practise wherein they differed from and apparently came short of the English Church were indeed of so high a nature as to dishearten me from embracing their communion any other way then by allowing them my Charity in not condemning them which I also afforded even to the Roman Church it selfe 2. Now among the differences where in all other Sects pretending to a Reformation were distinguishable from the English as wanting certaine priviledges and commendable qualities which she enjoyed some I found to be commune to all those Sects especially the Lutherans and Calvinists Others to be proper and peculiar to each Concerning these latter I found it to little purpose to spend much time in examining them because the former commune ones did more then sufficiently dishearten me from adjoyning my selfe to their Communion And those were especially these five viz. 1. Their grounding their beliefe both of the bookes of Scripture and the true sence of them not upon the universall Tradition of the Church but their owne private Spirit which as they pretended assured them that the Apostles and Evangelists were the Authors of them and that the sences which they collected from them were the true undoubted sences of them 2. Their apparent want of a lawfull succession of Ecclesiasticall Governours and Teachers joyn'd with an unsufferable presumption in condemning of Tyranny that Government of Bishops which had been apparently setled in the universall Church without contradiction since the Apostles Times 3. Their Doctrines and practises of Sedition and Rebellion 4. Their professed hatred of peace and Reunion with the Catholique Church 5. The prodigious personall qualities of Luther and Calvin which shewed them to be persons extreamly unfit to be relyed upon or acknowledged for Apostles and Reformers 3. Concerning the first commune difference namely The Calvinist's and Lutheran's grounding their beliefe of Christian Doctrines and their sence of them and generally of the bookes of Scripture not upon the authority and Tradition of the Church so much as upon a private Spirit testimony or suggestion pretended to bee infused from the Spirit of God by which they took upon themselves to be assured of the truth of Christianity of their expressions of severall Articles of Faith and of their perswasion that the Apostles and Evangelists were the Authours of those Divine writings what little satisfaction I found in this maine Foundation of their Religion I shall reserve to demonstrate hereafter For the present I desire that to bee mistaken when I call this one of the differences and disadvantages which the Lutherans and Calvinists c. have in comparing them with the English Church For though it bee true that by rationall consequence from the grounds declared of the English Church the former position will evidently follow notwithstanding shee ha's beene more moderate and wary then publiquely to pretend to such a Private Spirit and by consequence has left a latitude and liberty for them in her Communion to renounce it as many of the most learned among them have done CHAP. X. Apparent want yea renouncing of a lawfull succession of Ecclesiasticall Governours and Teachers among Lutherans and Calvinists I. A Second thing wherein the Lutherans and Calvinists agreed to disagree with the Church of England was their want of Bishops and by consequence of a lawfully ordained Clergy This was an inconvenience so much the more hard to be digested by mee and which deserved neither excuse nor commiseration because by reason of their want of Bishops at their first pretended Reformations they came to that shamelesnesse as to seeke to palliate this defect by a desperate condemning of the Order it selfe as a tyranny and usurpation crept into the Church against the expresse Order of Christ and his Apostles And though they especially the French Calvinists might afterward have in some sort remedied this defect by receiving a Cleargy by the Ordination of the English Bishops whereto they have beene earnestly follicited as namely by Bishop Morton notwithstanding they utterly persisted in the utter refusall of suffering this important disadvantage to be cured which perverse Spirit of theirs Arnobius cont Gen. lib. 6. elegantly describes in these words Quod semel fine ratione fecistis ne videamini aliquando nesciisse defenditis that is That thing which yee once unreasonably did to avoid the imputation of having beene ignorant yee still maintaine Yea to that ridiculous impudence have they arrived in Scotland not many yeares since as to admit one to publique Penance in the Church onely for having beene a Protestant Bishop 2. I cannot forbeare to give a taste of Luthers Spirit with reference to this subject lively represented in a Bull by him published to this Tenour Anno Domini M. D. XXIII Nunc attendite vos Episcopi imò larvae Diaboli Doctor Lutherus vult vobis Bullam Reformationem legere quae vobis non bene sonabit Doctoris Lutheri Bulla Reformatio Quicumque opem ferunt c. That is Now bee attentive O yee Bishops or rather disguises of the Devill Doctour Luther will reade to you a Bull which will not sound pleasingly unto you The Bull and Reformation of Doctour Luther Whosoever brings assistance spends Body Life and Honour to the end that Bishopricks may be wasted and the Government of Bishops extinguished such are the beloved children of God and true Christians observing the Commandements of God and resisting the Ordinances of the Devill Or if they be not able to doe thus much let them at least condemne and avoid that Government But on the contrary whosoever maintaine the Government of Bishops and obey them voluntarily such are tho very Ministers of the Devill and resist the Ordinance and Law of God Hitherto is Luthers Bull. And I desire that any reasonable Christian would confesse whether he can chuse but believe that the very same whom Luther himselfe confesseth to have beene his Counsellour and perswader to leave Masse was his Secretary likewise to write this Bull And that a man should not think that this was onely one of Luthers frantick extravagancies the horrible effect will demonstrate the contrary which was a fearfull insurrection and Rebellion of a World of Countrey people combined by Oath to the ruine of severall Ecclesiasticall Princes in Germany who were content in that cause to stand to Luthers judgement Who when he perceived they were unfurnished of armes and unlâ—kâ—ly to prosper in their designe lest their Rebeâ—lion and the effects of it should be imputed to him was content to exhort them to obedience 3. Calvin and Beza c. though more subtile yet were not lesse malicious against Episcopacy as appeares in severall of their Treatises and Epistles Yea Calvin ascended to that height of arrogance as to professe that that Order and Discipline which hee had forged in Geneva and whereof not one single patterne can be given since Christs Time was not onely justifiable but necessarily obliging all Christians to conforme unto 4. Whether it may in some
of a world of wandering perverted souls From his ground it is especially that I in this book both take this fashion and Latitude of stating doctrines of faith recommend it to others when they treat with Protestants And particularly from him did I receive Information that the very expresse terme of Infallibility was not of obligation to be made use of in Disputation concerning the Churches Authority As likewise that the Doctrines of Faith promulgated by the said Authority in the Decrees of generall Councells did admit of many more qualifications and restrictions then popular Controvertists do think good to make use of So that if in this or any other point any expressions found in this book shall seem new or not so relishing to any I must refer them to the said Author and his Approvers who no doubt will ease me of the trouble of making Apologies 5. But leaving this digression I will at last relate the successe I found in reading the Canons of the Church the forementioned books and treatises of the Fathers c. Which was that I thereby gained a distinct knowledge both of the faith of the present Church and what those Ancients believed concerning the Churches Authority and this not by relying upon a few select passages and Texts pick'd out by late Controvertists but by observing the maine designe and intention of those Fathers when the very like Controversies in their times constreined them to consider and unanimously declare what they themselves thought and what they had received from their predecessours concerning the Church Haeresie and Schisme 6. That therefore which I learned from them pertinent to my present purpose I will set downe in foure Conclusions relating to foure principall heads of controversie namely 1. Of the Rule of Faith that is Scripture and Traditions unwritten 2. Of the Judge of Controversies that is the Catholique Church 3. Of the unity of the Church and the danger of Heresy Schisme 4. Of the perpetuall Visibility of the Church To all which Propositions respectively I will adjoyne the doctrine of the present Roman Church conteined especially in the Councell of Trent And likewise the beliefe of Protestants Concluding with an examination whether the Roman or Protestant Churches do best conform themselves to the universal Ancient Traditiō cōcerning the Church her authority c. 7. When all this is done at their perill be it if any imputing to me sinister intentions of which they cannot be judges shall say it was either worldly discontent or ambition and not an evident conviction of truth and resolution to save my soule that moved me finally to declare my selfe rather a follower of that part which to my understanding followes an universall and uninterrupted agreement of such Teachers as both sides agree not only to have approached neerest to the fountaine of truth Christ and his Apostles therefore to have had meanes of informing themselves in Apostolicall Tradition incomparably beyond us But also to have been extreamly cautelous and learned and so not easily obnoxious to be mistaken or deceived And likewise unquestionably pious and vertuous and therefore abhorring any intention of seducing others for temporall respects Rather then three or foure new teachers in whom there is not only a visible want of all these good qualities but on the contrary such as have not been able to forbeare to declare themselves to be worse men more polluted with Lust Gluttony Sacriledge Pride Malice Envie c. then without their own confession their adversaries could with a good conscience have accused or but suspected them And the effect of whose innovations ha's manifestly been nothing but Atheisme profanenesse bloodshed confusion and ruine The second Section Conteining a stating of foure fundamentall points of Controversie in foure Conclusions CHAP. I. The first Conclusion concerning the Rule of Faith Testimonies of Fathers acknowledging Doctrines Traditionary as well as Scripture to be a Rule of Faith 1. ACcording to my promise in the last Chapter of the former Section I will consequently set downe the fundamentall truths of Catholique Religion in foure Conclusions respecting foure generall points of Controversie The sense of which Conclusions I found evidently and uniformly delivered by the ancient Fathers and by the light of the said truths through Gods grace and goodnesse I became entirely undeceived and by their direction I was led as it were by the hand into the Gates of that City which is set on a hill the holy Catholique Church of Christ. Now of those this is the I. CONCLUSION The entire Rule of Faith comprised in the Doctrines delivered by Christ and his Apostles immediately to the Church is conteyned not only in Scripture but likewise in unwritten Traditions 2. FOr the former part of this Conclusion viz. That the Rule of Christian Faith obedience is no other then the Doctrines and Praecepts delivered immediately by Christ and his Apostles to the Church And by consequence that the present Church pretends not to any new Revelations or Power to make any new Articles of Christian Faith or to propose any Doctrines under that title other then such as Shee has received by Catholique Tradition it will be unnecessary paines to prove out of the Fathers since I doe not know any Christians who deserve that title that doubt of it Indeed the Calvinists earnest to find all occasions to heighten their Schisme charge the Catholique Church as if she admitted within this compasse other Doctrines Decrees and Decretalls c. But most unjustly since there is no warrant or ground given them to lay this aspersion upon the Church and all Catholiques generally renounce it 3. But as for that which followes in the Conclusion viz. That this Rule of Faith is not conteined entirely and expresly in Scripture alone but likewise in unwritten Traditions In this lyes the maine difference betweeen the Catholique Church and all other Sects both ancient and moderne They all and alwaies conspiring in this that the Scripture is to be the only Rule and themselves judges and interpreters of the sence of it at least for themselves or if not they no body however not the present Church and on the contrary Catholiques in all ages unanimously joyning in the contradiction of that ground and affirming that all Doctrines of Faith were not indeed no◠ever were intended to be entirely express'd in Scripture And that Scriptures ought not to be interpreted by any private spirit or reason any other way then according to the line of Ecclesiasticall Tradition 4. Concerning the Rule of Faith therefore let us aske our Fathers that were before us how they were instructed in this point and among them the first testimony will be afforded us by S. Ignatius to this effect quoted by Eusebiu◠Hist. Eccl. l. 3. c. 35. Ignatius saith he exhorted the Churches to hold themselves inseparably to the Tradition of the Apostles which Tradition for surenesse sake he thought good to reduce into writing Againe S. Polycarpus saith the
But withall professeth that The three Creeds Nicene Creed Athanasius Creed and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed ought throughly to be received and believed Moreover that she receiveth the foure first Generall Councells yet not saying that she thinkes her selfe obliged to the one or other for the authority of Tradition or the Councells for if so she would be obliged likewise to accept of and submit to many other Traditions and Councells as likewise many points and practises confirmed in those Councells besides the Mysteries of the Blessed Trinity many of which notwithstanding shee relinquishes if not condemnes Yea on the contrary for those three Creeds she gives this reason for her admitting of them because they may be proved by most certaine warrants of holy Scripture And how little or no authority she allowes to the Church or Generall Councells shall be shewn in the next Conclusion For the present therefore taking those words of accepting the three Creeds and foure Councells rather for a complement of Civility to Antiquity then as importing any reall intention to admit any judge or Rule of Faith but only Scripture and that interpreted by her selfe for her selfe at least Come we to consider how rationall and safe a ground this is That nothing is to be beleeved but only Scripture CHAP. III. English Protestants unwilling to Justifie this Position and Why. Mr. Chillingworths late booke against the Catholique Church and the Character given of it 1. THis Position of Scripture being the only Rule of Faith though it be the main foundation upon which all Heretiques and Schismatiques◠almost that are and ever were doe rely and therefore in all likelyhood since so many millions of people of all Sects and in all ages have been concern'd to study and make it good should in reason be best upheld Yet to my apprehension of all other controversies this is the most weakly grounded and guiltily maintained 2. The experience I have of the particular disposition of English Protestanats properly so called and the happinesse I have enjoyed in the acquaintance and friendship with very many the most considerable persons for Learning Prudence and Piety in that Church gives mee warrant to say this of them that there is no point of Controversy that they are more unwilling to touch upon then this of Scriptures being the onely Rule and no visible Judge to interpret it I meane as to the positive maintaining thereof for as concerning the disputing against the infallibility of the Church there is none more ready to make Objections then they One reason hereof may be because the English Church out of gratitude to the Ancient Church and Fathers which have hitherto maintained their Ecclesiasticall Government against the Calvinists till they came to dispute with fire and sword professeth therfore greater reverence to antiquity and Tradition then any other Sect whatsoever And therefore her children are unwilling to renounce or oppose that great army of Saints Martyrs of the Primitive times who unanimously acknowledge that besides Scriptures they had received from their Ancestors Traditionary Doctrines and Ritts and these so universally spread through all Churches Easterne and Westerne no man being able to name any particular fallible Authour of them that they were as firmely assured that they proceeded from the Apostles as that the books of Scripture proceeded from the same Authours Yea for many of these Traditions greater proofe might be made of their authentique and Divine Originall then of most books of Scripture in as much as they were from the beginning universally apparent in the Practise of the Church visibly shining in their Publique liturgies for example Prayer for the Dead and by consequence Purgatory that is a State of deceased Christians capable of being bettered and eased by the Charity and Devotions of the living Sacrifice of the Masse and Offering it for the Quick and Dead Adoration of Christ really present there Baptisme of Infants Non-rebaptization of Heretiques Observation of Ecclesiasticall Feastes Lent-fasts c. Invocation of Saints Veneration of Reliques Images c. Practise of Crossing themselves Rites in administring Sacraments c. Whereas the bookes of the New Testament especially the Epistles and Apocalypse being written upon emergent occasions and for the present neede of particular Persons and Churches were a great while before they could be generally dispersed and great caution and circumspection used before they would be admitted into the Cannon and being all except some few that have perished received there it was impossible to prevent infinite corruptions in the writing since every one had leave to transcribe thē 3. A second reason why English Protestants I speake knowingly at least of my selfe and not a few others dispence the more easily with themselves for examining the sufficiency of this Rule of Faith is because there being but two ways imaginable of assigning such a Rule that is either expresse Scripture alone or that joyn'd with Ecclesiasticall Tradition which is to be received upon the authority or as the Schooles call it the infallibility of the Church and Protestants being perswaded that they can unanswerably confute this fallibility they take it for granted that the former is the only Rule and therefore surcease from undergoing the paines of diligent enquiry how firmely their foundation is layd and what course to take for the answering of those inextricable inconveniences which follow upon that ground for feare lest if both these foundations should come to shrinke Christianity it selfe would become questionable and a way made for direct Atheisme Hereupon it is that generally their writers have proceeded the destructive way willingly undertaking to contradict the Churches infallibility and it is not without extreame violence that they can be brought to maintaine their owne grounds Which when the earnestnesse of Catholiques extorts from them though they must conclude for only Scripture and No-judge yet either shame or remorse makes them deferre somewhat to the ancient Churches authority as it were excusing themselves that they dare not suffer themselves to be directed by her For if by her as a visible Church then by all Churches succeeding her to these our times 4. In these latter times since that great unfortunate Champion against the Churches infallibility Mr. Chillingworth published his booke in defence of Doctour Potter this guilt of English Protestants ha's beene farre more conspicuous His objections against the Church that is his destructive grounds are avowed and boasted of as unanswerable in a manner by all but his positive grounds that is the making onely Scripture and that to be interpreted by every single mans reason to be the Rule of Faith this is at least waved if not renounced by many But most unjustly since there is no conceivable meanes how to finde out a third intelligible way of grounding beliefe and determining controversies besides divine revelation proposed and interpreted authoritatively by the Church or meere Scripture without any obligatory interpretation as shall be demonstrated hereafter Hence
