Imatges de pàgina
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Chap. 3. 3. (15) Voluntary works befides over and Queft.6. above God's Commandments, which they call works of Supererogation, cannot be taught without Arrogancy and Impiety.

4. (16) The Church of Rome bath err'd in Matters of Faith.

5. (17) It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, to bave publick Prayer in the Church, or to adminifter the Sacraments in a Tongue not understood by the People.

6. (18) "There are only two Sacraments of "the Gofpel, Baptism and the Supper of the " Lord.

7. (19) Tranfubstantiation is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture.

8. (20) The wicked are in no wife Partakers of Chrift in the Sacrament.

9. (21) Both the Parts of the Lord's Sacrament, by Chrift's Ordinance and Commandment, ought to be ministred to all Chriftian Men alike.

10. (22) There is no other Satisfaction for Sin, but that alone, which was finish'd on the Crofs.

11. (23) The Sacrifices of Maffes were blaf phemous Fables, and dangerous Deceits.

12. (24) The Bishop of Rome hath no Jurif diction in this Realm of England. (25) The Romifh Doctrine, concerning Purgatory, Pardons, worshipping and adoration, as well of Images as of Relicks, and alfo Invocation of Saints, is repugnant to the word of God. (26) That we

are

(15) Art. xiv. (16) Art. xix. (17) Art. xxiv. (18) Art. xxv. (19) Art. xxviii. (20) Art. xxix. (21) Art. XXX. (22) Art. xxxi. (23) Avt. xxxi. (24) Art. xxxvii. (25) Art. xxii. (26) Art. xi.

are justify'd by Faith alone, is a most whole fome Chap. 3. Doctrine, and very full of Comfort. (27) To the Queit,6. Queen's Majesty the chief Government of all Eftates of this Realm, whether they be Ecclefi aftical or Civil, in all Caufes doth appertain, and is not, nor ought to be Subject to any foreign Jurifdiction.

NEW Terms of COMMUNION.

VII.

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REEDS and Definitions of Faith are Terms of Communion. But new Creeds, and new Definitions of Faith, are not always new Terms of Communion. Because the things, which they contain, are fometimes duly propos'd to the Faithful, before the Creeds or Definitions were made.

VIII. Luther began to write against Indulgences, and to reform the Catholick Faith, an, 1517. But before he was born, what the Council of Trent defin'd, an. 1563 (concerning Apoftolical Traditions; Juftification and Merit; Original Sin; feven Sacraments; the real Prefence, and Tranfubftantiation; the Sacrifice of the Altar; Defiring the Prayers of the Saints; Honouring the Images of Chrift and his Saints; Honouring the Relicks of the Saints; Indulgences, and Prayers for the Faithful departed) all these, I fay, were, before Luther was born, the publick Faith of the Catholick Church, and were therefore included in the Terms of her Communion, long before the Council of Trent, and the Pontificate of Pius the Fourth.

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I do

(27) Art. xxxvii.

Chap. 3. I do not even except the celebrated Claufe Quest.6. in Pope Pius's Profeffion of Faith, about which there is fo much Noife to fo little Purpofe, viz. that this is the true Catholick Faith, (28) OUT OF WHICH (when duly propos'd) No ONE CAN BE SAV'd. For the Pope does not fay, that the Knowledge and Belief of all thofe Articles, which he names, is neceffary to Salvation, whether they be duly propos'd, or not. And is it not, in all Mankind, a Duty NECESSARY TO SALVATION, Ift, to believe in general the whole Christian Revelation, after a due Propofal of Christianity in general; and 2dly, to believe each particular Article of the Chriftian Revelation, after a due Propofal of each Article in particular? To queftion this, is evidently to renounce either Christianity, or common Senfe. What then do the Clamours of our Adverfaries mean? Is it to draw Women and Children over to the Reformation? Or must not Catholicks be allow'd to believe the Catholick Faith? Or is it a commendable Quality to defend the Reformation, with Noife and Out-cries, against common Senfe?

