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
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
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
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
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
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
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
they should teach the People in which they profess that they comprized the whole Faith and all things necessary to be believed taught and done and yet make not the least mention of the Romish Doctrines § 1. Secondly From the Examination of a Bishop at his Ordination who though he was not examined touching one of the Roman Articles yet was he upon his belief of other Articles approved as one fully instructed in the Documents of Christian Faith § 2. The full agreement of the Eastern Churches with the West in this Matter § 3. Thirdly From the Ancient way of confuting Hereticks by producing the Apostles and the Nicene Creed and declaring touching other Doctrines not contained in them that they are of Curiosity not of Faith § 4. Fourthly From the ancient Treatises written on purpose to instruct Christians in the Articles of Christian Faith which contain none of these New Articles § 5. A Farther Demonstration that the pretended Traditions of the Church of Rome were not received anciently as Articles of Christian Faith or as things necessary to be believed or practised by all Christians may be taken from the instructions given to the Clergy concerning what they were to teach the People committed to their Charge For amongst these things we find all the positive Articles of the Faith of Protestants the whole Symbol of the ancient Church our whole Duty towards God and to our Neighbour all that we are to believe and pray and hope for but not one tittle of Romish Faith. In their Instructions quid sit a Presbyteris praedicandum what the Priests are to teach the People The a L. 1. c. 82. Capitular of Charles the Great b De Discipl Eccl. l 1. c. 102. Regino and c Decret part 6. 155. 161. Ivo tell us from the Councils of Rouën and Challon 1. That they are to preach to all in General § 1 That they believe in the Father Son and Holy Ghost one God Omnipotent who made all things and that the Deity Essence and Majesty of the Three Persons the Father Son and Holy Ghost is one 2. That the Son of God was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary for the Salvation of Mankind that he suffered was buried rose again the Third Day ascended into Heaven and is to come in the end of the World to judge all Men according to their Works that the Wicked with the Devil shall be sent into eternal Fire and the Just with Christ shall possess everlasting Life 3. That all Men shall rise again in their own Flesh 4. He is to teach them for what Crimes Men shall be deputed with the Devil Gal. v. 19 20 21. which the Apostle thus Enumerates Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murthers Drunkenness Revellings and such like They who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and therefore let all these things with all care be prohibited 5. He is to teach of the Love of God and our Neighbour of Faith and Hope in God of Humility Patience Chastity Kindness Mercy of Alms Confession and Forgiving our Brethren from the Heart for he that doth these and the like things shall inherit the Kingdom of God. Moreover they tell us from the Councils of Gangra Reims and Challon that every Priest must teach all his Parochians Symbolum orationem Dominicam the Creed and the Lord's Prayer and cause them to repeat them when they come to Confession at Lent and not administer the Sacrament to them till they can rehearse them because none can be saved without the knowledge of them in uno enim sides credulitas Christiana continetur for in the one is contained the Faith of Christians Ivo Ibid. c. 158. in the other is expressed what we are to ask of God and these things are so great that he who can fully understand them sufficere sibi credatur ad salutem aeternam understands what is believed sufficient to eternal Salvation And secondly Because in the Lord's Prayer are comprized all things necessary for humane Life and in the Apostles Symbol Cap. 159. sides ex integro comprehenditur the Catholick Faith is entirely contained and by learning it they would rightly learn sidem Catholicam the Catholick Faith. Hence then the Argument runs thus If the Faith of Christians was equally contained in many other Doctrines why did not the Church equally require her Clergy to teach them also to the People Why do these Councils say That her Eaith her Catholick Faith is entirely contained in this Creed of the Apostles and that the belief of these things is sufficient for the Salvation of him who fully understands them Sure there is some great Reason of that signal