XIX Passages out of Fathers concerning the Churches Authority 1. BUt I will no longer defer the testimonies which Antiquity affords to the third Proposition conteined in the second Conclusion forementioned viz. of the Churches authority to intepret Scriptures and define Controversies I confesse I might have contented my selfe considering the superabundance to omit single passages when so many Fathers have written whole books to witnesse it as Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Vercentius Lirinensis c. mentioned before and whereas all Councells in whatsoever they have determined have virtually determined this otherwise their determinations were to be esteemed any thing else but determinations Notwithstanding I will not refuse the trouble of selecting a few passages more expresly declaring what at large most of the bookes wherein they are found endeavour generally to prove whether Logically and rationally or no let the world judge I am sure they proved it so effectually that they have thereby utterly destroyed the Heresies that opposed them Let the first witnesse therefore be S. Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 4. Where the Church is there is the Spirit of God and where the Spirit of God is there is the Church and all grace The same Father againe lib. 4. c. 43. We must obey those Priests that are in the Church those that have succession from the Apostles who together with Episcopall power have according to the good pleasure of the Father received the certain gift of Truth And all the rest who depart from the originall succession wheresoever they be assembled to have suspected either as Haeretiques or Schismatiques or Hypocrites and all these do fall from the truth Againe lib 4. c. 62. The spirituall man shall judge them that be out of the Church Which Church shall be under no mans judgement For to the Church all things are known in which is perfect faith of the Father and of the dispensation of Christ and firme knowledge of the Holy Ghost teacheth al truth Again l. 5. c. 4. What if the Apostles had not left Scriptures ought we not to have followed the Order of Tradition which they delivered to those to whom they committed the Churches To which order many yeild assent who believe in Christ having salvation written in their hearts by the Spirit of God without letters or ink and diligently keeping ancient Tradition It is easy to receive the truth from God's Church seeing the Apostles have most fully deposited in her as in a rich Store-house all thinges belonging to truth For what if there should arise any contention of some small questions ought we not to have recourse to the most ancient Churches and from them to receive what is certaine and cleare concerning the present question 3. Witness Tert. de Preser Therefore we must not appeale to Scriptures neither is the controversy to be settled upon them in the which there will be either no victory at all or very uncertaine c. Againe Order did require that that should be proposed in the first place which ought now to be onely debated viz. Which of the parties is possessed of that faith to which the Scriptures agree from whom and by whom and when and to whom that discipline was delivered by which men are named Christians For wheresoever it shall appeare that the truth of the Christian discipline or Faith is there will also be found the truth of Scriptures and expositions and all Christian Traditions Witnesse Origen Since there be many who thinke they believe the things which are of Christ and some are of different opinion from those who went before them let the doctrine of the Church be kept which is delivered from the Apostles by order of succession and remaines in the Church to this very day That onely is to be believed for truth which in nothing disagrees from the Tradition of the Church And again in our understanding of Scriptures we must not depart from the first Ecclesiasticall Tradition nor believe otherwise then as the Church of God hath by succession delivered to us 4. Witnesse S. Cyprian de unit Eccl. There is one head one Source one Mother by the Issue of her fruitfulnesse copious by her encrease we are born we are nourished with her milk with her Spirit we are quickned The Spouse of Christ cannot be defiled with adultery Shee is pure and chast Shee knoweth one house and with chast bashfulness keepeth the sanctity of one bed This preserveth us in God This advanceth to the Kingdome the Children that shee hath brought forth Whosoever divideth from the Church and cleaveth to the adultresse hee is separated from the promises of the Church He cannot have God to his Father that hath not the Church to his Mother Witnesse Lactantius l. 4. c. ult It is onely the Catholique Church that hath the true worship and service of God this is the wel-spring of truth the dwelling-place of Faith the temple of God into which whosever entreth not and from which whosoever departeth is without all hope of life and eternall salvation Witnesse S. Basile and S. Gregory Naz. who as Ruffinus Hist. Eccl. l. 2. c. 29. relateth took the interpretation of Scripture not of their own sense but from the Tradition of the Fathers Witness S. Cyril of Jerusalem lat 18. The Church is called Catholique because it is spread over the universall world from one end to the other and because it teacheth Catholiquely and entirely all doctrine which are to be known Witnesse S. Ambrose Faith is the foundation of the Church for it was not spoken of the flesh of Peter but of his faith That the gates of Hell should not prevaile His Confession overcame Hell and this Confession excludes many Haeresies for seeing the Church like a good Ship is beat upon by many waves the Foundation of the Church must prevail against all Haeresies L. de incarn dâ—â— 5. Witnesse Dom. in Psalm 37. In the Church the truth resids Whosoever is seperated from it it is necessary that he speak false things Againe Ep. 54. The heighth of all authority all the light of reason for the reparation and reformation of mankinde consists only in the saving name of Christ and in his only Church Again Ep. 56 The supream Emperour of our Faith hath fortified his Church with the cittadell of authority and by meanes of a few persons piously learned hath armed it with copious provisions of unconquerable reason That therefore to him is the most right discipline that especially the weak should retire into this cittadell of Faith to the end that for their defence being placed most securely others should combat with most strong reasons Again de util Cred. c. 16 if the Providence of God doth not precide over humane affairs no care is to be had concerning Religion But if the severall variety of creatures which ought be believed to have flowed from some fountain of most perfect beauty and by certain inward instinct doth exhort both publiquely and privately those
and practises to be by all men in all times and places solemnly either seen or practised and these with prescribed formes postures and actions on purpose that the weightiest passages of his acts or sufferings should continually be celebrated in the world leaving an impossibility of their being forgotten without a deluge Nay lastly to secuâ—e all men from the least apprehension did he ingage an omnipotent power to perform a promise that those orders ceremonies and laws should continue to the worlds end in despight of the gates of hell it self Not any of these things have been done by Will. the Conquerour or any other but our Lord to propagate his memory and yet notwithstanding all these defects we are most assured of the Tradition that such a person there was that he conquered England brought in new lawes customes c. What shall we then say of the testimony of the present church for the substance of Christian Religion even while we consider the church only as a bare witnesse or proponent of such things to us Is any confirmation stronger then all this requisite to beget an assurance in us Yea is it possible that more secure order could have been taken then that which the Son of God ha's used to make that which was past now above sixteen ages to remain alwayes as it were visible before our eyes CHAP. XXV The reason of considering this double capacity in the Church Certainty of belief compared with certainty of knowledge 1. THe reason why I enquired into the proofs of the certainty of universall Tradition proposed by the Church considered antecedently to her authority was because I found it necessary as to my self for a distinct understanding the Resolution of Catholique Faith that grounds of certainty of Tradition should first be laid before the authority of the church interpose to oblige us to believe Christian doctrine for the prime authors sake finally which is God 2. Since then Tradition in generall is in it self credible and some Traditions certaine and above all others that ever were or I believe can possibly be the Tradition of the church especially in necessary doctrines of Faith universally believed and all rites universally practised and among them this particular Tradition of an obliging authority in the Church is the most certain we may conclude that the beliefe and assent thereto approaches the neerest to knowledge of sense that beliefe possibly can do But it is impossible ordinarily speaking that it should arrive to all the degrees of assurance that sense cum debitis circumstantiis may have by which means it becomes meritorious that is capable of a reward which I conceive experimentall immediate knowledge is not And hereupon it was that our Saviour told S. Thomas who would not give credit to any reports concerning his Resurrection till his eyes saw him and hands felt him Thomas because thou hast seen me thou hast believed blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed John 20. 29. But it may be objected if manifest vision take away meritoriousnesse by reason of such an apparent certitude as inforces the understanding to assent why should Faith which is or may be built upon grounds demonstrably certain though indeed not in the utmost degree of experimentall knowledge have blessednesse annexed to it I answer the reason seems to be 1 Because before a man arrive to an assurance in Faith there is required a great exercise of his understanding to search all the arguments conducing to a firm grounding of his belief which cannot be done unlesse there be in those persons inquiring some degree of love to the things inquired after which travell proceeding from love is a thing proper to be rewarded 2. Add to this that such persons after such a love and inquiry proceeding from that love will be forced to submit and captivate their understanding to the belief of many mysteries infinitely beyond the naturall capacity of their comprehensions a thing extremely acceptable to God 3. And this is the state requisite in Christians endued with abilities and learning in the Church especially the teachers and governors And however it is most necessary in generall for the setling of a Church that there should be means of assurance of Tradition praerequired to supernaturall Faith because discoursing men especially if they be propossessed with prejudice or a contrary belief would hardly or never be brought without it to captivate their understandings in such a manner But as for silly ignorant Christians to whom God is pleased to give a certainty of adherence beyond a certainty of evidence as M. Chillingworth sayes and who seem rather to believe with their wills then their understandings an immediate and simple captivating of their minds to Christian Verities without searching arguments of assurance may be conceived acceptable to God supposing notwithstanding that they live in a Church where it may be made appear that what they believe is not a lye nor a doubtfull truth but on the contrary certain and infallible To which purpose S. Augustine cont Ep. Fund c. 4 saith As for the other râ—ut of common people it is not the sharpness of their understandings but the simplicity of believing that makes them secure And again If Christ be dead only for those who are inabled by a certain comprehension to discern these things we do labour in the Church almost to no purpose And therefore the Calvinist Ministers c. who profess an undervaluing of Tradition in comparison of pretended inward revelations and assurances from God's Spirit and who teach their followers to hate the very name of Tradition may do well to consider what will becom of them and their faith of Scriptures in generall when they shall begin to doubt that such pretentions are either apparently false or at least impossible to be proved or however no arguments at all to perswade a third person 4. Lastly it is observeableâ— that such Traditions as we now speak of are alwayes capable of being proved to be certain yet are evidently so the neerer they come to their founâ—aine or times whence they take their originall And therefore for example though at the beginning the whole Nation of the Jews were eye-witnesses of the stupendious manneâ— of delivering the law in the wildernesse yet their successors immediately after that generation was dead fell into Idolatry and infidelity the reason whereof was not because they wanted means assuring themselves of the divine authority of their law and the curses attending the breach of it but because of this there was requisite some meditation and exercise of their understanding and besides those curses were future and therefore present temptations of fleshly and secular lusts presently enjoyed by them had so much power over them as to keep them in negligence or busying their understandings and in a presumpâ—â—ion that those curses which were future might perhaps never happen or not upon themselves in person or however by a â—epentance some time or other might be
not only to receive the Scriptures from her as a depositary of them but the true interpretation likewise of them preserved by her together with all other Traditions as much as concerns the substance of Christian Religion This authority seems to be grounded especially upon the promise of indefectibility an indefectibility I mean of the Church considered as one body composed of parts ruling and obeying teachers and persons instructed as S. Paul describes the Church as it is to continue to the perfecting of the Saints Eph. 4. Not as Mr. Chillingworth who would make our Saviours meaning to be no more but that till his second coming his Gospell should not be so utterly rooted out of the world but that somewhere or other there should be some that should professe it 2. By vertue of this promise the Church is assured 1. not to be deprived neither of any necessary truths nor of lawfull Pastors to teach those necessary truths when I say necessary I mean not absolutely necessary to every single person considered in any circumstance exigence or extremity as Mr. Chillingworth and Doctor Potter c. through their whole books understand it whether mistaking their adversaries or no I thought it unnecessary to trouble my self to examine but I am sure without any prejudice to the established doctrine of the Church which remains untouched though all the inferences which they would make from such a notion of the word necessary were allowed them but I mean truths necessary to the constitution of a glorious visible Church which must be furnished with a world of Doctrines and Orders which to all single persons are far from being necessary to be believed or known much lesse to persons wanting abilities or means or time to be instructed 2. She is secured from Schisme or Heresie for remaining to the worlds end one holy Catholique Church as we professe in the Creed how can she be divided from her self either in Faith or Charity For unlesse all Bishops in Councells Oecumenicall and indeed all Christians should conspire to renounce that truth to day which they believed yesterday how can novelty or heresie enter universally into the Church under the notion of Tradition 3. Concerning the subject of this authority the principall subjects are indeed the Governours and Pastours of the Church with whom Christ hath promised that he will be to the end of the world But the adequate subject are all Catholique Christians as well instructers as instructed since Tradition is continued by them both shining in the doctrines taught and received in devotions exercised and in outward practises and ceremonies celebrated by all Christians 4 Now of this authority of the Church there are generally speaking two acts 1. An Obligation lying upon all Christians to acknowledge that doctrine to be true and necessarily to be believed and those practises necessarily to be conformed to which are taught and received by the whole Church and all this upon penalty of being accounted Heretiques that is no members of the Church and therefore by consequence divided from Christ the head of the Church which inspires life into it here and will glorifie it hereafter 2. A coërzion or infliction of spirituall penalties and censures as suspensions deprivations excommunications c. on those that persist stubbornly in opposing those truths and practises And this belongs to