served God at all or let them consider with what Spirit it was they said the Lord's Prayer which St. Jerome says our Saviour taught the Apostles every day to repeat in their Liturgies Sic docuit Apostolos suos ut quotidiè in corporis illius Sacrificio credentes audeant loqui Pater noster qui es in Coelis c. Lib. 3. Cont. Pelag. versus finem § XXIX A second Instance peculiar and appropriate to Church Officers and which is not in the Body mixt and promiscuous is the Power of the Administration of the Sacraments viz. the Holy Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper together with that other Sacrament as 't is also call'd by the Ancients or Rite or Ceremony of Confirmation and which are and ever were administred by Men in Holy Orders and then and only then adjudged duely discharg'd valid and serviceable as all do agree that acknowledge either or both or all of them to be Christian Institutions As for that of the Lord's Supper that it was consecrated by the Bishop and from him by the Deacon delivered to the People 't is evident of Justin Martyr's second Apology 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the Bishop giving thanks i. e. having consecrated the Elements the Deacon distributed for the manner and virtue of Consecration did not consist in pronouncing so many words over the Elements as 't is weakly contended by some in the days that have been since but in the office of Prayer and Thanksgiving by the attractation of or some other signal appropriation to the Elements particularly applied unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. 4. Conc. Carthag Verborum solemnitas sacra invocatio nominis signa institutionibus Apostolicis sacerdotum Ministeriis attributa visibile celebrant Sacramentum c. Cypr. de Baptism Christi ad initium the solemnity of words sacred invocation of the Holy Name and Signs added to the Apostolical Institution by the ministry of the Priests celebrate the visible Sacrament the visible part or thing it self is form'd and shap'd by the Spirit perfecting and crowning all and so in the forementioned place of Justin Martyr the action of consecrating is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nourishment thankfully receiv'd by Prayer and the action of consecration is expressed in Irenaeus lib. 1. c. 9. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give thanks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extending the word of invocation ibid. as Origen cont Cels lib. 8. and the same is in Ignatius before them all Ep. ad Smyrnenses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so general was it that the very Hereticks who usually ap'd it after the Church when to their advantage used this very way and 't is said of Marcus the Heretick and Conjurer that designing to delude his followers and represent to them an appearance as of Blood distilling into the Chalice and mock-Sacrament Simulans se gratias agere seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod hodiè consecrare dicimus post longam invocationem purpureum rubrum apparere faciebat feigning to give thanks which is the Phrase for Consecration after a long invocation he made it look like purple colour and red as Pamelius gives the account Annot. in Tertull. cap. 4. cont Vâ—lâ—ntin num 32. and though the Presbyter do desist from Consecration in the presence of the Bishop Can. 13. Conc. Neocesar yet 't is in his Orders enabling him to it and either he or the Bishop are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give the Bread in Prayer as it is now in our Communion Book that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that immaculate Communion Can. 23. Can. 6 in Trullo And Zonaras in Can. 78. Apost says that a blind man or one without his right hand ought not to be ordained for how can he officiate in holy things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or handle the holy Elements or distribute to others of them I 'le only add what I find in Eusebius his History l. 7. c. 9. concerning one that was dissatisfied in his Baptism which he receiv'd from Hereticks and desired Catholick Baptism of one Dionysius a then present famous Bishop the words are these and give a good account of the offices of private Christians in those days The holy Bishop tells him he dares not Rebaptize him and that a daily and constant Communion with the Church will suffice for he that shall frequently hear Prayers and answer Amen with the rest of the Congregation who places himself at the holy Table there stands and reaches forth his hand to receive the holy Food who there very often receives it and is partaker of the Body and Blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I dare not baptize him again but appoint him to go on and persevere in such his Religious Duties And the same is as notorious of the Sacrament of Confirmation This is