Traditions did we not find them thus handed down to us in these Writings so can we have no reason to receive the pretended Traditions of the Church of Rome because they are not handed down unto us in this manner But saith Mr. M. Before we can know true Books § 24 and true Copies of Books from false P. 407 408. we must first know true Tradition from false that we assuredly may say these are the true Books of Scripture these are the true Copies of those Books because true Tradition commends them for such these be false Books or false Copies of true Books because the Tradition which commends these is false tell me the means by which infallibly the true Tradition in this point may be known from the false and that very means I will assign in other points to know true Tradition from false This Objection I retort thus Resp before we can know true Tradition from false we must know true Faith from false for true Tradition is only the Tradition of the Faithful that is of those who do entirely believe all the necessary Articles of Christian Faith and if I must first know this Faith before I can know true Tradition I cannot need Tradition to instruct me in the Christian Faith. Again tell me the means by which I may know true Faith antecedently to Tradition and the very same means will I assign to know the Faith of Protestants without it 2. This Argument in the Mouth of an unbelieving Jew that lived in the Days of Christ and his Apostles pleads as strongly for the vain Traditions of the Scribes and Pharisees and the whole Jewish Nation rejected by our Lord and his Apostles as for the pretended Traditions of the Church of Rome v. g. you send us to Moses and the Prophets to learn the true Messiah and from these Scriptures you attempt to prove your Jesus is the Messiah promised to the Jews but before you can know whether the Books you cite be the true Books of Moses and the Prophets and the Copies you have of them be true Copies you must know true Tradition from false tell me then the means by which infallibly the true Tradition in this Point may be known from the false and that very means will I assign to prove the Traditions of the Jewish Church rejected by your Lord and his Apostles to be true Whatsoever Answer Mr. M. can return to this Objection will be as applicable to his own 3. To this demand I answer That where the Tradition deriveth from the Fountain of Tradition and can be proved by written Testimonies to have done so And 2ly that where it is a Tradition not of a matter of Fact but Faith and passeth down without controul and contradiction of any that were then and after owned by other Churches as true Christian Brethren And 3ly where it can be proved irrational and absurd that the Tradition could have so long and generally obtained without just ground of being owned as such there the Tradition ought to be embraced as true When therefore Mr. M. hath proved the pretended Traditions of the Church of Rome to have these Three Characters of true Tradition we shall have equal reason to admire his Parts as we have now to wonder at his Confidence but they who can believe Impossibilities may be allowed to undertake them CHAP. IV. Sixthly We distinguish betwixt Traditions touching purely Doctrinals or divine Revelations touching Articles of Faith and Matters of Practice in the first the Fathers have been subject to mistake in Doctrines not Fundamental as appears 1. From the Doctrine of the Mellennium delivered in the Second and Third Centuries as a Tradition received from Christ and his Apostles § 1. As a thing of which they were certain Ibid. 2. As a Doctrine proved from variety of Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament which could say they receive no other sence § 2.3 As a Doctrine denied only by Hereticks or such as were deceived by them § 3. It was embraced by the greatest number of Christians and Church Guides delivering it not as Doctors only but Testators § 4. Hence the uncertainty of such Traditions is demonstrated and the falshood of the pretended Tradition for Invocation of Saints § 5. 2ly A like mistake is proved from the general Doctrine of the Fathers of the four first Centuries that the Day of Judgment was nigh at hand § 6. And that the time of Antichrists coming was at hand § 7. That the World should end after Six thousand Years that is according to their computation Five hundred Years after our Saviour's Advent § 8. The Inferences hence Ibid. In matters of practice we distinguish Seventhly betwixt such as have been generally received without contest in the purest Ages of the Church and such as have been contested and disowned by Orthodox Churches or Members of the Church and that we cannot depend with certainty on the latter is proved 1. From the Contest betwixt P. Victor and the Asiaticks touching the Easter Festival in which it is observed 1. That the greatest part of the Christian World consented in judgment with Victor and his Synod § 9.2 That they who with him kept this Feast on the Lord's Day pleaded an Apostolical Tradition for that Practice § 10. 3. That they who kept it with the Jews pleaded the same Tradition and with greater Evidence § 11. 4. That when the Pope endeavoured by terrifying Letters to affright them from their practice all the Asiaticks and Neighbouring Provinces refused to hearken to him and condemned him for it § 12. 5. That hereupon Victor attempted to Excommunicate them and commanded others to have no Communion with them § 13. 6. That notwithstanding this injunction all the other Churches held Communion with them and sharply reprehended Victor as a disturber of the Church's Peace § 14. Inferences hence shewing the Falshood of the Fundamental Rule of the Guide of Controversies and the uncertainty of Tradition § 15. Which is farther proved from the Contest betwixt P. Stephen and St. Cyprian and the Asiaticks touching the Baptizing of Hereticks where 't is observed 1. That the Opinion of Stephen was for the Baptizing of no Hereticks no not those who were not Baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost that of St. Cyprian for the Baptizing of all Hereticks and Schismaticks § 16. 2. That Pope Stephen proceeded to an Excommunication of his Brethren upon this account and a refusal of Communion with them and so did Pope Xystus and Dionysius after him whereas they of Africa judged no Man who differed from them § 17. 3. Observe that the Opinion of the Africans and other Eastern Churches was asserted by many Christian Doctors Churches and Councils and was of long continuance after this dispute § 18. 4. Observe that as Pope Stephen pretended to Apostolical and Original Tradition for his Opinion so did the contrary Party for their Opinion § 19. 5. That
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
the Apostles understood not or neglected if they did not fulfil them but hid some of the Light that is of the Word of God and Sacramenti Christi of the Doctrine of Christ. Whereas saith he it was incredibile vel ignorasse Apostolos plenitudinem praedicationis vel non omnem ordinem Regulae nobis edidiffe that eitheir the Apostles were ignorant of any thing they were to preach or that they did not perfectly reveal the Rule of Faith to all He also shews That the Church did not alter what she had received from the Apostles because the Rule of Faith was one and the same in all Churches of Christ they being all one Chap. 20. ejusdem Sacramenti una traditione by having the same Tradition of the same Rule of Faith and because they did in eadem fide conspirare agree in the same Faith this Rule this Creed mentioned Chapter the Thirteenth must therefore be according to Tertullian the fulness of the Apostles preaching the entire Rule of Faith they preached to all or else according to him the Apostles must be ignorant or unfaithful and his ensuing Argument That all succeeding Churches agreed in this Rule as in the Tessera Hospitalitatis the Signal of Friendship Ibid. that it was one and the same among them all and that they who were not by Original Apostolical Churches were yet Apostolical because they did conspire with them that were so in the Belief of this Faith is a farther demonstration that this Creed was the entire Faith delivered by the Apostles and taught by all Churches since otherwise Tertullian's Argument must be false for he expresly undertakes to prove that the Apostles delivered to the Churches the entire Rule of Faith and that the Churches did faithfully transmit to posterity the whole Faith they received from them and that because they all transmitted the Apostles Creed mentioned Chapter the Thirteenth had not then that contained the whole Christian Faith owned then by all the Orthodox as such Tertullian had given up the Cause unto the Hereticks for they might have replied upon him as do the Romanists to us that the Apostles delivered many other Traditions as necessary to be believed as those contained in the Creed and that these were the Doctrines which they owned and Tertullian rejected Hence then our Demonstration from these words of Tertullian is invincible All Christians conspired in this that this Rule of his contained the whole Faith received from the Apostles beyond which nothing was necessary to be believed whosoever could produce this Creed they received into Communion pro consanguinitate doctrinae because agreeing with them in the Faith and whosoever pretended to any Articles of Faith not mentioned in this Creed they confuted them by saying they had no such Article in the Creed and therefore the Apostles Chap. 32 33. nihil tale docuerunt taught no such thing and rejected them ob diversitatem Sacramenti as holding a Faith different from that of the Church Now how is it likely that so many and so great Churches should erre in one Faith The Errors of the Churches had there been any in delivering their entire Rule of Faith must needs have varied but that which amongst them all was one and the same must be a sure Tradition and then the Doctrines of the Roman Creed must be rejected as not taught by the Apostles and as different from the Churches Faith. Mr. M. Ibid. Lo here plain Protestantism in the highest point proved and approved by all Christians within Two hundred Years after Christ The same Doctrine is delivered Chapter the Nineteenth and the Twentieth Pag. 429 430. on which Mr. M. insists Sect. 20. Num. 4. for there he tells us That our Lord sent his Twelve Apostles eandem doctrinam ejusdem fidei nationibus promulgare to preach the same Doctrine of Faith to the Nations and so to plant Churches in every City from which other Churches received traducem fidei femina doctrinae the Tradition of their Faith and the Seeds of Doctrine and embracing of it became all Apostolical by receiving the same Rule of Faith. Hence therefore saith he we prescribe against the Hereticks Hinc igitur dirigimus praescriptionem Cap. 21. for if our Lord sent his Apostles to preach we must receive no other Preachers of the Faith than he appointed now what they preached ought not to be otherwise proved than by the same Churches which they planted eis praedicando tam vivâ quod aiunt voce quam per Epistolas postea by preaching to them by word of mouth and afterwards by their Epistles And if so 't is manifest saith he that Doctrine is to be accounted true which conspires with the Apostolical Churches whence Faith had its Original and that is to be rejected which contradicts that Faith it remains therefore uti demonstremus an haec nostra doctrina cujus Regulam supra edidimus de Apostolorum traditione censeatur ex hoc ipso an caeterae de mendacio veniunt that we demonstrate whether our Doctrine the Rule of which we have laid down Chapter the Thirteenth derives from the Tradition of the Apostles and consequently whether all others be not false He therefore doth again declare That the Creed mentioned by him there is the entire Rule of Faith and that by which we may discern who hold the Truth and who teach Falshood And argues thus All the Apostolical Churches have delivered this Creed as that entire Doctrine which they received from the Apostles and all the Hereticks say the contrary therefore their Doctrine must be rejected and that of the Apostolick Churches be received as the Truth Mark here Pag. 429. to use the words of Mr. M. how the first ground on which we are to stand as upon a ground most advantageous for gaining the victory against Error and purchasing triumph to Truth is the Tradition of this Creed of the Apostles as the entire Rule of Faith for by that alone we assuredly know whether our Doctrine of which the Rule is given Chapter the Thirteenth came from Apostolical Tradition from this Rule of Faith delivered by the Apostles by word of Mouth and by their Writings and then by Tradition delivered down by successive practice of all Churches to which Churches Tertullian here expresly sends us will be discovered that only Tradition of the Rule of Faith in which totum Christianae fidei Sacramentum all the Mysteries of Christian Faith are contained And thus Tertullian goes on pressing his Adversary meerly by the Tradition of this Creed as the entire Rule of Faith and this way and only this way he prescribes that we ought to shew what Christ and his Apostles taught Fifthly § 9 Hence we return an Answer to that demand so often but so vainly made What Catalogue have you of Fundamental Articles of Faith For here is a Catalogue of them recommended to the whole World of Christians by so great Authority as may well be esteemed
A TREATISE OF TRADITIONS PART I. Imprimatur Liber cui titulus A Treatise of Traditions Part I. June 5. 1688. Guil. Needham R R. in Christo P. ac D. D. Wilhelmo Archiep. Cant. a Sacr. Domest A TREATISE OF TRADITIONS PART I. Where it is proved That we have Evidence sufficient from TRADITION I. That the Scriptures are the Word of God. II. That the Church of England owns the true Canon of the Books of the Old Testament III. That the Copies of the Scripture have not been corrupted IV. That the Romanists have no such Evidence for their Traditions V. That the Testimony of the present Church of Rome can be no sure Evidence of Apostolical Tradition VI. What Traditions may securely be relyed upon and what not LONDON Printed by J. Leake for Awnsham Churchill at the Black Swan in Ave-Mary Lane MDCLXXXVIII THE PREFACE The Contents This Proposition That the Doctrines and pretended Traditions of the Western Church could not be introduced by her Members in following Ages but must be derived to them from the Fountain of Tradition is proved false 1. By plain Instances of matters of Fact § 1. 2ly From the false Doctrines and Traditions which generally obtained in the Jewish Church § 2. 3ly From the Prediction of a general Defection from the Faith in the times of Antichrist § 3. 4ly Because this Assertion doth oblige us to account the Fathers of the primitive Ages either Knaves or Fools § 4. 5ly Because it renders all our Search into Antiquity not only superfluous but dangerous § 5. Corruptions in Doctrine or Practice might take their Rise 1st From Mistakes touching the Sence of Scripture § 6. 2ly By leaving of the Scripture and setting up the Fathers as the Rule of Faith § 7. 3ly By flying to Miracles and Visions for the establishment of Doctrines and Opinions § 8. 4ly By reason of the great Authority and Reputation of those Men who first began or else gave Countenance unto them § 9. 5ly By reason of the corrupt Manners of the Clergy § 10. 6ly By reason of the great Ignorance both of the Clergy and the People § 11. 7ly By reason of the Violence and Persecution used to force Men to a Compliance with the prevailing Doctrines or a concealment of their Sentiments to the contrary § 12. This Corruption confessed by the Writers of the dark Ages of the Church § 13. THAT which the Romanists of late have chiefly urged in favour of their present Doctrines and Traditions is That the Traditions which they now embrace as such the Doctrines which they own as Articles of Christian Faith could never have obtained such Credit in the Church or been so generally received throughout the Western Churches as they were before the Reformation had they not been from the Beginning handed down to them as Apostolical Traditions and Doctrines received by the Universal Church of Christ Now the Vanity and Falshood of this Presumption is here shewed by many Instances of plain matter of Fact § 1 demonstrating that what they of Rome at present hold for Apostolical Tradition or as an Article of Christian Faith was generally rejected in former Ages by the whole Church of Christ or at the least by the prevailing and the major part of her Church Guides And whereas it is represented by them as a thing impossible That the Western Church or the prevailing Body of it should in one Age imbrace what they in the foregoing did reject or in this Age reject what in the former they embraced Examples are produced here demonstrating that this hath actually happened in the Instance of eating things strangled and Blood Chap. 2. §. 6. which the whole Western Church abominated in the Eleventh Century and yet did practise in the Twelfth and following Ages In the Instance of the immaculate Conception denyed by the Western Church till the Thirteenth Century Ibid. §. 9. and almost generally received in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries In the Instance of the Canonical and Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament in which the Learned of the Western Church accorded with us in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries Chap. 3. §. 2.11 and yet did Anathematize our Doctrine in the Sixteenth In the Instance of the Angels falling in love with Women Chap. 12. §. 8. asserted generally in the first Four Centuries and rejected in the Fifth to omit many other Instances sufficient to convince us that what the Romanists so confidently offer to prove their Church could not be guilty of such Innovations is only like to the Attempt of Zeno to prove against plain matter of Fact that there could be no Motion But for the farther manifestation of the Vanity of this new way of Arguing a facto ad jus from what they do at present practise and believe to what they ought to do and practise or from their present Faith to an Assurance that the same Faith was always held in all preceeding Ages of the Church I shall First Shew the evil and pernicious Consequences of this way of arguing Secondly I shall point out the Ways and Methods by which these Doctrines and Practices might have prevailed in the Church and yet be nothing less than Apostolical or truly Primitive The evil Consequences of this way of Arguing are First § 2 That it gives the Jews a great Advantage against the Truth and certainty of Christian Faith for they might have then argued and still may with as much Plausibility against our Lord 's Disciples and the first Christian Converts from this very Topick as do the Romanists against the Protestants For might they not say of the very Doctrines and Traditions which they had generally received at our Saviour 's Advent and which he did so peremptorily condemn and caution his Disciples to beware of That they received them from their Fore-Fathers who received them from theirs and who must either have joined in mistaking their Ancestors or in intending to deceive their Posterity of which two things neither is credible Might not they say That the Traditions which they had then embraced were derived from Moses and that their Fore-Fathers handed them down from him to them and that the then present general Reception of them was a sufficient Evidence that they were not Inventions of that or any of the preceeding Ages but Doctrines and Practices derived to them from the first Fountain of Tradition Might they not have asked in what Year and Age those false Traditions and Doctrines entered first among them and whether then their whole Church must not have conspired to tell a lye Might they not have bid them consider the Notoriousness of the Lye and the Damage ensuing from it to themselves and their dearest Pledges and how rare a thing it is to find a Man much less a considerable Number of them who would venture upon such a Wickedness Might they not have added that their Church and People were scattered about almost through every Nation
those Guides of Souls he had set over them Did all our Pastors fall asleep at once or could they all conspire to deceive Posterity Thirdly R. H. The Guide of Controversies cannot be ignorant That as he says God then permitted the Sanhedrim to be the greatest Enemies of Truth for the Accomplishment of the Prophecies of the Old Testament so do we also say That God permitted these pernicious Doctrines to obtain in the Church of Rome for the Accomplishment of those Prophecies of the New Testament touching a great and almost general Apostacy which was to happen in the Days of the great Antichrist and in the time when all Tongues and Nations were to worship the Beast Now hence ariseth a Second Demonstration of the Falshood of this vain Presumption § 3 That no such Change can happen in the Doctrine and Practice of the Church of Christ as we pretend to for the Testimony of the Holy Scriptures the Doctrine of the Fathers and the Confessions of many learned Catholicks assure us that this shall actually happen in the times of Antichrist and what will then become of all the pretended Demonstrations That this cannot happen or can never happen And First Rev. xj 7-xij 6. The Scripture speaks expresly of the Slaughter of the Two Witnesses the Flight of the Women into the Desart and of the Worship which the whole World shall pay unto the Beast Where note That the Witnesses which represent the Church or her true Pastors are but Two and they at last are slain and that the Dominion of Antichrist is represented as over all Kingdoms Tongues and Nations and he is said to cause the Earth Chap. xiij 7 v. 16. and him that dwells therein to worship him and both small and great rich and poor bond and free to receive his Mark. The Fathers also assert that the Apostacy will then be so great Basil Ep. 71. p. 115. That the Lord will seem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly to have left his Churches That there shall be then Totius mundi seductio Hippol. de Consum mundi p. 4. a Seduction of the whole World That Cuncti accedent P. 41. atque adorabunt eum all shall come and worship the Beast That the Saints shall hide themselves P. 43 49 59. in montibus speluncis cavernis Terrae in the mountains dens and caverns of the Earth That all shall fall off from God and believe that Impostor That there shall be nec oblatio P. 48. nec suffitus nec cultus Deo gratus neither Oblation nor Incense nor any Worship acceptable to God no Eucharist no Liturgy no singing of Psalms or reading of the Scripture That there shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. Tom 3. Ep. 63. p. 937. Hieron in Sophon c. 2. f. 97. F. a general Apostacy That Regnante Antichristo redigenda sit Ecclesia in solitudinem in the Reign of Antichrist the Church will be brought to Solitude so that Christ coming shall scarce find Faith upon the Earth That in the time of Antichrist ecclesia non apparebit Aust Ep. 80. ad Hesyc p. 364. the Church shall not appear being eclipsed by the Persecutions of ungodly Men That Men shall ask whether the Gospel doth any where continue upon Earth Ephr. Syr. de consum Sâ—eculi Antichristo Col. An. 1603. p. 219. responsumque iri nusquam and it shall be answered no where And in this Assertion the Fathers are generally followed by the Romish Doctors De Pontif. Rom. l. 3. c. 7. §. denique let one Bellarmine speak for them all saying that Daniel plainly saith That in the times of Antichrist by reason of the Severity of Persecutions the publick and daily Sacrifice of the Church shall cease ubi omnium consensu loquitur de tempore Antichristi where by the consent of all he speaketh of the time of Antichrist This being then so clear a Revelation or Prediction of the Holy Ghost and our great Prophet must some time or other happen or both our Saviour and the Holy Spirit must be charged with lying Prophecies And being so unanimously and without controll delivered by the Holy Fathers the constant Tradition and the received Doctrine of the Church of Christ throughout all those Ages must be a constant Refutation of this idle Dream and their Pretences to Tradition must evidently be confuted by Tradition Thirdly § 4 This Method and Proceeding of the Romanists for finding out and judging of primitive Doctrines and Traditions were it admitted would force us to condemn the Writers of the Church from the beginning to the Tenth Twelfth or Fourteenth Centuries as the worst of Fools or Knaves for seeing it is manifest from their plain Words produced in great Plenty throughout those Ages that they speak as plainly in Condemnation of the Latin Service Communion in one Kind the Veneration of Images the Seven Sacraments the Trent Canon of the Books of the Old Testament and of many other Articles of Romish Faith which they pretend to have received from Tradition as any Protestant can do either they must have spoken all these things unwittingly for want of knowledge of what the Church maintained to the contrary throughout those Ages and then it cannot be avoided but they must pass for the most ignorant of Men and such as did not know the necessary Articles of Christian Faith received in their Times or else they must have taught and conveyed to Posterity those things against their Knowledge and the conviction of their Consciences and then it cannot be denied but that they were the worst of Knaves and whichsoever of these things be said it cannot be denied but they of all Men were the most unfit to convey down Tradition to Posterity For to render any Person a credible Testator or Witness of the Churches Faith and Practice Two things seem absolutely necessary 1. That he should have sufficient Knowledge of the Truth of what he testifies And 2ly That he should have Honesty sufficient to assure us that he would not wittingly deceive us in his Testimony for if we have just Reason to suspect either his want of Knowledge or Sincerity we must have reason to suspect his Testimony So that if either such Simplicity and Folly or such apparent Knavery as hath been mentioned can justly be imputed to the Authors of the Testimonies cited against the Doctrines fornamed of the Church of Rome it is extreamly manifest we have just Reason to suspect the Truth of all they might deliver to future Ages either as Doctrines or Practices received from their Predecessors Fourthly § 5 This Method of proceeding must render it a vain and fruitless thing to search into Antiquity to find what was the Doctrine of preceeding Ages Sexta nota est conspiratio in doctrina cum ecclesia antiqua De notis Eccles cap. 9. Bellarm. de eccl milit l. 4 c. 9. and consequently it must assure us that the Church of Rome doth
