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ALUMNI LIBRARY,

#

THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, f

PRINCETON, N. J. — 5*^ £ Case, ^D^iyld on,. .w-?^^: . (I. .

f

r

THE

Case of Subscription

, T O

Explanatory Articles of Faith,

A S

A Qualification for. Admiffion into the Chrijlian Minijlryy

Calmly and Impartially Reviewed ;

In Anfwer to

, J. A late Pamphlet intltled ^e Church of England "vindicated in requiring Subfcriptionfrom the Clergy to the XXXIX Articles,

II. The Rev. Mr. John Whitens Appendix to his Third Letter to a Dijfenting Gentleman,

To which is added

The Speech of the Rev. Jahn Alphonfo Turretine^ previous to the Jholition of all Stibfcriptlons at Geneva^ tranflated from a MSS. in French,

By SAMUEL'cHANDLER.

Magijirum nemifiem habcmus niJlDeum folum. — Tertul. (S^Scap,

LONDON:

Printed for J. Noon, at the White Hart, in CheapfJe\ and Jos. Davidson, at the ^;?^^4 hi the Poultry.

M.i)CG. XLVUl,

«t

FACE.

'IS hut of little Ccfifeqtience to the Wor^ *o know^ why the Publication of thefe Papers hath been fo long delayed. But I think proper to fay thus much : 'That 'twas a confiderahle Time after Mr, Whlte'i Third Letter came out, before I had determined to make any Reply to him \ through an ^zerfton I had contratfed to Difputes of this Nature. After I had finifhed my Reply to him, a worthy Friend put into my Hands, The Church o^ England "Vindicated, in requiring Subfcription from the Clergy to the xxxix Articles of Religion. In that Paraphlet I found, beftdes a great deal of Ill- nature and fcurrilous Language, fame fpecious Things fiiid in Favour of Stthfcriptions, I determined to conjlder them, and on that Account was forced to throw by my firft Papers, and profecute my Be/ign upon a new Plan, This^ with but an indifferent State of Health, the conftant Duties belonging to my Station, and an habitual Bijincli nation to fuch Kind of Controverftes, is the true Reafon why I have not gratified the Expe5fatiQn of 7ny Friends before. If what I here cffer to the Puhlick be badly executed, the Publication will be defer'vedly cenfured, as now too foon. If it he well done, no-body will be iineafy that it was not fooner. My Papers, as to the Re- mainder of the SubjcEi, are near finifhed, and will fccn be put to the Prefs,

Samuel Chandler,

THE

Case (?/" Subscription

Calmly and Impartially

REVIEWED.

S I R,

OU knov/ I had long fince determined in my own Mind, to engage no farther in any publick Debates concerning Parly Jffairs, and the leffer Differences lubfift- ing between (be efiahlijked Church and the Pro- teftant Bijfenters from it. Years and Experience have, I thank God, much foftened my own Mind as to thefe Things, and I have long taken a fin- cere Pleafure in thinking well of, and being kindly affe5fioned to all, without Exception, who love the Truth in Ghrijl, and leek after the Things that make for Peace, * The knov/n Learning, Candour, Mo- deration and Piety of many of the Clergy of the national Church, and particularly of thofe reve- rend Prelates who now fo "xcrthily fill her Sees^ and who have feveral of them treated me with great Humanity and Refped, gave me the mod agreeable Profpedl, that Peace and Harmony were growing Bleffings amongft us ♦, and that if we cannot all agree in more difficult S;peculations^ or in the extertial Forms of Worfhip, yet that till God in his good Providence fnould bring about this alfo, we lliould all grow more united in Love, and put on that amiable Charity zvhich is the Bond ' ■ . B cf

2. I'he Cafe of Subfcription

of Perfe^nefs. This Is that Spirit I have been long endeavouring to cultivate amongft all who attend my miniftry, as you and many others will bear me Witnefs ; and I have done it the rather, becaufc I have not been without my Fears^ that all that is valuable, both In the Church and amongft the Bijfenlers^ is in Danger, by that Infidelity v/hich isfpreadlngamongH all Ranks and Degrees, the numerous Converts to Popery that are made throughout the Nation, and v/hat makes Way for both thefe, the Luxury, Debauchery, and Impie- ties of the prefent Generation. Thefe Confidera- tions appeared to me to be of Weight enough to have kept all good Men from raifing Controverftes about any lejjer Matters, and to have united Churchmen and Dijfenters in the moft ferious En- deavours to maintain our common Principles^ and to recover, as far as we can, the finking Authority of Chriftian Piety and Virtue. In fuch Circum- ftances of common Danger I v/ould not wifh to fee a Proteftant Divine ftirring up the almofi dead Coals of Contention about Gowns and Cloaks, Bows, Crojfes, Godfathers, and the like, much lefs ftriving for them as pro Aris & Focis, and fcarce allowing the Charafter of Chriftians to any, who are not as zealous for them as himfelf. I apprehend that there are Things of more Importance, that deferve the moft ferious Attention of all Clergymen, about which they might employ their Zeal more to their own Comfort, and the Edification of the Church of God.

I fliall not enter with Mr. fFhite into the Debate concerning the Differences between the Church and the Dijfenters, nor attempt to ^vindicate the latter from the feveral Charges he hath thrown upon them, any further than to obferve :

J. That the Defign of his three Letters, by the

two

Calmly a?2d Impartially revteii^ed, 3

two firfl of which he juflly thinks he hid fufficiently exercifed the Patience of his Reader^'' doth net fceni candid, and fuitable to the Charader of a rational Divine : 'Tis, as his Title-Page informs us, to reflect hack the Ohjetiions of the Di (Tenters again fi the Church of England u-pon themfehes^ and parti- cularly/<? retort the Charge of hnpofiliony Suppofing he had done, or conld do this : What then ? Would this vindicate the Impcfitions of the Church ? If we have fome Ufao;es in our Conc!:reo:ations that refemble thofe v/hich we blame in them, are x}rL<^{<t Ufages ever the better in them becaufe there is fomething like them in us ? Or doth our imitating thofe Pradlices we complain of, lliew them to be reafonable, or agreeable to the Chrifcian Rule? He might indeed, if this was our Cafe, juflly blame us for a felf- contradict cry Conduifl : But 1 always thought, that to recriminate and vindicate were two very different Things. A Jate Writer of a PopifJj Book, intitled The Catholick Chriftian Infini5ied^ &c. hath undertaken to demonftrare the fame Conformity between the Englifh and Romifh Churchy that a very learned Protefiant Divine ^ hath demonflrated to be between Popery and Paganifm. How doth that worthy Divine anfwer the Charge ? All^ fays he, that he can chje^ to us on this Head^ amounts to 710 more than this^ *' That there are fe- , " veral Obfervances retained in ourfacred OfBces, *' which we ufe in common with the Church o( " Rome J ^ TVe own it^ hut take them all to he fuchy as we may retain with Innocence. We profefs to retain all that is tridy Chrijiian^ all that is en- joined by the Gofpel^ or by juji Inference deducihle from it \ but if bejide all this^ they can dif cover any thing amongfi us that they can claim as theif

B 2 Gwn^

3 Letter III. p. I. ^ Ibid. p. I. <= "Dr. Ml^^/efou'^

Letter from Rome, Pref. p. 11 1, 112. Edit. 8vo.

4 7hc Cafe of Subfa^iption

own^ cr that may properly he called Popifh, 1 JhouU willingly reftgn it to them, and confent to any Expe^ dient that, may remove us farther ftill from Popery, and unite us more clofely with all foher Proteftants. This is both genteelly and candidly faid : And if Mr. V/hite had written only to blame what was blame-worthy in the Church and amongft the Difienters, and exhorted both to join their En- deavours to remove it, in order to a more intimate Union between themfelves againft the Papifis, who are the common avowed Enemies of both ; he llioiild have had my fincereft Thanks, and I would gladly have done all I could to have pro- moted i'o truly excellent and chriftian a Defign. But to reproach us, without vindicating his own Church, muft tend to widen our Differences, in- flead of healing them.

2. The Gentleman complains, that our Churches are fo fecfet in all their Ways, that there is no knowing what they are, but to find them out we mufi grope and feel for them as in the Dark, ^ I am forry Mr. Wloite Ihould give himfelf fo much Trouble, as to write about what he owns he doth not underfland, and take on himfelf fuch an un- comfortable Office as that of groping in the Bark. I do not fee any Reafon he hath to expe6l that we Ihould inform him exadlly what our Ways are, nor the Necedity of admitting any but thofe that belong to them into our Veftries, to be WitnefTes to our Tranfa6lions, or of making a Vifit or -general over our Churches, to whom we fhould be ac- countable: Curiofity is not always to be gratified. But the Church of England aEls ynore openly : Every Part of her Government, Difcipline and Worfloip, is expo fed to the View, the Attacks and Infults of her Adverfaries : They have the whole Book of Commonr

Prayer,

^ LeiUr II. p. 4.

Calmly and Impartially reviewed. 5

Prayer^ and Adminiftration of the Sacraments^ and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Churchy with all the Rubrics^ Prefaces^ Rules and Orders concerning the Service thereof^ not excepting the liable to find Eafler for ever^ all the Injunctions^ Ordinances^ Canons^ and Conftitutions ecclefiajlicaU and even the Common and Statute Law^ fo far as concerns eccleji- GJlical Matters^ to canvas and cavil at : Whilfi our Churches^ having no common Rules of Difcipline or Worjhip^ at leaji none made publick^ I often think^ fays he, a Controverfy with you is fomethlng like fighting with a Ghofl^ which hath nothing one can level a Blow at^ or make any Impreffton on.^ If this be our Cafe, thank God for our Prudence. One would have thought our Secrecy Ihould have been our Prote6lion, and kept Mr. White from attack- ing thofe v/hom he owns he cannot hurt. I hear- tily wifh that no Proteftant Churches would ever give any juft Occafion to the Inflilts and Cavils of her Enemies, and that the Church of England m particular would remove every real Ground of them, that fhe might not have one fingle Enemy- left, nor one DifTenter from her in the whole Kingdom. But though thefe Canons and Confti- tutions, which thus expofe her^ as Mr. White fays, to the hfults of her Adverfaries^ are made publick, yet is not the whole Difcipline of the Church quite a Secret to the World in the Execution and Ma- nagement of it, and will the reverend Bifhops and Clergy fi.ifter DifTenters to be prefent with them in their Chapter-houfes^ Synods^ and Convocations^ to be Witnefles to their Tranfadions ? 1 think they would be extremely to blame if they did, and that he muft be a very wrong-headed Perfon who could expect it. Why then fhould Mr. White defire to know the private Affairs of the difient-

ing

« Letter 11. p. 5.

6 T'he Cafe of Subfcription ,^

ing Churches ? Or be iineafy that he is Wot admit' ted into our Secrets^ and at the Difficulty cf coming at any certain Knowledge of them? Poflibly what he complains of may be true, that there is a ge- neral Shynejs in our People of revealing and difclcftng them-i and that this is much taken notice of: ^ But furely it can't be taken notice of much to their Difadvantage, that they don't chufe to expofe themfelves to the Infults and Attacks of their Adverfaries; for this can be of no, real Service to them, or the Caufe of Religion in general. And if, as he juftly fufpeds, his Difcoveries cf them will he few and defe^ive^ hecaufe he hath never been admitted to the AtJs of our Churches^ and our ge- neral Dealings with our People^, I think the true Inference he fhould have made is, that he fhould have fpoken of thefe Things with the utmofl Caution and Candour.

Q. He further complains, that our Churches have no common Rules of Difcipline and Worjhip^ which *we hold ourfelves obliged to walk hy^ or at leaft we have not made them publick^ ^ for his Examination and Difcuflion. But the dijfenting Churches did not know till now, that 'twas neceflary their Rules of Difcipline fliould be examined and difculTed by him, before their ufing them. But they allow mc to acquaint him, that though we have no ■common Rules that we hold ourfelves obliged to walk by^ i. e. which we oblige one another by human Canons and Conjliiutions ecclefiaftical to walk by, yet we have neverthelefs common Rules, that we think ourfelves all obliged to walk by, though human Canons fliould oblige us to walk by others ; even thofe Rules of Difcipline and Worfhip that the facred Writings prefcribe us •, in which we find not the kaft Intimation or Order for our fubmitting

to

f Letter II. p. 4. * Ibid. p. 3.

cc

Calmly and Impartially reviewed, 7

to any human Authority, or Impofitions in Mat- ters of a religious Nature, nor the leaft Leave given to ecclefiaftical Perfons to add to the Infti- tutions of our blefied Lord, ^e Forms of ad- miniftring Baptifm and the Lord^s Supper^ there prefcribed, we endeavour religioufly to obferve; and therefore, becaufe we find there nothing of* the Crofs in Baptifm^ we never ufe it, and think we are juftified in not doing it, not only from the intire Silence of Scripture about it, but even from the Declaration of the Church of England itfelf concerning it ; which, in her thirtieth Canon^ con- fefleth, that " The Sign of the Crofs was greatly ABUSED in the Church of Rome, and that being ufed doth neither add any thing to the Virtue and Perfection of Baptifm, nor being omitted doth detraS any thing from the Effed and Sub- fiance of it, but that the Infant is fully and,

*' PERFECTLY BAPTIZED withoUt it." NoW

we Diffenters can't help for our Lives arguing : Why fo fond of an infignificant Ceremony ? What Need of this fymbolizing with the Romifh Churchy in her confeffed Abufes? To a full zndperfe^i Bap- tifm^ what Need of the Sign of the Crofs ? Doth it add any thing to what is perfed v/ithoutit? The Church allows and confefles it doth not, and the Xy'i^^xiX-^x^ ft and amazed^ after fuch a Declaration, that llie will fo rigidly ijnpofe the conftant Obfer- vation of fuch a Ceremony, and feparate herfelf from all other Chriftians in thefe Kingdoms, by refufmg Baptifm to their Children unlefs they fub- mit to it, even after fhe hath folemnly decreed it hath been much abufed, and is in its Nature of no Significancy, whether ufed or not, to this fa- cred Inftitution. In like Manner we adhere to the Canon of Scripture in admin i firing the Lord's Supper^ and even co the Letter of that Canon. We

exhort

^ ^he Cafe of Subfcripfion

exhort Perfons to examine themfeJves, to difcern the Lord^s Body^ and to remember Chriji^ and then hlefs God over the Bread and Wine, and feparately dijirihute the Elements to each Com- municant. And becaufe the Scripture Canon faith nothing about Kneeling^ nor feems to enjoin any 'particular Pofture as necefTary, we never impofe any. I myfelf generally communicate Jfandingy others fittings and I would without Scruple, or Fear of offending my Congregation, adminifter the Elements to any ferious Chnixian Jilting^ fi and- ing^ or kneeling^ juft as he fhould defire it. All our Communicants are entirely left to their own Liberty as to the Pofture of receiving, juft as each Perfon thinks proper, without our ever pretend- ing to didlate to any one which of the three they lliall receive in : Thus, leaving what is indifferent as indifferent^ and not thinking the Beauty of Ho- linefs 2Lt all impaired, or the Order of our Churches in the leaft lefTened, fhould there be any Variety of Pofture ; though, as I believe it would almoft conftantly happen were there no Impofition, we generally agree to receive in one and the fame, becaufe all are equally left to their own Choice. And we are therefore at a lofs to underftand, why the Church will rendei' that necefTary which Chrift hath not declared fo, nor the Nature of the Inftitution makes fo ; or exclude a Man from her Communion, who profefTes his Repentance to- wards Gody and Faith in the Lord Jefus Chrift^ merely becaufe he will not ufe a Pofture which the Church doth not pretend to be prefcribed by any Canon of Chrift and his Apoftles,nor doth in the leaft conftitute the Worthinefs of the Receiver,

If the Crofs in Baptifm^ and Kneeling at the hordes Supper were left indifferent, there would be much lefs Objedlion againft them both s but as impofed

by

Calmly and Impartially reviewed. g

by human Authority, and aftually made 'Terms of Communion^ we think we are obhged, as Chriftians, to proteft againfl: them ; becaufe the Church her- fell" declares, I'bat Things of therafelves indifferent do, in fome Sort, alter their Natures, when they are either commanded or forbidden by a lawful Ma- giftrate, and may not be omitted at e-jery Man^s P lea- fur e, contrary to the Law, when they are commanded^ nor ufed when they are prohibited.^ The Church herfeif here declares, that the Sign of the Crofs is no longer an indifferent Thing, when commanded hy a lawful Magiftrate, but in iiich a Sort alters its Nature, as to become a neceffary Thing, in virtue of that Command, fo as that it may be no longer omitted. The very Objedlion this of the Dilfenters, and the Realbn why they fcruple Con- formity to the Church, becaufe (lie njakcs neceifary in Rehgion unnecefTary Things, and alters the Nature of indifferent Things into Things effential and obligatory : And if the Churches Reafoning be true, it will then follow, that if breathing in the Ferfon's Face who is to be baptized, putting Salt into his Mouth, laying Spittle on his EarSy giving him Milk and Honey, and anointing him in various Parts of iiis Body, be commanded by a lawfid Magifirate, they may then, however in- different, be no longer omitted at every Man's Pleafure, contrary to the Law. The Power of com.manding, and of altering the Nature of in- different Things, in fuch Sort as that they may not be omitted when commanded, is by the Church here given to the lawfid Magift rate. If then the lawful Magifirate in Spain or at Ro7ne command thefe and other indifferent Things, the Church tells us they alter their Nature^ and may 7wt be omitted: And therefore the Obfervation of

C thofe

* Canon 30.

lo Ihe Cafe of Suhfcrlption

thofe Things in Baptifm^ in thole Places, muft not be omitted ; nor muft they be omitted here, if a lawful Magiftrate commands them. And thus the Power of altering the Nature of indifferent Things is placed in the Breaft of the lawful Ma- giftrate ; and this is the dernier Refer!: of all Chri- ftians, and to be their final Rule in receiving or rejecting Ceremonies. Many Refleclions my Mind fuggefts on fuch a Dodrine, taught by a Proteftant Church ; but as I do not intend to inflame the Controverfy, or widen the Difference between the Church and Diflenters, I ihali only fay : That I think myfelf obliged, as a Chriftian and Pro- teftant, peaceably to ivithclrazv from an Eftabliili- ment, which thus alters the Nature of indifferent Things, and makes new Rites and Poftures in Re- ligion, which are allowed to-be indifferent, ne- cefTary Terms of receiving her Sacraments, and joining in the Privileges of her Worfhip ; and which thus fubjeds herfelf to the Magiftrate, as to make his Law, in the Appointment of Rites and CeremiOnies in the Worlhip of God, obligatory upon the Confciences of all her Members : A Prin- ciple which I apprehend will juftify all the w^orft Corruptions of the Church of Rome^ which have been, and are to this Day confirmed by the lawful Magifrate. I confefs I think it much fafer to keep religioufly, as near as I can, to the Scripture Order and Conftitution : This all the Churches of Froteflant Dijfenters that I know of do. And we need no other Canons amongft ourfelves, becaufe we have this Divine one^ that we acknowledge concludes all of us. And therefore I hope y\x. White will retra(5l: this Charge, that we have no common Rules of Difcipline or Worfliip, becaufe we have the beft Rules of both ; by adhering to which 'tis impoifible we can ever fall into fuperflitious Prac- tices

Calmly and Impartially reviewed, 1 1

fices on the one hand, or into an indecent Confiifion or Diforder on the other.

4. It will feem a little flrange, that Mr. White Ihould fpend near a Dozen Pages in rebuking us for ufing the Pofture of 7?^;/^i«^ in our pubhck Prayers on the Lord'^s Day^ and recommending to usjwith fo much Warmth, that of kneeling^ as more proper and folemn. I am fure I never blamed this Pradlice in the Church, though I am not fkill'd in the Reafons why fhe chules to kneel in fome of her Pravers, and to (land at others : But whatever they are, fhe hath in my Opinion a Right to ule her Liberty, and ought not to be cen- fured for it. But I hope the numerous Examples that are brought by the dijfenting Gentleman^ in his Anfwer to Mr. White^ from the Holy Scriptures, will juftify us in our ftanding. And I fhould have hoped that we might have been left in quiet; PofTeffion of this CufVom, as it was certainly the univerfal Pra^ice of the primitive Church in their Worfhip on the Lord's Day, as appears from the moil exprefs Accounts of ' juftinMartyr^ ^ Iren^us, I Clemens of Alexandria^ "^ Tertullian^ " Origen^ °Cy-

C 2 priaUy

'TTQUiV. When the Reader hath ended, the Prefident in an Ora- tion exhorts and excites them to an Imitation of the good Things they ha-ve heard. After this^ ive all in common rife up, anit fend forth our Prayers unto God. Apol. i . p. 97, 98. Edit. Thirlb. ^ To J^iiv Tti Kv^ict^tn un Khtyeivyovu, (7V[j.CohQV ?c/ t>;^

The not bending the Knee on the Lord'^s Day is a Symbol of the RefurreSlion, a Cufom that had its Rife from the --uery Tiims of the Apojiles. Apud Audor. Refp. ad Orthod. ad Qusft.i 15.

1 2 7Zv Cafe cf Siibfcription

priajt, P TheApoftolical Conftitutions, "^St.Jerom^ [St, Aiijlin^ and others that might be mentioned;

the

Tco KoycoTo fTKU-A ivif ynf ^&i^coy.ivoi. Htnce nue Jireich forth the Head and lift up the Hands to Hca'Vin, and rafe up cur Feet at the End cf Prayer^ endea~couring thai our mery Body, together njjith our Speech^ may be feparated from the Earth. Stromat. 1. 7. p. 854. Edit. Potter.

^ Ncnne folennior erit Statio tua, fi et ad Aram Dei fle- teris ? Will not thy Station he more foletnn, if thou Jlandef at the JItar cf God? De Orat. ad fin. This he reprefents as the Vo^yiXQ of the Jjigel of Prayer. Angelo adhuc Orationis ad- llante. He is cenfuring the irreverent Cuftom o£ fitting at Prayer. Id. ibid. p. 154. Edit. Rigalt.

(jVTcL yjiij.o^iv TO }iyi{j.cviKoi «/;5 cP.t^ct<rcu ycx,^ ^i^ii,

crt ly'.vexcov y.ctTdL^ctcicov ^(Tav Ta (rcj(y.ctrQ-t rm Ko.TctTo.a'iv 7JJ;' fcsr' e/tTcKTicoi tc-jv yj-l^cov :^ ctVdL^et<Jico<; Tm odd-ct^fAcoVt ^etvTcov '^^KCiTtOV. We Jhould fo come to pray^ as to raife up aho-oe the Earth the go'verning Principle, i. e. the Soul, be- fore nve put our Bodies in the fianding Pofiure. IPor though there are innumerahle Poftures of Body, yet that Pofiure 'which adtnits the fir etching forth the Hands, and lifting up the Eyes, is to be preferred before them ail. And that he means the Pof- ture of fianding is evident, not only from his mentioning it, ^^ T^^'Avat, befo}-e you (land, but he expounds that PafTage, ^hat at the Name of fefius e'vcry Knee fipould bo<vj, and that, / ho^iv my Knees to the Father, of fpiritual Bowing the Knees, and of an humble SubmiiTion to God. De Orat. p. 267. Edit. Bsned.

0 Stamus ad Orationem, We fiand at Prayer. De Orat. p. 152. Edit. Fell.

iv^etc^'d-c-jjciv TCO ©£&'. Then let all, njcith one Confent, rife up atid pray t» God. Lib. 2. c. 57. p. 268. i.s'coio? ^ccvrQ- Tn h.et>i, ;9 '^^Q^ivX^y-'V^ Yiffvyjc^. Let all the People fiand, and pray to thc7nfiehes. Ibid. p. 268. cy \] j^ Texi t^/C^^ £r<yT£f tT;T5A«^,2l/. We pray thrice on the Lord's Day fianding.

1 Die Dominico et per omnera Penticoften, nee de Geni- culis adorare. On the Lord'' s Day and throughout the nvhole Pen- tecofi nve do not ^jcorjhip on our Knees. Adverfus Lucif. c. 4.

^ Stamus Orantes, quod eft Signum Refurreftionis. Unde etiam omnibus Diebus Dominicis id ad Altare obfervatur. We fiand at our Prayers, in R^mimbrance of the RefurreSiion.

Therefore

Calmly and Impartially reviewed, 1 3

the Citations from whom I have placed, with theirTranflations, in the Margin^ that the Biffenters may fee how ancient and juftiiiable their Form of Worfliip is in this Refped: Yea, ^Tertullian tells us, that fo much Strefs was laid on this Pofture of flanding, as that, fays he,^^ count it a Sin to faft^ or worjhip upon our Knees, on the Lord^s Bay : And the Reafon afTigned for thus (landing, was, its be- ing a Symbol of our blejfed Lord's Refurre5lion on that Day. And as this Pra6lice had in fome Mea- fure grown into Difufe, and Kneeling had been introduced inftead of it, the Council of Nice, by a particular Canon (Con. 20.) ordained, that whereas fome Perfons on the Lord's Bay^ and in the Bays of Penteccfi, kneeled at Prayer, 'tis therefore or- dained by the facred Synod, that hecaufe a fit and con- venient Cuftom fhould be kept by all the Churches, that we pay our Vows to the Lord by Prayer ft anding, A nd I can't help obferving, with Tertullian, that fuch Obfervances are vain, that have no Authority from the Command of Chrifi or his Apoftles, and are the Effe5i not of Religion, hut Superfiition, of Aff ela- tion and Stiffnefs, of Precifenefs, and 7iot of rational Buty. "■ And though Mr. White recommends ele- vating the Eyes and lifting up the Hands to Heaven in Prayer, and tells us from Tertullian, that the primitive Chrifcians prayed Sufpicientes &' Mani^ bus expanfis, looking up and frretching out their Hands ; yet he Ihould have remember'd how Ter-

tullian

*

therefore e'very Lord'' s Day this Fojiure is retained at the Altar. Epift. 55. ad Januar. c 15. § 28. & c. 17. § 32. Edit.Benedid. ^ Die Dominico Nefas ducimus de Genicuiis adorare. De Coron. c. 3.

^ Quibus merlto Vanitas exprobranda eii, fiquldem fins ullius aut Dominici aut Apoflolici Prscepti Aufloritate fiunt. Hujufmodi enim non Religioni, fed Superftitioni deputantur, afFedata et coadla, et curiofi potius quam rationalis Officii. De Orat. c. 1 2.

