Roffensis may perhaps be moved not to trust to Indulgences quod earum usus in Ecclesia videatur recentior admodum sero apud Christianos repertus because the use of them in the Church seems new and very lately received among Christians To whom I answer That
Matthew was writ saith the Tradition of the Fathers Theoph. proem in Matth. Athan. Synops p. 155. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eight Years after our Lords Ascension Mark writ his Gospel whilst St. Peter lived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ten Years after our Lords Assumption saith Theophylact. St. Luke writ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fifteen Years after our Lords Ascension Proem in Luc. say Dorotheus and Theophylact. St. John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirty two Years after our Lords Ascension saith the same Theophylact. Chap. 7. §. 2. Now these Gospels as I before have proved were by the General Tradition of the whole Church of Christ esteemed sufficiently to contain that Christian Doctrine which the Apostles taught and purposely to have been written to preserve it entire to Posterity Secondly This Argument is wholly overthrown by this one Observation That the Apostles in their Preaching declare that they spake only what was written in the Books of the Old Testament or might be clearly gathered thence When they undertook to prove any Article of Christian Faith they proved it from the Scriptures of the Old Testament When they reasoned with others to bring them to the Faith they did it from the same Scriptures Acts 26.22 1 Cor. 15.2 3 4. saying none other Things than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come When they would have their Proselytes confirmed in the Christian Faith 2 Pet. 1.19 they send them to this more sure Word of Prophecy encouraging them to take heed to it as to a Light that shineth in a dark Place And declaring that those very Scriptures which Timothy had known from a Child 2 Tim. 3.15 that is before one Book of the New Testament was written were able through Faith in Christ or the Belief that Jesus is the Messiah promised in them to make him Wise unto Salvation 16 17. That they were profitable for Doctrine and Instruction in Righteousness for Reproof for Correction that the Man of God may be perfect both as to his own Practice Obadiah paraph in locum and his teaching others throughly furnished to every good Work. If then before the Scriptures of the New Testament were written these inspired Persons taught their Converts out of the Old Testament and sent them thither to learn the Truth of what they said and bad them have Recourse unto those Writings as being able to make them Wise unto Salvation and as being more certain and more to be heeded than that Voice from Heaven of which they themselves testified Doubtless when they themselves by the same Spirit had indited the New Testament they must be more concerned that they should be guided by that written Word then also it is evident that they did not invite Men to believe meerly on the Authority or Oral Tradition of the then present Church nor practised any thing whence it might be concluded that after Ages by meer Tradition might be sufficiently instructed in the things which concerned their eternal Welfare Nay they sufficiently declared the contrary by chusing to adhere themselves and call on others to adhere to what was taught concerning the Messiah in the Old Testament when Tradition was so fresh their Authority so fully was confirmed by Miracles and they to whom they spake had the inspired Apostles in any matter of Dispute or Controversy to repair unto Thirdly St. Luke informs us § 15 that he received his Gospel by Tradition Luke 1.2 4. and that he had committed it to Writing that his Theophilus might know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Certainty of those Doctrines in which he had been formerly instructed clearly insinuating that he conceived the written Word a means of adding certainty to what was only taught by Word of Mouth Accordingly Eusebius informs us that he was necessitated to write his Gospel that he might give us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 24. a firm Account of those things which he had learned from his Conversation with St. Paul and with the rest of the Apostles Church History saith of St. Matthew Euseb ibid. That he was constrained to write his Gospel that by so doing he might supply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the want of his own Presence with them and that when he was by Persecution separated from them Opus imperf in Matth. praefat his Converts might not want the Doctrine of Faith but wheresoever they were might retain Totius fidei statum the entire form of Faith. The san Tradition doth inform us See Chap. 7. §. 1 2. That the First Christian Converts when they had heard the Apostles preach the Christian Faith would not be satisfied with receiving it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Oral Teaching but earnestly requested to have it left in Writing with them That the believing Jews Petierunt Matthaeum ut omnium verborum operum Christi conscriberet eis historiam To write the History of all Christ's Words and Works that they might have a compleat System of their Faith. That the Romans earnestly desired Mark 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to leave in Writing a Memorial of the Doctrine delivered to them by word of Mouth and never would desist till they had obtained it and that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the light of Piety which would not suffer them to rest satisfied with the Oral Tradition of the Faith that by the same perswasion Hieron Prolog in Matth. Euseb H. Eccl. l. 3. c. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his familiar Acquaintance of all the Bishops of Asia and the Ambassies of many Churches St. John who before had spent all his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Oral Preaching was at last moved to write his Gospel The same Tradition adds That the Apostles having preached the Gospel committed it to Writing to be the Pillar and the Ground of Faith to future Ages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Anchors and Foundations of our Faith Athan. Synops p. 61. Theophylact. proem in Mat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That from these Scriptures being taught the truth we might not be drawn aside by the Falshoods of Heresies And lastly That if they had not left in Writing what they preached Orig. Dial. contr Marcion p. 59. they had preached Salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only to them who heard them Preach and should have had no care of Posterity because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things only orally delivered would quickly vanish there being no demonstration of their Truth Which words as they expresly do confute the certainty of Doctrines only delivered to Posterity by word of Mouth so the forementioned Traditions do sufficiently inform us what was the Judgment of the ancient Church in this Affair viz. That to ascertain those Christians who were taught the principles of their Religion it was necessary that should be written which they had been taught that they could not well otherwise supply their absence or leave to their Disciples an
Author of the imperfect Work upon Matthew which passeth under the Name of Chrysostom speaking of the Times in which Heresy prevails Hom. 49. p 174. saith Then let them who are in Judaea fly to the Mountains that is Qui sunt Christiani conferant se ad Scripturas Let them who are Christians have Recourse to the Scriptures to the Writings of the Apostles and Prophets And why saith he doth Christ at this time command Omnes Christianos conferre se ad Scripturas all Christians to fly to the Scriptures Because saith he in this time since Heresy hath got the Churches there can be no Proof of true Christianity Neque refugium potest esse Christianorum aliud volentium cognoscere fldei veritatem nisi scripturae divinae the Christians who are desirous to know the true Faith can have no other Refuge but the Holy Scriptures Before there were many Ways of shewing which was the Church of Christ but now if Men be willing to discern her Nullo modo cognoscitur quae sit vera Ecclesia Christi nisi tantummodo per Scripturas the true Church of Christ can by no other way be known but only by the Scriptures for now all those things which are properly of Christ in truth these Heresies have in Schism they in like manner have Churches the Divine Scriptures Bishops the other Orders of the Clergy Baptism the Eucharist all other things and even Christ himself Now in the Confusion of so great Similitude he that is willing to know which is the true Church of Christ Unde cognoscat nisi tantummodo per Scripturas Whence can he know it but only by the Scriptures P. 175. Before it was known by Miracles who were true Christians and who false but now Signorum operatio omnino levata est the working of Miracles is intirely diminished and the working of feigned Miracles magis apud eos invenitur qui falsi sunt Christiani is chiefly found amongst those who are false Christians for the full Power of working Miracles is to be given to Antichrist The Church of Christ was formerly known by her Manners the Conversation of all or most of her Members being Holy but now Christians are like to or even worse than Hereticks He therefore who would know which is the true Church of Christ Unde cognoscat nisi tantummodo per Scripturas Whence can he know her but only by the Scriptures Whence our Lord knowing that there would be such a confusion of things in the last Days commands Ut Christiani qui sunt in Christianitate volentes firmitatem accipere fidei verae ad nullam rem fugiant nisi ad Scripturas That Christians who are willing to remain firm in the true Faith should fly to nothing but the Scriptures The true Chrysostom gives exactly the same Advice in the like Case for to that Enquiry What shall we say to the Greeks Hom. 33. in Act. Tom. 4. p. 799. There comes one of them and saith I would be a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I know not to whom I should join myself for there is much Contention Controversy and Tumult among you Christians What Opinion shall I chuse every one saith Truth is on my Side Whom shall I credit who know nothing of the Scriptures and hear them all pretending to them To this Inquiry Chrysostom answers This is much for us for did we say you must believe our Discourses thou had'st reason to be troubled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but since we say you must believe the Scriptures and they are plain and true 't is easy for you to pass your Judgment if any Man consents with them he is a Christian if he contradicts them he is far from this Rule Behold here the Heathen sent by St. Chrysostom to pass Judgment betwixt the Orthodox and all sorts of Hereticks from Scripture alone and told that it is easy for him so to do because the Scriptures are a plain Rule