is the keeper and Conservator of all the Holy Scriptures and the Divine Truths contained therein and that by faithful keeping them it upholds and supports the Truth as a Pillar doth the building which rests upon it But this is sufficiently included in what follows Secondly the Church is not only to preserve the Truth but to profess it and to give attestation to it that is to bear witness that this is the Truth of God and this alone which he hath revealed for the Salvation of Mankind By which means it doth not only hold up the Truth but hold it out to others as the Sacred Edict or Decree of God which all are to take notice of and observe And so Thirdly It is by this means to promote and propagate the Truth and not let it fall to the ground as a building doth when the Pillars that supported it are removed In brief As Heretical Churches were the Pillars and Stays of falshood they maintained and defended it they testified to it and indeavour'd to continue it and leave it to Posterity just so is the Church of Christ the Pillar and Ground of Truth it professes the Christian Faith it maintains it as the Truth of God and notwithstanding all the persecutions troubles losses torments whereby its Enemies would shake the constancy of those who maintain the Truth they testifie to it and declare to future Generations that this as S. Peter speaks is the true grace of God wherein we stand This is the first consideration to assure us of the true meaning of these words II. The Second is as strong for plain reason makes it evident that this not the other is the sense of them The Church that is cannot be the very foundation upon which the Truth is built not that which gives it authority and makes it to be Truth for the quite contrary is declared by Truth it self that the Truth is the foundation upon which the Church is built and which makes it to be a Church So S. Paul instructs this very Church of Ephesus who were built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner Stone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth into an holy Temple in the Lord In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit II. Ephes 18 19 20. It was therefore a Church of Christ because it held the Truth which He and his Apostles taught And so a great number of the Ancient Fathers expound those words of Christ to S. Peter Thou art Peter and upon this Rock i. e. upon the confession of Faith which thou hast made upon that Truth thou hast confest I will build my Church Matth. XVI We can own no Society of Men to be a Church of Christ unless they profess the true Faith of Christ And therefore the true Faith must be known before we can know whether they be a true Church or no who call themselves by that Name and consequently they do not give authority to the Truth but the Truth to them because the Truth must be supposed before they can have any authority Observe the above recited words I beseech you which say the Church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets c. i. e. upon the Truth revealed by them in the Gospel It is a Church by holding and believing this for if this be not the thing which makes a company of Men to be a Church of the living God tell me why the Mahometans are not his Church They are a society of Men professing some belief and having some truth and devotion and being governed by Laws as well as we There is no reason why they belong not to the Church of Christ but because they have not the Truth as it is in Christ Therefore the Church doth not make the Truth but the Truth makes the Church the Truth doth not rely upon the Church because it is before the Church which relies upon it Which was the Doctrine of the Church it self in after Ages as it were easie to shew if I intended to write a great Book I will content my self with two Testimonies in ancient times the one is of S. Chrysostome who thus expounds these very words the Church of the living God the Pillar and Ground of Truth Not like that Judaical Temple saith he for this is it which keeps together and contains the Faith and the preaching or Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the Truth is both the Pillar and the Ground or foundation of the Church The other is S. Austin in his third Book upon the Creed to the Catechumens (c) Tom. IX which begins thus You know this viz. the Creed to be the foundation of the Cathlique Faith upon which the edifice of the Church arose being built by the hands of the Apostles and Prophets And with this of Gabriel Biel in latter Ages (d) L. 3 in sentent Dist 25. Dub. 3. Catholique truths without any approbation of the Church are in the nature of the thing immutable and immutably true and so are to be accounted unchangeably Catholique Which brings to mind another remarkable saying of S. Austin who after he had produced in his first and second Books against Julian the Pelagian the testimonies of XI great Doctors viz. Irenaeus Cyprian Reticius Olympius Hilarius Ambrosius Innocentius where by the way it is observable he mentions the Bishop of Rome only as one of the eminent Bishops not as Head of them all Gregory Nyssen Basil of Caesarea John Chrysostom Hierom makes this reflection upon their consent which he lookt upon as the voyce of the Catholique Church Qui tamen veritati auctoritatem non suo tribuêre consensu c. who notwithstanding did not give authority to the Truth by their consent but received testimony and glory by partaking of the Truth They endeavour indeed to put by such evident conviction as this by a little distinction that though in it self the Church is built upon the Truth yet in respect to us the Truth is built upon the Church Which appears already to be a vain conceit unto those who consider that the Church cannot be the foundation of Truth to us unless we first know it to be the true Church of Christ and indued with this priviledge from God to be the Ground of Truth in this sense which I am now confuting But whence should we know this If it be said from the Truth which it professes then the Church is not the Foundation of the Truth to us for we must know the Truth before we can know that to be the true Church which calls it self the Foundation If we say from the Church then the Church is the Pillar and Ground of it self and we believe it to be the true Church because it says it is Which is so absurd and dangerous that the Mahometans as I said will be as true a Church as any else they may boldly put
heart being regenerated by Faith we are now taught what to believe as if that Regeneration were without Faith. We learn Christ after Baptism as if there could be any Baptism without the Faith of Christ It is most safe for us as it follows a little after to retain that first and only Evangelical Faith confessed and understood in Baptism V. And that a good and righteous cause may have good defenders and supporters let us read the Holy Scriptures wherein this Faith is contained chiefly for this end that we may order our steps that is our Lives and Conversation according to the rule of God's word Let us always remember that our Religion is a mystery of godliness as was shown before in which we are not well instructed if it do not teach us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in the World. Which is the best way also to continue in the Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks most agreeable to these words which he writes to Timothy grounded and setled or stable and stedfast Colos I. 23. For they are the good ground in the Church who in an bonest and good heart having heard the word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience Luk. VIII 15. As much as to say if we would stand fast in the Faith and not fall away as our Saviour saith others would do in time of trial v. 13. we must first come to hear and read the word of God with unprejudiced minds and upright hearts desiring to know the Truth and resolved to receive it though never so contrary to our present inclinations and interests This is the honest and good heart which secondly must keep and preserve in mind and heart what it hath thus received and not presently let it slip or lay it aside as a thing never to be thought of more after we have heard it And lastly we must not only in a warm fit of zeal begin to put in practice what we learn but bring forth fruit with patience or continuance This is the way both to draw others into the Church and to continue our selves in it and to make us constant defenders of the Christian Faith That is to do our part in this great Office of being the Pillar and Ground of Truth Which is a thing incumbent upon the whole Church and consequently upon every one of us who are members of it And therefore remember that the Christian Religion for which we are to be Zealous is the acknowledgement of the Truth after godliness as I said before Tit. I. 1. It is the Doctrine of piety to the study of which if we seriously and heartily apply our selves it will be our best security against all impostures and preserve us from the subtil and crafty insinuations of those who corrupt or pervert the Christian Doctrine and finally be the most powerful means to make Christianity prevail in the World. Remember the advice of S. Paul to this Church of Ephesus Ephes IV. 14.15 where you may find the true way to continue firm and stedfast and not to be tossed about as Children with every blast of Doctrine c. and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by speaking or rather following the Truth in love or according to the Hebrew Dialect being fixed and established in the love of God and of one another For the Hebrew word Aman to which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers signifies not only to speak Truth but likewise to be firm and constant fixed and established which if we be we shall have a settled unmoveable confidence of God's Love and Favour towards us For he that heartily loves God and his Neighbour will never be startled much less shaken by their bold Anathemas though all the World should tell him he shall be damned if he do not believe this or that proposition which they say is absolutely necessary to his Salvation because there is something within him that gives them the lye and assures him there is no truth in them who say that God hates and will reject him who believes all the ancient Faith which works by Love. God himself testifies the contrary by making the Truth efficacious in his heart to purge him from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit and by changing him into his own likeness in Holiness Love and Goodness And the more thoroughly any Man is renewed in the spirit of his mind the more perfectly will he be assured that they pronounce a false judgment upon him and consequently be the more heartily resolved against that Religion which makes men so liberal in pouring out Curses upon all them that do not embrace its novel opinions Which brings me to the last thing I would have considered that VI. We do not perform our duty I may safely affirm nay confidently aver we are not the Pillar and Stay of Truth as we ought to be unless every one of us in our several Places and Stations oppose with a becoming Zeal the Errors Innovations and Incroachments of the Church of Rome who are the Men that are of all other most guilty of the just-now named Uncharitableness or rather Pride and Cruelty For they utterly un-Church us and as much as in them lies cut us off from the Body of Christ and bar the Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven against us By this alone if there were nothing else we are sure they have grosly erred and live in error that they deny us to be a part of Christ's Church who believe and confess with Heart and Mouth the whole Catholique Faith every thing that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confessedly and by Universal consent the Ancient Christian Belief in which the Apostles and Martyrs died by which alone Righteous Souls for many Ages went to Heaven knowing nothing of the Pope's Supremacy of Transubstantiation of the Propitiatory Sacrifice of the Mass for quick and dead and the rest of their new inventions We deserve not the name of Christians no nor of Men if we stand not up resolutely against such usurpations and corruptions of the Christian Doctrine and maintain that Faith which we profess and wherein we stand to be the true Grace of God the Faith once delivered to the Saints Which is incumbent chiefly upon the Bishops and Pastors of the Church who I have shown are the Principal Pillars of the Truth as Timothy was in the Church of Ephesus and therefore ought to appear with all their might for the support of God's true Religion here established instructing teaching exhorting all committed to their charge to be stedfast and immoveable in it to the death And every honest hearted Christian ought to do the same in his rank and condition by following those instructions by fortifying himself against Romish delusions by indeavouring to understand the Truth and to detect their Errors Which are the more earnestly to be opposed because the new Articles of their Creed are not a Mystery of Godliness but tend many