the Teachers and Governours of the Church more or lesse according to their severall qualities For every Parish Priest ha's some degree of this coercive power over his stock every Bishop over both Priests and severall congregations within his Diocesse ha's more every Metropolitan a yet larger power A Provinciall Synod above a single Bishop or Metropolitan c. And in conclusion the supreme Ecclesiasticall tribunall is a Synod Occumenicall lawfully called confirmed and some adde universally received by all Catholique Churches that is by their Prelates from which there is no appealing for if there were all authority would be vain enjoying the name but without any effect or use at all as shall be shewed hereafter 5. Concerning the former act of Ecclesiasticall authority viz. an Obligation lying upon all Christians under pain of Heresie to receive the doctrines and practises of the universall Church that it is in the Church antecedently to a generall Councell appears by this namely that there were in the Church very many Heresies taken notice of acknowledged for such by all Catholikes and dissipated before any generall Councell had been called as the Ecclesiasticall history S. Epiphanius will assure us And this is grounded ◠Upon evident reason for what is heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a relinquishing of a former received opinion or practise and the choice of a particular new one an act this is which implies an extreme contempt of the whole mysticall body of Christ and a preferring ones own single judgment or wilfullnesse before whatsoever els is prudent or sacred in the world 2 Upon expresse Scripture for S. Paul commands the Thessalonians and S. John all Christians to abstain from the conversation of and not so much as to bid God speed to all disordinate walkers swerving from the rule established and all introducers of novelties in the Church Yea S. Paul sayes that an Heretique even before the Bishops censure is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned by himself that is as severall Fathers expound it voluntarily and by himselfe separated from the body of the faithfull so that the solemn excommunication of the Bishop against him may seem to be onely a ratifying of that mans censure against himselfe For I conceive it can hardly be affirmed of all Heretiques in generall that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-condemned that is professing and maintaining errors against their own conscience and knowledge 6. Now this authority residing in the whole body of the Catholique Church I must adde of the present Catholique Church has been in all times preserved so inviolable that besides the fore-cited testimonies of the Fathers this observation will sufficiently justifie it viz. That there was never in any age of the Church as far as I have been able to inform my selfe any one single person esteemed a Catholique that ever either spoke against or in the least degree censured or seemed to render suspitious any doctrine or practise universally believed or received by the Catholique Church during the time that he lived Many Fathers have been very bold and eager against abuses and errours particular some of them perhaps too largely dispersed but never any of them whether private person or Governour learned or unlearned taxed the Church either of errour in doctrine or of superstition prophanenesse or any other enormity in practise Many of them have earnestly called for a free Councell to reform particular disorders and errours in the lives and writings of both Clergy and Laity sometimes not sparing Popes themselves but never to have the Church it self to alter any of her doctrines or to change any of her practises
persons because they being rude and infirm could never be secure of their belief if it were to depend on medium's and principles which they could not comprehend and secondly in respect of the learned among whom there would be no end of disputing if it were permitted to them to examine whether the Principles upon which Councells build their Conclusions were firm and concluding enough In a word otherwise Religion would not be faith but Science and Philosophy 7. To set down his words at length We must observe that to the Churches infallibility in teaching it is sufficient that she be infallible in the substance of faith in publique doctrine and things necessary to salvation This is manifest because this is the end of the infallibility given viz. For the consummation of the Saints and the edification of the body of Christ that is to the publique salvation of the faithfull Now God and nature as they are not defective in necessaries so neither are they superabundant in superfluities neither is the speciall Providence of God to be deduced to each particular The which Providence as it doth permit many particular defects in the Government of the Universe and this for the beauty of it as S. Augustine de Civ lib. 11. cap. 18. observes so likewise doth it permit many private erroursâ— in the Church and even in the most learned men an ignorance of many things not necessary and this not onely to shew a beauty in opposltion but for the salvation of the Teachers to whom it is expedient to be ignorant of many things that in this regard power may perfected in weaknesse that is may be repressed from pride Thus Stapleton with great solidity and likewise with much becomming warinesse states this Question CHAP. XXXIII Upon what grounds Stapleton may be conceived to have stated this question with more then ordinary latitude 1. TO this determination of Stapleton I will subjoyn the thoughts I had during my â—â—bâ—te with my self about this great and most important controversie together with the grounds upon which I believed that he had been more moderate and condescending in this point then generally other Catholique Controvertists are 2. But first by the way it may be observed that when he speaks of the voice and determination of the Church in the question proposed he means the decree of the Church speaking in a generall Councell representatively in which sayes he the Church is infallible namely with that restriction expressed by him in his last observation viz. in delivering the substance of Faith in publique doctrines and things necessary to salvation Other Catholiques there are which in this matter speak more restrictively then Stapleton hath expressed himself as to name one Panormitan whose words and opinion though for the most part disclaimed by Catholique Writers yet not hitherto consured by any that I know as hereticall they are these Although a generall Councell represent the whole universall Church yet in truth the universall Church is not truly there but only representatively because the universall Church is made up of a Collection of all believers and that is that Church which cannot erre Panormitans meaning to make his words tollerable I conceive is That the decrees of a generall Councell are not absolutely and necessarily to be acknowledged the infallible Doctrines of Faith till they be received by all particular Catholique Churches because till then they cannot properly be called the Faith of the universall Church or of the body of all faithfull Christians to which bodâ— the promise of infallibility is made And this was the doctrine of Thomas Waldensis and some other Schoolmen c. An opinion this is which though not commonly received yet I do not find it deeply censured by any yea the Gallican Churches reckoned this among their chiefest Priviledges and liberties that they were not obliged to the decisions of a Generall Councell till the whole body of the Gallican Clergy had by a speciall agreement consented to them yea which is more till out of the said Decrees they had selected such as they thought good to approve the which they reduced into a Pragmatick Sanction and so proposed them and them only to the several Churches there My Author from whose credit I received this is Thuanas who protesteth in a discourse to K. Henry the IV. related by himself that it could not be found in any Records of that Kingdome that ever any Generall Councell had been any other â—â—y received in France This were a priviledge indeed to the purpose if it could be made good as it is much to be doubted 3. But as for the Opinion of Waldensis it ha's found many abetrours in these latter ages for Fr. Pious Mirandâ—la in his eighth Theoreme de Fid. Ord. â—red saith Those Decrees may justly be â—â—lled tho the Decrees of the universal Church which are either made by the Pope the Head thereof or by a Councell in which the Church is represented in matters necessary to Faith and which are approved by the Church her self In like manner Petrus a Soâ—â— instanâ—ing in the second Councell of Ephesus corrected by that of Chalcedon manifestly implies that Councells even Generall before they be received and approved by the Universall Church may be repealed by a following Councell but a Councell once received can never be altered And therefore sayes he God by his providence over his Church will so order that whatsoever is erronious or defective in one Councell shall be corrected in a following one before it be received in the Church The same Author repeats the same Doctrine again in his observations upon the Confession of Wittenberg cap. de Concil Consequently hereto Cellotius a learned Jesuite professeth That the infallibility promised to the Church is twofold 1. Active by which the Prelats in Councells proposing points of Faith are secured from errour 2. Passive whereby the Universall Body of the Church under all the Prelates in all the severall Provinces respectively is preserved from assenting to or believing an errour Now that in the whole Church whether represented in a Councell or dispersed over the world both these kinds of infallibility are to be found saith he no Catholique can deny He adds In case there hath been any thing decreed by Councells which either hath not been generally admitted or by generall disuse hath ceased that the present Church is not thereto obliged appears clearly by the Decrees of the first Councell of the Apostles in the prohibition of things strangled and bloud In the last place our learned Countreyman Bacon alias Southwell a very ingenuous and acute Jesuite doth plainly enough signifie That it was the opinion not only of S. Augustine but generally of all the Writers of that age that the resolution of Faith had its utmost compleat effect in the reception of the whole Christian world grounding his assertion upon such like passages of S. Augustine as these Those are only Plenary Councells which are gathered out of
so absolute and sublime a nature as that of the Apostles was though it be sufficient to require obedience from every man as likewise consequently that they are not in all degrees so powerfully assisted in their determinations as the Apostles were so that some difference is to be made between Canons of Councells â—â— Apostolike writings as hath been shewed before out of S. Augustine Beltarmine and other Authors 7. That some difference may likewise be made between the present and primitive Churches For they having received Christian doctrines more immediately and purely and besides the true sense of particular passages of Scripture which are difficult which is now in a great measure utterly lost they were able to speak more fully of many particular not necessary points in Christian Religion then the present church now can though perhaps the advantage of tongues and sciences the benefit of so many writings both ancient and modern long study and meditation c. may in some sort recompense those disadvantages of the present church 3 yet however these are but acquired and humane perfections whereas the former were Apostolique Tradition 8. That even of points of doctrine decided by Councells a difference may be made between such as are of universall Tradition and others for those former being capable to be made evidently certain as I proved before such decisions are to be the objects of our Christian Faith and no more to be rejected then any other divine revelations But other points of doctrine there are sometimes decided in Councells rather by the judgement and learning of the Bishops considering Texts of Scripture wherein such points seem to be included And weighing together the doctrines of antient Fathers and modern Doctors an example whereof I gave before in the Councell of Vienna touching inherent grace infused into Infants in Baptism and in the Councell of Bazil concerning the immaculate conception of our B. Lady NOw such decisions many Catholiques conceive are not in so eminent a manner the necessary objects of Christian Faith because not delivered as of universall Tradition But however an extreme temerity it would be in any particular man to make any doubt of the truth of them and unpardonable disobedience to reject them I mean the conclusions themselves though if the Texts of Scripture be set down from whence such conclusions are deduced or the said authorities produced it may perhaps not be so great a fault to enquire and dispute whether from such a Text or such authorities such a conclusion will necessarily follow 9. If in such decisions as these later are there should happen to be any errour which yet we may piously believe the assistance of Gods holy Spirit promised to the Church will prevent but if this should happen since it must necessarily be in a point not pertinent to the substance of Christian Religion for all substanciall points are univâ—rsall Tradition as we shewed before it were far better such an error should passe till as S. Augustine saith some later Councell amended it then that unity should be dissolved for an unnecessary truth since as Irenaeus saith There is no reformation so important to the Church as Schism upon any pretence whatsoever is pernicious 5. Upon such grounds as these I supposed it was that our learned Stapleton stated this question of the churches authority or as he calls it infallibility with so much latitude and condescendence And him I have quoted not with any intention to prefeâ— him with the disparagement of any other but to shew that thereby I perceived my self not to have sufficiently considered the necessary doctrine of the Roman Church in this so fundamentall a point of faith and likewise how when I heard the Church speaking in her own language and moderately interpreted by Catholique Doctors I found what she said so just so reasonable so impossible to be contradicted by any thing but passion or interest or pride or hatred of unity that there was no resisting the attraits of it Then at last I found what I had all my life time in vain sought after namely a firm foundation whereon I might safely and without any scruple rely and more glad then of all worldly treasures to see my soul taken out of mine own hands and placed under the conduct of her whom Christ had appointed to be my guide and conductresse to whom he had made so many rich promises and with whom it is his pleasure to dwel then I took up a Psalm of Thanksgiving and said Laetatus sum in his quae dicta sunt mihi in domum Domini ibimus Stantes erant pedes nostri in atriis tuis Jerusalem Jerusalem quae aedificatur ut civitas cujus participatio ejus in id ipsum Illuc enim ascenderunt tribus tribus Domini c. Psal. 121. CHAP. XXXIV Unsatisfactory grounds of the English Church concerning the Ecclesiasticall authority Calvinists Doctrine concerning the Spirit 's being judge of controversies c. answered 1. BEing thus satisfied of the firm grounds of the Churches authority the only bullwark against all Heresie and Schisme a sure preserver of unity without which no Commonwealth no society of men can possibly subsist much lesse of churches in a word so necessary so consonant to reason that even all sorts of sects and congregations whilst they deny it to the Catholique Church usurp it to their own conventicles to which yet they have not assurance enough to apply our Saviours promises in contradiction to other Seets with whom they will not communicate yea even those who make a liberty of prophecying a differencing mark of their Sect yet will not allow their own partizans this liberty of prophecying unlesse they prophecy by their rule and against their enemies In the next place I took into consideration the unspeakably happy effects of this authority which immediately represented themselves to my mind 2. I will notwithstanding a while defer an account of those effects till I have briefly set down and examined the grounds which Protestants lay for interpreting Scripture and judging controversies in Religion in opposition to this authority of the Church and her Generall Councells as likewise their principall objections against the said authority For then comparing both these doctrines together and the consequences together it will be more easie and commodious to decide whether of them is the more advantagious and whether or no I have made a prudent choice in forsaking a Church where all unity was impossible but only such an outward unity as worldly hopes and fears can produce and in betaking my selfe to a church where Schisme is impossible 3. All Protestants and other Sects agree in this against the Catholique Church for Schismaeest unitâ—s ipsis as Tertullian de Prascripâ— c. 42. saith Their unity is an agreement in Schisme that the Scripture is the only sufficient Rule of Faith and that there is no visible Judge of the sense of it But yet to the end that Gods church may not become a very
