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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 * 4 5, 6 IBI -*'*V». POPERY CONDEMNED BT SCRIPTURE AMD THE FATHERS. ■l^f-' RSii ■%- POPERY CONDEMNED X n iCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS : BEING A REFUTATION OF THE PRINCIPAL POPISH DOCTRINES AND ASSERTIONS Maintained in the ' t£MjiSKS ON- THE REV. MR. STANSEE^S EXAMl^ NATION OF THE REV. MR. BURKES LETTER OF INSTRUCTION TO THE CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES OF NOVA SCOTIA, AND IN THE ^ lEPLT TO THE REV. MR. COCHRAN^ S FIFTH ANP LAST LETTER TO MR. BURKE, ^C, By THOMAS MS fl P R E F A C I-. i i \ The following Refutation was occasioned by a virulent attack upon the Protestant religion, and a defence of Popery, which has been published anonymously, and circulated with great industry through Nova Scotia and the adjacent province?. Though I have no wish to excite animosity a- mong the subjects of a Government, whose in- dulgent mildness ought to satisfy every religious party, I conceived it my duty to appear in de- fence of those principles which our ancestors have transmitted to us with the testimony of their blood. , It appeared to me, also, that something of this kind was requisite in a coun- try where books upon the Popish controversy- are rarely to be found, and where Papists pro- pagate their doctrines whh a zeal that would do honour to a better cause : And besides, the Au- thor of the Remarks needed a little wholesomG castigation, to prevent him from arrogating to himself a victory, to which he has no claim. I have neither appeared in defence of Dr. Cochran a no^' mam IV PREFACE. iX, 1 nor Mr Stanser. They are both able to fight their own battles. The Remarks are surnamed, A Reply to Dr. Cochran's Fifth and Last Letter : they might have been termed, with greater pro- priety, an invective against his person. The Rcmarker, from a defect of judgement or some other cause, has produced his assertions without form or arrangement. I have therefore reduced them into a regular series. As my de- sign was to direct the attention of the reader chiefly to the leading points of debate between Protestants and Papists, I have overlooked many errors and falsehoods contained in the Remarks ; because they could not be introduced without perplexing his mind, and diverting him from the principal object in view, and also swelling the Refutation to - f'% V! PREFACE, soning, I humbly acknowledge his superior me* « di rit. L'ke Mr. Burke, his predecessor in the id; war, he seems to think the vilest calumnies laudable, when they tend to the support of the Popish system *. His wrath appears principally directed against Luther, whom he has loaded with every epithet which rage and m?lice could invent. The reason has been long ago assigned by Erasmus, a Papist more celebrated for the shrewdness of his observations, than for his friendship for the Romish clergy : " Luther," says he, " had two faults ; he touched the V monks* bellies, and the Pope's crown." y^^ Thomas Lord Cromwell is another of those characters whom he attempts to bespatter with 4 his filth. • He is pleased to style him " an oiit- ' ** cast from the dregs of Pukney, an arch-vil- *' lain,** with other appellations -as happily de- vised. If it reflect disgrace upon a person, 'to have raised himself, like this worthy nobleman, from the lowest station in life to the highest dig- nities, solely by his talents and virtues, the Re- marker has no cause to nourish anxious forebo. dings * " I pass In silence,*' says that writer, " other party *' wiiteis, not less virulent than he, holding it unfair and *' Inconsistent with the morality of the Gospel to traduce ** before the public any man, much more so any body of *' men, but in the case of self-defence : 1 reason," &c. Postscript to his Let» of Instruct, p. 55 ip T5*" ^ PREFACE. VU lis superior me* iecessor in the iiest calumnies support of the )ears principally he has loaded id m?lice could ig ago assigned ebrated for the ;, than for his r : " Luther," e touched the crown. if r-^ lother of those bespatter with him " an oiit- jy, an arch-vil- as happily de- on a person, 'to rthy nobleman, the highest dig- irtues, the Re- anxious forebo. dings Iter, " other party Iding it unfair and Gospel to traduce ire so any body of reason," &c. F Instruct, p. 55 ^ dings of future animadversion. He is in no danger oif being held in ignominious remem- brance by posterity. Had he been born among the dregs of Pukney, he would have remained i among rhe dregs of PuUney still. The memory I of Lord Cromwell will be dear to every friend of religion and social vi»-tue, when the Remark- cr arid his Remarks jiave descended with great quiet into the land of forgetfulness. The arch- villainy of this amiable reformer consisted in his opposition to the abominations of the Popish clergy of that period, and his successful at* tempts to diflfuse real religion and rational infor^ mation. The Remarket also endeavours to represent the exertions of this nobleman and his friends in behalf of religion, as " such a complication *< of hell-invented stratagems and monstrous "crimes as startle horror itself^." But the reason is obvious ; they exposed the vices of the clergy, discovered the deceptions by which ; they had imposed upon the credulous, or the *< simple faithful,**^ as the Remarker terms the laity of the Romish Church ; and, what he seems chiefly to deplore, they jdeprived them of J that immense wealth, which had enabled them for many centuries to perpetuate their abomina- ■I a3 P. 14. tions. f1 •N _-4.^ I VUl PREFACE. tions. I have no intention at present to disprove his calumnies, by a recapitulation of the filthy prrictices which were then discovered in many of the religious houses in England. I will leave him to those consolations which he can derive from a refuge of lies, and, for the credit of hu- man nature, let them rest in peace. Nor would 1 wish the reader to belie>4e, that all the Romish clergy are actuated by the same sinister views. There are still many in that Church, who de- plore its general depravity, and abominate the selfish spirit of their brethren ; who cherish a high esteem for the scriptures, and entertain the most exalted views of the nature of religion. By consulting the Reports of the London Bible Society, the reader will see, that there are some among the Romish clergy, who have surmount- ed the prejudices of education, and rejected many of the tranmels of Popery ; who glory in the cross of Christ 5 and who rejoice in the efforts of Protestants to tura the attention of men to. the scriptures. The style of the Refutation may appear to some rather severe. It is not, indeed, that to which a candid opponent is entitled y but its jus- tification will be found in the tone of the Re- marks. To have given him the reply which Solomon directs*, severity should have degene- rated * Prov, xxyI. 5. !*te nauc quit dam sour It O 'T .Li It A! Or A Th As N. PREFACE, IX ;sent to disprove >n of t:he filthy (vcred in many id. 1 will leave he can derive he credit of hu- ce. Nor would all the Romish J sinister views, lurch, who de- abominate the who cherish a nd entertain the jre of religion, s London Bible there are some have surmounfe- i, and rejected y ; who glory ) rejoice in the he attention of may appear to indeed, that to ed y but its jus. one of the Re- le reply which id have degene- rated #ted into ill nature. The Remarks exhibit lauch angry malice and many falsehoods, many qiiibbles without accurate reasoning, and a pe- dantic show of learning without one particle of 30und erudition. It was a party-coloured dress Of patcli'd and pye-baird languages : 'Twas English cut on Greek and Latin, Like fustian heretofore on satin. It had an odd promiscuous tone, As if h'had talk'd three parts in one ; Which made some think, when he did gabble, Th' had heard three labourers of jCabel ; Or Cerberus himself pronounce A leash of languages at once. This he as volubly vi'ould vent, As if his stock would ne'er be spent ; HuDIBRiS. N. B. In the following sheets, R. stands for Rc- igrker, or the anonymous Author of that Pamphlet I which they are intended as a reply. CON. i t ^K V ] CONTENTS. Ghap. I. A review of the R.*s assertions^ I that the apostle Peter was at RotJie, and bishop of that See^ I II. An examination of the supremacy I which the R, has ascribed to the I Apostle Peter, III. A refutation of the spiritual SU" * premacy which he has ascribed to the Pope^ IV. A view of the temporal authority ■ claimed and exercised by the Pcpes, and an account of the i means which they have employed to support it, V. An examination o^ the R,'s scrip" * tural notes of tha true Church ; indefectability, perpetual visibi- lity, universality, and infalli' bility, - . « Chap. Page 13 24 40 96 128 #^ ^ I, ■I t'- / ', i "I I /■' 12 CONTENTS. P.1 m Chap. VI. ^ refuiaiioncfhis asscriions con^ cerninz the Scriptures and ira- ... . 19T' dltiO?t, ' 7 VII. Jn examination' of the Popish ' views of the Lord's supper, 271 • VIII. On purgatory, and prayers for i/ie dcaa, IX. Gn the worship of saints and an- gels, and the veneration of ima- ges and relics ^ - ' ^^'^ \ LR 1 i 1 C POPERI r. i re 1 he . he ol \ f QS f ot K Paec si scriions con- 'cs and i ra- the Popish supper, prayers for * inis and an- ilion of ima- lO*; i 27^ POPERY CONDEMNED, &c, SOj 33( CHAP. L A REVIEW OF THE R.'s ASSERTIONS, THAT THE APOSTLE PETER. WAS AT ROME, AND BISHOP OF THAT SEE. POPER^^ HE extraordinary claims of the See of Rome re founded upon its supposed connection with [he apostle Peter. The R. is at great pains to Ihew, that he both lived and died in that metro- bolis. " There is as great certainty," says he, " of his having been at Rome, as that he wrote his first and second Epistles *." As he is very ixious to have this assertion believed, I have \o objections that he should retain it for a part ^f his faith. The certainty of this fact does kot, as he imagines, prove " ruinous to the re- A *' formed. *. 4 * P. 176. ?J- iHl J, J, rOPEKY COWDEMNED BY " formed system *." There are more points to be established between that and the supremacy, and infalUbility of the Romish chureh .u the nineteenth century, than he w.U ^d kmsd able to prove, with all the assistance thatlop.sh tradition can afford him. To the evidence which he has adduced from the Fathers in confirmation of this fact, he might have likewise added the ocular demonstration of the Moderns. Paradoxical as it may appear to the reader, the wondering eyes of many l.y- ins witnesses can attest, that Peter was actually in that city. Since the R. has omitted such a material part of his proof, he w. 1 permit me to add it ; lest the church should lose any ot ■ these doctrines which Popish tradition has care- fully transmitted for the edification ot the faith- tul. . „ A principal design of Peter's coming to Ro:i e was to oppose Simon Magus, who, by his jug- -ling tricks, had procured the favour of both The emperor and the people. At their first m- terview, the magician engaged to ascend into the air, in the presence of him and the whole city With the help of the devil, he accordmg- Iv performed his promise ; but, Peter invoking the name of Jesus, the devil was so terntied, that he left Simon Magus to shilt for hmiselt ; and the consequence was, that his body hav- * P. ITT. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 13 ■^1 : ing a much greater predilection for the earth I than heaven, made such haste downward as to ; break both his legs. Were any person to que- ! stion the truth of this narration at Rome, the I impression of the apostle's knees in the very i stone upon which he kneeled on this occasion I would be shown him, and another stone still 5 tinged with the blood of the magician. Whether > this proof of the Romish faith yet remain at that city, I cannot positively affirm. Buonaparte Ihas lately discovered great reverence for the ^ gold, silver, and precious stones of the church ; so that these have perhaps been carried into cap- tivity, with other parts of the patrimony of St. Peter. The church of Rome was long supposed to ■possess another decisive confirmation of the same fact. This was the identical chair in which the apostle Peter had been accustomed to sit. :So " universal and uninterrupted" had the tra- vour of bo^h ; :. >,^ cc ten at Rome. Peter himself mtm.ates as cc n^uch, calling Rome by a figui-e Babylonni " these words, The church which is at Baby- « Ion * " &c. These words are not, as he as- serts, ^quotation from raphias; but the sentU nients of Eusebius. Nor does this historian de- Clare the epistle written at Rome ; he merely mentions what was common report. When the R. finds himself at leisure to take a more cor- rect view of this passage, he may also look into the thirty.ninth chapter of the third book of the same history, and he will find, that Paphias was not, as he has affirmed, a disciple of the a- postles. . But profane history, he thinks, coincides with his exposition of this part of the epistle of Peter. « Babylon, in Syria,'' says he, " was then m « ruins, as Pliny and Strabo inform us ; and « Babylon in Egypt was but a fort or castle f." Had he been better acquainted with ancient his- tory, he would perhaps have changed his opi- nion. By consulting LucanJ, Philostratus " " or * Eccles. Hist. lib. 2. c. 15. f P- 177- t Lib. i.v. 10. I! Lib. I.e. 17. tm SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. Id ries of the f reverence, ill find the re tolerably ms Mark in ly, was writ- intimates as Babylon, in is at Baby- ot, as he as- ut the senti- historian de- ; he merely When the ! a more cor- Iso look into . book of the Paphias was .le of the a- oincides with istle of Peter, was then in )rm us ; and t or castle t.'* h ancient his- iged his opi- lilostratus ||," or + P. 177- L even Pliny himself % he will find Babylon m 'syHa mentioned, as a city then m existence ^L old city was indeed in rums ; but that S^ leucia upon the Tigris went by this name, he .S have known, with far fewer pretensions CSUnt-cc with antiquity. Du Pm, a doc- : r of his own church, who knew antiquUy and he scriptures better than all the Ronush clergy t S side of the Atlantic, and who had more candour than generally falls to the lot of^ a ^^^^^^ ^ pish polemic, says of the R/s opmion, " 1 h^ cc terpretation Is false ; and it is more natural u to say, that he wrote this epistle from Baby- " Bwt though the apostle Peter had been actually ^ at Rome, it by no means follows as a consequent : .hat he was bishop of that See. Nc-thmg mdeed can be more positive, respecting this pomt, than the R.'s assertion. " There is as great a " certainty," says he, « of his having esta- « blished his See at Rome, as^^that the scrip- " tures are divinely inspired \ ;" If the R. think it any advantage to his cause, , .,1, be granted, that Peter_ is called "shoP of Rome by some ancient writers. The most . ancient, however, who lived nearest the source of tradition, never bestow upon him this title. Ut •dl the proofs which he has culled from the num- ^ A3 berless ; » Lib. 6. c. 26. t Biblioth. Patr. prelimin. ; diss. kct. 5- t P. I7''' tm ■ ^* <# m .«(«.^j_,^»»-" ■-"■■* r ii 1 "■ •I « f ■ 20 POPERY CONDEMNED BY berless quotations with>.hlch, he says, polemical ' writers abound, there are only two from authors who wrote before the fourth century. One of these, Dorotheus, lived about the end o the third ; and is said, by the R/s great fnend Bel. larmine, to be full of fables. The other is Ireneus, who, says he, - gives a catalogue of the Bi- « shops of Rome down to Pope Eleutherms, h,s « own cotemporary in the year 176. He begms « with Peter and Paul, and says of Clement, « that he was the third from the apostles*." Had the R. said, that Ireneus ought to have begun with Peter and Paul, he would have ex- pressed the sentiments of the Roman church. But this father appears to have been a stranger to Peter's particular relation to that See. 1 hese apostles, he only says, founded the church, as a ye.examination of his language will shew him ; <^ The blessed apostles, therefore, havmg found- « ed and built the church, delivered the episcopal « office to Linus, whom Paul has mentioned in *' his epistles to Timothy. Anencletus succeeded « him J after whom, in the third place from the « apostles, Clemens had the bishopric allotted « him." According to this tradition, the apostle Paul has as good a claim to :he bishopric of Rome as the apostle Peter ; since they are said to have founded the See of Rome conjunctly. That church * P. 184. I *^4*^'"'''' ■9*mi^ ys, polemical from authors ry. One of end of the at friend Bel- icr is IreneUvS, 2 of the Bi- eutherius, his 3. He begins of Clement, postles *.'* )ught to have uld have ex- iman church. m a stranger : See. These I church, as a ill shew him ; having found- 1 the episcopal mentioned in ;tus succeeded place from the lopric allotted apostle Paul :)ric of Rome re said to have anctly. That church SCRIPTURE AVn THE FATHERS, 21 church would ncverindeedacknowledge him as Pope Paul the first ; but Epiphanius and Eusebms have been more complaisant ; " Peter and -Paul,'' says the former, - were the tirst at " Rome, both bishops and apostles • :' andttie latter " Alexander was the fifth in succession ,« from Peter and Paulf.'' Both, therefore, ;were bishops of Rome in the .onse of these writers ; and what this was, it is not difficult to determine. They founded that See by convert- inc men to the faith, and appointing the first bishops. If the R. thinks them bishops in any other respect, let him inform us, how Lmus, Cletus, and Clemens, were bishops ot Rome, • during the life of the apostle Peter. Ruffinus, in his preface to ;he Recognitions of Clemens, says they wore appointed by Peter, to prevent interference with the duties of his apostolic of. fice ; and this, he assures us, was not his own, but the common opinion. Plad the R. only at- tended to the quotation from Ireneus which he lias pressed into his service, he would have seen . the justness of this observation ; "The blessed - apostles, therefore, having founded and built - the church, delivered it into the hands of ■. « Linus," &c. 1 1 J ^ - That Peter was a bishop, is acknowledged . i by Prote: tants as well as Papists. His claim to i this title, however, did not originate m any par- I A. 5 ticular I ■J * Hares. 7. t HIsi, Eccks.Ub, 4. c 1. I: i'. Mi. 22 rOPERY CONDEMNED BY ticular relation to the See of Rome. A su- perior office includes an authority to discharge all that are under it ; and upon this pnncpl., la the first epistle he styles himself a Presbyter or elder * But had he fixed himself at Rome, as bi- shop of that See, he must have previously resign- ed his apostolic commission, « Go ye into all the " world, and preach the gospel to every crca- " ture/' 1 hese primitive clergy were not so far initiated into the doctrine of pluralities, as to imagine the office of an apostle and a bishopric compatible. Should the R. say, that the apostle James was bishop of Jerusalem, he cannot plead in his be- half " universal and^ uninterrupted tradition." A multitude of the Fathers might be adduced as vouchers, that it was James, the brother of our Lord. At present I will only produce his fa- vourite Eusebius, who, he says, was better in- formed than alt the modern scribblers in Europe. Perhaps, he can also shew us the origin of this mistake about James the apostle. *' Jumes, the « first bishop ci Jerusalem, is in holy writ^ ho- « noured with the title of the brother of Christ f. « He is said to have been one of the seventy disci- « pies of our Saviour, and also one of the Lord*s « brethren. There were many beside the "= twelve, who were called opostks by way of •' imitation t-" But, * Ch. 5. V. I. { Ills:. Hccles lib. 7. c. i<)* X Ld. lib. I. c. 12. ■M cc '« cc -4 ';>T(j SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 2;i me. A su- to discharge principle', ia Presbvter or Rome, as bi* ously resign" e into all the I every crca- were not so ralities, as to d a bishopric le James was 'ad in his be- 1 tradition." le adduced as rother of our )duce his fa- 'as better iu- Drs in Europe, origin of this ♦' James, the holy writ ho- }r of Christ f. I seventy dibci- of the Lord*s r beside the les by way of But, J lib. 7. c. ir)* /f- But, says the R. " it ^vas then so well asccr. cc tained, and so universally believed, tnat Rome a ^.as the apostolical See, that all sectaries as *c v/ell as Catholics, acknowledged it *. By u little acquaintance with the Fathers, he would have learnt, that many other primitive churches enioyed the same title. In after times, mdeed, the church of Rome attempted to monopolize this name, when, as the heiress of St. Peter, she began to collect his patrimony •, but certainA", there were some churches which possessed a prior, and as undoubted a claim to it. The R. must allow, that Peter was bishop of Antioc-h in the same sense as he was bishop of Rome,, ai. least he is so termed by Eusebius t ; an^l the former See was founded before the existence oi the latter. If Rome, then, be the mother church, Antioch must be the grandmother, and the mo.i apostolic of the two. When he writes again upon this subject, will he inform us, who placed Petei^ in the See oi Rome? Was he appointed by Christ ? Did the apostles name him ? Did the people chuse 'him? Or did he appoint hmiself? And, ^ when he is in the way o[ answering queries, he may likewise tell us, whether he resigned his o!- - flee, or died bishop of Rome. If he resigned, r the Pope is no more his successor than the bishop , A 6 " o^" . * p, ,S8. f Igiivlus, (ihc srccn.! in snrc-ssu ;> i thevcaflevj Peter), lib. 3. c 36. \ gryfiSii *••• f i. i 2i EOPERV CONDEMNtD HY ofAntioch. If he retained it, the chvu-cho^^ Rome was in a very unscnptura ^ate^ She had too many heads for a chur h of Chn . and too few to correspond wua the apo. e , ^( h^r In the book of Revela- John's account ot her, m uit. uu tion. *■:■: ti'i CHAP. II. AN EXAMINATION OF THE SUPREMACY, WHICH THE R. HAS ASCRIBED TO THE APOSTLE PETER. The church of Rome has with great proprie- ty supposed, that a body without a head must make a very awkward appearance, lo give the visible church, therefore, a respectable look in the corporeal absence of Christ, she has pro- vided him a vicegerent of a corresponding kind. But, being aware of the aversion with which no- velties in religion are viewed, she has palmed this appointment upon the Saviour; and at- tempted to show from both scripture and the Fathers, that the apostle Peter was the first in ofEce. " Peter,'^ says the R-, " received from « Christ an authoritative power over the whole " visible chuich;" And this doctrine, he far XK ii ^ SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 25 church of late. She )f Christ 5 ^e apostle Df Revela- CY, WHICH i APOSTLE ;at proprie- head mu^^ . To give cctable look she has pro- mdlng kind. th which no- has pahned ir; and at- ure and the the first in eceived from sr the whole trine, he far- ther Iher assures, is " manifestly revealed in the New J« Testament*.'* ^' Were this assertion true, Protestants, in re- Jecting the plain truth of the scriptures, must e heretics indeed. It must, however, be ac- nowledged, that if we have been deficient in ith, we have abounded in candour : we have 4^ver failed to give the church of Rome due f raise for her wonderful acuteness, in " mani- ^ festly" observing what was never revealed. I Protestants have always believed the church *| built upon the foundation of the apostles and *i prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone f ;** but they have been at a loss conceive, how the apostle^ and prophets were bliilt upon Peter. Of this the R. thinks the ■words of Christ to that apostle a decisive proof; *« Thou art Peter ; and upon this rock I will '< build my church, and the gates of hell shall " not prevail against it J.*' The apostle Paul, who knew something of the basis of the church, has assured us, that it is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. If the R. think any thing else is meant by these words, than that the church is established upon the testimony nrlhich these persons gave concerning the Saviour, [ should like to hear his opinion. Is it not, then, rafrer unlucky forthe R.s Popish claim inbehalf of his apostle, that a part of the foundation of the I church - P. i§o. f iiph. ii. 20. t Matth. xvi. i8. \i\ c^Q rOPERT CONDEMNED BV church has been provided many ages before his ^ThrR. indeed says, « If Chris ' nity be . [Ided on .he .?^^^^::\Z^ ./:f til nJconfessed Christ .0 be W na- « ture the Son of the living God . But ,hr does heoverlook the prophets, in specifying The foundation of the church? It has been 1- i ■;;s a received opinion in thech-irch t^ tl. rhrktian relidon, or the religion of Christ, was pSed inVworld, a few thou^nd ye.s before the days of the apostles : and had the R. b en as well acquainted with the scriptures as he pretends, he would have also known, that Peter's confession was merely the tc-stimony of his faith, concerning what the prophets had tausht. The first chapter of the epistle to the He- - b4s will show him what views the church un- der the Old Testament entertamed about the Sonship of Christ. „, . , , , Should the R. still recur to Christ's words to Peter I have no objections at all to meet him on that ground. Peter's excellent confession, he must acknowledge, produced this declaration of the Saviour. Upon what authority, then, does he overlook the apostle's confession, and fac upon his person as the basis of the church ; especially. SCRinURE AVD THE FATHERS. 2T Lcially, since the scriptures declare confession I be the ground upon which it stands ? Can . sav, the church itself is called the pillar and i-ound of the truth in any other respect, than account of her adherence to the truth of re- rion ? To shew that Peter himself is intended, he •oduces his translation of the words of Christ, Thou art a rock, and upon this rock I will , build my church * ;" by which he would ^sh his readers to believe, that, in both places the original text, the word signifying " rock'* the same. In the last, however, the expres- m is different ; and this plainly intimates, that cucrh. Christ alluded to this apostle's name, his nression respected something else than his rson. -Though the Romish church view these fords, as one of the principal proofs of Peter's .premacy, the R. has not thought proper to Ive them an extensive discussion. Might he 1, as in other cases, have appealed to " uni- versal and uninterrupted tradition :" and in- duced a whole host of the Fathers, to confirm sense of them ? As it would be doing injus- „ to the subject, entirely to overlook these ' .pish tests of orthodoxy ; I will supply him (th a few of their observations on this passage scripture. This, therefore," says St liilarius, " is the " ©nly i I i I r!t I »l 28 POPERY CONDEMN'F-D BY sc «• fession: " ofreligio " of the fai " other fom ♦' which is i " The fii says Modes " on accou " in Christ, It might iliear the op .. only immoveable foundation, tks .s the only .. bk s Irock of the faith which Peter confos. "fSJchurch," says St. Augustine," is a, .. present assaulted by diverse tnals as ^.uh .. Soor and storms, but it is not destroyed ; n S ause it is founded upo^/^^-^J-^^^tw .. Peter received his name ; for the rock is not .. nlmd from Peter, but he from the rock; as , . • , c^ named from the Christian, "?Zl^^ZZL. on this accou, Jpoint. I. " !">' '^'^ nZthis rock Itc'ill build »lracter who, " t ; bJcaus?p/-h"^ said. Thou .Joregory tl .. church ; because re Uponlsays he, « " "'''"i' 't for{ sayrhr-hich the* the sing^ ILarciritSbXm^church.foIcanbe ..Srist is the rock upon which even Peter hmv ti ggif "<;vas built !• .1 " What," says the same author, « is the .. meaning of these words, Upon ths ro^t^ ..",«i«., to depress his spirits, as much as he had excited his arrogance. In consequence of this assault, when Christ was apprehended, the courage of this apostle failed him ; and with the rest of the disciples, he deserted his Master in the hour of trial, and through the force of temptation rcali- li (( t( i( It (i it 8ed * Luke, xxii. 31, — 3^, •**" -^r —^,f .#•- ^M^IK'H I llg^^ .:3^- SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 33 sed bis prediction. If the faith of all the dis- ciples was shaken on this mournful occasion, Peter's was shattered in proportion to his former presumption. Our Lord, therefore, shows the sovereignty and riches of his grace even to back- sliders, by assuring Pete/, that though the ex- ercise of his faith might terminate, still as a principle it would remain in his heart. The R. by his language, would seem to insinuate that the faith of the other disciples had been entirely destroyed. But the words of Christ afford no just ground for such a conclusion. Though Peter's apostacy rendered conversion necessary for himself, he was not ordered to convert, but merely to strengthen, his brethren. A candid examination of the words of Christ, discovers how much this apostle needed the assistance of ' grace, and how appropriate the divine goodness is • but they do not aftbrd the most distait hint of his supremacy in the church. But says the R., '' To which of the apostles did »' Christ'say, Feed my lambs, rule my sheep, feed " my sheep V As the dispute is not so much . about being chief feeder, as chief rukr in the church, he takes care to show, in his translation of the words of Christ, that his address to Peter may include the idea of government as well as pas- ture. That the Greek word which signifies to feed, denotes edso to govern, vHl not be denied. But whether does the R. think, to feed sheep or ''-^"f^i ^ttm^-trnmi^^ I 3» POPERY COND£MN£D BY n or to rule sheep is the most natural Idea ? A- gainst his acceptation of the word in this place, I can produce him the united wisdom of tl whole Romish church. The Council of Trent,' in all whose decisions, he says, he is a staunch believer, have decreed, " Ihat no person shall " dare or presume to reject the Vulgate, on any *' pretence whatever, in disputations*:*' and that translation teaches us, that the word in this place signifies to feed. But though the R.'s translation be granted to him, it will afford him no proof of the supremacy of Peter. That a- postle uses *he same word in his apostolic direc- tions to teachers in the church, " Rule the flock " of God which is among you f,** When the R. quotes this part of scripture occasionally, he is indeed attentive to translate it feed. For this change of idea he can have no just reason, un. less it originate in a conviction, that Peter, like his successors in office, committed the feeding to the inferior clergy, but reserved the govern- ment in his own hands. I cannot conceive how a direction, given indiscriminately to all teachers in the church, can with any propriety be placed as the basis of Petei^s supremacy. Should the R. say, If no supremacy were in- tended for Peter, why did Christ give this di- rcction tlirice to him, and not to the other dis- ciples ? let me ask him, which of his apostles had had denie( more forw love to C tioned to fore repr about the " Jonas, Peter, no make no- >> h * o CSS, .', I p ■- • . \ . J. *' Lord, ♦' thee.** conduct ; searcher of his affi him, that ciples, b) sincerity < As the ly edified produce this knot *' Jesuj " Peter " and CO *' tion f.' " The " after Y *' his'tri] '• thrice * I'-lin, a^i SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 3S had denied his Lord thrice ? Peter had been more forward than the rest in his professions of love to Christ ; and his sin had been propor- tioned to his presumption. Our Lord there- fore reproves him indirectly, by inquiring about the extent of his love : " Simon, son of « Jonas, lovest thou me ?nore than these * ?" Peter, now taught by his misconduct, would make no- extraordinary professions ; " Yea, '' Lord," says he, " thou knowest that I love ♦* thee." He had indeed displayed a contrary conduct ; but he appeals to Christ, as the searcher of hearts, respecting the present state of his affections. Our Lord, therefore, shows him, that he still numbered him among his dis- ciples, by assigning him a test for proving the sincerity of his love, " Feed my sheep." As the R. appears, upon all occasions, great- ly edified by the sayings of the Fathers, 1 will produce him a few of their observations upon this knotty point. '' Jesus," saysGregory Nazianzen, '* received " Peter again; and by a triple interrogation " and confession, healed his threefold abjura- " tionf." " The Lord recalled Peter," says Epiphanius, after he had denied him ; and in opposition to his 'triple denial, he invited him to confession thrice t.' " That (( (( * T'-lin, xxi. 1 t Ornr 39. ■h TT.. .. .; 1 > >^C^ k.-. ;C). StCt. I. 36 POPERY CONDEMNED BY I i H (1,^ " That Peter,'* says St. Ambrose, " might re. *• move the fault of his triple denial, he is as " often interrogated by Christ, if he loved him, " To this he replied. Thou knowest. Lord, that " I love tnee : this he said thrice, that he might | ** be thrice absolved *.*' " The apostle Peter," says St. Jerome, " by I " his triple confession, expunged his threefold | « denial f." To these quotations from the Fathers, many more might be added, if necessary. But these will suffice to shov/ the R., how advantageously the ancient writers of the church may be con- sulted, even by Protestant heretics. When he presumes to palm his own ignorance and the quibbles of Papists upon antiquity, he ought to remember, that imposition and detection are sometimes pretty closely connected. These Fa- thers, so far from inferring Peter's supremacy from the words of the Saviour, have declared them to be equally applicable to the other apos- tles, and all the teachers in the church. " When Christ/' says St. Augustine, " said to Peter, he said to all, Feed my sheep |.'* " These sheep," says St. Ambrose, " not only Peter received ; but he received them with us, and we received them with him |(." From these quotations, the novelty of the R.'s doctrine * Dc Sacrament, lib. 2. c. 7. f Ep. 149. ad Marccllam. Dc Agene Chvisti, c. 30. jj De Dignitat. Sacerdot. c. 2. it n (( «( -f i StlUriURE AND THE FATHERS. 87 (( (( doctrine is sufficiently obvious. But, should he still think that Peter was appointed chiet ruler and feeder of the whole flock, can he shew us^ where Christ, in giving him the government of the lambs and sheep, subjected to him likewise the rams ? ,. , . But farther, says the R., " Peter did assert his supremacy in the first Council ; he told .. the apostles there present, that they kneiu « that informer times God had made choice of « him amongst them, that by his mouthy the nations « should hear the faith and believe *.'* ^ The R. must be an acute reasoner mdeed, since he can draw a conclusion for Peter's su- premacy over the whole visible church, from his being the first whom God employed to preach the gospel among the heathen. Might not St. Anthony, of pious memory, upon the same principle, claim the supremacy over the fishes, because he first preached the gospel to them, and converted a great multitude? Ihe scope of Peter's language, according to the R., is plainly this, and it is certainly as good as the reasoning of many of his successors, God made use of me to preach the gospel among the hea. then first, and therefore it is plain, that 1 am possessed of supremacy over the whole visible church, of both Jews and Gentiles. In connection with this, he would try to per. ■Q suade * P. 162. ■ i. 38 fopery condemned by suade us that the other apostles acknowledged his title. " The apostles," says he, " inva- *' riably speak of Peter in the first place, and *' introduce him speaking upon every public *• occasion. If Mr Stanser lias not seen it, it is *' because he has not read the New Testament *' attentivclv, if at all *." Much praise is without doubt due to the R. for being a great reader of the New Testament. He ev'dently appears to have been very studious 5 many times he appears to have outsitten the t;un, and read his New Testament in the dark. To expose Mr Stanser's ignorance of the scrip- tures, and to shew the acuteness and candour of the R.'s observation, it will be only requisite to let the apostles speak for themselves. " Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Peter," &c. 1 Cor. ill. 22. — " And when James, and Peter, " and John, who seemed to be pillars," &c. Gal. ii. 9. Though Paul, in neither of these places, has thought fit to speak of Peter in the first place, the R. thinks, that by visiting him at Jerusalem, he acknowledged his supremacy. This he con- siders as of so great importance, that he men- tions it thrice ; and lest his readers should not see tupremacy taught in this visit, b- reminds them that the original words may signify to in- quire of Peter, as well as to see him. When he SC.RlfTURE AND THE FATHERS. 3ft he was so anxious to give knowledge of scripture, ' he mi them an accurate o-ht have also told them, ranslated to gee cranting that Paul came to inquire of Peter, and even, i the K. please, to be instructed in the gospel, that ,s still at a considerable distance from owmng hi. '"inTh? Council of Jerusalem, mentioned iu the fifteenth chapter of the Acts, the R. thmu. he has found another strong proof of the su- premacy of Peter. This Council was assembled • to decide, whether the Gentile converts shouul be circu;cised, and keep the law of Moses. ■> The controversy," says he, " was brought '" before the apostles and priests at Jerusalern " and there, with the concurrence of the ch^. " pastor Peter, it was finally settled •. Thi. he considers as a plain statement of facts; and he charges Mr Stanser with misrepresentation in saying, that the controversy was discussed by the apostles and elders, and by them decided L If he had said," says the R., " that Peter s " decision had been adopted by the Council, « he would have told us what is there rela- " tedt-" A wise man has judiciously observed, that „,uch study is a weariness to ^he _ flesh. 1 he reader must not therefore be surprised, though B2 '"^ * P. 7ic t _ ^1^ Kl ■•&i T » fi ti 40 POPERY CONDEMNED BY i the R. make some little slips, when fatigued with immense poring upon his New Testament, It happened to be the decision of James which the Council followed ; but the best of people ' may be mistaken about a name. Luke has re- corded his speech immediately after Peter*s ; so that he might very naturally ascribe the whole to the latter, articularly if he was readirig in the dark. Peter had declared his opinion, that it was wrong to subject these converts to the ce- remonial law. James, however, thought, that '.IS it had been usual for a long time to read the books of Moses every Sabbath in the synagogues, it woi Id not be amiss to give them some gene- ral directions how to avoid offending the Jewish brethren : " Wherefore," says he, " I dc ide that we trouble not them who, from among the Gentiles, are turned to God : but that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of images, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. —Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church," &c. * The R. next attempts to produce Peter exer- cising his official duty as supreme head of the church. ^ « The apostle," says 'he, « directs " the Episcopal pastors of the provinces of " Pontus, Galatia, Capadocia, Asia, and By- " thinia, to whom his letter is addressed, to it (( 4( «i tt C( (( Act S, XV. 19 22. w. SCRIPTURE AND TilE FATHERS. 41 u feed the respective portions of the flock over i* which they presided, to en umin poimnion, not ^. through compunction, but wiUingly ; not ni . view of fiUhy lucre, but chearfully ; not to . lord it over the inferior clergy, but in their .^ own conduct to set an example of all Chris- .i tian virtues to the flock *." This epistle, he would wish us to believe, is addressed to the Episcopal pastors in these pro- vinces. If he had read this part of his New Testament at all, he would have seen that it was written to the church. Had he even considered ^he quotation to which he alludes in defence of his doctrine, it would have rectified his mistake^: • c The elders who are among you I exhort." No other part of the epistle is peculiarly appli- cable to the clergy, except the beginning ot the third chapter, which the R. may judge particu- larly appropriate to the state of these in the Ro- mish church : " Likewise, ye wives, be in sub- '< jeciion to your own husbands.*' The passage which he quotes for illustrating the supremacy of Peter, is in his first epistle, at the beginning of the fifth chapter. Though I have an aversion to introduce scraps of foreign languages into a publication intended for com- mon readers, I cannot avoid producing it, as it is transcribed by the R. ; because he says he has gi- ven it in this form for the information of his read- B3 ers ; * p r. 154. '12 rorERY CONDEMNLD BY ' 'I \ I- I i I (/ I f crs ; and it would be a pity to lose any informa- tion on such a precious subject. " I myself a " priest," suwprcsbuicros, '* exhort the priests " who are amongst you," — tons presbuterous en '• umln parakalo * . . ." feed the flock of God *' which is amongst you ;" — poimenate to en umin '• poimnion . . .*• superintending," — episcopountes: " not domineering over the Clergy." katakit- /' rieuentes ton kleron *." Granting the R. all the supremacy which this passage can afford him, it amounts to no-more than what the apostle Paul exercised. " From ** Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the '• elders of the church, and said unto them, •' Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves, and " to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost " hath made you bishops, to feed the church " of God, which he hath purchased with his " own blood f." I cannot bid adieu to this part of his proof, without complimenting him upon his extensive knowledge of Greek ; and also upon the accu- racy of his quotation. In his Greek, with a true Popish spirit, he has made Peter exhort the priests to domineer. In his version, he trans- lates ion kleron the clergy ; or, as he farther explains it in the same pag the inferior clergy. Formerly the church considered the proper meaning of this word to be, a lot or an inherit- P. 154. j ^.ct5, XX. 17 28. ance. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 43 nification, K li ance. As he has discovered a new ^ he will permit me to try its merit, by applying it to other parts of scripture where the same word is used. ^ , t • Acts, i. 26. " And they gave forth their clergy ; and the clergy fell on Matthias ; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.*' Acts, xxvi. 18. " That they may receive the .^ forgiveness of sins, and clergy among them " who arc sanctified." Col. i. 12. " Giving thanks to the Father, *' who hath made us meet for the portion of " the clergy of the saints in Ught.'* By these the R. will perceive, that new in- ventions and common sense do not always har- monize. In defence of the extraneous meaning which he has affixed to this word, he can pro- duce no parallel, either from the classics, the Septuagint, the New Testament, or any other Hellenistic writing. His only authority is. the Vulgate, which, in this place, puts language in the mouth of the apostle Peter which he never expressed. *' Thus," to use his own langiragci in speaking of Mr Stanser's version of this apostle's words, '' the unlearned are duped and '' misled by arbitrary versions." It will be admitted, that Peter is exhibited in scripture as among the most active of the apostles, and much engaged in the management of public business in the church. But the J 'if hi t 11 1 •■/ H POPERY CONDEMNED BY . ' it 'I H i I M apostle Paul did nor, for these reasons, suppose him possessed of any supremacy. He merely classes him with James and John, who, he says-, seemed to be pillars *. If the R. consider it as of any importance to his cause, it will be also granted, that Peter is called th.' chief and prince of the apostles by some of the Fathers. But it is evident that tiiey never intended, by these titles, to ascribe to him supremacy. They meant them merely as tokens of that respect which they imagined due to his character. Of this their own language will be the best illustration. " As some things," says St. Augustine, *- are spoken, which may seem properly to be- " long to the apostle Peter, and yet have not a " clear sense but when referred to the church, (of which he is acknowledged to have repre- sented the person in a figure, because of the primacy which he had among the apostles), as that is, I will give thee the keys of the Icing- dom of heaven ; and if there be any like, so Judas sustains, after a certain manner, the person of the Jews, the enemies of Christ f." And says Prosper his disciple, « Judas carried *^ the primacy of the enemies of Christ |." The R., therefore, must not expect to esta- blish Peter's supremacy from these expressions of i( ti i( K l( (( «l * Gal. ii. 0. -t In eod. loc. ^ ^ •'"ipmwulWUB . i .~~-aiir-'"«|ft*' SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS, 45 of the Fathers, till he have previously proven the authoritative primacy of Judas. Before he write again upon this subject, 1 would ad.ise him to extend his acquaintance with these ancient writers. They cannot be too often consulted by a person who wishes to at- tain just views of Popish principles. At the same time I would warn him, in reading them, to exercise great prudence and ciution. Though the fathers lived long before the days of Luther, Cwhose very name is an abomination to the R.;, and therefore could derive none of their opi- nions from him, they appear considerably tinged with the same principles. If he would read them, then, like a true Papist, he n.ust first lay it down as a principle, that all the clerical quackery of the Romish Church is a part of the true religion, and afterwards pick out detached sentences from their writings for his proofs ; for if he attend to the scope of their reason- ings, he will insensibly become, like other Pro^ testants, " an innovator and a pretended re- 't former.*' B5 CHAP. 'f-l 4e POrERY CONDEMNED BY CHAP. III. (( (( A REFUTATION OF THE SPIRITUAL SUPREMA- CY WHICH THE R. HAS ASCRIBED TO THE POPE. 1 HE reason why the Romish church contends so strenuously for Peter's supremacy, is given in the 176th page of the Remarks : " Peter *' transmitted his authority to feed Christ's " flock to his successor. For this was an ofli- cial authority, not a personal quality, and official authority is always invested in the law- *• ful successor." The R. accordingly endea- vours to prove, that the Pope of Rome *, as the lawful successor of Peter, now possesses his su- premacy. This apostle, I have already shown, possessed no such authority in the church ; and therefore the Pope's claims must be without foundation. As the R, has, however, advanced many pretended proofs of this point, it may not be amiss to afford them an examination. Though Peter had enjoyed all the supremacy far which the R. contends, it by no means fol- lows, that the head of the Romish See inherits his * The term Poj>e was formerly a title of respect given indiscriminately to any eminent clergyman, and not at all peculiar to the head of the Romish See. SCrlPTUKC AND THE rATIIEKS. his prevogativi that Peter was 47 vn It has been formerly shov not bishop of Rome in the sense e PoDe has n of the K. ; auu therefore the Pope hao not even leh a go^d claim to the supremacy as the bi- ?! of Antioch. Still I will .How supremacy fXr's successor at Rome, if he only tellus his name. Strange as it may appear to the reader, this Church, vvhich knows so very post- Sly who was the first bishop, cannot tell who Tas his successor. Some of the Fathers name I. e and some another ; and thus supremacy .s Z' by being entrusted to the care of tt-ad.tton, 2 elccllem standard of Popish belief. Nor L the succession of some of the succeeding Pones much better ascertained. But though there was no difficulty about the .accession, there is another whicl. cannot be ;" ily solved. It is generally agreed, that the e ere several successive bishops of Rome du- ring the Ufe of the apostle Peter. Can the R. hen inform us, who at this time possessed tl « supremacy ? If it was -.etained by Peter .t could be no part of the official authority of the bishop of Rome , for that is received at ordn^ation. If he resigned it, he subjected hnnself and a! the apostles of Christ to the Pope, and placed a higher office in the church under the controul of one which is inferior. Let us now attend to the proofs of supre, B6 •"="=? J. '■■^•^Mi-y^^^t* - -- -,if 48 POPERV CONDEMNED BY macy which the R. has adduced in behalf of the bishop of Rome. " The Roman See," says he, " was always " considered as the first See in the world, both " by Greeks and Latins *.** Though this as- sertion were true, still precedence is no proof of supremacy. After allowing the bishop of Rome the precedence in the church, it will not be difficult to show, that neither he nor his bishopric possessed any other authority than what they derived from their local situation at the chief seat of government in the empire, and from their preserving the purity of the faith longer than many other parts of the church. The reader may already observe a change in the R.'s language. Supremacy, he formerly told us, is an official authority, and consequent- ly something which belongs to Peter's lawful successor J now he extends it to the See of Rome. But he ought first to prove, that the latter, as well as the former, is Peter's lawful successor ; because he himself has said, " offi- *' cial authority is always invested in the lawful *' successor." Though the church of Rome has for many centuries claimed a supremacy, its members neither agree in what it consists, nor to whom it belongs. As the reader may be cu- rious to know something of this part of the subject, I will present him with the opinions of some * P. i84. ., ^,*-»i 3 SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 49 ,me Popish writers. If the R. think I do the hurch of Rome injustice, he may object to the uthorities produced. At the same time the ■eader will remember, that the present discu? ;ion respects only the authority claimed by tUe JRomish church in spirituals. Pope Martin V., in the instructions given to nuncio sent by him to Constantinople, assumed he following titles : " The most holy, and the |«' most blessed, who is invested with heavenly " power, who is Lord on earth, the successor •* of Peter, the Christ or the anointed of the " Lord, the Lord of the universe, the father *' of kings, the light of the world, the sove- " reign pontiff, Pope Martin *." Clement VIL, with his cardinals, writing to Charles VL, says, " As there is but one God in the heavens, so there cannot, nor ought to be of right, but one God upon earth f." Bellarmine asserts, that all the names v;hich are given to Christ, should be ascribed likewise to the Pope J; and says he farther, " If the " Pope should commend vice, and prohibit vir- tue, the Church would be bound to believe vice good, and virtue evil, unless she would sin against conscience ||." Nor does the canon-law speak of Popes in less Nt r«( (t t( i( Reynold, sd Ann. 1422. f. [47. ij: I)e Cone, lib, 2. c. 17. II De Pont. Rom. lib. 4. c. 5. \ ' so POPERY CONDEMNED BY I n (( l^s exalted strains. " It is evident that the] - Pope, who is called God by Constantine, a ^ '♦ neither be bound nor loosed by any secular] " power ; for it is manifest that a god cannot *• be judged by men*." To these a multitude of testimonies might be] added, in which he is called " the Lord our ** God the Pope, another God upon earth, the! *' King of Kings and Lord of Lords ;" and in which^'it is said, " that he is more than God; and that his power is greater than all created authority, and reaches to things in heaven, " earth, and hell.*' On the contrary, the Council of Constance declared: " This Council, being lawfully as. " sembled in name of the Holy Ghost, which •♦ constituted the General Council, and repre- sented the whole Catholic Church, had its powers immediately from Jesus Christ ; and t/iai every person^ of whatever state or dignity^ even the Pope himself, is obliged to obey it, in what concerns the faith, the extirpation of schism, and the general reformation in its head and members f.** The R. appears to have embraced an opinion, different from both. According to his first po- sition, he maintains the supremacy of the Pope j but he does not concede to him so much power as some who have preceded him, in defining this point: * Di^t. c6. c, ". -?■ Da Pin Hist. Eccks. Cent. 15^ <( i( <( u <( (( u ii»»»i'l«4*BW SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 51 loint : for says he, " 'Tis a maniftst absurdity to pretend that a Pope out of Council is greater than himself united with the body of Pastors " in Council, an absurdity which no Catholic I" ever believed or asserted */' In one point, however, ail are agreed, that supreme authority is lodged somewhere in the Church of Rome. The person who believes this must not indeed be very scrupulous about the foundation of his faith. A few passages from the Fathers, perverted or misunderstood, and forged decrees of the Councils, are the only proofs which Papists have ever been able to pro- Iduce • as may be seen in the specimen exhibited |by the R. " That the Popes in the first ages of Chris- tianity," says he, " did exercise their jurisdic- tion, and that the Greeks and Asiatics did submit to it, .... we have the testimony of all early wnters on the subject of Church- History." *' St. Ignatius, a disciple of St. Peter, in his Epistle to the Romans, marks the pre-emi- nence of that See. His letter is thus address- " ed : " To the beloved Church which is en- lightened by the will of him who ordaineth all things, which are according to the charity of J. Christ our God, which presides in the country of the Romans worthy of God, most ♦' adorned, * F. 73- i(( i(( i(( itt i<( U( <> '( \ (« «i 52 POPERY CONDEMNED BIT idorned. istly happy, most commended, f •' ly regumifd and governed, most chaste ai " presiding in charity *." No Protestant ever denied that the Romish] Church presided in the country of the Romans though many have disbelieved her presiding in charity. With some reason, they have imagin. ed the charity of the Romish Church like the tender-mercies of the wiciced ; and have always liked the theory of it much better than the prac tice. But since Ignatius has ascribed to her a presidency in the country of the Romans and in charity, we will not object to his doctrine at present. It is only when she claims a presidencyj over the whole visible church, that Protestants^ oppose her. The R.'s next proof is from Ireneus : " W^^ " confound all those who, in whatever manner,-^ whether through self-love, vain glory, blind.) ness or unsound doctrine, collect what theyi ought not, by indicating to them the faith of the greatest, the most ancient, and best-known' Church, founded at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul ; and that tradition which it has from them, and is come to us by the succession of bishops. 'Tis ne- cessary that every church should agree with this, on account of its more powerful princi- pality. That is the faithful, who are in all! places, 1 , * P. 196. (( «( (( (( it (t <( (t (( It K SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 53 •' places, in which Church the tradition, which .. is from the apostles, is always preserved by " those who are every where faithful *." A little attention to the scope of Ireneus' rea- soning will help us to ascertain the meaning of these words. The Valentinians, at this time, pestered the church with many absurd opinions. These they did not pretend to derive from scripture, but, like the Romish Church in many other cases, deduced them from what they affirmed to be a- postolic tradition. The design of Ireneus is, therefore, to show, that the pretensions of these heretics were entirely without foundation, as no such traditions had been left by the apostles. In confirmation of this, he appeals to the belief of the Church of Rome, founded by apostles ; to which, on account of its being at the seat of government, Christians from all the surrounding quarters were daily resorting ; so that, had such traditions ever existed, they must have been known there. The " more powerful principa- «' lity," then, is not of the Church, but of the State ; and the necessity under which Christians were of resorting to Rome, was not to learn a- postolic tradition, but to transact their own busi- ness. Of this the last part of the R.'s quotation is a sufficient proof. Ireneus, instead of saying, that the faithful must come to Rome to learn the I M m' ^mi 1'. 190. «v»-«(»'>--'»V ,.>,»»•„ 51- FOrERY C0NT1EMNED BY I the traditions of the apostles, assures us, that the preservation of these in that See, proceeds from the resort of such persons from other parts of the church ; " In which Church, the tradition ** which is from the apostles is always preserved *' by those who are every where faithful." Before the R. could produce these words as a proof of supremacy, it was necescary for him, not only lo overlook the scope of Ireneus, but to commit an open violation upon the »^:*ost simple rules of grammatical construction. A view of the last sentence of his quotation, will discover to a person who understands no Latin, that the ideas of either Ireneus or the R. have been very confused. For the satisfaction of the reader, I will produce the words of this Father, with a literal translation ; by which he may form a judgement of the R.