Concerning the Right Use of the Fathers in Controversies, Preface
THE PREFACE.
ALl the Difference in Religion, which is at this day betwixt the Church of Rome and the Proteſtants, lies in ſome certain Points which the Church of Rome maintaineth as important, and neceſſary Articles of the Chriſtian Faith: Whereas the Proteſtants, on the contrary, neither believe, nor will receive them for ſuch. For, as for thoſe things which the Proteſtants believe, for their part; and which they conceive to be the Fundamentals of Religion; they are ſo evidently, and undeniably ſuch, as that even their Adverſaries themſelves do alſo allow of, and receive them, as well as they: for as much as they are both clearly delivered in the Scriptures, and expreſly ſet down by the Ancient Councils and Fathers; and are indeed unanimouſly received by the greateſt part of Chriſtians in all Ages, and Parts of the World. Such, for example, are theſe Maxims following: Namely, That there is a God, who is Supreme over all, and who created the Heavens and the Earth. That having created Man after his own Image, this Man, revolting from his Obedience, is faln, together with his whole Poſterity, into moſt extreme and eternal miſery, and become infected with Sin, as with a mortal Leproſie, and is therefore obnoxious to the Wrath of God, and liable to his Curſe. That the Merciful Creator, pitying Mans Eſtate, graciouſly ſent his Son Jeſus Chriſt into the World: That his Son is God Eternal with him, and that having taken Fleſh upon himſelf in the Womb of the Virgin Mary, and become Man; He hath done and ſuffered, in this Fleſh, all things neceſſary for our Salvation, having by this means ſufficiently expiated for our Sins, by his Blood: and that having finiſhed all this, he is aſcended again into Heaven, and ſitteth at the right hand of the Father; from whence He ſhall one day come, to judge all Mankind, rendering to every one according to their Works. That to enable us to communicate of his Salvation, by His Merits, He ſendeth us down His Holy Spirit, proceeding both from the Father and the Son, and who is alſo one and the ſame God with Them; in ſuch ſort, as that theſe Three Perſons are notwithſtanding but One GOD, who is Bleſſed for ever. That this Spirit enlightens our Ʋnderſtanding, and begets Faith in us, whereby we are juſtified. That after all this, the LORD ſent his Apoſtles, to Preach this Doctrine of Salvation throughout the whole World. That Theſe have planted Churches, and placed in each of them Paſtors, and Teachers; whom we are to hear with all reverence, and to receive from them Baptiſm, the Sacrament of our Regeneration; and the Holy Euchariſt, or Lords Supper, which is the Sacrament of our Communion with Jeſus Chriſt. That we are likewiſe all of us bound to love GOD, and our Neighbour, very fervently; obſerving diligently that Holy Doctrine which is laid down unto us in the Books of the New Teſtament, which have been inſpired by His Spirit of Truth; as alſo thoſe other of the Old; there being nothing, either in the one, or in the other, but what is moſt true. Theſe Articles, and ſome other few the like, which there perhaps may be, are the ſubſtance of the Proteſtants whole Belief: and if all other Chriſtians would but content themſelves with theſe, there would never be any Schiſm in the Church. But now their Adverſaries add to theſe, many other Points, which they preſs, and command Men to believe, as neceſſary ones, and ſuch, as without believing of which, there is no poſſible hope of Salvation. As for example: That the Pope of Rome is the Head, and Supreme Monarch of the whole Chriſtian Church throughout the World. That He, or at leaſt the Church which he acknowledgeth a true one, cannot poſſibly erre in matter of Faith. That the Sacrament of the Euchariſt is to be adored, as being really Jeſus Chriſt, and not a piece of Bread. That the Maſs is a Sacrifice, that really expiates the Sins of the Faithful. That Chriſtians may, and ought to have in their Churches the Images of God, and of Saints, to which they are to uſe Religious Worſhip, bowing down before them. That it is lawful, and alſo very uſeful, to pray to Saints departed, and to Angels. That our Souls after death, before they enter into Heaven, are to paſs through a certain Fire, and there to endure grievous Torments; thus ſatisfying for their Sins. That one neither may, nor ought to receive the holy Euchariſt, without having firſt confeſſed himſelf in private to a Prieſt. That none, but the Prieſt himſelf that conſecrated the Euchariſt, is bound by right to receive it in both kinds: And a great number of other Opinions, which their Adverſaries proteſt plainly, That they cannot with a ſafe conſcience believe. And theſe Points are the ground of the whole Difference betwixt them; the one Party pretending, That they have been believed, and received by the Church of Chriſt in all Ages, as revealed by him: and the other maintaining the contrary. Now ſeeing that, none of theſe Tenets having any ground from any Paſſage in the New Teſtament (which is the moſt Ancient and Authentick Rule of Chriſtianity) the Maintainers are fain to fly to the Writings of the Doctors of the Church, which lived within the four or five firſt Centuries after the Apoſtles, who are commonly called the Fathers; my purpoſe is in this Treatiſe to examine, whether or no this be a good and ſufficient means, for the deciſion of theſe Differences. And for this purpoſe, I muſt firſt preſuppoſe two things, which any reaſonable Perſon will eaſily grant me. The firſt is, That the Queſtion being here about laying a Foundation for certain Articles of Faith, upon the Teſtimonies or Opinions of the Fathers, it is very neceſſary that the Paſſages which are produced out of them, be clear, and not to be doubted of; that is to ſay, ſuch as we cannot reaſonably ſcruple at, either touching the Author out of whom they are alledged, or the Senſe of the Place, whether it ſignifie what is pretended to. For a Depoſition of a Witneſs, and the Sentence of a Judge, being of no value at all, ſave onelyonly for the reputation of the Witneſs, or Judge; it is moſt evident, that if either proceed from Perſons unknown, or ſuſpected, they are invalid, and prove nothing at all. In like manner, if the Depoſition of a Witneſs, or Sentence of a Judge be obſcure, and in doubtful Terms, it is clear, that in this caſe the Buſineſs muſt reſt undecided, there being another Doubt firſt to be cleared, namely, What the meaning of either of them was. The ſecond Point that I ſhall here lay down for a Foundation to the enſuing Diſcourſe, is no leſs evident than the former; namely, That to allow a ſufficiency to the Writings of the Fathers, for the deciding of theſe Controverſies, we muſt neceſſarily attribute to their Perſons very great Authority, and ſuch as may oblige us to follow their Judgment in Matters of Religion. For, if this Authority be wanting, how clear and expreſs ſoever their Opinions be, in the Articles now controverted, it will do nothing at all toward their Deciſion. We have therefore here two things to examine in this Buſineſs: The firſt is, Whether or not we may be able now certainly and clearly to know, what the Opinion of the Fathers hath been touching the Differences now in hand. The ſecond, Whether their Authority be ſuch, as that whatever faithful Perſon ſhall clearly and certainly know what their Opinion hath been in any one Article of Chriſtian Religion, he is thereby bound to receive that Article for True. For, if the Church of Rome be but able to prove both theſe Points, it is then without all diſpute, that their Proceeding is good, and agreeable to the End propoſed, there being ſo many of the Ancient Fathers Writings alledged at this day by them. But if, on the contrary ſide, either of theſe Two things, or both of them, be indeed found to be doubtful, I ſhould think that any Man of a very mean Judgment, ſhould be able to conclude of himſelf, That this way of Proof, which they have hitherto made uſe of, is very inſufficient; and that therefore they of neceſſity ought to have recourſe to ſome other more proper and ſolid way in the Proof of the Truth of the ſaid Opinions, which the Proteſtants will not by any means receive.