either denyed or affirmed they being of a contrary opinion would break Communion from and deny it to other Churches for Schisme about unnecessary things is by all Christians acknowledged a sin almost unpardonable 2. That rationally to affirm a doctrine to be expressed plainly in Scripture it is not sufficient to say it appeares so to me for so almost every one will be forward to say of all his Opinions which he pretends to be grounded on Scripture But that is to be called plain and expresse which ha's not been controverted by men of reason pretending to piety and impaertiality especially if they be in any considerable number so that it will not be satisfactory to say this appears plainly to me and I am sure I am not led by interest or faction as others are for this may be every ones plea against another 3. That where two senses are given of any passage of Scripture the one extremely probable and naturall the other not wholly absurd and whereof the words may possibly be capable in this case one Protestant cannot upon their own grounds condemn or impute heresie to another 3. These positions thus premised in the next place I conceived it very just that before any Sect of Christians did build upon this foundation of the Scriptures containing expressely and evidently all things necessary that they should all conspire to make a Catalogue of points necessary and this with relation to severall states of persons or at least to Communions and Churches I add this limitation because to multiply severall distinct Catalogues for all persons would be of extreme labour and on the other side to make one Catalogue for all men would as Mr. Chillingworth Cap. 3. parag 13. sayes be like the making a coat for the Moon which is continually in the wain or encrease 4. Now to shew the reasonablenesse of this and that Mr. Chillingworths adversary required most justly such a Catalogue from Protestants let but any man consider with himself what satisfaction any man can have from a Protestant Minister when he shall tell him You have the Bible of our Translation in which we affirm all necessary truths to be contained but mixed with a world of unnecessary you are not absolutely bound to study or to be able to read this Bible yet you shall be damned if you be ignorant of those necessary truths dispersed here and there in it to say definitively how many and which are those especiall necessary truths we are not able neither have we authority therefore at your own perill be sure you mistake neither in the number nor sense of those truths we can indeed afford you Articles and Catechismes to which as long as you live with us you must be forced to subscribe but we have no authority for there is none visible upon earth to propose our collections or determinations as obliging in conscience c. In what a miserable case would that Protestant be that should give himself leave to examine upon how meer a quicksand all his pretentions to eternity are built 5. And whereas Mr. Chillingworth would seem to conceive himself secure in the midst of these uncertainties because as he thinks Catholiques also are encumbred with the like I found that conceit of his altogether groundlesse for the promises of Christ remaining firm and appropriated to the Catholique Church it will follow 1. That in the Catholique Church shall be taught to the worlds end all necessary and profitable truths to all sorts of persons so that every man respectively receiving and believeing what the church appoints to be proposed to him cannot fail of being instructed with things necessary c. 2. The same Church being endued with authority to determine the true sense of divine truths a Catholique submitting to the Church cannot be in danger through mistakes or errours so that he who hearkens to the Church ha's his catalogue of fundamentalls made to his hand the Church like the wise Steward in the Gospell out of that store of provisions given her by Christ proportioning to every man his dimensum panis quotidiani his own befitting allowance 6. And here by the way will appear 1. The vanity of that ordinary calumny which Protestants impute to the Catholique Church as if she taught that it were sufficient to ignorant men only implicitly to believe what the Church believes without an explicite belief of any thing for there is none so ignorant but is obliged to know and assent to what the Church teacheth him by his Pastour suitable to his estate and education And secondly an usuall mistake among Protestants who think that all the credenda in Catholique Religion are comprised in the definitions of Councells for before ever any Generall Councell sate the Church was furnished with her full measure of divine truths necessary to be believed which were by her publiquely professed and proposed which have been occasionally declared and distinctly expounded in her Councells But to return to Mr. Chillingworth 7. He by his sharp understanding and long meditation coming to perceive those inconveniences and considering that no Protestant or other Church could upon their generally acknowledged grounds authoritatively define either the number or sense of Articles of Faith so as to oblige any man even within her Communion in conscience to assent and submission For for example if an Englishman would not subscribe to the sense of any Article of the Church of England all the penalty would be he should not partake of the priviledges and preferments of that Church but he might go over into Denmark or Holland whose sense in such an Article he liked better and still be acknowledged even by the English Church to be orthodox enough He therefore was forced to introduce two Novelties among English Protestants which find great approbation the first is to alter the old manner and notion of subscription to the English Articles for whereas before the Protestants there by their subscription testified their belief of all the 39. Articles in the sense imported in the words yea whereas there was a Canon which denounced Excommunication ipso facto to all that should say that any of them were not true Mr. Chillingworth thus expresseth his mind in subscribing I am perswaded that the constant doctrine of the Church of England is so pure and Orthodox that whosoever believes it and lives according to it undoubtedly he shall be saved and that there is no error in it which may necessitate or warrant any man to distrub the peace or renounce the Communion of it This in my opinion saith he is all intended by subscription 8. His second novelty is that whereas the Protestants alwaies professed that the publiqua Confessions of their Churches Faith was indeed their own faith that is such expressions plain and indubitable as are in holy Scripture concerning such points or at least irrefragable consequences from Scripture and therfore were to them as Scripture because their sence of Scripture and whereas they respectively
natures for some proceed directly against it others only against some consequences from it I will therefore weigh first his objections grounded upon the different opinions of Catholikes concerning that point 2. His reasons directly proving as he believes that no church of one denomination can be infallible and therefore not the Catholique Church 3. His proofs that Catholiques in their resolution of Faith are entangled in circles and absurdities 4. His arguments to demonstrate that Catholiques can have no assurance either of the authority of the church or the validity of any acts performed by the Pastors thereof c. But before I attempt a discussion of these particulars I may in generall say of all his objections that since they proceed only against the word Infallibility and that word extended to the utmost height and latitude that it can possibly bear Catholiques as such are not at all concerned in them seeing neither is that expression to be found in any received Councell nor did ever the Church enlarge her authority to so vast a widenesse as Mr. Chillingworth either conceived or at least for his particular advantage against his adversary thought good to make show as if he conceived so 2. But come we to consider his arguments against Catholiques grounded upon the different opinions among them in what subject this Infallibility or authority is to be placed The most pressing and pertinent passage in his book concerning this subject is this which follows viz. What shall we say now if you be not agreed touching your pretended means of agreement How can you pretend to unity either actuall or potentiall more then Protestants may Some of you say the Pope alone without a Councell may determine all controversies but others deny it Some that a Generall Councell without a Pope may do so others deny this Some both inconjunction are infallible determiners others againe deny this Lastly some among you hold the acceptation of the decrees of Councells by the universall Church to be the only way to decide controversies which others deny by denying the Church to be infallible And indeed what way of ending controversies can this be when either part may pretend that they are part of the Church and they receive not the decree therefore the whole Church hath not received it Mr. Chil. c. 3. parag 6. 3. Hereto I answer 1. That there is indeed no need at all of an answer since the very objection answers it self for by saying there are variety of opinions among Catholiques acknowledged for such even while they differ it follows that the objector is not obliged to submit to that Judge which any Catholique refuses 2. None of these will deny that decision of the Councell of Trent viz. Ecclesiae est judiâ—are de vero sensu sacrae Scripturae that is It belongs to the Church to judge of the true sense of holy Scripture And Protestants will not be urged to submit to any more rigid or higher expression 3. Yea moreover this indulgence I am confident will be granted them namely That no man will endeavour to oblige them further then to doctrines and practises determined by one or more Councells universall confirmed by the Pope and actually received and accepted by all Catholiques that is as much as to say to believe that there is indeed an obliging authority in the Catholike Church to impose upon her children a belief of all doctrines proposed in her Oecumenicall Councells let this authority be limited and streightned with as many Proviso's and the sense of these doctrines enlarged and qualified with as many mollifying interpretations as any approved Catholike Doctor hath thought good that is indeed as any reasonable man remaining so can desire only upon condition that they do not prejudice nor grate upon the pure simple language wherein the Church expresses her self Christians are at liberty what particular Doctors sense they like to embrace or whether none at all but will content themselves with the naked decisions of the Church as they lye without making inferences or building thereon further conclusions CHAP. XLI His reasons proving no Church of one denomination to be infallible answered 1. IN the second place we will weigh his reasons to prove that no Church of one denomination is infallible and by consequence no Church at all His words are after he had said that he was willing upon courtesie to grant that Christ made a promise absolute of indefectibility to his Church but be interprets it only in this sense viz. That true Religion shall never be so far driven out of the world but that it shall alwaies have some where or other some that believe and professe it in all things necessary to salvation and that such believers shall never erre in fundamentalls for if they did they were not a Church But he denyes utterly that there is any Church fit to be a guide in fundamentalls because no Church is fit to be a Guide but onely a Church of some certaine denomination as the Greek the Roman the Abyssine c. For sayes he otherwise no man can possibly know which is the true Church but by a pre-examination of the doctrine controverted and that were not to be guided by the Church to the true doctrine but by the true doctrine to the Church Now sayes he that there is not any Church of one denomination infallible in fundamnntalls is evident for 1. If it were an infallible guide in fundamentalls she would be infallible in all things which she proposes and requires to be believed 2. That being a point of so mâ—â—n consequence certainly the Scripture would have named that Church 3. Because Catholiques themselves build the assurance of the churches infallibility onely upon motives very credible but not certain Lastly beeause it is evident and even to impudence it selfe undeniable that upon this ground of believing all things taught by the present church as taught by Christ errour was held For example the necessity of giving the Eucharist to Infants and that in S. Augustines time and that by S. Augustine himself and therefore without controversie this is no certain ground for truth which may support falshood as well as truth The same may be said of the doctrine of the Chiliasts which S. Irenaeus and S. Justin Martyr say was a traditionary doctrine from the Apostles times c. 2. To answer this discourse by parcells And first concerning his exposition of Christ's promise of indefectibility to his Church it ha's been answered in more then one place already 2. Where he sayes that there is no Church fit to be a guide in fundamentalls I desire to know whether those whom Christ ha's appointed in his church to be Overseers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teachers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Governors Assistants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. be not fit to be accounted guides at least in Fundamentalls Againe whether an agreement of all these Governours meeting in a Generall Councell be not the supremest authority Thirdly
church as a doctrine Traditionary and moreover it is attested by all antient Records of the Fathers of the church nemine explicite contradicente and it ha's been practised by Councells in all ages not one Catholique renouncing his obedience In so much as to my understanding there is not one Christian doctrine delivered with so full an assurance nor in the sense and meaning whereof it is lesse possible for a man to be mistaken Now by vertue of this speciall truth of the churches authority Universall Tradition which of it self is most credible and certain being believed and attested by the present church becomes most necessary to be believed by us the Church supplying the place not only of a witnesse but of an Embassadour likewise instructed and employed by Christ himself as S. Augustine most effectually maintains so that in believing and obeying her we believe and obey Christ himself according to Christs own expression He that heareth you heareth me and If any one heareth not the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican And therefore they that believe Christian doctrines only because they think they find them in the Scripture and believe the Scripture only because their reason or fancy which they miscall the testimony of Gods Spirit tells them that it is the Word of God though the doctrines themselves believed by them be true yet it is a hazard as to them whether they be so or no or however whether that be the sense of them or no it being all one as if a man by some casualty had found a transcribed copy of some part of an Embassadors Pattent or instructions Whereas Catholiques receive the commands of their heavenly King and Master from his Embassadours own hands which not only will not conceale any thing necessary or requisite from them but likewise will be able upon occasion to cleare all manner of difficulties that may arise about the sense of the said instructions or Patent having received glorious promises of continuall residence among us and of divine assistance to preserve him from any at least dangerous error 8. These things thus supposed Mr. Chillingworth's pretended circles and absurdities in the Resolution of Catholique Faith doe clearly and evidently vanish For a Catholique does not only or chiefly believe the Churches authority because to his privaâ—e understanding and reason the Scripture seems to say so but because he knows that the present Catholique Church teacheth so both by profession and practise and that she teacheth this as a Catholike Tradition believed and practised in all ages then which it is impossible there should be any testimony more assured and infallible so that if a man can be sure of any thing done before his own times as all reasonable men do agree that one may he cannot avoid being most sure of this if his passion or interests do not hinder him from searching into the grounds of it I need not therefore particularly give an answer to Mr. Chillingworth's discourse before produced since