*s candour and accuracy. " Ad banc Ecclesiam, propter potentiorem prin- cipalitatem, necesse est omnem convenire Ec- clesiam, i. e. eos qui sunt undique fideles: In qua semper ab his qui sunt undique, con- servata est ea quas est ab apostolis traditio *.'' To this Church, on account of its more power- ful principality, every Church, that is, the ** surrounding faithful, are under a necessity of " resorting; in which (Church) that tradition •' which is from the apostles has always been *' preserved by those who are around." It re- i( i( i( t( % : .-4 y h\l ^Mm,,m- . rf 56 POPERY CONDEMNED BY (< «( <( (t « bishop of Rome." From these words, an impartial reader would conclude, that the cus- tom of the Romish Church was adopted by the Council as a pattern by which the other Sees ought to be regulated. But the R. says, " These " words can bear no other sense but this, that '* 'twas the custom of the Bishop of Rome to invest the Bishop of Alexandria with a jurist diction over these provinces *." 'Ihe follow^ ; ing words of the caron sufficiently illustrate the absurdity of this explanation. It is there added,' *' that the honour or rights of the Church of " Antioch and the other provinces, are likewise to be preserved ; it being always underst jod, that these do not interfere with the privileges *• of the metropolitan bishop.'* Will the R. then inform us, if it was the custom of the bi- shop of Rome to share his authority with these also ; and how the Council, in fixing the privi- leges of these churches, £>" • -^d the rights of metropolitan bishops, without hinting at a more extensive supremacy ? Perhaps he does not know, that his sense of this canon is opposed by the Fathers. I will, therefore, introduce him to Rufinus, an Italian clergyman, who lived a short time after the Council of Nice, and therefore ought to know both the meaning of this canon, and the ancient practice of the Church of Rome, as well as the R. Of * P. 132. Sir.s*—*-' =»■ ■'* fi. HdWVMi-MteU SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 57 Of both, he has given the following account in his Ecclesiastical History ; " Let the ancient *' custom be preserved in Alexandria, as in the " city of Rome ; that the Bishop of Egypt, like " the Bishop of Rome, have the care of the " suburbicary churches *." This testimony of Rufinus the R. has thought fit to overlook entirely ; but to shov^r that he has given the genuine meaning of the canon, he ap- peals to the Council of Chalcedon, where he thinks a complete confirmation of it may be found : " The commencement of this canon of " the Council of Nice," says he, " does not " appear in printed books ; but 'tis given by a " Council of equal authority, that of Chalce- " don, in 451. 'Tis thus cited in the 16th " action by the Bishop Paschasius : The Roman " Church had always this primacy. Let the old " custom continue^ that the Bishop of Alexandria, ** &c. After this 6th canon of the Council of " Nice was read, the judges said ; We consider " that all primacy and chief honour according to " the canons be reserved to the beloved of God, " the Archbishop of old Rome f." The R. must have judged his readers very i(j'Drant of Church-history indeed, when he ventured even to mention the Council of Chal- cedon. When he said, that the canon was cited in this form by Paschasius, why did he not add, * Lib. I. c. 6. f P. 192. a 58 POPERY CONDEMNED BV t> i that it was also received by the Council? Though the Pope's legates produced it in this form, the Council were far from receiving it as genuine. On the contrary, the canons of this very Council have completely destroyed all Po. pish claims of supremacy ; as a short view of that part of their transactions to which the R. refers will completely show. The bishop of Rome, by residing at the seat of government, had acquired considerable in- fluence. On this account, a certain degree of deference had been generally paid him by the surrounding bishops. In course of time, this respect began to be viewed as an acknowledge- ment of his superiority ; and he had subjected the neighbouring Sees to his jurisdiction. But, in extending his authority, he met with a for- midable opponent in the bishop of Constanti- nople. When that city was made the head of the empire, the latter employed his influence to increase the power of his See ; and, by the time in which the Council of Chalcedon con- vened, he had succeeded so far as to extend his jurisdiction over the Patriarchate of Antioch. This success, he was conscious, had proceeded only from his influence at court ; and therefore, though custom had for a considerable time sanc- tioned his authority, he was desirous of placing it upon a more stable basis. To effectuate this purpose, application was made to the Council by l!^- SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 59 by his archdeacon Aetius, for a confirmation of his privileges. The members of the Council, jealous of the growing power of the Pope, and wanting, as some of them openly declared, a protector equally powerful, to secure them against his encroachments, complied with the request of Aetius. The consequence was, the 28th canon of the Council of Chalcedon. ' By this, all the privileges enjoyed by the bishop of Rome were granted likewise to the bishop of Constantinople, with the exception only of pre- cedency ; so that the boasted supremacy of the Romish Church is thus reduced to a mere pri- macy of order. So far were the 630 bishops, who composed that Council, from acknowledg- ing the supremacy of Peter as the origin of the rights claimed by the Pope, that they declare them to have been granted solely in considera- jtion of the dignity of the city of Rome; Whereas the See of old Rome," say they, hath been, not undeservedly, distinguished by the Fathers with some privileges, because that city was the seat of the empire ; the Fathers of Constantinople were prompted by the same motive to distinguish, the most holy See of new Rome with equal privileges; thinkino- it fit, that the city which they saw honoured with the empire and the senate, and equal in every civil privilege to old Rome, should be " equalled 60 POPERY CONDEMNED BY '4: l?i i I iHk. f 'tUBt «♦ equalled to her also in ecclesiastical ma *' ters *." Such a decree, the reader may easily conceive, would not be permitted to pass without opposiJ tion from the Pope's legates, who attended the Council. When it was at first proposed, they withdrew, declaring that they had no instrucJ tions respecting such a point. They expected that such a number of the bishops would foj.] low their example, as might prevent the resti from proceeding farther at present ; but they had the mortification to find themselves the only persons who retired. On the day following, Paschasinus, one of the legates, said, that some regulations, he unJ derstood, had beeK made yesterday, which he apprehended to be repugnant to the canons, and inconsistent with the peace of th- church, and therefore requested they should be read, as they were made in their absence. To this Aetius replied, that if they were absent, it was their own fault, since he had entreated, and even pressed them to stay. The canon, however, was read, with the subscription of all the bi. shops. Lucentius, the other legate, then insist- ed, that the bishops had been forced to sub-l sc.ibe, and had not done it freely. The bishopsl immediately exclaimed, that no force had been! used J but, on the contrary, what they had! done! * Concil. torn. 4. p. 838. i^A", ■*»ti:^,.' SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 61 done was entirely their own choice. All ground of exception to the decree upon this head being thus removed, the legates next declared it re- pugnant to the sixth canon of the Council of Nice ; and Paschasinus produced it as quoted by the R. " The Roman Church had always « this primacy,*' &c. I'his was evidently a for- gery, trumped up for the occasion ; and accord- ingly it has never been admitted into the best translations of these canons, nor even by Diony- sius Exiguus into his Roman Code. The R. has attempted to tread in the steps of Paschasinus ; but the same bad success seems to attend his pious exertions. When he says, " the i- Commencement of this canon is given by the « Council of Chalcedon," his assertion is utter- ly inconsistent with the whole proceedings of that venerable body. No sooner had Aetius pro- duced a true copy of this canon, than these bi- shops declared the present decree to be in no re- spects repugnant tb the decisions of the Council of Nice. The commissioners then published the result, in which it was declarec, that though the bishop of Constantinople possessed the same power as the bishop of Rome, the preference belonged to the latter, in point of precedence. From the whole of this transaction it appears, that the aacient bishops of Rome were ignorant of the divine right to the supremacy, which more tmru^arn nrlvnrntps have modestlv advanccd in C their 62 POPERY CONDEMNED BY ll not presume to determine ; but if we may judge from the ^ast, the R. is no prophet. He wtU allow the first Council of Nice to have been general ; and that was called by the emperor Of thts fact we are assured by Eusebius in h.s Life of Constan- tine ^. The same thing is asserted by the mem- bei^ of that Council in their letter to the Egyp- tian bishops. If he think that these were fklse witnesses, the testimony of the emperor himself, in his speech to that Council, can be added. «♦ When, contrary to all expectations," says he " to the bishops, " I was informed of your disa- " creement, I considered it as a report wluch ° " ought • Apud Bin. p. 539- + Lib. .. c. s- «ct. i.- 2. t Not«inCan.i.2. || P- 73- S l-.'i^. 3. c. 6. iaaa gCRIPTURE AKD THE FATHERS. 65, (( a (( tt i( (( a „l,t not to be neglected ; and wishing that Tvtr assistance, I remedy might be appl^d . S this mischief, leaned you together wtthout " B Jforf he'had expressed himself in such post- " E of The Clurch have depended upon tr.and the greatest CouncUs ha. be«, .. and at present are, conveijed by thar .' mination and appomtment. Z present, I will only further remmd h.m o .. represented the whole Catholic awch, /..< .. evLthePofehimselfisoblisedtoobey,t: And ,he R must allow that to have been the most ugus rssembly that ever appeared m the bng Torn of Antichrist. Beside clergymen and lay- Z oAu ranks, in myriads, there were pre- S^'ll barbers, 300 tavern-keepers. 505 mu^ Sins, 1500 strumpets, and 346 pgglers artd * Id. lib. 3. c. 12, tt ♦4 4 . 5 il ,.»*-'^ r-1 1 1 ^Q tOPi-Rt COJ^DEMNHD BY play-actors ; all, without doubt, for the conve- nience ai>d comfort of these venerable fathers, who burnt John Huss and Jerome of Prague, for believing and teaching the doctrme of the scriptures about the way to heaven. As a farther proof of the supremacy of the Pope, the R. says, " In his letter to them pre- ■■ lates Damasus twice calls them h.s most ho- " noured children*.'* That Damasus, a man who arrived at the popedom through the murder of 160 cit.zens, whose arrogance was unbounded, and whose table vied with the emperor's in luxury, might do so, I will not dispute. But a multitude of passages can also be produced from ancient wn- ters, in which the Popes of these times are mere- Iv denominated colleague and brother by the sur- rounding bishops. But says the R., " In the general Council of " Ephesus, held in the year 431, 'twas affirmed *» without a contradiction, or even without the least motion of surprise, that Peter was the head of the apostles, and Pope Cel-tm^e, (then at Rome), the head of the Council t-" It has been already shewn, in what sense the primacy of Peter and the Pope was understood by the primitive Church. This can, therefore, be no proof of an authoritative supremacy. « In the scvemh Synod held at Nice," says the (( (t it * P. iq;. + p. 194' SCRIPTURE AND TIIliFAtllEKS. 6T . (( (( ., R « Pope Adrian's letter to Thansius was the iv., J^^F^ . , mitw6read received with ---^'l,^^^^;;:' universal .u^t hU See was the head o^ uie u . ?hurch That it has a distinguished pnmacy :: ^ve" t inhabited world ; that Peter always > was and is still suprerfie *." Tf the bishops of that Council received thi. . J aratLn of Idrian with such unbounded ap- i "s he mentions, they seem very soon to f Takered their sentiments. By consulting have ^^'^''^12 thev sent to this Pope at the tSntte^clkhewiUr^^^^^^^^^ from acknowledging his supieme -*o"ty J^ only titles which they give him, are the.e u „.Vi<.i- and fellow-minister. brother and le „ ^ ; ^anius says : that ^^--xr8.!^ciitrBishops3p. " iTto Sunt for their conduct before a 1.- TopTn whom they acknowledged no jurisd.- " aIw lervations on the state of the Chuvch at It petd will tend to illustrate these words °'a— U for a considerable time sub- sisttd by which persons, who imagined them- Xs' unjustly condemned in their own prov n- C 4 (( K (I * P. 194- t P. 197' '.|y \ \ .►«« gg POPERY COKDEMNED BY cial assemblies, appealed for their vindication to the neighbouring churches. This, however, was not done upon the principle of a superior juris- diction. The condemned person merely sup- posed, that the approbation of the surrounding bishops, particularly if their influence was con- siderable, would tend to his justification m the eyes of the world. Ursacius and Valens acted entirely on this principle in appearing at Rome before Julius. They had been infected with the Arian heresy, and were also violent enemies of Athanasius. But finding his cause very warmly espoused by the Western bishops, they judged it sound politics to retrnct their opinions, and chime in with the multir-ide. For this purpose, they appeared before the Council of Milan, and pretended to abjure their errors. Their recan- tation was accordingly received by these bishops, who also restored them to the communion of the Church. After this, imagining that, could they obtain also the countenance of Julius, it would tend to remove any remaining suspicion against them, and to restore their credit, they repaired to Rome, and repeated their recanta- tion. In all this, however, there was no ac- knowledgement of the Pope's supremacy •, ^ for they had been restored by the Council, orevious to this journey. It is evident also, that they were not sent by the Council j for Hosius, bi- shop SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 69 (( (1 (i ,hop of Corduba, says in express terms fhey "came to Rome of their own accord*. The R.'s next proof is from the works ascn- JtAtha„Js..«;A— ^^^;-^^ ill fir Js of ti summit, and ordered you t;al!careofallChurches,ihatyounughtas. " SeTeVrJ some points of doctrine taught by the Fa hers, about which the R., notwuhstand- hLDret-nsions to an extensive acquavntance :ih X is, would require a Uttle fanher imation. Their words must not^wa^^b^^^^ nken in their literal acceptation ; particularly, ten they speak of themeritan^;^^^^^^^^^^ r firpcrorv Nazianzen, m coraial approbation. Ijrregory x Spane^y'ric upon A^-iu. .scrO^e- - that supremacy for which the K. cou He had," says he, » the government of tha ne u-iu, ; vvhich s as much " people committed to him, wt^icn . as I say, of the whole world. St. Ba« also in writing to Athanasius respectiag the oSwishment of Meletius, as patriarch of An- Tch says, " That so he might govern, a^ . .. .ere, the whole lo'l^^'lf^'^'^X.^. Theodoret overlooks both these, auu C5 the — i w " I - Hi :-M' il *( (( (! *( 70 POPERY CONDEMNED BY the supremacy on the patriarch of Constanti- nople : « He Us intrusted with the government of the Catholic Church of the orthodox at Constantinople, and thereby of the ^hole . world •." Before the R., therefore can re- ceive any assistance from these words which he has ascribed to Athanasius, or from s.m,lar ex- pressions, he must lay down the fo lowmg rule for understanding the Fathers, " When supre- .. macy is ascribed to the bishop of Rome, it ■' must be literally understood^: but to others, " it is merely complimentally." But though these words had actually ascn- bed an exclusive supremacy to Felix, they would afford the R. very little ground for boastmg. Du Pin has proven, by conclusive reasoning, that the letter from which they are extracted is false and supposititious. " It has," says he, " many marks of falsehood. 1. Athanasius " never communicated with this false Pope. 2. It has not the style of Athanasius, but of a " Latin author. 3. It is composed of passages " from works which were not then in existence. .' 4. When Felix was chosen, Athanasius was " in concealment, and could not assemble a Sy- ■' nod, as ihe letter says he did f." But, per- haps, nothing- less than the testimony of Atha- nasius himsti: *ill persuade the R. of its forge- ry. • Haerel. Fabul. lib. 4. c. 12. ■[ Hist. Ecc!e». vol. I. p. i^6• it ti ,g^fS,fri*'- 71 SCKIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. „ If he please, then, to look into the works ?f'that Father, he will find him calhng Felnc « a the " monster, raised to me occ -. Rome .. luce of Amichrist •." Such was thts vene- „ble Father's opinion of a man, who is now ho- noured by the Romish Church as a saint and a '"According to the R.'s account, Athanasius Siinr;:; v. ch. . ^ .. shop of Rome reinstated him m the See ot " T^^, is also affirmed by Socrate. Scholasticus ; but it is evident that they were both mistaken. In the Council whicn met at Rome, Athanasius was declared unjustly depo. ,ed and admitted into the communion of that cLch; but, so far from being reinstated by. The Pope he did not return to Alexandria for a Srtble number of years. This Father was Tto his See bv the Council of Sardica, as restored to h.^ bee Dy ^^.^^j^ is farther related by bocrates, chapter of his second Book. . , , , The R.'s next proof of supremacy is deduced from the conduct of Victor. « Pope Vxtor, Ivrhe "in the year 192, threatened to ex- "':ommunicate the Asiatics for celebrating jh. .. Easter on the same day with the Jews ; Bias- C6 tus,. Aih. a«j — — ~ • n POPERY CONDEMNED BY It bt of the validity of the ,ct' As yet the thunder of Popes was not arm- ed with all its terrors. They could neither toast I . refractory with fire and faggot, nor dissemi- nate discord among neighbours, rebellion m kingdoms •, and therefore, their uryu.t decisions .ere treated with contempt. So httle did the primitive bishops consider a Pope's excom.nuni, cation as a decisive proof of his supreme autho- rity, that they ..ever failed to use this weapon against himself upon just occasions. Had the K. ever seen the wutings of some of these Fathers whica » Jf. 200. f M J v--f BY i I „ POFERV CoNDEMNi ,.hkh he pretends .o quote, he would r„own, that the head of the See o Rome ItlJed successor to the offical authority of S Peter, has been more than once exccmmu. nLtedbythem, for condemmng the doctrmesl "^SrlhJ principal proofs by which he a. tempts to establish the supremacy of the Rom.sh cTurch. They are, he informs us 'he best St he could produce ; " He has confined h.m. ! self to these testimonies, which are warranted .. by cotemporary writers of the greatest note t. In presuming to fight such a great battle wuh so feeble weapons, he has certain y freed himself from the charge of cowardice. Like manyo.her bold warriors, however, his courage ongmated in ignorance of his danger. With a number o borrowed quotations, set off with scraps o Greek he has attempted to make a sliow of| learning. But he is evidently a considerable stranger, both to the writings of the tathers and, the practices of antiquity. His proofs will ne,. ther stand the test of fair reasoning nor just in. vestigation. Many of his authorities are taken from books which he never- consulted, and per- haps I » St Hikrius anathematizea Pope Libeiius, for deck- .-.n" Wtnself Aiian, and condemning the orthodox fa.th; and Pope VigUius, for favouring the Eutychiau hereby, «a> | .._.,. -Vox-d li» the Afiican tisliops. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 77 hars never saw. Of this, many proofs have /hich m i'. (t (I (t it ^^. u shewn. Out of many more, migut u. «..Jed if necessary, I will only produce one, that the reader may see the accuracy of his researches into the works of the Fathers. • Evagrius the Syrian," says he, " whom Photius, a good judge of history, though a very bad man, thinks an accurate historian, says in his history. Lib. 1. Hist. Cap. 4. that the general Council of Ephesus deposed Nes- torius, patriarch of Constantinople, by a mandate from the Roman Pontiff ; but think- ing the cause of John, patriarch of Antioch, more doubtful, did not presume to pronounce on it, but reserved it for the judgement of Pope Celestine himself*.** According to Evagrius, the Council declared themselves induced to the deposition of Nesto- rius, " by the authority of the canons, and also " by the letter of our most holy father and fel- " low-minister, Celestine, bishop of the Roman - Church/* Did these bishops either view this letter as a mandate, or acknowledge the supreme authority of the Pope, when they styled him merely their fellow-minister, and restricted his jurisdiction to the See of Rome ? But this is the most correct part of his statement. In this chapter, neither John of Antioch nor his case are so much as mentioned. 1 his Council, also, so t( <( I ') ji * P. 193' ♦.ii!iiHyi»uiJl.iWIIIP!ll ' ' *?' y^ POPERY CONDEMNED BY SO far from making any reference concerning him to Celestine, deposed him from his office, and cast him out of the church, as the R. may see by consulting the very next chapter of Eva- .rius that accurate historian : " John and the ^ bishops of his party are separated from holy *. communion, and from all sacerdotal authori. «' ty '» He might employ his time to excellent advantage, in furnishin. the world with a new copy of the works of these ancient writers. That is a work for which he appears to be very well qualified. He is a greater adept at framing an original than making translations ; and he seems also to know, that had the Fathers com- posed their works in the nineteenth century, when Popery, in the decrepitude of old age, required many props to support it, they would have written very differently from what they did in the days of their ignorance. As yet, we have only taken a view of what the Fathers have not said respecting Popish su- premacy ; we may now observe what they have actually taught. This must be pleasing to the R., whose heart is refreshed by the very names of these ancient writers. We may begin with . the decisions of the Council of Sardica, which was held in the year S47. By the canons of this assembly, at which a hundred Western bishops were present, it was agreed, " l^bat if any bishop shall think him- « self was occasK SCIurXURE AND THE FATHERS. ro >■■ selF unjustly condemned, his judges shall ac- - quaint the bishop of Rome, who may either .' confirm the first judgement, or appoint a re- " examination of his case by some ncighbour- " ing bishops." Hosius of Corduba, who wa$; much attached to the See of Rome, requested the Council to grint this privilege to the memo- ry of St. Peter. This every reader will allow to be a notable testimony for the Pope's supre- macy, and must be very much surprised that the R. should overlook it. But his neglect of it was occasioned by its connection with a number of circumstances, with which he found it a little delicate to intermeddle. As I am not under the same restraint, I will present then> to tfee, Tpjioer So far was the Pope's supremacy from being an established doctrine in the church at this time *, that before the Council of Sardica could pass their decree, they were necessitated to re- voke the decisions of the Council of Antioch, by which all appeals beyond the nc Ighbouring provinces had been totally prohibited. After all it tended very little to advance the Pope's authority ; for the decrees of this Council were neither put into the code of the canons of the . universal church, approved by the Council of. Chalcedon, nor would the Eastern and African, bishops receive them. But the principal use to. which * A. D. 347. : \ \ • ..jfSJS^T!" J ^ -J^ ' \ ^m r i 80 POPEKY CONDEMNED BY .vhich this canon has been applied is yet to be mentioned. This I will relate with the greatest satisfaction, because it must please both the reader and the R. ; the former, by affording him a just view of the supremacy ; the latter, by showing him a Pope exercismg himself in these upright and pious labours by which the Romish Church has been exalted. The African bishops, having been disgusted ^vith the arrogance of Pope Zosimus, attempted to put a stop to his encroachments, by a decree of Council assembled at Carthage in the year 418 By this it was determined, that it any person presumed to appeal beyond^ seas he should be excluded from the commumon ot the church. In a very short time, however, they found this assertion of their independence insuf. ficient to prevent Zosimus from intermeddhng with their affairs. The first appearance of this was upon the following occasion. Apiarius, a presbyter of Sicca, having been convicted of many grievous crimes, was degra- ded and excommunicated by his own bishop Urbanus. Notwithstanding the justice of his sentence, and the prohibition of the Council, he appealed to the bishop of Rome. Such defe- rence to the See of St. Peter was too flattering to pass unrewarded; and therefore Zosimus, without even hearing the other party, restored Apiarius to his dignity, and to the communion of SCRIPTURE AND THE lATIIERS* 81 of the church. The African bishops upon this took the alarm, and exclaimed against his pro- cedure as an open violation uf the canons. Zo- simus knew that it would be in vain for him to appeal to the Council of Sardica in vindication of his conduct, as that Council had never been acknowledged in Africa ; and therefore he judged it a most prudent expedient to palm its decrees upon these bishops, as the canons of Nice. To carry on this imposture, Faustinus, a bishop, with Philippus and Assellus, both presbyters, were dispatched into Africa. In their instructions, they were commanded to re- quire of the African bishops an observance of these canons J and also, that they would not communicate with Urbanus, unless he received Apiarius as formerly. On the arrival of these legates, a Council was immediately called, and their insti actions read. These canons were next compared with many copies of the canons of Nice, to which they were found not to bear the most distant re- semblance. The legates, however, continuing to affirm, with the most consummate effrontery, that the canons produced by them were genuine, the Council agreed to observe them till a more particular inquiry should be made. But, as this was an affair of general concernment, and only a few bishops present, they agreed to call a *^ m i-y. I tiL. ^^■;^ )\ 82 POPEKY CONDEMNED BV a general Council, before any decisive step should be taken. " Agreeably to this reflation 217 btshop from the different provinces of Africa convened rCarthage on .he '^^th of May 419. Aure. Jus of Carthage moved, that the canoi^s of Nice, in the possession of the Afncan btshops should be read. This was strenuously opposed bvFaustinus the legate, who insisted on their first reading his instructions, and torm.ng some resolutions respecting the observance of the ca. nons in his possession. After much wranglmg, it was proposed to send messengers to Constan. tinople, Alexandria, and Antioch for authentic copies of the canons of Nice. This proposal Faustinus opposed most furiously, as an outrage! offet^a to the See of Rome, and an mdu-ect ac cusation of forgery. Notwithstandmg h.s re- monstrances, the Council agreed to this mea- sure, and determined, that if the canons pro- duced by Faustinus were correct, they should be strictly observed ; but if otherwise, a new Council should be called, and such resolutions! formed, as might then be judged proper. They also farther decreed, that Apiarius should make proper submission to his bishop, and then be restored. In the mean time, they sent to Constant!- nople, Alexandria, and .Antioch, for the most authentic copies of the canons of Nice. On re- ceiving tion, was c SCRIPTURE ANK THE FATHERS. 8d reiving these, and comparing them with the copy which Cecilianus had brought from that Council, they were found to correspond in eve- ry particular. This was the more remarkable, as the Alexandrian copy had been sent original- ly from Rome by Pope Marcus, at the request of the bishops of Egypt. The African bishops immediately informed Boniface, who had suc- ceeded Pope Zosimus, of this agreement of the copies, and the dispute was dropped. In the pontificate of Celestine, however, it was again renewed. Apiarius, after his restora- tion, was convicted of the most scandalous con- duct, and on this account excommunicated anew. This produced anoiher appeal to Rome ; and Pope Celestine not only declared him inixocent, and admitted him into his communion v^out an. examination of witnesses, but sent his legate I along with him into Africa, with orders to see [him reinstated. On their arrival, a general Council was called, and Apiarius summoned to attend. He accord- [JL^iy appeared with the legate, who insisted, itha .;; he had been declared innocent at Rome, le should be received into communion. To mis the African bishops replied, that, having )een condemned among them, his innocence hiust also appear, before that could take place, phey therefore proceeded to his trial, which isted three whoi days. During this time, he defended > f- : I . ? g4, ''pOPEUY CONDl^MNtD BV defended his cause ^vith art and cumung ; and, derenatu bishop of Rome, he by '^f^'^'^'"":. hi he been able ouly ,o „ight have escaped had he ^^^^^.^^^^ withstand the stmgs ot n ^^^^^_ ■Rut uDon the fourth day, to uic b • f the lecate and the supremacy, he con. s.on of the legate ^^ ^^^^ fpwed every crime witn wnii.ii _ ch L. What these were, we are not mfortn d but, in the proceedings of that Counc W are declared to have been « hemous, in. ? Ldible, such as ought not to be named, an . "ch as drew sighs and tears from the whole! « ^ibly *." The Council immediately de. clared hii excluded from the communu^not he church, and renewed the canon, which pro. Sited appeals beyond sea, on pam of excom. muklion. They then wrote a synod.cal le«r TtSpe, in which they asserted the. nghtJ and told him to send them no more of his le- gates upon errands of this kind, ^ The reader, I hope, will forgive the leng h of this narration. It affords a juster view of the supremacy, than could be given by a multitude of^uoJons from ancient authors Ncu" is J even without its consolation to the R. It w tt show him that the Church of Rome did not ob- tain the supremacy, without being sometimes most sadly foiled, and therefore, may encourage him to persevere, though his present attempt. * Concil. torn. J. 1145. 1 1 """ Tmi iiip^ii iiiw III ''~_^.(;-.*"" ^ SCRIPTURE AND THE l-ATIIIiRS. ^^ have not succeeded. He may yet do great things and marvellous by a steady perseverance. There is the greater prospect of success, as he occupies a ground, of which these near-sighted Popes could not perceive the advantage. From the whole of this dispute it appears, that they knexV no other foundation for the supremacy than the canons of Nice. Now, it stands upon a much surer bottom ; and besides, the tradition? of eighteen centuries may be wrested to support the building. . , , r» I will, in the next place, introduce the R. to his learned friend St. Jerome, who, being a cler- gyman employed in the service of Pope Damasus, ought to know something of the supremacy of these early times. " Wherever there js a bi> shop," says he, in his epistle t^Mp^^s, whether at Roma or Eugubium;TiRstanti- nople or Rhegium, Alexandria or Tanis, he » is of the same worth, and of the same priest- '^ hood ; the advantage of wealth, and the dis- " advantage of poverty, neither make a bishop "• higher nor lower ; for they are all successors «' of the apostles." St. Jerome, in these words, places the most eminent and the most obscure Sees equally on a level. Notwithstanding the numerous quotations which the R. has produced from St. Cyprian, in defence of Popish supremacy, no ancient bishop contended more strenuously against it. He D would u (; a ftl 1 1/ !i % -KTij J.- I :1 I W: 66 POPERY CONDEMNED BY would wish US to believT, that the dispute be- tween Pope Stephen and this Father respected merely the baptism of heretics. But though that was the original quarrel, it was connected with a steady opposition on the part of St. Cyprian to any supremacy assumed by the See of Rome. As a complete refutation of. all the proofs which he has produced from this Pather, I will give the reader a view of the progress and termina- tion of this dispute. Cyprian entertained an opinion, that all con- verted heretics ought to be re-baptised, but, at the same time, declared himself willing to live in unity and love with all who were of opposite sentiments. His views on this subject having been embraced by two Councils at Carthage, they >w^te to Stephen, informing him of their decision^'^and also of their intention ta act upon the same principles of peace and charity. In re- ply to their letter, St " to govern, ai " actions to G< *' not to be 2 *' charge shou " dissension an The scope o: that Cyprian, principal Chur SCRlPTURf: AND THE FATHERS. u of t^^ pr'eFthood arises." But had i.e R. ever scci . tUe epistle, which he pretends to quote, he would scarcely have ventured to mention it to his readers. St. Cyprian, in this very place, teaches a doctrine diametrically opposite to Po- pish supremacy, as may be seen from the follow- ing extract : " After all these irregularities, after '' electing an heretic to be a bishop, they have •■ still the impudence i go to Rome, and carry •' letters from schismatics to the Chair of St. Pe- - ter ; to that chief Church, which is the spring » of sacerdotal unity. But what can be th-ir " design, since they are still resolved to perse '♦ vere in their crimes ? or what benefit can they expect by going to Rome ? If they repent oi their £ ults, they should understand, that they must come back to this place to receive abso- - lution ; since it is an established order all over <» the world, and indeed it is but reasonable, " that every person's cause should be examined " where the crime was committed. Every pas- «• tor has received a part of Jesus Christ's flock- " to govern, and shall render an account of hi$ - actions to God alone. On this account, it is »' not to be allowed, that persons under our «' charge should run here and there, and sow " dissension among bishops," &c. The scope of this passage is sufficient to shew, that Cyprian, in calling the See of Rome the principal Church, and the spring of sacerdotal X) 3 unity, i( (t (( (( (C ^ai i%* «^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 |S0 '""^^ M 1 2.2 M 1.8 U III 1.6 P /i ^ / '> > >> ^ /A ^ Sciences Corporation %^ \ 4 % \ \ ^1i :^l 92 rOPERY CONDEMNED BY n : , i:MH \l -h: i^-r1 - and pretended reformers" would quote his sayings in defence of their heresies. Had he written a few centuries later, he would have perhaps expressed himself in very different strains. But, like many other ignorant and welU meaning persons, he happened to stumble upon the truth, which the R. knows very well ought never to be told, when it tends to diminish the influence of the bishop of Rome. This ancient Pope appears to have been a great enemy to Antichrist. According to his views, he was at hand in his days. Since then, twelve hundred years have elapsed ; and there- fore, he ought now to be getting pretty grey- headed. Will the R. then be pleased to ca&t his eyes upon what is called the Christian world, and observe whether the Protestant inteit^ or Papal authority, is in the most declining condi- tion. A very slight glance will show him, that the horizon of the Romish Church is overcast and gloomy. Might we not then suppose, that the p&riod had arrived, when great Babylon, or, as the R. explains it, " great Rome came in rc- " membrance before God, to give unto her the •• cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath*." St. John informs us, that the kings cf the earth, after having given their power and strength to the beast; " would hate Babylon the great, the t' mother of harlots, and make her desolate and '' naked, * Rev. xv'. 10, Ci (1 PHIP SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 93 that » naked, and" eat her flesh, and bum her with '« fire*." The accomplishment of this pro- phecy is hastening to a conclusion. The kings of the earth have already given her the most ample tokens of their hatred ; they have not only eaten her flesh, but squeezed the very marrow from her bones ; and the time is not fir distant, when the flames, with which she has tormented the servants of God, will overtake her. The present generation may yet « see the - smoke of her burning ^ and then the R. ought to join the Church in her doxology, " Alleluia •, salvation, and glory, and honour, " and power, unto the Lord our God: For «' true and righteous are his judgements ; for - he hath judged the great whore, who did - corrupt the earth with her fornication, and » hath avenged the blood of his servants at her - hand; And again they said, Alleluia. ^^ And « her smoke rose up for ever and ever f." D6 CHAE * Rev. xvli. •}- Cbap. xix. I.— 3' .% \ <' 1 ! i CjQ POPERY CONDEMNED BY CHAP. IV. A VIEW OF THE TEMPORAL AUTHORITY CLAIM- ED AND EXERCISED BY THE POPES, AND AN ACCOUNT OF THE MEANS WHICH THEY HAVE EMPLOYED TO SUPPORT IT. After, discussing the doctrine of the Pope's spiritual supremacy, it may not be amiss to pre- sent the reader with a short view of the temporal authority which he has both claimed and exerci- sed. This part of the supremacy the R. has at- tempted to deny indirectly : " To the Ex. second conclusion,** says he, " that is, that the Pope enjoys full power over all nations and kingdoms, the writer replies, that Mr Burke has shewn in that very Letter of Instruction, under examination, that the Pope does not possess an atom of civil power or temporal jurisdiction over any one town or village in the whole world, beyond the territories which he governs as a temporal prince *J* By this, he would insinuate to his readers, that former Popes were in the same situation with respect to temporal jurisdiction. It is lucky for the R., that he lives at a time when coals are scarce in his Holiness' kitchen, and under a government which has yet to learn the propriety of «( li <( (C t( u tl (( <( * F. 7 2* of broiling clergy. I few centur trine woul church, as merciful si of these d this world as it must Papist, in lieved in c I will *sho^ ages. The sw useful apf the Popei mitre. else mere territorial readers t< dominion them, as macy. It claration doms are prerogati at their p • misrepre! on which this subj^ '■■>mmmm-: mrt SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 97 of broiling its subjects for the benefit of the clergy. Had he maintained these sentiments a few centuries sooner, both himself and his doc- trine would have met with a reception from the church, as warm as he could desire. The most merciful sentence of the benevolent ecclesiastics of these days, would have been destruction in this world, and damnation in the next. But, as it must be distressing to the mind of a good Papist, independent of the danger, to have be- lieved in opposition to the faith of the church, I will show him her belief and practice in former ages. The sword was formerly considered as such a useful appendage to the keys of St. Peter, that the Popes united the imperial diadem to the mitre. This civil power they did not exer- cise merely for the government of their own territorial possessions, as the R. would wish his readers to believe. They claimed a universal dominion, by the same right which invested them, as they pretended, with spiritual supre- macy. It has accordingly been the common de- claration of the Popes, that crowns and king- doms are at their disposal j and that it is their prerogative to establish kings, and destroy them at their pleasure. But lest the R. accuse me of misrepresentation, I will produce the authorities on which these observations are founded. On this subject there is no lack of proofs. Popes, Consictorics, Wi ' Vi «, i J"- 11 ;,^i i nsent of im from Hount of ared the nd Cab- led In all Church. Vlanfred, icily, of" n of the - TTrbar= I he successor of Alexander, ordered a croisadc, with the usual encouragements, to be preached against Manfred. But this scheme being att^'nd- cd with little success, he bestowed that kingdom on Charles of Anjnu, who accepted the dona- tion. Clement IV. succeeding Urban, ratified the deed of his predecessor ; and in 1266, Charles was crowned King of Sicily, on condition that he should pay every year a stipulated tribute to that Pope and his successors. Charles, having defeat- ed and killed his rival, took possession of his new dominions, and was, by the Pope, declared Lieu- tenant-general of the empire in Italy. Nicholas HI., however, soon after joined with the King of Arragon to dispossess Charles ; and this pro- duced the cruel massacre of the French on Easter-eve, known by the name of the Sicilian vespers. But the succeeding Pope opposed the King of Arragon, forbade him to assume the title of king, deprived him of his dominions, and put him under an interdict. — Many more examples, if necessary, might be produced from the histories of these times ; but these are suffi- cient to show what supremacy has been claimed by Popes, and how little they have imitated the conduct of that Master who said, " My king- " dom is not of this world *.*' In the course of these contendings between the church and the world, princes frequently dis- covered r •! I *». » • JoUii, XVill. 3u. % -.! ! .-^j 102 rorERY CONDEMNED BY I i* w. covered considerable aversion to be gulled ouC of their dominions, and endeavoured by force to oppose this part of Pupal usurpation. la such cases, the decisions of the Pope were usually corroborated by ecclesiastical censures. Excommunication, intended by the Saviour for > reclaiming sinners, was employed in the most dreadful forms, to support the airogant preten. feions of this ruler of kings. Li these days of superstitious ign;-)rance, this sentence involved the rciractory in very extensive evils ; ■ and therefr.re, it frequently produced, from the mod hardy, an abjoct submission to the civil authority of the Pope. To give the reader an idea of a Popish e-:ccmmunication, 1 will pre^ sent hitn with a form of it, which was p;..- nounced against a person wh'> had belonged to the Pope's alum-works, but afterwards came to Sricain, and revealed the secrets of the trade. *' By the authority of God Almighty, Father, ^' Son, and Ploly Ghost; and of the holy " canons ; and of ♦he immaculate Virgin Mary, *' the mother and patroness of our Saviour ; and of all the celestial virtues, angels, arch- angels, thrones, dominions, power.s, cheru- bims and seraphims ; and of all the holy patriarchs • and prophets ; and of all the apostles and evangelists ; and of the holy in- nocents, who, in the sight of the Holy Lamb, are found wortliy to sing the new song ; of '* the << tc {( i( (( (( i'- SCR] " the holy r *< the holy V »' with all tl •' municate " malefacto] " the holy " quester hi " posed, an " Abiram, " Lord Got *' the ' know *' quenched " out for e^ " satisfactio " May C " curse hin " ed for us '• who was " May the " vatien tri " the lioly " May S.. : " curse hin '■ ner and '■ St. Peter " the other " rest of h *' curse hi company " their hoi k!^ SCKlPTURr. AMD THE FATHERS. 103 lioly. u a (I t( t( w «( the holy martyrs and holy confessors ; and of the holy virgins, and of ad the saints, together with all the holy and elect of God, we excom- municate and anaihematize this thief or this , malefactor N. : and from the thresholds of the holy Church of Almighty God, we se- quester him, that he may be tormented, dis- posed, and delivered over, with Dathan and Abiram, and with those who say unto the Lord God, Depart from us^ for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways : and as fire is quenched v/ith water, so let his liglit be put out for ever, unless he shall repent and make satisfaction. Amen. " May God the Father, who created man, curse him. May God the Son, who suffer- ed for us, curse him. May the Holy Ghost, who was given for us in baptism, curse him. May the holy cross, which Christ for our sal- vaticn triumphing ascended, curse him. May the lioly and eternal Virgin Mary curse him. May S., Michael, the advocate of holy souls, curse him. May St. John, the chief forerun- ner and baptist of Christ, curse him. May St. Peter, St. Paul, and St. Andrew, and all the other apostles of Christ, together with the rest of his disciples, and the four evangelists, curse him. May the holy and wonderful company of martyrs and confessors, whu by their holy works are found pleasing to God, ♦' curse \ •I f '.J i'k : fc 104? POPERY CONDEMNED BY f I ■ji I if curse him. May the holy choir of the holy virgins, who, for the honour of Christ, have despised the things of the world, curse him. May all the saints, who, from the beginning of the world to everlasting ages, are found to " be the beloved of God, curse him. May the heaven and earth, and all the holy things therein remaining, curse him. May he be cursed wherever he may be, whether in the house or in the field, in the highway or in the path, in the wood or in the water, or in the church. May he be cursed in living, in dying, in eating, in drinking, in being hungry, in being thirsty, in fasting, in sleeping, in slum, bering, in waking, in walking, in standing, in sitting, in lying, in working, in resting, in p g^ in sh g, and in bloodletting. May he be cursed in all the powers of his body. May he be cursed within and without. May he be cursed in the hair of his head. May he be cursed in his brain. May he be cursed in the crown of his head, in his tem- pies, in his forehead, in his ears, in his eye- brows, in his cheeks, in his jaw-bones, in his nostrils, in his fore-teeth and grinders, in his lips, in his throat, in his shoulders, in Iiis wrists, in his arms, in his hands, in his fm- gers, in his breast, and in all the interior parts to the very stomach, in his reins, in his groin, in his thighs, in his genitals, in his " hips, (( «i (( ({ hips, in his knees, in his legs, in his feet, in " his joints, and in his nails. ' May he be cur- " sed in the whole structure of his members. " From the crown of his head to the sole of his *' foot, may there be no soundness in him. " May the Son of the living God, with all the " glory of his majesty, curse him. And may " heaven, and all the powers that move therein, " rise against him to damn him, unless he re- «' pent and make full satisfaction. Amen. " Amen. Amen *." In this^ manner did the pretended ministers of that religion, which says, bless and curse not^ pour out their execrations against offenders; and it must be confessed, that this specmien of their cursing talents is a masterly performance. Though such a sentence would now be re- garded with the utmost contempt, yet, when Europe was involved in superstition and igno- rance, it was frequently attended with the most baleful consequences to the person who incur- red it. According to the canon-law, the sub- jects of excommunicated princes were not only loosed from their oaths of allegiance, but ex- pressly prohibited to yield them any kind of obedience. This censure, therefore, in the hands of one, who was generally believed to possess a power over the very i^ates of heaven, greatly * Leger Book of the Church of Rochester, and Sir Henry Spelman's Glossary, p. i.c6. ir"5 I 1^' V ,■•1 n - •* it ^1 f. ^Og POPERY CONDEMN'EIi liV greatly influenced the vie^^'s and conduct of men in civil society, and proved a successful nistru. ment for establishing his authority over kmgr. and princes. . If the R. say, that this sentence was entirely eccksiastical, and therefore, no evidence of a civil supremacy, let him say if it be any thmg else than a political engine, when employed for political purposes : and, that it was often ap. ^lied in this manner, can be very easily shewn. -Raymond, Count of Thoulouse, having been excommunicated for favouring the -Albigenses, and for killing, as his enemies alledged, a per. secutlng priest, all his subjects were absolved from their obligations to obedience, and his lands given to the first occupier. In conse- quence of this, he was attacked by 500,000 of his zealous neighbours. That he might, there- fore, avert impending ruin, Ire wrote a letter to the Pope, in which he offered to submit to the decision of his legates. By these, he was com. manded to surrender seven of his strong towns to the church, a^ a token of his conversion; and, that he might receive absolution, he was beaten with rods at the door of the church ^vhere the dead friar had lain, and then drag ged to his tomb, with a rope abont his neck, in the presence of twenty archbishops and an im- mense multitude of spectators. He was after- wards forced to join these blood-thirsty villains, who* rfhOf by tl plundered vast multi alone, ab But after : sions at t again exc< arms, but tender m and his sc he obtaine Ills enemi( allowed h submitting The En municatec: of the er traondinar deavQurec In. the mi( Italy, wit] On arrivi was, he v Vi'hich wai excluded. cou|d be mained fo of a perJ continued apparel, ( I: SCRIPTURE AND THE FATUERS. 107 3f men instru- kmgp ;ntirely e of a y thing yed for ten ap. hewn, ig been igenses, a per. bsolved ind his conse- ,000 of t, there- letter to it to the as com. g towns i^ersion; he was church ! m (Irag^ aeck, in , an im- 'as after, villains, who^ r xAWf by the encouragement of the Pope, had plundered his dominions, and murdered such vast multitudes of his subjects, that in Baziers alone, above 60,000 persons were destroyed. But after all, refusing to surrender his posses- sions at the command of the Church, he wns again excommunicated. Upon this, he flew to arms, but was at last obliged to resort to the tender mercy of the Pope, before whom he and his son appeared as suppliants. From him he obtained, that his lands should be given to Ills enemies ; and as a great favour, 400 merks allowed himself for subsistence, on condition of submitting and acquiescing in his sentence. The Emperor Henry IV., having been excom- municated, soon found almost the whole princes of the empire in arms against him. By an ex- traor-dinary act of humility, he therefore en- deavoured to .appease the wrath of the Pontiff* In. the middle of winter, he took a journey into Italy, with his wife and a son of two years old. On arriving at Canopa, where the Pope then was, he was permitted to cnttr the outer gate, \;'hich was immediately shut, and his attendants excluded. He was then informed, xlvxt there could be no remission for him, unless he re- mained for a time where he was, in the condition of a penitent. For three days, therefore, he continued in the outer court, clothed in mean apparel, exposed to the cold and snow, bare- footed^ '""'im. 1}\ "jslBWa!^^ 108 POPERY CONDEMNED BY I . M ^ J footed, and fasting from morn to night. On (( i( the fourth day, the Pope deigned to admit him to an audience, at the intercession of the Coun- tess Matilda, to whom this godly Pc^^e could deny no favour ; because he always found h'^r equally condescending. He was then absolved from the sentence on the following conditions : - That he should attend a general Council ap- pointed by the Pope, to which the German princes should be also called, and there an- *' swer the accusations presented against him ; " and likewise, that he should submit to the " sentence which might then be passed upon u him : That if he was deprived of his imperial - dignity by the decrees of the Church, he » should heartily acquiesce, and that, whether « deposed or restored, he, should never seek to " be revenged for any thing done against him : » That till his cause be finally decided, he « should remain as a private person, by laying - aside every mark of royalty, and desisting " from all acts of government ; and also con- '« senting, that every person should be acquit- ** ted before God and man of their oaths of - fidelity to him : That, if he were restored, » he should be always subject to the Pope, and " obedient to his orders, and employ all his ** power, in concurrence with hir to maintain •' the laws and decrees of the Church," &c. Through the influence of the Pope, the last Utfl days of t abject mii ashes fro much gr than to tl Christ. Such V liication, was in its nations, ; examples annals of curiosity I can pi princes, deposed 1 be collec Anoth ed their diet. B; were at ( nances o from disi of religi< not mad< stition, 1 scourge may be i all publi( and festi SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 10? days of tliis monarch were spent in the most .biect misery. Even death could not screen his ashes from the rage of a Tope, who bore a much greater resemblance to a fiend of hell, than to the supreme teacher of the doctrine of Christ. Such were the use and effects of an excommu- nication, in these days of darkness when Popery was in its glory, rejoicing in the bloodshed of nations, and the destruction of kings : and the examples produced are far from singular in the annals of the Church. If the R. have the least curiosity to see a farther illustration of this point, I can present him with the list of a hundred princes, who have been excommunicated and deposed by Popes ; and double that number can be collected with very little labour. Another mean, by which the Popes maintain- ed their authority over princes, was the Inter- dict. By this, whole kingdoms or provinces were at once deprived of the benefit of the ordi- nances of religion. The clergy were prohibited from discharging their functions, and every office of religion ceased, if particular exceptions were not made by the Pope. In these ages of super- stition, the interdict seldom failed to be the scourge of nations and the terror of kings. It may be easily conceived, that the termination of all public prayers, preachings, masses, marriages, and festivals, to have the church and church- ilO POPEKY CONDEMNED BY ■1/ I I yard shut up, the aUars stript of their orna- ments, and the very bells, which then were ac- counted holy, entirely silenced, would occasion murmurings and insurrections, and thereby re- duce refractory princes to the most abject sub- mission. To maintain this supremacy, every principle of religion was perverted, and practices the most turbulent and detrimental to the peace of society introduced; and yet the R. affirms, that " the principle of obedience to the ruling " prince, whether a Christian or a heathen, was *• a part of the established doctrine ; a doctrine *• which our ancestors believed, and reduced to *' practice in the most trying circumstances *." If, by " our ancestors,*' he mean the apostles and primitive Christians, he is perfectly correct ; but if, the Church of Rome in the following ages, he is presuming too much upon the igno- rance of his readers. Whatever may be the present views and dispositions of Popish clergy- men, the cbedierrce of their predecessors has always flowed in a channel, which comported little with the peace of society. If deposing princes and transfer-ring their dominions, ab- solving their subjects from oaths of allegiance, and exciting them to revolt and n.urder their sovereigns, be examples in point, they can be most amply produced. The archives of every nation * P. 8. nation ii former T Did the that the tuated tl macy, e vance t! the nati their mi ties, th( consolai forded, most s; please, by Pap are m; Romisl Pope? face V " spiH *' han( " the <' exe] " dulj ration there nectic tic do thebl whicl SCRiriURE AND THE FATHERS. Ill every ( latiou nation in FAiropc, attest the bloody cruelty of former Popes in the exercise of this supremacy. Did the R. confess the truth, he would tell, that these pretenders to religion, having efFec-^ tuated the establishment of their spiritual supre- macy, employed it merely as an engine ^o ad^- vance their temporal interests. After cheating the nations out of true religion, and fettering their minds with the most superstitious absurdi- ties they enforced their commands with all the consolations and terrors which their religion af- forded, to excite their deluded devotees to the most savage barbarities. The R. may, if he please, refer many of the cruelties committed by Papists to the civil power. But what else are magistrates, under the influence of the Romish religion, than the creatures of the Pope ? " There are two swords," says Bom- face Vni., " in the power of the church, the - spiHtuai and material : One, which is in the - hand of the Pope ; and another, which is in *' the hand of kings and warriors, but whose - exercise depends on the good pleasure and in- " dulgence of the Pope." Between this decla- ration°and the general conduct of the Popes, there has subsisted the most harmonious con- nection. It can be shewn by the most authen- tic documents, that the assassin. )ns of pnnces, the bloody massacres, and the cruel persecutions,, which grace the annals of modern Europe, either ^ E 2 *^»^'^ i^ •■-.