14 5l6^ Cafe of Subfcription

tuUian explains himfelf on this Head : We rather adore zvith Modcfty and Humility^ and commend our Prayers to God^ not even lifting up our Hands high^ hit moderately and dece^itly^ no nor boldly elevating our Faces : For the Publican, ivhofe Prayer as well as Countenance was humble and dejeSied, went away juftificd rather than the faucy and infolent Pharifee^ And this Humihty of Countenance, and modeft Elevation of the Hands, I have aThoufand Times obferved with Fleafure in our folemn Prayers, in all the Congregations of DifTenters with whom I have joined, and I thank God I fee it every Lord's Day in my own. 1 pray God however that there may be a more univerfal Solemnity and Attention lo this fcicred Service, both in the Church, and amongft ourfelves. As to the Story Mr. White mentions of one confiderable Congregation of Dif- fenters that he can name, where great Offence was given by a particular Perfon kneeling at her Pray- ers, all I fliall fay now is, that I believe he can name no fuch one, and that t^i\t whole Account is a Mifreprefentation, and that I have the moji au- thentick Evidences in my Hands to prove it fo. If he will name that Congregation, I will produce my Vouchers v;henever he lliall defire it. I muft obferve once more,

5. That Mr. White is difpleafed with us in one InlVance, for what I always thought an Honour to thole of our Communion •, an Honour I hope- they v;ill never lofe, and which I little thought a Clergyman would have publickly exprefs'd hisDif- like of j efpecially confidering the prefent low

Eftate

" Atqui cum Modeftia et Kumilitate adorantes magis com- mendabimus Deo Preces noftras, ne ipfis quidem Manibus fub- limius elatis, Ted temperate et probe elati?, Ne Vultu quidem ill audaciam credo : Nam illePublicanus qui non tantumPrece, fed et Vulcu humiliatu-s atque dejedtus orabat, jullificatior Pha- lilKo procaciffimo dirceffit. Id. ibid. c. 13.

Cahnly and Lnpartially reviewed, i r Eftate of Religion amongft us; and that is, our Manner of obfcrving the Lord's Day. He is pleafed to aflc. Whether that over -rigorous and precife Way of keeping the Lord's Day^ which many of you affe5i^ he any Parts of the 'Rolinefs of a Chrifiian^ or only the Guifes and 'Semblances of it P " In anfwer to this Queftion, I would beg Leave to aflc him : Whether that abfokite Contempt of the Lord's Day, and of all publick and private Wor- fhip on it, which is every v/here vifible, and growing general, is a real Wickednefs and Impiety, or only the Guife and Semblance of it? What he counts an over-rigorous and precife Way of keep- ing it ? What Families of DilTenters he' hath been in, to know how they fpend it? W^hat Founda- tion he hath for the Charge, that they keep ic cver-rigoroujly and precifely ? Or whether abllain- ing from all Kind of Worfhip, fettling Men's fe- cular Accounts, fleeping, riding, feafting, ca- roufing, vifiting. Cards, AiTemblies, Routs, Riots, ^^c. is the proper Way of fan5iifying the Lord'] Day^ and the Method of obferving it he would recommend to his Pariih and us, in the Room of our precife Manner of keeping it? Will he pre- fcribe the exa5l Medium between our Precifenefs and their Profanenefs, that wc may abate of our ijfual Striclnefs, and avoid for the future this dreadful Charge of Precifion ? Or will he be fo good as to inform us, how it becomes a Minifter of Chrift to ftigmatife the religious Obfervation of the Lord's Day, as Precifenels, at a Time when there is fo univerfal and fcandalous a Difregard to it, and to all the facred Services peculiar to it, in many of his own Communion ? Doth he count any religious Obfervation of the Day Part of a Chriftian's Duty, or the mere Guife and Semblance

of

* Letter I. p. 9;/

1 6 T^he Cafe of Subfcription

of Sandity ? Doth he think Publick Worfhlp a fit Thing, or that his own Parifhioners are moil likely to get any Good by his Sermons, by going to a Ring or an Alehoufe^ aflbon as ever they come out of the Church, or by going home and thinking of what he had been preaching to them ? Or doth this Divine look upon prrcate Dei:otio7t^ in a Man's Family or Clofet, as an over-rigorous Superftition in itfelf, or only when perform'd on the Lord's Day ? Doth he not give a real Preference of Cha- rader to us, as Proteftant DifTenters, for our Man- ner of obferving this Day, when they amongft us, who keep it the fl:ri6te{l, are only more abundant in the Exercifes of Religious Duties, and think that the whole Day fhould be appropriated to fuch Services, as have an immediate Tendency to pro- mote in themfelves and their Families the Chri- llian Temper and Life ?

You, my Friend, whoknov/the Pleafureof thus obferving the Lord'sDay, and have the Satisfadlion to fee a numerous Family, almoft all grown up to Years of Maturity, all well difpofed for Religion, Virtue, andUfefulnefs, through theBlelTing of God on your Care and Example, You, Sir, know well the Worth and true Ufe of a Lord's Day, and are with me content to be charged with Precifion, and the Guife and Semblance of Holinefs, as we cant appeal to God for the Purity of our Intentions, and wait the lad decifive Day for the full Vindi- cation of our Charadlers. In the mean Time, we Ihall not look upon it as any great Motive to Con^ formity^ that this eminent Divine is willing to ab- folve us and our Families from thofe Reftraints, which with Chearfulnefs we have laid ourfelves under on this facred Day, and to allow us in it thofe Liberties and Pleafures which, from large and long Experience, we have often feen prove fatal to all

ths

Calmly and Impartially I'C'clr^cd, T 7

the bed Interefls of thofe, who have thus indulged thenifelves in them. The Reafoning of an ancient Writer on this Subjedl will puzzle all Mr. IVhite's beft AbiHties fairly to anlwer. After having re- commended our giving ourfelves to the Study of Wifdom, the Contemplation of the Works of Nature, and the Examination of our Hearts and Lives, on the Day of 1 acred Refb, he adds : Is it not an ey:cellent Admonition, a7id abundantly fiifficient to excite to all Virtue^ and efpecially to Godlinefs^ that faying : Always follow or imitate God. Let there- fore the fix Days^ in which God created the World he a fufficient Pattern to thee of the fixed Time^ in which thou 'art to mind thine own Affairs ; hut let the feventh fhew thee thine Obligation to give thyfelf to Philofophy •, hecaufe on that Day God is faid to have reviewed the Works he had made^ that thou alfo mighteji contemplate the Works of Nature^ and ell thine own particular Concerns^ that tend to promote thy HappinefsJ If IVIr. Wloite knows of any Dif- fenters, that keep the Lord'sDay, in his Language, mofi precifelyy who keep it any otherwife than by confecrating it to Works of Piety and Virtue, he is let into a Secret that I know nothing of-, and amongft thofe who thus keep it, I deiire always to ibe accounted one. He will not be difpleafed with me, if I recommend 10- him on this Head an ex- £eUe?it Canon of his own Church, tho' it favours ibmethiqg oidiffenting Rigidnefs. It ordains, that all manner of Perfons in the Church of England

fhall from henceforth keep the Lord's Day In

hearing the Word of God read and taught >In pri- vate and publick Prayers In acknozvledging their

D Offences

tfjjTa.^yAScLTQv^v CO rov kojij.ov <iJ'riui'6^yii. JJtt^.Miyy.ei Kj Tn cPtjy ziKotyozeiv >i iCJ^cy^n, Kc(.y r.y iifti'eiv P^i^iTctt a. «p*

cruvTei'/ii ^pj; iyi^iy/.yiAy^ Phiio is x. Orag. p. 1 97. EvJ. Man^.

1 S I'he Cafe of Suhfcription

Offences to God^ and Amendment of the fame hi re- conciling themfelves charitably to their I^eighhours,

^ii)hereDifpleafure hath been In oftentimes receiving

the Communion of the Body and Blood of Chrifl In

"ci feting of the Poor and Sick And tifeng all godly

and fcber Converfation What Diffenter in this

Kingdom obferves the Lord's Day in a more ri- gorous and precife Manner, than Mr. White him- lelf, hisParifh, and all Churchmen whatfoever, are obhged to do by this Conilitution ? What, will he condemn this too for an over-rigorous and precife Way of obferving the Lord's Day ? Would to God more Regard was paid to it by all Ranks and Conditions of Men throusihout the Nation !

But to leave him to his own Meditations on this Head, I fhall confine myfelf to the Confideration of his Appendix to his nif^d Letter^ in which he undertakes thefe two Points :

1 . ^0 premife fome Things concerning the Law- fulnefs^ the Expediency^ and Neceffity of Subfcription to Articles of Religion^ required of thofe who would he received into the Minijlry.^ And

2. To reprefent the profeffed Principles and Senti- ments of divers T>iff enters^ concerning that Matter \ Jhewing that the^ efleem it a mofi unwarrantable

Things and yet^ at the fame Time fubmit^ and do, cf their own accord^ other Things that are tanta- mount to it, I confefs this Article is fomewhat ex- traordinary : For though many DiiTenters do com- plain of the Power that impofes Subfcriptions to human Articles of Faith, as groundlefs and unwar- rantable^ and of the Impofition itfelf as a Burthen and Grievance, yet I never heard before that they efteemed a Submiflion to this Power, in all Cafes and Circumftances, a mo ft unwarrantable Thing ; or th^t any one amongft them, who really thought

it J Append. Utfgr III. p. 67.

Calmly and Impartially reviewed. 1 9

It unwarrantable to fubmit to the Impofitlon, ever did fubfcribe in Obedience to it. Mr. Whitens Proofs of this heinous Charge will come in their proper Place under Examination. But

Mr. White premifes fome Things concerning the Lawfidnefs^ Expediency^ and Neceffity of Sub- fcription to Articles of Religion^ required of thofe who would he received into the Mmiftry, As he hath flated the Queilion, the Reader would be apt to imagine, that fome DilTenters ahfolutely deny the Lawful nefs, Expediency, and Necefllty of all Kind of Subfcriptions to Articles of Faith, by thofe who would be received into the Miniftry : But this is not flating it fairly or truly. The Point he fhould have openly avowed, and which he actually attempts to prove, is this :

*' That the Churchy i. e. certain Perfons called Church Governors, or the Clergy^ as diftinguifhed from the Chriftian Laity^ have a Power, i. e. Right, by Virtue of their Charafter and Office, to decide in Controverfies concerning the Senfe and Dodlrine of the Word of God ; and in Confequence of fuch Decifions, to frame expla- natory Articles of Faith, in their own 'Terms and Forms of ExprefTion, wholly different from the Terms and Words of Scripture ; and not only to declare by thofe Decifions and Forms, what their own Judgment and Senfe of Things is, but to impdfe and enforce the folemn ProfelTion of the Truth of them upon others, under cer- tain fpiritual and temporal Penalties -, fo that no Perfon, how well foever qualified, by his Learning, Piety, and firm Belief of the Go- fpel Revelation, and wilhng in the m.oft folemn Manner to profefs, and even to fubfcribe to this his Belief, fhall be allowed to continue in, or to be admitted to the Exercife ot the Chriftian D 2 " Miniftry,

20 <rhe Cafe cf Subjcription

Minlftry, or receive any of the publick Advan-

tages annexed to it, without firft profefilng hi,^ Ajfent and Confent^ and lubfcribing, in Tefti- mony of it, to the Truth of all fuch Decifions and explanatory Articles, as the Governors of the Church fhall think proper to draw up, and make ready for his Reception." This Power or Right in the Church, or the Governors of it, the Generality of the DifTenters difpute, and think hath no Manner of Foundation in x\\^ Scripture?, or in the Reafon of the Thing. And whether this Power be exercifed by Popifh or Proteftani Churches, they eileern it as a very tin- 'voarrantahie Thing, and complain of it as a real Impcfition. How far the Church of England is chargeable with this, 1 lliali now inquire.

Chap. L

Impofttion praBifed by the Church of England.

^^ 1 "^ H E Author of ^he Church of England Vin- \ dicated denies this Charge, and declares it to be nothing hut a Calumny^ and falfe Reprefentation of iv?^, in order to deceive and prejudice we Unwary,'' I thank God I am not confcious to myfelf ot any Intention to deceive and prejudice any one Perfou living: 'Tis Truth, and the /eal Honour of Chri- flianity I am rorxerned for, and that only \ and I fljould mofl fincerely rejoice to fee every Proiejiant Church fairly cleared of the Charge of Impofition : And if it can be proved, that the Church cf Eng- land is not liable to it, I will chearfully and can- didly own it, and publickly do her Honour on this

Headj

2 Ch. Eng, F indie, p- Ig.

Calmly and Mpartially reviewed. 2 1

Head. It will therefore be necefiary to inquire how the Fad really (lands, and whether there be anyFoundation for fuch an Imputation on her or nor. The fame Author tells us : That in common Speech^ impofing Subfcription to Articles of Faiihy Jignifies a Neceffiiy laid upon Men to prcfefs their Belief of thefe Articles^ whether they really believe them or 7iot^ againfi their Judgment and their Con- fcience.^ And thus far it mufl be owned, that every Law, whether it relates to Belief or Pradice, doth oblige or lay a NecefTity on thofe to whom k relates, to believe or do the Things which it requires to be believed or done, without concern- ing itfelf what the inward Perfuafion of any Per- ibn's Confcience is. The Law indeed doth not fuppofe the Thing it commands to be eviJ, but convenient, fit, or neceffary, and therefore im- pofes it. If the Law ht good and necejffary in itfelf, and the Power that enadls itjufi^ the Impofition is right, and the Penalties by which it is enforced may be rightly inflided, whatever be the parti- cular Perfuafions concerning it of thofe who are to be obliged by it. If the Thing enadled or impo- fed by Lav/ be bad, or the Power impofing it be incompetent and unjuft, the Law itfelf is unjuf- tifiable, the Penalties annexed to it are unrighteous, and the Perfons obliged by it are forced or com- pelled to do what they ought not to do, and what they may rightly, and with a good Confcience, re- fufe to do ', /. e. they are laid under a Neceffity of doing it againfi their Confciences, or fufFering the Penalties annexed to Non-compliance. But in both Cafes the Nature of the Law is the fame, 33 it impofes, enafts, and commands, without con- fidering what the Judgment of particular Perfons may be concerning it, or whether againfi their

Confciences

^ Ch' Eng. Vindic. p. 1 9.

22 The Cafe of Siibfcription

Confciences or agreeable to it, and lays all indlf* ferently under a NecefTity of doing what it pre- fcribes, under the Pains and Penalties that en- force it.

Now the Qz{^ of Tmpofitlon, as it feems to afFe6l the Church of England^ is this :

I . She claims Authority in Controverjies of Falth.*^ She hath adlually exerted her Authority, and de- cided authoritatively in many very important and difficult Controverfes of Faith. — Hath formed 39 Articles of Religion, all and every one of which fhe peremptorily declares to be agreeable to the Word of God,^ — Hath decreed, that there fhall be no Miniflers, Preachers, Catechifers, Ledurers, or Readers of Divinity allowed by her, unlefs they own all thefe Articles to be agreeable to God's Word, ajfent to them^ and as an open Profeflion of this, lubfcribe them. — The Aflent (he requires is ahfolute a?id without Condition^ and the Subfcrip- tion fhe infiftson folemn, willing^ 2ind ex Animo,* — Her exprelTed Intention in both is for avoiding all Diverfty of Opinions, and efiahlijioing Confent totich^ ing true Religion. ^ — And flie excommunicates all without Exception, that affirm any of them to be fuperftitioiis or erroneous. Thefe Things evidently carry in them the Natwe of an Impofition, as much as th^ Claim and Exercife of an impofing Authority and Power can do it. All the Clergy of the Church of England mud fubmit to it, and the Church indeed be without any Miniftry, preach- ing, catechifing, ^c. without previous Subfcrip- tion. She will have no Diverfity of Opinion, but eflablifh Confent touching, what fhe calls, true Re- ligion ; and in order to eflablilh this, Ihe requires, ordains, decrees, /. e. impofes a folemn Subfcrip-

tion

« Art. 20. ^ Canon 36. ^ Gihfons Cod. tit. 34.

cap. 10. not. a. ^ Canon 5,

Calmly and Impartially reviewed. 2 3

tiofl and Declaration of unfeigned A(fent to her Articles, under Penalty of Non-admiffion or Bepo- fttion without it, and Excommunication upon all Impugners of them. If we add to this,

2. The Declaration of the King prefixed to the Articles, in Virtue of his Title as Defender of the Faitb^ and fupreme Governor cf the Church in thefe Dominions^ this Impofition v/ill appear in a yet ftronger Light : For hereby he prohibits the lead Difference from thefe Articles, and will 77ct endure any varying or feparating from them in the lead Degree, and commands that all curious Search and Difputes about them be laid afidc and fhut up, and that every Man, whether he prints ot preaches, Jball fuhmit to the plain full Meaning, and literal Grammatical Senfe of them -, and that if any Per- fon in the Univerfities fhould afBx any new Senfe to them, or publickly difpute about them, he

Jhall incur the King^s high Difpleafure, This Is a folemn Declaration of the Church by her fupreme Head^ that the Articles fhail be inviolably^ with- out any the leaft Alteration, adhered and fubmitted to, and that (he will not endure the leaft Defer- tion of the Articles eftablifhed, by any of the Clergy, upon Pain of her Difpleafure. And that this Impofition may be more ftrongly enforced :

3. 'Tis provided for and enadted, by the 13th of Elizabeth^ that every one that pretended to be a Prieft and Minifter, and had any ecclefiafticai Promotion in the Church, fhould declare his Ailbnt and fubfcribe to the Articles, and read them in Time of Divine Service, upon Pain of being ipfo foEio deprived: And accordingly, as Mr. Strype tells us, there were many Clergymen deprived in the Year 1572 for refufing to fubfcribe.^ — And by the 13th and 14th of Ch, II. that no Perfcn

fhould i Amalst vol. 2. p. 186, l^c.

2 4 ^he Cafe of SubfcriptioH

Jhould be received as a Ledurer, or permitted to preach, 6ir. in any Church, ^c, witliout the faid Declaration and Subfcription to the Articles, and giving their AfTent and Confent to all and every thing contained in the Book of Common-Prayer -^ the EfFedl of which Ad: was the Ejeclment of about two Thoufand Minifters from the Church of England^ who quitted their Preferments, or re- fufed to accept of any, rather than comply with this Impofition, and v/ho were hereby reduced, many of them, with their Families, to the greateft Poverty. And as all who the^i were in the Church were thus obliged to Subfcription, it was enadled further, that no Perfon fhould ever after be admit- ted to any Benefice with Cure, without the faid Declaration and Subfcription ; and that if any who were difabled by the faidA6t fhould preach, during fuch Difability, he fhould for every fuch Offence fuffer three Months Imprifonment in the common Jail : And in confequence of this many were ap- prehended, and caft into Jail, where they perifhed. And as both the ecclefiaftical and civil Powers con- curred in making Nonfuhfcription to the Articles sriminal^ and punifhable in all who pretended to be Miniflers, and executed the miniflerial Office, it will furely be acknowledged, that both Church and State did impofe this Subfcription on the Clergy ; and that as thefe Adls are in the main ilill in force, this Impofition continues to this Day ; and that therefore the Church doth lay a Neceffity upon Men to fubfcribe, and folemnly pro- fefs their Belief of thefe Articles, whether they really believe them or not ; /. e, fhe demands the Subfcription from all without Exception, who would enter into her Miniflry, and without it ex- cludes them^ and from ail thofe who are in herMi-

niftry^

Calmly and Impartially reviewed, 2 5

niftry, upon many Occafions, under Penalty of Deprivation and Imprifonment.

This is what I call impofing the Articles; the laying Men by Law under an ahfolute Ncccffity to declare publickly and folemnly their Beliet ot them, and forcing them to fubfcribe them, with a De- claration that 'tis willingly and exAnimo^ under very fevere Penalties; thole of Exclulion from the Mi- nifLry, and all the Advantages and Emoluments attending it; and Imprifonment in the common Jail^ if they pretend to exercife their Miniftry in the Church, under the Incapacity that attends Non- fubfcription.

When therefore 'tis afked : Is there any Necejfuy laid upon any one to receive thefe /Ir tides as Trttth^ whether he thinks them fo or not ? Is there any Obligation laid upon Men to helie've what their own E.eafon and Judgment will not permit them to believe? Or to oM any other wife than as their own Confcience dire5fs them?^ I anivver. That the ecclefiaftica and civil Law doth enforce, by very great and fevere Penalties, Subfcription to the Articles, and Declaration of unfeigned Aflent to the Truth of them : And therefore doth thus far either oblige Men to believe them, in Contradiction to their Reafon and Judgment, or to profefs their Belief of them in the moft folemn Manner, whether they believe or difbelieve them. The Thing re- quired by Law is precifely Subfcription and Decla- ration of AfTent to them. If they believe them, well ; if not, the Language of the Law is. Say that you do at lead, and fubfcribe to it ; or elfe never enter into the Miniftry of the Church, or depart out of it into Beggary and Jails.

'Tis true, if they who offer themfelves for Ad- miflion into the Church, as publick Teachers, or

E who

^ Ch. Eng. Vind. p. 20.

26 7he Cafe of Subfcripfion^

who being publick Teachers would accept of fome new Preferment in it, do not believe the Articles^ they are fill at Liberty to let it almie. They are not obliged to believe^ or a6l otherwife than as their Confcitfice dire^fs them. They may neither believe nor fuhfcribe. l^o-body doth^ or can force them^ That is, they may refufe to do what the Law re- quires them, and fo bring themfelves under the Incapacities and Penalties that the Law ordains, in Cafe of Non-compliance with it. Candidly faid this, and fo it feems there is no Impofition in this Cafe, becaufe you are left to your Liberty, either to believe and fubfcribe, and enjoy theEmoluments of the Church, or not to believe and fubfcribe, and thereby be rendered incapable of thofe Emolu- ments, and as the Cafe may happen, to flarve or go to Jail. In the Year 1643, the folemn League md Covenant was impofed as a Teil upon all Ranks and Orders in the Kingdom. It was or- dered by Lords and Commons, that no Ferfon pould be capable of being elected as Common-Council" Man in the City of London, cr have a Vote in fuch ElcEltons^ without taking it. All young Minifters were requited to take it at their Ordination, and it v/as required of all the Clergy throughout the Kingdom. Now it feems, according to our Champion^s Way of Reafoning, we muft not call this an Impofition ; but fay : Was there any Ne- ccffity laid upon any one to believe what their own Reafon and Judgmejtt would not permit them to be- lieve ? Or to a^ any otherwife than as their own Confciences directed them? A Confent indeed to, the folemn League and Covenant was required, for Admiffion into any Office as publick Teachers^ and for the Continuance of thofe in their Cures who were already pofTeiTed of them. But if either the

one

^ Ch, Eng, Find. p. 2 1 .

Calmly and Impartially reviewed. 27

one or other did not believe it^ they 1:0 ere ftill at Liberty to let it alone, 'They were not obliged to believe^ or a^ any otherwife than as their Confcience 'fhould direct them, 'They might neither believe nor fubfcribe. No-body did or could force them. They had the Liberty to do it, and get into Livings, and continue in the peaceable Poffefllon of them ; or the Liberty of not doing it, and fo becoming 'incapacitated for the Miniftry, or being otited of their Livings, and harraffed and plundered, and fent to Jail as Mallgnants. No Impofition in all this to be furel No, nor in requiring Subfcriptions to the Do<5lrines of Popery in foreign Countries: For no-body doth or can force them to believe or fubfcribe thofe Doctrines, and all Proteftants have the charming Liberty of being dragooned, impri- foned, hanged or burnt if they do not. And can any reafcnable Man defire more ? Here is no at- tempting to force any Man to believe the Doctrines of Popery, As to the Perfons who are Candidates, Uis mly interrogating them^ and requiring them to de^ dare, whether they do believe them or not. And as to the People, it is only taking care to provide them fuch 'teachers as will infiru5t them in no DoBrines tontrary to thofe which a feleB 'Number of learned and confcientious Men in the Church, duly appointed for that Purpoje, have, after folemn and mature Deliberation, determined to be, according to their Judgment and Confcience, the true ChriftianDo Brines,^ So that all the impofing 1 can fee at prefent, fays a grave Popijh Inquifitor, is Proteftants impofmg on their Readers by falfe Suggeftions and Mifreprefenta- tions of FaEls,

But I believe, that if the Champion or Mr* IVJjite had lived, with their prefent Principles, when the taking the folemn Ledgue and Covenant was required,

E 2 they

^ Ch. Eng, Vindic:^ 21,

28 ?!&£' Cafe of Suhfcriptlo7t

they would have thought it a very grievous Impo* . fition, and joined with me in calling it a very un- righteous and iniquitous one. And, notwithftand- ing the Liberty the Church of England leaves every one to, who will not fubfcribe as required, of being incapacitated, deprived, beggar'd, and imprifoned, as it may happen, yet I cannot help thinking, that her requiring Subfcriptions under thefe Pains and Penalties^ is an Impofition of a very high and important Nature^ and I muft therefore be allowed to fpeak of it as fuch, till I am better informed •, alluring my Reader, that I have no Intention to deceive him, but fairly to reprefent the real Fad:, as it appears to me.

Though therefore, for thefe Reafons, I cannot agree with the Author of ^he Church of England Vindicated^ that the requiring fo folemn a Subicrip- tion to the thirty-nine Articles is no Impofition, yet I afllire him I agree with him, that Subfcrip- tion is much more eafy to he complied ivith in the Church of England^ than it "doas in the reformed Church ^/France; and I will add, if that will give him any Pleafure, than it now is in the Church of Scotland^ and that therefore, thus far I prefer the Church of England to them both. But the Thing itfelf, the impofmg Subfcription to any un- fcriptural Articles of Faith, by whatever Church it is pracflifed, is, in my Opinion, wrong j and for this Reafon only I write againft it, being Hill I hope open to Convi6lion, and ready to own my Miflake, whoever the Perfon be that fhall inform me of it. The Arguments I have yet feen appear to me wholly infufficient, which I fliall now fee myfelf carefully to examine.

Chap^

Calmly and Impartially reviewed, 2 9

Chap. II.

