of all Nations do every where understand and yet these espy no such Ridiculosities which fright them from their Faith but notwithstanding the seeing all through and through they yet admire all for solid holy and Apostolical and remain stedfast in their Profession how can it be imagin'd that the vulgar weak and unlearned sort did they but understand all as well as they would espy any such Errors and Superstitions which these others with all their Learning and Judgment cannot discover No he thinks there 's no reason to fear that what passes the Test among the Wise and Learned can be groundedly call'd in question by the Multitude 35. Of the Vncharitableness of the Papists HIs Church teaches him to be be very uncharitable it being her constant Doctrin that none out of her Communion can be saved So that let a man be never so honest in his Dealing never so just to his Neighbour never so charitable to the Poor and constant in his Devotion to his Maker yet all this shall avail him nothing if he be not a Member of his Church 'T is not enough for him to believe in Jesus Christ to confess him his Redeemer to believe that he died for our Sins that he rose again and ascended into Heaven unless he believes and assents to every Article and Tenet declar'd by any of his General Councils for that obstinately to deny any one of these does as certantly place him at the Left hand of the Judge as if he perversly stood out against the truth of Christianity and denied Jesus Christ to be God And by this means as many as by his Church are mark'd out for Schismaticks or Hereticks are to expect nothing but Damnation or rather are condemned already HIs Church teaches him no uncharitableness at all and the Doctrin she delivers concerning the desperate Estate of Hereticks and Schismaticks is nothing but what she has learnt from the mouth of Christ and his Apostles Among the last advices recommended by our Saviour at his Ascension is found the Sentence of Doom pronounced against all such as would not receive the Doctrin preach'd by the Apostles Preach the Gospel says Christ Mark 16. 16. to every Creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleiveth not shall be damned And this is all his Church delivers in this point repeating the same Sentence of condemnation against all such as will not recieve and believe the Doctrin left by Christ and preached by his Apostles And if among those that believe not she comprehends not only Infidels and Heathens but also all Hereticks and Schismaticks 't is nothing but what she has receiv'd from the Apostles who did not only shake the dust off their Feets in witness against those who denyed them entrance and refused to believe in Jesus but also denounc'd such of the Brethren to stand guilty of damnation who notwithstanding their belief in Jesus that he died for the Redemption of Man and that rising again he Ascended into Heaven did make Divisions amongst the Faithful or Preached any new Doctrin contrary to what they had deliver'd St. Paul is very express in this who foretelling Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. of some who in latter times would come and Preach a Doctrin Forbidding to Marry and commanding to abstain from Meats which God hath created to be receiv'd brands them with the infamous Title of Men depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrins of Devils In these words plainly letting him understand that though these Men would not deny Christ yet that their false Doctrin in those two other Points were enough to make them Seducers Deserters of Christ and Leaders to the Devil And does not he as expresly in his 2 d Epistle to Timothy c. 2. v. 16 17 18. condemn Hymeneus and Philetus for prophane and vain bablers increasers of Ungodliness and overthrowers of the Faith who concerning the Truth erred only in one Point saying that the Resurrection is past already By which 't is manifest to him that the Doctrine now taught him by his Church is nothing but what she has learnt from St. Paul and the rest of the Apostles it being deliver'd by them that he is a Lyar who denieth that Jesus is the Christ 1 Joh. 2. 22. And that every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God ib. c. 4. v. 3. And not only this but likewise A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself Tit. 3. 10 11. With this weighty advice to the Brethren in which they are commanded in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ to speak all the same thing that there be no divisions among them but that they be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment 1 Cor. 1. 10. For that having strife and divisions among them they will shew themselves to be Carnal and to walk as Men ib. c. 3. v. 3. That therefore there being but one Body and one Spirit one Lord one Faith and one Baptism they should endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace and not be tossed to and fro like Children and carryed about with every Wind of Doctrin by the slight of men and cunning Craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive Ephes c. 4. v. 3 4 5 14. Who transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ are false Apostles deceitfull Workers 2 Cor. 11 13. But certainly accursed for that troubling the Faithful they would pervert the Gospel of Christ and preach another Gospel than that which had bin preach'd by the Apostles Gal. 1. 7 8. And this is the Sum of the Doctrin of his Church which believing that Faith is necessary to Salvation it being impossible whithout Faith to please God Heb. 11. 6. teaches likewise that the Faithful ought to hold fast the profession of their Faith without wavering for that not only they lose it who deny Jesus Christ to be God as some have done but also all those who endeavor to pervert the Gospel of Christ and in any point of Faith obstinately deny or teach otherwise than was taught by Christ and his Apostles as Hymeneus and Philetus did so that that Christian makes but a very imperfect and lame profession of his Faith who can only say I believe that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh and that he is God and Man the Redeemer of the world unless he can with truth add this likewise I also believe the whole Gospel that he preach'd and every point of Faith that he has taught and deliver'd to us by his Apostles there being the same Obligation to obey his Precepts and hearken to his Words as to acknowledge the Divinity of his Person and it being a sin of the same blackness obstinately to oppose any point of his Doctrine as to deny the truth