-,%- ri2 rOPERY CONDEMNED BY \t' I M l) have been the devices of Popes, or received their approbation. Upon this subject, the R. has not judged pro- per to enlarge. He only obscr\TS, that there were " some cruelties committed in Queen *' Mary's reign* ;" and even these, he attempts to persuade his readers, proceeded from the cruelty of her disposition, and a sense of the wrongs which she had received from Protestaffts. ! But did not Mary herself ascribe it to that gloomy and intolerant religion, to which she was a bigot ? And were not Popish priests her abettors and exciters ? He indeed tells us, that religion was only the pretext for destroying Rid- ley, Cranmer, and others who had attempted to deprive her of the succession. Will he inform us, if the poor old men and women, blind and lame, who suffered at that time, were burnt by Mary upon this principle; or if reading the scriptures, denying transubstantiation, and other absurd tenets of the Romish Church, were such high treason against her, as to occasion the con- signment of many to the flames ? Or will he den)", that the greatest part of these martyrs for the testimony of Jesus, were taken from the lower walks of life, and burnt at the stake, amid the rejoicing and execrations of priests ? Did many Papists know half of the spirit of that religion which they profess, they would lend it their heartiest * P. 9. heartie&t ( always fo' lent pres counting prayers, of that mind of 1 .%it thi by ftpiot tions of t shame fc Council 4CK) bish communi faith, an( ♦' livered " as the) «' That : " under " innoce *' year u: " be trei '' advisee " censur " tics 31 •' lands; *' excom •' within " the Pc " vibsolv SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. liJ heartle&t execrations. But ignorance has been always found in the Romish Church, an excel- lent preservative in the faith ; and, therefore, counting a few beads, and mumbling over a few prayers, is rather enjoined, than the acquisition of that rational information for which the mind of man is intended. JEi^it though no person had been persecuted by Apiots in Queen Mary's reign, the declara- tions of the Church ought to cover the R. with / j shame for his misrepresentation. The ibW^^-^^^ Couucil of Lateran, at which were present 40() bishops, and 800 abbots and priors, ex- communicated all who opposed the Catholic faith, and decreed, " That they should be de- livered to the secular power, to be punished as they deserve, and their goods confiscated : That all suspected persons should be laid under an anathema, unless proofs of their innocence appeared ; and if they continued a «' year under the excommunication, they should " be treated as heretics : That lords should be advised, and even obliged by ecclesiastical censures, to take an oath to exterminate !iGrc- tics and excommuicated persons out of their lands ; and any neglecting to do so should ba excommunicated by the bishops : and that, within the year, if they gave no satisfaction, the Pope should be informed, that he might absolve their subjects from allegiance, and (t 11 (( (( u >l ti (( (( t( u 'I % E3 It give ■ ml^^~- 114 •41 t( give popi:ry cokdemned bt their lands to Catholics." They grant ho cd also extensive indulgences to all persons, ^v\ would .gird up their loins for the destruction of heretics ; with many other particulars equally descriptive of the spirit of the Romish T^^\bn. To this, a multitude of similar declaratlona^ the Church might be added, but at presettlir'tl presume, both the reader and the R. x^il^pge them superfluous. ^ ^ • But the Romish Church has not been satisfied with simple decrees. Heretics are a species df animals, against which Popes have always en- tertained the most rooted antipathy. To procure, therefore, their utter excision, it was no unusual thing for them to exhibit the dearest consola- tions of religion as the reward of those who would engage in this laudable undertaking. Croisades were proclaimed ; by which, all good Papists were exhorted to aim at the destru-.tiou of such noxious vermine ; and the gaicb oi heaven opened to thieves, robbers, murderers, and sinners of all descriptions, who would only embriTi ^r.v.ir b^nds in the blood of a heretic : And yu. me R. has the audacity to say, " That " to accuse the Church of encouraging their " punishment is an unfounded slander*." He tells us of one Spanish friar who preached against persecution. Why not tell us of innumerable Popes, and other Papists, who have blown the trumpet ♦ P. 24. '" '^""V- * — ' p^' SCRIPTURE AND THE FA""HERS. 115 trumpet and drawn the sword, and, by their inlUi- cnce and, authority, destroyed above fifty millions of per9(ms, entirely on account of their religious priftfiil|i-'s ? In the short space of sixty years, th#%luibUion itself murdered a hundred and • -• ii^l^lkousand heretics. But he does not, per- ■•4^i|fe( believe that such a tribunal ever existed. fl^-R., in the bitterness of his spirit, deplores turning of the library of Oxford by. the ; '. WvOerief Oliver Cromwell. 1 can tell him for v.;;His x^omfort, that the hatred of these Protestant heretics against the Church, did-, not extend to the library of Cambridge ; and though much ecclesiastical information, treasured up at the former, was destroyed, there are yei in the lat- . ter many memorials of Popkh mercy and loving- kindness for heretics. Among others, there is the original Ball of Innocent VIll. for the ex- tirpation of the Vaudois, by which eight hun- dred thousand of these poor people were mur- dered, for believing contrary to the faitli of the Pope. From this, I will present him with a few extracts, which will shew the nature of a Croi- sado, illustrate the spirit of the Romish religion, and discover how the godly priests of thei^e days propagated their doctrines. ' " Innocent the bishop, the servant of the ser- " vants of God, to our well-beloved son, Albert '* de Capitaneis, archdeacon of the Church of - Cremona, our nuntio and commissary of the E 4 " Apostolic 4% I IIG FOriRY CONDEMNED BY «( pastoral ch?li|e, being desirous to pluck up and entirely root out from the Catholic Church that execrable sect, and those impious errors formerly meijj^ioned, lest they spread farther, and thelilEarts of the faithful be damnably corrupted by them, and to repress such rash and audacious attempts, have re- solved to exert every effort for this purpose, and to bestow upon it all our care ; And we, putting our special trust in God, as to your learning, the maturity of your wisdom, your zeal for the faith, and experience in aflairs, and likewise hoping, that you will execute, with honesty and prudence, all that we have judged proper to commit to you for 'extirpa- ting such errors — we have thought good to appoint you by these presents our nuntio and commissary of the Apostolic See, for this cause of God and of the faith. . . . • " Moreover, »>***•»•-. Xf^'' SCRIPTURE AND Tl.E FATHERS. 117 .* . . . „ Moreover, to entreat our most dear «* son ii Christ, Charles, the illustrious King «' of*^rance, and our beloved sons, Charles <'-s]»«ike of Savoy, the dukes, princes, earls, ■^'^^a temporal lords of cities, lands, the uni- . teri#Fsities of these and other places, the con- -^a^\lerates of higher Germany, and in general i» m dthers who are faithful in Christ in these -'9*^^»ffies, that they take up the shield for the :;-^ defence of the orthodox fliiih of which they :'!*wot?iSde profession in receiving holy baptism, ^^4fld of the cause of our ]K#d Jesus Christ, ^^y whom kings reign and princes rule .... And that they vehemently and vigorously set themselves in opposition to these heretics, for the defence of the 1^, the safety of their country, the preservation of themselves and all that belongs to uh-m ; that so they may cause them to perish, and utterly blot thcni " out from the face of the earth. *' And if you think it expedient, that all the faithful in these places should carry the salu- tary cross on their hearts and on their gar«. ments, to animate them to fight resolutely against these heretics, cause preach and publish the Croisade by the proper preachers of the word of God ; and grant to those who take the cross and fight against these heretics, or contribute thereto, the privilege of a plenary - indulgence, and the remission of all their sins ^ E 5 *' ^^^^ (i (t (1 (( u a (( t( t( C( u a ({ (« ::i .1.1 118 '« • . POPERY CONDEMNED BY i( 4( (( t( (( (I (( t( (1 a •♦ once in their life, and also at the .point of «♦ death, by virtue of the commission given you " above. Command likewise, upon their'obedi- ence, and on pain of the greater excommj^pi- cation, all fit preachers of the word of ©od, secular and regular, of whatever order /^^y; .; be, mendicants not excepted, exempt ^?^'. non-exempt, that they excite and inflaniet:|| these faithful to exterminate utterly, by fo^--?' and arms, that plague ; so that they M^:.- assemble with all their strength and powers;^;^ for repelling the common danger .... . . . . " Moreover, deprive all those, who do not obey your admonitions and mandates, " of whatever dignity, state, degree, order, or ''• pre-eminence they be ; ecclesiastics of their dignities, offices, and benefices, and secular persons of their honours, titles, fiefs, and privileges, if they persist in their disobdience *' and rebellion," &c. &c. In such a manner was supremacy exercised by this pretended minister of the God of peace ^ solely because these Waldenses rejected his headship, and testified against the prevalent abominations of the Romish Church. This is merely a specimen of the illustrations which can. be produced on this point ; and without doubt, much more would have been afforded us, did we only enjoy all the records of antiquity. But this is not the case -, and therefore, we can only execrate (( i( (( \ SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 119 execrate the Gothic barbarity of Oliver Crom- well's soldiers, who consigned the Oxford libra- ry to the flames for heresy, and thus deprived us-of " much ecclesiastical information." ,bo3ut, though there were no other proof of the X'Ml supremacy, than the manner in which Popes hmd Councils have annulled civil oaths and obli- -gations, it would sufficiently show that the oj^hurch arrogates a superior authority. This yifect, the R., in opposition to the plainest testi- c monies of his own Church, and the most unques- tionable historical records, rejects as groundless. I will, therefore, produce him the opinions of Pa- pists, which he may try to reconcile with his own sentiments ; and let him be assured, that his cu- riosity can be extensively gratified on this part of the subject* '' Be it known," says Gregory IX., " to all who are under the jurisdiction of those who have openly fallen into heresy, that they are free from the obligation of fidelity, dominion, and every kind of obedience to them ; by whatever means or bond they are tied to them, and how securely eoever they may be ." bound*." The Council of Constance, who burnt John Kuss and Jerome of Prague, certainly possessed some knowledge of Popish doctrine and practi- ces j and this was rheir declaration, after mak« E 6 ing. * Greg. Deer. p. 2. c. i6. ;< (( i( i( t; (( \l\ < 'S^ ]20 rOPrRY CONDEMNED EY m _ g the emperor break his promise of a safe-con- tluct to these persons, " The holy Synod of Constance declares, concerning every safe- conduct granted by' the emperor, kings, and other temporal princes, to heretics, or persons accused of heresy, in hopes of reclaiming them, that it ought not to be of any prejudice to the Catholic faith, or to the ecclesiastical jurisdiction j nor to hinder such persons from being examined, judged, and punished ac- cording to justice, if those heretics refuse to revoke their errors, though they have come to the place of judgement relying upon their " safe-conduct, and without which they would not have come ; and the person, who shall have promised them security, shall not, in this case, be obliged to keep his promise, by whatever tie he may have been engaged.*' By this, the reader will perceive, what de- pendence ought to be placed on Popish oaths of allegiance. The bindings of the Legislature can easily be untied by absolution of a priest. The R. attempts to quibble upon this point, by in- sinuating, that no dispensation can be given to break a lawful oath. But has the Romish Church ever taught the obligation of oaths of allegiance to heretics, and accounted them " lawful ?*' I will show him how Papists, in the reign of James VI., took an oath of alle- giance J a «( (i <( (t a t( «< (( ti tt (( SCRIl giance ; and by the Rom After the it was judg( of the comn this purpose king imagin found, that be sa easily chenius she> obligations may see by king. ■" Sc "• covers itsi " When he " oath, he " stances, t '* science, " could not " its tyingSj " of admitt " solved to^ " which is 1 " pose, tha " known oi " eth no m: " king's Ot " declared •' self. Yc " of it has SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 121 glance ; and what views were entertained of k by the Romish Church. After the discovei y of the Gunpowder plot, it was judged requisite to bind the Popish part of the community a little more securely. For this purpose, an oath was framed, which this king imagined sufficiently strong. But he soon found, that the consciences of Papists could not be sa easily fastened as he had supposed. Pas- chenius shewed him a way, by which all their obligations were speedily cancelled, as the R, may see by consulting his treatise against the king. ■*' See,** says he, " what simplicity dis- ' '' covers itself in the midst of so much cunning. " When he had placed all his security in that " oath, he thought it knit with so many circum- " stances, that it could not, with a safe con- " science, be dissolved by any man. But he " could not see, that if the Pope dissolved it, all " its tyings, whether of fidelity to the king, or " of admitting no dispensation, would be dis- " solved together. Yea, I v^ill say another thing «« which is more admirable. You know, I sup- " pose, that afi unjust oath^ if it be evidently " known or openly declared to be such, bind- " eth no man, but is ipso facto null. That the " king's oath is unjust, hath been sufficiently " declared by the pastor of the church him- " self. You see, therefore, that the obligation " of it has vanished into smoke ; so that the ii ... I LLUiU, i..< ? Clemen and his q break vov " tionof^ " Peter i " nence, " ready r " oaths a: " and the " theij CO " works I *' confess " peace c The Q< « cian of ei an examp ness, whi of the CO] count of liged to r nourably settled at esteem i] there end SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 123 did not think it fit to break his word. Henry IL, however, was not so scrupulous. He receii ved a dispensation to break his father's will, and thereby dispossessed his brother Geoilry of the kingdom of Anjou. Clement VI. granted to King John of France and his queen a very extensive indulgence to break vows and promises : *' With rhe excep- " tion of vows ultramarine to the blessed apostles, ♦• Peter and Paul, and of chastity and conti- nence, to exchange such vows as they had al- ready made or might make, and also such oaths as had been or might be taken by them and their successors in all time coming, which theij could not cowvenienihj keep^ for other works of piety, which should appear to their confessor expedient, toward God and for the peace of their souls *.*' The ^case of Moses Charas, a French physi- cian of eminence in the 17th century, presents an example of supremacy and of perfidious base- ness, which can be equalled only by other parts of the conduct of the Romish Church. On ac- count of the persecutions in France,' he was ob- liged to remove to England, where he was ho- nourably received by the king. Afterwards he settled at Amsterdam, and practised with great esteem in that city. The Spanish ambassador there endeavoured to persuade him to attend his master. (( (( (t ti i( u (( u ' li I * c„:.v i^acaer, L.p;cu 2sO. a *, 224. POriRY CONDEMNED BTf umster, u ho at that time was very infirm. When the doctor hesitated through fear of the Inquisi. tion the ambassador assured him of protection, and carried him and his family along with him to Madrid. But he did not continue long there, t'U he was delivered up to these heresy-hunters, and saved himself from the flames, only by re- nouncing his religion. By these observations, the reader will be able to judge whether the Romish Church approve of keeping faith with heretics. Mr Burke and the R., in saying that it ought to be kept, belie both the principles and practices of their prede- cessors in religion. " Be assured," says Mardn v., in an epistle to Alexander, Duke of Lithua- nia', " thou sinnest mortally, if thou keep thy •* faith with heretics.*' " And justly,'' says bishop Simancha, " were some heretics burnt by '* the most solemn judgement of the Council of " Constance, though they had been promised " security *." As Mr Burke's exposition of this particular is very curious, I will present it to the reader. 'Tis also necessary," says he, « to disclaim this position, that no failh is to be kept 'with^ heretics ; no Catholic, nor any other man oi common sense, ever believed it. . . . The in- discretion of a Cardinal, and the ignorance of an Ir;'.li Prelate of the Estabiislicd Church, i( li it (( i( «( " gave oc '' The Ca dit was " a most '* letter w " mereig '' ing, tn " was no I " not bej " would " habcndi *' simply, " v!'hich ^ *' not th; " the Pre With 3 he ought knowled^ discuss tl « that to b time beei tised in t phrase, '^ ningly pi of the CI decent a; it is nioc3 duct of other Pc * Insilt. t't. .16. sect. '2. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 125 ti «( ii it (( (( (( a (vave occasion to the insertion of this clause : " The Cardinal in a private letter said, that cre- dit was not to be given to the zvorJs of heretics ^ a most indecent and groundless assertion ; the '* letter was published, and the Prelate through " mere ignorance mistaking the Cardinal's mean- " ing, translated the phrase in a sense which " was not intended, and which the words can- " not bear : A child at the Grammar School would have told the Prelate, that non est fides habcnda hereticis, the Cardinal's words signify simply, that credit is not to be given to heretics^ v"hich was the sense intended by the Cardinal, not that faith is not to be kept with heretics^ " the Prelate's version *." With all due deference to Mr Burke's opinion, he ouctht to have possessed either a little more knowledge or candour, before he pretended to discuss this p^in^ Fie ought to have known, that to keep no faith with heretics has for a long time been a maxim faithfully believed and prac- tised in the Romish Church ; and also, that the phrase, which he has either ignorantly or cun- ninc^ly produced, does not exhibit the doctrine of the Church of Rome in its true colours. In- decent as the expression of this cardinal may be, it is modesty itself when compared with the con- duct of the Council of Constance, and m.any other Popish clergymen, and also with the ex- t pressions * Letter of Instruct, p. 2C. 21. 126 POPERY CONDEMNED BY » J prcssions which have been used to illustrate this doctrine. He must be a very ignor-^nt priest in- deed, who does not know, that the phrase used by the Church is not " non est fides habenda " hereticis," but " non est fides servanda here- •' ticis ;" and the latter would be translated by a boy at the granunar-school, in tjie usual way. Of the real existence of this doctrine in the Church, and likewise of the mode of expression, the following authorities may convince him. " Fides hereticis data servanda non est : Faith " given to heretics is not to be kept *." . " Si tyrannis piratis et c^^eris praedonibus, *• fides servanda non est, qui corpus occidunt, longe minus hereticis pertiuiicibus qui occidunt animas.— It faith ought net to be kept with tyrants, pirates, and other plunderers who kill the body, lar less wiih obstinate heretics who destroy souls f.** " Hereticis datain fidem servaadam non esse intelligo, cum data fidcs est ad detrimentuni fidei catholicce.— Faith given to heretics ought not to be kept, that is, faith given to the de- " triment of the catholic fairh }." Menochius, a Roman Canonist, also asserts, *' lliat the safe-condiict granted by princess in ** case? of heresy is uuiawfulj because the iufe- " rior" (as he supposes all princes to be to rhe Pope) (( t( (( it t( (( (( (( * Simancha Instit. tit. 46. sect. 5T. :{; Placs Eint. delict, lib. i. c. 37. + kt. ibid. Pope) '« " ed by 1 " cil of ( " condu( Cardir *' T\vAt I " the Pr «' ought The s; Andreas " school *' pany) » of the " manif » Cathc '« others " man, " all hi; •• anv c " and t " out c " lest h Fron what ci Before suade t such av riads oi * Lib SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. Pope) " cannot secure them who are cond eel by the superior ; and therefore, the ' 127 lemn- Coiin- (( (I it n (( (t *' cil of Constance did well in annulling the safe " conduct granted to heretics *." Cardinal ilosius told Henry, King of Poland, I'hat he ought not to keep the faith given to the Protestants, for this reason, that an oath ought not to be a bond of iniquity f." The same excellent doctrine is inculcated by Andreas Philopator, who says, " That the whole school of divines, (and that is a goodly com- '' pany), teaches, and it is a thing certain,^ and of the faith, that any Christian prince, if he manifestly apostatize from the religion of the » Cathohc R. man Church, and attempt to draw '♦ others from it, does, by the law of God and '■• man, fall from all power and authority ; and all his subjects are free from the obligation of anv oath of obedience and loyalty to -him ; and they may, and ought to cast such a one out of his power, as an apostate and a heretic, " lest he infect others j." From these particulars, the reader will learn what civil supremacy has been claimed by Popes. Before the R., therefore, again attempt to per- suade the world that they never arrogated any such authorky, he must let the memory of my- riads of martyrs, whom the Romish Church, by her * Lib, 1. Concil. loc. n. 227. 22S. f Epist. 193. X Resp. p. 149. 157. t( u (( 12S POPERY CONDtMNLD liiT her cruelty, has hastened to their habitation a- roimd the throne of Gud, be forgotten. The Pope, it is true, does not now possess any such power ; nor is it at all probable that he ever will. These kings, who " gave thtir power to the '' beast," are gone ; and another race sprung up, who arc not Hkely to trust their authority hito hands who made such a beastly use of it. The declining condition of the Romish Church will soon terminate in eternal dissolution. The hour of God's judgement is approaching, when Babylon shall fall, and be found no more : " They havf shjd the blood of saints and pro- *' phets, and thou hast given them blood to «• drink ; for they are worthy. Even so, Lord ** God Almighty, true and righteous are thy *' judgements *■•# CHAP. V. AN EXAMINATION OF THE R.'s SCRIPTURAL NOTKS OF Tllii- TRUE CHURCH ; INDKFECTA- BILITY, PERPETUAL VISIBILITY, UNIVERSA- LITY, AND INFALLIBILITY. It must be of considerable importance in reli- gion to ascertain the true Church. By the or- dinances * Rev. xvi. 6. •". dinanccs o terests of i divine pre which mal^ •' seeking cise of the beyond the such, the r the Churc other soc'u petual visib Since th champion have lost n istics. Th; fifteen; bu these as sc3 of the Chu prudence o givpn for tl direction oi hi bit them there are si tholic. 2. plitude. 5 ment in do( Union of t with the he ficacy of d( The glory ( SCRIPTURE AND THE lATIIERS. 129 (llnanccs of religion dispensed there, the best in- terests of man are promoted ; for with these the divine presence is connected, and that blessing which makes rich for eternity. On this account, •' seeking the way to Zion" becomes the exer- cise of those persons, whose views are directed beyond the limits of time. For the direction of such, the R. h^is specified certain nutes, by which the Church may be distinguished from every other society. These are indefectability, per- petual visibility, universality, and infallibility. Since the days of his great friend and fellow- chanipion Bellarmine, the Church appears to have lost many of her distinguishing character- istics. That celebrated hater of heretics counted fifteen ; but perhaps the R, considered many of these as scarcely applicable to the present state of the Church of Rome, and therefore through prudence omitted them. As they were formerly givpn for the confirmation of the simple, and the direction of wanderers, he will permit me to ex- hibit them for the benefit of a country in which there are so many heretics. 1. The name Ca- tholic. 2. Antiquity. S. Duration. 4. Am- plitude. 5. Succession of bishops. 6. Agree- ment in doctrine with the primitive church. 7. Union of the members among themselves, and with the head. 8. Sanctity of doctrine. 9. Ef- ficacy of doctrine. 10. Holiness of life. 11. The clorv of miracles. 12. The liohf of nm. phecy. !% ! Il 4 w X ISO POPERY CONDliM^''lI' ^"^ ] 4. The the Church. phecy. 1 3. Confession of adversaries unhappy end of the enemies c 15. Temporal felicity*. According to B.Uarmine, ^vherever these notes exist, there is the true Church, or to express^ his meaning more perspicuously there ts tne Church of Rome, which, he and the R. very naturally suppose, possesses the only cla.m to truth. A short review of these notes would e- vince the contrary. At present, the reader ntay be satisfied with comparing the 15th, temporal felicity, with the doctrine of Christ. 1 hat is es- sentially necessary to the existence of the church, because the Saviour has said, " In the world ye . » shall have tribulations t-" On the contrary, persons, who are persecuted, « afflicted and tor- » merited," for conscience sake, smell rankly of heresy : for it is said of those who are before the throne and before the Lamb, " These are they « who came out of great tribulation +. H,s illustration of the notes of the true Church, the R. has prefaced with the following observa- tions. '■ He does not enquire whether the Church of Christ be the Roman Church, or the English Church, or a Church of any other denomination : such an enquiry is useless : for if it be incoutrovertibly true that the Church of Christ is and was perpetually visible, smce the publication of the new law on the day of " Pentecost, * De Not. EccUs. f John, xvi. 33- tR".»ii.i4> (( {( 1( U n il «' Pentec *• have I " whose " a later " these " thiie i " parts r " at all *« sible ^ Such : supposes Protestai racy of t which pi ledges a days of have oii having t beast, C'hurcK tichristii liis own Church form CO no part say ther in her j: with all archs, « SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 131 , The urch. notes c press is the' . very im to Lild e- T may nporal t is es- hurch, )rld ye \ ntrary, nd tor- nkly of 'ore the re they ;:hurch, )bserva- :ier the irch, or ly other ess: for Church e, since e day of ^ntecost, " Pentecost, all the different societies, which *• have since been fonntd ; all the Churches " whose commencement is fixed by Catholics to " a later date, and admitted by the members of " these Church*. s to have commenced at that " time in their present form, are manifestly no " parts nor portions of the one Church of Christ, " at ail times, and without any cessation, vi- *« sible */' Such an inquiry is not so UvSeless as the R* supposes, ("when Papists begin to fix dates,- Protestants do not always acquiesce in the accu- racy of their chronology. No Protestant Church, which proceeds on scriptural principles, acknow- ledges a commencement at a later date than the days of the apostles. ^ We maintain, that we have only reassumed our original form, after having been transformed into the i??wge of the beast. We also consider the present state of the Churcli of Rome as a decisive proof of her an- tichristian condition ; and by taking the R. upon liis own principles, we can prjve her to be no Church of Christ. Ail Churches whose present form commenced at a later date, he affirms, are no part of the one Church of Christ. 'Will he say then, that the Romish Ciiurch has subsisted in her present form sincti the day of Pentecost, with all her offices, as popes, cardinals, patri- archs, archbishops, bishops, archdeacons, dea- cons, * P. 109. no. I T! 1 532 rorERY condemned by cons, abbots, priests, monks, friars, nuns, &c. &c ? Or with her various orders, such as Au- SU^tines, Carmelites, Franciscans Domin.cans with all their subdivisions, Cordehers, Recol. lects. Capuchins, Penitents, the Mitigated, the Reformed, and whole legions of Matunns, ir- nitarians, Minims, Celestines, Servites, Jesmtes, Barnabites, Theatines, Lazarites, Bened.ctmes, Bornardines, Fathers of the Christian doctrme, Friars of Charity, and a multitude of other or- dcrs which have desolated the earth ? Was the Church then in the possession of all her present means of salvation ; such as holy water, holy candles, and holy grease ? Or did the apostle Peter, in sending the inferior clergy upon a preaching.cxcursion, dispatch with them a few heresy-hunters from his Inquisition, that the '■ simple faithful" might frequemly enjoy an Auto de Fe, and be delighted with the torments and savoury smell of roasting heretics ? Till the R. has settled these points, we may proceed to an examination of his notes of the Church. ■ I. Indefectability. By indefectability the R. means, that the Church of Christ has always enjoyed, and will continue to possess, an uninterrupted existence to the end of time. To prove this point, he has produced a number of quotations from scripture. SCRIP ^I-^I"^I^ A^^ '^^'^ VATIIERS. SD H'^ might, however, have saved himself this trouble, had he only recollected that we Protest- ants are as strenuous supporters of this doctrine as the Romish Church. The Lord Jesus Chnst, we believe, will always have a seed to serve him, whom he will preserve as the apple of his eye ; and we consider it as one of the principal conso- lations of religion in declining times, that he will again build up Zion, and appear in his glory. But we will not be so ready to grant the conse- quences, which he pretends to deduce from this doctrine. Though we receive the declarations of scripture without hesitation, we proceed with the assertions of men upon logical principles, and never admit a conclusion, till we have exr.- mined its premises. As a proof of the indcfectability of the Church, he produces the following words of Isaiah, i' Every weapon which is formed against thee «' shall miss, and every tongue which rises in «• judgement against thee, thoushalt condemn." And then he draws from them this conclusion. - If the first reformer had weighed weil the force of this promise, he would have seen that as he himself did not compose the Church to which the promise was made, his opposition to her established doctrine placed him evident- ly among these tongues, which rise up in judgement -..gainst her, and that of course she would condemn him. This reasoning is ap. p «* plicable (( (( (( (( (( u (( \ ' I, ai 134 POPERY CONDEMMED BY t w t( (( it *' plicable to every innovator, who has formed a *' party since the apostles* days. The argument *' is insoluble if the Ex. will admit that the prq- ** mij-e was made to the Catholic Church ; if he denies it, let hira assign some other Church visible since the Apostles days, without inter- ruption or intermission *." Though the Church of Rome has condemned, and laid her murderous fangs, as oftAi as she could, upon those who differ from her in senti- ment, it is no evidence that she is the Church of the Prince of peace. The R.'s argument, with all its bindnigs, is not so insoluble as he imagines. AVith a very small portion of penetration he might have seen, that his reasoning, it it deserves tlie name, must appear inconclusive to Pr;)test- ants, who oppose the very principles upon which it is founded. Though Papists have arrogated to themselves tlie name of Cafholic, wc have n^-iihcr granted, nor has he proven, the Roi^nish Church to be exclusively the catholic or univer- sal Church, to which the promise was made. *We have -..s little ackn'iv/icdged ourselves no part ct this-catholic Church, or allowed the ne- cc.t;iiy of its visibihty v.'iihout interruption or in- tcnni^sion. On the contrary, we are persuaded, that both our f.iith and practice are founded upon the word of Gv)d ; which is more than can be said for many of the doctrines and unmeaning ceremonies, * P. 1 1 T. SCRIFTUKE AND THE FAlHI^RS. 13. i ceremonies, which Papists have grafted upon religion. We hope also to witness the faithtitL ncss of God in our preservation ; and Ss yet, we have certainly reason to view ihe operations^ oi his providence as a conhrination of our laill). Notwithstanding the bloody persecutions of the Romish Church, by which millions of our ai> cestors have been persecuted to the death, the Reformation, so congenial to both the religious and civil interests of society, is not only preser- ved, but extending its benign influences over these very countries which most furiously oppo- sed it. We are also persuaded, that a religior, which tends to fetter the minds of men with ig- norance and supersution, must be repugnant to the designs of (^.hrist, who expands the hearts of his people by informingMieir judgement. What- - ever, therefore, may be our charily lor mdivi- duals of the Romish Church, we consider her coll'ctively, as the enemy of mankind ; and we view the operations of God, as hastening the ap- proach of that period, when the friends of Christ shall join in hailelmas, on beholding the smoke of her torment ascending up for ever and ever. Till the R., therefore, has proven that the Pro- tectant Churches and other existing societies of Christians are no parts of the " one" Church of Christ ; till he has shewn that the Romish Church is exclusively so, and also that the. F 2 Church 136 POPERY CONDKMNED BY Church must be perpetually visible, we must resist his conclusion respecting all reformers. By this doctrine of indefectah''*'", he thinks • he has completely overturned U. .ole Refor- mation. " The first reformers," says he, " did *' not even pretend that there was a kingdom or " state, a city, town, or country village on " earth, in which the reformed doctrine was '* taught before their own time *." (Upon this doctrine he founds the exulting inquiry, " What " became of Christ's kingdom before that invin- *' cible hero Martin Luther reinstated him on " his throne t ?*' Whom he means by the " first" refcrmei's, I am iit a loss to determine. It will be difficult for hiin to specify a period, in which there were ^ none who testified against Papal usurpations and other pollutions of the Romish Church. If he mean Protestant reformers, he discovers the most contemptible ignorance or misrepresentation. — Our ancestors always declared their doctrine founded upon the scriptures, and agreeable to the faith of the primitive Church. They uni- versally appealed to scripture, and showed from the writings of the firi-t ages, the antiquity of their opinions. So far from broaching new doc- trines, they often appealed to a free Council, which \he Popes, afraid of the consequ Lances, would never allow them. Many of them have « ' a^so P. r2r. f P. 120. .:.«>i ti iiO POPi:i. ^ CONDEMNED T\Y K h. %. > / <( i( U (t i( ;t c( (( 14 U (( it it ;l :( (( <( (( (( iC «( (( {C u (( (< either read or know how to read the holy scriptures. . . . They have neter touched any other part of the Bible than the cover, though they swear at their instalment that they know it all * :" And, says the same author, " The Church, which Jesus Christ has chosen for his spouse without spot and blemish, is in these days a warehouse of ambition and busi- ness, of theft and rapine. The sacraments, and all orders, even that of the priests, are exposed to sale. For money, they bestow fa- vours, dispensations, licences, offices, and be- nefices. They sell the pardon of sins, masses, and the very administration of our Lord's bo- dy. If any person desire a bishoprick, he need only get himself furnished with money ; yet not a little sum, but a great one, must purchase such a great title. He need only empty his purse to obtain the dignity which he seeks ; but he may soon fill it again advan- tageously, by more ways than one. If any one wish to be made a prebendary or ? priest of any church, or to have any other charge, it is of no consequence whether his merit, his life, or his manners be known ; but it is very requisite that it should be known, how much money he has gotten ; for his hopes will suc- ceed only in proportion to his cash f." " The Court of Rome,'* says Eneas Sylvius, it * De Coir. Stat. Eccks. f De Presu!. (i SCRIPTURE AND Tilll FATHERS. Ml i. gives nothing without moaey. It sells the a very imposition of hands, and the gifts of the .» Holy Ghost. It will give pardon of sins to i* none, but such as will part with their mu- " ney*." « With shame and sensible displeasure, says the cardinal of Lorraine, in an oration to the Council of Trent, " I mention the lives we have " led:" And the complaint of the Duke of Bavaria's ambassador before the same Council shows, that the cardinal had some reason for saying so. He told them, « That he could not » describe the horrible wickedness of the clergy, " without offending the chaste ears of the au- - dience ; and that the correction of doctrinal - points would be vain, unless they first cor- rected their manners : That they were mfa- n.ous for their luxury ; and, though the civil magistrate did not suffer any layman to have ^» a concubine, it was so common among the " clergy, that Acre could not be found above .« three or four out of a hundred priests, who .' did not keep whores, or were unmarried." Docs the R. think these Popish quotations de- scribe " a Holy Church which will remain for '* ever ?*' But, even allowing the Romish Church to be the Church of Christ which has hoU;iess as a cha- racteristic, Protestants may still have good rca- — son (( (i t( F5 * Epist. Lib. 1. cp, I" .-;!' 66. ■Jlgf^ y^. tkmf. .^».MB»llil»ip I h ^ 142 POPEUY CONDEMNED BT «( (; son to charge her with superstition and idolatry. Israel appear to have been guilty of " some'* superstitious idolatry ; and yet God acknow- ledged their relation to him as a Church, " Mij '• people,** says he, " ask counsel at their stocks .... They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the u hills *,"-^ But the R.'s second question is still more in- significant. " If the Church," says he, " be " the Assembly of the Saints, why do you scpa- ** rate yourselves from it ?" Let him bethink him- self whether Protestants . separated themselves, or were unjustly cast out of the Romish Church. When our ancestors discovered the abominations that were practised under the mask of religion, ought they to have quieted their consciences with the consideration, that it was the Church who did them ? They saw it their duty to at- tempt a removal of them ; and they took the regular steps for this purpose. But the Church of Rome justified her pollunons, by treating them as the rulers of the Jews did the first dis- ciples of Christ J and our ancestors only imita- ted the conduct of the latter when cast out of the synagogue. It is the Church of Rome, therefore, that is chargeable with schism. Our ancestors were expelled from her communion, solely for an adherence to the truths bf religion; and * Hos. iv. 1 2. 1 5, -* — liS that SCRIPTURE AND T;!1: FATHERS. and therefore, we have the best right to say we are the Church of Christ, and to claim iliat indefectubiUty from which the R. attempts to ex- elude us. ' ^ ] But, by taking him upon his own ground ot indefectabiUty, it can be easily proven, that the Church of Rome has no claim at all to be the Christian Church. Bellarmine informs us, that the true Church subsists only, where there is a union of the members with the head. In this case, the want of a head must be as grc;^t a de- feet, as a warn of members. In either case the Church must be entirely annihilated ; and many periods can be specified, in which there was no Pope. . , Since the R. thinks a continuation ot the same form necessary to the indefectabiUty of the Church, let me ask him, where his Church was before the Council of Trent ? Was Leo the Great for receiving the Eucharist only in onekmd? Did Gregory the Great support the worship of images, and " the proud, profane, and Anti- christian title" of universal bishop ? Was Pope Gelasius a defender of transubstantiation ? Were St. Cyprian, St. Augustine, the Council of Chalcedon, and the African bishops, for appeals to Rome, and submission to the Pope's jurisdic- tion ? If not, what right has he to appropriate indefectabiUty to the Romish Church ? since he , . -J •- J ..;»>^;,Ai/:i tha^ ^11 Churches, Y 6 which- '*»■ 144 rOPERY CONDEMNED BY which have not retained the same form from the day of Pentecost, are manifestly no parts nor portions of the one Church of Christ,' §y II. Perpetual Visibility. What has been already observed, will show the reader, that the establishment of this doc- trine proves at least as much for Protestants, as for the Romish Church. We do not pretend to have commenced our ecclesiastical existence in the days of Luther ; we trace it to the exhi- bition of the first promise of mercy. If the R. can then show the perpetual visibility of the Romish Church, he proves our existence before the reformation. And since that period, proofs are unnecessary. These paroxisms of rage, into ' which he is thrown by the very names of our reforming ancestors, shew, that he thinks us still existing in real earnest. Though I have no intention at present to con- . trover t his doctrine of perpetual visibility, I can- not help observing, that his view of it is entire- ly unscriptural. By raking together a few pas- sages of scripture which describe the Church in her periods of splendour, he figures to himself u visibility, which has no existence but in his , own imagination. Of this, the following pas- sage may serve as an illustration ; " Jnd it *' shall come to pass in the hut days, that the moun- *' tain SCniPTURE AND THE FATHIRS. U5 « n tain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the ?}wuntains, and shall be exalted " above the hills^ The prophet in terms strongly expressive as language can afford an- it nounces the visibility of Christs Church. " Nothing can be more visible than a mountain " elevated on the summit of mountains, the *' man must be Hind indeed, who does not sec (( it # » t( u If the desire of establishing a particular sys- tem had not perverted the R.'s judgement, he would have seen that these words are far from applicable to every state of the Church. Does his doctrine of visibility apply to the days of Elijah ? or to that period, when " Israel were without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without the law t ?" Will he de- clare the Church of Rome to have been as vi- sible jduring the ten persecutions, as at the Council of Constance ? Both Protestants and Papists, I believe, maintain with the apostle Paul, that the appearance of Antichrist is con- nected with a general apostacy ; and should not that affect the visibility of the Church ? Will he show us how much visibility she possessed, when the wings of a great eagle were given her to fly into the wilderness ? or let him measure its extent by the words of Christ, " When the Son of man '' Gometh, shall .he find faith on the earth J ?" To * P, no. f 2 Chron. xv. 3. % Luke, xvlli. 8. Im 1- It ««9***'"^'^'^!*4^ 11 (J POPERY CONDEMNED BY @i'( '■ i" i To shew him how inconsistent his views are with truth, and even with the views of Papists, I will shew him what some have taught concern- ing the visibility of the Church. " The whole faith of the Church,** says Ock. am, " may remain in one person, as it did in the *' blessed Virgin at the time of our Lord's pas- " slon. If God permitted this in the days of " the apostles, he will much sooner permit it in " these latter ages *." " It is possible," says Panormitan, " that the *' faith of Christ may remain in one person " only. At the passion of our Saviour, it re- ** mained only in the blessed Virgin ; and on ** this account, perhaps, the Gloss says, Where- ** ever good ?nen are^ there is the Church of " Rome "[J' Manv more divines of the Romish Church can be produced to the same purpose. But these will suffice to show the R., that a person may lose his view of the Church, and yet not be chargeable with blindness. If there be times, in which " the mountain of the house *' of the Lord shall be ex-^lted," there are others, in which " the city shall be low in a " low place }.'* III. Uni. * Dial. p. I. lib. 2. c. 25. \ In Ca;;. Slgnif. de £!ect. X Isa. xxxiii. i^. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHIilRS. III. Universality. 14.7 Protestants, as well as Papists, are per- suaded that the Church of Christ is catholic or universal. I have, therefore, no intention to controvert the scriptural proofs which he has adduced in defence of this doctrine. In the courre of his i-easoning, however, he has com- mitted one trifling mistake. He has' forgotten to shew, that these promises of universality, which have been made to the Christian Church, are only applicable to die Church of Rome. He seems to have viewed it as an uncontrovert- ed principle, that the Romish and the Catholic Church are synonymous expressions. But though Papists have arrogated to themselves this title, and Protestants have sometimes called them Rom^an' Catholics, to distinguish them from others, we never believed them to be the uni- versal Church. Many of us, on the contrary, have maintained them to be no Church at all. His reasoning, when divested of circumlocution, is this, " If you allow us Papists to be tlie " Catholic Church, I will prove that promises 'V of universality are made us in the scrip- " tures." According to the R.'s own language, the Romish Church is destitute of that universality which he attempts to claim for her. " In these •' texts f'i '1 f'U 148 POPERY CONDEMNED BY Iff ^ f?Hi u . ** texts and others similar of the Old Testa- •' ment,** says he, " the universality of Christ's " Church is so distinctly xoretold, that 'tis an *' article inserted in the bapdsmal creed, com- " monly called the apostles creed : I believe in " the Holy Catholic Church, That this univer- ** sahty includes both time and place .... " we shall presently see *." Can the R., then, specify a period, in which the Romish Church possessed a universality of place? Have her tenets been propagated in every nation on earth? If not, why does he claim for her the title of the Catholic Church ? A httle reflection would have shewn him, that many of the scriptures, by which he attempts to illustrate this point, are applicable only to these days, when the whole earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord ; and therefore, can be no distinguishing characteristic of the Church of Christ in her present situation. IV. Infallibility. In what infallibility consists, we are informed in tlie 1 25th page of the Remarks : " 'Tis mani- " fest to any man, who reasons, who is not '• totally blinded by prejudice or party spirit, " that this promise of Christ f must exclude " for ever from his Church the lightest shade " of * P. III. f ?,Ta^ ::vj. 1 8. ■ii K SCRIPTURE AND THE FATiiilRS. U9 (( of error. stand by infallibility This is what wc Catholics under >> The establishm last importance have no r ent of this doctrine is of the to Papists. Without it, they ,,avc .^^ ^esting place for the sole of their foot, even in the scriptures themselves. Of this, the R is sensible ; and, therefore, he labours hard to prove its existence. Before entering upon an examination of his proofs, it may be proper to inquire, where this i^rerogative is lodged, and to whom it belongs. Upon this point, the R. has been very expli- cit « Some 1750 years ago," says he, " 'twas a settled doctrine that infallibility in doctrmal decisions is claimed by the body of the Pas- tors united to their head on the promise of " Jesus Christ to be with them till the end of time. Mat, ulu and the assistance of the Holy Ghost who was sent to teach them all truth.— John xvi. 1 3. On this article of doc- trine there never was a shade of disagreement among Catholics*." This point, which, he says, has been settled so many ages ago, appears, like other sublunary things, to have undergone various revolutions since that period. Infallibility has been some- times claimed by Councils, and sometimes by Popes ; and Protestants have not hesitated herc- tically to declare, that it belonged to neither. ' Upon * P. 69. u l( (( II u u (i ''ym\ i. ■ ■4H ■»i.3; 1.50 POPERY CONDEMNED BY % ■I ^ r ■I ; H i! i! \i Upon this point, I will produce a few Popish opinions, which the R. may compare wiih his own sentiments. By a decree of the Council of Constance, it was declared, " That this Council had its power " immediately from Jesus Christ ; and that even " the Pope was bound to obey it." This de- cree was also confirmed by the Council of Basil, who, after suspending Eugenius from all Papal jurisdiction, emitted the following declara- tions : " I. That the power of a general Coun- cil, representing the universal Church, over the Pope and every other person, declared by the general Council of Constance and this of Basil, is a truth of the Catholic faith. II. That the Pope has no authority to dissolve, prorogue, or transfer from one place to ano- ther, a general Council, without their con- sent, is a truth of the Catholic faith. III. He is to be esteemed a heretic, who pertinacious- ly opposes these two aforesaid truths *." On the contrary, it is maintained in the decre- tals, " That the Pope can be judged by none ; <■' that his judgement, v^hether respecting faith, manners, or discipline, ought to be preferred to all things ; and tliat nothing is true except what he approves, and every thing which he condemns is false !•*' *• We can believe nothing," says Lewis Cap- sensis, * Sess. 38. f P. I. dist. 19. c. I. 4. (( (( t( (( (( (( (t ii n 4t K (( (( SCr.lPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 151 sensis, " unless we believe with ^a divine faith, u that the Pope is the successor of St. Peter and u infallible *." ^ „ '. It depends on the pleasure of the i ope, says Baronius, '' to ratify decrees and alter them " when ratified t-'* '• The Pope,'* says Bellarmine, " is absolute- '* ly above the Cathohc Church and above a - general Council ; so that he has no judge a- " bove him on earth |.'* The R. may also recollect, that the Pope classed it among the scandalous and heretical opinions of lAither, " That any one should "^ maintain a doctrii.e contrary to his sentiments, «' while he waited for the decision of a general " Council." . These are a sample of Popish opinions re- specting the seat of infallibility ; and yet the R. affirms^^ that " on this article of doctrine, there « . r was a shade of disagreement among » Catholics.'* The jarring opinions of Popes and Councils must be an excellent foundation for the faith of the " simple faithful." Will he shew us how they are to know where the infal- libihty is lodged ? Must they likewise be infaU lible, that they may be quaUfied to judge whe- ther Popes or Councils are tue greatest liars ? But perhaps another way may be found. Phi- losophers * De Fide dlsp. 2. sect. 6. f Ad. Ann. 373. t De Rom. Pent. lib. 3. c. 6. 152 POPERY CONDEMNED BY i \ il 11. ^ W "if *i .ii " . \ i i \ 1 i\i J- -r . hi t m\ losophers have sagdy observed, that virtue lies in the middle, and vice at the two extremes. When the Pope then says, lo, here is Christ, and the Council, lo, there, might not the " sim- " pie faithful'* follow his own direction, " believe *' them not ?'* A great part of his reasoning in defence of the infallibility, he pretends to found on the scriptures. It did not occm* to him, that ac- cording to his own principle, this prerogative must be granted to the Romish Church, before he can draw any proof from the scriptures to defend it. " It is only,'' says he, « by the in- " fallible testimony of the Catholic Church, that «' the scriptures are known to be divinely inspi- *' red *.** Is it not reasoning in a circle to say, the infallibility proves the inspiration of scripture, and then the scriptures prove the infallibiilty ? But, overlookhig this difficulty entirely, the doctrine of infallibility is not even implied in these passages of scripture by which he attempts to support it ; as a short view of his proofs will discover.. Infallibility he maintains to be by no means a privilege peculiar to the Church under the New Testament. He accordingly endeavours to shew that the Jews possessed it, as a collateral proof of its present existence in the Church. " 'Tis " admitted," says he, " by the framers of the " thirty- * P. 143. " thirty-i «' of do( " that th " of fait] •' must r ♦' ture. " and s] »' It's no '< comin " serve ♦' Churci " Mat, *♦ had pi " the Pi ♦' of COI «' scripti " speak: " ish CI " xxiii. " chair I" theijb " Scrib I" tau'^h 1" tions i" with I" they I" own « and iilliPii mill SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 15S thirty-nine articles, which compose the code of doctrine by law established in England, that the Church has authority iu controversies of faith, but with this restriction, that she must not order any thing contrary to scrip- ture. The restriction is of their own growth, and speaks the exuberance of their fancy. It's not found in scripture, and is insulting to common sense ; the Saviour says without re- serve or restriction, If he will not hear the Church let him be to thee as a heathen,— Mat, xviii. Why so ? because the Redeemer had promised that he himself would be with the Pastors and teachers in his Church, and of course that in it nothing contrary to the scriptures should be taught. Hence also speaking of the lawful ministers of the Jew- ish Church, he said without restriction ; Matt, xxiii. r. The Scribes and Pharisees sit on the chair of Moses, all things therefore whatsoever they bid you observe and do, observe them. The Scribes and Pharisees were corrupt men, taught errors privately, gave false interpreta- tions to the law, through interested views ; with this the Saviour reproached them ; but they taught no public error, ...*." " This restriction," he says, " is of their own growth ; it is not found in scripture, and is insulting to common sense." He ought * P. 126. I! " ''••liiiiilllriMlllliMHi" in \ i) 154, POPERY cc^'^LM^ED by ought to'kncvv a little more of tb.e doctrine the scriptures, before he condemn the opunons of Protestants. These framers were ignomt of anv precept of religion, which enjomed them to follow the directions of the Church .mpUcu. Iv But they had somewhere read, To the "law and to the testimony ; if they speak not « according to this >vord, it is because there is « no light in them;" and therefore they judged h tlve safest course, to try every doctrn.e by the scriptures *. Docs the R. thhik the conduct of the Bercaus uuscriptural and huultmg to com- n.on sense, ^hen they did not submu^to the m- f,mie decisions of the Jewish Church concern, in. Christ, but tried the apostles' doctrine by the scriptures and searched them dady whether these things were so t ? ..•,,. " But " says h., " our Saviour said without .. res. rve or restriction, // he ivill not luur tk . ' Church, let him be to thee as a heathen. i he .postle Paul also- says, with as little reserve or restriction, " Put th.m in mind to be subject to .. principalities and powers, to obey magis. " trates-" yet b(>ih the primiiive Christians, and Prolestant heretics, whom ih.y have mur- ^ dered in myriads, can attest their w.nt of mlat- libihty. Let tlie R. explain the last preempt o religion, before he produce the first as a proof of h.s doctrine. ^^^^ Havin< let us no bility. importan " When " tors oi ''- was tc »♦ of tn " and SI " they Si " they , * Isa. vli;. 20. f Acts, xvii. IT. SCRrrTU:%E AND THE FATHERS. 155 lid without ot hear the lenr Ihe reserve or c subject to bey niagis- Christians, 1 have niur- iiit of infal- precept of it as a piuof Having discussed these introductory remarks, let us now att'. nd to his proof of Jewish infalli- bility. This he seems to think of- very great importance, and therefore he illuotrates it twice. '^ When the Saviour spoke of the hivvful pas- " tors of the Jewish Church, whose province it ♦' was to expound the law, and attest the truth »* of tradition, he strictly enjoined obedience " and submission to their decisions and orders ; " theii sit, says he, in Moses chair, whatsoever '• they say to you, observe and do it. Matth. " xxiii. 2» By these words the Saviour autho- " rises the infallibility of decision in the Jewish '• Church *." With all their infallibility, the Saviour, in the 24th verse of the same chapter, declares them to have been blinl guides. The perusal of the whole of that chapter mi^ht edify the R. Considerably. It would 'show him v\ hat views Christ may en- tertain ot an infallible church. He exposes there the vices ol their ministrations ar.d con- duct, and denounce- ugainst them the judge- ments of God. The R. himseU seenis to be a little ashamed of th< company with which he has associated the Romish Church. He con- fesses, that th-y taught errors privatJy, by gi- ving false interpretations of the law to gratify their vicious inclinations ; but he maintains rhat, in public, they were faithful and infallible. This I IT. 1 • O ; « 'I 1 156 ' POPZKY GOSDliMNtDBY Thk is precisely the doctrine xvhlch many saga. This IS precistiy p,^...^], of Rome have cious pastors of the Chu-h o ^. r^^:Tercn:fo-nTdividuai,Ltnot. 1 ?o'pe B even .his nice distinction ..U not "°'^""tSl r^rhold of hi. indivi. to get out of his dutches ^^^^ pj^^ . But granting that ')'^^'"^' ;, ;, ,, .ees was different m pubhc and puvate, ■\A7hat a comfortable prosptci "^'^ , v wnai a Luiu p . Tr 1 i>» The Pope and his r:;:;ayti;rp^ichy"ii.