in 2. ad Tim. p. 155. Or Espencaeus a Romanist confessing that they defended it daemonum Spectris muliebribus Somniis with diabolical Apparitions and old Wife's Dreams especially when as he there saith this we see in the very Synod which approves and urgeth in confirmation of it the Tale of Constantine's Leprosy and of his Baptism by Pope Sylvester Def. Constant contr Baril c. 10 11. adversus Spalat c. 65. p. 458 459. and of the Images of Paul and Peter produced then to him the Tale of the Image sent to Agbarus of the Passion of the Image of Christ at Beryth and that infamous Tale of the old Fornicating Monk all confuted and exposed by Learned Crakanthorp and a late * Cap. 5. p. 22 23. excellent Discourse of the Second Nicene Council If Irenaeus could so early pretend to a Testimony of all the Elders of the Church of Asia for a matter of apparent falshood if others in the Second and Third Century could frame a contrary Doctrine from such a weak allusion to a Prophetick Saying I hope the saying of One or Two Doctors in the following Ages cannot be reasonably supposed to amount to any certain proof of the Traditions or Doctrines derived from the Apostles And if their Testimonies in such Cases in which they are most properly Testators or Relaters of Church History and of Traditions received from the Elders of the Church prove so uncertain and so alien from Truth less Credit must be given to them in those Articles of Faith or Doctrines of Manners in which they only give their Judgment without pretending to Apostolical Tradition for the Truth of what they say The Patrons of Oral Tradition confessing and declaring that they rely not on them as Doctors and Divines but as Witnesses of Tradition only Moreover it is the constant Opinion of the Fathers § 6 since the Fourth Century that our Saviour twice penetrated with his Body through the Doors where the Disciples were assembled Joh. 20.19 26. Vid Maldonat in locum because he came twice to them saith St. John The Doors being shut and stood in the midst of them Whereas 't is evident that this Phrase doth not inferr this Penetration any more than my saying I came into the College the Gates being shut imports that with my Body I pierced through the College Gates It doth not in the least inforce us to conclude that our Lord did not by his power open the Doors or come in any other way And whosoever seriously considers the circumstances of the Text will find good Reason to believe that Christ did not thus penetrate through the Doors as they imagined for the Apostle doth inform us ver 20. that Christ when he was come among them shewed them his Hands and his Feet he therefore purposely appeared to convince them that he was risen in the same Body in which he Suffered and which he laid down in the Sepulchre They saith St. Luke were troubled at his Appearance Luk. xxiv 38 39. and thought that they had seen a Spirit to remove which Imagination our Lord speaks to them thus Why are ye troubled and why do such Reasonings rise up in your Hearts see my Hands and my Feet that it is I my self handle me and see for a Spirit hath not Flesh and Bones as you see I have St. John informs us that his second Appearance when the Doors were shut was designed particularly to convince St. Thomas of the same Truth and to confirm the Resurrection of his proper Body to him He speaks thus Reach hither thy Finger Joh. â—x 27. and behold my Hands and reach hither thy Hand and thrust it into my Side and be not faithless but believing whereas had Christ penetrated with his Body through the Doors at both these Appearances and so had entred in to them after the manner not of a Body but a Spirit he had done that which must have stagger'd their Faith at the same time that he designed to confirm them in it For notwithstanding any thing they seemed to see or feel they could not well believe he had true Flesh and Bones and was no Spirit had they believed and known he even then had thus penetrated through their Doors and therefore had done that which only Spirits and no true Flesh and Bones could do And if you here referr this Action with the Fathers to Christ's Almighty Power why might not his Disciples if they did the like mistrust that by the self-same power he who did this might make that Body which appeared to them seem to have Flesh and Bones and Prints of Wounds when it had not When our Roman Doctors shall have answered this Scruple Pseudo-Justin Nazianz. Chrysostom St. Jerom Austin Euthymius Apud Maldonatum in Matth. xxviij 2. I shall pay greater Reverence to the Authority of the Fathers of the Fourth and the ensuing Centuries touching this matter but till then I shall continue as much to Scruple Christ's penetration with his Body through the Doors as I do that other fine Invention of some of the same Fathers that our Lord's Body at his Resurrection penetrated through the Stone of the Sepulchre But besides all these Instances there are two celebrated in Church-History which are abundantly sufficient to discover the uncertainty of the pretences to Tradition in such Cases even according to the Judgment of most Learned Romanists The First is the known Story of the Phoenix § 7 that solitary Bird which hath no other of its Kind and which is propagated only by a Worm arising out of its burnt Ashes P. 34 35. De Resur Carn c. 13. Catech. 18. p. 213 214. Ancorat c. 85. as is related in the first Century by Clemens Romanus in his Epistle to the Corinthians which used to be publickly read in the Church By Tertullian in the Third Century In the Fourth Century by Cyril of Jerusalem who saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clemens and many others did relate it and bids us not disbelive it Epiphanius not only introduceth it as a thing whose Fame had come to many of the Faithful but he triumphs over the Jews with this Question Physic c. 11. Why should you not believe our Lord's Resurrection in Three days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when a Bird was restored to Life in Three Days St. Ambrose saith De fide Resur p. 39. vide etiam Hexam l. 5. c. 23. in Ps 118. p. 565. Hoc relatione crebra Scripturarum Authoritate cognovimus We know this by frequent Relation and by the Authority of the Scriptures which he saith as being of the number of those Fathers who applied that Saying of the Psalmist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Just shall flourish as a Palm-Tree Ps xcij. 12. to this Bird because the same Greek word signifies both a Palm-Tree and a Phoenix Dion p. 49. Renasci Constat apud Hieron Tom. 4. f. 47. b. L. 5. c. 7. p. 246. Carmen de
ad Judaeorum codices amplexata est The Church of Rome hath given Patronage to the Censure of Jerom by leaving the Version of the Septuagint which had obtained in the whole Church Catholick and Embracing the Version of Jerom made new according to the Books of the Jews If then the Heathenish Story of the Phoenix could obtain such Credit among the Primitive Fathers as to be gain-said by none but Maximus If the Jewish Fiction of the Cells obtained still greater Credit being only questioned by St. Jerom what Security can we have that other Stories of like Nature are of unquestionable Credit If the sole Assertion of St. Jerom is patronized by the Church of Rome against the constant Judgment of the whole Catholick World if his Translation from the Hebrew which when he made it first was generally Condemned and Censured and for which some charged him with Heresy and all with Innovation Ruffinus ei notam Haereseos impingebat Erasm Arg. Apol. Hierom. adv Ruff. Ep. Tom. 2. f. 82. b. is now made Canonical must not the Church of Rome have changed her Judgment Must she not have rejected the Sentence of the whole Church Catholick of the Five first Ages and given us just Reason to use the same Liberty if we were minded so to do in any other Instance of like Nature For further Explication of this Question § 9 let it be observed that we contend not with the Church of Rome about Ecclesiastical Traditions touching Ceremonials Qu. 4. Dist 3. unnecessary Observations and Constitutions Ecclesiastical such as are the Cross in Baptism Trine Immersion the Renunciation of Satan and his Pomps the Unction of the Baptized Persons the Words used at the Consecration of that and of the other Sacrament the Kiss of Charity the Lent Fast the Worship of God towards the East Prayer standing on the Lord's Day c. but only touching necessary Rules of Faith and Manners In matters of the first kind we say in the words imposed upon St. De Spiritu Sancto c. 27. Basil That the Practice of the Church is sufficient though we cannot tell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from what Scripture we derive these practices but in Matters of Faith we say with the true St. Basil De vera pia fide p. 386. treating upon the Articles of Christian Faith That it is the property of a faithful Steward to deliver nothing to his fellow Servants as part of holy Faith but what is committed to him by his good Lord i. e. what he hath learned from the Holy Scriptures That it is a manifest falling from the Faith and an argument 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 Vid. Chap. 10. That the Apostle vehemently forbids that any thing should be added to § 5 or taken from the divinely inspired Scriptures which are Christ's Will and Testament Of matters of the first kind we say with Tertullian De Cor. Milit. cap. 2. that they are such as we think fit to be received and observed in any Church which shall enjoin them sine ullius scripturae instrumento solius traditionis titulo exinde consuetudinis patrocinio Vpon the sole account of Tradition and Custom though Scripture hath said nothing of them In matters of the second kind we say with the same Tertullian L. de praescript c. 15. Cap. 38. Adv. Hermog c. 22. Ep. 118. ad Jan. cap. 5. p. 558. None can discourse of the things of Faith but from the Holy Scriptures That none can have the Integrity of Doctrine without the integrity of those Instruments that what the Scriptures are we are and that we adore the fullness of the Scriptures If the Question were of the first as v. g. Whether on Holy Thursday we should offer in the Morning and after Supper too or fast the Evening and then offer we answer to that Question with St. Austin Si quid horum totum per orbem frequentat Ecclesia If the whole Church doth any thing of this nature it is insolent madness to dispute whether it ought to be done for this is to dispute and trouble the Church about a thing of nought and so to discover an unpeaceable and ungovernable temper of mind Or if the Question were Whether the Sacrament is to be received fasting or not we think it fit to be concluded by the practice of the Vniversal Church Ep. 118. ad Jan. c. 6. p. 559. not contradicted by our Lord's Precepts nor repugnant to Faith or Manners For in such cases St. Austin saith Emendari oportet quod perperam fiebat That which was ill done ought to be amended Cap. 5. ibid. and that none should vary from our Lord's Command But if the Question be of Articles of Faith and necessary Rules of Manners we say with the same St. Austin De Bono Vid. cap. 1. Tom. 4. p. 1018. Wherefore should I teach thee any thing more than that we read in the Apostle for the Holy Scripture fixeth the Rule of our Doctrine lest we should attempt to known more and again If any one I will not say if we Sive de Christo five de ejus Ecclesia sive de quacunque alia re quae pertinet ad fidem vitamque nostram si Angelus de coelo vobis annunciaverit praeterquam quod in Scripturis legalibus evangelicis accepistis Anathema sit De lit Petil l. 3. c. 6. no way to be compared to him who said Though we but if an Angel from Heaven should preach unto you either concerning Christ or his Church or any other thing which belongs to our Faith or Life besides what you have received in the Legal and Evangelical Scriptures let him be accursed In a word the Kiss of Charity the Office of the Diaconess the breaking of the Bread distributed and Baptism by immersion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 20. which are all Ceremonies and Constitutions mentioned in Holy Scripture Prayer standing on the Lord's Day commanded by the first General Council of Nice Prayer towards the East the Consecration of one Loaf for all the Communicants carrying home the Eucharist to omit many things of a like nature were all of them Customs received generally in the next Age to the Apostles and yet now generally disused by the present Church of Rome which therefore cannot justly blame others for disuse of any Customs of like nature CHAP. II. Fourthly For Explication of the Question observe That the Tradition we admit is the Tradition of all past Ages and not that of the present Church and much less of the Church of Rome § 1. This also is the Tradition pleaded by Origen St. Basil and St. Austin and which 't is suitable to Reason to allow Ibid. The Testimony of the present Church of Rome and her Adherents can be no sure Evidence of true Apostolical Tradition 1. Because
she actually hath imposed false Doctrines and Practices as Apostolical Tradition 2. Because she hath no better Right to testifie in this Matter than the Eastern Churches § 2.3 Because her present Testimony contradicts the Testimony of the whole Church in general and of the Roman Church in particular in former Ages § 3. 1. Touching the number of the Canonical Books of the Old Testament 2. Of the Authority of the Epistle to the Hebrews 3. Of the number of the Sacraments 4. Of Concomitance 5. Of pronouncing part of the Mass in a low Voice 6. Of the Veneration of Images 7. Of Communion in one Kind 8. Of her Twelve new Articles 9. Of the no necessity of giving the Eucharist to Infants Ibid. 4. Because this Doctrine makes Scripture Reason and Antiquity not only useless but pernicious to us § 4. More Instances of the Contradiction betwixt the Decrees of the Ancient Catholick Church and of the present Church of Rome 1st In the Decree of the Trent Council touching the Freedom of the Blessed Virgin from Actual Sin § 5. 2dly In the permission that Church gives to eat things Strangled and Blood § 6. In punishing Men with Death for their Religion § 7. In not breaking the Bread they distribute not permitting the Communicants to carry it home not Consecrating it with a loud Voice § 8. In the Matter of the Immaculate Conception though not conciliarly defined § 9. Seven Corollaries from this Instance § 10. MOreover § 1 for farther Explication of this Question let it be noted Dist 4. That by the word Tradition when we allow what can be proved by it to be in Matters of Faith a Doctrine or a Revelation derived from the Apostles in matters of Government of Discipline or practice an Apostolical Ordinance or Institution we mean not the Tradition of the present Church and much less the Tradition of the Church of Rome and her Adherents Charity Maint ch 2. §. 14. but we mean with Mr. Knot Such a Tradition which involves an evidence of Fact and from Hand to Hand from Age to Age bringing us up to the Times and Persons of the Apostles Id quod in Ecclesia Universa omnibus retro temporibus servatum est merito ab Apostolis creditur institutum De verbo Dei non scripto l. 4 c. 9. and our Saviour himself cometh to be confirmed by all those Miracles and other Arguments by which they proved their Doctrine to be true or such a Practice as the Church hath observed in all past Ages according to the Third Rule of Bellarmine for the discerning Apostolical Traditions and such an Article of Faith as all the Doctors of the Church by common consent have always testified to have descended from Apostolical Tradition Such is the Tradition which St. Basil insists upon for the use of the Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Spirit in the Doxology of the Church viz. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. de Spiritu Sancto c. 29. which was customarily used in the Churches from the first Preaching of the Gospel to that very time and of such Traditions we say with him Ibid. That it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suitable to the Apostles Doctrine to continue in them Praefat. in libr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such is the Tradition of which Origen speaks when he saith That only is to be believed as Truth which in nothing disagreeth from the Tradition Ecclesiastical that is The praedicatio per successionis ordinem ab Apostolis tradita usque ad praesens in Ecclesiis permanens preaching delivered down by order of Succession from the Apostles and to this present time continued in the Churches This is the Tradition of which St. Cap. 8. Austin speaks in his Book De utilitate credendi viz. of the Tradition quae ab ipso Christo per Apostolos ad nos usque manavit Cap. 10. which came down from Christ by his Apostles to that present time which à Majoribus nostris tradita ad nos usque servata est being delivered by our Ancestors hath been preserved to our times and which is Cap. 14. celebritate consensione vetustate roborata strengthened with a general Fame Consent and Antiquity And this is also the Authority he meaneth when he saith I should not have believed the Gospel nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae moveret Authoritas unless the Authority of the Catholick Church had moved me For he informs us That he speaks of that Authority which was Contr. Epist Man. quam vocant Fundament c. 4. Miraculis inchoata vetustate firmata begun by Miracles and confirmed by Antiquity And this must of necessity be meant by that Tradition which is the Foundation of an Article of Faith for Faith must be a matter of Divine Revelation and therefore must proceed from Christ or his Apostles from whom alone all Revelations of the Christian Faith have issued the Churches Business being to Believe to Preach and Testifie not to enlarge or shorten to alter or diversisie the Faith by them delivered to her and what they taught her as a thing necessary to be believed or practised by all Christians must consequently be so believed taught and practised through all future Ages provided that they walk according to their Rule Common c. ◠Hence saith Vincentius Lirinensis Hoc est vere proprieque Catholicum quod ubique quod semper quod ab omnibus That is truly Catholick Doctrine which was held in all places all times and by all Persons Sess 4. And accordingly the Trent Council and the Roman Doctors pretend to have received those Doctrines in which they differ from us partly from Scripture and partly from Tradition derived from the Apostles to their days But here begins the difference betwixt us § 2 1. That they will have the Testimony of the present Church to be an Evidence sufficient of the Tradition of the Church of former Ages and will maintain this way of Arguing to be good The present Church of Rome and they who hold Communion with her deliver such and such Doctrines as Traditions received from the Apostles and handed down from them thoughout all Ages and by all true Christian Churches to this present Age and therefore they undoubtedly are such We on the contrary say That we have clear unquestionable Evidence from Scripture and Church-History that many of the Doctrines imposed upon us by the Church of Rome as Apostolick Doctrines and Traditions were not received but rather were condemned and abhorred by the former Ages of the Church of Christ in general and in particular by that of Rome and this hath been already proved in the instance of their Latin Service the Veneration of Images and Communion in one Kind whence it demonstratively follows that this proposition is contrary to plain matter of Fact. Again What better reason can be given for this Consequence viz. The present Church of Rome with her Adherents deliver
Virgin-Mother of God must come into the Severity of Judgment who dares wish to be judged by God. In the Fifth Century St. Chrysostom informs us That both our Lord's Brethren In Matt. Hom. 27. p. 191. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 44. p. 287. and his Mother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laboured under some humane infirmity being desirous of vain Glory that she was guilty of vain Glory that both She and his Brethren were guilty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of an excessive Love of Honour and that therefore our Lord blamed them and that because they came to him as a meer Man and out of vain Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he casts out the Disease not reproaching but correcting them and that he gave her a reproof very becoming him P. 639. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and profitable to her In his Twenty first Homily on St. John he charges her with being guilty of hindering the things of God and interrupting of her Son in Spiritual things Consider saith he what a thing it was for her when the People stood about him and were desirous to hear him and his Instructions were propounded to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. for her to come to draw him from his Exhortations to speak in private with him and not so much as to vouchsafe to come in to him therefore he saith who is my Mother not dispising her that begat him but doing her much profit and not permitting her to think so meanly of him Cyril of Alexandria saith That the Passion of our Lord which happen'd so unexpectedly Tom 4. p. 1064 1065 1066. Vid. eundem orat in occursum Domini p. 391. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 1064. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did likely scandalize her and put her somewhat besides her self into indecent Passions For doubt not saith he but she had some such reasonings within her self as these I conceived him who is now laugh'd at on the Cross perhaps he was deceived in saying he was the true Son of God. He saying I am the Life how should he then be Crucified How was he taken in the Snares of his Murtherers How is it that he prevailed not against the Machinations of his Persecutors Why doth not he who restored Lazarus to Life and filled all Judaea with his Miracles descend now from the Cross 'T is very probable that the Women kind being ignorant of the Mystery might fall into such apprehensions as these were We speak not these things out of vain Conjectures as it may seem to some but we are moved to suspect these things of the Mother of our Lord by what is written for that sharp brunt of Passion which cast her mind into absurd Imaginations is that which Simeon calls a Sword. Nor saith he is it to be wondered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 1065. if a Woman should thus slide at the apprehension of our Lords Passion seeing St. Peter who was preferred before the rest of the Apostles was scandalized at it And lastly he declares P. 1066. That Christ did therefore commit her to the care of the Evangelist St. John because he saw that she had fallen by scandal at his Passion and was filled with disorder in her Apprehensions that he might rightly declare unto her the profoundness of the Mystery The Author of the Questions of the Old and New Testament which passeth under the Name of Austin saith Qu. 73. That Simeon spake unto her thus A Sword shall pass through thy own Soul to signifie this to her that even she in morte Domini dubitaret should doubt when she saw the Death of Christ though she should be confirmed by his Resurrection Here therefore is a Tradition of the Church built upon the received Sence of Scripture for three whole Centuries no Father contradicting in the least what was so fully and perspicuously delivered in those Ages and yet if we must credit the present Church of Rome the contrary to this Tradition and to this received Interpretation of those Scriptures on which they grounded this Tradition must be an Article of Faith received throughout all Ages of the Church Again the Decree of the Apostles § 6 which commands the Gentiles to abstain from things strangled and from Blood Act. 15. was conceived by the generality of Christians for a Thousand Years to be obliging to all Christians The Canon of the Apostles saith Can 63. That if any Bishop Presbyter or Deacon or any other of the Clergy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth eat Flesh with the Life-Blood in it or what is killed by a Beast or dieth of it self let him be deposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this the Law hath forbidden if he be a Lay-man let him be separated from Communion In the Second Century the Christians were accused of eating Infants and Feasting upon humane Flesh and Blood now to this Accusation the constant Answer of the Christians was that of Blandina in Eusebius Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 1. p. 159. How should they eat such things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who do not think it lawful to eat the Blood of Beasts Paedag. l. 2. c. 1. p. 149. And Clemens of Alexandria declares That God forbad things strangled or dying of themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 3. c. 3. p. 228. for it is not lawful to touch them and that it is not lawful for Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to touch Blood. In the Third Century to the like Accusation of the Heathens Tertullian returns this Answer Apol. c. 9. That they might be ashamed to object to them the eating humane Blood qui nec Animalium quidem sanguinem in Epulis esculentis habemus who used not to eat the Blood of Beasts least they should be defiled with any Blood received into their Bowels P. 34. Octavius saith We Christians are so far from eating humane Blood ut nec edulium pecorum sanguinem in cibis noverimus Contra Celsum l. 8. p. 396 397. that we eat not the Blood of Beasts we are forbid to eat things strangled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Blood being not separated from them saith Origen that we may not be fed with the Food of Daemons and hence we learn the reason of the precept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning abstinence from Blood. In the Fourth Century was held the Council of Gangra against the Eustathians some of whom held cibos carnium tanquam illicitos repudiandos esse that Flesh was to be refused as unlawful where they pronounce Anathema to any person who condemns those that eat Flesh Can. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excepting only such as ate Blood or things offered to Idols or strangled from which Exception it is evident that they held it sit to condemn them who did taste of Blood or of things strangled Now this Canon is in the Code of the Universal Church and is one of them which were Confirmed in the General Council of
