Grammatical sense of these Articles yet he seems to allow a modest liberty without contention in putting the most favourable construction upon them The words are these Though some differences have been ill raised yet we take comfort in this that all Clergy-men within our Realm have always most willingly subscribed to the Articles established which is an Argument to Us that they all agree in the true literal meaning of the said Articles and that even in those curious points in which the present differences lie Men of all sorts take the Articles of the Church of England to be for them which is an Argument that none of them intend any desertion of the Articles established Where we see his Majesty took notice that men of all sorts took these Articles to be for them and he declares that he took comfort therein Which argues that the imposition was not strict and rigid as to the sense and meaning of the Articles And though in the Synod 1640. Can. 6. an Oath was enjoyned yet it was with as much modesty and tenderness as any sober and peaceable Subject can desire for thus it runs I A. B. do swear that I do approve the Doctrine and Discipline or Government in the Church of England as containing all things necessary to salvation Where two things are very observable 1 The assertion is only this That I do approve the Doctrine c. the 2 Only as containing all things necessary to salvation for which we are referred to the authority of the Holy Scripture by the Sixth Article as was observed before 3. As to the end of these respective Articles Those of Pope Pius are declared to be necessary to salvation not only Necessitate praecepti sed Medii necessary as well upon the account of a Means as of a Precept for the Pope declares Hane esse veram Catholicam fidem Extra quam nemo salvus esse potest That this is the true Catholick Faith without which no man can be saved But the Articles of the Church of England generally are intended for a decorum and order matters of necessary Faith being herein restrained to the Holy Scriptures to keep out disputes and vain jangling and to preserve peace and concord in her Communion Thus much is intimated in the very Title prefix'd to those Articles but much more clearly in his Majesties Declaration before mentioned where he saith We hold it most agreeable to our Kingly Office and our own Religious Zeal to conserve and maintain the Church committed to our charge in the unity of the true Religion and in the bond of peace and not to suffer unnecessary Disputations Alterations or Questions to be raised which may nourish Faction both in the Church and Commonwealth We have therefore thought fit to make this Declaration That the Articles c. do contain the true Doctrine of the Church of England agreeable to Gods word which we do therefore ratifie and confirm c. But this is more clear in a Book set forth 1571. called Liber quorundam Canonum Disciplinae Ecclesiae Anglicanae SS de Concionatoribus Where it is ordered thus Imprimis vero videbunt c. Let the Preachers take care that they teach nothing in their Sermons which they would have the People hold and believe as a matter of Religion but what is consonant to the Doctrine of the Old or New Testament and what the Catholick Fathers and Ancient Bishops have gathered out of the same And because those Articles of Christian Religion which were agreed upon by the Bishops c. are without doubt collected out of the Sacred Books of the Old and New Testament and do in all things agree with the heavenly Doctrine contained therein Also because the Book of Common Prayers and the Book of the Inauguration of Archbishops Bishops Priests and Deacons do contain nothing that is contrary to that Doctrine whosoever shall be sent out to teach the People shall confirm the authority and belief of those Articles as well by their subscription as in their Sermons Qui secus fecerit contrariâ doctrinâ Populum turbaverit excommunicabitur Whosoever shall do otherwise and disturb the People with any contrary Doctrine shall be excommunicated Here indeed the Clergy are implicitly enjoyned to preach up the belief and authority of these Articles But withal 1 The belief and authority of them is required not as grounded upon the Declaration and Sanction of the Ecclesiastical Governours though a hearty submission and obedience is due thereto in matters of Religion Discipline and Order upon the account of a Divine precept but upon their Congruity with the Holy Scriptures according to the sense of the Ancient Fathers 2 That such as transgress these Articles are punish'd for want of good manners as disturbers of the publick Peace Wherefore though