sufficiently cleer out of St. Jerome adv Luciferian Tom. 3. that those which were baptized by the Presbyters and Deacons in lesser Cities Episcopus ad invocationem Spiritus Sancti manum impositurus excurrat for the invocation of the Spirit of God the Bishop runs forth or takes his Circuit and lays his hand upon them the only difficulty appearing is as to the Sacrament of Baptism St. Austin's Judgment is Laicus urgente necessitate possit baptizare Tom. 7. l. 2. cont Parmen cap. 13. a Layman if necessity urges may baptize And St. Jerome says the same adv Luciferianos and that it was in use in his days and the Practice being permitted in our Church made up a part of the Canvass betwixt Thomas Cartwright and our two learned Writers Archbishop Whitgift and Mr. Hooker as is to be seen in their Writings but the case goes farther in that of Athanasius who when a Boy and at play on the Sea-shore acted a Bishop and baptized such of his play-fellows as were not before initiated by that Sacrament and when examined by the Bishop and upon an after consultation with his Presbyters the Baptism was allow'd of Sozom. Eccl. Hist. l. 2. c. 17. The deep sense and apprehension they had of but one Baptism and the danger of being rebaptized which is branded by the name of Incest and Sacriledge and the Priest was to be deposed that did it as appears in the Imperial Laws provided in the case 16. Cod. Theodos and the great trouble that the Church of God had at that time occasion'd first by St. Cyprian and his Bishops pleading it upon the former usuage of the Church and afterward managed to the evil of a great Schism by the Donatists who followed St. Cyprian in his Error but forsook him in his Obedience who refused to make a rent in the Church upon the occasion as all Scismaticks do These Considerations might make them very careful and perhaps too nice how they admitted of Rebaptizations and which were only admitted in case of certain Hereticks who denied the Trinity Vid. Can. 47. Apost 49. Can. 9. Conc. Nic. 1. or else
and left first by Christ to his Apostles and from them in Succession devolved on the Bishops and Pastors of the Church in whom it now remains who alone have the Power of its conveyance and on whomsoever it is they shall lay their hands together with the offices of Prayer or by any other outward Symbol overt Act or Testimony which they shall use to evidence the Deputation transfer it unto these shall receive this Power of the Holy Ghost be thorowly enabled for the transacting betwixt God and Man the things that belong to Man's Eternity § IV THE design of this present Discourse is to take away the two former and establish the latter to make it evident upon a just Enquiry and certain Demonstration That all Church-Power was designed by Christ and actually left by his Apostles only to Church-Officers the Order of the Gospel-Priesthood the Bishops Presbyters and Deacons to be separated on purpose and successively instated in such the Jurisdiction and Government by such of themselves that had before received and were fully invested with it and this like other Successions to continue and be so managed till the End cometh and the Kingdom be delivered up to the Father So that the general Heads I shall insist upon will be these Three 1. That this Power is not in the People or Christians in common 2. That it is not in the Prince or Secular Government 3. That it is in the Bishops and Pastors of the Church of Christ a Power and Offices peculiarly theirs as to the execution with its special force and Laws reaching to all that come to Heaven by Christ Jesus and as not derived from so no ways thwarting or interfering with the Civil Government And all this as suitable to the received Faith and Polity of the Church in the best Ages of it down from Christ and his Apostles to us ward so it agreeing with the particular Establishments of the Laws of our Kingdom made for the owning and defence of our Christianity and also with the Religion of the same received and professed in our Church since the Reformation CHAP. I. The Contents Church Power is not in the People either as a Body in General or as one Single Congregation Sect. 1. This Power must first evidence it self to be given from God e're executed on or derived to others Holiness in its Nature does not infer it The Priesthood not made Common before the Law under it or the Gospel Admit that first Right by Nature to all Things and Offices 't was to be sure afterwards limited and those that lay it open again must shew by what Autority they do it Otherwise Fanaticks in the sense of St. Jerome Sect. 