Doctrines of the Church of Rome are not received by Tradition from Father to Son since in this matter the Sons have generally entertained a Doctrine their Fathers either knew nothing of or plainly contradicted and that is now become pious and consonant to Ecclesiastical Worship which in St. Bernard's time was Ep. 174. praesumpta novitas Mater temeritatis soror superstitionis filia levitatis A bold Novelty the Mother of Rashness the Sister of Superstition the Daughter of Levity 5. Hence doth it follow that even by the Authority of the heads of the Vniversal Church men may be forbidden under pain of Damnation to Assert the Ancient Doctrine of the Church and may have liberty to contradict it Yea that in the judgment of a great R. Council received by the French as General and bearing that title in all Editions of the Councils that may be agreeable to the Catholick Faith to Reason and to Holy Scripture which is repugnant to the Ancient Doctrine of the Church Catholick for Eight whole Centuries 6. Hence is it manifest that the Trent Council hath given liberty to all her Members to hold that which is opposite to an universal constant unopposed Tradition of the Church for many Ages that is that she hath left them at their liberty to hold the Ancient Faith or hold the contrary 7. Hence it appears that in the Church of Rome Feasts may be instituted in which all men shall be exhorted to praise God for a thing which perhaps never was and of the truth of which none of her Members can be certain certitudine fidei with the certainty of Faith all of them being by this Church permitted to believe the contrary CHAP. III. Fifthly We distinguish betwixt Traditions which though not written in Scripture are left on Record in the Ecclesiastical writings of the first and purest Ages of the Church and such as are so purely Oral Traditions as that we find no footsteps of them in the Three first Centuries much less any assurance they had then any general Reception of the first kind is the Canon of Scripture of the Old Testament mentioned in our Sixth Article § 1. This is proved from the Jews § 2. From the Christians of the Second Century § 3. Of the Third Century § 4. From almost all the celebrated Writers of the Fourth Century § 5. Where also it is observed 1. That these Fathers profess to deliver that Catalogue of them which they had received from Tradition § 6. And that the Books which they rejected as Apocryphal were so reputed by the Church § 7. That the Catalogue they produced was that received not only by the Jews but Christians § 8. That they made it to prevent mistakes § 9. That they represent the Books contained in their Catalogue as the Fountain of Salvation the rest as insufficient to confirm Articles of Faith § 10. The same Tradition still continued to the Sixteenth Century § 11. What the Roman Doctors must do if they would shew a like Tradition for any of their Tenets § 12. The unreasonableness of their pretences to Tradition in this Article Ibid. The Attempts of Mr. M. and J. L. to prove their Canon from the Council of Carthage the Testimony of St. Austin the Decrees of Pope Innocent and Gelasius are Answered § 13. The Tradition touching the Books of the New Testament where it is proved 1. That the Four Evangelists the Acts the Thirteen Epistles of St. Paul the First of Peter and of John were always owned as Canonical by all Orthodox Christians § 14. 2. That it cannot be necessary to Salvation to be assured that the Books formerly controverted belong to the Canon § 15. 3. That we cannot be assured of the true Canon of the New Testament from the Testimony of the Latin Church § 16. 4. That there is not the like necessity that the controverted Books should have been generally received from the beginning as that all necessary Articles of Christian Faith and Manners should be then generally received § 17. That we have cause sufficient to own as Canonical the Books once controverted is proved 1. in the General § 18. 2. In Particular touching the Apocalypse § 19. And the Epistle to the Hebrews § 20. Touching the Epistle of St. James the Second of Peter the Second and Third of John the Epistle of St. Jude § 21. No Orthodox Persons dobuted of them after the Fourth Century § 22. The Romanists cannot prove their Doctrines by any like Traditions and in particular not by such a Tradition as proves the Apocalypse Canonical § 23. The Objection of Mr. M. Answered § 24. AGain § 1 the word Tradition may be applied to signifie either such things as are not written in the Scripture Dist 5. though they are left on Record in the Ecclesiastical writings of the first and purest Ages Vocatur Doctrina non scripta non ea quae nusquam scripta est sed quae non est scripta a primo Autore Bellarm. de verbo Dei non scripto l. 4. c. 2. and from them handed down unto us in the writings of succeeding Ages or else to signifie such things as are said only to be delivered by word of Mouth but cannot by the Records of preceding Ages be proved to have been received as Doctrines generally maintained or practices always observed in the Church of Christ of the first sort is the Tradition of the Canon of Scripture of the Apostles Symbol as a perfect Summary of Doctrines necessary to be believed the Observation of the Lord's Day the Superiority of Bishops over Presbyters the Ordination of Presbyters and Deacons by Bishops only and the like we having full and pregnant evidence from the first Records of Antiquity unto this present time of all these things and whatsoever can be proved by a like Tradition touching a necessary Article of Christian Faith we are all ready to receive but those pretended Traditions of the Roman Church which by no Records of Antiquity can be made appear to have been constantly received by the Church as Apostolical Traditions we have just Reason to reject as being without Ground so stiled For Instance First We receive the Canon of the Scriptures of the Old Testament mentioned in our Sixth Article because it is by written Tradition handed down unto us from the Jews from Christ and his Apostles and from their Successors in the Church and we reject the Canon of the Old Testament imposed upon us by the Fourth Session of the Trent Council partly because we find a clear Tradition both virtually by all who say the Canon of the Old Testament is only that we own and expresly by those who say the others which we stile Apocrypha belong not to the Canon And 1. § 2 We receive our Canon from the Ancient Jews to whom were committed the Oracles of God for their Josephus saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 1. contra Apion
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
being not writ by Paul. Now who they were who in this Century did upon this account reject it we learn more plainly from the Writers of the following Century For Eusebius informs us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 20. even in his time some of the Romans did reject it as being none of the Apostles Upon which place Valesius notes That it was the Custom of Eusebius to call all the Latins Romans and observes that Ruffinus thus Interprets this very passage Scio apud Latinos de ea quae ad Hebraeos inscribitur haberi dubitationem L. 3. c. 3. I know that the Latins doubt of the Epistle to the Hebrews The same Eusebius informs us Ep. ad Dard. Ep. Tom. 3. f. 24. a. that others did reject it with the Roman Church St. Jerom frequently affirms That eam Latina consuetudo non recipit the Latin Church did not receive it among the Canonical Scriptures Here then we see that they rejected for Two Centuries what afterwards they did unanimously receive as part of the Canon of the New Testament and so her Judgment alone can give us no assurance of the Books of the New Testament because through two whole Centuries she actually erred in her Judgment of them Hence also I inferr that the Church of Christ knew of no Obligation laid upon her in a division of Church Rulers touching any matter Exhort ad Martyr p. 232. to adhere to the Pope and Church of Rome and those which sided with them For in this very Case Origen in the Third Century offers to demonstrate against her that this was truly the Epistle of St. Paul And Jerom bluntly says Although the Latins do reject it yet do I receive it Tom. 3. f. 24. with the Greeks nequaquam hujus temporis consuetudinem sed veterum Scriptorum authoritatem sequens not following the Custom of this time among the Latins but the Authority of ancient Writers Fourthly I add § 17 That there is not the like necessity that any of these controverted Books should be received from the beginning by all Christians as Canonical as that the necessary Articles of Christian Faith and Manners should be received by all Christians For 1. The necessary Articles of Christian Faith and Rules of Christian Life were preached universally to all and so there was no time when any Christian could be ignorant of them without his own fault but the Epistles controverted were only sent to private Christians as the Second and Third Epistles of St. John or to the Churches of the Jews and therefore might with reason for some time be doubted of by other Churches of the Gentiles this being not a weakening but confirmation of our Faith that the first Christians were so careful to see sufficient Evidence before they would receive even the least Epistle into the Canon of the Scripture 2. No Christian Church could need to be told by any other what were the necessary Articles of Christian Faith or Rules of Life since they must always know the Christian Faith and be obliged to practise the Rules of Christian Piety and must be taught them by their Church Guides but 't is not thus with reference to these Epistles for being writ to a particular Society of Christians it was sufficient that this Society could shew De praescript c. 36. as saith Tertullian Authenticas literas corum the Authentick Letters of those Apostles which indited them and could testifie to those who doubted as St. Austin saith De Doctrin Christian l. 2. c. 8. quod ab ipsis Epistolas accipere meruerunt that they received these Epistles from them and read and owned them as their genuine Works when-ever this was done they who before did question them must have sufficient ground to own them as parts of the true Canon and till they had this Evidence they reasonably might continue to doubt of them 3. It is evident from the second Observation that the assured knowledge that these Epistles are Canonical cannot be necessary to Salvation the necessary Doctrines of Christian Faith being according to the general Tradition of the whole Church of Christ Chap. 7. §. 4 5 6 c. Ibid. § 2 3. comprised in the Apostles Creed and all the necessary Rules of Christian Piety being according to the same Tradition fully comprised in the Four Evangelists whereas the actual knowledge of all necessary Articles of Christian Faith and Rules of Christian Conversation must be always necessary there being no possibility of knowing or of doing acceptably the Will of God without them It will not therefore follow because such matters of Fact may for a time be doubtful in the Church matters of Faith may be so that because Churches may be Orthodox and reject some part of the Canon for a Season they may be Orthodox though they reject some necessary Article of Christian Faith. The Romanist I hope will not admit of these Conclusions The Greek Church might reject the Apocalypse and yet be Orthodox ergo she might reject the Trinity and yet be Orthodox The Latin Churches for a Season might reject the Epistle to the Hebrews without blame ergo they might reject the Resurrection of the Body without blame The whole Church did not formerly receive those Books into the Canon of the New Testament she now receives Ergo the whole Church did not formerly embrace those Articles of Faith which now she holds and yet all these conclusions are as good as those the Roman Doctors usually make for receiving all the Articles of Faith imposed at present by the Church of Rome as the Conditions of Communion upon her Testimony that they are such because we do receive the Canon of the New Testament from the Tradition of the Church Fifthly We shall see cause sufficient to embrace as certain § 18 and unquestionable that Canon of the New Testament we now receive notwithstanding any doubts some of the Ancients had touching some lesser portions of it if we consider 1. That most of the Fathers of the Fourth Century who give us Catalogues of the Scripture Canon and they especially who tell us they in making of it followed the suffrage of the Church and the Tradition of the Fathers do accord in giving of that very Catalogue we now receive and owning all those Catholick Epistles which were sometime controverted thus for instance Apud Balsamon p. 922. Athanasius reckoneth the Books of the New Testament as we do numbering as appertaining to the Canon Fourteen Epistles of St. Paul Seven Catholick Epistles and the Apocalypse and saying These are the Fountains of Salvation let no man add unto them or take from them And yet he doth profess to reckon them as they delivered them who were Eye-witnesses and Ministers of the Word and as they by Tradition came down to him In his Synopsis he undertakes to reckon up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Canonical Books of the New Testament defined to be such
most Christian Churches Saint Jerom that in process of time it obtained Authority Estius notes That they who before doubted of it in the Fourth Century embraced the Opinion of them who received it Praefat. in Epist Jacobi and that from thence no Church no Ecclesiastical Writer is found who ever doubted of it but on the contrary all the Catalogues of the Books of Holy Scripture published by General or Provincial Councils Roman Bishops or other Orthodox Writers number it among Canonical Scriptures quae probatio ad certam fidem faciendam cuique Catholico sufficere debet which proof must give sufficient certainty of it to any Catholick The Second Epistle of St. Peter Pag. 58. Apud Cypr. Ep. 75. p. 220. is cited by Origen against Marcian under the Name of Peter Firmilion saith That both Paul and Peter in suis Epistolis Haereticos execrati sunt ut eos evitemus monuerunt in their Epistles condemned Hereticks and admonished us to avoid them which is done by Saint Peter only in this Epistle Eusebius saith That it was commemorated by many and that they who did not reckon it Canonical yet held it very useful on which account Lib. 3. c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was much studied with other Scriptures The same Eusebius informs us That his First Epistle was always owned by all Christians and thence we may have full assurance of the Truth of this Epistle for there are not saith the Reverend Doctor Hammond greater Evidences of any Epistles being written by the acknowledged Author of it than these Cap. 1. v. 1. The Title of Simon Peter an Apostle of Jesus Christ The Voice which came from Heaven saying vers 17 18. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased we heard when we Peter and John and James were with him in the Holy Mount this second Epistle beloved I write unto you that you may be mindful of the Commandments of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour Cap. 3. v. 1 2. All which are certain Demonstrations That Simon Peter the Apostle of our Lord who was with him in Mount-Tabor and there heard the Voice forementioned and who writ the First Epistle to the Twelve Tribes dispersed writ this also Note Lastly That after the Fourth Century § 22 there appears not the least intimation that any of these Books were any longer doubted of by any Orthodox Professor of the Christian Faith they being all received and reckoned as Canonical by the Councils and Fathers who mentioned the Canon of the New Testament Now from these premisses there is just ground to make this Inference and Conclusion That seeing most of the Catalogues of the Fourth Century given by Councils or by Fathers and all the Catalogues of the Fifth Century unquestionably assure us that what was once controverted by some few was afterwards unanimously received by all the Church of God we are sufficiently assured of the true Canon of the Books of the New Testament The evidence now produced even of these controverted Books being sufficient both in the judgment of all Catholicks and of all Christians who on these grounds alone receive them as such to assure us that they are Canonical Scripture for by what reason can any Man evince that ought to be rejected from the Canon which always was received as Canonical by the greatest part of the Church Catholick and being accurately enquired into by those who once were Doubters found such an uncontroulled reception through the whole Church diffused as stifled through all future Ages the least appearance of a doubt Hence then the Roman § 23 Doctors may discern what it is they have to do if they do undertake to shew us such a Tradition for those Roman Doctrines we reject as hath been shew'd for the Controverted Books of the New Testament And 1. It must be owned by them that it cannot be necessary to Salvation to believe or have an absolute assurance that these are true and Apostolical Traditions and therefore Haec est fides extra quam salus esse non potest This is the Catholick Faith without which there is no Salvation must be excluded from the Roman Creed 2. It must be also owned that the pretented Traditions of the present R. Church were for some Centuries controverted and rejected by whole Churches Orthodox and Apostolical and which were as such owned and embraced by all Christians and that some of them were or at least might have been for the first Four Centuries disowned by the Church of Rome as was one of these controverted Books and consequently it must be owned that she could not then be received as Mater Magistra omnium Ecclesiarum the Mother and Mistress of all Churches 3. It must be proved that there was the same necessity that these controverted Books should be known and received from the beginning by all Christians as that the necessary Traditions and Articles of Christian Faith should be so 4. It must be proved that these Traditions were always owned and mentioned as Divine and Apostolical Traditions by many Orthodox Churches and Fathers and even when controverted were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acknowledged by most of the Church Guides To instance in the Apocalypse which Mr. M. on all occasions singles out as a Book whose Authenticalness cannot be better proved than their Traditions let him shew us any such Testimonies from the First Second and Third Centuries for the pretended Traditions of the Church of Rome as we have shewed for the Apocalypse any one that saith of them as Denys of Alexandria doth of the Apocalypse That he durst not reject it by reason of the multitude of Christians who had a veneration for it let him produce the plain Testimonies of the Fathers that the Truth of these Traditions may be decided by the Testimonies of the Ancients that they owned them as Apostolical by virtue of their Testimony that the Ancient and Holy Fathers led by the Spirit of God gave Testimony to them and that they were the Traditions of holy Men inspired by God All these things have been said of the Apocalypse in the Four first Centuries and when Mr. M. can produce any thing of the like nature evidence and strength for any one of his Traditions we will own it as Divine and Apostolical Here then we see the greatest and the plainest difference betwixt the Traditions we receive and own and those pretended Traditions of the Church of Rome which we reject For 1. The Traditions we receive are Traditions handed down in writing to us throughout all Ages of the Church unto this present time the Traditions we reject are only presumptive Traditions such as the Church of Rome presumes to be so but yet they have no Footsteps in the Ancient Records of the Church of Christ which is a demonstration that they falsly do presume they are Traditions for as we could have no just reason to believe those which we own to be
Whereas the Church declared against Pope Stephen That in this matter of the Rebaptizing Hereticks the various Customs which had obtained were to be permitted without breach of Communion and Christian Peace that the Custom of every Region was to be followed and the obtaining practice to be submitted to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Orders sake that it was to be done or left undone suitably 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to what should generally be ordered concerning it Hence in all matters of this indifferency and obscurity Ad Amphil. can 1. De unit fidei c. 19. in which saith Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing plainly is declared we admit that saying of St. Austin That Hereticks must be received as the Church receives them there being as he adds no clear Example to be produced from Scripture either way and with him we acknowledge Contr. Crescon l. 1. c. 33. That the Truth of Scripture is held by us when we do that which doth please the Church because we know from Scripture that God is the God of Order not of Confusion and that in matters of this indifferency that of the Apostle 1 Cor. xiv 33. 1. Cor. xi 16. We have no such Custom neither the Churches of God must cut off farther matter of Contention but then in Articles of Christian Faith we with the same St. Austin say De peccat mer. remiss l. 2. c. 36. Credo quod hinc divinorum eloquiorum clarissima Authoritas fuisset si homo illud sine dispendio salutis ignorare non possit We believe that the Authority of the Divine Oracles would have been most clear had the matter been such of which we could not have been ignorant without loss of Salvation Moreover though St. Austin doth acknowledge that no Example could be produced from Scripture in this Case yet he pretendeth Scripture for the right and lawfulness of the said Practice For saith he That I may not seem De Bapt. contr Donatistas l. 10. c. 6. Tom. 7. p. 379. humanis Argumentis id agere to prove the Right of receiving Hereticks without Baptism only by humane Arguments ex Evangelio profero certa documenta I produce certain proofs out of the Gospel to shew how rightly this was determined by the Church And again having said Ibid. l. 4. c. 7. p. 419. We follow that which the Custom of the Church always held and a plenary Council hath confirmed he adds That bene perspectis ex utroque latere Scripturarum Testimoniis potest etiam dici quod veritas declaravit Tot tantisque S. Scripturarum testimoniis l. 5. c. 4. Divinarum Scripturarum d◠cumentis l. 6. c. 1. hoc sequimur weighing well the Testimonies of Scripture on both sides it may also be said that we follow that which Truth hath declared From whence and many other places of his works it is evident that even in hae obscurissima quaestione in this most obscure Question as he often stiles it he recurrs for matter of Right to Scripture and weighs it in the Balance of the Sanctuary Thirdly § 24 Hence it is evident beyond all doubt that the Church of that Age in which this Controversie happened knew nothing or at least believed nothing of the New Rule of R. H. That in Judges subordinate dissenting all Christians must adhere to the Superior in those of the same Order and Dignity to the major part since all these Africans and Orientals not only take the liberty to dissent from what the Pope and all the Churches which adher'd to him held as Apostolical Tradition but also to condemn it as a thing contrary to the plain evidence of Scripture and to decree the contrary should be observed and practised For had such a Rule been then received and owned by the Church of Christ could all the Christian Churches besides that of Rome have still maintain'd Communion with those Southern and those Eastern Churches who did so resolutely oppose and flatly contradict this Rule Could they have thus condemned Pope Stephen of violating the Churches Peace and unity for acting consonantly to this Rule by renouncing Communion with them who were provided that this Rule be true manifest Schismaticks Could St. Denys of Alexandria have told the Pope he durst not by acting contrary to the Decrees made at Iconium and Synnada provoke those Churches to Contention if doing so had only been to act according to a Rule always received and owned by the Church of Christ Could St. Basil have judged it best for every one to follow herein the Custom of their own Country in opposition to this Rule Could Firmilian have charged the Pope with Schism Could Cyprian and the Council of Carthage have charged him with Tyranny for pressing a received Rule in the whole Church These sure are demonstrations that this pretended Rule is like the rest of Popish Doctrines a Rule with which the Ancient Church of Christ was not acquainted Fourthly Hence evident it is That all the Churches of that Age knew nothing of the Pope's Supremacy nothing of any Obligation laid upon them to conform to the Doctrines Decrees and Customs of the Roman Church and her adherents and lastly nothing of that pretended Law that Synods were not to assemble and make Canons without consulting of his Holiness Since all these Synods made these Canons either without his Knowledge or else in opposition to Unusquisque Episcoporum quod putat faciat c. Ep. 73. p. 210. and condemnation of the Decrees and Customs both of the Pope and Church of Rome and others told him They thought themselves obliged notwithstanding all his Threats to act according to their Sentence and durst not rescind it Had they believed the Pope's Supremacy in that Age would they have declared so freely as St. Cyprian doth Neque enim quisquam nostrum Episcopum se Episcoporum constituit aut tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitatem collegas suos adigit Apud Cypr. p. 229. Apud Cypr. Ep. 75. p. 217 218 225 227 228. for the Liberty of every Bishop to act as he saw fit in this matter and said that he was only to give account to God of his proceedings Could they with the Council of Carthage have esteemed it such a tyrannical Matter for the Pope to act as Bishop of Bishops Could Firmilian have accused him so pertly of Inhumanity Insolence and Boldness in this Case Could he have judged him a downright Schismatick for acting as he did Could all the forementioned Bishops so freely have reproved him and dissented from him and judged it their Duty rather to adhere to the decisions of Provincial Synods than to his Determination Could they have thought themselves obliged to adhere to the Decrees Ubique a S. Scripturis declaratum est Baptisma Haereticorum non esse verum Ep. 7. the Doctrines or Customs of the Roman Church and yet declare as doth St. Cyprian and his Africans That the Decrees and Practice of
