laying this only in those places as the Foundation of the Faith and so going on to other Countries to convert them and surely then the Successors of the Apostles did not doubt but that these Gospels did with sufficient fulness and perspicuity contain the necessary Articles of Christian Faith. Thirdly Of St. Luke the Follower of St. Paul Lucas quod ab illo praedicabatur Evangelium in libro condidit l. 3. c. 1 Irenaeus informs us That he writ in a Book that Gospel which was preached by him he adds That St. Paul neglected not to teach the whole Counsel of God Cap. 14. and that St. Luke neglected not to write what St. Paul had taught and thence inferrs against the Hereticks that they could not pretend to know what was not taught by Paul or was not written by St. Luke Fourthly St. John saith the Tradition of the Ancients was importuned by all the Asiaticks and by the Embassies of many others to write his Gospel and his great care in Composing it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiph. Haer. 51. §. 6. Theoph. proem in Joh. say they was to speak of those necessary things which they had pretermitted who writ before him or of the Deity of Christ which Ebion Cerinthus and other Hereticks denied and the other Evangelists had not so fully spoken to The Martyrology of Timothy Bishop of Ephesus adds That the other Evangelists were brought to him Apud Phot. Cod. 254. p. 1403. containing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The salutary Passion the Miracles and Doctrines of our Lord and that he digested them in order and added his own to them Here then from this Tradion it is plain and obvious to observe First § 3 That it was constantly supposed and looked on by all Christians as a thing most certain that to preserve a Doctrine safe unto posterity to keep it sure and certain 't was not sufficient for them to hear it by the Ear or to receive it by Tradition though from the mouth of an Apostle but that 't was requisite in order to that end that what they heard should be committed to writing that so it might be both to them and others the Pillar and the Ground of Truth Why else do they declare that those things which are only spoken and not written quickly vanish and thence inferr That if the Evangelists intended the Salvation of Posterity they must have written what they preached Why do they say it was necessary for the Apostles when they were about to leave their Converts to commit what they taught in writing to them Why was it that they could not be contented Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 2. c. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the unwritten teaching of the divine Doctrine or in the Romish phrase with the infallible way of oral Tradition but did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desire with all earnestness St. Mark to give them a Digest or Memorial in writing of that Doctrine they had received by word of mouth And why was Peter so delighted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with this desire of the Christians which was a plain renouncing of oral Tradition and a preferring of the written word before it Secondly Hence it is obvious to observe That oral Tradition being thus subject to failure and miscarriage the Wisdom of our God and Saviour thought fit that what was preached by the Apostles should be committed unto writing that it might be unto posterity the Pillar and the Ground of Truth Hence Lib. 3. c. 1. saith Irenaeus they by the Will of God writ the Scriptures for this end They saith St. Austin writ what they knew by the dictates of their Head. He commanded the Apostles to write and what things should be written were chosen doubtless by the Holy Ghost whose Pen-men the Apostles were Proem in Matth. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was the pleasure of Christ or his Apostles saith Theophylact that the Gospel should be writ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Christians being taught the Truth from them might neither be perverted by Heresies or corrupted in manners Thirdly Hence also it is evident That the things chosen by our Lord and his Apostles and by the Holy Spirit to be written were such as seemed to their Wisdom sufficient for the Salvation of Believers that they contained all which our Lord would have us read concerning what he did or said all that truth which was needful to preserve us from Heresie in Doctrine or Corruption in Manners the whole state or system of the Christian Faith which whosoever did retain could not want Faith even when he wanted Teachers all that St. Peter preached the Foundations of Faith the whole Council of God the salutary Doctrines of our Lord all that was necessary to be known 2. § 4 This will be still more evident from that unquestionable Tradition of the whole Church of Christ for many Centuries that the Apostles Creed as it was first delivered and as it was afterwards explained by that of Nice was a compleat and perfect Summary of all things simply necessary to be believed by Christians That the Apostles and first Preachers of the Christian Faith comprized the Fundamentals of their Doctrine in some Creed System or form of words we learn not only from the Tradition of the Church but also from many passages of Scripture which mention Luk. i. 4. Heb. v. 12. Heb. vi 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words of their Catechism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the elementary Principles of the Oracles of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of the beginning of Christ or the Foundation upon which Christians grew up unto perfection Rom. xij 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Analogy of Faith according to which all the Dispensers of the word must frame their Doctrine 1 Tim. iij. 15 16. 2 Tim. i. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mystery of Godliness to be preserved in and by the Church the Pillar and the Ground of Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a form of sound words which was delivered to and must be held by all Christians in Faith and Love verse 14. or a brief Summary of the things which were to be believed by all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good depositum or Summary of Christian Doctrine committed to the trust of others or agreed on by the Apostles to be taught by all 2 Tim. ij 2. and which also was by them to be committed to faithful Men able to instruct others in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jud. iij. Philip. i. 27. The Faith once and at once delivered to the Saints which they must hold in a good Conscience and earnestly contend for 2. § 5 That this Creed System or Summary of Faith was by the Apostles delivered to all Churches and was for substance that which is now called the Apostles Creed is also evident from the Tradition of the Church of Christ Irenaeus saith It is the Faith which the Church received
contained in the Apostles or the Nicene Creed or that the Church of Rome must be Schismatical in excluding from her Communion those who do not believe or yield assent unto them And thus I hope I have sufficiently shewed how this Tradition overthrows and fully doth confute the New Doctrines of the Church of Rome It now remains to shew how it confirms the Cause of Protestants and clears up the Objections which are made against it Now First § 5 Seeing according to this Tradition these Symbols as they are a perfect Summary of Christian Faith so are they fully and perspicuously contained in Scripture hence it demonstratively follows that according to the Doctrine and Tradition of the whole Church of Christ the summ of all the necessary Articles of Christian Faith must fully and perspicuously be contained in Holy Scripture and may be proved thence to the satisfaction of the meanest Catechist And consequently the Holy Scripture was by them esteemed a full and perspicuous Rule of Faith according to our Sixth Note in reference to all things necessary to be believed which is the Fundamental Article of Protestants But doth not Tertullian speak in General Object NB. of never disputing with Hereticks out of Scriptures only Q. of Quest p. 258 259. because this Scripture combate availeth for nothing but to the making either ones Stomach or ones Brains to turn and conclude generally We must not therefore appeal to Scriptures nor in our combate rely upon them in which either no Victory is to be obtained or a very uncertain one Tertullian here proposeth this Objection Answ That the Hereticks spake of the Scriptures V. c. 7. §. 8. and perswaded their Doctrines from the Scriptures and this he is so far from reprehending that he holds it a thing absolutely necessary to be done by all who would discourse of divine Matters It being impossible saith he aliunde de rebus fidei loqui De praescript cap. 15. quà m ex literis fidei to speak of Matters of Faith but from the Scriptures And therefore he not only owns that the Rule of Faith he pleaded for was first delivered by word of Mouth and after by the Writings of the Apostles but also to that Objection of the Hereticks Seek and ye shall find Cap. 9. he answers by granting that the Scriptures are to be searched and sought into for finding out the Truth contained in the Rule of Faith and that then nothing more respecting Faith is needful to be sought because they had found what they sought for then he proceeds to shew non admittendos eos ad ullam de Scripturis disputationem that the Hereticks were not to be admitted to dispute from Scriptures and that non sit cum illo disputandum he was not to be disputed with from Scripture for these following Reasons 1. Because ista Haeresis non recipit quasdam Scripturas those Hereticks received not some Scriptures viz. Iren. l. 1. c. 26. the Ebionites and Encratites rejected all St. Paul's Epistles and embraced only the Gospel of the Nazarens L. 3. c. 11. p. 258 259. Cerinthus allowed only the Gospel of St. Mark. Valentinus only that of St. John Marcion only that of Luke Ebion only that of Matthew 2. Because si quas recipit non recipit integras those Scriptures