Subfcription to unfcriptural Articles of Faith not foimded i?i Scripture,

TH E firfl: Argument Mr. White urges In Fa- vour of this Pradice, he endeavours to draw from Scripture, Sometimes^ fays he, lue are ajhed^ What JDire^ions there are in Scripture] concerning Minifters Jubfcribing Articles of Faith, and ivhat Warrant and Authority we have there for fuch a PraSice?^- And I hope this will not be reckoned an unreafonable Queftion, efpecially by one who hath declared his folcmn AJfent and Confent to this Article : "That ^tis not lawful for the Church to or- dain any Thing that is contrary to God^s TFord zvrit- ten^ and befides the fame it ought 7iot to enforce any thing to he believed for Neceffity of Salvation. But Mr. White, as confcious to himfelf that the Impo- fition of unfcriptural Articles could have little Countenance from Scripture, doth not care to fpeak our, nor offer the real Queftion to his Readers. The Queftion we afk is, not what Di- reoiions there are in Scripture concerning Minifters Subfcription to Articles of Faith, tho' the Scripture is wholly filent as to this : But v/hat Direcftions there are in Scripture to " warrant and authorifc the Governors of the Church to put their own Words and Explications in the Room of Scrip- ture, and to enforce Subfcriptions to thefe their Words and Explications, as furer andt^better '^ Tefts of Soundnefs in the Faith than the Words " of Scripture, on thofe who are willing to fub- f* fcribe to the Truth of Scripture, and make the

^ JppendirXf p. 68.

<c cc

cc cc

%6 The Cafe of Subfcripfton

*' mofl folemn Profeffion of their believing the: " whole Dodrine of it?*' And methinks, upon the firft View of this Qneftion, it mud appear an extremely wonderful 1 hing, if God's mod holy and infalHble Word Ihould give the Governors of the Church any Warrant to fet its own felf afide, and put themfelves and their own Articles in the Room of it. Such a Warrant would be a very great Curicjity^ and vaftly heighten, to be fure, the Veneration and Efleem of Mankind for the facred Writings.

But as 1 have an unfeigned Value for thefe Wri- tings, I cannot help faying, that to me it appears impoffible in the Nature of the Thing, that thd Word of God, which was given for the Rule of the Chriftian Faith, and is of itfelf ahle to make the Man of God perfe^^ thereby to ftirnifh him for every good Word and Work^ and to give him an In^ heritance amcngft all that are fan^fified: I fay 'tis impofTible that this Word of the Grace of Gody if indeed it be the Word of his Grace in Truths Ihould authorife any Perfons to impofe Subfcrip- tions to human Creeds, as a better Teft of Sound- nefs in its own peculiar Do6lrines, than itfelf; or give them a Power to form Articles of Faith other than what the Word of God contains, which it fhall be neceffary for others to receive and believe^ as a Qualification for preaching that Word, /. e^ Ihould order them to write a Comment upon itfelf, and oblige others to receive that Comment in (lead of the Text, For 'tis a Contradi6lion in Terms, that fallible Creeds fliould be the Standards of in- fallible Truth: \ that Subfcriptions to Articles made by Men fliould be a Teft of Soundnefs in the Doc-^ ' trines of God \ that the hiterpretations of Scrip- ture, in which thofe who make them may be, and often have been miflaken, fhouid ever be com- manded

Calmly and Impartially 7'eviewed, 3 1

manded by Scripture to be impofed and received, as of equal or fuperior Authority to itfelf •, or that Infpiration, and the Words that the Holy Ghoji tea- ches^ fhouJd ever teach Mr. IVhitey who was never fufpeded of being infpired, or teach Mr. White* ^ Church, which honeftly confefTes, that all, in her holy Synods, are not governed by the Holy Qhoji^ to put his and her Word in the Room cf them ; be- caufe this would be authorifing the faid Mn, White and his Church to do a very weak and abfurd Thing •, even to put himfelf and his Church in the Room of the Holy Ghoft; and becaufe fome- thing more even than Infpiration will be required, if any fuch Thing can be found out, to perfuade any reafonable Perfon to believe, that it can be any Qualification for preaching the Doflrine of Jefus Chrift, to fubfcribe to the Belief of a cer- tain Stt of Articles, that may happen to be con- trary to that Dodlrine, or that profefllng to believe the Dodrines of Men can be at all necelTary to preach the Word of God.

I might here reft the Whole of this Argument ; and when he afl<:s. What Warrant from Scripture for impofmg en Minijiers Suhfcriptio?is to certain human Articles of Faith^ inftead of thofe which Scripture teaches? only anfwer. None: Becaufe 'tis impoffibie there fhould be any ; or if there be, impoffibie to prove there is. Becaufe this Proportion : God's Word contains a Warrant for trying and judging itfelf by the Decifions of Men. Or this : The Word of God authorifes the Go- vernors of his Church to lay the Word of God afide, as their Rule of judging concerning the Faith of thofe who are to preach it, and to judge them by a Rule of their own. Or this; The Word of God tells us, that the Words, in which the Spirit of God hath dehvered his own Doc- trines.

32 'The Cafe of Subfcripfton

trines, are not quite fo proper to exprefs them, as certain Words, which one John IVhite^ B. D. and his Church, chofe to exprefs them in: I fay all thefe Propofitions are ridiculous, abfurd, contra- didlory, and impious, and would therefore be of thcmfelves Proof, that any Scriptures, which did contain them, could not be the Word of God. And therefore his attempting to fetch the War- rant from Scripture, that he w^ints to put into the Hands of his Church Governors, is an Attempt to deitroy the Credit of the Scripture, and to fup- port the Authority of the Church upon a Foun- dation, that renders it contemptible, and deftroys the very Being of it. They who form Articles of Faith, and draw up Creeds, though it be with ever fo folemn and mature Deliberation, concern- ing the Senfe of Scripture ; though fuch Articles , and Creeds do in their bed Judgments agree with the Doftrine of Scripture, and though thus far they who frame them may be faid to make the Scripture the Rule of their own Faith, as they en- deavour to form their Sentiments by it ♦, yet when they make the Belief of thefe their Articles and Creeds neccfTary to the Admifiion of others into the Communion or Miniftry of the Church-, they then make, not what they are fure is Scripture, biit their own Senfe of Scripture, comprifed in fuch Article^, the Rule of fuch AdmiiTion. They plainly lay the infallible Scripture afide as the Rule of Judgment, and deny and exclude it as a proper or fuflicient Ted of Soundnefs in the Faith ; and in fad declare their own fallible Interpretation of it to be a better and furer Teft •, and thus con- flitute one fupreme Teft of Orthodoxy for themfelves, "viz. the iacred Scriptures, and another fupreme Teft of Orthodoxy for others, ^viz, what they themfelves afHrm to be the Meaning of it j and

are

Cahfily and hnparti ally 7r-viewed. 33

arc thus guilty of manifeft Contradlflion and Ah- furdity, in making the Scripture the Rule of Faith, and denying it to be fuch, and in receiving and re- ceding it as the Standard of Divine Truth, and in owning it as a fuprenie and fuhordinate one at the fame Time, and for the fame Purpofes, and in preferring a fallible Rule to an infallible one. But if Scripture be the Rule of Faith that God hath given, I fay 'tis abfolutely impoflible rhac there fhould be any Warrant in Scripture for ano- ther of equal or fuperior Authority with itfelf. And to do Mr. White Juftice, he knew in his own Conjcience he could produce no fuch Warranty and you fhall hear him inftantly honeftly c onf effing it ^ after a few Flourifhes with certain Texts of Scrip- ture, that he lets you know, at lad, determine nothing about the Point, for the Proof of which he produces them.

I. He firft mentions fome Texts of a general Nature, and tells us, in anfwer to his own Qae- llion : What Bire5iions are there in Scripture con- cerning Minifters fuhfcribing Articles of Faith^ and what Warrant and Authority have we there for fuch a Pramce? Why, the Scriptures require Mi- nifters to take heed to their Do^rine^ to /hew Un- €orruptnefs in it., and to hold the Myfiery of Faith in a good Confcience. Very well : Timothy, according to St. Paul's Exhortation^ is to take heed to himfelf and to his Doctrine i"^ Ergo, Church Governors muft take care of Timothy, and his Dodrine for him. Or, becaufe Timothy, who was a Preacher and Minifter of the Gofpel, muft take care of his own Dodrine : Ergo, no Man ftiall ever preacli the Gofpel, or be allowed to exercife his Miniftry, who will not fubmit the Care of himfelf and his

F Principle?;

^ \ Tim. iv, 16,

34 5r/je» Cafe of Subfcription

Principles to others, and fubfcribe to the Doflrinc they think proper for his Reception.

Ita7i* lepidum tihi vljum eft nos irridere ?

Excellent Beginning this of his Scripture Proofj which proves diredlly the contrary to what he pro- . duces it for ! If I may be allowed to make any Infe- rence from this apoftolical Exhortation to Timothy^ Take heed to thyfelf and unto thy JDo5frine^ it wiji be this : That as Timothy was to judge for himfelf concerning his own Dodrine, and to preach what he knew was the Dodrine of the Apoftle, who- foever Ihould refufe to confent to it; fo all who engage in the Miniftry, throughout all Ages of the Church, mull be in like Manner careful of their own Morals and Principles, and take heed to their own Dodlrine, that it be conformable to the apoftolick. The Reafon why St. Paul ad- vifes Timothy to take care of his Do^rine^ i. e. to preach none other fhiiigs than what he had received from himfelfy was^ becaufe there were certain vain J anglers and Bo5iorSy who had fwerved from the Faith, and taught their own NoftrumSy their fa- bulous and genealogical Divi?iity in the room of his, and thereby raifed curious ^eftions^ rather than miniftred to godly edifying. And the like Pradlice will ever make the fame Care neceflary. When- ever the polemical Janglers introduce curious and perverfe Dlfputes into Divinity, and ftrive about unprofitable IVords, and teach and would impofe any thing hefides^ or contrary to God's Word, then is the Seafon peculiarly for Minifters to take heed to themfelves and their Do(5lrine, /. e, to beware of being corrupted by, and to oppofe Men of this evil and contentious Difpofition, and in their preaching to adhere clofely to the infallible Dictates of the Word of God. This was that very Care

that

Calmly a7id Impartially reviewed, 5 5

that the Apoflle exhorts Timothy to take of his Doiflrine, ^viz, never to deviate from that which he had received from himfelf, whatever Endea- vours there might be to pervert him. Take heed to thyfelf^ and unto thy Bodrine : Continue in them^ n)iz, in thofe Things which the ApoftJe had juft before exhorted him to -put the Brethren in Remem- brance of^ and to command and teach. Continue in them ; for in doing this thou Jhalt both fave thyfelf and them that bear thee,"" Adherence to the apo- ftolical Dodrine was Timothy''^ indifpenfahle Duiy^ who had the Holy Spirit dwelh'ng in him ; and which I prefume is not lefs the Duty of thofe in our own Age, who don't pretend to theHoly Spirit, in any of his extraordinary Gifts ; or if they Ihould, yet are well known never to have pofTefied it.

Again, he tells us that the Scriptures require Minifters to Jhew Uncorruptnefs in their Do5fri7te, '^ St. Paul doth thus exhort Titus : Shewing in Boc- trine Uncorruptnefs^ Gravity^ Sincerity^ found Speech that cannot be condemned. ^ And what will explain this Advice is the Advice he orders him to give to the Bifliops, to hold fafi the faithful Word as they had been taught^ becaufe there were many unruly and vain Talkers^ and Beceivers^ and Gainfayers^ whofe Mouths were to be flopped^ and who were to be exhorted and convinced by found BoBrine., and holding faft the faithful Word as they had been t aught .^ and not by giving heed to Jewifh Fables and the Commandments of Men. Now un- lefs Titus was to fhew Uncorruptnefs in one Kind of Dodlrine, and the Bilhops in another, Titus and the Bifhops were to fhew Uncorruptnefs in the Apoflle's Dodlrine, and that only. Very right i Now for Mr. Whitens Inferences, fitus w^as to fhewUncorruptnefs in the Bodrine that the Apoftle

F 2 commanded

" I Tim. vi. 14. « Titus, ii. 7, 8.- p lb. i, 9, 14.

36 The Cafe of Subfcriptiott

commanded him to teach, /. e. to preach it with- out Altei-ation and Mixture : Ergo^ Minifters muil fubfcribe to what other Men teach them, though it may happen not to be quite fo uncor- rupt, but mixed and adulterated, and very different; from the apoftolical Doctrine. Again, TzV«j muft fhew in the Dodrine he preached found Speech that cannot he condenmed: Ergc^ Minifters muft fubfcribe to a Form of Dodlrine, the Speech or Language of which is not over founds and may deferve Condemnation. Again, Bifhops muft hold fajl the faithful Word^ as they have been taught it by the Apoftles^ or the apoftoHcal Writings : Ergo^ they may depart from the faithful Word, make Articles of Faith of their own, and infift upon other Minifters fubfcribing to them. Again, Bi- fhops muft not give heed, to the Commandments of Men: Ergo^ Minifters muft fubfcribe to the Commandments of Men, and teach nothing ^\(^ but thefe Commandments, when they have fub- fcribed them. Excellent Proof this of their Un- corruptnefs and Sincerity ! The Force of fuch Z)^- monftration who can refift ?

'Tis farther urged : We are all. Clergy and Laity, ordered to mark them which caufe Divifeons and Offences^ contrary to the Dextrine we have learnt^ and avoid them. ^ We are o->co7rf tv, f . e. to cbfervey to confider^ to fearch or inquire^ who caufe Jpivificns contrary to the true Docirine of Chriji :\ Which we are very learnedly and critically told is more than the Word Mark in our Tranflation carr ries with it. It may be fo, tho' few will be able to fee, bciides our Critick himfelf, how any one can mark another, that caufes Divifions contrary to the Do^rine he hath received and believed, fo as Po avoid himy without Obfervationa Confideration,

fearch ing ^ R^.xw'i. I '. I Ch. Eng./'/W. p. 36.

Calmly and hipartially revieived, ^7 ftarching or inquiring who he is. This is very extraordinary. But belt fo : Now for the Inference: Then a Fortiori the Governors of the Church are to take care^ that none he admitted to the Office of pub- lick Tecicbers^ who will teach and propagate fuch Do^rine ; i. e. the Laity, as well as the Clergy and Church Governors, are to mark thofe who caufe Divifions^ and to avoid them ; /. e, not to admit them to be Teachers : Therefore the Church Go- vernors are a Fortiori to mark and avoid them, and to take care that no fuch Perfons be admitted as pubhck Teachers. This is wonderful Reafon- ing. An ordinary Man would be apt to conclude, that an Advice equally given to the Laity as the Clergy, equally ftrongly concluded both. But I will not difpute fo critical a Point with him, if he Ayill allow me one Thing, which I mud infill on : Which is. That if Church Governors are obliged by this Comniand a Fortiori not to admit fuch Per- fons as publick MinillerS; the Laity are obliged, by Virtue of the fame Command, a Fortiori^ for their own Sake, to avoid them if they fiiould ; efpecially when 'tis confidered, that thjs is an Ad- vice properly to the Laity, how to behave towards thofe who may fet up for Teachers amongft them. They had learnt the true Chriftian Dodrine, and they, the Laity, are commanded o-jcotteiv, to obferve^ to confider, to fearch, to inquire who caufed Di^ 'vi/tons contrary to this Do^rine, This Dodrine therefore the Laity was to adhere to. This was the Criterion and facred Teji by which the Laity were to try what their Preachers faid to them ; and if they found them contradidling it, and making Parties in Oppofition to it, the Laity were to ^void them, to turn from them, and have nothing tQ do with them. As they were to guard them- felves againft the Corruptions of that Dodrine

3 8 "The Cafe of Subfcription

they had been taught, they were, a Fortiori^ to take care of, and to put a Mark upon all fuch Perfons, as publick Nufances and Scandals, whe- ther in the Office of the Miniftry, or out of it ; whether they be Church Governors, Bifhops, El- ders, or whatever be their Station or Charadler in the Church,

And even allowing that thefe Words may be applied to- the Cafe of admitting Candidates into the Miniftry, and fhould be a Direcflion to the Governors of the Church, exclufive of the Laity, which they are not, (ry.oTrov, to fearch and inquire what Spirit they are of^ and what Doctrine they hold : I fay, allowing this, yet when we are afked, 1 would wiliingly be told how Church Governors can perform this whole Matter^ better than by requiring^ before Admijfion^ a publick Declaration of their Faith and Religion^ by fubfcribing certain j^r ticks, drawn up by proper Authority for that Purpofe : ' I will as willingly anfwer. That if we are cxoTrfju to confider and mark thofe who caufe Divijions contrary to the Doctrine of Chrift and his Apofiles, and to avoid fuch only as do fo ; then Church Governors are «rxi27rsrj to confider, obferve, fearch and inquire into the Faith and Religion of the Candidates for the Minift:ry, only by a ferious and folemn Inquiry, whether they do or do not already receive and conjent to the wholefome Words of Chrift, and the Form of Doctrine we have received from the Apo- illes •, and that this is a much better Way of their performing this whole Matter, than if they were €v.oTruv, to confider, ^r. whether they do or do not confent, or will or refufe to give a publick Declara- tion of their Affent to certain other Articles, con- ceived in other Words than thofe of Chrift and his Apoftles, and which Articles are of no Validity, A u-

thorityi

s Ch. Eng. Vind, p. 37,

Calmly and Impartially reviewed. 30 .thority, or Worth, any otherwife than as they agree with thefe Words, and can be made appear to contain the Senfe of them ; Juft in the fame Manner, as if this Champion was empowered cxoTTfii; to confider, ^c, who caufed, or were likely to caufe Divifions contrary to the 39 Ar- ticles, in order that he might avoid them ; he would think the bell Manner of performing this Matter was, requiring before their AdmiiTion, a publick Declaration of their Faith and Religion, by fubfcribing thefe 7,9 Articles, and not Bifhop Burnet's Explication of them, not Pope Pius his Creed, or the Koran of Mahomet^ in the room of them; according to the Intention of the Church herfelf, which he tells us is to difcover, by fub- fcribing or refu/mg to fubfcribe ihem^ whether they already believe them or not."- So that all Candidates for theMiniftry fhould have no other Teft of their Faith than what the Governors of theChurcft themfelves are fubjeA to, and by which the Chri- flian Laity are to try their Do^rine, ay, and re- jeaittoo, if they find it different from, and not confenting therewith.

Froper Authority I hope I fhall never oppofe^ but in Matters of Religion I own no human Autho- rity to be proper, and will bend, no not to the greateft.— ^Tis my Honour as a Chriftian, that in thefe I fubmit only to the moft high God : In this noble and virtuous Pride I eflablifii myfelf. Him only 1 call and reverence as the Father of my Faith. I have but one Lord, even Chrift. I ac- knowledge no divinely authorifed ^«^ infpired Teachers^ but the Apoftles -, nor will yield my Confcience or Judgment to be determined by the Didbates of any mortal Men upon the Face of God's Earth, The Scriptures I receive as a Di- vine

^ Ch, Eng, Find. p. 20,

4o ^loe Cafe of Siihfcriptiori

vine Revelation : By thefe I humbly endeavour to form my own Sentiments of Chriflianity, and by thefe, and no other will I ever (r>to7r£*y examine thofewho apply to me, to receive my Afliftance, in recommending them to God for the Work of the Miniftry, All who receive thefe as the Rule of their Faith, and live by them as the Rule of their Morals, I own fo far as the found Members of Chrifl's Body, I embrace them as my Brethren, I will gladly communicate with them, and will never debar them from my Communion. I will, if other Qualifications are not wanting, willingly receive them into the Miniftry, I hope to die in full Friendfhip with them, and to be happy with them as my Companions in a better State: And this I declare, without Exception of any Deno- mination or Party of Chriftians whatfoever, or whatever be the external Difadvantages they are under, or opprobrious Names that are given therrt^

Hard Names and Party Reproaches terrify mc not at all. Without this Latitude of Principle I can fee no pofTible End to the Divifions of th« Church ; and if I fhould mark or avoid any Chri- ftians who thus adhere to the only Rule of Chri- ftianity, I tranfgrefs this apojiolical Canon^ and anl myfelf chargeable with a fchifmatical and unchri- ftian Spirit.

And I can never refledt on it without theutmoft Concern and Grief, that that Dodlrine of Chrift that is pure^ peaceable ^ gentle ^ and eafy to be in- treated, full of good Fruits^ without Partiality^ and without Uypocrify^ that breathes univerfal Benevo- lencCy that teaches us to love and pray for out Enemies^ that makes Charity the eftential Mark of his Difciples, that forbids us to receive one another to doubtful DifputationSy that commands theflrong to bear with the weak^ and, // it be pojfible^ to

live

Calmly and Lnpartially revieivej, 4 1

live peaceably with all Men ; (hould yet be made a continual Bone of Contention amongfi Chriflians themfelves, and become the Occafion, througfi the Weaknefs of fome good Men, and the Wick- ednefs of other defigning ones, of that furious Zeal, thofe endlefs Quarrels, and rhortal Enmi- ties, that fober Heathens themfelves would have been afliamed of. I will therefore, by the Help of God, never cherifh, upon any Account, this bad Difpofition in my felf, nor. encourage it in others: And if in my extenjive Charity to all Men, and all Chriflians, I fhould happen to err, 'tis an Error I doubt not but he will pardon, who is the God of Love^ and dwells in hove.

2. But \ti us now fee if there Jdc not fome plain apofiolical Dire^ions to the Governors of the Church in particular, dire5lly relating to the Ad- miffion of Perfons to the Miniftry, and what may be concluded from them.

Timothy, 'tis {2l\A^ when appointed ly St, Paul to reftde as Bifhop at Ephefus, , was empowered to fee that none taught any other Docfriney but what they had received from our Lord and his Apoftles, Excellent good Beginning this! He goes on< St, Paul alfo direSs him to commit the Do^rine of the Gofpel to ^faithful Men <, who fhallbe t/.avoi able^ fit^ proper^ and duly qualified to teach others. To fuch only he was to commit^ Tr^^pa^S-o-j, the Docirine he had received : Such only he was to ordain to the Office of publick Teachers, He was not to commit the Doifrine at random to any who fhould offer ^ without knowing whether they were Jews <?r Chriftians, or Gnofticks, or whether they would preach the Gofpel of Chrift^ or fome other Doi^rine, No : He was to commit it only to faithful Men^ to fuch who were duly qualified^ to fit and proper PerfonsJ^

G iVell",

« Ch. Eng. Vindic. p. 37, 3 3-

42 7hc Cafe of Subfcripflon

Well\ and ho'v:: was Timothy to know who were^ and who were not thus fit to teach others ? How was he to diftinguijh whether a}ty one had the ^ali^ fications reqtiiredy or not ? Why^ no Doubt he was to make ufe of fuch Alethods as the Nature of the ^hing necejfarily required^ to exa?nine into their Faith and religious Opnions^ and tberehy inform himjelf of their Abilities and ^edifications for the Difcharge of the important Ofice with which they were to be en- trufted. Without this^ St. Paul would have given him a Rule which could not be obferved s a vain Di- region to no Purpofe.

Thus far the Chan^ion ; to which I mufl add his Inference, which is extremely curious and per- tinent : Since St. Paul would not have thought thofe Perfons to be able^ fit or proper^ or duly qualified to teach other s.^ who did not hold the Do^rines which he and the reft of the Apoftles had taught ; this wds e plain apojlclical Dire^ion to admit none to the Office of publick 'Teachers^ but fuch as held the fame Faith. The fame Faith with whom? It fhould have been with St. PauU and the reft of the Apo- ftles : But the Champion by a Slight of Hand filches away the Jpoftles, that were in his Premifes^ and in his Conclufion fubftitutes the Word Church in the Room of it. This^ fays he, was a plain apojlolical Dire^ion to admit none to be publick Teachers, but fuch as held the fame Faith with the Church. Which Church, I would willingly know, doth the Gentleman mean ? The Church of Sweden^ Mofcow, Geneva, Scotland, E^tgland or Rome? All thefe Churches will claim the fame Right of trying Minifters by their own Scheme of Faith ', and fo becaufe St, Paul would not have thought thofe Perfons to be duly qualified to teach others, who did not hold the Dodrines which he and the other Apoftles iiad taught, the Champion

would

Cahnly and Impartially reviewed, 43

would have us conclude, that this was a plain apoftoiical Diredlion to admit none to the Office of publick Teachers, but Luther m^s^ Greeks^ Cal- vinijisj Kirk-men^ Epifcopalians^ or Papijls; or thofe who hold the monftrous Jumble of all thefe contradidory Opinions..

Navfget Anticyram,

But did he really think, that fo palpable a Fallacy would pafs upon any of his Readers ? Or that any Man, of the meaneil Underflanding, will ever conclude, that becaufe Tmothy was empowered to fee, that none taught any other DoSrine hut what they had received from our Lord and his JpoftleSy and to commit, this very Do6lrine, and no other, to faithful Men^ who were capable of teaching it; that therefore this is a Direction from St. Faul to the Clergy, to admit none to be publick Teachers, but fuch as hold the fame Faith with the Church, without fpecifying which of the many Churches he means ; or unlefs it -can be proved that the Faith of this, or the other Church, is the very Faith of the Apoftles ? Would not any Author of Reputation juftly think himfelf mifreprefented, abufed, and infulted, if he were ufed in the fame Manner as fuch Writers ufe St. Paul F Or can any one think that this Church Champion is in ear- ned, when he affirms, that an apollolical Injunc- tion to teach no other Dodlrine but our Lord's and his Apoftles, is really an apoflolick Injun5fion to hold the fame Faith with what is called the Church now^ whether underftood of any particular, or the univerfal Church ? Or can any one, who hath any Veneration for the apoftolick Charadier, bear to fee their facred Authority prefTed into the Sup- port of a Principle, that fubverts both their Au- thority and Do6lrine> and makes them give their

. G 2 Sanation

44 ^'^^ Cafe of SuhfcripU'M

San(5lion to the contradictory Impo fit ions and Sub- fcriptions pradlifcd by the levcral Churches in the Chrillian World ? Pardon me, my Friend, that I have forgot mylelf, and grown warm on this Oc- cafion. 'Tis a mod ferious and melancholy one. *Tis in Vindication of the Honefty, Integrity, common Senfe, Prudence, and Divine Authority of thefe Apollles, which fuch Men as I am ar- guing againft are doing all they can, I will not fay willingly^ but by the Doflrine they teach, to bring into Sufpicion and Difgrace. •

If Paul dire(5ted timothy to ccmmit the Doflrine of the Gofpel, which St. Paid himfelf had com- mitted to him, to faithful Men^ who fhould be {ihle^ fit, proper, and duly qualified to teach others ; where i*^ the Difficulty of anfwering the Queftion ? How was Timothy to know who were^ and who were not fit to teach others ? How was he to dif^inguifo whether they had the ^lalifications re- quired^ cr not ? Why no doubt he was to make life of fuch Methods as the Nature cf the Thing neceffarily required. As to their Faith, to examine them whether they received the Do6lrine which Chrift taught, and the Apoflle had received from him, and delivered to Timothy ? Could he have afked them plainer Queftions than thefe? Do you believe there is one God^ and one Alediator between God and Man^ the Man Chrift Jefus? "^ That he gave himfelf a Ranfom for all?^ That ^ tis a faithful Savings and worthy of all Acceptation^ that Chrift came into the World to fave Sinners ? ^ That he is the Saviour of all Men, but efpecially of them that believe ? That he hath aholifhed Deaths and brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gofpel? * If Timothy examined them by fuch plain Queftions as thefe, and the like, this would have been ex-

amining

X I Ti:::. ii. v ^ ^hid. ver. 6. - Ibid. i. 15. » 2 Tim. I lo.

