either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Great Lord's day or the Paschal Lord's day and being constantly in those first Ages distinguished from and in their enumeration of their Festivals opposed to the Lord's day Moreover the Easter Feast seemeth not to have been so Ancient as the Apostles Vision for then it would have been observed uniformly as the Lord 's day was whereas the Eastern and the Western Churches differed much about it and that very difference demonstrates that the Lord 's day was the more ancient because the Question was Whether the Eastern Festival should be kept on the Lord's day only or on the day of the Full-Moon as by the Jews it was on what day of the Week soever that did happen And whereas Mr. M. asks P. 207. How prove you that it was not Christmas or Ascention day I Answer 1st That we have no Evidence from Antiquity that either of these Festivals were then observed much less that they were then known to the Christian World under that Appellation 2dly The common Consent of all Interpreters and the perpetual Practice of the Church in all Ages from Saint John to Ignatius his Scholar and so downwards to this day do give the name of the Lord's day to Sunday and to no other Festival of the Church Weekly or Annual sufficiently instructs us what Saint John understood by the Lord's day 3dly Observe That whatsoever in the Scripture hath the Lord's Name and Subscription on it as the Lord's Temple the Lord's Offerings the Lord's People the Lord's Priests was consecrated to the Service of Jehovah the Lord of the Old Creation wherefore the day which had so early the Name and Superscription of the Lord Christ upon it must be supposed to be Holy to the Lord of the New Creation and consecrated to his Service For as the Jewish Sabbath being called the Lord 's Sabbath or the Sabbath of Jehovah was by that Title known to be a day Sanctified to Jehovah as Creator so this day being called the Lord 's day is by this Note as certainly known to be a day consecrated to the Service of the Lord Christ And as the Lord 's Supper is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Supper of the Lord the Sacramental Table 1 Cor. xi 20. x. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Table of the Lord the Sacramental Wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Cup of the Lord either because the Sacrament was instituted immediately by the Lord Christ to be observed to his Second Coming Or Secondly Because it was appointed for the remembrance of the Lord 's Death and Passion till that time even so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord's day must be so called for one of these two Reasons or for both viz. Because it was enjoined by Christ or by Directions given to his Apostles to command the Observation of it as a Day to be devoted to the Service of our Lord Christ or because it was by the Apostles so observed in memory of our Lords Resurrection and was from them received as a day to be observed for all future Generations of the Church And that this day was certainly observed by the Apostles and by the Christians who lived in their daies in Honour of our Lord is evident from what hath been already proved For if it were then known to Christians by the Name of the Lord's day and if so be the Lord's day must import a day that is consecrated to the Service of the Lord 't is clear that they must then observe it as such or act against the knowledge of their Duty if when Saint John received this Vision it were known to be a day devoted to the Service of the Lord Christ it must be known to be thus consecrated to his Service by some who had Authority sufficient so to do that is at least by those Apostles and Rulers to whom Christ had committed the Guidance of his Church and the determination of that outward Worship he required from his Disciples What they thus consecrated to his Service must be devoted either by virtue of their positive Institution or by their practice only if by virtue of their Institution then is it granted that this day is of Divine and Apostolical Institution if by their Practice only yet is it granted that this day was constantly observed by those Apostles who were assisted in their Actions by the Holy Ghost that 't was by their Example commended to the practice of all Christians and therefore be alone can alter this Apostolical Tradition who better knows the mind of Christ than they did and is more able to discern what Service is well pleasing to him than they were Secondly § 2 This Practice will sufficiently appear from other Scriptures which either presuppose or else directly shew this was a day observed in the Apostles time Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Church of Corinth writeth thus Now concerning the Collection for the Saints as I have ordained for the Churches of Galatia 1 Cor. xvi 1 2. so do ye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the first day of the week let every man lay by him in store as God hath prospered him that there be no gathering when I come Where observe First That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth certainly signifie the first day of the Week the day of our Lord's Resurrection from the dead for the Four Evangelists do with one Voice averr That our Lord Jesus did arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first day of the week Matth. 28.1 Mark 16.2 Luke 24.1 John 20.1 Nor can this reasonably be doubted by any who believe the Scriptures Moreover Saint Mark doth clearly so interpret the Phrase for the Sabbath being over saith he Mary Magdalene and others came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 early the first day of the week and found Christ risen and v. 9. he adds That Christ was risen early 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by the consent of all Interpreters upon the first day of the week Saint Luke observes Luke 23.56 That they rested on the Sabbath day according to the Commandment and then adds That they came unto the Sepulchre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the first day of the week Secondly This may be Argued from the succeeding Practice of the Church which in compliance with this Precept still offer'd their Alms upon this Day for Justin M. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apol 2. p. 98 99. who flourished in the next Age to the Apostles tells the Heathen Emperor in his Apology That 't was the Custom of Christians to meet on the Lord's day to Pray to hear the Word to receive the Sacrament and then saith he they who are rich and willing give what they think fit and what is thus collected is laid up in the hands of the President who distributes it to Orphans and Widows and other Christians Locuples dives es dominicum observare te credis qui