it wholly proceeds upon a mistake of his adversaries and other Catholiques grounds and since himself in the close of it seemes to confesse by objecting to himselfe Universall Tradition that if this doctrine of the Churches authority could be made appear to be grounded upon Catholike Tradition it would be as much credible as if the Scripture had expresly testified it since in his opinion the Scripture it selfe and nothing besides enjoyes its authority because it is delivered by Universall Tradition and by consequence would not be lyable to any circles or absurdities So that truly I wonder why seeing Mr. Chillingworth could not be ignorant that Catholiques do generally pretend that this doctrine comes from Tradition besides the proofs of it out of Scripture he should notwithstanding dispute against it as if there were no other ground for it but two or three questionable passages of Scriptâ—re CHAP. XLIII An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's allegations of pretended uncertainties and casualties in the grounds of the faith and salvation of Catholiques 1. THere is in Mr. Chillingworth's book another rank of objections which though they do not directly combat the churches infallibility or authority yet they had great effect upon me because they seemed to infer that the faith and salvation likewise of Catholiques depended upon extreme uncertainties and casualties and by consequence that a Catholique could not give any assurance that his faith was safely grounded For thus he argues c. 2. parag 63. ad 68. The salvation of many millions of Papists as they suppose and teath depends upon their having the Sacrament of Penance duly administred to them This again upon the Ministers being a true Priest which is a thing that depends upon many uncertain and very contingent supposalls As 1. That he was baptized with due matter 2. With due forme 3. With due intention 4. That the Bishop which ordained him Priest ordained him likewise with due form intention c. 5. That that Bishop himselfe was a person fitly qualified to give orders that is was no Simoniake c. 6. That all that Bishops Progenitors were fitly qualified and so till he arrive to the fountain of Priesthood Now he that shall put together and maturely consider all the possible wayes of lapsing and nullifying a Priesthood in the Church of Rome I believe saith he will be very inclinable to believe that in an hundred seeming Priests there is not one true one But suppose this inconvenience assoyled yet still the difficulty will remain whether he will pronounce the absolving words with intent to absolve you for perhaps he may be a secret Jew Moor or Antitrinitarian which if he be then his intention which is necessary to the validity of a Sacrament will be wanting c. 2. Hereto I answer 1 That such kind of pretended uncertainties or nullities in particulars do not prejudice the authority and stability of the church in generall but that if it be true which ha's alwayes been believed in the church viz. That Christ ha's promised to continue till the worlds end a church governed by lawfull Pastors and preserved in all truth he will engage his omnipotency to make good his fidelity and by consequence he will take care to prevent or remedy all obstacles that can be imagined to be otherwise able to evacuate such his promises and I suppose two such Attributes of Christ are a foundation strong enough to build a faith not obnoxious to such a world of casualties as Mr. Chillingworth suspects 2. That Mr. Chillingworth's whole discourse proceeds upon a mistake of the established doctrine of the Catholique Church which ha's not declared all those things to be nullities nor any of them in the sense that he alledges It is true in the Canon law and among Câ—suists there are mentioned many nullities of Orders and other Sacraments as Simony or Heresie or Schisme are said to nullifie the Ordination of a Bishop or Priest But how to nullifie it by taking away the
present age that so the former ages delivered to her What shall we say then when to the evident testimony of the present age for Catholike verities may be added a world of testimonies both of Scripture and antient writers beyond all comparison far more then for her enemies contradictory assertions even those enemies themselves being judges as will appeare undeniably to any man that will consult that one book of Brercley's Apology of Protestants for the Catholique church CHAP. II. Of the Reall Presence and Transubstantiation Of the Adoration of Christ in the Sacrament and of Communion under one Species 1. THe six speciall controversies which I shall briefly consider shall be 1. Concerning the Eucharist and therein of the Reall Presence of Christs body by way of Transubstantiation as likewise Of the Adoration of our Lord present in the Sacrament and communion under one Species 2. Of Invocation of Saints 3. Of Veneration of Images 4. Of Prayer for the Dead and Purgatory 5. Of Indulgences 6. Of the Publike Service in Latin The reason why I make choice of these is both because these are the especiall controversies wherein there is a reall and manifest difference between Catholiques and Protestants who make these points the principall causes of their separation For as concerning the debates about Grace and Free-will Predestination and Justification as likewise the merits of good works though ignorant-popular-preaching Protestants make a great clamour about them yet I was most assured that there was indeed a reall agreement when they came to explaine themselves sensibly about them As for the controversie concerning the Pope I have spoken sufficiently in the 52. chapter at the latter end of the fourth conclusion 2. First therefore concerning the Reall presence of Christs body in the Eucharist and that by way of Transubstantiation In discoursing upon which because my designe is not to write the controversie in generall but only in reference to the doctrine which following the church of England I was taught there it will be sufficient for me to signifie that by that church I was taught that in the blessed Sacrament the body and bloud of our Lord were really present exhibited and received by the Communicants really I say not onely as the objects of Faith or not onely as really exhibiting the effects of Christs suffering but as truly and properly as the Roman church professeth onely I was forbidden to say that there was any reall change made in the bread and Wine which remained after Consecration as they were before In a word I was taught to say what neither I nor any other was able to expresse save onely that the Romish doctrine was false which taught that that presence was made by a presence of Christs body under the Species which only remained of the visible elements 3. Now when I say that I was taught to expresse my belief thus by the church of England my intention is not that that church obligeth every one to believe thus For the truth is so a man will but renounce the two words of Transubstantion and Consubstantiation he may preserving the terme really interpret himself as if really signified only figuratively or as the object of the understanding as we see a world of writers allowed there to have expressed themselves Yea in the 28. and 29. Articles of that Church there are certain clauses which require only a figurative sense to be understood as when it is said The body of Christ is given taken and eaten in the supper only after an heavenly and spirituall manner and the mean whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten in the supper is Faith And again The wicked c. are in no wise partakers of Christ but rather to their condemnation do eat and drink the sign or Sacrament of so great a thing Which clauses being allowed those Articles do admit yea require not only the Calvinistical but even the Zuinglian sense concerning that point Yet notwithstanding this whether the Calvinisticall party there had with their usuall importunity extorted the inserting of those clauses into the Articles I know not yet those that followed the Prelaticall Governing Faction never considered those expressions but without any Calvinisticall hypscrisie professed that they believed the Reall Presence as truly and really and properly as the Catholiques did And so King James commanded Monsieur Casaubon to signifie his sense to Cardinall Perron in the words of Doctor Andrews then Bishop of Ely 4. Now what other reason can be imagined should move the most learned and prudent part of the English Clergy to expresse themselves so neer the Catholique sense but only a conviction that besides the formall words of Scripture the Ecclesiasticall Tradition and generall doctrine of the Fathers enforced such a sense But by what mystery it came to passe that they should dispense with themselves for following Tradition no further but that under a pretence that the Sacrament was a mystery inexplicable they should forsake the same Tradition and Fathers who generally professe that that presence is made by a reall transmutation of the visible elements into the very Body and Blood of Christ this I confesse I could never comprehend 5. Now that such was the Traditionary doctrine of the Catholique church besides the testimony of the present age which will be of infinite weight to any one that duly considers it and to omit a world of quotations out of Councells and Fathers wherein expressions to prove the same are as full yea perhaps more rigid then the Decision of the Councell of Trent it selfe I became convinced from these considerations viz. 1. Because in all the antient Liturgies that ever I saw there are expresse mention of the verity and reality of this change and not any the least intimation of a figurative sense there are expresse prayers that God would by his omnipotent power cause the Bread and Wine to become the Body and Bloud of our Lord and not the least intimation that the way of communicating of these mysteries should be only by Faith or by the operation of the understanding 2. Because in the form of communicating both in the Easterne and Westerne churches which form or Canon S. Chrysostome S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Basile c. attribute to the Apostles themselves as authors there was required from the communicants a confession of their beliefe of the reality of this change or to expresse it in S. Ambrose his language de Sacr. l. 4. c. 3. The Priest viz. presenting to thee that which before consecration was bread saith unto thee This is the body of Christ and thou answerest Amen that is to say it is true That which the tongue confesseth let the heart believe 3. Because generally the Fathers when they speak of this argument have recourse to the omnipotence of the Word of Christ and to wonderfull operations exalted above all humane credibility as the cause of this change thereby leaving no doubt that they understood a
Universal Church But they are not satisfied that they ow that submission to the Roman and if not to the Roman they know not to what Church Sol. 16. To say somthing for the clearing this difficulty I shall desire them to consider 1. That whilst the Eastern and Western Churches were joyned in one External communion it is apparent that that Body was the Catholick Church to which the Promises of Christ were made and to which Protestants themselves would not have refused submission 2. That a breach hapning between these Churches is not mortal to the whole Body but onely to that Member that did unlawfully separate 3. By consequence that both the Title and real Authority of the Catholick Church remains in the innocent Part that is either in the Roman or Eastern Church 4. That whethersoever of these two be the Catholick Church English Protestants are Schismaticks since they are divided from both and the pretended grounds of their Divisions are Doctrines received by them both 5. That in case English Protestants would now take into debate to whether of these two parties they should re-adjoyn themselves by that means to become Catholicks again they must be forced to quit both a greater number of their Topical Doctrines and more fundamental ones to fit themselves to an union with the Eastern then with the Roman Church 6. That if they will needs out of Passion prefer the Eastern their Passion will be evident since that whensoever either remorse of conscience or the approaches of death made them see their unsafe condition thousands of them have fled to the Roman Church for shelter but never any to the Grecian or any other but the Roman 7. That as long as they are out of the Roman Church they are in a headless trunck divided from the successor of St. Pèter whom St. Cyprian St. Hierome Optatus c. acknowledged to be the foundation of Unity Order c. Ob. 17. Now if among Protestants any out of a perverse condescendence shal grant that the grounds alledged for the separation of the Eastern Western Churches are not in themselves of such main importance as to hinder them from being really one Catholick Church And therefore that before the present controversies can be decided a general Assembly of them all must be expected Sol. 18. to this they must give me leave to say 1. That they make the Promises of Christ to be casual temporary and obnoxious to critical daies and seasons if they think that the changes of Kingdoms or that the humors of an earthly Tyrant can either evacuate or suspend the force of those promises by which our Lord hath obliged himself to provide that the Gates of Hell that is heresies shall not prevail against his Church The effect of which promise in the opinion of such Objectors must be delayed till the Grand Signior will allow the Grecian Bishops to meet with the Western to consult of and procure the peace and union of Christendom 2. In case they should be permitted to meet Protestants may without the spirit of prophesie foretel their own most solemn condemnation For since both the Eastern and Western Churches do already agree in most doctrines renounced by Protestants viz. Transubstantiation Adoration of the blessed Sacrament Prayer for the Dead and by consequence a Purgatory in which souls are capable of refreshment by such Prayers Veneration of Images Relicks c. Invocation of Saints Indulgences Merit of good works c. In which Doctrines they do agree as acknowledging them to be Traditionary It is impossible they should ever be perswaded to revoke any of them being met in an Assembly unless they will renounce all order and manner of proceeding in former General Councels which is not according to the Method of Protestants Viz. Endlessly to dispute every controverted Point by Texts of Scripture but to judge of the Truth of Points and the sense of Scripture by Traditien In such Assemblies therefore Bishops will ask one another Have your Fathers delivered to you that Bread after consecration becomes the Body of Christ That this body in the Sacrament is to be adored That we ought to pray for Souls departed in the Faith of Christ c. If so Servetur quod traditum est Now it being apparent that at the present all agree that such Doctrines both in the East and West have been delivered by Tradition and that their meeting together in a Councel will not help to make a contrary Tradition possible It will follow that whether divided or united whether alone or in Assembly they are and ever will be at least so far united as to joyn in the condemnation of Protestants CHAP. V. An Answer to the Remainder of the Preface 1. THe rest of the Preface of I. P. touches my self onely and pretends to shew what success the writings of those great Defenders of the Church of England have had against me in particular forcing me to confess That Infallibility is an unfortunate word That Mr. Chillingworth hath combated it with too great success so that I would wish the word were forgotten or at least laid by c. Now since the Church is not at all concern'd in this but my self onely who am charged with writing an incongruous impertinent Book a Book that deserves no answer but answers it self since it maintains that which its Adversary did not combat c. Truly were it not for I. P. and his friends sake more then mine own I would not answer for my self But since I perceive that the word Infallibility is as unfortunate a word to them as it was to me I will endeavour to take order that it shall be so no more 2. First therfore I say with Mr. Veron that the word Infallibility has been found out by the Schools that love to find out as short waies to express their notions as possibly can be And the world finds very great convenience by it Therefore with reference to the Church Schoolmen and from them Controvertists desirous to express the great veracity of the Church considered as a Judge or witness of Divine Truths deposed by God with her and withal the utmost obligation that all Christians have to beleeve truths so determined and witnessed by her found out this single word Infallibility to express both these by But yet the Church her self hath not as yet assumed or borrowed this word in any of her Decisions from the Schools and therefore being none of the Churches word we are not oblig'd to make her to speak it and the truth is though it comprehends al that they intend by it yet it is no adaequate measure of those conceptions because Infallibility may comprehend a great deal more for truth and our obligation to beleeve it is yet in a higher degree in Scripture then in the Decisions of the Church as Bellarmine acknowledges For the Scripture in all points both of Doctrine and Story and all circumstances is infallibly true not so the Decisions of the