the Author of the Guide in Controversies * Disc 3. cap. 7. hath made it his business to strain every Sentence Phrase and word in the Canons as well as the Articles of the Church of England to make those Articles seem to run parallel in the Charge of a new smposition of Faith with those in the Creed of Pope Pius the Fourth aforementioned yet by what hath been observed it is evident that the Articles of the Church of England were not intended as those of that Pope clearly were for an Addition to the Faith declared by the Fathers at Nice which with all Christian Churches we profess as Catholicks but for information to direct our publick discourses generally as occasion serves in matters of Religion as we are united in the Communion of the particular Church of England after a deliberate and sober Reformation which to attempt and perform as far as in them lies no doubt all Bishops are as well obliged in duty by Christ's Command Apoc. 2 3 Cap. as prescribed to do it orderly by the 34. of the Apostles Canons †Episcopos uniuscujusque gentis nosse oporter eum qui in eis est primus existimare eum ut caput nihil facere magni momenti praeter illius sententiam illa autem sola facere unumquemque quae ad suam paroeciam pertinent pagos qui ei subfunt To leave this long though not unnecessary digression This Infallibility in the latitude the Roman party pleads for is so very improbable that Mr. Cressey in his Neophytism was not able to swallow it till he had shrunk it up into an Indefectibility wherein we can heartily close with him And for all that great priviledge which make so much noise in the world I do very well observe that in many cases they are glad to rest satisfied with a probable Conscience And in spight of that Infallibility They must stand to the courtesie or hazard of a probable Opinion to secure themselves according to their practice from the peril of Idolatry And this is acknowledged by the Jesuite Ant. Terill our Countryman in his Tractate de Conscientia Probabili His words are these
Edit Leodii 1668. p. 387 c. Quid magis ad mores c. What does more concern manners and the strictness of the Law of Nature than that the worship due to God be not bestowed upon a Creature and yet it is lawful many times out of a probable Opinion only to bestow Divine worship upon the Eucharist and to adore God when he is but probably latent there For there is no true certainty but only a Probability that this numerical Host is rightly consecrated First It is not certain that he who did consecrate was a Priest both because it is not certain that he was baptized as also because it is not certain that he was lawfully or validly Ordained by a true Bishop having an intention requisite to that effect c. Secondly It is nor certain that he did pronounce the words of Consecration If he did duly pronounce them yet Thirdly perhaps he had not a due intention If all these things were observed as they should be It is not certain in the Fourth place that a due matter was made use of for the Bread might not be made of Wheat Fifthly Although all these things proceeded well and rightly yet it is not indubitable that the Officer to whom the custody of the venerable Sacrament belongs did not expose an Host that was not consecrated instead of one that was truly consecrated to be adored All these are generals to which we may add the malice of mans heart which is too vigorous in some persons Upon these heads saith he we have known many Cheats too frequently practised in this matter and they know it much better who are employed as Judges upon the Tribunal of the Sacred Inquisition Thus far Father Terill Now if they of the Church of Rome have no certainty in their Sacraments no certainty in their Sacrifice of the Altar no certainty in their Priesthood no certainty but they may commit Idolatry every day if they cannot be certain but the malice of their Priests may frustrate all the sacred Ordinances of God to them and make them absolutely null though they be never so worthily disposed to receive the benefit of them And this is the Doctrine and Belief commonly maintained in the Church of Rome They should rather blush at such an Infallibility than boast of any great advantage to be reaped from it For grant further that that Infallibility were such as they would have it yet they can have no security in it for salvation 'T is such as a man may carry into Hell with him if it proves not a means to lead him thither where for ought I know the Devils have it as much as he And Gregory the Seventh was of the same mind Nam ut Jacobus frater Domini testatur fides sine operibus mortua est qualem Daemones habere fatetur