the Sabbath Day Answered § 16. His fourth Objection That in Christ Jesus nothing avails but keeping the Commandments of God Answered § 17. His fifth Objection from the Words of Christ Pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath day Answered § 18. IN this Discourse I have endeavoured to shew in what Sence we admit of Tradition as a sufficient Evidence of the Truth of what we do believe or practise And have demonstrated That in those things which we receive upon her Testimony the Romanists cannot pretend unto a like Tradition for any of their Doctrines Two things they farther do object against us as instances of things necessary to be believed which yet say they have no Foundation in the Holy Scriptures and therefore must be believed only on the account of Tradition or the Authority of the Church viz. First The Observation of the Lord's Day and the liberty we take in working on the Sabbath and not observing it as a day set apart unto the Service of the Creator of the World. Secondly The Baptism of Infants of which what Mr. M. offers is sufficiently considered in the following Treatise and the practice hath of late been fully justified from Scripture and Tradition jointly by Three learned Treatises to which I shall referr the Reader Mr. Walker's Modest Plea for Infants Baptism The Case of Infants Baptism Dr. Still Rational Account Part. 1. cap. 4. Touching the first particular I shall Discourse at present in this Preface and shew in opposition to Mr. Mumford that we have sufficient Ground from Scripture for observing the Lord's Day and not observing of the Sabbath Day and that as far as we depend upon Tradition in these Points the Romanists can shew no like Tradition for their Tenets To begin with the first of these particulars That the Lord's Day is by all Christians to be observed as a Religious Festival will be made good from these Considerations First That it is mentioned in the Scripture as a known Festival Day a Day which bore Christ 's Name a Day on which the Christians did assemble for the performance of Sacred and Religious Worship Secondly That it was perpetually and universally observed as such by the Catholick Church including the times of the Apostles And First That it is mentioned in Scripture as a known Festival Day a Day which bore Christ's Name a Day on which the Christians did assemble for the performance of Religious Worship will appear 1st From that Expression of St. John § 2 Rev. i. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day For explication of which words observe first That the Name Lord in the New Testament doth ordinarily signifie the Lord Christ for God the Father having committed all Authority into his Hands he by so doing made him as Saint Peter saith both Lord and Christ Act. ij 36. and therefore by this name he is distinguished from God the Father in these words 1 Cor. viij 6. There is one God the Father of whom are all things and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things And again 1 Cor. xij 5 6. There are differences of Administrations but the same Lord diversities of Operations but the same God Wherefore by the Lord's Day here mentioned we cannot reasonably understand the Jewish Sabbath that being not the Day of the Lord Christ or a Day instituted in Memorial of him but a Day sanctified to Jehovah who is in the New Testament stiled God the Father or absolutely God and by that phrase distinguished from the Lord Christ Moreover the Sabbath is in Scripture sometime said to be a Day Holy to the Lord but it is never stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord's Day either in Scripture or in the Records of the three first Centuries and therefore we can have no reason to believe Saint John intended the Jewish Sabbath by that Phrase 2dly Whereas Saint John to denote the time when he received his Vision saith It was on the Lord's Day It follows that this Day must be a Day well known otherwise he could not by this note sufficiently declare the Time when he received his Vision Since then the first Day of the Week and that alone was by the Christians of the first Ages stiled the Lord's Day and known to them familiarly by that Name it is rational to conclude That the Apostle by this Phrase did understand the first Day of the Week For Confirmation of this Argument it is observable that some Copies read that Passage of Saint Paul to the Corinthians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. xvi 2. On the first Day of the Week being the Lord's Day let every one lay by in store Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. ad Manes Et ad Trallian §. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 4. c. 23. Euseb H. Eccl. l. 4. c. 26. who lived Thirty Years in the Apostles Days speaks thus That Christians must no longer Sabbatize but keep the Lord's Day in which our Life sprang up by him Dionysius Bishop of Corinth who flourished in the second Century writes thus This day being the Lord's Day we keep it Holy. Melito Bishop of Sardis who flourished in the same Century composed a Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Lord's Day and another of the Paschal Solemnity clearly distinguishing the one from the other Justin M. Qu. Resp Qu. 115. Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons in his Book of the Paschal Solemnity declares That Christians did not on the Lord's Day which was a Symbol of their Resurrection bend the Knee Clemens of Alexandria calls the Eighth day Contra Cels l. 8. p. 392. De Cor. Mil. c. 3. Cyp. Ep. 38. Ed. Ox. p. 75. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord's day Origen among the Christian Festivals enumerates the Lord's day the Easter and the Pentecostal Festival Tertullian saith Dominico die jejunium nefas ducimus vel de geniculis adorare We judge it wickedness to kneel on the Lord's day and then he adds That on the Easter and the Penticostal Festival we enjoy the same freedom And indeed the thing was so notorious even to the Heathen World that it was usual with them to put this Question to the Martyrs Dominicum servasti Hast thou observed the Lord's day To which their usual Answer was Christianus sum intermittere non possum I am a Christian and cannot cease to do it And that Dominicum agere which is sometimes the Phrase imports not to celebrate the Lord's Supper but to observe the Lord's day is evident from Clemens of Alexandria Strom. 7. p. 744. who tells us That the true Gnostick doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make that day truly the Lord's day by casting away every evil thought and celebrating the Resurrection of Christ Now from these Passages it is clear That the Easter Festival could not be here intended by Saint John that being never stiled by the Ancients absolutely the Lord's day but always