difference betwixt the Church of those Ages which say the Apostles Creed alone is that Faith without which nemo salvus esse potest no man can be saved and the present R. Church which saith of all her new Articles added to the Creed Haec est vera fides Catholica extra quam nemo salvus esse potest Ab illis quorum cura ad me in munere meo spectabit teneri doceri praedicari quantum in me erit curaturum Bull. Pij 4 ti This is the true Catholick Faith without which no Man can be saved betwixt that Church which only instructs her Priests to teach the Apostles Creed and that which maketh all her Clergy swear to hold all the Articles contained in the Creed of Pius the Fourth And also to take care that they be held taught and preached by all who do belong to their Care. 3dly § 2 That none of the Doctrines contained in the New Creed of Pius the Fourth and added to the Nicene Creed are ancient Articles of Faith will farther be made evident from the Examination which the ancient Canons of the Church required of him who was to be ordained Bishop Can. 1. Concil Tom. 2. p. 1199. For by the Canon of the Fourth Council of Carthage he was first to be examined si fidei documenta verbis simplicibus asserat Whether in plain words he asserted the Doctrines of Faith that is Whether he held the Father Son and Holy Ghost to be one God and the whole Trinity to be Co-essential Consubstantial Co-eternal and Co-omnipotent whether he held that every Person in the Trinity was perfect God and that neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost but the Son only was incarnate as being as to his Divinity the Son of the Father and as to his Humanity the Son of an humane Mother true God of his Father and true Man of his Mother receiving true Flesh from his Mother and having an humane rational Soul so that both Natures were in him that is he was God and Man one Person one Son one Christ one Lord Creator of all things which are and with the Father and the Holy Ghost the Author Lord and Ruler of
all Creatures who suffered truly in the Flesh died a true bodily death rose again with a true Resurrection of his Plesh and a true resuming of his Soul in which he shall come to judge the quick and the dead It also is to be enquired of him Whether he believes one and the same God to be the Author of the Old and New Testament that is of the Law Prophets and Apostles and that the Devil was not made wicked by Nature but by his own Will whether he believes the Resurrection of that Flesh which dies and not another whether he believes a future judgment and that every one shall receive according to the things which they have done in the Flesh Punishments or Glory whether he doth not disapprove of Marriage nor condemn Second Marriages nor condemn eating of Flesh whether he Communicates with reconciled Penitents and believes that all Sins both Original and Actual are remitted in Baptism and that no Man can be saved out of the Catholick Church Cum in his omnibus examinatus inventus fuer it plene instructus When by Examination he is found fully instructed in all these things let him be ordained Bishop c. These were all the Doctrines of Faith required to be known or held by the Bishop in the 4th Century And this continued to be the Rule of his Examination and the whole Faith required to be professed by him at his Ordination till the Thirteenth Century as you may learn from the Pag. 97 98. interrogatio de credulitate Episcopi question touching the Faith of a Bishop in the Ordo Romanus which form of Examination they profess to have received from the ancient Institution of the Holy Fathers and especially from the Council of Carthage From the Council of Nantes Can. 11. and from Regino in the Ninth Century De Disc Eccl. lib. 1. cap. 443. who transcribe this Canon of the Council of Carthage as containing the form qualiter Episcopus ordinandus examinabitur How a Bishop that is to be ordained shall be examined Decret part 5. c. 62 l. 1. c. 8. Dist 23. c. 2. As also doth Ivo in the Eleventh Barchardus in the Twelfth and Gratian in the Thirteenth Century These therefore from the Fourth to the Thirteenth Century were reputed all the Articles of Christian Faith in which it was thought necessary that a Bishop should be instructed and if he did assert these things he was thought fully instructed in the Documents of Christian Faith. And to shew the Concord of the Eastern with the Western Churches in these matters § 3 let it be considered that Theodoret having given an account of Heretical Fables in Four Books he proceeds Cap. 4. p. 262. Book the Fifth to Discourse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Doctrines of the Church and to lay before us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Evangelical Doctrine that by comparing it with that of the Hereticks we may discern the difference betwixt Light and Darkness perfect Health and