the generall Character given of himselfe and his booke is That he has had better luck in pulling down buildings than raising new ones and that he has managed his sword much more dexterously than his buckler And yet as if there were no need either of house or buckler or as if Protestants did thinke themselves secure from weather and danger if Catholiques were expulsed and wounded No man appeares with any designe to provide himselfe of any safer way of defence then that which Mr. Chillingworth hath afforded Yea Mr. Chillingworth himselfe his friends know the reason of it â—utterly refused to answer those unconquerable confutations of his positive grounds and those fearefull consequences charged upon them being satisfied or at least making a countenance before those that knew him not inwardly that he was satisfied of the firmenesse of his Rule of Faith as long as an exact particular answer to all his objections against the Churches infallibility was not published Those who have had a particular acquaintance with that extraordinary sublime wit and judgement will or at least can witnesse with me that thus much as I have said in a seeming censure of him is true Considering the long and inward friendship and the many obligations I had to him I had absteined from this but that the cause in hand obliged me thereto and but that his book alone had the principall influence upon me to shut up my entrance into Catholique unity I shall therefore have frequent occasion hereafter in this Narration to weigh both his proofes and objections at least such of them as were most powerfull with me yet resolving to be extreamely tender of his reputation But to returne to the Story of my selfe CHAP. IIII. Inconveniences following Protestants Position of Only-Scripture Fathers refuse to dispute with Haeretiques from only Scripture 1. VVHen I was forced to weigh with circumspection and fidelity this maine fundamentall Position of Protestantisme viz. That the Scripture is the only Rule of Faith or That all things necessary to be believed are conteined expresly in Scripture what a world of unavoidable inconveences did presently throng into my understandiog and upon how meere sand did it appeare to be laid For the inconveniences 1. It is impossible upon this ground that ever there should be found a way to end any controversies as shall be demonstrated in the next Conclusion 2. There can scarce be named one Haeretique but tooke the same for a ground of his Haeresy and generally the Fathers protest against this ground reducing them to Ecclesiasticall Tradition and the authority of the present Church 2. For a proofe whereof we may consider the particular Treatises and bookes of the ancient Fathers which they wrought directly for this purpose namely to shew what method and grounds their Ancestors and reason it selfe dictated to be used and proceeded upon in disputing with any Haeretique whatsoever and we shall finde that the Catholiques of these dayes doe shew themselves indeed sons of those Catholique Fathers exactly treading their steps in appealing to Scripture and generall Tradition from which there lyes no prescription or appeale And on the contrary that the Haeretiques and Schismatiques of our times have been as exact in pursuing the traces of their Ancestors pretending only Scripture but relying upon the Pride of their owne hearts and thinking that their interpretations and wrestings of Scripture ought to prevaile against all present and past authority how universall soever for place and how uninterrupted soever for succession The treatises anciently written for this purpose are S. Irenaeus against Haeresies Tertullian de Praescriptionibus S. Cyprian de unitate Ecclesiae S. Augustin de unitate Ecclesiae contra Epistolam Fundamenti de utilitate credendi c. S. Vincentius Lerinensis his Commonitorium c. 3. In particular may be witnesse of this Tertullian Tert. de Praescrip cap. 19. There is no good got by disputing out of Texts the Scripture but either to make a man sick or mad And againe There ought therefore to be no appealing to Scripture nor disputing out of them since by that meanes either neither side will be victorious or it is a hazard whether And againe But hitherto we have in generall proceeded against all Heresies proving by assured reasonable and necessary prescriptions against all Heresies that they are to be excluded from all disputation out of Scripture Witnesse likewise S. Augustine Haeresies and doctrines of perversenesse ensnaring soules and sinking them into Hell have risen from no other fountaine but this that Scriptures which are good are understood not well and that which is not well understood in them is rashly and impudently maintained Againe the same Father brings in the Arian Bishop Maximinus thus challenging a Catholique id con Maximin Ar. Episcopum lib. 1. If thou wilt produce any thing out of divine Scriptures which are common to all it is necessary we should hearken to thee But these speeches which are not in Scripture are in no case receivable by us The same Father in the conclusion of the same books brings in another Heretique using these words I desire and wish to be a Disciple of the Holy Scriptures c. If thou shalt affirme any thing out of the Scriptures if thon shalt produce a quotation of any thing written there in any place We desire to be found disciples of the Holy Scriptures Againe severall other passages to the same purpose may be seen in severall other parts of his workes as in Epist 222. and in lib. de Gen. ad lit lib. 7. cap. 9. and de fide Symb. cap. 9. and in Joan. Tract 18. Lastly the same Father disputing against Cresconius the Grammarian saith id lib. 1. con Cresc Gram. cap. 33. Yet notwithstanding although there is produced no example of this out of Scriptures Canonicall we doe neverthelesse observe the truth of the same Scriptures when we doe that which is approved by the Church whose authority the Scriptures recommend See suitable passages in l. 5. de Bap. cont Donat. cap. 23. and de Unit. Eccl. cap. 19. Witnesse againe S. Hierom S. Hieron dialog cont Lucifer Neither let them please themselves if sometimes they seem to make good their assertions out of some Texts of Scripture for the Devill likewise sometimes quoted Scripture for Scriptures consist not in the bare words but in sence It is true indeed the Fathers sometimes commend the fulnesse of Scripture as S. Basil saying whatsoever is without the Scripture is sinne but withall he gives us a Rule to know his meaning shewing that according to the last quotation out of S. Augustin against Crescoâ—â—us the Grammarian that may be said to be virtually conteined in Scripture which is delivered by the Church whose authority is recommended to us in Scripture so sayes S. Basil likewise id lib. de Spiritu sancto It is an Apostolique thing to persist constantly in Traditions not written for saith the Apostle I praise you in that you are mindfull of
of me in Faith and Jesus Christ Conserve that good thing committed to thy charge by the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us And againe 1 Tim. cap. 2. ver 2. The things which thou hast heard of me in the presence of many witnesses consigne them to faithfull men which may be capable to teach othâ—â— also And lastly 1 Tim. cap. 3. ver 15. The Church is the pillar and ground of truth 4. To elude such Texts as these so expresse in themselves so stringent and convincing without any leave given to any rationall contradiction so unanimously acknowledged by the ancient Fatherâ— in the plaine importance of them for there was no need to call their commentaries interpretations there being not the least difficulty or obscurity in them to be cleared Protestants especially the Calvinists for the Church of England hath been more ingenuous have been forced to make use of the poorest guiltiest shift imaginable which is to translate the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enseignements instructions or by any other word but what reason and rules of Grammar would require namely Traditions That which moved them hereto was apparently a resolution to seduce the people for nourishing them up in the hatred of the Church in contempt of her authority in rejecting all her Traditions so far that whatsoever is proposed under that title of Tradition is not only not accepted but scornfully rejected by them as supposed most certainly false and superstitious if it should appeare that the Scripture it selfe should referre us to Christian doctrines under the notion of Traditions the very sound of that word in Scripture would perhaps make them suspect that their Ministers had abused them 5. But moreover for a helpe if this poore subtility should come to be discovered by their Proselites it is further answered by them that S. Paul might very well referre Timothy or the Thessalonians to the summe of Christian doctrine by him before preached and not yet reduced to writing because the entire Canon of Scripture was not yet compleated and sealed up but when that was finished afterward Christians were not to trust to their memories but to have recourse to expresse Scripture as is implyed by severall Texts of Scripture denoting its abundant sufficiency for all uses and necessities 6. For answer to this way of arguing it will be sufficient to say that whatsoever is here alledged by Protestants is meerly gratis dictum there being not the least intimation given by S. Paul or any other Evangelicall Author that the Apostles had any intention to write among them a body of the Christian law searce any booke of the New Testament having been written but only upon some particular occasion and for the use of some particular person and Church and on the contrary it appearing expresly both by Scripture and Tradition that the Apostles in all the Churches founded by them left a depositum both of the doctrines and discipline of Christianity uniforme and compleate not relating at all to any thing already or afterward to be written CHAP. VI. Two principall Texts of Scripture alledged by Protestants to prove it's sufficiency and against Traditions answered 1. COme we now to consider a while those Texts of Scripture pretended by Protestants to be so expresse uncontroulable and pressing as to justifie them from blame in not only opposing the former evident quotations for Traditions but in dividing from and condemning all Antiquity that taught the contrary and not onely so but relyed upon Tradition alone in severall points confessed by them not to be visible in Scripture and yet condemn'd anathematized and utterly vanquished severall Heretiques who thought it a sufficient warrant to be dispensed from severall doctrines taught and practises continued in the Church because the Scripture was silent in them 2. Of all others the most considerable Text of Scripture alledged by Protestants and most prized by them as efficacious to prove its perfection sufficiency to be an intire Rule of Faith is this speech of S. Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. c. 3. v. 16. 17 Omnis Scriptura divinitius inspirata utilis est c. All Scripture divinely inspired is profitable for teaching for arguing for reproving and for instructing in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect instructed to every good worke Here say they it is apparent that S. Paul acknowledges Scripture to be profitable for all kindes of spirituall uses teaching arguing c. and moreover in such a perfection that by it not onely ignorant persons but even the man of God that is he who is a Teacher of Gods people who by his office is obliged to a higher perfection of knowledge may be made perfect and that to every good worke 3. To this it is answered 1. That by reading the verse immediately going before we shall be informed both of what Scriptures S. Paul there speakes and in what sence and with what conditions they are profitable for the forementioned uses and ends the words are Tu verò permane c. Doe thou â—â— Timothy persevere in those things which thon hast learned knowing of whom thou hast learned them and because from thy childhood thou hast knowne the Holy Scriptures which may instruct thee to Salvation by faith which is in Christ Jesus For all Scripture divinely inspired is profitable c. By the connexion of these words it appeares that those Scriptures to which Saint Paul gives this testimony and glorious character were the same in which Timothy now a Bishop had been instructed from his childhood that is the Scriptures of the Old Testament For how few of the Evangelicall writings were published even now that he was a Bishop and certainly scarce any at all when he was a child Sâ— Pauls designe therefore in this passage is evidently this viz. to exhort Timothy to remaine constant in iis quae ei tradita fuerant in those Christian verities and precepts by the Apostle delivered in trust to him not in writing but orall Tradition For which purpose he uses these motives namely 1. the consideration of the sublime Apostolicall Office of himselfe his instructour immediately and miraculously called and enabled to that imployment by Christ from heaven therefore he sayes knowing of whom thou hast learned these Evangelicall truths 2â— The conformity of these new revelations to those ancient ones of the Old Testament in which Timothy had been instructed from his childhood in which he might perceive though obscurely traced certaine markes and Prophecyes of the Gospell and so be easilier enclin'd to beleive what S. Paul had plainly delivered to him 3. Upon this occasion he declares the great profit which a Christian may find by having recourse to the old Testament as having great efficacy to make a man wise unto salvation but this not of themselves alone but joyned with the Faith which is in Christ Jesus and perseverance in believing the Christian verities delivered by orall Tradition So that the Apostles might very well conclude All Scriptures
some cases it is within the power of the Church to invent de novo some word or phrase proper to signifie and express a Traditionary doctrine namely in contradiction to any Haeresie arising and opposing Apostolique Revelations shining in the publique profession and practise of the Church So to condemn the Arians denying the Divinity of our Saviour the Fathers of the Councell of Nice made choice of the terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though new yet answerable to the sense and notion of that mystery which was received by Tradition in the Church a terme directly and specifically opposite to the Arian Position In like manner the Church of late devised a new or rather borrowed of some particular ancient Father the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transubstantiation as most proper to expresse the notion which in all ages has been received in the Church concerning the Reall Presence of the body of Christ in Blessed Sacrament a terme which like the flaming two-edged waving sword of the Cherub cuts assunder on all sides whatsoever new Heresies do or probably ever shall devise to oppose that Mystery 5. Notwithstanding some certaine Traditions there were which in the Primitive times were kept secret among the principall Ecclesiasticall Governours as certaine sublime Doctrines the ceremonious formes of conferring some Sacraments of making the holy Chrismes Oyle c. which seemes to have been done partly to gaine a reverence to the Clergy as more neerly approaching to the Divine Light But principally not to expose such Mysteries to the scornfull and profane interpretation of the Heathens or to the weak understandings of the ignorant and not yet sufficiently instructed Christians according to the practise of S. Paul himselfe 1 Cor c. 2. who saith Sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos Wee spèake sublime wisedome among those that are perfect Hence those earnest adjurations in the writings of some very ancient Bishops whereby they conjured others of their own rank when they communicated to them certaine sublime mysteries to preserve in a deep secrecy what they so received a memorable instance we have of this caution in the Books of S. Denis Areopagite Hier. Eccl. c 1. Hence those disguisings of other Mysteries in Books which were to passe publiquely abroad Hence those sudden interruptions when they were ready to discover unawares somewhat above the capacity of their hearers Pagans or Catechumens Frequent examples I could alledge out of S. Epiphanius S. Chrysostome S. Augustine end others But Cuiâ— bono in this placed Since Paganisme has been utterly abolished and meanes of instruction more common and promiscuous especially since the invention of Printing whether happy or not it is doubtfull this cautelous reservednesse has beene out of use perhaps with no little prejudice to the Church in so much as nothing is reserved now in the brests of the Church-Governours even the anciently most secret Ceremonies are divuled to all Mens knowledge So that now Tradition is far more loud and visible then ever it was before and no ground for Protestants to pretend to any suspition that under a shew of Tradition the Church has a mind to exercise either Tyranny or cunning to gaine authority to her determinations 6. Now from this generall Traditionary way of conveying Christian Doctrines c. it came to passe that many Fathers being assured of the truth and authenticknesse of such Traditions and willing to assert them out of Scripture also have interpreted many Texts as conteining such Doctrines which either did not at all afford such a sence or at least not necessarily though perhaps the outward sound of the words might put a man in mind of such Doctrines Examples of this are not a few particularly in the points of Purgatory Prayer to Saints c. So that whereas Protestants cry Victory when they can prove or at least make probable that such Fathers have been mistaken in such interpretations as if the doctrines thence deduced were confuted in my opinion it is without any ground since on the contrary the lesse force that such Texts of Scripture have to evince such doctrines the greater and stronger proofe have such Traditions seeing the Fathers prepossessed with a beliefe of them from the publique practise of the Church accounted them so apparent that they thought they saw them even where they were not at all And therefore when the Church commands us not to oppose the interpretations which the greatest part of Fathers unanimously make of Scripture I conceive she does not a waies oblige Catholiques thereby to give the same sense to Texts which the greatest part of Fathers doe but rather not so to interpret any Text as to contradict the Traditionary doctrines believed generally by the Fathers upon this safe ground of Tradition though perhaps not Logically enough deduced from such speciall passages of Scripture so that though perhaps their commentaries there may be questioned the doctrine in the commentaries ought to be embraced CHAP. X. The second preparatory ground viz. Occasion of writing the Gospells c. 1. IT may now be demanded if this way of conveying Christian doctrines be so much clearer and safer than writing books or any other way of transmitting recordes to what purpose were the Evangelicall bookes written and why were the necessary points of faith reduced into such a prescribed form in the Apostles Creed 2. To say something for answer and first concerning the Creed The end why that was compiled seemes to have been to bring into a short and cleare abridgement the principall points of Christian Religion to be repeated at any ones initiation into Christianity by Baptisme being as it were an enlargement of that forme of Baptising prescribed by our Saviour viz. Baptizo te in nomine Patris Filii Spiritus sancti Now in what senseâ— and in respect of what Persons in what State or Order the Creed may be said to contein all points of faith necessary to Salvation shall be shewd hereafter As to our present purpose we may observe 1. That the Creed seemes to be of a middle nature betweene written bookes and Orall Tradition as a prescribed forme of words so it approaches to the former but as committed by all to memory and actually repeated at Baptisme and other publique Devotions so it partakes much of the latter 2. What extreame advantage Tradition has for its preservation beyond any writing seeing the Creed after it was enlarged by partaking thereof has preserved it selfe from any variety or corruption all the Church over to this day It is true indeed that insome Churches viz in Afâ—ica in the first beginning of Christianity there was a small difference their Creed wanting these words Communion of Saints the sense whereof notwithstanding may probably be supposed to have been included in the Article concerning the holy Catholique Church as may be observed in the Creeds extant in the African Fathers Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Optatus and S. Augustin Which difference it is not imaginable should have come by
XIX Passages out of Fathers concerning the Churches Authority 1. BUt I will no longer defer the testimonies which Antiquity affords to the third Proposition conteined in the second Conclusion forementioned viz. of the Churches authority to intepret Scriptures and define Controversies I confesse I might have contented my selfe considering the superabundance to omit single passages when so many Fathers have written whole books to witnesse it as Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Vercentius Lirinensis c. mentioned before and whereas all Councells in whatsoever they have determined have virtually determined this otherwise their determinations were to be esteemed any thing else but determinations Notwithstanding I will not refuse the trouble of selecting a few passages more expresly declaring what at large most of the bookes wherein they are found endeavour generally to prove whether Logically and rationally or no let the world judge I am sure they proved it so effectually that they have thereby utterly destroyed the Heresies that opposed them Let the first witnesse therefore be S. Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 4. Where the Church is there is the Spirit of God and where the Spirit of God is there is the Church and all grace The same Father againe lib. 4. c. 43. We must obey those Priests that are in the Church those that have succession from the Apostles who together with Episcopall power have according to the good pleasure of the Father received the certain gift of Truth And all the rest who depart from the originall succession wheresoever they be assembled to have suspected either as Haeretiques or Schismatiques or Hypocrites and all these do fall from the truth Againe lib 4. c. 62. The spirituall man shall judge them that be out of the Church Which Church shall be under no mans judgement For to the Church all things are known in which is perfect faith of the Father and of the dispensation of Christ and firme knowledge of the Holy Ghost teacheth al truth Again l. 5. c. 4. What if the Apostles had not left Scriptures ought we not to have followed the Order of Tradition which they delivered to those to whom they committed the Churches To which order many yeild assent who believe in Christ having salvation written in their hearts by the Spirit of God without letters or ink and diligently keeping ancient Tradition It is easy to receive the truth from God's Church seeing the Apostles have most fully deposited in her as in a rich Store-house all thinges belonging to truth For what if there should arise any contention of some small questions ought we not to have recourse to the most ancient Churches and from them to receive what is certaine and cleare concerning the present question 3. Witness Tert. de Preser Therefore we must not appeale to Scriptures neither is the controversy to be settled upon them in the which there will be either no victory at all or very uncertaine c. Againe Order did require that that should be proposed in the first place which ought now to be onely debated viz. Which of the parties is possessed of that faith to which the Scriptures agree from whom and by whom and when and to whom that discipline was delivered by which men are named Christians For wheresoever it shall appeare that the truth of the Christian discipline or Faith is there will also be found the truth of Scriptures and expositions and all Christian Traditions Witnesse Origen Since there be many who thinke they believe the things which are of Christ and some are of different opinion from those who went before them let the doctrine of the Church be kept which is delivered from the Apostles by order of succession and remaines in the Church to this very day That onely is to be believed for truth which in nothing disagrees from the Tradition of the Church And again in our understanding of Scriptures we must not depart from the first Ecclesiasticall Tradition nor believe otherwise then as the Church of God hath by succession delivered to us 4. Witnesse S. Cyprian de unit Eccl. There is one head one Source one Mother by the Issue of her fruitfulnesse copious by her encrease we are born we are nourished with her milk with her Spirit we are quickned The Spouse of Christ cannot be defiled with adultery Shee is pure and chast Shee knoweth one house and with chast bashfulness keepeth the sanctity of one bed This preserveth us in God This advanceth to the Kingdome the Children that shee hath brought forth Whosoever divideth from the Church and cleaveth to the adultresse hee is separated from the promises of the Church He cannot have God to his Father that hath not the Church to his Mother Witnesse Lactantius l. 4. c. ult It is onely the Catholique Church that hath the true worship and service of God this is the wel-spring of truth the dwelling-place of Faith the temple of God into which whosever entreth not and from which whosoever departeth is without all hope of life and eternall salvation Witnesse S. Basile and S. Gregory Naz. who as Ruffinus Hist. Eccl. l. 2. c. 29. relateth took the interpretation of Scripture not of their own sense but from the Tradition of the Fathers Witness S. Cyril of Jerusalem lat 18. The Church is called Catholique because it is spread over the universall world from one end to the other and because it teacheth Catholiquely and entirely all doctrine which are to be known Witnesse S. Ambrose Faith is the foundation of the Church for it was not spoken of the flesh of Peter but of his faith That the gates of Hell should not prevaile His Confession overcame Hell and this Confession excludes many Haeresies for seeing the Church like a good Ship is beat upon by many waves the Foundation of the Church must prevail against all Haeresies L. de incarn dâ—â— 5. Witnesse Dom. in Psalm 37. In the Church the truth resids Whosoever is seperated from it it is necessary that he speak false things Againe Ep. 54. The heighth of all authority all the light of reason for the reparation and reformation of mankinde consists only in the saving name of Christ and in his only Church Again Ep. 56 The supream Emperour of our Faith hath fortified his Church with the cittadell of authority and by meanes of a few persons piously learned hath armed it with copious provisions of unconquerable reason That therefore to him is the most right discipline that especially the weak should retire into this cittadell of Faith to the end that for their defence being placed most securely others should combat with most strong reasons Again de util Cred. c. 16 if the Providence of God doth not precide over humane affairs no care is to be had concerning Religion But if the severall variety of creatures which ought be believed to have flowed from some fountain of most perfect beauty and by certain inward instinct doth exhort both publiquely and privately those