disgrace He holds it in the highest Veneration of all Men living he professes it to be the Dew of Heaven Oracles of God Fountain of Eternal Life that to prophane it is to incur the guilt of Damnation And that we are rather bound to lose our lives than concur any way to its prophanation 'T is true he does not think it fit to be read generally by all without Licence or in the Vulgar-Tongues Not for any dis-respect to it But I. Because he understands that private Interpretation is not proper for the Scripture 2 Pet. 1. 20. II. Because that in the Epistles of Saint Paul are certain things hard to be understood which the unlearned and unstable deprave as also the rest of the Scriptures to their own perdition III. Because God hath given only some to be Apostles some Prophets other-some Evangelists and other-some Pastors and Doctors Eph. 4. 11. For these Reasons he is taught That 't is not convenient for the Scripture to be read indifferently to all men but only such as have express Licence and good testimony from their Curates that they are humble discreet and devout Persons and such as are willing to observe directions in the perusing this Sacred Volume That is take notice of all Godly Histories and imitable examples of Humility Chastity Obedience Mercy to the Poor c. and all such places as are apt to provoke and stir up the hatred of Sin fear of God's Judgements love of Virtue c. and in all Hard Obscure and Disputable Points to refer all to the Arbitrement of the Church to the judgement of those whom God hath appointed Pastors and Doctors Never presuming to contend controul teach or talk of their own Sense and Phansie in deep Questions of Divinity and high Mysteries of Faith but expecting the sense of these from the Lips of the Priest who shall keep knowledge and from whose mouth they shall require the Law Mal. 2. 7. And this Caution is used lest that the Scripture coming into the hands of a presuming sort of proud curious and contentious People be abused and perverted who make it their business to enquire into Dogmatical Mystical High and Hidden secrets of God's Counsels into Predestination Reprobation Election Pre-science and other such incomprehensible Mysteries and upon the presumption of I know not what Spirit immediately become Teachers Controllors and Judges of Doctors Church Scripture and all and acknowledging no Authority left by Christ to which they are to submit under pretence of Scripture and Gods Word make way for all sorts of Prophaneness Irreligion and Atheism So that 't is not for the preserving Ignorance he allows a restraint upon the reading the Scriptures but for the preventing a blind ignorant Presumption And that it may be done to edification and not to destruction and without casting the holy to dogs or pearls to swine XI Of Apocryphal Books HE believes it lawful to make what Additions to Scripture his Party thinks good and therefore takes no notice of the antient Canon approved by the Apostles and Primitive Christians but allows equal Authority to the Books of Toby Judith Ecclesiasticus Wisdom and the Macchabees as to the other part of the Scripture although these were always rejected by the Jews never extant in the Hebrew Copy and expresly condemn'd by St. Jerome as not Canonical and never admitted by the Church but only of late years in some of their Synods which made these Innovations contrary to the sense of their Ancestors HE believes it damnable to add and thing to the Scripture And yet allows the Books of Toby Judith Ecclesiasticus Wisdom Macchabees to be Canonical because the Church of Christ has declar'd them such not only in these later Ages but even in the Primitive times St. Gregory Nazianzen Orat. de SS Macch. who lived in the year 354. Also St. Ambrose lib. de Jacob. vit beat An. 370. Innocent I. Ep. ad Exup They were also received by the Third Council of Carthage Anno 419. which approv'd all these Books as Canonical Can. 47. and was subscrib'd by St. Augustine and confirm'd in the Sixth General Synod August lib. 2. Doct. Christ cap. 8. So that to him 't is of little concern whether they were ever in the Hebrew Copy the Canon of the Church of Christ being of much more Authority with him than the Canon of the Jews He having no other assurance that the Books of Moses and the four Gospels are the true Word of God but by the Authority and Canon of the Church And this he has learn'd from that great Doctor St. Augustine who declares his mind plainly in this case saying That he would not believe the Gospel except the Authority of the Catholick Church mov'd him thereunto Contra Ep. Fundam c. 4. Now he is well satisfied that many doubted whether these Books were Canonical or no and amongst others St. Jerom because the Church had not declar'd them so But since the Church's Declaration no Catholick ever doubted no more than of other Books viz. of the Epistle to the Hebrews the Epistle of St. James the second of St. Peter the second and third of St. John St. Jude 's Epistle and the Apocalyps All which were for many years after the Apostles time doubted of but afterwards declared and receiv'd as Canonical This he finds St. Jerome expresly confessing of himself viz. That for some time the Book of Judith seemed to him Apocryphal to wit till the Council of Nice declar'd it otherwise Praef. in Judith The like he affirms of St. James's Epistle that it was doubted of by many for several years Paulatim tempore procedente meruit authoritatem By little and little in process of time it gain'd Authority De viris illus verb. Jacobus For this reason he matters not what Books have been reputed Apocryphal by some and for some years But only what Books are Receiv'd and Declar'd by the Church Canonical in what year and at what time soever For believing the same spirit of Truth assists her in all Ages he looks upon himself equally oblig'd to receive her Definitions of the Year 4. 19. as of any of the precedent years It not being possible for Christ to fail of his Promise or the Holy Ghost to err or misguide the Church in that year more than in any other XII Of the Vulgar Edition of the Bible HE makes no Conscience of abusing the Scripture and perverting for the maintenance of his Errours and Superstitions And therefore though he dares not altogether lay it by lest he should by so doing lose all claim to Christianity Yet he utterly disapproves it as it is in its genuine Truth and Purity and as allow'd in the Church of England and crying this down he believes it unlawful to be read by any of his Communion And then puts into their hands another Volume which in its Frontis-piece bears the Title indeed of the Word of God with the names of the Books and Chapters but in the
that she is to be thus protected taught and assisted being not only while the Apostles liv'd or for the first three four or five hundred years next after but for ever to the end of the World Behold I am with you all days Matt. 28. 20. He will give you another Paraclete that he may abide with you for ever Joh. 14. 16. And the thing that she is to be thus taught to the end of the World being all truth He shall teach you all truth Joh. 16. 13. Now being assured by these Promises that the Church of Christ shall be taught all Truth by the special assistance of the Holy Ghost to the end of the World he has Faith to believe that Christ will make his Words good and that his Church shall never fail nor be corrupted with Antichristian Doctrine nor be the Mistress of Errours but shall be taught all Truth and shall teach all Truth to the consummation of things and that whosoever hears her hears Christ And whosoever despiseth her despises Christ and ought to be esteemed as an Heathen or a Publican Matt. 18. 17. The like assistance of the Holy Ghost he believes to be in all General Councils which is the Church representative as the Parliament is the Representative of the Nation by which they are especially protected from all Errour in all Definitions and Declarations in matters of Faith So that what the Apostles pronounc'd concerning the Result of their Council Act. 15. 