mortal Sickness and then he proceeds to give us all the Doctrines contained in this Form of Examination but not one of the Articles which they of Rome have added to the Nicene Creed In his First Chapter he speaks of God the Father the Creator of all things and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ In the Second Of his only begotten Son co-essential and co-eternal with the Father In the Third Of the Holy Spirit of the same Nature and Substance with them both In the Fourth Of the Creation of all things by the Father with the Son and Holy Ghost In the Eighth Of the Devil asserting that he had not his wickedness from his Creator but his own perverse will. In the Eleventh Of the Incarnation of our Lord that he took flesh of the Virgin Mary had a reasonable Soul united to it and so became God and Man in one Person That he took a true Body chap. 12. A true Soul ch 13. A perfect humane Nature ch 14. That he raised up the same Flesh in which he suffer'd ch 15. That the same God was Author of the Old and New Testament ch 17. That Baptism procures the Remission of all our old Sins ch 18. That there would be a Resurrection of that very Body which was corrupted and dissolved ch 19. And a future Judgment where every one shall receive according to what he hath done in the Body ch 20. That this shall be at our Lord's Second coming to judge the quick and the dead ch 22. That Matrimony was to be allowed ch 25. yea Second Marriages ch 26. That the wounds received after Baptism might be healed ch 28. That the Church forbids not the use of Flesh ch 29. And here concluding his Discourse concerning Ecclesiastical Doctrines respecting Faith and Manners he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are the Doctrines of the Holy Spirit which we must always follow preserving this Rule of them immovable And that you may be sure that Scripture was the Church's Rule that taught her all these things he doth not only call these Doctrines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Doctrines of the Gospel and often say in his Discourse upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 249 250 259 262 275 304. These things we have been taught by the Holy Scriptures the Holy Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Teacher of these things but concludes his Discourse of the Doctrinals of the Church thus P. 304. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Doctrines the Church hath received from divine Men the Prophets and Apostles and their Successors these then were in his Age reputed all the Doctrines of Christian Faith and they were all conceived clearly to be contained in and proved from the Holy Scriptures their Faith then did not differ in one Article from that of Protestants nor did they differ from them in assigning Scripture as the Rule of Faith. And 4ly § 4 This will be farther evident from the consideration of the most Eminent Fathers of the Church who have employed their Time and Labour in refuting Hereticks For they still lay down the Apostles or the Nicene Creed as the Foundation of their Faith and the entire belief of Christians and speak of other Doctrines as such in which they were at liberty to exercise their parts and curiosity but were by no means to obtrude them as Articles of Christian Faith. Thus Irenaeus having given us the Faith which the Apostles delivered to the Church Lib. 1. cap. 4. and which she did through the whole World profess without Addition or Diminution he proceeds to shew That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church retaining one and the same Faith throughout the World they exercised their knowledge about other matters to explain the dispensation of God towards Men his long suffering both towards Men and fallen Angels to enquire why one and the same God made some things Temporal others Eternal some Heavenly and some Earthly things why being invisible he
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
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
Author of the imperfect Work upon Matthew which passeth under the Name of Chrysostom speaking of the Times in which Heresy prevails Hom. 49. p 174. saith Then let them who are in Judaea fly to the Mountains that is Qui sunt Christiani conferant se ad Scripturas Let them who are Christians have Recourse to the Scriptures to the Writings of the Apostles and Prophets And why saith he doth Christ at this time command Omnes Christianos conferre se ad Scripturas all Christians to fly to the Scriptures Because saith he in this time since Heresy hath got the Churches there can be no Proof of true Christianity Neque refugium potest esse Christianorum aliud volentium cognoscere fldei veritatem nisi scripturae divinae the Christians who are desirous to know the true Faith can have no other Refuge but the Holy Scriptures Before there were many Ways of shewing which