- al?It"U same time undermine thar doctr, ?; score , by the most damnable heresy. Und rchr^rSnir^-'- " - - A « you scribes and Pi—es ^P""":,- j .. ve hut up the kingdom of heaven aganj ^ for ve neither go in, nor sufier tiiein « men : tor ye neiiuci b ^ ' ^ | « who are entering to go m, &c. ^^^^ * Matth. xxiii, 13. it trines SCRIPTUaE AND THK FATllLKS, 137 it n The R.'s application of Ae words of Christ !s a mere perversion of scripture. Did our Sa- ^iou^commend the public teaching of the Scnbcs nd Pharisee., >.hen he said, « But .n vain d. they worship me, teaching for doctrmes tho • .commandments of men'," or, when h. commanded his disciples to beware of the.r do.- trines? If it be any gratification, he may hea how the Fathers have expounded this part ot ""^By'the chair of Moses," says St. Jerome. " Christ means the doctrine of the law t-" ..God therefore," says St. Augustmc, .. teaches by them, ^he pastors of his ow<> .. Church), but if they teach doctnnes of th«. .. own, do not hear them, do not do them j. .. He enjoins their obedience," says St. Hilary, " to all the commandments of the " 'II Tfarther proof of the infallibility of the Jewish Church, the R. has the following obser- tions: " The Prophets, in doubtful cases and .. obscurities, refer contendmg pames to th. .. decision of the High Priest, f-J'^!^'^^ .. Chief Pastor of the Jewish Church. Deut. .. xiU And in the prophecies of Maiach. we .. read, » the lips of the Priest shall preserve .. kno;iedge, and they shall seek the law from * ivlat. XV. 9. I) Can. 24. f In Loc. t In Joan, tract. 46. \"': '"s:^ -?»*.•»* u if* I' -J' 1/^ ,'< I; !U * 158 POPERY CNODEMNED lit " his mouth. Because he is themessen^er of| " the Lord of Hosts. Ch. ii. 7.*" According to this statement, the Jews seeml to have been as uns^cjled in their opinions ofj the seat of infallibility, as the Romish Church. Even the Saviour himself and his prophets en.| tertained different sentiments. The former re- ferred the people to the Scribes and Pharisees for infallibility of decision ; the latter, to the] high priest. The supporter of an absurd hypo- thesis, like a great Har, ought to have a good! memory, in order to maintain the appearance' of consistency. A viev^^ of the passages to! \vhich he refers, v^^iil discover, that the prophets] were far from ascribing any. such prerogative to I the high priest of the Jewish Church. The thirteenth chapter of Deuteronomy con- tains no case of reference at all ; but the trans- actions to which, I suppose, he alludes, may be found in the seventeenth : " If there arise a " matter too hard for thee in judgement, be- " tween blood and blood, between plea and " plea, and between stroke and stroke, being " matters of controversy within thy gates, then " thou shalt arise, and get thee up into the *' place which the Lord thy God shall choose; *' And thou shalt come unto the priests the *' Levites, aiui unto the judge that shall be in *' those days, and inquire ; and they shall shew " thee * P. 104. «)■> f SCRIITUSE AND lUE FATHERS. ljj> . thcc the sentence of judgement. Ami thou . sh>lt do according lo the sentence xvhich . they of that place which the Lord uvxA . choose, shall show thee ; and thou shalt ob- . serve to do according to all that they inform ;, tlieo*:" &c. " ,, , r, If these verses be considered oy the K. as a proof of infallibility, he must extend it to avil transactions as well as ecclesiastical discussu,r-> and likewise allow the judge as well as the h.gu priest a share of it_; but his view of the passage requires no refutation. « But," says he, " we read in the prophc- <' cles of Malachi tk lips of the Priest shall pre- « ,erve knowledge, and they shall seek the latu^ « from his mouth. Because he is the mesfcngcr oj " the Lord of Hosts." A little attention to the scope of this propnet would-havc shown him, that his words ought to have beea rendered, " The lips of the pnest « should preserve knowledge." But let hitn only consult the following verse, and he v.U see what infallibility the priests of these days disco- vered : " But ye are departed out of the way ; « ye have caused many to stumble at the law ; « yc have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith « the Lord of Hosts." Having discussed these proofs of Jswish m- fallibility, if the R. please, we will take a peep G 2 *' * Ver. 8. &c. '0 ■iiiiiiir " I 'I ^•~^- 160 POPERY COKDEMNEn BY b. '^ H- » i at the state of the Church during that dispensa. tion, to see if it was preserved " from the light- " est shade of error." With such an excellent guide, we might naturally expect to find the rulers of that Church ready to receive the testi- mony of God by his prophets ; but, like the Roniish Church, they generally found them rank heretics, and therefore persecuted and put them to death. Does the R. recollect how these infallibh guides received the Lord of glory? After judging his doctrine to be heretical, they decreed, " that if any man did confess that he " was Christ, he should be put out of the sy- " nagogue * ;" and as soon as they could lay hold of him, they delivered him to the civil power, to be punished as a teacher of error and blasphemy. Let us next observe those proofs which more immediately respect the infallibility of the Ro- mish Church. They are founded on a supposi- tion which ^very Protestant will not be ready* to grant him. He proceeds upon the principle, that the Romish Church is the Church of Christ, and then he appropriates these promises which, he imagines, will suit his purpose. Still, aher all, he must have recourse to inferences, before he can produce even the appearance of a confir- mation of this doctrine. The promises of teaching, which have been made * John^ ix. 22. ^ri-^U. - ^.#;#**- SCRirTURE AND THE FATHERS, 161 as proofs of he has made to the Church, the R. views infallibility. To illustrate this point produced a quotation from the prophei isa..,. . 1. He shall teach us his ways, and we w.ll walk » in his paths *. God," says he, " whether « he teaches immediately by himself, as when « visible on earth, or by his ministers, as smce « his ascension, teaches no errors at all t-" To this truth the most heretical Protestant ^vill assent. At the same time, it excites our admiration, that the Popish clergy, who pretend to have enjoyed such excellent teaching, should be so bad scholars. In taking a survey of the doctrines which have been maintained m the Church of Rome, we find Popes teaching one thing, and Councils another, and individuals aaain reprobating the doctrine of botn. But let us suppose, that infallibility is actually taiight-in thes= words. Does the R. think that the Romish Church can claim it, according to the principles of the prophet ? Duty, as well as doctrine, he must allow to be the ways of the Lord. The prophet also assures us, that the Church will be as apt to walk in his paths, i's to be instructed in his ways. If these words, therefore, prove the existence of infallibility at all they teach as much freedom from error m obedience as in doctrine, which is more than the Church of Rome can claim, with all her boasts G 3 ot * Isa. ii. 5» f P. Ill I6i POPERY CONDEMNJID BY of purity. He must not then expect a a-)ncer,. sion of this point, till he is able to present her perfect in obedience. But there is another difficulty here, to which he does not seem to have adverted. All inial- lible teaching in the Church must proceed from the chief pastor, and inferior clergy assembled in Council ; for with these conjunctly the infill- libility is lodged. Still the great body of the Church remains to be instructed ; and they can only receive the teaching of persons who h;ive no 'infallibility. How, then, do the advantages of this doctrine extend to them ? If the R. say, that the teachers must follow the decisions of the Councils, let him inform us how they infal- libly ascertain their meaning ; and also, if the decrees of the Councils extend to every duty to be inculcated, and advice given by the clergy, connected with time, place, and circumstances. But though the clergy teach no error in doc- tnne, may not the faithful, who are simple and ignorant, mistake their meaning, and believe damnable heresy ? Is there, then, any way by which the Church can be infallibly instructed, but by extending this prerogative to both teach- ers and taught ? It is the more necessary for the R. to attend to this point, because both the clergy and the people have at times mistaken the doctrines of religion. Perhaps he may have heard of a benevolent pastor of the Romish Churchj SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 163 Clmrch, who judiciously extended h>s onstruc Sn to a cotxgregatiou of pious rooks, because Had been efjoined " to preach the gospel to « every creature.'* His next proof l>as as little tendency to es.a- , blish the doctrine of infallibility." 1 here shall rite a Redeemer to Zion. and to those, ., ;„ho return from iniquity in Jacob, sauh the . Lord ; this is my covenant with went, saitli .. the Lord, my spirit vhich is over thee, and . rny words, Vnich I have put in thy tnouth, . il not depart from thy mouth, nor from .- h tnouth of thy seed, nor from the tnouth . of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from >' henceforth and for ever. Is. ix. 20. 21. Here " says he, " %ve have the most express and intenigible declaration, that the Sp.rtt o . the Lord is .Irh his Church -, that h.s words . .;re hi her mouth, not errors nor fict.ons, but /ws truth -.for he is the God of truth, and by . her mouth he teaches as he did the punuuve . Christians by the mouth of the ApostUs ; and . his words are in the mouth of her seed, tUa> ., L, in the mouth of the iutmediate successors " of the Apostles*." , . ,„ These words of Isaiah respect only the resto- ration of the Jews, so that, though they actual- ught infallibility, the Church of Rome Lrd'Lvenoclaimto.. Bttt did they .en * ?. ii6. u u (( t '; I hi J (54 POPERY CONDEMNED BY il ■k U-ii '' extend it to the Gentile Church, it is not of that kind for which the R. contends. It is| something in which the whole Church is equally interested ; for, though he says that the seed o,f| the Church denotes the apostles* successors, l.e cannot refuse the same appellation to every true convert to Christianity. The particular manner, also, in which this privilege is bestowed, must make it of very little use to the Romish Church. Upon his own principles, he will allow that a Pope and his inferior clergy may be very wicked men. His infallible cliief priest and Pharisees were so in the days of Christ ; and I can p'o- duce him, from Popish writers, numerous com- plaints of the abominable immoralities of later clergy. At such a period, therefore, the infc\l- libility here promised must have perished entire- ly ; for it is secured only to those who '•• return •*' from iniquity in Jacob.'' 'Jo establish the infallibility, he has farther produced the promise of Christ to his disciples, recorded in John, xiv. 26, " The Paraclete, * the Holy Ghost, whom the father will send *• in my name, will teach you all things *• and bring to your memory all the things which I have said to you." " From this pas- sage," says he, " 'tis manifest that tlu- end for which the Holy Ghost presides over the Apostles in their successors the Pastors of Christ's Church, is to instruct them in the *' truths a n it «• i-**i»i-**r^l'<*''' tCRIMOKE AND THE iAXHbAS. Joj » truths of religion ; th«e truths vvhich Chn.t .. himself revealed, which without the as..stance of the Holy Ghost, would have been forgot- n t( ten # » This promise of Cbri.t the R. considers as applicable to the apostles' successors because he had said in a preceding verse, that this Com fort- er should abide with them « forever. He has, certainly, not yet to learn, that the word for- I ever" is frequently used in the scriptures to denote uninterruplcd cominuance, more than perpetuity of duration. That it is used m th.s ense he e, is evident from the scope of our Lord's discourse. He had been tellmg hts dis- ciples of his departure from them to go to the FaL ; but he would pray for the Comforter, tho would not leave ttem, " that he tnay ab.de " with you for ever !•" But the R. has no authority at all to apply this promise of Christ directly to the apostles successors. A little attention to the_ words of it would have shown him a peculiarity, which must restrict it to the former. On account of the obscurity of their present views, and the at- dieting temptations which were about to overtake them, they would be apt to let the words of Christ slip from their minds; but says he, " The Holy Ghost will bring all things to your " nmsmbwuc, whatsoever I have said unto G 5 " y^^- . /, ♦ P. !I7' + Vcr. iS. 106 rOPER-Y CONDEMNED BY >' ou - -^.u. Does the R., then, think the Holy Ghost given to the apostles' successors, with a ^iew to bring to their remembrance the things ^vhich Christ spoke to them in his personal nii. lustrations ? • ,1, But, let us suppose this promise made to the apostles' successors. Infallibility, in this case, becomes a personal qualification. Besides, he must allow the promise to be applicable to them both in the same manner. That the apostles re. ceived the Holy Spirit, we have every reason to believe. When they began to preach that gos- pel which Christ had taught them, " God bare - them witness both with signs and wonders, and *« ^vith diverse miracles and gifts of the Ho.y - Ghost *." As a proof, then, of the mfalli- b'lity of the Romish Church by the accomplish- ment of this promise, let the R. and his bre- thren come forward and authenticate their clann in the same manner, that Prott>stants may have ^om- ground for receiving their testimony. As an appendix to this part of his proof, he has the following observations ; " U the Ex. - imagines that errors in faith are consistent with »' thisVomised assistance and special protection " of the Holy Ghost, he must permit us Catho- ^' lies to believe St. Paul," who is of a contrary iv. 'hat tmion. *• opinion ; •' bciween light and' darkness says the Ap^btle, ? ivhat ame??icnt a be, ween. Heb. iKil'XURli AKDTIlEF.VniLRS. 16' SCKi ii (( i( i( the bcUccr '.Mh an infidel ? andjhat agree- \nent haikthe temple cfGod^UluM^ffi^^^^^^ . . are the te.-ple of tk living God, as God sa,tl, . I,,i!l dJll in ihem and -u^alk among them, and ,. l^^ill be their God and they shall be mj people. •' 2 Cor. vi. 14. 15. It .ill be highly gratifying to r-«,^o hear that Papists have believed bt. Taul Wc tould rocommend it to the R., v.hen he begin, rnoble exercise, to believe him not merely to ding to the sound of his .-ords. but to take tXpe of lis forsaking the idolatry of *e Romish Church, and commencing Protestant Smer. By turning Ins attention again to *-^^°^'^^?^'\'fl« -tLit^:t r>f>lther speaking ot lutaiuDiiny ii ?^A He is merely cautioning Christians again t. I'ttinlte connection with persons who reject- dSe truth, and adhered to the worship o imases and other heathenish' practices. Be ; ?not,» says ho, " unequally yoked together .SthunbelLvei-s; f°-vhat fellowship haA . righteousness with unrighteousness, and what " communion hath light with darkness '. h-c., ,nd then he adds, " Wherefore, come out rlrom among them and be ye separate sauh -^ the Lord, and touch not the unclean thmg.^_^ G 6 si IGS POPERV LU^NDtA'NED BY i :%mi *' 'Tis beyond a contradiction," says the R., *• that the Apostle in this passage speaks of the *' Church of J. Christ, in whi^ii he admits the ** immediate presence of God as in his temple, *■ from which his truth excludes every shade of *' error, a& light expels darkness, and as faith *' effaces infidelity *." An ignorant and un- learned reader, with only common sense for his guide, would rather say. It is beyond contradic- tion, that the apostle, in this passage, speaks of Christians individually, who, having the Spirit of God residing in them, are a spiritual temple, which he has sanctified for himself; and, there- fore, it is both their interest and duty to keep at a distance from the worship of images, and every thing which may grieve the Spirit, and interrupt their own peace. Any farther examination of his proofs of in- fallibility from promises of teaching, will be at present unnecessary. This part of his defence originates entirely in mistaken views. He sup- poses the whole visible Church to be Christ's spiritual seed, to whc ;n the promises are made ; and then he draws the conclusion, that these will be preserved from the lightest shade of er- ror. But his opinion is repugnant both to the word of God, and the history of the Church. Let him look into the account which *he Saviour himself has given of the state of the seven Church *P.ii7. j£. Wx. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 1C«> Churches of Asia * j he will find errors taught there, as gross as he could wish ihcm, and yet Christ acknowledges their relation to himself, and, as the R. will sec, is actually fulfilling his promises of teaching. But farther, in promises of preservation which have been made to the Church, he finds another proof of infallibility. " Christ says to Peter " thou art a Rock and upon this Rock will 1 " build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall '• not prevail against if. ... . The reader will ea- *• slly conceive that Christ here promises to found " not a Church indistinctly, or In general, but " his own Church, that is, that very Church, in " exclusion to all others, to which the prophet " Isaias foretold, that all nations would flow ; " that house of God in which he himself will " teach Ills law that Church which Osee fore- " told that God v/ould r pouse in judgement in « justice and truth and in \ hich by bis word " all his children are spiritually begotten If in *• this Church at any time gross errors were publicly taught by the past )rs and believed by the people the Gates of Hell would prevail '• and Christ's promise would have been false — " the prophets and apostles would have dectivcd •' us and the Christian rehgion would have been " but a fiction f." These are serious consequences, but I can as- sure (( t( Iv * * Rev. chap. i. ii. iii. i- r. 12^. 12. i 1 \ l-;.j POPthV CONDEMNED BY Bure hi^n they arc not logically deduced. Bel S'dei-, thev are repugnant to the experience of li- Church ; and that should mduce him to give lilem a reexamination. The apostle Paul in. t. rms us, tbat some in the Corinthian Church acnid the dr.ctrine of the resurrection*; and also, ihac Kvmencus and Philetus both erred in cloctnnc, ar'd were believed by the people: - Who concerning the truth have erred, saying «' that the resurrection is past already ; and. o. '' verthrew the faith of somef.'* Even the a. pestle Peter, to who^ c opinion the R. ought to pay considerable respect, opposes his sentiments. *' There shall be false teachers among you, who shall privily bring in damnable heresies, . . . And many shall follow their pernicious| ways ;" . . . J But why does he restrict this promise to pre- servation from errors in faith ? Are not perse- cutions, and alluring temptations, the devices of the gates of hell? If these* words of Christ, therefore, teach the Popish doctrine of infallibi. lity, they prove also perpetual f\-cedom froiu all the'operations of Satan. The R., in explaining this promise, ought likewise to have said, " If *• the enemies of the Church persecute and put - its members to death, or by allurements with. " draw them from allegiance to Christ, the gatesl ' of hell have prevailed, and his promise isj it n SCRIPTURE AKD THE F.^Tl./.RS. •^ false." The same thing mi.) be saiJ of tvcry promise of preservation. By ihcic, tl>eref*r>rc, he cannot prove the infullibiliiy of tha Roirish Church, till he present her absolutely fvc.- i/oni the influence of temptation. In the precepts of religion, the R. I'.nds an- other proof of this doctrine. Of his reasoninp; from these, the following extract will serve as a specimen : " 0%, says the Apostle, your giiuks - mid be subject to them. Heb. xiii. 17. . He im- '' mediately assigns the reason why he exacts •« this obedience without any rtetriction : Lc- - cause, says he, theij watch over your sGids as " being obliged to accompt for them. St. Paul did " not order the fahhful to watch over their Pas- ♦• tors and enquire whether the doctrine taught - by them be consistent with Scripture or not. If any particular teacher should introduce ^.trange doctrine, the Evangelist St. John, gives the most simple rule to detect it •, a rule easy in practice within the comprehension of the most illiterate and absolutely infallible : Dear- ly beloved, says the apostle, believe not every Spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God : for mam/ false Prophets arc gone out into - the world. l.Johniv. 1. As 'twas not pos- '' sible for the unlearned, who in all countries compose a great majority of the people, to try strange doctrine by the rule of the ^^cnptures they don't understand, St. John '^"'"" K il k( (( (( (( iC u Wi IT'2 POPERY CONDEMNED BV (( i« them this very simple rule ; Ibidem, v. 6. H fGod, he ivho kncweth God hcareth us:-- are o (« «( »( t( (. he ivho is riot of God heareth us not :—bij this ive know the spirit of truth and the spirit^ of er. ror. 'Tis not possible to speak more intelli. *• gibly or more to the purpose : we, says the *' Apostle, that is the Chief Pastors of the *' Church, of whom St. John was unquestion- »' ably one, are of God, that is are Gods ap. pointment: he %vho heareth us not, is fiot of\ God, that is, that teacher, let him be who he •' will, or what he will, who disobeys us the '' Chief Pastors, is not of Gods appointment. '* By this we know the spirit of truth and the '' spirit of error. By this obedience or disobc »' dience to the Chief Pastors of the Church, " true and false teachers are easily distinguish. *' ed*." Implicit obedience may be a very grateful doc- trine to Popish clergymen, but it is more savoury than scriptural. The R. may detect his own sophistry by considering, that the precepts of religion to obey magistrates, parents, and mas- ters, arc as unlimited as those which he has pre duced. lie ought also to recollect, that the beauty of quibbles lies in the seeming consistency of one part with another, which he has not even iroserved. " As 'twas not possible," says he, *• for the unlearned, who ia all countries com- " po * ?. I2-. 128.. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. ITS *' pose a great majority of the people, to try '■ strange cV^ctrine by the rule of the Scriptures - which they don't understand, St. John gives » them this very simple rule : fVe are of God, .' he ivho knowcth God heareih us -.—he wJio is " not of God heareih us not :—bij this we know '' ihe spirit of truth and the spirit of error.'' Did it not occur to the R., that this very simple rule . of St. John is a rule of the scriptures, which the unlearned, he says, do not understand. But though St. John, in these words, had ac- tually enjoined imphcit obedience to himself and the other apostles of Christ, it is not consequent- ly due to the Church of Rome. The former were under the immediate direction of the Spirit of God ; Dut the R. has not yet proven the latter infallible. This apostle, however, teaches no such doctrine. Instead of referring the mem- bers of tlie Church to their teachers impliculy, he turns their attention to the doctrine of the scriptures, and tells them to exercise their judge- ment, by bringing the instructions of the clergy to this test ; as the R. may see by observing his language ; " Beloved, believe not every spirit, - but try the spirits whether they are of God ; » because many false prophets are gone out into •' the worid. Hereby know ye the Spirit cf » God : every spirit that confesseth that Jesus *' Christ is come in the flesh is of God : And " every II til H r n, HV Pit „i*W,^«***i*!*«*; 174 POPERY CONDEMNED BY I'* " every spirit that ccmfei^setb not that Jesus " Christ is come in the flesh is not ot God * '* The Popish Ui^ctrinc of imphclt (obedience tol the Church, l?v ktcping the peopl- in ignorance, | may secure the mthience cf the clergy ; but it is] totally repugnant to the spirit of the gospel. I o illustrate this, it will be only necessary to recur to th:^ verij simple rule ot this apostl ■ , which the R. has quoted: " V/e are of God; he that " knovveih God hearelh us; he that is not of] " God heareth us not.'* In tluse words we are taught, that it is a kno^\ ledge of God which products subnnesion to the faithful ministers of| the Church. Wlierever this knowledge is want- inEMNFD BY li i( (( then, shew what Church has forbidden to mar. ry, and commanded -to abstain from meats; and I will tell him who have departed from the faith,] and consequently can have no claim to intallibi- lity. From the name given to the Church by the I apostle Paul, the R. deduces anor'u-r proof ofl the doctrine of infallibility. " These things J write to you hoping shoriUj to come to you, but A I delay, that you may know how to conduct your- self in the house of God. which is the Chunh oj\ •' the living God, the pillar and ground of truth. •• 1 Tim. hi. 14, J 5 The writer wishes to *' know from the Ex. or his most powerful ally,' " whether this Church which St. Paul calls the *' pillar and ground of truth, does at present,! *• or has at any time supported error ? if so " she was no longer the pillar of truth, but the »' pillar of falsehood ; the Apostle was decciv- " ed, and Las deceived us ; if not that i.ifallibi. lity of decision so painful to the Ex. is infal- •' iibly true." The R. ought to have known, that the Church of Rome is far from being infallibly! certain whether these words should be applied to the Church or to Timothy. By consulting! the Fathers, according to whom, he and his| brethren have sworn to explain the :xriptures,| he will find some referring th^m to the one, and| some 1 It. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 17T ^n to mar. eats 5 and lithe faith,] jo inlallibi- rch bv the! r proof of' r^ things \\ ijou, but ij\ nduct your- ? Church of I d of IriiiV ' wishes to .verful allyj \\ calls the at present,! ror? if so' th, but the I was decciv- lat i.ifallibi-' Cx. is infal-l , that the [g infallibly be applied \f consulting he and his ! scriptures, he one, and some some to the othc:r. " St, Paul," says Gregory Nyssen, " wrought and fashioned iimothy to '• be a goodly pillar ; making him the pillar » and ground of the Church and of truth *.** These ancient writers were also accustomed to call any person eminent in the Church by this name. St. Basil, writing of the bishop of Neo- cpesarea newly deceased, bewails his loss, be- cause he was " the ornament of the Clhurches, " the piliar and ground of truth, a strong and "firm establishment of faith in Christ fi" And in another epistle, complaining of the wreichcd state of the Church on account of the dispersion of the bishops by persecution, he says, " The pillars and ground of truth are dis- » persed |." But though these words were peculiarly ap- iplicable to the Church, ihey by no means sup- iport the doctrine of infallibility. The R. would I wish his readers to believe, that the Church is the basis upon which the truth is founded. Let him then inform us, upon hit the Church rests; and also, what a Ch^urr!' would resemble, [which was formed and subsisted, before the truth was built upon it. It might perhaps be like the Church of Rome ; but it could resemble no [other object in the visible creation. The truth, Iwe Protestants believe to be founded on the [testimony of God. We know no other f /. ida- tion * De vita Mos. f Tom. 2. Ep. 6«. % Ep. 70. r f .rk ^-^it^ ' I (' '*> ' 1Y8 POFERY CONDEMNED BY lion for our faith, than, « Thus saith the Lord." The Church, we conceive to be a pillar and support, merely on account of that record which it. bears to the divine testimony. But, thcmgh the Clmrch be the pillar and ground of truth^, it does not follov/, as the R. imagines, that it cannot err, or that by erring, it is no longer a Chu-xh of Christ, but a pillar of falsehood. A person may be a saint of God, and - t be considerably involved in the pollu- lions of sin; and a Church may belong to Chribt, though deficient in knowledge and ad- herenJe to the truths of religion. Errors were maintained in some of the seven Churches of Asia ; and yet our Lord acknowledged them as pillars, in as far as they were witnesses for the truth LLidtheR. attendeth the faith and practice of the Church of Rome iiave varied considerably since the days of the apostles. These primitive teachers ot Christianity were notoriously ignorant of the use of the L.quisition, that excellent institution for mSJi -^^ SCRIPTURE \ND THE FATHERS. 179 for scenting out heretics ; no.- were they better informed about the wonderful ellii«:acy of the material sword, for pricking the conscience, and begetting fiiith in the most stubborn and re- bellious. The R. must allow, that the wor- ship of the Romish Church has acquired addi- tional orthodoxy since the days of Epiphanius, that great enemy of images ; and also that the Council of Trent poss.?ssied a more extensive ac- quaintance with the faith, than Pope Gregory the Great, who declared a universal bishop the forerunner of Antichrist. As the R. has de- clared his resolution to believe St. Paul, I will produce him a quotation from his epistle to the Church of Rome, upon which he may exercise his faith ; and when he has perused it, he may inform us whether that apostle believed the Romish Church an infaUible pillar and ground of truth,' or was an innovator and a pretended reformer. " Because of unbelief they (the '' Jews) were broken off, and thou standest by " faith; be not high-minded, hut fear: For if " God spared not the natural branches, take *' heed iest he spare not thee. Behold therefore " the goodness and severity of God ; on them " who fell, severity ; but toward thee, good- " ncss, if thou continue in his goodness ; other- " wise, thou also shalt be cut off*'' Tne R. indeed refers his readers indirectly to the * Rom. xi. 20. — 12* 1 !I1 ft s i' 180 POPERY CONDEMNED BY »♦- '^ 1 the state of the Romish Church, which he hal all along viewed as the one Church of ChristJ »* There is therefore,'* says he, " nothing taught| " in the Church of Christ but truth, no fait! " but that which was once delivered to thej *' Saints *.*' Let us then observe how the truth has been! supported by such abk^ teachers ; and we may begin with a view of their sentiments respecting the infallibility itself. I will not at present pre. sume to say, that the most heterogeneous opinions have been maintained upon this point; since the! R. has declared them all equally true. I would| only advise the reader not to be surprised, though the truth assume the most dlscordantl forms. " It is rash," says Occam, " to say, that a| " general Council cannot errf. The scrip. *» tures, the universal Church, and the apostles,! ** are without hesitation to be believed ; but " none else are to be believed in every thingj " without exception, however eminent in hell, ness and learning ; no, not a general Council,! though the universal Church were gathered together in it, nor the decrees of Popes, nor the judgement of doctors {. It belongs to every man skilful in the scriptures, with a firm assurance to judge, whether Councils " have! • P. 138. + Dial. P. I. lib. 5. c. 75. X UJ. p. 3. tract. I. lib. 3. c. 4. ii ti t( u ct i( SCRIPTURE ANI> THE FATHERS. 18i it l( v « he had maintained it thirty-three years ago at '• Pari§, and also in the Pope's Penitentiary •' covrtatRome; That the doctrine of indul- crences was delivered with great confusion and uncertainty ; by which it appeared to be no catholic doctrine ; and that it is almost im- possible to find two persons agreeing in the explication of them : That though the strictest person of the Carthusian or any other order received a plenary indulgence at the hour of death, he would request his brethren to pray » for his soul, which is a plain evidence that he « did not believe in its validity : And, that H 2 ** many * In ep,\Vcssel. u n cl It u t( IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) / O S' 4le #^. 1.0 !f I.I 11.25 ,0 ilM J|a2 ~ 6" 1.8 IM IIIIIM Photographic Sciences Corporation WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^\> iV m % v <* 5» -^O ;\ '^J!^ #e s 1S'1< rOPERY CONDEMNED BY I nv (( t{ many in the Court of Rome spoke against them more freely than himself.*' " None," sayij Gerson, " can give a par- don for so many years as are contaired in the Pope's indulgence, but Christ *." Such are some of the opinions which have been maintained in the Church of Rome re- specting infallibility and indulgences. Let the R. then reconcile them with his own sentiments, and shew the truth of his assertion, " There is " nothing taught in the Church of Christ but " triuh." I suppose, he will also acknowledge tlie doctrines of morality to be a part of the truth. He can, therefore, have no objections to ii few hints of the pure and unerring manner in which they have been taught in the Church of Rome. " It is too sadly certain," says D'Alembert, " that the maxims, imputed to Guignard and " the Jesuites, respecting the murdering of " kings, were at that time those of all the re- " H'r^ous orders, and of almost all the ecclesias- a 4: -0 I- »» *' A man does not commit any sin," says Sanchez, " nor is guilty of any irreverence to- ward God, when he presumes to address hiiiiself to him in his devotions, having an actual inclination mortally to offend him J." "A * De Indulg. Consid. f Apol. pcur les Casuls'. t 0^«sc. Lib. 7. c. 2. scriptuhe and the fathers. IS. ich have .ome re- Let the itiments, There is lirist but lowledge t of the ctions to .anijer in hurch of lembert, lard and sring of the re- jcclesias- n," says snce to- address iving an :iim J." "A 'asuis'. .. A person," says the same author, " mviy .. swear, that he has not done a thing, thougaho .. actually have ; by understanding w.thm huu- .. ,elf, that he did it not on such a day, or .. before he was born: -And this is a thmg o .. great convenience on many occasions; and .. is always justiftable, when it is necessary or .■ advantageous in any .thing which concerns a " person's health, honour, or estate *. ' ' Considering justice simply in itself, says Escobar, « a judge may lawfully .ake a sum ot " money to give centence for which of the par- .. ties he pleases, when both have an equal ., right;-If a judge receive r bribe to pass a .. just sentence, he is bound to restore .t ; be- .. iause he ought to do justice wtiiout a bnbe ; " and therefore, the party has noth.ng for hts .. money, but what is liis right : but if the .. iuds- be bribed .to pass an unjust sentence, •^ he is not obliged in conscience to make any " restitution t'** . i *^ "If a "man," says he farther, " mtena to .. hear mass as he ought, he fully performs the . duty ; nor does any other evil intention, such " as looking lustfully at women, make against " The Canonists, among other important ar- ticles, have given an orthodox definition of a ' jj 3 strumpet ; • Ibid. P. 2. Lib. 3. c. 6. t Tom. I. Lib. 10. X Tract. I. Ex. II. \ ; %\ I8(J rOP^RY CON'DEMN'ED BY 'f} II ' I IB i W Strumpet ; '" Sha is one who has bscii familiar •• with more than twenty- three thousand men*.*' *' A bishop," says a Casuist, '' may proceed *' against any person for a mortal sin ; unless " it be permitted by h\w, such as ^ornica- il tion t.*' These are a few specimens of the morality taught in the Romish Church ; to which many riore equally edifying might be added if requisite. I do not, however, ejchibit them as universally believed or practised. Individuals, in the com- munion of that Church, have entertained pure and exalted views of the precepts of religion. I design merely to contrast them with the R.'s proof of infallibility, " There is nothing taught *' in the Church of Chiist but truth." From the above sentiments of Popish divines, the reader will be able to judge of the falsity of another of his assertions ; " The writer begs " leave to inform him (the Ex.) that dissentions •• on points of Catholic doctrine are not known '* in our schools J." The Council of Trent has declared the Church of Rome to be the Catholic or universal Church. By Catholic doctrine, therefore, the R. must understand the principles of religion sanctioned, and permitted to be taught in that Church. Whether dissentions concerning these be * Decret. Dist, 34. c. Gloss. f Bauny Somm.. dts pech. p. 148. X P. 67. ^JPH ,1 ■ , I « I m i' '»-iK-»^ ' mm SCRirTUIlE AND THE FATHERS. 187 be known r present in Popish schools, I will not pretend to affirm. Perhaps, the lorebo- ai„. appearances of annihilation, which threaten' the'xvhole society, may have terminated for a time their internal disputes. But if he take a retro- cpect of the past, he will find, that neither the Church of Rome nor . :r schools could com- .lain for want of squabbling. Were there no dissentions, when Pope Jiberius declared him- <.lt an Avian, and cursed the •loclnne of the .^-^ptnres? when St. Cyprian contended lor the freedom of the African Churches? or - .vhen Pope Gregory declared the supremacy Antichrisd^m ? Were there no disputes, when Pope Honorius became a Monothelite ? or wh^n Gregory forbade the worship of imag(?s ? Pones have declared against Councils, and Coun- oils again.t Popes. Some of the orders also l-'ve waged almost an incessant war, and, tnnc:> without number, upbraided each other with teaching damnable doctrines. Nor hav^j tae schools' been averse to engage in these bicker- ings Let him inform us, if there were never . any dissentions in the schools concerning the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary, in-^ dul-ences, or the Eucharist, when the Councd ot Basil permitted the Bohemians to communicate ill both" kinds. If the danger of excommuni- cation and other terrors of the Church, have at times prevented them from interfering -with H 4 ^^'^^^^ 'i It- 'J J«8 POPERY CONDEMNED BY V M ? «■ these doctrines, which are the basis of her ag- grandizement, the outposts of the Popish sys- tern have never failed to afford them abundant scope for the most outrageous squabbhngs *. In defence of the doctrine of infallibility, the R. says, that he does not pretend to introduce the Fathers. "They were all arrant Papists," tays he, ** their testimony in favour of Popery would be inadmissible." Had he pleased, he could have assigned a much more substantial cause. They were utter strangers to this pre- tension of the Romish Church, and knew of no infallibility beyond the testimony of God in the scriptures. Could they have aftbrded him any help, he would have embraced it most cor- dially. Notwithstanding his prete^ ied modesty, he accordin'gly produces a quotation from St. Augustine, to shew that the testimony of the Church is the only foundation of our belief ifi the scriptures. The reader will find this point discussed in the following chapter, to which it more properly belongs. At present, I would only * The ecclesiastics of the Romish Church have disputed furiously upon many points, worthy to be recorded. A- mong others, there was at one time a rancorous conten- tion amongst learned divines, whether any of the Eucha- list, by passing into the intestines, was converted into excrement. One party maintained the affirmative ; but this was strenuously opposed by another, who, to testify their abhorrence of duch unwholesome doctrine, dignified their adversaries with the savoury appcllaMon of T— -dists. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 189 (( (< only observe, that th's is merely a recurrence to his former absurd reasoning, " The infallibility " proves the inspiration of scripture j^^and then " the scriptures prove the infallibility." Since the R.'s modesty will not permit him to quote these arrant Papists the Fathers, I will exhibit to the reader a few of their sentiments respecting infallibility. - We ought," says Athanasius, " to pray for the spirit of discretion, that every one may know what to receive and what to re- iect ; A faithful disciple of the gospel is able \o distinguish between truth and pretence, because he has the spirit of discerning ; but " the simple is carried away with every co- lour *." , '^ The Church," says St. Augustine, « ought not to set herself above Christ. ^For he always judges accordhig to truth ; but eccle- siastical judges, being men, are fo-equentiy " mistaken t." From this censure, he does not even exclude Councils ; for he aflirms, in another part of his works, that even plenary Councils may reqmre an amendment ; and the last may always rectify what is amiss in their predecessors +. In an epistle to Jerome, he also declares, " that he - had iearut to pay only to the canonical scrip- H 5 *' turcc (( i( (i (t (( * Oiar. I. con, Ar. X. Cc l^pt. Hb. 2. c. •f. Con. Cresc. lib. 2. pv JUO POPERY CONDEMNED BT m «( t( u tures the deference of believing their authors to have erred in nothing ; but others, though ever so learned or holy, he read so as not to take any thing to be true because they were of that opinion, but because they proved it by reason or scripture." When the R. has explained the meaning of St. Augustine and Athanasius, I may perhaps extend his acquaintance with these arra7it Pa- pists. In the mean time, the reader is at liber- ty to reject the infallibility ; for he has assured us, that " there is nothing taught in the Church " of Christ but truth." When the R. produced his proofs for the in- falliblHty, he has entirely overlooked the diffi- culties with which it is attended. Before bidding him adieu upon this subject, I will therefore present him with a small addition to these which have been already proposed, that he may have an opportunity of confirming the faithful in his next publication. Infallibility, he says, is claimed by the body of the pastors united to this head. In order, then, to preserve this prerogative in the Church, the Pope and his clergy ought to be continually in Ccuncil ; because, according to his doctrine, the promise of the presence of Christ and the assistance of the Spirit to teach them all trutb, belongs to them conjunctly. On this principle, the dissolution of the Council must remove the nrpsencG r -TTW SCHIFTURE AND THE FATHERS. 191 presence of Christ and the assistance of the Spl- rit from the Church, and leavo its members to discover the truth for themselves. Let him then inform us, wh^re the infallibihty was lodged, and how the? Church was directed, from the apostles' days to the first general Council. It ever ii was Vequisite, it was particularly so du- ring that period ; for the Church was pestered with heresies, as well as plagued with, persecu- tions* If the R, say, that the presence of Christ and the assistance of the Spirit have been promised to continue always in the Church, and therefore, so must the inftillibiilty •, let him shew us where it is lodged. After the dissolution of the Coun- cil, the presence of Christ and the Spirit must cither be in the ordinances of religion, or in the heart of Church-members. If these be in ordi- nances, then they must be infallibly dispensed by every teacher, and consequently, no heresy could ever appear in the Church ; If they remain in the hearts of the faithful, they must be infallible ; and that would render all Councils superfluous. But farther, the R. acknowledges that the promise of Christ does not exclude vice and im- morality from his Church *. The Pope and his clergy may be very wicked men, and therefore, in a moral point of view, very unlikely to enjoy the presence of Christ and his Spirit. Against H6 this * P. 137- 102 POPERY CONDEMNED BY E ^'■f K th this objection he has provided, by saying, that the authority of public men does not depend upon their personal qualities, their virtues or their vices. And here he produces Caiaphas, prophesying of the death of Christ, as an ex- ample that wicked men may be under the direc- tion of the Spirit *. It will be granted him, that God, who opened the mouth of Balaam's ass, may at times use the agency of very wicked men •, and also, that authority may be connected with many ill qualities. He ought, however, to recollect, that good qualities and authority should be inseparably connected in a Christian bishop ; for " he must be blameless, as well as the hus- " band of one wife," &c. t Should a wicked Pope and clergy, then, assemble in Council, would they receive the direction of the Spirit promised to blameless bishops ? " Thou art not " a God that hath pleasure in wickedness : nei- " ther shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish » shall not stand in thy sight ; thou hatest all " workers of iniquity J." If a Council regularly held be infallible, why do iiiey pretend to found their decisions upon the authority of the Fathers? None of these were infallibly directed in their judgement and writings; and infallibility should never be brought to the test of private opinion. Infallibility, he says, is the distinguishing cha- ract eristic » P. 134' f iT im. 111. 2. i Poul. V. 4. 5. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. ly:J ig, that depend rtues or laiaphas, an ex- le direc- ed him, Balaam's ^ wicked Dnnected vever, to :y should bishop ; the hus- a wicked Council, :he Spirit u art not ess : nei- le foolish hatest all ible, why 3ns upon of these nent and never be rhing cha- racteristic 1. V. 4. 5. c racteristic of the true Church. How, then, was it never claimed by any but Papists since the apostles* days, though heretics in all r.ges have declared themselves to be the true Church of Christ? When the R. affirms, that there is nothing taught in the Church of Christ but truth, let him compai-e the present state of the Church of Rome with the past ; the decisions of one Coun- cil with the dictates of another ; and the prac tices of Papists with the laws of nature and of Christ. The infallible Cliurch of Rome, in for- mer times, rejected some parts of the canon ot scripture ; These the Council of Trent not only recognised, but admitted into it books, which, a few years before, were declared in Rome to be no part of the word of God. The apostle Paul prohibited the use of an unknown tongue in the Church, unless accompanied by au interpreta- tion : The Council of Trent declared every per- son accursed, who should say, that mass ought to be celebrated only in the vulgar tongue. The sixth general Council declared, that marriage is dissolved by heresy ; The contrary was affirmed by the Council of Trent. The latter decreed,- that the mystical benedictions, lij^hts, incense, garments, and other frippery used in the mass, were apostolic traditions. In opposition to this, Antoninus de Valletelina told them, " That it " was plain, from all history, that every Church *' anciently i % ■ss. ii.iiliUniW 194.; >\' rOPt'RY CONDKMNED liY li .....Aly hud her p^.rticular rite of the mas^ troduced hv custom : 'llvat, to gratily th ancicn n it n (4 (( (( Pope the Roman nic naci utui mtroduccd into a mimber of provinces, though the r.tcs of many Churches are still very dillerent from if That the Roman rite also has underg-^nu oreot alterations, bcMh in ancient times and - lately ; i\3 is evident from the book called Or- - do Romanus ; Th.u what was observed with- in the space of 300 years, was not the rite observed in the city, but that retained by " the Order of St. Dominic : That the vest- ments, vessels, and other ornaments of priests and altars, appear from books sta- tues, and pictures, to have been so much al- - tered, that, were the ancients to return into the world, they would not know them : And therefore, he concluded, that by binding all to observe them, they might be reprehended as condemning antiquity." The auditory were much displeased with this discourse ; but the bishops of five Churches protected him, decla- ring, '' that he had delivered only the truth ; '• and he, who would condemn him as scanda- *' lous or rash, discovered his own ignorance." Let the R. explain these difficulties to the sa- tl<-fl>ctlon of his readers, and then I will furnish him with such an addition, as will shew him that he is only beginning his labours. But, Ic u <( (( (( (( t( (( fore rroccsding to thi by what . J SCRIPTURE AND THE I ATHERJ. 195 what authority he cxph\ins the doctrines of reli- gion, lie has no int^\llibility to direct .his judgo- ment, or reguhite his language : iVlay lie n',t, then, inadvertently degenerate into a heretic, and become an innovator and a pretended rc- formtr ? Taking the R., then, upon his own principles, the Romish Church is destitute of relation to Christ, She has been shewn to be without these conjunct notes, which, he says, distinguish the Church of Christ from every other society. Her clann rests entirely upon her own testimony ; and therefore, she should rpply to herself the words of the Saviour, " If I bear witness of my- " self, my witness is not true *." When he again attempts to describe the Ro- mish Church in her past, present, and future condition, it will be necessary for him to take a more accurate observation of the meaning of scripture, and likewise, to discriminate between descri|iXions of Christ's Church, and these given of the Church of Rome. A very little attention only will be requisite to prevent mistakes. He appears already to know, that Babylon denotes Rome in the book of Revelation. This may serve as a key to open to him a fruitful source of information respecting the past conduct and future state of that Church, Many other pro- phets * John, V, 31. 5'. I ■iNm fV 196 TGVZ2.Y COKDEMNED BY, SiC phets also, besides St. John, have spoken a great] deal about Babylon, which he naght turn to good account, in describing the pretensions and future lot of the Church of Rome. At pre.| sent I will only mention one prophecy, which, on account of its peculhr excellence, he can scarcely overlook : " ^rhou saidst, I shall bed » lady for ever .... Therefore hear now this, - thou that art given to pleasures, that dwelled - carelessly, that sayest in thine b.art, lam, and\ none else beside me, I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children; But these two things shall come to thee, in a moment, in one day, the loss of children, and * widowhood: they shall come upon thee, in " their perfection, for the multitude of thy sor- - ceries, and for the great abundance of thine i' cnrhantments. For thou hast trusted m thy wickedness; thou hast said. None seeth me, thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath per- - verted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, «' I am, and none else beside me. Therefore shall evil come upon thee ; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth, and mischief shall fall upon thee ; thou shalt not be able to put i^ off; and desolation shall come upor thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know *.'1 CHAPJ <( u (i il Ik u (I I. (s (( The * h:.. xlvii. 7.— II. ( 197 ) CHAP. VI. A REFUTATION OF THE R.'s ASSERTIONS CON- CERNING THE SCRIPTURES x\ND TRADITION. The existence of a Church presupposes the appointment of certain principles for regulating the faith and practice of its members. For this purpose, he to whom the Church belongs has eiven a revelation of his will in the scriptures ; and this revelation Protestants consider as afford- ing a sufficient knowledge of every thing to be believed and practised. The greater part of modern Papists, however, have found this limi- tation rather inconvenient. Many of the doc- trines and usages of the Romish Ciiurch, being not only destitute of foundation in scripture, lut diametrically opposite to its plainest dictates, necessity has impelled them to provide for the faith, or rdther the credulity of the simple, a much more extensive basis. To scripture, there- fore, they have added the oral tradition of the Church ; and lest any person should imagine ithis to be a part of what the apostle Peter deno- minates " vain conversation received by tradi- |« tion from the fathers *," they have dignified It * I Pet, '. i8. mJIAum ■>•«■ ^ p Wi 198 rOFKRY CONt>ICMl>fED CY it with the appclkitlon oi f i.he " unwritten word cc f God/* On these two they have pretend. ih the iaith and conduct of the ed to establl Church of Rome ; and her doctrines, it must be confessed, exhibit marks of legitimate pre* duciion from this motley c^-igin. Papists, to enhance th- chcrracter of tradition, have found it k quisite to detract from thatvaKie which the primitive Church, Uke modern Pro- test;-.nts, attar.h.ed to the scriptures ; because the rse of the former is founded entirely upon' the supposed insuiliciency of the latter. Every little art, and the mean.st sophistry, has been em. ployed to diminish the affection of men for the scriptures, and to excite their esteem for what has been m.untr.ined to be the oral tradition of the Church. To promote these laudable pur- poses, the R. has expatiated, in a very lengthy manner, and etitere i keenly into the spirit cf these quirks and quibbles, v;hich have been often found to be the principal support of Popery. I cannot, however, join him in these shouts of triumph, which, on reviewing his labours, he raises over the Protestant interest 3. A few ob- servations will show him, that, though his so. phistry may confuse the minds of wavering Pa- ■ pists, they will not affect Protestants, who have been taught to render a reason. I will therefore! proceed to an examination of what he has ad.| Tanced respecting the scriptures and tradition,! thali HMW« »" * '" S i " i *Wi 'W*"^ SCRIPTURE AND THM FATHtRS. 199 that the reader may see how little reason Pro- testants have, as yet, to relinquish the furmer as an insufficient: rule for directing the faith and practice of the Church. f tradition, I that value Ddern Pro- because the ^ upon' the Every little ; been em. nen for the m for what :radition of udablc pur- ery lengthy lie spirit cf e been often Popery. I e shouts of labours, he A few ob. ugh his so. \avering Pa- s, who have vill therefore I ; he has ad- ad tradition, that I. On the Scriptures. To the scriptures the R. is willing to grant a certain degree of usefulness: " What advan- " tage then," says he, '• results from the pns- " s'jssion of the Scriptures? the greatest pos- " sible ; 'tis assigned by St. Paul ; every writing " divinely inspired is useful 1o teach^ to argiie^ to " instruct, to correct in justice^ that the man of " God may be entire perfectly prepared for every ''good ivork, 2 Tim. lii. 16. 17. These Vv^ere '• the ends for which the Scriptures were writ- '■' ten, and given to the Church, already coni- ■-' posed of Pasters teaching and administring *• sacraments, and cjf simple iaithful, who were " taught by their pasters *." Overlooking entirely his mistranslation of this apostle's language, 1 will merely contrast his own views with the conduct of the Romish Church. The greatest possible advantage, he says, results from the possession of the scrip- tures ; and to promote this advaiUage, they were given to the pastors and the simple faith- ful.. Of this arrangement the Church of Rome hasL * P. 52. , 200 rOPERY CONDEMNED BY has invented an improvement, by prohibiting the latter, except in particular cases, from usm^ freely this advantageous book. The pastors pretended to find, that a practical use of the scriptures was productive of consequences m. consistcnr with the designs of God in givu'g this revelation of his will ; and therefore, with all Popish humility, they altered his arrangement; " Seem it is manifest by experience," says the Council of Trent, " that if the holy bible be| - permitted to be read every where without dif. " fcrence in the vulgar tongue, more harm than - benefit results thence through the rashness of » men J let it therefore be at the pleasure of 1 the bishop or inquisitor, with the advice ofl the parish clerk or confessor, to grant the| reading of the bible, translated by catholic! authors, to those, who, in their opinion, will! '' thereby receive an increase of faith and piety. - This licence, let them have in writing ; and| «' whoever shall presume, without permission, «' to read or possess such bibles, may not re- " ceive the absolution of his sins, till he has re- " turned them to the ordinary *.'* This was caring for the souls of the simple in a very high degree ; and these reverend ecclc siastics oudht to receive due praise for their at- fection. At the same time, the whole truth should be told -, and this the reader will find in| the * r» „„.,!.. . T ;^^ f f pioVilbitcd Book-". i( (( { U SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 201 the speech of R:r!iard du Mans in that Council, mentioned by F. Paul. He asserted, ^' that the " scriptures weiv become usekss, since the i*' schoolmen had cstabUshed the truth of all I' doctrines; and tho' th^y were formerly read I" in the Church, for the instruction of the people, and still read in the service ; yet they " ought not to be made a study, because the Lii^ I" therans onUj gained those 'who read them^'' But, though ' the R. seems at first view to Idlffer from these venerable doctors, their senti- ments receive his most cordial approbation. He accordingly proceeds to show, that, notwith- standing the great advantage which attends the acquisition of the scriptures, they are destitute dF every prerequisite to usefulness : for, though lis ostensible object be to prove them an insuffi- cient rule of faith, his obvious intention is to Induce Papists to disregard them entirely. This kl be sufficiently discovered by a little attention |o the scope of his reasoning. That the scriptures are an insufficient rule, he [ndeavours to show, by c-:;^- ming them to be [ery much mutilated. " No human industry,''' ays he, " can discover all the books which have been canonical, many of them are irre- coverably lost. Adam Cotzen proves that twenty books of the Scripture are lost. Q. 4. Ch. S.