m A KEY TO THE WRITINGS OF THE PRINCIPAL FATHERS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, Who flourished during the first three Centuries : IN EIGHT SERMONS, PREACHED BEFORE THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD IN THE YEAR 1813; At the Lecture founded by THE REV. JOHN BAMPTON, M. A. LATE CANON OP SALISBURY. BY THE REV. JOHN COLLINSON, M. A. RECTOR OF GATESHEAD, DURHAM. " Antiquam exquirite matrem." " Keep your hold : the Doctors and old Catholic Fathers, in the points " I have spoken of, are yours." Bishop Jewel. OXFORD, At the University Press for F. C. and J.Rivington, St. Paul's Church Yard, London. Sold also by J. Parker, Oxford. 1813. tAr>dUl3 6"o DEDICATION TO THE HONOURABLE AND RIGHT REVEREND SHUTE, LORD BISHOP OF DURHAM. My Lord, THESE Sermons will de rive weight in your Lordfhip's eftimation, from their having been preached at a diftin- guilhed feat of learning and theology, before the Members of that Univerfity, to which your Lordfhip is attached by long connec tion, and by the dignity of an official truft. It is the objed of thefe Difcourfes to pro mote true religion by a reference to the faith and pradice of primitive Chriftians : and the plan includes a defence of our eftablifhed a 2 iv DEDICATION. Church, which is, I believe, identified with Chriftianity itfelf. To a work of this kind I venture to folicit the protedion of my Diocefan, with a pro priety, which will be obvious to all who con- fider, that the Bifhop of Durham has defended the pure faith once delivered to the faints, by cogent argument, in oppofition to fuperftitions, which are injurious to the temporal and eter nal happinefs of mankind ; that he has ex- ercifed in his peculiar fundion a truly watch ful and paftoral care, unbiafled by differences of opinion on fubordinate points ; and that through the courfe of a life, venerable from its extent in unimpaired vigour, and more ve nerable from its habits, he has continued to promote the religious and moral improvement of fociety, and the general diffufion of bene ficial knowledge, by precept, by example, and by a munificence worthy of his high ftation. DEDICATION. v I alfo thought this an opportunity not to be paned over, of publicly teftifying my gra titude for your Lordfhip's patronage, which thofe who experience acknowledge with the more fatisfadiort, becaufe it is Reputation. With every fentiment of gratitude and duty, I have the honour to be, My Lord, Your Lordfhip's faithful and obedient humble Servant, JOHN COLLINSON. tte&ory Houfe, Gate/head, OSt. 25, 1813. A 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS. SERMON I. Jer. vi. 16. Thus smth. the Lord, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and wjalk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. The subject of the Lecture proposed, viz. An inquiry into the writings of the primitive Fathers of the first three centuries, p. i — 6. The opinions which have been enter tained of them in succeeding times, by the Fathers of the fourth and fifth centuries, 7 — 9. in the dark ages from the sixth to the sixteenth century, 10 — 13. at the time of the Reformation, 13 — 19. Daille, Middleton, 20. Lindsey, Priestley, 22. Bifhop Bull, Cave, Fleury, 23. the just estimate and proper use of the primitive writings, 25. SERMON II. 1 John v. 4. This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. In giving a key to the writings of three Apostolical Fathers, and of six their principal successors, the Author proposes two points for particular attention ; viz. the di vine Atonement, and the evidences of the inspiration of the Holy Ghoft, p. 31. Clement of Rome, 37. Ignatius, 41. Polycarp, 48. A4 viii TABLE OF CONTENTS. SERMON III. 1, Pet. iii. 15. £e ready always to give an answer to every one that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you. The use of reason in religion, p. 59. Justin Martyr, 63. His Exhortation to the Greeks or Gentiles, 64. His Apo logy, 66. His Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, 74. Ire naeus, 79. His five books against Heresies, 83. * SERMON IV. 1 TiM. iv. 1, 3. In the latter times some shall depart from the faith,— forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats. Clement of Alexandria, p. 95. His Admonition to the Gentiles, 96. His Pedagogue, 100. His Stromata, 103. Tertullian, 108. His Apology, 109. His writings against Heretics, 113. His tracts addressed to Christians, 116. SERMON V. ] Cor. xii. 12. As the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body : so also is Christ. Origen, p. 126. His Commentaries on Scripture; his treatise " Concerning Principles," 128. His errors, and defence, 129 — 131. His Collations of Scripture, 132. His treatise against Celsus, in eight books, 133. Cy prian, 144. His treatise On the Vanity of Idols, and three books of Testimonies against the Jews, 147. His Epistles, 150. His treatise On the Unity of the Church, 15 1 . His treatise Concerning the Lapsed, 153 . On Mar tyrdom, 156. TABLE OP CONTENTS. ix SERMON VI. 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation re~ ceived by tradition from your fathers : JBut with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Of the Church of Rome. The primitive Fathers are silent on the subject of many points holden by her as articles of faith, p. 164. They rest upon the authority of the Pope, of the Romish Clergy, and of ecclesiastical tra dition, 166. I. The variableness of the Pope's power, 166 — 169. Clement of Rome, 170. A passage in Irenaeus ex amined, 171. Tertullian's authority against the Papal claims, 172. Cyprian's, 174 — 178. Differences among the Romanists themselves, 180. II. No General Council in the first three centuries, 182. The meaning of the term " Church," as used by Romanists, 183. No infallible au thority asserted by the Fathers upon earth, 184. The subtilties used in separating matters of faith from matters of discipline, and in defining the authority of the Church, 186 — 190. III. Of Apostolical Revelations or oral tradi tion, 191. Tradition as supported by the Fathers very different from the tradition of the Romish Church, 193. The traditions of value are in the writings of the Fathers, 195. Contest between Cyprian and the Bishop of Rome concerning tradition, 197. The revelations and authority upholden by the Church of 'Rome cannot possess the im portance and antiquity ascribed to them, because they are not acknowledged in the primitive writings, 200. x TABLE OF CONTENTS. SERMON VII. 1 Cor. i. 12, 13. Every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apqllos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ. Is Christ divided ? Was Paul crucified for you ? or were you baptized in the name of Paul? Concerning Protestant Dissenters in England, p. 203. Presbyterians and Calvinists, their peculiar tenets unsup ported by the primitive writings, 204 — 213. Dissenters who make void the clerical order, the foreign origin of their opinions, 213 — 220. In the primitive Writings there is no instance of self-appointment in ecclesiastical offices, 221 — 229. SERMON VIII. Phil. iv. 5. Let your moderation be known unto all men. Recapitulation, 23 1 . Opinions concerning the primitive writings, 232. A summary character of the authors and their works, 233. They decidedly exhibit their belief in the Godhead and Atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ, 235. Their criterion of sanctification by the Holy Spirit is the same as that established by our own Church, 237. Distinction between the real and the visible Church, 240. The primitive writings are a fence round God's sacred word, 244. Benefits to be derived from the study of them, 24.5. To Ministers of the Gospel, 248. The diffusion of knowledge, 249. And of Christianity, 253. CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. Roman Emperors. A.D. Augustus 14 Tiberius 37 Caligula 41 Claudius 54 Nero 68 Galba 69 Otho 69 Vitellius 70 Vespasian 79 Titus 81 Domitian 96 Nerva 98 Trajan 117 Adrian 138 Anton. Pius 161 M.Anton. 180 Commodus 192 Pertinax 193 Niger 194 Severus 198 Geta 212 Caracalla 217 Macrinus 218 Elagabalus 222 Alexander 235 Maximin 237 Balbinus 238 Gordian 244 Philip 250 Decius 252 Fathers. Clem. Rom Ignatius Polycarp Justin Mart. Irenaeus Clem. Alex. Tertullian Origen Accord ing to Cave. A.D. 65 101 108 140 167192192230 Cyprian 248 Accord- Ed;tions Tln§ t0 used in AD? this WOrk- 96 • *r Russel, 1U' 1 Lond. 1746. 108 140 Cokm. 1686. 1 78 f Grabe, 1/6 1 Oxford. 1702. , „ . f Lutet . Paris. 194 1 1641, 200 Paris. 1608. iHuetius, Ro- thomag. 1668. and Spencer, Cantab. 1777- .„ / Bp. Pearson, ^b\ Oxford. 1682. EXTRACT FROM THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF THE LATE REV. JOHN BAMPTON, CANON OF SALISBURY. " I give and bequeath my Lands and (t Eftates to the Chancellor, Mafters, and Scholars *' of the Univerfity of Oxford for ever, to have and Ibid. lib. vi, cap. 13. B 4 8 SERMON I. "This I think proper to record alfo, in order " that we may always retain before us, in thefe tf primitive and truly righteous men, the beft. " models of zeal and diligence \" St. Jerome, in his catalogue of ecclefiaftical writers, characterizes " the learned philofophy " of Juftin, chaftifed by religion; the compre- " henfive and mifcellaneous erudition of Cle- " mens, the ftern vehemence of Tertullian, " and the adamantine powers of the indefati- " gable Origen'." The fame author fays, " No teftimony is V. needed to Cyprian's works, for their light is " fpread like the fun?1:" and he compares " his " language to the pleafing flow of a gentle and " placid ftream n." St. Auguftin thus exprefles in general terms his opinion of the authority of the primitive writings : " Compofitions of this kind have not " canonical authority. Readers of the Fathers " are not ,to fuppofe that the teftimonies pro- *.' d^ced from their works are unexceptionable j " for their opiniqns may in particular cafes be " untrue. Truly catholic and praife-worthy " as they were, we are not to efteem their " writings on \\ level with holy Scripture: on " the contrary, we may, with all the honour " and deference due to them, blame whatever k Eufeb. lib. v. cap. so. m Ibid, et Ep. ad Paul. 1 St. Jerome, vol. i. p'. 119. n Yti\<\. SERMON I. 9 " in them, by divine afllftance and found rea- " foning, we difcover to be unfounded °." This judicious caution of St. Auguftin feems to be directed againft an exceffive reliance upon the authority of the Fathers, which pro bably appeared in his time ; and after the de- ceafe of thofe who may be called clafllcal Fa thers, increafed, in the fixth century, with the growing fuperftitions of the age. We may fuppofe that converted Pagans, remembering their old idolatries, foftered in the Chriftian church a too great veneration for the departed ; and that the barbarous conquerors of Romep, from their ignorance and credulous devotion, were habitually tractable to the fanc- tions of cuftom, and prefcriptive authority. Whatever were the caufes of religious degene- 0 Epift. ad Vincent, ad Fortunat. P Obferve the refemblance between the Druidical and Papal power: " Illi (Druides) rebus divinis interfunt, facri- ficia publica ac privata procurant, religiones interpretantur. Si quis aut privatus aut publicus eorum decreto non ftetit, facrificiis interdicunt. Hac pcena apud eos eft graviffima. Quibus ita eft interdiftum, ii numero impiorum ac fcelera- torum habentur : iis omnes decediint, aditum eorum fer- monemque defugiunt, ne quid ex contagione incommodi accipiant : neque iis petentibus jus redditur, neque honos ullus communicatur. His autem omnibus Druidibus prae- eft unus, qui fummam inter eos habet au&oritatem." Caj- far de Bello Gall. lib. vi. f. 13. '£lv (the Druids) anv toi; BeuriXevtriv ovfav e^rjv vrguTrsiv, ovfo |3y the " wicked and unjuft. Let us therefore join *' ourfelves to the innocent and righteous, " for fuch are the elect of God. Why are " there ftrifes, angers, divifions, wars, fchifms '* among you ? Have we not all one God " and one Chrift? Is not one Spirit of grace " poured out upon us all? It is a fhame, a " flagrant fhame, that the ancient eftabliftied " Church of Corinth fhould, by one or two " perfons, be led into a fedition againft its " Paftorsr." Such is the general purport of this Apoftoli- cal Father's epiftle : and the following paflages will convey his thoughts on the two great points of redemption and fanctification. " Let " us look fteadfaftly at the blood of Chrift, " confidering how precious it is in the fight ** of God ; and, being fhed for our falvation, " it has obtained the grace of repentance f for all the world8." Speaking of the Old Teftament Fathers, he adds : "All thefe were * Seft. 45. 8 AT8Waw_Mi> eij to aljxa T8 Xpij-a, xai iSiopiv te; efii/ n/uov zm 0£«p «./x« «ot«, 6t» Si« rrjv ^fisrsgav (reorijptav ex_^wSev, itetvn rep xoa-fnin ixsravoiac %ctptv vnYjveyxsv. {&&.. vii. D 4 40 SERMON II. " magnified and honoured, not through thenf- " felves, not through their own works, not " through the ; righteous deeds which they " performed,, but through God's will. And " we alfo by his will being called in Chrift " Jefus, are juftified not by ourfelves, or by " our own wifdom, or underftanding, or god- " linefs, or by the works which we have " wrought in holinefs of heart, but by faith; " by which the ; Almighty hath juftified all " who are or have been juftified from the " beginning. But what then, fhall we neg->- " lect good works? Does it hence follow "that we fhould leave the law of loving " obedience ? God forbid. Let us rather haf- " ten with all earneftnefs of mind to every " good work : for the Lord himfelf rejoices " in his works1" Sometimes the warmth of his cordial- piety toreaks forth in a kind of tranfport. " How ." bleffed, how amazing, beloved, the gifts of " God! Life in immortality, fplendour in righ- " teoufnefs, truth in liberty, faith in aflur- " ance, fobriety . in holinefs. And thus far " in this life we know experimentally. What " therefore muft thofe things be which he " has prepared for them that wait for him ? " And how, belove'd, fhall we attain this re- f.Sfift. 33, 33, ST. CLEMENT, A. D. 96. 41 "ward? By eftablifhing our hearts in faith "towards God, and by feeking to do his '-' will in all things with truth and earneftnefs. " Thus, beloved, fhall we find our falvation, " even Jefus Chrift, the High-prieft of our " offerings, and helper of our weaknefsu." " He that has love in Chrift, let him keep " Chrift's commandments. By charity were "all the elect of God made perfect: with- " out it nothing is pleafing and acceptable " in the fight of God. Through charity and " divine love, the Lord joined us to himfelf^ " and gave his own blood for us by the will " of God"," The tone of this compofition is that of mild perfuafion, very far from any authori tative language; though it is to be obferved the author was Bifhop of Rome, at the time of writing it. He exhorts the Corinthians to unity among themfelves, and fubjection to their own paftors : but no expreflion can be conftrued to mean that St. Clement pof- fefled power over them. He does not even write in his own name ; but the title of the Epiftle is, " From the Church at Rflme " to the Church at Corinth." The writings of Ignatius difplay a more ardent temper. This Father was Bifhop of Antioch in Syria, and was there admitted u Sea. 35. * Sea. 48. 42 SERMON II. to a conference with the Emperor Trajan, who condemned him to be carried to Rome, and thrown to wild beafts for the enter tainment of the people y. The alleged rea fon for this fentence was, that Ignatius called himfelf Theophorus, and confeffed that he carried within himfelf him that was cruci fied : the real caufes of the perfecution of Chriftians by the Roman Government, and of the hatred which the Roman people bore them, may be traced to the confcientious op- pofition which Chriftians made to the pre vailing fuperftitions, and which, in the pro vinces particularly, had alienated many of the native inhabitants from eftabliftied idolatries. The courageous fucceffor of the Apoftles received his fentence, not merely with firm- nefs, but with alacrity and joy. Proceeding to Rome under an armed efcort, he flopped at Smyrna, where he enjoyed the gratifica tion of a happy meeting with Polycarp, Bifhop of the place, his old friend and fellow-dif- ciple under the Apoftle John. He was alfo at tended by the Bifhops and Clergy of the neigh bouring Churches, in token of honour and af- y See " the Aas" of Ignatius, a primitive piece of martyrology, found and firft publiftied by Abp. Ufher in 1647. The refult of the learned controverfy reflect ing the writings of Ignatius feems to be, that the feven fmaller Epiftles are genuine. ST. IGNATIUS, A. L\ 107. 43 fection; for the undaunted fpirit of Ignatius wanted not confolation. — Labantes confilio Patres Firmavit auftor ; — Interque mcerentes amicos Egregius properavit Exul : Atqui fciebat quae fibi barbarus Tor tor pararet. At Smyrna he wrote four Epiftles, and three more afterwards at Troas, chiefly addreffed to the Churches of Afia Minor. This is his exordium to the Mother-Church : " Ignatius, " who is alfo called Theophorus, to the " worthily happy Church in Ephefus of Afia, " blefled in the majefty and fulnefs of God " the Father, predeftinated before the world " to be perpetually permanent in glory, im- " movable, united and elect in the genuine " fuffering for the truth, by the will of " the Father, and of Jefus Chrift our God, " much joy in Jefus Chrift, and in his fpot- " lefs grace." The Author begins with thank ing the Ephefians for fending to him their Bifhop Onefimus, whofe character in Chrif tian charity he deems inexprefiible, and other Minifters, and exhorts them to unity and fubjection to their Bifhop and Prefbytery. His own humility is at the fame time conr fpicuous : " I do not," fays he, " dictate to " you, as if I were a perfon of any confe- *• quence : for though I am bound for his 44 SERMON II. " name, I am not yet perfect in Chrift Jefus. " But now I begin to learn, and I fpeak to " you as my fellow-difciples." He continues his advice to them of fubmiffion to their ecclefiaftical fuperiors ; " Let no man deceive " himfelf; if a man be not within the Altar, " he is deprived of the bread of God. If " the prayer of one or two has fo much " ftrength, how much more that of the Bi- " fhop and of the whole Church ? He who " feparates from it, is proud and condemns " himfelf: for it is written, God refifteth the " proud. Let us ftudy therefore obedience " to the Biftiop, that we may be fubject to " God. And the more filent and gentle any " one obferves his Bifhop to be, the more " on that account fhould he reverence him. " Every one to whom the Mafter commits the " ftewardfhip, fhould be received as the Mafter " himfelf2." He exhorts them to fhun falfe teachers, to pray without ceafing for other men : for there is hope of repentance in them that they may attain unto God, and finally to live in unity, in faith and in charity, and to fhew the truth of their profeflion by their works. Ignatius continually exprefles his eager and longing defire of martyrdom, and repeats the moft earneft injunctions to ecclefiaftical fub- ordination. All his epiftles turn upon the z Sea. 4, 5, 6. ST. IGNATIUS, A. D. 107. 45 fame topics, and contain detached didactic fentences, exprefled certainly in a tumid Afia- tic ftyle, but full of true Chriftian devotion, illuftrated in the pureft precepts. In the prefent age, -in which no bounds feem to be fet to claims of liberty of confidence, it is deferving of the moft ferious confidera- tion among Chriftians, that the chief topic infifted upon by the two Apoftolical Fathers, Clement and Ignatius, is Church Union ; and the great object of their writings is to dif- fuade men from feparating, for flight pre tences, from their lawful Paftors. We do not endeavour to perfuade any to act fo as to do violence to their confciences ; but we wifh to fhew that it is the will of God that private opinion fhould on many occafions give way; and that individuals, inftead of arro gating a continual right of choofing and judg ing for themfelves, fhould confider, that with out fome fubmiffion, there can, in great fo- cieties, be no union and concord, which are moft acceptable in God's fight. " Without the Bifhops and Prefbyters," fays Ignatius, " there is no Church. He that is " within the Altar is pure: but he that is " without, that is, who does any thing with- " out the Bifhops, and Prefbyters and Dea- " cons, is not pure in his confciencea." a Ad Trallienfes, fea. 3, 7. 46 SERMON II. Throughout thefe Epiftles are fcattefed cau tions againft the Docetae, who taught that Jefus Chrift was a phantom, and fuffered only in appearance. Ignatius aflerts the real humanity and divinity of our Redeemer: " There is one Phyfician, both of the flefh " and of the fpirit, made and not madej " God incarnate, true life in death, both of " Mary and of God; even Jefus Chrift our " Lordb." His teftimony is not wanting con cerning the evidences of the Holy Ghoft; for after exhorting the Ephefians to public devotion, to unity and peace, he adds ; " Of " all which nothing is hid from you, if ye " have perfect faith and charity in Jefus " Chrift, which are the beginning and end " of life. For the beginning is faith, and " the end charity. The union of thefe two "is of God ; and from them flow all things " that constitute the beauty of holinefs. Faith b Ad Ephef. fea. 7- Ely istTpo; eg-.v, o-a_»x«of re xa. irvevpotTixog, •yevVYjTOc. xou ayswijTOf, ev trctpxi yes»o_xeyoj 0eoj. Jefus Chrift is called God in the title to this Epiftle : and the Author bids his friend Polycarp farewell ev ©a» vj/udv Irjo-ou Xpis-ty. Ad Polycarp. fea. 8. At his death he prayed to the Son of God for the Churches, w«gax«^so-«j tov uhv th ©es wrep todv exxkrjiruov. Martyr. St. Ignat. fea. 6. And in the Epiftle to the Magnefians, fea. 13. he affirms, that the Apoftles were fubjea " to Chrift, and " to the Father, and to the Holy Ghoft." ST. IGNATIUS, A. D. 1 70. 4? *' fins not; charity hates not. As the tree " is known by its fruits, fo they who profefe " and call themfelves Chriftians, are known " by their actions c." Were there any other fure criterion of divine infpiration, it might be expected that a perfon, under the circum- ftances in which Ignatius was placed, and pofiefiing as he did a temper of lively fenfi- bHityj fhould exprefs ftrong feelings of im mediate fpiritual influence: but he is free from all weakneffes of this kind; and inftead of a confident perfuafion of his being elected, or accepted to falvation, humility fills his mind. " I underftand," he fays, " many things " in God, but I refrain myfelf left I fhould " perifh in my boafting. For now I ought '" the more to fear — defiring, as I do, to fufFer, " but doubting my own unworthinefs V Of the fame tenor is this exhortation to his friend Polycarp, who had been a fellow- difciple with him, under the Apoftle John, and who was then Bifhop of Smyrna. " Be " wife as a ferpent, but harmlefs as a dove. " The times demand thee as a pilot is wanted " in a ftorm, and thy prayers will be like a " haven to a tempeft-tofled fhip. Be fober- " minded as the foldier of God : the Crown " propofed to thee is eternal life. Stand firm ? Seft. 14. * Ad Trail. Sea. 4. 48 SERMON II. " and immoveable, as an anvil, when it is " beaten upon.' It is the part of a brave ** combatant, after wounds, to conquer. But " efpecially we ought to endure all things " for God's fake, that he may bear with us. " Improve in diligence daily : confider the " times ; and expect him, who is above all " time, eternal, invifible, though for our fakes "he became vifible; impalpable and im- " paflible, yet for us fubjected to fufferings, " enduring all things for our falvationV The only production of the Apoftolical Fathers that remains yet to be, considered, is a fhort Epiftle of Polycarp to the Philip- pians; in which the following -paflages feem appofite to our defign. " By grace ye are " fayed; not by works, but by the will of "God, through Jefus Chrift/' He adirio- nifhes them to flee ; evil defires, particularly covetoufnefsf, and to follow after! Chriftian " faith, hope, and charity; which things if " a man has, he has fulfilled the law of holi- " nefs." The Prefbyters he recommends " not " eafily to believe accufations, nor to be fe- e Ad Polycarp, fea. 2, 3. f A Prefbyter, named Valens, and his wife, had, it feems, offended in this way. Another evidence of the marriage of the Clergy is an expreffion of Clement, fea. 21. « Let. us direa our wives (t«j ywumoic fywov) to " goodnefs." ST. POLYCARP, A. D. 120. 