Non Ergo minùs est resistendum pertinacibus authenticarum institutionum impugnatoribus quam Sacrae fidei violatoribus cùm Daemonibus assimilentur quicunque institutionem SS Patrum in fide tantum non etiam in conversatione pro viribus assectatur For as James the Brother of our Lord doth testifie Faith without Works is dead which kind of Faith he doth acknowledge to be in the Devils We ought therefore no less to resist such as are obstinate impugners of Authentick Institutions viz. of Piety than such as do violate the Sacred Faith seeing they that do earnestly follow the instruction of the Holy Fathers in matter of Faith only and not in a holy conversation are like unto the Devils For this Infallibility is restrained to matters of Faith and that Faith is but historical as they call it and not sufficient to salvation To the Essence of a Church right Doctrines in Practicals are as necessary as in Speculatives if mortal Sin excludes from salvation as well as an erroneous Faith †R. H. Disc of the Neeessity of Church Guides p. 82. as the Author of the Guide in Controversies does acknowledge And this is the Doctrine of the Council of Trent Sess 6. de Justificatione Si quis dixerit solâ fide justificari ita ut intelligat nihil aliud requiri quod ad Justificationis gratiam consequendam cooperetur nulla ex parte necesse esse eum suae voluntatis motu praeparari atque disponi Anathema sit Can. 9. If any man shall say that Faith alone does Justifie so that nothing else is required to cooperate towards the attainment of the Grace of Justification and that it is in no wise necessary that he should be prepared and disposed to it by any motion of his own will let him be accursed Et Can. 19. Si quis dixerit nihil praeceptum esse in Evangelio praeter fidem caetera esse indifferentia neque praecepta neque prohibita sed libera aut Decem Praecepta nihil pertinere ad Christianos Anathema sit If any man shall say there is nothing commanded in the Gospel but Faith that all other matters are indifferent neither commanded nor forbidden but left free or that the Ten Commandements do not concern Christians let him be accursed Et Can. 21. Si quis dixerit Christum Jesum à Deo hominibus datum fuisse ut Redemptorem cui fidant non etiam ut Legistatorem cui obediant Anathema sit that is If any man shall say that Christ Jesus was given unto man of God as a Redeemer in whom they should trust and not also as a Lawgiver whom they should obey let him be accursed Which Canons we can readily subscribe to From which it appears beyond exception that the Infallibility pretended by the Church of Rome is not to be relied on as sufficient for salvation The Creeds chiefly comprehending Speculatives there must be a great body of Articles also of necessary Faith relating to Practicals as R. H. maintains C. 1. §. 3. p 4. in his Discourse of the Necessity of Church Guides But doth this Infallibility extend to all matters of Practical belief as well as Speculative Yes saith R. H. Christ hath left an Infallible Guide for Manners as well as Faith †Id p. 176 and a little after God hath provided by the same Church Authority to preserve his Church in truth and to restrain it from sin giving an equal Commission to teach the ignorant and to correct the vicious And that since their Doctrine directs our Manners as well as Faith their Infallibility is as necessary for things of Practice as of Speculation But if there be such an Infallibility in the Guides of the Church not only in reference to points of Faith but to Doctrines of Practice also What meaneth then this bleating of the Sheep 1 Sam. 15. 14. in mine ears and this lowing of the Oxen which I hear Of the degeneracy of the Church in his time V. Bede writes thus Videt quisque non sine lachrymis c. Every one Apud Meisner de Ecclesia p. 681 682 684. sees not without
as aforesaid he condemns him for this reason Privilegia enim Ecclesiarum c. For the priviledges of the Churches being established by the Canons of the Holy Fathers and fixed by the Decrees of the venerable Synod of Nice are not to be changed or shaken by any wicked attempts of Novelty but to be preserved inviolable In which business with Christs help it is necessary that I exert my utmost endeavours as one instructed with a Dispensation And it would become my guilt if the Sacred Constitutions of the Fathers established by the Holy Ghost in the Synod of Nice for the Government of the whole Church of God should through my neglect or connivence ‖ which * Lud. Bail reads it Te quod absit connivente and so applies it to the Emperour In Sum. Concil Tom. 1. m. p. 141. B. 2. God forbid be violated or infringed and