3. Suppofing the Truth of Chriftianity; Chap. 3. it is plain to common Senfe, that a Church, Queft.5. which is Un-orthodox either in the chief or in the inferior Points of the Chriftian Revelation, is not the TRUE CHURCH of Chrift: But the TRUE CHURCH of Chrift fhall always fubfift, from its firft Foundation by Chrift to the end of the World. For fpeaking to S. Peter he faid, (4) Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my Church, and the Gates of Hell Shall not prevail against it. Therefore the Catholick Church is always Orthodox, both in the chief, and in the inferior Points of the Christian Revelation.

4. Chrift does not teach, and remain with thofe, who reject and contradict his Doctrine, even in the lefs principal Parts of it. But he faid to the first Paftors of his Church, [5] Bebold I am with you all Days, and at all Times even to the end of the World. Therefore his Church is always Orthodox, even in the inferior Articles of Chriftianity.

5. If the Church of Chrift ought to be hear'd, even in private Cafes betwixt Man and Man; much more in those, where Religion is concern'd. But even in private Cafes, [6] If he will not bear the Church, let him be to you as a Heathen and a Publican.

Therefore in Difputes of Religion fhe ought always to be heard. And confequently in thefe fhe is always Orthodox.

2

(4) S. Mat. xvi. v. 18.

K

6. God

[5] ἰδὲ, ἐγώ μεθ ̓ ὑμῶν ειμι πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἕως THE OUTERES TO ¿‹ãvC, S.Mat. xxviii. v. 20.[6] S.Mat, aviii. v. 17.

Chap. 3. 6. God has not only given us Apostles,
Queft.5. Prophets, and Evangelifts, but alfo Paftors and
Teachers, [7] till we all come into the Unity of
the Faith that henceforth we be not like
Children, tefs'd every way, and carry'd about
with every Blast of Dottrine, by the Slight and
Craft of Men, contriving to deceive us..

But un-orthodox Guides cannot fecure us
against Error.
Therefore the Catholick
Church, and the Body of her Paftors are al
ways Orthodox.

In this Sense we have Reafon to understand
these words of Chrift to his Apofiles, (8) F
will afk the Father, and be will give you ano-
ther Comforter, that he may abide with you
FOR EVER, the Spirit of Truth. For the Apo-
ftles, in their own Perfons, were not to re-
main here for ever.

Secondly, The perpetual Orthodoxy of the
Catholick Church may be alfo prov'd by the
Tradition of all Ages.

The firft Converts of Chrift and his Apoftles
were call'd Difciples, and Believers ; afterwards
(9) Christians. But when Diffenters, as Si-
monians, Nicolaites, and Gnofticks, of whom
S. John faid, (10) They went out from us, but
they were not of us, prefum'd to take upon
them his Name whom they blafphem'd, and
to call themfelves CHRISTIANS; the main Body
of true Believers (without departing from its
former Title) took upon it the Name of CA-

THOLICKS,

[2] εἰς τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς πίςεως α.. ἐν τῇ κυβείᾳ τῶν ανθρωπων ἐν πα εργα πρὸς τὴν μεθοδείαν τῆς πλάνης, Eph.iv. v. 11, 12, 13, 14

(8) S. John xiv. v. 16, 17% (9) Acts. xi. v. 26. (10) 1 John ii. v. 19.

THOLICKS, from its undoubted Properties, Chap. 3a Univerfality and Orthodoxy. For being fpread, Queit.5. in a Manner, over the Earth, and being far more numerous than any Sect of Chriftians, it was properly UNIVERSAL: And because it alone retain❜d the Faith and Communion of the Apostles, it alone was ORTHODOX. So that, if the Title of the HOLY CHURCH diftinguish'd true Believers from Infidels and Jews; that of CATHOLICKS diftinguifh'd them from all Chriftian Diffenters, whether Hereticks or Schifmaticks. And, that it might do this more remarkably, it was inferted into both theCreeds. In the longer, we believe One, Holy, Catholick, and Apoftolick Church.