49 "vere in judgment, knowing that we are '< all debtors in point of fin." Polycarp long furvived the martyrdom of his friend Ignatius, and was burnt for the truth at Smyrna, in a very advanced age, under the Emperor Marcus Antoninus, A. D. 167. A relation1 of his fufferings, and triumphant refolution, is among the precious remains of antiquity, and becomes doubly interefting to members of that Church, which cherifhes a remem brance of parallel conftancy under parallel circumftances, in the example of her fons the venerable Latimer and Ridley. A brief review of thofe circumftances in which the apoftolical Fathers were placed, will with fome propriety conclude an ac count of their writings, and at the fame time afford a 'farther illuftration of the faith and practice of primitive times. The world was not their friend, nor the world's law; perfons both of the higheft and loweft rank agreed in opprefling the followers of Chrift; 1 It is faithfully and beautifully rendered by Mr. Milner, vol. i. p. 2©9- .. There is extant a homily of St. Chryfoftom',s, preached on the anniverfary of St. Ignatius's [martyrdom. Compared with the earlieft accounts of martyrdoms, it fhews to what extent a fuperftitious veneration for thefe holy men and their relics had proceeded in the courfe of three hundred years. E 50 SERMON II. and the imperial mandate delivers them over to a cruel death, as it is exprefTed, " for the " entertainment of the people." The pro found hiftorian, the mild philofopher, the polite fcholar, viewing the popular fuperfti- tions with complacent liberality, or, to fpeak more truly, with indifference, lofe their cha- racteriftic qualities on the fubject of Chrif- tianity, and ufe concerning it common terms of deteftation and abhorrence. The conver- fion of barbarous nations may be aflifted by the light, however faint, of natural religion, and by the facility with which impreflions; are made upon ignorant and unoccupied minds: but the Gofpel was planted among the moft civilized, moft powerful, and proud- eft nation in the world, and encountered their inveterate prejudices; fanctioned by a regular code of fuperftition, interwoven with their laws and cuftoms in the daily inter- courfe of life, and adorned by the fineft talents with the elegance of poetical fancy. It encountered a ftill ftronger enemy, the enemy within, thofe finful propenfities of human paflions, which the , Roman mytho logy foftered, and upon which it was, in many inftances, even eftabliftied. The early Chriftians poflefTed apparently no means for furmounting the accumulated obftacles prefented by thefe external circum- SERMON II. 51 fiances : they were not men of extraordinary abilities and attainments, who by brilliant powers of imagination, or perfuafive elo quence, could command and captivate man kind, and bend the wills of others to their purpofe. They held forth no temporal prof- pects, which could gratify difcontented and turbulent fpirits; no fecret incentives to am bition and worldly intereft. The dream of earthly grandeur in the fcheme of redemp tion, at the time we are confidering, had pafled away ; and all Chriftians muft have been aware that, with their profeflion of faith, they embraced a life of precarious and feanty fubfiftence, which through labour and fuffering might lead to a painful death, un- cheered by popular applaufe, or the hope of pofthumous reputation. In the writings of the apoftolical Fathers, there is no mention of miraculous powers, fuch as enabled the im mediate fucceflbrs of our Lord to convert men by " figns and wonders," which gave an irrefiftible confirmation to their miniftry. ml A miracle was indeed effected by the opera tion of God's Spirit influencing the hearts of men, fo that, " like feed that fhould fpring " and grow up we know not how," the Gof pel increafed and flourifhed, notwithstand ing the apparently inadequate means of re moving the obftacles to its propagation. E 2 52 SERMON II. " The victory which overcame the world " was the faith of the firft Chriftians : God " was the ftrength (rock) of their hearts1"." " I know that thy mind towards God," fays Ignatius, writing to Polycarp, " is fixed, as " on an immoveable rock :" and again, " A " Chriftian is not a work of opinion, but " of real greatnefs of fpirit"." He is deemed a man of principle, who fettles in his mind certain fixed rules of con duct, that may carry him with confifteney through the viciflitudes of life, and caufe his actions, inftead of -wavering with the effect of momentary impulfes, according to caprice, humour, or varying circumftances, or as the tyranny of intereft and paflion di rects, to flow uniformly from the ftrength of his preconceived opinions. It is evident that where this principle of equanimity is ftrongeft and moft pure, there will the beft effects be produced : and it cannot have full force, unlefs it be founded on the hope of a future life. Some modern metaphyficians0, in analyz ing the moral fenfe or principle of virtue, have unfortunately fhut their eyes to the light of Chriftianity; and, imitating heathen philofophers of old, have confined their views m Pfalm lxxiii. 26. n Ad Rom. fea. 3. 0 Mr. Hume; Dr. Adam Smith. SERMON II. 53 to this life, and framed a rule of right and wrong, which they feem to think fufficient for practical purpofes, out of the nature and condition of man in this prefent ftate, with out regard to futurity. From human un- derftandihg or from human feelings, from reafon or from fentiment, or from a mix^ ture of both, they have attempted to de duce motives of conduct, applicable to all fituations, which fhould enfure the happi- nefs of individuals and of fociety. We are to do " what is ufeful to ourfelves, what is " ufeful to others ; what is agreeable to our- " felves, what is agreeable to others :" that a laudable motive, and fufficient fpur to ac tion may not be wanting, we are inftructed to cultivate fympathy and the benevolent affections: and in order to correct the fcale of juftice by the hand of impartiality, we are, by fuppofition, to introduce the deci- fion of an unbiafled fpectator upon our ac tions. All which, if rightly underftood, feems to be expreffed with greater perfpicuity in that precept, eftablifhed both by the natural and revealed law of God, " of doing to " others, as we would they fhould do un- " to us." A foreign fchool of morality, rejecting all religious fanctions, founds its ethics upon the duties of men and citizens, upon fome e3 54 SERMON II, uncertain principle of general expediency. A late celebrated writer p of our own country teaches, that " whatever is expedient is right;" and the motive propofed by him is the good pleafure of God, who wills that we fhould always do what is upon the whole expedient for the general welfare, or con ducive to the happinefs of mankind at large. Had the eternal happinefs of mankind been comprehended in this fyftem, in language clear, and decifive, and explanatory of its paramount importance, the propofition of expediency would not have been expofed to the fcruples and objections, which now fug geft themfelves againft it. For it is a maxim of true piety, that fin was never committed, but a lefs good was preferred to a greater, momentary to lafting happinefs. The radical defect of all fyftems of mo rality of human invention is, that they are, either defignedly, or at leaft in the expla nation of them, limited by the concerns of this' life. And we therefore contend, that they prefent no principles fufficiently ftrOng, or fufficiently pure, to counteract that bias, with which our nature conftantly inclines to evil. When it is confidered how few men have judgment to difcern objects of P Dr. Paley, SERMON II. 55 magnitude or at a diftance, but that we are all keen-lighted in our own affairs ; how few are able to eftimate remote and con tingent benefits, and that immediate and private intereft weighs with moft men a- bove general good and public utility ; an obvious danger is, that thefe fyftems would quickly degenerate into a matter of worldly prudence, forming a cloak for fordid narrow felfifbnefs; and that,, from the predominance of a contracted habit of thinking, virtue would become a name for convenience. If expe diency were a motive of purity, yet is it not ftrong enough to prevent the afcend- ancy of fome more powerful impulfes ; as for example honour, and love of fame, " that laft " infirmity of noble mind." Thefe motives, however mixed, animate men to great and extraordinary enterprifes and exertions, far beyond the fcope of thofe who have in view only a temporary intereft; and how ever erroneoufly directed, are impulfes of a foul longing for immortality. To fpirits touched with this fire, the calculations of utility will appear cold and defpicable. " Of "temporal bleflings, the greateft is Reputa- " tion, the leaft Riches q ;" but human ap- plaufe, though one of the ftrongeft incen- i Hooker. E 4 56 SERMON II. tives to action, is a very unfafe criterion of merit and real worth. Laftly, if the philofopher prefents no re ligious creed to the people, they will cer tainly find one for themfelves; and unlefs bleffed with the revealed word of God, muft yield to the influence of fuperftition, before which his fine-fpun fpeculations will be dri ven away, as bubbles by the wind. Fana- ticifm, while it produces pernicious effects on human happinefs, is at the fame time a motive fo forcible and impetuous, that no antidote can counteract it, but the fuperior efficacy of genuine and fincere religion. This divine principle is the parent of all great and good, all noble and ufeful actions, and leads to the recompenfe of eternal re ward promifed by our Redeemer to his faithful fervants. This enabled the apoftoli cal Fathers to overcome the world; by this they were induced to fell their goods and give them to the poor, to renounce plea- fures, honours, and diftinctions, for a life of labour and obfcurity, to preach the Gofpel through evil report and good report, and to confefs their Saviour .Chrift in perfecution, in bondage, and in death, refolutely, cheer fully, triumphantly. They fhewed their faith by their works, the ftrength and goodnefs of the principle by its effects. SERMON II. 57 The fame energy of faith and truft in God produced the fame diftinguiftied prac tical confequences in the firft Fathers of our reformed Englifh Church. And thus are we doubly engaged to follow the examples of thofe who have walked in the good way before us. This principle, in fine, gives life to the members of that true Church of Chrift, againft which we have a promife that the gates of hell fhall not prevail. And with regard to thofe who are of this number, " the firmament of heaven may diflblve, and " the pillars of the earth be broken, the fun " may withdraw his light, and the ftars their " fliining;" but we are perfuaded that nothing fhall make a feparation between them and their God, neither angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor life, nor death, nor things prefent nor things to come. SERMON III. 1 Peter iii. 15. Be ready always to give an anfwer to ivery one that afkethyou a reafon of the hofe that is in you. ]& AITH, or the principle of true Religion, grounded on the divine revelation in the ^Jewifh and Chriftian Scriptures, has errone oufly been deemed incompatible with rea fon, by perfons of two very different de- fcriptions, who agree only on this one point, and deduce, from quite oppofite premifes, the fame conclufion. One party exercifing, as it is termed, the right of thinking freely for themfelves, reject all fupernatural com munications of knowledge as an impofition upon their underftandings; and thus either living without God in the wTorld, or refting fatisfied with impreflions of natural religion, they difcern no difference between real in fpiration and its counterfeits : in their pre- fumptuous indifference and hardened pre judices, they treat all pretenfions to divine 60 SERMON III. revelation as equally fictitious, proper ob jects of vulgar credulity, crafty devices to fway weak timid minds, but worthy only of ridicule or companion from the wife. They grant fomething in appearance to re ligion, in truth nothing: like a Epicurus of old, they confefs a God, to avoid popular odium, in words, but not in fact; becaufe they neither allow his providence here, nor the diftributions of his juftice and mercy in a future ftate. A wholefome correction to this pride of reafoning is the confideration, that our refearches into the appearances of the natural world are continually baffled : and men of greateft penetration in the depths of knowledge and fcience have learned hu mility, from experiencing how inadequate their faculties were td comprehend perfectly the leaft of the wonders of creation. Other perfons, refiling with abhorrence from unbelief, and perceiving that it is often connected with a claim to fuperior abilities, become difgufted even with the name of rational religion, and fuppofe that it includes of courfe an irreverence for revelation. Yet man is diftinguiftied from other animals by his reafonable underftanding : and as it is to be believed that God* who endowed * Cicero de Nat. Deaf. Eb. i. ST. POLYCARP, A. D. 1 20. 61 him with this pre-eminent faculty, would accommodate to it the revelations of his will; accordingly they onlj who enjoy rea fon are found capable of religion. Certainly neither reafon nor any other human endow ment can avail, without the efficiency of God's good grace, which employs reafon as a prin cipal inftrument to promote divine purpofes. And to difcard the powers of understanding from the province of religion is an act fo extravagant; that it can only be compared to an infatuation, which fhould caufe the bufbandman to throw afide his plough, and the mariner his compafs, becaufe fcientifie flcill cannot temper the feafbns, nor control the winds and feas. The Infidel and the Fanatic, by the fla- grancy of their oppofite errors, corroborate each other in mutual prejudices. Though enthufiafm, which is piety undirected by rea fon, be an extreme infinitely preferable to Atheifm, yet is it an extreme far diftant from true religion. From this error, I hope, in the prefent difcourfe, to fhew that the primitive Chriftian Fathers were free, and that fo far from proftrating the underftand- ing in blind credulity, they exercifed it to the beft and moft excellent purpofe, in ex amining and defending the truths of the Gofpel; and were always ready, in compli- 62 SERMON HI. ance with the Apoftolic precept, to give to1 every one that afked a reafon, a reafonable defence, tt^os attoKv/icm X&yov, of the hope that was in them. Hitherto our inquiries have been confined to fuch writings in the primitive Churchy as were by their authors addreffed to Chrif tians : but our profpect now opens upon a wider field. About the middle of the fe- eond century flourifhed Juftin Martyr, who, as he himfelf relates, was born in Paleftine Of Gentile parents. In early youth he* tra velled into Egypt for the improvement of his mind in knowledge; and at Alexandria addicted himfelf fucceflively to the different fchools of philofophy, under Stoic, Pytha-^ gdrean, Peripatetic, and Platonic teachers. He found, to' his difappointment, that none of them could inftruct him fatisfactorily in the nature of .God, which was the chief ob ject of his refearches : but, being by an ex traordinary communication directed to the Hudy of the Jewifh Prophets and of Chrif- tianityb, he happily difcovered that fountain b When I was a Platonift myfelf, fays Juftin, I could not but admire the intrepidity of Chriftians in meeting death; and faid within myfelf, thefe people cannot be lovers Of fin and riotous living. Their reward muft be in another life. Yet the malice of the devil has always in - ftigated the perfecution of. good men, and now prevails JUSTIN MARTYR, A. D. 150. 63 of religious truth, which he had long fought in vain; and acknowledged " the divine *' Scriptures to be the only fure and ufeful " philofophy0." Juftin feems to have been fupernaturally directed to the ftudy of Scrip ture; which effected in him a rational con- rerfion. From no capricious or enthufiaftic motives, but in the deliberate exercife of his beft judgment, after much inveftigation of various theological fyftems, he embraced Chriftianity, regardlefs of his intereft and imputation in the world. His underftanding and his heart were equally convinced and touched: and the remainder of his life cor- refponded to this beginning ; for his three compofitions now remaining, addrefled to the Gentiles, to the Roman Emperors, and to the Jews, are all of them argumentative apologies for Chriftianity. While I endea vour to give a fuccinct account of thefe writ ings, it will be my bufinefs, without farther remark, to felect particular paflages, which againft us Chriftians. But we regard not thefe evils, having a good cohfcience towards God, the fearcher of hearts. And we write thefe things that our faith and praaice may be examined and known : they will appear, to be, not pernicious, but pure and far fuperior to all human wifdom. Second (erroneoufly entitled, the firft) Apology. « Dial, with Trypho the Jew. 64 SERMON III. treat; of man's redemption from fin, and the true proofs of the Infpiration' of the Holy Ghoft. In his " Exhortation to the Greeks or Gen- " tiles," which was probably written foon after his converfion, Juftin contrafts the fool- ifhnefs and falfehood of their religion with/ Chriftian truth. After intimating the ab- furdities of their poetical mythology, he ex- pofes, at fome length, the errors and con^ tradictions of their moft renowned philofo- phers. Even Plato and AriftOtle> their great mafters of virtue, treating of the Deityj and the nature of the human foul, appear tO be extremely in the dark on thefe moft important fubjects, Plato indeed taught that the ra tional foul is immortal ; but Ariftotle held a contrary notion : and no fenfible man can believe that truth refides where there is fuch difcordance of opinion. Our Author exhorts the Greeks to forfake thefe errone ous guides, and to " turn to Mofes and the " Jewifh Prophets, whofe writings are con- " fefledly of greater antiquity than any Gre- " cian records ; and who, by the gift of di- " vine infpiration, have in a continued -feries " delivered to mankind the fame doctrine " of revelation, a doctrine that cannot be " underftood b}r thofe who depend folely on " the light of human fcience." JUSTIN MARTYR, A. D. 1 50. 65 Juftin* afferts, that from the Jewifti Scrip tures the Heathen poets and philofophers borrowed many thoughts, and fuppreffed the originals, from fear of popular malice. He refers to the prophecies concerning Jefus Chrift, who " being infeparable from the " Father, in power, yet took upon him the " form of a man, that he might reftore true " religion, and abolifh the worftiip of falfe " gods." Finally, he declares that he left the religion of the Greeks, becaufe there was nothing in it holy: he expoftulates, in glowing language, on the fubjects of the vices of their divinities, and the confequent impurity of heathen morals. " How can you, he afks, " being a worfhipper of Jupiter and " Venus,' blame your fon for rebellion, or " your wife for incontinence? O fubmit your- " felves to the dictates of incomparable wif- " dom, and of an immortal King, who regards " not ftrength, nor beauty, nor the lofty fpi- " rit of noble birth, but a pure heart con- " firmed in holinefs. The uniform habit of " the followers of the Gofpel is goodnefs; and " its trumpet a note of peace to the perturbed " foul. Its blefled difcipline quenches and al- " lays the paflions, thofe fires of the mind : " and thus forms, not indeed poets or philo- " fophers, or powerful orators, but makes men " immortal and like to God." 66 SERMON III. The ftyle of this author is peffpicuous and manly, though it may fuffer in a com- parifon with the claffical elegance of thofe compofitions, the fubftance of which he juftly condemns. His fentiments are now fami liar to our ears; but if we tranfport our- felves in imagination back to the age in which he lived, we fhall readily acknow ledge, that very fuperior courage and intel ligence were neceflary to maintain them in the fecond century. After the deceafe of the Emperor Trajan, the Chriftians enjoyed fome refpite from perfecution, under his fucceflbr Adrian d : but the laws ftill left an opening for the inflic tion of the fevereft penalties, which could refult from popular obloquy and hatred. For the purpofe of juftifying the fuffering Chrif tians, and of foftening the malice of the heathen world, Juftin prefented an apology to the Emperor Antoninus Pius, who fuc- ceeded Adrian in the Imperial throne, A. D. 137. The beginning of this defence bears an allufion to the Imperial titles of Antoninus and his adopted fons, with an intimation that thofe dignified perfonages who bear the d The Apologies of Quadratus and Ariftides, addreffed to this Emperor, only remain in very fcanty fragments; JUSTIN MARTYR, A. D. 150. 67 , 1 names of Tious, Philofophers, Lovers of Juf- tice and Learning, fhould willingly embrace truth for its own fake, and difcard errors, however fanctioned by cuftom. The author then entreats, with much earneftnefs, that Chriftians be examined concerning their lives and actions, and expofes the injuftice of con demning them to torture, on account of their name only and profeflion : while if the ac- cufed deny Chrift, they are releafed without farther examination. He thus continues : " We are called Atheifts, " and truly we believe not in your falfe " gods ; but being taught by the word of " God, who became man, namely Jefus Chrift, " we acknowledge the true God, the Father " of juftice and purity, and of all virtues, " who is free from any mixture of evil. Him, " together with the Son and Holy Spirit, " we reverence and adore with the worftiip " of truth and reafon e." " We cannot worftiip the images of falfe " gods, with victims and garlands : for we " believe thefe to be the invention of devils, " and injurious to the ineffable glory of God's " perfon, who is moft pleafed with thofe e Exeivov re (0eov) x«. tov ntcup aura viov eXSovtk, Trvewfta rs to irpofrjTixov o-e/3o_sis$« x«» irpotyxuva^sv, Koyta xctt tx^eiix. Tipwv* tij. Sea. 7. F 2 68 SERMON III. " among men, who moft refemble his at- " tributes of wifdom, and juftice, and bene- " ficence,, and will elect them to reign with " him for ever, in a ftate inacceflible to cor- " ruption and fuffering. That purity which " human laws cannot effect, the divine word " will produce, unlefs corrupt nature yield " to the various- temptations of the devil. " Thus we are, above all others, your coad- " jutors in preferving public tranquillity ; be- " caufe we maintain that no man, whether, " wicked or virtuous, efcapes God's eye; " who will render to every man eternal " puniftiment, or eternal happinefs, accord- " ing to his works f." Our author proceeds to enlarge farther in defence of Gofpel truth, and the practice of its followers. " Inftead of blood and liba- " tions and incenfe, we offer," he fays, " to " God the rational fervice of prayers and " praifes, and folemn hymns, in acknow- " ledgment of our creation and preservation " in this life, and our hope of a happy re- " furrection through faith. And our teacher. " was Jefus Chrift, the fame who was cru- " cified under Pontius Pilate. Him, the Son " of the true and living God, we venerate " in the fecond place, and the prophetic Spi- f Sea. io, 12. JUSTIN MARTYR, A. D. 150. 69 ** rit in the third. Being followers of the " one unoriginated God, through his Son, " we who were profligates, now live foberly, " and confecrate ourfelves to God : having " loved wealth above all things, we now f* have our poflefllons in common, and dif- " tribute to the neceflitous : having hated " and even deftroyed others, and avoided the " exercife of common hofpitality towards " perfons of a different tribe, now fince the '* appearance of Chrift we pray for our ene- " mies and perfecutors." " Univerfal love, charity, meeknefs and pa- " tience, thefe are our Mailer's rules. And " by thefe gentle arts Of perfuafion many " have been converted from violence and " wrong, perceiving in their Chriftian neigh- " bours a perfevering goodnefs, and in their " Chriftian fellow-travellers a patience of " injuries, and honefty and fidelity in their " dealings8." Thus did the early Chriftians reft their defence upon the folid teft of the purity of their actions : they poignantly felt and firmly refuted the charge of culpability, and were anxious to clear their integrity from imputed ftains; but they fhewed no reluctance to die for that faith, which they profefled with a re- e Sea. 20. F 3 70 SERMON III. folution as unalterable by circumftances, as it was undebafed by vifionary tranfports, or any bitternefs of recrimination upon their ad- verfaries. In the 31 ft Section our author traces the caufe of popular hatred : " Becaufe," he fays, " we truly affirm that Jefus Chrift alone " is properly the Son of God, as being the " Logos, and firft-begotten, and power of " God, who by the counfel of his will was " made man, and taught thefe doctrines for " the converfion and reftoration of mankind ; " therefore have evil fpirits prevailed to in- " vent wicked falfehoods againft Chriftians, " in order to defeat the purpofe of his com- " ing." In the next place the abfurd calumnies propagated againft Chriftians are mentioned and obviated : for inftance, the unfounded re ports of their putting put the lights in their meetings, for the purpofe of promifcuous li- centioufnefs, and of eating human flefh. In the latter part of this Apology, Juftin employs himfelf in proving that Chriftianity is no new doctrine, but that the incarnation of the Mefliah by means of a Virgin, his fufferings, and fecond advent, are all fore told in various parts of ttie Jewifh Scriptures'. He alfo infills in ftrong terms upon the doc trines of the refurrection, the day of judg- JUSTIN MARTYR, A. D. 150. 7.1 ment, and eternal rewards and punifhments, and endeavours to awaken the minds of the auguft perfons he addrefles tO a fenfe of thefe moft important truths. The following fen tence may ferve as a fummary of his opinions on the fubject of the perfpn of Chrift. The Jews fuppofe that God the Father converfed with Mofes and holy men of old; whereas the divine communications were in reality made by the Son, "who h being the Logos " firft-begotten of God, is indeed God. To " Mofes and the Prophets he formerly ap- " peared in the form of fire or fome angelic " 'image : but now in the times of your im- " perial government, being born, as we have " faid, a man of a virgin, according to the " will of the Father, for the falvation of " thofe who believe in him, he endured to " become of no reputation, and to fuffer, that " by his death and refurrection he might con- " quer death." • Some paflages refer to the prefcience of the Deity, as involving predeftination : and the Apologift thinks it neceflary to obviate the inference, that becaufe things are pre dicted, they therefore take place by neceflity h 'Of (ui'05), X«l AoyOJ ffgCOTOTOXOJ CUV T8 0E8, X0.1 0EOJ U7T«_9- Xei. Sea. 83. 1 ]£v iSsa Ttupo; )Xsti ai_xao-» Tpaytov xat irqofSariav xc&cipitypievts; aAA« tf.fEi 8.« ts aiix.tx.To; ts Xpifu. Editio Colonias 1686. p. 229. Xfirov jSotjSov xcu Aut_5«)7>jv. p. 247. Justin martyr, a. d. 150. 75 could be added to this copious refutation of the Jews. In fome part of Voltaire's writings it is afferted, that Juftin Martyr was no believer in the divinity of Jefus Chrift; and the fol lowing fentence from the treatife we are now confideririg is brought to fupport the affertion : " There are amongft us, who con- " fefs Chrift, yet affirm that he was a man " of human race0." Here the quotation ends, but the original paflage continues thus; " With "* thefe I do not agree, and they are few in " number." This may ferve as a fpecimen of the unfairnefs of that criticifm, which would afcribe Unitarianifm to the primitive creed. The main defign of this .elaborate compofition is to bring together a chain of evidence from Scripture, of the pre-exiftence of Jefus Chrift, the true Mefliah, that he is the fame whom the Holy Spirit fometimes calls the Son, or Angel or Wifdom of God, who is alfo called God, and is God and Lord, and appeared and converfed with the Patri archs. " We therefore conclude," fays Juftin, " that the fame perfon is God and Chrift p, " and is to be adored." He ufes many expref- fions to the fame purport, that " falvation "is by the blood of Chrift";" that "he is 0 P. 267. p IIgo. IRENAEUS, A. D. 180. 