teach mankind to love and glorifie God so hated by them to encourage them in the learning and practise of vertue and holynesse and in a word to induce them to hate renounce and destroy the Kingdome of Beelzebub the Prince of Divells 2. That such a Religion which most assuredly ha's been attested by such miracles is most true 3. That by consequence since this Religion expressely sayes so it is most necessarily to be embraced being proposed by such a witnesse and proponent as God in that Religion ha's declared to have received commission from him and authority for that purpose And this Proponent is as after the spending of many thoughts and much time before I could free my selfe from many prejudices and misinformations caused by education c. by the goodnesse and mercy of God I came at last evidently to perceive to be the present Catholike Church CHAP. XXVII Proofes â—ut of Scriptâ—ure c. for the Churches auâ—hority 1. THe speciall grounds from whence to mine own full satisfaction J collected this assuâ—ance That the Church alone was that divinely authorised proponent from whom I was to receive divine Revelations and these in the sense that she received and proposeth them as likewise the method and manner according to which as distinctly as I could I first gave an account to mine own understanding and now to others were as follows 2. It having been before declared and conformably testified by all kinds of antient Ecclesiasticall writers 1. That the doctrines and formes of practise of Christian Religion were by the Apostles with great care and assiduous inculeations firmly setled in all Churches by them founded and established To which form other Churches by their successors converted generally conformed themselves as Tertullian de Prescrip saith The Apostles founded Churches in every City from which Churches other Churches afterward did borrow the Faith delivered and the seeds of doctrine 2. That Religion was thus setled chiefly and indeed only by Tradition the books of Scripture having been written only occasionally and though they comprehend in generall the principall points of Christianity yet it is very briefly obscurely with seeming contradictions and dispersedly whereupon it is that they do often refer us to the profession and practise of the church Hence in evidence of reason it will follow that he that would inform himself of Christian Religion must have recourse thither where it â—a's been dâ—posited and that not simply in words but withall the sense of those words and the very life of them in practise and this depositary is by all acknowledged more or less to be the Catholike church For even those who make it a part of their Religion to oppose the authority of the Catholike church yet acknowledge that they have received the Scripture that is all the Religion which they have from her and her authority 3. Hence it will follow that that man that should either look for Christian religion where it is not or expect to find it entire where there was no intention to include it in its whole latitude or hope to â—ssure himself of the clear sense of it where it is set down often obscurely almost every where obnoxious to variety of interpretations would certainly not follow the conduct of his reason 4. Notwithstanding if the imputation of unreasonableness were the only effect of such an indiscreet way of information there is no proud man and pride or impatience to submit to authority is the root of all heresie and Schism but would easily perswade himself to despise such an imputation yea he would take a pleasure in opposing himself and his own reason single not only to one but many ages of men that should it more reasonable to relye upon authority for that which cannot be believed but upon the only motive of authority There is therefore another effect far more considerable then point of reputation which is the utmost danger of eternall perdition in renouncing one main doctrinall foundation of Christian Faith which is the authority of the one holy Catholique Church of Christ which authority consists not only in delivering books of Scripture or Traditionary doctrines but in obliging all men to unity both in fâ—ith and love which is impossible to be had except all men be obliged to the sense and interpretation which she proposeth as received from her by the same authority from which she received the books or doctrines themselves 5. A doctrine this is the most expresse in Scriptures the most constantly asserted by Fathers the only businesse of all Councells the most freely without any contradiction embraced by all Christians before these times excepting only those whom even the Sectaries of these times will call Heretiques or Schismatikes and in these times by all that enjoy the name of Catholikes In a word a doctrine this is beyond all other traditionary doctrines propagated from the Apostles to these times with the fullest universall consent of all Catholikes in all places and of all times of any one point in Christian Religion or any one book of Scripture 6. Among proofs out of Scripture we will begin with the Old Testament concerning which S. Augustine in Psal. 3. ch 2. professeth that the Prophets foretold more often more plainly of the Catholike Church then of Christ himself and the reason he sayes was because many Heretiques would arise that would perhaps spare the person of Christ but none could be a heretike without withdrawing himselfe from the authority and unity of the Church Now the particular Texts which especially S. Augustine makes use of to assert the churches Authority are these In the last days the mountain of the Lord shall be on the top of all mountains and all hills shall flow unto her And she shall judge every tongue that resists her in judgement And Kings shall walk in the light of the Church and people in the splendour of her East Again That every Kingdome and Nation which doth not serve her shall perish Isa. c. 2. 54. and 60. That of the Kingly Prophet David Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God That of the Canticles Thou art faire and there is no spot in thee And that of the Prophet Ezechiel Thou shalt no more be called forsaken Psa. 86. Cant. 4. Ezech. 37. 7. Proofs out of the New Testament are Behold I am with you alwayes unto the end of the world Mat. 8. upon which S. Augustine in Psa. 70. 10. thus infers The Church shall be here unto the end of the world For if it shall not be here unto the end of the world to whom was it that our Lord said Behold I am with you alwayes unto the end of the world And what was the reason that it was necessary that there should be such speeches in the Scripture Because there would in times to come arise enemies of the Christian Faith which would say Christians will continue for a certain space after that they will vanish and Idollâ— shall
the true way to eternall happinesse These are the directions which he professeth that he would give to any man desirous to save his soule and requiring whose instructions to rely upon for that purpose and this in opposition to a Catholique that would advise such a man to have recourse to the Catholique Church c. 3. Now for a more orderly examining of Mr. Chillingworth's direction for finding out the true sense of Scripture and judging controversies I will yet more distinctly set down his grounds in severall propositions collected out of his book in such a method as may shew the respect and dependence of the one on the other together with the chief reasons which he alledges for the proof of them and afterward I will subjoyn thereto the reasons which moved me to judge such grounds of his insufficient and his reasons unconcluding and in conclusion I will declare how I satisfied mine own reason that all the severall objections which he makes against the Churches authority under the notion of infallibility have not that force that both he and I my self once imagined 4. The abridgement of Mr. Chillingworth's whole discourse I conceived might be reduced to these Propositions following viz 1. That Christian Religion having been planted so many ages since the only ordinary way that we can arrive to the knowledge of it is Tradition and the only assured way universall Tradition of all ages and Churches which is of it selfe credible and admits not of any proof 2. That for himself he could find nothing delivered by such an universall Tradition as of divine authority but only books of Scripture for if he had he would have imbraced it with equal submission since the being written makes not any thing more credible 3. That the Scripture is a most sufficient and the only rule of Faith most sufficient because it self sayes so the only rule because nothing else can be proved to be of universall Tradition 4. That by consequence the Scripture contains in it all things necessary to be believed and practised by all sorts of persons and this so plainly and expressely that no reasonable man can doubt of the sense thereof much â—esse be mistaken for otherwise God would not have provided sufficiently for the salvation of mankind 5. That concerning those passages of Scripture wherein are contained doctrines of Christianity but not so plainly men are not obliged necessarily to understand or believe them since it cannot consist with the goodnesse of God that men should be bound to have an expresse knowledge or belief of that which God himself ha's purposely delivered obscurely 6. That since no proof can be made either out of Scripture or universall Tradition that there is any authoritative visible Judge of the sense of the Scripture and since each mans understanding or reason is the only faculty capable of judging that therefore it only is to judge of the sense of the Scripture as far as concerns each mans particular 7. That fince every mans reason may possibly be deceived especially proceeding upon objects not immediately offered to sense therefore an infallible faith is not required such a probability will serve tqe turn as is sufficient to produce in a man obedience to the precepts of holinesse commanded in the Gospell 8. That since all Christians cannot but agree in necessary doctrines which are expresse they ought not to deny communion to one another for other doctrines not expressely contained in Scripture And that this is the only affectuall means of reducingâ— and preserving unity among Christians 5. These are in brief the grounds of Christian Faith and of the means afforded us to attain to the true sense of as much of it as is necessary and likewise to beget charity and unity among Christians as they lye dispersed up and down in Mr. Chillingworths book and which I have set down faithfully and ingenuously in the most rationall method that I could devise I will now with as convenient dispatch as I can adjoyn likewise in the same order respectively the reasons why I could not content my self with them but was forced to relinquish them to abase mine owne reason and to have recourse to a foundation as I thought more firme and rationall and I am confident farre more safe viz. the Catholique Church CHAP. XXXVI An answer to the three first grounds of Mr. Chillingworth 1. TO the first ground therefore viz. That there is no other way to be assured of a Religion established many ages since but universall Tradition I grant it But whereas it is added A Tradition of all ages If the meaning be that it is required to such an assurance that a man should have precisely from every age a sufficient testimony of this universal Tradition this is uâ—terly impossible any other way then as including the testimony of former ages in that of the present for though there may be preserved a few writings in every age all which may contur in this testimony and so make it indeed very probable yet the testimony of three or four Writers is not equivalent to the testimony of the age Add to this that such a way of proof though it may give good satisfaction to learned persons and is practised more by Catholiques then any other who yet rest upon the present Church for the certainty of Tradition yet it is very laborious and uncertain and whereof very few persons are capable and therfore not to be made a ground for all men to build all Religion upon The testimony therefore of all former ages is alwaies most safely included as to particular men in the testimony of the present age if that be universall for place and grounded upon Tradition as I shewed before and made the proofe of the assurance of it to be because it was impossible it should be false unless some one whole age should conspire to deliver a thing as of Tradition which was not so and not only conspire but should actually deceive their children no man discovering the imposture a thing beyond all imagination of possibility I will therefore add no more here but only the confession of a learned Protestant in his own words viz. When a Doctrine is in any age constantly delivered as a matter of Faith and as received from â—â— ancestors in such sort as the contradictors thereof were in the beginning noted for novelty and if they persisted in contradiction in the end charged with heresie it is impossible but such a doctrine should come by succession from the Apostles 2. To the second where he sayes That he could find nothing as of divine authority delivered by universall Tradition of all ages but only books of Scripture I answer that any one that will search with a willingnesse to find shall doubtlesse have better fortune then Mr. Chillingworth For I desire any one to consider with himself â—â— Whether the Apostles did not in all churches established by them settle the whole doctrine and form of Christian Discipline
church as a doctrine Traditionary and moreover it is attested by all antient Records of the Fathers of the church nemine explicite contradicente and it ha's been practised by Councells in all ages not one Catholique renouncing his obedience In so much as to my understanding there is not one Christian doctrine delivered with so full an assurance nor in the sense and meaning whereof it is lesse possible for a man to be mistaken Now by vertue of this speciall truth of the churches authority Universall Tradition which of it self is most credible and certain being believed and attested by the present church becomes most necessary to be believed by us the Church supplying the place not only of a witnesse but of an Embassadour likewise instructed and employed by Christ himself as S. Augustine most effectually maintains so that in believing and obeying her we believe and obey Christ himself according to Christs own expression He that heareth you heareth me and If any one heareth not the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican And therefore they that believe Christian doctrines only because they think they find them in the Scripture and believe the Scripture only because their reason or fancy which they miscall the testimony of Gods Spirit tells them that it is the Word of God though the doctrines themselves believed by them be true yet it is a hazard as to them whether they be so or no or however whether that be the sense of them or no it being all one as if a man by some casualty had found a transcribed copy of some part of an Embassadors Pattent or instructions Whereas Catholiques receive the commands of their heavenly King and Master from his Embassadours own hands which not only will not conceale any thing necessary or requisite from them but likewise will be able upon occasion to cleare all manner of difficulties that may arise about the sense of the said instructions or Patent having received glorious promises of continuall residence among us and of divine assistance to preserve him from any at least dangerous error 8. These things thus supposed Mr. Chillingworth's pretended circles and absurdities in the Resolution of Catholique Faith doe clearly and evidently vanish For a Catholique does not only or chiefly believe the Churches authority because to his privaâ—e understanding and reason the Scripture seems to say so but because he knows that the present Catholique Church teacheth so both by profession and practise and that she teacheth this as a Catholike Tradition believed and practised in all ages then which it is impossible there should be any testimony more assured and infallible so that if a man can be sure of any thing done before his own times as all reasonable men do agree that one may he cannot avoid being most sure of this if his passion or interests do not hinder him from searching into the grounds of it I need not therefore particularly give an answer to Mr. Chillingworth's discourse before produced since it wholly proceeds upon a mistake of his adversaries and other Catholiques grounds and since himself in the close of it seemes to confesse by objecting to himselfe Universall Tradition that if this doctrine of the Churches authority could be made appear to be grounded upon Catholike Tradition it would be as much credible as if the Scripture had expresly testified it since in his opinion the Scripture it selfe and nothing besides enjoyes its authority because it is delivered by Universall Tradition and by consequence would not be lyable to any circles or absurdities So that truly I wonder why seeing Mr. Chillingworth could not be ignorant that Catholiques do generally pretend that this doctrine comes from Tradition besides the proofs of it out of Scripture he should notwithstanding dispute against it as if there were no other ground for it but two or three questionable passages of Scriptâ—re CHAP. XLIII An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's allegations of pretended uncertainties and casualties in the grounds of the faith and salvation of Catholiques 1. THere is in Mr. Chillingworth's book another rank of objections which though they do not directly combat the churches infallibility or authority yet they had great effect upon me because they seemed to infer that the faith and salvation likewise of Catholiques depended upon extreme uncertainties and casualties and by consequence that a Catholique could not give any assurance that his faith was safely grounded For thus he argues c. 2. parag 63. ad 68. The salvation of many millions of Papists as they suppose and teath depends upon their having the Sacrament of Penance duly administred to them This again upon the Ministers being a true Priest which is a thing that depends upon many uncertain and very contingent supposalls As 1. That he was baptized with due matter 2. With due forme 3. With due intention 4. That the Bishop which ordained him Priest ordained him likewise with due form intention c. 5. That that Bishop himselfe was a person fitly qualified to give orders that is was no Simoniake c. 6. That all that Bishops Progenitors were fitly qualified and so till he arrive to the fountain of Priesthood Now he that shall put together and maturely consider all the possible wayes of lapsing and nullifying a Priesthood in the Church of Rome I believe saith he will be very inclinable to believe that in an hundred seeming Priests there is not one true one But suppose this inconvenience assoyled yet still the difficulty will remain whether he will pronounce the absolving words with intent to absolve you for perhaps he may be a secret Jew Moor or Antitrinitarian which if he be then his intention which is necessary to the validity of a Sacrament will be wanting c. 2. Hereto I answer 1 That such kind of pretended uncertainties or nullities in particulars do not prejudice the authority and stability of the church in generall but that if it be true which ha's alwayes been believed in the church viz. That Christ ha's promised to continue till the worlds end a church governed by lawfull Pastors and preserved in all truth he will engage his omnipotency to make good his fidelity and by consequence he will take care to prevent or remedy all obstacles that can be imagined to be otherwise able to evacuate such his promises and I suppose two such Attributes of Christ are a foundation strong enough to build a faith not obnoxious to such a world of casualties as Mr. Chillingworth suspects 2. That Mr. Chillingworth's whole discourse proceeds upon a mistake of the established doctrine of the Catholique Church which ha's not declared all those things to be nullities nor any of them in the sense that he alledges It is true in the Canon law and among Câ—suists there are mentioned many nullities of Orders and other Sacraments as Simony or Heresie or Schisme are said to nullifie the Ordination of a Bishop or Priest But how to nullifie it by taking away the