which they owned they received not entire but with additions and detractions as their cause required cutting off from them what most clearly made against then Heresies Thus of the Marcionites and the Lucianists and the Valentinians Origen confesseth That they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contra Celsum l. 2. p. 77. change and pervert the Gospel 3. Because if they admitted any Scriptures entire yet they corrupted them per diversas expositiones by adulterating the Sence of them and miserably distorting them to the upholding of their idle Dreams for saith Irenaeus they said their Doctrines were not perspicuously revealed in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 1. c. 1. p. 14. but by our Lord were mystically couched in Parables even so mystically that as you may see from the first to the Nineteenth Chapter of the First Book of Irenaeus it is enough to turn a Man's Stomach to read such Fooleries as v. gr They prove their thirty Aeones because our Saviour was Baptized when he was Thirty Years Old and from the Parable of the Labourers sent into the Vineyard some at the 1st 3d 6th 9th 11th C. 1. p. 10. hour of the Day which numbers put together make up Thirty Thus saith Irenaeus they endeavoured to adapt some of our Lord's Parables Pag. 32. and some Prophetical Expressions to their Doctrines that they might not seem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any Testimony from Scripture but then saith he they miserably pervert the Order and the Series of Holy Scripture and deal with it as if one should take the Image of a King excellently made in Jewels and should deform it into the Face of a Dog or a Woolf. They pretended also that some of their Doctrines were received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from unwritten Traditions C. 1. p. 32. and to prove them they produced a multitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Apocryphal and adulterated Scriptures which they had feigned Lib. 1. c. 17. pretending for their recourse unto Tradition this Accusation of the Holy Scriptures Lib. 3. c. 2. That they were not right nor of Authority sufficient because they were spoken variously and that from them the Truth could not be found out by such as were ignorant of Tradition non enim per literas traditum illum sed per vivam vocem it being not delivered in writing but by Oral Tradition that is they were plain Papists as to this pretence Against such Men as these saith Tertullian the most skilful in the Scriptures will dispute in vain from Scripture cum nolunt agnoscere ea per quae revincuntur his nituntur quae falso composuerunt quae de ambiguitate coeperunt since they will not own that for Scripture by which they are refuted they will insist upon their Apocryphal Writings and those things which they ambiguously have conceived Ergo non ad Scripturas provocandum est and therefore we are not to provoke them to dispute out of Scriptures nor place our combate in those things in which no victory is to be obtained or a very uncertain one Let now any indifferent Reader judge whether Tertullian speaks in general against disputing with Hereticks out of Scripture as Mr. M. here confidently saith and not only of disputing against hanc Haeresin that very Heresie which had these Arts to delude what was brought against them from Scripture and appealed from it with the Papists to Oral Tradition And yet against these slippery Men Irenaeus and other of the Fathers first argued from Scriptures cum ex Scripturis arguebantur and when they had baffled them there and made them fly as Romanists now do unto
only trifle with us or impose upon us when she makes Agreement either in Doctrine or Practice with Antiquity a Note or Character by which we may discern the true Church from all who falsly do pretend unto that glorious Title for how can this be done Yea how is it attempted to be done by Roman Catholicks but by producing the Testimonies of all former Ages for such a Doctrine or Practice as they at present do maintain If therefore a like Number of plain Testimonies produced by us in all the Instances forenamed for the Antiquity of our Doctrines and Practices be not a Proof sufficient on our side why should it be on theirs If notwithstanding all these Evidences we must believe the contrary to what they clearly do import to have been still the Doctrine and Practice of all Ages past because it is at present the Doctrine of the Church of Rome to what end do we read Antiquity What Service can it do us unless to make us Hereticks or Scepticks For of what can we be certain or assured by the reading of it if that may be false and heretical which through so many Ages is so plainly fully and frequently delivered as the clearest Truth To proceed then to my second Vndertaking viz. To shew how such a Change in Doctrine and in Practice might happen in the Western Church as well as in the East or other places First Corruptions in Doctrine or in Practice § 6 might have been introduced by mistaking of the Sense of Scripture This Account Origen gives of the diversity of Opinions and Sects which sprang up early among Christians and multiplied together with them In Celsum l. 3. p. 118. viz. That they had their Original from hence That Men did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diversly interpret those Scriptures which they all held to be Divine Vigilius ascribes these Sects L 2. contra Eutych and this diversity of Opinions to the same Original viz. That the Virtue of the heavenly Words was defiled vitio malae intelligentiae by a misunderstanding of them and by taking them non secundum qualitatem sui sensus not according to the tenor of their Sence as Truth required but by diverting them to other Matters To this the Fathers do ascribe not only the Miscarriage of Hereticks but even the Slips and Errors of those pious Persons who had gone before them which say they happened to them by reading of the Scriptures carelesly and not with so much Diligence and Circumspection as they should have used Thus Theodoret upon occasion of that Mistake of almost all the Fathers of the Four first Centuries imagining that the Sons of God which went in to the Daughters of Men were Angels saith Qu. 47. in Gen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it was their careless reading of the holy Scriptures which made many thus to erre and all the Fathers with one Voice ascribe the Heresies of their times partly to their perverting and partly to their deserting of the Holy Scriptures and therefore for preventing of the like Mistakes they do not send them to an infallible Interpreter nor do they hence conclude him necessary as some others do but only do advise them to read the Scriptures with more Care Exactness and Scrutiny with Prayer Chrys Hom. 17. in Matth. p. 124. Basil Tom. 1. l. 2. de Bapt. q. 4. Orig. dial contr Marc. p. 70. Athan. de incar verbi T. 1. p. 110. Love and Desire of the Truth with a pure Soul and care to walk according to the Rules of Christian Vertue assuring those who do thus seek That according to our Lord's Promise Theodoret in 3. Rom. 8. they shall find the Truth Chrysost Hom. 35. in Joh. T. 2. P. 799. vid. T. 3. P. 1. Tom. 5. p. 829. it being not the Obscurity but the Ignorance of Scripture which makes men obnoxious to Heresies as shall by God's Assistance be fully proved elsewhere And whosoever doth consider that many of the Fathers came immediately from Heathenism to read the Scriptures That they insisted most on the Old Testament of which they did not understand the Language and of which they had only an imperfect or corrupt Translation and that they took the liberty to allegorize and to give mystical Interpretations of them as their luxuriant Phancies led them to it will not think it strange that so many extravagant Interpretations of the holy Scriptures should drop from their Pens Cypr. Ep. 63. p. 149. That they should tell us that Noah 's being drunk with Wine was Sacramentum figura Dominicae passionis A Sacrament and Figure of our Saviour's Passion That (a) Just M. Dial cum Tryph. p. 349. Clem. Alex. Strom. 6. p. 669. Orig. in Cels l. 5. p. 236. Com. in Joh. To. 2. Ed. Huet p. 48. Euseb demonstr l. 4. c. 9. p. 157. God not only permitted the Gentiles to worship the Sun Moon and Stars but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gave them the Sun Moon and Stars to be worshiped that they might not be wholly Atheists That when our Lord threatned to the disobedient Jews (b) Iren. l. 4. c. 23. Tertull adv Jud. c. 11 13. Cypr. adv Jud. l. 2. c. 20. Lactant. l. 4. c. 18. Epiphan Haer. 24. §. 9. Athanas de incarn verbi p. 47 90. Orat. 3. contr Arian p. 386. Ruffin apud Hieron T. 4. F. 49 Non video cur dubitare debeamus id illum de Christo scripsisse August contr Faust Manich. l. 16. c. 22.23 Deut. 28.66 thy Life shall hang in doubt before thee And thou shalt have no Assurance of thy Life he meant that Jesus Christ should be crucified before their Eyes That they should from those Words of the Psalmist Psal 45.1 (c) Quidam superstitiose magis quam vere ex persona patris arbitrantur intelligi Hieron ep ad Damasum Tom. 3. F. 45. B. Quidam ex persona patris dictum intelligi volunt Ep. ad Principium Virg. ibid. F. 37. A. viz. Alexander Episc Alex. Socr. Hist Eccl. l. 1 c. 6. Athanas To. 1. p. 134 170. c. 427. D. 510. c. 517. D. 538 c. 549 550 565. D. Marcellus apud Epiph. Haer. 72. §. 2. My Heart hath indited a good Matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infer the eternal Generation of the Son That some of them so early Mal. 3.1 should imagine that the (d) Orig. in Joh. Tom. 5. ed. Huet p. 77. Cyril com in 1 Joh. 6. Baptist was an Angel not a Man because the Prophet Malachi said Behold I send my Angel before his Face And that when John the Baptist sent this (e) Manda mihi ad infernum descensurus sum utrum te Inferis debeam nunciare qui nunciavi superis Hieron in loc Ep. T. 3. F. 54. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orig. com in Reg. p. 34. l. contr Marcion p. 37. Chrysost Hom. in Matth. 37. p. 247. Ruffin apud Hieron To. 4. p. 49. Theophyl in 11.