Infallibility or Authority of the Church I am most assured if the reasons given by me against M. Chillingworth be indeed concluding and my answers to his objections satisfactory that if Mr. Chillingworth had been alive to read my book and had thought so too he would not have made that poor shift that I. P. hath done and have said that Mr. Cressy did unreasonably to impugne him 11. In the next place forasmuch as concerns the manner of my Answer which I. P. in the eighth Paragraph says is yet more unreasonable In that I deserting the Infallibility answer onely to the authority of the Church so making this authority answer for that Infallibility I answer that it was onely a mistaken notion that both I and Mr. Chillingworth and all Protestants have of the word Infallibility that I deserted and desire I. P. likewise to desert with me but as for the true Infallibility which is in effect al one with the Authority of the Church it could never enter into my thoughts to desert it and it proving to be the very same thing with the Authority of the Church obliging under damnation it is very reasonable that this Authority should answer for that Infallibility and that Infallibility for this Authority 12. As to the three Absurdities in the opinion of I. P. following from the unreasonableness of my answer of which the 1. is That after all I have said to Mr. Chillingworth's arguments I must still acknowledge them unanswerable as they were intended by him that made them 2. That my Answer must be to no purpose because I pretend to answer his arguments as against the Authority of the Church simply considered without Relation to such an Infallibity which were never made against an Authority so qualified And 3. That if I intend to refute all opposition made to the Infallibility of the Church by an assertion of its bare authority then must I assert that authority which is fallible to be as great and as convincing as that which is Infallible c. Here I answer that there is no need of any further answer for that which is already said demonstrates all these consequences to be meer mistakes grounded upon mistakes Yet because for good I. P. sake I am content to take the pains to say more then absolute necessity requires therefore that which is already said being presupposed to the first pretended Absurdity I answer 1. That Mr. Chillingworth did esteem both the Rhetorick and Logick of his Book prevalent not onely against Dr. Potters single Adversary and his grounds but against the very foundations of all Catholick Authority insomuch as he challenges all Catholicks whatsoever protesting that if they be able to answer but a very few leaves of his Book he will submit and go to Mass presently And 2. The truth is if his positive grounds of The Bible and nothing but the Bible interpreted casually by private reason be the onely Rule not Infallibility onely but all Authority is destroyed Therefore his intention was that his arguments should have heir force not onely against that notion which he thought his Adversary had of Infallibility but against the thing it self whether you will call it Authority or Infallibility And by consequence 3. I have no obligation to think still for it never concerned me to think his arguments to be unanswerable as they were intended by himself 13. To the second pretended Absurdity I further answer that it is true Mr. Chillingworth very often mistakes even his Adversary in his acception of the word Infallibility And this I said in general in the Book and much more that he mistakes in his application of this mistaken notion to the Churches Authority or qualified Infallibility But though I said this in general you will finde that when I come to a particular answer of passages and grounds quoted out of him they are such as concern the positive fundamental grounds of his whole book and destroy not onely all Infallibility but all Authority yea the very being of a Church whether Catholick or Schismatick And where I answer particular objections against the Church I have no recourse to his mistake of Infallibility Therefore my answer is to some purpose though many of his objections be to none as to Catholicks in general 14. To the third supposed Absurdity I answer that I had rather think I. P. did read my Book negligently then that he would censure it malitiously and against his conscience if he did read it with care For it is evident through my whole book that my own thoughts were c I have clearly signified those thoughts to have been that Infallibility and Authority are in effect all one as applyed to the Church For to say that the Church has authority in a General Councel to propose Doctrines of Faith and to oblige all Christians under penalty of damnation to receive and beleeve the said Doctrines and withal to say that she is fallible and may deceive and propose falsities for truths and so propose them as that there can be no appeal from her would be the extremity of injustice and the exalting of a Tyranny more grievous then Sicily ever felt a Tyranny upon Souls I wonder therefore what art it was that I. P. used when he extracted out of my book that because of the ill use that Mr. Chillingworth c. made of the Scholastical word Infallibility exalting it to the supremest degree that the word could import that is to a degree not at all pretended to by the Church no nor scarce by the Scripture it self and therefore I declared my willingness not to serve my self of that word which was none of the Churches own and desired others also either to abstain from it or at least to adjoyn such necessary qualifications to it as were allowed by the Church to the end that Protestants might see what it is that they combat and ought to submit to viz. The just and lawful Authority of the Church in interpreting of Scriptures Authoritatively and proposing of Doctrines with absolute obligation of beleeving I wonder I say by what new art he extracted this consequence that I must assert that that Authority is as great and convincing which is fallible as that which is Infallible Did I ever deny or give the least ground of suspition that it was in my heart to deny the Authority of the Church to be Infallible in Decisions propounded by her as traditionary Is it to say the Church is fallible or a Guide that may lead a soul out of the way or a Judge capable of mistaking because there may be spread in some places of the Church some Opinions no Decisions or some practises which Protestants may account unwarrantable No no it is meer guilt in I. P. that made him draw such an inference he is loath to see the truth appearing out of clouds I may more truly call the word Infallibility the Darling of Protestants then as he does of Catholicks a Darling to them
whatsoever thing came from me and observe the Traditions which I have given you Besides in some cases there may be controversies about points which are not grounded upon Orall Tradition but only Scripture 4. A third inconvenience following the Protestants position is this That since undoubtedly there were in the Primitive Church Traditions in great number besides what is expressed in Scripture I could not imagine what was become of them or how it should be possible they should come to be lost having been received generally through the whole Church and most of them shining in the practise of it To salve this inconvenience Protestants either impudently give the lye to all the Fathers and say without the least proofe that there were none at all Or in England there being under-Sects which by Scripture alone could not be confuted as Puritans Anabaptists Sabbatarians c. they are forced to acknowledge some few Traditions of such a nature although thereby they destroy their maine foundation of Only-Scripture For by the Traditionary doctrine of Non-rebaptization they conclude the Anabaptists to be Heretiques that is erring in a necessary point of doctrine Yet themselves renounce doctrines and practises delivered by a far more full Tradition So great effect hath interest in that Church But what will become of S. Basils saying before quoted That the day would faile him if he should undertake to enumerate all the Traditions left by the Apostles in the Church not mentioned in Scripture For all that even the most condescending Protestants will allow for such may be reckoned five times over in a minute of an hower Considering therefore that such Traditions being visibly manifest for the most part in the practise of the Church are far more easily preserved then any writing can be it will necessarily follow that the rest of that great number are extant in the Roman Church as may be proved of most of them before reckoned by testimonies of Ancient Fathers Vid. sup c. 3. 5. A fourth inconvenience to my understanding unavoidable by Protestants and a great proofe of the truth of the Doctrine of the Roman Church is this Though Protestants generally deny that the points of Controversie debated between them and the Roman Church were universally received by the Ancient Church as Invocation of Saints adoration of Christ as present in the blessed Sacrament Prayer for the dead c. Yet they cannot deny but that in many of the Fathers proofes of these doctrines may be found to shew that such was at least their particular opinions Now if generally the Ancient Church had agreed with Protestants both in denying such doctrines and practise received now in the Roman Church and likewise in making only-expresse-Scripture the Rule to judge by it could not be avoided but that some Synods or Fathers would have taken notice of such pretended errours in the writings of other Fathers and likewise would have produced some of those Texts of Scriptures now made use of by Protestants for that purpose a thing they are so far from that on the contrary we find that many of the Fathers infer the same doctrines from the same Texts that Catholiques now do And Protestants though they alledge some passages of Fathers by which they may seem consequently to destroy such doctrines and to contradict their owne formall assertions in other places yet are not able to produce so much as one Text of Scripture interpreted by any Father to confute any one such pretended errour Which is a thing very remarkable and will argue either that no man in the Ancient Church took notice of such pretended dangerous speeches of so many Fathers or that they understood not the plaine Texts of Scripture if Protestants grounds be true or upon Catholiques grounds since it was impossible but they must have taken notice of such opinions and since they certainly did understand plaine Texts of Scripture that therefore not disputing out of Scripture as Protestants doe they were so far from believing such opinions to be errours deserving a Schisme that they all of them agreed in receiving them as Catholique Truths Other inconveniences which without hope or possibility of remedy do arise from making Scripture alone secluding not only Traditions but likewise any visible obliging interpreter to be the only Rule and Judge of Controversies shall be reserved to be examined in the next Conclusion concerning the Authority of the Church in this businesse CHAP. V. Weaknesse of Protestants proofs for only-Scripture Texts of Scripture alleadged by Catholiques vainly eluded by Protestants 1. AS I said before since Protestants and all other Sects doe against their nature and custome so unanimously conspire to forsake the oldâ— and good wayes by travelling wherein even themselves being judges so many glorious Saints Confessors Martyrs Bishops c. were renowned not onely in their owne but all succeeding times dissipated armies of Haeretiques propagated the Kingdome of Christ over the world subdued Idolatry and made it utterly to vanish though supported with the force of the whole Roman world and in fine arrived to a supereminent degree of glory in Paradice And since in stead of this so successefull a way they have chosen to walke every man in a severall path through those narrow crooked and at least very dangerous because new wayes of a proud selfe-assuming presumption in interpreting only-Scripture each man according to his own fancy interest following the example of no antiquity but only ancient Heretiques in all reason they should have taken order to have justified themselves herein after a more then ordinary manner they ought to have contributed all the invention and skill of all the best wits in each Sect to fortifie this common foundation of only Scripture and no visible judge beyond all other points of difference 2. And so no doubt they have to the utmost capacity of the subject But no skill can serve to build a firme secure edifice upon sand and private reason or fancies of inspiration are more weake and sandy then even sand it selfe For proofe hereof let us consider the pretended proofes and reasons which they alleadge to assert this their fundamentall position viz. that the entire Rule of Faith is the written word of God of which there is not extant any visible authoritative interpreter Proofes hereof produced by them are 1. Negative invalidating such Texts of Scripture as are alledged by Catholiques and expounded by Fathers to prove Traditions unwritten and 2. Positive drawne from other Texts expressing the sufficiency and perfection of Scripture 3. Some Texts by Catholiques produced to prove Traditions and those concerning points of Doctrine as well as practise or ceremonies besides what is written in the Evangelicall books are among others these following out of S. Paul 2 Thes. cap. 1. ver 15. Observe the Tradititions which you have received from us whether by word or by Epistle And againe 2 Tim. c. 2. ver 13. Have before thine eyes the patterne of sound words which thou hast heard
who are naturally better disposed attesting that God is to be sought and worshipped we ought not to despaire but that there is some authority placed by the same God upon which we raising and settling our selves as upon a most firm basis may be exalted up unto God Againe This is the providence of true Religion this is commanded us from heaven this is delivered unto us by our Blessed ancestors this is preserved even to these our times to be willing to disturb and pervert this is nothing else but to seek a sacrilegious way to true Religion Again de unit Eccl c. 19. Neither thou nor I do read this evidently and expresly viz in the Scriptures But if there were to be found in the world any one endow'd with wisdome and recommended by the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ and if such an one were consulted with by us touching this controversie we should in no wise doubt to observe whatsoever such an one should say unto us and this for fear of being judged to have opposed not so much such a person as our Lord Jesus Christ himself by whose testimony such an one is recommended Now Christ gives testimony to his Church Again de Bap. l. 5. c. 23. To speak the truth the Apostles have prescribed nothing concerning this but this custome ought to be believed to have taken it's originall from their Tradition As there are many things which the universall Church observes the which in good right ought to be believed to have been delivered by the Apostles although they be not found in Scripture Againe lib. 4. That which the universall Church holds and it is not ordeined by Councels but hath been alwayes reteined and observed is most justly believed to have been delivered no other way than by Apostolique Tradition c. We must observe in these things that which the Church of God observes the Question therefore between you and us is Whether of the two Yours or Ours is the Church of God Againe To omit therefore this sincere wisdom which you will not allow to be in the Catholique Church There are many other things which most justly keep me in her bosome The consent of Peoples and Nations keep me there The authority begun by Miracles nourished by hope augmented by charity confirmed by Antiquity keep me there The succession of Prelates ever since the Seat of Peter to whom our Lord after his Resurrection committed the feeding of his sheep to this present Episcopate keep me there And finally the very name of Catholique keeps me there the which name this Church alone not without cause hath reteined among so many and great Haeresies insomuch as when any stranger demands where the assembly is wherein a man may communicate with the Catholique Church there is not any one Heretique ha's the boldnesse to shew him his Temple or house c. These so many and so strong and most deare tyes of the Christian name with good right retein a believer in the Catholike Church although that by reason of the slowness of our understanding or want of merit in our lives the truth doth not