28. It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to Vs He does not doubt may be perfix'd to all the Determinations in Point of Faith resolv'd on by any General Council Lawfully Assembled since that time or to be held to the Worlds end The Assistance being to extend as far as the Promise And tho' 't is possible that several of the Prelates and Pastors in such an Assembly as also many others in Communion with the Church of Christ should at other times either through Pride or Ignorance prevaricate make Innovations in Faith teach Erroneous Doctrines and endeavour to draw numbers after them yet he is taught that this does not at all argue a Fallibility in the Church nor prejudice her Faith but only the Persons that thus unhappily fall into these Errours and cut themselves off from being Members of the Mystical Body of Christ upon Earth Whilst the Belief of the Church remains pure and untainted and experiences the Truth of what St. Paul foretold That Grievous Wolves shall enter in among you not sparing the Flock Also of your own selves shall Men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them Act. 20. v. 29. 30. which as it prov'd true even in the Apostles time by the fall of Nicholas and his followers as also of several others So it has been verified in all Ages since by turbulent and presuming Spirits broaching new Doctrines and making Separations and Schisms But this without casting any more aspersion on the Church or Congregation of the Faithful than the fall of Judas did on the Apostles or the Rebellion of Lucifer on the Hierarchy of Angels which was no more than that such wicked and presuming Spirits went out from amongst them and were expell'd their Communion as unworthy Neither does it reflect at all on the Churches Authority or make the truth of her Doctrine questionable to him that many of her Eminent Members Doctors Prelates and Leading Men have been or are great enormous Sinners infamous for their Pride covetousness or other Vices whatsoever The Promises of God's continual and un-interrupted assistance to his Church being not to be frustrated by the wickedness of such particular Men tho' in great Dignities These Promises being made surer to her than ever the Jewish Church Which nevertheless stood firm in her Authority and the Delivery of Truth notwithstanding the frequent Idolatry of the People Nadab and Abihu's Consecrated Priests offering strange Fire Corah Dathan and Abiram's making a great Schism and the sins of Moses and Aaron and other High-Priests in all her succeeding Ages Nay tho' all things touching Religion and Virtue were in a manner run to decay in our Saviour's time both in Priests and People yet did he maintain the Authority of the Jewish Church and commanded all to be Obedient and submit to those who had the superiority without calling in question their Authority or doubting of the reasonableness of their Commands The Scribes and Pharisees says he Matt. 23. 2. sit in Moses 's Chair All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do But do ye not after their works If therefore God's special assistance was never wanting to the Church of the Jews so as to let it fail in the Truth of its Doctrine or its Authority notwithstanding the Pride Covetousness Cruelty Impiety Idolatry of many of her Levites Elders Priests and High-Priests Why should not he believe the same of the Church of Christ which as St. Paul says is built on better promises and that it remains entire in the Truth of her Doctrine and her Authority notwithstanding the viciousness of many of her Governours Especially since he 's in a manner confident that there has been nothing so infamous acted by any Priests Prelates Popes or others since Christ's time but what may be follow'd Nay was out-done by the Priests of the Jews XVIII Of the POPE HE believes the Pope to be his great God and to be far above all the Angels That Christ is no longer Head of the Church but that this Holy Father hath taken his place and that whatsoever he Orders Decrees or Commands is to be received by his Flock with the same respect submission and awe as if Christ had spoken it by his own mouth For that his Holiness having once receiv'd the Triple-Crown on his Head is now no more to be look'd upon as Man but as Christ's Vicar whose Office it is to Constitute and Ordain such things as Christ forgot when he was upon Earth not throughly considering what would be the Exigencies of his Flock in future Ages And for this intent he is assisted with a certain Mysterious Infallibility such as hides it self when he is upon his own Private Concerns exposes him to all the Designs Cheats Malice and Machinations of his Enemies and lets him be as easily over-seen as imprudent as silly as his Neighbours But when he comes into his Chair to hear any Publick Business then it begins to appear and protects him from all Mistakes and Errors and he becomes immediately full of the Holy Ghost though he had the Devil and all of Wickedness in him just before HE believes the Pope to be none of his God neither Great nor Little That he is not above the Angels but only a Man He believes that Christ as he is supreme Master Governour and Lord of all created things so also of his Church of which he acknowledges him to be the Founder and Head But as notwithstanding this Lordship and Headship of Christ
the observance of any in particular they teach that it is the Duty of the Flock to Obey Things indifferent after such Commands being no longer of choice but necessary and no less obliging than the Commands of a Father to his Child where in case the thing be not apparently sinful 't is no perswasion of the thing being superfluous can excuse an obstinate denyal from Disobedience It being more safe and Christian-like for all that are under any Government whether Natural Ecclesiastical or Civil to perform and comply with such things as they judge in their own private Sentiments Vnnecessary meerly upon the account of being Commanded than upon such considerations to disturb the order of Government and fly in the Face of Lawful Authority than which nothing is more opposite to the Principles of Christianity and destructive of all Humane Society And upon these grounds it is that the Papists founding themselves upon the sure foundation of Humility and Obedience have in all Ages acknowledged Overseers and Rulers over them to watch and feed the Flock to whom God hath given Power there being no power but of God and that whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13. 1 2. XXXVII Of Innovations in Matters of Faith HIS Church has made several Innovations in Matters of Faith and howsoever she lays claim to Antiquity with a pretence of having preserv'd the Doctrine of the Apostles inviolable and entire Yet 't is evident to any serious Observer that the greatest part of the Belief is meer Novelties that bearing date from Christ or his Apostles but only from some of her own more modern Synods There scarce having pass'd any Age yet wherein there has not in these Ecclesiastical Mints been coyn'd New Articles which with the counterfeit stamp of Christ and his Apostles are made to pass for Good and Currant amongst his credulous and undiscerning retainers And besides these what a great number of Errours have been introduc'd at other times how many did Pope Gregory bring in and how many the Ignorance of the Tenth Age So that if we compare the Church of Rome now with the Primitive times of the first three or four hundred years there are no two things so unlike she is a Garden now but quite overgrown with Weeds she is a Field but where the Tares have perfectly choak'd up the Wheat and has little in her of Apostolical besides the Name HIS Church has never made any Innovation in Matters of Faith what she believes and teaches now being the same that the Catholick Church believ'd and taught in the first three or four Centuries after the Apostles And tho' in most of her General Councils there has been several Decisions touching Points of Faith Yet can no one without an injury to truth say that in any of these has