was the Church of Christ but now if Men be willing to discern her Nullo modo cognoscitur quae sit vera Ecclesia Christi nisi tantummodo per Scripturas the true Church of Christ can by no other way be known but only by the Scriptures for now all those things which are properly of Christ in truth these Heresies have in Schism they in like manner have Churches the Divine Scriptures Bishops the other Orders of the Clergy Baptism the Eucharist all other things and even Christ himself Now in the Confusion of so great Similitude he that is willing to know which is the true Church of Christ Unde cognoscat nisi tantummodo per Scripturas Whence can he know it but only by the Scriptures P. 175. Before it was known by Miracles who were true Christians and who false but now Signorum operatio omnino levata est the working of Miracles is intirely diminished and the working of feigned Miracles magis apud eos invenitur qui falsi sunt Christiani is chiefly found amongst those who are false Christians for the full Power of working Miracles is to be given to Antichrist The Church of Christ was formerly known by her Manners the Conversation of all or most of her Members being Holy but now Christians are like to or even worse than Hereticks He therefore who would know which is the true Church of Christ Unde cognoscat nisi tantummodo per Scripturas Whence can he know her but only by the Scriptures Whence our Lord knowing that there would be such a confusion of things in the last Days commands Ut Christiani qui sunt in Christianitate volentes firmitatem accipere fidei verae ad nullam rem fugiant nisi ad Scripturas That Christians who are willing to remain firm in the true Faith should fly to nothing but the Scriptures The true Chrysostom gives exactly the same Advice in the like Case for to that Enquiry What shall we say to the Greeks Hom. 33. in Act. Tom. 4. p. 799. There comes one of them and saith I would be a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I know not to whom I should join myself for there is much Contention Controversy and Tumult among you Christians What Opinion shall I chuse every one saith Truth is on my Side Whom shall I credit who know nothing of the Scriptures and hear them all pretending to them To this Inquiry Chrysostom answers This is much for us for did we say you must believe our Discourses thou had'st reason to be troubled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but since we say you must believe the Scriptures and they are plain and true 't is easy for you to pass your Judgment if any Man consents with them he is a Christian if he contradicts them he is far from this Rule Behold here the Heathen sent by St. Chrysostom to pass Judgment betwixt the Orthodox and all sorts of Hereticks from Scripture alone and told that it is easy for him so to do because the Scriptures are a plain Rule whereby to judge in Matters of this Nature But saith the Heathen one of you affirms That the Scripture saith thus the other That it speaketh otherwise interpreting it to another Sence But what of all this saith Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for hast thou not an Vnderstanding and a Judgment Where again the Heathen is supposed able by his own Judgment to discern who wrests who rightly doth interpret Scripture But how can I do this saith the Greek I know not how to judge of the Doctrines I come to be a Learner and you make me a Teacher If any one object thus saith Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we should ask him whether this be not Dissimulation and Pretence for if your Reason taught you to condemn Heathenism it may also teach you to judge betwixt us and Hereticks do not therefore dissemble or make Pretences 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all things are easy Thou knowest what to do and leave undone do therefore what thou oughtest and with right Reason seek of God and he will fully reveal this to thee for he is no respecter of Persons it is not possible that he who heareth without Prejudice should not be perswaded P. 800. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as if there were a Rule to which all things were to be adapted it would be easy to perceive who takes wrong Measures so is it here To this Rule you see viz. the Holy Scriptures even the Heathen is sent as to that which is sufficient to direct him to Christian Truth when there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much Controversy and Contention amongst Christians concerning it Lastly Commonit c. 6. Vincentius Lirinensis lays down the same Rule For if the Contagio◠saith he though new endeavour to infect the whole Church as in the case of the Arians then whosoever would discern the Catholick Faith from Heretical Pravity must be careful to adhere to Antiquity C. 3 4 8 25 33 39 41. viz. To that Sence of Scripture which it is manifest our