Let them chuse whether of these two they had rather believe They call themselves Christians we propose to them Jesus Christ and Donatus Let them consider what will become of them if they bestow only words upon Jesus Christ and their bearts upon Donatus So that this conclusion of his is unalterably tâ—ue not for his times only but til Christs second coming viz. That all separation which is made before the drawing the net on shore or before harvest i. e. the end of the world is a eamnable separation Being Sacrilegium Shismatis quod omnia scelera supergreditur i. e. being the sacriledge of Schisme which surpasses all other crimes Aug. con Ep. Parm l 2. 10. Therefore to shew the extreme in justice of English Protestants against the Catholique Church and the just judgement of God upon 〈◊〉 for it we may desire them to consider that in their owne congregations they are constrained to connive at both errours in doctrine and abuses in practise to support a Schismaticall Unity which they would not suffer for Catholique Unity So S. Augustine speakes to the Donatists lib. 2. Why do they saith he perniciously suffer such kind of men in the crime of a Sacrilegious Schisme which they might and ought to have tolerated profitably in the integrity of Catholique Unity Again let them consider with what justice they can condemne the other Sects Presbyterians and Separatists if they seek the same destructive way of reforming them which themselves practised upon the Catholiques For the Presbyterians will alledge Scripture as well as they they will pretend errours and superstitions as well as they And the Separatists beyond this will alledge for themselves that which it will be impossible for them to reply reasonably to for they will say Since you your selves have taken away all obliging humane authority in points of Religion give us leave to enjoy that liberty for our own consciences which you have purchased us we desire not to tyrannize over other men only we would not suffer that you should pretend by a shew of liberty to introduce tyranny If Protestants shall oppose secular power or multitude to such allegations that will be to confesse that their reformation was a meere worldly design If they shall say that it is not fit that a smal conventicle of Sectaries should prevail against a Nationall Synod of the English Clergy then they must not take it ill to have those efficacious words of S. Augustine applyed unto them Is the just weighing of matters come to this passe that a Councell of the Maximianenses who are an under-segment of your Sect shall have no force or consideration against you because in comparison of your numbers they are but a very few and shall a Councell of your own prevaile against Nations against the heritage of Christ and the ends of the earth his possession I wonder if that man have any bloud left in his body that should not blush at the mentioning of such a thing as this Aug. Ep. 154. ad Emer Don. 11. I will conclude this conclusion with a brief consideration of an accusation which Protestants lay against Catholiques whom they charge with extreme uncharitablenesse for affirming that Protestants dying in their Religion without repentance cannot be saved Hereto it is answered that Catholiques do not pretend to judge of the salvation or damnation of Protestants in particular yea they will not doubt to say that to many thousands of them neither their Heresie nor Schisme shall prove de facto damnable but that supposing they dye with an intention to renounce whatsoever their opinions should appear to them to have been erroneous their invincible ignorance caused by education misinformation of Catholique doctrines c. may probably find pardon from our mercifull Judge in case they be truly penitent for all other faults committed by them upon supposition that any such have been committed But surely it is no uncharitable judgement to say in generall That it is damnable to dye in a damnable or mortall sinne without repentance And therefore since even by Protestants confession Heresie and Schisme are in a high degree damnable sins and since Catholiques are verily perswaded that Protestants are guilty of these two crimes it may be called in them a mistake but it cannot be called uncharitablenesse in Catholiques upon such a supposition to make such a judgement Yea on the contrary I wonder how the English Protestants c. who pretend that Catholiques are guilty of these two crimes can notwithstanding contrary to the doctrine of all Antiquity affirm that such persons are not in a damable estate surely it is self-guilt and not charity that makes them so charitable CHAP. LI. The fourth Conclusion Proofes of it out of Fathers THE FOURTH CONCLUSION is That the Catholique Church ever after the times of the Apostles was is and shall be visible continuing in an uninterrupted succession of lawfull Pastors and true doctrine to the end of the world 1. FOr confirmation of this conclusion out of Scripture Texts sufficient both for number and perspicuity have already been produced both out of the Old and New Testament in the second conclusion 2. The same doctrine is no lesse conspicuous in the writings of the Fathers It is easier saith S. Chrysostome Hom. 4. in Esa. that the Sun should be extinguished then that the Church should be obscured And again The Sun is not more manifest nor the light proceeding from it theu the actions of the Church The Church saith S. Cyprian de Unit. Eccl. being cloathed with the light of our Lord spreads its beames through the whole world The Church saith S. Augustine hath this most certain mark that she cannot be hidden And again Do not these men grope at noone day as if it were midnight It is a quality common to all Heretiques not to see the thing of all things in the world most clear viz. the church which is placed in the light of all Nations out of the unity whereof whatsoever they do though it may seem to be done with great exactnesse and diligence yet can no more secure them from the wrath of God then the spiders webs from the rigour of the cold Hereupon the same Saint de unit Eccl. calls Christ the most true declarer of his body insomuch as be suffers us not to be mistaken neither in the Bridegroom nor in his Spouse Upon which grounds he makes severall exclamations to this purpose Id. cont cres l. 3. O the mad perversenesse of men Thou conceivest that thou deservest to be praised for believing Christ whom thou seest not and believest thou shalt not be damned for denying his Church which thou seest Since that Head is in heaven and this body is upon earth Thou acknowledgest Jesus Christ and that which is written of him O God be thou exalted above the heavens and doest not acknowledge the church in that which follows and let your glory be spread through all the earth The like expressions he
of the most learned Protestant writers by which they vertually confesse that if they had lived in S. Gregories dayes they would as well have separated from him Besides it appeares by S. Gregories Epistles that he as Pope enjoyed a supereminent authority and sollicitously exercised a care over all Christian churches As for his Jurisdiction as Patriarch and the extension thereof that I took not here into consideration since it is not a point pretended to be an Article of Faith 3. From S. Gregories dayes till the separation of the East from the externall jurisdiction rather then the Faith of the Pope and Western churches the whole body of the church under one visible Head remained as it did before enjoying the title of the Catholique church no other pretending thereto 4. Since the Division of the East from the Westerne churches caused as I conceive upon a quarrell about the Popes Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and not any point of Doctrine the limits of the Catholique church seem to be much streitned Concerning which Schisme if it be indeed a Schisme properly so called I apprehended no necessity to be very curious to inform my self being perswaded during the time of my being a Protestant that as for that one point of belief concerning the Procession of the Holy Ghost wherein the Greek church expresseth her self otherwise then the Roman if in substance and sense there be a reall difference that the Roman church was Orthodox And besides that I know not any point of doctrine wherein the Greek church agrees with Protestants to condemn the Roman church It is true they communicate in both kinds but I could never find that the Greeks made that point any pretext of their division from the Roman neither indeed can they since they also give the Eucharist to the sick onely in one kind acknowledging withall that such communicants receive the whole effect of the Sacrament As for the story of the Schisme it was begun by Photius the Pseudo-Patriarch of Constantinople upon ambition and interest because the Pope would not confirm his illegall intrusion into that Chair which generally ha's been a fatall occasion of almost all Schismes as long since S. Cyprian hath observed Lastly it is manifest that those rights of Jurisdiction also which since that Schisme have been denied by the Greeks to the Pope were not then begun to be demanded but had been possessed by him for severall ages so that there was at least injustice if not error on the Grecians part 7. Fourthly that the Pope as successor of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles ha's a primacy and superiority over all Bishops and Patriarchs yea an authority over the whole Catholique church so that he may truly be called the Head of the Church ha's been delivered by so constant and universal a Tradition that it cannot without extreme impudence be denied Now how far this superiority and authority extends I thought it needlesse curiously to inform my self since as far as I can learn all that the church requires in this point even from ecclesiasticall persons is a subscription to this profession mentioned in the Bull of Pope Pius IV annexed to the Councell of Trent and collected out of the same viz. Romano Pontifici Beati Petri Apostolorum Principis successori ac Jesu Christi Uicario veram obedientiam spondeo ae juro i. e. I do promise and sweare true obedience to the Pope of Rome successor of blessed S. Peter Prince of the Apostles and Vicar of Jesus Christ. 8. Now that thus much is of universall Tradition what greater proof can be desired then may be afforded us in a late book entituled Les Grandeurs dell ' Eglise Romaine where such a world of testimonies out of Councells Occumenicall and Provinciall Popes Fathers both Eastern and Westerne Histories Ecclesiasticall c. are produced to maintain the Co-union of S. Paul with S. Peter in at least some degree of his universall authority which not withstanding are not an hundredth part of that which may be alledged out of antiquity for S. Peters Principality and the Popes as his successor Yea that great Councell of Chalced on acknowledged and received in England even when it endeavoured to deprive the Pope of some part of Jurisdiction yet acknowledged this his superiority and authority as Pope the Bishops there calling him their Head and themselves with all Christians members under that Head Moreover Socrates and Zozomen writers far from being partiall for the Pope yet mention antient immemoriall canons of the church wherein at least a negative voice is given to the Pope in any thing that shall be introduced to oblige the whole church To conclude Monsieur Blondel the most learned French controvertist that ever undertook their common quarrell against the Pope in that large volume which is spent in confuting particular extravagant opinions concerning that subject as touching the infallibility and Monarchicall Omnipotence of the Pope his Lordly and domineering headship and a Monarchicall power usurped by him by which to subdue all the members of Christ c. yet notwithstanding which is very remarkable he confesseth himself that never any Councell or Nation no not that of Florence nor Trent it self ever adventured to define any thing concerning such excessive titles and power as the Popes Partizans do attribute to him But on the contrary that the titles of the Apostle S. Peter ought not to be put in debate since that the Grecians and Protestants also do confesse that it hath beone believed and that it might be indeed that he was the President and Head or Chiefe Chef of the Apostles the foundation of the Church and possessor of the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven Yea moreover That Rome as being a Church consecrated by the residence and Martyrdome of S. Peter whom antiquity hath acknowledged to be the Head Chef of the College Apostolique having been honored with the title of the Seat of the Apostle S. Peter might without difficulty be considered by one of the most renowned Councells viz. that of Chalcedon as Head Chef of the Church Which is in effect to acknowledge that the necessary doctrine of the Roman church concerning the Popes Primacy and Authority is Orthodox 9. Upon which grounds since it appeares to have been an universall Tradition of the church besides expresse words of Scripture that the Catholique Church was to remaine visible to the end of the world that is a church possessed of all substantiall Christian doctrines preserved in all truth governed by lawfull Pastours as one body consisting of ruling and ruled members under one visible head which S. Cyprian makes the foundation of Unity Ecclesiasticall I concluded as I thought rationally that that part of the Christian world which continued in Communion with and obedience to this so acknowledged Supreme Authority might and ought most justly to challenge the title of the Catholique Church 10. Therefore though the priviledge of an independent Patriarchall church which the English Protestants
accuse her of Schisme for not separating from her selfe and and the whole world and for not being able to hinder them from committing that most sacrilegious crime and they impute Heresie to her for being constant in maintaining the decisions of all Councells and the profession of all churches and ages 4. But before I examine the vanity of these imputations by stating those six particular controversies I shall desire our English Protestants to meditate sadly upon two subjects especially The first is Which way they can imagine it to be possible that an errour should imperceptibly creep into the belief and practise of the whole church even setting aside the security we have against any such mischiefe by the meanes of Christs promises For was it not true which antiquity testifies yea and S. Paul himself expressely that the Apostles and Apostolicall men were instant in season and out of season to make known to the primitive Christians and to inculcate diligently and laboriously into their minds the whole sum of Christian doctrine not forbearing both publiquely and from house to house to reveal to them the whole will of God not suppressing any thing that was profitable Act 20. 20. 27. And this so fully and effectually as that if an Angell from heaven could be supposed to teach any thing not only contrary but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. besides that which they had taught he was to be accursed Galat. 1. 8. Then do not the Fathers tell us and what proof can Protestants produce to make them appear to be lyars when they tell us that at least for five hundred years all caution imagineable was used to prevent and exclude any novelties that any Heretiques yea or any Christians though as learned as Origen or as holy as S. Cyprian should attempt to introduce May we not adde hereto that whatsoever novelties of the least moment should be obtruded by any would discover themselves to be novelties by thwarting the publique profession and practised devotions of the church as S. Cyprians Rebaptization would oblige all men to practise that which they had alwayes forborne and the Arian and Pelagian c. impieties would constrain the church to alter the formes of prayers to the Sonne of God and for Gods Grace to cure the impotence and perversenesse of nature acknowledged in the daily publique confessions Upon which grounds S. Cyril against Nestorius and S. Leo against Eutyches disprove the errours and impieties of their Heresies by producing the profession and practise of the church in administring the holy Eucharist whereby she restified her beliefe of a reall presence of the very body and bloud of Christ there which could not consist with their Novelties So that upon the same ground if Invocation of Saints Prayer and offering the most holy Sacrifice for remission of sinnes to the dead Veneration of Images c. had been novelties would not such practises have more directly thwarted the publique devotions of the church then the Heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches How was it possible then that such doctrines should have been taught by any particular Father as confessedly they have been and not any one appeare that should discover and protest against such innovations what charme was there in these doctrines above all others to cast the church into a sleep that she should not perceive them or to silence the Fathers that against their custome in all other innovations they should not open their mouths against them And much more how was it possible that the publique Liturgies and devotions of the church should come to be changed by admitting such pretended novelties and superstitions and yet no signes or footsteps be left that such a wonderfull change ha's been made not one writer to be found that can tell us of any one that opposed it 5. The second thing that I desire them to consider is That since it is at this day and ha's been for many ages the universall belief of the church that all such pretended Novelties were indeed Catholique and Apostolique Traditions what arguments Protestants can reasonably esteeme sufficient to disprove this beliefe and to dispossesse the church of her renure Will the silence of one or two Fathers think they be of force enough to such a purpose If so I doubt whether the church would then be able to maintaine any one Article of Faith Would a few seeming difficulties and obscure seemingly opposite quotations out of some writings of a few Fathers serve their turn It did not so in the cause of the Arians of the Pelagians of the Novatians c. and why only in the present controversies Will quotations of Scripture decide the questions against the present church Indeed if it could be imagineable that the whole Catholique church could at the same time and with the same hand deliver us Scripture and doctrines contrary to expresse Scripture if she could be supposed either so foolish as not to see that which no body could be ignorant of or so wicked as clearly seeing what God said to command us not to believe him but rather the quite contrary then she might deserve to be stiled Schismaticall because she continues in such a wicked unity and Hereticall because she would not submit her judgement and aushority to the passions and lust of an Apostate Monke But even Protestants themselves will absolve her from such a high degree of guilt as to contradict expresse and formall Scripture And as for Texts of Scripture either obscure or ambiguous or â—ationally admitting severall interpretations though to some prejudicate ears they may seem to sound otherwise then the church teaches in all reason and honesty the churches interpretation of them ought to prevail against any private mans I am sure all sorts of Sects will either submit their judgements to the sense of their particular churches or at least will conceal their opinions when they cannot submit them this civility and duty teaches all men But as for the children of the Catholike church they have an obligation binding them in conscience to trust the same church for the sense of Scripture especially in points which she sayes are of Universall Tradition which they have trusted for the Scripture it selfe and therefore S. Augustine said well and like a perfectly good Christian and Catholique The words of Scripture are so to be understood as the world hath believed them which that it should believe the Scripture hath foretold And surely he that will duely consider of what weight the universal testimony of a whole age of the church is to prove a Tradition will never think that a few objections or obscure passages either in Scriptures or two or three Fathers who are apt to speak unwarily when the matter is not in controversie should decide the cause against it especially considering that it is almost impossible to receive absolute satisfaction of the doctrine of former ages any other way or at least any other way so well as by the universall agreement of the
The lusts of the flesh â—he lusts of the eye and the pride of life these were the great Masters that taught them their new Doctrine and made them renounce the old The weariness of an unmarried or of a chast life ambition after great estates and scorn to submit themselves to obedience these taught new lessons to the Arch-Heriticks and these lessons they preach to others and those that are of the world and love such censual conveniences hear them Thus is Heresie begun and continued in the world 10. On the contrary saith he We are of God who have conquered the world and by that means â—rample on these things we have a far more noble ambition For the reward that we pretend to is no less then God himself And all that know God and know how to set a value on him hear and obey us Hence he concludes Hereby know we the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error But it may be replyed That as there are many true Beleevers much immers'd in the lusts of the world so there may be some Hereticks that in appearance at least are in a good measure free from the same lusts 'T is true yet those Hereticks do not hear the Ministers of Christ They receive their writings they study them and dispute out of them but do not hear the true Pastors interpreting them Hereby indeed is known the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error For if they without mission would not pretend to be Apostles nor deliver their own doctrines out of the Apostles writings but have humility to hear the Apostles and their Successors and Faith to beleeve them they would never be obnoxious to this Spirit of Error 11. To conclude my dearly beloved Friends instead of examining those several marks of true and false Churches and Teachers extant in Books of controversies content your selves with this Catholick mark given by the Apostle in his Catholick Epistle to all Christians to the worlds end Would you know where the Spirit of Truth is It is not among them that accept and read and study the Scriptures for then what would be Heresie Do they not in all their wandrings and mazes carry the Bible with them And the Bible it self as they use it leads them to destruction For Lust Ambition Curiosity Covetousness or Pride either blinding them or staining their eyes makes them think they see in Scripture that which foments and encreases those Passions Whereas if having their eyes open to read the Bible they would keep their ears open likewise to hear the Church interpreting it it is not possible they should erre or be at variance about the mysteries of Faith God Almighty of his infinite goodness clear your eyes and open your ears that you may see and hear and live for ever Amen FINIS AD LECTOREM En tibi Candide Lector illas Eximii Doctoris ad Quaesita mea pridem missas Responsiones in priori quidem hujus Libri Impressione promissas sed ex oblivione omissas Quod ad speciales autem Doctrinas pertinet vel hìc vel superiùs in Libro contentas me tanquà m Historici solùm non Dogmatistae partes agentem respicias Et vale Quaesita Generalia QUaeritur primò Utrùm haec Thesis sit in Romana Ecclesia irrepraehensibilis videlicet Nihil est creditu necessarium in Religione Christiana tanquam de fide nisi quod revelatum fuit Ecclesiae per Christum Apostolos ejus Respondetur Quod haec thesis ut jacet est omninò irrepraehensibilis immò nihil est proprie de side cujus actus necessariò iâ—mediatè innititur divinae revelationi â—nisi quod revelatum fuerit á Deo Ecclesiae per Christum Apostolos Ab eorum enim tempore nihil de novo Ecclesiae revelatum agnoscimus Qu. â— Utrùm omnes articuli de Religione in Concilio Tridentino determinati propositi sinâ— veritates divinae tales quae ab Apostolis fuerint Ecclesiae revelatae Resp. Omnes articuli purè doctrinales nec aliam incluâ—entes materiam facti quà m quod divinitùs institutum agnov mus determinati a Concilio Tridentino tales sunt quoad substantiam Qui verò vel disciplinales vel ex toto vel ex parte ad materiam facti non divinitùs instituti spectant canonicam habent certitudinem ac proinde quicunque illorum aliquâ—m pertinacitur condemnaverit tanquam Ethnicus publicanus habendus est Qu. 3. Si non Uâ— v. gâ— articuli de libris canonicis de vulgata translatione de communione sub una speâ—ie de veneratione imaginum utrùm liceat Catholico inquirere probabiliter determinare quinam speciales articuli sint tales veritates revelatae quinam non Resp. Ad quaestionem principalem sepositis hypothesi perenthesi quod omninò licet Ad hypothesim supra responsum est Ad parenthesim autem respondetur Quod esse librum canonicum importat duo 1. Quod vel doctrinam revelatam contineat vel cerre nihil dissonum à veritate divina Catholica 2. Quod liber ipse semper habebatur à multis Ecclesiae Doctoribus divini fuisse alicujus authoris Cui scilicet istius libri doctrina ad Religionem spectans aut immediatè à Spiritu sancto revelata fuerit aut in illa tradenda divinum adfuerit speciale auxilium De prima parte potest Concilium verè oecumenicum certissimè decernere de secundâ cum majori vel minori cerâ—itundine juxta varias reâ—um circumstantias ita tamen ut canonicam semper habebit certitudinem hujusmodi Concilii etiam in hac parte decretum Quod idem dicendum est de vulgatae editionis decreto licèt purè materiam facti designet De communione sub una tantùm specie Concil â— Decretum est negativum videlicet Ecclesiam non teneri nec institutionâ— seu praeâ—epto divino nec quacunque aliâ◠de causa Sácramentum Eâ—charistiae fidelibus omnibus sub utrâque specie administraâ—â— Et hoc certistimum habet Ecclesia ex traditione praxi An verò justis de causis unam tantùm speciem communiter administrari decreverit prudentiae non doctrinae quaestio est De veneratione imaginum quamvis res facti sit hoc tamen ab ipsis Apostolorum temporibus traditum habemus Qu. 4 An non haec sit pobabilis ratio distinguendi inter tales articulos scilicet ponendi istos articulos esse revelationes divinas in quibus Concilium explicitè significat Ecclesiam traditionaliter recipisse talem doctrinam à primis usque Christianismi temporibus Resp. Hanc rationem seu viam distenguendi inter tales articulos probabilem ac sanam esse non verò solam unicam Oportet enim ut articuli qui sint revelationis divinae sint doctrinales qui nunquam ab omnibus Ecclesiae Doctoribus habebantur incerti tunc etiamsi Concilium declararet hujusmodi articulos ad novatoris alicujus obtundendam audaciam absque