together in the Church they did and therefore what is coming together v. 17. coming to the Church v. 18. coming to one place v. 19. is coming together to eat v. 33. Accordingly it was the Custom of the Church from the Apostles times thus to communicate upon the Lord's day Pliny in his Epistle to the Emperor Trajan Soliti sunt stato die ante lucem convenire c. Ep. l. 10. Ep. 97. tells him That he found nothing to alledge against the Christians but their Obstinacy in their Superstition and that is was their Custom to meet together on a set day before it was light and to bind themselves by the Sacrament to do no evil Now this Epistle was writ only Six Years after the Death of the Evangelist Saint John. And Justin M. who wrote but Fifty Years after his death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apol. 2. p. 98 99. thus speaks On Sunday all the Christians in the City or Country meet together because that is the day of our Lord's Resurrection and then we have read unto us the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles this done the President makes an Oration to the Assembly to exhort them to imitate and do the things they heard then we all join in Prayer and after that we celebrate the Sacrament and they that are willing and able give their Alms c. Fourthly § 4 This may be further proved from the Church's Testimony and from the plain Expressions of the Fathers who flourished in the first and purest Ages of the Church For to this Effect Century the first besides the words of Clemens Romanus already mentioned the Apostle Barnabas saith of the Apostles and Christians in the General 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sect. 15. We keep the eighth day a Festival in which our Jesus rose from the dead Century the Second I have produced the plain Testimonies of Ignatius Justin M. Irenaeus Dionysius of Corinth Melito Sardensis Century the Third I have produced already the Testimony of Clemens of Alexandria to which add that of Tertullian who saith in his Apology Diem folis laetitiae indulgemus Cap. 16. Sunday is the Festival of us Christians And in his Book Ad Nationes That they did rejoice upon that day Solem Christianorum deum aestimant quod innotuerit nos die solis c. Lib. 1. cap. 13. and that this was a thing so well known to the Heathens that hence they took occasion to conjecture That the Sun was the God of Christians Neque enim Resurrectio Domini semel in anno non semper post septem dies celebratur In Esa Hom. 6. Hom. 7. in Exod. fol. 41. Ep. 38. Ed. Ox. p. 75. that of Origen That the Resurection of our Lord is not celebrated annually only but every seventh day which therefore in opposition to the Jews he calls Dominica nostra The Christians Lord's day And that of Cyprian That Aurelius Dominico legit reads on tâ—â— Lord's day Centuny the Fourth Epiphanus informs us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos fid cap. 22. That the Holy Catholick Church keeps every Lord's day as a Festival In a word no Church no single Writer ever represented this as a new or introduced Practice but do continually speak of it as the constant Practice of the Christian Church We never read that any of the converted Jews though they retained the Jewish Sabbath ever disputed the Observation of the first day of the week in honour of our Lord And therefore as the Reverend Bishop Bramhal truly saith Pag. 918. To question now whether there was a formal precept for that which all the Christian World hath obeyed ever since Christ's time and shall obey until his Second Coming is a strange degree of Folly. And that this may be farther evident I add this second Proposition That the Apostles had Commission from the Lord Christ § 5 Prop. 2. or were directed by his Spirit to ordain and chuse this day to be employed in the publick Exercise of Christian piety and in remembrance of the Resurrection of our Lord. For First Christ did Commission his Apostles to teach the Churches all his Doctrine and to deliver them all his Commands and Orders which concerned their Duty and his Service for thus he delivers his Commission to them All Authority is committed to me in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28.18 Go therefore and disciple all Nations teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you John 20.21 He also saith unto them That as my Father sent me so send I you and surely the Father sent him who was Lord of the Sabbath with full Commission to change and alter it and substitute another day in lieu thereof Accordingly the Apostles exercised this Power they founded Churches they delivered to them the Doctrines and Commands of Christ they setled Church Officers Orders and Discipline and surely then they had Commission also to settle the time to be appointed for the Service of their Lord and Master When therefore they began to practise the Observation of the first day of the Week they only did what their Commission from the Lord impowered them to do Secondly That the Apostles were directed by the Holy Ghost to set apart this day for Holy Worship or to appoint Church Meetings on this Day and therefore that this was done by a Divine Authority appears from this That their Determinations touching smaller Matters and which were only â—porary are by themselves ascribed to the Holy Ghost thus when Saint Paul gives his advice in respect of the present necessity touching a single Life though he confesseth he had no express from Christ touching that matter yet he ascribes this Counsel to the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 7.40 For I think saith he I have the Spirit of Christ Again the same Apostle speaking of the Directions which he gave concerning their Church Meetings and their Behaviour in them saith 1 Cor. 14.37 If any man think himself to be a Prophet or Spiritual let him acknowledge that the things I write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord. The same must therefore be much more acknowledged of things of so high a nature as that is which they delivered to be observed by the Universal Church they being equally Appointed and Authorized to instruct them in Discipline and in Matters of Divine Worship as in matters of Doctrine and as well by Word as by Epistle and therefore as well in the Observation of the time appointed for the Worship of their Lord as in the due Regulation of it when they came together The same Saint Paul professeth 1 Cor. 11.23 That he had received from the Lord what he delivered to the Church of Corinth touching the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper and when he speaks of one particular concerning which he had no precept from Christ he saith expresly This speak I not the Lord 1 Cor. 7.12 if then the practice touching the Observation of