Calmly afid Liipaj't tally re^vie^wed, 45

amining them by fuch Methods as the Nature of the Thing required^ and as tended to give him all the Satisfadion that he could reafonably have de- manded. This would have been a fufficient Teil, whether they wcrtJe'Lvs, or Chriftians^ or Gnofticks^ and whether they would preach the Gofpel of ChriftjOr fome other Doclrine. ButnoWjfuppofing ^imoth)\ as a Church Governor, fhould have took it into his Head, or in the Champion^ Language, fhould have thought it proper to have taken the Creed of Hymenaus 2iX\6. Alexander^ and made that tlie Rule of his examining them ; as containing, in his Judgment, a clearer and better Scheme of the Refurre^ion than any of theWords o^ St. Paul -^ I would gladly know v/hether this Command, to commit the Doclrine of the Gofpel to faithful Men^ was an apoflrolical Direftion to Timothy to make ufe of this Method ? Or whether it was fuch a Method as the Nature of this Thing required? Or would have juftined Timothy in admitting none to the Ofiice of publick Teachers, but thofe who fhould declare their A {Tent to, and willingly fub- fcribe that Creed ? But farther.

The fame Cha-mpion remarks, Timothy was to crdain fome of thofe^ whom he fhould find duly qua- lified to be Bifhops and Deacons.^ Now one Quali- fication which St. Paul direEls him to have regard

■ o

to is^ that he fhould he^ as our Tranflators render it^ apt to teach, <?Ja>tTi>cov, fkilful to teach, <?r, as one of the Commentators explains it^ well inftrucled in the true Dodrine. Allowed : And what then ? Why common Senfe muft infer ^ that Timothy had Authority given him at the fame Time to examine whether he had this Salification or not, i. e. whe- ther he was well inftrufted in the true Doftrine of iht Gofpel, or not. And did any one of com- ^ •. men

^ Ch. Erg. Vind. p, 99.

46 I'he Cafe of Subfcription

mon Senfe ever deny this ? Well ; what follows?

Why, Since Si. Paul would not have ejieemed any one to have been ^iSccxTinog, well inftru^led in theDoc- trine of the Gofpel^ who held Do^rines contrary t9 that of the Apofiksy this is another apojiolical Di- reofion to ordain none to the Office of a Bifhop^ hut fuch who held the apofiolick Bo5frine. Extremely fight : But will common Senfe farther add in the Champion's Words : The apofiolick Do^rine^ i. e. the Do^rine of the Church ? Qr, as he elfewhere explains it, That Church into which they come to b0 admitted as puhlick Teachers ? "" Will this Gentle- man ferioufly affirm in the Face of the World, that the Faith of every particular Church, into which the Candidates for the Miniflry come to be admitted as publick Teachers, is the apoftolick Dodrine ? Was the Socinian Dodrine in the Chur- xhes of Poland^ or is the abfurd and impious Doc- trine of the Church of Rome^ the apoftolical Doc- trine ? Or becaufe a Man muft be ^i^a^Knao:^ well infiruSed in the Do^rine of the Gofpel, is this ail apoftolical Direction to ordain none in Poland or Italy^ and other Popifh Countries, to the Office of Bifhops, but Socinians and Papifis? Is this the Champion's Concern for the Purity of the Faith ? This the Unity of Opinions he would introduce into the Church ? Once more,

W^e are told, that one Salification required in ihe Beacons is^ that they be fuch as hold the Myf- tery of the Faith \ ^ and that ^l. Paul direds Ti- inotby to examine and try them in fo many IVords, Let thefe alfo firft SovAfj-oL^id^'^axv^ be proved, tried, or.examined, and approved; then, urcc^ notbefore^ itx. them uie the Office of a Deacon, if they be found blamelefs, i. e, found in their Faith and Mo- rals j and 'tis plain Timotliy was empowered here

to "= Cb. Eng. Fmdic. p. 54. f Ibid. p. 40.

Calmly and Impartially reviewed. 4^

fo examine and inquire into their Faith, I, on the contrary, think 'tis plain, from the whole Context j that the Proof or Examination here fpoken of relates to their Morals^ and not to their Faith *, or whether they were ocviyy-Mroi^ blamekfs^ i. e. gra^e^ not double-tongued^ not gi'oen to ranch JVine^ and not greedy of filthy Lucre •, becaufe by an Ex- amination of this Kind only it could be difcovered, whether they held the Myjiery of the Faith^ or their Chriftian Principles, with a good Confcienee, But not to difpute this : Let the Examination re- fer to their Faith as well as Pradice, what will folk)W ? Why the Champion tells us : Since St, Paul "Would not have looked on fitch to hold the Myftery of the Faith, who held a Faith different from that which he and his Fellow-labourers had taught^ here is another apoftolical Diredion to admit none to the Office of a Deacon, but fuch who held the Faith cf the Apoftles, i. e. again ^ the Faith of the Church \ i, e. again. Popery in Spain and Italy, Lutheran- ifm in Sweden and Denmark, Calvinifm at Geneva and Scotland, and Ahanifm and Socinianifm, if ever any Church fhouid happen to believe them. I fancy I can make a much better Inference from this Gentleman's Premifcs. If St. Paul would not have looked upon fuch to hold the Myftery of the Faith, who held a Faith different from that which he and his Fellow-labourers had taught, then here is an apoftolical Diredion to admit none to the Office of a Deacon, who hold the Faith of any particular Church, if that Faith be contrary to the Dodrine of the Apoftles -, and an apoftolical Di* rc(5lion in particular to the Governors of the Church, to examine the Candidates for the Mini- ftry by nothing but the Faith of the Apoftles «, and as plain a Prohibition as Words can contain, to examine and prove them by no other Kind of

Telil

48 ^he Cafe of Subfcrtptioii

Ted whatfoever. The Faith which the Apoftir fpeaks of, ^ is the Faith in Chrift Jefiis. For good Deacons^ that are grave^ and fol^er^ and chafte^ and govern their FamiUes well, acquire to them-: felves an honourable Rank . in the Churchy and much Liberty or Boldnefs in the Faith that is in Jefus Chrift^ i. e. great Influence to do Good, by Means of their unblameabie Profeffion in the Chriftian Dodlrine. But would any befides fuch acute Di-*'- vines as Mr. White^ and his Fellow-labourer the Champion^ ever argue. That becaufe Deacons mull hold the Myftery of the Faith in Chri/l^ they mutt therefore hold the Mylleiies of the Faith in the Church of Rome? Or that becaufe the Governors of the Church may examine Deacons whether they hold this Faith in Chrift, they may examine them whether they hold fome other Faith, which may be contrary to this Faith in Chrift, merely becaufe this or the other Church may happen to profefs it, and the Governors of fuch Churches may infift on their believing it ? In all thefe Paf- fages that have been mentioned, in all thefe apo- flolical Diredions, Steadinefs to the Faith of Chrift i. or the apoflolick Doctrine^ is the one, the only Thing enjoined •, and the Perfons exhorted are to take care of their own Principles, and a6l with a good Confcience in what they embrace, and teach others. But to put the Church, and the Governors of the Church, in the Room of Chrift and the Apoftles, and their Creeds and Articles in the Room of Chrift's and his Apoftles Dodrine, is to corrupt, interpolate^ mangle^ and pervert thefe apoftolical Injundions, and to introduce a Rule of judging of minifterial Salifications^ that may be, and in the Nature of the Thing frequently muft be, the Deftrudlion of Chrift's Do6trine, and the Means

of

, ^2 Ti?n» i. 13.

Calmly and Impartially reviewed. 49 of introducing every Kind of Error and Herefy into the Chriftian Church.

As to the Examination of thofe who are to be admitted into the Miniftry, both as to their Faith and Morals, I have no more Objedion to it, than Mr. White and the Champion. The only QueRion between them and me is, How^ by what Rule, fuch Examination is to be made? As to their Mo- rals^ the Rule is plain. A Bijhop muft be hlameleJSy the Hujband of one Wife, vigilant, fober, &c. And the Deacons muft be grave, &c. By thefe Charac- ters the Inquiry muft be made into their Morals, and by their Adions only can we judge whether or no they come up to thefe Rules. And as to their Faith, the Rule is as certain and evident, if Men will fee it, viz. their confenting to the wholefome IFords of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the Do^rine according to Godlinefs, or holding faft the Form of found Words in Faith and Love, delivered by th^ Apojlle. And 'Timothy himfelf had no Power and Authority from Chrift or the Apoftle to vary from this Form of Trial ; and if he had introduced other Terms, that minijlred ^eftions and Strifes ofWords^ and had little or no Thtdency to Godlinefs, he iAa:d exceeded his Commiflion, and aded contrary to it,- and made a very improper and unwarrantable Trial of their Faith: Much lefs have fucceeding Church Governors, who have not his extraordinary Gifts, any Authority to vary from this apoftolical Rule. Their Adherence to it Ihould be fcrupulous, rigid, and exadi, as Men fenfible how eafily they may be miftaken, when in Things o^ pure Revela:ion they go beyond the only Standard and Teft of them ; and left they fhould be found, wh^en en- forcing their own Opinions on others, not only in- jurious to thofe v/hom they compel to fubfcnbe them, but Oppofcrs of that Do6frine of Chrift,

H ^^

CO ^he Cafe of Siibfcrtption

on the Knowledge and Profeflion of which, the Honour of the Church, and the Credit of Chri- llianity depend.

There is one Paflfage more urged on this Head, which mud not be omitted ; and that is the apo- itohcal Diredlion : A Man that is an Heretick^ after the Jirft and fecond Admonition reject: ^ An Admo- nition to ^itus^ whom the Apollle left in Crete^ to fet in Order the Things that were wanting. The Word yA^i(Tii;^ Herefy^ is a Word very harmlefs in its original Meaning, and fignifies no more than Choice \ and from hence is applied to denote any SeEt or Party^ that any one may voluntarily fet up^ or choofe to number himfelf among. Thus the fe* veral Kinds of Philofophers amongft the Gentiles^ as diftinguifhed from each other by their refpedive Principles, and the Sadducees, Pharifees^ and Effenes amongft the Jews^ for the like Reafons, were fo many Here/tes^ Se^s, or Parties, diftin6l from each other : And the Name of Herefy, as thus applied, is no Term of Difgrace or Dilhonour, nor ufed as fuch by thofe who fpeak of the Philofo- phers, nor by Jofephus, ^ who calls thefe three Par- ties in his own Nation, by this Name. They *who were of one or other of thefe Parties, or Sedls, were atp£T»xoi, Hereticks, becaufe they chofe their Principles^ and were voluntarily of their Number.

Two Things therefore evidently enter into the Notion of an Heretick : That he be a Se^arian, or of a diftind Party from others ; and that he hold fome peculiar Opinions, that diftinguilh him

from

^ ^itns, iii. lo. ^ T^«< cLtfiffea ruy I««Act/<yj' nffttv*

\^ntiq. 1. 13. c. 5. § 9. Thefe three Sedts he calls ^t\o(ro(ptete Tf«^, three Kinds of Philofophy. Ibid. 1. 18. C. i. ^ 2. becaufe

they held difffftent Opinions concerning human Affairs, Lib, 13. ut /up.

Calmly and Impartially reviewed. 5 j

from other Bodies and Societies of Men, and arc diredlly contrary to what they profefs. An Here- tick therefore, in St. Pauh Senfe, is one who vo- luntarily feparates from the Church, and enUfts himfelf in, or forms a Party different^ or diftind from, and contrary to the Body of Chriftians, or Church of Chrift, and who holds Opinions different from, and repugnant to the Chriftian Faith. And as fuch a Separation from the Chriftian Church muft be the Effe(5b of fome very corrupt Paflions and Affections, and to promote fome very bad Purpofes and Views : Hence 'tis ejfential to the No- tion of an Heretick in Scripture, in the criminal Senfe of it, that he be a corrupt profligate Wicked Man, openly known to be fuch ; feparating from the Church, and fpreading his own wicked Prin- ciples, the better to promote and carry on his felfifh, bafe, and evil Intentions.

And with this Defcription, St. Paulas Account of an Heretick exactly agrees : A Man that is an Heretick, after the firft and fecond Admonition re- jed. He muft be fuch a one, whofe Principles and Adions expofe him to, and render him de- ferving Admonition ; knowing that Juch a one is fubverted^ E^sr^oL-rfloci^ is turned out of^ is departed from the Chriftian Church and Do5lrine : And Jin- neth, is an open Criminal, a notorious Sinner, which is the common, the almoft conftant Mean- ing of the original Word ajUra^ravet in the New Tefiament. And therefore the Apoftle adds, king felf'condemned, i, e, condemned by his own Con- fciencey as every bad Man is, who ever gives him- felf Leave to refledl ; confcious to himfelf that he a6ts contrary to his Obligations and Duty. But as this is a Mark too fecret, generally, for others to come at any certain Knowledge of, therefore he is felf'cotidmnedy i> e. condemned by his own Ac-

H 2 tions

52 I'he Cafe of Stibfcription

tions^ which witnefs againft him, and declare him worthy of Condemnation ; as every other Crimi- nal is Jelf-condemned, whofe evil Works go before him to Judgment^ whether he cenfures himfelf for his Crimes or not. This feems to be the Explica- tion given by Firmilianus^ in a Letter to St. Cy- frian^ of being felf- condemned-^ who fays : ^Tis certain that other H-ereticks afterwards brought in their evil Sel:h^ and perverfe Inventions^ according to every one^s own particular Error •, all whom 'tis vianifefi^ are felf-condemned and have pronounced^ before the Day of Judgment^ fuch a Sentence againfi them/elves^ as admits of no E^cufe}'

Agreeable to thiF,Herefy is defcribed by St.Paul as one of the open manifeft Works of the Flefh, i, e, fuch an evil Work, as evidently and certainly proceeds from fenfual Affe5iioyis and Difpofitions, as certainly and plainly as any other evil Adions difcover the corrupt Sources from whence they flow. "I^he Works of the Flefh are manifefi ; which are Adultery^ Fornication^ Uncleannefs^ Lafciviouf nefsy Idolatry^ Witchcrafts^ Hatred^ Variance^ Emu- lations^ Wrath^ Strifes^ Seditions^ Herefies, Envy- ings, Murthers^ Drunkennefs, Re veilings^ and the like} So that a Scripture Heretick is as manifefily bad a Man, and may be as certainly and eafily known, as an Whoremonger, Drunkard, Mur- therer, or any other notorious Offender.

This Account is ftrongly confirmed by St.Peter. ^here Jhall be falfe Teachers amongft yoUy who Jh all

privily

^ Caeteros qiioque Haereticos conflat pravas fuas Sedlas & Inventiones perverfas, prout quifque Errore du6lus eft, poftea. induxiffe, qucs omnes manifeftum eft a femetipfis damnatos effe, & ante Diem Judicii inexcufabilem Sententiam adverfus femedpfos dixiile. Apud Cyprian. Epijl. 75. l^ Tertullianus de Pr£ej'cript. Harreticor. c. 6. Ideo & fibi damnatum dixit H^- xeticiim, quia & in quo damnatur, fibi elegit.

* Gal. V. 20, 21.

Calmly C7id Impartially reviewed, r-*

fr roily bring in dejiru5iive Errors^ denying the Lord, that bought them ; ^ i, e, teaching fuch Errors as arc a real and manifeft Renunciation of their Relar tion and Subjedtion to Chrift, or a Denial that he gave himfelf for pur Sins^ to deliver us from this prefent evil World ; as lead to all Immorality of Pradlice ; hereby denying him in Works ^ tho* they •profefs to know him, being abominable and difobe- dient, and to every good Work reprobate, ' And this Senfe the parallel Place leads us to : I thought it necejfary to write to you, to exhort you to contend earneftly for the Faith once delivered to the Saint sz For certain Men have crept in amongfl you, who turi^ the Grace of our God into Wantonnefs, and de- ny the only Lord God, and our Lord Jefus ChriJlJ^ So that though Men may profefs to believe in God, and in Jefus Chrift, yet they virtually deny both, when they bring in fuch corrupt Dodrines, and wicked Errors, as lead Men to take Encourage- ment from the Grace of God to indulge the greatell Impurities. And in one or other of thefe Senfes, either for a total Denial of Chrift, and rejecting all Relation to him, or the denying him in faB by corrupt vicious Do6lrines and Pradtices, xkit Word denying is conftantly ufed in Scripture, in the Phrafe of denying Chrift, And that St. Feter means the latter of thefe Senfes, feems plain from what he farther fays concerning thefe Men, who introduced defiruElive Hereftes, and hereby denied the Lord that bought them. They were fuch, by whom the Way of^ruth, or the Chriftian ProfefTion was blafphemed \ " fuch as through Covetoufnefs made Merchandife of others by feigned Words ; fuch as walked after the Flefh in the Luft of Uncleannefs^ J)efpifers of Government, prefumptuous, Selfpleafers^

Blafphemers

^ Z Pa, u,4, ' Titus, i. i6. ^ Jude, ver. 3, 4.

^ 2 Pet. ii. 2.

54 ^'^^ Caje of Subfcription

Blafphemers of Dignities^ fporting themfelves with Uye^ir own Deceivings^ ^ £VTpu(pwi'Tff sv raij aTraraf? tfsuTwv^ living luxurioujly by Means of their Deceit Sj whilfi they feafted with others \ •* with many other Charaders of the hke Nature, which the Apoftle gives in that Chapter. So that thefe Introducers of Herefy, or Hereticks, which the Apoftle fpeaks of, were a Set of crafty, cunning, profligate De- ceivers, who taught Dodlrines that led to all Man- lier of Licentioufnefs and Vice, and thus fubverted the fundamental Doclrines of the Gofpel, and as plainly denied the hard that bought them^ and re^ deemed them from all Iniquity^ by their Covetouf* nefs, Pride, Luxury, Impurities, and other Crimes^ as though they had blafphemed him with their Mouths, and wholly renounced all Manner of Re- lation to him And therefore, Herefy^ in the Scripture m/ Senfe of it, implies, holding a Doc- trine contrary to Godlinejs^ a Do6trine that deftroys one great End of Chrift's Sufferings and Deaths which is to fave Men from their Sins, and thus is a Denial that they are bought and purchafed by the Blood of Chrift from the Vanity of a ftnful Con- verfation •, which is the true Meaning of denying the Lord that bought them \ a Doctrine that leads to Immorality and all Manner of evil Practices, and is calculated by thofe that hold and fpread it, to fupport and maintain themfelves in all their Luxuries, fenfual Pleafures, and vile Debaucheries.

Now

^ 2 ?et. ii. 10. P A^flfMToi' Y[yA}j.i^(i. To 'TTfctyi^a,

7QV fJAff ip' cLK^^yt<^KV KATctK-eii^ivaVt TO<r«To/f etyctSeif iv- r^vipcty i^vyyetvovTct, )d) vtto rm (Tuvovtuv ivJlatuovi^O' fxivov, cfci io^Tctl^ovTet. nif, O Saturn ! <z.i;^ look on as an intolevahle Things that thus tying at Eaje in his Purples^ the Belcher Jhould thus luxurioujly riot on fo many Dainties^ and he f renounced happy by his Acquaintance , by rcafon of his perpetual Feajiing. Lucian Epifl, Saturn, v. '3. p. 403, 404. EdJt^ Rcitzii.

Calmly and Lnpartially reviewed, 5 5

Ncyw 'tis allowed, that thofe who thiis feparatc from the true Church of Chrift, and fet up, or en- gage in another Fa^fion or Party, in Oppofition t6 it, that hold Opinions really fubverftve of the ^Faith and Morals of the Gofpel, and who them^ felves do the plain notorious fVorks of the Flefh, are to be accounted Hereticks^ and to be reje5ied by Minifters and People. And in the Application of this Rule there can be no Miftake, by thofe who will be contented with the Scripture Notion of an Here tick ♦, becaufe fuch a one is firft condermied by himfelf^ poflibly by his Confcience, but certainly by his Adlions, or perhaps by both •, and fo points himfelf out, by the moft legible Chara^ers, to be condemned, rejected, and caft out of all Chriflian Communion. Here therefore the Power of the Church and the Governors of it is limited. But if inftead of proceeding againil Scripture Hereticksy they create a new Sort of Herefy^ unknown to Scripture, and condemn and excommunicate as Hereticks^ good and pious Men, who neither re- nounce God nor Chrift in Principle, or by Works , who believe in both, who receive the whole Go- fpel Revelation, and labour and fludy, and pray to underftand it, who introduce no corrupt im- moral Do6trines, who live foherly^ righteoujly^ and godly in the prefent Worlds and give ail the Evi- dence of their loving Chrift in Sincerity^ and hold- ing the Power as well as the Form of Godlinefs^ that the bell Chriftians can do : I fay, if they treat and rejedt as Hereticks fuch Perfons as thefe, merely for different Sentifnents in Points of high Specu- lation, or explaining doubtful Scripture Expref- fions in a different Manner from them felves, or becaufe they ferve God after the Manner that others callHerefy^ and will not fubfcribe to the Creeds they have chrifined vnch the Name of Orthodoxy^ nor

profefs

56 T^d* Cafe of Subfcripttoh

profefs their folemn Affent and Confent to them ; *tis evident they can have no apoflolick Authority for doing this',; but that they ufurp an Authority that doth not belong to them, tyrannize over another Perfon's Servants, condemn thofe whom the Lord will receive^ caufe Divifions and Scandals them- felves, contrary to theDodlrine they have received, and, however they are dignified and diftinguijhed^zxt to be marked and turned away from, by all that regard and wifh well to the Faith and Honour, and iPeace of the Church of ChrifV. I am not con- fcious to myfelf of having mifreprefented the Scripture Account of Hereticks, If any Perfon will, /;; the Spirit of Meeknefs, teach me better, I will gladly receive his Information : For I write not for Vidtory, but Truth. One Thing I am fure of, that if the Scripture Account of Herejy had been but impartially confidered, moll of the Difturbances, Divifions, Perfecutions, and Cruel- ties, with which the Church in all Ages hath been harrafled and torn to Pieces, had been happily pre- vented, and mutual Harmony, Benevolence, and Peace had been as extenfive BlelTings as the Name and Faith of Chrift.

From what hath been faid I think it plainly ap- pears, that the Apofties have left no fuch Direc- tions about proving and trying thofe who are to be admitted to the Office of the Miniflry, as are fuf- ficienc to authorife the Governors of the Church, in requiring Subfcription to their own Articles of Religion, from thofe who offer themfelves as Can^ didates for that Office, and making thofe Articles the Teft of their Orthodoxy, in the room oi the Scripture or the Word of God ; but that all the PafTages of Scripture cited, evidently and irrefra- gably prove, that the Form of found JVords, deli- vered by Chrift and his Apgftles, is, and ought

to

Calmly and Impartially reviewed. c^

io be the only Standard of trying others, and by which alone all Principles and Perfons are to be examined, and finally judged of.

And here Mr. White himfelf is with me, and exprefsly owns, that Scripture hath no Warrant for fuch Subfcriptions. For after having aflerted, that the Apoftle 'plainly intimates^ and even injoins fome Trial and Probation of thofe who are to be advanced to the Miniftryy as well in Reference to their holding the Myftery of the Faith^ as their keeping a good Confcience (and I was impatiently expeding the Proof of Subfcription) to my great Difappoint- ment he adds : But the Form and Method of Pro^ hation not being determined^ that is evidently left to the Determination of human Prudence^ and the Dij^ cretion of Church Governors \ and then the Subfcrip* Hon JVay^ I gUefs^ may be as prudently taken as any ether, ^

Ad has Res quam Jit perfpicax !

Infl-ead of the Warrant of Scripture he encouraged us to hope for, we are at laft to take his Guefs in the Jloom of it 5 and if that ihould not be thought fufficientj are turned over to human Pru- dence^ and the D if cretion of his Church Governors: And his admirable Argument contains this ftridt Demonftration j We have in the Scriptures fome Warrant and Authority for Minifters fubfcribing human Articles of Faith, as the Teft of their Or- thodoxy in the Faith of Chrift, becaufe the Scrip- ture determines nothing about this, or any other Form of Trial whatfoever : Or, Scripture doth en-» join the particular Method of proving the Faith of Minifters by Subfcriptions, becaufe it fays not one fingle Word about it. I told you. Sir, you ihould fee Mr. White honeftly confefiing, that he

I hath

^ A^ptndifti p. 69,

jS ^he Cafe of Siibfcription

hath no Scripture IVarrant for his Doflrine of Subfcription.

