either they did not say true, and then the fathers' testimony, speaking as witnesses of the doctrine of the church of their age, is not infallible; or if they did say true, yet their testimony was not esteemed sufficient; because the other fathers, who must needs know it, if it was the catholic doc'trine of the church then, do not take it for truth or sufficient. And that maxim which was received in the council of Trent, that "a major part of voices was sufficient for decreeing in a matter of reformation; but that a decree of faith could not be made, if a considerable part did contradict," relies upon the same reason; faith is every man's duty, and every man's concern, and every man's learning; and, therefore, it is not to be supposed that any thing can be an article of faith, in which a number of wise and good men are at difference, either as doctors, or as witnesses. And of this we have a great testimony from Vincentius Lirinensis: "In ipsa item ecclesia magnopere curandum est, ut id teneamus quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est: hoc est enim verè proprièque catholicum." Not that which a part of the fathers, but that which is said every where, always, and by all, that is truly and properly catholic; and this (says he) is greatly to be taken care of in the catholic church.”

From all these premises it will follow, that The Dissuasive' did, or might to very good purpose, make use of the fathers; and if I did there, or shall, in the following sections, make it appear, that in such an age of the ancient church, the doctrines which the church of Rome at this day imposes on the world as articles of faith, were not then accounted articles of faith; but either were spoken against, or not reckoned in their canon and confessions, it will follow that either they can make new articles of faith, or at least cannot pretend these to be articles of faith upon the stock of oral catholic tradition; for this cannot be at all, if the catholic fathers were (though unequally) divided in their testimony.

The rest of J. S.'s last Way or mine is but bragging, and indeed this whole Appendix of his is but the dregs of his Sure Footing,' and gives but very little occasion of useful and material discourse. But he had formerly pro

a Common. c. 3..

mised that he would give an account of my relying on Scripture, and here was the place reserved for it; but when he comes to it, it is nothing at all, but a reviling of it, calling of it "A bare letter, unsensed outward characters, ink thus figured in a book;" but whatsoever it is, he calls it my "main, most fundamental, and in a manner my only principle;" though he, according to his usual method of saying what comes next, had said before that I had no principle,' and that I had many principles.' All that he adds afterwards is nothing but the same talk over again concerning the fathers, of which I have given an account I hope full enough; and I shall add something more when I come to speak concerning the justification of the grounds of the protestant and Christian religion. Only that I may be out of J. S.'s debt, I shall make it appear that he and his party are the men that go upon no grounds; that in the church of Rome there is no Sure Footing,' no certain acknowledged rule of faith; but while they call for an assent above the nature and necessity of the thing, they have no warrant beyond the greatest uncertainty,—and cause their people to wander (that I may borrow J. S.'s expression) "in the very sphere of contingency."

THE

SECOND PART

OF THE

DISSUASIVE FROM POPERY.

BOOK I.

SECTION I.

Of the Church: showing that the Church of Rome relies upon no certain Foundation for their Faith.

THAT the Scriptures are infallibly true, though it be acknowledged by the Roman church, yet this is not an infallible rule to them, for several reasons: 1. Because it is imperfect and insufficient (as they say) to determine all matters of faith. 2. Because it is not sufficient to determine any that shall be questioned: not only because its authority and truth are to be determined by something else that must be before it; but also because its sense, and meaning must be found out by something after it. And not he that writes or speaks, but he that expounds it, gives the rule; so that Scripture no more is to rule us, than matter made the world: until something else gives it form and life, and motion, and operative powers, it is but iners massa,' not so much as a clod of earth. And they, who speak so much of the obscurity of Scripture, of the seeming contradictions in it, of the variety of readings, and the mysteriousness of its manner of delivery, can but little trust that obscure, dark, intricate, and at last, imperfect book, for a perfect clear rule. But I shall not need to drive them out of this fort, which they so willingly of themselves quit. If they did acknow

ledge Scripture for their rule, all controversies about this would be at an end, and we should all be agreed: but because they do not, they can claim no title here.

That which they pretend to be the infallible judge, and the measure of our faith, and is to give us our rule, is the church; and she is a rock; The pillar and ground of truth;' and, therefore, here they fix. Now how little assurance they have by this confidence, will appear by many considerations.

1. It ought to be known and agreed upon, what is meant by this word church,' or ecclesia.' For it is a Toxonov; and the church cannot be a rule or guide, if it be not known what you mean when you speak the word. Σῶμα ἑαυτοῦ τὴν Enuλnoíav nareï ò Xporòs, said Suidas; His body,' viz. mystiἐκκλησίαν καλεῖ Χριστὸς, cal, Christ calls his church.' Among the Greeks, it signifies a convention or assembly met together for public employment and affairs; συναγωγὴν ὄχλου: so Aristophanes understands it; ἡ ̓κκλησία δ ̓ οὐχὶ διὰ τοῦτον γίγνεται ; “ Is there not a convocation or an assembly called for this Plutus*?" Now, by translation this word is used among Christians to signify "all them, who, out of the whole mass of mankind, are called and come, and are gathered together by the voice and call of God, to the worship of God through Jesus Christ, and the participation of eternal good things to follow:" so that the church' is a company of men and women professing the saving doctrine of Jesus Christ.' This is the church in sensu forensi,' and in the sight of men; but because glorious things are spoken of the city of God,' the professors of Christ's doctrine are but imperfectly and inchoatively the church of God; but they who are indeed holy and obedient to Christ's laws of faith and manners,-that live according to his laws, and walk by his example; these are truly and perfectly the church,' and they have this signature, "God knoweth who are his." These are the church of God in the eyes and heart of God. God are the body of Christ; but the Christianity makes no man a member of Christ; "Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing in Christ Jesus; nothing but a new creature;" nothing but "a faith working by love;" and " keeping the commandments of

*Brunck, 171.

For the church of mere profession of