depart this World and to appear before their righteous Judge so much abounded This was the Method which the Arians used for Propagation of their Heresy Hist Eccl. l. 2. c. 27 p. 118. For Socrates informs us that in the Reign of Constantius the Persecution fell upon the Orthodox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through all the Cities of the East that they were banished from their Churches and were afflicted with all kinds of Torments and that the Force then used was no less than formerly was exercised by Heathen Emperors to compel Christians to worship Idols And when after the Death of Constantine the Empire of the West fell into his Hands he used the like Severity there also Now the direful Effects of this Persecution appeared not only in the Fall of the great Hosius Ib. c. 31. p. 127. who by this Violence was constrained to subscribe the Decrees of the Council of Sirmium but even in the generality of the Church Governours Theodoret Hist Eccl. l. 2. c. 13. Soz. l. 4. c. 9. for when Constantius the more effectually to move Pope Liberius to consent to the Condemnation of Athanasius tells him That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Empire had condemned him as a wicked Man Liberius answers that they had done this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozom. ibid. out of Fear of him and the Dishonour which he threatned to them and the same Motive after a little Exile prevailed with him also Moreover a great part of the Bishops who met at Ariminum declared for the Nicene Faith as being that which they could not alter unless they would prove themselves spurious Children and Accusers of the Fathers and yet they being carried thence to Nica in Thracia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret Hist Eccl. l. 2. c. 15 16 18. they being terrified consented to expunge the Words of Substance and Consubstantial and only to assert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Christ was like in Substance to the Father and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some out of Fear and others out of Ignorance subscribed St. Hilary informs us Fragm p. 482. that the Bishops met at Ariminum being tired out with long Delays minis imperatoris perterriti damnarunt integram fidem quam antea defendebant susceperunt perfidiam quam antea damnaverant and terrified with the Threats of the Emperor condemned that Faith they had before defended and received that Falshood which they had before condemned Sozomen also tells us of Three hundred Western Bishops met at Milan who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hist Eccles l. 4. cap. 9. either out of Fear or Fraud or Ignorance consented to the Deposition of Athanasius And this doubtless Commonit c. 6. gave Oceasion to Vincentius Lirinensis to say that cuncti prope Latini Sermonis Episcopi Epist ad Pam. adv Error Joh. Hieros F. 59. almost all the Western Bishops were by Fraud or Force deceived and that the Poyson of Arianism pene orbem totum contaminaverat had defiled almost the whole World to Jerom to complain that it had possessed all the East and that the whole World Arianum se esse miratus est admired that it was become Arian 〈◊〉 to Nazionzen to confess that Orat. in Athan. quae est Or. 21. p. 387. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except a very few which either because of their Vertue resisted or for their Obscurity were contemned all obeyed the times some being Ring-Leaders in the Impiety some being circumvented by Fear or Gain Flattery or Ignorance And to omit the Complaint of Theodoret Ep. 142. That in the Ephesine Council styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most of the Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were moved to consent by Force and by their Subscriptions confirmed a new Heresy Socr. Hist Eccl. l. 4. c. 17. To omit the Persecution of Valens which expelled saith Socrates almost all the Bishops of the East out of their Sees and where the Bishops were not valiant had such ill Influence upon the People that they all turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 6. c. 21. from their former Sentiments to Arianism to omit I say these Instances It is a wonder to conceive what Force the Edicts of Basiliscus had to engage the Patriarchs and Bishops of that Age to renounce and Anathematize the General Council of Chalcedon Basiliscus in his Encyclical Epistle commands all Bishops to be content with the Nicene Faith and to Anathematize 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evagr. Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 4. p. 336 487. all things done and spoken in the Synod of Chalcedon about the Definition of Faith or Exposition of the Symbols to subscribe to his Epistle and wholly to reject the Council of Chalcedon threatning Deposition to the Bishops and Clergy who should refuse Obedience to his Commands Ibid. c. 5. p. 338. whereupon Five hundred Bishops presently subscribe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemning the Epistle of Pope Leo and the Synod of Chalcedon Among them were the Bishops of Asia professing to the Emperor Ibid. that they subscribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all Readiness and Gladness and yet quickly after the Death of Basiliscus they beg Pardon for so doing of Acacius alledging that they subscribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. cap. 9. not willingly but of Necessity consenting by their Words and Writings but not with their Hearts And as this Force and Violence hath had this fatal Influence on many to deny the Truth and to embrace or at the least profess the contrary so hath it as effectually prevailed on others to conceal the Truth or not appear in its Defence when they were inwardly convinced of it least they should pull a Storm upon their Heads and should expose themselves unto the Censures of prevailing Persons and to the Fury of their Enemies Thus Sozomen informs us Hist Eccl. l. 4. c. 10. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for fear of the Emperor Constantius both the East and West seemed to agree in the Faith. Theodoret informs that there were some in his time who held the Truth of Apostolical Doctrine Ep. 135. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but fearing the Power of their Governours they durst not publish it they sigh and groan for the encrease of Evils but yet they are carried away with the Authors of them Thus saith he I believe it is with thee O Bishop Romulus thou art sound in the Faith but only out of Fear thou servest the Times Isidore Peleusiota also tells us that there were some who lived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 5. Ep. Ep. 126. according to the Apostolick Rule but they durst not open their Mouths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being afraid of the Multitude of the Wicked Monotessaron p. 309. Zacharias Chrysopolitanus saith sunt nonnulli imo forsitan multi there are some yea perhaps many who are of the same Opinion with Berengarius and yet condemn him with the Church which without doubt they
Doctrines of the Church of Rome are not received by Tradition from Father to Son since in this matter the Sons have generally entertained a Doctrine their Fathers either knew nothing of or plainly contradicted and that is now become pious and consonant to Ecclesiastical Worship which in St. Bernard's time was Ep. 174. praesumpta novitas Mater temeritatis soror superstitionis filia levitatis A bold Novelty the Mother of Rashness the Sister of Superstition the Daughter of Levity 5. Hence doth it follow that even by the Authority of the heads of the Vniversal Church men may be forbidden under pain of Damnation to Assert the Ancient Doctrine of the Church and may have liberty to contradict it Yea that in the judgment of a great R. Council received by the French as General and bearing that title in all Editions of the Councils that may be agreeable to the Catholick Faith to Reason and to Holy Scripture which is repugnant to the Ancient Doctrine of the Church Catholick for Eight whole Centuries 6. Hence is it manifest that the Trent Council hath given liberty to all her Members to hold that which is opposite to an universal constant unopposed Tradition of the Church for many Ages that is that she hath left them at their liberty to hold the Ancient Faith or hold the contrary 7. Hence it appears that in the Church of Rome Feasts may be instituted in which all men shall be exhorted to praise God for a thing which perhaps never was and of the truth of which none of her Members can be certain certitudine fidei with the certainty of Faith all of them being by this Church permitted to believe the contrary CHAP. III. Fifthly We distinguish betwixt Traditions which though not written in Scripture are left on Record in the Ecclesiastical writings of the first and purest Ages of the Church and such as are so purely Oral Traditions as that we find no footsteps of them in the Three first Centuries much less any assurance they had then any general Reception of the first kind is the Canon of Scripture of the Old Testament mentioned in our Sixth Article § 1. This is proved from the Jews § 2. From the Christians of the Second Century § 3. Of the Third Century § 4. From almost all the celebrated Writers of the Fourth Century § 5. Where also it is observed 1. That these Fathers profess to deliver that Catalogue of them which they had received from Tradition § 6. And that the Books which they rejected as Apocryphal were so reputed by the Church § 7. That the Catalogue they produced was that received not only by the Jews but Christians § 8. That they made it to prevent mistakes § 9. That they represent the Books contained in their Catalogue as the Fountain of Salvation the rest as insufficient to confirm Articles of Faith § 10. The same Tradition still continued to the Sixteenth Century § 11. What the Roman Doctors must do if they would shew a like Tradition for any of their Tenets § 12. The unreasonableness of their pretences to Tradition in this Article Ibid. The Attempts of Mr. M. and J. L. to prove their Canon from the Council of Carthage the Testimony of St. Austin the Decrees of Pope Innocent and Gelasius are Answered § 13. The Tradition touching the Books of the New Testament where it is proved 1. That the Four Evangelists the Acts the Thirteen Epistles of St. Paul the First of Peter and of John were always owned as Canonical by all Orthodox Christians § 14. 2. That it cannot be necessary to Salvation to be assured that the Books formerly controverted belong to the Canon § 15. 3. That we cannot be assured of the true Canon of the New Testament from the Testimony of the Latin Church § 16. 4. That there is not the like necessity that the controverted Books should have been generally received from the beginning as that all necessary Articles of Christian Faith and Manners should be then generally received § 17. That we have cause sufficient to own as Canonical the Books once controverted is proved 1. in the General § 18. 2. In Particular touching the Apocalypse § 19. And the Epistle to the Hebrews § 20. Touching the Epistle of St. James the Second of Peter the Second and Third of John the Epistle of St. Jude § 21. No Orthodox Persons dobuted of them after the Fourth Century § 22. The Romanists cannot prove their Doctrines by any like Traditions and in particular not by such a Tradition as proves the Apocalypse Canonical § 23. The Objection of Mr. M. Answered § 24. AGain § 1 the word Tradition may be applied to signifie either such things as are not written in the Scripture Dist 5. though they are left on Record in the Ecclesiastical writings of the first and purest Ages Vocatur Doctrina non scripta non ea quae nusquam scripta est sed quae non est scripta a primo Autore Bellarm. de verbo Dei non scripto l. 4. c. 2. and from them handed down unto us in the writings of succeeding Ages or else to signifie such things as are said only to be delivered by word of Mouth but cannot by the Records of preceding Ages be proved to have been received as Doctrines generally maintained or practices always observed in the Church of Christ of the first sort is the Tradition of the Canon of Scripture of the Apostles Symbol as a perfect Summary of Doctrines necessary to be believed the Observation of the Lord's Day the Superiority of Bishops over Presbyters the Ordination of Presbyters and Deacons by Bishops only and the like we having full and pregnant evidence from the first Records of Antiquity unto this present time of all these things and whatsoever can be proved by a like Tradition touching a necessary Article of Christian Faith we are all ready to receive but those pretended Traditions of the Roman Church which by no Records of Antiquity can be made appear to have been constantly received by the Church as Apostolical Traditions we have just Reason to reject as being without Ground so stiled For Instance First We receive the Canon of the Scriptures of the Old Testament mentioned in our Sixth Article because it is by written Tradition handed down unto us from the Jews from Christ and his Apostles and from their Successors in the Church and we reject the Canon of the Old Testament imposed upon us by the Fourth Session of the Trent Council partly because we find a clear Tradition both virtually by all who say the Canon of the Old Testament is only that we own and expresly by those who say the others which we stile Apocrypha belong not to the Canon And 1. § 2 We receive our Canon from the Ancient Jews to whom were committed the Oracles of God for their Josephus saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 1. contra Apion