same Author l. 5. c. 19. taught his Disciples many Traditions not written Again S. Dyony Arcop Hier. Eccl. c. 1. at least even by acknowledgment of the most learned Protestants an Author of the second or third age Those prime Captains and heads of our Hierarchy thought it necessary to deliver unto us those sublime and supersubstantiall Mysteries both in written unwritten instructions Again S. Fab. Pope â—â— Martyr Ep. 1. ad Episc. Orientis speaking of holy Chrisme to be renewed every yeare of which no mention is in Scripture addes These things we received from the Holy Apostles and their successors which we require you to observe Againe Tertullian de Cor. Mil. cap. 4. discoursing as he often does of severall rites and practises not mentioned in Scripture concludes in one place thus Of all these and other disciplines of the like nature if thou shalt require a law out of Scripture thou shalt finde none Tradition shall be alledged to thee for the Author Custome the confirmer and Faith the observer Againe S. Irenaeus Cont. Haer. lib. 3. c. 4. What if the Apostles had not left us Scriptures ought we not to have followed the Order of Tradition which they delivered to those to whom they committed the Churches to which ordination give proofe many nations of those Barbarous people who beleeve in Christ having salvation written in their hearts by the Spirit without characters or inke and diligently observing the ancient Tradition Againe the Fathers assembled in that ancient Councell of Gangres Can. 21. We desire that all those things which have been delivered in divine Scriptures and by Tradition of the Apostles should be observed in the Church Againe S. Basil de Spir. Sanc. to cap. 27. 29. of the dogmes and instructions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserved in the Church some we have by written institutions others we have delivered by the secret Tradition of the Apostles Both which sorts have the same authority for as much as concernes piety and there is no man will contradict this that is never so little experienc'd in the law of the Church The same Father in the same Chapter The day would faile me if I should produce all the Mysteries which the Church observes without writing And a little after I account in an Apostolique thing to persist constantly in observing Traditions not written Againe Eusebius Caesariensis de dem Evang. lib. 1. who having said that Christ did not as Moses leave his Law written in Tables or Paper but in the hearts of his Apostles who likewise following the example and intention of their Master Have consign'd their doctrines some indeed in writing and others they have delivered to be observed by lawes unwritten Againe S. Chrysostome 2 Thes. cap. 2. From hence it appeares that the Apostles have not delivered all things by Epistles but likewise many things without writing now both those and these deserve to be equally believed Againe S. Epiphanius haer 61. We must likewise make use of Tradition for all things cannot be taken out of Scripture And therefore the Holy Apostles have given us some things in writing and others by Tradition Againe S. Augustin de Bap. cont Don. lib. 5. cap. 23. speaking against those that maintained that Haeretiques ought to be rebaptised The Apostles sayth he have prescribed nothing concerning this thing But this custome which was opposite to S. Cyprian ought to be believed to have taken its originall from their Tradition as there are many things which the uniuersall Church observe â—â—h and for that reason are rightly beleeved â—â— have been commanded by the Apostles although they are not found in their writings These quotations seemed sufficient to me to shew the generall Opinion of the Fathers to be consonant to the Conclusion before mentioned CHAP. II. The Roman Church agreeing with Fathers in the same Rule of Faith All Sects of Protestants disagree with the Fathers 1. NOw to the end to confront with Antiquity the present Roman and Protestant Churches that it may appeare which of them are the true legitimate children of those Fathers Wee will begin with the Roman Church whose mind we finde clearly expressed in the Decree of the Councell of Trent Sess. 4. concerning Canonicall Scriptures in these words Sacrosanâ—â—a c. Tridentina Synodus c. Perspiciens hanc veritatem c. that is The most holy c. Synod of Trent c. Clearly perceiving that this truth and discipline namely the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles is contained in bookes written and unwritten Traditions which were received from Christs Mouth or delivered as it were from hand to hand from the Apostles to whom the Holy Ghost dictated it hath arrived even to us Following the Oxthodox examples of the Fathers receives and venerates with an equall affection of duty and reverence all bookes as well of the Old as New Testament since one God is the authour of both as likewise the Traditions themselves whether perteining to Faith or Manners as dictated either by Christs own Mouth or by the Holy Ghost and by a continued succession preserved in the Catholique Church Thus far the Councell of Trent 2. Whether the Roman Church has indeed made good this her profession viz. That in this decree shee followes the Orthodox examples of the Fathers besides so many formall proofes before alledged the confession of many learned Protestants will justifie her As Cartwright Cartw. Witgift Def p. 103. speaking of the forementioned or like quotations out of S. Augustin saith To approve this speech of Augustin is to bring in Popery c. So likewise Whittaker Fulk Kemnitius c. Whit. de Laec. Ser. p. 678. 681. 690 c. Fulkâ— con Purg. p. 362. 397. Kemnit Exam. part 1. p. 87 c. for such like assertions of the Fathers condemne then generally and by name Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Epiphanius Tertullian Augustin Ambrose Hierome Chrysostome Eusebius Baesile Leo Maximus Theophilus Damascene c. 3. In opposition to this decreed Doctrine of the Roman Church and by consequence to the Orthodox examples of the Fathers aâ—â— manner of Sects that have separated from the Church or from one another since Luthers â—â—me agree almost in no other point unanimously except in this That the Scripture conteins in it expresly all things both concerning beliefe and practise which are necessary or but requisite to salvation And by consequence that no man is or ought to be obliged to submit to any Doctrine or precept any further then as it can be proved manifestly to him to be conteined in the written word of God 4. The Church of England Art 6. of English Church in particular makes this one of her peculiar Articles That the Holy Scripture conteineth all things necessary for salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an Article of Faith or to be thought requisite necessary to salvation
whatsoever thing came from me and observe the Traditions which I have given you Besides in some cases there may be controversies about points which are not grounded upon Orall Tradition but only Scripture 4. A third inconvenience following the Protestants position is this That since undoubtedly there were in the Primitive Church Traditions in great number besides what is expressed in Scripture I could not imagine what was become of them or how it should be possible they should come to be lost having been received generally through the whole Church and most of them shining in the practise of it To salve this inconvenience Protestants either impudently give the lye to all the Fathers and say without the least proofe that there were none at all Or in England there being under-Sects which by Scripture alone could not be confuted as Puritans Anabaptists Sabbatarians c. they are forced to acknowledge some few Traditions of such a nature although thereby they destroy their maine foundation of Only-Scripture For by the Traditionary doctrine of Non-rebaptization they conclude the Anabaptists to be Heretiques that is erring in a necessary point of doctrine Yet themselves renounce doctrines and practises delivered by a far more full Tradition So great effect hath interest in that Church But what will become of S. Basils saying before quoted That the day would faile him if he should undertake to enumerate all the Traditions left by the Apostles in the Church not mentioned in Scripture For all that even the most condescending Protestants will allow for such may be reckoned five times over in a minute of an hower Considering therefore that such Traditions being visibly manifest for the most part in the practise of the Church are far more easily preserved then any writing can be it will necessarily follow that the rest of that great number are extant in the Roman Church as may be proved of most of them before reckoned by testimonies of Ancient Fathers Vid. sup c. 3. 5. A fourth inconvenience to my understanding unavoidable by Protestants and a great proofe of the truth of the Doctrine of the Roman Church is this Though Protestants generally deny that the points of Controversie debated between them and the Roman Church were universally received by the Ancient Church as Invocation of Saints adoration of Christ as present in the blessed Sacrament Prayer for the dead c. Yet they cannot deny but that in many of the Fathers proofes of these doctrines may be found to shew that such was at least their particular opinions Now if generally the Ancient Church had agreed with Protestants both in denying such doctrines and practise received now in the Roman Church and likewise in making only-expresse-Scripture the Rule to judge by it could not be avoided but that some Synods or Fathers would have taken notice of such pretended errours in the writings of other Fathers and likewise would have produced some of those Texts of Scriptures now made use of by Protestants for that purpose a thing they are so far from that on the contrary we find that many of the Fathers infer the same doctrines from the same Texts that Catholiques now do And Protestants though they alledge some passages of Fathers by which they may seem consequently to destroy such doctrines and to contradict their owne formall assertions in other places yet are not able to produce so much as one Text of Scripture interpreted by any Father to confute any one such pretended errour Which is a thing very remarkable and will argue either that no man in the Ancient Church took notice of such pretended dangerous speeches of so many Fathers or that they understood not the plaine Texts of Scripture if Protestants grounds be true or upon Catholiques grounds since it was impossible but they must have taken notice of such opinions and since they certainly did understand plaine Texts of Scripture that therefore not disputing out of Scripture as Protestants doe they were so far from believing such opinions to be errours deserving a Schisme that they all of them agreed in receiving them as Catholique Truths Other inconveniences which without hope or possibility of remedy do arise from making Scripture alone secluding not only Traditions but likewise any visible obliging interpreter to be the only Rule and Judge of Controversies shall be reserved to be examined in the next Conclusion concerning the Authority of the Church in this businesse CHAP. V. Weaknesse of Protestants proofs for only-Scripture Texts of Scripture alleadged by Catholiques vainly eluded by Protestants 1. AS I said before since Protestants and all other Sects doe against their nature and custome so unanimously conspire to forsake the oldâ— and good wayes by travelling wherein even themselves being judges so many glorious Saints Confessors Martyrs Bishops c. were renowned not onely in their owne but all succeeding times dissipated armies of Haeretiques propagated the Kingdome of Christ over the world subdued Idolatry and made it utterly to vanish though supported with the force of the whole Roman world and in fine arrived to a supereminent degree of glory in Paradice And since in stead of this so successefull a way they have chosen to walke every man in a severall path through those narrow crooked and at least very dangerous because new wayes of a proud selfe-assuming presumption in interpreting only-Scripture each man according to his own fancy interest following the example of no antiquity but only ancient Heretiques in all reason they should have taken order to have justified themselves herein after a more then ordinary manner they ought to have contributed all the invention and skill of all the best wits in each Sect to fortifie this common foundation of only Scripture and no visible judge beyond all other points of difference 2. And so no doubt they have to the utmost capacity of the subject But no skill can serve to build a firme secure edifice upon sand and private reason or fancies of inspiration are more weake and sandy then even sand it selfe For proofe hereof let us consider the pretended proofes and reasons which they alleadge to assert this their fundamentall position viz. that the entire Rule of Faith is the written word of God of which there is not extant any visible authoritative interpreter Proofes hereof produced by them are 1. Negative invalidating such Texts of Scripture as are alledged by Catholiques and expounded by Fathers to prove Traditions unwritten and 2. Positive drawne from other Texts expressing the sufficiency and perfection of Scripture 3. Some Texts by Catholiques produced to prove Traditions and those concerning points of Doctrine as well as practise or ceremonies besides what is written in the Evangelicall books are among others these following out of S. Paul 2 Thes. cap. 1. ver 15. Observe the Tradititions which you have received from us whether by word or by Epistle And againe 2 Tim. c. 2. ver 13. Have before thine eyes the patterne of sound words which thou hast heard
of the Old Testament giving testimony to the Gospell being inspired by God are very profitable not entirely of themselves sufficient for teaching arguing reproving instructing in righteousnesse And that by them the man of God even a Christian Bishop may be made perfect or enabled to every good worke that is as he expresseth the same sence in the former verse wise unto Salvation but upon condition that they be joyned with the Faith or Gospell of Christ Iesus and perseverance therein This to my understanding seems to be the proper naturall importance of this Text of S. Paul so far from evincing what the Protestants would collect from it that it confirmes the quite contrary 4. But let it be supposed which is impossible to be evinced that the Apostle speakes here by way of Prophecy of Evangelicall Scriptures not yet written but with respect to the time when they should be perfectly compleated he sayes onely they are profitable not sufficient to produce the mentioned effects and end He excludes not the Church interpreting them in a word He referres expresly to orall Tradition And by consequence he is far from saying any thing that may warrant the Protestants upon pretence from these words to relinquish the way which all ancient Christians and Fathers of the Church walked in and to walke in that which as hath been shewed by irrefragable testimonies has beene traced by all and onely Heretiques So far is he from saying or giving warrant to any to say Reject all things that you finde not expresly conteined in Scriptures though the whole world upon whose only testimony you receive Scriptures affirme that they received other things from the same authority Keep your selves close to that sence of Scriptures which your own fancies or interests shall suggest unto you and admit neither fathers nor Church to interpret them to you believe your own understandings onely which you may call the inspirations of the Holy Ghost if you please And content not your selves with deceiving your selves alone with such fancies take authority upon your selves to destroy all publique authority and toâ— obtrude per sas nefas your interpretations and glosses upon the consciences of others This S. Paul ought to have said if he had purposed to justifie the grounds of Protestantisme But this I could not conceive to be his meaning and therefore I tooke it to be my best course to be misled by Fathers Councells and the whole Catholique Church 5. A second proofe for the sufficiency of Scripture alone to be an entire Rule of Faith and of great moment among many Protestants is that speech in the end of the Revelation Rev. c. 22. v. 18. 19. Contestor enim omni audienti c. I doe protest to every one that hears the words of the Prophecy of this book If any one shall adde unto these God shall adde unto him the plagues written in this booke And if any one shall diminish from the words of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the Holy City and out of those things which are written in this book The weight of this Text is much more pressing in their opinion by reason of the situation of it in the close of the whole body of Evangelicall writings and likewise by the advantage of a Parallel place in the end of Moyses his law 6. Hereto it is answered that this Text is so far from obliging us to understand it in generall of Evangelicall doctrines that expresly and in terminis terminantibus it restreines it selfe onely to the Prophecies conteined in this particular booke for bidding any one to presume to make any change in it either by addition and interpolation of other Prophecies pretended to be written by the same Divine Author a thing practised by Heretiques in other Evangelicall writings when this booke was published or by razing out any Prophecies herein conteined as some Heretiques likewise had done in other Apostolicall bookes So that this author is so farre from forbidding any other revelations of divine doctrines besides those already published that notwithstanding any thing here said Agabus and Saint Philips daughters might if they had pleased have set forth their Prophecies so they had done it without injury or disparagement to the Apocalypse Even as Moyses by such like words signified that in his writings were conteined the summe of that law delivered by God on Mount Sinai at least as much of it as was fit to communicate for the present to the people and therefore forbad any man to change his writings any way Yet notwithstanding it is apparent that not onely the Jewes but likewise the Ancient Fathers believed that besides this written law Moyses himselfe delivered to the Preists and Sanedrim many unwritten Traditions relating to the law it selfe some of which are mentioned in Evangelicall Scripture as the institution of the order of Exorcists the mingling of water with the blood of the Testament wherewith Moyses sprinckled the people Skarlet wooll and hyssope to be used in all aspertions the sprinkling the booke of the Covenant with blood The names of Jannes and Mambres the antagonists of Moyses and the combat betweene an Angell and the Devill about Moyses his body c. Besides many Holy men published bookes among the Jewes acknowledged of divine authority wherein were many Mysteries of Faith not onely more expresly but de novo conteined and not at all declared by Moyses many writings of devotion Precepts of Piety and manners c. Onely Moyses his bookes have beene received to this day under the notion of the fundamentall law of the Jewish Common-wealth a title that other writings never challenged 7. As concerning the advantage taken from the position of the forementioned Text in the close of the Evangelicall writings it will be of no force at all to any man that shall consider how it came to passe that the severall bookes were placed in the order as wee at this day finde them viz. That certaine men unknown to us now but followed by a tacit agreement of the Church when after the decease of the Apostles they had sought out all the writings that remained and had beene occasionally published by them compiled them in one volumne in this order They begun with the Gospels or history of our Saviours life and death as reason was placing them it may be in the order as they were written however assigning the first place to S. Mathew because he having written his Gospel in Hebrew for the use of the Jewes and Jewish Christians to whom Christ commanded his Gospel should first be preached and upon their refusall to the Gentiles even for that reason alone his Gospel might be thought to have deserved the first place the rest following in the order as they were written Then followes the Story of the Apostles especially S. Paul written by his companion S. Luke and continued till their separation by S. Pauls voyage to Rome After bookes of
who are naturally better disposed attesting that God is to be sought and worshipped we ought not to despaire but that there is some authority placed by the same God upon which we raising and settling our selves as upon a most firm basis may be exalted up unto God Againe This is the providence of true Religion this is commanded us from heaven this is delivered unto us by our Blessed ancestors this is preserved even to these our times to be willing to disturb and pervert this is nothing else but to seek a sacrilegious way to true Religion Again de unit Eccl c. 19. Neither thou nor I do read this evidently and expresly viz in the Scriptures But if there were to be found in the world any one endow'd with wisdome and recommended by the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ and if such an one were consulted with by us touching this controversie we should in no wise doubt to observe whatsoever such an one should say unto us and this for fear of being judged to have opposed not so much such a person as our Lord Jesus Christ himself by whose testimony such an one is recommended Now Christ gives testimony to his Church Again de Bap. l. 5. c. 23. To speak the truth the Apostles have prescribed nothing concerning this but this custome ought to be believed to have taken it's originall from their Tradition As there are many things which the universall Church observes the which in good right ought to be believed to have been delivered by the Apostles although they be not found in Scripture Againe lib. 4. That which the universall Church holds and it is not ordeined by Councels but hath been alwayes reteined and observed is most justly believed to have been delivered no other way than by Apostolique Tradition c. We must observe in these things that which the Church of God observes the Question therefore between you and us is Whether of the two Yours or Ours is the Church of God Againe To omit therefore this sincere wisdom which you will not allow to be in the Catholique Church There are many other things which most justly keep me in her bosome The consent of Peoples and Nations keep me there The authority begun by Miracles nourished by hope augmented by charity confirmed by Antiquity keep me there The succession of Prelates ever since the Seat of Peter to whom our Lord after his Resurrection committed the feeding of his sheep to this present Episcopate keep me there And finally the very name of Catholique keeps me there the which name this Church alone not without cause hath reteined among so many and great Haeresies insomuch as when any stranger demands where the assembly is wherein a man may communicate with the Catholique Church there is not any one Heretique ha's the boldnesse to shew him his Temple or house c. These so many and so strong and most deare tyes of the Christian name with good right retein a believer in the Catholike Church although that by reason of the slowness of our understanding or want of merit in our lives the truth doth not as yet shew it self unto us with perfect evidence Againe the same Father in the same book ca. 5. I doe not believe saith he that Manichaeus is the Apostle of Christ I pray you be not angry neither begin to give ill language For you know that I have resolved not to believe rashly any thing produced by you I ask therefore Who is this Manichaeus You will answer the Apostle of Christ. I do not believe it Now thou wilt find nothing what thou shouldst say or do for thou didst promise me a science of truth and now thou forcest me to believe a thing that I know not It may be thou wilt read the Gospel unto mee and from thence wilt endeavour to assert the person of Manichaeus But what if thou shouldest light upon one that doth not yet believe the Gospel what wouldst thou doe to him when he tells thee I do not believe And truly I my self would not believe the Gospel were it not that the authority of the Catholique Church moves me Now why should I not believe the same persons saying to me Believe not Manichaeus to whom I gave credence saying Believe the Gospel Chuse what thou wilt If thou shalt say Believe the Catholiques they move me to give no credence to you therefore if I believe them I must of necessity not believe thee If thou shalt say Doe not believe Catholiques Thou shalt doe unjustly compelling me by the Gospel to believe Manicheus because the same Gospel I believed upon the â—reaching of Catholiques But if thou 〈◊〉 say Thou didst well to believe the Gospell upon the commendation of Catholiques but ill in believing them discommending Manichaeus Doest thou think me so very a fool as that without any reason rendred I should believe what thou pleasest and dis-believe what thou likest not So that surely I doe much more justly and warily if because I am already a believer I doe not forsake the Catholiques to come over to thy partie unlesse thou commandest me not to believe but undertakest to shew me something that may be known most manifestly and apparently Therefore if thou wilt afford me reason quit the Gospel if thou holdest thy self to the Gospel I must hold my selfe to those upon whose command I believed the Gospel and upon the same persons commandement I must by no meanes believe thee But if by chance thou shouldst be able to find in the Gospell some passage most evident concerning the Apostleship of Manichaâ—â— thou wilt thereby weaken indeed unto mee the authority of Catholiques who command mee not to believe thee which authority being invalidated I would no longer believe the Gospell it selfe because it was for their sakes that I believed it So that whatsoever thou shalt alledge will have no force with me To the same purpole the same Father lib. de util cred c. 14. Why should I not most diligently enquire what Christ commanded of them before all â—â—hers by whose authority I was moved to 〈◊〉 that Christ commanded any good thing Canst thou better declare to me what hee said whom I would not have thought to have beene or to be if the belief thereof had beene recommended by thee to me This therefore I believed by fame strengthened with celebrity consent Antiquity But every one may see that you so few so turbulent so new can produce nothing deserving authority VVhat madnesse is this Believe them Catholiques that we ought to believe Christ but learne of us what Christ said VVhy I beseech thee surely if they Catholiques were not at all and could not teach me any thing I would more easily perswade my selfe that I were not to believe Christ then that I should learn any thing concerning him from any other then them by whom I believed in him Lastly the same Father con Cres. I. 1. c. 33. Although saith he there cannot be produced out of the