Ancestors held and must believe that without Doubtfulness which all in like manner with one consent held writ and taught openly frequently and perseveringly he being only firm in Faith who determines Id solum sibi tenendum credendumque quicquid universaliter antiquitùs Ecclesiam Catholicam tenuisse cognoverit That alone is to be held and believed by him which he knows the Catholick Church anciently held But when Schisms and Heresies have grown ancient in the Church and the Poison of them hath spread largely which say we is the present Case of the Church then saith he Nullo modo oportet nos nisi aut Sola si opus est Scripturarum Auctoritate convincere we ought only if need be to convince them by the Authority of Scripture or to shun them as being condemned Cap. 41. Jam antiquitus by ancient general Councils of Catholick Priests and when our Adversaries assault us with either of these two Weapons they will find us ready and able to defend
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
Fathers exempting Christ alone from and consequently concluding the Virgin Mary under Original Sin which Argument must needs conclude if the Virgin Mary be not Christ Cardinal Turrecremata affirms De Consecrat dist 4 firmissime n. 11. That all the Doctors in a manner maintain the contrary to the Immaculate Conception and that he had gathered together the Testimonies of One hundred to that Effect noting the very places and words wherein they affirm it Dominicus Bannes saith Part. 1. qu. 1. Art. 8. dub 5. It is the general Opinion of the Holy Fathers that she was conceived in Sin. Becanus acknowledgeth That the ancient School-men L. de Incarn Christi cap. 28. qu. 1. n. 1. who were before Scotus held the Opinion of the Latin Fathers viz. That the Blessed Virgin was conceived in Original Sin. Estius saith It was the common and almost unanimous Opinion of the Schools for Thomas Bonaventure caeterique omnes hanc quaestionis partem In Sent. l. 3. dist 3. Sect. 3. sine ambiguitate amplectuntur and all the rest held it without doubting Canus declares Loc. com l. 7. c. 1. p. 412. That Sancti omnes qui in ejus rei mentionem incidere uno ore asseverarunt B. Virginem in peccato originali conceptam all the Holy Fathers who had occasion to speak of this matter do with one Voice assert that the Blessed Virgin was conceived in Original Sin and then he cites them from the Fourth to the Thirteenth Century Disp 51. in Epist ad Rom. Cajetan brings for it Fifteen Fathers in his Judgment irrefragable others produce 200. Blandellus almost 300 saith Salmeron Dogm Theolog Tom 4. part 2. l. 14. cap. 2. Petavius begins this Dispute with this Observation that Graeci originalis fere criminis raram nec disertam mentionem scriptis suis attigerunt the Greek Fathers scarce ever speak plainly of Original Sin Sect. 1. Sect. 2 7. and therefore undertakes only to tell us the Judgment of the Latin Fathers in this matter which he does by producing them from St. Austin to St. Bernard that is from the Fifth to the Twelfth Century plainly asserting That the Virgin Mary was conceived in Original Sin. But saith he quamvis antiquioribus opinio illa placuit Sect. 8 though this Opinion pleased the Ancients yet afterwards most Christians turned to the contrary Opinion and by the tacit and pious Consent of most it so prevailed as to break forth into a publick Profession so that a Holy-Day was by solemn and publick Rite appointed per totam Ecclesiam by the whole Church for celebration of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin viz. the Eight of December which Sixtus the Fourth confirmed by his Authority and Apostolical Decree A. D. 1476 in which universos Christi fideles invitat ut omnipotenti Deo de Immaculatae Virginis mira Conceptione gratias laudes referant he invites all Christians to give Thanks and Praises to Almighty God for the Immaculate Virgin 's wonderful Conception appointing a Mass and proper Canonical Office for it with the same Indulgences which Urban the Fourth had given to the Observers of the Feast of Corpus Christi He adds That he was the more enclined to this Opinion because it had communem consensum omnium sidelium Sect. 10 the common consent of all the Faithful upon whose concurrent Judgment it behoves us saith Paulinus Nolanus to depend quia in omnem fidelem Spiritus Dei spirat because the Spirit of God breaths upon all the Faithful And lastly he concludes That after this manner Sect. 11 Credendus est Deus Christianis integrum illum immaculatae Virginis Conceptum revelasse it is to be believed that God hath revealed to Christians this pure Conception of the immaculate Virgin that is he hath inspired into them the Knowledge and given them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the full assurance of it though it hath not yet passed into a Catholick Doctrine In which last words he speaks agreeably to the