been coin'd new Articles or Christians forced to the acceptance of Novelties contrary to the Scripture or antient Tradition These have only trodden in the Apostles steps as often as they have been in the like circumstances with them doing exactly according to the Form and Example left to the Church by those perfect Masters of Christianity And therefore as the Apostles in their Assembly Acts 15. determin'd the Cortroversie concerning the Circumcision and proposed to the Faithful what was the Doctrine of Christ in that point of necessity to be believ'd of which till that decision there had been rais'd several Questions and Doubts but now no longer to be questioned without the Shipwrack of Faith So in all succeeding ages the Elders of the Church to whom the Apostles left their Commission of watching over the Flock in their Councils have never scrupled to determine all such Points which had been controverted amongst the Brethren and to propose to them what of necessity they were to believe for the future with Anathema pronounced against all such as should presume to preach the contrary Thus in the year 325. the first Nicene Council declar'd the Son of God to be Consubstantial to his Father against the Arians with an obligation on all to assent to this Doctrine though never till then propos'd or declar'd in that Form Thus in the year 381. the Holy Ghost was declar'd to be God against Macedonius and his Followers in the first Constantinopolital Council And in the first Ephesin Anno 431. Nestorius was condemned who maintain'd two Persons in Christ and that the blessed Virgin was not Mother of God with a Declaration that both these Tenets were contrary to the Catholick Faith In the second Nicene Council Anno 787. Image-breakers were Anathematiz'd And so others at other times and at last in the Council of Trent was declar'd the Real Presence Transubstantiation Purgatory the lawfulness of the Invocation of Saints of keeping Holy Images c. against Luther Calvin Beza c. And now though in all these and the other General Councils the persons condemned took occasion from these New Declarations to cry out Novelties Novelties to fright the people with the noise of new coin'd Articles and that the inventions of Men were impos'd on them for Faith Yet 't is evident that these New Declarations contain'd nothing but the Antient Faith and that there had never been any such Declarations made had not the Doctrine propos'd in them being oppos'd and contradicted by some seducing Spirits who going out from the Flock endeavour'd by making Divisions to draw numbers after them So that the new Proposal of a Tenet is but a fallacious proof of the Doctrine being lately invented but a good Argument of its being lately oppos'd 'T is certain from Scripture Act. 15. that the Apostles had never declar'd the non-necessity of Circumcision had not certain men come down from Judea and taught the Brethren the contrary And that Consubstantiality of the Son had never been defin'd by the Nicene Fathers had not Arius with his Followers oppos'd this Catholick Doctrine And as certain it is that the Council of Trent had been altogether silent as to Transubstantiation Praying to Saints Purgatory c. had not Luther Calvin and their Disciples once professors of this Doctrine gone out from the Flock and upon the presumption of a New Light endeavour'd to perswade the Faithful that these Tenets then believ'd by the whole Christian World were no longer to be own'd but to be quite thrown by as Antichristian and Diabolical 'T was this oblig'd the Pastors to watch and take care of their Flock and therefore not flying away as the Hireling does when the Wolf catcheth and scattereth the Sheep they assembled together in a Body and declar'd to all under their charge that they ought not to follow strangers that howsoever these came pretending to the Shepherd's voice yet since they came not by the dore into the Sheepfold but climbing up some other way they were no Shepherds but Thieves and Robbers such whose business was not to feed but to steal kill and
Dead the Vse of Holy Images Relicks the Sign of the Cross Processions c. were a receiv'd Doctrine and common Practice of Christian in those Primitive times Then shall the Papists remain as they are as being of the sinne Faith and Religion with those Antient Believers without any Additions and Alterations and all their Adversaries ought in justice to return again to their Communion and making up one Quire cry out with them Blessed are they who believes as our Forefathers believ'd who receiv'd their Faith from the Apostles and their Successors and Accursed be they who separate from this Faith and upon the Noise of Novelty and Errour make Divisions in the Church and fall from her Communion believing Lies rather than Truth In order to this I intended in this place to have given the Reader a fair prospect of the Doctrine and Belief of the Fathers at the first five hundred years after Christ but finding the Matter to increase so much beyond expectation upon my hands I have reserv'd them for another occasion But however upon confidence of what I am able to produce in that point I cannot omit to assure the Reader that the chief and most material Points charg'd upon the Church of Rome for Novelty the Primitive Fathers do so plainly own to have been the Faith and Profession of the Church in their days and to have been deliver'd down and taught as the Doctrine of the Apostles that an impartial Considerer need not take much time to conclude whether are the greater Innovators those that now Believe and Profess these Tenets and Practices or they that disown or reject them 'T is evident that every Point of that Doctrine which is now decry'd for Popery and basely stigmatiz'd with the note of Errours introduc'd of late and of a modern invention is by many Ages older than those who are reputed to be the Authors that every particular Article laid to the Ignorance of the Tenth Century and to the contrivance of Pope Gregory are as expresly and clearly own'd and taught some Ages before as it is now at this day That those Great Men were as down-right Papists in these Points as we are now And that any disturber of Christianity might have as well defam'd them for believers of Novelties and Errours as we are now at this present The Faith that they profess'd then we profess now and if any of our Doctrine be Novelty 't is a Novelty of above twelve hundred years standing And who can question it not to be of an older date If it was the publick belief of the Christian World in the fourth Century who can be better Witnesses of what was believ'd before them even in the third Age than They They tell us that the Doctrine they maintain and deliver is the Faith of the Catholick Church receiv'd from their Fore-fathers and as it was taught by the Apostles and we don't find that in any of these Points they were challeng'd by any Authority or opposed by the Pastors of the Church or any Writers either then living or succeeding them but received always with great veneration And upon what grounds can any callenge them now Is it possible that any living now can give a better account of what was believ'd and practis'd in the third Age than They that immediately follow'd them Which will be more credible Witnesses of what was done in Forty Eight those that shall be alive fifty years hence or they that are not yet to come these thousand years If therefore these Holy Men declare to us the Doctrine they believ'd with an assurance that it was the Faith of the Catholick Church so believ'd by their