that is To be able to give a judgement whether any thing be defined by the Church we must as Cajetan well observes attend unto the errors which the Church proposeth to condemn and not to those things which shee speaks incidently for such things doe not remaine defined neither is it erroneous in Faith to opine against them Now the intention of the Councell of Lateran in that decree was only to exclude the errour of Origen who affirmed That this visible world was not per se directly intended by God but onely occasionally and by accident to be a prison in which the Devills should be punished and hereupon the Councell defined That it was Gods pleasure and will directly and out of his primary intention by his divine Omnipotence to create both the Angelicall and Humane Nature Whereas in that Decree it onely sayes incidently that he created at once from the beginning both these Natures And therefore this last assertion is not by vertue of the said definition become an Article of Faith Hitherto Salmanticencis De Angel p. 364. 4. Hence it will appeare what ill use Mr. Chillingworth makes of the terme infallibility either unwillingly forgetting or willingly concealing the great latitude that is allowed generally and by unsuspected Catholique Authors to the sense and notion of it which latitude I am assured his learned Adversary would have been very willing to have allowed him But it was not for his purpose to accept nor so much as take notice of such allowance it would have spoiled and abated the edge of many of his flourishing and seemingly subtile discourses So that it is apparent that Mr. Chillingworths arguments against the Churches just authority as he pretends which to most English men and I am sure to me once appeared unanswerable If that the word infallibility were but laid by for a while yea if the unquestionably allowable qualifications if its sense were but expressed would I am confident by mine owne experience lose the greatest part of their strength and however appeare not to endanger the Catholique Church at all 5. I doe not speak this being now as I am by Gods grace a Catholique to the end either to shew my selfe foolishly forward to take part with any one Catholique writer or opinion against another for the truth is my resolution was that if my mind disquieted with scruples of Religion should chance to finde rest in the Catholique Church to submit my selfe in all simplicity to her doctrine to avoid as much as might be the interessing my selfe in Disputes and Controversies and the entertaining all unusuall suspected devious and rash opinions and to spend the remainder of my life more to the benefit of my soule then by engaging my selfe in particular factions and partialities either about Doctrines or practices Nor secondly to censure at randome all those that make use of that terme in disputations For I know that before any of our late Schismes that word was used perhaps without any inconvenience by the Schoole men and if it were confined to that place where it was bred there would be still no inconvenience But since by manifest experience the Protestants I speak of England thinke themselves so secure when they have leave to stand or fall by that word and in very deed have so much to say for themselves when they are pressed unnecessarily abruptly and too too rudely with it the sence thereof not being mollified and sweetned by just and allowable qualifications Since likewise it is a word capable of so high a sence that we cannot devise one more full and proper to attribute to God himselfe insomuch as Mr. Chillingworth when he could prove that the Church was not in so high a degree infallible as the Apostles shall I say no not as God himselfe thought he had gained the victory Whereas besides Bellarmine before quoted S. Aug. lib. 2. de Bapt. com Don. cap. 3. expresly allowes to holy Scripture a place and preeminence before the decisions of Councells Lastly since the Church which Catholiques in this controversie doe pretend to maintaine only obliges no man to that word which is not found expresly in any of her received Counsells as Mounsieur Veron professeth yea since shee almost desivers the victory into their hands when they urge only her decisions and when they urge them in the latitude that she allows Can I be blamed if my duty to the Church my affection to mine own countrey and indeed to all that call themselves Christians and the remembrance how if I had not perceived that it might be permitted me in this Controversy concerning the Church to wave that word of infallibility I should perhaps never have had occasion to speak this of it in a writing of this nature Can I I say be blamed if such reasons move me to wish that the Protestants may either never be invited to combat the authority of the Church under that notion Or however that when the terme of Infallibility is used it may not be pressed in a sense more rigorous and comprehensive then the Church her selfe hath expressed 6. Now here by the way I think it fit to the end to prevent any mistake or misconstruction of what hath been sayd touching the words Infallible and Infallibility to expresse my meaning to be this viz. That I am so far from dislikeing the words themselves so generally made use of both by Schoole men and Controvertists that I professe I cannot devile any other single termes by which to expresse the Churches just and necessary Authority For if it be true as infallibly it is I am sure That God hath endowed his Church with an Authority to which all Christisns are obliged to submit their understandings and captivate their wills then it must necessarily follow from the infinite wisdome and goodnesse of God that his divine providence will preserve his church in all truth so as to secure all believers that they cannot be misled by following her nor walk safely when they follow any other direction And by consequence that she can neither deceive them nor be deceived her self all which is clearly imported in the distinct Grammaticall sense of those single termes Infallible and Infallibility Notwithstanding since the same termes may possibly be misconceived because they are capable of comprehending a more extended notion then is here expressed as evidently they do when they are attributed to God and to his immediately inspired word And since Protestants have especially of late entertained and drunk in a notion and conception from these termes far more rigorous and comprehensive then either the church her self or most of the most learned and approved Controvertists do conceive any one to be obliged unto which notion it is as yet very difficult to efface out of their imaginations Upon these grounds it is that both from mine own experience in my self and knowledge that I think I have of the peculiar temper of English Protestants I judged it convenient and even requisite
3. As concerning books of Scripture the Tradition of them may appear certaine in a high degree at least for the substance of the books For though at first they were written for the use and necessity of particular Churches and persons and no Obligation appears expressely to have been imposed to disperse them through the whole Church Notwithstanding the infinite reverence which all Christians bore to the Apostles made every church desirous to possesse themselves of whatsoever writings proceeded from them Yet this not out of any extreme necessity for from their first foundation all churches were instructed in all points and doctrines of Christianity as likewise the same orders of government publique worship c. and this after an uniform manner as appeared to me evident not only from the antient Liturgies but severall testimonies out of Tertullian S. Epiphanius S. Augustine c. But there was required a long time e're such writings could be universally spread yea several ages were passed before they were all of them received even at Rome it self as appears out of S. Hierome For before they were admitted into the Canon we may be sure that great caution and exact information was used So that after all this they having been now many ages acknowledged by the whole church for divine writings we may have a greater assurance of them then of the books of Aristotle Cicero c. which by reason men were not much concerned whether they were legitimate or supposititious have not been examined with so much advice and caution and yet that man that should pretend to a doubt of them would be suspected of all men to be tainted in his understanding But this high degree of certitude we have only of the divine books considered in gross not of the true reading of particular Texts as appears by the infinite variety of readings in Manuscripts yet even in this respect also we may assure our selves that there is no corruption very considerable or of very dangerous consequence by considering not only Gods providence and promises to his church but likewise by comparing the originall Texts with such a world of Translations Syriake Arabick AEthiopian Latin c. many of which were made in the very infancy of the church long before the Archetype or Original copies were lost some of which Tertullian sayes remained in his dayes 4. In the third place reason told me that such ceremonies as were universally practised through the whole church from the first times though not mentioned in Scripture might justifie themselves to be derived from the Apostles with a greater certainty then even the books of Scripture themselves according to that saying of S. Augustine Ep. 118. Those things which we observe and are not written but delivered and are practised all the world over are to be understood to have been commanded and appointed either by the Apostles themselves or by Generall Councells the authority whereof is most healthfull in the Church Which Tertullian before him thus expressed de Praesor This custome certainly proceeded from Apostolique Tradition for how could that come into generall practise which was not delivered by Tradition Now of such kind of rites many examples are extant in antient Liturgies and many more mentioned as universally received by Tertullian S. Cyprian c. who wrote before there had been in the church any plenary Councell and therefore by S. Augustines rule argue such rites to have come from the Apostles The reason is because it is not imagineable how it could be possible that such rites should be received by all churches through the world and that so immediately after the Apostles times and in such a season when there had never been any generall meeting of Bishops yea when by reason of the horriblenesse of the persecutions it was extremely difficult for the Bishops of one Province to meet together to settle particular necessary affairs in none of which Synods notwithstanding is the least mention made of ordaining such ceremonies if together with Christian Religion they had not been introduced by the Apostles Let now any reasonable man judge if the books of Scripture which he acknowledges only upon the ground of generall Tradition however certainly and unquestionably divine yet do not want some of these arguments of demonstration and enjoy some of the rest in an inferiour degree 5. But fourthly Doctrines or customes shining in the generall practise of the Church and withall more or Lesse clearly expressed in Scripture that is indeed the whole substance and and frame of Christian Religion as was shewed before and therein many points now in controversie between Catholiques and Protestants c. and above all other this point of the Churches authority may prove themselves certain in a degree beyond all these and with as much assurance as Tradition is capable of I am confidently perswaded beyond the highest degree that I mentioned for secular Tradition in the example of King William the Conqueror of England For first all the persons living in the time of Luthers Apostacy in all Provinces not of one Kingdome but of the whole Catholique Church agreed in testifying that their ancestours had delivered such things to them as of Tradition Apostolicall and by consequence since the contrary cannot be made apparent we are to judge the same of all precedent ages ascending upwards till the first times not one Catholique expressely dissenting and much lesse any one age So that unlesse in some one age of the church all Catholiques should should have conspired to tell a lye to their children and not only so but should have been able to have seduced them not one appearing that would have the honesty to discover the deceit I could not conceive it possible that a Tradition of such a nature could be false Add to the confirmation of the same doctrines the testimonies of Histories and Records yea even of enemies for many doctrines and practises Moreover the laws continually in force through the Catholike Church lastly the publike forms of Devotions Feasts times of mortifications c. All these arguments of certainty conspire in a far more eminent manner to prove these kind of doctrines and rites then in the example of William the Conquerour 5. But beyond all these something may be added to which that secular example doth in no visible distance approach For did William the Conqueror ever appoint any persons about him to write all the considerable particulars of his story supplying them with all things for the enabling them to that purpose Did he work miracles himself for the confirming his authority and give power to his servants and their successors for severall ages to do the like Did he appoint a succession of Teachers to the worlds end sufficiently instructed commanding them to keep warily the depositum of that Religion both from mixture and perishing and so to deliver it to their successors and this upon great penalties of disobeying Did he besides solemn dayes for severall uses institute outward rites
upon pretence that they were condemnable 7. I know the severall Sectaries of this present age are in this occasion alwaies ready to object the only one blameable action of that glorious Father and Martyr S. Cyprian I mean his contestation with the Pope and opposition to the generall Apostolique Tradition and practise of the Church in non-rebaptization of Heretiques They neglect forget and by their practises condemn that most Christian Spirit of Unity and Charity which shined in him toward those that differed from him in this point and as if his errour had been his only vertue acknowledge him only an example to be imitated in his fault not considering what probable excuses there are to qualifie that single fault of his to which qualifications they in none of their so many rebellions can pretend to as 1. That the generall practise of the Church against him did not appear to him so evident but that he could alledge examples not only of the African Churches but severall in the East likewise as Cappadocia Phrygia c. as he was informed by Firmilianus in his Epistle to him 2. That he himself begun not this novelty but conld justifie the Tradition of it for severall successions at least as high as the times of Agrippinus one of his Predecessours 3. That no generall Councell had determined any thing against him Yea S. Augustine before quoted confidently professeth that if S. Cyprian had survived to the time of the Councell of Nice he would no doubt have relinquished his opinion and submitted to the Councell 8. By this objection borrowed from antient Heretiques it appears that as in the Catholique Church there is a Tradition and Succession of truth so in heresies likewise of errour the latter Heretiques borrowing from their Predecessors though not Predecessors in their particular opinions the same arguments and pretences that formerly have been without successe made use of against the Catholique Church so zealous do such men shew themselves to use all endeavours to renounce that precious legacy of unity and peace which our Saviour ready to relinquish the world so tenderly bequeathed to his Church 9. Then for the second act of Ecclesiasticall authority viz a power coercive and judiciary residing in the Church-governours respectively and supremely in generall Councells lawfully conven'd approved and accepted this authority the primitive times and all ages ever since have acknowledged to be grounded upon the institution and promises of Christ and practice of the Apostles mentioned expresly in Scripture Act. 15. delivered likewise by universall Tradition both orall and practicall v. g. Tell the Church and if he will not c. And wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name I am in the midst of them And The Apostles and Elders were gathered together to consider about the matter viz. in the first generall Councell concerning the controversie about Moyses his law c 10. And here likewise may be verified a like observation to the former viz. That never any one of the Fathers of the Church did ever censure much lesse contradict or disobey the decisions orders or decrees of any legitimate Councell in their own or former times Yea I think I may hereto add something to the utter shame and confusion of the contrivers and propugnators of the late Heresies and Schismes viz. That though most of the antient Heretiques after a Councell had condemned their opinions did indeed refuse to submit to their own condemnation Yetâ— I think there cannot be found in Antiquity the example of one Heretique that ever began to publish a Heresie against any doctrine that had formerly been declared by a generall Councell Such a supereminent degree of Rebellion we must acknowledge to be due and to be appropriated to Luther Calvin c. viz. to tread under foot all kind of Ecclesiasticall authority not only of the present but all former times likewise 11. I shall defer the consideration how admirable and only effectuall a means of unity among Christians is the authority of the present Church and reverence of generall Councells so unanimously acknowledged by all the antient Worthies Fathers Doctors and Martyrs insomuch as the more eminent in learning and sanctity that any of them have been the more earnest Champions have they been of the Churches authority But the proper season to enlarge my self upon this subject will be when I have taken into consideration the contradictory doctâ—ine of Protestants concerning power of interpreting Scriptures and judging controversies CHAP. XXXI Authority of the Christian Church compared with that of the Jewish 1. BEfore I leave this argument of the grounds of the Churches authority and the foundation thereof viz. Christ's promises of indefectibility c. because objections against it are frequently taken out of the Old-Testament namely from a comparison with the Jewish Church which though it enjoyed great promises did notwithstanding fall into a generall corruption both in faith and manners It will not be amisse to set down for what reasons I rested satisfied that none of those arguments ought to have any effect upon me to shake my acknowledgement of the authority of the Christian Church so unalterably grounded and so universally submitted to 2. The first reason was because the Jewish Church had not such promises of indefectibility and security from Heresies as the Christian Church apparently has It is true the Patriarch Jacob prophesied that the Scepter should not depart from Judah nor a Lawgiver from between his knees till Shiloh came But this promise I assured my self respected only the outward policy of the Jewish Nation which was to remain in a distinct government not swallowed up by other governments but openly governed by its own laws as a Common-wealth plainly distinguishable from others till the coming of the Messiah 2. They were not furnished with those means of preventing and condemning of Heresies that the Christian Church enjoyeth For the understanding whereof I conceived that the Civill and Ecclesiasticall Law of Moyses was to be considered in two respects first in the plain litterall sense and so it differed not much from the lawes of other Kingdomes the end thereof being worldly happinesse which is only in expresse words proposed in that law Secondly in a spirituall allegoricall and typicall sense and so it had Immediate influence upon the conscience and inward acts of the soul which later sense was taken notice of only by extraordinary persons as Prophets c. Now for the execution of this law in the literall outward sense and notion of it God left sufficient authority in the Priests and other Magistrates threatning every one with death that opposed their sentences and decrees And for the explication of any emergent difficulties God left the Sanedrim together with a succession of Scribes from whose lips the people were ordinarily to seek knowledge Insomuch as our Saviour speaking of such Scribes sayes They sit in Moyses his Chair whatsoever they command you to observe observe and do it Mat.