the Africans passed a severe Judgment on the Assertors of the contrary Opinion though they refused not Communion with them § 20. 6. That neither Stephen 's Opinion nor Saint Cyprian 's prevailed but the Church went a middle Way betwixt both § 21. Inferences 1. Hence it appears that the Doctors of the Western Churches are no good Judges of the Practices of the East § 22. 2. That in Matters of this obscurity the Custom of each Church is to be followed without breach of Peace § 23. 3. That in those Ages they knew nothing of the Pope's Supremacy or the Rule of the Guide of Controversies § 24. 4. That they belived what passed for Apostolical Tradition in the Church of Rome might be no such thing § 25. And Lastly That even in those early times Tradition Apostolical must falsly be pretended by great and many Churches § 26. FUrthermore we distinguish betwixt Traditions touching Points purely Doctrinal Dist 6th or Divine Revelations which concern matters of meer Belief as the Doctrine of the Millennium of the time of the Day of Judgment of Antichrist and what did hinder his Appearance and the like and Traditions touching points of Practice such as were the Observation of the Lord's Day the Superiority of Bishops over Presbyters the Ordination of Presbyters and Deacons by Bishops c. Touching the first kind we say That it is no sufficient evidence that they were Doctrines received from the Apostles that they have been asserted by after-Ages to be such it being evident both from Church History and the Confessions both of Protestants and Papists that in these matters the Fathers have been subject to mistakes in Doctrines not belonging to the Fundamentals of the Christian Faith but touching matters of Practice we say That we are ready to receive all such Traditions as have that Evidence that they were generally practised from the first and purest Ages of the Church which we are able to produce for observation of the first Day of the Week the Superiority of Bishops over Presbyters the Ordination of Presbyters and Deacons by Bishops and the like To give some Instances of the first kind First The Doctrine of the Millennium § 1 or the Reign of Saints on Earth a Thousand Years is now rejected by all Roman Catholicks and by the greatest part of Protestants and yet it passed amongst the best of Christians for Two hundred and Fifty Years for a Tradition Apostolical and as such is delivered by many Fathers of the Second and Third Century who speak of it as the Tradition of our Lord and his Apostles and of all the Ancients that lived before them who tell us the very words in which it was delivered the Scriptures which were then so Interpreted and say that it was held by all Christians that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exactly Orthodox And 1. this is delivered by the Fathers of the Second and Third Centuries as a Tradition received from the Mouth of Christ and his Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 3. c. 39. Eusebius confesseth That Papias declared it to be the Doctrine of our Saviour handed down to him by unwritten Tradition Lib. 5. c. 33. Euseb H. Eccl. lib. 3. c. 39. Now of this Papias Irenaeus saith That he was an Hearer of St. John the Author of the Revelations He himself professeth that he only followed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them who taught the Truth and who related 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Commands given by Christ himself and coming from the Truth it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. That he received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words of the Apostles from those who followed them or conversed with them and only writ the things he had well learned and well remembred Eusebius moreover adds That his Relation touching the Tradition of the Millennium prevailed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with most of the Clergy that lived after him to entertain it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dial cum Tryph. p. 308. Justin Martyr speaking of the same Doctrine premiseth That he chose not to follow the Doctrines of Men but of God and the Doctrines delivered by him and then he adds That there was a Man among them named John one of Christ's Twelve Apostles who in his Revelations had foretold that the Faithful should reign with Christ a Thousand Years in Jerusalem Lib. 5. cap. 33. and that our Lord Christ said the same thing Presbyteri meminerunt qui Joannem Discipulum Domini viderunt audisse se ab illo quemadmodum de temporibus illis docebat Dominus Ibid. Irenaeus adds That the Seniors who saw St. John the Disciple of the Lord remembred how they had heard him say that he had heard our Lord Christ teach this Doctrine and then he doth repeat the very words in which Christ taught thus and tells us that he had them also from Papias the Friend of Polycarp Cap. 36. Hanc esse ad ordinationem dispositionem eorum qui salvuntur dicunt Presbyteri Apostolorum Discipuli ibid. adding That this according to the Seniors the Disciples of the Apostles is the Ordinance and the appointment concerning those that shall be saved and that our Lord taught this when he promised to drink New Wine with his Disciples in the Kingdom of God Hanc Ezechiel novit Apostolus Joannes vidit qui apud fidem nostram est novae Prophetiae sermo testatur Adv. Marcion l. 3. c. 24. and St. Paul when he said That the Creature should be freed from the Bondage of Corruption into the liberty of the Sons of God. As for the Kingdom promised to us after the Resurrection for a Thousand Years Ezechiel knew it saith Tertullian the Apostle John saw it and the new Word of Prophecy which we believe gives Testimony of it And if Gelasius Cyzicenus may be credited this was the Doctrine delivered by the Nicene Council in these words We expect new Heavens and new Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hist Concil Nic. l. 2. c. 30. according to the Scriptures at the Appearance of the Kingdom of our Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ and then as Daniel saith the Saints of the most High shall receive a Kingdom and the Earth shall be pure and holy which David by the Eye of Faith foreseeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith I believe to see the Goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living and the Son of David Blessed are the Meek for they shall inherit the Earth These things we have established from the Ecclesiastical Constitutions most diligently framed by the Holy Fathers 2. They speak of this not as a probable Opinion but as a thing which they were certainly assured of We know saith Justin Martyr Dial. cum Trypk p. 307. the Resurrection of the Flesh and the Thousand Years in Jerusalem Predicta benedictio sine contradictione