Ancestors and as they had receiv'd it from the Apostles and their Successors do not they deserve better credit than others who coming a thousand years after cry out against all these several Points that they are nothing but Novelty and Errour 'T is evident therefore to him that this noise of Novelty was nothing but a stratagem for the introducing of Novelties and that those that brought an Infamy upon these Points by this aspersion might with as great applause every and as easily have laid a scandal upon other Article of the Christian Faith which they thought fit to retain and have had them all exploded for Novelty And this has been so far done already that even three parts of that Doctrine pick'd out by the first Reformers for Apostolical and conform to the Word of God we have seen in our days clamour'd against for Novelty and thrown by with as general Approbation and as clear Evidence of the charge as ever they laid by Transubstantiation and the Primacy The first Reformers cast off the Authority of the first Bishop as being a Novelty Others soon after cry'd down the Authority of all Bishops for a Novelty The First disown'd a great part of the Priestly Function as being lately crept in the Others disown'd all the rest and even Ordination it self as having all crept in together The First threw out a great number of Ceremonies as being not Apostolical but of a modern Institution The Others threw out even what they had retain'd for being no more an Ordination of the Apostles than the former The First laid by five of the Sacraments the Others laid by the other two And thus Novelty was the Word whensoever any receiv'd Doctrine of Christianity was to be outed and may to be made for a Novelty And he does dot doubt but that if the noise of Novelty continue long so unhappily successful as of late and the liberty be permitted to every presuming Spirit to fix this scandal upon whatsoever Doctrine or Institution they shall think fit that all Christianity is in a fair way of being thrown out of doors and the Bible Preaching Catechising Christ's Incarnation and Passion c. is as likely to be cast off for a Novelty as all the rest have been Those that will but shew to the People that even these things have been all receiv'd from Rome and that the Papists by their Missonaries spread these Doctrines over the World may soon perswade them they are nothing but Popish Inventions meer Novelties that those that began the Reformation did their business by halves and that the World will never be throughly Reform'd till all these Romish Superstitions are laid by with the rest they being of the same date He takes no notice thereof of all the clamours rais'd against several points of the receiv'd Doctrine of his Church his Faith is founded on better Principles than to be shaken with such a Vulgar Engine Novelty Novelty is a cry that may fright unthinking Men from their Religion but every serious Man will require better Motives than a Noise before he forsake any point of his Faith and 't is impossible he should joyn with any in condemning such things for Novelties which he finds the Profession of all Antiquity The Conclusion THese are the Characters of the Papist as he is Mis-represented
Truth and security from Errour he knows there 's nothing capable of being a Rule XIV Of the Interpretation of Scripture HE believes that his Church which he calls Catholick is above the Scripture and prophanely allows to her an uncontrollable authority of being Judge of the Word of God And being fondly abus'd into a distrust of the Scriptures and that he can be certain of nothing even of the Fundamentals of Christianity from what is deliver'd in them though they speak never so plainly he is taught to rely wholly upon this Church and not to believe one word the Scripture says unless his Church says it too HE believes that the Church is not above the Scripture but only allows that Order between them as is between the Judge and the Law And is no other than what generally every Private Member of the Reformation challenges to himself as often as he pretends to decide and doubt of his own or his Neighbours in Religion by interpreting the Scripture Neither is he taught at all to distrust the Scripture or not to relie on it but only to distrust his own private Interpretation of it and not to rely on his own Judgement in the Resolution of any doubt concerning Faith or Religion though he can produce several Texts in favour of his Opinion But in all such cases he is commanded to re-cur to the Church and having learnt from her the sense of all such Texts how they have been understood by the whole Community of Christians in all Ages since the Apostles and what has been their Receiv'd Doctrine in such doubtful and difficult Points he is oblig'd to submit to this and never presume on his own Private Sentiments however seemingly grounded on Reason and Scripture to Believe or Preach any New Doctrine opposite to the Belief of the Church But as he receives from her the Book so also to receive from her the sense of the Book With a Holy Confidence that she that did not cheat him in delivering a False Book for the True one will not cheat him in delivering a False and Erroneous sense for the True one her Authority which is sufficient in the one being not less in the other And his own Private Judgement which was insufficient in the one that is in finding out the True Scripture and discerning it from all other Books being as incapable and in-sufficient in the other that is in certainly discovering the meaning of the Holy Ghost and avoiding all other Heterodox and Mistaken Interpretations XV. Of Tradition HE believes the Scripture to be imperfect And for the supplying of what he thinks Defective in it he admits Humane Ordinations and Traditions of Men allowing equal Authority to these as to the Scriptures themselves thinking himself as much oblig'd to submit to these and believe them with Divine Faith as he does whatsoever is written in the Bible and confessedly spoken by the Author of all Truth God himself Neither will he admit of any one to be a Member of his Communion although he undoubtedly believes every Word that 's written in the Scripture unless he also assents to these Traditions and gives as great credit to them as to the Word of God although in That there is not the least footstep of them to be found HE believes the Scripture not to be imperfect nor to want Humane Ordinations or Traditions of Men for the supplying any defects in it Neither does he allow the same Authority to these as to the Word of God or give them equal credit or exact it of others that desire to be admitted into the Communion of his Church He believes no Divine Faith ought to be given to any thing but what is of Divine Revelation and that nothing is to have place in his Creed but what was taught by Christ and his Apostles and has been believ'd and taught in all Ages by the Church of God the Congregation of all True Believers and has been so deliver'd down to him through all Ages But now whether that which has been so deliver'd down to him as the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles has been by Word of Mouth or Writing is altogether indifferent to him he being ready to follow in this point as in all others the command of St. Paul that is To stand fast and hold the Traditions he has learn'd whether by Word or by Epistle 2 Thess 2. 15. And to look upon any one as Anathema That shall preach otherwise than he has thus receiv'd Gal. 1. 