uniformly and whether this doctrine and discipline was not carefully preserved in the Primitive churches all the world over if these things be granted as plaine Texts of Scripture for the former and an agreement of most of the Fathers within the time of the four first Generall Councells will testifie for both Then I desire to know whether from the fourth Councell till S. Gregory the Great 's days any substantial part of either ha's perished If any one say it ha's he will find it a labour beyond Hercules his forces to prove it for to this hour I could never see one pressing testimony out of any Ecclesiasticall Writer Then from S. Gregories dayes to these it is visible that not any the least substantiall part of either is lost and this by the confession of severall learned Protestants by the agreement of all Catholique Writers by S. Gregories own writings and which is a proof irrefragable by comparing the Gregorian Liturgy and Missall with those of the present age In the next place let him consider that most of the books of the New Testament were written by the Apostles and Evangelists for the use of particular churches some to particular persons sent by single messengers Besides that severall ages were passed before all the books were communicated and dispersed and accepted as Canonicall by the whole Catholike Church Now after a comparing of these two Traditions together let any man judge whether of them is the more universall either for time or place 3. To the third viz. Of Scriptures being an entire Rule of Faith c. It is already answered cap. 31 32. c. Whereto I shall for the present only add this viz. That Mr. Chillingworth cap. 1. parag 5. 6. 7. takes great advantage from a speech as he sayes of his adversaries namely That the Scripture is a perfect rule forasmuch as a writing can be a rule I am confident his learned adversary never intended to allow him all this in the sense and extent that Mr. Chillingworth presseth it as if all points of Faith were as fully set down in Scripture as they could be in any writing But I have no commission to interpose between them two and therefore all I have to say is that there appeared to me no kind of necessity nor any probability that it was his Antagonists intention that such a large allowance should be made to Protestants for I would fain know since evidence is one necessary condition to make a rule perfect could Mr. Chillingworth believe that the meaning of his learned adversary should be that for example the doctrine of Faith concerning the blessed Trinity is as evidently and intelligibly stated in Scripture as in the first Councell of Nice or all points in controversie now adayes as in the Councell of Trent or that all Texts of Scripture are so unquestionably evident that no interpretations or Commentaries could make them plainer his meaning therefore surely was that Scripture in regard of evidence and with relation to fundamentall Doctrines chiefly intended to be published in it is as evident as can be expected from any one single writing standing alone Not but that one writing explained by a second and those explanations further cleared by a third may be plainer Or though it might have been possible that for example the Doctrine of the Trinity might have been declared so manifestly that Photinianisme or Arianisme might have been prevented notwithstanding no plainnesse of writing can prevent malitious spirits from extracting novelties of some kinds of senses or heresies either those or others as pernicious since as our blessed Lord sayes Necosse est ut veniant scandala that is It is necessary that scandalls must come Mat. 19. 9 And S. Paul Oportet haereses esse that is It is needfull that there should be heresies 1 Cor. 11. 19. both for the tryall of those that love God and discovery of those that hate him For unlesse God should quite change the nature of mankind it is impossible that any one writing should be so plain but that either the curiosity or pride or interests or malice or at least the debility of mens wits may and doubtlesse will find or extract obscurities and difficulties out of it especially such a writing as the Scripture is which being composed by men of severall dispositions and spirits moreover belongs to all mankind of all conditions and dispositions so that if they be let alone every one will be forward yea even take a glory to dig and search into the treasures of it and challenge an equall right to maintain his own and disparage the discoveries of any other every Sect and Sectary will think they see and read therein all their owne distinctive opinions clearly shining and a confutation of all opposite tenents Yea perhaps the blind sensuall Passions worldly interests and proud fancies of vain man will have recourse thither and not want the impudence to seek for nor blush to pretend that they have found a covert and protection for the works of Satan in the divine Word of God In vain therefore doth Mr. Chillingworth triumphantly boast of his inferences to his seeming advantagious to himself since they are all extracted meerly from his own misunderstanding of that most reasonable and prudent saying of his worthy Antagonist 4. Yea this one consideration that the necessary mysteries of Faith are not nor could be so evidently set down in any one place of Scripture but that other places may be found which may afford ground even to an understanding man to raise objections will make any man conclude that either there are no mysteries necessary to be believed or that something besides Scripture must be made use of to clear all difficulties CHAP. XXXVII An answer to M. Chillingworth's fourth and fifth grounds Severall Novelties introduced by him 1. To the fourth where it is said That all things necessary to salvation are contained in Scripture so plainly that no reasonable man desirous to find the true sense can doubt or be mistaken in the sense of them so that for such matters there is no need of any interpreter An assertion this is which is one of the main foundations upon which all manner of Sects that withdraw themselves from the Churches authority do and must relye therefore I thought it necessary to spend more thoughts in examining the firmnesse of it and after all I professe I found it of all others most weak most contrary to reason and every daies experience 2. For demonstrating the justice of this censure of it and that I may expresse my self more clearly I will lay down certain positions to which I conceive all rationall men will assent As first touching the word necessary besides what hath already been spoken of the ambiguousnesse of that word which is relative and variable according to it's application to severall objects and subjects which I will not now repeat I suppose that all men will call that necessary for which being
divided themselves from the Communion of the Catholike and other particular churches because they would not joyn with them in the belief of Scripture explained in that sense which their severall Articles import and not because they refused to submit to Scripture which all professe to do And lastly whereas though they acknowledged Sâ—ripture to be the only Rule of Faith yet because it not having being written in form of Institutions or a Catechisme the necessary doctrines of Religion are dispersed uncertainly in the severall books difficulty to be found out of them and withall not so plainly delivered but that there is need of explication and conciliation with other passages of Scripture that seem to contradict for this reason each church compiled abridgements and confessions disposed orderly and methodically by which they signifie to the world how they understand Scripture Mr. Chillingworth on the contrary delivers their mind joyntly for them after a new way which is his second Novelty which I will set down in his own words cap. 6. parag 56. By the Religion of Protestants I do not saith he understand the doctrine of Luther or Calvin or Melanchion nor the confession of Augusta or Geneva 〈◊〉 the Catechism of Heâ—delberg nor the Arâ—â—â—â— the Church of England no nor the harmony of Protestant Confessions but that wherein they all agree and which they all subscribe with a greatâ—â— harmony as a perfect rule of their faith and actions that is the Bible the Bible I say the Bible only is the Religion of Protestants Whatsoever else they believe besides it and the plain irrefragable indubitable consequences of it well may they hold it as matter of Opinion but as a matter of Faith and Religion neither can they with coherence to their own grounds believe it themselves nor require the belief of it of others without most high and most Schismaticall presumption Thus far Mr. Chillingwrrth Now how far other Protestants out of England will approve of this new shift which he ha's found out for them and which I am sure he ha's published without any commission from them I know not But if they also justifie him in this all I can say is that they will make their party much the stronger by it and will likewise have reason to pretend to almost primitive antiquity for if all be of their body who whatsoever their particular tenents be build their faith upon only Scripture interpreted by each mans reason then not only all Heretiques of these times but likewise almost all Heretiques since the Apostles times will be united in the same corporation 9. But once more to return to Mr. Chillingworth's ' Position viz. That all necessary truths are contained in Scripture so expressely that no man can rationally doubt of the sense of them and by consequence there is no need of an authorised visible interpreter All that I shall say in answer hereto shall be the making a few requests to our English Protestants especially As 1. To consider this and the former speeches of Mr. Chillingworth not as an extraordinary invention of his excellent wit but that which extreme necessity forced him to for though before him few Protestant Writers have so freely discovered the arcana schismatis as being unwilling to tell their followers that they had no authority to oblige them to their opinions Yet Mr. Chillingworth deals more ingenuously discovering that this is indeed a foundation most necessary to be laid by all those who deny all visible Ecclesiasticall authority in expounding Scripture and judging definitively of controversies in Religion for otherwise they may say God ha's given us the Scripture to be our only rule this Rule is ambiguous and difficult even in necessary things there is no judge to interpret it mens understandings are weak and their wills strong they are easily led away with prejudices education and worldly interests so that it is a great chance if they light upon the true sense of those difficult yet most necessary mysteries considering besides that they are very contrary to flesh and blood and carnall reason This were to deal with mankind worse then the AEgyptian Taskmasters did with the Israelites to demand brick and give them no straw Since therefore no Protestant would willingly lay such an imputation upon the Father of mercies it will follow that he must of meer force acknowledge with Mr. Chillingworth that all truths necessary to salvation are contained in Scripture so expresly that no rationall man can doubt of the sense of them 10. My second request to English Protestants is that they would take into consideration how after that a Catholique would be so liberall as to allow them this ground they would be able and by what rules to distinguish points unnecessary from necessary for though it were true that all necessary points are plain yet all plain points are not necessary 3. That for a more particular tryall they would resolve with themselves whether the Mysteries of the eternall Godhead and Incarnation of our Saviour be not necessary to be believed if so as the English Articles import then they may do well to take a survey of all the Texts of Scripture which Volkelius and Crellius heap together to combat these mysteries and afterward conclude whether only Scripture being the Rule and only private reason the Judge these mysteries be so plainly and expresly contained in Scripture that no reasonable man can doubt of the sense of them and that there needs no interpreter to reconcile them 4. I would likewise desire them to consider the places of Scripture which Catholiques make use of to build the authority of the Church and the Reall Presence I name these because they are the principall grounds of their separation Now when they have considered the Texts for the former point let them take notice that they cannot produce one express Text of Scripture against the authority of the Church and for the other point whether the Texts which Catholiques produce for the Reall Presence do not in the literall grammaticall sense say all that Catholiques believe and whether all that Protestants labour to prove be not that though Hoc est corpus meum as the words lye be against them yet the sense hidden and figurative which they desire to force upon these words is against Catholiques And having considered these two instances let them upon Mr. Chillingworths present grounds judge how they can satisfie their own reason and conscience without expresse Scripture for themselves and against at least expresse words of Scripture for Catholikes to make a separation from the whole world 11. In the last place I desire them to speak freely whether if this be true that to be expressely unambiguously set down in Scripture be a condition necessary to all necessary points of Faith there be indeed any points of faith necessary since there is scarce any one article of the Creed which ha's not been and is not at this day questioned by many men yea by
whether that authority which is indeed supreme be not unappealable from and necessarily to be submitted to by all particular subordinate persons To say such persons have no authority to be Guides is to contradict expresse Scripture And to say that there can be a subordination of authority without one that is supreme Or that that which is indeed supreme may by particulars persons or churches be opposed or so much as appealed from is to contradict not onely what is assumed but evident reason and all order 3. Where it is said That no Church is fit to be a Guide in Fundamentalls but only a Church of one denomination as Greek Roman Abyssine c. For otherwise no man can possibly know which is the true Church but only by a pre-examination of the doctrines and that were not to be guided by the Church to the true doctrine but by the true doctrine to the Church I answer That a Catholique Church there is as we profess in the Creed and that this Catholique Church is visible and easily to be designed plainly distinquishable from new Sects and innovating congregations and that this body representatively united is the supreme authority on earth and that every particular Church or member of this Catholique Church as such is a sufficient guide to those that live in her Communion As concerning his phrase a Church of one denomination I grant that God ha's not apparently obliged himself to confine his Promises to any particular Dioecose Province or Nation no not perhaps even to Rome it self Only this may certainly be affirmed that the Catholique Church shall by vertue of Christs promises continue to the worlds end a visible Church teaching all substantiall doctrines of Christianity guided by a lawfull succession of Pastors under one visible Head which visible Head ha's hitherto for above sixteen Centuries been the Bishop of Rome and that is a fair presumption that it will be so to Christs second coming for I know nothing but a generall earthquake there and swallowing up of that place that is likely to hinder such a succession since it ha's already abidden all variety of oppositions and tempests when the whole power of the Roman and infernall Empire sought to extinguish it and when all sorts of Heretiques and Schismatiques sought to undermine it But I shall speak more of this when I come to the last conclusion concerning the perpetuall visibility of the Church 4. In the fourth place to his first proofe that no Church of one denomination can be an infallible guide in fundamentalls because if so then she should be infallible in non-fundamentalls also I answer that even by Mr. Chillingworth's own confession it does not follow that if Christ hath promised to preserve his church from all errour in fundamentalls that therefore by vertue of that promise she should be exempted from all errour whatsoever and the reason given by Mr. Chillingworth is worth the marking The Church sayes he may erre and yet the gates of hell not prevaile against her for seeing you Catholiques do and must grant that a particular Church may hold some errour and yet be still a true member of the Church Why may not the universall Church bold the same errour and yet remain the universall Church unlesse every the least errour be one of the gates of hell 5. And indeed many Catholique Writers there are who upon the same grounds with Mr. Chillingworth extend the promise of the holy Spirits assistance to the church not to all inconsiderable circumstantiall doctrines but substantiall and traditionary only And for a further proof we may add that there are some Fathers of great antiquity and authority who hold whether justly and truly or no I debate not but they hold that there are reall differences between the four Evangelists in some circumstances of no considerable moment related by them and by consequence there must of necessity in their opinion be an errour such as it is in some one of them at lâ—ast The which inconsiderable differences whether reall or imaginary there being an exact demonstrable agreement amongst them all in points of Doctrine do rather in S. Chrysostomes judgement in Mat. Hom. 1 establish then invalidate or any way prejudice the divine infallibility of their writings since thereby it is apparent sayes he that they did not compose them by consent and conspiracy for then they would have been scrupulously punctuall in all even the smallest circumstances but in the ingenuous simplicity and sincerity of their hearts In like manner S. Hierome tells us that in his time some learned Catholiques were of opinion that the Apostles and Evangelists in the New Testament quoted some passages of the old Testament and the Septuagint meerly out of their memory not looking into the books themselves and that by that means their memory failing their quotations were not exactly true yet notwithstanding those Fathers were far from questioning the authority or infallibility of any one of the Evangelists as concerning any substantiall doctrine contained in any of their Gospells c. So likewise in the Latin Translation of the Bible there are not only differences of senses from Originalls Hebrew or Greek now extant not only great and uncertain variety of reading in the antient Latin Copies but likewise as the Protestants brag very great diversity between the Impressions published by the Authority of Pope Sixtus Quintus and Clemens Octavus since the Councell of Trent wherein notwithstanding they are mistaken for though Sixtus Quintus had design'd an Impression and prepared a Bull for the authorizing of it yet God took him away before he effected his intent thereby as it were signifying that it was his pleasure to take away from Heretiques all seeming advantages against his Church But though this had been as the Protestants imagine surely a more corrected reimpression does not imply that the Church wanted the true Scripture since none of such differences are of such considerable moment as to cause any uncertainty in points of Doctrine For I conceive it was never heard that any errour was grounded meerly upon a various reading of any Text of Scripture But to proceed certain it is that there were much greater differences between the antient Italica and other Latin Translations of the antient Church and this of S. Hierome as likewise yet greater between the Septuagint and the Hebrew and yet neither do the Apostles refuse to quote some passages out of the Septuagint wherein the Translation is manifestly faulty however in a matter inconsiderable neither will any Catholique affirm that the promise of the holy Spirits assistance did fail the antient Church although it only made use of a Translation of the Scripture very imperfect if compared with S. Hieromes no not though upon such differences of reading it were possible to ground doctrines which might be circumstantially erroneous It is true such doctrines would be of no considerable moment but however they might be erroneous yet without any prejudice to Christs
