Concerning the Right Use of the Fathers in Controversies, Book 1 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Reaſon 10. That it is a very hard matter to know, whether the Opinions of the Fathers, touching the Controverſies of theſe Times, were received by the Church Ʋniverſal, or but by ſome part of it only: which yet is neceſſarily to be known, before we can make uſe of any Allegations out of them.
BUT ſuppoſe that a Father, relieving us in this difficult, or rather impoſſible buſineſs, ſhould tell us in expreſs terms, that what he propoſeth, is the ſenſe and opinion of the Church in his time; yet would not this quite deliver us out of the doubtful condition we are in. For, beſides that their words are many times, in ſuch caſes as theſe, liable to exception, ſuppoſe that it were certainly and undoubtedly ſo; yet would it concern us then to examine, what that Church was, whereof he ſpeaketh; whether it were the Church Ʋniverſal, or only ſome Particular Church, and whether it were that of the whole World, or that of ſome City, Province, or Country only. Now that this is a matter of no ſmall importance is evident from hence; becauſe that the opinions of the Church Ʋniverſal in Points of Faith are accounted infallible, and neceſſarily true: whereas thoſe of Particular Churches are not ſo, but are confeſſed to be ſubject to Errour. So that the Queſtion being here touching the Faith, which ought not to be grounded upon any thing, ſave what is infallibly true; it will concern us to know, what the judgment of the Church Ʋniverſal hath been; ſeeing the opinion of no Particular Church can do us any ſervice in this caſe. And, that this diſtinction is alſo otherwiſe very neceſſary, appears evidently by this; becauſe that the opinions and cuſtoms, which have been commonly received by the greateſt part of Chriſtendom, have not always preſently taken place in each Particular Church; and again, thoſe which have been received in ſome certain Particular Churches, have not been entertained by all the reſt. Thus we find in ſtory, that the Churches of Aſia minor kept the Feaſt of Eaſter upon a different day from all the other parts of Chriſtendom: and although the buſineſs it ſelf ſeems to be of no very great importance, yet did it nevertheleſs cauſe a world of ſtir in the Church; Victor, Biſhop of Rome, by reaſon of this little difference, excommunicating all Aſia minor. Now each party here alledged their Reaſons,Euſeb. Hiſt. Eccleſ. l. 5 c. 23, 24. p. 55. Cod. Graec. and Apoſtolical Tradition for what they did; ſpeaking with ſo great confidence in the juſtification of their own opinion, as that hearing them ſeverally, a man would verily believe, that each of their opinions was the very ſenſe of the whole Church; which notwithſtanding was but the opinion of one part of it only. The greateſt part of Chriſtendom held the Baptiſm of Hereticks to be good and effectual;Cypr. ep. 71. & ep. 75. quae eſt Firmil. and received all thoſe, who forſaking their Hereſie, deſired to be admitted into the Communion of the Church, without re-baptizing them; as appears out of St. Cyprian, who confeſſeth that this had alſo been the cuſtom formerly, even in the African Churches themſelves. And yet notwithſtanding†Firmi. ep ad Cypr. quae eſt 75. inter epiſt. Cypr. Caeterum nos veritati & conſuetudinem jungimus; & conſuetudini Romanorum, conſuetudinem, ſed veritatis, opponimus; ab initio hoc tenentes, quod à Chriſto, & ab Apoſtolis traditum eſt. Firmilianus, Archbiſhop of Caeſaria in Cappadocia, teſtifies, that the Churches of Cappadocia had time out of mind believed and practiſed the contrary; and had alſo in his time ſo declared and ordained, together with the Churches of Galatia and Cilicia, in a full Synod, held at the City Iconium. And about the ſame time alſo St. Cyprian and the Biſhops of Africk fell upon the ſame buſineſs, and embraced this opinion of Re-baptization of Hereticks. The Acts of the Council held at Carthage are yet extant; where you have 87 Biſhops, who with one unanimous conſent eſtabliſhed the ſame. The Cuſtom at Rome in Tertullians time, was, to receive into the Communion of the Church all Fornicators and Adulterers, after ſome certain Penances, which they enjoyned them. Tertullian, who was a Montaniſt, exclaimed fearfully againſt this cuſtom, and wrote a Book expreſly againſt it; which is alſo extant among his works at this day. Who now, that ſhould read this Piece of his, would not believe that it was the general Opinion of all Catholicks, that ſuch ſinners were not to be excluded from Penance, and the Communion of the Church? And yet for all this it is evident, out of a certain Epiſtle of St. Cyprian, Cypr. epiſt. de Anton.that even ſome of the Catholick Biſhops of Africa were of the contrary perſwaſion: and the Jeſuit Petavius is further of opinion, that this Indulgency was not allowed, nor practiſed in the Churches of Spain, till a long time after; and, that the Ancient Rigour, which excluded for ever ſuch Offenders from the Communion of the Church, was in practice among them, till the time of Pacianus, Biſhop of Barcellona, who left not any hopes of Eccleſiaſtical Abſolution, either to Idolaters, Murtherers, or Adulterers; Pacian Paran. ad Poenit. T. 3. Bibl. PP. p. 71. Concil. Laodic. can. 59. in Cod. Eccleſ. univerſ. 