this Revelation to an unknown Presbyter whose Name was John rather than to that Apostle who conversed so long among these Churches they may be easily confuted from this peculiar description of that John who was the Author of this Book Rev. i. 9. he being that John who was banished into the Isle of Patmos for the Word of God Vers 2. and the Testimony of the Truth and who bare record of the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things which he saw which are peculiar to this Apostle of our Lord. 2. § 20 St. Jerom also had good reason to own the Epistle to the Hebrews to be written or at the least composed or indited by St. Paul on the Authority of the Ancient Writers Apud Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 25. Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 3. Sect. 12 17 36 43. L. 3 c. 38. Catalo Script verbo Paulus Pag. 247 439. Pag. 53 362 384 514 515 645. Lib. 3. p. 143. Lib. 7. p. 351. Philocal p 10 17. Dial. contra Marc. p. 114. Ep. ad Afric p 232. Seeing as Origen informs us the ancient Christians did not rashly when they delivered it as the Epistle of St. Paul and as Eusebius saith Saint Paul's Fourteen Epistles were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 known and manifest to the whole Christian World. We find it very often cited by Clemens Romanus the Companion and co-worker of St. Paul in his Epistle to the Church of Corinth in which as Eusebius and St. Jerome Note he hath put many notions which are in that Epistle and used many Expressions word for word taken thence In the Second Century it is cited by Irenaeus as a Book written by the Spirit of God and in the close of that Century or the beginning of the next it is Six times cited by Clemens Alexandrinus under the Name of the Apostle Paul or of Divine Scripture Origen saith That the Apostle Paul writ Fourteen Epistles he cites it as the Epistle of St. Paul in his Third and Seventh Book against Celsus in his Philocalia in his Dialogue against Marcian in his Exhortation to Martyrdom in his Epistle to Africanus he undertakes to demonstrate that it was his against such as doubted of it and in his Fifth Tome upon John he declares That the things contained in it are admirable Vid. Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 25. and no whit inserior to those which were confessedly writ by the Apostles and that whatsoever Church received it as such was upon that account to be commended That this is the Epistle of St. Paul was in the Fourth Century denyed by the Arians because they were not able to resist the Conviction it affords in the First Chapter of our Lord's Divinity On which account Theodoret speaks thus Proem in Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They ought at least to revere the length of time in which the Children of the Church have read this Epistle in the Churches for from the time that the Churches of God have enjoyed the writings of the Apostles they have reaped the Benefit of this Epistle to the Hebrews or if this be not sufficient to perswade them they should hearken to Eusebius of whom they boast as of the Patron of their Doctrines for he confessed this was St. Paul's Epistle Proem in Ep. ad Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he declared that all the Ancients had the same Opinion of it That they of Rome and other Latins did for a while reject this Epistle will not much weaken this Tradition if we consider 1. That this Epistle was not writ to them but to the Hebrews who as we are informed by Eusebius Embraced it with delight 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 25. That it was rejected by them not that they had any thing to say against it but because they could not answer the Arguments which the Novatian Schismaticks among them produced from the Sixth and Tenth Chapter of this Epistle against receiving lapsed Penitents into the Church whence as Philastrius informs us they rejected it Haer. 88. as thinking it was depraved by the Hereticks or 3. Because it wants his Name which he concealed saith Jerom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catal. Script Eccl. verbo Paulus because his Name would render it less acceptable to the Hebrew Converts who were offended at his Doctrine of the Exemption of the Gentile Converts from Circumcision and the Observation of the Law saith Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proem in Ep. ad Hebr. because he was made an Apostle not of the Circumcision but of the Gentiles 4. Because it differs in stile from the rest of his Epistles as indeed it ought to do being writ to the Hebrews accustomed to the Hellenistick Stile but of this the Ancients give this double reason That it was writ by St. Paul in Hebrew translated by others into Greek or because St. Clemens Barnabas or St. Luke did Ibid. Apud Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 25. sententias Pauli proprio ornare sermone write down the the Sentences of Paul in their own Words saith Jerom and gave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Phrase and the Contexture saith Origen to to the things spoken by St. Paul. The Second and Third Epistles of Saint John § 21 and that of Jude are so short that it is needless to insist upon it that the Second Epistle of Saint John is cited by Irenaeus and Clemens Alexandrinus in the Second L. 1. c. 13. p. 94. Strom. 2. De carne Christi c. 24. Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 24. Apud Cypr. p. 242. De cultu foeminar p. 151. by Tertullian Dionysius of Alexandria and the Council of Carthage in the Third Century and the Epistle of Jude under his Name by Tertullian Concerning the Epistle of St. James the Second Epistle of Peter and the Epistle of St. Jude let it be noted in the general that Eusebus informs us they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 25. Petrus duabus Epistolarum suarum personat tubis Jacobus quoque Judas f. 156. know to most of the Ancients That they are all expresly owned by Origen in his Seventh Honily upon Joshua Of the Epistle of Jude in particular St. Jerom saith That though it was rejected for a while because it cited a passage from the Apocryphal Book of Enoch Catal. Script Eccl. verbo Judas tamen authoritatem vetustate jam usu meruit inter sanctas Scripturas computatur it deserved Authority from its Antiquity and constant use in the Church and is reckoned among the holy Scriptures Sect. 10 12 17 30. Sess 5. The Catholick Epistle of James is cited by Clemens Romanus four several times by Ignatius in his Genuine Epistle to the Ephesians by Origen in his Thirteenth Homily upon Genesis Lib. 3. c. 25. Lib. 2. c. 22. Eusebius saith It was known to most and publickly read in
is exceeding evident that his Opinion was by the Church of God condemned both in General and in Particular Moreover it was the Judgment of Pope Stephen That the Baptism of Hereticks though administred only in the name of Christ and not of the whole Sacred Trinity was valid and not to be reiterated when they returned into the Bosom of the Church This is apparent from these words of Cyprian No Man to circumvent the Christian Truth should oppose the Name of Christ and say in nomine Jesu Christi ubicunque quomodocunque Baptizati gratiam Baptismi sunt consecuti Ep. 73. p. 205. that wheresoever howsoever Men are Baptized in the Name of Christ they obtain the Grace of Baptism And again Since after the Resurrection the Apostles being sent by our Lord to the Gentiles are commanded to Baptize them in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost how do some say That out of the Church yea against the Church a Gentile may obtain Remission of Sins Ibid. p. 206. modo in nomine Jesu Christi ubicunque quomodocunque Baptizatum wheresoever and howsoever he be Baptized provided it be done in the name of the Lord Jesus when Christ himself commands the Gentiles to be Baptized in plena adunata Trinitate into the whole and united Trinity If then that be the Truth which usually is affirmed that the Ancients did admit the Baptism of those Hereticks who Baptized in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and nulled their Baptism who Baptized not into the Sacred Trinity then must they plainly have condemned the Doctrine of Pope Stephen and his Abettors But though some of the Ancients seem to speak after this manner and to assert this Doctrine as is evident from the Apology made for the Baptism of the Novatians in St. Cyprian That they did Ep. 69. p. 183. eandem legem tenere quam Catholica Ecclesia teneat eodem Symbolo quo nos Baptizare eundem nosse deum patrem eundem filium Christum eundem Spiritum Sanctum use the same Symbol with Catholicks in Baptism and Baptized into the same Sacred Trinity And from the Canon of the first Council of Arles which Decrees That they should be admitted by Imposition of Hands only who were Baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost yet the Opinion of the Ancient Church seems rather to have been this that their Baptism alone was to be admitted who both Baptized into and believed aright touching the Sacred Trinity as the Novatians did This St. Basil doth expresly teach saying Ad Amphil. can 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Ancients judged that Baptism valid which in nothing differed from the Faith. And therefore having told us That the Baptism of the Encratitae the Saccophori and Apotactites was rejected by the Church he adds And let them not say we are Baptized into the Father Can. 47. Son and Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who make God the Author of Evil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 3. contr Arian p. 413. And Athanasius condemns the Baptism of the Arians though they named the Father and Son because they saw them in the Form of Baptism delivered in the Scripture seeing they did not conceive aright of them nor retain the right Faith adding That as the Manichees the Phrygae the Samosatenians pronounced the right Names and yet were Hereticks so the Arians though they recited the Names and Words of Baptism deluded them who received Baptism from them Again St. Cyprian and his party in Africa held the Baptism not only of Hereticks but Schismaticks to be void and in particular of the Novatians his words are these Ep. 69. p. 180. Dicimus omnes omnino Haereticos Schismaticos nihil habere potestatis ac juris propter quod Novatianus nec debet nec potest excipi We say that no Heretick or Schismatick hath any power or right to Baptize and therefore Novatian should not and cannot be excepted And again Ibid. p. 183. Audet quisquam dicere aquam Baptismi salutarem communem cum Schismaticis esse posse Ep. 72. p. 196. Dares any one say That Schismaticks can have the salutary Water of Baptism The same he Asserts in several other places and the Fathers of the Council held under him do often say Baptisma quod dant Haeretici Schismatici non est verum Pag. 231. ter 232. bis 236. bis that the Baptism of Hereticks and Schismaticks is not true and that both returning to the Church were to be admitted by Baptism Now in this indeed he differed from the received Opinion of the Church 〈◊〉 Amphil. can 1. to whom it seemed good saith Basil to