—Thus for Ex. // is said in the book of " the ^* ■■■] %^'t * Lib. 2. p. 176. r 202 rorUKY CONDEMNED BY - the wars of the L,n/.— Numb. xxi. 14.— This *' book is lost, and Solomon spoke three thoumni - proverbs and five,- ^ Kings iv. .'i'J. Where '' are they ? Now the rest of the acts of Solomon - first and last, are they not written in the booh ^^' of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy oj^ - Jbijah, and in the vision of Iddo.—2 Chron. '• ix. "^i*. The first of Chronicles terminated in un (( (( c (t these words, Now the acts of David, the la » first and last, behold be they not written in tk book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of m than the prophet, and in the book of Gad tk '' seer. All these books are consigned to obli- vlon ; two of St. Pauls Epistles slmred the '^ same faie, one to the L.oodiccans, which in his last Epistle to the Colossians he ordered to - be read in that Church, and one which he ♦' mentions in his first E^^istle to the Corinthians, '* / urote to you an Epistle, v. 9. This Epistle •' docs not appear ; St. Matthew cites a whole quotation Irom Jeremias, which is not in his book, as transmitted to us. There is some thing similar to it in the book of Zacharias; but it must have been then in the book of Je- remias, or St. Matthew would not have cited - it, that may be the veason why the Jews re " trenched it ; the same Evaiigelist had said, i - ^jjas spoken bij the prophets, he shall be caM^ " Nazarcan. — ii. -•'^^•'* *^ Chrysostome writing on this text, sdj , '' niawj (( (( (I (( (b " many t " cd : J •' carcles " some Oj " Uj bur •'• St. " that il " of the '• consis This, ry passn; tion. I that the against \ against coilectir the per. the doci very foi he acco traditio] the wrii simple inform i cciivStan duals c b?en p jmet wii less oni \'Mt- SCRfiTUAE AND THE FATHERS. 203 14.— This e thousand . Where of Solomon in the bool prophecy oj —2 Chron. •minated in 'd^ the hni riticn in ih book of Na- of Gad tilt ned to obli- shared the s, which in e ordered to ne which he CorinthlansJ This Kpistle! cites a wholel is not in his ere is some- if Zacharias; e book of Je- lot have cited] the Jews re- it had said, il hall be called i\ lis text, saf " manf " VHVW of the propJiettcal monuments Juwe perish- " cd : for the Jews being careless and not onhj '* careless^ but impious^ ihcij have carelessly lost " some of iheiC monu7iv:nts^ others theij have pai /- " lu burnt, partly tern to pieces. Horn. 9. " St. Justin arguing against Tryphon, shows " that the Jews, did make away with many books " of the oUi '1 cstament, lest it should appear '• consistent with the new *." This, it must be confessed, is an extraordina- ry passage, both in its sentiment and composi- tion. It must be gratifying to the R. to reilect, that the identical weapons which Deists employ against the Christian religion are used by himself against the doctrines of the Rcfonnation. In collecting this catalogue of stale objections to the perfection of scripture, instead of refuting the doctrine of Protestants, he has erazed the very foundation of all Popish faith. How does he account for the perfect preservation of oral tradition by a Church, which has lost a part of the written word of God ? Does he think the simple faithful will be convinced and edified by infornnng them, that the scriptures, which were constantly read in the Chinxh, and by indivi- duals daily in every part of the w^orld, have been partially lost j but oral tradiiions never met with selfish men to corrupt them, nor care- less ones to neglect them, and therefore rcm:>in pure * P. (S\. (>z. ^ '■• -I. — ^r'-H „ got rOI'ERY CONDEMNED BY pure and perfect as ^vhcn at first revealed. H. cannot reasonably expect from tl.cm .uch , tretch of credulity, unless they be r.lat.ons o Solomon's simple, » who believe every yord, « and inherit folly •." If these scnptures, .vhich he thinks lost, were necessa^^ for t e perl.ction of rhe saints, how ts the defic.ency o L supplied? Perhaps tradition, hke the roll, g| snow-lndl, has picked up as much in the revoh- 'tion of so many centuries, as will compensate 1 for the wants of the scriptures. /^ft.T all that the R. has said upon this sub- 1 iect, it can be very easily shown, that the scnp. turcs are not in such a mutilated state as he flat- ters himself. Adam Cotzen, he assures us, has proven the loss of twenty books. » Adam s J ofe were so decisive, why did the R. wA hold them frou. bis readers ? They might have probably produced a belief which must be w.th heldfromhisown. • To prove his assertion, he mei^ions certain books to which reference is made in the scrip- tures; such as, the book of the wars of ,. Lord, certain proverbs of Solomon, he. But h. has forgotten to show, either that these were wnt- ten by Inspiration, or that they ever constuutei • any part of the canon of scripture. If he su^ pose all the books mentioned in scnptttre were written under the immediate direction of Goq * Prov. XIV. SCRTPTURE AND THE FATHEl^S. 205 for the improvement of the Church, why does he not also ref.r us to what Solomon wrote con- cernin- trees, beasts, fowls, creepuig thuigs, and fishes * ? And likewise, to that multitude ot writings which the magicians bun.t on thtur conversion to Christianity t ? ^Hiese would have ^ made a considerable show among the losses oi the Church, and attached the simple more closely to the invaluable traditions which have flowed from the mouths of former generations. After all the vast loss of books which the Church has sustained, more remain than are carefully perused even by the R. " Solomon,^' says he, " spoke three thousand and five pro- - verbs." By turning to the place to which he refers his readers, he will fmd the following words, " He spake three thousand proverbs, " and his songs were a thousand and five." Two of St. Paul's epistles, he says, are con- signed to oblivion ; " one to the Laodiceans - which in his last Epistle to the Colossians he " ordered to.be read in that Church, and one " which he mentions in his first Epistle to the " Corinthians, / wrote to you an Epistle, v. 9. ^ Will he inform us, where he learnt that this apostle wrote more than one epistle to the Co- lossians ? When he calls tnc one which remams- the last, why does he not add the others to his list of lost books ? That he wrote one epistle to . I . this ■fiWi I + Act?, xix. 19. ti iUi 206 POPF-KY CONDEMNED BY A'"f 4* this part of the Church, is universally believed; but the R. is the first person who ever heard of more. If he would persuade his readers that Paul wrote an epistle to the Laodiceans, he must draw his proof from some other quarter than the epistle to the Xolossiaus. In the last^ chap, ter of that book, an epistle froui Laodicea is mentioned ; but without the most distant hint of its being the work of this apostle. Some have rather si^pposed it one written to himself ; and others, that it was the fir^t to Timothy, which is dated from that place. If it would gratify the R.^ to read an epistle to the Laodiceans, ascribed to St. Paul, he will find it in Hutter's New Testa- meat, or in Lcusden*s Philologus Ha:breo-Gr3e. cus. But this is too apocryphal, even for the Church of Rome to receive. Nor has he any better foundation for main- taining the loss of an epistle to the Corinthians. Had he attended to the scope and language of St. Paul in the passage which he has quoted, he would have seen, that he merely refers to the preceding verses. He had been inculcating it a^> the duty of tlie members of the Church, to keep themselves apart from persons guilty of fornication, which is publicly licen.sed within the precincts' of the Romish Church. But, lest the Cor"nthians sliould yiev.' his prohibition in too extensive a meaning, he proceeds to inf^)rm them, SCRirTUKL AND IIIE FAIIIERS. 207 ,., that it referred only to Christians. If R. please to consalt the aposil s h\n(iua.::e "ll find that he does not say, " I '^vrotc you them the he'wiu iiii*^ "-"- u an epistle," but " I have written to you va >. the epistle, not to associate Nviih fornicator . u Yet not altogether with the fornicators ot tj. ; •' world,'* kc. ., In attemptmg to prove the scriptures miUa.- ted he descends from books to single verse. : .^ St. Matthew," says he, " cites a whole qu^.. - tition from Jeremias, which is not m U^ '^ book as transmitted to us. There is some- u ihincr similar to it in the book of Zacharias ; - but It must have been then in the book of Je-. - remias, or St. Matthew would not have cited " it, that may be the reason why the Jews re- '* trenched it." . . u Ihc passage to which he alludes is in the twentv.seventh of Matthew: - Then was iul- *- filled that which was spoken by Jeremy tne '' prophet," &c. This quotation is indeed only to be found in the prophecies of Zechariah ; but it does not follow, that ever it existed in any other part of the scriptures. Had the Jews as lie supposes, retrenched it from the book of Je- remiah, they would scarcely have troubled taem- selves to insert it elsewhere. If the R. imagine this passage a strong proof of his assertion, he. shows himself very ignorant of biblical cnucism. These Fathers, whom he venerates so highly, 12 can POPERY CONDEMNED BY 'ach him to solve this difficnliy, without 208 can te supposing any part of the scriptures lost. Sr. Augustine mentions, that the word Jcremiuh xvas to be found, in his days, only in some co- pies of this evangelist, while others had merely *' the prophet -,'* and therefore he concludes the last to be the genuine reading*. The same word is also wanting in the Syriac and Persic versions. It is therefore with reason supposed, that some transcriber had, by mistake, placed the name Jeremiah in the margin as a refe. rencc, which afterward came to be inserted in the text. As a farther proof of the mutilation of the scriptures, the R. produces another proof from the gospel of Matthew ; " It was spoken by the ,** prophets,' he shall be called a N^zarean. " ii. 1^3." This he supposes a quotation from former writers, whose works have perished. After t/i!>tng us that St. Jerome was " a man pro- - fr ndly versed in the scriptures, who with **^ every advantage from nature, and every ex- " ternal adventitious aid, had made them the ♦' study of a long and laborious life t," he can have no objection to give Ms observations on thcse'words a hearing. " If the Evangelist," says he, " had referred to any particular pas- *^ sage of Scripture, he would not have said, // * De Conscns. Evang. Lib. 3. . i ^' ^77- SCRirTURE AKD THE FATHERS. ♦201) «» c .. r^ns .'pokcn b;/ tk prophets, but rather, by the .. propkt. But now wl.eu he uses the wonl . Jpku in the plural number, he plainly . ,how. that he does not take the words from " the Scripture, but the sense *." The R. has likewise endeavoured to show, from Chrysosto-m and Justin Martyr, that many books of scripture have perished, through the carelessness and impiety of the Jews. Had ho been nv.ch acquainted with biblical hterature, he would have hesitated to advance an opinion „hich has been long ago exploded by the most Lrncd doctors of the Romish Church. Many of the Fathers, it will be acknowledged, have nvainiained it in their writings -, but they did it through the influence of prejudice and .gno- ranee The Church, during the first agts, had liule acquaintance with the Old T^^^me^;- -'; cent by the Septuagint translation. 1 his, b/ th. carelessness of the clergy from whom .the ko- mish Church pretends to have received her ira- diuons, had undergone considerable ehaa;,;es. On this account, in their disputes with the J.ws, objections were frequently made to Uiejr quoU- (ious from the Old Testament ; and these lu- ,hers, unacquainted wuh the real cause of diffe- rence, retorted by a charge of mutilation and corruption. They were, however, with the ex- ception of a few individuals,, totally ignorant * C-mn^eiit. in loc. im. ■ ■-<.,- jf^0I^W^ '■ 210 rOPERY CONDEMNED BY ,res a decisive evidence of their obscurity.. <' Will the Rev. Ex.," says he, " pretend that « a knowledge of all the precepts of the divme « law is so easily discovered in the Scriptures " that even the most stupid cannot mistake it i « if so, whence this variety of opimons on the c< cen^-e of certain texts ? whence these endless « controversies, not amongst the unlearned, » who are incapable of controversial discussion. " but amongst the learned themselves ? with « what propriety can that be called a common " hi But God hath chosen the foolish things oi ' the world to confound the wise ; and God . hath chosen the weak things of the world to ' confound the things which are mighty ; and ' base things of the world, and things wuch are ■ despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things .' which are not, to bring to nought things " that are, that no flesh should glory in his pre- " sence *." " I thank thee, O Father, Lord .. of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight t." 1 have no intention to declare the scriptures entirely free from obscurity to us at present. Many future events, of which the prophets have spoken, are yet little understood by the Church. There are also in the scriptures many allusions to customs and transactions, which are now totally unknown. But these can constitute no objection to their sufficiency as a rule ot faith and practice. If the R. can shew any obscu- rity in the statement which they give ot the doctrines cf the gospel, or the precept^ of mo- va'itv, we may perhaps be induced to afford hi.u . tanher hearing. Till then, he must permit Protestants to adhere to the scriptures. _ That a diversity of opinion respecting the meaning of many passages of scripture subc.sts amoufT Protestants, will be freely admitted. But ° why . , Cor. 1.26.-29. t M»!. J'!- 25' i«- SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 217 lings o[ lid God I'orld to ty ; and ?hich are d things t things L his pre- er, Lord hast hid lent, and Even so, sight t." scriptures : present. prophets od by the ares many which are constitute ale of faith ny obscU" ive of the pts of mo- afFord hi;n ust permit s. meeting the ire subsists litted. But why 26. ^vhy does the R. thence infer their obscurity ? Ou^ht he not rather to acknowlcd^>;?, as an in- controvertible fact, that there is a variety of interests and prejudices anion;; men, and a di- versity in the degree of their understandings r The variety of views, which persons take of the scriptures, no more proves them obscure, than the ignorant mistakes, or the quibbk^s of a law- yer, demonstrate the obscurity of the laws of a nation. As he discovers a great affection for the writings of the Fathers, we may observe what they have said concerning the obscurity of the scriptures. Such ortliodox company will help to kindle his angry zeal against the scrip- tures into wrath. " Believe me," says St. x\ugustiiie, " what- " ever is in these Scriptures is lofty and divine ; " they contain nothing but the truth, and that " doctrine, which is most fit for the repair and " restoration of souls ; and they are so dlspos- " ed that every man may draw thence what " is sufficient for him, if he come devoutly " and piously affected, as true religion re- " quires *" « In the Scriptures,'' says he farther, " all " these things which respect laith and practice, " are plainly exhibited t:" And again, "The " Scripture speaks these plain things which are *' contained * De Utilitate Cred. c. 6. f. De Doctr. Chri.^t. ' i • < : '(.^ ,; H 218 po vlM condemned by (( cnntain « disguise ed in it, like a familiar friend withoat to the heart o f the unlearned as learned * :" And also, " The « well as of the learner .. Scriptures contain the same thmgs m those « places which nuybe easily understood, ^.•h>ch « it does in the abstruse j." » These things," says Basil, " wh.ch .eem » to be ambiguous and obscurely spoken m « some places of the holy Scriptures, are ex- » P;aine] in other places, by those M are " acknowledged to be perspicuous \. » In the Scriptures," says Chry.ostoni, all « things necessary are perspicuous ||." The^e qv.otations are sufficient to shew, that the Fathers did not imagine the scriptures so obscure, as the R. would wish them. Suould be exp ess the least dissatisfaction w.th thetr numbe'r, a much more .extensive collectton at. at bis service. The sentiments of Popish i- vin s, to corroborate the Fathers, can also c produced from any later period upon which he peases to fix. Even among Papists there have t^almost always some, who did not allow their judgements to be perverted by the me,. . cenarv doctrines of the Romish Church. From the mysteries comamed in the scrip- tures, the R. seems to insinuate then- insufli- *Ad.voius.Ep.3. fi^'^- ^^^^ !;:;"?■ ,a. Interrcg. 267. 11 Hoir. 3. ^^^ ^^c. ad 1 hessaa ciency. " Chris say: " cienc " ries c SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. CI ipllcit; 219 th. ncy. " From the extreme i >' Christian reUgioii both in faith and iviorals,** ^ays he, " the Ex. thinks h- i^nows the suffi- ^' ciency of the Scriptures. What 1 the mystc u ries of religion simple ! the mysteries ol the - Trinity, of the incarnation, of orij;inul sin " and predestination simple * 1" A very few words will suffice to shew the fu- tiiicy of these exclamations. Did it never oc- cur to him, that the existence of a mystery may be revealed with great clearness and simplicity ? Every object in nature is enveloped in mystery when traced to fn'st principles ; and yet no per- son doubts their existence, though he cannot ex- plain them. In this point of view, these doc- trines which he has specified, though mysterious in their nature, and above the comprehension of men, are proposed as articles of faith in a very plain and simple manner. We are not commanded to know how three persons exist in the divine nature, how the Son of God became man, nor why Adam»s sin is imputed to his de- scendams. We are only to receive the divme testimony that these things are so ; and certam- ly, nothing can be more simply plain respecting these points, than the declarations of scripture ; '^ There are three that bear record in heaven, " the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit ; - and these three are one f.— The Word was *' made %l A 1'\ I J i( t I I^Ihi, V, 7- If I it J ,.20 porERY coM5;.r.:;jr.D by - ,r.:.dc fl.Va, >nd dwelt ..mongus ».-By the .• offence of cue, jiuigemcut ca.r.. upon all men " to condcmnatio:; 1 ." The 11. fevthcv tries to persuacW Ins reader, that many important docirincs of religion are very indistinctly taught in the scriptures 1 l>c .. divinity of Christ," says he, « and h.s co,.. u substantiality with the fatl>er, is an article of .. faith, and this is so tar from being distinct y .. tauclit ht the. Scriptures, that the Arians eUid- .. cd every text of Scripture brought in proof ol u. .. SceEu.ebiusr.fCesarea; his epistle m 1 Iicc .. doret B. 'J. ch. 12. in which he expounds .. even the term consubstantial in an arian sense; .' that there is but one person m Christ, the .. Ncstorians cotild not see in the Scriptures not .> could the r,utychi-,ms discover that in him .. there are two natures, the divine and human .. To come to ourselves we Catholics think .. transubstantiation clearly revealed in the Scrip- " ture, Protestants cannot find it there. L«. .. therans think consubstantiation distinctly taunht, Zuinglians deny it. In a word, there is n°o description of Christians, who do not fin or pretend to find their tenets in Scripture; and] .. -s their tenets arc in general contradictoi7, " even those which are founded in truth cani-.ot .. be so distinctly taught as the Ex. pretends J. '^- Tonn.i. i^. T I^cm. v. io. T »• yy , a a I'. SCR1PTUF.E AND THE FATIlCRS. 221 This, it must be confessed, is a very cxtraor- dhv^ry article. To infer the indistinct rcvela- ticii of truth from the doubts of men, destroys th'^ very foundai ion of both natural and revealed rclij^non. Some have doubted the existence of a God -, and therefore, according to the R.'s priiu-'ples, the proofs to the contrary exhibited in ihe works of nature, the operations of pro- vidLiice, and the scriptures, are very indistinct. Some have doubted their own existence : and therefore, it is a dubious point, that ever they existed at Ml. Or, to come closer to the point, Protestants have not only doubted, but denied all Popish peculiarities to be doctrines of reli- gion ; and therefore, the R. should scruple to believe them : Has he never observed opposite sentiments entertained concerning the simplest transactions of life, through the passions and prejudices of men ? Why then does he overlook the influence of these in the present case, and blame the scriptures for indistinctness ? The divinity of Christ, he says, is indistinct- ly taught in the scriptures. This opinion, he has not formed from an examination of the scriptural proofs of it, but because the Arians explained them away in their disputes with the orthodox. Upon this principle, the most cun- ning quibbler has always the best cause. It is much to the credit of the Popish faith, that it must be supported by Avian sopliistry. Let the 222 POMRV CrUDEMNED Bt R read the scriptures fc-r himself, instead of restinj; his hUU up^.n tho tosti.uouy of the Arians ; and he will lind th; divinity of Clinst very distinctly tau;;lit. If he please also to con- suit Justin Martyr, he will perceive his assertion to be false, and totally proundless hx his dia- losvte v^-ith Trypho the Jew, he tells hnn, "that -. he would proe'uc. such proofs of the d.vm,. .. tv of Christ, even from the Old •lestatnent, '. that no person would be able to contradict " thtm." , , , , .■ It would afford a far more honourable tcsti- mony to the R.'s judgement, were he instud of producing su.h silly objections to the sufB- ciencv of scripture, candidly to acknowledge that the Romish Church hates tlie hgiit, and is ne.. - ther willing to come to it her.df, tior to permit others, lest her deeds .^hould be reproved, lo encourage him to such an honest confession, 1 can assure him, it is not without precedent e«n in the Church ot Rome. Among other advices v-hich the bishops assembled at Bononia g-'vo Pope Julius III., for establishing the Romisli Church, the R.will find their views of the scrip- tures very plai.dy delineated. " We have re. " served to the last," said they, " the most eon. " .iderable advice, which we could at this time give your HoUness.-. And here you must be ^wake, and exert all your force, to htnder as much as you pobsiuiy can .... ^o.p^- - - ^^ t( n a " mg tl l( Ik <. t« SCI^IPTURE AND THE FATHER'^/ .. iiig rcaa in all the cities that arc uhdei- your .' domiiuons ; particularly in th-: vul;.!;ar ton;.;ue. Let that little of it, which they have in the mess serve tlieir turn, nor suiYer any mortal to read more : For as long as men were con- tented with that little, thir-gs went to your uiind ; but they grew worse and worse, as soon as they began to read more. This in short is the book which has, above all others, raised these storms and tempests, by which we are almost driven to destruction ; And really, whoever diligently weighs the sciip- tures, and then considers all the things which are usually done in our Churches, will find that there is a vast difference b.'tween them, and that this doctrine of ouvs is very unlike, and in many things entirely rcpugni«m to it. And no soother does any n.an discover this, being excited by scn^.e of our learned adver- saries, than h- continues bawling ap:ainst us, till he has made the whole m.atter public, and rendered us odious to all men. Those papers, therefore, are to be stilled ; but you must use caution and diligence in it, lest that create us greater disturbance. 1). John Delia l.asa, bi- • shop of Bcneventum, the legate of your See at Venice, behaved himself handsomely in that business : For though he did not openly and avowedly condemn that bo.k of the gospel, nor order it to be suj^prcsscd j yet in an ob- '' scur^ it II (( »( K (i II i. .1 Id .,,4.i-ivV-j'-'--""^^*^S*a''«»t he should publioh something to which he gave this title, " Of the Divine Art •," when he himself had never read so much as one syl- c^ lable of divinity. But that is of no conse- quence ; and they who censure him have little business of their own to employ them; and they lik.wise show themselves to be mere novices in the Court of Rome." From the institution of teachers in the Church the R farther attempts to shew the insufficiency of the scriptures. " The apostle, (Eph. iv. 11.)," says he, " informs us, in language as strong and as plain as words can express it. That the Pastors given by J. C. are the la^v. ful teachers, who by their ministry are to col lect into one body, all the members of J. C.; - from them therefore, we are to receive the *' hhh ; elsewhere we seek it in vain *." We Protestants will not deny the usefulness of u it ♦ r \\ C5. SCRIPTURE AND Till: FATHERS. 22i I the Church nisufficiency s, (Eph. iv. 1 language as ii express it. are the law- try are to col- )ers of J. C ; receive the am *. he usefulness of of teachers in the Church. We will not, how- ever, acknowledge them useful as a " rule" of faith and practice. The R. ought to recollect, that he has yet to prove their infallibility j and therefore, they have no right to the implicit obedience of the members of the Church. " From the Pastors," says he, " we are to re- " ceive the faith ; elsewhere we seek it in vain." Did the Bereans seek the faith in vain, when they searched for it in the scripture ? Or did St. Augustine receive it from the pastors of the Church, when he was converted by reading in the epistle to the Romans ? But says he farther, " Will the Ex. inform " us of what use is a teacher to a man who " teaches himself ? or what is the use of a pastor " to a man who finds all the spiritual food " which is necessary in the scriptures? and " not only finds it there, but according to the i" principles of the Ex. must find it there and r not elsew^here. Why not substitute Printers I" to Bishops and Ministers in the Church ?" If the R. be yet ignorant of the use of [preaching in the Church, it is time for him to [learn it. Preaching may 'be very necessary and [useful as a mean of salvation, though not as rule of faith. Faith, he has properly obser- ved, is founded on divine testimony. Unless, therefore, he can demonstrate, that his ideas in preaching are infallibly dictated by the Spirit of God, 1 .i : fl 5,2s rOPERYCOSDtMMi-DBY nod thcv cannot be a li)undauoi. uoa, uicy ..vp-ichiiie nnist then belief. One great end of P;^'^^'» '§ be, to direct tnen to the scrtptures as a rUe fa th If he say, where men nave the sen . n^c andperuJthem, preaching, according hprt pie, becomes superfluous, he ougt o-eluembL that it is an ordinance of (^od, .vhich his blessing is annexed •, and on th s • count, ..hen God gives us Inte upon Ime ve „u,t account neither unnecessary. n me cr-m.rts of baptism and the Lord ^ supper, we is no doctrine exhibited, nor blessing re- id beside these which are revealed and con- veved by preaching; and yet no Chrtst,an,m Ins the e superfluous on this accoun . Be- S the R. ' hould lutow, that preachmg ,s sSl in tite Church, not merely as a mean ot h instruction of the ignorant but also or he comfort of the informed ; an^ this end .s fre- aue Sy promoted, not by gi^ng them a more r::l^iew of the doctrines of reli^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ bv the Spirit of God, through the d.n.n..e 1 preaching, applying to their minds these rM S whi'h \hi -re previously ac^mtc .. Wherefore," says an apostle, I w>U "ot M „e-,U,ent to put you always in remembranc a-iethitigs, though ye know them, an be established in the present truth _. The R. inverts the order of rehg.on, wle- (( (( (( he says '• publi reason speciou: " the ? '• fied '' not > " teacl Wh( teacher scriptu given Pastorj divine his rea indispc but tc import fdithfu mini St: testim^ some I calend I persoi I forsoc virtue and n the f toPo * 2 Pet. i. 12. ccount. Be- preaching is as a mean for It also for the s end is fre- them a more religion, but e ordinauoe o[ .s these trutk y acquainted; *' 1 will not be remembrance low them, a™ •uth *." religion, w^ei k' SCRirrUllE AND THE TATHERS. he says, " The scriptures arc useful and the " public ministry iiulisp ns bly necessary." The reason which he has assi^rned for this, though specious, is totally inconclusive : " For without " the Scriptures the faithful iiave been sancti- '• fied before the Scriptures were written, but " not without the ministry of the Pastors and " teachers." When he has informed us, that pastors and teachers were p,iven to the Church before the scriptures, could he likewise add, that they wore . given before the word of God was revealed ? Pastors he must allow to be merely echos of the divine testimony. Where then is the force of his reasoning ? He might as well say, words are indispensibly requisite to the happiness of men ; but to convey any meaning by them is of less importance. Besides, when he says, that the faithful have not been sanctified without the ministry of pastors and teachers, he belies the testimony of his own Churcfi, and unsanctiiies some of the most eminent saints in the Popish calendar. Let him tell us, who sanctiiied these persons, who, from mistaken views of religion, forsook the habitations of men and every social virtue, rdired into deserts and dreary solitudes, ^ and never left their dens, but when urged by the pressing calls of nature. Yet, according to Popish principles, these arrived at great sanc- tity * U >»***. **»' V ' ilp'S ■^m^mm 'i30 POrERY CONDEMNED BY it read the first chapter of the sords If he have ever , ^. • , Acts, he has perhaps c', erved Christ to his apostles : « Ye si. ^ceive power, after " that the Holy Ghost is come upon you : and " ve shall be witnesses unto me *." Before Peter, therefore, could be sent to Cornelius to preach a gospel not yet written, it was neces- s:irY for him to be under the imm;;diate direc "tiou of the Spirit of God, and thereby com. pletely guarded in his declaration of the truth. The R.'s reasoning, then, cannot be conclusive, till he has proven the Romish clergy under the direction of the Spirit in the same manner ; and there is only one way in which this can be done ; let him show that they « have received power." His proofs of this, he may perceive, must not consist in the assertions of a Council, nor m scriptures wrested from their real meaning; they must be such as were given by the ■.postles, when " God bare them witness both •• with signs and wonders, and wuh divers ini. '^ racles and gifts of the Holy Ghost." _ The R farther maintains the insufficiency ot the scriptures, by asserting that all the doctrines necessary to be believed are not actually contain- ed ia them. " The Rev. Ex.," says he, " will .. have the modesty to admit, there are some .. doctrinal truths which are not contained m " the Scripiures ; the first of these is, that the " Scriptures * Ver. 8. SCRIPTURE AND THE rATIIERS. 2rJl vers mi- (t (I «' Scriptures themselves are divinely inspired, - and transmitted to us without interpolation or " corruption. In no book of the Scripture do " we find that these books which wc call cano- «' nical were divinely inspired, and if we did, the difficulty would be only transferred to it- " self : the question would immediately recur— «' on what authority do we believe that thi^ •' book, which makes the Scriptures divinely «' inspired, was itself divinely inspired. This «^ argument is from the nature of things inso-^ " luble, and precludes even the possibility ot " evasion *.*' When the R. was so active in snaring Pro- testants, he did not foresee that he might be caught himself. There is one evasion which he cither had not penetration to perceive, or ima- gined that his readers would not observe. ^ In the scriptures and oral tradition, Papists think they find a sufficient rule of faith ; and by the latter, they pretend to know the inspiration of the former. But how are we to know tradition to be the unwritten word of God ? If the R. reply, by the infallible testimony of the Church, let him next inform us, how we are to ascertam the truth of this testimony. " This argument " is from the nature of things iTisoluble,^^and «' precludes even the possibility of evasion." But, upon this point, Protestants require no ^ 2 evasions m ^''v-, w ^ jim*^ '-* ISml^mm* POPKUY COKD'ZMNED BY u \\\ evasions to rid themselves of his imaginary puzzles. A plain statement of the truth is siif- licient to obviate the objections of Papi^-ts, Deists, and all other enemies of revelation, un- designed or avowed. The R. may not be abl. to solve his own argument ; but any Protestant may, ^vith the greatest ease. It can be shown him, with very little trouble indeed, that we have both a rational certainty and a divine faith respecting the inspiration and purity of the scrip. tures. In proving the canonical books genume, we are far from rejecting the testimony of the Church. We do not, however, receive it be- cause it is the testimony of a Church, or upon the ground of that infallibility for which the R. contends. We embrace it merely as the evi- dence of faithful witnesses, who could neither be deceived, nor have any interest in imposing upon posterity -, and this proof, we think, a- mounts to a moral certainty. When Hardoum the Jesuite asserted, that Homer, Virgil, and all the other Greek and Latin classics, were wntten by the monks of the middle ages, the ridicule of the literary world was deemed a sufficient re- futation : and any person who would embrace the same opinion with respect to the scriptures, would be properly answered by a similar treat- ment. r i • ,-. . • ',r.rr fVir. I'ncm'rnrion of the SCnp- j3ur, iii piuvin^ -^"v- •— 'i- --- - tures. -v.-»^....^''"'P' • ^|«r•«»»**f? "^ ^«- Sr.RIPIURE AND TUii FATHERS. 233 tures, we proceed upon very difterent ground. Here we attend to the internal evidences, and in them we find a decisive confirmation of this point. The R. is mistaken when he says, " .In - no book of the Scripture do we find that - these books which we call canonical were di- . - vinely inspired.'' However unwilling he may be to permit Papists to read the scriptures, in writing against Protestants, he should have read them himself. He cannot deny that the books of the Old Testament were received by our Lord and his apostles, as dictated by the Spirit of God. In their quotations from them, we frequently find them using phrases of this im- port ; such as, " David himself said by the - Holy Ghost ;" " The Spirit speakeih ;" «' The Holy Ghost saith *.'* And what is said of particular passages, is declared by St. Paul respecting the whole canon of the Old- Testa- ment scriptures. " From a child," says. be to Timothy, "• thou hast known the Holy Scrip- - tures . . . All Scripture is given by i^npira- " tion of Godt." It' ^^^e testimony ot St. Peter can be believed by a Papist, it will also prove the inspiration of scripture : " We liavc - also a more siu'e word of prophecy ; where- " unto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a - licht that shineth in a dark place, ... For K 3 '* prophecy * Mnrk, xii. 36. 1 Tim. iv. I. Heb. iii. ?• ^^^ f 2Tiitt. iii. 15. 16. :il^ ,~;">* mmm^ 2:3 1 POrLKY C UN DRAINED 3Y It t I - prophecy came not in old time by the will cf - man ; but holy men of God spake as they " were moved by the Holy Ghost *. If the R. next inquire where the inspiraliou of the New Testament is taught, it will not bo more diiHcult to show him. Nothing is more plainly revealed in scripture, than that these persons by whom it was written received the Holy Spirit, to qualify them to be witnesses for Christ. Their speech and writings concerning him were consequently under his direction ; and hence says the apostle Paul, " Which things - also we speak, not in the words which man s - wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost - teacheth.'' If the R. then admit the New Testament to be a witness concerning Christ, he must also grant its inspiration. ^ Should he next say, '' On what authority do " we believe that this book, which makes the - Scriptures divinely inspired, was itself divme- '^ ly inspired?'* his difficulty ca- be very easily solved. A writing may possess internal marks, by which the authenticity of its claims may be proven, independent of external evidence. Should any oerson present to him a letter, de- daring it the* production of a friend, concurnng circumstances might prevent him from believing it upon the ground of this evidence. But it a perusal showed him the modes of expression * 2 Pet. I. 19.—- 21. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 23: and sentiments peculiar to his fnend ; and, above all, particulars with which he only could be acquainted, all hesitation would ternr.nate. In this manner, Protestants prove that the scriptures are, what they pretend to be, a work cf inspiration. To show the R. how this sub- iect can be discussed, 1 will direct him at pre- sent to one internal mark, by which we Protes- tants know the inspiration of scripture ; and that is, prophecy. The prediction of events must originate in that Being, who has arranged the plan, and regulates the government, of the world. If he then compare the prophecies ot scripture with the operations of providence, he ^ni find the conclusion unavoidable. 1 he his- tory of kingdoms which are now no more, and the present state of the Jews and of the Chris- tian Church, demonstrate " that holy men ot " God spake as they were moved by the Holy " Ghost*." , , The validity of this argument can be s>.own to the R.'s perfect satisfaction, by turning his attention to some part of prophecy, and point- in. out the manner in which it has been accom- pMed. Perhaps, by looking into the writings of the apostle Paul, we may find some appro- priate and pertinent illustration. This apostle has spoken many things respect- ing the state of the Church in after ages. A- » 2 Pet. i. 21. mi m 235 ropr.uY coxn"MKED by mong others, he has foretold a great r.postacy from religion, wlilch shouki occur aniong Chris, tlans. This lias excited us Protestants to much diligence, both to ascertain its nature, and mark its progress. In attending to these points, ^vc liave found a r.triking coincidence between the prophecies of Paul and the conduct of the Ro. mi^■h Church. If the R. please, v^'e will ob- f^crvc his language ; *' Let no man deceive you ' by any means; for that day shall not come except there come an apostacy first, and that ihan of sin be revealed, the son of perdition ; who opposeth and cxalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped ; so that he as God sittcth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Whose coming; is after the working of Satan, wuh all power, and dgns, and lying wonders *." - Now the Spirit spcaketh expressly, that in the - latter times some shall depart from the faith, - giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines '• of devils ; . . . . Forbidding to marry, and - conymanding to abstain from meats, which - God hath created to be received with thanks- " giving +.'* By observing this apostle's language, the R. xvill perceive, that this extraordinary character was to appear in the Church : " He siiteth in the - temple of God." In this point of view, then, he K !'■ t- tl ti (i a « p H and th 2TI iCfs. u. 3. 4. 9. I 1 Tim. iv. I.— 3. SCRirTURE AND THE FATHERS. le cannot object to an application of these word; to the bishop of Rome. But St. Paul docs not refer his readers to this man of sin merely as an individual, but a number of men actuated by similar views, and pursuing the same course. ■ Wliat he denominates the man ot sm in the former passage, he calls in the latter, sedvicmg soirits, or loersons whose principles inclined men 'to apostatize from the faith. That this is _ the meaning of the phrase « seducing spirits, w evident from their mode of acting in the Church. Thev do not operate like « the Spirit, which " worketh in the heart of the children of diso- " bedience ;" but appear externally, are invest- ed with authority, and establish laws: " They •• forbid to marry, and command to abstain .. from meats." Let us then observe how the character which he has given the man of sm, will fit the succession of bibhops in the See ot Rome. Various marks, by which he may be known, are memioned In these words ; " Hiscommg, Mvs this apostle, " is after the working ot ba- '■ 'tan, with all power." Perhaps the R. may remember what Pope Gregory the Great has said about the appearance of Antichnst. He declared that person his forerunner, who shou.d arcount himself universal bishop, and arrogate a « power" over the whole visible Church. ; and tWs has been both claimed and e.xerciscd by I -.1 I f 1 K5 the -j..-tV.*r-««iiJ, ri 233 POPERY CONDEMNED BY the bishops of Rome. But they were far from resting satisfied with the spiritual power. Ihe acquisition of that only excited their ambu.on to connect it with the temporal authority ; and the period in which their usurpations commen- ced, had a powerful tendency to promote their views. The greater part of Europe was im- mersed in barbarism and superstition ; and nci- ther the civil nor religious rights of mankind were at all understood. Many, from mistaken views of religion, bequeathed their wealth lo the Church ; not for the advancement of virtue and piety, but for supporting a clergy, whose vvallowings discovered more of the nature of the hog, than of the Christian pastor. Even the kings of the earth, impelled by superstmon or fear, made a surrender of « their power and " strength to the beast." The purposes for which this power was applied, have been for- nterly observed. The bishops of Rome depo- sed kings, transferred their dominions to others, absolved subjects from thtir oaths of allegiance, and prohibited their obedience ; and, to crown all they exercised their power for the murder of'niyriaus of the human race, merely for re. fusing submission to doctrines repugnant to the scripwres, and at war with both the temper, and eternal interests of men. The apostle 1 aul had therefore good reason for announcing their approacn jmtimmM SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. O'' 1:<) approach to be "after the working of Satan, " with all power." . But the coming of the man of sm was also . to be accompanied with « signs and lymg won- " ders " Any person who reads the legendary lore of the Romish Church, will readily per- ceive to whom this prediction ought to be ap- nlied. Pretended miracles, the most absiird and ridiculous, have been sanctioned by that See, and palmed upon the credulous mmds of the simple, as a confirmation of these doctnnes which established its power. The " doctrines of devils" is another parti- cular attending the appearance of the man of sin By consulting the origmal text, the K. will see, that it is the doctrine of demons ; and, if he be at all acquainted wuh amiqmty he „«st l^now. that demons -^-/J"! ^'^"f^^'^ the ancients as a distinct order of bangs but as deified dead men. to whom d.vme honour^ ought to be paid. The coming of ^ntichnst this apostle assures us, would be attended w.th a revival of this heathenish doctnne; and the. canonization of saints and martyrs constuutes a material part of the fabric of the Romtsh Church. . , i_ „ But when St. Paul has mentioned the conco- mitant circumstances which mark the appear- ance of the man of sin, he has also delineated bis character: « He exalteth himself above all K 6 " ^^'■ i-i M- -it ISTtPW****"*^ 1:10 POPERY CONDEMNED BY - that is called God, or that is worshipped ; so - that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, - sho^ving himself that he is God » The Ian- ^uage and conduct of the Church of Rome ^vlU [discover how appropriate these words are to the character of its bishops; - The Lord our Goa - the Pope, another God upon earth, says one ; '^ The Pope," says another, « is more '• than God -r and says Clement VII. himself, - As there is but one God in the^heavens, so - there cannot, nor ought to be of right, but " one God upon earth." But the bishops of Rome have not been sa- tisfied with arrogating to themselves the titles which are peculiar to the Deity. They have usurped his authority, and even pretended to render him subservient to their inclinations. They have abrogated his laws, and commanded things which he has expressly prohibited. They have sold indulgences for the basest crimes, li- censed houses of debauchery in the very pre- cincts of their palaces, pretended to pardon sins authoritatively, and even claimed a comrouling power over the invisible world : " We com- « mand the angels of paradir.e to introduce « that soul into heaven," said Clement \I. concerning these persons who died on their pil- grimage to Rome, during the year of jubilee.^ Of \hc authority exercised by the man of sin, this apostle has specified two particulars, " for- * 45 U*,^, ling SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 211 the titles ley have ended to ;linations. jimanded d. They rimes, li- very prc- irdon sins mtrouling We corn- introduce :ment "VI. 1 their pil- JLibilee. nan of sin, jE, " for- ** uiuuin^ '< bidding to marry, and commanding to ab- '' stain from meats, which God hath created to a be received with thanksgiving/' Whether these be applicable to the bishops of Rome, let the R. judge. The celibacy of the clergy is one of the principal devices for the aggrandize- ment of that See. It has therefore been stre- - nuously enjoined as an important precept of re- ligion ; as if the extinction of the human race were highly gratifying to God. Nor is the other precept of the man of sin less appropriate. The Church of Rome, like a skilful shepherd, has been aware how much the health of the simple flock depends upon the nature of their food ; and therefore she has taken their feasting and fasting under her own direction. By long experience she has found, that restricting them to certain kinds of provender upon particular days produces a vast improvement, of both the flwli and the wool, and fully repays for any ex- tra labour which it occasions. Like other per- sons occupied in the pastoral life, she is a great observer of the influence of days upon the qua- lities of food-; and having often seen that what [ is good and nourishing to-day, will to-morrow * produce the rot and other doadly distempers, she has commanded to abstain from meats, a- grceably, no doubt, to the direction of scrip- ture, " Every creature of God is good, and " nothing to be refused." ^ The HI m n'w ;||'l. Iff ^'i , I ': '^^^^^^^B 1 PCFEKY CO^D^MNED l^Y The R. must be surprised, that the apostle Paul could describe the future state of the Ro- mish Church with such ™"""= P'-^'='^'°", ^'° .vhat cause can he refer his pred.ct.ons but o liration by the Spirit of God? Prophecy he itthcnacknowledgetobeofvajusemre. rion ; since it enables us to conclude, U.h that d' e Pope is Antichrist, and that the scnptures are the word of God. By such evidence, the scnptures discover themselves to the rational mind, as the work of inspiration. The faith of the Chrtsfan, how- ever does not receive them upon th.s ground. A r tional assent to the truth of scrtpture n«, be thus produced, but not a dtvtne fa.th ; f an assent must always be of the same ktnd «h I principles upon which it is founded Pro. ItLs therefore, distinguish between fatth an reason, and .naintai., that there may be a ra. i-d persuasion of the inspiration of scr.pture Xred vine faith is wanting. To illustrate thts, ft^ay be observed, that faith is not merely a U-liel of the inspiration of the scriptures, but an a eptance of the doctrines Which they e.xh.. Upon rational principles, a person -^ b<^ - * former, while he has never viewed the latter » adapted to his condition,. or necessary to hts hap ,;n' s The apostle Paul has, accordn.gly, as- Sgted this as the cause why the doctrines o r. ,;,,„..n are rejected by rational men. The t^i- -'u~ - -■ ■ w turn ii (I n tural m; rit of G neither " spintua But the Protest am only hav( evidence ^ this may script urej light and ed to th duce his These ai as suffici vine woi to inspir heart they i heartj getn every have phot and ] ■ wore ' saith ' saith ' eth 1 immmmim SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 2i?> .« tural man receiveth not the things of the Spi- .' rit of God ; for they are foolishness unto him : " neither can he know them, because they are i' spiritually discerned*." But the R. must not conclude, that, because Protestants have no infallible tradition, they can only have a rational belief. Though rational evidence can never be productive of divine faith, this may flow from the impressions which the scriptures themselves make upon the mind. The light and authority with which they are present- ed to the understanding of the Christian, pro- duce his assent to them as the testimony of God. These accordingly are represented in scripture, as sufficient evidences for distinguishing the di- vine word from the language of false pretenders to inspiration ; " How long shall this be in the '• heart of the prophets that prophesy lies ? yea, » diey are prophets of the deceit of their own ^- hearts ; who think to cause my people to for- - get my name by their dreams, which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. The pro- - phet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream ; " and he that hath my word, let him speak my " word faithtuUy : what is the chaff to the wheat? " saith the Lord. Is not my word like a fire ? '• saith the Lord ; and like a hammer that break- « eth the rock in pieces t ?" The R. ridicules the * I Cor. ii. 14. t l^^' ^^"^- 26.-29, u (t »' * .1 ; «;■ ;44 por: a- c3Kdlmki:d ey idea that the scriptures convey light and .^:;:n. the mind, by which ihey may be known the i ations to vwv. -, -, - and felt to be the word of God. Were he o ,-cad ihem wiih a little more attention, he would be able to trace his merriment to his own .gno- ranee In David's days, the entrance of God s word not only gave light*, but appears to have been attended with such peculiar sensat.or.s, as made him account it sweeter than honey and the honeycomb t- The apostle Paul also seems to have imagined, that an exhibition of the word of God might bo followed by such convictions of its truth, as to produce the exercise of divine faith • " My speech and my preaching was not " with the enticing words of man's wisdom, but « in demonstration of the Spirit and of power : « That your faith should not stand m the wis- « dom of men, but in the power of God J." I am willing to grant, that the scriptures have never as yet pro.luccd those effects upon tne K. But does he think the sun has no light, becauK his usefulness docs not. extend to the blmd! ]• yes are as necessary as light to make objects vi- sble. A Utile attention to the doctrines of the pospel will teach him, that an exhibition of the Truth produces faith, only where the understand- ing is prep-u-ed to receive it. On this account, the scriptures inculcate the necessity of an inter- nal change by the operation of the Spirit, who ^ ■ IS *Psa1.c.iyM3C. fP.al.xis.io. t i Ccr. ii. 4- 5- is there clei « rcvclaiic is also call( tially requi exercise o « that Jes '■ Ghost * r.rc broiigl of Goth It is sor stranger t ^^ ■ ' SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 2'i>j lorn, but power : the wis- od t." ares have >n the R. , because te blind ? Dbj eels vi- es of the 3n of the iderstand- , account, Fan inter- pirit, who IS is there denominated " the Spirit of wisdom and « revelation in the liuov^ledge of Christ." He is also called the Spirit of faith ; and so CQsen- t;,lly requisite are his operations to produce the cxcrci'^e of this grace, " that no man can say . that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy u Ghost *.'* In this manner, we Protestants r>re brought to believe the scriptures as the word of God. It is some consolation to the R., if he be a strann-er to this doctrine, that his case is not ^vithout precedent in the Church. " Art thou » a master in Israel," said Christ to Nicodemus, «« and knowest not these things t ?" Yet, as an instructor of the simple faithful, he ought to ac quire at least a speculative knowledge of this point ; for Christ seems to account it the oniy entrance to the possession of the blessings of the opel • " Verily, verily, 1 say unto thee, Lx- '' "cept a man be born again, he cannot see the " kingdom of God J." The absurdity of the R.'s own principles upon this subject can be very easily shewn him. " It '• is only," says he, " by the infallible testimo- <' ny of the Church that we know the Scriptures ♦' to be the word of God.^^ Divine truth, he must confess, influences very powerfully the mind of the Christian. Let him then mform jus, whether this influence proceeds from the truth xr. ii. 4* 5* J, * I Cor. xii. 3. j John. u:. t Vcr, 3. |41' ^.- 24G FOrERY CONDEMNED BY truth itself, or from the testimony of the Church. According to his views, a Papist must say, " My - iudgeir.ent is informed, and my affections ele. - vated, by certain doctrines -, not because they - lend to produce such effects, but because the i< Church has declared them to be the word of *• God." On the contrary, the Protestant says, - The scriptures declare themselves to be the - word of God, and represent themselves as - producing these effects upon the mind. This - 1 believe, because the clear and powerful man. u ner in which the truth is proposed, will not .^ permit me to doubt." By this, the R. will be helped to comprehend a particular, which seems to have puzzled him considerably, that is, how a person, who has never read the scriptures, may know the truths comained in them to be the word of God. ^ ^ The R. must not consider this view ot the powerful influence of the scriptures upon the soul as a new doctrine in the Church. Long mex- pprience of it may have rendered it obsolete a- mong Papists ; but our Lord and his apostles taught it, and the primitive Christians beneved • it When Augustine was converted by reading iri the epistle to the Romans, whether did bis faith oriy,inate in the testimony of the Church, or in the force of truth ? Had the R. perused the Fathers attemively, he would have seen them strenuous supporters of this Protestant doctrmeJ At present mony, wh to give. ' " posscsse •' both to " affords, *' it, the r The R writings c be know! testimony says he, ' " was an " as that " of M3 ».//. •' then " that L " he stiL " list at " in his OTv.v«>i9M^- SCRIPTURE AI;D T-'r. FATHERS. 21' At present, I will only reti-r him to that tcsti- mony, which experience induced Justin Martyr togiVc. "The Christian docivinc," says he, " possesses a certain innate majesty, calculated " both to terrify and allure the sinner ; and it " alTords, to those persons who have embraced " it, the most delightful ease *." The R. indeed attempts to prove, from the writings of Augustine, that the scriptures can be known to be the word of God, only by the testimony of the Church : " The Manicheans," says he, " pretended that their founder. Manes, " was an Apostle— 'tis true his title was as good " as that of the German Apostle. The Epistle " of Manes begins thus :-^Mancs the Jpcsilc « of /. Christ, by the providence of God the Fa- « ther. A man would be tempted to imagine " that Luther had this epistle before him when « he stiled, or rather dubbed himself, Evangc " list at Wertemberg. To this Austin replies " in his book against the Epistle, chap. iv. / " therefore ask who is this Manes ? you will an- " swer the Apostle of Jesus Christ. I do not be- " lieve it. Perhaps you will read the Gospel to '^ me thence endeavouring to prove it. What if " you had to reason with one, who docs not be- - lieve the Gospel? what would you do if such an - one should say unto you, I do not believe you ? '« this reasoning of St. Austin, whatever con- *' tempt m Dial, cum Trypb. I !' <., -ii 24-8 POPERY CONDEMNED BY t4 (( (i {( tl Ii t( it tt tempt the Ex- or his friend Jortin, mny have for his authority, is absoUiteiy un?nr.weiable and applies with the same force to any other innovator as to Manes. For how will this pretended reformer shew an infidel that he ought to believe the Gospel ? he must of air necessity have recourse to the testimony «♦ of the Church, in whose hands he fmds it, - and if he denies the infallibility of her tcsii- mony, he leaves ho infallible authority ; on which, to rest his beli.