of the Church of Rome and to believe them as true and uncorrupt as are the Copies of the Holy Scripture But saith Mr. M. § 16 Pag. 399. When we believe that the Copies which we have now of these Books be not forged nor corrupted Copies but truly agree with the Originals given out by the Apostles we trust to the Tradition of all the after Churches that have been in every Age from the Apostles to this very present Church for it is as much in the Power of the Church in any one of these Ages to have thrust a false Copy into their Hand instead of a true one as to thrust a false Tradition into the Mouth of every Catholick every where in place of a true one This Argument in the mouth of a Jew Reply First pleading for those Traditions which were rejected by our Lord and his Apostles runs to this effect It was as much in the power of the Jewish Church to have thrust a false Copy into the Hands of the Jews instead of a true one as to thrust a false Tradition into the Mouth of every Jew every where instead of a true one if therefore their received Traditions actually were false as your Christ and his Apostles taught you can have no assurance of the Copies on which you depend for proving your Jesus to be the true Messiah are not false We say it is not in the power of any of the latter Ages Secondly to corrupt the Originals without corrupting not only all the written Manuscripts but also all the Writings of that Christian Church in which those Scriptures have been cited and all the Commentaries on them and all the Translations of them into all Languages 'T is therefore evidently false That it is as much in the Power of the Church in any one Age to have thrust a false Copy into the Hand of all Christians instead of a true one as to deceive them with a false Tradition instead of a true one No Protestant ever asserted or imagined that the whole Church was either willing or able Thirdly in any point of Doctrine to change at once and in one Age the true Tradition for a false No they unanimously say These Tares were sown by the Enemy whilst Men slept that they came in by degrees and insensibly got Ground by little and little in one Age the Dispute was raised the Opinion broached by some Man of Vogue and Credit in the next it passed for probable in the following Age for an Ecclesiastical Doctrine and in the next advanced into an Article of Faith. Thus for Example Images for the first Three Centuries were disregarded by all Christians the first thing they taught their Proselytes was to contemn them In the Fourth and Fifth Centuries they crept into some few Churches by way of Ornament and symbolical Representation In the Sixth and Seventh Centuries they begun to be received for Instruction and historical Commemoration In the Eighth Century in Italy and in the East they advanced to the Veneration of them though this Novelty met with great opposition in the East till the Tenth Century and in the West till the Thirteenth Century Communion in one Kind came in among some Monks in the Eleventh Century by reason of their negligence and rudeness which made their Governors not trust them with the Cup least they should spill it In the Twelfth Century it began to take place in minoribus Ecclesiis in lesser Churches The Approbation of Thomas Aquinas made it still more prevail in the Thirteenth Century and in the beginning of the Fifteenth Century it was established for a Law. FINIS A TREATISE OF TRADITIONS PART II. Imprimatur Liber cui Titulus A Treatise of Traditions Part II. July 12. 1688. Guil. Needham RR. in Christo P. ac D.D. Wilhelmo Archiep. Cant. a Sacr. Domest A TREATISE OF TRADITIONS PART II. Shewing the Novelty of the pretended Traditions of the Church of ROME as being I. Not mentioned by the Ancients of their Discourses of Traditions Apostolical truly so called or so esteemed by them Nor II. In their avowed Rule or Symbol of Faith. Nor III. In the Instructions given to the Clergy concerning all those things they were to teach the People Nor IV. In the Examination of a Bishop at his Ordination Nor V. In the Ancient Treatises designed to instruct Christians in all the Articles of their Faith. VI. From the Confessions of Romish Doctors WITH AN ANSWER to the Arguments of Mr. Mumford for Traditions And a Demonstration That the Heathens made the same Plea from Tradition as the Romanists do and that the Answer of the Fathers to it doth fully justifie the Protestants Jam primo quod in nos generali accusatione dirigitis divortium ab institutis majorum considerate etiam atque etiam ne vobiscum communicemus crimen istud ecce enim per omnia vitae ac disciplinae corruptam immo deletam in vobis antiquitatem recognosco Exclusa ubique antiquitas in negotiis in officiis totam auctoritatem majorum vestra auctoritas dejecti◠Tertullianus ad Nationes lib. 1. Cap. 10. LONDON Printed by J. Leake for Awnsham Churchill at the Black Swan in Ave-Mary Lane MDCLXXXIX THE PREFACE The Contents Shewing First That the Lord's Day is mentioned in Scripture as a known Festival Day a Day which bore Christ's Name and on which Christians did assemble for Religious Worship 1. From those words Rev. 1.10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day § 1. 2. From 1 Cor. xvi 2. § 2. 3. From Act. xx 7. § 3. 4. From the unanimous and uncontroulled Testimony of the Fathers from the first and purest Ages of the Church § 4. And shewing Secondly That the Apostles were commissionated from the Lord Christ or were directed by his Spirit to appoint this a day of publick Worship in Honour of our Lord and in remembrance of his Resurrection § 5. The Romanists can shew no such Tradition for any of the contested Doctrines § 6. Mr. M's Argument retorted against the sufficiency of Tradition to establish this Doctrine by shewing that there is no Tradition for abstaining wholly from servile Work upon that Day but rather the contrary § 7. The not observing of this Day through ignorance of our Obligation so to do is not destructive of Salvation § 8. The Command for remembring the Seventh Day from the Creation to rest upon it from all manner of Work was Ceremonial and not Moral this proved 1st From Reason § 9. 2dly From the Words and Actions of our Saviour § 10. 3dly From Gal. iv 10 11. § 11. 4thly From Col. ij 14 16 17. § 12. 5thly From the unanimous assertion of the Fathers § 13. Mr. M's first Objection from God's Blessing and Hallowing this Day Answered § 14. His second Objection from those Words of Christ If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments Answered § 15. His third Objection That Saint Paul frequented Synagogues on