9. So that as he undoubtedly holds the Scripture to be the Word of God penn'd by Prophets and Apostles and inspir'd by the Holy Ghost because in all Ages from Moses to Christ and from Christ to this time it has been so Taught Preach'd Believ'd and Deliver'd successively by the Faithful and never scruples the least of the truth of it nor sticks to assent to it with a stedfast and Divine Faith altho' they are not nor have not at any time been able to prove what they have thus taught and deliver'd with one Text of Scripture In the like manner he is ready to receive and believe all that this same Congregation has together with the Bible in all Ages successively without interruption Taught Preach'd Believ'd and Deliver'd as the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and assent to it with Divine Faith just as he does to the Bible and esteems any one Anathema that shall Preach otherwise than he has thus receiv'd And although some may seriously endeavour to convince him that several Points of Faith and other Religious Practices which he has thus receiv'd and believes are not the Doctrine of Christ nor Apostolical Institutions but rather Inventions of Men and Lessons of Antichrist and should produce several Texts of Scripture for the proving it He is not any thing surpriz'd at it As well knowing that he that follows not this Rule of Believing all to be of Christ that has been universally taught and believ'd as such by the Church of Christ and of understanding the Scripture in the same sense in which it has in all Ages been understood by the same Church may very easily frame as many Creeds as he pleases and make Christ and his Apostles speak what shall be most agreeable to his Humour and suit best with his Interest and find plain proofs for all And make no more difficulty in producing Scripture against Christ's Doctrine than the Jews and the Devil did against Christ's Person who never wanted their Scriptum est It is written when 't was necessary to carry on their designs And if there were any thing in these sort of Arguments to make him doubt of the truth of any Point of Doctrine thus receiv'd he thinks it might make him call in question the Truth of the Scripture and the Bible it self as soon as any thing else They all standing upon the same foundation of the Church's Tradition which if it fail in one leaves no security in any XVI Of Councils
HE believes that the Faith of his Church may receive new Additions every day And that he is not only oblig'd to believe what Christ taught and his Apostles but also every Definition or Decree of any General Council assembled by the Command of the Pope So that as often as any thing is issued out by the Authority of any of these Church-Parliaments and order'd to be believ'd he thinks himself under pain of Damnation immediately bound to receive it and having added it to his Creed to assent to it with as Firm Stedfast and Divine a Faith as if it had been Commanded by Christ himself and Decreed in the Consistory of Heaven And by this means he never comes to understand his Religion or know what he is to Believe but by the continual Alterations Additions Diminutions Interpretations of these Councils he is preserv'd in a necessary Confusion and tho' he changes often yet he fondly thinks himself always the same HE believes that the Faith of his Church can receive no Additions and that he is oblig'd to believe nothing besides that which Christ taught and his Apostles and if any thing contrary to this should be defin'd and commanded to be believ'd even by Ten thousand Councils he believes it damnable in any one to receive it and by such Decrees to make Additions to his Creed However he maintains the Necessity and Right of General Councils lawfully Assembled whose business it is not to coin new Articles of Faith or devise Fresh Tenets but only as often as any Point of Receiv'd Doctrine is impugned or call'd in question to debate the matter and examine what has been the Belief of all Nations who are there present in their Prelates in that Point And this being agreed on to publish and make known to the World which is the Catholick Doctrine left by Christ and his Apostles and which the new-broach'd Error And by this means to prevent the loss of infinite number of Souls which might otherwise be deluded and carried away after new inventions not being capable by their own knowledge and abilities to distinguish betwixt Truth and Falshood and discover the subtilties of every crafty Deceiver And in this case he believes that he is oblig'd to submit and receive the Decrees of such a Council the Pastors and Prelates there present being by Christ and his Apostles appointed for the decision of such Controversies They having the care of that flock committed to them over which the Holy Ghost has made them Overseers to feed the Church of God Acts 20. 28. and to watch against those Men who should arise from among themselves speaking perverse things to draw Disciples after them Ib. vers 30. And he having receiv'd Command as likewise the whole Flock of Christ to obey their Prelates and to be subject to them who watch and are to render an accouut for their Souls Heb. 13. 17. with an assurance That He that heareth them heareth Christ and he that despiseth them despiseth Christ Luk. 10. 16. And withal being taught that as this way of the Antients of the Church and Prelates meeting in case of any danger threatning their Flock or any new Doctrine arising was the means instituted by Christ and practised by the Apostles in the first planting of the Church for the preventing Schisms and preserving Vnity among the Faithful and that they should speak and think the same thing and be perfectly joyn'd together in the same mind and same judgement 1 Cor. 1. 10. So it ought to be the means in all succeeding Ages for the preventing Divisions and conserving Vnity among the Faithful And that therefore as that Controversie concerning the necessity of Circumcision Act. c. 15. arising in the Apostles time was not decided by any private Person nor even by Paul and Barnabas who nevertheless had received the Holy Ghost and one would have thought might have pretended to the Spirit and a Heavenly Light but by a General Meeting of the Apostles and Elders of the Church at Jerusalem who were consulted by Paul and Barnabas about this Question So all other Disputes and Difficulties of Religion arising in succeding Ages ought to be refer'd to the Successors of the Apostles whose Charge Dignity and Office is to continue to the end of the World tho' they are dead in Person who are to consider of the matter Acts 15. 6. as the Apostles did while all the Multitude keeps silence ver 12. without any one presuming on any Learning Gift Virtue Prayers or Inspiration to intermeddle in the Dispute or put an end to the Question This being none of their business or obligation but only with all Patience and Humility to expect the Determination of their Prelates and Elders and receive it with the same expressions as those Good Christians did heretofore who rejoyced for the consolation Act. 15. 31. And unless this that the Apostles did and their Obsequious Flock be taken as a Pattern in all Ages for the ending such-like difficulties he believes 't is impossible that Believers should stand fast in one Spirit with one Mind Phil. 1. 27. and be not carried away with divers and strange Doctrines Heb. 13. 