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infers no such Power Sect. 3. The Peoples concurrency gives no Power even where their Notes are pretended to in the New Testament Sect. 4. Election and Vocation differ from Ordination in the Practice of our Saviour and first Ages of the Church still expressed by several words Sect. 5. The Votes of the People give no Power but yet are necessary because none is given without them both the People and Pastors are Christ's Vicars in the Case So Beza Blondel Sect. 6. Our Saviour's Practice and the Apostles are against them Sect. 7 8. That the People were not always at Elections Blondel allows He is contrary to himself Their Votes never reputed necessary and at last excluded quite Chap. 1. by reason of the Riots and Disorders in them Sect. 9. The concurrency of 12 Centuries down from the Apostles amount to a Divine Right Blondel's failure of it His injury to his Friends In what case Apostolical Ecclesiastical Practice is not immutable The ill Consequences attending his Power given to the People His Malice to the Order of Bishops Disreputing Christianity it self 'T is unpardonable in the French Reformation imposing their present harder necessity for our pattern The Deacon and Presbyter under the Bishop but neither in Subordination to the People Sect. 10. And this they do in point of Episcopacy also And we must have no Bishops in England because they have none in France and which is promoted by the advantage of the Rebellion and Schism among us Blondel offer'd his Service before to the Bishops of England but then he Prints his Apologia pro Hieronymo Dedicates it to the Rump Parliament and Assembly-Men Is nauseous in his Flatteries of both Commends the Scotch Covenant Is rude upon Bishops Soliciting their Ruine This the Sense of the Divines on that side the Sea Salmasius raves just so The Independents murder'd the King The Bishops not the Authors of all Heresies as black-mouth'd Baxter Andrew Rivet and so does Daulee Ignatius suffers for it He and Marcian and Valentinus compared Their few Complements does not acquit them We only lose by our Charity towards them The disadvantage thereby from our own Members The late Replyer upon Bishop Pearson and Doctor Beveridge is the same The late Letters from Paris Sect. 11. The People are only Witnesses of the good lifes of the Ordained Blondel's own Collection and the Autority of Cyprian is all along against him The Church Canons Our Ordinations at home The nature of the thing it self Sect. 12 13. The People are not to choose or refuse their Pastor as Blondel rudely and unreasonably contends with his usual Malice against Bishops and our Church 'T is his Proposal is so fatal to Christianity Sect. 14. Lay-men no Judges in Matters of Faith and the Determinations of Indifferencies The first Council at Jerusalem No Lay-Elders Sect. 15. § I THIS is not in the People and Believers in Common are not the Subject of Power Ecclesiastical The Power of the Keys is not seated in nor can it flow from or be devolved by them either as a Body in general or any one single Congregation in particular Their stretching or holding up the Hand their joynt-suffrages in the choosing numbring by the tale as by Stones Notes or Election deputing and assignation or whatever else in their own behalf they can make appear to be implied in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they lay great stress upon and wrest to their purpose are of no strength and validity at all of no more force to depute for the ministry to constitute in a new Order and Station to confer the Power of the Keys and place in that sacred Function then the common cry and rout of the Jews designing it devolved guilt on the head of our Saviour deposed him from his holy Offices took from him his Kingly Power when crying out with full throats We 'll have no King but Caesar we will not have this man to reign over us or their hands stretch'd forth in Prayer Isai 1. did bring a Blessing upon themselves when full of Blood but on the contrary hateful and abomination SUCH as pretend to this plead this Power § II for Deputation and that such only
Austin has done on the same occasion in his Hundred and sixty fifth Epistle and the breach of this Succession is the Charge and Crime of Schism they both object against the Donatists as guilty of a Church as well as a State-transgression and both on several accounts as two distinct Impieties are they proceeded against I 'le give but one instance out of St. Chrysostom and 't is so full there needs no more of those many others are producible 't is in his 86th Homily on St. John where he says Christ did invest his Apostles with Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a King sends forth his Praefects and Governors with a Power immediately from himself to imprison and release to bind and to loose to execute of themselves all Power and Jurisdiction so receiv'd and belonging to the Deputation And what was the Judgment of St. Ambrose the particular case alone betwixt him and the Emperor Theodosius makes abundantly appear occasioned by that cruel Massacre committed in Thessalonica by his at least