whereby to judge in Matters of this Nature But saith the Heathen one of you affirms That the Scripture saith thus the other That it speaketh otherwise interpreting it to another Sence But what of all this saith Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for hast thou not an Vnderstanding and a Judgment Where again the Heathen is supposed able by his own Judgment to discern who wrests who rightly doth interpret Scripture But how can I do this saith the Greek I know not how to judge of the Doctrines I come to be a Learner and you make me a Teacher If any one object thus saith Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we should ask him whether this be not Dissimulation and Pretence for if your Reason taught you to condemn Heathenism it may also teach you to judge betwixt us and Hereticks do not therefore dissemble or make Pretences 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all things are easy Thou knowest what to do and leave undone do therefore what thou oughtest and with right Reason seek of God and he will fully reveal this to thee for he is no respecter of Persons it is not possible that he who heareth without Prejudice should not be perswaded P. 800. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as if there were a Rule to which all things were to be adapted it would be easy to perceive who takes wrong Measures so is it here To this Rule you see viz. the Holy Scriptures even the Heathen is sent as to that which is sufficient to direct him to Christian Truth when there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much Controversy and Contention amongst Christians concerning it Lastly Commonit c. 6. Vincentius Lirinensis lays down the same Rule For if the Contagio◠saith he though new endeavour to infect the whole Church as in the case of the Arians then whosoever would discern the Catholick Faith from Heretical Pravity must be careful to adhere to Antiquity C. 3 4 8 25 33 39 41. viz. To that Sence of Scripture which it is manifest our Ancestors held and must believe that without Doubtfulness which all in like manner with one consent held writ and taught openly frequently and perseveringly he being only firm in Faith who determines Id solum sibi tenendum credendumque quicquid universaliter antiquitùs Ecclesiam Catholicam tenuisse cognoverit That alone is to be held and believed by him which he knows the Catholick Church anciently held But when Schisms and Heresies have grown ancient in the Church and the Poison of them hath spread largely which say we is the present Case of the Church then saith he Nullo modo oportet nos nisi aut Sola si opus est Scripturarum Auctoritate convincere we ought only if need be to convince them by the Authority of Scripture or to shun them as being condemned Cap. 41. Jam antiquitus by ancient general Councils of Catholick Priests and when our Adversaries assault us with either of these two Weapons they will find us ready and able to defend
contained in the Apostles or the Nicene Creed or that the Church of Rome must be Schismatical in excluding from her Communion those who do not believe or yield assent unto them And thus I hope I have sufficiently shewed how this Tradition overthrows and fully doth confute the New Doctrines of the Church of Rome It now remains to shew how it confirms the Cause of Protestants and clears up the Objections which are made against it Now First § 5 Seeing according to this Tradition these Symbols as they are a perfect Summary of Christian Faith so are they fully and perspicuously contained in Scripture hence it demonstratively follows that according to the Doctrine and Tradition of the whole Church of Christ the summ of all the necessary Articles of Christian Faith must fully and perspicuously be contained in Holy Scripture and may be proved thence to the satisfaction of the meanest Catechist And consequently the Holy Scripture was by them esteemed a full and perspicuous Rule of Faith according to our Sixth Note in reference to all things necessary to be believed which is the Fundamental Article of Protestants But doth not Tertullian speak in General Object NB. of never disputing with Hereticks out of Scriptures only Q. of Quest p. 258 259. because this Scripture combate availeth for nothing but to the making either ones Stomach or ones Brains to turn and conclude generally We must not therefore appeal to Scriptures nor in our combate rely upon them in which either no Victory is to be obtained or a very uncertain one Tertullian here proposeth this Objection Answ That the Hereticks spake of the Scriptures V. c. 7. §. 8. and perswaded their Doctrines from the Scriptures and this he is so far from reprehending that he holds it a thing absolutely necessary to be done by all who would discourse of divine Matters It being impossible saith he aliunde de rebus fidei loqui De praescript cap. 15. quà m ex literis fidei to speak of Matters of Faith but from the Scriptures And therefore he not only owns that the Rule of Faith he pleaded for was first delivered by word of Mouth and after by the Writings of the Apostles but also to that Objection of the Hereticks Seek and ye shall find Cap. 9. he answers by granting that the Scriptures are to be searched and sought into for finding out the Truth contained in the Rule of Faith and that then nothing more respecting Faith is needful to be sought because they had found what they sought for then he proceeds to shew non admittendos eos ad ullam de Scripturis disputationem that the Hereticks were not to be admitted