89 " the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift*." " The '.'. Holy Ghoft, the food of life, is communicated "to man; and the Wbrd of God, in human " nature, took upon him /the form of a child, " that man might be capable of attaining a " perfect ftate of being, which by nature is " not his. Herein are manifefted the power, " and goodnefs, arid wifdom of God : his " power and goodnefs, in creating things that *' were not ; his wifdom, in creating all things " in order, harmony, and proportion. Some, " out of his bouridlefs goodnefs, receive con- " ttnual increafe of his grace and the gift of " perfeverance to the end. Thus in gradual " and proportionate order is man formed after " the image of God, by the good-will of the " Father, the miniftration of the Son, and " the nourifhment of the Holy Ghoft ; and " through progreflive ftages of improvement, " from nature to grace, from ftrength to " ftrength, he arrives, at perfection, and is " glorified in a union with the uncreated " Godhead"." Modern times have witnefled the vain fpe- culations of men, who refembled the Gnoftics in proudly fuppofing that unaflifted human nature is capable of perfection. As thefe an cient herefies afford a prototype of the fpuri- * Ibid. cap. 33. u Ibid. cap. 75. go SERMON III. ous origin and vanity of thefe notions, they alfo exhibit a ftriking example of their pernicious" influence upon human life. " Thefe Heretics," our Author obferves, " are not found to em- " ploy themfelves in virtuous and honourable " actions, in exercifes of labour and fkill ; but, " inftead of the purfuits of induftry, art and "knowledge, they addict themfelves to luxury " and idlenefs x." Hear the true criterion of fanctification which Ireneeus eftablifhes : " Chrift came not -' to break, but to fulfil the Law : and all pre- " cepts of natural goodnefs, which were firft " promulgated to the Jews, have an increafed " obligation upon us. For to be like God; " and to follow his word, and to love him " above all things, and our neighbour as our- " felyes, and to refrain from all evil actions, " thefe commands fhew one and the fame $¦* God. As the Jews received the law of obe- " dience, fo are we under the liberty of the " Gofpel : and having obtained more grace, " let us love God morey." " God wanted nothing of man : but a par- " ticipation of God's glory was wanting to " complete the happinefs of man, which he " could only obtain by obedience. Now " through Chrift, being made fons of God ,* Lib. ii. cap. 57. y Lib. iii. cap. 37. IRENAEUS, A.D. 180. gi " by adoption, all God's commands are more " binding upon us than : before, when we " were as fervants V ^j Having ftated that falvation is by free and univerfal grace, he enforces the obligations of fuperior holinefs incumbent upon thofe •who have received a better revelation. "If " men were by nature, fome good and fome ** evil, they would deferve neither praife, not " blame. But fince all are of the fame na- " ture, capable of holding faft and doing that '* which is good, and the contrary : therefore " in the fight of men of underftanding (and " how much more in the fight of God ?) fome " are praifed and receive a worthy teftimony " of their election in the excellent body ca- " tholic, and of perfeverance : and others are " blamed, and receive a juft jfunifhment, be- " caufe they are reprobates from what is good " and excellent *." " A good man is a name only, if he is good " by the fpontaneous operation of nature, " without choice, without intelligence, withi " out enjoyment"." " But fome one may afk, wherefore could ** not God create man perfect from the be- " ginning ? Becaufe man is in his nature im- » Ibid, cap; 31. * Lib.,iv. cap* 37 et feq. b jQap.;73- ¦ .. ,:>. <¦ J g? .* SERMON III. " perfect and evil, as" he is, man ; arid inca- "pable of fupporting the glory of God. We " are as helplefs infants, and can only by " degrees receive the milk of the word, and "•b'e accuftomed to the bread of eternal life, " which is the Spirit of the Father'." " God is the fountain of all good ; and man, " receiving his proficiency from: God, will by "fixing his mind on God have communion " with him. For God never ceafes to blefs "rand enrich man: and the receptacle of his "goodnefs, and organ of his glory is a grate- " fui heart: while a man ungrateful and re- " gardlefs of his Maker is a veflel of judg- " mentd." " Charity is the fulfilling of the law : without " love knowledge is nothing, nor comprehen- " fion of myfteries, nor faith, nor prophecy. "Love makes a perfect man, who fhall dwell " with God in love for ever0." " We are commanded to abftain not only " from evil works, but alfo from evil thoughts, " and evil words ; fo that the punifhment of " thofe who believe not in the word of God, " and defpife his coming, and turn from his " ways, is increafed: they incur not a tem- " poral, but an eternal punifhment f." « Ibid. cap. 74. d Lib. iv. cap. 34. e Ibid. cap. 35, f Lib. iv. cap. 47. IRENAEUS, A.D. 180. g3 In recapitulating his fentiments, the Author ftates the refurrection both of foul and body through the redemption of Chrift : that there is no eflential difference of natures among men ; but that all flefh muft be regenerated by the Spirit of God, and become his temple, before it can attain the inheritance of eternal life. And the fruit of the Spirit is not a change of corporeal fubftance ; but a change from the vain and wicked works of the flefh to holi nefs8. From the premifes which the writings of Juftin Martyr and Irenaeus fupply, we eftablifh thefe obvious confequences ; that fuperior pu rity of doctrine produces fuperior purity of life and manners ; that purity of doctrine, as it is not to be expected of thofe who reject revelation, and build up their religious creed upon the deductions of natural underftanding, neither is it found among thofe who, embrac ing revelation, fhut their ears to the voice of reafon. So far is true religion from being in compatible with reafon,that the Gofpel alone admits of a reafonable defence from its follow ers, and thus evinces a real fuperiority over in fidelity and error. g Lib. v. cap. 6, 9, 11. SERMON IV. i Tim. iv. i, 3. -In the latter times fome fhall depart from the faith — forbidding to marry, and commanding to abftainfrom meats. • JL HE great extenfion of the Roman power was one of thofe fecondary caufes, which fa cilitated the progrefs of Chriftianity. The four primitive Fathers, whofe writings remain to be confidered, lived in countries, which were provinces of the great Empire, and on the other fide the Mediterranean. Clement, the firft of thefe in order of time, was a Prefbyter and mafter of the catechetical or religious fchoOl at Alexandria in Egypt, about the clofe jof the fecond century. This city had realized that fcheme of judicious policy, which the comprehenfive genius of its great Founder formed for the advancement of commerce: it was fecond only to Rome, inhabited by a numerous and bufy populace, ornamented with fuperb buildings, the mart of the world, q6 SERMON IV. and at once the feat of thriving induftry and luxurious opulence, and the nurfe of liberal arts and fciences. There the eclectic philo-^ fophy had its beginning, which was com pounded from the tenets of the different Greek fects : and as mercantile cuftoms feem favour able to an unreftricted interchange even of intellectual advantages, we fhall find in the three compofitions of Clement a multifarious erudition, and freedom of thought and ex- preffion, rather than regular precepts of found doctrine. His " Admonition to the Gentiles" is writ ten on the fame plan as Juftin Martyr's " Ex- " hortation," but in a more animated, copious, and defultory ftyle. The Author expofes, in language as naked as Juvenal's fatire, the im pious and deteftable practices of Heathen Orgies: he holds up to unreferved indignation the vices that characterize the Heathen Deities ; and juftly obferves, that worfe examples are not to be found among the worft men. Upon the fubject of religious worftiip he declares that Idolaters adore, not gods, but the ma terials and fkill which go to the compofition of images ; he expreffes his difguft at the. pro fane homage paid by the Egyptians to brute creatures, and the horrid cuftom of human facrifices. He then paffes to the opinions of Grecian philofophers concerning the eternity CLEMENS ALEX. A. D. 200. 97 of matter, and the exalted fentiments of Plato3 on the nature of the foul, which, like Juftin, he derives from a Hebrew origin. But all thefe fpeculations afford him no fatisfaction : " I want, I defire," fays Clement, " a fpiritual God, a God who makes, not " who is made. Behold the univerfe, it is " his work ; the heavens, and the fun : an- " gels and men are the creation of his hands. " Unerring juftice is his attribute ; and by it " he balances the frame of nature." " With- " out the Word," he adds, " all religious in- " veftigation is vain : the holy prophetic Scrip- " tures are the foundation of religious truth ; " the rule of life; the high-road to falva- " tionV After adducing feveral fcriptural quotations, he < proceeds thus: " Come hither, " O youths of my care, come hither, as chil- " dren, and be regenerated, according to Scrip- " ture, that ye may be acknowledged by your " heavenly Father, and attain his kingdom." He enlarges upon the goodnefs of God in calling finners to repentance, and upon the rewards attending obedience, faith and cha rity, through Chrift, whom he calls God, and a Both the Chriftian Fathers fuppofe that Plato, who (In Timseo) calls virtue a divine gift, (Ssia ft-otpa,) inti mates the influence of the Holy Spirit. t> "OSoi o-»ri)_5i«j a-uvTopoi, p. 50. Edit. Lutet. Paris. 1 641. H 98 SERMON IV. a univerfal Saviour0. After defcribing the miferable habits, and infatuation of Infidels, he thus purfues his Chriftian arguments : " An " Athenian follows the laws of Solon; a " Spartan thofe of Lycurgus. If you are a " believer, heaven is your country, and God_ is " your lawgiver. And what are his laws I " Do not kill, do not commit adultery, fteal " not, bear no falfe witnefs : love the Lord " thy God. Since the Word has defcended " from above, we need not now repair to " Greece in fearch of knowledge. Lay hold " of Chrift, the true light, by which we fee ; Q(pp su yivuo~y.ois vifisv S-eov, v\$i ko,i etyapa, . " And wherefore do I exhort you ? That you " may be faved. This Chrift wifhes, the Word " of truth, the Word of incorruption : he re- " generates men, brings them to truth, excites " them to the attainment of falvation : he " deftroys death, and builds up for himfelf a " temple in the heart of man. O cleanfe this " temple, and make it pure ; and caft idle " pleafures, as a flower that lafteth but a " day, to the wind and flames. Inftead of " execrable rites, our myfteries are the joys " of Heaven ; and Chrift initiates us. Suffer c Tevv wirepBaXXei vatrav avdpcmrtvrjv mont obferves, it is,.worth many volumes. He himfelf manifefted unfhaken. canftancy and zeal in the caufe which he embraced ; nor was his modefty lefs confpicuous, notwithftanding his great attainments, and that celebrity of re putation, which induced a Roman Emprefs and an Arabian Governor to defire a conference with him. Yet all thefe excellencies were ful- lied by an extravagance in theological opi* nions, totally incompatible with the fimplicity of Chriftian doctrine. Origen's moft voluminous compofition con- fifted of commentaries upon every book of Scripture ; and his teftimony is juftly deemed of great importance in fupporting the prefent Canon of the New Teftament\ Some of thefe remain, in the original Greek b, and are occa- a See Dr. Lardner's excellent remarks. Credibility, vol. ii. p. 531. and 543. b His works, were edited in two volumes, Rothomag. 1668. by the learned Huet, Bifhop of Avranches, whofe preliminary diflfertation upon Origen is one of the moft laborious and ingenious pieces of criticifm, which ever ap peared on the fubjecT: of the Fathers. He thinks that Ori gen, though he did not, like Arius, confider the Son as a creature, yet places him not on an equality with God the Father. Bifhop Bull, with better reafon, defends the ge- 128 SERMON V. fionally fo verbofe, as to countenance the opi nion that they were delivered extern pora- neoufly. The Author propofes to elucidate Scripture in three ways, in the hiftorical or literal fenfe, in a myftical, and, thirdly, in a moral fignification. Our Author alfo compofed feveral treatifes on philofophical fubjects, the Stromata, which are loft, after the example of his preceptor Clement, and the defign of which St. Jerome ftates to have been, a confirmation of Chrifti anity from the writings of Plato and Ariftotle, and other Greek philofophers. The Gofpel will not bear this mixture; and this is clearly fhewn in Origen's treatife ot^< *px&>v, which is ftill extant in Rufinus's tranflation c, and abounds in heterodox notions, chiefly derived from the writings of Plato. For inftance, Ori gen fuppofes the nature of men, of angels, and of demons, to have been originally the fame ; and that thefe different orders of beings have had afligned to them different fituations, on account of the extent of their obedience or difobedience to the laws of the Creator, the effect of their own free-will, He confiders the ftars to be animated, and peopled by fpi- nuine orthodoxy of this eminent Father, on the fubjeft of the Trinity. See Huet. Origeniana, lib. ii. Qucefl.fecunda, S.5, 34. et Quafl. tert. S. 24. et Bulli Opera, a Grabe, p. 105,137,373. • Rufinus flouriflied A. D. 390. ORIGEN, A. D. 230. 129 rits, fuperior to thofe who inhabit this earth ; and that the moft perfect being, the moft at tached to the Creator, is the foul of Jefus Chrift, who fuffered even for Angels and De mons. In his treatife on prayerd, he recom mends that prayer fhould be offered only to God the Father, and not to the Son. In his Philocalia, cap. 21. he feems to think that hu man endeavours, without divine grace, may attain goodnefs : and his commentaries on the firft chapter of St. John's Gofpel are not al ways in orthodox language. In defence of Origen it is urged, that he brings forward thefe opinions, not as his own real fentiments, but by way of ftating what others have faid ; that he writes in a figurative and allegorical ftyle; and that, many of his works now exift only in a fpurious ftate or in d S. 50, 51, 52. Huetius confiders all the errors of Origen to have flowed from thefe two fources ; a belief in the preexiftence of fouls before this mortal ftate, and latitudiharian notions of human liberty, which militate againft the doctrines of original fin and free grace. Eraf mus thinks that Origen was feduced from orthodoxy by a fondnefs for Plato's writings : Bifhop Bull, that he in dulged his inquifitive fpirit to wantonnefs. Op. Bulli, p. 127. The Philocalia was a colle&ion from Origen's writings made by St. Bafil and St. Gregory. Fleury, tom. ii. p. 105. juftly fays, that Origen eftablifhes free-will folidly upon the foundations of reafon and Scripture, but pufhes the confequences too far, in fuppofing the inequa lity of men to be the effect of merit on their part. K 130 SERMON V. tranflation. Deductions and allowances of this kind are in fact blemifhes upon his theology : and thefe defects in a perfon of fuch eminence point out the ufe and neceffity of articles and formularies of faith, which ferve as fences to Scripture, and prefervatives of pure doctrine ; endangered as it is, no lefs by a want of cau tion and conftancy on the part of its adherents, than by the attacks of open aflailants. It is moreover worthy of remark, that Origen's pe culiar mode of illuftrating Scripture was capti vating to the heathen world, and probably al lured many into the fold of Chrift, who would not have liftened to a more fimple expofition of the Gofpel. So far was he from being an open propounder of herefy, that the Gnoftics of all defcriptions found in him a zealous and indefatigable opponent: and Athanafius" him felf adduced our Author's teftimony to prove our Lord's coexiftence and coeffentiality with God the Father. However anomalous and in- confiftent his writings may be, he maintained an irreproachable conduct during the tenor of a long life of fixty-nine years ; and pafled, without the imputation of any vice, through poverty, perfecution, and torture, and the yet feverer trial of a fplendid reputation ; continu- e Tom. i. p. 236. See Cave's Life of Origen, and Opera Bulli, p. 129. ORIGEN, A. D. 230. 131 ally exhibiting a rare union of the qualities of learning and eloquence, of ardour and perfe- verance, of good temper and energy, of mo defty and knowledge almoft unrivalled f. An ancient Author has faid of him, that " where " he is in the right, he has not an equal, fince " the days of the Apoftles ; and where he is in " the wrong, no man errs more fhamefully8." Erafmus declares, that he learns more from one page of Origen than from ten of St. Au- guftin : and it would be eafy to multiply quo tations of eulogies, from the higheft authorities, upon this extraordinary man, who is excul pated from deliberate heterodoxy. This im putation was not caft upon him by his enemy f Illud de immortali ejus (Origenis) ingenio non tacens, quod diale&icam quoque et geometriam, arithmeticam, muficam, grammaticam, et rhetoricam, omniumque phi- lofophorum fe&as, ita didicit, ut ftudiofos quoque fsecu- larium literarum fectatores haberet, et interpretaretur quotidie; concurfufque ad eum mirifici fierent, quos ille propterea recipiebat, ut fub occafione faecularis literature in fide Chrifti eos inftitueret. St. Jerome de Viris lllufir. cap. 54. Origenis animus plufquam adamantinus, quem nee vitse aufteritas, nee perpetui labores, nee dura paupertas, nee semulorum improbitas nee fuppliciorum terror, nee ulla mortis facies a fancto inftituto vel tantillum dimovere po- tuit. Erafm. tom. v. p. 1612. £ Sulpicius Severus, A.D. 401. Origen fold his li brary, which produced a daily fum, fufficient for his fub- fiftence. K 2 132 SERMON V. Demetrius, Bifhop of Alexandria, who con trived to have him excommunicated, on a charge of infringing ecclefiaftical difcipline. Origen meant not to aflert errors ppfitively ; and his beft defence are thofe compofitions which have gained him celebrity with pof- terity, his collations of different editions of Scripture h, and his treatife againft the Epi curean Philofopher Celfus, in eight books. This latter work has been, I think juftly, praifed as the completeft and moft polifhed Apology1 for the Chriftian religion which the ancients have left us: but it fo far par takes of the ufual blemifh of their writings, a want of order and luminous arrangement, that many of the books might be tranfpofed promifcuoufly without injury to the fenfe or argument. This defect is not wholly to be attributed to our Author, for he follows the path of his adverfary. Celfus, a friend of the fatirift Lucian, in a work entitled A True Dif- h Huet. Origeniana, lib. iii. fe£t. 4. This work (fee Appendix, N°. I.) was accomplished after Origen's return from vifiting Mammsea, the mother of the Emperor Alex ander, at Antioch, and under the reign of the tyrant Maximin, who came to the throne A. D. 235. The An- fwer to Celfus was written more than ten years after wards, when Origen bad pafled his fixtieth year. In . the Decian Perfecution, A. D. 250. he was chained with an iron chain, and was tortured in his feet for feveral days. ! By Du Pin. ~ ORIGEN, Al D. 230. 133 courfe, (aA^ Xoyov,) calumniated the Chrif tians and their religion ; and the powerful aid of Origen was engaged in their defence. The work of Celfus is loft; but the tenor of it may be eafily collected from the Infidel quotations which occur in the Chriftian Father's reply. He firft affumes the character of a Jew, and argues againft the truth of the Gofpel from the outward circumftances of Chriftians, their unlawful meetings, and miferable condition; he points out, with confiderable fhrewdnefs, certain apparent contradictions in the Scrip tures ; and reviles, in coarfe terms, the mean appearance of Jefus upon earth, which he af firms to be inconfiftent with the defcription of the Meffiah, contained in the writings of the Jewifh Prophets. Origen eafily relieves his Chriftian brethren from the afperfions caft upon them : he allows that their meetings are pri vate, for they cannot be otherwife, as they are oppofed to prevailing fuperftitions ; but he af firms their conduct to be pure and exemplary, both at their affemblies and in public life. He expofes the duplicity of Celfus, who> while he affumes the character of a Jew, prefers the Egyptian and Greek mythology to the Jewifh creed, and fhews great ignorance of the writ ings of Mofes. Our Author explains the Scrip tural predictions of two advents of the Mef fiah, one in humility and the fecond in glory; K 3 134 SERMON V. arid the miftake of the Jews, who expect a temporal deliverer. In energetic terms k he vindicates the incarnate Redeemer, who was invefted with a character really the moft ho nourable upon earth, by conftantly perform ing acts of juftice and goodnefs : he fhews that the poverty and rudenefs of his imme diate Difciples more clearly manifefted the di vine inftitution of the Gofpel, which might have pafled for a fyftem of human philofophy, had it been propagated by the wife and learned of this world. The works and miracles of Chrift and his Apoftles he diftinguifhes from thofe of impoftors and magicians by the fure criterion of their tendency to benefit man kind. The fecond book is a continuation of the fame fubject. Celfus, in a fecorid work, had introduced a Jew, addreffing thofe of his own nation, and obferving, that the firft converts to Chriftianity were men of no reputation, and that the doctrine of the Gofpel in reality pre- fented nothing new to them. Origen very finely replies, that it weaned them from their fhadowy formalities, and gave them 3 difpen- fation, not concerned with low and earthly things, but heavenly, fpiritual, and leading to eternal happinefs. With refpect to the deri- k P. 33—36. Ed. Cantab. 1677. ORIGEN, A. D. 230. 135 fion caft upon the primitive converts, and the perpetual cavils of Celfus at a want of magni ficence in the character of Jefus Chrift, the Apologift fhews that thefe objections arife from an erroneous notion of the true excel lence of virtue1, which confifts not in an ex emption from the pains and evils incident to humanity, but in enduring them with fortitude, and in avoiding fin. He removes the Philo- fbpher's mafk, and contends that a writer, who thinks pleafure the greateft good, and who difregards miracles effected for a bene ficial purpofe, as well thofe of Mofes as of Je fus, is a Jew only in pretence, and muft at heart be an Epicurean. The book concludes with a perfuafive and forcible appeal to the Jews, exhorting them to open their eyes to God's vifitations, and to receive as the pro- mifed Mefliah Him, who bellows upon his difciples fuch a meafure of faith, that they are enabled to think lightly of the troubles of this life, while they lead to an inheritance of eter nal glory. " I fee not," fays Origen, " how " a mere man could propagate through the " whole world his doctrine and precepts, in " oppofition to all exifting powers, and influ- " ence not only wife and reflecting minds, but " all ranks of fociety. The aftonifhing fuccefs 1 P. 83. K4. 136 SERMON V- " of Chriftianity is one proof that it is the " work of God m." In the firft book the Author cenfures thofe who deny the divinity of Jefus Chrift ; and in the fecond, this article of faith is explicitly maintained, as in thefe paflages : " We think " Jefus to be God, and in fome fort man":" " according to us the Word, which is God and " the Son of God, fpoke in Jefus, faying, I am " the way, the truth, and the life; and we " blame the Jews, who do not think him to " be God, according to the wittiefs of Scrip-- " ture and of the Father"." Celfus makes this tenet the ground of a fuhtle abjection: If, fays he, Jefus was God, according to the Chriftian doctrine, what he predicted neceffarily came to pafs, and he was therefore the caufe of Ju- das's treafon againft himfelf. Origen denies the inference : God, he fays, is not the author and caufe of evil; his foreknowledge in this inftance only implied the certainty of that evil which fprang from other fources. -The whole paflage is worthy the attention of thofe, who m P. no. n Tov Iijo-ouv Qeov vooujuek, x«t« ti 3s avdgugrw Asytywj/. P.61. ° K«&' %\uh o tayoj Qeo;, xat Qem twv oXwv vh;, eXeyev ey Tto Irjtrta— eyxaXov[t,ev ovv Iou8«iotf toutov _uq vofi.i a Stu/^a Svyjtov xai ^ivyrjv avSpwmvrjv avaXaScoV 6 aSavoroj ©505 Xoyo;. b 'T7r=__> apupTUiXcov XeyeTai •uravTa avaSede^ai 0 Irjtrov;, tv avTOv; awaXXaj-y tyj; dpagTta;, xat itoirja-^ hxaiov;. P. 170, 3. c Hatrav deYjiriv, xat isrpoo-euppjv, xai evTevtjtv, xai ev/apiVTiav, uvaire^iiTeov Tia evi tsatri ©ecu, Sia tou swi tsavrtev ayyeXaiv apyj- tepew;, e^vypv Xoyov xat ©sou. P. 233. d Toi; xa^fnevoi; ev XM?t KUi 0"x'? SavaTOU fa>; uveTeiXev, 6 ©eo; ltjcraj. P. 331. 6 Tij 8' aXXa; irwiraj xai ngotrayuyav tw em iratri &etp ZvvotTut ORIGEN, A. D. 230. 