reject the Baptism of Hereticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to receive that of Schismaticks 2dly Whereas St. Cyprian and his party held the Baptism of all Hereticks to be void we find the Church did afterwards judge that some Hereticks should be admitted into the Church by Baptism and that others should be received only by Imposition of Hands 'T is therefore evident That the Church equally disallowed both their Assertions and decided the Controversie against them both and did as much condemn Pope Stephen's Traditum est as St. Cyprian's Scriptum est the Pope's Appeal to Tradition as the Bishop of Carthage's to Scripture Now the Corollaries which naturally do result from these Ten Observations are as follow First § 22 Hence we learn That the Latins though comparatively Ancient are not much to be relied upon in giving an account of matters in which their Church is concerned and in which they differed from the Eastern Churches For to omit St. Commen c. 9. Austin the Account Vincentius Lirinensis gives of this matter is as full of Errors as of Sentences for he averrs that Agrippinus was the first of 1 all Men who against the 2 Divine Canon against the 3 Rule of the Vniversal Church against the 4 Sence of all his own fellow Priests against the 5 Customs and 6 Institutions of the Ancients Rebaptizandum esse censebat judged for Rebaptization and that 7 all men disclaimed the novelty of the thing and 8 all the Priests every were resisted it but above all Pope Stephen who said Nihil innovandum nisi quod traditum est Nothing must be innovated but that which was delivered us to be retained that retenta est igitur Antiquitas explosa novitas hereupon Antiquity was retained and novelty exploded In which few words are no less than Eight gross mistakes as will appear by comparing these words with the Testimonies above cited In Ep. 70. p. â—89 And as it is truly observed by the Oxford Commentator upon Cyprian That the Eastern Writers were in rebus Occidentalium Hospites Strangers in things which concerned the West so is it as true that the Western Writers were many of them Strangers to the true State of Matters in the East Secondly § 23
the Sabbath Day Answered § 16. His fourth Objection That in Christ Jesus nothing avails but keeping the Commandments of God Answered § 17. His fifth Objection from the Words of Christ Pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath day Answered § 18. IN this Discourse I have endeavoured to shew in what Sence we admit of Tradition as a sufficient Evidence of the Truth of what we do believe or practise And have demonstrated That in those things which we receive upon her Testimony the Romanists cannot pretend unto a like Tradition for any of their Doctrines Two things they farther do object against us as instances of things necessary to be believed which yet say they have no Foundation in the Holy Scriptures and therefore must be believed only on the account of Tradition or the Authority of the Church viz. First The Observation of the Lord's Day and the liberty we take in working on the Sabbath and not observing it as a day set apart unto the Service of the Creator of the World. Secondly The Baptism of Infants of which what Mr. M. offers is sufficiently considered in the following Treatise and the practice hath of late been fully justified from Scripture and Tradition jointly by Three learned Treatises to which I shall referr the Reader Mr. Walker's Modest Plea for Infants Baptism The Case of Infants Baptism Dr. Still Rational Account Part. 1. cap. 4. Touching the first particular I shall Discourse at present in this Preface and shew in opposition to Mr. Mumford that we have sufficient Ground from Scripture for observing the Lord's Day and not observing of the Sabbath Day and that as far as we depend upon Tradition in these Points the Romanists can shew no like Tradition for their Tenets To begin with the first of these particulars That the Lord's Day is by all Christians to be observed as a Religious Festival will be made good from these Considerations First That it is mentioned in the Scripture as a known Festival Day a Day which bore Christ 's Name a Day on which the Christians did assemble for the performance of Sacred and Religious Worship Secondly That it was perpetually and universally observed as such by the Catholick Church including the times of the Apostles And First That it is mentioned in Scripture as a known Festival Day a Day which bore Christ's Name a Day on which the Christians did assemble for the performance of Religious Worship will appear 1st From that Expression of St. John § 2 Rev. i. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day For explication of which words observe first That the Name Lord in the New Testament doth ordinarily signifie the Lord Christ for God the Father having committed all Authority into his Hands he by so doing made him as Saint Peter saith both Lord and Christ Act. ij 36. and therefore by this name he is distinguished from God the Father in these words 1 Cor. viij 6. There is one God the Father of whom are all things and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things And again 1 Cor. xij 5 6. There are differences of Administrations but the same Lord diversities of Operations but the same God Wherefore by the Lord's Day here mentioned we cannot reasonably understand the Jewish Sabbath that being not the Day of the Lord Christ or a Day instituted in Memorial of him but a Day sanctified to Jehovah who is in the New Testament stiled God the Father or absolutely God and by that phrase distinguished from the Lord Christ Moreover the Sabbath is in Scripture sometime said to be a Day Holy to the Lord but it is never stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord's Day either in Scripture or in the Records of the three first Centuries and therefore we can have no reason to believe Saint John intended the Jewish Sabbath by that Phrase 2dly Whereas Saint John to denote the time when he received his Vision saith It was on the Lord's Day It follows that this Day must be a Day well known otherwise he could not by this note sufficiently declare the Time when he received his Vision Since then the first Day of the Week and that alone was by the Christians of the first Ages stiled the Lord's Day and known to them familiarly by that Name it is rational to conclude That the Apostle by this Phrase did understand the first Day of the Week For Confirmation of this Argument it is observable that some Copies read that Passage of Saint Paul to the Corinthians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. xvi 2. On the first Day of the Week being the Lord's Day let every one lay by in store Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. ad Manes Et ad Trallian §. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 4. c. 23. Euseb H. Eccl. l. 4. c. 26. who lived Thirty Years in the Apostles Days speaks thus That Christians must no longer Sabbatize but keep the Lord's Day in which our Life sprang up by him Dionysius Bishop of Corinth who flourished in the second Century writes thus This day being the Lord's Day we keep it Holy. Melito Bishop of Sardis who flourished in the same Century composed a Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Lord's Day and another of the Paschal Solemnity clearly distinguishing the one from the other Justin M. Qu. Resp Qu. 115. Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons in his Book of the Paschal Solemnity declares That Christians did not on the Lord's Day which was a Symbol of their Resurrection bend the Knee Clemens of Alexandria calls the Eighth day Contra Cels l. 8. p. 392. De Cor. Mil. c. 3. Cyp. Ep. 38. Ed. Ox. p. 75. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord's day Origen among the Christian Festivals enumerates the Lord's day the Easter and the Pentecostal Festival Tertullian saith Dominico die jejunium nefas ducimus vel de geniculis adorare We judge it wickedness to kneel on the Lord's day and then he adds That on the Easter and the Penticostal Festival we enjoy the same freedom And indeed the thing was so notorious even to the Heathen World that it was usual with them to put this Question to the Martyrs Dominicum servasti Hast thou observed the Lord's day To which their usual Answer was Christianus sum intermittere non possum I am a Christian and cannot cease to do it And that Dominicum agere which is sometimes the Phrase imports not to celebrate the Lord's Supper but to observe the Lord's day is evident from Clemens of Alexandria Strom. 7. p. 744. who tells us That the true Gnostick doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make that day truly the Lord's day by casting away every evil thought and celebrating the Resurrection of Christ Now from these Passages it is clear That the Easter Festival could not be here intended by Saint John that being never stiled by the Ancients absolutely the Lord's day but always
their own Salvation may learn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 3. c. 3. the Character of his Faith and the Declaration of the Truth so plain and simple was the Faith of those first Ages that the whole Faith and Truth of Christ was thought to be contained there where is not the least intimation of one Article of the Romish Faith. The Faith received from the Apostles saith Irenaeus the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keeps with the greatest care and preaches and teaches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 1. c. 23. and by Tradition hands it down as he himself there doth by giving us a written Copy of all the Articles of Faith received by the universal Church from the Apostles beyond which the most learned Bishop taught nothing as being not above his Master nor did the meanest Christian believe less the Faith and Tradition of it being one and the same in all places Now not to insist upon the inference which plainly follows hence that none of the R. Articles could be then esteemed Articles of Faith received from the Apostles Tradition there being nothing at all of them in the Epistles of Ignatius writ on purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for confirmation of the Christian Churches in the Tradition of the Apostles against the Hereticks or in that of Polycarp though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most sufficient for declaration of the Truth nor in Irenaeus when purposely laying down for confutation of the Hereticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 1. c. 1. p. 42. The Faith Preached by the Church Cap. 2. the exposition of the Truth which the Church having received from the Apostles keeps and of those things belonging ad Fidem Traditiones Cap. 3. to Faith and Traditions in which the Christian Church unanimously doth consent I say not to insist at present on so plain an inference Nothing can be more natural than to collect that had they known of any other Articles of Faith delivered to them from the Apostles only by word of Mouth they would have taken at least equal care for the propagation of them also to posterity Inasmuch therefore as the common Sense of Mankind agrees to this That Records are a more certain means of conveighing Truth to posterity than Report and Men would be more apt to believe that the Apostles said what themselves wrote than that they said what they did not write and what only comes down by hearsay from them surely the Fathers of the Church had they known of these Supernumerary Traditions of the Roman Church in compliance with the Example and Advice of St. Ignatius would have committed them to writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the better security of them and would have thought that very fit which he declared to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very necessary for conservation of Apostolical Tradition Surely they would have taken all the care imaginable that these unwritten Doctrines might not lose their credit by being long unwritten for they were not ignorant of that great truth of Origen Dial. contra Marcion p. 59. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which only is delivered by word of Mouth quickly vanisheth as having no certainty They therefore had they known of such Traditions necessary to be believed would not have left it to an half witted Papias to run up and down to gather up these Hear-says from them who had conversed with the Apostles and to digest them in a Book of which they were so careless as to preserve us nothing but Euseb H. Eccl. l. 3. c. 