right hand of God angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him So subject that from henceforth he expects till all his enemies be made his footstool X. Hebr. 13. and having vanquished Death which is the last Enemy and raised Men out of their Graves he will judge them according to their Works For he was received up into Glory to be the Judge of quick and dead These are the Principal Points of that Truth which ought to be supported and maintained in the Christian Church being the substantial and necessary Articles of our Faith without the belief of which we cannot be Christians For the fuller Explication of which I shall make Six observations the first of which the Apostle himself here suggests and the rest will fairly follow from thence 1. First the Apostle notes them to be such Truths as were without Controversie about which there was no dispute among serious Christians 2. And therefore these are the truly Catholique Doctrines and these alone 3. The fundamental Truths upon which our Religion and the Church it self is built 4. And therefore he that holds close to these cannot be a Heretick 5. But they that call Men so because they believe not other things which they have made necessary have rent the Christian Church and are guilty of that sin of which they falsly accuse others 6. Which guilt is the greater because the best and most learned Men among them have confessed those Doctrines which they have superadded to the Ancient Truth to be doubtful superfluous and unknown to the first Ages of the Church that is not truly Catholique Doctrines I. The first of these ought to be well weighed that the Truth which is to be supported and maintained in the Church is so evident and so abundantly attested that it is confessed by all Christians Thus that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without controversie or confessedly signifies as we may learn from the use of it among the Ancient Greeks one of which Diodorus Sinopensis speaks of their Supreme God just as the Apostle doth of the Mystery of Godliness (a) Apud Athenaeum Lib. VI. cap. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jupiter the Friendly is without controversie or by common consent agreed to be the greatest of the Gods. In like manner the Apostle is to be understood when he saith the same of these great and venerable Doctrines of Godliness Which are such as are confessed by all by a common agreement and doubted of by none For they are no other than those which are contained in the Apostles Creed about which there is no question among Christians but they all consent unto it being baptized into the belief of those Truths in which the whole Church hath agreed every where in all times down from the Apostles days to this present Age. For the Church saith Irenaeus (b) L. I. Contra Haeres c. 2. though dispersed throughout the World to the ends of the Earth received from the Apostles and their Disciples the Faith which is in one God the Father Almighty who made the Heaven and the Earth and Sea and all that is in them and in one Christ Jesus the Son of God who was Incarnate for our Salvation and in the Holy Ghost who preached by the Prophets the dispensations and approaches of God and the Birth of the Virgin and the Suffering the Resurrection from the Dead and the Bodily Ascension of our Dear Lord Christ Jesus into the Heavens and his coming from thence in the Glory of the Father to gather together all things and to raise all humane flesh that according to the good pleasure of the Father invisible every knee of things in Heaven or Earth or under the Earth may bow to Christ Jesus our Lord and God and Saviour and King and every Tongue may confess him and he may do Righteous Judgment upon all and send the Spirits of wickedness and the Angels that transgressed and apostatized together with ungodly unjust lawless and blasphemous Men into eternal fire but to the just and the holy and such as observe his Commandments and persevere in his Love either always or by Repentance graciously bestow life give immortality and put them in possession of eternal Glory This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he calls it a little Body of Truth the Rule of Faith as Tertullian often speaks instituted by Christ which nullas habet apud nos quaestiones (c) L. de praescript cap. XIV is not doubted of nor hath any questions about it among Christians but such as Heresies have brought in and which make Men Hereticks And therefore this is the Truth of which the Church ought to be the Pillar and Ground to the end of the World but not presume as I shall show anon to bind all Christians upon pain of perishing everlastingly to believe what is not contained in this Rule of belief For it alone is sufficient as appears by this that into it all the Articles or Parts as a learned Man of the Roman Church speaks (d) Rigaltius Ib. of which a Christian consists are digested as it were into one Body II. From whence it follows that these are the true Catholique and the only Catholique Doctrines Catholique they are because spread every where and the only Catholique because none besides these till very lately were received as part of the Christian Truth which must necessarily be believed if we hope to be saved Hear how Irenaeus (e) L. I. cap. 3. proclaims this immediately after the foregoing words which (f) Haeres XXXI n. 30 31. Epiphanius thought so considerable that he hath transcribed both these Chapters into his Book against Heresies The Church as we have said having received this Preaching or Doctrine and this Faith preserves it most carefully as if it inhabited but one House though it be dispersed through the whole World. And with unanimous consent Preaches and Teaches and Delivers these things as having but one Mouth For though there be different Languages in the World yet the force of that which is delivered is one and the same So that neither the Churches situated in Germany believe otherwise or have any other Tradition nor those in Spain nor those in France nor those in the East nor those in Egypt nor those in Libya nor those in the midst of the World but as the Sun that Creature of God is one and the same in the whole World so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Preaching or Doctrine of the Truth shines every where and inlightens all Men who are willing to come to the knowledge of the Truth And neither he among the Governors of the Church who is most powerful in Speech teaches different things from these for no Man is above his Master nor he that is weak in Speech diminishes the Tradition For there being one and the same Faith neither he that is able to speak a great deal concerning it doth inlarge or exceed nor
but that Church which pretends to it hath thereby forfeited the Authority which otherwise it might have had As the Church of Rome hath done which in the conclusion of that Council contradicted what it asserted in the beginning For there in its entrance as I observed (d) Sess III. Decretum de Symbolo fidei they thinking it necessary according to the example of the Fathers to make in the very first place a confession of their Faith and pretending to arm themselves thereby as with a Shield against all Heresies they repeat the Creed quo Sancta Romana Ecclesia utitur which the holy Roman Church useth as that Principle in which all that profess the Faith of Christ necessarily agree and the firm and ONELY Foundation against which the Gates of Hell shall not prevail And they think fit to express it totidem verbis in so many words as it is read in all Churches And then they say the Nicene Creed and not one word more Which is a plain Confession that this was the Faith of all Christians and no more till that time that it was the Only firm Foundation that which was read in all Churches in which all agree the Shield against all Heresies the whole Faith then used in the Roman Church And therefore with what Conscience could they make such a division and miserable destruction in the Christian World as they have done by a vast number of new Articles in which all Christians neither do nor can agree and which were not to be found in their own Creed before No reason can be given of this but the immense ambition of that Church to give Law to all others Unto which we cannot with a good Conscience submit especially when they impose such a heavy Yoke as this belief Which is the true Makebate between them and us the manifest cause of that fearful Schism which they not we have made by altering the true Catholique Faith and Church and Communion into a Roman This is the true distinction between them and us We are Catholiques they are Romans We believe the Catholique Faith of all Christians they as distinguisht from us believe the Roman Faith which none believe but themselves We believe that which hath been ever believed they believe that which was never believed till yesterday in comparison with the Ancient Faith. Ours is the belief of the whole Body of Christian People their 's the belief of a Sect. For the Truth I have shown which ought to be supported in the Church in nothing else but those uncontroverted mysteries of godliness contained in the Apostles Creed which I have proved to be the only Catholique Doctrines embraced by all Churches whatsoever They being not the Doctrines of a Sect meerly but in which we the Roman the Greek the Ethiopian the Syrian and all other Christians are perfectly agreed There are particular Men and some small companies of them here and there who understand some few of these Doctrines otherwise than they ought but there is no national Church of any Country but entertains all these intirely and sincerly as they have been expounded from the beginning according to the Nicene Creed which by the way is the only Creed the Abassines have that Creed called the Apostles being not found among them (e) Ludolph Histor Aethiop l. 3 c. 5. num 20. and therby are members of Christ's Body though they do not believe other Doctrines which are only boldly called Catholique by the Roman Church but are not truly so but only particular Doctrines of their own Church in which the Catholique Faith and Church is not concerned As they themselves confess by admitting persons into the Catholique Church which I noted before unto remission of sins and eternal life without any other belief but that which we profess Which makes us think that we might more safely swear they themselves believe this to be sufficient than they swear as they do that none can be saved without the new Faith which they have added to the ancient Creed I have been the larger in this second observation because it is of great moment for the setling of our minds in peace about right belief and this being setled I may sooner dispatch those that follow III. And the next is that these therefore and these alone are the fundamental Truths upon which our Religion and the very Church it self is built By fundamental Truths or Doctrines we mean such Catholique principles as are necessarily to be distinctly believed by every Christian whereby they being built as it were upon them become a Church Such truths no doubt there are for the Church being called here the House of God must have a Foundation Which Foundation is either Personal or Doctrinal The personal foundation is Christ the chief Corner-stone and the Apostles and Prophets as Ministers of his who laid this foundation Ephes II. 20. The Doctrinal are those grand Truths taught by them which make up our Faith in Christ That Common Faith as it is called Titus I. 4. that Faith which is alike precious in all 2 Pet. 1.1 the first principles of the Oracles of God Heb V. 12. or as it is literally in the Greek the Elements of the beginning of the Oracles of God the principles of the Doctrine of Christ or the word of the beginning of Christ Hebr. VI. 1. the form or draught the breviate or summary as it may be translated of sound words or doctrines 2 Tim. I. 13. the Faith once or at once delivered to the Saints Judge 3. and particularly committed to the trust 1 Tim. VI. 20. of those who were to instruct others in the common Salvation And what can those truths be but those great Doctrines contained in the Creed which it appears from what I have said the Apostles left in all the Churches which they planted For we find these were in every Church as Irenaeus assures us and these altogether one as Tertullian speaks and the immovable unreformable Rule of Faith and therefore may thence conclude they were that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which S. Paul deposited with Timothy 1. VI. 20. that good or that fair most excellent thing deposited with him or commended as an ancient Writer translates it to his trust to be preserved by him the Creed as Cyril * Catech. IV. p. 24 edit Paris 1640. of Hierusalem pithily speaks being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a brief summ of necessary Doctrines In some sense it is true there is nothing revealed in Holy Scripture but it may be called fundamental if we respect only the divine Authority by which it comes unto us upon which account nothing there delivered may be denyed but ought to be believed with all humility when the knowledge of it is offered to us But if we respect the matter and moment of all things contained therein we cannot but see there is a great difference and that the knowledge of every thing there is not equally necessary but we may be truly pious