9. XVII Of Infalibility in the Church HE believes that the Pastors and Prelates of his Church are Infallible and that like so many Divine Oracles or petty Familiar Deities they are exempt from Errour and cannot deceive But this especally when they are met together in a General Council It being a main part of his Faith That then they are secure from all mistakes and that it is as impossible for them to decline either to the right hand or to the left in any of their Definitions and Decrees as it is for God to leave Heaven and become the Author of lies Thus fondly believing these to be assisted with a necessary Infallibility like Gods whom their Ignorance ill Example and Debauch'd Lives to a true Considerer scarce speak to be Men. As if God Almighty did so blindly throw his Benefits and Graces amongst his Creatures that none should have a more powerful assistance of God's Truth and Infallible Spirit than those in whom there was least of God to be found HE believes that the Pastors and Prelates of his Church are Fallible that there is none of them but may fall into Errours Heresie and Schism and consequently are subject to mistakes But that the whole Church can fail or be deceiv'd in any one Point of Faith this he believes impossible knowing it to be built on better promises such as secure her from all Errour and danger of Prevarication Her Foundation being laid by Christ against which the Gates of Hell shall not prevail Matt. 16. 18. The Power that protects her being Christ himself Behold I am with you all days Matt. 28. 20. The Spirit that Guides and Teaches her being the comforter of the Holy Ghost who shall teach her all things and suggest to her all things that Christ has said to her Joh. 14. 26. The time
of his Person 'T is not therefore any uncharitableness in his Church to declare plainly this miserable unhappystate of all such who wilfully oppose and seperate from the Doctrine of Christ deliver'd by the Apostles and continued in the Catholick Church and of such who disobey and seperate from the Government of the same Church which Christ has Commanded all to hear and obey But 't is her Zeal so to do and the same solicitude for the salvation of Souls which mov'd the Apostles heretofore to Preach the like Doctrine to their Flock as also the Primitive Christians to expel their Communion and Anathematize all such who by broaching erroneous Tenets contrary to any point of Receiv'd Doctrine or by disobedience did wilfully divide themselves from the Belief or Discipline of the Catholick Church Such as were Marcion Basilides and Bardesanes who were Condemn'd in the First Age for opposing that Article of our Faith in which we believe the Resurrection of the Dead such the Archonticks Condemn'd likewise for denying the necessity of Baptism Such Tatianus c. for Preaching Marriage to be unlawful Such the Millenarians for maintaining a thousand Years Reign of Christ upon Earth with his Saints in sensual pleasures And so in all Ages others were condemn'd upon the like account It having been always a received Custom even in the purest time of the Gospel for the Elders and Prelates to whose charge Christ committed the care of his Flock to oppose all those that by new Doctrin or by making Schisms and Divisions did disturb its peace and not to permit any that by such like means did endeavour to destroy his Unity so much desired and recommended by the Apostles So that they were equally declar'd Enemies of Christianity who denyed Christ and they who confessing Christ did yet contradict and reject any part of his Doctrin And this upon the Principle that Christian Faith ought to be entire For that every Article Mystery and Point of it being deliver'd by the same hands and recommended by the same Authority whosoever did oppose any one Point of it was immediately judg'd guilty of all in discrediting the Authority on which the whole stood equally grounded And this is that great Truth proclaimed above thirteen hundred years ago and now every where read in St. Athanasius's Creed Whosoever will be saved before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith Which Faith except every one do keep Whole and undefiled without doubt he shall perish everlastingly By which words was made known to the Christian World the Sense and Doctrine of the then pure and unspotted Church as receiv'd from Christ and his Apostles That it is in vain for any one to hope for Salvation unless he first believe the Catholick Faith and that whosoever does not believe it Whole and Undefiled shall certainly perish everlastingly Which is a Doctrin like that deliver'd by the Apostle concerning the observance of the Laws of God that as whosoever fails in one is made guilty of all so also whosoever disbelieves one Article of the Catholick Faith does in a manner disbelieve all There being no more hopes of Salvation for one that denies obstinately any one Point of the Catholick Faith tho' he believes all the rest than there is for one who keeps Nine of the Commandments with the Breach of the Tenth An obstinate opposition against one Point of Faith and a sin against one Commandment being as certainly damnable as if 't were against all There being the same reason and an equal necessity that the Observance of God's Law and the Assent to the Catholick Faith be alike entire and Whole And now being convinc'd that none can believe to Salvation but he that embraces the Catholick Faith thus wholly and entirely by an equal submission to all the Mysteries contain'd in it without opposition to any And being likewise convinc'd that no one can arrive to the true knowledg of this Faith with an assurance of its Integrity but by receiving it as propos'd and believ'd by the Church of Christ Which Church was founded by the Son of God watred with his Bloud and by an infallible assistance of the Holy Ghost by which it was to be taught all Truth to the end of the World was secur'd from the danger of being deceiv'd or deceiving others to the consummation of things he does not doubt but as in the Apostles time so also ever since and at present God addeth to this Church daily such as shall be saved Acts 2. 47. there being no entire faith necessary to Salvation to be found out of this Church and no possibility as St. Cyprian says that God shall be a Father to any who own not this Church for his Mother But now where and which this Church is and what Society of Men are Members of it among such variety of Pretenders though it may seem a great difficulty to some to distinguish yet to him it is none at all for since there is no other Church besides the Roman Catholick which has had a continued and visible Succession of Bishops and Pastors in all Ages since the Apostles no other that has converted Infidel Nations to Christianity no other that has always preserv'd Peace and Unity amongst its Members all of them speaking the same thing and being perfectly join'd together in the same mind and the same judgment no other that by assembling the Elders and Prelates has oppos'd in all ages Heresies and Schisms and condemn'd all those who not sparing the Flock have spoken perverse things endeavouring to draw away disciples after them no other that has in obedience to the command of Christ send Apostles amongst Infidels and Unbelievers for the preaching to them the Gospel and instructing them in Christianity and by this way without Arms or blood have spread their Faith throughout the World No other that by evident and undeniable Miracles have prov'd the truth of her Doctrin No other but what has begun by seperation whose first Preachers have gone out from this the time of their first Preaching and shewing themselves to the World being upon Record and their new Doctrine censur'd and condemn'd by that Church from whence they separated Since I say there 's no other Society or Christian Congregation in the World to which these certain Marks of the Church of Christ does agree 't is evident to him that this is the only true Church that whosoever denies any Article of her Faith denies so much of Christ's Doctrin that whosoever hears her hears Christ and whosoever obstinately and wilfully is separated from her is in the same distance sparated from Christ himself and finally that God addeth to this Church daily such as shall be saved Acts 2. 47. 36. Of Ceremonies and Ordinances HIs Church upon the presumption of being Apostolical and Commissioned by Christ has brought in such an infinite number of unnecessary superstitions Ceremonies that the whole exercise of her Religion consists in nothing but a vain