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some idle Fables which he related 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as coming to him from unwritten Tradition and by which he deceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most of the Church Guides but would of purpose have written Books to secure the conveighance of them to posterity and to prevent the future Cheats that such bold and half witted Men might have put upon them with false pretensions to Antiquity or to Tradition Even Eutropius the Heathen Dial. contra Marcion p. 59. could argue against Marcion That it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding Foolish to conceive those who were sent to preach the Gospel should do it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without committing what they Preached to writing for it is probable saith he that they preached or declared this Salvation to them only who heard them and had no care the Knowledge of it should descend to Posterity as had they only preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without writing they must have done And may not we in like manner argue against these latter Marcionites That had the Fathers of the Age following the Apostles observed and known that some points of necessary Faith had not been touched in any of their Writings it is highly probable that they by handing of them down in writing would have taken care the knowledge of them should descend unto posterity and would have formally and with one voice declared that whereas the inspired Preachers and Publishers of their Religion had committed to Writing some Articles of the Christian Faith but had not in those writings expressed others which were of equal necessity to be believed it is therefore to prevent all false pretenders to these Traditions Apostolical declared defined and made known to future Ages that these and these alone are Doctrines of this kind delivered orally by the Apostles to the Church to be preserved and taught to future Generations When even in the first Ages of the Church they had to do with Hereticks who when their Doctriens were confuted out of Scripture Cum enim ex Scripturia arguuntur in accusationem convertuntur ipsarum Scripturarum quasi non recte habeant neque sunt ex Authoritate quia varie sunt dictae quia non posset ex his inveniri veritas ab his qui nesciunt traditionem Iren. l. 3. c. 2. as are the Doctrines of the Church of Rome instead of answering the Arguments produced by the Fathers of the Church from Scripture accused the Scriptures of Obscurity and Insufficiency saying That they were spoken variously or so as to admit of divers Senses and that from them the Truth could not be known by them who were ignorant of Tradition non enim per literas traditam illam sed per vivam vocem this Truth being delivered not by writing but by word of Mouth When these Hereticks pleaded for their Doctrines not found in Scripture Apostolos non omnia omnibus revelâsse Tertull. de praescript c. 25. quaedam enim palam universis quaedam secreto paucis demandâsse That the Apostles revealed not all things to all Men but some things they delivered openly and to all some things secretly and to few Hieron in Es 19. fol. 40. b. When they vaunted that they were Filii sapientum qui ab initio Doctrinam nobis Apostolicam tradiderunt The Sons of the wise Men who from the beginning delivered
to them the Doctrine of the Apostles pretending to have received it as it were by Tradition from the Apostles Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 28. When they had the boldness to affirm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That all the Ancients and even the Apostles taught the same things which they did and that what they delivered was afterwards corrupted by the Orthodox I say that in their Discourses against these Hereticks they should not once endeavour to stop their mouths by telling them what were indeed the Doctriens and Traditions received from the Apostles what were the things revealed to them by the Apostles but should still keep these necessary Traditions which the Church of Rome now teacheth as received from them secret not saying one word of them no not when they in confutation of these pretences of the Hereticks declare what was the Rule of Faith and the Tradition received from the Apostles and preserved by all the Apostolick Churches is so incredible as nothing can be more except this vain Imagination That these very Fathers should concurr with these Hereticks as do some others in this Assertion That saving Truth could not be known from Scripture by them who were ignorant of Tradition as being not delivered down to Posterity by writing but by word of Mouth and yet at the same time should say Lib. 3. c. 1. as Irenaeus doth in his Discourse against them That the Apostles first Preached the Gospel and after by the Will of God delivered it unto us in the Scriptures to be hereafter the Foundation and Pillar of our Faith. And as Eusebius doth Lib. 5. c. 18. That the pretences of the Hereticks unto Tradition might be probable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did not the Holy Scriptures contradict them And as St. Jerom That those things which they feign to have received as Tradition In Hagg. c. 1. fol. 102. a. absque authoritate testimoniis Scripturarum percutit gladius Dei without the Authority and Testimonies of the Scripture the Sword of God doth smite for what is this but to talk like us Northern Hereticks for to quarrel with Men for appealing from Scriture as obscure and insufficient to decide our Controversies without the Suffrage of Oral Tradition to alledge Scripture as a sufficient evidence that others vainly did pretend unto it to reject what others do pretend to have received from Tradition because it wanteth the Authority and Testimony of the Holy Scriptures whatsoever it may pass for in these ancient Fathers is one of those very things for which we are proclaimed Hereticks In a word That there should be unwritten Traditions necessary to be believed unto Salvation and neither the Creed of the Greek nor of the Latin Church make the least mention of any of them That a Creed should be made perhaps at Gentilly in the Seventh Century and to obtain the better credit should be called the Creed of Athanasius That this Creed should inform us in the beginning That whosoever will be saved before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith threatning that he shall perish everlastingly who doth not keep this Faith entire and whole that therefore in the next words it should say and the Catholick Faith is this and should conclude in these Expressions This is the Catholick Faith and yet leave out almost as many necessary Articles of Christian Faith as it contained That the principal written Traditions which in comparison needed it not should be put together into a Creed but that the unwritten ones which needed it very much should be quite left out and never thought of to that purpose till about Fifteeen hundred Years after and that the Ancients Tertullian St. Basil Eusebius and others speaking expresly and professedly of Traditions not contained in Holy Scripture should reckon up many unnecessary things and never mention in their Catalogues one of these necessary Traditions That in their Treatises of Christian Faith and Christian Doctrine and of Ecclesiastical Opinions and their Instructions of the Catechized the Fathers should say nothing the Persons who were to be instructed in all the Doctrines of the Christian Faith should hear nothing of all these Articles and yet they should be throughout all Ages of the Christian World so necessary that no Salvation could be had without them these I confess are truly R. Catholick that is incredible Assertions and if we must give credit to them we must do it upon Tertullian's Ground Credo quia est impossibile Because it is impossible they should be true CHAP. VII The Novelty of the R. Doctrines farther proved First from the general Tradition of the Church that the Four Gospels and the Scriptures comprized all that was necessary to be believed or done by Christians this proved 1. in general § 1. 2. From the particular account Tradition gives us of the Writings of the Four Evangelists § 2. Inference this Tradition shews That to preserve a Doctrine safe to Posterity 't was not sufficient to receive it by Oral Tradition unless it were written § 3. Secondly This is proved from the general Tradition of the whole Church of Christ that the Apostles or the Nicene Symbol was a compleat summary of all things necessary to be believed by Christians § 4. Where it is shewed that the Apostles delivered to their Converts a System or a form of Words Ibid. That this form was delivered to all Churches and was for substance the same with that which afterwards was stiled the Apostles Creed § 5. That Christians were received into the Church by Baptism on the profession of this Faith § 6. That it was taught as the entire System of things necessary to be believed § 7. That it was esteemed a Test of Orthodoxy by which they prescribed to Hereticks § 8. That this whole Summary of Christian Faith was evidently contained in Scripture § 9. And that notwithstanding they unanimously stiled it a Tradition § 10. MOreover That the Articles of Faith owned by the Church of Rome and imposed upon all who hold Communion with her to be believed and owned as such under the penalty of Anathema to him who doth believe or say the contrary were not received from Christ or his Apostles either by unwritten Tradition or by traditional Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures or any portion of them to that sence from whence it may be certainly concluded that they were in the Scriptures mentioned or owned by the ancient Church as Articles of Christian Faith or as things necessary to be believed or practised by all Christians will be exceeding evident from these Considerations v. g. First § 1 From that plain and general Tradition of the Church of Christ that all which the Apostles preach'd and taught their Converts by word of mouth as either necessary to be believed or practised they afterwards at their desire committed unto writing and deliver'd to them in the Gospel and the Holy Scriptures This in the
the Apostles understood not or neglected if they did not fulfil them but hid some of the Light that is of the Word of God and Sacramenti Christi of the Doctrine of Christ. Whereas saith he it was incredibile vel ignorasse Apostolos plenitudinem praedicationis vel non omnem ordinem Regulae nobis edidiffe that eitheir the Apostles were ignorant of any thing they were to preach or that they did not perfectly reveal the Rule of Faith to all He also shews That the Church did not alter what she had received from the Apostles because the Rule of Faith was one and the same in all Churches of Christ they being all one Chap. 20. ejusdem Sacramenti una traditione by having the same Tradition of the same Rule of Faith and because they did in eadem fide conspirare agree in the same Faith this Rule this Creed mentioned Chapter the Thirteenth must therefore be according to Tertullian the fulness of the Apostles preaching the entire Rule of Faith they preached to all or else according to him the Apostles must be ignorant or unfaithful and his ensuing Argument That all succeeding Churches agreed in this Rule as in the Tessera Hospitalitatis the Signal of Friendship Ibid. that it was one and the same among them all and that they who were not by Original Apostolical Churches were yet Apostolical because they did conspire with them that were so in the Belief of this Faith is a farther demonstration that this Creed was the entire Faith delivered by the Apostles and taught by all Churches since otherwise Tertullian's Argument must be false for he expresly undertakes to prove that the Apostles delivered to the Churches the entire Rule of Faith and that the Churches did faithfully transmit to posterity the whole Faith they received from them and that because they all transmitted the Apostles Creed mentioned Chapter the Thirteenth had not then that contained the whole Christian Faith owned then by all the Orthodox as such Tertullian had given up the Cause unto the Hereticks for they might have replied upon him as do the Romanists