judgment of their Doctors for though the Council of Basil expresly decreed Sess 36. That the Doctrine of the immaculate Conception should be held and embraced tanquam pia consona cultui Ecclesiastico fidei Catholicae rectae rationi sacrae Scripturae as Pious and consonant to Ecclesiastical Worship the Catholick Faith right Reason and the Holy Scriptures though the University of Paris as Salmeron informs us admits none to their Degrees who do not take an Oath to defend it Apud Concil Trid. p. 19. Though the Bull of Paul the V. forbids any one in publick Sermons Lectures Conclusions and any publick Acts whatsoever to affirm that the Blessed Virgin was Conceived in Original Sin. And the Bull of Gregory the XV. to assert it in any private Conference or Writing yet the Bulls of Sixtus the IV. and Pius the V. having given liberty to all Men to hold or maintain either part Sess 5. the Trent Council hath decreed for the observation of the said Constitution made by Sixtus Hence then we learn § 10 1. That a Doctrine never heard of in precedent Ages yea fully contradicted and declared against by Eight whole Centuries may become afterwards the Doctrine of all or almost all the Faithful De gestis Scot. l. 3. c. 12. For Joannes Major doth inform us That Richardus de Sancto Victore who flourished in the middle of the Twelfth Century was omnium expresse primus qui Christiferam Virginem Originalis noxae expertem tenuit expresly the first who held the Virgin Mary free from Original Sin And in the Thirteenth Century In Sent. 3. dist 3. p. 1. A. 1. q. 1. In tertiam D. Th. dist 117. p. 148. P. 57. Bonaventure saith That almost all held the contrary But now saith Vasquez not only the unskillful Vulgar but the Doctors and Divines and all Catholicks with one consent fight for the immaculate Conception Now saith Petavius it hath obtained Consensum omnium fidelium The consent of all the Faithful Now saith Waddingus it is manifest that the oppugners of it do sentire aliter quam universa docet Ecclesia differ from the Doctrine of the Vniversal Church Whence 2. It follows that it is so far from being impossible that it is actually certain That what was never heard of yea what was generally contradicted in the former Ages of the Church may afterwards be owned by the general consent of learned and unlearned Romanists in spite of all the Treatises of the perpetuity of the Faith and of the lawful prejudices against the Calvinists 3. Hence it is evident that the Church of Rome doth not in all things follow the Doctrine of the Ancient Catholick Church for if so then would not they have given liberty to all their Members to oppose a Doctrine generally Believed and Taught in the whole Catholick Church and more assuredly in the whole Western Church for Eight whole Centuries 4. Hence it appears that all the
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
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
derive some of these Malmon port Mosis p. 36 37 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Traditions down from Moses and their own Writers do expresly teach That they were Traditions received from the Mouth of Moses They therefore must be taught whilst these Church Guides and Rulers were infallible and the true Judges of Tradition if ever they were so and if the Jewish Doctors might so generally mistake in Fathering these Traditions upon Moses why may not others do the like in Fathering theirs on the Apostles Thirdly Observe that the Jewish Worship and Religion was then thought partly to consist in them and partly in the written Law Gal. 1.14 for St. Paul tells us That he profited much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Jews Religion being zealous for the Traditions received from his Forefathers And besides his being a strict observer of the Law he adds in the same place That he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that Sect of Pharisees which joined Traditions to the Law of Moses Antiq. Judaic l. 18. c. 2. of whom Josephus saith That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever was Divine whether respecting Prayers or the performance of things Sacred were done according to their Expositions or Traditions Moreover these Traditions were saith our Saviour taught for Doctrines they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 belonging to their Laws saith Josephus the neglect of the Observance of them was look'd on as an high Transgression they being say their own Records equal to if not more weighty than the Law. The Jews were therefore in this Matter true Roman Catholicks receiving these Traditions as part of their Rule of Faith Pari pietatis affectu with like affection as the written Word And Lastly These Traditions were generally received by the Jewish Nation no Man gainsaying the Observance of them but some few Sadduces who in reality were Hereticks