141 In the eighth book the Author addreffes in prayer God the Father and Son f. Celfus ob jects to the Chriftians, that they worfliip two Gods ; which, fays Origen, he would not have done, if he had rightly underftood that ex- preffion of Jefus, " I and my Father are one :" and the fact is, as we have fhewn, that we worftiip one God, Father and Song: we fwerve not to the worftiip of evil fpirits, but we adore, with the moft devoted fupplication and homage, one God and one his Son, his word and image, offering to the Lord of all prayers, through his Only-begotten, who is a propitiator and inter- ceflbr for us, and as a High-Prieft prefents our offerings'1. Our Author proceeds to defcribe, in language which rivals the fublimity of Mil ton, the qualities of the Son of God, who is the brightness of his Father's glory, and the exprefs image of his perfon, the emanation of his power, the pure ftream of omnipotent ma- tijv tov -av&gwvov < iihyriv, i) 6Qso; Xoyo;; oo-ti; ev ap-yri tspo; tov &eoV cov, Sia tov; xoXXrjSevra; Ty trapxi, xai yevoftevoi; oireg o-ap%, eysvsTo &a§%, iva xa>§Yi^V "*° Tcuv M Suvaftsvcov auTOV BXewetv, xa$o Xoyo; tjv, xai irgo; ©sov ijv, xai Qeo; rjv. P. 322. f &eo; Se xai 0 povoyevrj; avrov Xoyo; tsape^at ijfi.iv. P. 3°°" % "Eva ovv ©edv, a>; awoSsScuxa/xev, tov itaTepa xat tov vlov 5e- ffairevo/xev. P. 386. h Tov Iva ©eov, xai tov eva. vlov avrov xat Xoyov xai etxova, Tat; xaru to Svvutov rjjj.iv ixso-tat; xat ugiwiretrt ev\) but by the grace *' of God and the mediation of his Son human " nature may become united to the Deity1." I wifh particularly to notice the eighth book, which concludes with an animated defcription of the character of a Chriftian, who is happy in himfelf and ufeful to the world ; and with the Author's anticipation, in profpect, of the glorious effects which will attend the promifed diffufion of Chriftianity through the Whole world. The writings of St. Cyprian come in the laft place under our review, and with peculiar claims to attention ; for fince the Reformation the authority of this Father has been more appealed to than that of any other writer of the three firft centuries, and there have been fourteen editions of his works, which are con- fidered both by Roman Catholics and Pro- teftant Epifcopalians as a bulwark againft fchifm and diflent in the Church, Cyprian, a native of Carthage and a teacher s P-i5i. « P. 428. ST. CYPRIAN, A. D. 250. 145 of rhetoric, led in that city a life of plenty and fplendor; and was converted to Chriftianity in his fiftieth year, A. D. 246. by the perfua- fion of his friend the prefbyter C£eciliusm, (whofe name he afterwards took,) and by his own tacit reflections on the reformation of manners which prevailed among thofe who were baptized into the Church", His firft compofition" contains an effufion of the new m Caecilius dying, left to Cyprian, who was alfo a mar ried man, the care of his wife. n Qui pofiibilis, aiebam, eft tanta converfio ; ut repente ac perniciter exuatur, quod vel genuinum fitu materise naturalis obduruit, vel ufurpatum diu fenio vetuftatis in- olevit ?—-— Dei eft, Dei, inquam, omne quod poffumus. Cypr. ad Donatum. ° Ad Donatum. " Te crede fubduci in montis ardui " verticem celfiorem, et ipfe a terrenis conta&ibus liber, " flu&uantis mundi turbines intuere. Cerne tu itinera " latronibus claufa, maria obfefla praedonibus, cruento " horrore caftrorum bella ubique divifa ; madet orbis " mutuo fanguine. Jam fi ad urbes — celebritatem oftendis " omni folkudine triftiorem. Paratur gladiatorius ludus, " ut libidinem crudelium luminum fanguis oble&et.' — In " theatris confpicies quod tibi et dolori fit et pudori. " O fi poffis in ilia fublimi fpecula conftitutus oculos " tuos inferere fecretis, fecludere cubiculorum obducl&s ¦ " fores, et ad confcientiam luminum penetralia occulta " refecare ! afpicias ab impudicis geri, quod nee pofiit af- " picere frons pudica. Videas quod crimen fit et videre; " videas quod vitiorum furore dementes gefliffe fe negant, " et gerere feftinant. " Sed Forum fortaffe videatur immune. Incifas lint (< lege* licet duodecim tabulis, et publice "sre prsalixo 146 SERMON V, convert's feelings reflecting the bleffed influ ence of divine grace, and a glowing defcription of the vices and miferies of the world con- trafted with that tranquillity which religion affords. He is reprefented as having fhewn great efteem for the writings of Tertullian, which he was accuftomed to afk for in this phrafe, " Give me my mafter." He gave away his eftate to the poor ; and during the two following years, his confiftent ftrictnefs of life, and exemplary good conduct, raifed him fucceffively to the offices of Pref- byter and Bifhop. Within the fame fpace of time were compofed his treatife De Vanitate Idolorum, and his three books of Teftimonies from Scripture againft the Jews. From the former of thefe tracts I quote the following paflage, as containing a juft fummary of the doctrines chiefly infifted on by all the Fathers. The Author, after expofing the weak and hu man foundation of heathen theology, and in filling upon the true doctrine of the unity of K jura praefcripta fint ; inter leges ipfas delinquitur, inter " jura peccatur. Hafta illic et gladius, et carnifex preefto " eft; ungula effodiens, equuleus extendens, ignis exurens ; " ad hominis corpus unum, fupplicia plura quam membra " funt. Quis inter haec vero fubveniat ? Patronus ? Sed ff praevaricatur et decipit. Judex ? Sed fententiam vendit. " Una igitur plaeiua et fida tranquillitas 3 una folida et « firma et perpetua fecuritas — fi quis ad caelum oculos « tollat a terxis." ST. CYPRIAN, A. D. 250. 14? God, thus explains the origin of revealed re ligion : q" Quod vero Chriftus fit, et quo modo per " ipfum nobis falus venerit, fie eft ordo, fie " ratio. Judaeis primum erat apud Deum " gratia. Sic olim jufti erant, fie majores " eorum religionibus obediebant. Inde illis " et regni fublimitas floruit, et generis magni- " tudo provenit. Sed illi negligentes, indifci- " plinati et fuperbi poftmodum facti, et fiducia " Patrum infiati, dum divina prascepta con- " temnunt, datam fibi gratiam perdiderunt : " difperfi et palabundi vagantur, foli et caeli " fui profugi, per hofpitia aliena jactantur. " Nee non Deus ante praedixerat fore, ut ex " omni gente et populo et loco, cultores fibi ." allegeret Deus multo fideliores, et melioris " obfequii, qui indulgentiam de divinis mu- " neribus haurirent, quam acceptam Judaei " contemptis religionibus perdidiffent. Hujus " igitur indulgentia?, gratia; difciplinasque ar- " biter et magifter, fermo et filius Dei mittitur, " qui per prophetas omnes retro, illuminator " et doctor humani generis prasdicabatur. Hie " eft virtus .Dei, hie ratio, hie fapientia ejlas et "gloria. Hie in virginem illabitur; carnem '* Spiritu fancto cooperante induitur; Deus P A tranflation of the quotations from Tertullian and Cyprian is given in the Appendix, N°. II. L 2 148 SERMON V. " cum homine mifcetur. Hie Deus nofter, " hie Chriftus eft, qui mediator duorum, ho- " minem induit, quem perducat ad Patrem." The firft book of Teftimonies againft the Jews contains proofs from Scripture, that the Jews have fulfilled their own prophecies in rejecting Jefus Chrift : the fecond, that our Lord's nature was divine and human : and the third delivers precepts for the life and manners of Chriftians^: the whole work confifting of little elfe than quotations from the Old and New Teftament, which are fo abundant as to afford almoft fufficient authority for our pre fent Canon. I wifh to make a particular re ference to the fecond book, as being not only a decifive ftatement of Cyprian's belief in our Lord's divinity, but alfo a clear and judicious collection of Scriptural authorities to this point. "In Genefi: Dixit autem Deus ad Jacob, " Exfurge et afcende in locum Bethel, et fac " illic altare illi Deo qui tibi apparuit, &c.p " Item apud Efaiam : Tu es Deus et non fcie- " bamus, Deus Ifrael Salvatorq. Item apud " euridem : Vox clamantis in deferto ; parate " viam Domini, rectas facite femitas Dei " noftrir. Item in Pfalmo xfiv. Thronus tuus " Deus in fecula feculorum : et lxvii. Cantate p Gen. xxxv. I. i Efai, xiv. 14. * Ibid.xl.3. ST. CYPRIAN, A. D. 250. 149 " Deo, viam facite ei qui afeendit in occafum, " Deus nomen illi. Item in Evangelio cata " Johannem : In principio erat fermo, et fermo " erat apud Deum, et Deus erat fermo. Item " in eodem refpondit Thomas Domino : Do- " minus meus et Deus meus. Item Paulus ad " Romanos : Chriftus fecundum carnem, qui " eft fuper omnia Deus benedictus in faecula'. " Item in Apocalypfi: Ego fum a et a, initium " et finis ; et ero ejus Deus*." Cyprian was advanced, to the Epifcopate againft his own inclination, and by the general and earneft defire of the people of Carthage : but five Prefbyters in the Church oppofed his election, and afterwards gave him great un- eafinefs. In the following year, A. D. 250. the Decian Perfecution raged ; and Cyprian, who was often clamoroufly demanded by the heathen populace, that he might be thrown to the lions, withdrew, for the fpace of fourteen months, into a place of retirement fo fecret, that it never was difcovered, even after the danger had pafled away. During this feceffion,, he continued with unabated vigilance to watch over the welfare of the Church : as "he himfelf juftly fays, "Though perfonally abfent, in fpirit " and in advice 1 was active among them"." Forty three Epiftles ftill remain, written by s Rom.ix.3. * Apoc. xxi. 6. u Ep. xx. L 3 150 SERMON V. him at this time, which confift of encouraging exhortations and directions to the Chriftian clergy and people of Carthage, refpecting the conduct that became them under this fevere vifitation. Many of them are compofed on the fubject of the Lapfed, or perfons who, to efcape perfecution, denied Chrift before the Roman magiftrate"; and defiring afterwards to be reftored to communion with the Church, prevailed upon confeffors and martyrs to give them letters of reconciliation and peace (libel- los pacis). Both confeffors and delinquents infilled, in many inftances, that thefe certifi cates were a fufficient abfolution of the apo- ftafy committed ; that bifhops and prefbyters ought to grant readmiflion into the Church, upon the fole credit of this powerful tefti mony, without farther delay of inquiry or pe nitential difcipline. This laxity Cyprian re probates, and reprefles the overbearing aflump- tions of thofe who would remit fins on fo flight an authority : " The Martyrs are to " knock, but not break down the doors y." Novatus, a Carthaginian Prefbyter, irregu larly appointed an afliftant Deacon, without the confent of Cyprian, or any previous con- x In confequence they received the opprobrious names of Sacrificati, Thurificati, and Libellatici, from Libellus, a Certificate, r Ep.30. ST. CYPRIAN, A. D. 250. 151 fultation with him, a man of a turbulent fero cious difpofition, " a firebrand of fedition2," fo mented great internal troubles in the Church. About this time he went to Rome, and either inftigated or promoted the clandeftine and un lawful confecration of Novatian to the Epifco- pal See, in oppofition to the truly appointed Bifhop Cornelius. Novatus and Novatian, men of congenial fpirits, now fet their partizans in array againft their conftituted fpiritual governors ; and in order to throw fome creditable colouring over their caufe, profefled a zeal for rigid difcipline, under the name of Cathari or Pure, and in a difplay of exceflive aufterities kept themfelves from all fociety with the lapfed, and thofe who communicated with them. Thefe circumftances afford the beft key to our Author's writings ; and particularly will account for that vehement reprobation of fchifm which is thus expreffed in his treatife De Unitate Ecclefiae : " Quifquis ab ecclefia " fegregatus, adulterae jungitur, a promifiis ec- " clefiee feparatur. Nee pervenit ad Chrifti " praemia, qui relinquit ecclefiam. Alienus eft, " profanus eft, hoftis eft. Habere jam non " poteft Deum patrem, qui ecclefiam non ha- z Fax et ignis ad conflanda feditionis incendia. Pater fame mortuus, ab eo nee fepultus. Uterus uxoris calce percuffus. Ep.^z. L 4 152 SERMON V. " bet matrem. Si potuit evadere quifquam " qui extra arcam Noe fuit; et qui extra eccle- " fiam foris fuerit, evadet. Dicit Dominus ; " Ego et Pater unum fumus. Et iterum de " Patre et Filio et Spiritu Sancto fcriptum eft, " Et hi tres unum funt. Et quifquam credit " hanc unitatem de divina firmitate venientem " facramentis cceleftibus cohaerentem fcindi in " ecclefia poffe, et voluntatum collidentium " divortio feparari ? Hanc unitatem qui non " tenet, Dei legem non tenet, non tenet Patris " et Filii fidem, et veritatem non tenet ad fa- " lutem." After the death of the Emperor Decius, Cyprian left his retreat, and returned to Car thage A. D. 251, and held a Synod of Bifhops for the purpofe of taking into confideration the cafe of the Lapfed. This meeting condemned the fevere and tyrannical meafures of Novatus and Novatian, and maintained a moderate and equitable courfe towards the Lapfed, adapted to their feveral cafes and degrees of delin quency. Our Author's treatife De Lapfis was probably delivered in fubftance at this Council, and afterwards tranfmitted to Rome. As it is in his beft ftyle, and relates to a fubject of great importance in the third century, I ven ture to give a more extended account of it. The opening is in his ufual florid and lively manner : ST. CYPRIAN, A. D. 250. 153 " Pax ecce dilectiffimi fratres, ecclefiae red- " dita eft : et quod difficile nuper incredulis, " ac perfidis impoflibile videbatur, ope atque " ultione divina fecuritas noftra reparata eft. " In laetitiam mentes redeunt, et tempeftate " preffa ac nube et caligine difcufla, tran- " quillitas ac ferenitas refulferunt. Dandas " laudes Deo. — -Exoptatus votis omnium dies " venit, et poft longae noctis horribilem tetram- " que caliginem Domini luce radiatus mundus " reluxit." He proceeds to congratulate in triumphant ftrains the glorious company of faithful confef fors and martyrs : " Circumftantium multitudo " veftram gloriam fequitur, veftigia veftra co- " mitatur. Eadem eft in illis finceritas cordis, " eadem fidei tenacis integritas. Inconcuffis " praeceptorum cceleftium radicibus nixos, et " Evangelicis traditionibus roboratos, non prae- " fcripta exilia, non deftinata tormenta, non " rei familiarisdamna, non corporis fupplicia " terruerunt." In confidering the reverfe of this picture, his forrow is intenfe : " Has " martyrum coeleftes coronas, has confeflbrum " glorias fpiritales, has ftantium fratrum maxi- " mas eximiafque virtutes maeftitia una con- " triftat. Doleo fratres, doleo vobifcum, nee " mihi ad leniendos dolores meos integritas " propria, et fanitas privata blanditur ; quando " plus paftor in gregis fui vulnere vulneratur." 154 SERMON V. He declares the great caufe of defection to be the relaxation of difcipline during a long pe riod of tranquillity ; yet that the Lapfed are without excufe, who difregarded the prophe cies and denunciations of the Gofpel : and he thus eloquently arraigns the conduct of thofe who facrificed at heathen altars : " Nonne " fenfus obftupuit, lingua haefit, fermo defecit? " Stare illic potuit Dei fervus et loqui et re- " nunciare Chrifto, qui jam Diabolo renunci- " arat et feculo? Nonne ara ilia, quo moriturus " acceffit, rogus illi fuit ? Quid hoftiam tecum " mifer, quid victimam fupplicaturus imponis? " Ipfe ad aras hoftia. victima ipfe venifti. " Immolafti illic falutem tuam ; fpem tuam, " fidem tuam funeftis illis ignibus concre- " mafti." He condemns the facility with which abfo- lution was fometimes granted, and the too great reliance placed upon the authority of martyrs. " Nemo fe fallat, nemo fe decipiat. " Solus Dominus mifereri poteft, Veniam " peccatis quae in ipfum commiffa funt, folus " poteft ille largici, qui peccata noftra portavit, " qui pro nobis doluit, quern Deus tradidit pro " peccatis noftris." He aflerts that thofe perfons need repentance alfo, who not having indeed facrificed to idols, yet by fome fubterfuge or collufion obtained certificates, libellos, of their having denied ST. CYPRIAN, A.D. 250. 155 Chrift. Finally, he expatiates on the difcipline and efficacy of true repentance, exemplified in prayer, faffing, mortification, good works, and charity. " Si precem toto corde quis faciat, " fi veris pcenitentiae lamentationibus et la- " chrymis ingemifcat, fi ad veniam delicti fui " Dominum juftis et continuis operibus in- " flectat, mifereri talium poteft, qui et mi- " fericordiam fuam protulit, dicens: Cum con- " verfus ingemueris, tunc falvaberis ; nolo " mortem morientis, quantum ut revertatur et " vivat." The firm temper of Cyprian's godly virtue had yet to encounter a new trial. In the courfe of the next year, A. D. 252. the plague raged at Carthage; and to this date maybe affigned our Author's two treatifes De Mor- talitate and De Exhortatione Martyrii. In the firft he exhorts Chriftians to bear troubles and calamities becaufe they are foretold, and be caufe the haven of fecurity and happinefs is in a future and eternal life. A want of patience and fortitude arifes, he aflerts, from a want of faith in God : death is indeed a king of terrors to the impious and the wicked : " mori plane " timeat, fed qui ex aqua et fpiritu non rena- " tus, gehenae ignibus mancipatur ; mori ti- " meat qui non Chrifti cruce et paflione cen- " fetur ; mori timeat, qui ad fecundam mor- " tem de hac morte tranfibit." But to Chrif- 156 SERMON V. tians death is gain ; and the awful peftilence itfelf is a trial of their religious temper, an oc cafion for the practice of brotherly aid, com- paflion, and charity towards our neighbours, and for the fuppreffion of our own bad paf- fions, anger, pride, and avarice ; and for mani- fefting our refignation to God's will. The conclufion of this piece is fo truly in the genuine fpirit of the Gofpel, that I am defirous of giving it entire : " Confiderandum " eft, fratres dilectiffimi,. et identidem co- " gitandum, renunciaffe nos mundo,' et tan- " quam hofpites et peregrinos ifthic interim " degere. Amplectamur diem, qui affignat " fingulos domicilio fuo : quis non peregre " conftitutus properaret in patriam regredi ? " Patriam noftram Paradifum computemus. " Magnus illic nos carorum numerus expectat, " parentum, fratrum, filiorum frequens nos et *' copiofa turba defiderat, jam de fua immor- " talitate fecura, et adhuc de noftra falute fo- " licita. Ad horum confpectum et complexum " venire, quanta et illis et nobis in commune " laetitia eft ? qualis illic coeleftium regnorum " voluptas fine timore moriendi, et cum aster- " nitate vivendi ? quam fumma et perpetua " felicitas? Illic Apoftolorum gloriofus cohors: " illic prophetarum exultantium numerus: illic " martyrum innumerabilis populus ob certa- " minis et paflionis victoriam coronatus : tri- ST. CYPRIAN, A. D. 250. 157 " umphantes illic virgines : remunerati miferi- " cordes qui alimentis et largitionibus paupe- *'. rum juftitiae opera fecerunt : qui dominica *- praecepta fervantes, ad cceleftes thefauros 36o. SERMON VI. i65 moved from thofe fuperftitious ufages which prevailed in fucceeding times. It countenances only that teftimony of regard and veneration which the voice of nature feems to claim, and the cuftoms of all countries in a greater or lefs degree exhibit, in memorial of great and good men ; whom, though they are not, we regret with fond remembrance and involuntary at tachment. In the records which we have been confidering, I fee no precedent for a be lief in purgatory or for the invocation of faints and angels : and the abhorrence expreffed in them of idolatry is fo great, as to appear quite incompatible with any homage afcribing fanc- tity to pictures and images". Our argument is, that as the primitive Fa thers either entirely pafs over thefe things and others of the fame kind, or lay no ftrefs upon them, the primitive Church knew them not, e " Potes lingua negaffe, quod manu confiteris ? verbo " deftruere, quod fafto ftruis ? Unum Deum praedicare, " qui tantos efficis ? verum, qui falfos ? Facio, ait qui- " dam, fed non colo. Quafi ob aliam caufam colere non " audeat, nifi ob quam et facere non debeat, fcilicet ob " Dei ofFenfam utrobique. Imo tu colis, qui facis ut coli " poflint. Colis autem non fpiritu nidoris, fed tuo pro- " prio i non anima pecudis impenfa^ fed anim& tua. Dili- " gentia tua numen illorum eft." He adds, with his ufual feverity; " Negas.te quod facis colere? Sed illi non ne- " gant, quibus hanc fa^ginatiorem et auratiorem et majo- " rem hoftiam cffidis, faiutem tuam." Tertullian de Idolo- latria, c. vi. See Appendix, N". HI. M 3 166 SERMON VI. or laid no ftrefs upon them ; and confequently, fo far from having that antiquity and import ance which the Church of Rome attaches to them, they were in reality either invented or greatly magnified by fuperftition or impofture in after ages. The articles of Romifh theology, which Proteftants controvert, have not the fanction of Scripture, nor of the Fathers; they reft upon the authority of the Pope, of the Romifh clergy, and of ecclefiaftical tradition. We fay that the peculiar doctrines, impofed by the Church of Rome on the Chriftian world, are innovations, unknown in primitive times ; and farther, that the powers impofing them have ufurped an authority not recog nized by the precedents of antiquity. I. With refpect to the extent of the autho rity of the Bifhop of Rome the Romanifts themfelves are not agreed. At the clofe of the fixth century Gregory, furnamed the Great, difclaims the title of Univerfal Bifhop : his al moft immediate fucceflbr Boniface accepted it with avidity. The Papal power, nourifhed by the fuperftition of the people and the policy of fovereigns, gradually increafed in a barbarous and ignorant age. Documents, which claim ed a primitive antiquity, were forged in the eighth and ninth centuries, for the purpofe of eftablifhing the fupreme arbitrary jurifdict ion of the Bifhop of Rome over the whole body of SERMON VI. ftp the Clergy and Chriftian Church in all coun tries ; and the enterprifing fpirit of fome Pon tiffs, aided by circumftances favourable to their ambition, claimed univerfal monarchy, and aflerted that all ftates and kingdoms of the World were the patrimony of St. Peter, and fubject to the dominion of his fucceflbrs. Thefe are fome of the maxims of Pope Gre gory VII. in the eleventh century, reflecting the authority qf the Pope : " Quod ille folus poflit deponere Epifeopos " vel reconciliare." " Quod cum excommunicatis ab illo, inter " caetera, nee in eadem domo debeamus per- te manere." " Quod unicum eft nomen in mundo, Papa " videlicet." " Quod "illi liceat Imperatores deponere." " Quod fententia illius a nullo debeat retrac- " tari; et ipfe omnium folus retfactare poflit." " Quod a nemine ipfe judkari debeat." " Quod Romana Ecclefia nunquam erravit, " nee in perpetuum, Scriptura teftante, errabit." v Quod Catholicus non habeatur, qui non " concordat Romana; Ecclefia;." " Quod a fidelitate iniquorum fubjectos pot- ** eft abfolvere." The words are faithfully extracted from the ftatement of Baronius, who concludes it with this cool obfervation : " HactenUs Gregorius m 4 i68 SERMON VI. " de privilegiis Romani Pontificis atque Apof- " tolica; Sedis f." Thefe fame privileges Baro- nius laboured to uphold, even at the compara tively modern period of the fixteenth Century : and both he and La Sponde, who abridged and continued his Annals, affert, that notwith ftanding the acknowledged forgeries of De cretals and of the Donation of Conftantine, the power of the Pope always was the fame, and will remain the fame, its foundation being independent of the authenticity of thefe docu ments. A fimilar fpirit operated in the Coun cil of Trent itfelf, where an orator openly maintained this doctrine : " that the Pope!; " beginning from St. Peter, to the end of " time was a true abfolute monarch ; that his " power and jurifdiction were full and entire, " and to him the Church was fubject, as fhe " was to Jefus Chrift8." Undoubtedly thefe extravagant pretenfions always met fome refinance in the darkeft ages, and they were oppofed in the Council of Trent by the Prelates of France and Spain; which two kingdoms never recognifed the plenitude of Pontifical fupremacy. Fleury, in his fecond Difcourfe upon Ecclefiaftical Hif tory, candidly admits that after the firft fix f Annal. ad Ann. 1073. See Appendix, N°. III. s Father Paul's Hift. book vii. f. 30. SERMON VI. 169 centuries the beft days of the Church had pafledh; and that the inordinate fpiritual power of Popes and ecclefiaftics, all their temporal jurifdiction and immunities, and in particular the violence of excommunication, were in novations of degenerate times : and what is particularly to be noticed by us, his proof that they were unknown to the primitive Church is drawn from the filence of the Fathers of the fourth and fifth centuries on thefe points. Following this fuggeftion, let us be allowed to take our precedents from the firft three cen turies, a period ftill more remote and in doc trine more pure; and we doubt not that, upon this authority alone, we fhall be able to con fine the bifhopric of Rome within compara tively narrow limits of domeftic jurifdiction. That the fucceflbrs of St. Peter in the fee of Rome had a primacy and preeminence of ftation conceded by the Chriftian Church, we wifh not to deny. Such honour and dignity might at this day be given decently and pro perly in a general Council, and according to the rules of couftefy by which fovereign and independent princes fettle among themfelves their places of precedence ; for where many equals meet together, one ftill muft be fore- h Difc. 2. beginning, "Les beaux jours de l'Eglife font "paffes." Tom. xiii. 170 SERMON VI. moft. But the matter contended for is not an empty, though honourable, title and diftinc tion, but power. Yet Clement, Bifhop of Rome, in his letter to the Corinthians, ufes not one expreflion * that can by any force of conftruction be underftood to proceed from a perfon invefted with authority and lawful command. Ignatius delivers injunctions of obedience to Bjfhops fo exceffive that the terms are fcarcely defenfible ; but they apply to the refpective Paftors of each particular Church, and no allufion is made to a fingle Head of the Univerfal Church. It is worthy of obfervation, that in his Epiftle to the Ro mans thefe recommendations of fubmiffion to the Bifhop do not occur ; and the Author, fpeaking of the forlorn ftate of his own Syrian Church, then bereaved of his fuperintendence, declares that God and Chrift will be her Bifhop. In the writings of Polycarp, Juftin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen, I have not obferved any mention of the Bifliop of Romes qr of one Univerfal Bifliop : neither do I find that the Romanifts themfelves adduce teftimo- nies to this point from thefe authors. We repeat, that their filence is a ftrong argument : ' Irenaeus (lib. iii. cap. 3.) fays: Eir'e&TsiXev rj ev 'Pa!