Almighty against every such refractory opposer of the Truth which he should obey There is no exception from this Rule for as it there follows v. 11. there is no respect of persons with God. Would to God they would seriously lay this to heart who now seem to be possessed with a mighty Zeal for Truth and for a right Faith that they be not so deceived by this warm Zeal as to miss the end of Faith the Salvation of their Souls which can by no means be obtained no not by Faith it self without an Holy Life PART II. What it is to be a Pillar and Ground of Truth and to whom this Office belongs HAving shown with some care what the Truth is of which S. Paul speaks which was the first thing I propounded the two next may be explained together with less pains viz. what and who is the Pillar and Ground of these great Truths which are necessary to be believed by all that will be saved I. And as for the first of these they of the Church of Rome would have us by a Pillar and Ground to understand that which is the very Foundation of our Faith that upon whose Credit and Authority all Christian Truth and the certainty of our Religion depends For taking it for granted that the Church is this Pillar and presuming also that they only are the Church they thence infer that we can be sure of no Truth but from them and that they give authority and certainty to the very Word of God it self and likewise whatsoever the Church i. e. they declare to be Truth is therefore to be received insomuch that if they make any new Articles or Faith we are to give a full assent to them because all Truth depends upon the credit of their Church This sounds strangely in the Ears of those that are not accustomed to such Language and may be thought perhaps a misrepresentation of their Doctrine But â—â—â—larmine to name no more vouches this to be the Catholique sense of this place and from the words Pillar and Ground of Truth proves that the Church cannot err either in Believing or in Teaching (y) L. II. de Concil 〈◊〉 c. 2. and again that whatsoever the Church approves is true and whatsoever it disapproves is false (z) L. III. de 〈◊〉 Milit. c. 14. But this only shows that they are hard put to it to find proofs for their high pretences For it will appear in the process of this Discourse first that it can never be proved the words Pillar and Ground have respect to the Church and not rather to Timothy for which there is good Authority as well as Reason I shall let the Authority alone till its proper place and only note Secondly That there is good reason not to refer this to the Church for having called the Church a House it doth not seem a congruous speech immediately to call the same Church a Pillar as on the other side it is very agreeable to call Timothy a Pillar in that House and to wish him to behave himself therein like other great Persons to whom in other places he gives the name of Pillars But Thirdly if it do relate to the Church it no more concerns the Church of Rome than any other Church and immediately relates to the Church of Ephesus in which Timothy presided Which Church of Ephesus (a) Concil Floreat 〈◊〉 ult with other Churches of the East condemned this Headship of the Bishop of Rome upon which they build a Soveraignty over our Faith. And further if we should suppose Fourthly That the Apostle respects the Church Universal and likewise that it is not only bound in duty to be but also actually is the Pillar and Ground of Truth yet Lastly it can never be proved that he speaks of any other Truth but those grand Fundamental Articles of Faith those Catholique Doctrines which were once delivered to the Saints and which blessed be God are maintained in every Church to this day not of all truth whatsoever much less of an absolute freedom from all manner of error For letting these things alone at present I shall shew that this is all that can be meant by the Pillar and Ground of Truth if it refer to the Church as I am content to admit not that the Church as they absurdly affirm is the very foundation of our Faith upon which it relyes but that it firmly retains upholds and professes the Christian Truth against all the force violence and opposition of Earth and Hell of Men and Devils that indeavour to overthrow it That this is the natural import of the phrase I will manifest First from the propriety of the words Secondly from clear reason and the Holy Scripture I. First from the propriety of the words in the Greek Language In which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequently signifies such a Pillar as stood before their common Halls and Courts of Judicature upon which the Decrees and Orders of the Court were wont to hang or be fixed Unto which Tertullian alludes when speaking of an Article of the Creed in the place above named * L. de Resurrect Carnis C. 18. he saith Vnum opinor apud omnes EDICTVM DEI PENDET I suppose one Edict of God hangs up among all viz. to be read by them having just askt before quonam titulo Spes ista proscripta est by what TITLE this hope viz. of the resurrection is proposed and held forth to all And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ground signifies not the foundation but the Seat where any thing is placed so as to be settled and laid up to remain and abide there And at the most can mean no more than the stay or establishment the seat or settlement of Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumenius renders it the confirmation of truth or if we will have these words allude to a building because the Church is here called the House of the living God as elsewhere the Temple of God which is the same they signifie no more but supporters and upholders without which the edifice would fall to the ground And the most we can make of them when they are applied to the Church with respect to the truth is this that the Church sustains and keeps it from sinking or falling as a Pillar firmly setled upon a Basis sustains and upholds the fabrick laid upon it This consists in these three things which I shall distinctly though but briefly mention for the Reader 's clear information in this matter First The Church is that Body of Men which preserves and keeps which maintains and holds up the Christian Faith which God hath committed to its care as he did to the Jews the Divine Oracles delivered in old times And as the Church will answer it to God and not be guilty of betraying its trust it must constantly preserve the truth committed to it that it be not lost and do not perish This might be divided into two that the Church
great circumspection and discretion there I do not love to use such words but there are no other I can find so apt to represent the gross absurdity of their Doctrines who take upon them to give infallible interpretations of Holy Scripture from the Universal Bishop the grand and only Oracle of Christendom as they would have him esteemed or from such Councils as they are pleased to call General and can obtain their approbation You see what godly ones we are like to have if we give up our Faith to them how they will pervert the plain words of God to serve their own interest and wrest them from their natural and easie sence to another which is so forced that there is no Man so rude but would readily discern the absurdness of it if he were permitted to read and did consider the Holy Scripture For their great Cardinal Bellarmine alledges these very words to prove that General Councils confirmed by the Pope cannot err (e) Lib. 2. de Contil. Auctoritate C. 2. Class 2da nay that particular Councils approved by the Pope have the same priviledge (f) Ib. cap. 6. Denique where it is evident to the weakest understanding that the whole company of Christians that were at Ephesus united to their Pastors without which they could not be a Society or Company are the Church here spoken of and therefore are the Pillar and Ground of Truth if this relate to the Church and not merely some particular person in that Church much less a General Council of all the Bishops in the World and least of all one Bishop in whom Timothy could not be said in any sense to be as he is here said to be in that Church which is the Pillar and Ground of Truth viz. in that Church whereof he was the chief Governour which was the Pillar and Ground of Truth in that part of the World. For this is not an Office appropriated to any particular Church but belonging to the Catholique Church and to every single Church as it is a Member of the Whole And here it will be very profitable I think to note these six things for the full explication of this place of Scripture I. The first of them is that which I now mentioned that every particular Church one as well and as much as another is a Pillar and Ground of Truth in that sense which I have declared This is not a prerogative which belongs to some one Church but a priviledge appertaining to the Universal and to every particular as a part of it For if the Church at Ephesus was a Pillar of Truth as S. Paul here affirms then by the same reason the Church of Antioch the Church of Corinth the Church of Rome and the Church of Jerusalem had the same authority For that which made any one of them a Church made the other so viz. the true Faith of Christ there professed and union with their Pastors for the Divine service and therefore that honour or Office which belong'd to one of them must of necessity belong to another because they were but so many members of one and the same Body That is every one of them in their several Countries wherein they were planted had the truth of God committed to them which they were to maintain and support unto the very death and endeavour that every one who was a Stranger to the words of eternal life might by their means know and believe them And accordingly every Church hath contributed unto this and no one Church could ever with any reason pretend to be the sole supporter or defender of the Christian Truth Of which there is this plain demonstration that then the Church is most of all the Pillar and Ground or Buttress as some translate it of Truth when it is assaulted by Heresies and not only beats them off but beats them down and suppresses them Now all Heresies were not quasht and confounded by S. Peter and his Successors in the Church of Rome but by other Apostles and Evangelists and their Successors in other Churches This is demonstrated by a learned Man of the Roman Communion * Joh. Launoii Epist pars Quinta Antonio Varillao p. 35. c. by XII famous instances out of a far greater number S. John for example not Peter or any of his Successors struck down the Nicolaitans S. Paul the Nazarens and Cerinthians S. Luke the Ebionites as he proves out of good Authors particularly Hyginus who relates how the Bishops of other Sees not the Bishops of Rome quasht the Ptolemaites the Noetians and divers other Hereticks as the Synod of Antioch did Paulus Samosatenus (g) Enseb L. VII Eccles Hist c. 22. and the first General Council of Constantinople where Damasus Bishop of Rome was not present either by himself or his Legates did Eunomius and other Hereticks Which leads to the second thing I would have observed II. That every eminent Pastor in the Church who laboured in the word and Doctrine as S. Paul speaks in this Epistle V. 17. had these very titles anciently bestowed upon him of the Pillar and Ground of Truth because the Bishops were the principal Trustees with whom the Faith was deposited as may be observed in the words of Irenaeus before mentioned and many other ancient Writers and in S. Paul's words to Timothy when he bids him to keep the depositum he had committed to him and commit the same to other faithful or trusty persons who should be able to teach it to others 2 Tim. I. 14. II. 2. and because they were principal Instruments in defending the Truth against opposers in propagating the Christian Faith to those who were ignorant of it and in preserving the rest of the Church in the belief of the Truth which they had entertained by their constant instructions and zealous exhortation to hold fast what they had received Nay we shall rarely if at all find any Bishop of Rome called the Pillar and Ground of Truth but several other Bishops are frequently called by this name S. Basil for instance (h) Epist LXII Tom. II. writing of the Bishop of Neocaesarea newly dead bewails his loss very much because he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ornament of the Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very words of the Apostle here in this place the Pillar and Ground of Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strong and firm establishment of Faith in Christ c. And upon the same occasion writing to the Church of Ancyra (i) Epist LXVII whose Bishop was called Athanasius it appears by some of the foregoing Epistles he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Man is faln who was indeed a Pillar and Ground of the Church And complaining in another Epistle (k) Epist LXX of the miserable estate of their Churches he says among other things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pillars and Ground of the Truth are dispersed the Bishops he means were banished from their Flocks Which