as yet shew it self unto us with perfect evidence Againe the same Father in the same book ca. 5. I doe not believe saith he that Manichaeus is the Apostle of Christ I pray you be not angry neither begin to give ill language For you know that I have resolved not to believe rashly any thing produced by you I ask therefore Who is this Manichaeus You will answer the Apostle of Christ. I do not believe it Now thou wilt find nothing what thou shouldst say or do for thou didst promise me a science of truth and now thou forcest me to believe a thing that I know not It may be thou wilt read the Gospel unto mee and from thence wilt endeavour to assert the person of Manichaeus But what if thou shouldest light upon one that doth not yet believe the Gospel what wouldst thou doe to him when he tells thee I do not believe And truly I my self would not believe the Gospel were it not that the authority of the Catholique Church moves me Now why should I not believe the same persons saying to me Believe not Manichaeus to whom I gave credence saying Believe the Gospel Chuse what thou wilt If thou shalt say Believe the Catholiques they move me to give no credence to you therefore if I believe them I must of necessity not believe thee If thou shalt say Doe not believe Catholiques Thou shalt doe unjustly compelling me by the Gospel to believe Manicheus because the same Gospel I believed upon the â—reaching of Catholiques But if thou 〈◊〉 say Thou didst well to believe the Gospell upon the commendation of Catholiques but ill in believing them discommending Manichaeus Doest thou think me so very a fool as that without any reason rendred I should believe what thou pleasest and dis-believe what thou likest not So that surely I doe much more justly and warily if because I am already a believer I doe not forsake the Catholiques to come over to thy partie unlesse thou commandest me not to believe but undertakest to shew me something that may be known most manifestly and apparently Therefore if thou wilt afford me reason quit the Gospel if thou holdest thy self to the Gospel I must hold my selfe to those upon whose command I believed the Gospel and upon the same persons commandement I must by no meanes believe thee But if by chance thou shouldst be able to find in the Gospell some passage most evident concerning the Apostleship of Manichaâ—â— thou wilt thereby weaken indeed unto mee the authority of Catholiques who command mee not to believe thee which authority being invalidated I would no longer believe the Gospell it selfe because it was for their sakes that I believed it So that whatsoever thou shalt alledge will have no force with me To the same purpole the same Father lib. de util cred c. 14. Why should I not most diligently enquire what Christ commanded of them before all â—â—hers by whose authority I was moved to 〈◊〉 that Christ commanded any good thing Canst thou better declare to me what hee said whom I would not have thought to have beene or to be if the belief thereof had beene recommended by thee to me This therefore I believed by fame strengthened with celebrity consent Antiquity But every one may see that you so few so turbulent so new can produce nothing deserving authority VVhat madnesse is this Believe them Catholiques that we ought to believe Christ but learne of us what Christ said VVhy I beseech thee surely if they Catholiques were not at all and could not teach me any thing I would more easily perswade my selfe that I were not to believe Christ then that I should learn any thing concerning him from any other then them by whom I believed in him Lastly the same Father con Cres. I. 1. c. 33. Although saith he there cannot be produced out of the
in any degree wound nor so much as incommodate his adversary 3. Secondly I answer that whatsoever arguments have been or can be made by Protestants against the manner of Resolution of Catholique Faith do not touch the Church at all since she ha's not intermedled in that Scholasticall nicety of the Resolution of Faith If particular men to exercise their wits and to boast their subtilty do busie themselves in this last inquisitive age about such curiosities undebated and unheard of among the antient Doctors of the church what is that to the church her self or her Traditionary doctrines which were proposed and believed before that new language of the schools was invented 4. But thirdly to demonstrate that Protestants do vainly flatter themselves in supposed advantages against Catholiques about this point of Resolution of Faith I will endeavour as briefly and as perspiouously as I can to set down the state of that controversie which when I have done I believe that without any further trouble it will justifie it self not to be obnoxious to those circles and absurdities which Protestants charge upon it 5. Now for a preparation thereto I will lay down these grounds viz. 1. That that is the thing into which we say Faith is last resolved which is the prime motive or authority for whose sake we believe 2. In all kinds of belief the prime authority which deserves Faith must have two qualities viz. Knowledge and veracity 3. In divine Faith the prime authority is alwaies the prime Verity or God 4. In divine Revelations we are to distinguish the faith or assent which we give to the truth revealed from the knowledge or assent to the Revelation or act of revealing 5. In immediate divine Revelations we believe the truth it self for the authority of the revealer or relator himself which is God and we assent to the revelation having a certain knowledge thereof either by the help of our senses externall and internall or without them immediately by our understanding 6. But if divine revelations be conveyed to us by a second hand that is by the report of others yet then faith is not resolved into the conveying authority but into the prime 7. To make faith by vertue of the prime authority certain or firm I must have assurance of the certitude of this conveying hand that is not only that this conveying hand did receive those revealed truths but the true sense of them likewise and withall was not subject to errour in the propagating of them 6. Having laid these grounds we will make application of them to the present purpose in a few examples The first shall be of a revelation made by God immediately either by expresse language or dreams or visions or the Oracle of Urim c. for all these are of the same nature as much as concerns certainty as when God revealed to the Prophet Isaiah the mystery of the Conception of the Messiah of a pure Virgin In this case the Prophet it is to be supposed was assured by a certain knowledge that this revelation was reall and not imaginary so that he believed the truth revealed with a most firm faith for the authority of God the prime verity whom he knew to be the revealer for if he had not assuredly known this he could not have adhered firmly to the mystery though in it selfe never so true and infallible A second example shall be of an immediate revelation also but yet somewhat of a different nature from the former viz. Of our Saviour teaching the Jewes that he was the Messiah the eternall Sonne of God and confirming this truth by divine Miracles In all outward appearance he seemed to be but a man and therefore what he taught could not be the object of divine Faith neither could his hearers have assurance of his authority unlesse they were assured of the truth of his miracles A third example shall be of the same revealed truth viz. That Christ was the Messiah c. but proposed to persons living in the second or third ages after that time by those who either were themselves eye-witnesses or received it from those that were In this case the persons living in the second or third age if they had not certitude that those that told them this did not lye could not with a faith rationally firm and certaine assent to those truths But certain they might be and most undoubtedly were and the grounds of this certainty were as I have largely shewed before a certain knowledge both that they all heard these and all other substantiall truths of Christianity from their Ancestors as a Tradition Universall whether written or no it matters not and that it was as impossible that all their ancestours all the world over should conspire to seduce them with a lie as that their own eyes and ears should deceive them In all these examples there is the same resolution of Faith for both the immediate witnesses of these revelations and their successors do resolve their faith in these supernaturall truths finally and only into the authority of the prime verity For if any of them should be asked Why do you believe that Christ is the eternall Son of God They would all answer because God ha's so revealed neither could they proceed any further But if they were asked how are you certain that there was such a divine revelation the immediate witnesses would say We saw and heard Christ himself publishing these truths and with a world of stupendious miracles confirming them And their successours would say we receive the same truth by an Universall Tradition not only in it self and of it self credible and in a high degree certain but such an one as ha's more advantages to demonstrate its certainty then any other that ever was Now what ha's been spoken of the second and third ages may upon the same grounds be verified of the fourth fifth and all following to the worlds end And likewise what hath been exemplified in one or two supernaturall truths revealed may be extended to all the substantiall points of Christianity all which as I before demonstrated arrive unto us by the same conveying hand of Universall Tradition by severall wayes as writing publike profession and practise propagated 7. Now among these truths or doctrines coming by Universall Tradition and for that reason believed most assuredly by all Catholique Christians and by consequence most certaine and indubitable one principall one is the authority of the present Church considered not as a relator only but as authorized by Christ to teach this and all other doctrines so as to oblige all men to belief and obedience Which speciall doctrine though it were only testified in Scripture as it is evidently enough were sufficient against those that acknowledge only Scripture for their rule yet we are certain of the truth of this doctrine by the former Rule which can neither fail us neither can we be mistaken in it viz. Because it is universally believed in the present
is manifest that they renounce not the communion of Calvinists c. who deny that there was any true church in the world when Luther began his sacrilegious Apostacy and so involve themselves in the same uncharitablenesse Some there are that say saith S. Augustine Ep. 48. we thought it â—â—de no matter where i. e. in what Communion we preserved the Faith of Christ But thanks be given to the Lord who hath gathered us from separation and hath manifested that this is a thing pleasing to God who is One to be served in Unity Besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est c. saith Epiphanius Diaconus It is a meer frenzy an obstruction of reason to blame or impute errour to all Churches 5. If they say we left only the abuses practised in the Catholique church which no man can justly blame another for reforming What is this still to an absolute forsaking of the externall communion Tell me saith S. Augustine coat Gaud l. 1. c. 7. whether the church at that time when you say she entertained those who were guilty of all crimes by the contagion of those sinfull persons perished or perished not Answer whether did the church perish or not Make choice of what you think good If she then perished what church brought forth Donatus But if she could not perish because so many were incorporated into her without Baptisme he meanes a second Donâ—tisticall Baptisme answer me I pray you What madnesse did move the Sect of Donatus to separate themselves from her upon the pretence of avoiding the Communion of bad men 6. Therefore Protestants do in vaine please themselves with this word of Reformation and with telling the world that many even good Catholiques both in antient and later times have earnestly called for a Reformation For no man denies but that there ha's been great need of it and is to this day viz. in respect of doctrines and practises of particulars and those too too many But can any one Catholique in any age be produced that called for a change of any one point of doctrine established in the church or a reformation of any practise authoritatively setled there as unlawfull not one such as yet hath been produced and I am confident not one can and much lesse any one that upon such pretences hath either counselled or execuâ—ed a division in the church To what purpose then a separation from the externall communion of the whole church upon this ground of reforming particular abuses which may lawfully and without any blame be done by an inward Schisme or mentall separation from errours and superstitions 7. Therefore when Protestants beast so much of their purifications and reformations Catholiques may desire S. Augustine cont Gaud. l. 1. to tell them for them You have indeed great matters which you may flourish among your righteousnesses and reformations namely â— division of Christ an annulling of the Sacraments of Christ a forsaking of the peace of Christ warre against the members of Christ calumnious accusations against the Spouse of Christ and a denying of the promises of Christ. The same Father de unit Eccles. likewise will tell them that if they would have thought good to follow our Saviours example they would not upon such pretences have forsaken the externall communion of the church For sayes he when he was to be circumcised was John sought after for that thing was used to be performed by the Jewes And when a legall sacrifice was to be offered for him was there any scruple made of that Temple which was by himself called a den of thieves For the Lord which said Be ye holy because I am holy doth make his servants to converse among wicked men so unspottedly if they preserve that holinesse which they receive as the Lord Jesus himself was not defiled with the least contagion of wickedness during the time that he lived among the Jewish Nation neither when be being made under the law underwent those first Sacraments according to that most perfect way of humility neither afterward when having chosen his Disciples he lived in the company of his own Traytor even till the last parting kiss For by his example not only those who do no wicked things but those likewise who consent not to any wickednesse are wheat securely remaining among chaffe because they neither do such things nor consent with them that do them although being themselves good they patiently suffer the wicked continning in the same field untill the harvest in the same floore untill the winnowing within the same nets untill the separation which shall be made upon the shore i. e. at the end of the world 8. And this doctrine the same Father presseth so constantly so zealously that he professeth that any separation that is made in the Church upon what pretence soever before the day of judgment is a sacriledge inexcuseable Let them therefore study what excuses they please and conjure up as many objections as they think good truth it self speaking by S. Augustines mouth Ep. 48. will or ought to silence them for ever Certi sumus neminem se à communione omnium Gentium justè separare potuisse i. e. We are assured that no man can justly separate himself from the communion of all Nations And again saith the same Oracle Cont. ep Parm. l. 2. Praecedendae unitatis nulla est necessitas i. e. There is no necessity to cut Unity asunder And again l. 2. cont Gaud. Aute tempus littoris damnabiliter separant i. e. Before the time come that the net is to be drawn ashore the separations which men make are damnable 9. Which speeches of S. Augustine will be true till the end of the world being built upon the promises of Christ that his church should continue for ever in all truth secure against the gates of hell and upon the command of Christ that no separation should be made of the tares from the wheat til the last day of harvest in which Exibunt Angeli separabunt i. e. Angels not men shall go forth and separate By occasion of which text the same Father annexes these powerfull words speaking to the Donatists con ep Par. l. 2. Let them chuse saith he whether of the two they will rather believe Jesus Christ that is Truth it self saith The field is the world and Donatus saith that Gods field is Africa alone Let them chuse whether of these two they had rather believe Jesus Christ that is Truth it selfe saith In the time of harvest I will say to the reapers gather first the tares and interprets it saying the harvest is the end of the world And Donatus saith that by the separation of his party the tares are separated from the wheat before the harvest Jesus Christ that is Truth it self saith the reapers are the Angells and Donatus saith that himself and his associates have done that before the harvest which Jesus Christ saith that the Angells are to do at the harvest