to dispute from Scriptures and that non sit cum illo disputandum he was not to be disputed with from Scripture for these following Reasons 1. Because ista Haeresis non recipit quasdam Scripturas those Hereticks received not some Scriptures viz. Iren. l. 1. c. 26. the Ebionites and Encratites rejected all St. Paul's Epistles and embraced only the Gospel of the Nazarens L. 3. c. 11. p. 258 259. Cerinthus allowed only the Gospel of St. Mark. Valentinus only that of St. John Marcion only that of Luke Ebion only that of Matthew 2. Because si quas recipit non recipit integras those Scriptures which they owned they received not entire but with additions and detractions as their cause required cutting off from them what most clearly made against then Heresies Thus of the Marcionites and the Lucianists and the Valentinians Origen confesseth That they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contra Celsum l. 2. p. 77. change and pervert the Gospel 3. Because if they admitted any Scriptures entire yet they corrupted them per diversas expositiones by adulterating the Sence of them and miserably distorting them to the upholding of their idle Dreams for saith Irenaeus they said their Doctrines were not perspicuously revealed in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 1. c. 1. p. 14. but by our Lord were mystically couched in Parables even so mystically that as you may see from the first to the Nineteenth Chapter of the First Book of Irenaeus it is enough to turn a Man's Stomach to read such Fooleries as v. gr They prove their thirty Aeones because our Saviour was Baptized when he was Thirty Years Old and from the Parable of the Labourers sent into the Vineyard some at the 1st 3d 6th 9th 11th C. 1. p. 10. hour of the Day which numbers put together make up Thirty Thus saith Irenaeus they endeavoured to adapt some of our Lord's Parables Pag. 32. and some Prophetical Expressions to their Doctrines that they might not seem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any Testimony from Scripture but then saith he they miserably pervert the Order and the Series of Holy Scripture and deal with it as if one should take the Image of a King excellently made in Jewels and should deform it into the Face of a Dog or a Woolf. They pretended also that some of their Doctrines were received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from unwritten Traditions C. 1. p. 32. and to prove them they produced a multitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Apocryphal and adulterated Scriptures which they had feigned Lib. 1. c. 17. pretending for their recourse unto Tradition this Accusation of the Holy Scriptures Lib. 3. c. 2. That they were not right nor of Authority sufficient because they were spoken variously and that from them the Truth could not be found out by such as were ignorant of Tradition non enim per literas traditum illum sed per vivam vocem it being not delivered in writing but by Oral Tradition that is they were plain Papists as to this pretence Against such Men as these saith Tertullian the most skilful in the Scriptures will dispute in vain from Scripture cum nolunt agnoscere ea per quae revincuntur his nituntur quae falso composuerunt quae de ambiguitate coeperunt since they will not own that for Scripture by which they are refuted they will insist upon their Apocryphal Writings and those things which they ambiguously have conceived Ergo non ad Scripturas provocandum est and therefore we are not to provoke them to dispute out of Scriptures nor place our combate in those things in which no victory is to be obtained or a very uncertain one Let now any indifferent Reader judge whether Tertullian speaks in general against disputing with Hereticks out of Scripture as Mr. M. here confidently saith and not only of disputing against hanc Haeresin that very Heresie which had these Arts to delude what was brought against them from Scripture and appealed from it with the Papists to Oral Tradition And yet against these slippery Men Irenaeus and other of the Fathers first argued from Scriptures cum ex Scripturis arguebantur and when they had baffled them there and made them fly as Romanists now do unto
13. de Habit. virg p. 99. ed. Oxon. P. 29. Apud phot cod 234. That they fell from their heavenly Vigor Ad terrena contagia devoluti being debased to earthly Contagions They fell saith Minutius Terrenis cupiditatibus degravati being depressed by earthly Lust Methodius That they conversed with the Daughters of Men being taken with the Love of Flesh In the Fourth Century Lactantius saith L. 2. c. 14. p. 216 217. That the Devil tempted them to Vice Et Mulierum congressibus inquinavit and defiled them by Converse with Women and so being excluded from Heaven they became his Ministers and they who were begotten by them became terrestrial Daemons De praep Evang l 5. c. 4. de Noah Arca c. 4. Hi sunt immundi Spiritus malorum quae geruntur Auctores These saith he are the unclean Spirits which are the Authors of all Evil. The same Assertions may be found in Eusebius in St. Ambrose in Epiphanius Num. 21. L. 4 c. 26. Hist l. 1. c. 3. or some Author cited by him in his Sixty fourth Heresy by Pseudo Clemens in his Recognitions and by Sulpitius Severus Petavius in his Notes upon Epiphanius saith Fuit haec vetustissimorum Patrum fere omnium Sententia filios illos Dei qui Gen. 6. silias hominum adamasse dicuntur Angelos fuisse This was the Opinion of almost all the most Ancient Fathers That the Sons of God who are said in Genesis the Sixth