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
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
obtained in that Church we find them got into their Rituals and Books of S. Offices Their Councils do consult about them make Canons and Decrees in favour of them Having then so frequent mention of these matters in the Councils Liturgies the Canons and the Constitutions of the Western Church in these last Ages why is it we have nothing of them in the Canons or Constitutions Apostolical or in the Code of Canons of the universal Church or of the Church of Africk where we have so frequent mention of all the other received Practices and Customs of the Church when Tertullian sets himself on purpose to enumerate those things which had obtained in the Church De Cor. c. 3. Traditionis titulo consuetudinis patrocinio under the specious Titles of Custom and Tradition why is it that he doth not mention one of these Romish Practices De Sp. Sancto c. 25 27. When St. Basil if that be his Work which bears his Name doth professedly discourse of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unwritten Customs which had obtained in the Church why is he wholly silent as to all these practices if equally owned by the Church as Apostolical Surely these things give us just reason to suspect that they were not acquainted with them and knew nothing of them Again had they the Evidence of Tradition § 2 that those points of Faith which in their Councils have been established and imposed upon us under an Anathema were handed down unto them from our Lord's Apostles had the Apostles and their Successors still taught all Christians the Doctrine of Concomitance and the sufficiency of one Species to make an entire Sacrament and to conveigh the whole benefit of the Sacrament Of the necessity of the intention of the Priest to make a Sacrament Of the number of the Sacraments that they are neither more nor less than Seven Of Marriage that it is a Sacrament properly so called and that by virtue of our Lord's Institution Of the Transubstantiation of the Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ Of the Oblation of a true propitiatory Sacrifice for the Dead and Living in the Mass Of a Purgatory or place in which the Souls of Pious Men do suffer Punishment and from which being afterwards relieved by the Prayers and good Works of the Faithful upon Earth they go to Heaven before the Day of Judgment had they informed all Christians That a Power of Indulgences is left by Christ unto his Church That Saints departed are to be Invoked and Images to be Venerated That the Church of Rome is the Catholick Church the Mother and Mistress of all Churches and That the Pope is the Vicar of our Lord Jesus upon Earth and that without the Belief of this Faith Salvation cannot be obtained and consequently never was obtained by any Christian I say had all these Articles descended to them from the Apostles through all Ages of the Christian Church they must be as notorious as any which have thus descended and which we can run up from Age to Age till we come to the Apostles For Instance they must have been as obvious to be found in all the Writings of the Fathers as the Tradition of the Apostles Creed the Canon of the Scripture the Writing of the Four Evangelists c. They also must have been as diligently taught as frequently inculcated as those things were as being no less necessary to Salvation than any Doctrine contained in the Scriptures or in the Creed of the Apostles We must have met with them in all their Summaries of Christian Doctrine of Ecclesiastical Doctrines and their Discourses writ on purpose to instruct others in the Articles of Christian Faith they would have been inserted into their Creeds as other necessary Articles were taught their Catechumens required of their Clergy at their admission to Holy Orders sent by their Patriarchs and Bishops in their circular Letters included in the Paschal Cycles as were the Rule of Faith the Christian Symbol and yet by diligent perusual of all these we can find no such matter in the Creeds Enchiridions Compendiums of Christian Doctrine the catechistical Discourses the Treatises of Faith and ecclesiastical Doctrines so frequent in the Writings of the five first Centuries and therefore have good reason to believe they were not then received or owned as Articles of Christian Faith. The Wisdom of the present Church of Rome yields a strong confirmation of this Argument for since their latter Councils have defined these Articles we find them Inserted into her Creed and her Trent Catechism contained in all the Writings of her Doctors touching the Articles of Christian Faith and of ecclesiastical Tradition required to be believed professed and taught by all her Clergy What therefore shall we think of all the Fathers of the five first Centuries was it out of want of love to Souls or care of their instruction in the necessary Articles of Christian Faith that they were wholly silent in these matters Why then may we not fear that they neglected to hand down unto Posterity other necessary Articles of Christian Faith Or was it out of ignorance that they were then necessary how then came Romanists to know by Tradition that they are necessary now Or if they wanted neither knowledge to discern all necessary Articles of Christian Faith nor will nor care to teach all they conceived to be such must it not follow that those Articles which in their numerous Discourses and Instructions on these Subjects are not so much as touched upon were not then owned as necessary Articles of the Christian Faith and therefore ought not now to be imposed or received as such Add to this § 3 that the Fathers of the first Ages were very careful and concerned to preserve the Traditions of the Apostles truly so called or so esteemed by them and to commit them unto writing to be the Testimonies of their Faith against the importunity of Hereticks to whom it was peculiar for the three first Centurtes to refuse tryal by the Scriptures only and to pretend unto some secret Traditions not contained in the Scriptures For the Great Ignatius going to his Martyrdom confirmed the Churches he arrived at with his Discourses requesting them in the first place to avoid the Heresies which were then springing up He exhorted them also Lib. 3. c. 35. saith Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stand firm to the Tradition of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which for the greater certainty he having testified concerning it thought necessary to leave in writing and so endited his Epistles Papias Ibid c. 38. often naming the Apostles saith the same Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 puts down their Traditions And Polycarp saith Irenaeus not only testified what was the truth which he received from the Apostles and by that testimony converted many of the Hereticks but he also writ an Epistle to the Philippians from which they who are willing and desirous of
their own Salvation may learn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 3. c. 3. the Character of his Faith and the Declaration of the Truth so plain and simple was the Faith of those first Ages that the whole Faith and Truth of Christ was thought to be contained there where is not the least intimation of one Article of the Romish Faith. The Faith received from the Apostles saith Irenaeus the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keeps with the greatest care and preaches and teaches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 1. c. 23. and by Tradition hands it down as he himself there doth by giving us a written Copy of all the Articles of Faith received by the universal Church from the Apostles beyond which the most learned Bishop taught nothing as being not above his Master nor did the meanest Christian believe less the Faith and Tradition of it being one and the same in all places Now not to insist upon the inference which plainly follows hence that none of the R. Articles could be then esteemed Articles of Faith received from the Apostles Tradition there being nothing at all of them in the Epistles of Ignatius writ on purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for confirmation of the Christian Churches in the Tradition of the Apostles against the Hereticks or in that of Polycarp though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most sufficient for declaration of the Truth nor in Irenaeus when purposely laying down for confutation of the Hereticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 1. c. 1. p. 42. The Faith Preached by the Church Cap. 2. the exposition of the Truth which the Church having received from the Apostles keeps and of those things belonging ad Fidem Traditiones Cap. 3. to Faith and Traditions in which the Christian Church unanimously doth consent I say not to insist at present on so plain an inference Nothing can be more natural than to collect that had they known of any other Articles of Faith delivered to them from the Apostles only by word of Mouth they would have taken at least equal care for the propagation of them also to posterity Inasmuch therefore as the common Sense of Mankind agrees to this That Records are a more certain means of conveighing Truth to posterity than Report and Men would be more apt to believe that the Apostles said what themselves wrote than that they said what they did not write and what only comes down by hearsay from them surely the Fathers of the Church had they known of these Supernumerary Traditions of the Roman Church in compliance with the Example and Advice of St. Ignatius would have committed them to writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the better security of them and would have thought that very fit which he declared to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very necessary for conservation of Apostolical Tradition Surely they would have taken all the care imaginable that these unwritten Doctrines might not lose their credit by being long unwritten for they were not ignorant of that great truth of Origen Dial. contra Marcion p. 59. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which only is delivered by word of Mouth quickly vanisheth as having no certainty They therefore had they known of such Traditions necessary to be believed would not have left it to an half witted Papias to run up and down to gather up these Hear-says from them who had conversed with the Apostles and to digest them in a Book of which they were so careless as to preserve us nothing but Euseb H. Eccl. l. 3. c. 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some idle Fables which he related 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as coming to him from unwritten Tradition and by which he deceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most of the Church Guides but would of purpose have written Books to secure the conveighance of them to posterity and to prevent the future Cheats that such bold and half witted Men might have put upon them with false pretensions to Antiquity or to Tradition Even Eutropius the Heathen Dial. contra Marcion p. 59. could argue against Marcion That it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding Foolish to conceive those who were sent to preach the Gospel should do it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without committing what they Preached to writing for it is probable saith he that they preached or declared this Salvation to them only who heard them and had no care the Knowledge of it should descend to Posterity as had they only preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without writing they must have done And may not we in like manner argue against these latter Marcionites That had the Fathers of the Age following the Apostles observed and known that some points of necessary Faith had not been touched in any of their Writings it is highly probable that they by handing of them down in writing would have taken care the knowledge of them should descend unto posterity and would have formally and with one voice declared that whereas the inspired Preachers and Publishers of their Religion had committed to Writing some Articles of the Christian Faith but had not in those writings expressed others which were of equal necessity to be believed it is therefore to prevent all false pretenders to these Traditions Apostolical declared defined and made known to future Ages that these and these alone are Doctrines of this kind delivered orally by the Apostles to the Church to be preserved and taught to future Generations When even in the first Ages of the Church they had to do with Hereticks who when their Doctriens were confuted out of Scripture Cum enim ex Scripturia arguuntur in accusationem convertuntur ipsarum Scripturarum quasi non recte habeant neque sunt ex Authoritate quia varie sunt dictae quia non posset ex his inveniri veritas ab his qui nesciunt traditionem Iren. l. 3. c. 2. as are the Doctrines of the Church of Rome instead of answering the Arguments produced by the Fathers of the Church from Scripture accused the Scriptures of Obscurity and Insufficiency saying That they were spoken variously or so as to admit of divers Senses and that from them the Truth could not be known by them who were ignorant of Tradition non enim per literas traditam illam sed per vivam vocem this Truth being delivered not by writing but by word of Mouth When these Hereticks pleaded for their Doctrines not found in Scripture Apostolos non omnia omnibus revelâsse Tertull. de praescript c. 25. quaedam enim palam universis quaedam secreto paucis demandâsse That the Apostles revealed not all things to all Men but some things they delivered openly and to all some things secretly and to few Hieron in Es 19. fol. 40. b. When they vaunted that they were Filii sapientum qui ab initio Doctrinam nobis Apostolicam tradiderunt The Sons of the wise Men who from the beginning delivered
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
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
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
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 4. in the institution of Faith delivered to the Church and that hanc tenentes regulam holding to this Rule how many and various soever were their Doctrines Ibid. c. 19. we might easily shew their deviation from the truth Cap. 3. In his Third Book he confutes them from the same Topick viz. this Tradition of the Rule of Faith visible in all Churches and preserved in all the Bishops of them succeeding the Apostles declaring That nihil tale docuerunt neque cognoverunt quale ab his deliratur in their account of the Tradition received from the Apostles and the Faith preached to Men they taught no such thing as the deliriums of these Hereticks And he informs us that Polycarp had converted many of these Hereticks to the Church by declaring this was the only Truth which he received from the Apostles And in his Fourth Chapter repeating again this Creed he saith It is that which even the Barbarians who had not the Scriptures preserving in their Hearts would stop their Ears against and sufficiently repel ea quae ab Haereticis adinventa sunt the Inventions of the Hereticks Tertullian also lays down this Creed as the Foundation of the Christian Faith and confutes all the Hereticks because their Doctrines were later than this Creed and were not contained in it He begins his Discourse of Prescription against the Hereticks with this Foundation Nobis nihil ex arbitrio nostro inducere licet cap. 6. That Christians could induce no new thing that they had the Apostles for the Authors of their Doctrines who themselves induced nothing of their own sed acceptam à Christo disciplinam fideliter nationibus adsignaverunt but faithfully delivered to the Nations the Doctrine they received from Christ Cap. 8. And whereas the Hereticks objected that Saying of our Lord Seek and ye shall find and thence pretended that they by seeking had found their Doctrines in the Scripture though they pretended also to Tradition for them and especially for the interpretation of Scripture as Irenaeus hath informed us Unum utique certum aliquid institutum esse a Christo quod credere omnino debeant Nationes idcirco quaerere ut possint cum invenerint credere Cap. 9. to this Tertullian answers That true it was they were to search the Scriptures for their Rule of Faith and prove it thence but then they also were to believe that when they had found that there aliud non esse credendum ideoque nec requirendum that nothing more was to be believed and therefore nothing more was to be inquired after Cap. 8 9. besides those things which they believed were the matters of their Faith and that otherwise there would be no end of seeking nec statio credendi nor any boundary of Faith Let us seek therefore saith he Cap. 12 13. idque duntaxat quod salva regula fidei potest in quaestionem devenire but that only which may be inquired after so as that the Rule of Faith be safe Then he lays down the Creed as that Rule and declares Cap. 14. That knowing this we need seek no more because we know all that we need to know He adds that the Apostles receiving a command to teach and to baptize planted Churches in all Cities whence other Churches Semina Doctrinae mutuatae sunt Cap. 20. borrowed the Seeds of their Doctrine and that all these Churches were one first and Apostolical not by virtue of any Roman Unity but by the Union of Peace and brotherly Affection and per ejusdem Sacramenti unam traditionem by shewing the same Creed which when they journeyed to any other Church was Cap. 21. Contesseratio Hospitalitatis the League of Hospitality And then he adds Hins igitur dirigimus praescriptionem Hence therefore we direct our prescription i. e. From the very Faith and Symbol which the Apostles preaching to the Churches delivered to them in which Rule we find nothing of the New Doctrines of the Hereticks and so are sure they belong not to the Faith but are to be rejected ob diversitatem Sacramenti Cap. 33. as being different from our Creed And by these Examples we may learn by the way what Dionysius Bishop of Corinth did when as Eusebius informs us Hist Eccl. l. 4. c. 23. He combating the Heresie of the Marcionites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stuck to the Canon of Truth viz. that he confuted them as doth Irenaeus and Tertullian by appealing to the Apostles Symbol or Rule of Faith left to the Churches Now here I appeal to any indifferent Reader whether the Arguments of Irenaeus and Tertullian against the Hereticks of their Times be not to this effect The Tradition of the Faith is manifect to all the World you may see and hear it in all Christian Churches where this Symbol is recited in which nihil tale docuerunt they taught nothing like to those New Heresies they therefore are to be rejected And I desire any Man to tell me whether this Argument be not stronger in the mouth of Protestants The Apostles Symbol the Rule of Faith here mentioned by Irenaeus and Tertullian contain nothing of the Romish Articles therefore they are to be rejected whether this be not our way of prescribing against the Church of Rome that her Creed as distinct from ours is new not a tittle of it not any thing like it was delivered in the Rule of Faith the Symbol the Tradition of Christian Doctrine taught say these men by Christ by his Apostles received from the beginning by all Apostolical Churches and for Ten Centuries at least declared to have been the whole and perfect Rule of Christian Faith and by our Catechism said to contain All the Articles of the Christian Faith. 6. § 9 Let it be noted that all these Fathers do unanimously teach That this whole Symbol Summary and Rule of Faith was most apparently contained in Scripture that it was gathered out of Scripture and when they taught it to their Catechists they proved every Article of it from the holy Scriptures Irenaeus saith expresly Lib. 3. c. 3. That they who would might learn the Apostolical Tradition of the Church ex ipsa Scriptura from the Scripture it self the Doctrine which the Apostles preached being afterwards delivered in the holy Scriptures to be the Pillar and the Ground of Faith. Apol. c. 47. Tertullian saith of it That it is antiquitas praestructa divinae literaturae antiquity built upon the divine Scriptures That as for this Rule of Faith we are to search the Scriptures for it De praescript c. 9. Cap. 15. and seek until we find it there That quaerendum est donec inveneris credendum ubi inveneris and that no man can speak of Matters of Faith nisi ex literis fidei but from the Holy Scriptures St. Cyril adds that it is the Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confirmed by all the Scripture and