same Tradition was so constant in the antient Christian Church that Origen asks who doubts but that the Saints do aid us by their prayers Add hereto that the antient Liturgies of S. Basile c. have the same prayers to Saints in the same form as they are found in the Misfall and Breviaries at this day And that not any Father condemns the practise of it either as a novelty or supersticion which in all other cases upon all occasions they have done 13. To shew the innocence of the church far from deserving such behaviour from her children as she ha's found in this regard Consider first that all that the church decides in this point is that they may be pray'd to 2. That by the church no man is obliged or constrained to pray to them or to any but to God 3. That this is onely that they would intercede for us a thing which we sinners desire at the hands of other sinners greater perhaps then our selves 4. That excepting only the Litanies which are rather ejaculations and wishes then formed prayers and excepting some few Poeticall Hymnes to which a greater license hath alwayes beene allowed the Church both in the Missall and Breviary directs the prayers which she makes with reâ—pect to Saints immediately to God himself desiring him to hearken to the intercession which his Saints make for us and by their ministery to aid us And therefore whereas Protestants make their chief difficulty in this matter to be their uncertainty whether our prayers can arrive to the Saints hearing though it may be resolved out of expresse Scripture even out of those words There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repeurs â—ot certainly when the prayers are directed immediately to God as the church does no man will doubt but they may arrive thither I cannot chuse but on this occasion to publish the ingenuity of the Socinians once more who deal with Religion as they would do with an Astronomicall Hypothesis framing and changeing heaven and earth according to their phaenonema And therefore they to take away the trouble of examining either Scripture of Fathers dissolve the whole controversie with framing a new point of Philosophy viz. that separated souls have no apprehension nor parception at all but are indeed as sencelesse as the bodies contrary to millions of stories which are surely not every one false contrary to expresse Scripture This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and S. Pauls judgement Whether it was in the body or out of the body that I was wrap'd into Paradice I cannot tell God knows by which words though he knew not which of these two wayes it was yet he gives to understand that he might have been rap'd in Spirit without the body Of Veneration of Images 3. Concerning Images we may consider 1. That they had them in the antient church Tertullian puts it out of all doubt who makes mention of the lâ—st sheep generally graven upon the Chalices And S. Ambrose saith That a person appeared to him which seemed like to S. Paul the features of whose countenance I had learned sayes he from his picture The profession and practise of S. Paulinus is so clear in this behalfe and so confessed by Protestants that it is lost labour to quote him 2. No man can deny but that the sight of holy stories in picture do both more easily represent to weak capacities and put even the best men in mind of good things then the reading them in a book 3. The Councell of Trent Sess. 25. expressely professeth that the ground of Catholiques Veneration of them is not that it is believed that there is any divinity or vertue in them for which they ought to be venerated So that all occasion of superstition is evidently cut off 4. That things which have any regard to Religion are to be respected and treated with reverence this nature teaches and the Calvinists acknowledge as I took notice before out of Monsieur Daillé 5. That by reason we have not words enough to expresse all our conceptions nor variety enough of outward actions and postures to expresse our inward intentions and notions hence all the trouble and contradiction among Christians in this point hath proceeded And therefore as the antient Jewes applied the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the posture thereby represented viz. prostration both to the supreme degree of adoration due only to God and to the reverence of honorable persons So likewise the second Councell of Nice for want of words applying the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which imports the same to images therefore it was that till the misunderstanding was cleared the Westerne Church in the Councell of Francford rejected their decision But those who love Schisme will needs most unjustly reassume a voluntary misapprehension of the churches intention in this point which clearly distinguishes and makes an infinite distance betweene the respect which they give to Images and that which they render to God and gives little more to Images then Protestants themselves confesse to be due to all holy things pertaining to Religion The Jewes at this day the greatest enemies certainly of Idolatry that ever were yet will not unfold the volume of their law til after many humble declinations of their bodies and kissings of their hands neither will any sober Christian enter into a church though he do not pray without uncovering his head to shew that he makes a difference between that place and an ordinary prophane house The ground of the lawfulnesse and fitnesse of these outward expressions is this because since we cannot chuse but in our minds and thoughts make a a difference betweene holy and prophane objects it is as fitting to expresse that difference by outward shews So that if Catholiques be to be suspected of superstition and idolatry in this behalf certainly the Calvinists are much more guilty for exhibiting an outward reverence to the Bread and Wine in their Cene seeing they will not allow a distinction between the severall respects which Catholiques acknowledge 6. That the church obligeth no man hîc nunc to exhibit any veneration to Images c. Only they must not condemne it in those that allow and practise it Of Prayers and Offerings for the Dead and Purgatory 4. The denyall of this made Arrius a Heretique and besides him I do not find since Christianity begun til the last age any one single person that denyed or questioned it never was there found any Liturgy without it nothing so frequent in Fathers and Ecclesiasticall histories as the recommendation of it In a word I am confident there is not one doctrine or practise of Christianity delivered with so full unquestionable a Tradition So that a man may as wel make an Apology for being a Christian or believing the Gospells to be the word of God as for this The truth is the more sober and learned sort of English Protestants do confesse the immemorial antiquity of iâ—
say confidently it is all to be found comprised sufficiently in the little Catechisme made for Infants others would add the Common-Prayer book others the book of Homilyes others would yet thrust in the book of Ordination others the 39. Articles and Canons others besides would have the four first Generall Councells not to be forgotten and lastly some few of those who are pure Protestants indeed would say the whole Canon Law in as much as concerns doctrine especially and as far as it is not revoked by Acts of Parliament All this with all that went before is the entire Rule of English-Catholique Doctrine And all those for their severall answers would produce English Fathers and Doctors whose books have been received and approved without contradiction in the Church of England 4. To save the blushing of an English Protestant I would not suffer Mr. Chillingworth nor my Lord Falkland to put in their votes for they would have renounced all these and protested that neither the Catechisme nor Common-prayer-Book nor Homilies c. nor all these together contain that doctrine of the Church of England to which all are obliged to submit but only the Bible the Bible and nothing but the Bible and this not interpreted by any Bishop or Synod of Divines but by every good mans reason let him shift as he can An answer which it admitted not only totally destroyes the spirituall Jurisdiction of the English Clergy but all authority whatsoever even of the civill Magistrate in matters of Religion yet to shew the great impartiality of English Protestants towards Catholike Faith because they fancied that by such a position Catholiques might receive some damage they not only admitted this position of M. Chillingworths and saw it approved by their Doctor of the Chair but triumphed in it as the great Master-piece of the wit of this Age whereas if they had but half an eye open they might have seen in it the inevitable ruine of their whole Fabrick So that J. P. did not well consider what poor service he ha's done and what small refreshment he ha's given or rather what a dishonorable Epitaph he ha's fixed upon the monument of his deceased Church by giving his Testimony of applause to this Treatise of my Lo. Falklands as one of the great Defenders of the Doctrine of the English Church which is more ruinous to it then all the spitefull writings and plots of Cartwright Knox Henderson or all the rabble oâ— Geneva joyn'd with them But to return 5. A Supposition being made of the foresaid answer and it being granted that all these answers have been published or without contradiction or censure admitted in the church of England should not that man be very negligent of his souls good that being to examine the truth of its doctrine should trouble himself any further then with the little Catechism of half a sheet of paper as plainly and as simply written as is possible as if the children that are to learne it had composed it since all say it is at least part of the Rule of the English Faith and some without censure of others say it is all what a while must the poore mans soul be held in suspense if he were to stay till he had search'd into the Common-prayer-Book Homilies Canons Acts of Parliament Proclamations of the King Antient Councels Canon-Law c. his soul perhaps might be disposed by death God knows where before he had examined the hundredth part of what was necessary 6. Now to apply this to the present subject it is agreed by all Catholiques that the church is an infallible witness and guide Protestants profess that if this could be made evidently appear they would hold out in no controversie at all for they would never dispute perpetually with them whom onely to hear were to be satisfied this therefore is to be made evident unto Protestants yea more evident then that any particular decisions of the Church do seem to them evidently contradictory to Scripture This is the task of Catholicks especially Catholick Missionaries Now though when it is said The Church is infallible This be commonly understood of all the whole Church in general yet when we say She is an infallible Guide it is most ordinarily understood of the Church speaking by some authorised person or persons representing the whole body 7. About this Representative there is diversity of opinions among Catholicks some say the Pope alone does sufficiently represent the Church as a Guide infallible Others a Generall Councell though without the Pope Others a Generall Councell convoked presided in and confirmed by the Pope And lastly others as learned Fa Bacon acknowledges add further this condition that the decision of such a Councell bee accepted and submitted to by the whole Church All that hold any of these opinions are universally esteemed good Catholiques and I would to God all Protestants had so much humility as to subdue their own private Reason to the largest of them and for Catholiques this I may confidently say That they who without betraying the Truth make the way to the Church easiest and plainest have most charity and Faith enough the others may have more Faith I would they had more Charity too Truly to my understanding there is some inhumanity in urging Protestants to more then Catholiques will be obliged to or to think that to Protestants prepossessed with passion and partiality that can be made evident which is so far from being evident to some Catholiques that they renounce it Since all changes therefore proceed by degrees in the name of God let it not be expected from Protestants that they should with one leap mount to the utmost verge and extent of all Doctrines held by Catholiques That they should at one gulpe swallow both all Catholique Doctrines and all Theologicall Dogmes Be it granted therefore that it is true that the Pope is infallible I will beleeve it as a Theological truth but since neither the Church nor the Pope himself has told us so I cannot if I would beleeve it as a Catholick Doctrine what therefore have I to do to dispute of it to Protestants whom my duty is onely to perswade to the belief of the Churches Doctrine What pitty is it that they must be delayed and as it were kept out of the Church till all objections that they can make and be furnished even from Catholicks themselves to make against this position be answered or all advantages that they can advise against any Bulls or Decretals be cleared to their satisfaction 8. Therefore I being ingaged to make good to I. P. That the Church speaking by a Representative is an infallible Guide would fain choose that Representative which is qualified with all the conditions allowed by any uncensured Catholicks to make it most easie and most acceptable to Protestants which is a general Councel Confirmed c. by the Pope and accepted by the Church But yet I wil abstract from this last clause of being acâ—epted
Church in which the simple conclusion decided is onely accounted infallibly true not so the principles upon which it depends or reasons by which it is proved and much less are orders made by Councels which depend upon information yet notwithstanding we cannot finde a more energetical word to express the unquestionable and unappealable authority of the Church then Infallibility We may proceed further and say that Divine truths revealed internally after a supernatural manner to the Prophets Apostles c. and by intellectual images are yet more infallible then the same truths revealed by words becaus words being but the Images of Images are further removed from that prime Exemplar of truth which is God and besides are in themselves unavoidably ambiguous and so do not convey truth so infallibly as Internal illustrations yet what can we say more of these then that they are Infallible Lastly there is no Image so perfect but in as much as it is an Image it comes short of the Exemplar which is truth it self that is God and by consequence differs from it yet the supremest title that we can give to God himself in this regard is Infallibility But to instance more familiar examples of the several degrees of Infallibility I am infallibly assured that I cannot repeat all the words I have spoken this last year and yet I am more infallibly assured that I cannot say over again all I have spoken in my whole life I am infallibly assured that if I threw a thousand dice they will not be all sixes and yet I am more infallibly assured that the same cast upon so many dice cannot be a thousand times successively repeated Of all these impossibilities I have several degrees of assurance and every degree in a certain sense infallible but in a severe acception of that word the very highest is not rigorously infallible because none of the cases alledged are absolutely impossible if we speak of the highest degree of impossibility for such imply a flat contradiction as that a part should be equal to its whole or any thing be and not be at once a kinde of certainty that is appliable even to very few Demonstrations we are not so sure that the light of the Moon is borrowed from the Sun or her Eclips by the interposition of the Earth yet these are reckoned amongst demonstrations in Astronomy and no man in his wits ever doubted of either Methinks if God have furnisht his divine and supernatural truth with evidence equal to this that the Sun will shine to morrow or that there will be a spring and harvest next year we are infinitely obliged to bless his providence and justly condemned if we refuse to beleeve the least of such truths as shewing less affection to save our souls then the dull Plowmen to sow their corn who certainly have far less evidence for their harvest then Catholicks for their faith they insist not peevishly upon every caprichious objection nor exact an infallible security of a plentiful reaping next Summer but notwithstanding all difficulties and contingencies proceed chearfully in their painful husbandry and here I shall beg leave to ask the Reader this serious question supposing not granting that the greatest assurance the Church can give abstracting from the promises of Christ be of no higher infallibility then the lowest degree we have mentioned would you venture your soul that a thousand dice being thrown out of a box would come forth all sixes Do you not see by this argument that it is a thousand to one the Catholick is in the