to have loved the Daughters of Men were Angels Vetus fuit multorum gravissimorum Authorum opinio It was the ancient Opinion of many and very grave Authors saith Fevardentius on the forecited place of Irenaeus And yet First It deserves to be considered De C.D. l. 15. cap. 23. That they grounded this whole Fancy and Exposition partly upon that spurious Book of Enoch which saith St. Austin Continet istas gigantum fabulas contains those Fables of the Gyants and where In Joh. To 8. Ed. Huet p. 132. d. saith Origen it is said That Jared was begotten in the Days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Descent of the Sons of God upon the Daughters of Men and partly upon the concurring Tradition of the Jews who had entertained the same Notion and Exposition of the Place as we may learn from their own Josephus and Philo Antiq. l 1. c. 4. p. 8. Philo de Gigant p. 284 285. who from the said Traditions tell us That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many Angels of God conversing with Women begot insolent Children and Despisers of everything that was good as trusting to their own Strength Secondly Consider that in the very next Century this Fancy was run down in Terms very opprobrious and much reflecting upon the Ignorance and Oscitancy of the former Fathers That which makes most Men thus Ignorant saith Theodoret Quaest 47. in Gen. on the place is their careless reading of the Scriptures And there he also represents the Authors of the former Opinion In locum as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men very stupid and such as had a Knock in their Cradles Chrysostom adds That they who affirm that these things were spoken not of Men but Angels were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speakers of Blasphemy and then he proceeds Edit Sichardi p. 52 53. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to overturn or to confute the Fables of these Men. And in the very next Century Philastrius Brixiensis put this very Doctrine into the Catalogue of his Heresies saying Alia est Haeresis quae de gigantibus adserit quod Angeli miscuerunt se cum faeminis ante diluvium inde esse natos gigantes There is another Heresy which asserts touching the Gyants That Angels before the Flood conversed with Women and that of them were these Gyants begotten If then the Jewish Church received by Tradition a Doctrine so contrary to the very Nature of Angels and consequently to Truth it self If the Fathers of the first four Centuries were so easily imposed upon by their Traditions and their spurious Books as to embrace the same Opinion not only against Reason but as Theodoret St. Chrysostom and Austin have demonstrated against the Evidence of that very Text on which they grounded their Opinion which so expresly saith The Wickedness not of the Angels or their Off-spring but of Men was great and that all Flesh had corrupted their Ways and that God therefore had determined to punish not Daemons or the Ghosts of Gyants but the whole Earth by bringing of a Flood upon them If they I say could read so carelesly this Chapter as generally to interpret one Verse of it in Opposition to the plain Import of the whole If Lastly an Exposition so long and generally received till the beginning of the Fifth Century could in that very Century by by the greatest Fathers of the Church utterly rejected as Fabulous Blasphemous Heretical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and guilty of the utmost Folly then must it be extreamly evident 1. That Tradition in this matter could be no certain Rule unto the Jewish Church and therefore could not be Infallible 2. That the Fathers of the Christian Church have been imposed upon for some whole Centuries in this Affair by spurious Authors and by Jewish Fables and therefore they and the Fathers of any other Age must also be supposed subject to the like Mistakes in other Matters of like Nature 3. That they were prone on these Accounts to interpret Scriptures contrary to the plain Import of them and so cannot be owned as the Authentick Interpreters of Holy Writ 4. Hence also it is clear that what hath generally been received without any apparent Opposition in one Age may in the very next Age be as generally rejected with the greatest Scorn and Ignominy and pass for Blasphemy and Heresy Fourthly § 9 It anciently was held Unlawful for any Clergy-Man to engage himself in Secular Affairs For amongst the Sins which provoked God to Anger St. Cyprian reckons this De lapsis p. 123. Episcopos procuratores rerum secularium fieri That Bishops became Proctors in secular Affairs The Sixth Canon of the Apostles decrees That a Bishop Presbyter or Deacon shall be deposed if he take upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worldly Cares The General Council of Chalcedon forbids all Bishops Clerks Can. 3. or Monks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to intermeddle with worldly Businesses Can. 11. The Second General Council of Constantinople having said That the sacred Canons deposed those Presbyters or Deacons who took upon them secular Governments or Cares ratifies the said Canons declaring That if any of them did thus imploy himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Trull Can. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Nic. 2. can 1. he should be expelled from the Clergy for according to the most true Words of our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No Man can serve Two Masters and yet what Church at present doth observe these Canons though they