In like Manner the Champion. The /Ipojiks havt not faid in fa many V/ords^ that the Governors of 'the Church jhall require Subfcription to a Set of ex- planatory Articles.^ And though he pretends, that they have from the Apoftles, notivithftanding^ ftif- ficient Authority for fuch a Pra^ice^ yet as the only Argument lie attempts to produce for this Autho- rity, is, that becaufe the Apoilies command one •Thing, they -have given us Authori-ty to do ano- ther ^ or, becaufe they have given us one Rule, and command<rd us to adhere to it, therefore Church Governors-may introduce another; I muil be excufed, if 1 pafs my Judgment on this Part cf th^ ControA'<;rfy, and affirm : That Chrift and !)is Apoilies have given, neither in exprefs Terms, nor by any fair Implication, Deducflion, or Con- iequcnce, any Power, ox Shadow of Power ^ to the Cliurch, or Governors of it, to try the Faith of any Perlons whatfoever by Articles of their own making, or by any other Kind of Tefts and Stan- dards of Orthodoxy, but the Holy Scriptures ; which to all Chriltians, aad in all Controverfies of Faith and DoLLriiie, is- and Ihouki be the Ible au- thoritat'ive authemick Judge^ by which alone all i^ieftions of this Nature fliould be- determined and jLiecided. And what is the mod certain Inference horn hence, is: That as to v/hat this Rule hath left undecided^ every Chridian Ihould be left to his vwn Senfe^ and the peaceable PoirefTion of his pri- ^jate Sentiments ; and that none have any Right herein to didlatc to his Confcience, or make any 4iuthorit alive Deci/kn for him. And the Dilfenters will henceforward think, that their Caufe is very iecurca and not be eafily drawn into the Belief of

the

Calmly and Impartially • reviewed. 5r>.

the Expediency of a Pra6tice, that by the Dsfenders^, of it is confefTed to have no Manner of direct Warrant from Chrift and his Apoftles, and that, after torturing and racking their Words, they can-- not draw, by any juft and rational Inierence, from them.

I own with the Author of The Church of Eng- land Vindicated^ that this is an important Affair^ * and indeed fo important, that the very Being and Purity of the Chrillian Faith,, the Liberty of Chri- llians, and the Peace of the Church, depend on the rightly deciding it; and I agree with him, that this Importance alone is a good Argument a pri- ori, that the Apoftles have left fame Direciions about \ht Method of trying the Faith of Chriftian Mi- nifters, and the Candidates for the Miniftry •,. and that 'tis highly probable and reafonable to fuppofcy, they iDGuld not omit to give Direciions in an Affair of fuch Confequtnce to the Church ; and that, if the Clergy's explanatory Articks of Faith, and the en*- forcing Subfcriptions to them had been. a more pro- per Tell, than the Words and Dodrine of Scrip- ture itfelf, we fhould have had plain Dirediofls onu this Head to timothy and l^itus^ amongft the other. Advices that the Apoftle gave them .; and that he would not have left a Matter of fuch. Confequence merely to the Determinations of human Prudence^ and the Difcretion of Church GovcrnoKS^ as Mr. White and the Church, Champion are pleafed to tell us they have. The. 'dreadful Corruptions of the Chriftian Do6lrine, Worfhip, and Morality, that have been introduced into the Church, by this very human Prudence^ and Difcretion of Church Go- -vernors^ in making and enforcing their own Tefts. of Orthodoxy in the Faith, and the horrible Per- lecutions that have taken their Rife from hence^

I 2 mak^

»*

5 Ch.Zr.g.VirJ.^. 33,

6o ^he Cafe of Subfcrtption

make it more than probable, that the infpired Apoflrles have given us fome certain explicit Rule of Probation, which, if adhered to, would pre- vent all fuch Abufes.

Mr. White indeed aflfures us, that though the • Apofile doth enjoin fome 'Triak yet he leaves the Form and Method of it undetermined \ * and the Champion^ to whom Mr. White is beholden, in like Manner aflerts : Thefe^ 'viz, the Direiflions given by the Apoflle how to preferve the Do6lrines of Chrifti- anity in their original Purity, are all general Rules y which are ordered to he ohferved by the Churchy and the particular Methods of doing this left undeter- mined. And when the Apojlle gave Rules to the Governors of the Churchy no Doubt he dejigned they fljould make ufe of Means proper to this End^ and he did not fpecify them, * /. e. The Apoftle com- manded the Chriftian Faith to be kept pure, and gave Rules about it^ but hath faid nothing in par- ticular about the Manner how 'twas to be done : What then are his Rules good for ? Or, the Apo« file gave Rules to the Governors of the Church to maintain the Purity of the Faith, but did not fpe^ cify the Means how thefe Rules were to be put in Praftice, or how the Purity of the Faith was to be preferved. No ? That is very ilrange indeed, and no great Compliment upon the Wifdom and Vru(^^tx\cQ of this Apoftle. I fhould rather have thought that he would have done, like all other Me'fi of good Senfe^ in Affairs of any Confequence to them, given particular Diredlions, as to the Man- ner of keeping the Chriftian Faith uncorrupt ; and that the Spirit of God, under whofe Infpiration he taught it, would have fuggefted to him the proper Means for this Purpofe. But thefe Gentlemen would fain perfuade us, that all that the Holy

Ghoil" t Peji. p. 69., • Ch> Eng. Find. p. 34, 35,

Calmly and Impartially reviewed. 6i

Ghoft hath faid, is : Keep the Faith in its original Purity \ and in Anfwer to the Qjeftion, By what Means muil we keep it fo ? only faid : nat 1 leave to the Prudence and Pleafure of the Clergy,

Non cognofco voftrum tarn fuperbum !

But they mufl: forgive me if I don't believe them on truft ♦, yea, if I tell them I neither can, nor ever will believe, that a good and merciful and wife Qod could ever leave it to fallible, pre- judiced, and paffionate Men, to invent and make ufe of what Means they pleafed, to preferve the purity of his Faith, and give them a CommifTioii to try all fuch Expedients for this Purpofe, as their Prudence Ihould fugged. The AfTertion itfelf, that the particular Methods of doing this are left mdeterniined, is abfolutely groundlefs ; and I am forry Mr. tVhite and his Fellow- labourer are fo ill acquainted with their Bibles, as to venture to af- firm any fuch Thing. My New Tejiament moft certainly and exprefsly determines the Rule of Trial, $nd lays one down of perpetual Obligation in the Chriftian Church, that is to fuperfede all other Jlules and Forms whatever, ^o the Law and to the 'TefiimonyT^ was the Language of God to his people in old Times. If they fpeak not according to this Word^ ^tis becaufe there is no Light in them, * But the fFizardSy and the Peepers^ and the Mutter ers were not for feeking to the God of Ifrael, and the Law and the Teftimony was a Teft of Dodrine and Worlhip that by no Means fuited their Principles and Pradices. In the New Tefiament^ Search the Scriptures, ^efe are they which teftify of me^ v/as the Language of one who (hould beft know the propereft Method of determining all Queftions re- iapng to his own Perfon and Dodrine. And as,

on?

^ Jjalah, viii, 20, >' 7^^^j v. 39,

62 7he Cafe of Suhfnptioa

one great End of his Miflion was, to reveal lii^ Father's Will, fo he tells the Jeijos : If ye continus in my TVords^ then are ye my Difciples indeed, and ye jhall know the Truth.^ He that, rejetieth me:,, and receiveth not my Words ^ hath one that judgeth him, ^he IVord that I have fpoken, the fame jhall jud^s him at the laft Bayj" And fpeaking of iiis Difciples, he fays : 1 have given unto them the, Words which thou gavejl me^ and they have received them^ and have believed that thou didft fend me^ And, If a Man love me he will keep my Words, He that loveth me not^ keepeth not my Sayings, and the Word which you hear is not mine, but the Father^ s which fent me," If I underftand thefe Expreflions, and others like them might be mentioned, the Meaning of them is : That Continuance in the Words or Doffrlnes of ChriJ}^ thofe Words which lie fpoke, and which he received from his Father, and gave to his Difciples, and the receiving and keeping thefe Words, is the true Chara^ierijiick of a Chridian ; the only fure Method of underftand- ing and knov/ing ^/j ^ruth, of efcaping the Con- demnation of God, and manifefting our Affeflion and Duty to Chrift : i, e. Chrifl's Word is the only Tefl: of Truth, and 'tis the Duty and Honour of Apoftles, Minifters, and all Chriftians, to abide by and adhere to them. Hence St. Paul tells timothy : If a Man confent not to. the wholfome Words of our Lord Jefus Chrifl^ and the Do^rine according to GcdlinefSy he is proud and knows nothing. From fuch a one withdraw thyfelf^ And as he received his Gofpel immediately from Chrift, he pronoun- ceth a Curfe upon every one, whether Angel from Heaven, or Apoftle upon Earth, v^ho fhould preach, any other Gofpel^ befides that which he had preached!"

To

2 John, vili. 31, 32. 2 Ibid. xii. 48. ^ Ibid. xvii. 8..

^ Ibid. xiv. 23^ 24. . ^ I Tim. vi, 3,4,5,. f Gal. i. %iQfr

Calmly and Impartially re-vleweJ, 63

To all the feveral Churches that he planted, he gave an exprefs Form of found Words, that they were fteadily to adhere to. He commends the Romans^ that they obeyed from the Hearty that Pat- t-ern of DoBrine fjr ov Tra^sc^oS-zirf^ to which ye were delivered up ^ to be entirely modelled and formed thereby. He commands 'Timothy : Hold fafi the Form of found Words which thou haft heard of me.

That good Things rrv naXrv Trx^oaixrocBriyiriv^ that gOod

Depo/it of found Words which I have committed to thee, keep. ^ Or, as we elfe where render it : O Timothy^ keep that which is committed to thyTrufly avoiding prophane and vain Babblings^ and the Op^ pofitions of falfely named Science or Knowledge^ And as there were evil Men and Seducers^ that were dc- cervedthemf elves ^ and endeavoured x.o deceive others^ he exhorts him : But coyitinue thou in the Things which thou haft learned^ and been affured of or con- nrmed in, knowing of whom thou haft learned them J' And ?i%Tmothy was to retain this apoftolick Form, and depofit himfelf, and continue in the Things he had learned of him, fo he was obliged to de- liver the fame Things to others : The Things which thou haft heard of me, amongft many Witnefjes^ the fame commit thou to faithful Men^ TnroK at»3-pw7rotr. Men of Integrity and Fidelity, who fhall be able^ Dcavoi, fit and qualified to teach others alfo} Thefc Things he was to put them in mind of charging them in the Frefence of the Lord not to contend about Words^ as a Thing profitable for nothings and tend- ing to the Subverfion of thofewho heard them} And in his Inftrudtions to Titus^ he tells him, that an eiTentlal Part of a Bilhop'sCharader was, to hold f aft the faithful Word <i5 he had been taught^ that he might

he

^ Rom. vi. 17. 2 2 Vm. j, 13, 14. ^ ^ i Tim.vi,

20, * 2 Tim- m 13, 14;' J^ 2 ^im, ii. 2, - IbicL

■ii< ^h . r

64 7^ C^fi of Suhfcription

he able by found Do5irine^ both to exhort and cofi" vince GainfayersJ^ According to thele apoftolical Conftitutions, there was a Form, tutto?, a Mode], or Pattern of Dodrine, after which thofe who preached, and thofe who heard them, were to be formed, to which they were dehvered over by the Apoftle to be wholly molded and fafhioned by it. This Type or Model of Doctrine, v^as compkaty from which there was to be no Variation ; and timothy and ^itus were to adhere to it, as knowing from whom they received it 5 "vi^. from one who was an Apofile not from Men^ nor by Men, i. e, by hu- man Miffion and Authority, bilt by the MifTion of Jefus Chrifl^ and God the Father who raifed him from the dead. The Words he taught them' were the wholfome IVords of Jefus Chrift % this Form of found and wholefome Words which . they had heard of him, they were to hold f aft, 'Twas that good Depofet they were to keep with Fidelity them- felves, which was committed to them with great Solemnity, and in the Cafe of Timothy^ before many JVitneffes^ in which they were to continue m Oppofition to all the vain Babblings^ and the pre- tended better Science of evil and corrupt Men, and which they were to commit to other Perfons of Fidelity and Integrity, that they might teach and deliver it to others. To this the Bifliops and Church Governors were to adhere, holding faft this fame faithful Word as they had been taught^ that by the found Dodlrine contained in this Form, they might efFe6lually exhort and convince Gainfayers, And if any would not confent to this Form of found Words ^ they were to be avoided as proud^ ignorant^ and con^ ceited Perfons, Yea, whofoever fhould preach any thing elfe for Gofpel, befides that which the Apo- Hie had taught, he was to be held accurfed,

Frairf

» 7iflf!t U 9,

Calmly and Impartially reviewed. 6 j

From hence 'tis evident, as the plaineft Expref- fions can make it, that there is a particular Method fpecified and abfolutely determined, how the Doc- trines of Chriftianity are to be preferved in their original Purity, and that the one only authorifed Tejt of Soundnefs in the Faith, to EvangeHfts, Bifhops, and Paftors, are the found Words of Chrifty and not any other that Men may fubllitute in the room of them ; and the Form of Dodrine taught by his infpired Apoflles, that facred Bepofttum of found Words, relating to Faith and Charity^ which they originally committed to the Churches they planted 5 in oppofition to unprofitable and dange- rous Logomachies, the Commandments of Men, that turn away the 'Truth, and all foolifh ^efiions, and unprofitable and vain Contentions and Strifes. And the Wifdom of that Holy Spirit, which infpired the Apoflles, is evident from hence, in diredling the Apoflles to lay down fuch an eafy, fhort Model^ or Plan of Dodlrine, as was to be a perpetual Rule of judging concerning the Soundnefs of all Mens Sentiments in the Faith of Chrifl. Hold fafl the Form of found Words, in Faith and Love which is in Chrifl Jefus, which thou haft heard of Tne,^ T7rQTV7r(ti<Tiv e^s vyiocivovruv Xo'yuv,° TTroTUTrwo^tc - fignifies a fhort, compendious, plain, and perfpicu- cus Sumjnary of Things, in Oppofition to a prolix and more explicit and particular Account of them; and thus it well anfwers to the Word tutto;, the Platform or Model of Do6lrine, which he fpeaks of elfewhere, which was to be the Rule and Stan- dard, with which every Thing taught in the Chri-

K ftian

" 2 ^im. 1. 14. • Efl autem wtotut^s'/j Aduinbratio

& Inflitutio brevis, quae «? i.> rvwcd fit, live TvnrsiiJ^a^y Sc accuratiori uberiorique Traftationi opponitur. Utitur vto- TUTTsotTiui Voce pro Praeformatione fuccinda ac perfpicua D, Pauluf^ 2 Tim, i. 14. Fabric > ad Scxt. Empir. p, i. not. A^i

^ I 66 ^e Cafe of Subfcrlptlon

ftiap Church was to be eompared, and by which it was to be judged of and determined.

" But 'tis faid that all thefe and the like Rules, that are ordered to be obferved by the Church, are general, and the particular Methods of doing what • tbn enjoin is left undetermined.'' What is it that they enjoin ? The Champion tells us, to preferve the Doctrines of Chrijliamty, as far as in us lies^ in their original Purity, Have we any Account of thefe Doftrines ? Yes : From whom ? From our Lord and his Apofiles. What Rules doth St. Paul give aboiit prelerving thefe Doctrines in their ori- ginal Purity? Why, he exhorts every Bilhop to hold faft^ ro\) KOiToc rnv it^<x,^yiv TFirov Xoyev^ the faith- ful Word^ as he hath been taught it himfelf, or in his teaching others.'^ But why mufl he thus hold fafi the faithful Word? Why, that he may he able^ by this found DoStrine of the faithful Word, to exhort and convince Gainfayers^ i. e, to maintain the original Purity of the Chriftian Faith againft all Contradidion. This appears to me to be an exceejing particularKulc^ exprefsly determining the lylethod how Biftiops ar€ to preferve the Purity of the Faithj in Oppofition to all heretical Oppofers, without leaving it in the lead to the Suggellions of their Prudence.

Again, v/e are to have but one Faith. ^ What Fa^ith, or whofe ? The Faith infpired by the one Spirit^ that excites the one Hope of our Callings t^ghc by the one Lord^ profeffed in the one Bap^ iifniy and v/hich hath for its principal Obje<51: the me God^ even the Father of all^ who is above all^ md through all, and in all. Where is this one Faith to be found ? No where but in the Word of God. Here, then is another particular Rule, how to preferve \\\^, Faith in its Purity, viz. to have

no

^ CJ^, Eng-. find. p. p4, • fitus^ i. 9. P /</. ibid*

Calmly and Impamally reviewed. 67

no Other but that one Faith which the Word of God contains, r.nd to go no where elfe but to that Word of God to look for it -, and therefore not to thofe Creeds and Articles of human Compofure, which are as different from each other, as the Perfons that made them.

Again : The Pajior and the People are not left indifferent what the) are to teach and learnt How then ? The Pallors are to take heed to their Doe- trine. ' What Dodrihe ? Why that which the Apoftle exprefsly ordered to be commanded and taught i • the Things "Timothy was to fuggeft or fropofeto the Brethren by the Apoftle*s Orders the fame Words of Faith in which he had been nou^ rifhedup, and the Words of t\\d.t good Doff rine to which he attained^"- n 7rap?iitcAou^r,H«^, which thou thyfelf hafi followed or obeyed, /. e. received from the Apoftle. They muft alfo hold fafi the Form cf found mrdsy Whofe Form ? The Gentleman Ihould have faid, the Form of found Words thoti hafi heard of me, in that Faith and Love which is in Chrifl Jefus ; even that good Depofit which he^ was to keep by the Holy Ghoft that dwelt in him,"" They w€re to fhew in Do^ri?ie Uncorruptnefs, and to ufe found Speech that could not be condemned.^ In whatDoclrine and found Speech ? Why,in that very Dodlrine which wa§ committed to the Apoftle by the Commandment of God-,'' in that pradical Doaririe, which the Apoftle had been inculcating-, and not in Jewifh Fables and the Commandments of Men, nor in foolifh ^efticns, nor in vain and unprofitable Contentions and Strifes. So that the particular Way to maintain the Bo£frine uncorrupt, is for Paftors to teach what the Apoftle hath taught them, what they have learnt from his Words, the Word that

K2 he

>!T;/«;,i.9. ' irim.'\v.\6. « Ibid, ver.i I. abid ver.6. « Z Tim. i.l 3, "" Ibid. ver. 14. > fifuff ii. 7,^, ^ Ibid, :. 5.

68 T'he Cafe of Subfcription

he received hy Commandment from God, That Form of Do6lrine which he gave them, is God'^s good Depoft committed to them, that pure and incor- ruptible Treafure, they fhould keep with the ut- moft Fidehty, /. e, which they (hould adhere to as the Stan(iard of their Dodrine, and Rule of their Preaching.

As to all the People, the Direction is equally explicit and particular. They are exhorted to Sta- bility in the Faith. What Faith ? What that which hath been taught by Church Governors fince this Exhortation ? I can't tell, till I know where they live, or what their Faith is. But let the Apoflle determine. As ye have therefore received Chrifi Jefus the Lord^ walk ye in him^ rooted and hiiilt up^ and ftablifhed in the Faith as ye have been taught y ^^ either by the Apoflle himfelf, or fome other di- vinely infpired Perfon. In the Faith they had thus received, they were to be eftablifhed, and to be no more like Children toffed to and fro^ and car- ried about with every Wind of Doifrine^ sv m xu^stoj Twu avS-pwTTwv, by a Set of Dice-players in Divinity^

iv Trccvov^ytoc TT^og mv fM^o^iiocv rrig irXocvAq ^ . cunningly

end fraudulently cogging the Dice, and playing upon ethers falfe Do^rine^ in order to circumvent them into Error,

'Tis aftonifhing to me, how any Writers of Integrity and Credit can quote all thefe Paflages of Scripture, and yet gravely tell the World, that ihefe are all general Rules , which are ordered to be obferved by the Church *, when every one of them evidently and particularly confronts and condemns the Pradice of fubftituting the Do6lrines of Men in the room of the Dodrines of the Word of God, of fetting up any other Form of found Words, as the Teft of Uncorruptnefs in the Faith,

than

J Cokf, ii. 6, 7. * B^h, iv. 14.

Calmly and Impartially ren^tewed, 69

than what that contains ; and is an Admonition to adhere to the apoftolick Form, and no other ; and to call the Rules, which thefe and the like Texts contain, general Riiles^ and to affirm that they leave undetermined the particular Methods of pre- ferving the Purity of the Chriftian Faith, may ihew the Inclination and Wifh that this was the Cafe, but will appear contrary to the mofl evident Fad, by every one that confults them. And I think the Heart of Man can't invent a more clear and particular Method of preferving any Dodlrine pure, than this : I have delivered this Dodrine to you, as I received it from God, in a plain, eafy, and fhort Form. Hold faft this Form^ and with-

'draw from all who will not confent to it.

But he is pleafed to let us into greater Wonders

■yet, and not only tells us, that the Apoftle gave Rules without fpecifying the Means proper to the End for which the Rules were calculated, i, e, cer- tain Rules which were good for nothing, or good

■ for nothing but to promote this fukle Dice-playing in Divinity ; but that // would, have been impqffible for the Apoftle to have given particular Rules about

■ Things of this Nature -, " f. e. it would have been impoflible for the Apoftle, under the Infpiration of the Spirit of God, to have given particular Rules, to maintain and propagate the Truths of Religion, and to preferve the DoClrines of Chri- ftianity in their original Purity. What ? Was it it impoflible for the Apoftle, under the Influence of the Spirit of God, to deliver the Dodirines of Chriftianity in a plain intelligible Manner ? If not, then it was poflible for him to deliver as plain a Rule, and to fpecify as certain Means to preferve thefe Do6lrines in their Purity ; becaufe there is one .very obvious Rule, viz, to adhere to thefe

Do6lrines

*jo *The Cafe of Subfcription

Doctrines in the plain intelligible Manner the Apd* ftle hath delivered them, and try all human Opi- ftions by them ; a Rule this, which will anfwer its End while the World endures; and this Rule the Apoftle hath aftually given, in Spite of the Im» jyolTibility of it.

But why impoflible ? He anfwers : Eecaufe tbefe JRuks muft change and vary^ according to the Varia- $im of Times and Circumjtances, But how doth the Variation of Times and Circumitances affedl the Methods for preferving the Purity of the Chriftian Faith ? Is that Faith fufficiently explicit and clear ? Produce it then as it is, in its own native Simpli- city and Purity, and it will always prevail with honed Minds, without any other Methods what* foever. Is it ohfcure and intricate ? What Methods can the Governors of the Church take, to render "what God hath left obfcure, more clear and in- telligible ? Is it true ? There is but one poflible Way of preferving and defending Truth, and all other Methods of doing it are fpurious and unna* tural. Plain Truth is the bed Difcoverer of every Thing that is oppofite to it. Bring Falfhood to the Light of it, and it will inftantly appear Falfe- hood. Try Herefies and Errors by the Standard of found Dodrine, and their Enormity will in- irantly become vifible. They need no other, and in no Times or Circumftances can have any other Method of difcovering their Bafenefs, but th^ tmch-flom of God's Word that is to try them. piiferences of Churches, and Circumftances, and Times, can make no poflible Alteration. Preferve this facred Teft, this true Touch-ftone, all is fafe, and there can be no Deception or Impofition, nor any Corruption of the Chriftian Faith, but what may be immediately convi6led and confuted. For whether there be fev/ Herefies or many Herefies j

Calmly and Ihnpartially reviewed, 7 1

Sodnian^ or Ar'ian^ or Athanafean^ or Sahellian^ or ^ritheijiick^ or Arminian^ or Lutheran^ or Cahin- (/ikk^ or Pcpijh Herefies, this fingle Rule is uni- verfally applicable to them : Hold faft ihe Apofik*s Form of found Words. Judge all thefe Herefies by them, and whether they be in this or the other Church, in that of England or Scotland^ or Rome^ their Diflbnancy with this Model and Form will inftantly appear. And ifany new Herefies, /<?/• wbkb we hcFue now no Nantes ^ ihould appear in any future Ages, view them by the fame Model, and their Dif- agreement with it will be immediately difcerned. And if this Model be inviolably preferved, 'tis as impoffible the Purity of the Chriftian Dodrine fhould be loft, as that the Light fhould perifk while the Sun ihines, or a Man fhould be blind whilft he hath the full Ufe of his Eyes. But if you change and vary this fingle Rule, accord- ing to the Variation of Times and Circumftances, and fubftitute one while Athanaftus or Arius^ at another. Pope Fins and the Council of '^rent^ at another, Luther or Calvin^ and at length ne Cham- fion^ and Mr. White ^ and their refpedlive Doc» trines, for Chrift and Paid^ and the found Words they taught J 'tis evident that very different and contradifiory Do6trines will be introduced and taught, and the Dodrine of Chrift and Si. Paul will be obfcured and corrupted as the other gain Ground and prevail \ and we fhall be in Danger of being tcffed to and fro^ and carried aloiit with every Wind of Dc5irine^ juft as the Gamefters fhall throw their Dice, and cheat us out of our Underftandings and Confciences.

Befides, as Mr. White and his Fellow Labourer have found out a Catholicon^ or univerfal Remei^ to keep all Sorts of Herefies out of the Church, that ^bmt Sficifick Qi Subfcriptioi), mixed up

with

7 2 - ^he Cafe' of Subfcription

with the Bitter of certain Penalties, and '/M Sweet of fome good comfortable Emoluments,^ equally proper for one Church, and for another Church, and for every Church, and for all Times and Seafons, Climates, Countries, and Conftitu- tions throughout the World, and by which, it muft beconfeffed, they have wrought fund ry very remarkable Cures; 'tis abfurd to tell the World, •that 'particular Rules mujt change and vary accord- ing to the Variation of 'Times and CircumftanceSy when delivered by an Apoflle, when they them- felves have a particular Rule, which they fjit and apply to all Variations of Times and Circum- ilances, and allow to be equally proper for one Churchy as for another. They pretend to have one Form of Dodlrine, and in order to preferve this pure^ and to exclude all out of their Church who do not hold it, they are for enforcing a fo- lemn Subfcription to it. If a Socinian, Arian^ or Arminian would enter into their Miniftry, or whatever be the Herefy and Enthufiafm they hold, their Language is : Subfcribe, Sir, to our Articles •, that by this Means they may difcover his Want of Orthodoxy, exclude him from' the Miniftry amongft them, or make him add Hypocrify 10 his Herefy, Now if this particular Rule and Method be proper to preferve the Faiih of their Articles pure and uncorrupt, then it will follow, that fubfcribing to any other Form is equally necelTary and proper for the fame End, and that therefore a Subfcription to the Doctrine of Chrilt and his . Apoitles, in the Words in which they have delivered them, will be an equally proper Method to preferve their Doctrine pure and uncorrupt j and this particular Rule and Sub- fcription v/iil be equally applicable to, and effec- tual in all Cafes j and it was no more impofiible " ^ " for

Calmly and Impartially revle'tved. y^

for Chrift and the Apoftles to have laid down this particular Rule, than 'twas impofllble for them ; and no other Reafon can be imagined why they did not lay it down, but either that they were not wife enough to think of it, or that they did not apprehend this particular Rule expedient and neceffary.