it self for the sake of it Neither is this meerly the Ecclesiastical Language but the Holy Scripture it self gives those this honourable title who constantly indured tribulation for the Gospel sake though it did not cost them their lives Thus our blessed Lord speaks to the Church of Philadelphia III. Revel 12. Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the temple of my God. Which signifies partly that he should be an eminent Instrument of upholding the Church and preserving many in the profession of Christianity by his constancy and firmness in it and partly that he should be so established himself by the grace and power of God that he should never fall according to that of S. Peter 1 V. 10. But the God of all grace who hath called us unto his eternal glory after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect establish strengthen settle you and partly that he should be made in the highest sense a PILLAR that is an Apostolical Man who should be advanced to the most eminent imployment in the Church of teaching and instructing of Governing and Ruling as a principal Pastor in the Temple of God. In one word be an Angel of the Church as he speaks in the beginning of this Letter v. 7. and in all the rest an illustrious Minister and Messenger of God to publish the glad tidings of Salvation to the World. Such the Apostles were whom Theodoret calls the Pillars of the Truth with peculiar respect to their sufferings Behold saith he †Orat. de providentia Tom. IV. p. 441. Peter and John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the Towers or Bulwarks of Godliness the Pillars of Truth supporting the Structure of the Church being scourged by the Jews but rejoycing and glorying V. Act. 41. that they were counted worthy to suffer shame or to be disgraced for his Name And such like were these victorious Souls as Arethas * Comment in III. Rev. 12. expounds our Saviour's words to this Church For he that conquers saith he the adverse powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is constituted a Pillar and Ground of the Truth rejoycing himself immutably so he interprets in the temple of my God and establishing others in goodness that they may not fall from their stedfastness IV. Any eminent person also in the Church though not a Martyr is sometime called by this name in Ecclesiastical Writers For instance Jo. Damascen thus addresses himself to Jordanes the Archimandrite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (b) Epist ad euâ—n de Triâ—agio O most Divine Father the Pillar and Ground or stay of Truth Nay thus zealous persons in the Laity especially if they were of great quality contributed to the support of the Faith by supporting these Pillars of it So S. Basil in one of the forenamed Epistles having bewailed the banishment of their Bishops whom he calls the Pillars and Ground of Truth prays Terentius a Count of the Empire to preserve himself safe that they might have some to rest upon God having graciously made him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (c) Epist 345. a support and a prop in all things to us But they of the Clergy more particularly though of the Order below Bishops were lookt upon as having no small share in this Office. For S. Cyril of Alexandria (d) Lib. V. in Esaiam Tom. 2. p. 768. having mentioned Christ as the foundation and believers in him as pretious Stones built upon him unto a holy Temple compares their instructors in the Mysteries of Religion to the most pretious Stones such as those mentioned LIV. Isa 11 12. which God uses some in laying the foundation others as buttresses some for the Gates others for the Walls of the holy City that is the Church that all her Children may be taught of God. V. Nay one of the forenamed great Doctors of the Church warrants me to add that every pious member of the Church in his place and calling hath his share in this great trust For whosoever saith S. Gregory Nyssen (e) Hom. XIV in Cant. Canticorum p 684. is perfected in these two great Commandments to love God and to love his Neighbour he is framed to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Pillar and Ground of Truth according to the language of the Apostle By both these we may become such Pillars as Peter and James and John or if there be any other since them that hath been or shall be worthy of this name And he doth in effect say the same in the place before named (f) De vita Mosis where he observes the Apostle requires others to be Pillars as well as himself when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. XV. 58. be ye stedfast or stable unmoveable abounding always in the work of the Lord. For he that is thus firmly fixed and setled as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and diligent in well doing whatsoever trials he hath to shake him he supports Religion he maintains the credit of it in the World he doth great service to the Truth by shewing how good how useful how laborious it makes those that embrace it And I am sure it lies upon every one of us as an indispensable duty to hold fast the Truth and to profess it and practise it and notwithstanding any danger or trouble unto which it may expose us to testifie unto it if need be by constant patient peaceable suffering for Christs sake And he that doth thus is according to his measure though never so mean a person in the Church a Pillar and Ground of Truth And thus Theodoret expounds these words he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assembly or congregation of those that believe the House of God and the Church and these he saith are the Pillar and support of Truth For being founded upon the Rook they both remain unshaken and preach by their deeds the truth of their Doctrine And Theophylast also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Church is a constitution or an assembly of truth For all things that are done in it are true nothing shadowy as under the Law c. VI. I have but one thing further to add That the more and the better they are who joyn in this work the greater support they give to the Truth First I say the more the greater number there are of those who maintain the truth by preaching writing suffering or well doing and the greater credit they have in the World the stronger Pillars they are and the surer doth the truth seem to be in the eyes of those to whom they represent it Upon which account the Doctrine of S. Paul and Barnabas which he had received by revelation as well as other Apostles yet being communicated to James and Cephas and John who were eminent Pillars and been approved by them received the more strength by their concurrent testimony II. Gal. 2 5 9. And it was still more confirmed by the whole Council of Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem
discourses in that very Book against Manichaeus (q) Cap. XIV contra Epist quam vocant Fundamenti his Letter from whence the fore-named saying I had not believed the Gospel unless the Churches Authority had moved me to it is wont at every turn to be objected to us by those of the Romish perswasion Thou dost nothing but praise what thou believest and deride what I believe Now since I can be even with thee and do the very same praise what I believe and deride what thou believest what is to be done but that we leave and relinquish those who invite us to know things certain and afterwards require us to believe things uncertain let those of the Roman Church mark this and that we follow them who invite us first to believe that which we cannot yet see into that being made stronger in the Faith it self we may come to understand what we believe NOT MEN NOW BUT GOD HIMSELF INWARDLY ESTABLISHING AND ILLUMINATING OUR MIND It is impossible to read this passage and not see that this Father thought our Faith is not ultimately resolved into the Testimony of the Church but by that being invited to believe the Holy Scriptures we are established upon the serious reading of them in the Christian Faith and Knowledge of the Truth by God himself Upon whose Word in the Holy Scripture and not upon Men we bottom our Faith. Upon the Testimony and Authority of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and the Testimony of divine Men inspired by them who by Miracles and Signs and mighty Deeds and a prophetical Spirit proved themselves to be sent of God and have left his Mind and Will upon Record in the Scriptures of Truth Which the Church indeed in all parts of the World hath kept and preserved and faithfully transmitted down to us and now propounds to our Faith but it is not merely what the Church saith that makes us believe but what God himself saith in the Holy Scriptures concerning his Son Jesus Christ and what Jesus Christ saith concerning his rising from the Dead and sending the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles Which being fulfilled evidently proved him to be the Son of God the Saviour of the World and them to be his Apostles and Ministers who declared to Men the true way of Salvation So the Church directs and guides us to the Scriptures of Truth but they resolve and assure our Faith being the very Word of God. The authority of God's Church is the first motive which leads us to esteem the Scriptures but being led thither we find in the matter of them that which gives us full satisfaction by bestowing our pains in reading or hearing and considering the Mysteries contained therein The Church holds out this light to us but it is by this light that we see what is the mind and will of God. To this the Church points us and bids us attend to it for this it disposes and prepares us it leads us by the hand to this as the only sure foundation of our Faith because herein we find God himself speaking to us and moreover by the Ministery of the Church we are assisted in understanding the sence of the Holy Scriptures but they contain in themselves that Divine Authority and Truth whereby we come to a certain Faith. The Church tells us such and such things are true and we find them to be so by examining the Scriptures Which the Beraeans searched daily whether those things were so which the Apostles preached and therefore many of them believed not merely because the Apostles told them they ought so to do but because they found what they said in the Holy Scriptures XVII Act. 11 12. And so far as any Church speaks according to the truth contained therein it is to be believed and followed But if it bring no Divine word for its warrant if it propound other Doctrines which are not there it hath no authority to make such Doctrines the matter of our Faith much less to set up its own authority above the Scriptures as they do who say The Scriptures receive their authority from the Church Which is the Doctrine of no less Men than Baronius and Bellarmine to name no more The former of (r) Ad Annum 53 〈◊〉 X XI which argues that because we receive these Holy Books to be writings of the Apostles and Evangelists and not forged under their Names upon the testimony of the Church therefore all the writings of the New Testament received their authority from the Churches tradition which is fundamentum Scripturarum as he ventures to say the foundation of the Scriptures The other (s) L. 2. de Sacrament C. 25. Tertium is no less positive that if we take away the authority of the present Church and the present Council we call in doubt the whole Christian Faith. For the firmness of all ancient Councils and of all Doctrines depends upon the authority of the present Church This is very presumptuous talk for by the Church they mean themselves and then by the testimony of the Church that is their own testimony they mean such a Divine witness as assures us by its own authority without any other proof Which are the great points of difference between us in this matter For we assert first that the office of leading Men to the Holy Scriptures and so to Faith belongs to every Church as much as to them and secondly that no Church can bring People to Faith by its own testimony and authority but by the Doctrine of the Holy Scriptures nor is any Church whatsoever to be heard in matters of Divine Truth further than it can prove its Doctrines by the authority of God's Word and teaches things agreeable thereunto II. Which leads to the Second thing briefly to shew what power and authority the Church cannot pretend unto in matters of Faith. 1. And first it appears by what hath been said that it hath not a Soveraign Absolute Prophetical authority independent upon the Rule of the Holy Scriptures so that we must take whatsoever it saith for true without consulting them This is the ambitious pretence of the great Doctors of the Roman Church who give the Church meaning thereby the present Roman Church an authority over all things not depending on the Scriptures but upon which the Scriptures themselves depend So that without the authority of this Church all truth is doubtful Which is a manifest principle of Infidelity making all Religion stand to the courtesie of a company of Men who in such matters are the least to be trusted of all other Christians that we are acquainted withall 2. The Church hath no authority to propound any Doctrine as necessary to Salvation which is not delivered in the Holy Scriptures but depends solely on the authority of its own Tradition This is another of their ambitious attempts who having arrogated to themselves alone the whole power of the Church make that power so unlimited that it can supply the