corbonam omnino non respicis De opere eleemos p. 203. as their Wants require Saint Cyprian also taxeth the Omission of this Duty on the Lord's day as a Fault in Rich and able Persons saying Thou art Wealthy and Rich and thinkest thou that thou observest the Lord's day who dost not at all respect the poor Man's Box Thirdly All the Ancient Commentators on this Place both Greek and Latin unanimously interpret this of the Lord 's day Ambrose and Primasius among the Latins Chrysostom Theodoret Oecumenius and Theophylact among the Greeks Secondly Observe that no good Reason can be given why the Apostle should limit the Collections of the Churches of Corinth and Galatia to the first day of the week but this That this day was appointed for the Worship of our Lord and so more fit for the performance of those Duties which concerned his distressed Members in those Times for as the works of Charity and Mercy are proper Duties of this day so doth this day contain a special motive in it to enlarge their Charley it being the day in which they were begotten to a lively Hope through the Resurrection of our Saviour and in which they constantly in those times participated of his precious Body and Blood and therefore having then received spiritual Things so plentifully from Christ must be more ready to impart of their temporals to his needy Servants Thirdly Observe that should the Text be rendered thus Let every one lay up against the first day of the week there would be some good reason for that Precept provided that it were a day appointed for the Service of Christ and the Assemblies of all Christian People for meeting thus together on that day they might then bring to the Assembly what they had treasured up against that time and then put it into the publick Bank as the Custom was in the first Ages of the Church and that they did so here at Corinth seems highly probable from the design of the Apostles Precept for he exhorts them to have their Charity ready that there might be no need of a Collection when he came whereas if they had kept their Charity in their own hands and not put it into the publick Stock there would still have been need of a Collection at his coming 2dly The Apostle might command to lay it up against that day to be then offered to the Lord because our Charity to his distressed Members is an Odor of a sweet smelling Savour Philip. 4.18 Act. 10.4 a Sacrifice well-pleasing to God a Duty fitly joined with our Prayers that so they may come up together as a memorial before God. Since therefore whether we translate the word 's upon the first day of the week or against the first day of the week no reason doth appear why Saint Paul should pitch upon that day had it not been the day of their assembling together the day on which they met to serve the Lord Christ we ought in reason to conclude it was so And if for the performance of this Work of Charity on the Lord's day Saint Paul thought fit to give his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or special Order can we suppose the day it self should be observed without appointment of the said Apostle or others of like power with him especially if we consider that Clemens the Contemporary of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Cor. §. 40. doth inform us That our Lord commanded our Oblations and Liturgies should be performed at times appointed and not disorderly but at those very times and seasons which he had ordained and thence concludes That they who offer their Oblations in those appointed Seasons are blessed and acceptable to God and that because they act agreeably to the Commandments of their Lord for if Christ himself gave Laws for the time when and the persons by whom he would have divine Offices performed as Clemens here doth plainly teach there is little doubt to be made but the Lord's day was his own Ordinance and if as he there adds These things were defined by his Sovereign Counsel that all things being done religiously according to his good Pleasure might be acceptable in his sight it follows that this time could not Religiously have been set apart for his Service or have been acceptable to him had it not been appointed by the Counsel of his Will so that although this Text doth not expresly command that the first Day of the Week should be observed as the Christians weekly Festival yet if we join with it the uniform Practice of the Primitive Church then and ever since they jointly prove that the first day of the Week was the weekly Festival of Christians at that time and strongly do imply or suppose that before this Apostolical Ordinance for these Collections on this Day there was another for the observation of the day it self for how could it have happened that all the Apostolical Churches throughout the World should from the beginning have accorded to make this day a weekly Festival unless they had been directed thus to do by the Apostles themselves by whom they were at first converted to the Christian Faith and with that Faith received this Institution 3dly We have another Scripture Act. xx 7. § 3 which fairly seemeth to conclude that the Apostles and the Christian Church did then observe this day and meet for the performance of Religious Worship on it for there it is expresly said That upon the first day of the Week when the Disciples came together to break Bread Paul preached unto them Where Note 1. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first day of the week was certainly the Lord's day as hath already been made manifest 2. Observe That on this day the Disciples were not summoned extraordinarily to come together that Saint Paul did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 call them together as he did the Assembly of the Elders of the Church v. 17. but the Disciples were themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 met in their Synaxis or Assembly the Text informs us That Saint Paul carried with them seven days and in none of them have we any mention of an Assembly to this purpose but only on the first day of the week 3. Observe That they then met together to break Bread which Phrase doth signifie the sacred Action performed in celebration of the Holy Sacrament which 't was the Custom of the Primitive Christians to receive in all their Church Assemblies on the Lord's day 1 Cor. xi this the Apostle intimates when he complains of his Corinthians That they came together for the worse because when they came together in the Church there were Divisions among them so that they did not eat together of the Table of the Lord. Now thus to come together in one place saith he is not to eat the Lord's Supper i. e. it is not so to do it as the sacred Action ought to be performed this therefore when they came