*Tis at firfl: View fomewhat furprifing, to fee Men, who profels themfelves Chrillian Divines, labouring with fuch Earneftnefs, to prove their own Religion to be an incompleat imperfect Scheme^ and the great Authors of it to be defedlive in com- mon Prudence ; or rather crafty fubtle defigning Men ; who, afraid at firft openly to own the Scheme of Power that they really aimed at^ have by general Rules, and in a covert Manner^ tho' plainly enough, intimated it to their Suc- celTors^ left them to build upon their Foundation^ and bring to Perfedlion, what theCircumftances of theTimes would allow them only to give the pro- per Intimations and Hints of. For if thefe Gen- tlemen are to be believed, the Apoftle hath given all Power into their Hands, and left it ioXd-^j to their Prudence and Direftion, to make ufe of whatenjer Methods they think fit to preferve what they call the Purity of the Faith. For thus tht Vindicator of the Church of England exprefsly tells us \^ When the Apoftle gave Rules to the Go- vernors cf the Churchy no doubt he dejigned they fhotild make ufe of Means proper to this End. And as he did not fpecify them^ it is evident^ that he left it to them to make ufe of fuch Means as they fhoiild judge proper. All the Texts commanding them to preferve the Faith of Chrift whole and entire^ are fo many Warrants for making ufe of all the Ex- pedient s^ which the l>iature of the ihing requires^

L ffr

* Ch. p/'Eng. Vind. p. 35.

^4 ^^^- Cafe of Subfcrlptton

cr human Prudence juggefis. And from hiiii Mr. White : ^ The Fo7in and Method of Probation not hcing determined^ that is evidently left to the Determinaticn of human Prudence^ and the Di- 7'eufion of Church Governors. A very modeft and ivjmble Allowance this! The Governors of the Church muft make life of fuch Means as they judge proper^ and they have many Warrants from the Apoille himfelf to make ufe of all the Expedients ivhich the Nature of the Thing re^ quires^ or human Prudence fuggefis. So that if hum.an Prudence fuggefts fuch Expedients as the Nature of the Tiring doth not require, the Apoftle warrants them to make ufe of them. They are the fole Judges of what is proper, and every Thing is to bend and fubmit to their Prudence. But God forbid this fhould be true, for the Credit of the Apoftle, and the Flonour of our common ChriRianity !

For if indeed it be fo, as thefe Gentlemen tell lis, that the Apodle harh left it to Church Go^ vernors to make ufe of all fuch Expedients, which human Prudence fu2:G;cf}:s3 then it will fol- \o\\\ that Churcli Governors are warranted by this Apoille to make ufe of the moll unnatural impious Means of preferving the Purity of the Faith (which the Nature of the Thing difclaims and abhors) provided they fhould judge them pro- per, and their human Prudence fl:50u]d fugged the Neceffjtv of them. 'Twould be difficult even for Invention itfelf to give a worfe Chara6ler of tht Apoille than this; and if I thought that he deferv.^d it, 1 would henceforward have nothing TO do with him, fnouid be an Enem.y to his Prin- ciples, and think myfelf bound, by all the Re- gards I owe to Truth, Religion, Righteouf-

nefs.

Calmly end hip art tally reviewed. 75

nefs, and the common Liberties of Mankind, to make the ftrongeft Oppofition to him I was ca- pable of. For if this Account of him be true, then if Church Governors fhould think all the iniquitous Means of Perfecution proper to pre- ferve the Purity of the Faith, and their human Prudence fhould fugged to them, that Imprifon- ments, Confifcations, Mutilations, BaniHiments, Halters, Fires, Faggots, Crufadoes, MafTacres, Inquifitions, and the like Methods, were proper Expedients to promote this End ; it feems that all the Texts of Scripture that command the preferving the Faith of Chrift whole and entire, are fo many Warrants for making ufe of all thefe Expedients ♦, and that if any one fhould objed, that thefe are Expedients which the Nature of the Thing doth not require, this Anfwer mud con- tent us : The Governors of the Church have nu- merous Warrants for them from St. Paul^ becaufe they judge them proper, and their human Prudence fuggeils them.

But St. Paul was a wifer, and an honeiler Man •, and thus to reprefent his Character and Doclrine, is to do thehigheftlnjury to both. Where is there, in his Writings, a fingle Intimation of this Kind, that God hath turned over the Chriftian Church, and delivered it into the Hands of Men, whofe Pru- dence and Difcredon, I am. forry to fiy it, have been fo often, and in lb many Ages, only employed to enflavc Mankind, and aggrandize themfelves? Men that have kindled a Fire in the Church, and, inftead of Shepherds and Governors, have, as all will allow, been too frequently the mercylefs Deftroyers of the Flock of Chrifl ; Men, who under Pretence of preferving the Purity of the Faith, have often cor- rupted k, and by the Means their Prudence hath

L 2 fuggefled.

jb ^be Cafe of Subfcription

fiiggefted, have introduced and eftablifhed the mod palpable Abiurdities in the room of it. Is their Prudence to take place of all other Con- iiderations human and divine ; and that Rock^ on which the Chriftian Faith and Church are built, and againii 'which the Gates of Hell Jhall not pre- vail^ at laft difcovered to be nothing better than human Prudence, and the Expedients fuggefted by that Prudence ? Is Chriftianity at length become a Matter of mere human Policy, to be defended by human Subtlety and Art, or by Secular Power and Violence P Are we thus entered into the Tents of Mahomet^ and afraid to truft the Do6lrine of Chrift to its native Strength, to its own proper Evidence, and the all-powerful Protc6lion of the Providence and Grace of God I I am more than ever convinced of the Unrea- fonablenefs and Iniquity of this Subfcription Scheme^ when I confider the dreadful Lengths to which it tarries the Defenders of it ; drawing them not only into Affertions that carry in them the moft iiijurious Reflexions on an infpired Apoftle, and the Doftrine delivered by him ; but forcing them into Conceffions, that juftify, not only the Ex- pedients that Papifts make ufe of to opprefs the Proteitant Religion and Liberties, but which Mahometans themfelvcs employ to eflablifh their own Impoilure, upon the abfolute Ruin of the Chriilian Name and Religion. ■ And upon the Whole, as the Apoflles have no "X'here (aid in fo many Words^ that the Governors cf the Church fJjall require Subfcription to a Set of explanatory Articles^' nor given them any Power to make thofe explanatory Articles, the Tefts of Soundnefs in the Faith of Chrift:, which they re- c-eive-d from him, and delivered in his Name ; 'we

ccnnst

f Ch, f/Er,^ VlrJ, p. 41-

Calmly and Impartially revieuoed. jy

iannot pqffibly have any fufficient Authority for fuch a Praifice. The Orders to examine and prove are fpecial, particular, and exprefsly determined. The one great Rule of Trial is unalterably fixed, and the Means not /^//, as they cannot be with Safety to the Chriftian Faith, to the Birefiion of any mortal Men. The Means and Methods of dif- covering who are found in the Faith y and who are not^ are precife, and immutably ordained by an Authority more than human, and can't alter as Times and Circumftances alter ^ or as Herejies are few or more numerous^ or as the Craft or Cunning of Men makes it proportionably more or lefs difficult to difcover their Sentiments^ And therefore^ when^ ever the Governors of the Church judge the Times and Circumjiances to be fuch, as to fet up an In- quifition into the Confciences of Men, and require this particular Method of Subfcription to unfcrip- tural Articles, to carry on this unchriftian and iniquitous Scheme ; they a5i without any Shadow 6 f Authority^ and in Contradidion to the very Method prefcribed by the Apoftle, to examine and try whether we ourfelves or others are found in the Faith,

Chap, IIL

The PraBice of the primitive Church on this Head^ conjidered^

N' QT content with Arguments, the Champion pleads Prefcription^ and tells us, that // we hok iujo this Prakice of the primitive Churchy we

7? ^he Cafe of Subfcription

find they made ufe of this very Method of Suhfcrip^ tion ; ^ and becaufe he was not at leifure to pro- duce any thing of his own, mod learnedly refers us to Mr. Bingha-m^s Antiquities. Well, let MwBirfg- bam be produced. He tells us, that the fourth Council of Carthage, that met A. C. 398, prefcrihes a particular Form of Examination^ by way of In- terrogatories^ to the Bifhop that was to be ordained. What then ? How doth this prove that they made ufe of this very Method of Subfcription^ as he un- dertook to prove ? Why, Examination by Interro- gatories, is with every honeft Man equivalent with Suhfcription, Suppofe it is, doth every honeft Man that honeftly anfwers a Queftion, fubfcribe to it ? We did not want to be informed that the primitive Church examined the Candidates for theMiniftry, but that they forced them to fubfcribe to fome ex- planatory Articles or Creed. But there is not a Word of this in the Canons of the Council of Carthage, And fuppofe there was, doth he think we will take the Council of Carthage^ held at the Clofe of the fourth Century, for the primitive Church? And doth he not know that there is even fome Queftion as to the Truth and Authenticity of thefe very Canons ? Whether he did or did not know it, why did he quote them upon us as Au- thorities ?

The other Authority is from an Edi<5l of Juf- iiniany who lived fo low down as the fixth Century. And what doth he fay ? Why, that he who ordains n Bijhopj Jhall demand from the Per Jen to be ordained a Libel fubfcribe d by hitnfelf, containing a Coyifeffion of the Orthodox' Faith^ i. e. the Perfon to be or- dained ihall make his own Confeffion^ and fubfcribe

it.

8 Ch. Er^g. Vivd. p. 42^ * ATaiTH^^cfi tfii ^ore^c\^

'^i9i«f. Novel, 137, p. 364. Edit. Her., Steph. 1658.

Calmly and Impart inlly reviewed. j^

it.: But what hath this to do with the modern Method of making tlie Perfon to be ordained to fubfcribe a Creed ready drawn up to his Hand by others, and which he had no Share himfelf in making of ? This was what he fhould have proved, in order to juftity the Pradlice of Subfcription in the Church of England. Juftinian^s Novel is ra- ther a Juftilication of the Manner of Ordination amongft the DiiTenters, who don't impofe their own Confeffions on the Perfons to be ordained, but defire them either to give in their own ConfefTion in Writing, or to read it publickly in the Congre- gation, before whom they are to be ordained. Thanks to the Gentleman for this kind Teftimony in Proof of the Antiquity of our Method of Or- dination. What now is become of this fame Pradice of the primitive Church ? Of his two Proofs, one is not earlier than the fourth Century, and that fays not a Word about Subfcription ; and the other is fetched out of the fixth Century, and vindicates, not the Pra6lice of the Churches Method of Subfcription, but of the more jufi: and equitable one made ufe of by the DiiTenters, in the Manner of their Ordinations. So that as yet we are fafe, as to the Quarters from whence we v/ere made to fear our greateft Danger, "viz. Scrip- ture and Antiquity,

The Cafe of Syne/ms^ a Platonick Philofopber, chofen Bifhop of Ptokmais, in the fifth Century, A. C. 420, 1 think evidently proves all that I want to prove, mz, that even at that Time there were no publick Creeds drawn up by the Church, Sub- fcription to which was made a conllant necelTary Condition of Ordination •, becaufe had there been any fuch Condition, Syne/ms could not have com- plied with it, fince he exprefsly denied the com- monly received Notion of the Refurrt^ion^ and

looked

So 7he Cafe of Siibfcnption

looked upon that Do6brine as a Sort of a myjlicat inexplicable 'Thing *, and fays, that he was far from agreeing with the Vulgar in their Opinions^ that if be was called to the Priefthood^ he durfi not diffemble his SentimentSy that he called God and Man as Wit^ neffes to this^ that his Tongue fiould never differ from his Mind *, that he would give no one Reafon to fay of him that he fnatched an Ordination without difco- vering himfelf-, and that if after this Declaration^ which he would not have concealed^ they would make him a Bifjop^ he would fubmit to the Neceffity, ' Now as Synejius was not ordained, moft certainly^ without any ConfefTion of his Faith, 'tis as cer- tain he could not, and did not fubfcribe to any of the received Orthodox Creeds of thofe Times, in which the Article of the Refurre6lion is almoft univerfally found ; becaufe this would have been a notorious Inftance of that Diflimulation, which he thought was difpleafing to God. And there- fore I conclude, that Synefius, according to the ancient Cuflom, delivered in his own ConfefTion of Faith, and that though he omitted to declare his Belief of the Refurredlion in it, it was borne with, out of great Efteem for the Man, and in Hopes that at length he might fee, and be brought to the Acknowledgment of this Truth. And though 'M.X.Bingham alTerts, that the general Prac^

tice

I'cLVlCt ®iO]/, TAVTct CtV^^S<i-7f'6^ fJ.Ct§TVfOUa.t AoyfxetTd.

<f\i ««, i-TniAvyeKToixcLi, «/£ ^ctaicttTei lAot T^of 7\w yharlcfy r\ yyuuii. OvTco hiycav et^iUKeiV otfxctt 0sw. Ov ^■hKqij.cx.I J^iKiLTctKiKeif^^dii Tivt 'TTi^t i^.n \oyoy, «? ctyyo»^6i^ n§7ra,(^a. *Tny X«foToj//cti/ « cTg 7«T.'t'J' osLVi^coy yivo/xivay, ATif

0 08OJ, vjo^vs-ofAAi T«y sit,\'ckyKy]V' Synef. Epiji* 105.

Calmly and Impariially revle-wed, 8 1

t'ue of the Church was to require AJfent and Sub- fcription to the Ride of Faiths before Oj'dination^ ^ yet he hath produced no Fadl to prove it, before Jiijiinian's Edifl juft mentioned ; and even that relates to the dehvering in their own ConfefTion figned, and not to their fubfcribing any pubhck Creed, eftabliflied by the Church, as a general Rule and Tefl: of Orthodoxy.

But both the Methods, of examining the Per- fons to be ordained by Interrogatories^ and obli- ging them to give in 2i particular Confejfion of their Faith ftgned^ are comparatively modern ; of which there is little or no Mention in the ancient Chri- flian Writers. The primitive Method was quite different, and much more efFeiftual. What this was, we may learn from feverai ancient Writers.

St. Clement^ ^ in his Epidle to the Corinthians^ tells them : Our Apoftles knew^ by our Lord Jefus Chrifl, that there would be a Contention about the epifcopal Name^ or Office : That for this Caufe^ through the perfeEl Foreknowledge they received^ they conftituted the forementioned Bifhops^ and then re- gulated the Manner of their future Succeffiion ; that when they were departed^ other approved Men might Jucceed into their Minijiry, Such therefore as were appointed by them^ or by other worthy Perfons after fhemy with the Confent of the whole Churchy and

M wha

^ Antiq, B. 4. p. 120.

^ Yitti 01 eLTOToKot ii/L^" iyvacTAV i/liA T» KveiH iijuu^" I«a*K

Xe«r», OTl ieXf %TCU iTt T\i OlfOfJL<tT@- THi's'TrKrKOyrVi' tflioL TOJJ' tLuu owj tIw euTtctVy'Tr^yvcoffiv «A.«90T«? 7ZKeicLVi KctTi7i]<TctV 7iSi 'TT^ei^il/^^a^, iy (J-iTct^V iTTiVOyXw cfliJlcoyM-lTtV, OTTCO^ IctV iLOiyt.n^U(TlVi <f\ldLj\i^UVTdLl iTi^l J\id\oy,l^ct(TfdfyOl etVtP^i^,

tIjj KeiT\i^yia.v auTCdV. T»f ouw KATct<reL^ivTct^ vrt tKHVxy,

T« Xe^rs ^J.ifJ^p7V^t)ySpM^Tl -TTOKAOl^ 'XJ^VOli UTO -TTAVTiOVt

•7»T«f K SitKcucoi vofj.i^o^ A7r9Q<it,Ki\K^Tni heiT^^y'*Ai. Cle- ment, EpiJ}. I. C.44,

St2 ^'he Cafe of Suhfcriptm

i:^ho have miniftred without Blame to the Flock of Chriji^ and had for a long Time the univerfal Ap- f)r9bation, jhould not be removed from their Service, The ^'Joy.i'xK<ry^svoi were the approved Men, Perfons well known to others, of Reputation and Cha- rafler, arwii fuch as the whole Flock were ac- quainted with, and gave their Teftimony in Fa- vour of.

So St. Cyprian: "" God commands the Prieft to he placed before all the Congregation ^ i. e. injlrucls and JJjews usy that facerdotal Ordinations Jhould not be made^ without the Affiftance and Confent of the Peo- ple ; that by their Pre fence the Crimt^s of bad Men ^my be difcovered, or the Merits of the Good decla- red-^ and that the Ordination may bejufl and lawful^ which hath undergone the univerfal Examination and Judgment. And this, as he farther remarks, was af- terwaKls obferved, by Divine Command, in the A5ls cf theylpojlles. For when ^n Apojile was to be or- dainedin the room of ^judsis^ Fqicy fpeaks to the People who were met together^ and the Choice was made out of thofe v;ho had been Companions of the Apoftles, all the Time that the Lord Jefus went in and out amongft them. And when the Deacons were -ordained, the Apoftles ordered the Multi- tude of the Difciples to look out av^^cct; sg y^wy

jLca^Tu^cu/Afuo'j^, Men amongft you of good Report^ iox whofe good Chara6ler they themfelves could witnefs. And the People were all thus carefully dud cautioiijly called together in the Tranfatlion of ibis Jffair^ that no unworthy Perfon might creep

into

^ Coram omni Synngogn jubet Deus ccnflrtal Sacerdotem, 3. e. inllruit & ollendit Ordinationes Sacerdotales non Jiifi fub Populi alliftentis Confcientia fieri opartere-; ut Plebe pfa^ienrc vel deteganturMalorum Crimina, vel Bonorum Merita pracdi- Aencur.et fit'Ordinatio julla & leguim.i, qux omniumSuiFra^io

Calmly mid Impartially- reviewed. 85

n

into the Service of the Altar^ or the epifc opal Station. ■ This was the truly primitive and apoftolick Me- thod of obtaining Satisfadion as to the Charaders of the feveral Officers of the Church; and as it was an extremely prudent Method in its own Na- ture, fo it was almoil univerfaily pradtifed •, and even fo low down as the Times of Cyprian \ for as- he farther remarks : This MetM is to be obferved and kept up as a Divine Tradition^ and apoftolick Pra^ice^ which is now the Cuftojn amongft us^ and throughout almoji all the Provinces \ that in order to the rightly performing Ordinations^ the neighbour- ing Bifhops of the fame Province floould meet together at the Place where the People dwells over whom the Perfon is to be ordained^ and that in the Prsfeme of the People the Bijhop fhould be chofen^ becaufe they fully knew how each Perfon lived, and were w ell ac- quainted with every one's Manner of ConverfationJ^

Origen ^ alfo hath a like Obfervation.. /;? tho' ordaining a Prieft the Prefence of the People is alfo Tiecejfary^ that all may. know and be certain y. that h^

M. 2. '^hox

^ Quod utique idcirco tarn diligenter & caute convocat» Plebe tota gerebatur, ne quis ad iMtaris Miniilerium, vel ad Sacerdotalem Locum indignus obreperet. Epijh 6j.

" Propter quod diligenter de Traditione Divina & Apoftolica Obfervatione fervandum eft Sc tenendum, quod apud nos quo- que^ ^ fere per Provinsias univerfas tenetur, urad Ordinati- ones rite celebrandas, ad • eam Plebem, cui -praepofitus ordi- natur, Epifcopr ejufdem Pravinciae proximi quique conveniant,- & Epifcopus delegatur Plebe priefente, quas fingulorum Vitam pleniflime novit, & uniufcujulque Adlum deejus Converfatione perfpexit. Id. ibid.

p- Requiritur enim in ordinando Sacerdote Sc Praefentla Po- puli, ut iciant oranes & certi fmt, quia qui prsftantior eft ex- omni Populo, qui doftior, qui fanaior, qui in omni Virtute eminentior, ille elegitur-ad Sacerdotiuna ; & hoc adftante Po- pulo, ne qua poftmodum Retradatio cuidam, ne quisScrupulus- refideret. Hoc eft autem quod &■ Apoftolus prxcepit in Or- dinatione Sacerdotis, dicens : Oportef autem ilium & Tefti-- ir.Qt^iu-m habere bonum ab his qui foris funt. Ccfmncnt. in Lsvit, p. 216. Edit. Bencdi^.

S4 ^he Cafe of Stibfcriptim

who is chofen to the Priefthood is more excellent than the rej}^ more learned and holy^ and eminent for all Virtue ; this muft be done in the Prefence of the PeO' pky that there ?nay be no Room for after Retraoiation or Scruple ; zvhich is what the Apoftle commands in the Ordination of a Priefi^ faying: He mnft have a good Teftimony from them that are without.

In hke Manner the Apoftolical ConftitutionSy inftead of prefcribing Siibfcriptio7ts and Interroga- tories to thePerfon to be ordained, order thaf^ he jhall he iinhlameable in all Things^ and chofen by all the People upon Account of his fuperior Excellency ; that' when he is named and acquiefced in^ the People fhall meet together^ with the Prefbytery^ and as many Bifioops as are prefent^ on the hordes Day^ and ftg- mfy their Confent ; that he who is chief among fl them fhall ajk the Prefoytcry and the People^ if that is the P erf on they demand for their Ruler : And when they have ftgnified their Confent^ he mufi afk them again^ if they all bear him Witnefs that he is worthy this great and ^ excellent Authority ; whether he hath been rightly cbfervant of the Duties towards God ', if he hath maintained Juftice towards Men ;

if

ct^icavrQ', crwjzh'jcov o Act©- ay^^- 7co 'j^iff Cunetct) }t) Ton

'WH^vatV iTnaiCCTTCI^, cVHUS^ri KVeiCf<,iU (flwd):PQKeiTC;>» O cAs cLVTO^ i^iVt 01/ CttTCl'Tctt e-li cipyjVTa,. >di ZTlViViJetVTmf Tf OO"-?

€^5pfy7ct7<y, « /xeifTvcoiTa.1 vttq 'jra.vrcov ei^ioi eivcit tjij //5- ydLK)H rcLVTiii £) y.cty.'Trpj.i Viyiy.avicLii et ta >ca,Tct rm ei^ OiOv uvTs-j <i.v(jtC&:ccv Jtarco^d-c-jTcti, a ja, Tr^oi ctiz-S-fcy-jf^^ c/1/-

KcllcL '7ii(^vKcfA.7ctlj ei TO. HtLroi. TOV Ol)tOV CtUT« tLCtKOi^ UKOVC~

y.cncL ci\iid-e-:cLV , ctAA* a Kctrct TfoAH-d/y i^ct^TV^YiffcLvrcdV

'TOi'iTOV aVTOV f-.Vcf/, fc'? STT/ cf^ IKCL%'Y] 0£iy, >U X^l^CO, TTCtOOnO^

<f[\i?^cLd\il )^ Tit hyiki Ylifiv/y.cLTciiX^ "TreLVTccv 7eov cty t:-^v iy Xoi-

TdpyiKbiV TTl'iViJ.etT&iVf iK, 7"f/7» 'TTctKtV 'yTV-^iCrScOTCtl' , &i Cl^tOi

7^ a^iQVeiVAi, K. r. A. Lib. 8. c. 4.

Calndy mid Lnpart tally reviewed, 8^

if he hath been a good CEconomift in his own Family^ and in his Life unhlameabk. And when they have all given their 'T'ejlimony according to ^ruth^ without Partiality and Prejudice^ that he is fuch a Perfon^ let them be cjked the third Time^ as in the Prefence of God the Judge^ and Chrifi^ the Holy Ghofi alfo frefent^ with all the Holy and minifiring Spirits^ whether he he truly worthy this Service ? And on their agreeing the third T'inie^ that he is worthy^ the ' Ordination is to proceed.

I may add, that St. Paul afled agreeable to this . Method, in the Choice of Timothy for his Com- panion, 0? sfAX^TV^ino VTTo Twu cc^sX(p(jov, who had the

Tejlimony of the Brethren in Lyftra and Iconium/ to his good Character •, and with refpedl to a Bi- ihop, he tells us, that he muft jtAa^m^iau xaXr/u fp^£»v, be well and honourably fpoken of by' thofe who are without ; ^ be one of an univerfally good Reputa- tion, and to whofe unblameable and excellent Be- haviour all v/ill be ready to bear their Teftimony.

And as to Deacons, outo* cTe ^o>ti/Aa^£(r3-w(rav Trpwroy,

let thefe befirfi^ ^ not, according to the Champion^ % Criticifm, examined by Church GovernorSy but by long Trial, and univerfal Experience, well ap- proved-, fuch as the Church, from full Acquain- tance with themjhath full Satisfadlion in, as to their being grave^ &c. They muft be, as Si. Clement ex- preiTes it, in the aforecited Quotation, ^s^oynfAoca-- f/.£voi civ^c£-. Words that don't mean, Men interro- gated and examined by the Clergy, but Men that others of good Charader and the whole Congre- gation will, by their unanimous Teftimony in their Favour, approve and acquiefce in, as wor^ thy that Office ; Men whofe Lives have been tried, and who by Expaience have been found hlamelefs. This was the primitive Method of judging of

thofe f Ms xvi, 2, f J T:im, iii. 7. < Vo, ver. lo.