with this Wisdom you ought to think your selves wise unto Salvation And not be in the least moved with the bugbear name of Hereticks or the empty noise of Damnation which they of the Church of Rome thunder out against you For they signifie nothing but the wrath-of those who would drive you into the belief of that by frights and terrors into which they cannot draw you by solid proofs and arguments Turn away your Ears both from the one and the other for as the former is an insignificant sound so the latter all their Arguments are but confident Sophistry Which hath been and is at this day so evidently demonstrated by our Writers that they can have no excuse who are deceived by them III. And thus every one is bound to teach his Children diligently instructing and confirming them in these main Points of Christianity that so the Truth may live when we are gone Consider I beseech you what a necessary duty this is How should the Truth be preserved and supported but by those that believe it And how should they believe it who do not understand it And how should they understand it unless they be taught and instructed in it And who so much concerned to instruct their Children as they that brought them into the World Their God-fathers and God-mothers indeed are engaged to see this done but their Parents have a further even a natural obligation to it And therefore ought first of all diligently to inform themselves and by attending to all the means of instruction which they have in this Church to increase in true Christian knowledge that they may be able to teach those who are committed to their care and prepare them to be catechised and further instructed by those whom God hath set over them We are not Pillars and supporters of the Truth but the betrayers of it if we take no care about this Which is one great reason why some have easily forsaken the true Religion here taught and professed and condemned this Church an horrid crime if you seriously weigh the consequents of it by renouncing Communion with it as no part of the Body of Christ Men may be soon perswaded by confident talkers to part with that which they do not understand especially if they apprehend any danger in keeping it or hope to gain by letting it go Why should they hazzard the least hair of their Head for they know not what Nay why should they be at all concerned for it any more than a Man is for the seed that is scattered in the High-way from which he expects no Crop To that you know our blessed Lord compared him that heareth the word of the Kingdom and understandeth it not for then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart Matth. XIII 19. IV. You must endeavour therefore to profit by all such instructions as these and to grow in the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures where God hath revealed his whole mind and will to you and plainly published all those Truths which belong to the great mystery of godliness You ought for instance to take heed how you wantonly and loosely interpret or apply them according to your own sudden or careless fancies that 's a great profanation of the Sacred Books and yet you must not for fear of this be perswaded to throw them out of your hands but rather with the more solemn humble and reverend awe of God upon your Souls ponder and weigh what you read therein especially those things which are plain and evident to every understanding that by the help of them and of those whom God hath set over you to guide and direct your minds you may either inform your understanding in what appears to have difficulty in it or satisfie your selves that it is not necessary you should understand it For they that would drive you from this hold of the Holy Scriptures intend to deceive you and would have you depend on that which is far more uncertain than the meaning of any place of Scripture can be There is no firm ground for us to stand upon but only this which all acknowledge is the very word of God and delivers that which hath been ever accounted the substance of Christian Doctrines in such words as every one may understand them And therefore this is as I have said the very foundation upon which the Church is built Which is the Pillar of Truth as it defends the Truth out of the Scriptures and by the Scriptures against all Hereticks and other opposers and as it establishes and supports it in the hearts of Men by this means that it may be continued to Posterity This must be added for the explication of all that hath been said that the Church and every person in it great or small are Pillars not by themselves but by the Holy Scriptures For we know those things that belong to our Salvation as Irenaeus (g) Adv. Hereses L. III. C. 1. begins his Third Book by no other persons than those by whom the Gospel came to us which then truly they preached but afterwards by the will of God deliverd to us in the Scriptures fundamentum Columnam fidei nostrae futurum to be the FOVNDATION and PILLAR of our Faith. Upon these our Faith rests and relys so that they who take the Scriptures from you take away the Foundation and Pillar of that Truth which is or ought to be taught in the Church and that alone They contain the mind and will of our Lord Christ who himself being the first Foundation and chief Pillar of all Epiphanius (h) Heres LXIX Nâ—m 35. applies these words to him When he saith our Lord is called the door because by him we enter in and the way because by him we walk and the Pillar because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very words of S. Paul in this place the ground or settlement and stay of Truth And in like manner S. Cyril (i) L. III. de Adoral in Sp. Veritate of Alexandria saith the Pillar of a Cloud and the Pillar of Fire each of them represented Christ because first of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the Pillar and Ground of Truth and then because he cannot be shaken or disturbed c. which he repeats again upon another occasion speaking of the pillars which supported the Curtains of the Tabernacle Christ is to be understood saith he (k) Ib. Lib. IX in each Pillar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the prop of the Church the Ground of Truth according to the words of Paul. And in the next Book (l) L. X. speaking of the four pillars which supported the Vail before the holy place he saith that Vail was a figure of Christ who was lifted up on high by the preaching of the Evangelists and therefore he saith the four Evangelists were typified by those four pillars being equally eminent and pretious more valuable than Gold and Silver Which
shows that the Ancient Christians lookt upon the Church as the Pillar and Ground of Truth no other ways but as it professes preaches establishes and keeps up the Doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles recorded in the Holy Scriptures unto all which they indifferently apply these words of S. Paul which are thought immediately to speak of the Church which supports the Truth delivered in the Holy Scriptures from Christ and from his Apostles Upon which account the Creed also which is a comprehensive breviary of the great Scripture Doctrines is wont to have the same attribute given to it Particularly by Epiphanius (m) In Exposit fidei Cathol n. 19. who calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pillar as the Greek word signifies in good Authors or prop of Truth c. our life our hope and the assurance of immortality And by S. Austin (n) De Symbolo ad Catechum L. III. C. 1. who tells the Catechumens in his Exposition of the Creed to them that it is fidei Catholicae fundamentum c. the Foundation of the Catholique Faith upon which the edifice of the Church arose built by the hands of the Apostles and Prophets Which hath made some learned Men (o) Jo. Camer Jac. Capellus refer these words of S. Paul not to what goes before but to the words following making a full stop at God and then beginning a new sentence in this manner The Pillar and Ground of the Truth and without Controversie great is the mystery of godliness c. which reading is countenanced by a Greek Edition of the New Testament at Basil 1540. where the words are so pointed as if the sence were this God incarnate and the great Truths depending thereupon ought to be the very Foundation of the Doctrine thou preachest The Doctrines of the Creed that is are the very Foundation and Pillars of the Christian Faith as the Jews it is known call the great principle of their Religion the Foundation of the Foundation the Pillar of Wisdom as Maimon speaks when he treats of this matter Stick close therefore to the Holy Scriptures and to these Articles of the Faith in the Apostles Creed which are the fundamental truths of Christianity it appears by what I have now said by which the Church maintains and defends the Truth and the Truth upholds the Church and we defend both Hold this fast as the ground of all and likewise lay up the word of God in your heart that it may setle there and take root and bring forth fruit unto Holiness that your end may be everlasting Life Make the Holy Scriptures your Rule and trust to them according to what the Son of Sirach saith of its ancient Books Ecclus XXXIII 3. A Man of understanding trusts in the Law and the Law is faithful to him as an Oracle or as the asking of Vrim That is here he may enquire and have a certain answer which will not deceive him Show your selves such Men of understanding as to enquire no where else And if any Church or Person would have you enquire of them only take that for an undoubted proof they are not to be trusted If they would not guide you by the Holy Scriptures that is by Christ the way as you have seen who hath shown us no where else that we know of what we ought to believe if they would have you follow their ungrounded Traditions whereby they would inlarge your Creed beyond the ancient bounds know that you ought not to follow them nor be led by them For such may soon cease to be the pillars and supporters of the Truth because they leave that whereby they should support it and place themselves whom they call the Church in the stead of it An evident sign they are not what they pretend for the Church it self ought to be demonstrated by the Scriptures So S. Austin (p) L. de Vnitate Ecclesiae cap. XVI tells the Donatists in those known words which are worthy to be preserved in remembrance Setting aside all such things as these which he had said they could likewise alledge let them demonstrate their Church if they can not in the discourses and rumours of the Africans not in the Councils of their Bishops not in the Letters of any disputers whatsoever not in signs and fallacious wonders for we are prepared and rendred cautious against these by the word of the Lord but in the prescript of the Law in the predictions of the Prophets in the Songs of the Psalms in the words of the SHEPHERD himself i. e. Christ in the preachings and labours of the Evangelists that is in all the Canonical authorities of the holy Books Let this be done so as not to gather and relate those things which are obscurely or ambiguously or figuratively spoken there which every one may interpret as he pleases according to his own sense For such things cannot be rightly understood and expounded unless those things which are most clearly spoken be first held by a firm Faith. This is the very sense of the Church of England which teaches all her members first to hold by a firm Faith those things which are clearly revealed in the Holy Scriptures and by them to understand and expound those things that are more obscurely delivered believing nothing to be necessary which is not read therein nor may be proved thereby nor receiving the Doctrines and Decrees of any Church unless it may be declared that they be taken from thence For haec sunt causae nostrae documenta haec fundamenta haec firmamenta as he there speaks you heard before These are the proofs of our Cause these are its foundations these are its supports And therefore as he also speaks in another Chapter of the same Book (q) Cap. III. de Vnitate Ecclesiae which he begins thus Let us not hear such speeches as these These things say I Those things sayest thou but let us hear These things saith the LORD These are certainly Books of the Lord to whose authority we both consent we both believe we both obey There let us seek the Church there let us discuss our Cause And let us not so much as think of looking after any other Articles of Faith but those which were from the beginning which our Church firmly believes in the three Creeds Nice-Creed Athanasius and that commonly called the Apostles (r) Article VIII because they may be proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture For after the Faith confessed and sworn in Baptism as S. Hilary (ſ) Ad Constantium August speaks we ought not quicquam aliud vel ambigere vel innovare either to doubt or innovate any other thing It is absurd that is to doubt whether this be sufficient or to add any other to it as if this were not enough So he interprets it a little after Faith is still inquired after as if there were no Faith already Faith is to be written as if it were not in the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any thing that was different or contrary to it Both these they acknowledge to be prohibited in those words No man shall bring in another Faith than that at Nice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is contrary or opposite or different or diverse or strange from the true Faith. Where it is remarkable a different another Faith is acknowledged to be forbidden as well as a contrary Nay they acknowledge that none but a General Council could make so much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another explication of the Articles of that Creed though not different from it In the Creed of the Apostles that is there are some things contained implicitely as Thomas Aquinas you heard speaks and being virtually there either in the Letter or the sence may be drawn from thence by evident consequence such as the Deity of Christ his two Natures the Catholique Church which was included in those words I believe the holy Church as this Article is exprest in the old Roman Creed and the like and yet such an explication these Fathers confessed could by no Man no assembly of Men less than an Oecumenical Council be lawfully made and imposed upon the Church For which they quote Aquinas whom †Ib. p. 163. they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there never was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an explication of the Creed but in an Oecumenical Council and he speaks of any Creed whatsoever which was common in the Church And therefore in conclusion they absolutely deny that the Latine Church had added any thing to the Creed For the Nicene and the Constantinopolitan Creed are both one So that the one being