the gratifying of one Brothers humor should be of more concern to me than the common benefit of the whole Church of God And in an Epistle to Juvenalis Bishop of Jerusalem and the rest of the Bishops assembled in the holy Synod of Chalcedon he writes thus concerning the keeping of the Ordinances of the holy Fathers which are fixed by inviolable Decrees in the Synod of Nice I advise That the rights of the Church may remain as they were ordained by those three hundred and eighteen Fathers divinely inspired Let not wicked Ambition covet anothers Right nor let any man seek to augment himself by the lessening of another For by what assentations soever a vain elation may arm it self and think to strengthen its inordinate desires by the name of Councils whatsoever shall be disagreeable to the Canons of the foresaid Fathers shall be void and of no validity Thus Leo the Great And if there were any such thing as Infallibility or Authority either in this Pope Leo the Great or in that first General and most sacred Council of Nice that Canon of theirs concerning the Jurisdiction and Priviledges of the Churches is of full force and ought to be observed inviolably at this day Now to apply this to our own case It is evident out of several Records * See Bedes Histor and the berty of the Britannick Ch. by Dr. Basier Lond. printed for John Mileson 1661. That the Britannick Church was ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Independent subject to no foreign Bishop but under her own Metropolitan having her Primacy and Headship with all priviledges Ecclesiastical within her self for six hundred years after Christ till Austin the Monk transgressing that Canon of Nice did by force of Arms subdue and captivate her to the See of Rome The Popes Usurpation began here in blood with the slaughter of Twelve hundred innocent and holy Monks at Bangor and all attempts to reinforce that Usurpation are carried on by W. Beverege Anno. ad Can. 6. Concil Nicae p. 58 59. methods of the like nature i. e. practices of fraud and violence Nevertheless as the Learned Beverege hath observed the unjust violation of that Canon cannot prejudice the high and perpetual Authority of it Wherefore though the Bishop of Rome ever since he sent the aforesaid Austin hither hath exercised the chief Authority in this Nation yet at last having shaken off his Tyrannical yoak our Church through Gods blessing doth most deservedly enjoy her Ancient priviledges by that most worthy Ordinance and Canon prescribed by the Universal Church in this matter It is manifest then that the Bishop of Rome can afford you no good Sanctuary against the Authority of that Bishop and Metropolitan whose Communion you have forsaken What therefore St. Hierome saith against John of Jerusalem I may fitly apply to the Pope of Rome Tu qui regulas quaeris Ecclesiasticas Nicaeni Concilii Canonibus uteris alienos Clericos cum suis Episcopis commorantes tibi niteris usurpare Responde mihi Ad Alexandrinum Episcopum Palestinam quid pertinet Thou who seekest for Ecclesiastical Canons and usest the Constitutions of the Council of Nice and notwithstanding pretendest to usurp the Government over the Clergy of other Bishops tell me what hath the Bishop of Rome to do with Great Britain Sir from what hath been suggested it is evident that the Bishop and Church of Rome have shamefully prevaricated both the Doctrine and Government of the Catholick Church as it was declared and fix'd by the most Ancient and sacred General Councils The Doctrine as well in matters of Faith as Manners And the Government by usurping the Jurisdiction and priviledges of other Churches And if as you prosess you have not changed your Loyalty I am very apt to believe the wicked Plot now under Examination with many of the like nature may be sufficient to make you abhor the Communion of that Church whose Morals can hatch such Monsters and whose Governours do make it their business to Lowbel their pliant Creatures into designs of Treason and Assassination by the help of false Lights Bulls and Dispensations and encourage them in the attempts by the fond applause of Merit and a Crown of Red Letters In short the scandal hereof is so foul it may very well become your ingenuity and without doubt it will rend much to your reputation and inward peace to take your leave of such Company with good old Jacobs imprecation Gen. 49. 6. O my Soul come not thou into their secret unto their assembly my Honour be not thou united And this is the Advice which proceeds though but from the common prudence yet from the highest Charity of SIR Your most affectionate Friend and faithful Servant L. W. FINIS