de Resurrect Tom. 2 p. 277. Ambros Ep. 83. Psalm 118.24 the Fathers generally apply that Passage of the Psalmist This is the Day which the Lord hath made let us be glad and rejoice in it to the Lord's day as made or Instituted by the Lord and Consecrated or Sanctified by his Resurrection Others of them say That the Observation of the Lord's Day was an Apostolical Tradition and that they kept it as an Holy Day Hesuch in Levit c. 9. Leo. Ep. 11. Ed. Quesnel p. 436. Apostolorum sequentes traditionem following the Tradition of the Apostles The Apostles and Apostolical Men having decreed Dominicum diem religiosâ solennitate habendum That the Lord's day was Religiously to be celebrated And surely it is enough to satisfie all Conscientious Christians in the Observation of this Day that it was consecrated to the Service of our Lord either by Christ himself or his Apostles and as such hath been celebrated ever since by the perpetual practice of the whole Church Catholick especially if we consider what excellent Names these ancient Observers of it have ascribed unto it and what great Dignities they have put upon it calling it the Queen of Days the Princess and the Principal of Days a Royal Day higher than the highest the first Fruits of the Days whereas had they conceived it only an humane Ordinance it could not have deserved these Titles above other Daies ordained by the Church In fine how dangerous it is to say That the publick Exercise of Christian Religion should depend upon so weak a Foundation as humane Authority which may alter its own Constitutions and is subject to manifold Errors I leave to the prudent and judicious Reader to consider Let then the Romanists shew three Texts of Scripture expounded constantly in that sence by the whole Church § 6 which confirms any of their Doctrines let them shew us the Names of any of those Practices of theirs which we condemn in Scripture and the Fathers of the first Centuries let them give clear evidence from their Writings that such Practices were received in the Apostles daies throughout the Christian World no Church no Christian Writer ever excepting against them or mentioning them as newly introduced Customs let them shew us plain Expressions from them declaring that they were instituted either by Christ or his Apostles and that they practised them Illorum sequentes traditionem in compliance with their Tradition and then we shall no longer question or condemn them Having thus Answered Mr. M ' s. Argument against the sufficiency of the Scripture from this Head I retort it thus That is necessary to be done to Salvation § 7 which left undone Pag. 204. causeth Damnation but the observation of the Sunday commanding the abstaining from all servile Works if neglected or left undone brings Damnation therefore to observe in this manner the Sunday is a thing necessary to Salvation and yet this point is so far from being clearly put down in Tradition that standing meerly to the sole judgment of it we can clearly shew more Declarations for the lawfulness of working on the Sunday than for the unlawfulness thereof The Canon of the Council of Laodicea only saith Can. 29. That Christians shall rest on the Lord's Day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they can well knowing that it was not possible for many of them so to do some of them being Servants to Pagan Masters some condemned to labour in the Mines and toil in Gallies when their Lords required them and yet we find not in all Ecclesiastical History those Christians ever then refused to labour upon this account and therefore Balsamon upon this Canon saith That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they did not enjoin this as a thing necessary but added If they could let them do it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for if any one work on the Lord's day out of Poverty or any other necessity he will not be condemned And Zonaras on the same Canon adds That the Civil Law commands all without excuse to rest upon the Lord's day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excepting Husbandmen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it permits them to work on the Lord's day provided that they find no other day so fit foâ— their work That which he saith touching the Civil Law Cod. Just l. 2. Cod. de feriis is evident from that Law of Constantine where commanding all men to rest on the Lord's day he excepts Rural Labours in which delay may be very prejudicial to them Enchirid Tit. 4. which Law Hermenopulus gives us thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the Lord's day and other Festivals let the Judges and others rest excepting only Husbandmen and none of the Fathers of the Church living in those daies or in the following Centuries reproved these Laws or spake any thing to signifie that they esteemed them Prophane Epitaph Paulae ad Eustoch f. 64. On the contrary Saint Jerom tells us That Paula with all the Virgins and Widows that lived at Bethlehem in a Cloyster with her repaired to the Church on the Lord's Day Aâ—que inde pariter revertentes instabant operi distributo and returning thence they all fell to their work and made Clothes for themselves or others And lastly § 8 let it be observed that though I verily believe this day to be of Divine Institution and jure positivo to be observed yet am I far from thinking that it is necessary to Salvation so to do and much less to abstain wholly from working that day or that if any Church should rather think it fit to keep another day in Honour of our Lord or that if any Christians should think as some of the Ancient Fathers seem to have done that under the Gospel Dispensation there was no difference of daies but that the Christian should observe every day as a Spiritual Sabbath they should be damned or even Unchurched for that Opinion And therefore this is like unto most other Instances urged by Mr. M. impertinent and such as reacheth not unto the Question viz. Whether the Scripture be deficient in any thing that 's necessary to be believed or practised to Salvation To proceed to the Second Question touching our Freedom from any Obligation to observe the Sabbath injoined in the Fourth Commandment I say that though Tradition seems not sufficiently to do it Scripture affords sufficient Evidence that the Observation of the Seventh day from the Creation was only a ceremonial Precept and therefore not obliging to the Christian that is the Observation of the Seventh day from the Creation as a day wholly to be set apart for rest from bodily Labour according to the Fourth Commandment was not enjoined by a Moral Law or by a Law commanding what is naturally good antecedently to the Command of the Lawgiver or which can be resolved into any Principle or Dictates of the Law of Nature imprinted in Mens Hearts at the Creation but that it was a Law which only