gathered out of them and that he would Catech. 4. p. 44 45. Pag. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Holy Scriptures give them the proof of every Article of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For saith he we must not deliver one tittle of the Mysteries of Faith without proof from the holy Scriptures nor would I have you to believe me barely saying these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if you receive not a demonstration of them from the Holy Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the safety or security of our Faith is not to be had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but from the demonstrations of the holy Scriptures Athanasius saith It is a vain thing for men to run about pretending to desire Synods for the Faith De Syn. Arim. Seleuc. p. 873. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the holy Scripture is more sufficient than all Synods but if they must have Synods that of Nice is sufficient so that he who sincerely reads their Writings may by them learn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Religion towards Christ which is declared in the holy Scriptures And elsewhere he adds That the Faith of Nice was confessed Ep. ad Epictet p. 582. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the holy Scriptures Ruffinus confesseth That the Articles of the Creed ought to be proved Apud Hieron To. 4. f. 48. b. Hom. 1. de Symb. evidentibus divinae Scripturae testimoniis by evident Texts of Scripture Eucherius Lugdunensis saith That the Apostles Creed was gathered ex diversis voluminibus Scripturarum out of divers Volumes of the Scripture Isidore Hispalensis De Eccl. Off. l. 2. c. 22. De instit Cler. l. 2. c. 56. and Rabanus Maurus That the Apostles briefly did collect it from the holy Scriptures That they who could not read the Scriptures retaining these things in their Hearts might have knowledge sufficient to Salvation And Lastly It is observable § 10 That although they conspired to declare that this Creed and Rule of Faith was entirely contained in and gathered from the Scriptures yet did they as unanimously concurr to call it a Tradition delivered viva voce or by word of Mouth and written not in Paper but on the Tables of the Christian's heart because they generally required all that were to be Baptized to commit it to their Memory The Barbarians saith Irenaeus keeping diligently this Old Tradition Lib. 3. cap. 4. have this Doctrine written without Paper and Ink by the Spirit in their Hearts This the Apostles preached saith Tertullian De praescript c. 21. tam vivâ voce quam per Epistolas postea as well by oral Tradition as afterwards by their Epistles It is the Rule saith Cyril Catech. 4 p 44. which you must studiously keep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not writing it in Paper but keeping the remembrance of it in your Heart Symb apud Hieron To 4. p 46 vide Crysol Serm. 62. and in your Meditation Our Fathers left it by Tradition saith Ruffinus that these things were required to be written not in Paper sed in credentium cordibus but in the Hearts of Believers It is the Symbol saith the Ordo Romanus which is not to be written in any matter subject to corruption Orig. l. 6. c. 19. sed paginis vestri cordis but in the pages of your Hearts in tabulis cordis carnalibus in the fleshly Tables of the heart says Isidore Hispalensis Rabanus Maurus and innumerable others Concil Brac. 2. can 1. Hence as the Councils of Laodicea Trullo and of Braga have determined it was to be learnt by all that came to be Baptized before the great Solemnity of Easter and they required a publick Repetition of it by the People as oft as they received the Holy Sacrament Concil Mo. gunt c. 45. Catech 5. p. 45. 2 Thess ij 14. And lastly hence St. Cyril doth press upon his Catechist the keeping of it in his Memory from that of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hold the Traditions which you have been taught CHAP. VIII The Corollaries from these propositions touching the Creed are these 1. That these Symbols must contain all that the Apostles delivered as simply necessary to be believed of all Christians and all that the whole Catholick Church judged needful to be held in point of Faith § 1. 2ly That these Creeds must be a perfect digest of all things necessary to be believed now and throughout all succeeding Ages of the World § 2. 3ly 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 to be excluded from the Communion of Christians for not believing any other simple Article of Faith § 3. 4ly That all those Councils which have Anathematized their fellow Christians for such Doctrines as are not in these Creeds nor can be evidently inferr'd from any thing contained in them have actually erred § 4. 5ly That all the necessary Articles of Christian Faith are fully and perspicuously contained in Scripture according to the Doctrine of the whole Church of Christ § 5. Mr. M. 's Objection from Tertullian answered and retorted Ibid. 6ly That the Faith of Protestants in all their necessary Articles is most certain § 6. 7ly That in this Sence the Faith was handed down to us by Tradition viz. That this Creed which contains all the Essentials of it hath been thus handed down by it though by the same Tradition it was declared to be also fully contained in the Scripture § 7. 8ly That the Romanists impose upon us when they argue for Traditions neither contained in Scripture nor the Creed from the Sayings of Irenaeus and Tertullian and other Fathers which evidently relate to the Tradition of the Creed § 8. 9ly That here is a full Answer to the Catalogue of Fundamental Articles of Faith so oft demanded § 9. And to that other Question Where was your Religion before Luther § 10. The Reason why we still judge the Church of Rome a true Church § 11. NOW the Consequences which naturally result from this Tradition are sufficient to confirm the most important Arncles of the Faith of Protestants to clear up the most considerable Objections which are made against it and to confute and wholly over throw the Doctrines of the Romish Church For First If according to the Second Observation § 1 the Apostles delivered that which we call the Apostles Creed or something like it to all Churches if all the Christian Churches received such standing Rule of Faith from the Apostles and their Successors if according to the Third Observation all Christians were received into the Church by Baptism upon profession of this Faith and were admitted to the participation of the Eucharist upon the like profession if according to the Fourth Observation the Fathers of the Church have always owned these Creeds as perfect digests of all the necessary Articles
p. 165. Syn. Sard. apud Athan. Ep. ad Afric Episc p. 941. Because this venerable Symbol saith the General Council of Chalcedon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficeth to the perfect knowledge of the Truth and as the Bishop of Ephesus well notes upon that place It is manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing is wanting to what is perfect they also said there was no need of adding any thing to it because it was sufficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Subversion of every wicked Heresy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to overthrow all the most ungodly Heresies and that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Inscription as upon a Pillar against all Heresies 2dly Because they would not alter the Tradition they had received from their Forefathers We saith Cyril in the General Council of Ephesus have taken this care that nothing should be added to Apud Concil Flor Sess 5. Bin. Ibid. p. 589. or altered in the Nicene Symbol as being mindful of him that said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remove not the ancient Bounds which thy Fathers have set 3dly Because they would not give occasion to any to suspect their Faith imperfect or that any Article of Faith was wanting in the Creeds already made Thus the Synod of Sardis decreed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud Athan. Ep. ad Antioch p. 576. That nothing more should be written touching the Faith but that all should rest satisfied with the Faith confessed by the Nicene Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was deficient in nothing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 least that of Nice should be esteemed imperfect and a pretence should be given to as many as will to write and define touching the Faith. Theodoret H. Eccl. l. 2. c. 15. The Orthodox Fathers in the Council of Ariminum professed That they were Children of the Nicene Fathers but if say they we should dare to take away any thing from what they have written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or add any thing to it we should be spurious Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being Accusers of what they did who delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an exact Rule of Faith. And again they declare it Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dangerous thing to add any thing or take any thing from the Nicene Creed because if either of these things should be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Enemies would have liberty to do what they would Pag. 951. And Athanasius in his Epistle to John and Antiochus his Presbyters commands them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reject them who would say more or less than was contained in that Creed Apud Concil Flor. Sess 8. Bin. Ibid. p. 627. And the Bishop of Ephesus well argues That we can suffer nothing by keeping to the same Faith which the divine Fathers confessed and believed since none but mad Men can accuse it of imperfection Secondly § 2 Hence it demonstratively follows that these Creeds must be a perfect digest of all things necessary to be believed now and throughout all succeeding Ages of the World for how can it be necessary for any Christian to have more in his Creed than the Apostles and the Christians of the Four first Centuries had May the Churches of after-Ages make the narrow way to Life more narrow than our Saviour his Apostles and the Fathers left it When the whole Church hath so expresly taught that this Faith was sufficient for the perfect knowledge of the Truth that in it nothing was deficient may others yet come after them and by adding as many more Articles no way pretending to be explications of the former Faith remove the ancient Bounds which our Fathers have set Yea when the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. xx 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 20. who profess that they revealed the whole Council of God unto the Churches and kept back nothing needful for Salvation delivered this as the only Rule of Faith and their Successors handed it down unto posterity as that to which nothing was to be added beyond which nothing was to be believed as an Article of Faith shall after Ages come and add as many more Articles as necessary to be believed unto Salvation as those which they delivered and damn all those who do refuse to own them as such Moreover what reason can any Man give why any person should not be saved now by the same Faith which was sufficient for Salvation in the days of the Apostles and the first four Centuries Are we wiser than they or are our Doctors more Learned or more Faithful Is there another Covenant made with the Church since their Days Are other terms of Salvation since made or is God less merciful to us than he was to them Is not the famous Rule of Lirinensis this Quod ab omnibus quod ubique quod semper That which was always and every where believed of all that is the Rule of Faith And must it not hence follow that there can be no New Article no Declaration obliging us to believe any thing which was not always matter of the Christian Faith If you would palliate the matter by this specious pretence That though the Church can make no Articles of Faith which never were revealed by the Apostles she may declare those that want sufficient Declaration is it not Nonsense to say What always was believed wanteth sufficient Declaration that is it wanteth what is necessary to render it an Article of Faith or a thing fit to be believed Did the Apostles know that Article which you say wants sufficient Declaration to be a necessary Article of Faith or no Did the Compilers of the Nicene or Constantinopolitan Creed did all those Ages who asserted the perfection of these Creeds as to all matters of the Christian Faith know it or no If not then must they teach they knew not what or their Successors without a new Revelation could not know it if they did know it and declare it What farther Declaration could it need unless the Church after that Declaration lost a necessary Article of Faith delivered to her If they knew it but did not declare it they must be charged with concealing some necessary part of the Gospel or if it were unnecessary why may not others still conceal it and not afflict and clog the Faith of Christians with unnecessary things If you say with the Latins in the Council of Florence Apud Bin. Concil To. 8. p. 649. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If all Men would acquiesce in the Faith defined there would be no need to be concerned for any other besides that of Nice but by reason of Mens deviation from the Right Line to bye and crooked false and erroneous ways it is necessary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to unfold and interpret better the same Faith and to make plain the way of Truth To this I reply That here the Cause is given up to Protestants for hence it
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
Tradition they followed them at that Weapon and by producing the Tradition of their Creed and Rule of Faith containing nothing of their New Doctrines they stopp'd their Mouths giving them nevertheless to understand Lib. 3. c. 1. That the Rule of Faith was by the Will of God not only preached to but afterwards delivered to them in the Scriptures to be the Pillar and the Ground of Truth and that the Parables which they by their ridiculous Interpretations adapted to their purposes Lib. 2. c. 46. were to be understood according to this Rule of Truth and according to those things which were perspicuously revealed in Scripture and that then they would not be Interpreted to a dangerous Sence From which things thus explained we learn 1. That no Man can discourse of Matters of Faith but from the Scriptures 2. That these Scriptures were written by the Will of God to be the Pillar and the Ground of Truth to following Ages 3. That if we do interpret the ambiguous Places of them by the plain and with Analogy to the Rule of Faith contained in the Creed we cannot dangerously erre Secondly § 6 Hence it is easie to demonstrate the certainty and full assurance which the Protestant hath for all his necessary Articles of Faith. He having for his Creeds which saith his Catechism contain all the Articles of Christian Faith all the same Grounds of assurance which any Roman Catholick or any Christian can pretend to viz. present acknowledged Profession and Tradition Oral of the present Church and 2ly of all the Churches of the Roman Communion and of all other Christian Churches 3ly The Profession and Oral Tradition of all Churches throught all Christian Ages Times and Places and even of all the Apostles who were saith this Tradition the Authors jointly of that Creed which bears their name 4ly The Writings of the Fathers and of General Councils who assure us that the Creeds they handed down unto us contained the Apostolical Faith the one and same Truth they had been taught the only the entire the perfect Faith of all Christians to which nothing was to be added as well as nothing to be taken from it Lastly the written word of God in which they say this whole Faith is expresly and in words contained in which it may be found and from which it may be proved to the capacity of the meanest Catechist Whereas nothing of this nature can be shewed in Confirmation of the Faith of Romanists Thirdly § 7 Hence also we may learn how Christianity was handed down the same for Substance and Essentials as it was from the beginning by Tradition as the Ancients understood the word viz. by the continual practice of the Church delivering the Summary and Rule of Faith which she received from the Apostles to all her Members to be learnt by heart or to be written not in Ink but in the fleshly Tables of their Hearts and then confirming all the Articles contained in it by the holy Scriptures See Ch. 7. §. 7 8 c. and sending her Members to it to learn the Truth of what the Church had taught them This is saith Irenaeus the Tradition which we have received from the Apostles the Summary of Faith the preaching of the Truth the immoveable Rule of Truth delivered to Christians at their Baptism and by which the Church enlightens all who come unto the Truth And this saith he the Apostles first preached and afterwards delivered in the Holy Scriptures and so they say all Fourthly § 8 Hence it is easie to discern how the R. Doctors impose upon their Readers when they urge the Sayings of Irenaeus and Tertullian for the establishing of their Traditions or the asserting such Traditions as the Rule of Faith which neither are contained in Scripture nor the Apostles Creed when it is evident beyond exception that the Tradition which they speak of is that of the Apostles Creed and of the necessary Articles of the Christian Faith contained in Scripture Q. of Questions p. 345. Thus Mr. M. triumphs in those words of Irenaeus What if the Apostles had not left us the Scriptures must we not have followed that Order of Tradition which they delivered to those to whose charge they left the Churches to be Govern'd To this Order of Tradition many Barbarous Nations do assent who have believed in Christ without any Writings keeping diligently the ancient Tradition not Traditions as Mr. M. deceitfully Translates Now let it be observed That the Tradition here mentioned is only vetus Apostolorum Traditio Lib. 3. c. 4. the old Tradition of the Apostles the belief of one God maker of Heaven and Earth and so on to the end of the Apostles Creed and this will be the clearest Demonstration against the Roman Church imaginable for if we must have followed this Order of Tradition had we been distitute of Scripture we must have absolutely rejected all the Articles of Romish Faith. Mr. M. Ibid. That Irenaeus did believe that the Tradition left by the Apostles was a sufficient Ground of divine Faith is true L. 3. c. 3 4. but then it is as true that he believed that this Tradition was entirely contained in the Rule of Faith he there lays down that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same and only Truth which was delivered by the Apostles that it rendered them who believed this only Wise and acceptable to God and fully armed against all Heresies De praescrip c. 28. Tertullian doth indeed put the Question How is it likely that so many and so great Churches should erre in one Faith. Among many events there is not every where one issue Q. of Quest p. 400. The Errors of the Churches must needs have varied but that which amongst many is found one is not mistaken but delivered Audeat ergo aliquis dicere eos errasse qui tradiderunt De praescrip c. 28 29. Dare then any one say they erred who delivered that one and the same thing But then this is so far from being plain Popery as Mr. M. vainly boasts that it effectually and at one blow Ibid. De Virg. Veland c. 1. De praescrip c. 13. destroys it for having laid down his own Rule immovable and admitting no Novelty no Addition and delivered this Rule in words at length ut hinc quid defendamus profiteamur as a profession of that entire Faith he undertook to defend against the Hereticks and beyond which nothing was needful to be known he proceeds to shew that the Apostles in delivering this as the entire Rule of Faith were not deficient in teaching any thing which was needful to be believed This he proves Chapter the Twenty-sixth because Christ commanded that what they heard in Secret they should publish in the Light and on the House top and that they should not hide the Light under a Bushel but set it on a Candlestick that it might shine to all in the House these Precepts either
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
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
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
and who in the end of the Ages conversing among Men for the abolishing of Sin was Crucified and dying rose again from the Dead ascended into the Heavens and sitteth at the Right-hand of Majesty These things we teach and preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are the Doctrines of the Church received from the Apostles Whereas had the Apostles delivered any other Doctrines of Faith 't is evident these were but some of them and therefore that those others ought to have been mentioned by one who says these things on purpose to declare his Orthodoxy and satisfie all other Christians that he entirely embraced the true Christian Faith. Gennadius hath a Treatise in which he doth designedly discourse of Ecclesiastical Doctrines omitting nothing that I can remember which then obtained in the Latin Church and yet in that whole Treatise he hath not given the least hint of one of the New Articles contained in the Creed of Pius the Fourth but on the contrary he in the General declares That the Faith received in Baptism is Cap. 52. fides Ecclesiae the Church's Faith. And whereas in the Church of Rome auricular and secret Confession is made necessary to the Receiving of the Sacrament He Hortor prius publica poenitentia satisfacere Cap. 53. speaking not one word of that doth say expresly If any Person after Baptism hath committed mortal Sins I exhort him first to make satisfaction by publick Penance and so being reconciled by the Judgment of the Priest to Communicate if he would not receive the Sacrament to his own Condemnation And whereas they now teach That pious Souls go hence to Purgatory Omnium sanctorum animae cum Christo sunt exeuntes de corpore ad Christum vadunt c. 78. to suffer for their Venial Sins he positively declares That since the Ascension of our Lord into Heaven the Souls of all Saints are with Christ and departing from the Body go to Christ Moreover he declares That a Clerk is not to be Ordained who hath had Two Wives after Baptism Cap. 72. or who hath had one who was a Concubine and not a Matron or who was married to a Widow to one Divorced or a Whore or who hath Maim'd himself or received Vsury but he saith not one word of not receiving him to Ordination who is not a Virgin or doth not promise to contain or who is not Divorced from his Matron 'T is therefore evident that then none of these New Articles had obtained in the Latin Church CHAP. X. That Romanists have in the General confessed the Novelty of many of their Doctrines § 1. And in particular 1st Of the Integrity and sufficiency of Holy Scripture as to all necessary Articles of Christian Faith § 2. 2dly Of their Canon of the Old Testament § 3. As is proved from the Sixth to the Sixteenth Century Ibid. 3dly Of the Right of Princes to call General Councils § 4. 4thly Of the Fallibility of Councils § 5. Of Purgatory § 6. Of Indulgences § 7. Of the Veneration of Images § 8. Of Invocation of Saints § 9. Of Latin Service § 10. Of the Seven Sacraments in general § 11. Of the Sacrament of Confirmation § 12. Of auricular Confession § 13. Of Extream Vnction § 14. Of Marriage § 15. Of Transubstantiation § 16. Of Communion in one Kind § 17. Of the true propitiatory Sacrifice of the Mass § 18. Of the Celibacy of Priests § 19. TO these clear Evidences of the Novelty of the pretended Apostolical Traditions of the Church of Rome I proceed now to add the plain and the ingenuous Confession of some of the most able and learned Members of that Church who either in the General have owned that many of these Traditions were not Apostolical and Primitive or handed down to them throughout all Ages of the Church of Christ or in particular confess that many of those Doctrines which by that Church are now imposed as Articles of Christian Faith either began to be asserted or imposed in after-Ages or were disputed and questioned denied or condemned or at the least not mentioned in some of the preceeding Ages of the Church And First § 1 In the General this hath been tacitly confessed by the Learned and Ingenuous Author of the Nouvelle Bibliotheque or the New Library of the Ecclesiastical Writers of the first three Centuries For when he gives us the Abridgment of the Doctrine of those Ages he mentions not among them any or scarcely any of the present and contested Doctrines of the Church of Rome He saith indeed Ils n' ont point douté que l' Eucharistie ne fut le Corps le sang de J. C. They doubted not that the Eucharist was the Body and the Blood of Christ and they called it by that Name But he durst not say as in his Abridgment of the Doctrine of the Fourth Century To. 2. p. 949 950. he doth Ils ont enseigne clairement que le pain le vin de l'Eucharistie étoient changez au Corps au Sang de Jesus Christ They clearly taught that the Bread and Wine of the Eucharist were changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ much less that they believed that this was such a change as did annihilate the substance of the Bread and Wine He therefore in effect confesseth that during these Three Ages he could find no Footsteps of the R. Doctrines The Author of the Book stiled Onus Ecclesiae saith the Doctrines of the Wicklevists were these 1. That the Pope was not Superior to other Bishops 2. That there was no Purgatory Fire 3. That it was a vain thing to Pray for the Dead 4. That auricular Confession was not necessary 5. That the Communion was to be received in both Kinds And these Quae plerique Scholastici secuti sunt cap. 18. §. 7. saith he are Sophisms which most of the Schoolmen delighting in logical Tattle and loving strange Opinions followed He further adds that Huss and Jerom of Prague held That the universal Church consisted not in Rome or in the Pope but in the body of the Elect An haec vel alia eorum dogmata fuerint novae vanitatis vel Evangelicae Antiquitatis nescio Ibid. and that Men might be saved who were not subject to the Church of Rome concluding thus Whether these or other of their Doctrines were new Vanities or of Evangelical Antiquity Epist l. 6. p. 245. I know not Erasmus in his Epistle to Martin Luther gives him to understand That there were in England Men of the greatest Note who esteemed very well of his Writings Ut quisque vir est optimus ita illius Scriptis minime offendi Ep. l. 12. p. 400. and Men at Loven who bore the same Affection to them In his Epistle Cardinali Moguntino This saith he I observe that the better any Man is the less he is offended with Luther 's Writings In his Letter