_aij ex- xXrjiriu IxavaiTaTujv ypafyjV KopivSioi;, ei; eiptjvtjv rye S7ri(rx.imv[? Xetrovpyiuv evz- XuqurcLv. Now let the Romanifts make the moft they can of thefe expreffions, they will not fupport the Papal power. Yet this is the ftrongeft, the only paflage in Irenasus to their purpofe : and in oppofition to it we have the example of the Author himfelf, who wrote a letter to Victor, Bifhop of Rome, expoftulating with him for excommunicating thofe who differed from the practice of Rome, reflecting the time of keeping Eafter. Mark the lan guage he ufes : " The Prefbyters your prede- " ceflbrs" (he does not fay Popes or even Bi fhops, but oi Trpo era ispeirQureqoi) " communicated " with the Paftors of parifhes notwithftanding k Lib. iii. cap. 3. 172 SERMON VI. " a difference of opinion on this fubject : nei- " ther did it occafion a difagreement between " Polycarp, and Anieetus Bifhop of Rome, " who retained each his own fentiments with- " out contention ; and Anieetus yielded to " Polycarp the miniftration of the Eucharift " KttT evT^07rnv, as a mark of honour1." The teftimony of Irenaeus therefore, being not only fingle and vague and inconclufive in terms, but alfo contradicted and invalidated by his own practice and advice on another occa fion, is a pillar altogether too feeble to fuftain, the fuperftructure of the Papacy. And the caufe muft therefore be hopelefs of fupport from the primitive Fathers ; for the authority of Tertullian and Cyprian, the two remaining writers, makes, as we fhall prefently fee, pofi- tively againft any fuperiority of the See of Rome over the univerfal Chriftian Church. The former of thefe Authors recommends, as a mode of refuting herefies, a reference to the doctrine inculcated in thofe Churches which were founded by the Apoftles them felves : " Proxime eft tibi Achaia, habes Co- " rinthum ; fi non longe es a Macedonia, ha- " bes Philippos, habes Theffalonicenfes. Si " potes in Afiam tendere, habes Ephefum ; fi 1 Iren. Fragm. p. 466. Tlapexioprpe tijv evyapitiTtav Tia IloXvxapirai, xar evTgoitrjv IyjXqvoti. SERMON VI. 173 " autem Italia; adjaces, habes Romam, unde " nobis quoque auctoritas praefto eftm." The meaning clearly is,: that all Churches of Apo ftolical inftitution were ftandards of orthodox doctrine. In another treatife the African Fa ther blames the extravagant pretenfions which began even then, it feems, to characterife the See of Rome : " Audio etiam edictum efle pro- *' pofitum, et quidem peremptorium. Pontifex " feilicet maximus, Epifcopus Epifcoporum di- " cit ; Ego et mcechiae et fornicationis delicta " poenitentia functis dimitto. O edictum, cui '* adfcribi non poterit bonum factum"!" He proceeds to refute the right of remitting fins, claimed by Peter's fucceflbrs and the Church of Rome : " Quis poterat donare delicta ? hoc " folius ipfius eft. Quis enim dimittit delicta " nifi folus Deus? Domini enim, non famuli, " eft jus et arbitrium, Dei ipfius, non facer- " dotisV m Tertul. de Praefcript. adverf. Haeret. cap. 36. n De Pudicit. c. 1 . The words " bonum fadtum" were prefixed to edicts : " Bonum fadtum eft, edi£ta ut fervetis " mea." Plant, in Penulo. 0 De Pudicit. c. 31, 32. " Unde hoc jus Ecclefiae ufur- ** pes. Si quia dixerit Petro Dominus ; Super hanc pe- " tram aedificabo Ecclefiam meam, tibi dedi claves regni " coeleftis, vel, quaecunque alligaveris &c. idcirco prae- " fumis et ad te derivafle folvendi et alligandi (poteftatem, " id eft ad omnem Ecclefiam Petri propinquam ; qualis es " evertens atque commutans manifeftam Domini intentio- 174 SERMON VI. The meaning of the word "auctoritas" in the former quotation receives explanation frorri this paflage of St. Cyprian :. "Ac fi minus fufficiens Epifcoporum in "Africa numerus videbatur, . etiam Romam " fuper hac re (the caufe of the Lapfed) ferip- " fimus ad Cornelium (who was then Bifhop " of Rome) collegam noftrum, qui et ipfe cum " plurimis coepifcopis habito concilio, in ean- " dem nobifcum fententiam pari gravitate et " falubri moderatione confenfit. De quo tibi " necefle fuit nunc fcribere, ut fcias me nihil " leviter egiffe, &c.p" The authority of the Bifhop or Church of Rome was an authority of refpect, of advice, of opinion, not of power. Cornelius indeed, writing to Cyprian, ufes thefe words: "Nee enim ignoramus unum " Deum efle, unum Chriftum efle Dominum, " quem confefli fumus, unum Spiritum fanc- " turn, unum Epifcopum in Catholica Ec- " clefia efle debereq." And Cyprian in reply " nem perfonaliter hoc Petro conferentem." He quotes St. Peter's fpeech, A6ts xv. " Cur tentaftis Dominum de " imponendo jugo, &.c. Per gratiam Jefu credimus nos " falutem confecuturos. Haec fententia et folvit quae " omilfa funt legis, et alligavit quae referata funt. Adeo " nihil ad deli&a fidelium capitalia poteftas folvendi et " alligandi Petro emancipata." P Cypr. Ep. Iv. Antoniano. <3 Ep. xlix. This is the language of the penitent followers of Novatian. SERMON VI. !75 fays : " Neque enim aliunde haerefes obortze " funt, aut nata funt fchifmata, quem inde " quod facerdoti Dei non obtemperatur, nee " unus in Ecclefia ad tempus faeerdos, et ad " tempus judex vice Chrifti cogitaturr?" But not to infift that fome commentators apply thefe expreffions to the particular Bifhop of each feparate Church, they prove, even in the papiftical interpretation, no more than this, that the Bifhop of Rome began in the third century to claim a fupremacy,. which the uni verfal Church had not allowed. And in the fame Epiftle Cyprian reproves the audacity of fome members of the Cartha ginian Church, who appealed to Rome: "Poft " ifta adhuc infuper pfeudoepifcopo s fibi ab " haereticis conftituto, navigare audent : et ad " Petri Cathedram, atque ad Ecclefiam princi- " palem, unde unitas facerdotalis exorta eft, a " fchifmaticis et profanis literas ferre, nee cogi- " tare eos efle Romanos, &c. ad quos perfidia " habere non poteft acceffum." Notwithftand ing this language of courtefy and refpect, he takes care to aflert the validity of his own in dependent jurifdiction: "Cum ftatutum fitom- " nibus nobis, et aequum fit pariter ac juftum, " ut uniufcujufque caufa illic audiatur, ubi eft " crimen admiflum, et Jingulis pq/ioribus por- " tio gregis fit adferipta, quam regat quifque 1 Ep, lix. s Fortunatus; 176 SERMON VI. " ac gubernet, rationem fui actus Domino red- "diturus; oportet utique eos quibus praefu- in one Epiftle*, term Cyprian ." Benedictum Pa- " parm": " Frater cariflimes" (this is the adr drefs of Cyprian to the Roman Prelate,) ff hortor te, et peto a te, ut quod per te ipfum " ut plurimum et cum honore facis, id ipfum " a me rogatus facias, fcilicet ut hsec mea ad " te epiftola florentiflimo Clero, qui iftic tecurri " praefidet, et fanctiflimae plebi legaturV And M. Daille' remarks upon this paflage : " What " modern Bifhop or Archbifhop would write '" thus to the Roman Pontiff; or if he did, " would not he confider himfelf moft mildly " and mercifully dealt with, if fuch an un- " lucky epiftle occafioned him no heavier pii^ 11 P. 239* x Ep. viii. y Ep. lix. p. 139* TS 178 SERMON VI. " nifhment than to be laughed at, and fcorned " as a man deprived of fenfe, and without any " knowledge of the manners of the world"?" From a general review of the early Chriftian writings we deduce an argument, which we think ourfelves authorized in terming conclu- five, againft the Papal pretenfions ; pofitively, from the teftimonies of Tertullian, and par ticularly of St. Cyprian ; and negatively, from the filence of thofe Fathers, who could not but have known the lawful dominion of the Roman See, had it exifted ; and, upon every ground of reafonable probability, could not but have acknowledged and expreffed their fenfe of it, not curforily and equivocally, but in forcible terms. We fee, that the very 1 Dalkeus, p. 343. Much ftronger is the language of Firmilian, an eminent man, and Bifhop of Caefarea in Cappadocia, in his Epiftle, originally written in Greek, and tranflated by Cyprian : " Ego jufte indignor ad " hanc tarn apertam et manifeftam Stephani ftultitiam, " quod qui fie de Epifcopatus fui loco gloriatur, et fe fuc- " ceflionem Petri tenere contendit, fuper quem funda- " menta Ecclefias collocata funt, multas alias petras in- " ducat &c." Cypr. Ep. Ixxv. p. 335. Ed. Pearf. And ibid. p. 330. " Eos autem qui Romae funt non ea in om- " nibus obfervare quae funt ab origine tradita, et fruftra " Apoftolorum au&oritatem praetendere, fcire quis etiam " inde poteft, quod circa celebrandos dies pafchse, et circa " multa alia divinse rei facramenta, videat effe apud illos " aliquas diverfitates, nee obfervari illic omnia sequaliter, " quae Hierofolymis obfervaritur." SERMON VI. 179 Origin of the Church of Rome is in peculiar obfcurity y, much greater than that of many other Churches : neverthelefs a place of pre cedence and preeminent rank is fometimes afcribed to the Bifhop of the metropolis of the great empire. We perceive that after the fe cond century he advanced his claims of fu periority : but that he ever poflefled any law ful power or jurifdiction over the whole Chrif tian Church, either by confent of the governed or other wife, during the three firft centuries, we refolutely deny, certain of being contra dicted and oppofed, but without fear of con futation. The authority of the Church of Rome is a hydra with many heads : if it be crufhed in the perfon of the Pope, it ftill erects itfelf fomewhere. If we liften to Fleury, and to fome modern teachers, we fhall conclude that the fucceflbr of St. Peter is invefted with a primacy indeed, a fupremacy of order, but perfectly innocent of all interference with temporal concerns; and moreover, "that it " is no article of Chriftian faith to believe that " the Pope is in himfelf infallible, feparated " from the Church, even in expounding the r Milner (Hift. of Church of Chrift) obferves, that this obfcurity feems providentially appointed, as a check to the Papal ufurpattion. » 2 a so SERMON. VL " faith: by confequehce, Papal definitions ok " decrees, in whatever form pronounced, taken " exclufively from a general Council or accept- " ance of the Church, oblige none, under pain " of herefy, to an interior affentV . I will not now inquire whether the words ¦" interior aflent" have a meaning, feparate from outward practice ; nor will I flop to no tice the notorious differences that exift be tween the Italian theologians and other conti nental Doctors, even on fundamental points,, in that Church, which preeminently makes her boaft that fhe teaches that, and that only, " quod ubique, quod femper, quod ab omnibus " creditum eft:" differences however which caufe her infallibility to wither in the. root from which it fprang. Rather let us embrace any occafion for conciliation, and gladly ac knowledge, to their honour and our cordial fatisfaction, that there does exift, and has long exifted, a diftinction between Papifts arid mo derate members of the Church of Rome. But I cannot forbear obferving, that the Creed, promulgated by Pope Pius the Fourth, A. D. 1564, agreeably to the fuggeftions of : the Council of Trent, contains this claufe: z See The Faith of Catholics, confirmed by Scripture* and attefted by the Fathers of the five firft Centuries of uthe Church. Lond, 1813. By Meffrs. Beringten and Kirk. P, 178. SERMON VL esi <*And I promife true obedience to the Bifhop ^ of Rome, Succeflbr to St. Peter, Prince of " the Apoftles, and Vicar of Jefus 'Chrift:"; This profeffion of faith apparently is binding on the conferences of all members of the Ro man Catholic Church: and feme obedience, the limits of which feem to be nowhere de fined, is therefore acknowledged ; to the Pope. Notwithftanding all the deductions which we previoufly confidered, the Pontiff ftill pofTeffes not merely fuperiority of rank and title, but alfo power, real and abfolute; real, becaufe it claims obedience; and abfolute, becaufe it is unreftricted by any laws. And here is another inftance of difagreement and contradiction among themfelves, in a fociety of men, who in this refpect are indeed like the reft of the world, yet have the vanity to proclaim that they always teach the fame things. i II. To fay no more, for the prefent, of the Pope individually ; the Church of Rome, it ap pears, ftill maintains that fome human authority, either with or without the fanction of the So vereign Pontiff, is invefted with infallibility in religious matters. If this infallible authority reft in General Councils, do their decisions, we afk, bind all Chriftian Churches, thofe whofe dele gates are not prefent, who have received no fummons requiring their attendance ? During the firft three centuries, there was not. one N 3 182 SERMON VI General Council: during the firft three cen turies, therefore, there was no infallible autho rity in the Church. If We allow the Romanifts more latitude, and conclude that, in their opinion, thofe de finitions ^nd decrees are of infallible authority, which, being fuggefted by a General Council, are approved by the Pope, and accepted by the Church: we ftill fay, that there is not, in primitive antiquity, any precedent which at taches, in the remoteft degree, any particle of fuperior power to the Bifhop or Clergy of Rome. And we farther defire an explana tion of the term " Church." For if by it be underftood the whole body of Chriftian peo ple, we readily grant that it might be both lawful and expedient for them to choofe re- prefentatives, who in a general aflembly fhould make laws for the better maintenance of reli gion through the Chriftian world. Laws fo conftituted, as they could not be rendered in fallible decifions by any human authority, fo neither would they require the fanction of any Pope or Prelate to enforce their obligation upon thofe, who by their delegates had con- fented to their enactment. But it is very well known, that in Roman Catholic language, " the Church" means the Clergy, to the exclufion of the Laity, and in a particular manner the Clergy of the See of SERMON VI. 183 Rome. The Clergy, having of their own au thority elected themfelves into the place of reprefentatives of the whole Chriftian Church, promulgated their laws, during the reign of fuperftition and ignorance, under the penalty of everlafting deftruction to thofe who ob- ferved them not. Is it furprifing, that the tenor of thofe laws was in their own favour, that they by degrees exercifed an abfolute con- troul over men's confciences, amaffed great wealth, and obtained an immunity from all civil jurifdiction? And we admit the proba bility that this predominance was productive of benefit to the world in a barbarous age, when ecclefiaftics were the only men of peace and learning. But the queftion is not con cerning the temporary expediency of clerical jurifdiction : what we deny is, that any man or body of men is invefted, by divine appoint ment, with an infallible, indefectible authority. We diftinctly challenge the Romanifts to pro duce one fingle paflage from Chriftian writers of the three firft centuries, eftablifhing fuch an authority, or that by which it is fupported, the power of Chrift's minifters to retain and remit, by their own abfolute decifion, the pu nifhment of fin, temporary or eternal, which God has decreed. The Fathers could not have obferved this filence, had their opinions been in unifon with the doctrines of the Church of JS 4 *84 SERMON VL Rome. Some pofitive teftimonies of a directly contrary tendency have alreadybeen adduced on the fubject of Papal authority; which .are a fortiori conclufive againft the authority of, an inferior Prefbyter. Few words therefore on this point will fuffice ; and the fingle evidence of St. Cyprian, who is of all the early Fathers the moft ftrenuous defender of ecclefiaftical rights and privileges. In his time, a blama-; ble ftrefs began to be laid on the merits, and intercefllon of martyrs and confeffors, as ca pable of being applied to compenfate the. of fences of their weaker brethren : yet we haye feen that Cyprian refolutely withftood the re-- admiffion, upon this ground, of the lapfed into communion with the Church. He therefore did not fuppofe that the punifhment due to fin could be remitted by man : and he ex- prefsly,fays, "Nemo fe failat, nemo fe deci* «' piat, Solus Dominus mifereri poteft*." •< a ' ' Veniam peccatis, quae in ipfum commiffa funt, fo-s " lus poteft ille largiri, qui peccata noftra portayit, qui *' pro nobis doluit, quern Deus tradidit pro peccatis nof- " tris. Homo Deo effe noii poteft major; nee remittere (t aut donare indulgentia fua fervus poteft, quod in Domi-? f< num deliclo graviore commiffuiri pft : ne adtjuc lapfo. ? et hpc accedat ad crimen, fi nefciat effe prasdi&um ; f l Malediftus homo qui fpem habet in hbmine *. DO S' minus orandus eft ; Dominus" noftra fatisfa&ione' pla-r f< pandus eft; qui negantem negare fe dixit, .qui omne * Je'rem. xvii. 5, ¦ * • i * - - . * SERMON VI. iss ' Being preffed upori this point alfo, the Ro manifts have a way to efcape. They make a diftinction between doctrine and inferior mat ters. " It is no article of Catholic faith," fay they, "that the Church cannot err, either in " matters of fact or difcipline, things alterable " by the circumftances of time and place, &c. " Thefe things are no revelations depofited in " the Church, in regard of which alone fhe "judicium de patre folus. accepit. Credimus quidem "pofle' apud judicem plurimum martyrum merita, et f? opera juftorum; fed cum judicil dies venerit*, cum '.' poft occafum feculi hujus et mundi, ante tribunal " Chrifti populus ejus aftiterit. Caeterum fi quis prae- " popera feftinatione temerarius remiffionem peccatorum " dare fe cuiquam putat pofle, aut audet Domini prae- " cepta refcindere : non tantum nihil prodeft, fed et obeft "lapfisf." Again: "Neque enim praejudicamus Domino judica* " turo? quo minus fi paenitentiam plenam et juftam pecca- " tbris inVenerit, tunc ratum faciat quod a. nobis fuerit " hie ftatutum J." And, " Turn deinde quantus arrogan- " tiae tumor eft, quanta humilitatis et lenitatis oblivio, *c arrogantiae fuse quanta jaftatio, ut quis, aut audeat, aut " facere fe poffe credat, quod nee Apoftolis conceflit Do- " minus, ut zizania a frumento putet fe poffe difcernere, " aut quafi ipfi palam ferre et aream purgare concefMim ff fit, paleas conetur a tritico feparare ||?" . * See Apoc. vi. 10. Although this paflage may he interpreted ta favour too much the doctrine of human merit, it is clearly oppofite to the papiftical tenets of confeffion, prieftly abfolution, indulgences, and purgatory. > f-De Lapfis, p. 129. £d. Pearf. See the latter part of the treatife to the fame effedt J Ep.lv, l| Ibid, 186 SERMON VI. " has the promifed affiftance of the Holy Spi- "ritb." Such is the fubtilty of men in defending their own conduct. Thus they fay they teach: but who is there fo fimple in underftanding, fo unread in hiftory, fo inexperienced in the world, as not to know, that although her theology is capable of fo much refinement, that it eludes difcovery, and great pains and ftudy are requifite to find the heart of it ; yet the practice of the Church of Rome has been grofs and palpable, fuited to the apprehenfions of the multitude, and in a fpirit of abfolute dominion over them. We know that obedi ence to the difcipline of the Church was in culcated as neceflary to eternal falvation ; that the world was made to believe, that without Papal and prieftly abfolution God himfelf would not, could not remit fins ; that the prieft, putting afide " the precious blood of " Chrift," offered " a redemption 'for fin with " corruptible things, with filver and gold," and " through covetoufnefs with feigned words " made a merchandife0" of fpiritual and hea venly blifs. Thus was it difficult, not for the rich, but for the poor, to enter into the king- b See The Faith of Catholics, &c. as quoted above, p. 154. c % Pet. ii. 3. SERMON VI. 187 dom of heaven ; who could not afford by cha ritable donations to obtain the prayers of good men, which might deliver their fouls from the penalties inflicted upon fin in another world. But all thefe things were corruptions and abufes of degenerate times. There is no dan ger of their recurring in an enlightened age : and the Church of Rome has in fome degree reformed and purified herfelf from errors that had crept in. Gladly fhould we concede the truth of this ftatement, and accept it as a token of amity. Neverthelefs, we are not to forget thefe variations in a fociety, which claims, what no other body of men does claim, an exclufive privilege of exemption from error. Let it then be allowed that the doctrine of infallibility, as truly and moderately holden by the Church of Rome, is, that " the Church, " that is to fay the Clergy, the Paftors of " Chrift's flock, who are the body reprefent- " ative, either difperfed or convened in Coun- " cil, have a divine commiflion, not to frame " new articles of faith, thefe being folely di- " vine revelations, but to explain and defines " what anciently was, and is, received and *' retained, as of faith, in the Church, when " debates and controverfies arife upon the fub- "ject. Thefe definitions in matters of faith " only, and propofed as fuch, oblige, under 188 SERMON VE " pain of herefy, all the faithful to a fribmiflior* " of judgment d." Without being much difpofed to conten- tion, we might ftill inquire' the meaning of fome expreffions here ufed; as, whether the voice of Chriftian Paftors be equally obligatory; under pain of herefy, both when they are dif- perfed and when they are aflembled in Coun cil ; whether the Council be unanimous or not : we might afk, if two Councils pronounce a different decifion on the fame point, whether the prefcript of the more numerous body is to be obeyed. But we wifh to avoid every ap pearance of cavilling : we acknowledge that here is not Popery, but Catholicifm, according to the interpretation of Romanifts ; that ob-*- jectionable opinions have' been fo foftened down, as to prefent but a flight partition be tween the Church of Rome and Proteftantifm. For we Proteftants think that the Paftors of the Church have the office and miniftry of explaining divine revelation, that" is to fay* holy Scripture, to the people: and that a Church has a right, certainly not to eonfign over to divine difpleafure everlaftingly, but yet to expelfrom her communion difobedienf and refractory members. The fingle difficulty therefore remaining is A See The. Faith of Catholics, &p. p. j^. SERMON VI: isg concerning the words. " Divine revelations6;" by which term, the Church of Rome under-* ftands, in addition to . Scripture, traditions, calling them Apoftolical traditions. We ac knowledge that tradition is deferving of re- fpect, and that many commendable ufages have been preferved in the Church by tradi tion. But that doctrines and practices ftiould be delivered down by oral unwritten tefti mony, we confider a circumftance, of proof decifive in itfelf, that they were not deemed of the higheft importance, effential and indif- penfable matters of religion, by thofe who were directed by the Holy Spirit in writing the book of the New Covenant, which is the jword of eternal life. St. John fuppofes that the world would not contain an account of all that Jefus Chrift did ; fignifying by this ftrong expreflion his reverence for every thing which appertained to. the incarnate Redeemer : but he fays alfo, " thefe are written that ye might " believe that Jefus is the Chrift, the Son of e Still " peculiar powers, headfhip," are afcribed to the Succeffor of St. Peter:, (fee Faith of Catholics, p. 1,55.) and by the Council of Trent, obedience is due to him. In the Prayer-books of- the Church of Rome, an Ana thema is delivered againft thofe who do not receive the decrees of the Council of Trent. We are not blind to thefe impediments to concord, though we wifh to make .as light of them as, truth and fa£ts permit.. . ,. igo SERMON VI. " God ; and that believing ye might have life "through his name'." The meaning of the Apoftle plainly is, that it being inexpedient and impoflible to put down in books all the exemplary things that were done and faid during our Lord's life, he had felected the moft important Chriftian truths, what was fufficient, in point of doctrine and in point of practice, to lead men to falvation. The Church of Rome is therefore in oppo fition to the Apoftle, in maintaining " all that, " and that only to be of Catholic faith, which "God has revealed, and which the Church " propqfes to the belief of all5." St. John de clares, that if we believe the revelation of God, we may have life : and to this fimplicity that is in Chrift the Romanifts want to add fome- thing of their own. What unreafonablenefs, in fuppofing that human fupplements and ex planations are of equal authority with Scrip ture; what profanation, in making the word of God only confirmatory11 of human doc trines ! Obferve moreover how the argument runs in a circle: you are to believe in the tradi tions, becaufe it is herefy to differ from the f John xx. 31. s The Faith of Catholics, &c. p. 1. h The Faith of Catholics, confirmed by Scripture, P. 1, SERMON VI. 191 decifions of the Church, or Clergy; you are to believe that it is herefy to differ from the decifions of the Clergy, becaufe fuch is the language of tradition. Mark alfo another contradiction : the Church of Rome believes, that it is herefy to differ from the decifions of the body reprefentative only in matters of faith ; yet the body repre fentative decides that the traditions are to be received, and the traditions relate chiefly to matters of difcipline. Ill, But our bufinefs now is with the autho rity of tradition in two ways : it is faid that traditions, though not in Scripture, are to be obeyed as Scripture,. under equal penalties for non-obfervance in both cafes ; and that Scrip ture is only to be underftood in the fenfe given to it by tradition, and is therefore of no ufe without the collateral commentary of tra dition. Do the Romanifts ever ferioufly call to mind how the Jews by their commentaries, written and unwritten, obfeured the old Law, and put afide its meaning ; and, according to our Saviour's reproof, " made the word of God " of none effect by their traditions?" Surely a little calm reflection would make them more cautious in advanping fuch overweening pre tenfions. With the brittle weapon of tradi tion they, have contended againft the divine armour of Proteftantifm> againft the letter of 192 SERMON VI. the word of God, and againft reafon, which is his gift. Poftquam arma Dei ad Vulcania ventum eft, Mortalis mucro, glacies feu futilis iftu Diffiluit. The fovereign authority of the Bifhop and Church of Rome, the adoration of the eucha^ rift, the facrifice of the mafs, the neceffity of fecret confeffion ; thefe things and more of the fame ftamp, without a belief in which, the Romanifts think there is no falvatiOn, are not in Scripture, are not in the early Fathers. The verity of them depends folely upon the evi dence of oral, unwritten tradition ; a tefti mony refpectable indeed in fome cafes; where the point at iflue is not of eflential moment^ where other proofs are wanting ; but ftill a ^teftimony fo fleeting, vague, and unfatisfae- ,tory, that in contracts and common concerns ,vof life no man relies on it; that among bar barous nations, ignorant of the art of writing, it has always been cuftomary, in tranfaction6 ,of magnitude, to ufe fome circumftances of vifible ceremony, to fet up fome memorials, which, being permanent objects of fenfe, might ftrengthen and correct the impreflions of doubtful rumour. And God himfelf has twice diftinguiftied his revelations from idola trous fuperftitions by the folemnity of a writ- Jen covenant : neither can it be believed thai SERMON VI: 193 out of that covenant the Almighty would fuffer fome particulars to flip, as by inadver tence, which are of efiential confequence to the eternal happinefs of human creatures1. At the beginning of the Reformation there can be little doubt that, in common opinion, all the great articles of faith propounded by the Church of Rome were contained, if not in Scripture, at leaft in the writings of the Fa thers. When it was difcovered that the pri mitive documents were not only not favour able to her peculiar doctrines, but repugnant to them, then did that Church, from an un- willingnefs, natural to all smen, to renounce wealth or power or any thing once poflefled, lean, as a laft fupport, upon the reed of oral tradition. Now her labour is to fupport the credit of oral tradition, by the authority of the ancient Chriftian Fathers. And no doubt they do fupport its credit ; but with thefe material dej» ductions : the tradition which the Fathers up hold is, as we have before faid, filent upon many points which the Romanifts deem effen- tial; and fo far from ranking Oral traditions upon an equality with Scripture, they only appeal to them incidentally. In the writ- » Literal funt una cuftodia fidelis memorise rerom gefta» jrum, Jjivius, lib. i. O ig4 SERMON VI. ings of the Fathers therefore, traditions are not the fame in kind with thofe of Rome : nor is their authority exalted to the fame de gree of eftimation. Moreover, fome primitive Fathers com mitted to writing thofe oral traditions which they deemed important. Eufebius relates, that this was the cafe with Ignatius k: Ire naeus in fome inftances did the fame : and the voluminous treatifes of Clement of Alex andria are avowedly a repofitory of materials which he had collected from perfons whom he thought good and worthy of credit, and with a particular regard to Apoftolic traditions. It might perhaps fafely be affirmed, that thefe Authors wrote down, if not all things of this kind which were of importance, at leaft all that they thought worthy of being tranfmitted to pofterity : and therefore, what was oral tradition, is now to be fought for in their writings. Eufebius1 indeed tells us, that Pa^ k Eufeb. Liii. c.36. 