Pomp and empty Shew And whereas Christians are commanded by the APostle to serve the Lord in Spirit and Truth She has made void this Precept and neglecting both Spirit and Truth has restor'd the heavy yoke of Jewish Rites without the least Authority of the Word of God But rather in express opposition to it has made these her Humane Inventions take place of the Divine Law And then besides her Ceremonies what an endless account is there of other Ordinances Institutions Precepts to which she obliges all in her Communion How many are her Fast-Days Rogation and Ember-Days How many her Festival and Holy-days How many her Injunctions on several degrees of People That Priests shall not Marry that whosoever is in Orders shall be oblig'd to the reciting or singing such and such Offices That Marriage shall not be permitted but at some set times And a multitude of other such respective Commands which have no grounds in Scripture and no other Authority for them besides the decrees of some Popes who for some private Ends and the making themselves great thought fit to lay these burdens upon the People Some being first instituted by Pope Telesporus as the Fast of Lent Some by Calixtus as the Ember-days Some by Pope Nicholas as the Prohibition of Marriage And so all the rest And yet forsooth all these must be observed under pain of eternal Damnation as if God and the Pope commanding were but all one and had Heaven and Hell equally at their disposure HIS Church has appointed a great number and variety of Ceremonies to be used in the Celebrating Divine Service in the Offices and the Administration of the Sacraments She has likewise many Observances Ordinances Constitutions appertaining to Discipline and the Government of the Flock And all these are receiv'd approv'd or instituted by her every one in her Communion does embrace admit and willingly submit to without opposition exception or calling any into question Because although the Particulars thus appointed or commanded be not to be found in Scripture Yet there being in the Scripture an express and absolute command given to the whole Flock of Christ of following and being obedient to those that have thus order'd these things in virtue of that command they voluntarily and without constraint accept all that is of their appointment without excepting against any thing unless it be manifestly sinful And this they look on as a Christian Duty belonging to all such that are by God's Pleasure in subjection to the Higher Powers or under charge And therefore as a Servant having receiv'd a Command from his Master is oblig'd to comply with it in case it be not sinful although he cannot find the thing then particularly commanded in Scripture the general Precept of Servants being Obedient to Masters being sufficient to let him know his obligation and to remove all scruple And as Children are in Duty oblig'd to perform the Will of their Parents upon the Command Obey thy Father and thy Mother whether the the thing particularly willed be in Scripture or no So they judg it the Duty of all Christian People to submit without contention to the Ordinances and Constitutions of their Pastors and Prelates although the things particularly order'd by them be not express'd in Scripture it being a sufficient ground for this their Submission and Obedience that God has given them a General Command Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give account Heb. 13. 17. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken to you the Word of God whose Faith follow Heb. 13. 7. So that to them it seems a very fallacious rule leading to all confusion and unchristian contentions viz. That the Higher Powers our Superiors Pastors and Prelates are not to be obey'd but only in such things as are express'd in Scripture and as for any other particulars whosoever upon examination cannot find what is commanded by them in Holy Writ may lawfully refuse submission nay he is oblig'd to resist For however this seems to bear much of the Word of God in the face of it yet certainly 't is wholly destructive to it and under pretence of adhering close to the Scripture undermines the very Author of it This the Primitive Christians understood so well that they detested all such Maxims and following the Advice of the Apostle chose rather to trust their Souls in the hands of those whom God had plac'd over them by an humble Submission to the Government and a peaceable Obedience to their Decrees than by a presumptuous questioning of every thing and raising vain disputes to take the Rule of the Flock out of the hands of those to whom God had providentially deliver'd it and place themselves Judges over the Church their Elders Prelates and Pastors whom God had commanded them to hear and be in Subjection to So that we never read that they ever pretended to weigh the Ordinances of their Superiors by their own reasoning or to bring them to the Test of the Word of God before the acceptance but alway judg'd it conform to the Word of God that their Governours should Rule and they Obey Thus when the Apostles observ'd the Sunday instead of the Sabbath and met together at Pentecast we don't read that the Faithful then began to turn over their Bibles to find a Command for these particulars but with a prompt Obedience readily followed them in the Observance So when Abstinence from Bloud and Strangled Meats was order'd by the Elders Assembled at Jerusalem Acts 15. the multitude of Believers having heard the Decree never murmur'd at it or call'd it into question however seemingly contrary to the intention of Christ who in abrogating the Law of Moses was thought to have cut off all these Obligations but they all rejoiced for the Consolation ib. v. 31. So when St. Paul gave orders to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11. in what manner and posture they were to behave themselves at Prayers in their Assemblies both Men and Women we don't hear that he was challeng'd by any to shew by what authority of Scripture he thus reprov'd and prescrib'd in these particulars or by what they were oblig'd to receive his Prescriptions but with a prompt submission accepted his Orders not doubting but since it was God's Will to place Rulers and Governours over them it must be God's Will that they should be obedient to them in following their Decrees and observing their Constitutions And with this Doctrin of Obedience Humility and Submission all the Primitive Christians were train'd up by the Apostles who zealously laboured by this means to preserve them in peace and Unity that so they might think all the same thing and be of one mind and one judgment and without Divisions insomuch that there is not any one thing so often repeated in their Writings as Exhortations to this Obedience and Submission See how going through the cities they deliver'd