right and consequently a thousand to one the Protestant is in the wrong and this will necessarily follow for in Religion we cannot stand by and look on but we must absolutely engage on one side and therefore it is a desperate shift of such Protestants as think that because they see not a clear demonstration of the Churches Infallibility in the severest importance of that word they may therefore safely continue in their schism unless they be hardy enough to venture their souls in a way where it is at least a thousand to one they lose them So that though humane wit should by captious objections seem to trouble the clearness of the Infallibility of the Catholick Church which is in it self really impossible to be endangered yet are the motives of adherence to that Communion so highly credible even in a rational natural consideration that it were an absolute madness to prefer any other separated Church or Congregation which cannot pretend to the least credibility to support it 3. These things being thus premis'd since there are so many degrees of truth or veracity and Infallibility and yet the same word Infallibility applied to them all it may be very reasonable that great Caution should be used in the application of it that is that it should be expressed in what sense and degree the word is taken before it be urged or disputed upon So that if it be advanced to a more sublime degree then the matter requires no wonder if there be misunderstanding between Disputants and not only a prolonging of Disputations but also an impossibility of ending them Now whether it is the fault of Catholick Controvertists for want of explication and clearing of the sense of this word Infallibility that hath given an advantage to Protestants I examine not but sure I am Protestants have taken advantage from the ambiguousness of this word Infallibility to embroile the controversie of the Churches authority and to spin it out endlessly insomuch as there is not one Author of them I ever met with that treating of this controversy disputes to the point or so much as aimes to combat against the Churches Authority but against an image of Infallibility created onely by their own fancies 4. For proof of this to omit the ordinary Polemical writings of Protestants who wast paper and time onely in combating particular unnecessary points controverted by Catholicks themselves I shall desire any ingenuous Protestant to examine the proceedings of Mr. Chillingworth and even my noble Lord too in this little Treatise and he wil acknowledge what I say to be true yet certainly no English writers ever professed to come closer to the point then they 5. First for Mr. Chillingworth what a brand â— shing and flourishing doth he keep with his pen and what a great proportion of his book is spent in Discourses by which he would pâ—etend to enervate the Churches Infallibility which do not so much as approach towards it For suppose a Pope were Simoniacally elected or a Bishop unlawfully consecrated or a Priest not baptized or that any of these had a perverse intention in administring the Sacraments would the Church for all this fail in being an Infallible Guide or would all Christians be turned out of their way to salvation Did not or might not he easily have been informed that excepting in Infants even Baptism it self and much less any other Sacrament unlawfully and invalidly administred
because they can under the ambiguousness of it shelter themselves from truth obedience and salvation 15. Now whereas I. P. in his ninth Paragraph professes that having considered the inconsiderableness of Mr. Cressy's answers and indeed whole discourse he changed his resolution to answer it as judging it not to deserve an answer I have nothing to say but this that truly I neither did nor can commend the Book to him as a writing considerable or that might deserve his labour to consure it but yet if I thought there were no other imperfections to make it inconsiderable besides those that he hath taken notice of in his Preface I fear I should be tempted to think well of it However this I can say confidently that notwithstanding any objections as yet made by him against it he may if he please resume his resolution to answer it without apprehending any guilt but onely the choosing so weak an Adversary But yet insteed of that I would rather advise and beseech him to read such a Fundamental Controversie as this concerning the Churches Infallibility with other eyes and heart then he has done mine that is with a minde dis-interessed and willing to finde the truth by whomsoever proposed It is impossible but that education must needs have given a great Biâ—s one way therefore when he reads any thing upon the truth or falsehood whereof his souls depends he should rather strain himself to give a weight to objections made against any of his settled preconceived opinions then catch at circumstantial advantages to elude them if there be any reasons weakly urged by me he ought to exercise his own wit to press them more efficatiously against himself but above all things he ought to pray to God as God willing I shall not fail to do both for him and all his and my friends that he would increase in his heart a diffidence of his own judgement and an humble pliableness to submit to truth and authority 16. Lastly Where he concludes with his testimony of the invincibleness of my Lord Falkland's Discourses especially the Reply I have no more to say then what I said in the beginning excepting this that for the Reply he to whom is was made is concerned in it and as for the Discouse of Infallibility if the noble Authour were alive I would have presumed to have had his leave to have answered it CHAP. VI. The Fundamental ground of my Lord Falkland's Discourse Examined 1. HAving said thus much to the preface of I. P. if these additional papers had not been hastily called for to the Press I had perhaps finished a begun Discourse in opposition to my most dear lord Falkland's Theses concerning Infallibility to each of which I had determined to have adjoyned an Antithesis But so much leasure not being permitted me I will content my self at present to single out the eleaventh Paragraph according to a former Edition An. D. 1646. and to oppose a brief Answer and by so doing I shall give a vertual satisfaction to the whole Discourse Because in that one Paragraph and in scarce any one besides is clearly contained the state of the main Controversie viz. The ground upon which is demonstrated the necessity of an infallible authority in Gods Church and the onely seeming rational and possible way to avoid and defeat that authority 2. The words of the Paragraph are these The chiefest reason why Catholicks disallow of the Scripture for a Judge is because when differences arise about the interpretation there is no way to end them And that it will not stand with the goodness of God to damn men for not following his will if he had assigned no infallible way how to finde it This is the Allegation of Catholicks in which mention likewise might have been made of the writing of the Fathers and any thing but the testimony of the present Church because reason and experience shews that differences will arise about the interpretation of them likewise and no possible way to end them neither but by a present infallible Authority To this Allegation of Catholicks his lordships answer followes in these words I confess this to be wonderful true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. for I am not such a wretch as to speak otherwise then I think and let them â—â—cuse themselves that think otherwise Yet this will be no argument against him who beleeves that to all who follow their reason in the interpretation of the Scriptures and search for Tradition God will either give his Grace for assistance to finde the Truth or his pardon if they miss it and then this supposed necessity of an infallibly Guide with this supposed damnation for want of it fall together to the ground 3. The fundamental ground upon which Catholicks build the necessity of an infallible Authority is that Article of the Creed Credo unâ—m Sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam 1. I beleeve one Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church I beleeve the Church to be one one Body consisting of many members subordinately joyned and united under one Head which Unity is especially in regard of one faith professed by all and one Charity chaining all hearts together Now one Church there cannot be without one Faith and one Faith cannot be where differences are impossible to be reconciled and no possible way to reconcile differences but by Authority and no Authority sufficiently efficacious to this end but an infallible one 4. I confess this to be wonderful true says his lordship for I am not such a wretch c. what is it that his lordship confesses That the Church is one Body professing one faith No alas That was no Article in his Creed What then did he so ingenionsly confess That it was necessary that differences and controversies should be decided No nor that neither The thing that he confesseth with an unexampled ingenuity is That if it be necessary that differences should be decided and ended and that errors should be abolished God is obliged by his infinite goodness to make his truth known some infallible way by some infallible Guide So that by his lordships acknowledgment and by the evidence of reason if the Church must have one faith it must have one infallible Guide It is therefore this Unity of the Church that his lordship denies to be necessary yet he would not have denied the necessity of such an Unity if he could have found an infallible Guide without which he knew there could be no unity but missing of that and despising to think of such a blinde and lame Guide as a Church of England or Geneva c. none of which could ever end one controversie He concludes that there is no necessity that controversies should be concluded Nor damnation for not following the will of God since he left no infallible Guide to lead us to the knowledge of it A doctrine so horrid that it is much more derogatory to the honour of Christ then Arianism it self which though it robs him
Scriptures any example of such a thing yet the truth of the same Scriptures is held of us in this matter when we doe that which pleaseth the whole Church the which the authority of the same Scriptures doth commend that because the holy Scriptures cannot deceive us whosoever feareth to be deceived with the obscurity of this question let him require the judgement of the Church which the Holy Scriptures without any ambiguity doe demonstrate to the end that because the Scriptures cannot deceive us whoseover is afraid to be deceived by the obscurity of any question may have recourse to the Churches judgement concerning it the which Church the Holy Scriptures demonstrate without any ambiguity 6. Witnesse S. Vincentius Lyrinensis c. 2. Inasmuch as all do not take the Scripture in the same sense by reason of it's profundity but some on one fashion some on another so that almost as many sences may seem to be drawn from it as there are men for Novatianus expounds it one way Photinus another Sabellius another Donatus another Arius Eunomius Macedonius another Apollinarius and Priscillian another Iovinian Pelagius Caelestius another And lastly Nestorius another For this reason to avoyd the labyrinth of so many contrary errours it is very necessary that the line of Propheticall and Apostolicall conceptions should be drawn according to the rule of Ecclesiasticall and Catholique sense or intelligence Witnesse lastly S. Leo It is not to be doubted but that all Christian observance is of divine institution and that whatsoever is received by the Church into the custome of devotion doth come from Apostolicall Tradition from the doctrine of the Holy Ghost who doth also now preside over his own institutes in the hearts of the Faithfull that all both obediently observe and wisely understand them Serm. 2. de Ieiun Pent. CHAP. XX. Quotations out of Antiquity for the authority of Councells A contrary character of Heretiques 1. TO the former quotations so expresse so efficacious to assert the Churches authority in points of Religion from which there lyes no appeale I will adjoyne other testimonies of Antiquity to demonstrate the veneration given by all Orthodox Fathers to the Councells of the Church their acknowledgement of their obliging authority and how in obedience to them they submitted their owne particular opinions Witnesse hereof may be either the Apostles themselves or Apostolique Fathers at least in those most ancient Canons whereto S Clement also gives testimony who appointed that Bishops should twice in the year keep Councells and among themselves examine the decrees of Religion and compose such Ecclesiasticall controversies as should arise the first in the fourth week after Pentecost and the second on the twelfth day of Hyperberitaei Octob. Witnesse S. Ignatius Ep. ad Smyrn Do you all follow the Bishop as Christ did his Father Without the Bishop let no man praesume to do any of those things which belong to the Church The same Holy Father Ep. ad Policarp testifieth that it was the order in his time that Syâ—ods and assemblies of Bishhops were frequently celebrated Witnesse Tertullian cont Psych cap. 13. In those countrys of Greece there are assembled in certaine appointed places Councells out of all Churches by which both things of higher importance are agitated in commune and the representation of the whole Christian name is celebrated with great veneration Witnesse that glorious Emperour Constantine in his Epistle to the Churches mentioned by Socrates Hist. Eccl lib. 1. cap. 6. where he saith Whatsoever is decreed in the Holy Councell of Bishops that is universally to be ascribed to the Divine Will Witnesse S. Gregory Nazianzen Ep. ad Chelid Those that agree with Apollinards say that they were admitted by the Councell of the West or Roman Bishop by whom it is manifest they were once condemned Let them shew this and we will yeild for then it is manifest that they assent to the true doctrine for it cannot be otherwise if they have obtained this Witnesse S. Ambrose de Fid. ad Grat. lib. 3. c 7. who calls the decrees of the Councell of Nice haereditariâ— signacula not to be violated by the rash boldnesse of any man And many expressions to the same effect are extant in S. Hilary in his booke addressed to the Emperour Constantius 2 Witnesse S. Augustin con Don. lib. 7. con Crescon lib. 1. It is to us a safe thing not to rush forward in any rashnesse of opinion concerning those things which neither have been agitated in any Catholique-National-Synod nor determined in any Occumenicall but to maintaine that with the assurance of a secure voice which in the government of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ hath been strengthned with the consent of the universall Church And againe In the former ages of the Church before the Schisme of Donatus Id. de Bapt. con Don. I. 1. The obscurity of that Question viz concerning Rebaptization of Haeretiques compelled great persons and endued with great charity to dispute and debate among themselves however without any breach of peace In so much that in severall Countreys for a long time the decisions of severall Councells did vary and clash among themselves untill in a Plenary Councell of the whole world that which was soundly believed was without all manner of doubt confirmed Again Id. con Parm Ep. lib. 2 the question being whether Baptisme can be given by those men also who never have been Christians we ought not to affirme determinately any thing therein without the authority of a Councell so great as may be answerable to the greatnesse of the matter But concerning those who are separated from the unity of the Church there is no question at all but that they doe both reteine it and communicate it and that they do both perniciously reteine and perniciously communicate it without the bond of Peace for this hath been already agitated considered perfected and confirmed in the unity of the whole world And againe Id. de Bapt. con Don. lib. 2. cap. 4. Neither durst we affirme any such thing if we were not well grounded upon the most uniforme authority of the universall Church unto which undoubtedly S. Cyprian would have yeelded if in his time the truth of this question had been discussed and declared and by a Generall Councel established Lastly to omit many expresse testimonies of Vincentius Lyrinensis Facundus c. the last witnesse shall be S. Gregory the Great Ep. 24. who professeth that he receives and venerates the fower first Generall Councells no otherwise then the fower Gospells as likewise that he doth in like manner embrace the fifth Councell This was the language of the Catholique Fathers when they wrote many of them purposely upon this very Question And besides these testimonies other will be produced occasionally in the following discourse 3. On the contrary Haeritiques as S. Basile observes doe generally agree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to raise an altar in opposition to the altar of the