1 But Irenaeus brings forward in ftrong terms the Apo ftolic traditions, and the do&rines taught in Churches which had a regular fucceffion of Paftors from the Apo ftles, in order to confute the Gnoftics. It is very true : the Gnoftics, finding that the Scriptures could by no means be made to fupport their peculiar tenets, rejected them on the plea of inaccuracy, and appealed to the " living voice" of tradition. Irenaeus therefore lhevvs that the tradition of the beft-eftablifhed Churches is, no left' SERMON VI. 195 pias, an Apoftolic Father, made it his parti cular bufinefs to collect traditions; arid he at the fame time defcribes him as a man injudi cious and of weak underftanding. I fee not the leaft reafon to doubt that all traditions of real value are inferted in the writings of the than Scripture itfelf, in oppofition to the Gnoftic opi nions. Irenaeus adduces tradition in confirmation of Scripture : the Church of Rome quotes Scripture as fub- fidiary to tradition. It is alfo true that Tertullian declares Apoftolic tradi tion to be the rule, the prefcription *, for confuting heretics. He does fo for this reafon : the Gnoftics cor rupted Scripture by mutilations and additions, and Ter tullian concludes that the way of difcovering which party pouefies really the Scriptures in genuine fimplicity is, by confulting the doctrine and tradition of thofe Churches wjiich were of Apoftolic eftablifhment. In the fame manner we now derive the canon of Scripture from the writings of orthodox Fathers. Before thefe writings ex-' ifted, in the earlieft times, no doubt oral tradition fupplied' their place, , . In another treatife f Tertullian maintains the authority of unwritten traditions, but with thefe exprefs qualifica tions ; yiz. that in cafes .where the written law is filent, tradition, confirmed by reafon and fanftioned by unvary ing cuftom, avails. If there be no ftatute to the point, the common law determines the matter. " Confuetudo " autem," thefe are his words, " etiam in civilibus rebus " fufcipitur, cum deficit lex : nee differt Scriptura an ra^ " tione confiftat, quando et legem ratio commendet." And this is the very opinion of Proteftants reflecting ecclefiaftical traditions. *• Tertull. de Prsefcript, adverf. Ha:ret. f Oe Corona Militis. O 2 196 SERMON VI. primitive Fathers : and it is a confirmation of this opinion, that Dr. Lardner has traced through the writings of the Fathers that canon of the books of Scripture, the truth of which the Church of Rome eftablifhes on tradition. The tranfcendent veneration which the Fa thers paid to Scripture, beyond all other fources of doctrine, is evident from this circumftance; that the writings of IrenaSUs, of Tertullian, and in particular of Gyprian, contain quota tions from almoft all the books in the Bible which are now of canonical authority. This laft Father, who, it fhould be remembered, is a moft ftrenuous defender of ecclefiaftical jurif diction, ufes thefe words, with a reference to the cuftoms of particular Churches : " Proinde " fruftra quiratione vincuntur, confuetudinem " nobis opponunt ; quafi confuetudo major fit " veritate, aut non id fit in fpiritalibus fequen- " dum, quod in melius fuerit a fancto Spiritu " revelatum m." m Poft infpirationem et revelationem faftam, qui in eo quod erraverat, perfeverat prudens et fciens fine venia ignorantiae peccat : praefumptione enim atque obftinatione quadam nititur, cum ratione fuperetur. Nee quifquam dicat, Quod accepimus ab Apoftolis, hoc, fequimur ; quando Apoftoli non nifi unam Ecclefiam tra-. diderunt. Quare rejeAis humanse contentionis erroribus ad Evangelicam au&oritatem atque ad Apoftolicam tradi- tionem fincera" et religiofa fide revertamur. Ep. lxxiij. p. 203. SERMON VL 197 A ftill more decifive teftimony to the fame point occurs in a letter written by this Father, upon the following occafion : Cyprian, toge ther with a numerous Council of aflembled Bifhops, had decreed heretical baptifm to be void ; and this their fentence Stephen Bifhop of Rome condemned, and wrote to Carthage upon the fubject. Cyprian fends to one of his brother Bifhops in Africa Stephen's letter, that he might more fully perceive, as he fays, the errors which it contains. " Nam inter " caetera vel fuperba, vel ad rem non perti- " nentia, vel fibi ipfi contraria, quae imperite " atque improvide fcripfit, etiam illud ad- " junxit, ut diceret: Si quis ergo a quacunque " haerefi venerit ad nos, nihil innovetur nifi ft quod traditum eft, ut manus ilji imponatur " in pcenitentiam11." The Bifhop of Rome's opinion is, that the baptifm of all heretics is valid, and he would have no innovations upon tradition. No innovations upon tradition ! Cyprian repeats the words to his friend Pom- peius : Whence is this tradition ? Is it in the Gofpel, or in the Apoftolical writings ? " Unde " eft ifta traditio? utrumne de Dominica et " Evangelica auctoritate defeendens, an de " Apoftolorum mandatis atque Epiftolis ve- "niens? Ea enim facienda effe. quae fcripta n Ep. lxxiv.. Pompeio. 0 3 ' 198 SERMON VI. " funt, Deus ipfe teftatur. Jofh. i. 8. Item " Dominus Apoftolos fuos mittens, mandat " baptizari gentes, et doceri, ut Obfervent om- " nia quaecunque ille praecepit. Si ergo aut " in Evangelio praecipitur, aut in Apoftolorum " epiftolis aut actibus continetur; obferyetur " divina haec et fancta traditio.". He main tains, that, by leaving the letter of Scripture, there is danger of. falling into an obfervance of bad and heretical traditions. " Quae ifta " obftinatio, quaeve praefumptio humanam tra- " ditionem divinae difpofitioni anteponere, nee " animadvertere, indignari et irafci Deum, quo- " tiens divina praecepta folvit et praeterit hu- " mana traditio." He quotes the words of Ifaiah", and of our Saviour0, In vain ye ferve me, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men : ye forfake the commandment of God, that ye may eftablifh your own tradi tions. Such is the connection that has always fub- fifted between the obligation of traditions and the ufurpations of the fee Of Rome : and an uniform refiftance was exerted againft both in the early Church. It is manifeft that the refcript of Stephen was confidered by foreign Churches an act of unlawful aggreffion ; and that the great ftand- " Ifa. xxix. 13. o Mark vii. 13. SERMON VI, 199 ard of orthodoxy acknowledged by Cyprian was holy Scripture p. My deliberate opinion is, that the pri-, mitive Chriftian writings afford a conclufive confutation of the peculiar doctrines of the Church of Rome. She teaches that there are certain divine revelations, in addition to Scrip ture, without a belief in which there is no falvation : the early Fathers are filent on the fubject of thefe revelations. She teaches that they have been deposited in the Church by regular fucceflion of oral tradition : we find not that the Fathers acknowledge fuch autho rity of oral tradition. Thefe revelations and P Again he fays : Nee confuetudo quae apud quofdam obrepferat, impe- dire debet quo minus Veritas- praevaleat et vincat. Nam confuetudo fine veritate vetuftas erroris eft. Propter quod relifto efrore fequamur veritatem ; quam veritatem nobis Chriftus oftendens, in Evangelio fuo dicit : Ego fum Ve ritas. Si ad divinae traditionis caput et originem revertamur, ceffat error humanus. Si canalis aquam ducens fubito deficiat ; nonne ad fontem pergitur ? ut ratio defe&ionis nofcatur &c? Quod et nunc facere oportet Dei facerdotes praecepta divina fervantes ; ut fi in aliquo niitaverit et va- cillaverit Veritas; ad originem Dominicam et evangel icam, et Apoftolicam* traditionem revertamur: et inde furgat a£tus noftri ratio, unde et ordo et origo furrexit. * It is certain that Cyprian meant fomething elfe than the tradition propofed by the Church of Rome : neither did he comply with Stephen's refcript. o 4 200 SERMON VI. this authority therefore cannot poffefs the effential importance, and the primitive anti quity, which the Romanifts afcribe to them : they do not belong to the Church of Chrift, but are a vifionary unfubftantial fabric of hu man contrivance. The peculiar doctrines of the Church of Rome are not in the writings of the Chriftian Fathers : and, we earneftly invite the members of that communion, Clergy and Laity, to ex amine thefe primitive documents with care and impartiality. We doubt not that the re fult of fuch an inveftigation will be, a convic tion, that the Church of England has the beft claim to confifteney, in teaching " what Chrif- " tians, in all ages and countries, have uni- " formly believed." Still the Church of Rome will aflert, that our Lord founded, and promifed to perpetuate to the end of time, a vifible, infallible, inde-? fectible authority ; from whofe decifions, in matters of doctrine, it is herefy to differ. A better opportunity will occur for ftating a more found, and true definition of Chrift's Church : at prefent it is fufficient to remark, that this tenet of the Romanifts is contradicted and an nulled by facts and by their own practice. Anieetus and Stephen, Bifhops of Rome, dif fered from Polycarp, an Apoftolic man, and from Cyprian, in a matter of faith. The SERMON VL 201 Church of Rome dares not affirm that Cyprian and the African Bifhops his colleagues, their Clergy and their flocks, were guilty of herefy, which implies excommunication from the body of Chrift. The Church of Rome, more lauda bly than confiftently, has canonized St. Cy prian : and in this inftance, and in many others, where Popes9 and General Councils have oppofed the decrees of other Popes and of other General Councils, fhe has, if the ex preflion may be ufed, uncatholicized herfelf, according to her own definition of the faith of the Univerfal Church. In conclufion, we apply to the Romanifts the words of Cyprian, and exhort them to leave human errors and contentions, and to return to the firnple authority of the Gofpel, and of the Fathers, whofe writings are to us Apoftolical traditions. We ceafe not to hope, that a better fpirit may yet abate thofe arro gant pretenfions, and retrench thofe fuperfti tious ufages, which they attempt not to defend by Scripture or by reafon, and which are only fanctioned by cuftom more inveterate than found7. • q See Appendix, N°. IV. 1 " If any one of all our adverfaries (the members of " the "Church of Rome) be able to avouch any one of all " thefe articles, by any fuch fufficient authority of Scrip- " tures, Dofitors or Councils, as I have required, as I 202 SERMON VI. " faid before, fo fay I now again, I am content to yield " unto him and to fubfcribe. But I am well affured that. " they fhall never truly be able to alledge one fentence. "And becaufe. I know it, therefore - 1 fpeak it, left ye " haply fhould be deceived. " All this notwithftanding, ye have, heard men in times. " paft alledge unto you Councils, Doctors, antiquities, " fucc'effions, and long continuance of time to the con- controulable deftiny, but is mafter of himfelf, to choofe good or evil, life or death ; and that without this liberty virtue and vice would be mere names. If there be a feeming or a real inconfiftency between thefe two ftatements, it muft be attributed to the nature of the fubject itfelf; " in which there is," to ufe the words ef Hooker, " a gulf, which while we live we " fhall never fathom." I have no doubt that the Fathers thought that " God our Saviour " would have all men to be faved, and to come " Unto the knowledge of his truth." l Tim. ii. 4. And let it be remembered, that it was not the promulgation of a contrary tenet which ren dered Calvin's name celebrated, but the ability, learning, zeal, and fevere virtue of Calvin gave currency to a doctrine which he himfelf calls horrible. Modern Calvinifm may indeed be traced to another fource befides the fountain of diflent at Geneva. Following the theology of St. Au- guftin, and in oppofition to the principal error of the Roman Church, which confifted in atr tributing a faving and meritorious efficacy to human works^ fome German Reformers faid, that original fin was " the fubftance of human " nature0." This opinion is not countenanced e This was the cafe with Flacc'ius, one of the Magde • burgh Centuriatprs. See Mofheim, vol. iv. p. 334. ( 206 SERMON VIL by the Fathers: they continually mark the diftinction between the Chriftian notions of God's providence, and that neceffity of deftiny which was believed both by Pagans and Gnof tics; and they teach that, as man cannot.be juftified and faved without divine grace, fo on the other hand he is not a mere machine, but has power to cooperate with this grace, or to reject it. The whole Epiftle of St. Cle ment to the Corinthians is an exhortation to Chriftians, that being juftified by faith, they fhould, by obedience to the motions of the Holy Ghoft, attain falvation. Juftin Martyr makes frequent ufe of the term avrs^oviria, as applied to man's choice of good and evil ; and all fucceeding Fathers ufe phrafes of the fame import. Thofe who believe that human na ture is totally and entirely corrupt, confider regeneration to be an inftantaneous fenfible change, which, by the operation of the Holy Ghoft makes them veffels of mercy who were before veffels of wrath, and inftead of that evil to which they were before unceafingly and unavoidably inclined, caufes them to follow after and take delight in all goodnefs. And an obvious corollary of this extreme doctrine b Mr. Milner (Hift. of the Church of Chrift) calk this fentiment of Juftin Martyr, a foreign plant in Chriftian ground. Juftin's thoughts were, I believe, thofe of the Apoftle, Rom. ii. 14, 15. and Ephef. v. 14, 17. SERMON VII. 207 is Antinomianifm ; and an opinion, eafily en gendered in minds, neither ftrong by natural capacity, nor regulated by judicious education, that all their defires are impulfes of the Holy Ghoft. They look back with mixed compaf- fion and horror upon their own former ftate, and the ftate of all thofe who are not elevated to the fame fpiritual eminence with them felves. They imagine themfelves to be the only temples of the Holy Ghoft, while the reft of mankind walk in darknefs, error, and fin ; and that, by feme fudden procefs of meta- phyfical alchemy, they are tranfmuted from nominal to real Chriftians. I do not fee how thefe opinions differ, in practical effect, from the errors of the Gnoftics, who fuppofed them felves effentially fuperior to other men, and freed from the power and guilt of fin. In oppofition fo thefe unfounded pretenfions Ire naeus teaches c, that our earthly fojourn is a ftate of conftant probation and trial, and that the proof of our fanctification is. not the ftrength of internal perfuafions, but a growth in grace, and progreflive improvement. He fays, that the wifdom and goodnefs of God are fhewn, by his dealing with men accord ing to the weaknefs of their nature, and lead ing them, ftep by ftep, to perfection : fo that « Lib. iv. c. 75, 76. 208 SERMON VII. man may gradually, and by a certain proper difcipline, be moulded into the image of God, according to the will of the Father, the mi^ niftration of the Son, and the nourifhment of the Holy Spirit*1. d The' uncreated God alone is perfect : but it is neoef- fary that man, who has a beginning of being, fhould, after the firft gift of exifterice, grow in grace and ftrength, fhould increafe and be confirmed in virtue, before he can enter itito glory, and behold his Maker. For this purpofe he is endued with a knowledge of good and evil. " Bonum " eft autem obedire Deo, et credere ei, et cuftodire ejus " praeceptum, et hoc eft vita hominis : quemadmodum " non obedire Deo, malum ; et hoc eft mors ejus. Mag* " nanimitatem igitur praeftante Deo, cognovit homo, et " bonum obediential, et malum inobedientiae, uti oculo " mentis utrorumque accipiens experimentum, ele£tionem " meliorum cum judicio faciat. Oportet te quiderh primo te ordinem hominis ouftodire, tunc deinde participare glO- *' riae Dei. Praefta autem ei cor tuum molle et traftabile, " et cuflodi figuram, qua te figuravit artifex, habens in " temetipfo humorem, ne induratus amittas veftigia digi- " torum ejus. Facere proprium eft benignitatis Dei; " fieri autem proprium eft hominis naturae. Si igitur tra- " dideris ei quod eft tuum, id eft fidem in eum et fubjec- "tionem; percipies ejus artem, et eris perfeStum opus " Dei. Si autem non credideris ei, et fugeris manus " ejus, erit caufa imperfeftionis in te qui non obedifti, fed " non in illo qui vocavit. Ille enim mifit, qui Vocarent " ad nuptias; qui autem non obedierunt ei, femetipfos " privaverunt regia cceni." Again the freedom of man's agency is thus unequivo cally expreffed : " Qui abftiterunt a paterno lumine, et " tranfgrefli funt legem libertatis, per fuam abftiterunt " .culpam, liberi arbitrii et poteftatis fnae facli. Deus au- SERMON VII. 200 In the fixteenth century, the controverfy of Our Church with the. Calvinifts turned upon matters of difcipline, rather than of doctrine. Now that the epidemical fervour of prejudice againft Epifcopacy has fubfided, I believe it is generally acknowledged, that thofe Churches which difcard the very name of Bilhop cannot be modelled after the primitive eftablifhment. The name implies the office : and unlefs an appropriate function had been annexed to it, the term Bifhop would not have been intro duced into the early Church, for the fame rea fon that it is omitted among the Prefbyterians. Ignatius in his Epiftles dwells, more than on any other fubject, upon the duty of fubjection to fpiritual fuperiors : he always fpeaks of the Bifhop in the firft place, and compares his pre- fidency to that of Gode and of Jefus Chrift; while he confiders that the Prefbyters fupply the office of Apoftles, and the Deacons fulfil " tern omnia praefciens, utrifque aptas praeparavit habita- " tiones ; eis quidem qui inquirunt lumen incorruptibili- fc tatis, et ad id recurrunt, benigne donans ha>c quod eon- " cupifcunt lumen; aliis vero. id contemnentibus, et aver- " tentibus fe ab eo, et id fugientibus, et quafi femetipfos " excaecantibus, congruentes lumini adverfantibus prae- " paravit tenebras ; et his qui fugiunt ei effe fubjecli, " convenientetn fubdidit poenam. Subjeivtio autem Dei *'*equietio eft aeterna." Iren. lib. iv. c. 75,6. ' Ad Magnef. f. 6. Ad Trallienf. f. 3. " Let nothing " be done in ecclefiaftical concerns without the Bifhop." Ad Smyrn. f. 4. P 310 SERMON VIL an inferior miniftry. Irenaeus, mentioning thofe Churches which had a fucceffion of Mi" nifters from the Apoftles, enumerates one Bi fliop to each Church, though it is certain there were many Prefbyters in each Church ; and the obvious inference, from his filence concerning them, is, that their authority was of aq infe rior kind. Tertullian obferves : " Baptifmum " dandi habet jus Epifcopus, dehinc Prefbyteri " et Diaconi, non tamen fine Epifcopi aucto- " ritatef." Clement of Alexandria mentions the three ecclefiaftical orders, Bifhops, Priefts, and Deacons8. But of all the primitive wri ters Cyprian's teftimony is the fulleft on this fubject : we have feen that he never allowed ^ny jurifdiction of one Bifhop over other Bi fhops, and his teftimony is equally clear and ftrong in fupport of the feparate power of each. He writes thus to fome among the lapfed, who had arrogated to themfelves the title of the Church : " Per temporum et fuc- " ceffionum vices, Epifcoporum ordinatio, et ',' Ecclefiae ratio decurrit, ut Ecclefia fuper " EpifeopOs conftituatur ; et omnis actus Ec- " clefiae per eofdem praepofitos gubernetur,11." \ * De Baptifmo. S Strom, lib. v\. Al evravdx xxi'a tijv exxXrjU'iav tspoxo-nat, OTKrxoflwv, yrgeo'GvTegiov, haxovtov, _xiju,))_xara otpiai ayyeXtxrj; poj-ij;. .. z. h Ep. xxxiii. SERMON VII. 211 And rieJreprobates the conduct of thofe who ©ppofed another Bifhop to Cornelius in thefe words : " Me pectoris masftitia perftringit, " cum vos comperiflem contra ecclefiafticam " difpofitionem, contra Evangelicam legem, " contra inftitutionis catholicae unitatem, alium " Epifcopum fieri confenfiffe, id eft, quod nee " fas eft, nee licet fieri, Ecclefiam aliam con- " ftitui'." Again: " Aliqui de Prefbyteris, nee " Evangelii, nee loci fui memores, fed neque " futurum Domini judicium, neque nunc fibi " praepofitum Epifcopum cogitantes, quod nun- f< quam omnino fub Anteceflbribus factum eft> *- cum contumelia et contemptu praepofiti to- " turn fibi vendicanf." An African Bifhop complained to Cyprian that one of his Dea cons had treated his authority with contempt : this is an extract from his anfwer •, " Tu qui- " dem honorifice circa nos, et pro folita tua " humilitate fecifti, ut malles de eo nobis con- " queri, cum pro Epifcopatus vigore et cathe- " drae auctoritate haberes poteftatem, qua pof- " fes de illo ftatim vindicari1;" and he pro- r > Ep. xlvi. k Ep. xvi. 1 Ep. iii. The paflage which follows is ftronger : " Me- ,"; miriifle autem Diaconi debent, quoniam Apoftolos, id eft " Epifcopos et Praepofitos, Dominus elegit ; Diaconos au- " tem Apoftoli conftituerunt. Quod fi nos aliquid audere :." contra Deum poflumus, qui Epifcopos facit, poflunt et "contra nos audere Diaconi, a quibus fiunt. Et ideo P 2 212 SERMON VII. ceeds to compare the acts of thofe who re fitted their lawful Bifhops to the rebellion of Corah, Dathari, and Abiram. Cyprian's treatife Of the Unity of the Church, is a defence of Epifeopacy, the regular fuc- ceffion of which he confiders the firmeft bond of union among Chriftians ; and he affirms the cafe of fchifmatics to be more dangerous than even that of the lapfed. We find three orders of Clergy mentioned by the Fathers, and Bifhops always in the firft place ; and the Prefbyterians, who admit that there were two orders in the ancient Church, do thus grant themfelves the principle of an in equality among Paftors. They no longer aflert that their polity is exclufively " the Lord's dif- " cipline"1;" and feem to allow, that under a kingly government it may be expedient that the people fhould be yoked together, in proportion of rank, both in fpiritual and fecular employ ments. But our prefent bufinefs is not with the queftion of expediency : we maintain that the peculiar doctrines of Calvin are not in the " oportet Diaconum; de quo fcribis, agere audacias fua? " pcenitentiam, et honorem facerdotis agnofcere, et Epi- *' fcopo praepofito fuo plena humilitate fatisfacere." «n See Profeflbr Campbell's Lectures, (Edinburgh,) and the prototype Lord Peter King's " Enquiry into the Cofa- " ftitution &c. of the primitive Church." Bifliop Skinner has publiftied an able anfwer to Dr. Campbell, in a work entitled " Primitive Truth and Order." Aberdeen, 1803. SERMON VII. 213 writings of the Fathers, and that Prefbyterian- ifm is an innovation. The mode of ecclefi aftical government by Bifhops has the fanction of Scripture and of antiquity : and experience proves it to be an efficient appointment for enforcing, by eafy and honourable means, ne- ceflary authority. We may felicitate qurfelves that the viru lent oppofition which formerly aflailed prela- tical power has abated : but in its place have fprung up opinions, which contain the feeds of ftill more extenfiye difunion in the Church, and have a tendency to overthrow the order and function of the Clergy altogether. This fpecies of diflent, like that of the Prefbyte rians, may be traced to a foreign origin. II. In the year 1521 the German Anabap- tifts, upon the fuppofition that the kingdom of Chrift or vifible Church was an affembly of true and real faints, profeffed themfelves to be a perfect Church under divine influence. They received their name from their baptizing again thofe admitted into their community. Among other fanatical notions, they held that every Chriftian was invefted with power to preach the Gofpel; and that the jurifdiction of the civil magiftrate was ufelefs. The dreadful enormities and profligacy of this feet are a permanent warning to the world, that we fhould be upon our guard againft the delufion p 3 214 SERMON VII. of magnificent and fanctimoniousprofeffibns. ?The goodnefs of the tree is known by its fruits, not by an exuberance of leaves and bloflbms. The opinions of the Anabaptifts were much moderated and foftened by Menrio, a native of Friefland ; and they gradually amended them fo far, as to eftablifh the authentic marks of the true Church; in holinefs of life and purity of manners. But this juft prin ciple was unfortunately perverted by their employing as a criterion of judgment, not the decilion of right reafon, nor the authority of Scripture, but the fuggeftions of fancy and opinion". They confidered as fin the ordinary- recreations of life, and defpifed all learning and philofophy. It is eafy tO perceive a refemblance between the leading features of the Anabaptifts, and of the Englifh Independents of the fixteenth century. Since that time the pernicious errors of Socirius have found many followers, who are faid to be tolerated in the communion of modern Baptifts. It has been One of the prin cipal objects of this Lecture to fhew, that the writings of the primitive Fathers are decidedly adverfe to Uhitarianifm. The names of Locke and Lardner will always command refpect k Mofheim, vol. iv. p. 450. « S ¦'.