86 ^he Cafe of Suhfcription

thofe who were to be ordained to facred Offices v not by putting a few Interrogatories to them, which artful Men may eafily evade the Force of; nor by calhng on them to fubfcribe a certain human Creeds or Set of unfcriptural Articles^ a Thing ab- fohitely unknown to theprimitiveChriftianChurch ; but by a folemn Examination into their Qualifi- cations, and pad Behaviour and Character, from fuch Perfons as bed knew, and had been Jong, in- timately, and fully acquainted with them. And this is the mod rational and effedual Way that can be taken in fo important an Affair, and irr whic:h 'tis lets likely that they who ordain them' fhould be deceived, as to their Morals or Principles. The Author of "The Church of England Vindi- cated takes upon him to talk with great Afllirance; of the Defign and Intention of the mod ancient- Creeds ', and to give us the Reafons why they were no larger, nor more explicit. He tells us, that Creeds were originally intended for the Ufe of Catechumens^ and firft iifed only in the Office of Bap^ tifm \ that they were intended to be only a floor t Sum- fjiary of Credenda, and that is a fuficient Account why thefe moft ancient Creeds were no lofiger^ nor more explicit. ^^ Thougb the Gentleman cites two very great modern Names for the Proof of thefe Affertions (Mr. Bingham and Dr. IFaterland) yet* I mud take the Liberty to tell him, that they are not true, and have nothing in Antiquity and the prim.itive Writers to fupport them. For what, are thcfc moft ancient Creeds that he talks of.? Are they Scripture Creeds ? If fo, will he be fo good as to point out fonie h\v of thefe, which were in- tended for Catechumens only^ and which w^ere fo fl:iort and fimple, as that the Catechumens were to be inftructed in them, previouily to Baptifm, for

manv.

Calmly and Impartially reviewed. 87

n:iany Days together, and even, as Jerow fays, for foriv. I can produce him Scripture Inftances to prove, that though the Creeds which the Cate- chumens were to learn were very fhort, yet that they were baptized without half forty Hours pre- vious Inftrudion. Or doth the Gentleman mean by the mod ancient Creeds, liich as were drawn up by thofe who fucceeded the firfl Rifhops and Pallors of the Church? If he fliould affirm that fuch of thefe as are left on Record, were originally intended for the Ufe of Catechumens^ he will find it extremely difficult to produce any Proof of it. I will take on me to affirm that there is none, as will evidently appear to every one, who will take the Trouble to perufe them.

Mr. Bingham^ to whom the World is much in- debted for the learnedCoUeSions he hath made, as to the Antiquities of the Church, hath given us a Tranflation of feveral of the mod ancient Creeds ; beginning with that of Irenaus. I (hall go higher, notwithftandingBiffiop Pearfon's Obfervation, that the Writers before Irenaeus do not formally deliver any Rule of Faiths ufed in their own Times, For if that learned and reverend Prelate means, that they did not deliver any Rule of Faith, agreed upon by the common Confent of the Church, as an authenticky authoritative common Standard^ 'tis un- doubtedly true. But then this is equally true of Iren^us, and the Fathers after him -, and theWri- ters before Irenaus did certainly deliver, in the Forms they have left us, the common Principles oj^ Chriftianity^ as they were then generally held in the Chriftian Church •, and therefore, as they may afford fome Entertainment and Profit to thofe who have not Leifure or Learning to confijlt the Originals,are not thrown all together in anyTreatile that I have feen^ and will afford me fome material

Rcficclicnsj

8 8 7 he Cafe of Subfcription

Refle(5lions, pertinent to the prefent Controverfy^ I Ihall give them in their proper Older, mrii^ing liiyfelf refponfible for the Tranflation.

I Ihall begin with a few of thofe which are of unqueftionahle Antiquity and Authority, which, tho* they are very fhort, appear to me to be the more excellent for that very Reafon j becaufe the fhor- ter they are, they are the more likely to be plain, and on that Account to be the more eafily remem- ber'd and underflood.

The firft is the Creed of Simon Peter, and which was fo far from being intended for Gate- £humens only, that 'tis declared to be the eternal impregnable Foundation of the Chritlian Church, and commended as fuch by a very great Perfonage, The Creed is : Thou art Chrift^ the Son of the living God, The Commendation given of it hath no Cenfure mixed with it, upon Account of its Shortnefs : Jefus anfwered and faid unto him, Bkjjed art thou^ Simon Bar-Jona *, for Flefh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven, And I fay alfo unto thee, T'hou ^r/ Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my Churchy and the Gates of Hell floall not prevail againfl it.^

St. Paul hath alfo delivered a fliort, but com- prehenfive Summary of the Chriftian Faith, fho* there be that are called Gods, whether in Heaven or in Earth, as there be Gods mafty and Lords many ; yet to us there is but one God the Father, of whom are all Things, and we in him ; and one Lord Jefus €hrijl, by whom are all Things, and we by him/ Or, as he elfewhere exprefles it : There is one Body and one Spirit -, even as you are called in one Hope of your Calling : One Lord, one Faith, one Bapiifm. One God and Father of all, who is above ally and through all, and in you alL\

In »Ai«^//&.xvi. 16,17,18. y 1 Cor.viii.5,6* ^£"^^.iv.4,5,6.

Cahily and Impartially revie^wed, 8^

In the Epiftle of Barnabas * we have the fol- lowing Summary of Chriftian Dodlrine. ConjJder therefore y Children^ that the gcod Lord hath before difcovered to us all 'Things^ that we 'might know to whom we ought in all Things to give nanks and Fraife, " If therefore the Son of God, who is Lord, and fhall hereafter judge the Quick and the Dead, fuffered^ that his Stripe might quicken us \ let us believe that the Son of God

<c

*' could not fuffer, but for us. And being alfo *' crucified, he was made to drink Vinegar and

cc

Gall — and offered the VefTel of his Spirit a Sa- crifice for our Sins.** In the Glofe of his Epi- ille he fpeaks of the Refurreciion^ and final Retri- hution^ at the Day of Judgment.

^l, Clement^'' exhorting the Corinthians to Peace and Unity, ufes this Argument : " Have '' we not one God, and one Chrift, and one Spi- *' rit of Grace, that was poured out upon us, and

N " one

* Oojtsif voUTi, TSKiet sviP^oTvvi}^^ oTi TTXvToi a xecXo^ Ki^^lOq TTpeS"

^tKoaCj iTTUi^iv, tvcc >) iiXnyn ccvra H^ejoTroma-t} yiu*u,<,' nirtva-oujt^y o]t

zUiSXXi CTKVJOi rov TTvsvfjtjXTOii ^»o(r<Pi^iiv ^v(rtcc\ S. Barnab. Epiji, c. 7. O yci? TOiVTX TToiav, iv TV, /i3«(riA$u6 Ty ©£a ^alfiiv^ v)(m: ccf, O itiiyie. ixMyefJt/ivo^y fAiToc. rav ityuv eivTn (rvvuxoXureii. AmriSTo aii(t?'ot<n<;, ^i» rero utTecTTo^otnc, Id. f. 21.

^ IvxTi f^m yj evxi swt ®iov i^ofJbiVf iceti mot. Xf<«"»Kj ««« s»

TivtVfjbeC T}j5 ^ot^-ro^ t« «K;^t/S-j» ip' ti[A€C^.y x,xi f/'iei «Af50"<« i¥ Xf*^<»'. Clement. EpiJ}. c. 46. Et^jjvq xttc jruvToy-oxTo^oq &ix. htih O fjjiyu^ ^/Sf/zin^yoc Kui s'so'^otij? t»v ecTTxtrm. C. 20. ETnaiixvuTUi eiii)itKa>i jJW'iv T'/.v f/jiX>ievcrxv ecix^-cctriv i(ri(rB-xi, i}i Ttjv xTTX^xviv iTtoiii- rrxTorov K'-'^'O" Ivitrsi/ XpJfavj iKvix.^av uvx^nrrxe,. C. 24. To (Tvjj^- T*e» T})^ l«,£yc«Ao(rt/j'}}?']a ©18 0 Kt/^tc? aj/AcyK Xpf5"6(;. C. 16 En Aoy** T33? \Jtiiyx>.c(rvvy\^ uvts orvvSTna-XTo rx TTxvrXt x,u.i t» >.nyei ^u\x'Xk

ttUTX KXTa^^iil^eci, C. 27. UlfAxX^'fH 6, 1< P^iX TyiVllfAiTtfiC'.- J-fc'rjj-

^ixv iK^vS-iv. C. 7. ivoof/jiv I^jtTay X^'^o*' ro» xpx^iatx re:' tt:^" ''?e^»f ttytuvy rci TT^o^XTtiv kxi (ioijBey r:)<; xu-B^'-v^utc nifjue-Jv. c. 36, 24., 25,

t8, 35. 0< A«<T8^yot TJJ5 f(ru^iTOi TU Qsa tiiiL TTtiVfiieCTOi xyiH Sgi

(AiTXvtiX'i f?[X^,r,irx7, c. 8,

90 T'he Cafe of Subfcription

■^^ one Calling in Chrifl: ? " And though there be no other formal Rule of Faith delivered by him, yet the Heads of Doftrine that he mentions in other Parts of his Letter, put together, are thefe: ' That God is Almighty, the univerfal Creator, ' hath given many Proofs of the future Refur- ' red:ion, and raifed up Chritl as the firft Fruits * of it : That Chrilt is the Scepter of the Majefly ' of God, the Word of his Greatnefs, by whom ' he conftituted all Things, and is able to deftroy ' them ♦, that his precious Blood was died for our ' Salvation ; that he is the High-priell of our ' Offerings, and the Patron and Helper of our ' Infirmities: That there fhall be a future Refur- ' rection. Judgment to come, and immortal Life, ' and that the Minifters of Divine Grace fpake of ' Repentance by the Holy Spirit."

The next I fhall mention is that of St. Igna- tius, *" in the fmaller Epiftles afcribed to him. Clcfe your Ears when any one [peaks to you without Jefus Chrill, " Who was of the Seed of David^ " and was the Son of Mary •, who was truly born, *' eat and cirank, was truly perfecuted under Ton- •■' tins Pilate^ was truly crucified and died, in the *' View of Things in Heaven, and on Earth, and *' under the Earth -, who alfo truly rofe from the '' dead, his Father raifing him up, as the Pattern " after which his Father will by him raife up us, " who believe in him, by Jefus Chrid."

In

Jn^iTc. S- I^nat. Epiji, ad Trail, c. 9.

Calmly and Impartially rrciewed, 9 1

In the larger interpolated Epiftles '^ we have the following Summary : Beivare that ye fall not into, the Snares of vain Opinions^ but be ye fully eftabli- Jhed " in Chrid, begotten of the Father before all " Ages, and afterwards born of the Virgin Mary^ *' without Converfe with Man •, who lived hoUly, *' and healed all Manner of Difeafe and Infirmity, " amonglt the People, and did Signs and Won- " ders for the Benefit of Men, and declared the " one only true God, his Father, to thofe who " had launched out into Polytheifm, who fuffered " and endured the Crofs, by Means of the mur- " therous Jews, under Pontius Pilate, the Cover- " nor, and Herod the King, and died and rofe " again, and afcended into Heaven to him that *' fent him, and fat at his Right Hand, and fhall " come at the Conclufion of the Ages, with his " Father's Glory, to judge the Quick and the *' Dead, and reader to every one according to ^'^ his Works. He who fully knows and believes " thefe Things is blefied."

I fhali add here the Heads of Do6lrine, as we find them in two fuppofttitious Epijiles, afcribed^. though falfely, to St, Ignatius. In that to the Chriftian Converts at TarfuS:, the Author thus

N 2 exhortSs

d 0«Aft> xflo<Pv?.citr<ria-B'cii vfA,ei^f fhn SfA»7:iFUf s<? Tac ty^^Tf* rijf

y_w>)^ivTiy^a.fcc TH TTATpoc, yiv'jut/jivci ^i v^ipov IK Mxpix^ TP\<i irccp^t-

XXI fJUciPiiCKix* B-spATTivtrxvTi £» TuXoLU^ xcci (TYiiAUcc KXi ripxroi'^eii}(rectT^ i7i' ivipyia-icc uv^puTsOiv, nxkroic, £|ox£tAa(r«v si? •koAv^hxv roi i*ec. koh fjcoyoi ccM^ivov &iov tcxTctyyuXxvri, rev txuTH ^XTSpUy xxt to ttu- S-C5 v7ro<^xvTi, KXt Tf^oq. TUv ^pt^oKToyuv Is^uiavtxi novTty ni^^UTu ny^yuovoiixectHpu^ii (ix^iXiuc^ uAuvfevvvoUfUvxvTt, xctl U7ro^»*ovTt,

ICX^XVXTei^Tt, KXlUViX^OVTiHiTHIi apX'JiKi'^^OC, TOyXTTO^UXXVTXy XUl

itahr^iyTi iv ^il^x avra, xxt £f;toi/^«^6> i^t a-wTiXux rm ximm ;x.£t«5,, <J^o|>35 3-fltT^4>c»j« y-^kvxi ^avTxq XXI iiK^at,, y-xi, xvchixi skx^u xxrct, rxioyx xvTis, Txvtx o y«'K5 iv '^Mco(Pcp:x jcxi Xi^tvrxc,, ^xkx^ f«{/ S. Ig^nat, Ifiterp, Epift, ^^-Magnefian. c. lU

92 ^he Cafe of Subfcription

exhorts them : ' Ee ye entirely perfuaded " thatf- ^^ Jelus the Lord was truly born of Mary, made " of a Woman, and truly crucified, and that the " fame Perfon, who was born of a Woman, is *' the Son of God, and he who was crucified *' was the: firft-born of the Creation, and God the *,' Word, and that he made all Things. But that ** chis fame Perfon is not God over all, and Father, " b'jt his Son, and that he who hath put allThings " in Subjedion, and is all in all, is one ; and he to " whom all Things are put in Subjection, is ano- " thei ; who alfo with allThings is put inSubje6tion. *' But neither is he a mere Man, thro' whom and *' by whcra all Things were made. How there- " fore ihould fuch a one be a mere Man, and *' have the Beginning of his Exiftence from Mary ; '*' and not rather be God the Word, and the only *' begotten Son ? And our Bodies fhall alfo rife.'* The other Epiflle is that to the Fhilippians^

falfely

tyi]ieiJt^iVoi ^K yvvx'.icoc, kxi ecJMib'ueii^eivpu^yi, y-on on hto^ o ytwn-

tt&t ^ioCiT^vyoc,^ xesj avTcuzoit^fri ru zmToc* xoci eri ouk uvto^ t^-iv o

iTTi jzuvTA'v &iaq nict ^rstTsjc, aA>.' Vioc, iKtive STipet; i^n o vxe-

T«|«^» '^^^ cii\7^ TrxvTX, fv Ttacfrty Kai irifttc^ • vntTotyn, 05 tccci f/*fTit trupTtiiv urarao'irirau Ke6« erf ViA.o? «v3^a"ret, 0 ^i ev, xai tv «

<yi7«vj roc 7re(.\rx n*^ )iv « roinroc^ YtAoj ecvbeajro^y xxi ik

MclPiCCi fX.<^<v Tiiv a^X*''* '■** *<'«*, x>X ev^i ©f05 Aov(5^, xott fAtoieyivr.^

«jio', J On h K. an^UTcci t« a-uf^etrcc jj/awk S. Ignat. adjcript.

Epfi. ad Tarfenf. c. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

Ei yei^ f;$ irjf 0 -i av c>.i)v ©£05, 0 TTxrn^ rs Xpr*', s| ov tu. 7ru.vrec* m J'j y^ 0 xvficj TiuA'y, JjscrS}^ ^^tfccj 0 r»iv oXav xv^tcf^^ ^i a ru ^zvTcc' IV h 29 znvf/jic uy(07, re intpymtruv tv Matrfj i^ s-foipjjraj? y^ atTTs^oXeii' tv ^t >^ ro (sXTniorfA^a, ro m tw Setvecrof tb xvpm ^i^o~ fi>ivrj' fjuiec J« Jcl tx.Xix.ri} txxA^o-ia* f</«« c(pitXfi uvai >^ :gx.<C7« X^ii'cv

«c* tAjjv stnUj 6 fjuc*'^ «/;i'>u(^ i''5 h y^ vi(^, Xoy^ ©I©-*

nc ^i JO 0 7r«^fiiJtA)jT(^.— — Curj ty T^#i5 jratTi^f?, art t^jj? viciy hts 7^ui7rttfXJc>^i)Tct* «AA' J15 vruTz^, yC «<; i'<^, >o ti^ 7rcec«»A}}T^ ,

Calmly and Impartially reviewed, 93

falfely afcribed alfo to Ignatius. Continue^ fays the Writer of it, in the fame Canon^ or Rule of Faith, ^.' For if there is one God of all Things, the Fa- *' ther of Chrift, of whom are all Things ; and *' one who is our Lord Jefus Chrift, Lord of all " Things, by whom are all Things, and one ^' Holy Spirit, that wrought in Mofes^ and the " Prophets and Apoftles \ and one Baptifm, which '' is adminiftred hito the Death of the Lord, and ^' one eledl Church, there ought alfo to be one " Faith, as to Chrift. There is therefore one " God and Father, and not two, nor three ; one " who is, and there is none befides him, the only *' true one. There is alfo one Son, God the *' Word, and one Comforter. So that there are *' not three Fathers, nor three Sons, nor three *' Comforters j but one Father, one Son, and one *' Comforter. Wherefore we are baptized, not *' into one with three Names, nor into three that *' were made Men, but into three of the fame " Honour. For one onJy was made Man, not *' the Father, nor the Comforter, but the Son *' only \ not in Appearance or delufive Shew, but *' in Truth. And he who was God the Word, " was born as a Man, with a Body, of the Virgin, *' without Converie with a Man. He was there- fore truly born, he truly grew, he truly eat and drank, was truly crucified and died, and rofe again." He who believes thefe Things ^ as they

arey

T^Ui iv»v3^a7r»ia-ei*Tecif otAA' ta r^tit; efjttorifjuae, E<{ yu^ e fvxvB^^ci/» UH(recc^ an o jrarn^, en o ^apaK^K?®"-, uhXu fjucvf^ e ft^* « Jexti-

Aoy®-, fjijn» c-uu/ur®^ «» tjj? Ttoif^tvv, uviv cf/ji?^ixq uva'p^—-et,>,7im Bco^ nv iytvvijby), aAij!^*;? *ii%^^r, uXuB^fo^ t^xyi k^ svny, «Ajj^fi-f i^uvpaB^fi K, ccTTi^oin to uvi^v^. O rxvTcc WiCTtvca^, a^ ^K*'j *'^ ys* ysyjjretj, fjuxxxfi'^ . O ruvTX fttVt Vi^ivwv, ivxyr^, aj^ ttrrov ruv T»vxvpie» ^uvpve-dnm, S. Ignat. Jdfcript. Epiji. ad Philipp^^ iup. I, 2, 3. '

94 5^'^^' C^fi of Subfcription

drCy and as they i;jere done^ is blejfed. He who he^ lieveth not thcfc Things^ is no lefs execrable than they who crucified the Lord.

PoLVCARP, in his Epifclc to the Philippians^^ ehus exhorts them : Gird up your Loins ^ " beheve- ." ing in him who railed our Lord Jelus Chrift ^^ from the dead, and gave him "Glory, af^d -a " Throne at his Right-hand, to whom all Things *' in Heaven and Earth are fubjed:, whom every "" Spirit ferves, who comes as the Judge of the *^ Quick and Dead. He who raifed him up from *' the dead, will alfo raile us up, if we do his " Will and walk in his Commandments."

The next ancient Writer I fhall mention is Justin Martyp., who in feveral Places hath given us a (hort Summary of the Chriftian Doc- trine, univerfally held by Chriftians. In his firft Apology^ he fays : We confefs ourfelves Atheifts, as to the Belief of thofe who are reputed Gods^ but net as to the Belief of him " who is the mofb true " God, even the Father of Risfhteoufnefs and *' Temperance, and all other Virtues, and free ," from all Mixture of Evil, But him, and the *' Son, who came from him, and hath taught us *' thefe Things, and that there is an Army of ■" other good Angels that follow him, and are

" like

Zi^ rov lya^xtT* tov Kti^tov lif/joi* \v^sv \ft^ov 6« tut^ttv, *^ o'ovrot uviat c<'4**'» ^ ^povov itc ci\iuv UVTH' 6) vziTecyi) T* Ttetvrec tTrev^aiViOt )C in- Vffor, at TTturoi JTvaj; ?i»rpivti, o^ ipx,i7en KpiTtj^ ^uvTti>v »^ yixpav^— 0 a'i lyiipd^ etvrov tx. HKpeav^ kJ Vf^<x^ tytpHy iccv 7roiA)fJUiv rojiX>iiJjoCy y^ ^eptviOfA^i^cc iv Txif aroXxi^ uvre. S. Polycarp. Epiji. ad Phj- lipp. c. 2.

^ OujoAoy>stjttiv reev roiHTuv v^fjui^ofji/iva))) &i6>f uB-toi uvxi, ecAA*

?^Ur fltpiTAT, 0CVl7rifJl/lKT>i Ti KCtKiOL^^i^' «AA' IX-UVO* T£, X-OSt T6y JTfltp' U'JTH VlOV t^^OVTCif t^ CtOtC^^XVTCC KIAjXC, TOCVTCtf 1^ TCV TfV 0«AAa;» JTC-

fjcj-ivv iu iz,ou)OiHijji\uv ctyfit^A/y etyyi^cot <r\PXTcij 7:,iviiuot, Tf to Treo^r^-. XiK9* viZoiAjt'^oc, 1^ Tr^ofi-xvytfiAjy^ Jp^l. 1 . p, II, Edit. Thirlb.

Calmly and Impartially revie^wed, 95

** iike to him, and alfo the prophetick Spirit, we <* vvorfhip and adore."

In the fame Apology '" he gives another CdnfefTion of the common Chriilian Faith : " We think God, " the Maker of all Things, to be fomewhat more " excellent than any Objects liable to change, and " we affirm, that all Things were created and *' adorned by God — that the Souls of bad Men " are fenfible after Death, and punifhed, but '' that the Souls of the Good, being freed from *' Punifhment, live happily — that we ought not " to worfliip the Works of Mens Hands — that ** the Word, who is the firft Produdion of God, " was begotten without any Mixture, even Jefus " Chrift our Mafter, and that he was crucified, " and died, and rofe again, and alcended into " Heaven."

In his fecond Apology^ he fays : " The Father " of all Things, becaufe he is unbegotten, can " have no Name: For the Terms Father, and " God, and Creator, and Lord, and Mafter, " are not Names, but Appellations taken from

" his

tTTTa^otiu^ «;r>jAA<»y,«,s»«5 r»» T«^»p»«y tv ^^ccya^ — »*» hiv x'^^'"* «"" ^pazom TT^ca-KVUn — tC, rovMytv, o i^kvef^ov ymnu.cc re &te, uviv iTTtf/^ihcii '(pxa-ycuv 7)fAXi ytyma-Bui, Ua-itv X^^^oi/ rov ^^.^VtrxesAc* nf/jkvjiC rthov e\xv^t>B-tf'u, ic. uTToBxvof.ot, ^ ecYet-aet^u, etViM}<v^ivxi iKiTov apuvov. Id. ibid. p. 30, 31 -

^ OfoiAsc a'i Tto Tixvl-jv Tiai^i c>-»1«v, uymi}lu ev]*, evK i^iv. — To h z-xltP 'y^ 0£«J5 »9 xT'iS-JJS >^ tv^Jo? ^ <JW;re1j3?, UK cvo^c^x £f *v, x\X'

tK Tft>V 'fVTTCl'iu-' y^TAlV i^yuv TeeO-^JjOTii?. O h Vi^ iKUViiy C fAOi<^

Mycwiv'^^ K!/^«i'? ^*S>-, » A©7@- Tt^o rm Tronfif/^x^'tivv y^ ctvcot >c ysv-

■y,o[\x ro KiX'^^:r'dx: >9 x.o<rfJU-yi<rXi -iX ^xvlx ^i xvT-i rov Qiov, Xiyt^ixt

I^(r«« Gi y^ uvBpu-va K. 'T£:ri^^ cvcfA^x KXi, <ry)tAX(rixv i^a* Ket» yxp

p. 11^, 115.

96 ^e Cafe of Subfcription

*' his Benefits and Works. But his Son^ who only* is properly called Son, the Word being prefent with and born of him, before all Creatures, when in the Beginning he made and adorned " all Things by him, is called Chrifl:, becaufe " God by him formed and adorned all Things, " and Jefus, which hath the Name and Significa- *' tion of a Man and Saviour. For he was made *' Man, and brought forth according to the Wil! *' of God, even the Father, upon Account of *' Men who fhould believe in him, and for the *' Subverfion of Devils."

Other PafTages of like Nature might be pro- duced from this Father^ but as they are much the fame with thofe already cited^ without any ma- terial Difference, I fnall only refer to* the Places where they may be found.

Agreeable to the foregoing Accounts is xh^Creed preierved to us in the Writings of Iren^eus. 'The Churchy fays he, although difperfed through the whole Worlds to the Ends of the Earthy yet hath re^ ceivcd from the Apoftles and their Difciples^ that Faith which is " in one God the Father Al- mighty, the Maker of Heaven, Earth, the Seas, and all Things that are therein; and in one Jefus Chrifl, the Son of God, who was made Flefh for our Salvation; and in one Holy Spirit, that preached by the Prophets the Difpenfations and Appea "ances, the being born of a Virgin, and the Suffering, and Refurrec- ** tion from the Dead, and the AlTumption of " the beloved Chrifl Jefus our Lord in the Flefh " into the Heavens, and his Coming from the *' Heavens in iht Glory of his Father, to gather ** all Things into one, and to raife the Flefh of

" every

I Al^h !. p. 50, 76. Dialog, cum Tryphon. p. 320i 321?