IX. But if new Terms of Communion make the Church Unorthodox; it is impoffible to excufe, either the firft general Councils, or the Catholick Church in the fourth or fifth Century, from Unorthodoxy.

First, The Council of Nicea, in the Creed, not only declares, that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God; that he is God from God; true God from the true God; begotten, not made (which had been

(28) Extra quam nemo falvus effe poteft. In Conftit. Piliv, an. 1564.

been always the Language of the Catholick Chap. 3. Church) but also, that he is (29) Confubstantial Quest.6. with the Father. A Term, which the Catholick Synod, an. 270, against Paul of Samofata, is commonly fuppos'd to have taken in a different Senfe, and even to have rejected. But however that be; 'tis certain enough, that Catholicks, in the three first Centuries, were at Liberty to Speak of the Substance of God, without any Restraint; and to fay, either that he is, or that he is not a Substance. Which Liberty the Nicene Fathers (and all Catholick Councils Since) thought fit to abridge in the Creed itself, and therefore chang'd the Terms of Communion.

Secondly, They alter'd the Terms of Communion, by commanding, that Easter should be kept by all the Faithful, on the Sunday, next after the Equinox and the fourteenth Day of the Moon. So that Quartodecimans became Schifmaticks (and are treated by the 2d general Council, as fuch, Can. vii.) by doing that, which the Afiatick Churches, especially thofe of the leffer Afia, and afterwards thofe of Syria and Mefopotomia, had done in the Catholick Communion.

Thirdly, The Council of Nicea decreed, concerning the Novatians, that when they return'd to the Catholick Church, they should give a Writing under their own hands, in which they promis'd, (30) to receive the WHOLE DOCTRINE

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(29) Ὁμοέσιον τῷ πα]εί· (30) Ωςε αυτές ακολυθών ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς δόγμασι τῆς καθολικής Εκκλησίας. Can. viii. Tom. 2. Conc. Labb. pag. 33 A. The 2d general Council receives the Novatians, Arians, Macedonians, Quarro

decimans,

Chap. 3. DOCTRINE OF THE CATHOLICK CHURCH, and Quest.6. to Communicate with those who had been twice marry'd, or who had faln in the Time of Perfecution: Which had not been practis'd from the Beginning, and was therefore an Additi on to the Terms of Communion.

Fourthly, The fame may be faid in regard to Baptifm given out of the Catholick Church. For S. Cyprian, and his African Synods in the 3d. Century, were of Opinion, that this is always invalid. But both the Nicene Council Can. viii, and the 2d general Council Can. vii, fuppofe, that Baptifm given by the Novatians is valid. The latter fuppofes the fame of Baptifm given by the Arians, by the Macedonians, by the Quartodecimans, and the Apolinarians. This Doctrine of the, Universal Church, as S. (31) Auguftin obferves, the Donatifts deny'd, and were therefore judg'd to be (32) Hereticks by him.

Fifthly, The Opinion of the Chiliafts or Millenarians, who believ'd, that Chrift would reign vifibly on the Earth a thousand Years before the laft Judgment, was receiv'd in the firft Ages by many eminent Men. But is now univerfally exploded. As it was, in former Times, by S. (33) Dionyfius Bishop of Alexandria, in the third Age, and by S. (34) Ephrem,

decimans, and Apolinarians, las nicemus, & avaθεματίζοντας πᾶσαν αίρεσιν, μὴ φρονήσαν ὡς φρονεῖ ἡ ἁγία τὸ θεῖ καθολικὴ καὶ ἀποςολικὴ ἐκκλησία. Can. vii. Tom. Conc. Lab. p. 951. B.

(31) Lib. 1. de Bapt. Cap. xviii. (32) Her. Ixix. Sc. (33) Apud Eufeb. L. vii. Hift. Cap. xxiv. pag. 271,272, Edit, Vales. (34) Opusc. 111.

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