^f of the Gospel. Hence Si Austin says, in the course of his reasoning, / would not bcUc-ve the Gospel if the authoritu of the Church did fiot move me thereto. Whij should J not obey them, (the Bishops) saying tome: do not believe Manes, ivhom I obeijcd sayivg, believe the Gospel* " Tlie R. thinks the Popish mode of convm. cino- infidels much more conclui.ve than that used by Protestants. Let us then compare the two together, and observe the result. If an m- ikiel inquire who was St. Paul, the Papist would reply, an apostle of Jesus Christ. Shou this be doubted by the infidel, the Papist would refer him to the hifall'ble testimony of the Church. But what answer would t.he Papist makp, when the infidel disbelieved the doctrine of infallibility ? He has no farther proofs by xvhlch he could convince his disbelieving judge ment. (( K mcnt. Ol it must be tlucnce, ai The Churc can appeal when con^ When he < the Papists tion have ) ments, w, shadow of destruction tants go to m infidel ( ings of St. if that ape such a c feply. Though 11 faith i hurch, it lat his s< ith or fa (ost exten mistakei this, 1 inversion lof. H indeed, 'Onv of P. \39. SCUIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 240 tj nay have irAvc'iable iiiv other will this that he must of testimony finds it, her tcsti- ority ; on mcnt. One topic, however, remuins, which, it must be confessed, possesses a powerful in- fluence, and may produce wonderful effects. The Church of Rome, like other great orators, can appeal to the " feelings" of an infidel, when conviction cannot reach his judgement. When he disbelieves the doctrine of infallibility, Ithe Papists can add. The Pope and the Inquisi- tion have provided ample store of red-hot argu- [ments, which never fail to terminate every el. Hence Jshadow of doubt, either by the conversion or destruction of the unbeliever. But we Protes- ants go to work in a very different way. When n infidel disbelieves the inspiration of the writ- ngs of St. Paul, we refer him to the prophecies f that apostle, and prove the Pope Antichrist, such a decisive manner, that he is unable to 'eply. Though St. Augustine had actually viewed 1 faith as founded in the testimony of the hurch, it by no means follows as a consequent, at his sentiments are just. The nature of th or falsehood can never be changed by the' ost extensive authority. But the R. has entire- mistaken the scope of this Father's reasoning, this, I think, the manner of Augustine's he doctrine ■nygj.gjgj^ might have afforded him sufficient r proofs DyBoof, He would have acted very inconsistent- :ving judge-B indeed ^ had he resolved his faith into the tes- reasoning, authoritjj eto. WJnj t)s) sayhi m I obeijcd of convin. than that ompare the If an in. the Papist ,t. Should apist would »ny of the t.he Papist FJ ment.piQj^y of the Church, after havin p- rec^'ivec such ;»;:S«-»' ( 250 PUPERY CONDEMNED BY proof from the scriptures 9uch a convincing i'*^^^ "— • hemselvcs. But a .iow of the scope of fe rcZlng .m show, that he cntertamed no such "t"he ai,.ciplos of Manes began to pub. UshTabsurdUiei, .he, found the.sd^^^^^^^^^ posca by the plain te— - of t ejr^-. It therefore became necessary ion dVt htirauthovhy ; and this they attempted b a tho^eplaces which opposed their errors, M also bv ridicvding the Church for beUev,„s 1 ,; reason • whereas they were ready i. ^vuhout '^'^^^°^' 7 ^,,,„ doctrine, which thq a<;siffn a reason tor evciy « . „ cJ proposed for belief*. To these chargs S pioposeu j^ sentimcnis' . detnnation of "rors. i " be much more consistent to reject n tures entirely like the pagans, or the Ne TeLment with the Jews, than .oacU«) ledre in general the divm.ty of the bool andyet rf]ect these passages which cppo. li/ opin ons. If there were any s^ * of corruption, they ought to prod. r e anclont and truer copies than what 1 4- J> To ^how the ahiiUi' " Church possessed t. io snow uic t„ of tU conduct, he proceeds to take th. upon their theinfcript " an apcst f God " n (( (( (• (. (I n Ik Manc'S, he hopes the] they the mi any thhig him to the it; and h because, they had i but at the of their b St. Au^ readers h to be asce record, w ledged ; ; " would " author] i« me." I omitted tl might vie [cause of . ever, wh his faith inony. j Ithority oi inf nio nc< * Con. Faust. Lib. ii. c I Id. ibid. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 251 cripturcs le of his no such to pub. gives op. criptures. \ to invali- mpted, by corruption rrors, and believing ; ready to vhich they ;harges St, sentiments •ity of any )r the con- ,** says he ;t the scrip. 3r the Ne«| to acknov the boob hich opposi 3 any susp : to produd lan what tk ■ the absur to take the Id. ibid. upon their cvvn pnnciplcs ; and he begins with tiie inscription of the epistle of Manes; " Manes, " an apcstle of Jesus Christ, by the providence " cf God ihe Father." Of the apostlcship of Manes, he puts them upon their proof; and hopes they will not be angry with him, since they themselves had taught him not to believe any thhig without reason. Should they reier him to the gospel, he tells them he disbelieves it; and here he shews that proof fails them, because, according to their own principles, they had rejected authentic records as evidence, but at the same time, placed reason for the basis of their belief. St. Augustine, it is evident, is showing his readers how the truth of any historical fact is to be ascertained. It is by reference to some record, whose authenticity is universally acknow- ledged ; and upon this principle he says, '* I " would not believe the Gospel, unless the " authority of the universal Church induced " me." The R., in quoting these woids, has omitted the word " universal," that his readers might view the authority of the Church as the cause of Augustine's belief. This Father, how- ever, when permitted to speak for himself, rests his faith upon the " universality" of the testi- mony. Having accordingly mentioned the au- thority of the " universal" Church as the cause inf Kio -itofinlitifT tr\ thp ^l^thpTiUcMV c/f thp fTOS- „ J t f ' t :Z^Ifl6i"" ■" id. Il i I 252 PorERY CONDEMNED BY pds he proceeds to shew, that he ought fc ■ to Leive the Acts of the Apostles, be. ""' ° "s sht" «m-..m/ authority mduces cause, says ut, (( (( * '» Had"the R. paid a Utile attention to the m- sont Augustine, he would have seen, th. •Tnit the divini.y of the foctnnes o -^ ture Nvhich the testimony of the Church m- ced him to believe, but their authent.uy^ . writines of the persons to whom they arc a. c bl The faith, therefore, of wh.ch he JcaVs is not a belief which has the tesHmony rid for its basis: It is an assent to^n.*, founded on rational evidence ; and no Protes- Sr reacts the testimony of the Church mprov ;rg\S authenticity of the books of the sen, '"before the R. write again upon this subject, I .fddd advise him to extend his acquamtance V A the scriptures. When a person destgns to wim tne 6 V ^^^ i^ „f 3cme use write agamst a book, ne ^^^ ^°^^^^^TTh?h:t ;tsuch:Jck. ;::S i:;:iS: ainments, as he h^^^^^^ !red himself. But though he has failed as y o destroy the authority of scripture it is to k ;::rtSt he will not desist from his at.^^^^^ The undertaking is arduous •, but its accon plishment will produce him great renown. He * Con. Ep. Fundam. c, 5' will then all the e been uns let me s\ mcnt, a ly fail to When h scure w or when on the d images, in the A ♦' have I SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 553 ;ht like- ns, " be- f induces the rea- een, that of scrip, lurch in- iticity, as ley are a- which he testimony t to truth, 10 Protes. :h in prov- the scrip. lis subject, ;quaiiitance designs to )f some use /ill by this' a knack at e had flat- failed as yet j >, it is to be is attempts. its acconv 'nown. He I will then be able to boast of having done tvhat all the enemies of revelation before him have been unable to effectuate. In the mean time, let me suggest to him, in his present disappoint- ment, a topic of consolation, which can scarce- ly fiul to soothe a serious and reflecting mind. When he is perplexed with the crabbed and ob- scure writings of the apostles and evangelists, or when he is foiled in argument, let him think on the disinterested saying of a great maker of images, of whom honourable mention is made in the Acts of the Apcsdes, " By this craft we ♦' have our wealth*.'* * II. On Tradition. The Church of Rome is corxScious, that if many of her opinions and practices were tried by the scriptures, they would be found incon- sistent with the plainest principles of religion ; and therefore, she has sewed certain fi^^-leaves tof^ether for a coverincr to these things which might expose her to shame. As she would wish the world to believe this an old famlly-gar- ment, she has dignified it with the name of tra- dition ; but being aware how liitlo men are dis» posed to overlook a bad habit, merely on ac- count of its antiquity, she has judged it requi- site to give it another appellation, descriptive of L its * Acts, j.jx. 25. 1.'. . 1.1 '234 POPtM COM^EMNISD BY she has called it its value ; and on this account .^ the unwritten word of God." A rejection <,£ any part of divine revelation bemg repug- nam to both the duty and happiness of men, v,e Protestatns ought to possess dccts.ve evtdence o the falsity of these claims upon wh.ch tradition is founded, since we have with-held our assent to this part of the Romish creed. In attaining such proof, very little trouble is requisite A short view of what the R. has advanced on t'"^ subject will show us, that, instead of establishing the claimsof tradition, he has merely bewilder- ed himself in absurdity : It will discover his de. fence of tradition to be as inconclusive as h.s ob- icctions to the scriptures. - _ . Before entering upon a discussion of this sub- iect, it may be proper to remark, that the dit- ference between Protestants and Pap.sts does „ot consist in the latter adhering to tradition andtheformer rejecting it entirely. 1 hew ,,,aition, in its proper acceptation, sign^es a y thing transmitted from one person to anotlKr, Ind therefore, it is as applicable to the scrip- Les, as any other part of the Rom.sh^^^^^^^^^ In many parts of the writings ot tie lal.i..., Is^ are accordingly called the tradition, .> hfR. must have observed, if he has ever per. Id them attentively. The difference betwee us consists ill our opposite views about = ' Oral" tradition, or certain verbal instrucnoi.q ^VX***^'""*^''*'''' mmummmttssmmaltSmfmmSi SCRIPTURE AND THE rATHt-RS. 255 which Papists pretend to have received from the apostles. These we Protestants have rejected, for reasons which might stumble even the mind of a Papist. But, as the value of any thing and its usefulness are closely connected, we may observe what the R. can advance in its be- half. ^ , . The use of oral tradition is founded upon the supposed insufficiency of scripture, as a rule of faith and practice. This, according to the R., exhibits only a partial view of Christianity ; and even that, in such a manner as to be of very little use to the greater part of readers. It re- mains, therefore, with oral tradition, to obviate the difficulties, and elucidate the obscurities of the scriptures ; and also to present the Church with a view of the doctrines omitted by the in- spired writers. " In the word of God trans- " mitted to us/' says the R., " we find the in- " tended sense of obscure passages 'ivhkh the ■ *' unlearned and the unsettled wrest to their own ** perdition, as we learn from St. Peter speaking " of St. Paul's epistles, in which there are some " things difficult to be undcrstcod,--2 Pet. iiu " 16. Thus we know the mauner of admmi- " string the sacraments ; of instituting the mi- " nisters of the Church ; of th':ir different or- '* ders; the obligation of sanctilying the first •' day of the week Sunday, not the las'. Satur- " day, as ordered in the scriptures, which orJi- I, o •■• nance ■! f 1 if. -.»ii|,Vi'«».' 256 POPERY CONDhMNLD BY (( nance of the Old Testament is no where can- .jlled in the New ; the necessity of baptizing " infants ; of offering up prayers and s^PP^i^'^' " lions for the repose of departed souls *." When the R. produced this long catalog .le of traditions, he forgot to shew, that they are ac tually apostolic. That would have completely terminated his contendings ; and therefore, he has prudently declined the undertaking. A few observations will suffice to shew him, that some of these doctrines, which he has specified as traditions, are very perstMcaously taught m the scriptures; while others originate merely m Popish prostitutions of religion. Before proceediug to a review of his asser- tions, 1 ^vonld merely hint to him, that previous to his making such a bustle about the obscurity of scripture,^ he ought to have inquired more ixu'ticulariy, whether that originated in the ian- ruage of inspiration, or in his own understand- ing.'' He appears to be considerably a stranger to^he meaning of his own mother-tongue ; and iiowcan he\ expect to understand the language of the scriptures ? In the above quotation, he considers an obscure passage, and one difficult to be understood, as phrases of the same nn- ])ort. A very little reilection will teach hm\, that a doctrine may not be easily comprehended, and yet be very perspicuously proposed. The ^ person * i'. 5'^ 57- ^ P>MM ■H \^:^' SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 257 person who considers a mathenialical demonstra- tion, may at first find himself sadly puzzled ; but when he has made himself master of the subject, he may admire it both for acuteness of reasoning, and perspicuity of arrangement ; and studying mathematics by oral tradition, the R. himself must confess, would be entirely a new invention. Were the members of the Romish Church left to their own judgement and the scriptures, they would understand much more of them than would be consistent with the edifi- cation of the clergy. But the R. and his bre- thren, after perverting the minds of their hear- ers, raise a clamour, " There is a lion with- " out ;'* and these re-echo, " I shall be slain " in the streets." Among the obscurhies of scripture which oral tradition explains, the R. has classed " the " mann<'r of administring the sacraments." Of these Protestants have never been able to disco- ver more than iwo hi the sciipiurcs : so that he might have placed the other five among IiIl^ tra- ditionary doctrines. But if, from the obscurity of some parts of scripiure, we have never been able to view these five as any thing else than Po- pish excijscenccs in religion, we have generally seen the moda of administering, the other two pretty plainly taught. Nothing lers than Popish ingenuity could liuve di^,covered obscurity in the scriptural account of the administration of ban- tir.m T --> iXMiS^S^lAi^- .kf^0ll^:t '25S rOPERY CONDEMNED BY II tisra by water the n tlie name of the Father, of the Soi>, ar^d ot the H.ly Ghost. These atten- Z observers of tradition have, how-er, found out that wh.« this ordinance was d.spen ed by " 'apostles, they first made the water salt and L s,e.sy ; and afterwards dipped a candle - it thr ce, and divided it into four parts. But h ec Uar excellence of this tradu.on ts not Sted to an elucidation of the mode of ad ,ninistering the ordinance of baptism. It pos- Tes infinite merit for explaining other obscure parts of the scriptures. Thus, for example when the Ethiopian ^""^V'^rT"" See"" wished this privilege of the Church, 'See said he to Philip, " here is water ; what doth "hinder me to be baptised • V Bemg only a ,oung convert, and ignorant of the forms Sgion, his language is very much calculated o misl ad the unwary. But uckdy tor he Church, oral tradition teaches, that he meant o ou?ht to have said, « Here are ^^^1^. ° '' "•^^t t." With respect to the institution of the first ilay of the week, both the language and conduct of the apostles can be cxiiibitcd as evidence of its b'.ing appropriated to divine* worship. Ihe scriv-mrcs assure us, that these pnmir ve Christians assembled on that day i'^-r the express purpose of communicating and L 5 <^ti^^'^-* * Deut. V. 15. t Col. li. H.— i:. i I !• 262 POl'l^RY CONDEMN LID BY Other religious exercises • • and to show that they viewed it as a season devoted to religion, they calkd it " the Lord's day t-" By oral tradition only, he farther observes, ,^-e know « the necessity of baptizing uifants. The circumcision of the tore-skin of the heart, and tlie vvashii.g of re^oneration, he must g,ant to be phrases of siuular import, ihe apostle Paul accordingly teaches, that by Uns- tian circumcision, we arc to understand baptism: '• In whom also ye are circumcised w.th the or- '. cumcision made without hands, in puttmg oft '. the bodv of the sins of the tlesh by the cir. .. cumcision of Christ ; Buried w.th him m '■ baptism t." It is, then, a conclusion tolera- bly natural, that all who had a right to crcum- cision under the Old Testament, possess the same claim to baptism under the New ; so that this doctrine is more plainly taught in scripture than he was at first aware. The concluding article of this long catalog.: of supposititious traditions is, " otteru.g u .. prayers and supplications for the repose ol " departed souls." _ The R. has at last hit upon a doctrrae which no Protestant could ever find in the scriptures. Between the two boards i the Bible, it is net or.ce mentl<,ncd ; and in the vast variety of •■a up rravers recort .led ti-cre. it is not to be found. But, Act"!, vx. 7. t -'•^- ^' •-• ' -■- )W that eligion, of the he must t. The y Chris- yaplism: i the cir- ittmg off the cir. him in )n tolera- D circum- )ssess the ; so that SCRiPTUF.E AND THE FATIILF.S. But, what must uppear no less cxtraordlmi- ry to the R., and must convince him equal- ly of the impeift ction of the scriptures, and the necessity of oral tradition, there is the same silence about praying for the devil. Did it never occur to him that neither of these were duties of religion . But the discussion of this subject must be reserved till hereafter. But the R. is not satisfied with this enumera- tion of traditionu. y articles. " On oral trad:- tioii," says he, " the divinity of J. Christ was always believed and publicly professed in the Church, on his principle the Arian here- sy was condemned in the great Council of «« Nice : there is no text in Scripture, however expressive of the divinity of J. Christ, which the Arians did not elude by ingenious and artful explications; but the public faith of the Church, lounded on the oral tradition o& " the Apostles, was not to be evaded *." It is a pretty curious logical deductl^.n to F;?.y,- because the Arians were ingenious and artful, therefore the divinity of Christ is not plainly taught in the scriptures. He might say, with equal propriety, that truth is a oncntity, be- cai se ingenious quibblers can invent paradoxes. These absurdities, by which he cr^deavours to establish the doctrines of the Romish creed, dic^- covcr the most palpable ignorance of the ancient I^ 6 state *P.57- i( (i t< t( (I t( (t If 2G4 rOPlRY CONDLMNED tY nCj If, m ti tt ti t( (( I* t( State of the Church. Though the universal consent of Churches might be used by the Fa- thcrs as an evidence against innovations, they were far from embracing it as the ground of their belief. St. Cyprian will show him, how the primitive Christians treated oral tradition : Whence comes this tradition?'* says he; does it descend from the Lord's authority ; or from the commands and epistles of the a- postles ? for those things are to be done which '* are there written ;" and likewise, " If it be commanded in the gospel, or in the cpi!^tles and acts of the apostles, then let this holy tradition be preserved*." St. Jerome ex- pressly contradicts his assertion respecting the divinity of Christ : " As we deny not," says he, " the things which are written ; so we re- •' ject those which are not written. We believe ♦' that God was born of a virgin, because we " read it ; we do not believe the marriage " of Mary after her delivery, because we do *' not read it *." As yet, the R. has exhibited no real use for oral tradition. The scriptures completely an- swer all the purposes to which he has applied it. Let him recollect himself, whether there be no other valuable use to which it has been fre- quently appropriated in the Church of Rome. 1 am loth to accuse him of giving his readers an undigested j- Adv. Ticivi unJigestct^ excellent < ever, obli, ten some which the To ohow this subjei he has eni One pr is, to absl stract the that accor ultiniately ses, that teachers weatied fi lifted to and then keeping c greater p; with buy land with I clergy w dition hs for prom discoverc I by perfo: I no occasi I have bee righteouj versal iC Fa- » they nd of , how ition : 5 he; :y, or the a- which f it be ■pit-ties s holy ne ex- ng the >> says we re- belitve luse we larriage we do use for tely an- »plied it. J be no een frc- Romc. :\dero an digested SCRIP rUAE AND TFIE FATHERS. undigested viwV/ of the eiitcnaive utility of this excellent article of Popish belief. Truth, how- ever, obliges me to declare, that he has forgot- ten some of the most important purposes for which the Church of Rome has employed it. To ohow him what might have been said upon this subject, I will mention one particular which he has entirely omitted. One principal design of the Romish religion is, to abstract men from the world, or to ab-. stract the world from men ; for the R. will see, that according to Popish practices, the result is ultimately the same. This religion also suppo- ses, that the rulers of the Church, being, as teachers of others, sufficiently mortified and wcatied from worldly vanities, must be best qua- lified to fight against dangerous temptations ; and therefore it has transferred them to the keeping of the wise and prudent. But as the I greater part of men are much better acquainted with buying and selling, than simple transfer, land withal, exceedingly averse to 'intrust the I clergy with too many carnal things, oral tra- jdition has invented a most excellent expedient for promoting this great end of Popery. It has discovered, that some members of the Church, I by performing certain exercises which they had I no occasion to do, because the divine law would jhave been satisfied without them, may become ous overmuch. Now oral tradition, and N i !' 'i*l igi even 266 POPERY CONDEMNED BY It ^f :i f c^i^^nc that this surplus of even comvnon se-e, ^- ' ^l^ „,.J,, ,„, goodness, ben.g ot no u being also ^^^^^ll^l^'^ herefore, u h. ^^""e^h;^S"o'open'shop, and expend 7^ pve -rit upon poo, sinners. * t ad no Kisuve nor incunauon to Pn.^^^ tltemselvrs otherwise, in ex<-liange for tnese ioSv things uhich were hastening the.r rmn. I ' p • on n..st grant the excellence of , e ■ Scheme and besides, extensive expenet.ce en scheme , ,„,„in'qs Had the R. only demonstrate its usetuln.ss. na j adverted to the former state ot the Church he iT have seen how much the bowels ot the Twy have been refreshed and replenished W sSntial proofs of devotion, flowmg ennrel, frnm this source. . ^ , The R., in discusoing his doctrme of era tradWons, ought to have produced some proof of e a ostoUc origin of these taught m tk Romi-h Church •, especially as -e Protestan. hav" always maintained them to be merely F • S nvemions. In comparing them w.th th Trine pies laid down in the writings of the a- CS we fin-l 'he most glaring incons,stenc Teieen them. These ancient P-P^B^- J the Christian religion make no mem.on of ^f thn rlpvpv, the use or gitast c.iw cehbacy or tne cier^y, o Tther 4h in baptism, nor the ..ecessuyon^ ^aterforsanctifying the Church. .<1 hey m^^^ infoni? th( be pui-'ha for pardc of the sai veneration ry, nor ( they com and yet Church. ry shows originate contracti tions th;. dually ii pers'atio views. infallibi! of the 1 remains no use Church rious f( the g: '' The " the : " ther SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 267 ine of oral some proof ight in the Protestants merely Po- ?m with the s of the a. nconsisteiicy )pagators of iition of the [ grease ond •ssity of hol| .;rhey never inform inforni their readers, that the Holy Ghost may be pui-!»ased ; nor direct them to pay the clergy for pardons, indulgences, and the extra merit of the saints, l^heir works exhibit no marKs of veneration for relics. They reveal no purgato- ry, nor enjoin prayers for the dead ; nor do thev command the worship of saints and images : and yet all these are doctrines of the Romish Church. Besides, a view of ecclesiastical histo- ry shows us, that these corruptions of religion originated in the vices of the clergy. Havmg contracted a stronger relish for sensual gratifica- tions than the refinements of religion, they gra- dually invented such baits for rendering the su- persatious and credulous subservient to their views. The R. indeed refers his readers to the infallibility of the Church, as a sufficient proof of thp truth of tradition ; but this doctrme also remains unproven ; and therefore it can be of no use in .he cas(. before us. The faith of the Church of Rome, then, rests upon a very cu- rious foundation. A Papist who is asked about the ground of his belief, can only reply, There is an oral tradition in the Church, that " the apostles left certain oral traditions ; and «' there is also an oral tradition in the Cliurch, - that these oral traditions are the very oral tra- " ditions now taught by the clergy.'* But, though all the infallibility for which the R. contends ^ be admitted, there still remains a difficulty (t ti ( u. i f^' 263 POPERY CONDEMNED BY difficulty xvhlch he ought to obviate. Can tk doctrine of infallibility reconcile contradictions How does he account for the opposition uhic •,,.„.r. inl the present oral subsists between scnptuie anJ tne p traditions of the Romish Church ? Ihe scrip. tures say, that a bishop ..ust be the husband o one wife, the Church of Rome has declared Z niarr age of the clergy unlawful : the former i es the cup to the laity, the latter wuh-hc ds t • in the scripture the worship of images is for- bidden, but in the Romish Church idolatry » a truth of the Catholic faitl,. Many other 'n Lnces of a similar kind might be adduced necessary. Whether does the R. think, th.t S contradictions originated with the apostles or the Church ? Did the former preacn one doctrine, and .'rite another ? or does tk Church teach for doctrines the commandmen.s of men ? . , v- After obviating these objections, let him, upon the principle of infallibility, account cr the variation of the traditions of one age fi m these of another. The Church of R°"-' '' ; ,ing the first ages, did not receive .he ^« ti- the Hebrews •, but tradition afterwa ds a ui, and it was admitted into the canon of sci iptu.- Alter fifteen centuries had el.psed, the Counc of Trent found tradition erroneous in lejecim^ certain books as apocryphal, and theretore re- ceived them as writings of i"^P'"''-'°"- ;. ; primitive low apo£ tide of doctrine merly, i Lord's Rome ; are decl satlsfact will not supply. Tho\ trouble; produc' tionary « Intel « Info: " ten " som " trial " tur^ « vcd " pra SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 2G9 F' the former with-holds lagcs is for- I idolatry is \y other in- adduced, if think, that the apostles preach one r does the nmaiidmenls IS, let him, account for ne age from f Rome, du- the epistle to wards varied, I of scripture. I, the Council s in rejcciing therefore ro- ation. lu t^^ . primitive primitive ages, the clergy were permitted to fol- low apostolic direction and example m the ar- ticle of marriage -, what became afterward the doctrine of the Church, the R. knows. For. merly, the necessity for infants partaking of the Lord's supper was taught by the Church of Rome ; now all the asserters of this doctrme are declared accursed. When he has given a satisfactory account of these contradictions, it will not be difficult to provide him with a tresti ''Kv^h the R. has carefully avoided these troublesome particulars, he has attenipted to produce both precept and example for his ti-adi- tionary mode of teaclrmg Christianity. 1 he . intelligent reader,- says he, " need not be . informed, that the book cf Genesis was writ- « ten by Moses one of Abraham's descendents, " some 40() years after the death ot that pa- « t-iirch in whose time we know of no Scnp- u tur. . and all who believed in God, and ser- « vcd him, must have ^mnded their faith and « practice on the unwritten word ot God, waat « we call oral tra-Jidoii *." - When he was giving this view of the founda- tion of the £dth and practice of these patrnrchs, he has overlooked one particular, to which, tor the PAke of his intelligent readers, he ought to have adverted. If these ancient believers had no scriptures '* p. io6. 270 POPJfRV C0NDF,M>3ED BY |1 * <.,'- scripture, to direct iliem, they rece.ved from God epLted intimations of h>s w,l!, by v^hu:. the truths of reli^io. were uitf-lded to t.em, ...i freed from that rust in which tradm.na.v ar. tides of antiquity are frequently '-" -'^; J^ fore the R., therefore, can exerapUiy the p.esen s^e of the Romi.h Churcl. by the s>tuat>on of hese patriarchs, he must produce a regular .. Z of revelations from God, by ^.h■ch her ori traditions have been preserved m punty. If he .ish to find a parallel case, he must r.cur to ,k state of the Jews in the days of our Savtour. A hat period, like the Romish Church they ad both scripture and a long catalogue o tradu.o. „a y doctrines. How far the para lei between theLruns, he may learn from the woraso Christ: "Ye have made the cotnmandmentot .. God of none effect by your traditior. . A similar reply may be given to the examp e ^hic. he has produced from the Nevv lest. n^ent. It is true, as he affirms, that the gosp 1 ^preached intheChurch before the New le. .ame'nt was written. But it was preache b n,en possessing the extraordmary gifts of th Soirit of God, which, he must conless, cotisU- uS an excellent antidote against the n^troduc- ton of error by such a mode of teaching. Shoul Tp dice here his plea of infallibility in beh Hf the Church of Rome and her tradtt.ons,k * Mattb. XV. 6. SCF has only to : its existence ness, as he " wonders, •' of the H' In behalf tempts to p » Why do' » comtnan " oral trad « him : V\ •' thctradi " ther hj ' " The Ap " pressly " when h " had lej " they hi Will t orally to dutifully enjoined R. must latter to It will b that (he deliver prove, i of min SCRIPTURE AND THE f'ATHERS. 271 om God liCii the em, a. i )nai'Y ar. 2d. Be. e present nation of ?gvila>" se. L her oral y. If he cur to the iour. At they had f traditio.' 1 between words of .ndment of )U # » e example !Q'ew Testa- the gospel e New Tes. reached by rifts of the tess, consti. le introduc- ng. Should ity in behalf •aditions, he has tas only to -.ecollect, that he has not yet proven rexistence; for God has n.t borne her w,t- s , as he did the apostles, » with s,,n. and finders, and with diverse miracles, and gdt. .. of the Holy Ghost »." . In behalf of oraltradiuon, the R. hkew.se at- ,„pts to produce precept from the scnptnrej „ Why does the Apostle," says he stuctly .. command the Thessalonians to hold fast the .. oval traditions, which they 1-''^ '•ece>ved from .. him : Wherefore brethren, stand md .loU.jast, .. (/.. iradWom, -which you have been t;^^'^;^'^- .. ther by word or by our Epistle. '2. Fhess.u. 15. ., The ipostle not inly thought but tattghteK .. pres.ly that the Scriptures were not smSc, nt .. when he ordered them to hold fast what hey . had learnt by oral tradition as well as what .. they had read in the Scriptures t- WUl the R. specify the traditions duhveied 0,1 to .he'l-hessalonians, that Protestants may SUy receive them? Though the apo^e^^^^^ .pined the former to -- ^t-s r.t.o... the R. must not Irom thu^ d.uuce «ie ? ,„er to submit to the., of the ^-^^'^ It will be iiecessary for him previously to ^hovv, h he Church of Rome is equally quahfielo ele' the doctrines of -%;- -">;iVn,e pvove in the same manner, (by the perfo.mance ^- ■ 1 .> that her oral traditions are sane ot miracles}, that ner ui. tioiiA ^.n i 1 * Keb. v., H* f F- 95- 272 rOPr?xY CONPRMNED BY !•■ li 1 tioned by God. Does he think it conclumel reasoring to ray, Bv:(;ause this upnstlc delivered traditions, and t:^e Romiah Cimrrh have tradiJ tions, therefore, ihcy arc exactly the same. He might affirm with equal propriety, thatbecausel Protestants and Papists both profess religion, their sentiments and practices are similar ; or be.' cause all men worship, there is no difference a. I mong them, though one worship God, and an.] other the devil. From the words of this apostle it may be in- ferred, that he both preached the gospel and wrote to the Tuessalonians, and likewise, that] his sermons and epistles were equally binding; but how the R. draws from them, that he preach- ed one doctrine and wrote another, it would be dilFKult to discover. He ought also to have re- 1 collected tht Protestant doctrine, that some pre- ccp^s of scripture, from their very nature, are ob- ligatory .udy upon these persons to whom they ' were at iirst. uddrossed ; while others extend to • the Church in all ages. The Thessalonians were ] certainly obligated to hold fast what the spostle! Paul had taught them orally, because his Ian- g.i.ge was dictated by the Spirit of God. But tiie Church is no more bound to receive their traditions, than to bring Paul's cloak from Trcas, or Zenas the lawyer and A polios on their jour- ney. 'Before leaving this subject, let me compli- ment SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHF.RS. 273 onclumcli"^"^ the R. upon his critical ingenuity, in dis- dGllveiedlcovenng the true sense of obscure words in the ve trid' Iscriptures, When the apostle Jude exhorted the nv' H Ichu^ch " to contend earnestly for the faith, t because ■' ^^^^^^ "^^'^^ °^^^^ delivei'ed unto the saints *,'* Tv liffion fcotestants imagined a suitable appearance in be- r • orbe't^^^^ ^^^ doctrines of the scriptures sufficient ; Ference a.^ ^^^ ■^* ^^^^ discovered, ih?t the Greek word, andan.P'^^^ we translate delivered, possesses a very lifferent meaning. " The Creek terms,'* says be in.P' " sig^"^i^y the faith once delivered by oral tra- ospel andi^i^o" ^^ ^^^ saints f." The excellence of wise that^^^'^^^^'^^ observation consists, not merely in r bindine'ls ascertaining the meaning of the aposiie Jude, he preach, t i^ ^^s ^''^'■^^^'^^^"^S many obscure passages of would betpt"^^^ ^^^ which the same Greek word occurs. have re- r the reader's conviction, a few examples may somepre.|pi*^^'^^<^ed. re, are ob-P^'^^- ^^'^i- 22.— The Son of m.an shall be dc- yhom theyt'etl iut(3 the hands of men by oral tradition. 1 extend toPo^^n ^'"- 64.— Jesus knew from the beginning mians were lo should deliver him by oral tradition. the spostlef 0^11 xj"- '^.---The devil put it into the heart le his lan.|^^itlas Iscaiiot, Simon's son, to deliver him God. But 1 0' 2^ f i'^^'^f^ion. >ceive their P^i" ^^- ^"^^s certainly great merit in discover- romTrcaSjI^^e devil to be the father of oral tradition, their iour-W-f^^-'-^-'^ ?■ type of the Romish Church. We itestants have never entci taiaed a very high ne compli- ment ornuon Vt er, :. P. 1 M p j 1^ "1 -, 274 POPERY CONDEMNED BV protestaj " what ' » has c " thai I " besldt » dtntl^ " sidcrt » legioi Wen optaion of the religion of the devil and there S we have rejected tins part of the Rom^k " ntd the R. taken an unprejudised view of J sta" of .he Church of Rome, he vvould not U Sr/woutd h^e also shewn hitn, th. J.o,.s: Sels the canon-law, and even the most|themos toJsdiviues among Papists, have rested J At pre. Sh of the Church upon scripture, to the«,|,uang reiection of all oral traditions. ^« Because this has no authonty from ,1 ..scriptures," says Jerome," it IS as easily c« .. demned as produced*." .. We have received," sayslreneus, « ato .. ledee of the plan of our salvation tro.nth, peTscns who first preached it, and afterw» Ty he commandof God, delivered uir scriptures, that ihcy n.igltt be the found.« and piUar of our laith t-" - .. In the plain places of rrnptures, says .u.tine, « are found ail those things ^^W ^ spect faith or practice t." ; If the R. next turn hi:- attention to tl.e ca. l,w, he will find it a strenuous suppotta * Com. in Mai. c. 23. f ^''^• X De Dcct. CV.mt. L\b. tt t( (( (( 5 await h these. " L " any » liver «' hav£ infill end coni thei reli (1 (I per in ] c< i< * C ccn-/id 2. c. 9. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 275 lority from tl is as easily coi ineus, "akno^ tion, fromth , and aftcrwar elivered it in >e the foundi ptures,** says c things which ntion w the can^ lous supporter FroiestI f Lib. 3. t' J« Protestant principles. " If any one command " what G d has forbidden, or forbid whiu God » has coi-.manded, ho is to be accursed ot all " that love C od : And, it he require any thing, »' beside the uill of God, or what God has evi- » dently required in scripture, he is to be con- » sidered as a false witness of God and a sacri- » legions person *.** Were it requisite, a multitude of quotations to the same purpose mi?;ht also be produced from the most celeorated divines of the Romish Church. At present, I will refer the R. only to two ; as- suring him at the same time, that niany more awalt\im, should he quesuon the sufficiency of these. " Let no one dare," saysGerson, « to speak » any thing concerning religion, but what is de- " livered to us in the scriptures ; because these " have been delivered to us ab a sufficient and " infallible rule for the whole Church, to the »' end of time ; and whatever doct-ine is not " conformable to them, is to be rejected as ei- «' ther heretical, suspicious, or impertinent to " religion t«'* « 1 hose things," says Aquinas, " which de- " pond on the will of God, can be known tu us " in no other w^y than as they are delivered in " the j- E:;air.. Diet. p. 2. * jCiUc. II. q. 3. c. ICI. ecu -/id. I. *:*. - """'fe^ ■.^ifc**^ £76 POn'RY ..ONDEMIJED BY 277 ) .vl, . ^.1 .1 .. Uae -acquainted with .he chvme ^.U . Though the R.'s scntitBcnts appear at first view to orro.e these aulhcritles, they co.uoj I'ce He has shewn, by platn scnptural e t- Z:: thnt the devU put it into the e«t of » das Iscaviot .. and t^^efore^^s^^^^^^ nothin " in common with scripture, S nAo return it to the father of lies De. ivL, Christ by oral tradition" has never be n attended with much satisfaction to any per- soT.t L attempted it. Judas, the great pre- :Wo. of the Romish Church repente. 2 severely ; and the experience of such an em ^. t doc or should have its own weight witn the Rle-hers of oral tradition may for sonie Ltlive by their trade, and be able, like Iu.l d. to purckise a held with their eammg^tl tS'tSs'doctrine, we are assured « -l-^,; , Lays tending to the phce f-m w^h'ch ^ t fi. \.-\-^' '^Forths cause, God shall btnu proceeded. ^or ^ ^^^^^^ believe ' " thoni strong dv:lusicn, truu uk y =^ »,.. -that they all might be damned, WHO « ;;;i;;..d not tli truth, but had pleasure » « unviglitcousness J." CHAP. _ • n A- Acts, 1. l8t * 3. 0^1' a. > 1'^ ^- ^ ' ;J: 2 i l:tSS> i . I I. 12. C H i^ P. ^ AN EXAMINATION OF THE 1 THE lord's SUJ Among the various means wl pointed for promoting the gr( is the sacrament of the Suppe wants of his people, and h( the comforts of a father s 1 blished this ordinance, that I an earnest of the cons9lation vate their expectations to ^ which is in the presence of ( tian Church there has ace general persuasion of its u ground of his authority it pensed. But though ther coincidence of sentiment re! and the warrant to dispens. dictory views have been tal of the uses to which it Upon these points the Rot tained the most extravaga: employed the institution it most unscriptural purpose peared in defence of her :ill' 277 ) BY em that we are ine will *." , appear at first :s, they coincide reader may be lis critical talents, a very diabolical \'m scriptural evi- > the heart of Ju- unce it can have are, he should be >r of lies. " De. iition" has never Faction to any per. idas, the great pre- ch, repented very of such an enu- ivn weight with the ion may for some td be able, like Ju- j I their earning'^t; ired in scripture, is I •om which it at first e, God shall send I they should believe It be damned, who! ut had pleasure in CHAP. Acts, 1. 18. C H i^ P. Vll. ,^ BXAMIKATION OF THE POPISH VIEWS OP THE lord's supper. Among the various means ^»h.ch Christ has ap- i Led for promoting the great ends o rel.g>o^ , ; he sacrat^ent of the Supper. Sensible of he ^dtrorlL^tl-Uemig^-^-'^i^^ ^earnest of the consolations of n.ercy, and ee ^^^^^^•S=ofoS/tJethS general persuas.on^^^^^^^^^ S""". Bu though tLe has been a general Since fe^tiLntrespectingits usefulness rt warrant to dispense it, f^^^'^;^^ id the most eKtravagant n -ns asje ^^^ employed the institution '"^l^ f^J^^^, ^,,3 Jst unscnptural P-P-;.^^f * fj^auct, it peared in defence of her views ^^.^^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 10 ■- 1.25 - 'f!^ |30 til I2£ M 1.8 U i 1.6 V] > k*^' ^ «■ A l^ POPEKY CONDEMNED EY will be requisite to aftbrd his assertions a short examination. Of the institution of the Lord's Supper, we have an account in the first epistle to the Co- rinthians : "The Lord Jesus, the same night " in which he was betrayed, took bread ; And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat j this is my body, which is broken for you ; this do in remembrance of me. -After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying. This cup is the new testament in my blood : this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he (( (< i,i t( (( (( come # »» From these words it appears, that the dispen- sation of this ordinance is attended with a conse- cration of the elements. This, according to Pa- pists, occurs, when the priest uses the words of Christ, " this is my body, this is my blood." Their opinion, however, is repugnant to both scripture and antiquity. The Lord's Supper is dispensed to the Church in the form of a com- mon repast, which, according to the appoint- ment of God and ihe practice of good men, is set apart for fae support of the body by an ad- dress to the Father of mercies : " Every crea- '* ture of God is good, and nothing to be refu- *' scd, * I Cor. xi. 23.-26. A.-. ^'-'' SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. '279 ,. sed if it be received with .thanksgiving ; I or „ It is sanctified by the word of God and ■ .. prayer." The word of God authorises the use of it -, and it is consecrated or set apart by prayer and thanksgiving. In the same manner, St Jerome informs us, consecration takes place in'the Lord's supper : " Upon the prayer of the "presbyters," says he, "the body and blood " of Christ is made *." _ The Popish view of the consecration ot tne elements is intended as a preparatory mtroduc- ,ion to the grand doctrlue of transubstantiation, :;; the lomish Church has grafted uponth. plain and simple ordinance of the Su^er Ihis the Council of Trent have defined to be, a 'wonderful conversion of the whole st*s.ance .. of the bread in this holy sacrament mto the .. .hole substance of the body of Chnst, andot .. the whole substance of the wme m.o his blood, .. the species or accidents of the wme only re- .. min-L t :" And this the Roman Catechism .ffi" be the very same body which was born Se virgin, and nowsits in heavenat the rjht hand of the Father t- A ^^ilar view ot tran- LhstantiationisgivenbytheR^Mniho^^^^^ .. up to his eternal i.-b r under the appearance :j: Cat. ad. Par i- -• M '1 vl .'I ■■■«« fi lit POPERY CONDEMKED BY *• of bread and wine — *." Religion has been generally supposed to contain doctrines above the comprehension of reason ; but the Romish Church has the merit of discovering, that th^se may contradict each other, without a deviation from truth. Before proceeding to an examination of the R.'s sentiments, it may be proper to observe, that the dispute between Protestants and Papists is not, whether Christ be absent or present in the ordinance of the Supper. We Protestants have always acknowledged his presence in the eucharist, though we have not been able to be- lieve that the eucharist is Christ. We are per- suaded, that, like the first communicants at the Lord's table, all succeeding disciples, believing the promises of the gospel, enjoy intercourse with him, and partake of his beneficence in this ordinance : " The cup of blessing whicK we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of ' Christ ? the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ t?" The presence of Christ we do not, however, view as at all peculiar to this institution. Where- ever the ordinances of religion are dispensed, and its services performed according to divine ap- pointment, he has pledged his presence and his blessing : " In all places where I record my '• name, i( it " name, " thee* ButP presence their vie formed tion of i nounce element body w what is tirelyde he repe times, and b1 they c; rcmaii] clergy; tory o Th( priety " der admir If we most in be with stink faithi * P. 5S. f- I Cor. X. 16. SCRIPTURE AND T'ilE TATHERS. , 281 " name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless But Papists have not been satisfied with the presence of Christ in the eucharist. To meet their views, he must not only be piesent, but formed out of bread and wine by the consecra- tion of a priest. No sooner es tlie pnost pro- nounce certain words, than the nature ot these elements is changed, and they become that very body which was bom of the virgin Ma-y : And what is no less extraordinary, this change is en- tirely dependent on the priest's intention. Though he repeat the words of consecration a thousand times, if he do not wish to bestow Chnst s body and blood upon the members of the Church, they can only receive bread and wine, and must S^aln unconscious of the wickedness of th«r clen;yman and their want of Christ, t.h purga- torv or hell make them feel the imposition. The Council of Trent have, with great pro- priety, declared transubstantiation to be a "-^<'"- " derful" conversion. It never fails to D.:get admiration in Protestants, as well as Papists. If we cannot admire the conversion we woader most amply at the amazing credulity of Papists in beUeving it. For this we have been branded «ith the name of heretics, an epithet which stinks like carrion in the nostrils of the simple faithful; and. by a n^tu^ral association ondeas, * Exod. XX. 24. i.>«*^" m^ 282 ' POPERY CONDEMNED BY reminds them of the necessity of very " forcible" arguments for removing incredulity. Such a mode of reasoning, I am afraid, would hurt our feelings ; for though we be much addicted to argumentation, we are far from being attached to that species of it which is most frequently used by the Romish Church, and which logi. cians have learnedly denominated " arguraentum '«' ad hominem.'* Besides, we are not obstniate heretics : If the R. would solve our doubts, by directing his arguments to our understanding, it would serve the same purpose, and perhaps prepare the way for our return into the bosom of the Church. To afford him an opportunity of shewing his zeal for the instruction of disbe- lieving Protestants, I will mentionafe-' of Jthose reasons which have induced us to reject transub- stantialion ; and when these are answered, a more comprehensive view of the subject may be taken. According to the R,, there remains only the appearance of bread and wine in the eucharist, but the real substance is the body and blood of Christ, and therefore, we are not to consi- der the eye as a proper judge in this part of religion. I perfectly agree with hirti, that we are apt to be deceived by appearances ; and that trusting to the eye-sight in religion may be attended with dangerous con equences. But perhaps some of the other senses may be more useful » SCRtrTURE AND THE FATHERS. 283 ^eful for affording us a knowledge of the truth. When a person questions the correctness of his „. he naturally attempts to feel the object ,Aich has engaged his attention. If that do not satisfy him, he may apply it to his nose •, and if he have much curiosity, he may even put i, in his mouth. Will the R., then, info™ us, it what has the appearance of bread and vvme possess either the taste, smell, or feehng of flesh and blood? But probably he reckons these a- mong the deceitful appearances which objects L assume. The learned Fathers of the Council of Trent tell us as much, J^^^^^l ,ffirm, that the species or accidents of the bread ,nd wine remain , that is, there is no change in these qualities, by which one object is d.stm- 'Selfrom another. Thi. is in other wor.s ,0 say, that the bread and wine remam ; .o. the existlnce of matter in any particular form de- ends entirely on its combination with certain ccidents or qualities. Let the R- --ive to himself, what bread or wine would be, were Ly d:prived of the qualities on account of Jch they receive these appellations. On b^th sides the argument is against him. If he say hat these elemems arc no longer .read and Se, how do they possess all ^e ^uahties wh.h distinguish these from every other object m na- .r^^ If he say that they are flesh and blood, i* rorERY CONDEMNED BY how are they destitute of those qualities which constitute their distinguishing characteristic ? But another difficulty no less puzzling re- mains to be solved. How does the R. suppoLsc; the existence of accidents or qualities without u .subject ? Can he conceive the existence of co- lours, unconnected with matter ? or a taste and smell, without any object to be tasted and smelt r And yet the Romish Church maintains the ex. istence of qualities, when the subject with which they were connected no longer remains. As a reply to these objections, the R. may refer us to the duty of believing, and say, be- cause religion inculcates this doctrine, we ought not to permit philosophical distinctions to pervert our minds. Let him then inform us, how reli- gion can be established on the destruction of reason. If he has ever reflected on the grand purposes for which the former is designed, he must have seen, that one of these is to repair the ravages of sin, by restoring to man the right use of his intellectual faculties. Can religion, then, enjoin any thing diametrically opposite to the plainest dictates of reason ? As loi:g as rea- son, taught by experience, says, this is bread and wine, faith will never be able to make it flesh and blood. Averse as Papists are to rational distinctions in religion, they were very much used by these Fathers, of whom they pretend to be conscien- tious * L Ct'12* SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 2S5 tious followers. By looking into the writings of a few of them, the R. will see whether Pro- testants or Papists teach the doctrine of the pri- mitive Church. u We cannot/' says Ireneus, « understand . water without moisture, nor fire wi hout heat, a nor a stone without hardness ; for these are *' so united, that they must always co-exist *." - If you distinguish figure from body,'* says Basil, " you act contrary to nature-, for the .. one must always be understood in connection " with the other t." - It is monstrous,'' says Augustine, " and .' notoriously false, to say, that what would not " exist at all, unless it were in a subject, should " be able to exist when the subject ceases to '' be t ;" and likewise, « When the subject is " changed, every thing in it is necessarily chan- If the R. apply these observations of the fa- thers to the eucharist, he must either grant that the bread and wine remain, or totally reject the testimony of his senses, and say, that these ele- ments have neither the form, taste nor smell of bread and wine, but all the qualmes which belong to flesh and blood. , . , i- But though he may be billing to b:d ad.e« to his senses, he ought to retain a httle respec J -Rn yi2 ± Soliloq. Lib. 3. * Lib. 2. c. 14. t ^V' 43- + ^" ^ c«4a. II ^^ Immortal. Anira. c. 5. 280 POPERY CONDEMNED BY ■Vi ■ !l for the language of the scriptures. Obscure and crabted as they are, they exhibit some truths with tolerable perspicuity. Among others, they teach us to reject the doctrine of transub- fetantiation ; they instruct us to call the bread and wine, even after consecration, by their for- mer names : " As often as ye eat this breads " and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's *' death till he come." Perhaps a recurrence to the original Institu- tion of the Supper may have a farther tendency to elucidate this subject. The first dispensation of this ordinance was by Christ himself, who then said to his disciples, " Take, eat ; this is " my body." Now, though we can easily con. ceive how he could give them bread and wine, it must require extraordinary exertions of mind to believe, that the very body bom of the virgin Mary held itself in its own hand, and gave it- self out of its own hand. The disciples would, without doubt, be astonished, when Christ's body became invisible, by passing into the ele- ments ; nor would their surprise be diminished, when they were addressed by him under ihe ap- pearance of bread and wine. But, if Christ was eaten and digested by these primitive communicants, let the R. inform us, with what body he was afterward crucified. The dissolution of a body, and its non-existence as a body, are synonymous expressions. There was, «?5«-T3r*' SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 287 Obscure >it some 5 others, transub- le bread heir for- is breads 3 Lord's I Institu- tendency pensation jelf, who : ; this is asily con- md wine, of mind the virgin gave it- es would, I Christ's ) the ele- iminished, er the ap- 1 by these iform us, crucified, i-existence s. There ,vas, therefore, son:e reason m the reply of a voune son of the Church, who was asked, after he had been at mass, how many Gods there ^ere ? None, says he, for there was but one yesterday, and I ate him. , , . , But granting that the bread and wme became Christ at the institution of the last Supper, it is difficult to comprehend how this can agam oc- cur in the Christian Church. Accordmg to the scriptures, our Lord has ascended bodily into ;:.L,;nd will remain th«e«t^^ " of the restitution of all things . R. show the consistency of this account with transubstantiation ? Pure and holy as he exhibns the Romish Church, her mode of treating he- Scs discovers her to be still the Church m J- talt Upon what principle, then, does she rlaim the bodily presence of Christ ? 'Ts the Church of Rome has left reason and common sense behind herupon f ^/"^ject the R. may probably reply, that a body can be m different places at the same time. Will he, S inform us, if he can prove his assertion by xperience, by scripture, or by any other Sdy in the universe ? As it must please hin ex- ceedingly to observe Protestants quoting the la- W 1 will show him how Augustine has lUus- rated his point. " Christ," says he, "having t d thus, ascended immediately into heaven . \ M6 * Acts, iii. 21. ^ana .if^i. 288 POPERY CONDEMN.'ilD BY a t( i( tt •' and would precaution us against those who, * as he foretold, should arise in succeeding ages, ♦* and say, Lo, here is Christ, or lo, there; *• whom he warned us not to believe. Nor can we have any excuse, if" we believe them, con- trary to the voice of our pastor, so clear, open, and manifest * ;" And also, " Christ, in his bodily presence, cannot be in the sun, in the moon, and on the cross, at the same *• time t." If this Father does not call transub- stantiation an absurdity, he gives pretty broad hints of it. But, supposing it possible that the body of Christ could exist in different places at once, how does the R. account for its being contained in so small a space as the least particle of the sacramental wafer ? Nazianzen, with great pro- priety, observes, that a vessel which is filled with one measure, can never contain two. When the R. gives implicit belief to this part of Popish doctrine, he ought to take into consi- deration the words of Fulgentius : " Every ** thing remains as it has received its existence " from God ; one in this manner, and another in that ; for it is not given to bodies to exist in the same manner as spirits J." But, overlooking this point entirely, there remains another difficulty which he ought to obviate. * De Unit. Eccles. c. lo. f Cont. Faust. Lib. 20. u ii obviate, wine be ledges n< we Prol some res " Handl " and b( ever find have bee pish waf any thii proof. From shelter tradition " tian C " befor " which " institi " them. " sense, " Chris versalitj Council advanta tiation t the Roi had Ion tichrist fr. XI. X De Fid. ad Pelr. c 3, i who, 1 ages, there ; or can 1, con- clear, Christ, e sun, 2 same ansub- broad )ody of once, [itained of the lat pro- 3 filled I two. is part ) consi- Every [istence mother o exist , there ight to )bviate. Lib, 20. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATlimS. CS9 obviate. Though the nature of the bread and wine be changed, the Church of Rome acknow- ledges no alteration in the body of Christ. This we Protestants have always believed to bear some resemblance to the bodies of other men : " Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh " and bones as ye see me have *." Did the R. ever find any of these in the eucharist ? Some have been known to find farthings among Po- pish wafers, and some poison ; if the R. have any thing else to show, he can produce his proof. From all such objections the R. attempts to shelter himself in universal and uninterrupted tradition : " The universal practise of all Chris- " tian Churches in all ages invariably the same " before the reformation, shews the sense in " which the Apostles understood the words of " institution, and the sense in which they taught " them, that is, the plain, obvious, and literal " sense, as they were always understood in the " Christian Church f.'* In proof of this uni- versality, he has produced the sentiments of the Council of Lateran in 1215. If he think it any advantage to his cause, I will admit transubstan- tiation to have been then the general doctrine of the Romish Church. Pope Gregory the Great had long before announced the approach of An- tichrist J so that we might naturally expect, about -*w ti ?=>) Luke, xxiv. 39, t P- 59- I"* !»