¦>¦ SERMON VII. 215 from thofe who refpect virtue, fincerity, and learning : and charity, which hopeth all things, may believe that thofe who lay hold of Chrift. only by the hem of his garment may be healed from the corruption of fin. But ftill the thought that God emptied himfelf of his nature, to become a ranfom for the fins of men, appears to us at once fo awful and at the fame time fo confolatory, an act which makes the. attribute of mercy fo triumphant over the juft feverity of God's wrath, a facrifice of fuch ineftimable lovingkindnefs, that we fuppofe the affections of the heart to be excluded from that fyftem of theology, which treats the di vine Atonement as a dry fubject of cool rea- fonihg. Unitarianifm faps the vitals of Chrif- iianity, and reduces the Gofpel to a pure code of morality : it is the great evil of the times in point of doctrine, and appears to have flowed from that laxity of ecclefiaftical discipline, the dangers of which it is the particular object of this difcourfe to expofe. Many there are amongft us, under various denominations, who, like the German Ana baptifts, from the plea of a devotion more fpiritualized than ordinary, reject eftabliftied forms and ceremonies, and deny the obliga tion of them upon their confeiences. Under a fuppofition of their, enjoying an extraordi nary meafure of divine infpiration, holy Scrip- p 4 216 SERMON VII. ture itfelf becomes of fecondary importance in their eyes; It is an observation of M. Daille\ that the writings of the Fathers feem to have been providentially preferved, as a defence of Scripture, and againft the introduction of un heard of myfteries and novelties of doctrine, which the weaknefs, impofture, or vanity of man may at any time obtrude upon the world, as neceflary articles of faith. Of this defcrip tion we confider that, fuperftition, which, in ftead of following the appointed means of grace, the facraments of the Church, and the regular miniftration of the Clergy, relies upon inward perfuafion and feeling, and fome unde fined aflurance of falvation. We think that by thus eftablifhing a fupreme tribunal in the fancy and opinion of individuals, the law and order of fociety are diflblved, and there is a danger that the name and appearance of a Ch,riftian Church will be abolifhed. The Romanifts indeed triumphantly deduce this defection as a natural and neceflary con- fequence from that great principle of Proteft- antifm, which rejects the infallibility of any human authority in matters of religion. Your Church, fay they, by admitting that fhe is liable to error, has loft the power of enforcing obedience from her members: and the flock of Chrift, having no guide to whom they may look up with implicit deference> wander, as SERMON VII. 217 mifchievous inclination leads, into forbidden paftures. God forbid that this accufation fhould apply with truth to our cafe. We think that it is not the unbounded authority and intereft of the Clergy, but the truth, which is at all hazards, and under all circum ftances, to be fupported to the utmoft ; being perfuaded that the truth will upon the whole be expedient in promoting the welfare of mankind, and bring us peace at the laft. We affirm, that fo far from having given any caufe for the diminution of the juft and rightful authority of the Clergy, our Church has re- ftored and eftablifhed it, as Scripture and reafon prefcribe. Becaufe the people of this country are by natural difpofition and confirmed judg ment averfe to arbitrary power, do they there fore difcard all reftraints of government ? or rather,, are they not diftinguiftied for fteadinefs in fupport of a mild and moderate adminiftra- tion of the laws, and for a loyal and devoted attachment to thofe monarchs, whofe limited fupremacy is the firft offspring of the laws ? The peculiar tenets of the Church of Rome we refift as innovations, unauthorized by the faith and practice of primitive times : we refift alfo, as innovations, all attempts to difparage the appointed means of grace, baptifm, and the clerical function. The following paflages tend to fhew, that the Fathers believed men S?rs SERMON VII. were regenerated and juftified by the grace conferred at baptifm; and that primitive Chrif tians were careful to " hold faft the form Of " doctrine and of found words" delivered to ,them from the firft. " Thofe who believe " what we teach," fays Juftin Martyr, " after " falling and prayers for the remiffion of " fins, are led to feme place where there is " water ; and are there regenerated (avayev- " voovtm) in the fame manner that we were " regenerated before them : for they are there " baptized in the name of God the Father " Almighty, and Of our Saviour Jefus Chrift, " and of the Holy Ghoft1." Tertullian ob ferves m, " Felix facramentum aquas noftrae; " quia ablutis delictis priftinae cascitatis, in " vitam aeternam liberamur." " Angelus bap- " tifmi arbiter fuperventuro Spiritui fanctb " vias dirigit ablutione delictorum, quam fides " impetrat obfignata in Patre et Filio et Spi- " ritu fancto." And Cyprian writes to his friend Donatus, who was baptized at the fame time with him : " Poftquam undae genitalis " auxilio fuperibris aevi labe deterfa, in expia- " turn pectus ac purum, defuper fe lumen in- "fudit; poftquam caelitus Spiritu haufto, in " novum me hominem nativitas fecunda repa- " ravit, mirum in modum protinus confirmare 1 Apolog. i. fub fine. m De Baptifmo, a i. vi. i SERMON VII. 2i{J " fe dubia, patere claufa, lucere tenebrofa; " agnofcere terrenum fuifle, quod prius car- *' naliter natum delictis obnoxium viveret ; Dei " effe coepiffe, quod jam Spifitiis fanctus ani- " maret." That infants were baptized we learn from the teftimony of Tertullian" and Origen"; and the propriety of the practice is thus en forced by Cyprian p: " Quantum vero ad cau- " fam infantium pertinet, quos dixifti intra fe- " cundum, vel tertium diem, quo nati fint, " conftitutos, baptizari non oportere, et con- *' fiderandam efle legem circumcifionis aritR '*•' quae : longe aliud in concilio noftro omnibus " vifum eft: fed univerfi potius judicavimus, " nulli hominum nato mifericordiam Dei et " gratiam denegandamq." n De Baptifmo, c. Xviii. ° In c. vi. ad Rom. t. ii. p. ,543. ed. Bafil. 1,571. P Ep. lxiv. Cyprianus et Collegae in Concilio 66. Fido fratri falutem. 1 Nam cum Dominus in Evangelio fuo dicat: filius hominis non venit animas hominum perdere, fed falvare ; quantum in nobis eft, fi fieri poteft, nulla anima perdenda eft. Deus ut perfonam non accipit, fie nee aetatem ; cum fe Omnibus ad coeleftis gratias confecutionem aequalitate librata praebeat patrem. Caeterum fi homines impe- dire aliquid ad confecutionem gratiae poflet ; magis adul- tos, et prove&os, et majores natu poflent impedire pec- cata graviora. Porro autem fi etiam graviffimis delifto-* ribus et in Deum multum ante peGcantibus, cum poftea 220 SERMON VIL The moft material and dangerous error which the contagion of foreign enthufiafm has introduced into this country, and from which all other errors in difcipline have their origin, is a fyftematic contempt of the office and order of the clergy. According to thefe new tenets, the myfterious operations of grace fuperfede the ufe of all human attainments, and the ne-! ceffity of human appointment. The gifted minifter produces his credentials from on high. Do you afk for proofs of his learning and ca pacity in underftanding, of his fidelity and judgment in expounding, the word of God? He has grace. Do you afk for teftimonials of erediderint, remifla peccatorum datur, et baptifmo atque a gratia nemo prohibetur; quanto magis prohiberi non debet infans, qui recens natus nihil peccavit, nifi quod fecundum Adam carnaliter natus, contagium mortis anti- quae prima nativitate contraxit? Idcirco, frater cariffinie, haec fuit in concilio noftra fententia, a baptifmo atque a gratia Dei, qui omnibus mifericors et benignus et pjus &ft*, neminem per nos debere prohiberi. Quod cum circa univerfos obfervandum fit atque retinendum ; magis circa infantes ipfos et recens natos obfervandum putanms* qui hoc ipfo de ope noftra, ac de diving, mifericordia plus merentur, quod in primo ftatim nativitatis fuae ortu plo- rantes ac flentes, nihil aliud faciunt quam deprecantur. * See Hooker's pathetic and indignant remonftrance on this fubjeft, p. 231. fol. " When the letter of the law hath two things plainly and " exprefsly fpecified, water and the Spirit; water as a duty required on " our parts, the Spirit as a gift which God beftoweth : there is danger « in prefuming fo to interpret it, as if the claufe which concerneth our- " feives were more than needeth." tlbid. p. 225. SERMON VII. 221 his virtue, of his confifteney, of his temperate difcretion in adminiftering the bread of life, fo' that the doctrine, may be profitable in all things, for reproof to the froward, for confola* tion to: the feeble-minded ? Be filenced, he has grace. . Inquire what is meant by grace ? Is it the word of wifdom, the word ^Df know ledge, the power of laealing, prophecy, the in terpretation of tongues ? It is none of thefe, it is no fpiritual gift. What then, is it the fruit of the Spirit ? The fruits of the Spirit are ex hibited in the conduct : they :do not prepare men for teaching, they are the effect of divine doctrine, the end propofed by it. This grace then is zeal, an aasdent defire, which, as the pofleflbr believes and is perfuaded, proceeds from and is directed by the Spirit of God. Now we are commanded to try the fpirits, whether they be of God. Zeal may be faulty in principle, and in operation. Corah, Da- than, and Abiram were zealous : thofe Corin thian teachers, who withftood the Apoftle Paul, were abundantly zealous : the Epiftle of St. Clement, of Rome is chiefly a diffuafive againft zeal, which word (£ " et in Evangelica lege et Dominica ordina- " tione fundatis licere baptizare, et remiflam " peccatorum dare; foris autem nee ligari * Paflim. - s Particularly lib. iii. cap. 3. • ' Particularly De Praefcriptjonibus., SERMON VII. 22$ '•* aliquid pofle nee folvi, ubi non fit qui aut " ligafe poflit aliquid aut folvere. Nee hoc " fine divinae fcripturae auctoritate proponi- " mus, ut dicamus certalege ac propria ordi- " natione divinitus cuncta effe difpofita; nee " pofle quenquam contra Epifcopos et Sacer- " dotes ufurpare fibi aliquid, quod non fit fui "juris et poteftatis. Nam et Core et Dathart " et Abyrom &c. Quod fupplicium manet eos, " qui alienam aquam baptifmo inferunt falfe " &c,'" Again : " Cum in baptifmo unicuique fua " peccata remittantur, probat et declarat in " Evangelio fuo Dominus, Per eos folos pec- " cata poffe dimitti, qui habeant Spiritum " fanctum x." And he contends that thefe gracious promifes are confined to thofe, who have a regular accredited commiffion to per form the offices of the Church. ¦ The forty-fourth and fifty-ninth Epiftles contain a rejection of the authority of Nova tian and Fortunatus, becaufe the forms of their ordination were irregular and invalid. Hear his ftrong proteftations againft felf-ap- pointment : " Hi funt qui fe ultro apud teme- " rarios convenas," (or conventus,) " fine di- " yina difpofitione prasficiunt, qui fe praepO- "fitos fine ulla ordinationis lege conftituunt, u Ep. Ixxiii. x Ep. Ixix. 224 SERMON VII. " qui aemine Epifcopatum dante, Epifcopi fibi " nomen affumunt. Contra ejufmodi clamafe " Dominus, ab his refraenat et revocat ernm- " tem plebem fuam, dicens: Nolite audire fer- %t niones pfeudo-prophetarum :.u quoniam vi- " fiones cordis eorum fruftrantur eos. Loquun- " tur fed non ab ore Domini y. Ad pacis " praemium venire non poflunt, qui pacem " Domini difcordiae furore ruperunt. Nee fe '' quidem vana interpretatione decipiant, quod " dixerit Dominus ; Ubicunque fuerint duo aut " tres eolley, " the Holy Ghoft was prOmifed to " the Church ; and we, being the chief heads, " and the principal part of the Church, have " therefore the Holy Ghoft for ever6:" nor do they coincide with that fentimental nonfenfe, which exalts uncertain feelings and imprefEOns into folid proofs of divine infpiration. He that doeth righteoufnefs is righteous. Men of thefe two different perfuafions have fallen into equal errors, both in judging par tially of their own eafe, and in venturing to decide positively between real and nominal Chriftians. They deny that thofe who think d Confra Celf. lib. iii. p. 135. e Homily for Whitfunday, part 2. " The object of this "faculty (confcience, or moral fenfe)' is actions, compre- " hending under that name active or practical principles." Bifhop Butler, of the Nature of Virtue. Ovfa ij apeni xat xaxia — ev weitret aXXa evepyeta. M. Anton. lib. ix. 16. " Virtutis laus omnis in adtione eonfiftit." Cie. Orfic. lib. i..c.-6. SERMON VIII. 23g gthejjwife lhan themfelves can poffefs the Holy Ghoft ; and they confequently exclude them from the fellowship of Chrift's Church, and the promifes of God's favour and eternal hap pinefs. Others, on the contrary, perceiving the bigotry and unjuft intolerance of thefe no tions, and confidering prohably moreover the total ignorance of true religion which prevails over fo large a portion of the earth, and the unavoidable errors and incurable blindnefs of fome who have been inftructed in the faving truths of the Gofpel, have on thefe accounts, from a latitude of indulgence, fuppofed that fincerity was the only indifpenfable requifite on the part of man to render his homage ac^ eeptable to his. Maker. The truth is, that this matter does not fell within the decilion of hu man judgment : nor have we on earth any certain means of difcerning thofe who really belong to the true Church arid myftical body of Chrift. They who are of this fociety have marks and notes to diftinguifh them which wq cannot know, but which are clear and mani- feft to God only, who feeth the heart. On the other hand, all are members of the vi fible Church, who maintain a uniformity of outward profeffion, and acknowledge one Lord, one faith, one baptifm. If this diftinction between the real Church and the vifible Church were well obferved, 240 SERMON VIII. much error and mifchief would be prevented f. They who reject a belief in falvation through the mediation of Chrift, and they who are carelefs of good works, infidels and profligates — cannot, without repentance, be numbered among the true .fervants of our Lord, who have the promifes of eternal bleffednefs. But many of our theological controverfies turn not upon thefe greater queftions, but relate to dif- tinctions of the vifible Church, and the de grees of foundnefs and corruption in particular focieties. We think that many doctrines of the Church of Rome, and of certain Proteftant Diffenters, are unfound ;. and that our Church is more pure, becaufe fhe, has not admitted innovations upon the faith and practice of pri mitive times. When other Chriftian focieties wifh to impofe upon mankind their tenets, upon the plea of an infallible authority, we proteft againft this tyranny, from whatever quarter it may proceed. The King and peo ple of this country own no fuperior under God : with his bleffing, they are able and wil ling to govern themfelves, in matters fpiritual and civil, without the aid of any power at f The Romanifts fay, that " an invifible Church are " words without meaning." Faith of Catholics, p. 57. Are not the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apoftles, and deceafed Saints, (whom they invocate,) part of that Church, of which Chrift himfelf is the invifible head I SERMON VIII. 24i Rome or elfewhere : and all foreign inter ference they refift as unjuft and unlawful ag- greflion. Neither can it be endured, that any claim of divine illumination (which is in fact under another name the fame plea Of dominion aflerted by the Church of Rome) fhould give an unbounded licence to the exercife of pri vate judgment, and thus diffolve the laws of fociety. The prefervation of difcipline in the Church of Chrift we know to be raOft pleating to God, who is the author, not of confufion, but of order. And here it may be proper to notice an ob- fervation of the Romanifts8, who think that on this fubject they enclofe us in the follow ing dilemma; namely, that although we affirm there is no -infallible authority on earth, we yet claim obedience to our ecclefiaftical laws. We do indeed maintain both thefe propofi- tions, and think there is here no conclufive dilemma. We believe that there is always an appeal, not from the Bible to the Church or Clergy, but from the decifions of the Clergy to the Bible : in aj word, that, in the all-im portant concern of his falvation, every indivi dual has a right to read the Bible for himfelf. We alfo affirm, on the other hand, that thofe who agree in principal points of doctrine with * See Mr, Butler's Life of Bifhop Boffuet, p. 54. R 242 SERMON VIII. the articles of faith propofed by the national Church, ought to conform to the laws of that Church in matters of order and difcipline : and that contention and oppofition on inferior to pics betoken pride and obftinacy, and incur, the guilt of rebellion and fchifm. The very name of law denotes a rule which is to over bear private judgments for the public good : and we think that true liberty, in Church or State, is only to be attained by a dutiful fub- jection to the laws, which form a barrier alike againft defpotifm and anarchy. We find not in the writings of the Fathers any precedent for the claim of infallible autho rity : and the Church of England, by renounc ing it, has reformed herfelf, according to the finiplicity of. the primitive model. Her mo deration is known unto all men. The doc trines which fhe teaches are from Scripture alone, eternal and immutable : her laws, con- ftitution, and difcipline fhe defends, by argu ments drawn from Scripture and reafon, upon the ground of their expediency to promote Chriftianity. The Gofpel cannot be planted or propagated without minifters: and the early records prove, that in all places where the Apoftles and their fucpeffors preached, they were accuftomed to ordain and appoint men well qualified to the facred offices of the priefthood. And there can be no doubt, that SERMON VIII. 243 in general they who preached the Gofpel lived of the Gofpel, were fupported by the offerings of the faithful. When the perfons invefted with power in a ftate were converted to Chrif tianity, the provifion for the Clergy was, as might be expected, confolidated into a per manent legal eftablifhment. It was referved for modern times to queftion the propriety of a national religious eftablifh ment. Such an eftablifhment we might de fend, by the acknowledgment and maxims of politicians, upon the ground of its incompa rable importance in promoting the temporal welfare of feciety. But the true and folid foundation of the clerical order is the com miffion delivered by Chrift for the falvation of fouls. If the people of a country be faithful converts to the Gofpel, they will undoubtedly be felicitous that Chriftian faith and practice fhould be propagated, confirmed, and perpe tuated, by divine aid, among prefent and fu ture generations. They will perceive that, after the example of the primitive Chriftians, private divifions and pretenfions ought to be abolifhed, and the whole body fhould confent to promote the fame great objects, in unity and concord. Experience, reafon, the voice of the Fathers, and the Gofpel, all condemn fchifms in the Church, as a fin to be compared with fuicide. What waywardnefs and infa- r 2 244 SERMON VIII.' tuation of mind, that men who agree in ufing the fame language, the fame laws, the fame Bible, fhould yet refufe to join the national worfliip of God: that, having gone hand in hand with us for fix days, they fhould make a feparation on the feventh ! This is a recapitulation of the fubftance of my former difcourfes. It muft be allowed, that there are difficulties in tracing fome of the opinions of the early Fathers : for, not having in their contemplation the falfe doc trines fince introduced into the Church, they have not fpoken on all thefe matters fo de cidedly as to preclude all controverfy. Still, I am perfuaded, it will on the whole appear, that they are clearly adverfe to the Socinian fyftem ; that they are far from encouraging a vifionary fanaticifm ; that they meant not to eftablifh arbitrary ecclefiaftical power on the one hand, or on the other to countenance a rejection of all Church difcipline. For thefe reafons, the primitive writings may be confidered a treafure of theological knowledge, a fence and barrier round the facred word of God. For thefe reafons they may be recommended to young ftudents in divinity ; and I venture to exhort them not to be difcouraged by a rude ftyle and tedioufnefs of compofition, but to perfevere, under an aflurance that their pains will be rewarded.. SERMON VIII. 245 The ftudy of the Fathers will add to their fin cerity ferioufnefs, and fteadinefs in that great purfuit to which they devote themfelves : they wtll find, that to be a Chriftian after the pri mitive model is not a light matter of pro feffion, the incidental occupation of an hour or a day, but the unremitted bufinefs of life. This ftudy will inftruct their minds, and pre vent them from being dazzled and difconcerted by the fpecious objections of Infidelity, which, whether advanced in a bold or a fubtle man ner, they will difcover to be not only falfe, but ftale, and often refuted. By difplaying a ftandard of real excellence, it will check vain and prefumptuous thoughts, the parents of oftentation and innovation : it will lead to edification, to humility, to fubmiffion of judg ment, to obedience to lawful governors, whe ther in Church or State. In matters of theo logical controverfy, the reader of the Fathers will learn from their example, from their very miftakes, to be firm but not unbending ; to make conceffions upon doubtful and unim portant points ; to be fatisfied, if there cannot be perfect concord among Chriftians, to have peace. He will learn moderation. His pre judices will abate, and before he engages in the heat of argument, he will paufe and in quire into his own errors. Thefe venerable remains are a perpetual commentary upon r 3 246 SERMON VIII. Scripture -, they eftablifh its canon, and the paramount veneration with which it has in the beft times been regarded, as a laft appeal, in the Chriftian world. The Fathers inftruct us to believe, that holy Scripture always was and will be the fole fource and ftandard of orthodoxy ; and, as it was before remarked, their writings feem to have been providentially preferved, as a guard againft innovations in the Church, and the introduction of human devices and inventions, by interefted or de luded perfons, upon the plea of their being part of the unchangeable Gofpel of Jefus Chrift. The young ftudent will obferve, that the Fa thers propofe no private revelations vouch- fafed to themfelves to general belief: they in- fift not upon their own powers ; they only explain Scripture, and enforce lawful govern-- ment. He may reflect what an inexplicable phaenqmenon in literature thefe compofitions would be, without Scripture. The authors, who are: neither elegant writers, nor endowed, with extraordinary powers of imagination, propagate doctrines concerning a future ftate, and the moral difpenfations of Providence, of far greater importance than any fentiments contained in the writings of the Heathen Phi lofophers : they fpeak, not with that hefitation which accompanies problematical feience, but with aflurance and certainty. The doctrines SERMON VIII. 247 of redemption and regeneration were then new to the world : whence did the Fathers" derive them ? According to their own ftate ment, from the infpired volume of the Jewifh and Chriftian Scriptures. We know how lit tle human reafon can perform, from the doubt ful and unfatisfactory fpeculations of Socrates, arid Plato, and Ariftotle, and Cicero. The Fa thers enjoyed no fuperiority of natural facul ties over thefe heathen philofophers : and the Apoftles and Evangelifts themfelves were ig norant and unlearned men : none of them could have invented the fyftem which they agreed in delivering to the world. Thus fhe Gofpel not only contains internal evidence of its being a divine difpenfation ; but the pro vidence of God has annexed to it two circum ftances, which, unlefs it be a true revelation, are unaccountable : — viz. a feries of antecedent prophecies, and a continued fucceffion of writ ers, from the time of its' firft promulgation, who beat Witriefs: to its gfenuirieriefs. The Infidel, before he propofes his fcepticifm upon the fub ject of the Scriptures themfelves, fhould, in juft and fair reafoning, firft account' for the writ ings of the Fathers : he fhould be called upon to affign fOme probable eaufe for their believ ing in this new revelation, if it refted on falla cies j and for their inferting in their writings' 84 248 SERMON VIII. peculiar opinions, which were not their own invention, and are apparently beyond the fcope of human capacity. As a perufal of the primitive writings pre- fents a profpect of great advantages to young ftudents in divinity, fo may it be recom mended in an efpecial manner to the Minifters of the Gofpel. The fcholar improves in tafte and claffical elegance by a familiarity with the compofitions of the beft authors : philofophical fcience derives certainty and extent only from fucceflive refearches and repeated experiments: the patriotic hero is incited to exertion by the memory of the glorious deeds of thofe who have been henefactors to mankind. The Mi nifter of the Gofpel may be inftructed by the experience, and ftimulated by the example of the primitive Fathers, in the difcharge of his various duties. There are fome inftances of ignorance, fome of error, in the writings of the Fathers: for it is the natural condition of mortal men and things to have a mixture of imperfection. But Chriftianity confifts not in fubtilties and cafuiftry ; not in the number of articles of faith, but in their efficacy. Its chief end is fanctification, which may be defined to be a fincere worfhip of God, and true charity towards man. And thofe who firmly main tain thefe two points are to be entitled good SERMON VIII. 249 Chriftians, although they may fail in fome particulars, which relate rather to fpeculation than to practice. The Fathers employed themfelves either in vindicating the Chriftian religion from falfe and injurious afperfions ; in difcovering to the world the abfurdity and impiety of Paganifm ; in convincing the hard-hearted Jews ; in confut ing the monftrous inventions of the Heretics of thofe times ; in exhortations to the faithful to patience and martyrdom ; and in expound ing holy Scripture. But their chief bufinefs, to ufe the language of M. Daille-, was to write Chriftianity in the hearts of men by the beams of their fanctity, and by their blood fhed in martyrdom \ Whoever wifhes to fee the faith and prac tice of thofe times delineated at large, fhould confult Dr. Cave's excellent work, entitled " Primitive Chriftianity." I cannot engage in all the copioufnefs of this fubject, but will content myfelf with felecting two topics for your particular confideration ; namely, the dif- fufion of knowledge, and of Chriftianity. By knowledge I would be underftood to mean, the general cultivation of the faculties of the human mind. Reafon is the law which God has given to man, his proper endowment, h See Appendix, N°. V. p. 387. 