read the other is understood For though they differ in words they agree in sense and in truth And the like they affirm of all other Creeds and thereby answer the objection that they had added a word to the Creed about the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son which is true they confessed with respect to the words but not with respect to the sense For still the Creed remains 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Ib. p. 170. one and the same though it differ in the words And therefore it follows it was not properly an addition but one and the same thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the exposition of the very self same thing All which I have set down thus largely to show that thus far therefore all things continued as they had done from the beginning that is notwithstanding the new Opinions there were in the Church there was no new Creed made no new Article added to the Creed nothing but what had been so at the first made necessary to Salvation Which is the last thing I observe that till the conclusion of the Council of Trent that is till a little more than an hundred years ago there were no other Creeds but those which we confess and believe in this Church which are the Apostles Creed expounded not inlarged by any new Articles But then indeed Pope Pius IV. in pursuance of the Councils Order framed another Confession of Faith consisting of no less than XII new Articles added to the old never heard of in any Creed throughout the whole Church till this time And it must be called and esteemed a New Faith and it makes that to be a New Church which falsly calls it self the Ancient Catholique Apostolique Church of Christ For it is none of these neither Ancient nor Catholique nor Apostolique but New Roman Tridentine Church derived I mean from the Roman Bishops at Trent It will be fit I think to set down this New Creed that the Reader may compare it with those I have shown were hitherto the intire Faith of the Catholique Church It may be found in several of our Writers but I wish it were in every bodies hand and therefore take the pains to transcribe it for the benefit of those into whose hands this Book shall come Pope PIVS his Creed IN. Believe and profess with a firm Faith all and every thing contained in the Symbol of Faith which the holy Roman Church uses viz. I believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth c. to the end of that we call the Nicene Creed After which immediately follow the New Articles in these words The Apostolical and Ecclesiastical Traditions and the rest of the Observations and Constitutions of the same Church I most firmly admit and embrace I also admit or receive the Holy Scripture according to that sense which the holy Mother Church to whom it belongs to judge of the true sense hath held and doth hold nor will I ever understand and interpret it otherwise than according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers I profess also that there are truly and properly Seven Sacraments of the New Law instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord and necessary to the Salvation of mankind though not all of them necessary to every Man viz. Baptism Confirmation the Eucharist Pennance Extreme Vnction Orders and Matrimony and that they confer grace and that of these Baptism Confirmation and Orders cannot be repeated without Sacriledge I likewise receive and admit all the received and approved Rites of the Catholique Church in the solemn Administration of all the above-said Sacraments All and every thing which was defined and declared about Original sin and Justification by the most holy Council of Trent I embrace and receive I profess likewise that in the Mass is offered to God a true proper and propitiatory Sacrifice for the quick and dead and that in the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there is truly really and substantially the Body and Blood together with the Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ and that there is a conversion made of the whole substance of Bread into his Body and of the whole substance of Wine into his Blood which conversion the Catholique Church calls TRANSUBSTANTIATION I confess also that under either kind or species only whole and intire Christ and the true Sacrament is received I constanly hold there is a Purgatory and that the Souls there detained are helpt by the suffrages of the faithful As also that the Saints who Reign together with Christ are to be worshipped and invocated and that they offer Prayers to God for us and that their Reliques are to be venerated I most firmly assert that the Images of Christ and the Mother of God the always-Virgin as also of other Saints are to be had and retained and due honour and veneration to be bestowed on them I affirm also that the power of Indulgences was left by Christ in his Church and that their use is most wholesom to Christian People I acknowledge the holy Catholique and Apostolique Roman Church to be the Mother and Mistress of all Churches and I promise and swear true Obedience to the Bishop of Rome Successor of S. Peter the Prince of Apostles and Vicar of Jesus Christ All the rest also
he bewails in another place in the very same Language only putting both the foregoing parts of their Character together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Epist CCCXLIX c. whom I account the Pillars and Ground both of the Truth and of the Church and honour them so much the more the further off they are banished from their Churches and account that separation the greatest punishment In the very same Language S. Gregory Nazianzen addresses himself to S. Basil (m) Orat. XIX beginning whom he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pillar and Ground of the Church the prop of Faith the habitation of the Spirit And so he calls Athanasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (n) Orat. XXI the Pillar of the Church and in another place (o) Orat. XXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prop or stay of the Faith. And writing to Eusebius Bishop of Samosat (p) Epist XXIX Tom◠he thus begins What shall I call thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Shall I call thee the Pillar and Ground of the Church or a Light in the World c. or the Stay of thy Country or the Rule of Faith or Embassador of the Truth or all these together and more than all these But that which is most worthy to be noted under this head is that S. Gregory Nyssen (q) De vita Mosis Tom. I. p. 226. expounds this very Text of Timothy and makes him not the Church the Pillar and Ground of Truth For discoursing concerning the Ministers of the Divine Mysteries as Pillars of the House of God he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. S. Paul wrought and fashioned Timothy to be a goodly Pillar making him as he speaks with his own voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pillar and Ground of the Church and of Truth As if he took the sense of these words to be this But if I tarry long that thou who art the Pillar and Ground of Truth maist know how to behave thy self in the Church c. And indeed the Apostles are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pillars in the II. Gal. 9. not only S. Peter but James and John also And here we are taught as he truly observes that not only Peter James and John were Pillars not only John the Baptist was a burning Lamp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but all that by themselves support the Church all that by their work are shining lights are called both Pillars and Lamps Which names were afterward applied to Christian Bishops by the most eminent Persons in the Church who hereby plainly declared what they understood by these words of S. Paul and that they lookt not upon this as a priviledge peculiar to any one Bishop or any one Church but common to all Churches and especially to the principal Persons in the Church who were the Leaders and Guides of the rest and so more peculiarly intrusted with the preservation of Divine Truth and the chief Pillars and Supporters of the Faith. And thus Origen or whosoever he was that wrote the Homilies upon the Song of Songs * Hom. III. Basil p. 598. seems to have understood this place for having observed from hence that the Church is God's House and applied these words to the explication of the last Verse of the first Chapter of the Canticles where it is said the beams of our house are Cedar he concludes that hereby are meant those who are validiores of greatest strength in the Church Et puto quod convenienter hi qui episcopatum bene ministrant in Ecclesia c. And I think that they who well discharge the Office of a Bishop in the Church may conveniently be called Beams by which the whole Building is born up c. viz. by supporting and defending the Christian Faith upon which the Church is built And thus the Abyssine Christians at this day call not only S. Mark but their great Doctor S. Cyril by the name of Columnae Ecclesiae Alexandrinae (s) Ludolphi Histor Aethiop L. III. c. 12. n. 51. the Pillars of the Church of Alexandria because Cypril was a mighty assertor and defender of the Truth against the assaults of Hereticks Upon which account Rupertus Tuitiensis (t) L. VII oper de Sp. Sancto cap. 19. calls S. Austin by the same name that S. Paul here calls Timothy columna firmamentum veritatis the Pillar and Ground or strong stay of Truth Which Language is common among the Jews who call Abraham for instance the Pillar of the World (u) Maimon de cultu stell c. 1. n. 5. More Nevohim Pars III. c. 29. with respect to the true Religion which he maintained which is the very Language of Ignatius concerning the Apostles of whom he thus speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (y) Epist ad Philadelph the Pillars of the World the Apostles mentioning together with them the Spouse of Christ viz. the Church I have been the more copious in this because it shows that the ancient Doctors thought all Bishops to be equally concerned in this Office and Honour it never entering into their minds that any one had an interest in it more than the rest much less that one the Bishop of Rome had it solely to himself III. But further I observe that the Martyrs though not Bishops are frequently called by this name So the Churches of Vienne and Lyons in their Letter to the Churches of Asia and Phrygia concerning the blessed Martyrs who had suffered among them say that God delivered the weaker sort and opposed to the fury of the Enemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those who were firm and steady Pillars able by their Patience to draw all the violent assaults of the Devil upon them (x) Apud Euseb L. V. Histor Eccles cap. 1. p. 155. edit Vales Among whom they mention Sanchis a Deacon and Maturus a meer Novice and Attalus born at Pergamus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (z) Ib. p. 157. Who had always been the Pillar and Ground or stay and strength of Christians in this place that is settled and sustained others in the Christian belief And so Eusebius speaks of other Martyrs at Alexandria in the time of Decius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * L. VI. Eccles Hist cap. 41. c. firm and blessed Pillars of the Lord who strengthned by him and having might and power answerable to the strength of their Faith became admirable witnesses of his Kingdom For they could not be shaken with the fear of death and torment and so by their stedfastness confirmed and established others in the Christian Faith and were eminent Instruments likewise of converting strangers to our Religion who saw their pious and meek constancy under the greatest sufferings joyned with the greatest charity bowels of mercy and compassion towards their bloody persecutors For whom they beg'd pardon and forgiveness of God desiring nothing more than they might come to that heavenly Kingdom which they testified to them by parting with life
