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Council at Nice, above feven hundred years be fore him.

So the Books of Toby, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclefiasticus, and Maccabees, were accknowledged to be Canonical Scripture, by the (2) Roman, and (3) African Church above a thousand years before the Disputes of Luther.

Seventhly, As Apostolical Tradition, is fufficient for the Conveyance of Scripture to us: For the particular and just Number of fuch Books [of Scripture]we have no better, nor no other Exter nal Rule to guide us, than the conftant Voice of the Catholick and Univerfal Church, as it hath been deliver'd to us upon Record, from one. Generation to another, fays (3) Dr. Cofin; So it may be fufficient, to convey certainly to us the Sense of it, and Reveal'd Truths; as the Bleffed Trinity; the Number of Saccraments inftituted by Chrift; what the Apostles Believ'd and Practiced concerning the Bleffed Saraments,and the Subordination of inferiour Clergy to Bishops. For Apoftolical Tradition, the Serie pture it felf is plain: Therefore, Brethren, Stand faft, and hold the Traditions which you have been taught, whether by Word, or our Epiftle, fays S. Paul, 2 Theff. 2. ver. 15. On the other fide, The Scripture no where tells us, that all reveal'd Truths of Chriftian Religion, are Evidently fet down in the Scripture: or, that all things neceffary to Salvation are evidently contained in it: Tho' all Proteftants whatsoever, if we believe (4) Mr. Chillingworth, Proteftant unanimously profefs and maintain it; and he makes Security, according to

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(') Innocentius I. in Epift. ad Exuperium, anno 405, lingworth, To. 2. Conc. p. 1256. D. E. (2) Conc. Carthag. III. anno 397. Can. 47. To. 2. Conc. p. 1177. A: (3) Scho laftical Hiftory of the Canon of Scriptures, Chap. 1. §. 8. Edit. Lond. 1672. (+) Preface to Religion of Proteftants, §. 38.

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it (1) not only the Corner-ftone, or Chief Pillar, but even the Bafis or adequate Foundation of his Answer, That the Religion of Proteftants, is a Safe way to Salvation. Is not this manifeftly to Build the Security of Proteftant Religion, upon a Principle of Sand? For, why are Poteffants Secure? Because they fay, they believe nothing, but what is Evident in Scripture? and where does the Scripture allow this? No-where.

(') Ibidem. So the VI. of the 39 Articles of Scripture. "Whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be prov'd "thereby, is not to be required of any Man, that it "fhould be believed as an Article of the Faith, or be "thought requifite or neceffary to Salvation.

§. VI.

A short Digreffion, relating to the Second Paragraph, pag. 9, &c.

1.SIN

1.INCE I writ this, I met with a Passage in Mr. L's Treatife of Private Judgment and Authority: where he fays thus of the Prefbyterians, p. 222. The Diffenters have no Commiffion, nor Succeffion to fhew: They have thrust themselves as Guides upon the Road towards Heaven, upon their own Heads, not above 150 Years ago in utter Contempt and Oppofition to all the Guides of God's Appointment, from the Days of the Apoftles. From hence he evidently concludes, They have no Authority at all, either to Preach the Word, or to Adminifter the Holy Sacraments which God has Inftituted, or to Blefs in his Name. But what he fays of Proteftants, is more furprizing.