163.as may be ſeen in his Exhortation to Repentance. In the year of our Lord 364. the Council of Laodicea ordained, that none but the Canonical Books of the Old and New Teſtament ſhould be read in Churches, giving us withal a Catalogue of the ſaid Books, which amount in all, in the Old Teſtament, to the number of twenty two only; without making any mention at all of thoſe other Books, which Cardinal Perron calls Poſthumous, namely Eccleſiaſticus, the Book of Wiſdom, the Maccab…es, Judith, and Tobit. All the Canons of this Council were afterwards inſerted into the Code of the Church Univerſal; where you have this very Canon alſo, Num. 163. that is as much as to ſay, they were received, as Rules of the Catholick Church. Who would believe now, but that this Declaration of the Canon of the Scriptures was at that time received by all Chriſtian Churches? And yet notwithſtanding you have the Churches of Africk, meeting together in the Synod at†Concil. Carthag. III. can. 47. Carthage, about the year of our Lord 397. and ordaining quite contrary to the former Reſolution of Laodicea, that among thoſe Books which were allowed to be read in Churches, the Maccabees, Judith, Tobit, Eccleſiaſticus, and the Book of Wiſdom, (which two laſt they alſo reckon among the Books written by Solomon,) ſhould be taken into the number. Who knoweth not the difference that there was, in the firſt Ages of Chriſtianity, betwixt the Eaſtern and the Weſtern Churches, touching the*Vid. Pete… in Epiph. p. 359. Faſting upon Saturdays; the Church of Rome maintaining it is lawful, and all the reſt of the World accounting it unlawful? Whence it was, that we had that ſo†Can. Synod. Quiniſex. Can. LV foreign. bold Canon paſſed in the Council at Conſtantinople, in Trullo, in theſe words: Ʋnderſtanding, that in the City of Rome, in the time of the Holy Faſt of Lent, they faſt on Saturdays, contrary to the Cuſtom, and Tradition of the Church; it ſeemeth good to this Holy Council, that in the Roman Church they inviolably alſo obſerve that Canon, which ſaith; that, whoſoever ſhall be found to faſt either upon the Lords day, or upon the Saturday, (excepting only that one Saturday,) if he be a Clergie-man, he ſhall be depoſed; but if be be of the Laity, he ſhall be excommunicated. Who knoweth not, after how many ſeveral ways the Faſt of Lent was Anciently obſerved in divers Churches, an account whereof is given you by Irenaeus, in that Pious*Iren. ap. Euſeb. Hiſt. Eccleſ. l. 5. cap. 26▪ Epiſtle of his, which he wrote to Victor; part whereof Euſebius ſetteth down in his Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory? Who doth not alſo know, that the opinions, and expreſſions of the Greek Church, touching Free-will, and Predeſtination, are extremely different, from what the Church believed, and taught in S. Auguſtines time, and ſo downward? And as concerning the Diſcipline of the Church, do but hear Anaſtaſius Bibliothecarius, upon the VI Canon of the VII General Council, which enjoyneth all Metropolitans to hold Provincial Synods once a year. †Anaſtaſ. Biblioth. ad Can 6. Conc. 7. Gener. Nec te move at, ſi hanc definitionem minimè nos habemus: cum & earum nonnullas, quas inter Canones habemus, in auctoritatem non recipiamus; ſicut quaſdam ex Conciliis. Aliae nam que apud Graecos tantùm, aliae verò apud certas tantùm provincias in obſervantiam Eccleſiarum aſſumuntur: ſicut Laodicenſis Concilii 16, & 17 Regulae, quae apud Graecos tantùm ſervantur: & Africani Concilii 6, & 8. capit…la, quae nulla provincia ſervare, niſi Africana, dignoſcitur.Neither let it at all trouble thee, (ſaith he) that we have not this Decree; ſeeing that there are ſome others found among the Canons, whoſe Authority nevertheleſs we not admit of. For, ſome of them are in force, and are obſerved in the Greek Church; and others again in certain other Provinces only. As for example, the XVI and XVII. Canons of the Council of Laodicea are obſerved only among the Greeks; and the VI▪ and the VIII Canons of the Council of Africk, are received by none, but the Africans only. I could here produce divers other Examples; but theſe may ſuffice, to ſhew, that the Opinions and Cuſtoms, which have been received in one Part of the Church, have not always been entertained in all the reſt. Whence it evidently follows, that all that is acknowledged, as the opinion, or obſervation of the Church, ought not therefore preſently to paſs for an Univerſal Law. The Proteſtant alledgeth, for the juſtifying his Canon of the Scriptures, the Council of Laodicea, before mentioned. Thou anſwereſt him perhaps, that this indeed was the opinion of the Churches; but it was only of ſome particular