XV. Act. 2.25 so that it was received joyfully at Antioch V. 31. and the Churches in other Cities were established in the Faith and increased in number daily XVI 4.5 For which reason the testimony of a great assembly of Bishops was a greater support and strengthning to the Faith than the testimony of single persons They were the principal Trustees as I observed before to whose fidelity the truth was committed and when they met together in a Council to discharge this trust it gave great force to the truth declared by them Which they knew so well that in ancient times such Councils were wont to desire the consent of other Bishops who were not there for the greater establishment and confirmation of the Faith as Theodoret (g) L. 2. Hist Eccles C. 6. relates of the Council of Sardica whose Letter he hath set down to all the Bishops in the World desiring them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as present in Spirit with them to consent to their Synod and by their subscription to decree that concord might be preserved among all their fellow Bishops every where Nay the great and first general Council of Nice it self (h) Theodoret. L. 1. Eccles Hist Cap. 8 9. wrote to the Church of Alexandria and the rest throughout Egypt Libya and Pentapolis to give them an account of their decrees And Constantine also certified all absent Bishops who could not come to the Council of their proceedings That there might be one Faith as his words are and sincere charity and a concording Religion or Piety preserved among them all It was upon the same score that sometime they sent particularly to the Bishop of Rome for his concurrence as the Council of Carthage (i) August Epist XC XCI XCV and others did in the business of Pelagius not because they imagined their decrees would be of no force without his consent that 's an ungrounded fancy but because he was an eminent Bishop in the Church of Christ by whose concurrent testimony the Truth would be still more confirmed and their Churches would have the greater comfort de communi participatione unius gratiae from the common participation of one grace by knowing that is that they were of the same belief The like may be said of the Martyrs who when they suffered in great numbers gave the more amazing testimony to the Truth which terrified the Devil himself and staggered their very Judges as S. Basil speaks (k) Tom. 1. Hom. XX. of the XL Martyrs who all together as if they had had but one Mouth cryed out when they were examined I am a Christian By such resolution as this our Religion was not only upheld but mightily increased And the more the number of Christians increased the more was Truth spread abroad till it grew to be the prevailing Religion and the Kingdoms of the World became the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ 2. But it was not mere numbers that did the business for their extraordinary Piety and Purity in those early days had the greatest hand in it Which was the second thing I desired to be noted under this last head that the better the Pastors and the People are the greater service they do to the Truth and the more prevalent their testimony is when it appears by their lives that they have no other interest to serve but that of Truth and Godliness And when all is done it will be found that the sanctity of those who assert God's holy Truth their pure and undefiled Religion which keeps them from being spotted by the World is that which will be the most powerful to move Mens minds and will make the easiest way for its entertainment in Mens Hearts Nothing can give a Church such authority and make its testimony so credible as its integrity and sincere Devotion its study of purity in Heart and Life it s designing clearly the good of Souls and not worldly advantages its universal charity and kindness which invites even strangers to attend unto it and much more its own Members And therefore I must note for a conclusion of this part of my Discourse that when we speak of the Church i. e. the whole company of believers and say that it is the Pillar and Ground or establishment of Truth it is meant principally of those whose Faith brings forth fruit and works by love These are the main supporters of the Christian Religion who do not merely profess it but are acted and live by their Faith in all holy obedience to Christ For they are living Stones built upon him the foundation of all the true living Body of Christ who are animated by his Spirit and with whom he hath promised to make his abode and consequently are the only persons who to purpose support and maintain and defend the Truth Which would in a little time be suppressed or obscured depraved or varied concealed or misinterpreted if the wicked only had the conduct of it Who are no more to be accounted Pillars of the Truth i. e. can no more alone support and uphold it than a Reed a Straw or a rotten Stick can support a building This is the ancient Doctrine of the Church it self as appears by what S. Austin saies in his Preface to the Exposition of the XLVIII Psalm (k) Tom. VIII Enarratio in Psal XLVII Where taking the firmament which was made the second day to be an emblem of the Church he saith by the Church we ought to understand Ecclesiam Christi in Sanctis c. the Church of Christ in his Saints the Church of Christ in those whose names are written in Heaven the Church of Christ in those who do not yield to the temptations of this World. Ipsi enim digni sunt nomine FIRMAMENTI for these are worthy the name of Firmament or strength Therefore the Church of Christ in those qui firmi sunt who are strong concerning whom the Apostle speaks we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak is called the FIRMAMENT For hearken and acknowledge how this Church is called by this name in the Apostolical writings and then he quotes this place to Timothy which is the Church of the living God columna firmamentum veritatis the Pillar and support of Truth By these principally the Truth is maintained For it is most plainly delivered by the Apostles themselves that Men and Women by their wicked lives did turn Apostates from the Faith. And we find by experience as well as their instructions that nothing doth more quench the Spirit of God nothing is more contrary to true Wisdom than filthiness and impurity which we must abandon therefore and not think we can do very considerable service to the Truth by the bare profession of it but upon the foundation Christ Jesus we must seriously indeavour to raise the superstructure of a holy life whereby we shall adorn recommend and effectually promote our Religion It must not be denyed indeed that a
the Truth II. Rev. 4. and now is utterly subverted and not to be found Which is a demonstration the Apostle did not in these words intend to teach that the Church cannot err but that as I said it is in duty bound by its calling and Office to preserve the Truth pure and intire For he himself foresaw this Church would be haunted with grievous Wolves after his departure Act. XX. 29 30. who no doubt came in Sheeps clothing as they also among themselves did who he foretold would arise speaking perverse things to draw Disciples after them And immediately after he had here called the Church or Timothy the Pillar of Truth he admonishes him in the beginning of the next Chapter IV. 1 2. that there would be an apostasie from the Faith as the Spirit expresly declared For according to what our Saviour predicted there was scarce any Church but the Enemy sowed Tares among the Wheat which very much hindred the growth thereof So we are informed by Hegisippus a very ancient Christian Historian who †Fuâ—b L. III. Eccles Hist c. 32. saith that as soon as the sacred Quire of Apostles were dead and that Generation was gone who had heard the inspired Wisdom with their own ears then begun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Conspiracy or Combination of impious or atheistical error by the deceit of false teachers who make a bare-sac't opposition to the Truth of the Gospel And yet for all this the speech of the Apostle is proper enough For a Church or its Pastor may be the Pillar of Truth in regard of their duty as I have often said though they prove negligent in their Office. Just as the Priest among the Jews was called the messenger of the Lord of Hosts whose lips should so preserve knowledge that the people should seek the Law at his mouth because this was the end of his Office for which he was ordained though at the same time the Prophet complains that they were departed out of the way and caused many to stumble at the Law and had corrupted the Covenant of Levi Mal. II. 7 8. The like we read in other places of the holy Book that the Prophets were not true to their trust but declared the visions of their own heart not the Word of the Lord and lead the people into error and falshood feeding them with lies instead of Truth 5. Further I must observe that there is no promise made to any particular Church that it shall always be a Pillar of Truth no not to the Church of Rome which now so boldly lays claim and that solely to this priviledge But quite contrary there is a terrible threatning to this very Church included in that admonition which this very Apostle gives them Which is sufficient to show that Christ gave no such priviledge to this Church as that it should never err but directly contrary supposed it might err and err even to Apostasie when he bids them take heed lest they were cut off by unbelief as the Jews were from the fellowship of the Saints Read XI Rom. 20 21 22. They speaking of the Jews were broken off by unbelief and thou speaking to the Roman Christians standest by faith Be not high minded but fear hearken to this O ye of the present Roman Church For if God spared not the natural branches take heed lest he also spare not thee Behold the goodness and severity of God on them which fell severity but towards thee goodness if thou continue in his goodness OTHERWISE THOV ALSO SHALT BE CVT OF From whence we may thus argue if God had granted to the Roman Church the priviledge of being a Pillar of Truth infallibly and immutably unto all Generations all these suppositions were vain and these exhortations utterly needless and frivolous for it would have been absolutely impossible it should be cut off and absolutely necessary it should continue And yet the Apostle plainly supposes otherwise and took it for granted it might fail For these two are directly opposite to stand and to fall to continue and to be cut off to be an Everlasting Pillar and to be broken off For it is proper to a Pillar to stand and support but to be cut off as he supposes they might be is to fall to the Ground and not to be able to support ones self much less others Now that they of that Church have gone far towards this condition according to the Apostles supposition by falsifying the Truth of Christ even part of the Apostolical Faith and so have not continued a firm and stedfast Pillar of Truth but maintained and supported dangerous Errors and Heresies is apparent from this alone if there were no more that they limit and confine the Catholique Church to themselves alone and exclude all other Christians from it who will not submit to their Bishop and Decrees The Impiety of which is so great that it is not easie to be expressed for it is in Truth to make the Church not Catholique but Particular How new false sacrilegious scandalous schismatical and heretical this one Article of the Roman Creed is one of our own (x) Bishop Morto .. Bishops hath demonstrated evidently in a Book on purpose to which I refer the Reader which he had reason to call the GRAND IMPOSTURE It would inlarge this Treatise too much beyond my intention or else it would be easie to show both when they began to let Truth fall to the Ground and how they proceeded to fail in their duty and to betray their trust till they quite altered the ancient Catholique Faith in the Council of Trent Which now they cry up as the great Pillar of Truth when it did nothing but lend a lame support to the most notorious falshoods which it established as Doctrines of Faith when they were before but erroneous Opinions in that Church I call it lame because of the numerous flaws that there were both in the constitution and in the proceedings of that Council which make it of no Authority For in the very beginning of it (y) Sess IV. they decreed that no Man should wrest the Scripture to a sense contrary to that which the holy mother-Church i. e. themselves hath held and holds And so established all the Tenents of that Church before they examined them by the Scripture and engaged themselves to contradict their own Decree by wresting the Scriptures to their own sense for the maintenance of what their Church then held All the Bishops likewise there assembled were sworn to support the Papacy of the Roman Church and the Rules of the holy Fathers whereby they were obliged to maintain the Usurpations of that See upon all the Bishops in the World whose Authority was thrown down and thereby the Pillars of the Truth as I have shewn them to be trampled under foot when Boniface was declared Universal Bishop and upon Kings and Princes whom Hildebrand trod under foot yea upon the whole Church over which Pope Leo