and by the Jews reputed Schismaticks Cap. 7. v. 3. Antiq. Judaic l. 13 c. 18. For the Pharisees and all the Jews held the Tradition of the Elders saith St. Mark Josephus informs us That the Pharisees had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the multitude on their side That they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Persons which seemed to the People most worthy of Credit and the best Interpreters of their Laws They were the Men saith Christ who sate in Moses's Chair and their very Question Mark 7.5 Why walk not thy Disciples according to the Tradition of the Elders insinuates that it was a new and a strange thing among them to find any one of Reputation who transgressed their Traditions Let then the Roman Doctors tell us how vain and false Traditions might thus generally obtain among the Jews and pretend to be derived from Moses and even to be part of the Instructions he received from God when they were nothing less and we will tell them how the like Traditions might by them be receiv'd as Apostolical or let them say why we must be esteemed Hereticks and Schismaticks for rejecting such Traditions as our Dear Lord's Disciples with his own approbation did reject and which he taught even the Common People to contemn And now to Answer directly to his Instances First To that of Original Sin. We call upon him to prove 1. That they had any knowledge of the Imputation of it Dogm Theol. Tom. 4. part 2. l. 14. c. 2. and well we may when his own Petavius confesseth That the Greek Church hath spoke very rarely of it Secondly We desire him to prove that Circumcision was necessary for the Salvation of the Male and his Justification from Original Sin this is another School Notion with which the ancient Church of God was not acquainted yea which they most expresly do gainsay they having solemnly declared that Abraham received it for a Sign but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just M. Dial. cum Tryph. p. 241. not for Justification b Non in salutis praerogativam Tert. adv Judaeos c 2 3. not for Salvation c Non quasi consummatricem justiciae Iren. l. 4. c. 30. not for the Consummation of Righteousness d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Hom. 39. in Gen. p. 321 322. not for the Freedom of the Soul for it availeth nothing for the advantage of the Soul and that because it was administred to Children who could receive no Spiritual advantage and no Justification by it that it hath e Pseud Ambros in 4. ad Rom. nothing of Dignity in it but is barely a Sign And had it been prescribed as the School-men dream for a Remedy against Original Sin what Remedy had they for it before the Institution of the Ceremony of Circumcision Were all their Children damned in Aegypt or in the Wilderness because they were not Circumcised To his Second Instance of the Relation which their Sacrifices had to the Expiation to be made by the Death of Christ I Answer 1st That it appears not that they had any knowledge of this Mystery and 2dly That if this was a Tradition at any time made known to them it is a demonstration that Tradition is no sure preserver of things most needful to be known it being certain that before our Saviour's time they had quite lost this Notion for they believed not that their Messiah the Son of David was to die much less that he should shed his Blood as a propitiatory Sacrifice for their Sins they had learn'd out of the Law interpreted by the Scribes Joh. 12.34 Mark 9.32 Luk. 9.45.18.34 That Christ abided for ever and therefore wondered to hear our Saviour speak of his being lifted up and when his own Disciples heard him speak of his being delivered up to Death they understood not that Saying 3. § 8 Mr. M. farther adds That the Scriptures written by Moses were given only to the Church of Israel Obj. 3d. P. 337. all other Nations as they had then several true Believers among them when Abraham was separated from them so there is not the least mention of their Total decay of Belief after that separation All they then still believed upon Tradition and so true Faith might be preserved among many who never heard of Scripture till Christ's time P. 338. That Job and his Friends lived not among the Progeny of Abraham and yet Job was most eminent in Vertue and true Faith and his Friends believed in one God held the Resurrection of the Flesh and that God should judge all Men according to their Works and divers other Points relying still only upon Tradition Whereas Mr. M. declares Repl. 1. That there is not the least mention of the Total decay of the belief of other Nations when they were separated from Abraham and when the Scriptures were given by Moses to the Jews it it already proved that Abraham at his Separation left his Kindred under Idolatry And as for all the Nations round about the Jews and even under the whole Heavens Moses informs us Deut. 4.19 Ps