Churches. I ſhall not here enter into an Examination, whether this Anſwer be well grounded, or not: it is ſufficient for me, that I can ſafely then conclude from hence, that according to this account, before you can make uſe of any Opinion, or Teſtimony out of any of the Fathers, it is neceſſary, that you firſt make it appear, not only that it was the Opinion of the Church at that time; but you muſt further alſo clearly demonſtrate unto us▪ what Churches opinion it was; whether of the Church Univerſal, or elſe of ſome Particular Church only. It is objected againſt the Proteſtants, that Epiphanius teſtifieth,Epiphan Haer. 59. Tom. 1. that the Church admitted not into the higher Orders of the Miniſtry, any ſave thoſe that were Virgins, or profeſſed Continency. Now to make good this Allegation, it is neceſſary that it be firſt proved, that the Church he there ſpeaks of, was the Church Univerſal. For (will the Proteſtant reply upon you,) as Laodicea hath had, as it ſeems, a particular Opinion touching the Canon of the Scriptures; poſſibly alſo Cyprus may in like manner have had its particular Reſolutions touching the Ordination of the Clergy. The like may be ſaid of the greateſt part of thoſe other Obſervations and Opinions of the Ancient Church. Now how difficult a buſineſs it will be, to clear theſe Matters, which are ſo full of perplexity, and to diſtinguiſh of Antiquity, at this ſo great a diſtance of time, ſevering that which was Publick from what was Particular, and that which was Provincial from what was National, and what was National from that which was Ʋniverſal, any Man may be able to give ſome kind of gueſs; but none can throughly underſtand, ſave he that hath made trial of it. Do but fancy to your ſelves a City that hath lain ruinated a thouſand years, no part whereof remains, ſave onelyonly the Ruines of Houſes, lying all along here and there confuſedly; all the reſt being covered all over with Thorns and Buſhes. Imagine then that you have met with one that will undertake to ſhew you preciſely where the Publick Buildings of the City ſtood, and where the Private; which were the Stones that belonged to the one, and which belonged to the other; and, in a word, who, in theſe confuſed Heaps, where the Whole lies all together, will, notwithſtanding, ſeparate ye the one from the other. The very ſame Task, in a manner, doth he undertake, who ever ſhall go about truly and preciſely to diſtinguiſh the Opinions of the Ancient Church. This Antiquity is now of Eleven or Twelve hundred years ſtanding: and the Ruines of it are now onelyonly left us, in the Books of the Writers of that Time, which alſo have met with none of the beſt entertainment, in their Paſſage through the ſeveral Ages down to our time, as we have ſhewed before. How then dare we entertain the leaſt hope, that amidſt this ſo great Confuſion, we ſhould be able yet to diſtinguiſh the Pieces, and to tell which of them honoured the Publick Temple, and which went to the furniſhing of Private Chappels onelyonly? eſpecially conſidering, that the Private ones have each of them ambitiouſly endeavoured to make their own paſs for Publick. For where is the Province, or the City, or the Doctor, that hath not boaſtingly cried up his own Opinions, and Obſervations, as Apoſtolical? and which hath not uſed his utmoſt endeavour to gain them the Repute of being Ʋniverſal? S. Hierome allows every particular Province full liberty to do herein as they pleaſe.Hieron. ep. 28. ad Lucinum. Unaquaeque Provincia abundet in ſenſu ſuo, & praecepta majorum leges Apoſtolicas arbitretur. Let every Province (ſaith he) abound in its own Senſe; and let them account of the Ordinances of their Anceſtors, as of Apoſtolical Laws. It is true indeed, that he ſpeaks in this place onelyonly of certain Obſervations of things which are in themſelves indifferent: But yet, that which he hath permitted them in theſe Matters, they have practiſed in all other. I ſhall not here trouble my ſelf to produce any other Reaſons to prove the Difficulty of this Inquiry, becauſe I ſhould then be forced to repeat a great part of that which hath been already delivered. For, if it be a very hard matter to attain to any certain knowledge what the Senſe of the Writings of the Fathers is, as we have proved before; how much more difficult a thing will it be, to diſcover whether their Opinions were the Opinions of the particular Churches wherein they lived, or elſe were the Opinions of the Church Univerſal in their Age: the ſame things which cauſe Obſcurity in the one, having as much or rather more reaſon of doing the like in the other. And if you would fully underſtand how painful an Undertaking this is, do but read the Diſputations of the Learned of both Parties, touching this Point; where you ſhall meet with ſo many Doubts and Contradictions, and ſuch diverſity of Opinions, that you will eaſily conclude, That this is one of the greateſt Difficulties that is to be met withal throughout the whole Study of Antiquity.