In the Baptifinal Creed, the Holy CATHO LICK Church, the Communion of Saints.

The Truth of thefe Creeds is undeniably attested by the univerfal Tradition of the Catholick Church in all Ages. And if the Creeds be always true; the UNIVERSAL Church is always ORTHODOX. Hence her perpetual Orthodoxy is as certain, as universal Tradition can make it.

Befides, how can her Faith be reform'd, either in the chief, or in the inferior Articles of it; if fhe be always Apostolical? How can she State the Terms of her Communion wrong; if she be always the COMMUNION OF SAINTS?

Either therefore her Creeds are not always true; or She is always Orthodox, and irreformable, both in the chief and inferiour Articles of the Christian Revelation, and in her stating of the Terms of Communion with her.

Hence fhe has always afferted her Orthodexy. She has, in Seventeen Centuries, conK 2

ftantly

Chap. 3. ftantly feparated from her Communion a Queft.5. Diffenters, and branded them with the infamous Name of Hereticks, whoever have undertaken to reform her Faith, either in what our Adverfaries call Fundamentals, or in any other Points. She has, in feventeen Centuries, branded all those with the odious Name of Schifmaticks, who, without reforming her Faith, have left her Communion, and charg'd the Guilt of their Division upon her which Guilt they call caufal Schifm. Of these two Points the Quartodecimans, the Bishop of Istria in the Sixth Age, the Montanists, the Novatians, the Donatifts, the Apolinarians, the Enemies of holy Images, holy Images, call'd Iconoclasts, and others may be Witneffes. And what are all the Hereticks, mention'd by S. [11] Irenæus, by Tertullian, or a contemporary Author, in the end of his Treatife of Prescription, by S. [12] Epiphanius, by S. [13] Philastrius, by S. [14] Augustin, by [15] Theodoret, but fo many unfortunate Wretches who ftand upon Record, like Malefactors hang'd in Chains, to deter wicked Men in after-ages from attempting to reform the Belief of the Holy Catholick Church, the Communion of Saints?

If you ask me, whether the Orthodoxy, prov'd and promis'd by the word of God to the Catholick Church, is to be understood fo, that she never falls into any Error against Faith, or fo that fhe never falls into any evident and pernicious Error against it: I answer that her Orthodoxy extends to both these Ca

fes.

[11] In Libris de Hærefibus. [12] In Panario. [13] Lib. de Hærefibus. [14] Lib de Haerefibus ad Quod vult deum. [15] in Libris de Hæreticis Fabulis.

fes. Tho' if it were only promis'd in regard Chap. 3. to the Second, our Adverfaries ought to be con- Queft.5. tent with it, and to embrace her Communion. Because by judging as fhe does, we cannot run into any pernicious Errors; into which we may eafily fall, by oppofing her De

crees.

II. But both the Creed and the Scripture lecures the Church of Chrift from any Error against Faith. For fhe is certainly un-orthodox, if fhe errs against it. And if the be Un-orthodox; the Creed is certainly falfe, which pronounces her to be Catholick, that is, Univerfal, and Orthodox. Again, if she errs against the Faith, once deliver'd to the Saints by the Apostles themselves; She is not Apoftolical. And if fhe is not Apoftolical, the Creed is falfe, by which she is declar'd to be One, Holy, Catholick, and Apoftolical. If, by a wrong Decifion of Faith, the excludes good and orthodox Chriftians from her Communion; She is not the Society and Communion of Saints, And if the is not the Communion of Saints; the Creed is false, which affirms this of her, What I have here faid, may be reduc'd to this fhort Syllogifm: If the Church we profess in the Creed, to be One, Holy, Catholick, and Apostolical, and to be the Communion of Saints, fhould fall into any Error against Faith, then the Creed would be falfe. But the Creed cannot be falfe: Therefore fhe cannot fall into any fuch Error, and is by Confequence an unerring Guide in all her Decifions of Faith.

This would appear in the H. Scripture with equal Luftre, if Men could perfwade themselves to read it in fuch a manner,as it ought to