connivance the Holy Bishop remov'd him from the Prayers and Altar durst not Communicate with him in those Holy Duties whose hands were so full of Blood not that St. Ambrose could impose these things by force and that his Person be so absented by any thing like a Coercive Power or did design or pretend to it and that Penance which he laid upon him and the Emperor accepted of upon his Re-entrance was it suited to his Imperial Power no ways abating of or detracting from his Majesty and Soveraignty it was to enact a Law that no Penal Decree or Edict that comes forth be executed till Thirty days after its first Sanction to avoid the fury of such Proceedings for the future No St. Ambrose upon the either Plea or Execution of this Power does not attempt his either Purple or Scepter to Depose him from his Crown or Absolve his Subjects of their Allegiance he only executes upon him his Pastoral Charge and which is in order to the World to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as he reverenced his Kingly Power so did he take care also not to transgress the Law of his God had the Emperor been less a Christian and return'd upon him with violence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he could receive the stroke with Pleasure he did discharge his Duty as a Bishop and he was secure within he only lets the Emperor know that his Purple makes him a Prince not a Priest that it doth not exempt him from the Laws and Discipline of God's Church and for this he appeals to his own Education 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nourish'd up in the Divine Oracles and in which it was clear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what was the Priests and what the Princes peculiar Office and which were there notoriously distinguish'd all this was no Pragmatick newly started particular extravagant attempt in St. Ambrose but a commonly receiv'd and owned Right and Truth what the whole Age had been taught and bred up in And Theodosius in particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knew it by his Education and which caused his displeasure to some who were willing to abate of their Church Right whether out of Court-flattery or for what other Reason for which on the contrary he so highly valued and honoured St. Ambrose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as who alone was worthy of the Name of a Bishop all which with more is to be read in our Church Histories particularly those of Sozomen lib. 7. cap. 25. and Theodoret lib. 5. cap. 18. and that which gave St. Ambrose a particular advantage in the asserting and execution of such his Power was that he had the Autority of Valentinian on his side for that good Emperor had own'd all this before and he Sang this Hymn at his Consecration St. Ambrose being then a lay Governor of that Province deputed to it by himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he gave thanks to God and Christ that as he had committed the Power of Mens Bodies to him in that Province so from them he had now the Power of Souls by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there mentioned his Episcopal Character then conferr'd upon him Theodorit Eccl. Hist l. 4. cap. 7. § XII And he that begins again where we left off in Eusebius and goes along our first Church History to Constantine downward will find all along the same Church-Power continued and asserted and expressed in the same words too as is that of the Empire Nor can any man any more doubt that there was Ecclesiastical Power seated in some measure in every Order of the Church but primarily and chiefly in the Bishop then that there was a Civil Power placed by God first of all in the Empire and from him derived to his Praefects and inferiour Magistrates and Damasus Bishop of Rome had as real a Power in his Diocese and which can no more be questioned upon the score of those publick Records than that Valentinianus his Contemporary had a real Autority in the Empire of the World the Bishop is still represented in his Chair as the Emperor is upon his Throne or can be by words declared they are still called and acknowledged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Hist l. 10. c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Vita Constantini lib. 2. c. 62. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum Presbyteris suis l. 3. c. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 59. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de Eustathio dicitur quòd Concilium Niceae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nimirum Antiochiae cum eodem tempore Capite dicit quod Constantinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozomen l. 1. c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacerdotes Vocat lib. 2. cap. 12. and he gives this account why the Bishops are Buried at Constantinople with the Emperors in the Church which is call'd The Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 2. cap. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 3. c. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Episcopis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Imperatore lib. 6. c. 4. Philip who held a Praefecture or some kind of Government under the Empire is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Constantinople and which implies his Mission and Deputation from and under the Emperor But this word is never applied to the Bishops or any one of them who are no Deputies of his receive nothing like a Commission nor have any derived Power from him they are not the King's Ministers or Vicegerents as are those in Temporals and they owe their Autority alone to Christ Jesus Cap. 9. And so again lib. 4. cap. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when mentioning the Officers of the Crown under Deputation and all along in the History 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Romae Sylvester 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antiochiae Vitalis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 post illum Phlagonius Theodorit lib. 1. c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constantinopoleos
believe that every one that reads his Book is sworn to his Name and Words could possibly have produced them The Emperor only there takes care that Excommunication be according to the Church Canons suitably as Ecclesiastici hoc Canones fieri jubent in the Nomocanon the formal Power and Act is always supposed to be in and to be done by the Bishop or Priest if the Bishop or Presbyter Excommunicate otherwise than as the Canons enjoyn the Person so Excommunicated is to be absolved by another Bishop or Presbyter who has the inspection of them à Majore Sacerdote in the Novel and that Bishop or Presbyter that did the wrong is to be censured by the Bishop under whose Inspection or in whose district he is and lye under the Mulct at his Pleasure nor is there one word sounds that way that the Emperor did Excommunicate Nor can the Emperor with any more shew of reason be said to pass the formal Sentence of Excommunication by taking care and making Provision that it be done according to the Laws and Canons of the Church than he can be said to make Articles of Faith and determine in the high Points of the Trinity for which he appoints that the first Council at Nicea shall be the Rule and often enacts and resolves it shall be so explain'd and believed and professed accordingly as in that Council He may as well be said to make Creeds which he enjoyns to be done but by the Patriarchs and Bishops and the particular Faith to be professed by them or to Baptize for which Directions are given especially about Re-baptization and he judges him unfit for the Priesthood that does it Cod. Justinian l. 1. Tit. 6. Ne Baptismus iteretur he may no otherwise be said to Excommunicate than to obstruct Conversion or hinder Repentance and yet 't is the Imperial Edict against and Punishment upon Apostates Nè unquam in Pristinum statum revertentur nè flagitium morum obliterabitur Poenitentiâ Cod. 16. Theodos Tit. 6. l. 1. that they are never to return to their ancient state that the vileness of their Manners be never blotted out by Repentance intimating only the greatness of the Sin and the height of his indignation against them or that he did publickly officiate in his own Person in the daily Sacrifices because he takes care for a just Performance of the publick Liturgies and Services and when he declares against Oaths and Blasphemies that the guilt is not antecedent and from another Sanction Novel 78. and to put an end to these like instances that he Ordains in Person and makes Priests by whom so many Laws and Rules and Limitations and Qualifications are set and appointed as is above to be seen But as for this last instance Mr. Selden has found out so handsom an expedient for the Original of Holy Orders otherways and thereby renders them so accidentally trifling inconsiderable a thing that he answers his aim evacuates and baffles so effectually all Church-Power and indeed upon his Hypothesis so inconsiderable a thing it is that a Church-man would not desire it upon such terms much less is it a Prerogative fit for a King a Jewel for the embellishing the Crown Imperial so that he needs not contend to have this in the Magistrate as he doth the Church Censures He tells us De Synedriis lib. 1. cap. 14. pag. 569 570 571. and lib. 2. cap. 7. pag. 313 314 c. That Holy Orders has no more in it than an imitation of that particular School wherein St. Paul was educated under Gamaliel where it was usual for one that had arrived to a degree of Eminence above others as that of a Doctor to appoint and send out others under and after him And so St. Paul did in the managery of his