that the pretended proofs out of Scripture alledged by Protestants proceed either because no mention is made of Scripture of such points a way of arguing generally renounced by the Fathers who condemn many Heretiques by Tradition alone without Scripture or because they by drawing consequences out of Texts of Scripture say they can confute such doctrines of the Roman Church which yet upon their own grounds will not suffice to call the contrary opinions so pretended to be confuted hereticall and much lesse will they be a sufficient warrant to make such mortall divisions in the church as are in these dayes 8. From all which considerations it seemed likewise to my weak understanding that this plea made use of by Protestants to excuse their Schisme upon pretence of so many dangerous errours and heresies crept into the Catholique Church necessary to be reformed was a plea of all others the most unreasonable the most unjust that ever was a plea so far from excusing them that above all other things it will make them most unpardonable before God and man a plea formally evacuating the promises of Christ inevitably ruining all Ecclesiasticall authority rendring uselesse and ridiculous all the marks that Antiquity gives us whereby to judge of Schisme and Heresie Lastly a plea which English Protestants by the just judgement of God have to their owne ruine put into the mouths of Calvinists and all other Sects for as they served the Catholiques so have the Calvinists used them upon pretence of reformation and Scripture and the antient Apostolique Church they see themselves rob'd of their church of their faith of their liberty of their livings and many thousands of their lives and yet they that were the destroyers of all lawfull authority and exercisers of too much unlawfull complain of injustice they that pluckâ—d downe the hedges of Gods vineyard wonder to see so many severall kinds of beasts rush in and eat their grapes in a word to use the expression of S. Augustine Et tamen nec serâ— saltem toties divisâ— atque conscissi sentiunâ— quod feccrunt i. e. and yet for all this seeing so many divisions among them seeing themselves so torn in pieces do they not yet perceive the fault that themselves have done Cont. Parm. lib. 1. CHAP. L. A continuation of the former arguments viz. that the guilt of Schisme lies only and wholly upon Protestants Catholiques not uncharitable for saying That Protestancy unrepented is damnable 1. THese Principles laid by the Fathers with unanimous consent of the execrable nature and extremest dangerousnesse of the crime of Schisme together with the severall descriptions and marks which they give to understand it by seemed to me so reasonable and these deductions which I made from the aforesaid principles together with the application of those marks to the present state of controversie between the Roman and Protestant churches seemed so unrefutable Lastly the conclusion and result of the whole matter viz. That the crime of heresie and Schism cannot with the least shew of reason be imputed to the Roman Catholike Church nor with the least shew of reason avoided by Protestant Churches since the Fathers being Judges there is not one mark of Schisme which can be found in the Romane nor one mark but is evidently found in Protestant churches All this seemed to me so unanswerable that unlesse I did resolve to put out mine owne eyes I could not but see that I had all my life hitherto continued in this fearful state of Schismâ— And unlesse I did resolve to proceed to that desperate contempt of Scripture of consent of Antiquity and of all Ecclesiasticall authority as to think Heresie and Schisme to be no other then counterfeit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or bugbeares invented to fright such foolish Christians as would submit to any authority Divine or Ecclesiasticall I could not but think it more then time to avoid the precipice into which I was ready to fall and and for that purpose to range my selfe to that Communion which both by testimony of Scripture and all Antiquity and by visible experience could demonstrate that a full effect of all Christs promises had been accomplished in her which priviledge not any other congregation in our Western parts at least did pretend to any other way then by calling themselves a part of her whom yet at the same time they called an Idolatresse and a Strumpet divorced from her coelestiall Bridegroom or at least communicated with them that were guilty of such blasphemies 2. I do professe in the presence of God and all his blessed Saints and Angells that I could could not my self imagine nor find in any Protestant writer any exception or objection that came home to the point this one essentiall mark of Schisme viz. forsaking the externall publike Communion of the Catholike Church being impossible to be avoided by them since both all the world sees it and they themselves confesse it though indeed under another and more plausible name 3. I may therefore spare my pains of examining particularly what Mr. Chillingworth and other Protestants alledge for their excuse all which are evidently answered with applying to them that one saying of S. Augustine in his first book to Petilian the Donatist I object to you the crime of Schism which you wil deny And I wil presently prove because you do not communicate with all Nations I may add speaking to Protestants Not with any one Nation or church pre-existent to Luther Calvin confesseth that he divided à toto orbe terrarum from the whole world and so do other Protestants And impudence it self cannot deny but that in respect of externall communion they have to this day relinquished the whole world attempts have indeed beene made to get an entrance into the Greek church but in vain for they have beene rejected and remitted to the obedience of their own Patriarch as appears by the letter of Hieremias Patriarcha c. And therefore for a proof unanswerable that the Schisme of Protestants is a separation not from a particular church as they call the Roman but from all Christian Churches all the world over let them suppose the same question proposed to them which the Emperor Basilius made to Photius the Pseudo-Patriarch of Constantinople With which of the four Patriarchs do you communicate So that as the same S. Augustine saith in the same book Hoc scelus maximum manifestum omnium vestrum est i. e. This crime of forsaking Universall communion is both of all other the greatest and a manifest one and belongs to all the sorts of you 4. If they say they preserve the bond of charity allowing a possibility of salvation to Catholiques onely they separate from Catholique errors which would be damnable to them being so perswaded What is this to Externall Communion Adde hereto that though English Protestants for their own interests to justifie the lawfulnesse of their Succession doe allow such a degree of charity to Catholiques yet it
shall suffice And now dear Catholique Reader I once more addresse my selfe to thee and to give thee assurance that thou maist freely and without suspition read this Book the Authenticall Approbations annexed to it will secure thee and withall I protest unto thee that in my heart I do find a great aversenesse from admitting any noveltyes in opinion or any suspitious questionable dogmes and to shew my self a true son of the Catholique church I do here with an humble clear confidence pronounce that I do submit not only my self but all my writings and words yea my very thoughts as far as thoughts can be judged by a humane Tribunal to the judgement of the holy Catholique Roman church of his Holinesse the Head of the church and of all whatsoever my Superiours therein declaring that if there be any thing in this or any other of my writings which is contrary to piety good manners holy Scriptures or Ecclesiasticall Traditions or to any verity whatsoever I do heartily renounce and recall it NON FACTUM NON DICTUM NON COGITATUM ESTO CHAP. III. Misinterpretation of my book by Protestants particularly by I. P. the Author of the Preface to my Lord Falklands Discourse of Infallibility An answer to the Preface Pro captu Lectoris â—abent sua fata libelli 1. BOoks have their fates not from the reall qualityes which are in themselves but from the severall dispositions imaginations and present tempers of the Readers the eys of some Readers do see in Books that which is invisible to others yea what is directly contradictory to what others think they see And from the same passages some receive a conviction of preconceived opinions when as others become more hardened in such opinions So certain it is that all manner of effects and events are to be ascribed meerly to the Providence of God who if he leave us to our selves and do not so dispose of second causes after a supernaturall manner that his divine Truths be advantagiously represented to us even the Scripture it self and all the divine infallible mysteries of Faith will appear error and folly and a scandall unto us Light will darken us Truth will seduce us and happinesse it self will be an occasion of our ruine The experience that we see every day of this me thinks should make us even feel and acknowledge that Faith is the pure gift of God and by consequence that those who rely upon the conduct of their own uncertain Reason are almost certain to be mislead by it 2. When I wrote this Book I did expect no other but that it proceeding from a very weak and imperfect judgment should be obnoxious to contempt and censures of both Catholikes and others from whom it could not conceal many imperfections that were in it so that I was not much surprised to hear it severely judged But I had little suspition that Protestants could extract from it arguments to confirm them in their errors yet even this ha's happened And this I confesse pierces me to the heart charity and compassion to souls so in love with their errors that the confutation of them makes them more in love with and better perswaded of them swallows up all the anger and resentment that nature would fain raise in me to see my conceptions so unjustly peâ—verted and urges me for the good of their souls and not for mine own credit to let such Chymicall extractors of errors from truth see that their art ha's failed them 3. I heare there have appeared severall books written by Protestants in which the Authors have taken advantage from some misunderstood passages in my EXOMOLOGESIS Onely one such book is come to my sight or rather only a Preface to my L. Falklands discourse of Infallibility written by a person unknown to me but onely by these two letters J. P. and an extract out of another book which I have not seen By answering of which Preface as far as it touches me I conceive grounds will be laid upon which any other Objections made by Protestants may find and answer if the Objectors will please to make application 4. It will not be needfull to transcribe the whole Preface at large here but I shall set down very faithfully and candidly the substance of it in severall particulars in order and adjoyn unto them as distinct and satisfactory an Answer as I can at the present considering the great disorders of Paris where this is written and my unprovidednesse of Papers and Books And that being done if I be permitted I will take that boldnesse which my most deare Lord the Author of the following Discourse of Infallibility would if he were living I am sure have given me to shew the invalidity of it against Catholike Doctrine 5. As for the Preface of J. P. in which he reflects upon the most deserved praises of that noble Lord excellently represented in the precedent Dedication I acknowledge my self I cannot say his convert for many years before him I was a witnesse of the merits that might challenge them but one that does entirely agree with him in that point And if my most worthily lov'd and honoured Friend M. Triplet the Author of the Dedication will onely give me leave to except out of the severall heads of his praises this one of having as he thinks efficaciously and meritoriously written against the Catholike Church and woe is me for my dearest Lords sake that this must needs be excepted I would willingly subscribe my name under his he knows I have enjoyed an equall happinesse with him to be a witnesse of all those his admirable qualities He knowes that though with lesse deserts yet with perhaps equall good fortune I have had my share in that unparallel'd friendship of his the memory of which is the pleasing est image that the world ha's left in my mind since I made a resolution to quit the world Indeed it is an image too pleasant to be look'd upon considering my present condition and profession were it not that it can never offer it self but accompanied with a most piercing compassion that those stupendious excellencies and abilities were not crownd with Catholike Belief yea which is most miserable were employed against it In one thing I must needs yeeld to M. Triplet which is that I cannot pretend to the ability to erect so beautifull a monument to the memory of that honoured Lord nor with so delicate a touch draw his picture as he ha's done in his Dedication for which expression both of his gratitude and skill I think my self obliged to pay him my most humble thanks And I will take the permission with him to recommend to the imitation of my Lord his now onely Sonne all those admirable qualities of his deceased Father onely beseeching him that he would not and beseeching God that neither he nor any of his friends may account among such qualities the writing of such Discourses against Catholike truth which occasioned the publishing of an Elogy of him
be doubtful that he is wrong A Guide that the Scripture never mentioned and the Church never heard of but supposed by being called a Chruch that it never should be hearkned to so that whether Scripture or Tradition or Church or all of them be followed such a Guide ought to be deserted and renounced A Guide that two persons cannot possibly follow together because no two persons that ever followed any other Guide beside Authority did or could think all things to be reasonable that any other thought so And lastly by consequence such a Guide that as long as he continues in the office there cannot possibly be any Church any where And is not this an infallible Eviction that this is an imaginary seducing Guide since it is impossible that that should be a Guide appointed for any Christian which neither Christ nor his Apostles nor any of their followers ever mentioned yea which does formally destroy one of our twelve Articles of the Apostles Creed Credo Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam 12. And yet when all this is said even this is a less unreasonable and less unsafe Guide then any divided particular Church can be For this hood-wink'd Guide inquiring into Scripture and searching after Tradition may possibly stumble upon the way to Unity and Truth that is the true Catholick Church for private Reason professes the exclusion of partiallity and will not refuse to take into consideration whether it self ought not to be renounced and Authority submitted to and if it chance to finde Reason for Authority it will resign its Office and cease to be a Guide any longer or private Reason any longer whereas particular Churches being founded upon the renouncing of Universal Authority in practise and yet usurping that Authority which they renounce doe not onely mis-lead their followers but having seised on them do chain and fasten them in that Dunge on CHAP. VII A concluding Exhortation wherein all are invited to Catholique UNITY 1. FOR a farewell to I. P. and all his Brethren and to all my dear mislead Countrymen of what Religion Sect or Faction soever but principally the Protestants Presbyterians and Independents I beseech them all to suffer a word of Exhortation made by St Paul to the Philippians Phil. 2. Si quae ergo consolatio in Christo si quod solatium c. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of Charity if any society of the spirit if any bâ—â—els of Compassion fulfill the joy of St Paul and all Saints that you be of the same Judgement having the same charity being of one mind thinking the same thing That is Think Catholique Unity a desirable thing and pursue the ways to attain it 2. Now the Sun shines not clearer at Noon then this Truth That there is no possible Unity without Authority nor no Christian Unity without an Infallible Authority all other Authority is meer Faction and Rebellion an Authority that reaches to the outward appearance or that bindes onely the purse If there were any true Spiritual Authority lately in England or now at Geneva c. it would engage the consciences of those that are under it and that not as English men or French but as Christians And by consequence all Christians should be obliged to submit to it a thing that themselves do not so much as pretend to Therefore by all those passionate exhortations of St. Paul I conjure you be no longer averse from Catholick Unity and Catholick Authority for be assured without such Unity and Authority submitted to you will finde no consolation no not in Christ himself no comfort in the charity of the Father nor society with the â—â— Spirit c. 3. Do not according to your mistaken custom account us uncharitable in professing that salvation cannot belong to any that are estranged from our Catholick Communion we could not be Catholicks if we said not so Thereby we approve our selves to be the lawful children of the Ancient Saints Martyrs Confessors c. all which out of their burning charity not pride or malice protested damnation to all out of their Communion For how could they or we be the true Church unless we excluded false Churches St. Augustin was the benignest humblest charitablest soul in his Age yet who thunders so loudly and so terribly against Schismaticks as he And his enemies the Donatists pretending to be the Catholick Church to the end to justifie seemingly their false plea were forced to denounce damnation to all from whom they were divided otherwise they would not have had so much as the shew of Catholicks 4. More particularly addressing my self to my most dear friends the English Protestants of whose communion I once was a seduced Member consider I beseech you that that which at the first composing of this Book I onely suspected might possibly happen is now abundantly effected God has in part visited on you the persecution and injustice you laid upon us Now do you not see that your Church was the meer creature of State-Policy If it had had the power of Religion the decay of your Ecclestical estates or imprisonment of your Bishops would not have destroyed Authority among you The censures of a captive Pope or Excommunication of a Synod meeting in a Grot were as terrible to irregular disobedient Catholicks as if they had thundred from the Capitol or the Emperial Pallace in Constantinople Where are the proofs now of your Spiritual Power Why do not you thunder out your Excommunications against the Subverters of your Religion or against your own daily revolting subjects Alas who would be frighted with such Anathema's Or what subjects have you now after the loss of your temporal Lordships And which way shall those Lordships be regained that you may become a Church again Those that were once content you should enjoy them will not adventure their own estates to recover them for you the Lutherans are too far off and the Calvinists too neer you may comfort your selves with your Liturgy and perhaps your Surplices worne in private Conventicles But as for a succession of Priests or Bishops that is not to be hoped much less a restauration of your Religion which is now quite out of date 5. To what Church will you now apply your selves To the Scotish Kirk or your own Presbyterians the first incendiaries of all these troubles the Idumaeans that cried Exinanite Exinanite usque ad fundamentum in ea Or to their successors of a thousand names and shapes and all of them frighrful What is it that holds you from returning to Catholick Communion What other injuries have we done you except that we have forced you to blush to see how patiently we suffred your injustices oppressions and persecutions But the Truth is you were not so much our Persecutors as that poysonous generation of Calvinists among you they were those who instill'd fury into our Kings and Parliaments and poison into the laws against us Which very lawes are still kept in force against Catholicks
those that wrote this Confession to say this both for themselves and in the name of all their faction to the worlds end and this without consulting any of them to know whether they had received such an immediate revelation or testimony and without pretending to such an eminent gift of Prophecy as never was example of the like since the world began this exceedes all wonder Good Lord to what strange times are we reserved to see a Sect so numerous so powerfull as they have shewed themselves upon many sad occasions and not one of them but is a Prophet What a stupendious thing is this that there should not be found one Calvinist destitute of this so certeine so divine a testimony beyond the assurance of all Churches since Christ and yet not one Englishman or Frenchman unlesse of that faction nor any Christian that I know of besides that knowes any such thing of himselfe or dares pretend to it For surely if any one had it some would professe it since a man cannot have a Testimony but he knowes he has it This is a miracle beyond all that Christ and all his Apostles ever wrought in the Church But is it not more probable nay is it not beyond all probability most certaine most palpable that all these men knowingly and wilfully deceive themselves and would fain but cannot deceive others Is not this apparently a lying against the Holy Ghost Why may it not as well be expected that in their next Confession or rather their Presumption they should pretend as at least most particular writers among them doe for themselves and their heires a discerning infallible Spirit to judge of the sense of Scripture as well as the books Indeed what may not be expected from such as having had a hatred to charity and therefore no true love to the truth God has justly given over to strong delusions to believe such palpable lyes 4. But leaving these men miserably pleasing themselves in pretended inspirations and by that meanes attributing to the Holy Ghost not only all their errours but likewise their renouncing of Christian Charity Unity which is impossible as long as they take upon them to believe that it is from the Spirit that they have divided themselves from Gods Church both in opinion and practise I will returne to my enquiry concerning the authority of the Church CHAP. XVIII Importance of the Controversie concerning the Churches authority Meanes for satisfaction in it abundantly sufficient in Antiquity This Controversie before all others ought to be most diligently studyed by Protestants 1. PRoceeding therefore for mine owne satisfaction to read the Fathers upon this argument and resolving to read them as unpartially as possibly I could that is silencing mine owne understanding when it would interpose that no discourse or Rhetorique ought to have force against those demonstrations which I thought I had against the Churches infallibility or when it would invent forced senses to that world of passages which I found in the Fathers inconsistent with my pre-assumed assurance Proceeding I say in the best manner I could to the reading of the Fathers upon this point I found that as this controversie was of so infinite importance that upon the decision thereof eternall peace or warre in Religion among Christians depended the most wise and mercifull Providence had suitably furnished us with meanes of satisfaction in so important a point infinitely more copious evident and powerfull then in any other besides For in other speciall points of Controversie we must be content to informe our selves of the minde of Antiquity therein onely by particular dispersed passages of the Fathers commonly spoken en passant they having no occasion ordinarily to combate with Heretiques about them But in this businesse of the Churches authority I found Epistles Treatises Bookes yea volumnes full of almost no other subject I found that I may here before the proper season declare the successe of so many moneths labour that the maintaining of the authority of the Church against Heretiques alledging onely Scripture as a Rule and disclaiming all Judges of that Rule but themselves as to themselves had beene the businesse of many Ages the principall employment of many the learnedst holiest Fathers of the Church I found that such an authority of the Church had been a Tradition of all others most Universall not any one booke of Scripture being so often testified of in Antiquity as this I found that if this authority of the Church were not to be preserved inviolable all Synods and Councels that ever were in the Church fell to the ground yea more became not only of no validity but were to be esteemed the most unjust Tyrannicall conspiracies that ever were as presuming without sufficient warrant to accuse and anathematize whosoever opposed or accepted not their determinations even in such points as were not in Scripture at all or at most onely there in consequence to their interpretation Lastly I found to my infinite satisfaction and for which I thinke my selfe obliged to spend the greatest part of my life in glorifying Almighty God for it a full effectuall and experimentall satisfaction by acknowledging this authority and suffering my selfe to be taken out of my owne hands to be conducted by her that Christ had appointed for that office in a word I found that that saying of S. Hierome was most true viz. That the Sun of the Church presently dryes up all the streames of errour and Schisme 2. For these reasons I cannot chuse but adjure all Protestants especially English who think satisfaction and repose of mind upon earth and glory to be revealed in heaven to be things desirable that omitting or at least deferring all particular disputes with Catholiques they would in the first place without prejudice and partiallity examine what the present Catholique Church sayes and in what words Shee sayes it when Shee comes to declare her necessary doctrine concerning this her authority and that having found what it is that Shee requires to be believed they would without altering her expression and without applying thereto any particular Schoole-man's or Doctours interpretations as by an obliging necessity to be subscribed to or received compare what the Church defines with what the Fathers Councels do generally and purposely agree in And if this method produce not in them the same effect which by the blessing of God it did in mee yet at least they will have this contentment after an ingenuous and to my knowledge not-much by them-practised way of examination to conclude that they finde that their owne single judgement and interpretation of Scripture deserves rather to be relyed upon and to be preferr'd above all manner of visible authority of all persons and ages how sacred soever esteemed by others they will either become Catholiques or remaine in their own then not very unreasonable opinion Protestants still but persons meriting from themselves the highest esteem for infallibility that the Church ever enjoyed since the Apostles times CHAP.