to us that the Apostles delivered many other Traditions as necessary to be believed as those contained in the Creed and that these were the Doctrines which they owned and Tertullian rejected Hence then our Demonstration from these words of Tertullian is invincible All Christians conspired in this that this Rule of his contained the whole Faith received from the Apostles beyond which nothing was necessary to be believed whosoever could produce this Creed they received into Communion pro consanguinitate doctrinae because agreeing with them in the Faith and whosoever pretended to any Articles of Faith not mentioned in this Creed they confuted them by saying they had no such Article in the Creed and therefore the Apostles Chap. 32 33. nihil tale docuerunt taught no such thing and rejected them ob diversitatem Sacramenti as holding a Faith different from that of the Church Now how is it likely that so many and so great Churches should erre in one Faith The Errors of the Churches had there been any in delivering their entire Rule of Faith must needs have varied but that which amongst them all was one and the same must be a sure Tradition and then the Doctrines of the Roman Creed must be rejected as not taught by the Apostles and as different from the Churches Faith. Mr. M. Ibid. Lo here plain Protestantism in the highest point proved and approved by all Christians within Two hundred Years after Christ The same Doctrine is delivered Chapter the Nineteenth and the Twentieth Pag. 429 430. on which Mr. M. insists Sect. 20. Num. 4. for there he tells us That our Lord sent his Twelve Apostles eandem doctrinam ejusdem fidei nationibus promulgare to preach the same Doctrine of Faith to the Nations and so to plant Churches in every City from which other Churches received traducem fidei femina doctrinae the Tradition of their Faith and the Seeds of Doctrine and embracing of it became all Apostolical by receiving the same Rule of Faith. Hence therefore saith he we prescribe against the Hereticks Hinc igitur dirigimus praescriptionem Cap. 21. for if our Lord sent his Apostles to preach we must receive no other Preachers of the Faith than he appointed now what they preached ought not to be otherwise proved than by the same Churches which they planted eis praedicando tam vivâ quod aiunt voce quam per Epistolas postea by preaching to them by word of mouth and afterwards by their Epistles And if so 't is manifest saith he that Doctrine is to be accounted true which conspires with the Apostolical Churches whence Faith had its Original and that is to be rejected which contradicts that Faith it remains therefore uti demonstremus an haec nostra doctrina cujus Regulam supra edidimus de Apostolorum traditione censeatur ex hoc ipso an caeterae de mendacio veniunt that we demonstrate whether our Doctrine the Rule of which we have laid down Chapter the Thirteenth derives from the Tradition of the Apostles and consequently whether all others be not false He therefore doth again declare That the Creed mentioned by him there is the entire Rule of Faith and that by which we may discern who hold the Truth and who teach Falshood And argues thus All the Apostolical Churches have delivered this Creed as that entire Doctrine which they received from the Apostles and all the Hereticks say the contrary therefore their Doctrine must be rejected and that of the Apostolick Churches be received as the Truth Mark here Pag. 429. to use the words of Mr. M. how the first ground on which we are to stand as upon a ground most advantageous for gaining the victory against Error and purchasing triumph to Truth is the Tradition of this Creed of the Apostles as the entire Rule of Faith for by that alone we assuredly know whether our Doctrine of which the Rule is given Chapter the Thirteenth came from Apostolical Tradition from this Rule of Faith delivered by the Apostles by word of Mouth and by their Writings and then by Tradition delivered down by successive practice of all Churches to which Churches Tertullian here expresly sends us will be discovered that only Tradition of the Rule of Faith in which totum Christianae fidei Sacramentum all the Mysteries of Christian Faith are contained And thus Tertullian goes on pressing his Adversary meerly by the Tradition of this Creed as the entire Rule of Faith and this way and only this way he prescribes that we ought to shew what Christ and his Apostles taught Fifthly § 9 Hence we return an Answer to that demand so often but so vainly made What Catalogue have you of Fundamental Articles of Faith For here is a Catalogue of them recommended to the whole World of Christians by so great Authority as may well be esteemed
appeared to the Prophets in divers Shapes why many Covenants were made with Man and what was the Character of every Covenant why God concluded all Men under Vnbelief that he might have mercy upon all why the Word of God was made Flesh and suffered why Christ came only in the last times and of the end of all things and of things to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to explicate other things mentioned in the Scripture But notwithstanding all these Enquiries the Churches Faith was still the same as being comprized in the forementioned Articles of the Apostles Creed Tertullian having laid down the same Rule in his Prescription against Hereticks Cap. 13 14. he reduceth all enquiries beyond this Rule libidini curiositatis to the lust of Curiosity and saith That we may better be ignorant in other things than Curiously concerned to know them whereas had there been as many more Articles of Christian Faith delivered by the Apostles and as necessary to be believed by all Christians as those which were contained in their Creed and Rule of Faith what ignorance or what unfaithfulness to Souls must they be guilty of who mention none of all these necessaries but virtually and in effect exclude them all from being so by thus declaring that all beyond this Rule did only serve to exercise our Wit our Curiosity our Knowledge concerning profound Mysteries which were no part of Faith and of which without detriment to the Christian Faith we might be ignorant Epiphanius having discoursed at large of all the Heresies of his time he closes his Discourse with an exposition of the Catholick Faith in which he speaks Of one God over all § 3. Of the Consubstantial Trinity by which all things were created § 14. Of the Birth of Christ of the Virgin Mary from whom he received a true Body and true Flesh Of his humane Soul and of the imion of both to his Divinity § 15. Of his Sufferings on the Cross in his humane Nature of his descent into Hell of his Resurrection of his Ascention into Heaven whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead § 17. Of the Resurrection of the same Body that died of the future Recompence according to what we have done in the Flesh of the Damnation of the Wicked and the future Happiness of the Just § 18. This saith he is the Faith of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 §. 19. Vid. etiam § 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are the things which the one Catholick Church holds touching the Faith § 21. These things we have discoursed with as much brevity as we could of the Consubstantiality of the Father Son and Holy Ghost of the incarnation of Christ and of his final coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the other Articles of Faith. These therefore in his time comprised all the Articles of the Christian Faith the Doctrines of the Catholick Church and therefore the New Roman Articles could be no parts of Christian Faith no Doctrines of the Church Catholick when Epiphanius flourished in it And upon account of this Symbol of Faith it is that he calls the Church and the way of Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haer. 59. §. 12 13. The Kings High-way and calls them the Servants of God who do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know this firm Rule or Canon and walk in this way of Truth 5ly § 5 This will abundantly appear from an impartial reflection on those Treatises which have been written by the Ancient Fathers at the request or the desire of others to be instructed in the Articles of Christian Faith. Thus when the Emperor Jovianus desired to learn of Athanasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Faith of the Catholick Church Athanasius tells him expresly To. 1. p. 245. That it was that Faith which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confessed by the Nicene Fathers and that he might the better know it he sets down their Creed at length telling him moreover like a true Protestant That the true and pious Faith in Christ was manifest to all Pag. 246. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being known and read from the Holy Scriptures When some Monks had desired St. Basil to send to them De vera pia fide p. 385. a. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a written confessionof the holy Faith. In answer to this demand St. Basil lays down this as his Foundation That it is the property of a Faithful Minister to preserve those things Ibid. B. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pure sincere and unadulterated which are commited to him by his Good Lord to be distributed to his fellow Servants I therefore saith he according to the Will of God will lay before you those things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I have learnt from the divinely inspired Scripture This Fundamental position that it is the property of a Faithful Steward to deliver nothing to his fellow Servants as part of Holy Faith but what he hath learned from the Holy Scripture he confirms in these words Ibid. C.D. For if our Lord himself in whom were hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge said thus He the Father gave me a Commandment what I should say and speak and again The things which I speak as the Father hath told me so I speak And if the Holy Spirit spake nothing of himself but only spake those things which he had heard from him how much more is it as well safe as pious for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to do and mind the same thing in the Name of the Lord Jesus Indeed Ibid. E. saith he when I conflict with Hereticks whose Footsteps I must follow I am compelled sometimes to use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expressions not found in Scripture though neither are they alien from the pious sence of Scripture P. 386. a. but now I have thought it most convenient to the common Scope of us and you to fulfil your command in the simplicity of the sound Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by saying those things which I have been taught from the divinely inspired Scripture abstaining from those Names and Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are not to be found expresly in the Holy Scripture For saith he if the Lord be Faithful in all his words if all his Commandments are Faithful and established for ever and done in Truth and Righteousness Ibid. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a manifest falling from the Faith and a manifestation of Pride either to reject any thing that is written or to superinduce any thing that is not written our Lord having said My Sheep hear my Voice And the Apostle by an Example taken from Men viz. That if it be but a Man's Testament yet if it be confirmed no Man rejects or adds any thing unto it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. d. most vehemently forbids that any thing should be added to or taken from the divinely inspired Scriptures And