Apostleship But did our Saviour also take this great Example of Gamaliel's School in his Eye when he sent forth his Twelve and Seventy or was it from his particular Education in some such place he took his Autority and Platform or did the Holy Ghost do the lâ—ke when placing Overseers in that Church which Christ had Purchased with his own Blood was not as the Purchase that of his own Blood so the Power by which he gathered and established it that All Power in Heaven and Earth first given unto him peculiar and extraordinary or did St. Paul himself say it was from Gamaliel's School or from the Will of any Man or from the Will of God he received his Apostleship himself and thereby had a Power to depute others as Timothy and Titus And surely unless his bare fiction of Story and Eutopian Plot must go for Truth and without any search and enquiry there can be nought in it to engage any assent or adherency unto it it is so precarious a begg'd thing that only those that deserve to be begg'd themselves can believe it and Mr. Selden doubtless pleased himself mightily to think how many fools it would meet with and he was sure of others of as ill a mind and design with himself to tread under foot the Ministry when it was down that it rise no more especially at that time when he wrote at least laid the contrivance of those his Tracts De Synedriis when the Sword of the Libertine alone bore rule and he took the advantage of it Nor has any one reason to believe that he bore better Will to the King than to the Church for he was a Member of that Rebellious Parliament of Forty Two and continued actually amidst them and bore a special sway in their Traiterous Actings and however his Pretence was That all Church-Power as from Christ was an Imposture and invading the Prerogative of the Crown it was in reality only to serve his Parliamentary Designs to take away the chief Support of the Crown that Church which mostly upheld it and 't was a sadder Sight yet to see it not only the usual fate of common Subjects but the Case of the greatest Prince then in Europe to be first stript of his Crown and Kingly Power to be made and publish'd a Bankrupt in the State lost as to his worldly Imployments and then made a Priest to have only the Power and Benefit of his Clergy remaining in and confirm'd unto him § XXIV THE sum of all is this The Empire it self never made any thing Law that related to the Church but what was first made Canon by the Church it self and those Powers always took their Direction from Church-men either in full Council or from the Practice of particular Churches or eminent Bishops of the Christian World and superadded their own Sanctions put under it their Secular Arm adjoyn'd their Autority to support and stablish them all those Directions to the several Patriarchs Exarchs Primates and Metropolitans were only to see their own Results at Councils practiced all the Edicts Laws Novels and Constitutions were first Church-Law and then the Law of the Empire receiv'd into the World and imbodied
and who is instructed for the Kingdom of Glory cannot be supposed with Knowledge and Judgment enough so to digest them as to be ready to answer to every Man that asketh a Reason of his Faith that is in him or so as his own need shall require in his daily Confessions and Acknowledgments to God I 'le add so as the Duties in common to be performed by all as Christians even the most learned Scribe among them shall exact for the rehearsing their Faith and open Confession of it before Men was a branch of their constant Devotions And it must be as impertinent and unhandsom when they come together if every one have a diverse Interpretation Digestion and Expression of his Faith as if every one should have a differing Prayer Hymn or Thanksgiving the World must believe them all Mad nothing can be done to Edification nothing of Order and Peace only Confusion be in the Churches of God Hence that Summary of what is to be believed and confessed the Apostles Creed was composed 't is generally concluded by the Twelve Apostles themselves and to which if St. Paul's form of Doctrine delivered Rom. 6.17 his form of sound words that good thing committed to Timothy's trust to be kept by him and to be conveigh'd to others 1 Tim. 2.20 2 Tim. 1.13 14.2.2 related not yet thus much may certainly be collected thence That they had Summaries of Christianity antecedent to St. Paul's Epistles and which suppose these Doctrines receiv'd and pursuant to which St. Paul wrote his Epistles as general needs and in course requir'd or upon particular occasion of false Teachers coming in those vain Bablings and Oppositions of Science falsely so called which some Professing have erred from the Truth and by which Summaries they were to censure and exclude them And the same may be St. Peter's Holy Commandment delivered 2 Pet. 2.21 And St. John's Unction received or