be proved by Holy Writ And that it cannot be proved from the perpetual Tradition of the Church is plainly and frequently confessed by R. Doctors For when Paschase and others broached that Opinion That the Sacrament was that very Body of Christ which was Born of the Virgin Mary Ed. Colon. 1551. p. 195. Bertram expresly teacheth That in saying this Sanctorum Scripta patrum contraire comprobantur they are proved to contradict the Sayings of the Holy Fathers Durandus of Troarn saith Apud Larroq Hist of the Sacrament p. 454. Ed. Ang. De Euch. l 3. c. 23. §. unum tamen That in the Ninth Century several opposed the Opinions of Paschase as Novelties which till then had not been heard of in the Church Bellarmine also confesseth That Scotus held that Transubstantiation was not an Article of Faith before the Lateran Council and they had reason so to say since he affirms 1. That the Church declared under Innocent the Third that this Sence was De veritate fidei a Truth belonging to the Faith In quart Sent. distin xi q. 3. lit g. Colloq Fontibell p. 16. and 2. That it was to be believed to be De substantia fidei hoc post istam declarationem solennem factam ab Ecclesia of the Substance of the Faith after that solemn Declaration made by the Church And Cardinal Perron acknowledgeth That the Opinion of Scotus was in this Sence true That before that Council Transubstantiation was not formally an Article of Faith that is as to the formality of publick Profession and as to any prohibition rendring him inexcusable who was ignorant of it In 4. Sent. dist xi q. 3. disp 42. §. 1. Yribarn saith expresly That in primitiva Ecclesia non erat de fide substantiam panis in Corpus Christi converti In the Primitive Church the Conversion of the Substance of the Bread into the Body of Christ was no Article of Faith. Alphonsus de Castro confesseth Adv. Haer. l. 8. tit de indulg That of the Transubstantiation of the Bread into Christ's Body Rara est in Antiquis Scriptoribus mentio the Ancients seldom do make mention Modest disc de Jes Angl. p. 13. Annot. in 1 Cor. vij And our English Jesuits acknowledge That the Fathers did not meddle with the matter of Transubstantiation Erasmus saith That in synaxi Transubstantiationem sero definivit Ecclesia it was late before the Church defined Transubstantiation and that for a long time it was sufficient to believe that the true Body of Christ was present whether under the consecrated Bread or any way whatsoever Bernard Gilpin in the Life of Bishop Tonstal saith P. 40 46. v. P. 33 42 48. That he had often heard that Bishop say that Innocent the Third did rashly in making Transubstantiation an Article of Faith when before it was free to think so or otherwise yea that he knew not what he did when he made it an Article of Faith. Holcot informs us That paucis tamen persuasum est Corpus Christi esse realiter in Sacramento Altaris sub speciebus panis vini Sent. l. 4. qu. 3. lit c. Few Men were perswaded that the Body of Christ was really in the Sacrament of the Altar under the Species of Bread and Wine In 4. Sent. dist◠xi q. 3. b. and Scotus tells us That to say that such things appertain unto the Faith is an occasion of turning all honest Men and almost all that follow natural Reason from the Faith and of hindering their conversion to the Faith and that a prophane Man or one that follows natural Reason would think this Doctrine a greater inconvenience than all the Articles of the Incarnation and saith he Mirum videtur quare in uno Articulo qui non est principalis Articulus fidei debeat talis intellectus asseri propter quem fides pateat contemptui omnium sequentium rationem it seems worthy of Admiration why such a Sence should be asserted in one Article which is no principal Article of Faith as rendreth the Faith Contemptible to all who follow Reason Our Thirtieth Article affirms § 17 That the Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay-People for both parts of the Lord's Sacrament by Christ's Ordinance and Commandment ought to be ministred to Christian Men alike and that this was the Doctrine of the whole Church of Christ to the Twelfth Century hath been demonstrated in a Treatise written upon that Subject Cassander also clearly testifies That the Oriental Church doth to this Day and that the Roman Church did for a Thousand Years In Art. 22. in the ordinary and solemn Administration of this Sacrament give both Kinds to all the Faithful and that they were induced to do so Instituto exemplo Christi by the Example and Institution of our Lord and that therefore it was no rash thing that all the best Catholicks who were conversant in the reading of the Divine and Ecclesiastical Writers and were moved by the Reasons there mentioned were extreamly desirous of the Cup and did vehemently contend that this salutary Sacrament of the Blood of Christ Epist 19. together with the Sacrament of his Body Juxta veterem multis saeculis perpetuatam universalis Ecclesiae consuetudinem in usum reducatur should be reduced to use according to the ancient Custom of the universal Church continued through many Ages The same Cassander saith Antiquioribus saeculis ad plenam legitimam solennem Communionem utriusque Sacramenti Corporis Sanguinis Domini participationem necessariam fuisse That in former Ages the participation of the Body and Blood of Christ was necessary to a full lawful and solemn Communion John Barus declares Cath. Rom. Pacif. Sect. 7. apud Forbes Consid Modest p. 429. That Communion in both Kinds is Scripturis Patribus universalis Ecclesiae consuetudini conformior more conform to Scriptures to the Fathers and to the Custom of the universal Church And George Wicelius saith That the Church of Rome did ill in intermitting the use of the Cup in publick Celebration of the Sacrament adding That Ejus rei cum nube quadam certissimorum Testium septi sumus In via Regia Apud Forbes Consid Modest p. 427. plerophoriam amplectimur omni secluso dubio being compassed with a Cloud of most certain Witnesses touching this matter we have that full assurance of it which excludes all doubt And even Thomas Aquinas teacheth In Cap. 11. Ep. 1. ad Cor. lect 5. q. That although whole Christ be under either Species yet is he not in vain tendered under both Species Quia hic est vetus usus hujus Sacramenti ut seorsim exhibeatur fidelibus Corpus Christi in cibum Sanguis in potum because this is the ancient use of this Sacrament That the Body of Christ should separately be given to the Faithful for meat and the Blood for drink In our Thirty-first Article §
1. p. 474. De Nat. Deor. l. 3. ab initio p. 243. those that were before us and were as they affirmed the Progeny of the Gods though they give no necessary Demonstration of what they say nor shall any Man's Reason be he never so learned saith Cicero move me from that Opinion of the Worship of the immortal Gods Quam a Majoribus accepi which I received from my Ancestors See here Popery in the Foundation of it borrowed from Heathanism see how exactly they comply in the same Plea. Moreover the Answer which the Christians then returned unto this Plea of Pagans from Tradition § 11 is a sufficient Justification of the Protestants against the same Pretences in the Mouths of Roman Catholicks and a full Evidence that they were not Assertors of the Roman Doctrine in this Matter For First They represent it as the great Folly of the Heathen World that they followed Custom against Reason objecting it to their Reproach that they did what they saw done not what their Reason told them should be done That among them Arnob. l. 7. p. 236. L. 2. c. 6. p. 172. Plus valet nullam habens consuetudo rationem Custom without Reason prevailed more than the weight of Things examined by the Nature of Truth What will you do saith Lactantius to them Majoresne potius quam Rationem sequaris Would you follow your Ancestors rather than Reason esteeming this the greatest of Absurdities He farther adds That they who were led like Beasts by others Et qui sine ullo judicio inventa Majorum probant sapientiam sibi adimunt and who did without Judgment approve of the Inventions of their Ancestors P. 173. deprived themselves of Wisdom Now if it be so great a Folly and Absurdity and such a brutish renouncing of all Wisdom to comply with Custom against Reason and without exercising of our Judgments must it not much more be so to comply with it against Scripture Reason and the whole Stream of Primitive Antiquity as we must do if we do yield a blind Submission to the Doctrines of the Roman Church Secondly They prove their Ancestors were not to be followed without the use of Reason and Discretion because they were so prone to receive Fables and even Monsters of Opinions P. 21. We are not to be drawn into Error by consenting to our Ancestors saith Octavius Majoribus enim nostris tam facilis in mendaciis fides fuerit ut temere crediderint etiam alia monstrosa mira miracula for our Ancestors were so easily imposed upon by Lyes that they believed rashly many other monstrous Wonders L. 1. p. 34. You plead Antiquity saith Arnobius as an Argument of Truth Quasi vero errorum Antiquitas plenissima Mater non fuerit as if Antiquity were not the pregnant Mother of Errors and as if she had not brought forth all those Things which in their ignominious Fables impute such filthy Characters to their Gods. De Civ Dei l. 22. c. 6. St. Austin also saith That Antiquitas recepit fabulas fictas nonnunquam incondite Antiquity received Fables feigned sometimes incongruously And is it not evident from the Confessions of the Romish Doctors and Historians that in the dark and ignorant Ages of the Church from the Tenth to the Fifteenth Century their Church abounded with idle Monks who made it their whole Business to fill Church History with lying Legends and Tales as Foolish and Ridiculous as those of Heathens Locor Theolog l 11. c. 6. p. 652. For Melchior Canus doth ingenuously confess Res Gestas Sanctorum falsis commentitiis fabulis contaminari That the Histories of the Saints were defiled with false and counterfeit Fables That most of their Writers have feigned so many things either in compliance with their Affections or on set purpose That he was not only ashamed P. 650. but even weary of them their whole Narration being invented either for gain or Error Ibid. p. 658. And speaking of their Golden Legend he saith Praefat. ante Homil. de fest Sanctorum In illo miraculorum monstra saepius quam vera miracula legas Royardus adds That such Writers weakened the truth it self Insertis passim fabulis ac meris nugamentis by the Fables and meer Fooleries they frequently inserted Cornelius Agrippa saith De vanit scient cap. 97. That lying piously they counterfeited Relicks framed Miracles Confinguntque vel plausibiles vel terribiles Fabulas and feigned plausible or terrible Tales In lib. Confess August Erasmus saith They studied to commend them whom they favoured Fabulis vanis miraculis fictis with vain Fables and feigned Miracles Cap. de Reliquiis l. 1. c. 11. p. 156. Lib. 5. p. 565. The like complaints you may read in Cassander's Consultation in Espencaeus's Commentary upon Timothy and in Lyranus on the Fourteenth Chapter of Daniel Aventinus informs us That in the days of Hildebrand many false Prophets Fabulis Miraculis à veritate plebem Christi avertunt did turn away the People from the Truth by Fables and Miracles Then saith he arose false Prophets false Apostles false Priests P. 591. Qui simulata Religione populum deceperunt magna signa prodigia ediderunt who deceived the People with feigned Religion and wrought great Signs and Wonders The Clergy of Liege add That then were those Stories feigned concerning Sylvester and Constantine no less ignorantly than impudently and falsly and many others which say they Christian Modesty will not permit us to tell then crept in the traffique of Holy Things Concil To. 2. Edit Colon. apud Quiritel p. 809. and the Holy Philosophy by the subtile interpretation of Sycophants began to be corrupted polluted and violated with humane Inventions and old Wives Fables John Gerson speaks thus Enquire if there be not Apocryphal Scriptures De Defect Viror Eccles Consid 16. c. Hymns and Prayers brought into the Church in process of time either of purpose or of ignorance to the great hurt of the Christian Faith. He also saith There is very much Superstition in the Worshipping of Saints innumerable Observations without all Ground or Reason vain credulity in believing things concerning the Saints reported in the uncertain Legends of their Lives Thirdly The Fathers tell them That this was the rise of all their Errors Minuc p. 26. Quod inconsulte gestiant parentibus obedire That they would without consulting follow their Fore-fathers Et fieri maluerunt alieni erroris accessio quam sibi credere and that they chose rather to follow the Errors of other Men than believe themselves Clem. Alex. Adm. p. 57. That they had never fallen into such impiety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if being carried away with Custom they had not shut their Eyes against Reason And it is also our perswasion that this adhering to the Customs of the present R. Church and to the Customs which crept in or advanced into Articles of her Faith
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
are plainly opposite to the Doctrines Practices and Traditions formerly received and approved in the Church of Christ and this they do believe so firmly that they rather chuse to suffer loss of Life and all the Comforts of it than own these Doctrines of the Church of Rome as Apostolical Traditions Moreover whereas it is no Man's Interest to make the World believe there was such a City as London if there was no such place in being it is the Interest of the whole Church of Rome to set up this pretence to Infallibility in the General that finding it disclaimed by other Churches she with some Colour may pretend unto it and 't is the Interest of the Roman Clergy as much to stickle for the Truth of her pretended Traditions as it was the Interest of Demetrius and his Fellow Artists to avouch to the Ephesians They might be truly Gods which were made by Hands and that the Image of Diana truly fell down from Jupiter since otherwise their Craft would be set at nought And as it was the Interest of the Master of the Pythonisse to be angry with St. Paul for casting out the Evil Spirit from her because thereby his Hopes of Gain was gone For if Men will not receive their Traditions as the Truths of God they cannot Lord it over their Consciences nor drain their Purses nor give Laws at pleasure to the Christian World but must be put to the hard task of proving what they would have us take upon their Words And Fourthly Whereas he that doubteth whether there be such a City as London may repair unto it to be convinced by ocular demonstration whither shall he repair who doubteth of the Truth of the Traditions of the Church of Rome for Satisfaction in that Matter Will you send him to Scripture You have already told him he cannot know what is Scripture what Copies and what Texts are uncorrupted what Translation of it is Authentick but by the Church and also that when he knows all this he cannot understand the meaning of the Scriptures in places disputable and variously sensed as you know those are by which you prove both the Churches Infallibility and the Pretences of the Roman Church to be Infallible Will you send him with Mr. P. 360. M. To the unanimous Consent and Tradition of our Church that is the Church of Rome what is this but to bid him believe that Self-evident which he thinks evidently false to believe the Church of Rome to be Infallible in her Traditions and then he will not doubt of her Infallibility or to turn Roman Catholick and then he will no longer be a Protestant Will you add with him That what is proposed by the Tradition of such a Church is evidently credible Ibid. and sufficient to beget an infallible assent Is it not then matter of Amazement that so many Millions of Persons throughout the World endowed with intellectuals as piercing and accomplished with all Abilities which their Adversaries can boast of yea who many of them have strong temporal motives to incline them to embrace the Romish Traditions and all the miseries which Papal Tyranny can inflict to awaken them into a serious consideration of all the Evidence that can be offered for them and who are Men seriously industrious to attain Salvation and Men who know they must perish everlastingly if they resist the Truth clearly propounded to them I say is it not matter of Amazement that so many persons so qualified should from Generation to Generation so unanimously reject what is evidently credible and able to beget within them an infallible assent yea that they should dispute and write many Books against it though they could never do so but they must contradict what is self-Evident What is this but in effect to say All Protestants always were are and must be whilst they continue Protestants resolved to be damned and as obstinate as the very Devil in doing what they know must tend to their eternal Condemnation Will you send him to the Vniversal Church either by it you mean only the R. Church and her Adherents or you do not if you do you again send him to the Church of Rome if you do not you must renounce that Article of Faith which all your Clergy stand by Oath obliged to defend viz. the Roman Catholick Church and with it your Pretences to Infallibility on the account of any of these Promises which do confessedly belong only unto the Vniversal Church of Christ CHAP. XII Mr. M ' s. Fifth Assertion That all Catholicks ever held that for true which was owned by the Vniversal Church of their times and rejected the contrary as an Error answered by way of Concession § 1. First That this is absolutely true in reference to Doctrines and Practices truly necessary to the Being of a Church But Secondly That this is with Lirinensis to be restrained to the Fundamentals of Faith is proved 1st from Scripture 2dly from Reason § 2. Thirdly From Instances as First That of the Administration of the Sacrament to Infants which they generally practised both in the Eastern and the Western Churches § 3. They declared this Practice to be necessary § 4. That they speak not this of such a participation of the Body and Blood of Christ as may be had in Baptism but plainly of the Puriticipation of the Eucharist § 5. Inferences hence 1. To prove the Definition of the Trent Council touching this Matter actually False 2ly That the Practice or Doctrine of the Church in any Age is no true Evidence of Tradition or the right Interpretation of Holy Scripture 3ly That Mr. M ' s. Argument for Prayer for the Dead from Tradition is not convincing § 6. 2. From the Opinion of the Fathers That it was not lawful for a Christian to swear at all § 7. 3ly From their Opinion That good Angels were transported with the Love of Women and got Gyants of them § 8. 4ly From their Opinion That it was unlawful for any Clergyman to engage himself in Secular Affairs § 9. Or to go from one Church or Diocess to another § 10. 3ly When whole Churches and Nations differ and Heresies prevail the Fathers say we are for finding out the Truth to have Recourse only to Scripture and to primitive Tradition § 11. A full Answer to Mr. M ' s. Argument for Tradition from the Ancient Custom of praying for the Dead shewing on what Accounts the Ancients did it what Reason we have not to do it That the Prayers for them used by the Church of Rome are Novelties and that those used by the Ancients were perfectly destructive of the Roman Purgatory § 12. MR. § 1 M. saith That whatsoever was held by the Vniversal Church P. 367 368. was without farther Question held for true and the contrary to it was ever rejected as an Error Neither will you ever find a Catholick who ever had the Boldness to say that the Church of
his Days did universally hold any thing that was an Error nor shall you ever read of any Catholick who refused to conform himself to the Vniversal Belief and Practice which was current in the whole Church of their times Now to this I answer That the Vniversal Church may be considered Two ways 1. In a State of Vnity within her self so that her Members do universally agree in the same Doctrine and Practice few or none dissenting from the common Doctrine of the Church or in that State in which her Members are unhappily divided by reason of the different Sentiments of many great and famous Churches which yet exclude not either Party from being Members of the Church Catholick as she hath always been since the great Rupture betwixt the East and West and as the West hath often been divided by reason of the great and lasting Schismes which have happened betwixt contending Popes and Emperors and betwixt Popes and Councils contending for Superiority 2. I add That this Agreement of the present Vniversal Church may either be in Doctrines and Practices necessary to the Being of a Church or else in Doctrines and Practices unnecessary on which the Being or the Welfare of the Church doth not depend Having premised these Distinctions I answer First That in Doctrines and Practices truly necessary to the Being of a Church the Agreement of the Vniversal Church is a sufficient Evidence that all such Doctrines and Practices derived from the Apostles because they were as necessary to be held throughout all formen Ages as in this And therefore in such Doctrines as were rejected by the Vniversal Church as Heresies Austin saith truly That it was sufficient Cause to reject them because the Church held the contrary De Haer. c. 90. they being such as did Oppugnare Regulam veritatis oppose her Rule of Faith or Symbol universally received And that it was sufficient to perswade any Man he ought not Aliquid horum in fidem recipere to embrace any of the Doctrines of Hereticks as Articles of Faith because the Church who could not be deficient in any point of necessary Faith did not receive them This way of Arguing negatively we therefore with St. Austin do allow The Vniversal Church knows no such Doctrine ergo it is no Article I am obliged to receive as any part of Christian Faith. The Vniversal Church of Christ knows no such Practice therefore it is no Practice necessary to be done by Christians But Secondly In Reference to such Doctrines or Practices on which the Being and the Welfare of the Church doth not depend I say the Agreement of the present Church can be no certain Argument either of the Truth of the Doctrine or of the Derivation either of the Doctrine or Practice from Apostolical Tradition And this seems very suitable even to the Rule of Lirinensis who having advised us to embrace that Sence of Scripture and those Tenets which were Ecclesiastical and universally received he saith this is especially to be observed in iis duntaxat Common c. 41. quaestionibus quibus totius Catholici dogmatis fundamenta nituntur In those Questions only on which depend the Foundations of the Catholick Faith. And this is also evident from Scripture Reason and Tradition First From Scripture which plainly doth inform us that the Rulers of the Jewish Church had taught for Doctrines the Commandments of Men and such Traditions as made void the Law of God and by which they taught others to transgress it and by which they deserved the Title of blind Guides leading the Blind And these Traditions were received and observed by all the Jews Mark 7.3 Gal. 1.14 Traditions of the Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Traditions received from their Fathers Customs which they who did not walk according to were thought to teach Apostasy from Moses Now if the whole Jewish Church of that Age might thus mistake in what she taught as Doctrines of the Scripture or Practices and Doctines received from Moses by Tradition why may not the Christian Church of this present Age or any other be subject to the like Mistakes in Doctrine or in Practice Again That the Doctrines of the Millenium of the Day of Judgment being nigh at hand of the Reservation of good Souls in some place different from the highest Heavens were very prevalent in the first Ages of the Church I have already proved Chap. 4. §. 1 2 3 4 5 6. though now they do as generally pass for Errors And the like may be easily proved of many Practices now wholly laid aside Quod autem instituitur praeter consuetudinem ut quasi observatio Sacramenti sit approbare non possum etiamsi multa hujusmodi propter nonnullarum vel sanctarum vel turbulentarum personarum scandala devitanda liberius improbare non audeo sed hoc nimis doleo quia tam multis praesumptionibus plena sunt omnia Epist ad Jan. 119. cap. 19. St. Austin in his Time complained That all things or places were filled with manifold Presumptions and that these Corruptions had so generally obtained that albeit he thought they ought to be redressed yet durst he not freely disprove them and if so many Superstitions were so publickly avowed and practised in his time and urged upon others by the greatest part of the Church and if so many Doctrines prevailed in the greatest part of the Church in former Ages which now pass for Errors why might they not generally do so What Reason can be given why the whole might not continue the true Church of Christ and hold these Doctrines and espouse these Practices as well as so great Parts of the Church continue true Parts of the Church and do so Thirdly It is evident from Church History that Doctrines and Practices have generally obtained in some Ages of the Church and passed for Apostolical Traditions which have in after Ages been discarded as v. g. First The Administration of the Eucharist to Infants and the principle upon which they did it viz. That without Baptism and the Supper of the Lord no Man could have Life eternal The Punick Christians saith St. Austin call Baptism Salvation To. 7. li. de pecc Merit Remiss c. 24. and the participation of Christs body Life Whence is this Nisi ex antiqua ut existimo Apostolica Traditione qua Ecclesiae Christi insitum tenent but from an Ancient and as I suppose Apostolical Tradition by which the Churches of Christ have this deeply setled in them That without Baptism and the Participation of the Lord's Supper no Man can attain to the Kingdom of God or to Life Eternal Whence he concludes That it is in vain to promise the Kingdom of God or Life Eternal to Children without both these Sacraments and that with the plainest Evidence provided that his Principle hold good Now of this Matter let it be considered That it was certainly the Practice of the whole Church of Christ for many Ages § 3
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