of them to nurse Men up securely in their sins such as the Doctrines of Purgatory of Indulgences of Penances and to name to more of Infallibility which being presumed as an unquestionable Principle is apt to lead Men in the most dangerous errors and the foulest sins without any remedy or possibility of recovery whensoever the Infallible Guide shall propound them This pernicious Doctrine I may add seems also to be deeply rooted in all their minds that an Orthodox Belief will save them For this they make the great business of Christianity to bring Men as they think to such a Faith as appears by this that let Men be never so bad their labour is not bestowed to make them quit their Sins but to bring them to their Belief where for any thing I can see or hear they may quietly enjoy them Nay there are a number of little devices to put them in hope of Heaven without reforming their lives provided they Believe as the Church Believes And in this let me beseech all that read these Papers to take a special care that they do not imitate them Let us be watchful that we do not put a greater Cheat upon our selves than they would do by imagining our selves good Christians meerly because we Zealously oppose the Errors of Popery That we ought to do but not leave the great Thing the amending of our Lives undone For may we not destroy and pull down by a wicked life as much as we build up by contending for the Faith How can others think that we are so much concerned as we seem to be for Truth when we make no use of it but let it lie dead in our minds What pitty is it that their hearts should not love that which is good whose minds are inlightned to discern that which is true That their understandings being convinced their wills should not also be converted It is a lamentable thing to profess that we know God but in our Works deny him This makes us look as if we were of a Faction rather than of the Faithful who oppose others rather as our Enemies than as Christ's as those that differ from us rather than as those that differ from the Truth For if it be the Truth that we Reverence why do we not let it Rule and Govern us Why do we not love to have it nearer to us than in our Brains even in our Hearts and Affections For there is no greater Truth than this that Vngodliness is the worst of Heresies a wicked life the most opposite of all other things to the Christian Faith. Let us never forget therefore that Admonition of the Apostle in the First Chapter of this Epistle to Timothy v. 19. Hold faith and a good conscience which he repeats again in the Third Chapter to the Deacons whom he exhorts to hold the mystery of saith in a pure conscience v. 9. For if we put away a good conscience we may easily make Shipwrack even of our faith Which we have just cause to think is the reason why some have fallen from this truly Apostolick Church of ours Concerning which and concerning whom I may say as Epiphanius (t) Haeres XI 〈◊〉 8. putting this place I have been expounding and some others together makes the Apostle speak to Timothy It is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of truth which many forsaking are turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fables and foolish bablings neither understanding what they say nor whereof they affirm FINIS Books lately printed for Richard Chiswell THE History of the Reformation of the Church of England By GILBERT BVRNET D. D. in two Volumes Folio The Moderation of the Church of England in her Reformation in avoiding all undue Compliances with Popery and other sorts of Phanaticism c. by TIMOTHY PVLLER D. D. Octavo A Dissertation concerning the Government of the Ancient Church more particularly of the Encroachments of the Bishops of Rome upon other Sers By WILLIAM CAVE D. D. Octavo An Answer to Mr. Serjeant's Sure Footing in Christianity concerning the Rule of Faith With some other Discourses By WILLIAM FALKNER D. D. 4o. A Vindication of the Ordinations of the Church of England in Answer to a Paper written by one of the Church of Rome to prove the Nullity of our Orders By GILBERT BVRNET D. D. Octavo An Abridgment of the History of the Reformation of the Church of England By GILB BVRNET D. D. Octavo The APOLOGY of the Church of England and an Epistle to one Signior Scipio a Venetian Gentleman concerning the Council of Trent Written both in Latin by the Right Reverend Father in God JOHN JEWEL Lord Bishop of Salisbury Made English by a Person of Quality To which is added The Life of the said Bishop Collected and written by the same Hand Octavo A LETTER writ by the last Assembly General of the Clergy of France to the Protestants inviting them to return to their Communion Together with the Methods proposed by them for their Conviction Translated into English and Examined by GILB BVRNET D. D. Octavo The Life of WILLIAM BEDEL D. D. Bishop of Kilmore in Ireland Together with Certain Letters which passed betwixt him and James Waddesworth a late Pensioner of the Holy Inquisition of Sevil in Matter of Religion concerning the General Motives to the Roman Obedience Octavo The Decree made at ROME the Second of March 1679. condemning some Opinions of the Jesuits and other Casuists Quarto A Discourse concerning the Necessity of Reformation with respect to the Errors and Corruptions of the Church of Rome Quarto First and Second Parts A Discourse concerning the Celebration of Divine Service in an Unknown Tongue Quarto A Papist not Misrepresented by Protestants Being a Reply to the Reflections upon the Answer to A Papist Misrepresented and Represented Quarto An Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of England in the several Articles proposed by the late BISHOP of CONDOM in his Exposition of the Doctrine of the Catholick Church Quarto A Desence of the Exposition of the Doctrine of the CHVRCH of ENGLAND against the EXCEPTIONS of Monsieur de MEAVK late Bishop of Condom and his VINDICATOR Quarto An Answer to THREE PAPERS lately printed concerning the Authority of the Catholick Church in Matters of Faith and the Reformation of the Church of England Quarto A Vindication of the Answer to SOME LATE PAPERS concerning the Unity and Authority of the Catholick Church and Reformation of the Church of England Quarto An Historical Treatise written by an AUTHOR of the Communion of the CHVRCH of ROME touching TRANSVBSTANTIATION Wherein is made appear That according to the Principles of THAT CHVRCH This Doctrine cannot be an Article of Faith. Quarto A CATECHISM explaining the Doctrine and Practices of the Church of Rome with an Answer thereunto By a Protestant of the Church of England Octavo A Papist Represented and not Misrepresented Being an Answer to the First Second Firth and Sixth Sheets of the Second Part of the Popish Representer and for a further Vindication of the CATECHISM truly reprsenting the Doctrine and Practices of the Church of Rome Quarto In 3. Discourses The Lay-Christian's Obligations to read the Holy Scriptures Quarto The Plain Man's Reply to the Catholick Missionaries 24o. The Protestant's Companion Or an Impartial Survey and Comparison of the Protestant Religion as by Law established with the main Doctrines of Popery Wherein is shewn that Popery is contrary to Scripture Primitive Fathers and Councils and that Proved from Holy Writ the Writings of the Ancient Fathers for several hundred Years and the Confession of the most Learned Papists themselves Quarto A Discourse of the Holy Eucharist in the two great points of the Real Presence and the Adoration of the Host In Answer to the two Discourses lately printed at Oxford on this Subject To which is prefixed a large Historical Preface relating to the same Argument Quarto The Pillar and Ground of Truth A Treatise shewing that the Roman Church falsly claims to be That Church and the Pillar of That Truth mentioned by S. Paul in his First Epistle to Timothy Chap. III. Vers 15. Quarto A Brief Discourse concerning the Notes of the Church with some reflections on Cardinal Bellarmin's Fifteen Notes Quarto An Examination of the Cardinal's First Note concerning The Name of Catholick His Second Note Antiquity His Third Note Duration His Fourth Note Amplitude or Multitude and variety of Believers His Fifth Note The Succession of Bishops His Sixth Note Agreement in Doctrine with the Primitive Church His Seventh Note Vnion of the Members among themselves and with the Head The rest will be published Weekly in their Order A Defence of the Confuter of Bellarmin's Second Note of the Church Antiquity against the Cavills of the Adviser Quarto In the Press THE Peoples Right to read the Holy Scriptures asserted In Answer to the 6th 7th 8th 9th and 10th Chapters of the Popish Representer Two Discourses Of Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead Quarto A Short Summary of the Principal Controversies between the Church of England and the Church of Rome Being a Vindication or several Prâ—testant Doctrines in Answer to a late Pamphlet intituled Protestancy destitute of Scripture Proofs FINIS
multitude professing true Faith in Christ though their lives be not so regular as they ought to be are not unserviceable to our Religion Nay in some cases by their steadiness in the Truth give no small support unto it Especially when they likewise continue united together by partaking constantly of the same Sacraments Whereby they are joyned to those who are truly good and remain a part of the Christian society till their lives be so bad that they are thrown out of the Church as not fit to have Communion with it And therefore out of such a Church consisting of those that profess the Faith of Christ intirely and worship him purely without any dangerous mixtures no Man ought to depart merely because every one therein is not knit to Christ by such hearty love and obedience as that Faith ought to produce For they that are only in outward Communion with such a Church are in a good way to something more and therefore ought not to be rejected as no Christians For by external Communion the inward lively Communion with God our Saviour is produced set forward and promoted and it is something to own Christ and acknowledge him for our Lord and Master and receive constant instructions from his Ministers whereby we are convinced of our duty Which though it doth not at present make them good and faithful Servants yet they may be so in time and the way to make them so is not to leave them to themselves by separating from them but to admonish reprove and exhort them to become living Members of Christ's Body that they may do him greater service by recommending his Religion effectually to the World. As all those do who separate from the wickedness of the World though they continue mixed with the wicked that are in the Church till they can in an orderly manner and after regular proceedings be thrown out of it Whereas on the contrary they who upon pretence of the wicked being mixed with the godly depart from the external Communion of the Church have very much dishonoured Religion and help to destroy the Church by endless separations For when they have so departed from the Church they are not sure they depart from the wicked though it be sure they have left the Communion of a great many good Men and Women who are mingled in common with the bad And what advantage can such Men propound unto themselves or unto true Religion and godliness when they certainly forsake the society of a great many truly good Men for an imaginary departure from the wicked Because after all the care they can take they cannot be sure there are no wicked among them but they leave a Church in which it is notorious there are a great number of holy People and erect Congregations for ought they can certainly know of such as conceit themselves Religious merely from this separation This is not the means therefore of upholding Truth and of promoting godliness But if we be seriously bent on that the Apostle hath shown us the way in the next Epistle 2 Tim. II. 19. Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity Whosoever doth so he is an excellent Servant of Jesus Christ and of his Truth which was promoted by nothing more I might say by nothing so much as by the eminent Piety and Vertue of the first Preachers of Christianity and of the generality of those who were called by Christ's name Some bad people there were among them as we learn by the Church of Corinth which did not unchurch them nor make them unfit for communion with them For in a great House as the Apostle there speaks in the next verse 2 Tim. II. 20 21. there are not only vessels of Gold and Silver but also of Wood and of Earth and some to honour some to dishonour But if a Man purge himself from these he shall be a vessel unto honour sanctified and meet for his Master's use and prepared unto every good work Thus the Apostle writes immediately after these words Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity Whatsoever becomes of others he shall become an useful Servant of his Master Christ a vessel of Honour or an instrument to do him honour by being fitted to every good work There are eminent testimonies of this not only in Christian but in Pagan Writers also that hereby the Truth of Christ prevailed and got the upper hand in the World. For Julian * Epist XLIX aâ— Arâ—arium in fragm p. 557. himself upbraids the Priests of his Religion with the marvellous piety of the Galilaeans as he calls Christians whose singular Humanity and Charity even to Strangers nay to Pagans when those of their own Religion neglected them together with the gravity of their manners and composed behaviour though he call it feigned had such great effect that by this means as he acknowledges Christianity so increased that its growth could no way be hindred but by their outdoing Christians in these worthy qualities And such an eminent vertue it must be and that alone which can restore our Religion to its primitive lustre Nay that which will preserve it from being lost where it is planted For as fast as true piety and vertue decays so fast doth the Church go to ruin And therefore if we have an hearty love to our own Church and the saving truth of God which is there professed and asserted we must study to uphold it by this means Not by seeking for a purer Church which is impossible as to Faith and Worship and Manners too to be found but by endeavouring to amend one another by purifying our selves in the first place from all filthiness both of the flesh and of spirit and then by admonishing others that do not live as they ought of the error of their ways and calling them to Repentance Which course I wish all they who have separated from our Communion would consider whether they ever took Did they not first forsake us and then say before they tried that we have people incorrigibly wicked among us This is not the way to say nothing of what sort of people they have among themselves of saving us all from perishing but as it proceeds commonly from too much pride and conceitedness and from great want of Charity so it produces lamentable effects For under a pretence of making the Church more holy it destroys both holiness and the Church by breaking the unity of it by disgracing Religion by turning it into disputes and vain jangling by endless separations under the notion of great and more refined purity till the Church be crumbled into so many little bits and fractions that little more than the name of a Church remains Let us therefore preserve Union among our selves as much as is possible that we may preserve the Church and Truth And then there may be the more hope of reclaiming the ungodly who will receive an admonition or reproof far