- 290 roPERV CONDEMtlED BIT about this time, to find such doctrines flourish. ing. The R.'s other testimonies, however, will not be so readily received. . u c His next proof is from the acts of the first Council of Nice ; " Here in the divme table .. let us not be abjectly intent - n the bread and .. cup exposed to Tiew :, '.ut elevatmg our .. r/nds by faith kt us understand that the .. lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of .. the world, is placed on the sacred tab'. ; that .. he is, in an unbloody manner, sacrificed by .. the Priests ; and that we truly rece.vmg his .. precious body and blood believe them to be " the symbols of our resurrection j for this we " don't receive much but little, that we may " know that they are^not received to satiety, but " to sanctitication *." '1 he R. must have been sadly puzzled to find proof for transubstantiation, when he rests .t on these words. When these Fathers said, Let !. us not be abjectly intent on the bread and cup " exposed to view," they seem to have imagined that something more than the bare appearance of these elements remain. In oroer to have d - covered due orthodoxy, they ought to have said, Let us not be abjectly intent on the appearance of bread and wine exposed to public adora- • ''''in the opinion of these Fathers, faith also is *^ requisite SCRIPTURE AND THE FATFIERS. 291 the first ine table -ead and ing our that the le sins of b^c;-, that •ificed by ?iving his ^m to be ir this we t we may ititty, but led to find rests it on lid, " Let id and cup e imagined appearance o have dis- ) have said, appearance blic adora. aith also is requisite requisite in communicating. Now Papists main- tain, that Christ's body and blood are present in the eucharist, not by faith as a mean, but by the consecration of a priest ; so that, in com- municating, persons with or without faith are on a level. Can the R. then show us the use of faith for receiving a corporeal object ? Au- gustine assures us, that the corporeal presence of Christ is utterly incompatible with the exer- cise of believing ; " Christ," says he, " is al- " ways with us by his divinity ; but, unless he *' were corporeally absent from us, we should " always carnally see his body, and should •' never spiritually believe *." " Therefore," says he in another place, " our Lord absented *' himself from every Church, and ascended " into heaven, that our faith m.ay be edified ; " for, if thou know nothing but what thou " seest, where is thy faith f?" Should the R. say, that the faith of a communicant is exercised in believing the elements no longer bread and wine, but the body and blood of Christ, he must believe without either testimony or evi- dence. For when these Fathers said, " The ♦' Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of *' the world is placed upon the sacred table," they forgot to add, " corporeally." But St. Ambrose goes farther, he affirms that they must believe a falsehood ; for, says he, addressing the * De Vtrb. Dora. Scrm. 60. | De Temp. Serro. 1 4^- .|i '■»*>,! I -SB '292 POPERY CONDEMNED BY Hi 1'^ a t( (« (( n a (( the Saviour, " Ascend, that we may follow " thee with our minds, whom we cannot see with our eyes. St. Paul has taught us hov; we should follow thee, and where we may find thee ; Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God, Therefore, we ought not to seek thee upon the earth, nor in the earth, nor according to - the Jlcsh, if we would find thee *.'' This Father likewise calls the sacrament of the Sup- per' an unbloody sacrifice. If, then, Christ's body be broken, and his blood poured out m the eucharist, let the R. explain how it receives this appellation. ^ ^ His last proof of transubstantiation is from the acts of the passion of St. Andrew. « And what,'' says he, " does this Ex. think of the testimony of the disciples of the great St. An- drew, who wrote the acts of his martyrdom at which they were present ? they tell us that the Apostle ordered by the Pro-consul Jigeas to sacrifice to the Gods, replied, / sacrifice every day the immaculate Lamb to the Almighty Cod , , ^ - Who tho' truly sacrificed and his *' fiesh truly eaten by the people, perseveres entire. When the Pro-consul desirous of knowmg how 'twas possible that the Lamb could be eaten and yet remain living and entire, threat- ened to force the Apostle to explain to him " this (( (( u (i tt «( (i (( (( i( it <( mmum Follow ot see Ls how i may above, f God, : upon ling to This le Sup- !;^hrist's out in receives is from « And I of the St. An. •tyrdom us that i iEgeas sacrifice ilmighty and his ?s entire, snowing :ould be ", threat- a to him " this SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. «' this mystery of religion, St. Andrew replied " that 'twas not possible to come to a knowledge of " this mystery without faith in Christ, If the « bread and wine, as innovators pretend, had " been simply received in commemoration of ' the death of Christ, there was nothing more " easy than to tell him, that 'twas not the Lamb '^ itself that was eaten but the figure of the Lamb, " which any man possessed of common sense •' would have understood on the exposition. " The authenticity of this testimony has never « been disputed, nor has the writer ever heard " of any attempt made by innovators to elude " the force of it. This is a specimen of that " tradition by which Catholics evince the truth » of their doctrine *." If the stock be like the sample, Papists have very little reason indeed to boast of the founda- tion of their faith. The R.'s invincible argu- ment consists entirely in his own ignorance, when he says, " The authority of this testimony « has never been disputed." Protestants have no need to elude the force of an argument which has been given up by the most learned Popish doctors. To teach him the propriety of reading a little when he engages in controversy, i will introduce him to a Popish writer, whose works have received the approbation of the doc- tors of the Sorbonne, and of the doctors of di- vinity * P. 80. 81. 294. rOPERY CONDEMNED BY i-« \ V- \ *■! i vinity of Paris. " Men are di- (( i( I. (t it it the Faculty V.U.U in their censures upon tne ^cis o. u,» Passion of St. Andrew, written by the pnests of Achaia, which are inserted m the History of the Saints, published by Sunus. Bare .. nius, Bellarmine, and some other critics of .. the Church of Rome, admit them as authen- " tic ; but they are rejected by many. 1 he an. " cient ecclesiastical writers knew no other re- » cords of St. Andrew, than these that were corrupted by the Manicheans, mentioned by u St. Augustine, Philastrius, and Pope Inno .. rem ; and which are reckoned by P°Pe G^a- .. sius among the number of apocryphal books .- But it is certain, that these were difierent from them of which we are speaking. It is also evident, that the last Acts of the Pasaon of St. Andrew have been cited by none but authors who lived since the seventh or eighth .. century, as by Remigius Altissiodorensis, Pe- .. trus Daraianus, Lanfrank, St. Sernard, and Ivo Carnutensis ; which is the reason why we have no assurance of their being very ancient. The mystery of the Trinhy is not only ex. plained in these, after such a manner as gives us reason to suspect, that he vho wrote them lived after the Council of Nice ; but they contain also the error of the modern Greeks, .. in affirming that the Holy Ghost proceeds " from the Father, and remains m the Son. it " IS (i ti .( ^^ ti (i a (i i( (I (4 (i (4 ■ vaa g M i G fc'; SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 29 o rensis, Pe- •nard, and on why we ry ancient. )t only ex. ler as gives wrote them ; but they ;rn Greeks, St proceeds he Son. It ti IS " is indeed objected, that there are manuscripts " in which these words are not expressed ; but i' who knows whether they have not been omit- " ted in some, rather than inserted in oihers. " Therefore, this history ought at least to be es- '' teemed a dubious writing, which cannot be ap» " piied^ as St. Jerome da/ares, to prove amj dec- " trine of faith *." And what does the R. himself now think of the testimony of the dis- ciples of the great St. Andrew ? " This is a " specimen of that tradition by which Catholics «' evince the truth of their doctrine.'* Had the R. taken an impartial view of the writings of the Fathers, he would have learnt, that tradition, as well as scripture, opposes the Popish notion of transubstantiation. These an- cient writers, it will be granted, have frequently called the bread and wine the body and blood of Christ ; and in doing so, they are authorised by the expressions of scripture. But it is evi- dent from their writings, that they never suppo- sed any change in these elements. On the con- trary, they represent the Lord's Supper merely as a symbolical mode of exhioi ing truth to the mind, which, by divine appointment, is connect- ed with the presence of Christ in the power ot his Spirit. I'hey accordingly considered bap- tism as an ordinance of the same kind, and equally connected with the presence of Christ ; * Da Pin Hist. Eccles. Tome i. p. 42- t .1 t^-^- .'.-'T^i^T^'^^i t*i?t!:; ^ ■'1 C( t( (( (( 296 POPERY CONDEMNED BY as the R. may observe by the following quota- tions. " O Christ," says St. Ambrose, " we find thee in thy sacraments *.'* « Now,** says Augustine, " thou hast Christ by faith ; now by the sign of Christ ; now by the sacrament of baptism ; now by the •' meat and drink of the ahar !•" «' Thou shalt presently embrace our Lord »' himself," says Chrysostom to one about to be baptized, " be mmgled with his body, be " incorporated into that body which is seated above J." But the Fathers h:;ve not represented Chnst as only present in baptism. In this ordinance, Christians are likewise said to be partakers of his body and blood : " The Gentiles," says Cyril of Alexandria, " could not have shaken '* off their blindness, and contemplated the di- " vine and holy light, unless, by holy baptism, *' they had been made partakers of his holy - flesh II," &c. " Neither need any one in the least doubt," says Fulgentius, " that every believer is then " made a partaker of Christ's body and blood, " when he is made, in baptism, a member of Christ's body §." As * Apcl. David, c. 12. f In Joan. Tract. 50. X In Mat. Horn. 50. |1 In Jean. ix. 6. J De Bapt. >Etbiop. (( (( i iA-*i » SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 297 doubt," is then d blood, iinber of As t. 50. As the R. appears so much attached to the Fathers, it may be gratifying to him to hear their sentiments concerning the nature of the eucharist. 1 will therefore produce a few quo- tations from their writings, which he may explain in his next treatise on transubstantia- tion. «« That which is bread from the earth,*' says Ireneus, " perceiving the call of God, is not " now common bread, but the eucharist ; con- " sisting of two things, the one earthly, and the " other spiritual *." " Bread and wine,'* says Macarius, " are " offered in the Church, the antitype of his " flesh and blood ; and they who are partakers " of the visible bread, do spiritually eat the I" flesh of the Lord t." " For as, (in the eucharist),'* says Chrysos- tom, " before the bread is consecrated, we call it bread ; but when the grace of God by " the priest has consecrated it, it has no longer I" the name of bread, but is counted worthy to I" be called the Lord's body ; though the nature of bread remain in it, and we do not say there are two bodies, but one body of* the Sont." " He," says Theodoret, " who called his body, which is so by nature, wheat and [' bread, and again termed himself a vine, ho- " noured ^ Lib. ^. c. 34. f Horn. 27. :j: Adv. Apollin. m tte 298 p;^. K POPERY CONDEMNED BY isible symbols with the appelk (( (( 41 (( (( (k (( l( t( noured the viait^*- ^j tion of his body and blood, not changing na- " ture. but to nature adding grace •; And aeain " After consecration, the mystical sym. ^ol's do not depart from their own nature; for they remain still in their former sub- .. stance, figure, and form, and may be viewed .' and touched the same as before t. « The symbols of the body and blood of Christ, «hich\vetake," says Pope Gelasius, are surely a divine thing ; for which reason we become, by them, partakers of the dmne .. nature ; and yet the substance or nature o .. bread and wine does not cease to exist ; and .. indeed, the image and likeness of the body .. and blood of Christ are celebrated m the ac .. tion of the mysteries. Therefore, it appean " sufHcien.ly evident to us, that we ought o .. think of our Lord what we profess and cele- .• brate, and receive in his image ; That as they » (the lements) pass into the divine substance » by the operation of the Holy Spirit, their na. .. ture still remaining in its own property , fo « Thus," says Ephrem Antiochenus, Ad .. b»dy of Christ, which is received by t el faithful, does not depart from its sensib e sub .' stance, and yet it remains unseparated fro^ " the intellectual grace : So baptism, becomid .holly spiritual and one, preserves its oW t( t( " sensible " not lose « Whe » livered " To . " sacrifice " No\* " tament, " the vjY " faith ar " wine tc •' Spirit, " him ||.' The R the Fathe tiation wa rengarius, they are his mistal But Pa than aboi " the pul » J. Chri " and ol " the api " tiatory This 1 » Dial. I. t Dial. 2. t De Duab. Nat. in Christ. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATIlERi5. 299 ' sensible substance, I mean water, and does ' not lose what it is made to be *." *« When our Lord," says Chrysostom, " de- ' livered the mysteries, he delivered wine ^" " To eat bread," says Augustine, " is the " sacrifice of the New Testament J.*' " Now, that is, in the time of the New Tes- » tament, the holy universal Church through " the whole earth does not cease to offer, in " faith and charity, the sacrifice of bread and " wine to Christ, with the Father and the Holy •' Spirit, who have one dignity together with " him ||." The R, must have been very poorly versed in the Fathers, when he affirmed that transubstan- tiation was universally taught till the days of Be- rcngarius. If these testimonies do not edify, ouciit to I ^^^y ^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ calculated to convince him of and celej ^^ mistake. But Papists have erred no less about the use, than about the nature of the eucharist. " In " the public sacrifice of the mass," says the R., *' J. Christ was believed to be really present, " and offered up to his eternal father, under " the appearance of bread and wine as a propi- " tiatory sacrifice, . . . §" This unscriptural opinion originates in the supposition appella. ging na- i" And cal sym- nature ; ner sub- )e viewed blood of Gelasius, ich reason the divine nature of jxist •, and f the body in the ac« it appears :hat; as they le substance it, their na- lerty *," &c. enus, " the! ved by tbd sensible sub-| larated from] n, becoming] rves its owi ** sens Nat. in Christ. * Apud Phot. Blbl. Cod. 229. f In Mat. Horn. 83. t De Civ. Dd, Lib. 17. c. 3. || De Fide ad Petr. 19. f P. 58. ill!^ J * A ■ i POPERY CONDEMNED BY fff ! f kfe !i supposition that Christ, in the last Supper of- Shis body and blood to God, as an =uone. " '. .„„se it is sa d in the words of „ent for sm » t ^^^^ .^ ^^^^^^ i„s«tu..on ; Th,s .my J^ ^^^^^ .^^ ^^ ^^^ ;'J:;aP sSture J discover this couclu- S^be totally ^^tJX^^ ,hen near and "«->' '^ j^T.? 'ke Son of ave nanus o. ,. r .-nsultinff ether the Vul- himself the "°«'''^°^'^°''' „ find a coircidence e- or the M^al, he ^^^^^ ,^ rr:fts:t:'« This is .y blood .hi. " t^': td"not rest the refutation of thl. doctl on criticism. In the scriptures, the rcS; of .peeing Christ's P.^^^^^^ l;LrLn.t.su.^^^^^^^^^ ., times the satne sacrifices, whtch can^neui * Matth. xxvi. 43. SCaiPTUUE AND THE lATUEKS. SOI « take away sins : But this man, after he had ever offered one sacrifice »' on the right hand of God ; . . . For by one •• offering he hath perfected for ever them that '• are sanctified. . . . Nov\^, where remission of " these (sins) is, there is no more offering for «' sin*." Papists, then, with their frequent masses, are the kinsmen of these heathen, who expect to be heard in prayer for their much speaking ; and doubtless they are equally suc- cessful. The scriptures, likewise, as plainly show the Lord's Supper to be a service of commemora- tion. The symbols of his body and blood, ir. this ordinance, are intended to direct the faith of the Christian to that offering, which has al- ready completely satisfied divine justice for sin ; " Do this in remembrance of me ; for as often » as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye " do shew the Lord's death till he come." ^ If the R. consult the Fathers, he will find this view of the eucharist very extensively inculcated: " It is not," says Eulogius of Alexandria, » the offering of different sacrifices, but the » commemoration of a sacrifice once offered f." « He commanded us," says Eusebius, " to " offer to God continually the remembrance, " instead of the sacrifice J." ]s^ When * Ver. 10.— 18. . f -Apud Phot. Cod. 280. :j: Dcraonstr. Evang. Lib. i. c. 10. '':':-~\Kr,»i»p;-^. iff h 1 ' tml* 302 rOTERY CONDEMNF.D BV Chi istlans were accused of not sa- crificing for the Roman Emperors, Tcrtullian replied, that their religion knew no propitiatory sacrifice : " We do not/' says he, " sacrifice for others, because we do it not tor our- (( i( jclvc -s * " The Falherr,, indeed, frequently call the eu. charist a sacrifice ; but they leave us in no im- certainty concerning its nature. They consider, ed it merely as a figurative representation of the death of Christ, and an offering of gratitude to God for his goodness : " Diligently consider," says Ephrem Syrus, " how Christ, taking the •' bread in his hands, blessed and brake it, for a figure of Ins immaciUate body ; and he also blessed and gave the cup to his disciples, for a figure of his precious blood !•" « The bread," says Tertullian, '• which he took and distributed to his disciplec, lie r: ddc his body, saying, This is my b o di/, il^.^t is, the figure of my body I" ^^ V7e are not Atheists," says Justin Martyr, v.. M^^,. -ship the Maker of all things, who needs neither blood, libations, nor incense, with the word of prayer and thanksgiving.— And we are persuaded, that he needs no ma- terial oblation from men H-" Atid likewise. Prayers and praises made by good men, are *' the (( (( (( *( (( ti. a It n a (1 Apol c. 1 Marc. Lib. 4. c. 40. f Tract, de Nat. Dei. 11 Apol. 2. t Adv. ■>^ivmm SCRIP rUilE AND THZ FATHEKS, UOli (( C6 the only perfect and acceptable sacrifice to • »» God '* This is the host to be ofFcn*ed,'* says Minu- liiis Fehxj " a good mind, a pure soul, a sin- *' cere conscience -, these are our sacrifices, these «' are the sacred things of God !•" These quotations exhibit the views which the Fathers entertained of the Lord*s Supper ; and they are nor the hundredth part of the proof which can be extracted from them, if requisite. The Romish Church has, then, very little rea- son to boast of their advocacy. They have made her an ungrateful return for trumpeting their praises so long and loudly. Like a mob in a scuffle, who make no distinction between friends and foes, these Fathers have attended more to the quantity than the quality of broken heads ; and, instead of assisting, have ruined the cause of those who called them to their aid. Still, however. Papists are not without their con- solations. When revolving ages have rendered Baronius, Bcllarmine, and the R., no longer mo- dern authors, thty will naturally be classed among the Fathers of the Church, and the standards of orthodoxy. Lcng before the arrival of these happy days, also, the primitive writers on Chris- tianity wiil be totally forgotten 5 and then the Church of Rome will enjoy a complete revenge, in quoting her own Fathers, to the utter confu- N 2 ' sion * Dial, cum Tryph. f Minut. Octav. il 304. POPERY CONDEMNED, &C. ft' sion and dismay of all Protestant innovators and pretended reformers. When the R . finds himself disposed to con- trovert the proofs which have been adduced a- gainst the Popish view of the eucharist, will he be so kind as to show, from scripture and the Fathers, a warrant for the adoration of the host, and for altering the institution, by with-holding the cup from the people ? And if he please, he may also inform us, whether all the apparatus which the Romish Church employs about this institution, can be traced to divine appointment. We Protestants have always conceived, that the motions and genuflexions used by the priest bear a greater resemblance to the tricks of a merry Andrew, than to the religion of the gos- pel. Could he, therefore, give us a satisfactory account of these things, it would be one step toward the conversion of heretics. I. . it lit CHAP. *#^ ( 305 ) CHAP. VIIL ON PURGATORY, AND PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD. The Church of Rome has judiciously percei- ved, that, on account of the vast variety of character and conduct which appears in the world, it must be difficult to draw a line of distinction between the righteous and the wicked. Among men, there may be a number whose vices counterbalance their virtues, and show them very ill prepared for happiness; while, at the same tir\e, it might be too hard a ^ lot to consign them to misery. Influenced, therefore, by that charity to which heretics can bear the most ample testimony, she has provided a receptacle for the scabby part of the flock, m which all their diseases may be cured by one general purgation ; and to this place she has naturally given the name of Purgatory. Though the existence of such a place be not once men- tloned in scripture, had the Romish Church ever b-^en there herself, Protestants might per- haps have allowed her the privilege of roman- cing a little, like other great travellers, and yet believed her report concerning it to be radically N 3 ^^^^- f^OG POPERY CONDIi-MNED EY true. But, as all her knowledge of it proceeds from persons who knew as little about it as her- self, we have been disposed to judge her testi- mony entirely apocryphal. The R., in speaking of purgatory, has pru- dently classed it among those doctrines which are known to the Church by oral tradition. He has, however, produced no proof, that it was cither taught by the apostles, or believed by their immediate successors. Yet there is certain- ly no doctrine in the Popish creed, which has greater need of confirmation. To show him the necessity of paying a more particular atten- tion to this part of his faith, I will mention some of those reasons which have induced Protestants to reject it as a fiction. But, before producing these, it may not be nmiss to take a short view " of the account given by Popish writers of its nature and local situation. ' Purgatory having been provided for the re- ception of sinners, it is haturally understood to be a place of punishment. As such it is accord- ingly defined in the catechism published by or- der of the Council of Trent : " There is a « purgatorial fire, in which the souls of the « faithful, being tormented for a certain time, « are expiated ; that so a passage may be open- « ed for them into their eternal country, where ' « no unclean thing can enter*." It is not, however, * Cat. r.d Par. p. I. art. 5. sect. 5. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 30^ however, by any means understood, that a sin- ner in purgatory must be unuvoidably punished in proportion to his crimes. Paying the clergy well for saying prayers and musses, has been discovered to be of vast use for alleviating the pains of these suffering purgatori?.ns ; and hence a decision of the Council of Trent, founded on the most disinterested and benevo- lent principles : " That ihey are assisted by the « suffrages of the faithful, but particularly by « the acceptable sacrifice of the mass -, and « therefore the bishops should diligently take « care that the wholesome doctrine of purgato- c« ry delivered by the holy Fathers and Coun- « cils, be believed, held, and taught, by all the « faithful in Christ *.** Respecting the local situation of purgatory, there is not such a general agreement. Accord- ing to Bellarmine, the most prevalent opmion is, that the damned and the purgatorians are tor- mented in the same place and fire. Some, how- ever have considered certain places upon tie ,arth as particularly appropriated tor this pur e rose ; and undoubtedly with good reason, ior Witnesses, esteemed worthy of credit .n the more flourishing days of Popery, have assured us of their beholding departed souls brod.ng on aridirons, roasting on spits, smoking m chmi- Lvs, and enduring other similar pun.shmentB, * Scss. ij. M, am m 308 POPERY CONDEMNED BY which might be supposed to free them from the pollutions of sin. Mount iEtna, Vesuvius, and such warm clunates, have also been declared the entrances to this place of purification. A door to purgatory has even been discovered ia Ireland. Whether this passage has been provi- ded expressly for the convenience of the faith- ful in that part of the Church, on account of their more urgent need of purification, I will not presume to determine. I will merely pre- sent to the reader Cardinal de Vitry's account of it. " There is,*' says he, " a certain place « in Ireland, called the purgatory of St Patrick, " into which, if any person enter, unless he be " truly penitent and contrite, he is immediately " seized and murdered by devils, and never re- " turns more. When one who is truly con- " trite, and has made confession, enters, these " devils chastise him with fire, water, and a " thousand other kinds of tortures, till he have " undergone a complete purgation. But they " who are greater delinquents meet even with " much harder treatment. Those who return « thence after this cleansing never laugh, nor " joke, nor care for any worldly objects, but « go about whining and howling, neglecting <« the past, and minding only futurity *." Such are the nonsensical fables which have been retailed by the clergy, and believed by the simple * Lib, c. 92* SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 309 Tom the nus, and declared tion. A vered in en provi- de faith- count of n, I will 'rely pre- account ;ain place : Patrick, ess he be mediately never re- ruly Con- ors, these r, and a 1 he have But they 2ven with 10 return ,ugh, nor jects, but leglecting # f> lich have ed by the simple simple in that coh aunity, which styles itself « the pillar and ground of the truth." Leaving the R., then, to contrast them with his boasts of the purity of the Romish Church, I will pro- ceed to show him, that the Popish doctrine of purgatory is without foundation either in revela- tion or the Fathers. Were this article of the Romish creed true, it must be allowed to be of considerable importance ia religion. We might therefore expect to find it mentioned in that system of principles which are laid down in scripture, for directing the faith and practice of the Church. Can the R., then, show, why heaven is so often exhibited there to incite men to duty, and hell to deter them from vice ; without the most distant hint of a period and place of reformation beyond the precincts of the grave? Indeed, the scriptures oppose very plainly the doctrine of purgatory. They represent death to the Christian as followed by a cessation from all suffering, and an entrance into eternal happiness : " Blessed are the dead " who die in the Lord from henceforth : yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours * ;*' and the apostle Paul assures us, i that the Christian who is absent from the body present with the Lord t- The doctnne of purgatory originates in the [unscriptural notion, that some sins, though they N5 ought 4--I 1 * IM J li \ . * Rev. xiv. 13. f. 2 Ccr. V. 8. 310 rOPERY CONDEMKED BY M'f- ouRht to be punished, are not in tlieir nature so offensive as to deserve eternal misery ; and hence it has been defined to be " a p ace or «■ state, where souls, departing this hfe mA « the guilt of some venial sins, are purged and « purified before their admission into heaven." This view of some sins the R. attempts to lUus- trate in the 26th page of the Remarks. « We « Catholics," says he, « do think that some « lies are venial, and some are damnable, with. « out thinking any lie either laudable or lawful; » for we have not yet learnt to believe even on « the evangelical authority of the W.rtemberg " Evangelist Martin, that all sins are equally « damnable ; we think that an act of mtempe- « ranee on the King's Birth day is not so dam. » nable a crime as murder ; we think that an " amusing jest is not inductive of perdition, « though atrocious calumny most certamly is, « and this our doctrine is so evidently founded c. on reason, that Horace, an Epicurean poet, ^' believed it." „ i i. This heathen poet must be allowed to have been excellently skilled in Christian morality. Might not the R. also have told us how Horace has extolled fornication and drunkenness, and even sung the praises of sodomy •, aud then .hewn us, that .11 these have been practised m the Romish Church, as being evidently found, ed in. reason ? Protestants have never p^^gej. popish cle: the script! heathen pc ceeds even all, a few do no inju If the ] be, that e^ he is perfc approves with its pi it must bt we are ac " of Goc " ungodl and at th against th sions, wt in decept ." vain V " cometl '* of disc know, if T-i :ure so *, and ace or e with ;cd and 'aven." illus- "We t some 2, with, lawful •, iven on temberg equally ntempe- so dam- that an erdition, tainly is, founded eaii poet, 1 to have morality, w Horace iiess, and arid then actised in tly found- SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 311 popish clergymen to be scrupulous adherents to the scriptures ; but making the principles of heathen poets a standard of orthodoxy, far' ex- -^ cceds even our blackest views of them. After all a few references to the word of God might Jo no injury to the cause of morality. If the R* imagine the Protestant doctrine to be, that every sin subjects men to condemnation, he is perfectly correct. The divine law neither approves nor tolerates any thing inconsistent whh its precepts ; and therefore every breach of. it must be of a damning nature. In its penalty, we are accordingly informed, that " the wrath '• of God is revealed from heaven against all " ungodliness and unrighteousness of men ^ ;" and at the same time, we are expressly warned against the Popish doctrine of venial transgres- sions, which, an apostle assures us, originates in deception : " Let no man deceive you with . ." vain words ; for, because of these things, " Cometh the wrath of God upon the children '« of disobedience!." 1 would then be glad to know, if the R. can specify any way in which this wrath comes upon men, but in the form of that " death, which is the wages of sin." But, if he suppose that Protestants consider every sin as equally damnable in degree, he is chargeable with gross ignorance or misrepresen- -^ Q tation. ^r juu^ * Rom» f Eph. V. 6. l^opish ...j"^" JJJ2 POPERY CONDEMNED BY tation. We view some sins as* more grievous than others, both in their nature and aggrava- tions ; and therefore we believe, that when God brings every work into judgement, he will ren. der to every man according to his works. Still, however, we believe the punishment of all to be perpetual, because we know no part of the divine law which promises life to an offender after the infliction of death. Had the R. at- tended to the nature of laws, he would have perceived the absurdity of such an idea. It would have shown him, that death, which is the wages of sin, is not a punishment designed for the reformation of offenders. It supposes the existence of these repugnant to the interests of society; and therefore it involves in it both a punishment and a total exclusion. We have, on this account, judged the doctrine of purga- tory equally inconsistent with the law of God and the common principles of equity. The R. is rather unlucky in his illustrations of the venial nature of some sins. " We Ca- " tholics," says he, " do think that some lies ♦' are venial." All persons who tell lies, he must allow, come naturally under the denomination of liars ; and these, says the scripture, « shall " have their part in the lake which burneth with *' fire and brimstone J* and the R. must be- . f tiimtmo- this merely a purgatorial busi- uess : ness; fo: •* is the " We " tempe: »' damna If dri] is certair rity of t such an nor so dancing. ♦' thou As never ( calogu that it 1 \^\ SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 13 evous gra\ a- i God 1 ren- Still, all to of the (Fender R. at- d have ea. It 1 is the led for ses the rests of : both a e have, ' purga- of God strations We Ca- Dtne lies he must mination , « shall leth with nust be- rial busi- ness 5 ness ; for it is immediately subjoned, " which •» is the second death *." <« We think," says he, " that an act of in- «* temperance on the King's Birth day is not so »' damnable a crime as murder.** If drunkenness ought to be tolerated at all, it is certainly when a Papist rejoices in the prospe- rity of the house of Hanover. That is neither such an outrage upon the feelings of nature, nor so repugnant to the spirit of religion, as dancing, in joyous acclamation, around roasting heretics. But though drunkenness may not be attended always with the same aggravations as murder, it is no less inconsistent with the pro- hibitions of God ; and it equally subjects to a corresponding sentence oi condemnation. When a drunkard appears at the tribunal of God, does the R. think his excuse for degrading himself below the dignity of man, and trampling on the practice of piety and virtue, will be accepted as valid, because he was guilty on the King's birth- day? *' We think," says he farther, " that an " amusing jest is not inductive of perdition^ ♦' though atrocious calumny most certainly is." As far as I know, Protestant divines have never classed wit among the breaches of the de- calogue ; though they have frequently declared that it may be prostituted to the most sinful purposes. * Rev. xxi, 8. ni I i * i rf i'Hi V t*i 314. rOPLRY CONDliMN'EH BY I* t Of this the R. has produced a very purposes. ^ - appropriate example, Nvhen he mentions an iimusln^ jest and atrocious calumny as different ^vays of murdering a person's reputation, lie seems to think, that the harm does nof consist so much in the effect produced, as in the means of accomohshing it. He who retails slander vvith great seriousness, is an atrocious sinner ; but he uho propagates falsehood merely for lus amusement, alleyiates his crime by his gcou-na- ture: And the consequent, is, that the tormer is remitted to hell for his seriousness, and tue latter to purgatory for his fun. If the R. would Nvish to establish the doctrine of venial sms, he ' must turn his attention to more appropriate lU lustrations. ; ,.i • The doctrine of purgatory originates likewise in a mistaken view of the mediation of Christ. Those," savs De M^aux, " who depart this life in grace' and charity, but nevertheless ow- ing divine justice some pains, are to suffer - them in the other life.— This is what the « Council of Trent proposes for our belief, je- « specting the souls detained in purgatory *." The absurdity of this statement can be very easily shown. It supposes, that either divine justice requires a double atonement for sm^ or that the sufferings of men are necessary to per- feet the satisfaction of Christ. But both these positions * Sect, 8. p. 15. (« a '•■*m(S5(. POPERY CONDEMNED BY 320 the difficulty by replying, « Exactly the same " number as of snow-balls to heat an oven » Protestants will not deny, that a receptacle of the dead, distinct from both heaven and hell, is mentioned in the writings of some of the Fathers. It is represented by them, however, as of a very different nature from the purgatory of Papists. In some of the first centuries, it appears to have been an opinion pretty generally .eceived, that except Christ, none are admitted into heaven till the day of judgement. The saints were suppo- sed to be subjected to what Ireneus denominates " the law of the dead,- and « the order of the cc promotion of the just," that is, they were notad- mitted into the kighest heavens, nor to the posses- sion of their full reward, till after the resurrection. But these Fathers never considered this separate state as at all connected with punishment to the saints. On the contrary, they declared it to be a place of rest and happiness : " It is," saysTer- tullian, " a place of divine pleasantness, appoint, ed for " the spirits of holy men *." It was not, therefore, a state in which they either needed or could be helped by the masses of the Church; for there could be no change in their condition, before the resurrection. . i t, . » Some of the Fathers also maintamed, that, at the day of judgement, all men must undergo a fiery trial ; '' We must all be tried by tire, SCF jays St. Am » righteous! " sin, escap of the existe knows, that chieiiy for t\ out of it. Origen w; Iktrine of a end of all p' therefore he not only all This was on led to intro( fas rejected lark of rep il. At presei low Papists fathers, by snce of pur irward, he to his ca btion of t lustrate it J )r every q m produc ichers of ( m * Apol' c 47. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 321 le samel says St. Ambrose, " Christ only, who is the ^en." I" righteousness of God, and never committed ptacle of I" sin, escapes it *" But this affords no proof i hell, is I of the existence of purgatory ; for, as the R. Fathers, ■ knows, that is not designed for all men, but of avery Bchieiiy for the benefit of such as can pay well to ' Papists, iget out of it. s to have I Origen was the first person who taught the ^ed, that, Iktrine of a purgatory. He supposed the great leaventillwndof all punishment to be reformation; and re suppo- ■therefore he maintained, that in course of time, nominates Biot only all men, but all devils, would be saved, ier of thelThis was one of the novelties which he attempt- ere notad- led to introduce into religion j and as such, it Lhe posses, lias rejected by the Church, and received the 5urrection.parkof reprobation in the fifth general Coun- s separate ent to the! At present, it will be unnecessary to show I it to be alow Papists have perverted the sentiments of the says Ter- Bathers, by attempting to produce them in de- is, appoint. Rnce of purgatory. When the R. brings them It was not,lirward, he will perhaps find them of very little needed orle to his cause. Should he ever attempt a vin- e Church ;lcation of this doctrine, I would advise him to condition, Justrate it from the Fathers in all its bearings. r every quotation to prove its existence, let ?d, that, atltn produce one to show, that these primitive t undergo alcheis of Chrislianity sold prayers, masses, and :d by fire,"! » Indulgences, saysl * In Ps, 1 1 8. Serm. 20. I S22 POPERY CONDEMNED BY :n ^^^^ ^rZ . .he society of the saints who have *' ted into tne buv,it.j :ntm .. been fro. the beginning oth-^^^^^^^ duces the bishops praymg to h^m ^^^ ''^''"^'•s;:ou:hit^nTrU,andb^ ::rTn:1StandlandoftheUv^S,^ .. the bosom of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob , :.;I;:oth;placewheretherei,^nomoreanypa,n, .. nor sorrow, ""^ sighing •• ^^ ^^ From these pubUc P^^yerS' no p ^^^ ^^^ _ ^^°^"i::rwimhT-p--'»'-'^ supposed to h»ve y quotations, the of rest and felicity. By these q . ° ™m also discover what views the Churcn R. will also u i the influence of formerly entertained re^P^'^""^ j„ heaven, the Virgin Mary, and other saints m ine Y • b ' ipnmt how beneficial it is to . As vet they had not learnt now fay,'« Holy Virgin. &c pray fo^^^^^^^ 53 easy to accounr f° ^Y^^^^e ^^^^.^^_ ""'"^'"^'iC^^'rliLr saints into great That commun.ty has praytu ^^^^^^ _ • C. 7. (( (i favour; fully iiicl their ber If we of iadivi suppositi session < views ol a few e: on the ( to tV thou *' soul " origi " dear •* an € " and " livu " and " call '* wh Amb: he ei Thee the( *» ' h SCRIPTURE AND TUb fc-ATIiliRS. 1525 if can be , the con- ited, were to a state Ltions, the e Church £uence of ,n heaven, icial it is to .»' But it ch has oc- sh Church. ts into great favour 'f favour ; and now, it is presumed, they are grate- fully inclined to employ it for the advamage of their benefactors. If we next turn our attention to the prayers of individuals, we will find them resting on the supposition of their being actually in the pos- ses^n of ease and happiness. To illustrate the views of these ancient Christians, 1 will produce a few extracts from the Oration of St. Ambrose, on the death of Theodosius : " Give perfect rest '' to thy servant Theodosius ; that rest which ^ u thou hast prepared for thy saints. Let his *' soul ascend to that place, whence it had its '« origin ; where it may be out of the power ot - death ; where it may know, that death is not u an end of nature, but of sin. I loved him, .^ and therefore I pursue him to the region ot the - livin- ; nor will I leave him, till, by my tears ^' andVy-r^' ^b^"^^^^^^"^^^'"^^^^''.^^' rT '' call him, into the holy mountain ot our Lord, u ^here there is life without end " Still bt. Ambrose was a stranger to purgatory ; nor cud he entertain the least doubt of the ^ feaaty ot Theodosius ', for says he, in a preceding pavt o. the Oration, « Theodosius of honouraole me- '' mory, being freed from doubtful combat, now ^^ enioys everlasting hghtand continual tranquu- u Uty ; and fbr the things which he .^.u m this. . bod;, he rejoices in the fruits of Gou s re- *^ ^vard :» And again, " He has not laui dovvn, O ^^^' ^ fl I -«B 326 POPERY CONDKMNl^D BY - but changed his kingdom ; being taken by the - right hand of his piety into the tabernacles of - Christ, into the heavenly Jerusalem ;" And also, " Theodosius, therefore, remains in the - light, and glories in the company of the " saints." But nothing more plainly militates against the Popish view of prayers for the dead, than the account which Epiphanius has given of what he calls the error of Aerius. This person had op- posed a recital of the names of the dead in prayer, asking, for what purpose it was done : " He who is alive," says he, " prayeth, or ofFereth the sacrifice ; what shall this profit the dead ? But if the dead be actually profited by them, then - let no man henceforth trouble himself to live well ; but let him oblige his friends, or give money to persons to pray for him, that none of these inexpiable sins, which he has com- mitted, may be required of him." In reply to this objection, Epiphanius does not give the most remote hint of the existence of a purgatory; which he could not have avoided, hud it then been known. When he assigns the reasons for this practice, he says, it was to declare their faith and hope concerning the dead ; and to shew tae infinite prerogative of Christ above the best or saints, by praying for them, but giving thanks oi^lv for him : And that, though ihcse prayers wrrP not avaiUn^^ to remove all ^n^, yet they were 4t (( «4 ii (1 (( t( gatory a; and Uke^ was a cc Shoul for the ( were th' collect t to repl) that the notions thers, 1 about jected < SC.RirTORr AND THE FATHERS. S27 were profitable to implore the mercy of God for those who had been sinners, but had repented, and to obtain for them a recompcnce for all, in the resurrection of the just *. Aerius, the R. will perceive, opposed the an- dent prayers for the dead upon the most orthodox principles. These prayers being gratis jobs, there raiRht be some danger of neglect or improper per- formance. Aerius, therefore, reasoned in the true spirit of Popery, that if these were actually of use they would be most advantageous m the way of fair trade ; for then they would be more frequent, and of course more availing. On the contrary, Epiphanius showed himself a poor de- fender of the Church. He forgot to assign pur- gatory as the grand cause of these supplications and likewise, to show that prayer m the Church was a commodity for sale. Should the R. ask, Of what use are prayers for the dead, if there be no purgatory ? and why were they made by the Fathers ? he ought to re- collect that Protestants are under no obligations ,0 reply. It is sufficient for us to have s^iewn that these did not originate in a belief of Popish notions. By consulting the writings of the_ V a- thers, he will find many semiments maintained about the state of the dead, which are now re- iected even by the Church of Rome, on account ' 02 ™ * H.crss. 75- HI 328 I'OrERY CONDHMNLD BV O f their absurdity. In these their prr.y^^s ior the dead originated. When the R., from the antiquity of this prac tice, infers its apostolic appointuient, his conclu- sion is totally unfounded. In the ancient Church, it vvns not ranked among the articles of faun. By consulting the conclusion of the works of E- piphanius, where he recapitulates what is of the Catholic faith, and what the constitutions of the Church, he will eee prayers for the dead classed ^vith the latter *. TertuUian also, and many other Fathers, confessed it to be without foun- dation in scripture. Had it been enjoined by the apostles, the silence of their writings is a little surprising. The sahits also under the Old Tes- tament, must have been very deficient in the du- ties of religion ; for in all their prayers, they have entirely overlooked the state of the decea- sed. Does the R. think, that the dead, during that period, had less need of the prayers of the Uving, since this exercise was neither enjoined by God, nor practised by the Church ? He in- deed attempts to prove the contrary ; for, says he " Prayers and sacrifices were offered for the - dead in the Jewish dispensation : Of this we *' have authemic evidence in the book of the - Maccabees, which, whether a ncric.l or not i. at leasi a history written by a welhiiuonued " Jew, * r. iic6. (t " Jew, w " Churcl The R about the never adi ture, no tion had them th'. of devot thor of : ing the seems t< the pri] ly have R. con as a f Christi to this ment 1 justify will tl the J image full o " tht « of .*.*^- SCRIPTURE AND THF. FATHERS. lor I - Jew, who knew ihe practice , prac- 3nclu- mrch, fauh. 1 of E- of the of the classed many t foun- led by J a Uttle Id Tes- the du- •s, they decea- during ; of the :njoined He m- "or, says 1 for the this we I of the I or not, informed " Jew, ot 52!) the Jewish reserve Church . TheR. is right to speak with some about the divine authority of this book. It was never admitted into the Jewish canon of scrip- ture, nor received by Christians; till supersti- ion had perverted their minds, and persuaded Ihem thai there was a necessity for more means of devotion than God ever appointed. Th. au- thor of it might be very wel^. informed concern- Tg the practices of the Jewish Church, but he e!ms to have been a considerable stranger to L principles of religion, else he would scarce. rhHst ans there was no necessity for referring « of the deadf.** O 3 CHAP. Ill J * P. 59- f Ps.d. cv 1 28. \ *" i^ ( 530 ) C H A P. IX. ON THE WORSHIP OF SAINTS AND ANOELS, AND THE VENERATION OF IMAGES AND RELICS. However destitute of true religion the Church of Rome may be, she has never been wanting in professions of devotion. Every thing connect- ed with the Church, from the jaw-bone ot the ass with which Samson slew the Philistines, domx to the milstone which carried St. Anthony over the sea to Russia, has, in its turn, received some kind of worship or veneration. To this species of devotion we Protestants could never be rccon- ciled, through a persuasion that it savours more of will-worship than of the service of God. hi behalf of our aversion, we have been long accus- tomed to plead both scripture and antiquity ; the former as a rule of faith and practice, the latter as exhibiting a precedent in the Church. In op. poshion to our views, the R. has produced what he imagines a vindication of this part of the Ro- jnish religion. Though there be very little dan- crer that his proofs and illustrations will ever per- vert the minds of Protestants, it may not be a- miss to review them, and show him the Protes- tant side of this subject. T^ ^.*.Ki,-ci.mo- thn worship of creatures, the R ) a : Romish oppositic common among t has give which tl Old-Tc: that rel: utter 63 « wore « shalt some a Christ, views, of invi nature and tl That : term Great be gr adora jectio are i: that B< and ther( attei porERY CONDEMNKD, ScC. 351 \ ^e latter Inop- :cd what the Ro- ttle liaii- :ver per- ,ot be a- ; Protes- ires, the R ) iV^ • Romish Church has expericitced considerable opposition from some texts of scripture, which common sense would not permit them to cbss among the obscure and difficult. CM these, not.= hrSen them more trouble than a quotation thich the Saviour himself produced tron the Old-Testament scriptures, expressly to d.ovv. rtat religious adoration belongs to Go to the utter exclusion of all creatures ; Ihou sha^t » Lrship the Lord thy God, and h.m only « Shalt thou serve •.'• To preserve, therefore some appearance of respect for the language of ChrL and at the same time advance then- own 2' they have been reduced to the necessity of Semi g some nice distinctions between the nature of L worship which belongs to God, ;rL which may be given to h,s cre^ures^ That species of service, expressed by the Gicek term atria, they think, belongs only to the C ator but an inferior kind, called duUa may £ il' to angels, and other objects of then- . • There is however, one small ob- ire used ind-lscriminately in scnpture, to denote that service which is due to God. '' BeLen the nature of the -r^'P °2°;; and that given to^creatures. t e R s^.s us. there is a s^eat difFerence. But, as it m b Sed 4h some difficulty to show m what it * Mattn. iv. 10. 532 POPERY CONDEMN ED BY consists, and might likewise lead to a more ex- tensive view of Popish worship than would pro- mote edification, he has wisely declined it, and turned the discourse to his usual compli- ments to innovators and pretended reform- crs. " "Hs matter of surprise," says he, « how the first reformers could have pre- - vailed on their deluded followers to Wieve that we Catholics who publicly profess our faith in one God, should notwithstanding a- dore many Gods ; or that, whilst we know, and confess, that sovereign homage and su- preme worship is due to the Creator alone, we should pay this homage to any of his crea- tures. The absurdity is so gross, that we can sufficiently admire the stupidity of these ^^llo permit themselves to be duped by it ; but 'tis a prodigy, that this scaffolding, however ne- cessary to the architects of that work 6t dark- ness, which misrepresentatipn had formed, should yet cominue, notwithstanding the num- berless dissertations published by Cathohc writers, in which the essential difference be- tween the veneration, which we Catholics have for Angels and Saints, and the relative respect we shew their relics and images, and that sovo- reign homage and supreme honor which we pay our God, is so clearly stated that even ig- - norance cannot mistake it. There must be " some hideous deformities in the work, when " ^caffoldmg «« n n (I i( <( (( u i( (t (( -«l (t n >« ti «( i( i( £C «« rcaffoldii '■ necessar The R. ralship in < where thei have acqu jcct, why at gleanir vincing il reached ; Protestan nmst tail iis we ar credit ol '' that s( " is due has bee tending pists atl Thc of the saints : Papist! '' Noi SC tl-l-CRE AND IHK FAlllEES- 333 .. rcaffolding of such monstrous aspect is found .. necessary to conceal them *. ■i-he R. seems to kitow, that it is good gene- nlship in controversy to make the greatest show ,here there is the least force. If Po^.h wi .t i I've acquitted themselvos so well upon tins sub- S why did he not, since he is such an adept I, deaning, pick out a few of the.r most con- n rg i£^^^^^^^^ They might perhaps have oached a conviction to the muuls of deluded »nts, which his own angry couten.mgs T\u. produce " deluded and ignorant nmst tail to proauce. p,„ut<5 th- .s we aA;, wo have never refused Papists th- as we ail., Icnow. and confess, ^,--.iU best appear by t- ingto\he Lure of that worsbp which I. plsts afford to creatures. I. Saints and Angfls. .1.. -R his not explamed the nature Though the K. tias not ^ • o ,.-.vrQ of the worship otteiea to of the various paits or tue t- 1 1, Vir> Ivis told us with vvnac M^^v fTpiisf^t ^o e,;: their supplications. X Sny catholic- says he, " ever pray 05 .P,a.6.:.-. +TiM..6. 1 'i A«'i 331 POPERY CONDEMNED BY (( it (( »t (I t( ** to an Angel or Saint as to a Mediator, but simply as an intercessor, ^^hose prayers are more acceptable to God than ours. To God we pray for mercy, grace, and glory, ^.hlch we hope to obtain through the medratorship of Jesus Christ; to the angels we • pray for .- none of these graces : we ask their prayers " as more eflfectual than ours, ...*'* Accord- ing to this statement, saints and angels are not mediators, but simply intercessors. When the R. took this view of their office, why did he forget to show in what the difference between them consists ? As far as 1 know, the word me- diator means one who transacts business between two parties; and what else is an intercessor? Supplications to them, he says also, consist merely in asking them to pray for us. Respect- ing this point, it may not be amiss to take the opinion and practice of other members of the Romish Church ; and, as the Virgin Mary is a saint of the first magnitude, we may bpgm with observing their views and worship of her. In the Contemplations on the life and glory of holy Mary, the mother of Jesus, published anno 1685, Permissu Superiorum, it is said, - The blessed Virgin is the empress ot sera- u phims,— the most exact original of practica - perfection which the omnipotence of God - ever drew ; and, by innumerable titles, she " claims * P, 214. «« claims " a prope - O 1 >' your d' " is life ; '• not te'J " tual, I *. Virgin " but b^ " saved. '• can b i' O fa\ '^ or gr - \ " that '' the «' say, '' all (( Ghc *' grac »' the *' wit " the " wit *' wc • * '' th ■*' us ji^^SS*^'" SCRIVTUKE A-NB Tlili bA lUl- KS. 'JB5 r, but rs are D God which orship •ay for )rayers kCcord- xe not en the did he etween )rd mc- )etwcen ccssor ? consist Uspcct- ake the s of the [ary is a gin with r. id glory ublishcd is said, of sera- practical of God .ties, she ' claims «( it it it it it claims the uimst duUj of every Christian, as a proper homage to her greatness ..O mother of GoJ," says St. Gcrma.n, vour defence is immortal; your mtercess.on He; your protection issecuritr.tf you uo ;:rtUustL.ay nonecanbeco.u.sp.^ tual nor adore God m spint. O most no y W,n, none can have the knowledge of God , r hv vou • O mother of God, none can be ed Z by you -. O virgin mother, none ::„ be dewSel from dangers, but by you. O favoured of God, none can obtam any gtft „v grace, but by you *." jj^e,, it Vrnni the tune, says oi. *; T:: uL ^u^itn.and authority over : 'the tmporal processions of the Ho . rhor- so that no creature has rece.v^d any J,^ f ; Virtue from God, but accovdmg to, ^ • ^f his hoW mother t- ,,e dispensatton ^^'^^Jf ^t of Celles,. '^ Approach, says u ^ toward the blessed Vngm, j^^^^ ,j.,^ ^''utVht'^dwu'l have, .11 that is good. ""'' stis om-^J-cate with the Son, as bno IS o ,,j,,jg for the Son is vvuh the l'^^^^" ^ of,,,, ,hoso «s both the Father and^th. Son. ^^ ^^^^^^^^ * Vent. Devot.de Crasset. p. 3^- r it it i( ii a it ii it ii it (t it -t • ^f 536 POPERi' CONDEMNED BY 8C f f a (1 whom the justice of the Son mi-ht condemn, the mercy of the mo.her delivers In short, as our Saviour once said, that none could come to him while lie was on earth, *' unless the Father drew him, so dare I, in »' some sort, affirm, that none comes now to thij - glorified Son, unless thou draw him by thy hoh " assistance*,'* In these, the R. must acknowledge, there is a little more than merely asking the prayers of the Virgin ; and they are a very small specimen of the abommable blasphemies which have pro- ceeded from the mouths of the beast and the false prophet. Should he say, that the Church is not accountable for the expressions of indivi- duals, let him show us how it is pure, and pre- served from the lightest shade of error, when every individual may utter, with impunity, such liorrible abominations. But, to prevent him from disclaiming the language of individuals, I will subjoin a few specimens of the prayers of the Church. " We fly to your protection, O holy mother of God ; despise not our prayers which we make to you in our necessities ; but deliver us from all dangers, O glorious and ever blessed Virgin t." " Vouchsafe that I may be worthy \o praise thee, O sacred Virgin : •' Give * Crasset. p. S3- 34- + Oi\'^'^\^vax E. Vivg. p. 84. Antw. Ed. 1631. t( <« (( «i »« ^ 4- " " US 1 . . Perhaps Bonaventu ply to tli< God, in tl This book commendi '■ able to ' mendal <'• private " Virgin. canonizec mong otl tainly im ritorious, ver what Church. " Cot " are he " souls.^ ",Co " the s€ " you \ *' O " liver " thanl * 1 1 V -f^--'t . i-,>Jt^lU\_^,^^ ^ s^SKBtm^. i .1' SCRIPTURE AMD THE FATHERS. S37 ti Give ms strength and power against thine *.'* '^ Let Mavy and her son bless " enemies u st 99 ]>erhaps the R. has heard of the Psalter of Banaventure, of which the design was, to ap- nlv to the Virgin all the addresses made to God, in the psalms and hymns of the Church. This book has been printed, with licence and commendation, as a piece *' which was profit- '• able to be printed, and very piously and com- ' mendably to be recited by all men in their ^' private prayers, to the honour of the blessed " Virgin." The author of it, also, has been canonized bv the Church, and worshipped a- mono- others of the same fraternity ; which cer- tainly implies, that his works were tolerably me- ritorious. A few quotations from it will disco- ver what exercises are permitted in the Romish Church. " Come unto Mary, all ye that labour and - are heavy laden •, and she shall refresh your " souls.** " Come unto her in your temptations ; and » the serenity of her countenance shall establish " you J.