Matth. p. 58. in luc 7. p. 351. Nazianzen in Orat. Funebr Basil in hanc sententiam Meliori non inventa maxima pars Veterum Auctorum concesserunt Maldonate in Matth. xi 2. viz. Ambrosius Eusebius Emissenus Julianus Pomerius Venantius Gregorius Question to our Lord Matth. 11.3 Art thou he that shall come or look we for another they should thus interpret it That St. John being to go down to Hell or Hades should send to ask whether he should go before him thither and preach him there as he had done on Earth Matth. 16.23 That when Christ said to Peter Get thee behind me Satan thou art an Offence to me they out of a Reverence to St. Peter should make him say to (f) Multi putant quod non Petrus correptus est sed adversarius Spiritus qui haec dicere Apostolum suggerebat Hieron in Matth. xvj 23. Hilarius in locum Theophylact. in Marc. 8. p. 232. Peter only come thou after me and to the Devil Satan thou art an Offence unto me That when the same St. Peter denied his Master Matth. 26.72 saying I know not the Man they should excuse and bring him off with this quaint Equivocation (g) Scio quosdam pij affectus erga Petrum locum hunc ita interpretatos ut dicerent Petrum non Deum negasse sed hominem esse-sensum nescio hominem quia scio Deum Hieron in locum Vide Maldonatum ibid. Nescio hominem quia scio Deum I know not the Man for I know him to be God not considering with St. Jerom That by thus attempting to excuse the Disciple they gave the lye to his Master who had foretold his Denial That from those Words of Christ Joh. 8.44 (h) Vide Origen in Joh. Tom. 23. ed. Huet T. 2. p. 308. Huetii notas p. 34. Epiph. Haer. 40. n. 5 6. Haer. 38. §. 4 5. Ammon caten in c. 8. Joh. p. 238. Cyril Alex. in locum p 559. Author quaest V. N. Test apud August c. 90 98. Hieron in Isa c. 14 F. 36 e. The Devil is a Lyar and the Father of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they should conclude that the Devil had a Father and that he was either Cain or Judas That to avoid the vain Cavils of the Marcionites and Manichees they should say That (i) Iren. l. 3. c. 7. Tertul. l. 5. adv Marcion c. xj Chrysost Theod. Photius apud Oecum Theophylact in locum August contr Faust Manichaeum l. 22. c. 2. 9. the God of this World mentioned 2 Cor. iv 4. was not the Devil but the true God And from these Words of the Apostle (k) Illud dici potest quod Paulus non tam maledixerit eis quam oraverit pro illis ut eas partes corporis perderent per quas delinquere cogebantur Hieron in locum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret Oecum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in locum Gal. 5.12 I wish they were cut off that trouble you they should gather that the Apostle desired that the Abettors of the legal Ceremonies and Circumcision might be gelt To omit infinite Passages of the like Nature Nor can it reasonably be doubted that the Doctrine of the Millennium of the necessity of communicating Infants of the Appearance of Enoch and the Tisbite at our Lord's Second coming of the nearness of the End of the World of our Lord 's Preaching but one Year after his Baptism of the Angels conversing with Women had all their Rise from the mistaken Interpretations of the Holy Scripture why therefore might not the Mistake of that Passage of St. 1 Cor. 3.15 Paul They shall be saved but so as by Fire give the rise to Purgatory That of the same Apostle Magnum Sacramentum Eph. 5.32 This is a great Mystery but I speak of Christ and the Church advance Marriage into a Sacrament the mistake of that Promise of an happy Resurrection to the true Members of Christ's Church Matth. 16.18 The Gates of Hades shall not prevail against it be made to countenance her Infallibility and so in other Cases of like Nature Sure I am that Communion in one Kind the Latin Service the Veneration of Images could never have obtained in the Church had not those Scriptures which so plainly do condemn them been miserably wrested by late Ages from their proper Sence and the received Interpretation which the whole Christian World had put upon them for Six hundred or a Thousand Years and why they might not as well wrest the Scriptures to establish some of their Doctrines as they have done it for the avoiding that Condemnation of them which is so clear in other Scriptures that he who runs may read it I am not able to discern Secondly § 7 Corruptions in Doctrine and Practice might easily prevail by altering or leaving of that Rule of Faith and Manners God had given them and acting by other Rules or Principles which in themselves are insufficient to establish any Article of Christian Faith for a false Rule must of necessity give false Directions both in Faith and Manners where the Principle is false the Conclusion from it must be so and where the Foundation is corrupted the Building cannot be firm now this we find done 1. By setting up the Fathers as the Rules of Faith the * Basil Ep. 62.67.70.349 Nazianz. Orat. 19 21 23 29. Pillars and the Grounds of Faith as some of them are often stiled This Method of proceeding as it is expresly contrary to our Lord 's Injunction to call no Man Father upon Earth in that presumptuous Sence in which the Jewish Rabbi's did affect that Title Matth. xxiij 6 10. John vj. 45. because one is our Father in Heaven and all that come to Christ are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God the Father and one is our Guide and Master Christ 1 Joh. ij 27. from whom we Christians have received an Unction and need not that any one should teach us but as that Spirit in the Word doth teach us all things So is it as repugnant to the Mind and the Prescriptions of those Holy Men who frequently declare That both they and their Brethren were subject to Error That Errarunt in fide tam Graeci quam Latini (a) Hieron Ep. ad Pam. Ocean To. 2 F. 69. Both the Greek and the Latin Fathers erred in the Faith That therefore others were (b) Aug. l. 11. Contr. Faust c. 5. at liberty when they read or heard them to approve what they liked and to reject what they conceived not to be right in them and warn us (c) Cyril Hieros Catech. 4. p. 30. not to believe what they say unless we find it demonstrated out of the Holy Scriptures To (d) Orig. Hom. 2. in Ezek. F. 135. B. observe diligently when the Pastor deceived them and when he spake things true and pious there being
say they in our writings (e) Aug. de Orig an l. 4. c. 1. l. de bono persev c. 21. many things quae possent justo judicio culpari which justly may be blamed so that we would have no man so to embrace all our Sayings as to follow them save only in those things in which they do perceive they have not erred if then their sayings be of any credit and Authority 't is evident from their assertions that they ought not to be admitted as the Rule of faith as being men subject unto like ignorance and errors with us and if their sayings be of no credit much less can they be own'd as the pillars and the ground of truth and yet I find this doctrine laid down expresly by a concealed Heretick Sergius the Patriarch of Constantinople in his Epistle to Cyril where he saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Sexto Ep. ad Cyrum episcop Concil To. 6. p. 918. the doctrines of the Fathers are a Law to the universal Church and that we are bound to follow them and to hold all that they have written to the least tittle and evident it is That even from the Fifth Century the sayings of the Fathers began to be had in great Reputation and about the Eighth to be as it were Authentick and Articles of Faith were canvassed and determined both in the Second Nicene Council and in that of Florence chiefly by the pretended Sayings of the Holy Fathers to whose Testimony you very rarely if at all shall find this just Exception made That they were Men of like Infirmities and subject to like Errors as we are One Athanasius or Basil one Nazianzen or Nyssen one Chrysostom and Theodoret in the Eastern Church one Hilary and Ambrose St. Austin Jerom and St. Gregory in the Western Churches have for these six last Centuries signified as much or more than a St. Peter or St. Paul an Apostle or Evangelist and a sed contra Augustinus or sed contra est quod Augustinus dicit through the whole Summs and the whole Body of the Schoolmen hath passed for the Decision of a Question touching Faith or Manners How easy was it then for Errors to come in under the Vmbrage of these venerable Names especially if we consider how many spurious Pieces had usurped their Names which the great Ignorance of latter Ages could not distinguish from their genuine Works how many of their genuine works were horribly corrupted and how fruitful many of those Fathers were in there inventions and how positive they sometimes are in delivering that as the doctrine of the whole Church which was nothing less For instance who that reads St. Austin disputing against the Pelagians could doubt if he believed him that the Doctrine of the Imputation of Original Sin was universally received by all Christians and that on this account the whole Church Baptized Infants and yet Petavius iuforms us Dogm Theol. To. 4. pt 2. l. 14. c. 2. Haeret. Fabul l. 5. c. 18. p. 292. Quid festinat innocens aetas ad remissionem peccatorum Tertul. de Bapt. c. 18. that the Greek Fathers scarcely spake any thing about it yea in that very Age Theodoret expresly denies it putting the Question thus If this be the only work of Baptism to cleanse from Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why do we Baptize Children who are not guilty of it and in his Comment on Rom. 5.13 He adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That every one dies for his own Sin and not for that of his Fore fathers Chrysostom on the same place saith In v. 19. To. 3. Hom. 10. p. 73. That for us to be mortal on the occasion of the Sin of Adam is no absurdity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but how can it be that by his Transgression another should become a Sinner for if he did not personally sin Cap. 1. neither could he deserve Punishment Gennadius in his Book of Ecclesiastical Doctrines which passeth still among the Works of St. Austin placeth this as one That that Holy Spirit proceedeth from the Father and Son. Michael Psellus on the contrary saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. Theol. c. 10. p. 157. the Holy Catholick Church teacheth that the Spirit proceedeth only from the Father L. 2. c. 1. but not from the Son. To omit many other Instances collected by the learned Dally in that elaborate Treatise of the Use of the Fathers which makes it needless to discourse further on this Head For if the true Fathers were not only subject to many and great Errors in their private Sentiments but also unto manifold Mistakes touching the Doctrine of the Catholick Church if many of their Works have been unhappily corrupted and many spurious Pieces have been imposed upon them so that instead of their Authority Men often have relyed on an Impostor an ignorant Monk or perhaps an Heretick how easy was it in the dark Ages of the Church for Errors to come in at this Door when too much Veneration was by all given to them and their Dictates passed for Oracles Again § 8 New Doctrines and Practices might obtain by flying from the Scriptures to Miracles and Visions for the Establishment of Doctrines and Opinions in the Church That a prevailing Power doth attend these miraculous Operations even when they are performed only by Satan and his Ministers we shall be fully convinced if we consider that our Lord foretold of the false Prophets and false Christs that should come after him they should work Signs and Miracles so great as to deceive Matth. 24.23 if it were posible the very Elect. St. 2 Thes 2.9 Paul that the Apostacy of the Great Antichrist and his Followers should be effected by the coming of Satan with all power Signs Rev. 13.13 14. and lying Wonders St. John of the Apocalyptick beast that he should do great Signs and deceive the Inhabitants of the Earth by the Signs given him to do that at the first appearance of Christianity the Heathens did oppose it from this topick viz. The Signs and Wonders which had been performed by their Heathen Deities saying Frustra tantum arrogas Christo In vain you arrogate so much to Christ for we have often known that other Gods have given Medicines to and healed the Infirmities of many so the Heathen in (a) Arnob. l. 1. p. 28. Arnobius so (b) Apud Orig. l. 8. p. 407 416 417. Celsus so (c) Apud Minut p. 7. Caelius and comparing the Miracles of Apollonius Tyanaeus and of Apuleus with those of Christ (d) Lact. l. 5 c. 3. Aug. Ep. 4. Hieronim apud Euseb p. 512. Quorum majora contendunt esse opera And contending they were greater than any done by him That (e) Acts 8.9 10. Just in Apol 2. p. 69. Cyril Hier. cat 6. p. 53 54 c. Simon Magus mightily prevailed by them and obtained almost where-ever he came to be worshipped as a
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-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
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
did through Fear of running his Fate Paralip ad Abbat Vrsperg p. 448. Ed. Bas 1569. whence one of their Writers tells us they were wont to say Sic dicerem in Scholis sed tamen maneat inter nos diversum sentio Thus would I speak in the Schools but keep it secret I think otherwise Let us then seriously consider how much the Church of Rome for these Five last Centuries hath out-done all that ever Heathen or Arian Persecutors have attempted in her Severities towards those whom she is pleased to call Hereticks That 1. She hath taken the greatest Care for the Discovering and apprehending them authorizing by her papal Bulls Const Innocent 4. c. 19. Clem 4. Cons 13. l. 18. Concil To. 11. p. 606. imperial Constitutions her canon Law and her conciliar Definitions Inquisitors Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots c. to require the Magistrates Assistance in enquiring after and apprehending Hereticks and enabling these Inquisitors c. Consil Const Sess 45. Bin. To. 7. p. 1121. to tender a corporeal Oath to all suspect of Heresy that is of holding any thing in Contradiction to the Doctrine of the Roman Church to answer to such Questions as they shall propose for clearing of themselves and to condemn them as Hereticks if they do not thus purge themselves Decretal l. 5. Tit. 7. c. 5. Concil Lat. 4. Can. 3 That she gives them Power to require the Magistrates Assistance in enquiring after and apprehending Hereticks and to engage by Oath all Earls Barons Rectors and Consuls and the whole Neighbourhood efficaciously to assist the Church according to their Power in this Work and to endeavour to give Notice of such Persons and secure them 2ly Const Fred. 2. Concil T. 11. p 622. Ludov. 7. Ib. p. 423. Concil Lat. 4. Can. 3. lat 3. cap. 23. That she obliges all secular Powers to extirpate them and all their Favorites upon the pain of Excommunication loss of their Dominions and being deemed Favourers of Hereticks and doth encourage all Men to fight against and labour to destroy them by the Promise of Remission of Sins and a great Reward hereafter 3ly That she hath decreed Concil lat 3. c. 27. Quartum can 3. Constan Sess 45. Bin. T. 7. p. 1121. Const Freder 2. Concil T. 11. p. 619 621. Ludov 7. p. 423. That they shall suffer Excommunication with all the Consequences of it loss of Goods and when imprisoned any Punishment which doth not diminish their Members or endanger their Death and that after Sentence passed upon them they shall be punished with Death and want of Christian Burial 4ly That for the Execution of these Punishments Const Innocent 4. Clem. 4. Alex. 4. decretal l. 5. T. 2. c. 9 11. Concil Tolos c. 7. Albiens c. 7. Concil T. 11. p. 428 723. vide ibid. p 698 726 727. without Delay or Relaxation or enquiry into the Justice of them all Governours shall have a Copy of those Laws and shall abolish all that contradict them and at their Entrance on their Government shall swear to execute them and such as will not execute them or are remiss in doing it shall lose their Office have their Jurisdiction interdicted and be proceeded against as Favourers of Hereticks Again let us seriously consider farther 1. That it was in those Ages deemed Heresy to contradict the Doctrine of the Roman Church Sess 45. Edit 1499. or in the Language of the Council of Constance de fidei Articulis aliter sentire aut docere quam Sancta Romana Ecclesia Vniversalis praedicat to think or teach otherwise of the Articles of Faith than the Holy Roman or universal Church preacheth and observes 2ly That when Transubstantiation was established in the Fourth Council of Lateran then were also made the severe and sanguinary Decrees now mentioned against Hereticks to force Men against all the Evidence of Sense and Reason to profess that Article 3ly That the Council of Constance having established the Practice of Communion in one kind for a Law Sess 45. it concludes with a Decree enacting all the aforesaid Punishments against Hereticks viz. Against those who believe not the Supream Authority of the Pope over the Church the Infallibility of general Councils the Doctrine of Transubstantiation the Lawfulness of Communion in one kind the necessity of auricular Confession the Power of the Pope to conferr Indulgences the lawfulness of venerating Reliques and the Images of Saints c. 4ly That in these persecuting Ages Men were afraid to profess what they believed or to oppose themselves against the Torrent of their Adversaries Libro sine Tirulo Epist 11. Epist de Egressu ex Babylone p. 177. thus Petrarch declares That he durst scarcely speak the Truth for fear of Enemies Clemangis That Men followed the erring Herd willingly embracing false things for true and desiring rather to be mad with the multitude than to be wise alone with danger and derision Erasmus confesseth That there were some things received in the Church quae magno Religionis Christianae bono mutarentur which to have changed would tend to the great good of the Church but being desired to put his helping Hand to the Work he saith per alios ego fieri malim quam per me I had rather others should do this than my self And that 1. Out of fear that by attempting it he might create a Tumult and Sedition in the Church which saith he I so much abhor ut veritas etiam displiceat seditiosa that even Truth purchased by Sedition is displeasing to me 2. Out of the sense of the great hazzard he should run and the little hopes he had of good success I should be more free saith he Apud Hottinger Hist Eccl. Sect. 16. Part. 2 p. 24 25 29 could I see hopes of success but dementiae est tibi perniciem accersire si nulli prosis it is madness to destroy my self when I cannot profit any by it I say whosoever weighs these things will be convinced that by these cruel methods great Errors might prevail without much contradiction and many Ancient but decryed Truths might lie concealed and stifled in the breasts of Learned Men expecting a more favourable opportunity to bring them forth For if the severity of Heathen and Arian Persecutions had such sad Effects upon so many in the most pious and learned Ages of the Church whilst they continued to be exercised these R. Cruelties being confessedly exercised for almost Five whole Centuries might easily engage the generality of Men in the more Ignorant and Vicious Ages of the Church to own the corrupt Doctrines and Practices her Governors had introduced or to abstain at least from making any free and publick opposition to them To conclude These being the chief Causes which naturally tend to the Introduction of new Practices and Doctrines viz. 1. False Rules and Measures used for Disquisition of the Truth from which it is not to be wonder'd that false Conclusions
historical Traditions shewed 1. In the Instance of our Lord's Birth Clauso utero § 4. Of his Age § 5. Of the penetration of his Body through the Doors and the Stone of the Sepulchre § 6. Of the Story of the Phoenix § 7. And of the Cells of the Seventy Interpreters § 8. Observe 3dly That we contend not with the Church of Rome touching Ecclesiastical Traditions concerning Ceremonials and unnecessary Observations but only touching necessary Rules of Faith and Manners § 9. FOR the right stating of this Question let it be considered 1. § 1 That we acknowledge That a Doctrine is neither more or less the Word of God for being written or unwritten for that Word which our Saviour spake unto the Jews was for a time unwritten and yet was nevertheless the Word of God because not written We also say there is no reason to dispute Whether the written or unwritten Word of God when equally known to be so is most to be relied on For the Word of God being therefore believed because known to us to be the Word of God must equally be believed in that Case whether it be written or unwritten Concil Trid. Sess 4. We do not therefore quarrel with the Church of Rome for saying That the Traditions which proceeded from the Mouth of Christ or his Apostles speaking by the Holy Spirit and preserved by a continual Succession in the Catholick Church are with the same Reverence and pious Affection to be received as what they writ But only desire them to prove the things which they affirm and we deny to have been thus delivered and then we promise to receive them as the Truths of Christ. And because Mr. M. hath the Confidence to say P. 397 398. That our Ministers usually so confound the Business that they make their Auditors even to startle when they tell them that we hold Tradition equal to Scripture whereas if they meant to deal really they should say what the Truth is that we do indeed equalize Tradition to Scripture and that we have all reason to do so To let him see how little reason he had to accuse us of corrupt Dealing in this Matter I will faithfully transcribe the Assertions of our most able Writers touching this Point Sect. 16. n. 20. Archbishop Laud declares That the Voice and Tradition of that Church which included in it Apostles Disciples and such as had immediate Revelation from Heaven was Divine and the Word of God from them is of like validity written or delivered Bishop Taylor owns Duct Dubit §. 2. c. 3. p. 484. That Tradition would be of the same use as Scripture is if the Tradition were from Christ and his Apostles and were as Certain as Vniversal as Credible as that is by which we are told that Scripture is the Word of God. We willingly grant saith Mr. Chillingworth Chap. 3. §. 45. vid. Chap. 2. §. 53 88. the Church to be as Infallible in her Traditions as the Scripture is if they be as Vniversal as the Tradition of the undoubted Books of Scripture is And again The Tradition of the Church you say must teach us what is Scripture and we are willing to believe it Answer to the Jes p. 35. Rat. p. 168 210 216. and now if you make it good unto us that the same Tradition down from the Apostles hath delivered from Age to Age and from Hand to Hand any Interpretation of any Scripture we are ready to embrace that also So also Bishop Vsher and Doctor Stillingfleet in his Rational Account frequently And therefore R. H. Guid. Disc 3. c. 11. p. 157. who was better acquainted with our Writings than Mr. M. declares That Protestants acknowledge a sufficient certainty of the Tradition concerning Scripture and consequently concerning all the Articles of Christian Faith that are built on Scripture upon which ground also they freely grant N. B. That if any other point wherein they dissent from Catholicks can be proved by as Universal a Tradition as that of the Scriptures they will subscribe to it We therefore manifestly do agree with Chrysostom Oecumenius and Theophylact when they say That the things delivered by the Mouth of the Apostles Oecum in 2. Thess ij 15. Chrysost ibid. Theophylact and by their Writings are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both worthy of Observation That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both equally deserve to be credited when we have equal certainty of both and therefore these passages are vainly cited against us by Mr. M. Let him once prove that the same Tradition tells us That the Apostles delivered the Points in Controversy betwixt us and the Church of Rome as Divine Verities by word of Mouth only and we are all his Humble Servants But alas he knows how vain and how impossible an attempt this would be § 2 and therefore thinks it better boldly to assert what he can never prove by saying P. 399. That our best and only assurance that the Scripture is the Word of God is that all the Christian world saith so but the same Tradition which tells us this tells us also that the Apostles delivered these and these Points to us as Divine Verities by word of Mouth viz. All the Traditions received as Apostolical in the Roman Church Now to reflect a little on this false Assertion and to expose this way of Arguing 1. Put it into the Mouth of a Jew and it thus pleads for those Traditions which our Lord condemned and by which they condemned him The best and only Assurance which you Jewish Christians can have that the Scripture of the Old Testament is the Word of God is that all the Jews say so but the same Tradition which tells us this tells us also That Moses and the Prophets delivered these and these Points to us as Divine Verities by word of Mouth which your Jesus rejected as vain Worship and as the Doctrines of Men 1 Pet. 1.18 and your St. Peter mentions as Traditions received from our Fathers though he stiles them vain you therefore must have equal Reason to receive those Traditions which condemn your Jesus and shew he could not be the true Messiah as to own those Scriptures of the Old Testament which say you Prophesied of him 2. Though we grant the Attestation of the whole Christian World to be a very good assurance of any necessary Article of Christian Faith yet have we more assurance that the Scriptures are the Word of God than so As 1. The necessity that the Christian Revelation should be preserved in some Records and the assurance that we have that it hath been preserved to us in no other The necessity I say that the Christian Revelation should be preserved in some Records for if St. Paul thought it necessary to write to the Church of Rome Rom. xv 15. 2 Cor. i. 13. to put them in remembrance of the Grace given to him as also to send in writing