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2. The Church of England, fays he, fhews her Commiffion to be a Guide upon this Road to Heaven, deriv'd by Succeffion from the Apoftles. How by Succeffion? 1. As there were no Defbyterians, much above 150 Years fince; So 200 Years ago, there were neither Pæsbyterians nor Proteftants, in any Part of the Chriftian World. 2. Since the Question is only concerning the Church of England, it is Matter of Fact, that all the Bishops in England, for nine hundred Years, together, were in Communion with the See of Rome, in Sacraments, Doctrine and Practice; in Monaftical Vows, in Praying for the Relief of the Dead, in Invocation of formation Saints, in Adoring the Blessed Sacrament, in receiving the Definitions of Former Councils for Tranfubftantiation, the Veneration of Holy Images, and the Pope's Supremacy. Thofe very Points, fays Bishop Bramhal, in his Reply to the Bishop of Chalcedon, p. 263, which Pius IV. comprehended in a New Symbol or Creed, were obtruded upon us before by his Predeceffors, as neceffary Articles of the Roman Faith, and required as neceffary Articles of their Communion. This is the only Difference: that Pius IV. dealt in grofs, his Predeceffors by retail: They fashion'd the feveral Rods, and He bound them up in a Bundle. 3. If Diffenting Brethren, as Presbyterians, Indepen-, dents, Quakers, be of a different Religion from the Church of England, and have no Commiffion nor Succeffion from the Apoftles by her: the Reformation, was properly a Change of Religion, and confequently the Church of England has neither Commiffion, nor Succeffion from the Apoftles, by the Church Communicating with the See of Rome. Who then were the Predeceffors,

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P. 222.

of Bishop Cranmer, and of the other Proteftant Bishops, in all the Epifcopal Sees of England after him, founded before the Reign of King Edward VI? 4. As Luther, and the first Proteftants in Germany, were all Excommunicated by the Church in Communion with the See of Rome: So all the first Proteftant Bishops in Engand were Excommunicated, and by confequence Degraded, by Her. Therefore they have no "Mr. L. of Commiffion from Her, "either to Preach, or the Pref" to Ordain, or to Sign and Seal the Covenant byterians, which God has made with Man, in the Holy "Sacraments of his Inftitution, or to Blefs in "his Name. But they have thrust themselves СС as Guides upon this Road, of their own "Heads, not yet two hundred Years ago, in ut"ter Contempt and Oppofition to all the "Guides of God's Appointment, from the "Days of the Apoftles. This Honour they " have taken to themfelves, which the Apostle "fays (Hebr. 5. v. 4.) No Man can take to "himself, but he that is called of God, as was "Aaron. Besides that, they have not yet proved even the Validity,of their firft Ordinations: Much lefs their Commiffion, for the Exercise of them. Which, being held only from the Crown, is Effentially Null.

3. If you tell me, that every National Church may Reform her felf: I Anfwer, 1. As no Man can Ordain himself, or make himself Elder, than he really is; fo no Communion, that is Newly-rais'd, can either give it felf a Paftoral Commiffion, or Antiquity; Much lefs can it have a Paftoral Succeffion from the Days of the Apoftles; or a Paftoral Commiffion from thofe, by whom all its Paftors are Excommunicated and Degra

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ded, for renewing Controverfies long before decided by the Catholick Church. 2. The Scripture gives no Power to National Churches to reform themselves, more than it gives to every Diocefs or Parifh! National Churches, as fuch, are not of Divine or Apoftolical Inftitution; as Parishes and Diocèfes are, St. Paul and St. Barnabas went, Act. 14. ver. 233 XHeglovna avles æger gulépas nal' Exnanoian, Ordaining Priefts in query Church; ἐκκλησίαν, for fo the Greek. fignifies. As Bishops are mention'd, Phil. 1. ver. 1. Tit.1. ver. 7 and 1 Tim. 3. ver. 2. But the Union of Bishops into a Nati onal Church, is a Point of Human Inftitution only. 3. Reformation is either of Faith, Difcipline, or Manners. As to the First, it was never Lawful for any Nation, to Reform the Belief of the Catholick Church. And what Perfon, or Nation foever call'd any thing in Question, which She had Judg'd to be a Reveal'd Truth, was in all Ages condemn'd of Herefy. As to Difcipline, every National-Church may make Choice of that, which is moft fuitable to the Place; provided it may be done,' without Breaking off Communion with the Reft of the Church! For the lofing of Catholick. Communion, would be a much Greater Evil, than any Advantages of Ceremonies, and Difcipline can recompenfe. As to Manners, in which neither the Church's Perfwafion, nor Difcipline is alter'd, a Reformation is highly Commendable! And in this every Private Chriftian, as well as every Nation, Diocefs, or Parish, is concern'd, an But this is nothing to that Reformation, which Mr. L. muft juftify, to make Proteftants fecure of their Salvation. Tung

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