** , - O Lady, in thee do I put my trust ; de- " liver my soul from mine enemies. O give '« thanks unto the Lord, for he is good. O it give * P. 10.:;. i P. 1C5, X Vs. u. 'V »■■ . 533 POPliRY CONDEMNED BY it t( ti . give thanks unto his^ mother, for her mercy *' piidureth for ever */ . S«chancditio„ofthePsalms&c umaybe ealwconceived, nutst contain abundant spec.- Tens of the same kind. At present, I.. U riy transcribe the concluding P"yer- " TL holy Lady Mary, 1 commend to hy .. SLed ?rust and special custody, and mto the . bosom of thy mercy, this day, and every day .. and "n the hour of death, both my soul ad .. body I <^°^^' ''' ™^' ^°^ \ll mv troubles and my m.ser.es, my " T'anl theU of my life, to thee, that by hv mos holy intercession and merits, all my /Stay bl directed and dispc^^d accord,,, *'?j:r:r:ircr.t^Tc--p- The K. P ^^.3 yer, be- ,, u from her devout worshippeis. one heldtromnei " restored their eye- livered them from ^'=^."^^^'/;;'° ^ ,,,,d them ■'■'^^"' r^if i -' Ted tLn f,om * Ps. evil. the consol squeamish ' ners, '* make w\ " that she '• sweet c " ever so Vh'gin be - child, 1 »' lewd ai " forsake <' despen " with I " met." r\ mmfmMgi SCRIPTURE A^D THE FATHERS. b3» ■lercy ay be speci- [ will « ) thy ito the y day, ul and onsola- es, my lat, by all my :ording dal ap- ?er, be- form of Church J all this I Virgin, tias w'ith- e has de- heir eye- ved them lem from J tend to the u -'y travellw.s * Crasset. p. 90. SCI travellers, h from possess therefore q no sooner d the body, that as so( seized his i vented by 1 sure which not permi body, till ful in this of the hej for that is Virgin. - Goul poss have onl) death, tti '■«*««»*Hpli^ SCRIPTURE A^TD THE FATUEP.S. 341 ne 3W the )r how ; could it, let vellovis ill diffi. ?r, that credit, gasco- iient of ncswaer 1 accus- 1- of the ome tra- fter per- ily, they ; to their vocifera- • These ravelbrt-'. travellers, having saved their purses, \vere far from possessing an implacable disposition. Ihey therefore quickly procured him a priest ; and no sooner did the ecclesiastic apply the head to the body, than this devout plunderer related, that as soon as he was beheaded, the devils seized his soul to carry it to hell, but were pre- vented by the Virgin. On account of tho plea- sure which his fastings afforded her, she would not permit his soul to be separated from his body, till after confession. Now, the wonder- ful in this story does not consist in the talking of the head after its separation iVom the body 5 for that is a mere straw among the works of the Virgin. It lies entirely in the safety which a : possesses after coiiessicn. If; a person hie only unbosomed himself to . pnest beiore d^Ik the devil may enjoy the pleasure o see. t him in purgatory ; but if he -P-t to get him farther he will be miserably disappomtcd •Pelbart, indeed, narrates this story only from report. The reader, however, has no reason fdcubt either the truth of hb --^-' J ra VM-rrin • for he himself wit- tSf* nnwer of the Vngm , i^^i SsedTnother miracle no kss extraorcnary. l;!^^ wicked villain, he informs us, fell mto L Ba.^be, and regained under ^ o three .lavs. In ordinary cases, there would ce ;:;;;;.lebee.so«ed.^eroJd.w^^^^^ ,0 the rogue's great surpr.se, he v. as sucte^^_^ I ,* ,-.t..*^— ::pK»' i^fe^-iSsu-— 542 rOPERY CONDEMNED BY .« (( t( ik *t it t( i( this new clement with the following address. " Thou well deservest, base rascal, to lose thy " life and be condemned for ever, for thy sins' • but because thou art a servant to the VirJin Mary, thou shalt be delivered from this danger, that thou maye.t go and be coa. •• fessed " Up he came accordingly, and made the above declaration to the priest Pclbart him. self " It was from this man himsat, says Was- set," " that the religious iMbart heard this histo- rv • and you must either believe the pen.cent an •ni-x.tor and cheat, or else thatPelbart v,as a wicked man, who took delight in impoemg on the sovereign pontiff of Rome, (to whom he dedicated his works), and on all the faith. ful • or you must believe this story for an ab. solute fact ; and, consequently, that the Vu- gin docs sometimes preserve her servants from •' everlasting damnation afier death •. ine reader is at liberty to believe which he pleases. When the Virgin bestows such marks of her beneficence upon the base and graceless, the faithful, who are remarkable for the.r pious simplicity, have certainly reason to expect .nuch more extensive favours ; and the Church wouU be chargeable with great .ngratitude d.d she only permit her members to say, " Holy vn- " gin, pray for us." But let us now take a peep at the worship given to the little samt^s^i * P. 134- (( it tl tt (I for they Mary. " Man) » still reiT " ed from •' from G " the bor " tual dii " charity «' joining «» ever r » Churcl " of the " of me: tions will '* O »' world " our h " vour " and c " by yc " to wl " of al " sick ; " tuet Coni *< and ♦' the : ■■-#— f- '.mlKflmS^H^^^^l^^' «m ijii | i j. i«-w»» SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 3J.3 imposing ;^to whom the faith. for an ab- ,t the Vir. rants from K** The » pleases, rks of her celess, the heir pious :pect much irch would e, did she Holy Vir- low take a ittle saints ; for for they are all little, when compared with Mary. " Many hymns," says a French writer, « arc '« still remaining, in which those things are ask- .* ed from saints, which ought to be requested " from God alone ; such as, deliverance from » the bondage of sin, preservation from spiri- - tual diseases and hell-fire, and increase of •« charity and fitness for heaven. Is not this - ioining the saints with God himself? What- .* ever men may talk of the sense of the - Church, the very forms and natural meamng u of the words excite other ideas in the minds '' of men *." The propriety of these observa- tions will appear from the following specimens *' O ye just judges and true lights ot the ^' world, we pVay to you with the requests of u our hearts, that ye would hear the prayers of vour suppliants : Ye, who by your word shut ;nd open heaven, deliver us, we beseech you, by your command, from all our sins; Ye, .. to whose command the health ana sickness . of all men is committed, heal us, who are u sick in our manners, and restore us to vir- ''J^feionofsinismade'^toGodAlmishty and the blessed Virgin Mary, to St. Michae the archangel, to St. John the B^^-pU^t, to the u u u u (( (( * Entret. de Plnlal. et PHler. p. 2. p. i6o. f Omc. I?. Vh-g. p. W' .- :■■%. : , ^ 'n"W'**""^|'t^ ' ^-.^S'^'- ,.-■*»:-: ■m^^ammm- ^,^^^^j'*^&«*w*f;"_ POrERY CONDEMNED BY <* holy nposiles Peter and Paul, and to all the Excommunkation. are performed •' by the .. „,ub,ority of Almir,hty God, the Father, Son, .. and Holy Ghost; and of the blessed apostles » Poter and Paul, and of all the samts f. IVfclloxving are extracts from a prayer of Tope Gregory VII., offered at the head of a synod, in excommunicating the Emperor Henry V anno 1080. " Blessed Petets pnnce of .. The apostles, and O thou blessed Paul, doctor « of the Gentiles, vouchsafe, I beseech you, .. mercifully to incline your ears unto me, and » hear me Go to no^v, I beseech you .. O fathers and holy princes, that all the world » may know and understand, that as you h.ve in heaven the power of binding and loosmg, vcu have also on earth power over empu-es, kingdoms, principalities, &c. Por you have .. often taken away patriarchates, &e. I rem the .. ^vicked and unworthy, and have g.ven hen » to reli-ious men. Let the kmgs and all the .' princes of the world now learn how great « Lu are, and how much you can do; and » fear to undervalue the command of your .. Church ; and execute judgement on the a- .> foresaid Henry so suddenly, that all menjay . Mis,,l. R. in Ord. Mi.s. t Pent. R. Ord. Excom. et Absolv. '' l;now. thi^ » ycur pov C( (( (C n 111 the 11 represented they receive wrought g cured dead Beside suqI under the been no le; ment and 1 in labour, sorts of tr pear still dead' pers- of saint, 1 performs ' will ment] authority ^,,^^-^'«W«M.«t«.. SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHrilS. 34i ayer of .d of a ' Henry •ince of , doctor ch you, me, and ch you, le world fO\x have loosing, empires, vou have from the ^en them id all the low great do ; and of' your on the a- l men may '' kno\f ont, R. Ord. '• know that his fall is not by chance, but by " your power *.** In the lives of the Romish S'jints, they are represented as well deserving all the worship they receive. Like the Virgin Mary, they have wrought great deliverances for the Church, cured deadly diseases, and even raised the dead. Beside such stupendous works as nalurLdly come under the denomination of miracles, they have been no less remarkable for little acts of endear- ment and benevolence ; such as, helping women in labour, curing the tooth-ach, and killing all sorts of troublesome vermin ; and what will ap- pear still more surprising to the rcadtr, any dead' person whatever, who receives the name of saint, becomes a sharer of their power, and performs the same works. To illustrate this, I will mention a fact, related by Ressenuius, an authority to which the R. can have no objec don. About eight miles from Evora in Portugal, there is a place called the cave of the martyrs, where a number of Christians, with their bishop a^d his two sisters, were supposed to have been murdered. Over the bishop's sepulchre is a table of stone, upon which tlic mass was wont to be sacrificed in honour of his saintship, whom th(7 called Yiarius ; auU hither came ali persons who were pained about the loins, and wet^ in- variably * Plntlr.a in Vit. C-rc{^. VI I < scRir t • it -■ ■If 34^6 POPERY CONDEMNED BY variably cured. When f ^--llf ' J^^^ ^ simed to publish his lif- along wuh these ot the oAer S, visited the spot .ith a v.ew to p.ck :; bfLation, he asked the priests >f they pes- S any records or ^^f^J^:^^ Viirius Upon this he was directed to the table I •; sepulchre, .vhich .as --be^ -^J Intin epitaph of considerable length. But Res Lnis who happened to be better acquatnted Sh L;in inscriplns than the PjJ, so» d. covered that the celebrated tomb of St. Vianus 1 heathenish carcases of two ix oft -n ^^^- ^"^°'"'^'^°" r: •ILL sent to Cardinal Alphonsus, at that r^Sr^rora, who ordered the place to SHhut up! to the great discontent o^^^aU simple faithful who were pamed about ^" Su'ch legendary lore drew from a learned man oft Romish Church the following complamt. ! m.re is also another error not unfrequem. . tha the common people, neglectmg m a m«t. .. t the ancient and known saints, worship . n re ardently and diligently *e "ew and .^; .. known, of whose holiness we have but htt e nn,1 of whom we know some only <■■ assurance and ot wo ^^ .c by revelations ; so that it is jusi.y _^ 1 .hit thpv never existed at ail I • " several, that ti.ey ">-»- Were . Rcs.erd. Ep. .d B»>lUo!. Kcbedl.m. t Ca«»t deserve mediately his action, ;d him to jvhether it d kiss his , says he, ^llow that, tie ground, termed ex dm, by thel ine ; whichj iter this, 1' 1, for halfa] 301 d to SCRIPT come URE AND THE FATHERS. 34d ^^^ directly to the throne of grace ,v jlsus Christ ; and by personal application, to 'nake our requests known to God. Does not R. think it a little unaccoumablc, that our by the ;hou\v<;e It is pretty wide re^somng to say, Ucau.e (I (i (( u * I Kings, xTiii. 27' I ?. 2i r. 330 rOl'ER'T CONDEMNED BIT therefore they know eve- the conclusion he would readers to draw. But even the know. they know two things, ry thing ; for this is wish his readers to dr l^dge of these two particulars is more than the scriptures ascribe to them. They only mfor.. «s, that there is joy in heaven, and m the_ pre- sence of the angels of God. over one smner .hat repents *. But the R., by this rep.y, Lrely shifts an objection which he was unable to solve. The question still recurs. Are they omniscient ? or, how do they attam the know- ledge requisite to render them fit^objects of wor- ship ? Nor have others of the Rom.sh Church been more successful in their solution of these Jifficulties. The saints and angers know al thin doctrine of scripture, 1 v/,U now proceed to a K'Aew of his illustrations. TLettheEx.," says he, "read, he forty. eieht chapter of Genesis, and he vnll see the pLiarch Jacob, a man of some authonty, seriously and solemnly invoktug an ange ^ Zi acLvvledging Itis protocon through ,„c from all evil bless these bous :-ha Makal aieloMnnealrahj'braekakhal^aar^^ ri Iviii l6.-Wouia the Ex. permit tin*. Sv pWch, .ho candidly aclcno^-leges S the angel had delivered him from every /'vt t say'once in his Ufe : H.V ;^^:_^^^^^^^^ ^^forus!ormyAn,clrroUet.c J^^^ . Lrch done sometlung .n^e fo - e^ .' in the thirty-second, of Genesis, in i - 1 f„ hlp« liim, and Moses, a m^a u ed an angel to bless b.m ^^^^ ^^^^^ » of some credit adds, that m^^'s " /"•"' •-^''■''*'"ttsiR."introduced the« '"T fv hf le rnin , it shows rather to a di. ,0 display h.s 1 ^ ^^ :^- ,,,-,„, ,ith a version advantage. A Icb e q ^^^^^ ^^_^^ ^^^^^^^ of it from the \ Jgate, ^^ ^^_^,^^ ^^,^^;, its meanit^, i6 "» ■"^"^ °' ^^""'/cltrhe^: llno^bi^ctiont chapter of Genesis, nc c ^^^^.^^^ 1 2 * P. i? ?• i -. !>«' ■ /.^ ■ j8(jjt«i^^ ti 352 POrEKY CONDVMKLD BY- receive the account which is there given of this aneeh It will show him, why JcKob so ardent- ly desired his blessing for himself and his d> /cendants. Mos.s, a man of some crcniit, in- forms us there, that Jacob, a man o some au- thority, after wrestling with the angd, ' called - the name of the place Peniel ;" for he said .CI have seen C^^f^ce to face ^- In Hosea s account of this transaction, also, the same view cf the angel is afforded us. " Yea ^^^ ^f *. power over the aftgel, and prevailed ; he .. Upt, and made supplication unto him ; he - found him in Bethel, and there he spake with . us ; even the Lord God of hosts , the Lord c. is his memorial." If the R. think the opi- nion of the Fathers of importance, it caii like- >.ise be added. Both Athanasius t ^nd Cynl o Alexandria 1| declare it absurd to suppose, that Jacob would join God with an angel, when he said " The God wlio fed me all my life long V. ,;to this day, the angel who redeemed me .. from all evil •.- And says Justin Martyr u He who is both an angel, and Gcd, and 1 \ tr^ Tirnb in th^ lorm or ♦^ Lord, appeared to JacoD i.i i « man §." Should the R. have anv doubt ot Christ's being called an angel in scripture, it ^,.iU be removed by consulting the propl.ecies ot Malachi : - Behold, I will send my messenger »» and he si •» the Lore •' to his te " the cov( *' he shall The R. «» Behold. *' ivay-i c '' have / «' voice ; your p ' Thouj • tect 2 ' strictl '^ could •* nion ** stret< It seem though dity, I emphf the C' script! indue the e: Fathf the \vor<^ the * Vcr. ^C. i Hos. xii. 4. y Allan. il Tbesaur. lib. 3 c. 6. § I- X Serm. 4. contra -■i'tl- cum Tivth, SCRltTUUE AND THE FATHERS. 353 s d> , in- e au- :alk'd said, osea's view i bad , ; he 1 ; he e with Lord le opi- 1 like- ly ril of e, that len he fe long led me ^lartyr, J, and jrm of oubt of r:ure, it iccies ot ssenger, *' and 4. contra .. ,na h^ shall prepare the wsy before me ; and : h L;rt ^^' 'cm ye seek, shall -^'^-^Y -- . o his temple, even the messenger or angel ot /^e covenant, .hom ye deU,hyn:be^^^^^^ " ^*'°"^V conduct the Jews, and they were ""^°"?-rs2difySSa-riptiont.» •' '"'''"^ ° to C occurred to the R., that It seetns not ^o/a^J , 3„etch of stupt- though he could "?' J^=" , ,3onal ex- emplificatton of t JJ ^^^^^.^^ f,o^ the concludmg woras 01 _^i ^^^^^ • . ,= « Mv name is in mm, 1^ ""& scripture ^^y " 3„„ething peculiar in induced him to ^^^^ ^eat admirer of the the expression. A. n J^^^^^^^^^^ ,^ hear Fathers, It will afford h ^^ ^^^^^ '^%°'^r Krw hereLe," says he to Trypho words. 1^1^^^ . ct that he who the Jew and his conn—. ^_ ^^^^^^^^ * Cb. iii. vei^' ^* f P. 212. 213. S54. »t ik brought your also called Jesus. POPF.RY CONDEMNEI> BY fathers into the land of Canaan, >> iS tt c t( « That the angels do pray for us," says the H « we know from several passages in Scrip- t'vire -. in the prophecies of Zachariaswe read: ] 10 J lid the An^cl replied and said, Lord of Hosts, how longxvih thou not have mercy on . Jerusalem and the cities of Juda, mlh M '• thou hast ken angry now these 10 years *. The R , in rhis part of his book, seems to have forgotten the Fathers entirely. They inifht have been consulted to advantage, I can assure him, by a person who intended to explatn this part of the scriptures. .They .appear un.- versally to have been persuaded, that the anj^el mentioned in it was Jesus Christ ;_ as he may see by consulting Ribera the Jesu.te, who has collected their sentiments in Ms Commentary on Ileb. vii. 18. . But farther, says he, " St. John saw an An- - gel offering to God the prayers of the saints. " Rev. viii. 3. 4. V* The R., in his application of these words, appears to be singular and solitary, for says Viegas the Jesuite, " All interpreters con^^ss, - that by the angel Jesus Christ is to be under- "stood here; because no other can be said to i. offer, in a manner so majestic and glorious, * P. 213. + ll^i^' «♦ the ince »' vipon il His nc Joshua, > view will host. '' " Angel ♦» Lord, t-*3t« — "^ SCRIPTURE AN'D THE FATHERS. S55 m An- saiiits. words, )r says :onfess, under- said to lorious, " the .. the incense, .hat is, the prayers of all saints, " -P°" ^^^ SolJ-^ f^-^ ^^^ ,f,, adapter of His next proof is trom hk inter- Joshua, ...ere we have -^^^^j'^Z^^ view with the prmce ore tarn of ^^^ .. that he himself was the ehu.t ot j "rtsVeeb at Replace on which he «* deredt*' . ^_ th'm cart of • rrh. R in liis observations on this par The K., 11^ . f the word Joshua, is very P>-?f«^ '" " ,, he will see angel. By recurnng to he pass^g , that he is not — ed J do so by ^ ^.^ ^,,, sions of scripture It does n ^^ the appearance ^^ P^f J y'^nwithwU either saint or angel •, for the p ^ ^^^_ Joshua conversed is ^^^ j ° ^^^^^^^ him. that A little closer attention -U^S f^, ^f this person, who called ^'^J^^^y ;^ ^ foVwing the lord's host, is named Jehova n ^^^ ^^^_ verse. I^*«'^\''°''^"'heTame person whom eluding him to have been the same p ^^^ X 4? * In Loc. Sect. 2. I P. 214* ,- 1 f^if ?yfitpMi|' 05(3 rOP£RY CdNDEMNED EY of sal va. the apostle Paul has styled the Captain lion? That apostle seems to hr.'^ imajpncd Christ the conductor of Israel, when he said, '' Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of ihcm •' also tempted, aixl were destroyed of ser- '• pents *r Prone as Papists are to pervert the plain meaning of scripture, there are many who have acknowledged Christ to have been the C^p- tain of the Lord's host : " The apostle," says the Jesuitc Salmeron on these words of St. Paul, - intimates to us Christ's divinity, and that just- %* ly J for he was the peculiar leader and con- *• ductor of the IsraeUt^s." ^ Tlie R.'8 last and most extraordinary proot is from the book of Revelation. •' We find John the Evangelist," says he, « falling prostrate before the Angel, (see 9th of Rev.) ihe Ex. who is singularly unlucky in hk referen- cee, says, the Angel refuse.: to receive this homage-true, the Angel did, and tuer^y commends his modesty and hrmUity m reiu- sing to receive such homage from so great and highly favoured an Apostle as St. John, the beloved disciple of Jesus Christ ; but he " will permit us to believe that St. John knew " something of the Christian religion ; that he " thought he might without being guilty of ido- ** latry pay a reverential worshii to the Angel ? « if not, St. John was highly criminal in re- " pcating ♦ J Ccr. ». 9. it a a n «i «( it t( (I t( trf -<■■*»»- . «,M,t4^»i«»»«*.V'' ti r>lfe.,.."rta^; SCRIPTURE AND TIlF. FATIltHl. ShJ incd hem ser- r the who Cap- says Paul, just- L con- oaf is John )strate The feren- re this iereby 1 refu- » great , John, but he 1 knew hat he of ido- Angel ? in re- peating . ^ ^ffonre • for hc tcUs us that agiuii .. leard and .en I fell 1o adon >"fi-^fi^l ♦' the obhgation ot p^y^^b •« nor Is ouc -.^.n.oo of the H.'^ obsen'at-.ons, ^"^^ ^„ ,„K,eh they are ^^" rr » Id Tlel .t b-.s feet to .crshi, '° w And te sL unto me, See thou do >r ''^'""\tmthvf«ow-r.ervant,andofthybre. ' T' .hthteth testimony of Icsus; Wor- *' thren that nave ui'^ ^ u- Pnd + '* In these words, there are .« ship God t. , ^ rejection of this obvious ---rril^^^J^^^^^^^^ and, *'''^«"f.' p . ., B- the R., by divias into « worship God. discovered the very thoughts of th. au e ^ ^^^^^ that it >«as refused ^^ J^ ^ i,,^,„j,d to 1 ;n his op nion, i.euuci The angel, m his r f.Uow-servant wor- show the impropriety of one ^^ ^^^^^.^^ adoration to Qod alone, ^^^^^ ho. humble -Sj;-;:',:tve ro need of b, some m the Church ^^^^^^ ^^,^^^. their prayers. When th. ^^.^^ H P. 114' *'S' I P OIT v'lX. 10* — AV. ' 3:,s rOPF.KY CONnlMNf D nif for l.is views, they may per- thing like reason ha^s ba controverted. _ The apostle John, he thinks, v.as m so high esteem with the Saviour, as not to need ilu- ni- lercessioo of angels. Had he been much ac- ouainted with the nature of the gorpel, he would have known that the communications of divme favour never originate in the personal quaUfica- tlons of the Christian. These, an apostle as- sures us, proceed from the free love of God to ,„cn as sinners, and not saints : « God who .s « rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith « he loved us, even -when wc -were dead m stm, « hath quickened us together whh Chnst : by « grace ye are saved «." If quickening, then, or holy quahfications, originate in divme love, how en they procure divine favour? Ue can easily conceive how one gift of Gpd may folbw another ; but how one should procure another, the R. will find it hard to demonstrate. The same apostle gives t.s a very different vow o !_ „„ r,f .Tvar p • " He that spared not the economy ot grace . i^'- i; .< his own Son, but delivered him up tor us all, « how shall he net with him ^ho freely give us « all things!?" , . l. ^ These quotations contain every thing which the R. has pro.Uiced from scripture with the least appearance of proof for the adoration ot ■ J and it is certainly a wretched foundation angels for • Eph. u. 4. 5. I Rora. via. 32. SCRIVTUREAKDTHEfATnr.R'^. 3o9 1 o <•■ hvV Bi\J, however, as T: .. It » cni, .«., .»j *»■ •- » That the Samts, wys- "'-^ , „ J vl-eb v»e know fr> m the express d cU- " *^. '^""f : Christ : theu "re as the Angch oj .. vation of . Chnst_ J ^^^ «< Goih <^ rod of " '"^ ^'^'^" ^. ^ ..the Romish Church is to Much attached as the K hicUuutlou ■ departed saints, she would have lit * P. 2I3« X Ibid. 560 roPERY CONDEMNED BY to feel the effects of their government ; for it is immediately subjoined, « as the vessel ot a pot- « ter shall they be broken in pieces. 1 he K. ^ill have some diflkulty in converting an m.t rod into a sceptre of grace to the Church. But , ii„„f .hit before the samis can he has only to recollect, that betore " *= receive this power, they must have overcome death, as J\ as other enemies ; and therefore, prayers to them before the resurrection must be rather premature. i • r To Lse strong proofs for the worship of saints, the R. has added a kind of collateral as- sTane: » We have," says he, «' some stn- f king examples of the religious respect shown . to Saints both in the Old and New les a. .c rnent : 'tis said of Elias, 1 Kings, xvn. that . ,.WI.en Jbdias ^as in the u.nj M.S ',.t hm, ^,ho, when he knew him, fell on n.s face and said- this you, n,y Lord Elias? and •. King. .4 said to after fire from heaven had consumed two Captains and- their companies ..in punishment of their disrespect to Uie pro- phet, &c. &c. The respect shewn the Pro- .. phets and the Apostles must have been ot a ..religious nature, they possessed no power or pU,ce under Government, to which a civil resDGCt IS due '^. , . Tho.gh the R. do not exhibit many mark^ of acute discrimination, he might have easi- • P. 2 1 8. 219. sc 4t (( 4i i^C ti l( ly distlngui' consisting v great merit the respect with his cli spect showi i oflicer of vicious, lU lu dfcfei ■wise made thers, H hibition o cause gei to a read ** proli>:i " friend? " zealo\j ♦' Papai " has c ♦' many " of th »' Bool' That f.hrist, early > this pr But h Strang easi- ^y SCSirTORE AND THE TATIIERS. 361 Iv distinguished between respect and worship consisting h adoration and prayer. S.iU he has ereat merit in discovering, that the nature o the respect shown to a person must correspond with his character and station. Thus, the re- I spect shown to a clergyman is religious to an I oflker of government civil, to a wicked man * vicious, and to a rogue thievish. Ill defence of this worship, the R. has like- wise made a feeble attempt to produce the Fa- thers. He has, however, avoided a profuse ex- hibition of their sentiments ; without doubt, be- cause general observations are not so t,r«ome a reader as minute discussion. « To avoid " rolixity," says he, « let the Ex-, and h. .. friends take Joseph Mede's testimony. lh>s . zealous Protestant, m order to show that the .. Papal power was the kh.gdom of Antichrist .. has collected the concurring testimony of .. ;.anv early writers in support of the doctrine u of the invocation of ^Seints and Angels.- •' Book in. ^V- IC. &c.* That Mede! in proving the Pope to be Ann. Christ has produced the testimony of many * P. 215. 41 f . roPt'AY CONDEMNED BY h>\ / S62 W,ncss. present, no. to p^veXhcP^^^ "^'"^'^'R^^trnoob^cLns to approach trine, the R. can l.ave no j nearer apostolic times than M de, and ^^nVl^find S to l^ind'le^his Slnd -:2his indignation against the dc. generacy of Protestant heret^j.^^^^^^^^,^ .VhenPolycar^^the^d^l^^^^^^^^^^,^^^^^ John, was mauyred, tne p j^ gationof.heIews,wouMny^^^^^ of Smyrna to receive h.s body ' ' ^^^^^^^ ,3 suggested, they shoudpytd_^^^_ ^^ Christians^ g;--^J;Vof Smyrna, in their this -P«-'°"'/".f^' e men know, that we Epistle, rephed /''. ^,„ suffered for "rfloTSwh -saved, the imto- .. the salvation o all w ^ „ other «""';;,^„„tyrs,anddisc.ples,ami « we adore ; but the ma y ^^^ ^^^^ ,,^^^ » followers of the Lo.d, '■'\ ' .^^, ,hewn «- extraordinary ail^tKmw.',.hth>^^^^^^^ "'°"G:d;:'n:l^^^^^^^ « ness God gram lu^"- ^ ,^.,„.„(e " „ that we may learn by ^^^^^^ ,, ,;, Ireneus mentions some persons J SCR practice of t [\ve worship says he, " '1 " does notV " incantatic *' her pray " upon the " These «' of none «' obtain tl " and 1, t » his serv Epiphiii time, soon Mary as t cake. I?^ " Let us " down " which " tobev •' The o '' forsak «' which «' the an « ter of Butt worship SCRIPTURE AXD THE FATHERS. 303 :jostle instl- nurch ; Jews irs, as . To I their hat we ed for e intio- lip any F God, les, and for that e shewn J happi- .ers, ana o, in bis tie power, .'in diviii'^ ; not the pruclice practice of the Church. There, he informs us, tlK worship of all creatures was cxduded ; for s i^e " Through the whole world, the Church u does'nothing by iuvocaiiou of angels nor by . incantations •, but purely and manifestly dn-ects . her pi'ayers to God who made all, and calls ^' upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ */' "'These things," says Tertullian, "I can ask - . of none but him, from whom 1 know 1 shall u obtain them ; because he alone grants them, . and I, to whom it belongs to obtain them, am . his servant, and him alone I serve j.'* Epiph^nius informs us, that, as early as hi. ume, some women began to worship the Virgin Xry .3 the queen of heaven, by offering her a y I^-Pl-ition to this practice, he sa^^^^^ Let us assume the spiru oi n.en, and beat . down the madness of these women For " which of the prophets ever permitted a man .. to be worshipped ? anu much hss a woman. . . . u Tiie old error shall not reign among us ; to . forsake the living God, and worO^ip things . Ibich he has made. For if he will not suffer . the angels to be adored, much less the daugh- i' ter of Joacliim and Ann J.'* . , ,i,^ But though the zc.lotEpipha„msaga.ns^the worship of the Romish Ci^urch ^s•as great, he has Plsiderabiyoutao.eb,J.an^t^^^^^ U K . Lib. 2. G. 57- +. ^^f°'- '■ ^^• t Hx.". 79- i^"- C'^!''?'"'- }64. POPERY CONDEM>^ED BY // unchurches every wo: .rshipper of angels and saints _ , »» oMVQ he, " oucht to b( «( n he, " ought to be •* to the ^^ •' the first- t( ii But that God alone," says " --hipped, ^ ^Jfri^u .yi' ^orsU, " greatest conmuwdmcnt is, ■ .. i- Lord thy God, a,^d km fyf' "1 " -'■''' '^>"''^^''li£e who do not obey .. Those persons, ^f"'"'"' ,^ ,^,3 to be no ^°°^' t- °:Sert«' 1-i*e. is the. the worsbp ff^^^- ^ ' ,i,, A.n subsist- ,,e If-t j^-^f JJ « Origen," says he, « a "^ " arlv ^d tu.informed writer, spea.s of .. very early ana we ^^j^^^^j^ . .. it as an universal piactice i .^^„._, ,. . Tfe ^.«/ of the Christian o^rs '"^P'-j;" I, J , „i the onhiHish Priest, hmscif, also " ^°' '-it 1 ^'connutted to his charge. : i7?C"^/l. In the f.th book he •♦ God, and onn^ character of a Since tho R. has given .urn the ^^^ ^.rU vid well informed writer, i -v^ i very early aaa we .^^f^.^ation which he sent hun - ^^'f '''''' ''^^^^ Books against has transmitted to us m the evcy ^ 1 *' We must pray to mm aiuuc, / ^'^'"'' 1 -rcod over a U ', and we must pruy ^e '' who is OOC OVtl Uii , ^ ^^ ^^ «* h-umbly *« present ♦• to his V *' live acc( ** angels i " as Ood *' and his '* tions ; «' gotten. *' would ** are to »' sonabl ■ «Th< f« for U5 ks against me;' says must pray »v to .. to the Worn of God, his only-begotten and . .' the first-born of every creature, ani we must .. humbly beseech him as our higii-pnest to .- pt-eseni our prayer (for it is known to h,m .. I his Father, and .he Father of them who . live according to .he word of God *. Good .. angels in son.e sense we reverence and honour .. as God's ministers •, but we wor.mp one God . .,„d his only Son with prayers and suppl-ea- ..;t.s;oJingthe.n.oGodbybso,.^.be. . gotten, bogging that l.,^s - h^^^^^^^^^ *' would present them toOow^T. ^^^ F J . Te to I offered to God •, and .t .s not rea- »' finable to invoke ang^^ls |. . TThUrstGod," says Arnobi.,.s, ".s enough ,.forus: In him. ^e workup all that. s to be "XnSs,!n'his orations against the Arians ei.tos he Worship given to Christ as a dec,s,ve c Kio rfH'initv. In explainmg these evidence of h.. d.vm«y. ^^ I ^.^^^^^, ,ords of the »P- \P- '„^ J;, ,,,„3 Christ, *. and our Tntther, anc, ^ "^ » No ■"'^^^-^TtrSlIo'ho'ro^rprayto " ""*"• ' thit from God, and angels or .< receive any thmg ho.. .^^^.^^^ " -^ °^^^^rrforf f .-y« - -^^' « as yet used .tus ton ^ ^ ; ^. :, ^,,d .God and an angel grant it 10 yoal! ^^^^ * Ub. 8. t •'■^''•^: . «r Orat. 4- & I ihcss. lu. ii. 11 Geut. Lib. 3. S S66 says POPEPY CONDEMNED BY Novatian upc-=»ii One same subject " be only atian man « If Christ ^vhy is he invoked in prayer CC £& t • God his is not the prerogative o f man. but of * >> If the R . would shew rhe worship of saints and Jcls to be .n apostolic doctrine, let h.mp^^^^^^ duce his pvools from these more ^^^^_ ,„d not frcn persons who wrote wh n t^. . abo finable practice had begutt to ere P >n^ *« rhurch In consulting the works of the Fathers, Theodoret assures os, ought not to ed as a rule of faith t ; and e^'^" S''^'"* ,'" " s a Papist, acknowledges, that -any tVung^ Tbich the Fathers have said in the.r public dis- whicn tne r^ passions, and can- courses, proceeded from tne p* . ^.a„„ not be justified t. A cursory view of mod r„ writers will show him the P^opnety of rn^mg this discrimination. No person ever magm d Shakespeare a Papist, though^ he said AngeU » and ministers of grace defend us ; nor me BrkS poets heathens, though they have invoked *^?hr;heR. has controverted these auth.. ties from the Fathers, he may perhaps be fui- ;Sied with a fresh supply. As an anudote . gainst the ' advise hin and illustr him to rel publicatioi the three ♦ DeTiinit. C. M- X Blblioth. Ub. 6. Amiot. 152. •{• Dial. 3. The V images ai spect '^. of this 1 supplied « honoi Trent, ' « deftni In the a the faiil us, th# but wo: " nera '« who * p SCRirTVRE AND THE FATHERS, 867 poeti- Uy to rmtT, isider- Jenen- hings, lie dis- id can- [lodem naking jagined Angels lor the uvoked authori- be fur- idote a- gainst cainst the worship of saints and ang.ls, I would llvise him to ponder seriously his own proofs and illustrations. But should this not nuluce hi.„ to relinquish his views, let hun vn h.s next publication, st,pport them from thclathcrs ot the three first ccutaries. II. Images and Relics. THEB.hastoldus, that.he;enentionoi• ^,,. ,n.s ar.d relics consists in a certain reUmve re- • "'5 • I'hou.U he ha. not specified the nature 5 tris veLtive'-vespect, h. cleficiencies ca.t^be suppUed from the acts of teCo^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ « honour and veneration, says me ^ u Trent, " must be given them, accordmg to the 7r ■■ . ^f the second Nicene Co-mciit. « definition ot ttie secoi u In the acts of that Council, we are then to ,ma !L Ihof the Romish Church •, and these teach the tAith 01 tne iv respected, 1,5 thft imaues are not mcreiy i^ > r us, tnm imas, ^^^^^ jj^^ ,g. but worshipped. 1 worsnii .,<;^rsed » nerable images, and I declare .hooe accars « ,vho do not so profess or practise \. It s ..Ihout doubt acceptable and pleasing to Gd .« ,0 worship and salute the images a^^^^^^^ « the blessed Virgin, angels, f^;^^^ In wh.t the veiienuion ot -^-— ; ^.^ „ore difficult to ^f^^J'^^Zncnon to tiform as to exceed the powei ^^^^^_ _ 'i fOPEKV CCNP:^WNl:B BY RC8 . 1 ,'i ..rMict hp V'ft to tlie order ; so that a r,it i ^ ample, there must be some cl.tt ,Wp oft-.edu.. he pags^ rence, or to 'J\''""J^/y.,„,,eal stones which the devil -"Pf ^^^y;, y;^^^^^^^ Some, .ekr^w, f .-;^^^ ,, ..e very cross for says Aquiua?? ai wv- t- ^ I 1 ri. riot WAS cruohed, it is to u^ ""^V:i2rdne worship; both as it • " "°" n.f clrt Z touched *e mcn^bers « represents Christ, *"°,j,,y, his blood: .. of hisbody, »nd ^v- J^'^';'* ;^ ^ j, ,, ^.e . And for these reason^ -J-oth/^^.^^ ^^ " cross .nd pr y to «, a^ .^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^. « dfieduponit*. 3°; \he diseases of 1 *« tprrifv the Witches, cure inc sary purposes, must receive tothenat..reoftheiru^es^ ^^„,^^ salem, yet tney b j^^^ ^^^^f^^l * P.3. Q»-25-A'^^'4' SCI yevercnce f tive of the 1 their worsh truth. Ilii might be t by the Hoi vaise and £ ho.w the rt and sent t riads ; an true and 1 is U) give to write l fact, whi t-estant he Prince oi Radz( to kiss 1; of his pi( on his r< the afilit the mo: whom c knowle< mission Scar ty, rec a n^an this fc SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHRRS. 369 the hich read. ;hip ; cross to be as it nibers ^lood: to the »t cru- l mere- ises of neces- ^ suited Romish Tom re- rin, and *-> JerU- with in- >w useful Dodies of y a great reverence r^vei-cnce for religion, they havo been prcJuc tive of the most stupendous .niracks m beha t ot their worshippers, and for the vindication of the truth. Hud the reader only faith to bcheve, he roiRhi be told of the wondrous cures performed by the Holy Thorn ; how the bones ot St. Ger- vlise and St. Promise cured an old blind butcher; bow the relics of the saints have cast out dev.ls, and settt them yelling into the Red Sea m n.y- riads ; and tnany ether str.u,ge events, equally ;i nd marvelious. But as the Present destgu ri give a just view of Popish rehcs, and not I write their history, 1 will ..ention only one fact, which will beget ad.«iration even m Pro- testant heretics. , : ^ -i f ,i.„ ,1,i1cp'» Prince Christopher, of tte fam.ly of the dukes of Radzecil, having gone a pilgritnage to Rome I Idss bis Holu..s> toe, received as a reW of his pictv, a box of very precious rehts. 1 hese,_ 1 his'ret;™ home, became ti.e -so -o^ f the afflicted, and the terror ol the devtl Even the most stubborn of those ev.l spints, over .hom ordinary relics possessed no -""-«'-- knowledged their virtue in bellown.gs of st-l> "'sc";ely had a few months illustrated .heir ,c!" when some monks, with humble mtrea. r ;iedtheuseofthemforthe,l.nefit^ a man into whom the devil h.d enwed. As a man hai'-ation with this foul liend stuck to his new n^ ^^^ ■IIVU|I|||IJI'J g^O POPEUY COVDEMKED BY 1y complied : A>w "" . . ^^jj ^vas u 1 „,(« nf the demoniac, Uian luc ,0 the body ol ecuuors excUnmcd, forced to decamp. V^'/.i^, p,;nce lifted «p ^ "^'^^'^^^ • is: npts gratitude to God, ful treasure. . ^^3 relating ^""nn S tndSl deiiverat.ce, and to his friends hi. won ^^^ ^j^, extolling the -"ues of his re ^^^^^^^ ^.^_ „an, who had b-n m h's jun ^^ covered uncommon ^^'^''^^'^^ evidence as account for his -jectrng such pU ^^^^ .^^ ■ --^!^ tXt^ illucVily lost the rcturmng from Kom , „„sted to hts ^^^"^^riJetlhi-^^^^^^^ care. To ^f ^^ " y,a another exactly si- ''^'''''''''Ime^^S^ones and little trinkets . .vho..eded his relies. Ap ^o .^ -"^^'^^"'LSivl e^Mcable'forhisspi- countries, is particuia ny ^^^^^ Ht of opposition, and is S^"" J^J^ ,vhen „cstliusintfencishbourhoodoficl.c.. ^^^ SCRIPTURE AKD THE FATHERS. ihe monks pro^ iced the Jemomac. caused him to be exorcised in his pi without effect. The devil k( his I the obstinacy of a mule, and wouli moved by threats nor coaxing. Tht ordered the monks to withdraw, n the demoniac to some Tartars, wl about his stable, with orders to give due. At first, the demoniac thon^ them by his horrible gestures and - these Tartars used their whips with ness as the devil never witnessed ving never dreamed of such a mo sing, he found himself taken on t and therefore, without the use ol hasl words, or holy water, he be quarter, and confessed, that the m- him to personate a character, wl qualified to sustain. The Prince again -equcsted tl the monks, and produced to then threw himself at his feet, and acl iraposture. They at first declared an artifice of the devil, '.ho ei ,gans of this man to propagate si to the discredit of religion. ^ But [told them, how necessary it was ifather of lies out of them also, 1 Ipent, and acknowledged that th. |ty of this imposiuon, with a v: / llsrcgardcd rincc rcadi- tiey applit^tl ic devil was exclaimed, .ce lifted up ade to God, J and power- I was relating verance, and , one gentle- at Rome, dis- king posed to a evidence as him, that in luckily lost the itrusted to his ;ore, from bis ther exactly si- [ little trinkets •, ch had wrought t for the mcmks, other demoniac n of this descrip- devil, in Popish able for his spi- diy to be found :)£ relics. When the SCRIPTURE AS'D THE FATHERS. 3'^ I the monks proi^ iced the Jemoniuc, ! .nee caused him to bu exorcised in his presence, hut ' without effect. The devil k( his birth v/ith all the obstinacy of a mule, and would neither be moved by threats nor coaxing. The Prince then ordered the monks to withdraw, and delivered the demoniac to some Tartars, whor ' - kept about his stable, with orders to give the devil his due. At tirst, the demoniac thouglit to terrify them by his horrible gestures and grimaces ; but these Tartars used their whips with such faithful- ness as the devil never witnessed before. Ha- vincr never dreamed of such a mode of exorci- sin^, he found himself taken on the weak side ; and therefore, without the use of either relics, hasA words, or holy w^ater, he began to cry for quarter, and confessed, that the monks had hired him to personate a character, which he was ill qualified to sustain. The Prince again requested the presence of |the monks, and produced to jl-- ^he n^n, w^^^^^ threw himself at his feet, and acknowledged the imposture. They at first declared tl.s to be only an artifice of the devil, v ho employed the o - .ans of this man to propagate such a hls.4iood 'Lhediscr^ditofrdioion. But when the Prince Itold them, how necessary it was to exorc.e t e father of lies out of them also, they began to re- . pent, and acknowledged that they had been guU- I of this imposiuon, with a v.w to .op^ tl^ # IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // i^ ^^j^^^ ^ - W ^j> ^^^ ■^ ^.^ ^f ^^(p % 1.0 I.I 1.25 'frillM IM la IIM ill 2.2 I, 40 12.0 U III 1.6 V] <^ /}. / o ^1 % m € pVintnoT'QnViir' Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 fi ^-2 POPERV CONUEMNED BY progress of Lutheranism, and save the souls of all good Papists in that country. He then dis- missed them, at the same time telling them, that such pious frauds were mere diabolical inven. tions, and that he would no longer trust his sal- vation to men who used such means to support their relipion. He accordingly began to turn his attention to the scriptures ; and, notwith- standing their obscurity, he understood as much of their meaning as showed him the absurdity of Popish principles, and induced him to make an open profession of the Reformed rehgion. The reader may perhaps be curious to know . ^xhat the Pope had put into this wonderful box. But the loss of it has for ever deprived us of this important piece of information. For his s.us- faction, however, I can give him an abstract of the catalogue of images and relics which former- ly beloncred to the cathedral of Glasgow. At the Reformation, there were treasured up there, an image of our Saviour in gold, the twelve a- postles in silver, and two silver crosses, enriched with precious stones, and small portions of the wood of the true cross. The.e were, likewise, five silver caskets, containing the following ar- tides of adoration. 1 . Som^ hair of the blessed Vir^rin ; 2. A piece of the hairy garment worn! by St. Kcmigcrn, a part of the scourge with ^vhich he iloggcd himself, and a part of th^ scour-e used by St. Ihomas a Bccket j 3. ° piece piece of St St. Ninian Virgin Ma a bone of crystal ph Mary's ni Christ wa; flowed frc bones of of the ton hides con a piece of of St. Ke Two line and a vast in a wood When relics use Glasgow Vvith him host of : to enjoy The mo: scarcely 1 postles w his demu placcnce Thou| view of ; SCRIPTURE AND THi: FATHllR- 37i piece of St. Bartholomew's skin ; 4, A bone of St. Ninian ; 5. A piece of the girdle worn bv the Virgin Mary. In a crystal case, \v?s contained a bone of St. Magdalene. There were also four crystal phials, containing a part of the Virgin Mary's milk, a piece of the manger in which Christ was laid, a red liquor \v>iich formerly flowed from the tomb of St. Kentigcrn, some bones of St. Eugene and St. Blaise, and a part of the tomb of St. Catharine. There were six hides containing very precious relics ; such as, a piece of St. Martin's cloak, part of the bodies of St. Kcntigern and St. Thomas a Becket, he. Two linen bags were fil'^d with saints' bones; and a vast assemblage of small relics were lodged in a wooden chest*. When the Reformation rendered images and relics useless in Scotland, th« Archbishop of Glasgow retired to France, and carried along v/ith him this precious treasure. With such a host of friendly intercessors, he could not fail to enjoy a cordial reception from the Church. The most mortified ecclesiastic in France could scarcely behold a golden Saviour and silver a- postlcs without welcome greetings, and feeling his demure visage relaxing into smiles of com- placence. Though I rannot at present give the reader a view of all the uses of relics in religion, there is () . on(i^ * Bcr.u'.ie;. of Scollar>d, vol. 3. p. i'T- *'S. I 374 POPERY CONDEMKiD BY m one, which it would be doing injustice to the subject to omit. Like oral traditiop, they have been found of vast use for explaining obscure passages of scripture. Of this many edifying il- lustrations might be produced •, but one will serve as a specimen of the whole. Five devout pilgrims, happening to meet on their return from Rome, loaded with these excellent helps to reli- gion, each began to extol his acquisitions. After much conversation highly characterisuc of their faithful simplicity, they produced their riches ; and, lo, to their great amazement, each was ho- noured with a foot of the very ass upon which Christ rode to Jerusalem. Now, the reader may recollect, that the scriptures do not even tell us that this ass had a foot, but here is decisive proof of the existence of five ; and if five were collect- * ed by five pilgrims only, let him conceive how many must be travelling through other parts ot the Church, to assist the .--mple faithful in their exercises of devotion. 'Ihe Romish Church is remarkably lucky, in picking up this relic betore the existence of the Amiquarian Society. 1 he discovery of an ass with five feet would have ren- dered them frantic with joy, and completely ma'-red the devotions of the whole congregation of the simple. Rather than see such a precious acs deprived of one hoof, they would permit every member of the Church to remain in igno- rance for ever. At mm E9IIP HP mm^^ ^' SCRirTURE AND THE FATHERS. 975 At present, I cannot, as usual, refer the R. to the writings of the Fathers in confirmation of the above fact. It is one of those facts Nvhich are known to the Church only by oral tradition. Such idle fooleries has the Church of Rome palmed upon the world, under pretence of re- licTion. A view oi their influence upon our an- cestors is suilicient to show their opposition to the spirit of the gospel. In proportion as our progenitors were actuated .y this gloomy super- stition, we find them destitute of practical piety and every social virtue. They spent that time and property iu idle pilgrimages, hi hunting after relics, and in other nonsensical acts of de- votion, which ought to have been employed for the benefit of mankind •, and multitudes at last beggared their hmWks, to perpetuate these de- lusions. So prevalent was this evil in England, that the statute of Mortmain was found neces- sary to prevent the whole landed property ot the nation from becoming the plunder of the Church, . . When the Church of Rome mamtams the usefulness of images and relics as means of de- votion, it is merely a cloak to conceal the basest and most selfish wiews. Let the R. observe either the former or the present state ot that community, and he will find, that wherever I I' 'o7S rCPLRY CONDEMNED BY these appendages of superstition have abonndctl,- they have always been connected with swarms of monks, remarkable only for their vices, and for impoverishing the bigotted and the ignorant. Mistaken views of religion introduced them at .'irst into the Church ; and afterwards they have been used to render mankind subservient to the gratifications of the clergy. The advice given to Pope Julius III. by the bishops assembled at Bononia, discovers the light in which the crafty ecclesiastics of the Romish Church view the re- lics of the saints. " When any bishop,** said they, *' sets himself to officiate in any divine ■' tiervice with pomp and solemnity, he ought to *' have many ornaments to distinguish him from ''■ ordinary priests ; such as, the bones and re- ^' lies of some dead man. Do you command him to hang a whole naked leg, arm, or head of some saint, about his neck by a good *hick " cord ; for that will contribute very much to " increase the religious astonifhment of all m ho " behold it. The truth is, these ceremonies " were all invented and conilnued by Popes ; " you, therefore, who are a Pope, may, if you *'• please, augment them.** Let us now observe, how the R. has proven a relative respect due to images and relics. In discussing this point, he has neither in- formed us flow graven and molten images can «( (( convey to ^ Deity and ; of old rag5 God. He nation of t and other judgement vvorshippe ced what 1 for relics, that, had cause ridi( apposite il " By f " seph*s ! *' of his " 'lis to i " fore sh ** seph's '* sceptre '* text as The I^ a saint, •< worship In expov he shou truth an perhaps say, tha convey ( SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. S77 convey to the mind adequate conceptions of the Deity and glorified saints, nor how the worship of old rags and shoes, kc, can be acceptable to God, He has also cautiously avoided an expla- nation of the second precept of the decalogue, and other parts of scripture, in which the judgements of God are denounced against the worshippers of images. He has merely produ- ced what he imagines to be examples of respect for relics. A short view of these will discover, that, had he designed to render this expirinn; cause ridiculous, he could not have chosen more apposite illustrations. " By faith Jacob dying, blessed each of Jo- " seph's sons, and worshipped on the summit *' of his rod or sceptre ; in the Hebrew text, 'lis to iJic head of his bed. The Apostle there- fore shewing Jacob's faith, in worshipping Jc seph's sceptre as an emblem of Christ's sceptre and kingdom, did not cite the Hebrew ♦* text as we have it *.*' The R. has not specined whether this rod was a saint, angel, or relic ; but this is a kind of worship which will not bear nice discrimination. In expounding these words of the apostle Paul, he should have also considered, that placing truth and fldsehood so closely together might perhaps lead to detection. Does this apostle say, that Jacob worshipped the top of Joseph's a it ^i 3 * P. 65. 378 POPERY CONDEMKKD BY SCF rod? The Vulgate translation, indeed, men- tions something like it ; but this, he might have known, is a corruption, which has crept into it since the days of Jerome, who made it ; for says he, " Some persons foolishly feign, that V Jacob adored the top of Joseph's sceptre, *' that, in honour of his son, he adored his •' power. But the Hebrew reading is very dif- " ferent. Israel, it is there said, worshipped " upon the bed's head, that is, after exacting " an oaili of his son, and secure of his request, *' he worshipped God, &c. *" " The pious Josiah," says the R., " respect- *' ed the bones of the prophet, who foretold " fhe destruction of Bethel — 4. b. of Kings, *' xxiii. 18. and Moses himself returning from " Egypt, took with him the bones of the great *• patriarch Joseph. . . t" In producing this iilustradon, he might have likewise added, that this prophet announced the destruction of Bethel for presuming to worship God by images. Since the R. would exhibit thes2 bones as relics, can he inform us where they were worshipped ? and when the clergy of these days hung them about their necks in sa- crificing te God ? The bones of dead men could not then* bo handled to advantage ; and therefore the Church permitted them to rest in pt^ce ; " Let him alone,'* said Josiah, '* let no " man mov " alone *." tive of the 1 of the dead The R. indeed upc when he i a corrobor; mish Chur spccdng th twice ; " 1 again, " si *' ed both " Moses g( " bones o; statement ^ fute his gr( seph, wl (i (« man * Cuit^'t. in g(Tv. P. 2j6. cernmg *' unto his •' visit yoi " the lane '* Isaac, a *' oath of "■ will siu " my boi •' took th " hud stn * 2 Kinr ■p SCRIPTURE AND TJlK FATHERS. 370 * " mnn move his bones ; so they let his bones " alone *." It has been the peculiar preroga-** tive of the Ronnsh Church to disturb the abhcs of the dead, and plunder their sepulchres. The R. must have presumed a great deal indeed upon the ignorance of his readers, when he introduced the bones of Joseph as a corroboration of the practices of the Ro- |mish Chur<:h. Yet, so confident is he re- spccting this particular, that he mentions it twice ; " The respect and veneration," says he again, " shown to relics .... is clearly reveal- " ed both in the Old and New Testament : " Moses going out of Egypt took with him the " bones of the Patriarch Joseph f." A plain statement of scriptural facts will sufficiently re- fute his groundless insinuations : " By faith Jo- " seph, when he died, gave commandment con- " cerning his bones J." " And Joseph said •* unto his brethren, 1 die ; and God will surely •' visit you, and bring you out of this land into " the land which he sware unto Abraham, to " Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an " oath of the children of Israel, saying, God " will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up " my bones from hence ||." " And Moses ' took the bones of Joseph with him ; for he ' Ind straitly sworn the children of Israel, say- " ing, * 2 Kings, xxlii. 1 8. t Ilv-'b. xi. :2. f P. 2 19. 2:0. ;! Gen. 1. 24. 25, i i — *--., ^*ll*#3*V'.- — ■---*— • J»» 380 rOPERV COi^DEMNED BY m tt K »' ing, God shall surely visit you, and ye shall •' carry up my bones away hence with you *." " And the bones of Joseph, which the children " of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem t-" « In like manner,'' says he, " we read that the greatest possible respect was paid to the " Ark of the Covenant, which was but an image •' of the throne of God, .... J Can the R. specify any particular period in which the ark was worshipped with prayer and adoration ? If not, why does he produce it as a proof of the worship of images ? Accordmg to the views of the Council of Trent, nothmg le.s could constitute a proper degree of worship to such an image : For say they, « The honour " which is paid to images, is referred to the on- *« ginals which they represent || ;" and there- fore an image of the throne of God muft be entitled to all the worship which men can give it. « We know," says he, " the veneration " which was conceived for the Brazen Serpent, *■• on which whoever looked when bit by the '* fiery serpents, was instantly healed §.** And we know, likewise, that when Israel treated it with Popish honours, Hezekiah, a pretended reformer, sprung up in the Church, and ♦ Exod. xili. 19. f Jo"!^. 5^xiv. 32. % P. 219' and afl:brde( imitated by " moved tl *' and cut c " the brazi ** for unto " burn inc( very surpri: induce him it is added, *• the sight " Elisha r tor Ellas •• Angels, " Jordan v the prop Ellas . . and ihit, ii. 14. confiden •' did in tl Such c( discovers 1 trating his relic this w it for the s If Elisha \ whv did I I »■ turn his attention entirely to the Lord God of Eli yxh ? With the p^t^mise of a double portion of that spirit with which Elijah had been endowed, he imagined himself competent to perform the same works ; and hence this imitation of his conduct. But let the R. tell us, whether the future miracles of Elisha were perfoi.ned by the assistance of this mantle, or by the spnit of E- '"^ He next produces the history of the revival of a dead man, by touching the bones of Elisha, and adds, - AN^ndd the Ex. permit this man, M who was raised from the dead, or his friends " to have some respect for these venerable bones •• to which he was so much indebted *." When he can show us, that Israel took up the bones of the prophet and worshipped them, this will be acknowledged as a precedent for the Popish doctrine of relics. His last proof is taken from the Acts of the Apostles : " God wrought special miracles by ike - hand of Paul, so ihat even there were brought\ #•♦ from his body handkerchiefs and aprons, and ike diseases departed from them and the wicket spirits went out of them. If one of thes handkerchiefs or aprons had relieved the Ex ^^ from a mortal disease, would he have throwi »' it aside to rot ? would he shew no sort of re *' ^pcc * p. 220. t( it i( '• spect to ♦' debtod fc Another postles will ** much th •* the street •• that at tl *' by migh R. must ac very subbti carefully p nefit of ih When t sitltious ej worship, ' which the former b( plain and he could ] • might ha> purpose, which ar manner ii with refe: •' The ** image, ••* in hea »* iieath, dSSt ._—■--— !rt of re. *' spcct 4 4 'i 1 * l\ 2 2: 4- Cl\ V. I v. #■• .:#,*! I I ^t m^- «i It -# 384. ' PorKRY CONDEMNED BY '■• earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to " them, nor SL-rve thera . . . *" " Ye shall make no idols nor graven Image, •* neither rear ye up a standing image, neither *' shall ye set up any image of stone in your *• land, to bow down unto it f." " What agreement hath the temple of God with images J ?'* " Little children, keep yourselves from i- mages ||." As the R. ha^ tacitly forsJcen his acquaint- ances the Fathers, it will be unnecessary to pro- duce their sentiments on this subject. Should he, however, express the least inclination to hear them, they can be profusely exhibited. A search into the writings of the first centuries for this absurd and abominable saperstition, \^uld be -a fruitless labour. The primitive Christians were too frequently taught by afliiction, to be conformed to the world, and too often felt their need of the true consolations of^^ religion, to trust in the lying vanities of their superstitious descendants. If the R. wish to fmd the begin- ning of this abomination, he must look for it at a tin^e when heathens and their opinions were too freely admiited into the Church ; when pride and contention had banished the spirit of religion j * Exod. XX. '4. 5. 1 2 Ccr vl 16. f Lev. xwr, r. II I john> V. 21. SC religion ; "^ the clergy ] tive times. withstandin foolery are Church of of devils, : •' and a < *' bird j'* tending to beast and 1 of their la concerning ment ; " *' no nion " bridegn *• no mor< *' ries wet SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS. 385 elf to iiagc, cither . your ■ God om I- [uaint- o pro- Ihould ion to d. A ies for \\^uld 'istians »n, to ^n felt tligion, stitious begiii- or it at s were when pirit of ligion i .( it religion ; when the luxury and dissipation of the clergy had displaced the simplicity of primi- tive times. But he may be assured, that not- withstanding his props, the days of superstitious foolery are fast hastening to an end. The Church of Rome has long been the habitation of devils, and '' the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird j'* and the events of providence are tending to introduce that period, in which the beast and the false prophet shall reap the fruit of their labours ; when the divine prediction concerning Rome shall receive its accomplish- ment ; " And the light of a candle shall shine *' no more at all in thee ; and the voice of the " bridegroom and of the bride shall be hear^ *• no more at all in thee ; ... for b^' "' »' ries were all nations deceiv