to his Corinthians the things which they already read and did acknowledge and to write the same things which he had taught to his Philippians Phil. iij. 1 If St. Peter thought it needful to write unto the Jewish Converts to testify to them 1 Pet. v. 12. 2 Pet. iij. 1. 1 Jo. v. 13. that was the true Grace of God in which they stood and to stir up their sincere minds by way of Remembrance St. John that they might know they had eternal Life and might believe in the Son of God. Ver. 3. St. Jude to mind them of the Common Salvation If the Evangelist closeth his Gospel with these words These things were written that you might believe Joh. xx 31. and believing might have Life through his Name surely these persons would not but think it necessary that the essential Doctrines of Christianity should be written And who can think the Holy Spirit of God would have assisted them to indite these Gospels and Epistles had he conceived it needless that they should be written 2. We have the plain Assertions of the Authors of the New Testament that they were written by the Servants and the Apostles of the Lord by Men who declared that the things they writ were the Commandments of the Lord 1 Cor. xiv 37. 1 Pet. i. 18. by Men who preached the Gospel to them by the Assistance of the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven and proved the Truth of what they said by mighty Signs and Miracles owned even by Jews and Heathens as well as by their Christian Converts 3. We find the matter of them worthy of the God of Heaven to reveal 4. We find them generally received as such by those who bore the Name of Christians however differing in other matters read daily in their Assemblies cited in all their Homilies and Sermons called their Digests and their God-making Books by appealing to which they confirmed their Doctrines and confuted their Adversaries and which they offered to be perused to the very Heathens And hence we have just reason to presume that they had Cause sufficient to believe them such 5. We also have the concurrent Testimony of Jews and Heathens citing them as such and thence making Objections against the Christian Faith and attempting to wrest them out of the Hands of Christians that so Christianity might be destroyed out of the World. And lastly We have good reason to suppose that Providence of God which was so highly interested in propagation of the Christian Faith and making of it known unto the World would not permit false Records of that Faith to be so early and generally imposed upon the Christian World. Let us then see it proved by Mr. M. that the matter of those Roman Traditions contained in their new Creed is worthy the God of Heaven to reveal and that we have like reason to suppose his Providence concerned about them let us see plain Assertions of the like Primitive Authority that they were delivered by Men assisted by the Holy Ghost and equal Miracles performed in confirmation of that Assertion let us see a like necessity that Christian Revelations should be handed down by word of Mouth a like general Reception of these Traditions throughout all Ages a like appearance of them in the Christian Writings or Citation of them by Jews or Heathens and when this Evidence hath been produced by Mr. M. we shall be ready to Embrace and own them also as the unwritten Word of God. But whosoever undertakes this Task will find some of these things imply a contradiction viz. That an Oral Tradition should be necessary to be Recorded or daily read in the Assemblies of Christians That it is upon the Matter confessed by Du Pin in his Abridgment of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Three first Centuries P. 605.613 that scarcely any mention of these supposed Traditions can be found in the Homilies or Writings of those Ages Moreover we find not in those Primitive Ages any mention of the Divine Original of these Traditions any appeal to them as such any confirmation of Christian Doctrine or confutation of their Adversaries by them nor any thing objected from them either by Jew or Gentile against the Christian Faith tho' since the time that we confess they came into the Church both Jew and Gentiles have been very forward to object as against other things so especially against Transubstantiation and the Veneration of Images and the Adoration of the Host. Lastly there appears no such real Excellency in them no such tendency to the advancement of true Holiness and Goodness as may convince us they are things worthy of the God of Heaven to reveal and which his Providence should be concerned to preserve and propagate throughout all Ages Moreover we distinguish betwixt Historical Traditions of the Primitive and succeeding Churches § 3 Dist 2. such as are the Tradition concerning the perpetual Virginity of the Blessed Virgin the Birth of our Lord or his coming forth out of her Womb Clauso Vtero his coming to his Disciples the Doors being shut his Age the time of his preaching upon Earth and the like and Traditions touching Articles of Faith and Doctrines to be believed in Order to our being either sound Believers or good Christians Touching the first we say 1. That we have no occasion to dispute with them about some of these things and therefore what St. Basil saith of the perpetual Virginity of the Blessed Virgin That though it would not be offensive unto Piety to say That afterwards she did the works of Matrimony her Virginity being only necessary till the Birth of Christ yet the Mystery being not concerned in it we leave it unregarded and unsearched into We say of other matters of this nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De humana Christi Gener. Tom. 1. p. 509. In Matth. Ed. Huet p. 223. we think it best not to search curiously into them though that of Origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They who say these things would preserve the perpetual Virginity of Mary seems to insinuate that this was once but the Opinion of some Men. And they who were most zealous for it as was St. Jerom against Helvidius Ut haec quae scripta sunt non negamus ita ea quae non sunt scripta renuimus natum deum esse de virgine credimus quia legimus Mariam nupsisse post partum non credimus quia non legimus Tom. 2. f. 6. a. do it upon this Ground because the contrary is not written for thus he speaks As we deny not those things which are written so we refuse those things which are not written we believe our Lord to be Born of a Virgin because we read it we believe not that Mary was Married after her delivery because we read it not 2dly We add That as for the pretended Tradition § 4 that our Lord came out of the Womb of the Blessed Virgin without opening of it though
of Christian Faith if according to the Fifth Observation these Symbols were always owned as a sufficient Test of Orthodoxy and it was thought a clear and a convincing proof that the additional Doctrines of all kind of Hereticks were on this sole account to be rejected because they were not mentioned or contained in this Creed I say if all these things are so then it demonstratively follows both from the nature of the thing and the Tradition of the Church of all these Ages that in these Symbols were contained all that the Apostles delivered as simply necessary to be believed of all Christians and all that the whole Catholick Church judged needful to be held in point of Faith. For is it reasonable to think that the Apostles the Apostolick Churches or the four first General Councils were so forgetful as to omit any fundamental point in that Creed which they delivered to be believed by all Christians as the Rule of Faith What account can be given why any such summary of Faith should be made at all by the Apostles or their Successors but for this end that in them all the necessary Articles of Christian Faith might be comprized if a Creed were suitably to this Tradition delivered by the Apostles to the Church either we must think these Apostles unfaithful in their Work or the Creed an unfaithful account of their Doctrine or that all which they esteemed simply necessary to be believed is comprized in it for to imagine otherwise is in effect to say this is not the Apostles Creed but a part of it but the Apostles and the Church of the succeeding Ages giving it that name seem plainly to inform us that the summ and substance of their credenda was comprized in it To deny this is in effect to say they dealt deceitfully and were a snare to Christians in composing of it for to call it a Creed and to leave out of it that which was necessarily to be believed what had it been but to deceive the World it being in effect to think that they had given us a Symbol which was indeed no Symbol as being no distinctive mark betwixt the sound Believer and the Heretick or one that errs in Fundamentals which yet the notion of the word Symbol doth import and which the Ancients tell us this Apostolick Symbol was designed to be In fine it is to believe that the Compilers of this Creed would put in some things unnecessary to be believed in themselves only as being circumstances of things necessary as that our Saviour's Crucifixion happened under Pontius Pilate his Resurrection was on the Third Day and yet would leave out some things which were simply to be believed of all Christians Moreover could the Apostles agree upon this as the Rule of what they afterwards should preach and as a Rule to be given to Believers if it contained not the whole Council of God in things simply necessary to be believed if so it follows that either they observed not their own Rule in Preaching of the Gospel or if they did they kept back from the knowledge of the Faithful something necessary to be believed unto Salvation It is well known that in the Notion of the Fathers a Rule importeth fulness and perfection even such a fulness say Varinus and St. Basil as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contr. Eunom l. 1. p. 701. by no means doth admit of any Diminution or Addition that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a boundary of what is right wanting nothing So Theodoret Chrysostom Oecumenius Theophylact. In Philip. iij. 16. And could the Fathers then so constantly have stiled any of these Creeds the Rule of Faith had they conceived them deficient in any necessary Points of Christian Doctrine Could they have stiled either of them a perfect Confession comprizing the whole Doctrine of Faith the whole of Christian Doctrine the comprehension and perfection of the Christian Faith a comprisal of all the Articles of Faith a Symbol that speaks of every part of Faith the Faith sufficient for Salvation the Life-giving the saving Faith the saving Knowledge the only Truth which they received from the Apostles the only Rule which admits of no Correction no Addition and no Diminution the only Faith delivered by the Church to be kept by her Children Could they have told us that the most Learned could believe no more and the meanest Christian did believe no less that they need know no more that they desired to believe no more that they believed this first that nothing more was to be believed that in it nothing was to be innovated Could they have said expresly that the Apostles delivered in it whatsoever they thought necessary for all Believers and that they indited it to be a mark by which he should be known who preached Christ truly according to the Rules of the Apostles and by producing of which it might be known saith Ruffinus whether he were an Enemy or a Companion And lastly could their Great and General Councils have defined so often That it should be lawful for no Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Ephes Can. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to introduce write or compose another Faith besides that which was defined by the Nicene Council These are the words of the Third General Council where presided that Cyril of Alexandria who in his letter to John of Antioch saith We by no means permit the Faith defined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Symbol of Faith made by the Holy Fathers met at Nice to be shaken by any nor do we suffer our selves or others to change one word or transgress one Syllable of what is there contained This Epistle saith Mark Bishop of Ephesus Apud Concil Florent Sess 5. was read and approved by the Fourth General Council which also decreed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it should be lawful for no Man to add any thing to this Symbol or take any thing from it or to change it at all or transform it into another Symbol Theodoret. H. Eccl. l. 2. c. 18. Athanasius speaking of the Synod of Ariminum saith That the Orthodox and true Servants of the Lord defined that Men should be contented with that Faith alone which was held at Nice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and mind and seek for nothing more or less and that they deposed them who taught the contrary And again Ibid. Syn. Constant Sub Menna Act. 5. p. 87. apud Bin. T. 4. That they should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seek for nothing more than what was confessed by the Fathers at Nice In the Fifth General Synod John Patriarch of Constantinople saith We have taken care 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the foundation of Faith might remain inviolate according to the Tradition of the Holy Fathers And this determination they declared was made 1st Apud Concil Flor. Sess 5. Bin. Concil Tom. 8. p. 591. Ibid. Athan. Epist ad Afric Episc p. 932. Orat. de Div. Christi
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
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
to Cardinal Campejus he speaks thus Videham ut quisque esset integerrimis moribus Evangelicae puritati proximus ita minime infensum Luthero Lib. 14. p. 446. I heard excellent Men of approved Doctrine and Religion rejoice that they met with that Man's Books and I saw that as any man was more upright in his Life or nearer to Evangelical purity he was the less offended with Luther And in the same Epistle he adds Pag. 448. that he conceived it not convenient presently to be incensed against a Man with whose Writings so many excellent Governors so many Learned and pious Men were delighted L. 15. p. 492. In his Epistle to Godeschallus he saith That he did not defend him even then cum non decessent maximi Theologi qui non vererentur affirmare nihil esse in Luthero quin per probatos Authores posset defendi when the greatest Divines were not afraid to affirm that there was nothing in Luther which might not be defended by approved Authors And lastly he himself declares Hausit pleraque ex veteribus Epist l. 14. p. 447. That Luther gathered most of his Tenets from the Ancients and that had he named the Ancients from whom he had them he would have avoided much of that envy which then lay upon him To proceed to the particular Controversies in the Order in which they are mentioned in the Articles of Religion subscribed by our Clergy Holy Scripture saith our Sixth Article § 2 containeth all things necessary to Salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not required of any Man that it should be believed as an Article of Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation So that besides the same Art. 21. the Church ought not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of Salvation Agreeably to this Article the Bishop of Rhodes disputing with the Greeks in the Council of Florence speaks thus in the behalf of the Western Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bin. Tom. 8. Concil Florent Sess 7. p. 609. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. I desire you Greeks to satisfie me in this Question Doth not the Gospel perfectly contain the Doctrine of Christian Faith Surely saith he the Reverence you bear to it will not permit you to affirm that the Faith is not perfectly contained there And that is true and not denied by us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. which the Bishop of Ephesus said That the Fathers had inclosed the Gospel and the Holy Scripture so that it should by no means be lawful to add to them And whereas the the Bishop of Ephesus had said That the Evangelists did not forbid that any thing should be added to what they had written This saith he with his leave cannot be said of Holy Scripture for the Apostle Paul saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. i. 9. If any Man preach any thing besides what you have received let him be Anathema And St. John in the end of his Revelations saith If any one add to these things God shall add to him the Plagues which are written in this Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Sess 8. p. 630. Nicenus also on the part of the Greeks saith We draw all divine Doctrines from the Fountains of the Holy Scriptures which are the principles and the foundations of our Faith to which nothing ever was or ever shall be added by us or any other Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Flor. Sess 25. p. 783. Time was saith the Archbishop of Nice in his Oration made at that time and place when the Church the Spouse of God was without spot or wrinkle viz. when we made more account of the simple and not curious Faith delivered as it lay in the Gospel and regarding that superfluous and talkative Divinity which is the fruit of our own Reasonings less than the Sacred Oracles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we attend only to what was written delighting in the things spoken by the Holy Spirit and being compacted in one by them So that it seems by these plain words that both the East and West were then of the same Judgment with the Church of England in this Article It is declared saith John Gerson by the Authority of Dionysius Declaratur ex Authoritate Dionysii dicentis nihil audendum dicere de divinis nisi quae nobis a Scriptura S. tradita sunt quoniam Scriptura nobis tradita est tanquam Regula sufficiens infallibilis pro regimine totius Ecclesiastici corporis Lib. de Exam. Doctr. secunda parte princip consid 1. That we must not dare to say any thing of Divine Things but that which is delivered to us from the Holy Scriptures of which the Reason is That the Scripture is delivered to us as a Rule sufficient and infallible for the Government of the whole Ecclesiastical Body and Members of it to the End of the World. The Holy Scripture saith Gabriel Biel is according to B. Gregory In Can. Miss Lect. 71. f. 200. Edit 1510. as the Mouth of God quia per eam loquitur Deus omnia quae vult a nobis fieri because by it God speaketh all things which he would have done by us Gregory the Great saith Molinaeus asserts Asserit Haereseos labe inquinatos qui extra S. Scripturas aliquid docent aut proferunt c. Lib. de Concil Trid. §. 17. That they are infected with the filth of Heresie who teach or produce any thing beyond the Holy Scriptures I mean in those things which appertain to the Substance of Faith and Doctrine The Sorbon Doctor who set forth the French Testament printed at Mons A. D. 1672. informs us Praeface 1 2. That St. Austin considered the Holy Scripture as the Treasure of Divinity and as the Source of all those Truths which a Man ought to know for the Edification of himself or the Instruction of others And speaking of the mixture of profound places with those which are proportioned to the capacity of the most simple he saith That which ought to comfort us in this obscurity is that according to St. Augustin the Holy Scripture proposeth to us all that is necessary for the conduct of our Life in a manner easie and intelligible that it explicates and clears up it self by speaking that clearly in some places which it saith obscurely in others The Guide of Controversies saith Guid. Disc 2. §. 40. n. 2. That as for the sufficiency or the entireness of the Scriptures for the containing of all those Points of Faith which are simply necessary of all Persons to be believed for attaining Salvation Catholicks deny it not And for this he cites among many other R. Doctors this saying of Aquinas In doctrina Christi 22. qu. 1. Art. 9. Apostolorum he means Scripta veritas fidei est sufficienter explicata In the written Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles the
be sacred yea the whole Church preferred it before any other account of this Matter given by either Pope Council or Father For saith Cajetan as to this matter ad limam Hieronymi reducenda sunt verba tam Conciliorum quam Doctorum the words of Councils and Doctors must be reduced to the Rule of St. Jerom. So that those Books which he rejects are not to be esteemed Canonical as that word importeth Books sufficient ad firmandum ca quae sunt fidei to confirm Articles of Faith but only as it signifies Books useful and aedificationem Ecclesiae for the Edification of the Church and with this distinction you may reconcile the difference betwixt him and St. Austin and betwixt the Councils of Carthage and of Laodicea Alphonsus Tostatus saith Magis credendum est Hieronymo quam Augustino maxime ubi agitur de veteri Testamento St. Jerom is to be credited especially in things belonging to the Old Testament and Histories before St. Austin for in this thing he exceeded all the Doctors of the Church The same Tostatus saith Ista distinctio facta est ab Ecclesia Universali quae concorditer tenet istam distinctionem factam ab Hieronymo nam ista tenebatur a Judaeis fidelibus fult postea continuata in Ecclesia Defens Part. 2. c. 22. That the Vniversal Church with one accord holds the distinction made by St. Jerom for that was held by the Faithful Jews before Christs Advent and was afterwards continued in the Church and hence it came to pass that there was never any Bible found in those times which had before it the Canon of Carthage the Catalogue of St. Austin or the Epistle of Pope Innocent or the Decree of Pope Gelasius whereas in all Manuscript and Printed Bibles the Prologue of St. Jerom stiled Galeatus was placed before them by a common and universal consent of the Latin Church to be a sure Index and Discrimination of the Apocryphal and Ecclesiastical Books from the Canonical And this is the true Reason why many of the forecited Authors speaking of the Apocryphal Books mention sometimes but Five or Six viz. Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Judith Tobit and the Book of Maccabees to wit because St. Jerom in his Prologue upon the Book of Kings mentions them only though in his Preface to the Book of Jeremy he rejects Baruch and in his Preface upon Daniel he rejects the History of Susanna the Song of the Three Children and the Fables of Bell and the Dragon and so do they who Comment on these Books by his Example and with respect unto his Judgment So that from what hath been discoursed it is exceeding evident against the confident Assertions of Mr. M. and J. L. That after the Fifth Century it was the General Opinion of the Church till the Sixteenth Century that the Canonical Books were only Two or Four and Twenty and that those Books we stile Apocryphal did not belong unto the Canon and were not of validity sufficient to confirm Articles of Christian Faith. Concerning General Councils our Church asserts Two Things 1. Art. 21. That they may not be called together without the commandment and will of Princes 2. That they may erre and sometimes have erred even in things pertaining unto God wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to Salvation have neither Strength nor Authority unless it may be declared that they be taken out of Holy Scripture Now touching the first Proposition That General Councils may not be called together without the Commandment and Will of Princes the Eastern Churches concurr in Judgment with us Sguropylus in his History of the Council of Florence saith That in their Synod held about the Vnion of the Eastern and the Western Churches they unanimously declared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sect. 2. c. 8. That the Emperor according to his ancient Custom and Prerogative was to call Oecumenical Synods and no other was to do it And again The Emperor saith he Sect. 10. cap. 2. p 280. and the Greeks contended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it was the Previlege of the Emperor to call the Synod and upon that account his Name was placed first in it as was manifest from the Acts of the Councils The ablest Writers of the West say the same thing Cardinal Cusanus declares We must say touching a General Council De Concord Cath. l. 2. c. 2. f. 39. That the Authority of it doth not so depend on him that calls it that if the Pope do not call it it should be no Council quia tunc non fuissent omnia octa universalia Concilia firma quoniam per Imperatores congregabantur for then none of the Eight General Councils would be firm they being all called by the Emperors from whom the Bishop of Rome as other Patriarchs received by Letters missive a publick warning to come or send unto the Councils And again From what hath been discoursed it appears Lib. 3 c. 13. Imperatores sanctos congregationes Synodales universalium Conciliorum totius Ecclesiae semper fecisse That the Emperors did always call General Councils This saith he I have found to be true by perusing the Acts of all the General Councils to the Eighth inclusively And so I have read in the Gloss of Anastasius the Pope's Library-Keeper Quòd universales Synodos de omni terra Imperatores colligere soliti fuerunt That the Emperors were wont to Assemble General Councils Dum lego veteres Historias In reading of the ancient Histories I find not saith Aeneas Sylvius that Popes alone did call Councils Lib. 1. de Concil Basil p. 20. Lib. 3. Art. 1 q nor after in the time of Constantine and other Emperors quaesitus est magnopere Romani assensus Papae was the assent of the Pope of Rome much sought after Jacobatius informs us That à principio facultas congregandi concilia spectabat ad Imperatores the power of gathering Councils belonged to the Emperors from the beginning Lib. 1. c. 2. §. 2 3 4. Hist Eccles l. 5. in Prooem Richerius in his History of General Councils is very frequent in his full Assertions of this matter proving this clearly from those words of Socrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Since that the Emperors became Christians the greatest Synods were and are held by their pleasure But it is needless to insist longer on this Head since Sancta Clara on this Article saith Pag. 294. Apol. 2. advers Ruff. f. 79. b. Where Erasinus saith Nota Lector olim Synodos Imperatorum jussu congregari solitas These words seem to be confirmed by the Authority of St. Jerom who rejects a Council with this Question Quis Imperator hanc Synodum jussit congregari What Emperor commanded the Assembling of that Synod As if he held the command of the Emperor to be necessary to that end sic observatum patet in omnibus fere conciliis veteribus and so 't is evident it was observed
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
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
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