entire System of the Christian Faith than by committing it to Writing that Piety should not permit even the Romans to rest satisfied without such written Monuments of what they had been taught or to conceive it was sufficient that they had received it by Tradition and that the Wisdom of the Holy Ghost instructed the Apostles to commit to writing that which they had Preached by Word of Mouth that so it might become to future Ages the Pillar and the Ground of Truth and a sufficient Antidote against the Heresies which afterwards prevailed in the Church Euseb H. Eccl. l. 3. c. 37. And that the zeal of the first Successors of Christian Faith imployed it self as much in leaving to their Converts throughout all the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Writings of the Holy Gospels as in preaching Christ unto them In Answer to Mr. M's Fourth Reason for the Infallibility of Tradition I grant P. 354. That a Tradition made as credible to any Man as it may be made credible to one who never saw London that there is such a City as London and that it is the head Town of England will be a good and a sufficient Proof that the Traditions of the Church of Rome are true and that upon such Evidence afforded it will be most unreasonable to question the Truth of them but then I think it is the vainest thing imaginable for any person to attempt to prove them from a like Tradition For doth Mr. M. know of any Man whoever doubted that there was such a City as London or that it was the head Town of England Did he ever read or hear of any large Discourses any Testimonies brought from ancient Records or Traditions from Divine Revelation or from Reason to prove there was or could be no such Capital City in England Can he produce as many Eye and Ear Witnesses that the Traditions of the Church of Rome are truly Apostolical as may be easily produced for such a City Let Mr. M. once prove that the Traditions of the Romish Church were always generally received by all Mankind and that none ever had the Confidence to Question the Truth of any of them Let him prove them from Myriads of Eye Witnesses who saw them writ by the Apostles or Primitive Professors of Christianity as plainly as ever any Man saw London or as many Ear Witnesses hearing the Apostles preaching these Traditions as ever heard this Capital City mentioned by those who saw it Let him prove them by as many persons who writ to the Apostles concerning these Traditions as have writ to London and by as many who resorted to the Apostles to learn these Traditions as have resorted to this City by as many Books describing these Traditions in the very Age in which they are supposed to have been delivered as there are Books which in this Age make mention of the City of London and by as many Canons of the Primitive Church relating to these Traditions as there are Statutes and Discourses relating to the City Trade and Government of London And I will then acknowledge That it is impudent impious and blasphemous Impiety to doubt the Truth of these Traditions Mr. M. indeed supposeth That it is as evidently credible that God hath revealed such and such Verities as it is credible by humane Tradition that there is such a City as London but this he never undertakes to prove as knowing that it was an easier matter to suppose it P. 355 356. And then he adds That the very self same Tradition tells me that the same God who revealed by his Apostles so many other Verities to his Church did also reveal by the same Apostles to the same Church that this Church was to be heard as the Mistress of Truth with whom he would ever be present suggesting to her all Truth and never permitting the Gates of Hell to prevail against her that he placed her as a Pillar and Ground of Truth giving her such Pastors as should secure her Children from being tossed to and fro with every Wind of Doctrine and consequently this same Tradition tells me God hath revealed this Verity of her being Infallible in proposing any Point for Divine Faith. Now Reply First Mr. M. is miserably out in this Discourse for not one of these Revelations here mentioned whatsoever is the import of them have descended to us by Oral Tradition but are all of them contained in Scripture as far as they are truly cited Secondly Whereas the Evidence that there is such a City as London is so great that never any Body could deny or question it that the Church is Infallible in propounding any Point of Faith not clearly revealed in the Holy Scripture or that there are indeed any such Points of Faith is at present and hath been formerly denied by many Myriads of learned and pious Men whose worldly Interest it is and was to believe that true which they deny to be so and whose rejoicement it would be to find it true and that none of the places here produced prove this Infallibility or by the Primitive Professors of Christianity were esteemed to prove it they have unanimously held and do at present hold Thirdly Ibid. Whereas he saith He did see with his Eyes that she viz. the Church of God did propose her Traditions for Verities received from God. Let it be noted That Mr. M. confounds the Church of Rome and the Church of God excluding all the Protestants the Greek Church and the Eastern Christians not subject to the Pope from that Church out of which there is no Salvation which I hope is not so evident as that there is such a City as London for it is not the whole Church but that of Rome which claims this Infallibility and on that account proposeth her Traditions for Verities received from God. Now then let us return to our Capital City of London and we shall find the whole Nation though of different Parties Interests and Judgments agreeing that there is in England such a Capital City as London but yet we find half the whole Christian World utterly denying many Traditions of the Church of Rome to be Verities received from God and in particular that of the Pope's Supremacy without which the Church of Rome neither doth nor can pretend to be the whole Church Catholick Now this denial of her pretended Traditions by so many Churches professing a like Veneration for those Traditions which are truly Primitive must prove as strongly that the Traditions of the Church of Rome are falsly so called as her Assertion can be supposed to prove them Divine Verities Again whereas there are no universally received Records which give us the least cause to doubt whether there be such a City as London c. the Records of the Scriptures Councils and Fathers of the Church cause many Myriads to believe the Doctrines and Practices peculiar to the Roman Church are so far from being Apostolical Traditions that they
are plainly opposite to the Doctrines Practices and Traditions formerly received and approved in the Church of Christ and this they do believe so firmly that they rather chuse to suffer loss of Life and all the Comforts of it than own these Doctrines of the Church of Rome as Apostolical Traditions Moreover whereas it is no Man's Interest to make the World believe there was such a City as London if there was no such place in being it is the Interest of the whole Church of Rome to set up this pretence to Infallibility in the General that finding it disclaimed by other Churches she with some Colour may pretend unto it and 't is the Interest of the Roman Clergy as much to stickle for the Truth of her pretended Traditions as it was the Interest of Demetrius and his Fellow Artists to avouch to the Ephesians They might be truly Gods which were made by Hands and that the Image of Diana truly fell down from Jupiter since otherwise their Craft would be set at nought And as it was the Interest of the Master of the Pythonisse to be angry with St. Paul for casting out the Evil Spirit from her because thereby his Hopes of Gain was gone For if Men will not receive their Traditions as the Truths of God they cannot Lord it over their Consciences nor drain their Purses nor give Laws at pleasure to the Christian World but must be put to the hard task of proving what they would have us take upon their Words And Fourthly Whereas he that doubteth whether there be such a City as London may repair unto it to be convinced by ocular demonstration whither shall he repair who doubteth of the Truth of the Traditions of the Church of Rome for Satisfaction in that Matter Will you send him to Scripture You have already told him he cannot know what is Scripture what Copies and what Texts are uncorrupted what Translation of it is Authentick but by the Church and also that when he knows all this he cannot understand the meaning of the Scriptures in places disputable and variously sensed as you know those are by which you prove both the Churches Infallibility and the Pretences of the Roman Church to be Infallible Will you send him with Mr. P. 360. M. To the unanimous Consent and Tradition of our Church that is the Church of Rome what is this but to bid him believe that Self-evident which he thinks evidently false to believe the Church of Rome to be Infallible in her Traditions and then he will not doubt of her Infallibility or to turn Roman Catholick and then he will no longer be a Protestant Will you add with him That what is proposed by the Tradition of such a Church is evidently credible Ibid. and sufficient to beget an infallible assent Is it not then matter of Amazement that so many Millions of Persons throughout the World endowed with intellectuals as piercing and accomplished with all Abilities which their Adversaries can boast of yea who many of them have strong temporal motives to incline them to embrace the Romish Traditions and all the miseries which Papal Tyranny can inflict to awaken them into a serious consideration of all the Evidence that can be offered for them and who are Men seriously industrious to attain Salvation and Men who know they must perish everlastingly if they resist the Truth clearly propounded to them I say is it not matter of Amazement that so many persons so qualified should from Generation to Generation so unanimously reject what is evidently credible and able to beget within them an infallible assent yea that they should dispute and write many Books against it though they could never do so but they must contradict what is self-Evident What is this but in effect to say All Protestants always were are and must be whilst they continue Protestants resolved to be damned and as obstinate as the very Devil in doing what they know must tend to their eternal Condemnation Will you send him to the Vniversal Church either by it you mean only the R. Church and her Adherents or you do not if you do you again send him to the Church of Rome if you do not you must renounce that Article of Faith which all your Clergy stand by Oath obliged to defend viz. the Roman Catholick Church and with it your Pretences to Infallibility on the account of any of these Promises which do confessedly belong only unto the Vniversal Church of Christ CHAP. XII Mr. M ' s. Fifth Assertion That all Catholicks ever held that for true which was owned by the Vniversal Church of their times and rejected the contrary as an Error answered by way of Concession § 1. First That this is absolutely true in reference to Doctrines and Practices truly necessary to the Being of a Church But Secondly That this is with Lirinensis to be restrained to the Fundamentals of Faith is proved 1st from Scripture 2dly from Reason § 2. Thirdly From Instances as First That of the Administration of the Sacrament to Infants which they generally practised both in the Eastern and the Western Churches § 3. They declared this Practice to be necessary § 4. That they speak not this of such a participation of the Body and Blood of Christ as may be had in Baptism but plainly of the Puriticipation of the Eucharist § 5. Inferences hence 1. To prove the Definition of the Trent Council touching this Matter actually False 2ly That the Practice or Doctrine of the Church in any Age is no true Evidence of Tradition or the right Interpretation of Holy Scripture 3ly That Mr. M ' s. Argument for Prayer for the Dead from Tradition is not convincing § 6. 2. From the Opinion of the Fathers That it was not lawful for a Christian to swear at all § 7. 3ly From their Opinion That good Angels were transported with the Love of Women and got Gyants of them § 8. 4ly From their Opinion That it was unlawful for any Clergyman to engage himself in Secular Affairs § 9. Or to go from one Church or Diocess to another § 10. 3ly When whole Churches and Nations differ and Heresies prevail the Fathers say we are for finding out the Truth to have Recourse only to Scripture and to primitive Tradition § 11. A full Answer to Mr. M ' s. Argument for Tradition from the Ancient Custom of praying for the Dead shewing on what Accounts the Ancients did it what Reason we have not to do it That the Prayers for them used by the Church of Rome are Novelties and that those used by the Ancients were perfectly destructive of the Roman Purgatory § 12. MR. § 1 M. saith That whatsoever was held by the Vniversal Church P. 367 368. was without farther Question held for true and the contrary to it was ever rejected as an Error Neither will you ever find a Catholick who ever had the Boldness to say that the Church of