did oblige the Jews and Jewish Proselytes to rest from Labour on that day laying no Obligation on the Christian so to do And First § 9 That this Command to observe the Seventh day from the Creation could be no Moral Precept obliging all Mankind is evident 1. From the Reasons there assigned of it Because God having made the World in six days rested the seventh and that therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it Now evident it is that no Man by the Light of Nature could discern that God imployed six days in the Creation of the World or that he rested on the seventh day only from his Labour no humane Reason could with any certainty inferr That because he rested from his Labour on this day we should rest also on it and so no Man without a Revelation could be acquainted with these Grounds for Observation of this day Moreover no Man by the Light of Nature could know that Time ought rather to be computed by Weeks or by the Number Seven than any other Number and much less that one day in seven precisely rather than in ten should be dedicated to God's Service this being neither a principle evident in it self nor derivable from any thing that is so and much less that the last of seven days should be kept holy rather than the first or any other of the seven no day being more holy than another by inherent Sanctity but only by God's free and arbitrary injunction to apply it or consecrate it to Religious Vses And sure God notwithstanding the Creation of the World in six days had he so pleased might have designed any of those days for his Religious Worship 4thly Such Precepts as are purely Moral and are injunctions of things good antecedently to the command can in no time or case be violated or transgressed whereas our Lord expresly hath declared That this Law touching the Sabbath in many cases might be violated And therefore Chrysostom observes That of those natural Laws Thou shalt not Kill or commit Adultery c. God gave no Reason because the Light of Nature taught them but when it pleased him to prescribe the Observation of the Sabbath day according to the Fourth Commandment he adds these Reasons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stat. Orat. 12. Tom. 6. Ed. Savil. p. 542. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. in Ez. 30. because he rested on the seventh day from all his Work and because thou wast a Bondman in the Land of Aegypt as knowing this Commandment was not primogeneal nor made known to us by the dictate of our Consciences but was temporary and particular i. e. given only to the Jewish Nation according to those Words of Moses I have given you the Sabbath Exod. xvi 19. Secondly § 10 This clearly doth appear from that Defence our Saviour made of his Disciples when they were censured by the Pharisees for violating the Sabbath by plucking Ears of Corn Matth. xij and rubbing them for our Lord justifies their Action 1. by the Example of David and his Men vers 3. Who being hungry ate the shew Bread which by the Law of Moses was to be eaten only by the Priest Now in all Arguments à pari or taken from Example the Ground or the Foundation of them must be this In paribus par ratio the Reason is the same where the Case is so And so in Arguments drawn from such Actions the Cases must be still alike in all considerable Circumstances and so it will be in the Example here produced provided that the rest enjoined in the Fourth Commandment be Ceremonial for then the Case runs thus I and my Men and David and his Men being both hungry did that which was forbidden by a Ceremonial Law of Moses if therefore David and his Men were blameless I and my Disciples must be so But if the Rest enjoined by the Fourth Commandment had been Moral 't is evident the Cases could not be alike since David and his Men did only violate a Ceremonial Precept but Christ's Disciples did transgress a Moral Precept So that we stand obliged to confess the Rest enjoined by the Fourth Commandment was Ceremonial or that our Saviour 's Argument was unconcluding and unsound which it is Blasphemy to assert Again our Saviour Argues That his Disciples were not to be accused of doing evil Vers 7 though they did not observe the Rest required on the Sabbath day because God had declared he will have mercy and not Sacrifice that is he will have works of Mercy which are Moral Duties to be preferred before Sacrifices which are but Ceremonials the feeding of the hungry Body must therefore be compared to works of Mercy the violating the Rest prescribed by the Fourth Commandment is that which is compared to Offering Sacrifice Since then the Law concerning Sacrifices most certainly was Ceremonial the Law concerning the Sabbatick Rest must be so also Secondly § 11 This may be fairly gathered from these Words of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians Argum. 2 Gal. 4.10 11. You observe days and months and times and years I am afraid of you least I may have laboured among you in vain Whereobserve First That the days and months the times and years here mentioned are only Jewish days and times as will appear first from the scope of the Apostles which is to shew the Christian Gentiles were exempt from any Obligation to observe the Law of Moses for this being the chief design of that Epistle the days forbidden here must be the days and times commanded by the Law of Moses 2dly By Observation of those days and times c. they are here said to be willing to return again to the service of weak and beggarly Elements Now these Elements to which they are said to have been in Bondage are the Mosaick Ceremonies v. 3 and 4. For we saith he when we were Children were in Bondage to the Elements of the World but when the fulness of time was come God sent to redeem those that were under the Law from any farther Bondage to it Secondly Observe That the Months Times and Years here mentioned do comprehend all other Jewish Festivals besides the Sabbath for the Months signifie their New Noons the Times the set times of going up to Jerusalem the Years their solemn Anniversary Feasts which constantly returned at such a time of Year or after such a period of Years and therefore the Days here mentioned can only signifie the Sabbath Days observed by the Jews and so Saint Jerom and Saint Chrysostom interpret the Place Thirdly Observe That the Jewish Sabbath or the Day of Rest appointed by the Fourth Commandment is certainly the seventh day from the Creation as is evident 1. From the Reason there assigned You shall keep the Sabbath for in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth and rested the seventh day 2. That was the day which the Lord Blessed and Sanctified if therefore that be abrogated and not to
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