that which they heard from the beginning and which he Exhorts them to abide in and it will teach them all things 1 John 2.20.24.27 but of whatever use they were to the conserving of Truth and ejection of Heresies and which falls not under this Head now to pursue Certain it is Creeds they had and Collections of Faith to be assented to and Professed by all that were Baptized or any ways admitted into the Body and Society of Christians Baptism is a Stipulation Agreement and Assent Aliquid respondentes as Tertullian speaks de Corona Militis Cap. 3. There is something answer'd professed and engaged in And Dionysius in Eusebius Eccl. Hist l. 7. c. 9. there mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Questions and Answers in use of Baptism and which were made in part relating to what they believed and receiv'd as Christians Thus Irenaeus Cent. Haereses lib. 1. c. 1. speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Canon or Rule of Truth which is receiv'd when Baptized So Tertullian Lib. de Spectaculis c. 4. Cum aquam ingressi Christianam fidem in Legis suae verba profitemur Going into the Water we make Profession of Christianity St. Cyprian tells the same Sed ipsa interrogatio quae fit in Baptismo testis est veritatis Nam cum dicimus Credis in vitam Eternam remissionem peccatorum per Sanctam Ecclesiam intelligimus remissionem peccatorum non nisi in Ecclesia dari The Question at Baptism is a witness of the Truth And when we say we believe Forgiveness of Sins and Life Everlasting and the Holy Church we understand that Remission of Sins is given only in the Church Ep. 70. St. Jerome adv Luciferianos says also Solenne sit in lavacro post Trinitatis Confessionem interrogare Credis in Sanctâ Ecclesia Credis remissionem Peccatorum 'T is usual at Baptism after the Confession of the Trinity to ask Dost thou believe in the Holy Church and Remission of Sins and l. 2. adv Pelag. in Confessione Baptismatis lavat nos à Peccatis sanguis Christi in our Confession at Baptism the Blood of Christ washes us from our Sins Interrogamus an Credat Deo So Optatus l. 5. cont Parmen Donatist We ask if he believes in God Credo inquis in Deum Thou sayest I Believe in God having renounced the World and Devil at Baptism Salvian l. 6. De gubernat Dei And accordingly are they found together in Eusebius Hist Eccl. l. 7. c. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith and Confession i. e. Baptism and Confession for so is the frequent Ecclesiastical Phrase of Faith Nec secundas post fidem nuptias permittitur nosse they must not Marry again after Baptism or after Confession of Faith by which Baptism is expressed Tertul Exhort ad Castitat c. 1. with many of the like Nature Lib. de Pudicit Cap. 16. Scorpiac c. 8 c. where Fides and Baptisma are but diverse Expressions of the same thing Baptism being a Publick Confession of Faith in and Adhesion to the Gospel of Christ Jesus an open undertaking of it upon its Terms and Conditions And so in the Imperial Laws Cod. 16. Tit. 7. l. 4. to violate Baptism is to violate Faith given up to Christ And the ancient Church distinguishing of Christians into Fideles and Catecumenos those were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Faithful who were Baptized in opposition to the Catechumens which were not and in that sense not Believers And all this is acknowledged by Theodore Beza in his Eighth Epistle written to Grindal Archbishop of Canterbury when they were baptized Adults and at the years of Understanding But upon what account Infantulus de fide compelletur a little Infant should be interrogated or have such Questions put unto him what Covenant can here be entred he knows not What was the Arch-Bishops return to him I have not yet met with I shall at present only reply in the words of St. Austin de Baptismo contra Donatistas c. 23. Ideò cum alii pro iis respondent ut impleatur erga eos celebratio Sacramenti valeat utique ad eorum Consecrationem quia ipsi respondere non possunt Their Susceptors or Undertakers answer for them because they cannot answer for themselves and upon such their undertaking the Sacrament becomes effectual unto them § XV AS Christians and with one Faith so had they the same Laws and Rules for Obedience and Holy Living in this did they Associate and Confederate together Of this we read an eminent instance Tertul. Apol. c. 2. in the words of Pliny to Trajan the Emperor Nihil aliud se conserisse quam Coetus antelucanos ad confederandam Disciplinam Homicidium Adulterium Fraudem Perfidiam Caetera scelera Prohibentes They entred Compacts and a State of Discipline against Murder Adultery Fraud Perfidiousness and other Wickednesses And which Indentment or Compact upon what particular occasion it was then undertook the main design and purpose of it was then by all that were Baptized and has been all along since answer'd in such their Baptism