419:

tc

<e

KC CC C« CC CC

Calmly and Impartially reviewed. 97

<* every Man, that to Jefus Chrift our Lord, and

** God, and Saviour, and King, according to the good Pleafure of the invifihle Father, enitry Knee Jhould how of things in Heaven^ and on Earthy and under the Earthy and every Tongue Jhould confefs to him, and that he may excrciie righteous Judgment upon all, and fend the fpiritual Things of Wickednefs, and the Angels

•' that tranfgreffed, and became Apoftates, and all ungodly, unjuft, lawlcfs, and blafphemous Men into everlafting Fire -, but give Life to the righteous, and holy, and thofe that keep his Commands, and abide in his Love, fome from the Beginning,and others after Repentance, granting them Immortality, and obtaining for them eternal Glory." "^ Concerning this excellent Summary of the

Chriftian Faith, the venerable Father " adds : The

O Churchy

ruv TTU^ecXx'^ba-K tuv u<i t^ex, ©sok Ilacls^oi, TrettloK^ulo^ei, rev 7Fi7ron}Kol»

x«» tt$ tvcc X^^ro' I>?o"ai', Tov viov ra ©s», tov a-x^KuB-ivlec vni^ t)55 7)fXfils^»q a-efrti^iut,' xxi u<, Hvivfjux Ay»e», ro S'lx tu* Tf^e^ijrett xtici)' ^v)^^ rxi eiKeyofjutx^y KXi rxq £Aii»<r£j?, x«* tjjv hc llx^^t»ii ymwiv, x«( re 7rx^(^-y KXi tjjv syi^vtv jk ttK^uvt xxi rttv tvcrx^x-et m rtt^ e^X*Vq xvxXti-^iv T» tiyxTTijfJuivii X«*5"» Ijjtra rs Kvpih vifibuv, kxi rv)* sk ruv e^xvuv it m ^oinrBTroC^^®-' 7rx^8<riX* xv\}£y tTn ro xvXKi<pxXxiH'- irxtr^xi rx TrxUxf ««< otvoftf jjtret* ttxcxv crx^xx TrxTiji x*^^ei!7:o\nl^t lyx \^i<r» I^cra ru tiv^iu j)jl&»c, kxi ©fs;, kxi c-oflijoi, kxi ^xtiXu, Koilx Tijy tv^oKiXv re Hul'^ xeec^e, vrx* yew KXf//'^i) STrtt^xnetr^ xxi tTTiytiay, xxt Kxlx^^onat, xxt 7rx<rx yXucra-x i\ofjuo>.eyn^^tn xvlw^ xxt Keicriv^KXixv £» rei^TTxtri 9roif)<rv\xi' rx f/ftv 7tviVf/ix]iKX tjj; ttovk- ^iXCf KXI xyyt?^ei Trx^x'^i^n^erxe, kxi tv xtto^xctix ytyovoixq, xxt T«5 xtrs'^itc, xxi xS'iKVi, KXi xvofjity^, xxt ^Xxa-<pyii**e^ rm xv^^csttup si; re xianov TTufi Triuw^ti, Tetq ^i ^ixxieii xxi erioi^y xui rxc, i¥[e?\,xq xvla tjIjj^jjxoo**, xxi sv rn xyxTrn xvla ^tXfAttfJttsvtixoa'i, ret^ itf «f;t»3<* T«»5 $'i ix fjtiixveiXi, ^»j}» j(^x^i<rxfjui)i^ , x<P^x^<rixi> ^u^nfnlxi, xxt ^e^x* xittiHXv 7,i^t7roit}s-t). Iren, ad'verf. Hare/. 1. I . c. 2.

" Tula TO xYt^nyyux rT«*«<A>}^t/«of, xxi rxvlnv T)jya"<f<v jj E««A«(r<flC,

0tXHV»\

98 l^he Cafe of Suhfcription

Churchy though difperfed through the whole JVerldi having had this Faith preached to it, and received it^ carefully prcferves it^ as though Jhe inhabited one Houfe ; and in like Manner believes thefe "Things^ as though foe had one Soul^ and the fame Heart -, and with one Confent preaches and teaches and delivers thefe Things^ as though foe poffefjed one Mouth, For though the, e are different Languages in the Worlds yet the Virtue of the 'Tradition is one and the fame 5 for neither the Churches efiablifloed in Germany, nor in Spain, Gaul, in the Eaft, in Egypt, in Libya, nor in the Middle of the Worlds do believe or teach other wife. But as the Sun, the Creature of God J is one and the fame throughout the Worlds fo the preaching of the Truth every where appears^ and enlightens all Men who are willing to come to the Knowledge of the Truth, For neither any of thofe Governors of the Church, who excell in Speech, will fpeak other than thefe Things ; for no one is above his Mafter ; neither he that is weak in Speech will fay lejs than what is delivered to him. For fince there is one and the fame Faith, neither he who is able to fpeak much of it will fay more, nor he who can fpeak little will fay lefs.

The

ri^acra" y.A', eijueiv(;z-i^ivu releit, a^ f/tiuv ^^v^^v xcti T/Jv uv.av iZ^ca a>i, i» ^ofjuct, KiKl^-tfJUivr;. Kec< yu^ at Kctlx tov K0(ryj6Y o^n/jy^ttTiot oivoU/Oicti,

'ifii iv TUtq iQri^iKU, v\i tv KiXjoit, iP.i Kccloc vxc, Ayc^oXci<iy Hit iv A<- *'^v7f\», bli IV A<by«^ hli tx.1 y.ct\oc f/ji(ro(, ry icoa-fAjH lo^v^ivxi' «AA aa-Jiip 0 YtXi^ TO Kuarfjua, m 0£s? fy «t^« tu xecr/jbu «*5 »^ a'Sl(^, bli* >c; TO Knevyfjuot, tjj? xX/.^nx^ 7rui\ccx,i) (pcavn, f^ (pa>Ti^si Trxflxe, «►$•*«- TTa? Tilt, ySifPie^SJ'K? UC, ITTiyvUITi* «>i»j3-i.a? iX^n\, Kat i/]« o %xvo '^vixi'^ iv >ioya rut iv rxkq iy-KXv.a-ixic, Tsr^ctg-ulei^Vy fn^tc rhltiit t^n' iii'iic, yxo iiTTip rev ^i^xa-xxXQi' an e cco-^ir:;? fv ret T^.oya z^^xrloKTSt rvfi irrx«u^c(rtv, Mix^ yxo >^ tjj^ xv^,r,^ Tti^-tai; e<ryi^, ifn o ttoXv jTff* xv» ^xg a^vvxiJbui^ uTrttv tzXiCvxviv, i/]t o rv e^ayov^ ^>>«T*]onjO'f. Iren» c-dverf, UiCref, c. 3 .

Calmly and Iinparti ally reviewed, ggi

The fame Father ° thus delivers himfelf ia another Place: Since thefe Things are thus de'mon- ftrated^ we ought not to Jeek that Truth from others which may eajily be had from the Chvjch^ Jince the Apoftles have moft fully brought into it all Thi?igs relating to the Truths as into a rich Bepofttory, — If they had not left us their Writings y ought we not to follow that Order of Tradition which they delivered to thofe to whom they committed the Churches?' To this Appointment many of thofe barbarous Nations- have a£ented^ who believe in Chrift^ having Salva* tion written by the Spirit in their Hearts^ without Paper or Ink, diligently preferving the ancient Tra- dition^ and believing " in God, the Maker of " Heaven and Earth, and of all Things that are *' in them by Chrift Jefus the Son of God ; who, " becaufe of his moft eminent Love to his own

O 2 " Work,^

" Tantae igitur Oflenfiones cum fint, non oportet adhuc qusrere apud alios Veritatem, quam facile eft ab Ecclefu fu- mere ; cum Apoftoli, quafi in Depolitorium dives, pleniffime. in eam contulerint omnia quae funt Veritatis. — Quid autem ii neque Apolloli quidem Scripturas reliquiffent nobis, nonne oportebat Ordinem fequi Traditionis, quam tradiderunt iis, quibus committebant Ecclefias ? Cui Ordinationi affentiunt multae Gentes Barbarorum, eorum qui in Chriilo credunt, fme Charta vel Atramento fcriptam habentes per Spiritum in Cor- dibus fuis Salutem. et veterem Traditionem diligenter cufto- dientes : In unum Deum credentes Fabricatorem Cceli &:Terr^» et omnium quae in iis funt per Chrillum Jefum Dei Filium; qui propter eminentiffimam erga Figmentum fuum Dileftio- nem, eam quae efTet ex Virgine Generationem fuilinuit, ipfe per fe Hominem adunans Deo, & paflus fub Pontio Pilato, & refurgens, & in Claritate receptus, in Gloria venturus Salvator corum qui falvantur, & Judex eorum qui judicantur, & mit- tens in Ignem aeiernum Transfiguratores Yeritatis, & Con- temptores Patris fui & adventus ejus. Hanc fidem qui fme Literis crediderunt, quantum ad Sermonem noftrum Barbari fimt, quantum autem ad Sententiam & Confuetudinem & Con.-, veriationem., propter Fidem perquam fapientiflimi funt, & placent Deo, converfantes in omni Jullitia t<. Caftiwte k.'^%- piezitia, Iren. ad^verf. Uaref, lib, 3. ^. 4>

I oo 'The Cafe of Subfcription

*' Work, fubmitted to be born of a Virgin^ him- " feli uniting by himfelf Man to God, fuflfering *' under Pontius Pilate^ rifing again, and being ** received into Glory, and fhall come in Glory " as the Saviour of them that are faved, and the " Judge of thofe who are judged, fending into *' eternal Fire the Corrupters of the Truth, and *' the Contemners of his Father's and his own *^ Coming." This Faith^ they who hofue received unwritten^ though as to Language they may he Bar- barians, yet as to Principle^ Manners and Life^ by reafon of their Faith are mofi truly wife^ and pleafe Cody and live in all Juflice^ Chajiity and Wifdom,

Athenagoras, ^ in his Legation for the Chri- ftians, to Mark Antonine and Commodus, hath left ns feveral Summaries of the Chriftian Faith, th© principal of which I lliall mention, referring only to the others. He tells them : ^e are no Atheifis,

'> We

vip e ytyiVKleii ro ttx* ^tec th xv.a Myt, f^ ^XKucotrf/z^xi t^ cxty- *ffit]s»ioii, ©fov xycvliii JKfltvai? fjbot ^iffinclcu. Nfly^tMy yx^ y^ Viev ris 018 — xXh* t^n 0 Vf(^ T« 0<» Aoy®- ra Hot]^^, iv loix y^ Evi^yiix^ 17^65 xvia 7«f >C J**' xCln 7ru?ix tymle^ (»(^ cvl@- ra n«]o(^ t^ ra vni* oilS)- h TB viX iv ttuI^i^ i^ Ttule'^ iv vtm, ivo\i^i t^ ^xft>n yntvfAX^. N»< >^ AeyC^ ra zxl^©" a vt^ xa 0sa«— jrf<»Jei' ytv- yiffAjx iivxi ret ttxIpi, ax," »'< yivnfMycv, t| x^X''^/;yx^ e 0i(^ va< a<^i<^ ov, si^iv «.Jl®- 6v txv\v rov Aftyw, xkoM^ Xoyi^^^ aiv^ »AA' ws tuv vhiittov (rvuiTxvlai-—t^itx )^ tvt^yiix tivxi 7r«ei\^-e)\. — '^ xv\o ro tttfyav Taiq tx,^uv8<ri 7r^c(Pi)\kKUCf xyiov Trnvf/tX, xTreepetxv sivxi ^Xfjutv rH ©*a, xTTOf^ieVf K; iTrxvut^t^OfXitiev, ai xkUyx »)^4t(«— «AA« y^ ;tAij5^®-» AyytXtov *^ Aults^yvv (f^XfJUif, aj o 7ronu^<; y^ ^>j^i8|7®- xo(r/tJt/U ©t©- ^ €i\x TS {?■«/ xvlv A»ya, anntfA/iy >o ^mu^t Titfii n rot eet)^Hx uvxi t^ Ta< a^ctvac, f^ ret Koa-fjuoVf >^ rx t¥ xtTlu;, y^ thv 7a1»v £«(et^»av,«— «6AA' sth TriTTne-fJUi^x v^i^uv ttxv]©' ra tffiTT^ecrBiv (iLHXcytv ru TtiTzei- zxtlt 1^ y}f^x^ f^ T»v Keff-fjuc* &$<»—— ao'iv rijAtxis'/oi' TTinritr^Xi xxKOt i*"

TXU^X VQfJbl^Otltqf XX* T|J$ ^V^IJi lifJUXi x(PxteavXi Ti¥ti, OJV IKU «•/*<-

autiB-x — TTx^xm fjbiyxXa ^iKX€-s, Athenag. Legat, pi-o Chri- ftian. p. 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 44. Vide mam p. 19, 21, 22,46,96. ^di'i^Duhair, O;con, • -'

Calmly and Impartially reviewed, i o i

*^ We acknowledge one God, unbegotten and ^' eternal, and invifible, without Paflions, in- " comprehenfible, immenfe, to be comprehended ^* by the Mind and Reafon only, encompafled " with Light, and Beauty, and Spirit, and in« ^' effable Power, by whom the Univerfe is formed " through his Word, and adorned and preferved. *' We acknowledge alfo the Son of God. And *' the Son of God is the Word of the Father ia ** Idea and Operation : For by him and through ** him were all Things made, the Father and the *' Son being one •, the Son being in the Father, *' and the Father in the Son, by the Unity and " Power of the Spirit. The Son of God is the " Mind and Word of the Father ; the firft Pro- ** dudtion of the Father ; not as made ; for God *' from the Beginning being an eternal Mind, had *' within himfelf Reafon, being ever rational ; *' but coming forth as the exemplar and efFedive ^' Power of all Things. — We fay farther, that the ^* Holy Spirit, which operates in thofe who de- *' liver Prophecies, is an Efflux of God, flowing " from him, and being carried back to him, as a ** Ray of the Sun.— Befides this we fay there is a *' Multitude of Angels and Minifters, whom God, *^ the Maker and Creator of the World, by his *' own Word diftributes, and orders to take care " of the Elements, and Heavens, and the World, " and the Things that are therein, and their good " Order. — And becaufe we are perfuaded that we ^* mud give an Account of our whole Life here, *' to God that made us and the World, we count " that even the Lofs of our Lives is no Evil, when '^ compared with what we fhall hereafter receive *^ from the Great Judge. "^

CLEMENS

1 02 ^oe Cafe of Subfcripfion

Clemens of Alexandria'^ hath no where deli- vered any diredl regular Formulary of Belief; but yet hath faid enough to fhew ^vhat were his Sen- timents as to the great diftinguifhing Articles of Chriflianity. '' We ought, fays he, truly to *' believe in the Son, that he is a Son, and that *' he came, and how, and for what Reafon, and " concerning his PafTion. For 'tis neceffary to " know who is the Son of God. For the Father *' is not without the Son ; for his being Father ^' implies he is Father of the Son, and the Son is *' a true Teacher of the Father. And in order to " believe in the Son 'tis neceffary to know the " Father, to whom the Son is referred -, and to '^^ know the Father, that we believe in the Son, " becaufe the Son of God teaches him." For through Faith the Father comes to he known hy us through the Son, For the Knowledge of the Son and Father, according to the genuine Rule of Knowledge^ is the Attainment and Comprehenjjon of 'Iruth hy the T^ruth.

• The next I (hall mention isTERXULLiAN,' who thus delivers his own Senfe, and no Doubt the

common

*7 rr<5-gyir^t ytiii aA^S'*'? ra vm ^Hf. oli n vi^ ^ i^ clin?^^iv, f^ 3'6»<a y^ otdTt, t£i TTi^i T3 riefcS-iff^ yvsi'fxi Si cCJacyx-r)^ riq i?'iv e ti^ ra

Vi^ el's 5T«f< 7:ccifi<^ «A'/j3-4$ ^iScCtrKxPi^m K«J «»CJ TKi ^t^iV(r)f TU Vior,

yravxi ^e- Tov zci'iifu, T_p©- cy t^ ovi(^* ol,vB^^(i re iKtf rov TTetlipa, Tp&-*, yvvf/jiv, TriTtvxxi hi tu viu^y cli o t» ©m t;t©- ^iOAtrx-n. Ejc x<rt«5 «y«p s«? yi;a.'(nj» hx vin TTxjvip. rv&iTi(; Si vtntC, xa^f*^ r, kx1» rev*xvo>» 70V yvafix.iv, T»v tu o» i yvmi-iKoyt^ i7ri.ZoX>)>^ ^tctAajyjj tf^v fitAajS'Sia?, <J«c6 T;;«r «A3)9-i<of(;. Strom, lib. 5. Init.

^ Regula quidem Fidei una omnino eft, fola Immobilis ^ i-rreformabilis, credendi fcilicet in unicum Deum omnipoten- ^m Mundi Conditorem, &:FiIium ejus Jefum Chriflum, natum ex Virglne Maria, crucifixum fub Pondo Pilatp, tertia Di^re- jCufcitatus a mortuis, receptum in Ccelis, fedentem nunc ad dexteram Patris, venturum judicare Vivos & Mortuos per Carjsis etiam Refmreftionem. Hac Lege Fidei manente, cas-

Calmly and Impartially reviewed, lo-?

ColTjmon Senfe of the Chriftians of his own Times, as to the efTential Articles of Belief, nere f/, fays he, one only Rule of Faith^ unalterable and in- capable of Amendment^ viz. " of believing in one *' only God omnipotent, the Creator of the " World, and in his Son Jefus Chrift, born of the Virgin Mary^ crucified under Pontius Pilate^ raifed from the Dead on the third Day, recei- *' ved into Heaven, now fitting at the Right-hand " of the Father, and who (hall come to judge the *' Quick and the Dead, by the Refurre(5lion of " the Flelh.'* Whilfi this Law of Faith remains^ other Things relating to Difcipline and Practice will admit of After-correction^ by means of the Grace of God operating and affifting even to the End.

In another Place ' he thus delivers himfelf in Ibmewhat different Terms, This is the Rule of Faith by which we believe^ *' That there is one only God, and no other belides the Creator of the World, who produced all Things out of nothing, by his Word which he fent forth the

cc

((

firft

tera jam Difciplinae & Converfationis admittunt Novitatem Correftionis, operante fcilicet & proficiente ufque in Finem Gratia Dei. De Veland. Virgin, c. i.

^ Regula eft autem Fidei-^illa fcilicet qua creditur : Unum omnino Deuxn effe, nee alium prnster Mundi Conditorem, qui Univerfa de nihilo produxerit per Verb umfuum primo omnium demiffum. Id Verbum Filium ejus appellatum, in Norcine Dei varie vifum a Patriarchis, in Frophetis Temper auditum, poftremo delatum ex Spiritu Patris Dei & Virtute, in Virgi- nem Mariam, Carnem fadum in Utero ejus, & ex ea natum egifle Jefum Chriftum : Exinde praedicaffe novam Legem & novam Promiflionem Regni Qelorum, Virtutes feciile, fixum Cruci, tertia Die refurrexilTe, in Ccelos receptum fedifie ad dexteram Patris, mifiiTe Vicariam Vim Spiritu s Sandi, qui cre- dentes agat, venturum cum Claritate ad fumendos Sandos in Vitas aeternse & Promifforum cceleftium Frudum, & ad Pro- fanes adjudicandos Igni perpetuo, fatta utriufque Partis Refuf- citatione cum Carnis jReftitutione. Id, dg Prafcript. Harrt, «. 13,

io4 ^^ ^fe 9f Suhfcripfion

firft of all Things. This Word is called his Son, who at different Times appeared to the Patriarchs in the Name of God, was always heard, i, e. always fpake by the Prophets, and at length came down, by the Spirit and Power of God the Father, into the Virgin Mary^ was made Flefh in her Womb, and born of her be- came ]efus Chrift. After this he preached a new Law, and a new Promife of the Kingdom of Heaven, did Miracles, was fixed to the Crofs, rofe the third Day, being taken up into Hea- ven fat at the Right-hand of God, fent the Power of the Holy Spirit in his Stead to guide thofe that believe, Ihall come in Glory to receive the Saints to the Enjoyment of eternal Life and the heavenly Promifes, and to adjudge the Un- godly to perpetual Fire, the one and the other being railed up with the Reftoration of their Flefhly Bodies.*' In his Treatife againft Praxeas he thus expreffes himfelf.^ " We believe one only God. But un- *' der this Difpenfation, which we call ibe CEco- ct f2omy, that of this only God his Word is alfo *' his Son, who proceeded from him, by whom all ** Things were made, and without whom nothing

" was

* Unicum quidem Deum credimus ; fub hac tamen DiTpen- fatione, quam OEconomiam dicimus, ut unici Dei fit & Filius Scrmo ipfins, qui ex ipfo procefferit, per quern Omnia fafta fant, & fine quo fadlum eft nihil. Hunc miffum a Patre in Virginem, & exea natum Homincm Sc Deum, FiliumHomi- His & Filium Dei, & cognominatum Jefum Chrillum. Hunc paffum, hunc mortuum, & fepultum fecundum Scripturas, & reiufcitatum a Patre, & in Coelos refumptum, federe ad dex- tcram Pauls, venturum judicare Vivos & Mortuos ; qui exinde mifit, fecundum Promiffionem fuam, a Patre SpiritumSanftum, Paracletum, Sanclificatorem Fidei eorum qui credunt in Pa- trcm & Filium & Spiritum Sandum. Hanc Regulam ab Initio Evangel! i decucuriffe, etiam ante priores quofque H<ereUcos. Ad'verj. Praxeam, c. 2.

it

cc <c

Calmly and Impartially reviewed, i or

*' was made. That he was fent by the Fa- *' ther into the Virgin M^rj', and of her was bom *' both Man and God, the Son of Man and Son *' of God, and was called Jefus Chrift \ that he fujffered, that he was dead and buried according to xhz Scriptures, and raifed by the Father, and taken into Heaven, that he fits at the Right- hand of the Father, fhall come to judge the Quick and the Dead; that he fent from thence, *' according to his Promife, the Holy Spirit, the ** Comforter from the Father, the Sandtifier of '' the Faith of thofe who believe in the F..ther, *' and Sonj and Holy Spirit." ^hisRule hath run down to us from the Beginning of the Gofpely even before the 'Time of any of the former Hereticks,

In a Treatife concerning the Charifmata^ or Gifts of the Spirit, afcribed to St. Hippolytus,* we have l\\^ following Formulary or Creed : There is no one^ who through Chrifi believes in God^ wha hath not received a fpiritual Gift ; ^—for *' To be- lieve in God the Father through Chrift, is the Gift of God — and alfo to believe, that by the good Pleafure of God the only Begotten, who was before Ages, was in the laft Time born of a Virgin, without her Converfe with Man, and *^ that he lived and adlcd as a Man without Sin^ l^ fulfilling all the Righteoufnefs of the Law, ar)d

P " that

j5(xefcjo(r«v>3» Tjjp Tts vofAiij r^ oil <rvyx,e*^*)tru ©sa ^dv^ov vTtifjuuviv, et«or-

^ioc r^*<u» tif/iti^eiVf yX fiidx tijh a.v.x^{C(rtv T£(rcr«j»«xoWefc vtbs^xi; kccpcc^

ftiUVXi roi<; tcze<^oMiCy k^ TtM.^KVeic, 7roe.fr»v a'toclix.hv asyjAjj^S-;) j^r' o

"^iClV Ctv\ay 5?^(^ Toy UTTO^dXxilx Oiv\o^ Qifil y^ TTO^iOtt' 0 TXVlcC TTl^iV''

lihnfif ifc ©«tf, HipJpolyt. Oj>er, V. I. p. 246. E<tit. Fabric.

cc <c cc cc cc

io6 TToe Cafe of Subfcription

" that by God's PermifTion God the Word endu- *' red the Crofs^ defpifmg the Shame, and that he *' died and was buried, and rofe again in three " Days, and abode with his Difciples after his *' Relurreflion for forty Days, and having fulfilled *' every Thing commanded him, was taken up in *' theirView toGod even theFather who fent him:" He that believes thefe Things, not ftmply and irra- tionally, but with Judgment and full Ajjurance, hath received the Gift from God,

The fame Father/ in his Trad againft Noetus, if it be his, gives a like Formulary of Belief, tho* with fome little Variation : " We truly know one *' God. We know Chrift, we know that the *' Son fufFered as he fufFered, that he died as he " died, that he rofe on the third Day, that *' he is at the Right-hand of the Father, and '' that he ihall come to judge the Quick and *' Dead.*' Thefe Things we affirm , which we have ^* learnt.

Origen y hath left us the following Summary

of

xpi*ce.t ^aVIa^ f^ n^pec. Ka* ravlcc MycfAit ec tfA/xB-ofX/iv. Id. ibid, contr. Noet. p. 6. §. i. Vid. etiam §. 17, 18.

y Species vero eorum, quae, per Prsdicationem Apoftolicam manifefte traduntur, ifts funt. Primo, quod unus Deus eft, qui Omnia creavit atque coiripofuit, quique quum nihil efiet, cffe fecit Univerfa : Deus a prima Creatura Sc Conditione Mundi, omnium Juftorum Deusj Adam, Abel, Seth, Enos, Enoch, Noe, Sem, Abraham, Ifaac, Jacob, duodecim Pa- triarchaxum, Moyfis &Prophetarum ; & quod hie Deus in no- viffimis Diebas, ficut per Poophetas fuos ante promiierat, mifit Dominiim noftrum Jefum Chriftum, primo quidera vocaturum Ifrael, fecundo vero etiam Gentes poit perfidiam Populi Ifrael. Hie Deus juflus & bonus. Pater Domini noftri Jei'u Chriili„ Legem & Prophetas & Evangclia ipfe dedit, qui & Apoftolo- jrum Deus ell, & Veteris & JN'Qvi Teliamenti. Turn deinde

quia

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Calmly aiid Impartially reviewed^ 1 07

of the Chriftian Faith. The Articles delivered to MS by the preaching of the Apoftles are thefe : " Firft, " that there is one God, who created and formed " all Things, and who, when there was nothing, " made all Things to exift y God, from the firft " Creation and Conftitution of the World, the God of all the Juft, of Adam, Abel^ Seth, EnoSy Enoch, Noe, Sem, Abraham, IJaac, Jacob, the twelve Patriarchs, Mofes, and the Prophets j and that this God in thefe lad Days, as he had before promifed by his Prophets, fent our Lord Jefus Chrift, firft of all to call Ifrael, and then " to call the Gentiles alfo, after the Infidelity of his People IfraeL This juft and good God,

P 2 " the

((

quia Jefus Chriilus, ipfe qui veni't, ante omnem Creaturam natus ex Patre eft : Qui quum in omnium Conditione Patri jniniftrafTet, per ipfum enim Omnia fa£la funt, novillimis Tern- poribus feipfum exinaniens, Homo fadlus, incarnatus eft, cum Deus effet, & Homo fadus manfit quod erat Deus. Corpus aiTumpfit noftro Corpori iimile, eo folo difierens, quod nacum ex Virgine & Spiritu Sanfto eft. Et quoniam hie Jefus