250 SERMON VIII. which diftinguifhes him from brute animals, who live by fenfe. This noble quality fub jects to us the material world, and rules over the bafer appetites of our nature ; and makes men, in fecial intercourfe and fublimity of comprehenfive thought, like gods. Reafon is the inftrument by which we difcover Scripture to be the word of God, by which we are ca pable of receiving divine illumination, and of being made temples of the Holy Spirit. By means of the human underftanding, and the improvement of it, we hope to fpread Chrif tian faith and practice. A ftrange prejudice it is to feparate reafon from piety : reafon in deed, without revelation, teaches not the way to everlafting happinefs ; but revelation is ex- prefsly addreffed to the reafonable faculties of man, and when it makes its way by means of the paffions, errors immediately enfue. It is alfo truly faid, that our great corruption is fhewn in the pride of reafon : but here the evil lies not in the thing itfelf, but in the pei"- verfion of it, through felf-love'. There is a pride of mental and of bodily endowments, of riches, even of charity : which are all good in themfelves, and may be ufed to the beft purpofes ; but pride cankers and poifons them, as it caufed Satan and his angels to fall from heaven. Let us not then confound together good fenfe and felf-conceit, which are fo dif- SERMON VIII. 251 ferent, not to fay oppofite, that the phrafe, "a " reafonable man," implies in common dif courfe a character of moderation and humility. Let us never forget, that it is the characteriftic glory of Proteftantifm to have introduced into matters of religion the authority of reafon, in ftead of fuperftitious tyranny. The Church of Rome employed defpotic power, and the Ana baptifts fanatical zeal, as means to promote Chriftianity : while moderate Proteftants, and our Church in particular, employed learning and virtue for this purpofe, after the example of the primitive Fathers. For Juftin Martyr and Clement of Alexandria were learned in all branches of Gentile philofophy ; Origen's re putation for erudition is perhaps greater than that of any man of any age ; and Tertullian and Cyprian were flailed in the ftudy and practice of rhetoric and law, and in the litera ture of the times. Let us make a firm ftand upon this high ground, and difcountenance that difproportionate connection, which is fometimes pretended to exift, between infpi ration and ignorance ; afluring ourfelves that true and found knowledge is the moft ufeful handmaid of religion, and next to piety the brighteft ornament of human nature. There can be neither learning, nor know ledge, nor religion, without inftruction, ; the principal part of which is the education of 252 SERMON VIII. youth. The catechetical fchools at Alexan dria, which furnifhed a regular official em ployment to Clement and Origen, and the anxious care exhibited by Cyprian on the fub ject of the baptifm and Chriftian training of infants and children, fufficiently manifeft the fentiments of antiquity on this point. In a barbarous, that is to fay, an uneducated fo- ciety, men perceive not that a partial fub miffion of individuals is expedient for the ge neral happinefs : each thinks it difgraceful to yie\d his own will, becaufe no motive for con- ceflion is propofed to him but fear. Educa tion fhews, that the true bond of fecial inter courfe is mutual advantage, and that afperity and violence defeat this end : it gives habits of obedience and conciliation, and while it takes away a portion of peffonal freedom and power, it provides greater fecurity and happinefs un der the more ample protection of, laws. Add to this, that Chriftian education, ftrengthened as it now is by the enlarged diftribution of the holy Scriptures, fuppofes and includes an attention to good morals and true religion, which are more cogent reftraints upon evil actions and evil thoughts than any human enactments. The profperity of the commu nity is infeparable from the profperity of in dividuals : and the condition of human nature can be improved only by cultivating the hu- SERMON VIII. 25S man underftanding, and directing it habitually to good, in fuch a manner that felfifh and wicked propenfities may not have opportunity to fhoot forth, and the benevolent affections may flourifh with increafed vigour, by con ftant nurture and exercife. Without educa tion the mental faculties are like wafte land, capable indeed of great products, but unem ployed and ufelefs ; and the bodily frame grows to the maturity of manhood, while the intellectual and divine part remains a blank. By knowledge, in this extended fenfe of the word, man is diftinguiftied from man. Human nature in favage life excels in inftinct and perfonal ftrength, becaufe the animal part is moft exercifed : and in that ftate, the paf- fions have uncontrolled fway, and rage with the violence of tempefts. Science, and art, and policy, good order, and tranquillity, all that makes life defirable, whatfoever things are lovely and of good report, thefe are the work of reafon, difpenfed and improved under the efpecial favour of Providence. Still from the corruption of human nature, unrenewed and unconverted by Chriftian grace, the beft faculties and attainments are continually per verted to evil purpofes : and thofe which are moft powerful become the moft efficient en gines of deftruction. The propagation of Chriftianity is the true 254 SERMON VIII. remedy for the miferies of mankind. The Chriftian alone knows how to turn to good account all the events of this probationary pil grimage : " Blefled is the man, whofe ftrength " is in thee, O Lord ; in whofe heart are thy " ways : who going through the vale of mi- " fery ufes it for a well : and the pools are " filled with water. He will go from ftrength " to ftrength." The divine revelation fhews, what man difcovers not himfelf, that the fource of evil is innate human depravity: it directs him to faith in his crucified Redeemer for his juftification, and he prays to God for the grace of his fanctifying Spirit, that he> may be enabled to do his will. The Fathers conftantly aflert, that a Chriftian's hopes are better than thofe of other men, and therefore he is happier : that his conduct is better, and therefore he conduces to the greater happinefs of fociety. For the truth of this ftatement they appealed to facts, which are God's argu ments, according to the fublime expreffion of" Tertullian, " Res eft Dei ratio." After the lapfe of eighteen hundred years we make the fame appeal, affirming that the temporal hap pinefs of nations and of individuals is pro moted by the diffufion of Chriftianity, and that this is a proof and earneft of the bleffings which await Chrift's faithful followers in a future life. Confidering the indifference which SERMON VIII. 255 prevails on the important fubject of religion, and the hoftility which is fometimes exhibited againft Chriftianity, it might be fuppofed that it afforded feope to bad paffions and immo rality, inftead of breathing love to God and good will to man, that univerfal benevolence and beneficence, the extent of which unin- fpired teachers cannot attain. The early Fathers felt, with St. Paul, the neceffity which was laid on them to preach the Gofpel : and the rapidity of its progrefs is a fufficient proof, both of the divine inter- pofition, and of their indefatigable zeal in difcharge of the commiffion delivered to them. Their writings contain repeated affertions of the diffufion of Chriftianity through all parts. of the habitable world ; and although thefe expreffions are to be received with allowances, there can be no doubt that, before the clofe of the firft three centuries, Chriftian Minifters had made converts in all provinces of the Roman empire, and had penetrated into Ger many, Arabia, and India. Juftin Martyr and Origen in particular journeyed as miflionaries into diftant countries j and their example, together with that of the Apoftles, joined with our Lord's exprefs command, " Go " ye, and teach all nations," cannot fail of having a powerful influence upon every re flecting mind. The Church of England, re- 256 SERMON VIII. taining the original moderation of her princi ples, and impeded by many domeftic difficul ties, has not fignalized herfelf in promoting miflions in an equal degree with fome other European- Churches : but the Almighty will, in his good time, give feope to that genuine fpirit, which, removed from the heat, of re ligious bigotry, and the interefted purfuits of worldly policy, is folely intent upon fpreading the bleffings.of Chriftianity, after the example of a pure and primitive age. Wherefoever in primitive times the Gofpel was preached, there was an appointment of regular Minifters. The inftitution of Parifh Priefts may be called the corner-ftone of ec clefiaftical polity : this ufeful body of men have in almoft all ages and countries main tained a character of refpectability in the Chriftian world, a character of moderation, which word, in the original sn-mxef, may be in terpreted to mean, a complying and confiftent propriety of conduct. The ftate of religion in a country depends in a principal degree upon the qualifications of the parochial Minifters: the faith and practice of the Paftor influence the faith and practice of the flock. May the Clergy of this land be enabled, in their re- fpective offices, to maintain in all its purity the faith once delivered to the faints. " For- '*• tunati nimium fua fi bona norint;" they are SERMON VIIi: 257 engaged*in promoting, as their peculiar bufi- nefs, the happinefs of mankind. Yet is their fituation one of perilous refponfibility. An ecclefiaftical polity, framed With the greateft purity and wifdom, an Apoftolical fucceflion, a divine commiffion, are great and powerful means depofited with 'us : while we reflect with gratitude upon thefe facred trufts, let us remember that their utility and fuccefs depend entirely upon ourfelves. God has not vouch- fafed miraculous gifts to thefe latter times ; but he Has promifed to be always with the preachers of his word to the end of the world. Let us therefore be of good courage ; ftrong in the ftrength of the Lord we fhall not fail : we have put our hands to the plough, and it be comes us not to look back ; we are armed for the battle, and by God's help we fhall have the victory. The primitive Fathers devoted to their Matter's fervice their time, their ftrength, their fortunes, their lives, their reputations : they believed, with holy confidence in the Lord's help, that the Gofpel through their mi- niftry would triumph over all obftacles, and they prevailed. We have the fame caufe, the fame almighty Helper and Comforter: equal eriergy will crown our labours with the fame fuccefs. The object of our purfuit is the falvation of fouls : we teach the way of eternal happinefs 258 SERMON VIII. by Jefus Chrift, who died for our fins, and rofe again, and ever liveth to make interceflion for us. This doctrine comprifes a more per fect fcheme for the improvement of this tem poral ftate, than any yet devifed by human wit and philofophy. They who delight to draw a picture of virtue triumphant upon earth, and the confequent progrefs of felicity and enjoyment in the condition as well of in dividuals as of .communities, make a repre- fentation of effects which true religion only is calculated to produce in the world. This makes governors more apt to rule confeien- tioufly, and inferiors more willing to obey; and teaches all perfons to perform, contentedly and faithfully, the duties of that ftation, public or private, in which God has placed them. As the fun and rain render the earth fruitful and lovely, fo the divine word and grace en lighten, invigorate, and nourifh man's immor tal fpirit : and thus the being, who was framed out of the duft, when advanced to full ma turity, is capable of the ineffable fruition of the prefence of God, and the Almighty may again fee that the work of his hands is good. APPENDIX. S 2 I. APPENDIX. NUMB. I. P. 132. Diagramma Tetraplorum, Hexaplorum, et Octaplorum. II. III. IV. Hebrew, 0 _, Hebrew, in Greek Aquila. kymnia- Septua Letters. chus' Slnta- rrnzm fiepriB- chus. ev x,ttya,Xa,m ev ap%v\ ev ctpyfi TETRAPLA. HEXAPLA. VI. Theodo VII. VIIL Editio Editio Hierichun- Nicopoli ev apxy tma. tana. desiderutur. desideratw* Huet. Origenianat lib. iii. s. 4- 26a APPENDIX. NUMB. II. P. no. From Tertullian' s "Apology." " Would you have us prove the exiftence of the one " true God from his wonderful works, by which we are " fuftained, which minifter to us both delight and fear : " fhall we prove it from the teftimony of the foul itfelf? " Though confined in the prifon of the body, fettered by " evil cuftoms and habits, exhaufted by. luftful pafiions, " a flave to falfe Gods, yet when the foul does recover " herfelf, as from, fome furfeit and ficknefs, and is in a " ftate of health, fhe calls upon God ; for there is but one " true God, the good, the great. And ' as it pleafes ' God,' f God fees,' ' I commend to God,' thefe are ex- " preffions in general ufe. O teftimony of the foul na- " turally Chriftian 1 And he who fpeaks looks, not to the " capitol, but to heaven. The foul acknowledges the feat " of God : from him and from thence is her defcent." The Author proceeds to ftate, how this natural fenfe of the' Deity is improved by his revelations, received by pure and candid minds, which imbibe the Chriftian faith not given by nature. " Fiunt non nafcuntur Chriftiani." P. na. From the fame. " Our battle is to be called before your tribunals : " there we contend for the truth-at the peril of our lives. " But to obtain what you contend for is victory. The " object of this victory is the glory of pleafing God, and. " the fpoil eternal life.— 0 /glory allowed becaufe it has " a human object : therefore its daring is not thought " wafted, nor its confidence defperate, in defpifing death " and pain : and it is permitted you to fuffer for your " country, for the government, for your friends, but not " for your God. Yet for thefe heroes ye caft ftatues, and " carve images, with infcriptio'ns, and defign thefe me- APPENDIX. 0,63 " morials to laft for ever : ye may be faid to afford a re- " furrection to the dead. He who hopes to enjoy it in " truth from God, is mad." P. 116. From Tertullian' s treatife " On Shows." " If you ftill think that this fhort fpace of life requires " amufements, why are you fo ungrateful, as not to " think fufficient and to acknowledge the many and " great pleafures beftowed. by God. What delights can " be greater, than a reconciliation with God our Father " and Lord, than the revelation of truth, the expofure of "error, and the pardon of all paft fins? what pleafure " more pure, than a rejection of pleafure, a contempt of " the age, a true freedom, an upright, confcience, a con- " tented life, a fearlefs profpect of deatb ? You tread " under foot the gods of the Gentiles, you expel devils, " you heal' the fick, revelations are made to you, you live " to God : thefe are the pleafures, thefe are the fhows of " a Chriftian, holy, conftant, without price. Call it your " circus to view the courfe of the age, to reckon the " lapfe of years, to look forward to the goal of life : de- " fend- the party of the Church, take your ftation under " the banner of God, roufe yourfelf at the angel's trump, " let your glory be in the palm of martyrdom. Do you " delight in the arts of the ftage, we have fufficient litera- " ture amongft us, abundance of verfes, fentences, and " even fongs; we have the words, not of fable, but of «' truth, not in illufion, but in fimplicity. Do you want " fights and wreftling? They are at hand, and of great " intereft. Behold lewdnefs overthrown by chaftity, " faithleflhefs flain by faith, cruelty bruifed by com- " paffion, impudence caft down by modefty : fuch are the " contefts, in which we receive crowns. Do you alfo " wifh for blood ? You have the blood of Chrift. Then " what a fight will the approaching advent of our Lord s 4 364 APPENDIX. " exhibit, appearing in manifeft glory and triumph ? Think " of the exultation of angels, and the fplendour of faints " in the refurrection, the reign of the juft, and the city of " the Hew Jerufalem." P. 146. From Cyprian's treatife "On the Vanity of Idols."' " This is the order, thefe the reafonable principles of " Chrift's coming, and of the manner of falvation by him. , " God was firft gracious to the Jews. Thus their fore- " fathers were juft and religioufly obedient : from this " fource proceeded the grandeur of the people, and upon " this foundation was built the lofty eminence of their " power. Afterwards they became negligent of difci- " pline, proud, puffed up with a vain confidence in their " race, they fet at nought the divine commands, and con- " fequently loft the divine grace : now they are fcattered " wanderers over the earth, in confufion, outcafts from " their own foil and climate, aliens and guefts in a ftrange " land. Moreover God predicted of old that the time " fhould come, when God would draw to himfelf from " every nation and people and place, thofe who fhould " worfhip him in greater faithfulnefs and obedience, and " fhould be veffels fit tq receive the gifts of that divine " favour, which the Jews defpifed and loft. It follows " that the Word and Son of God is fent as_ the difpenfer " and mafter of this mercy, grace, and difcipline : he was " proclaimed by all the ancient prophets, as the enlight- " ener and teacher of the human race. He is the virtue, " word, and reafon of God, his wifdom and glory. * He " was in the Virgin's womb, and by the operation of the " Holy Ghoft took flefh, and mingled Godhead with " manhood. He is our God, he is Chrift, and being a " mediator between two, clothed himfelf with human " nature, that he might exalt it to a union with the « Father." APPENDIX. 36$ P. 151. From the treatife " On the Unity of the Church." " Whoever by feparating from the Church commits " adultery, is feparated from the promifes of the Church. " He who leaves the Church, reaches not the rewards of " Chrift. He is an alien, an infidel, an enemy. Indeed " none can have God for their father, who have not the " Church for their mother. If any could efcape, who " were not within Noah's ark, then may they hope to " efcape who are not within the Church. The Lord " fays, ' I and my Father are one.' And again, of Father, " Son, and Holy Ghoft it is written, 'Thefe three are ' one.' Can it be thought that this unity, fubftantiated " in the divine nature, cemented by heavenly facraments, " is to be broken in the Church, and a fchifm made by " the collifion of oppofite wills ? This unity he who keeps " not, keeps not the law of God, keeps not the faith of " the Father and of the Son, keeps not the truth to fal- " vation." . P. 153. From the treatife " Concerning the Lapfed." " Lo peace, my beloved brethren; is reftored to the " Church: and what thofe of doubtful mind thought diffi- " cult, and infidels deemed impofiible, our fafety has, by " vindication of the divine aid, been reeftablifhed. Joy is " reftored to our minds; and, after the difperfion of clouds " and ftorms, a ferene and tranquil funfhine has again " broke forth. Let us offer up our praifes to God. The " day fo univerfally defired has arrived ; and, after the hor- " rible black darknefs of a long night, the world is once ,*' more radiant with the light of the Lord." " The multitude of by-ftanders is attendant on the " footfteps of your glory. The fame fincerity poffeffes " their hearts, the fame tenacious integrity of faith. The "divine precepts and Gofpel traditions are as unfhaken " roots to their fouls, and therefore they have feared nei- 266 APPENDIX. " ther allotted exile, nor deftined torments, neither the " lofs of poffeffions, nor bodily fuffering. Thefe heavenly " crowns of martyrs, thefe fpiritual glories of confeffors, " thefe great and eminent virtues of brethren who have " flood the teft, one only forrow clouds. I grieve, bre- " thren, I grieve with you ; nor is my afni&ion foothed "" by the thought of my own integrity and individual " health : for the fhepherd feels the wounds of his flock." P. 154. " Did not your fenfes fail, did not your tongue cleave " without fpeech to your mouth ? How could the fervant "" of God ftand there, and fpeak, and renounce Chrift, " who had already renounced the devil and the world ? " That altar, at which he was to die, was it not a facred " funeral pile ? Wretched man, do you offer a facrifice " on that altar, do you bring a vi&im with fupplication " and prayers ? At that altar you are the facrifice, you " are the voluntary victim. There you immolate your " falvation : your hope, your faith, are corifumed in thofe " fires of mourning." " Let none deceive themfelves : mercy belongs only to " the Lord. He only can pardon fins, who bore our of- " fences, who was afflicted for us, whom God delivered " for our offences." P- 155- " If any pray with his whole heart, if he pour forth " the groans of true repentance with lamentations and " tears, if he mitigate the Lord by uniform acts of juftice, " upon fuch perfons He can have mercy, who has pro- " claimed his mercy, faying, ' When thou turneft from ' thy fins and repenteft, thou fhalt be faved : I defire not * the death of him that dicth, but that he fhould be con- c verted and live." APPENDIX. 267 P. 155. From Cyprian's treatife " On Mortality." " He indeed may . fear" to die, who not being born " again of water and of the Spirit, is in bondage to the " fires of hell ; he may fear to die, who has no part in the " crofs and paffion of Chrift ; he may fear to die, who " fhall pafs to a fecond death." P. 156. " My beloved brethren, we muft confider, we muft " always bear in mind, that we have renounced the " world, and that we pafs our time of fojourning here as " pilgrims and ftrangers. Let us look forward to that " day, which affigns to , each their proper habitation : " who that dwells from home would not haften to return " to his country ? Our country, fo let us deem it, is pa- " radife. There dear friends in great numbers expect us : " there our fathers, brothers, fons, long for our arrival, a " large and goodly company, enjoying their own immor- " tality in fecurity, and anxious now for our falvation. " How great will be the mutual joy to them and to us in " feeing and embracing each other ! What will be the " pleafures of thofe heavenly kingdoms without fear -of " dying, in eternal life ! What perfect and perpetual fe- " licity ! There is the glorious band of Apoftles : there " the company of exulting prophets : there the innu- " merable army of martyrs, crowned with victory over ¦" trials and fufferings : there triumphant virgins : the pi- " tiful of heart now recompehfed with reward, who in "'" food and benefactions to the poor formerly did the " works qf juftice : and thofe who by keeping the Lord's " precepts have laid up earthly poffeffions in the treafure- " houfes of heaven. To thefe, my beloved brethren, let " us haften with all avidity : let our Lord Chrift fee the " fixed purpofe of our mind and faith : he will give the s6S APPENDIX. " more ample rewards of his glory to thofe who fhew , " greater love to him." P. 157. From the addrefs " To Demetrian." " When we fhall have departed this life, there will be " no place for repentance, no efficacious fatisfa&ion : here " life is lqft or retained : here by the worfhip of God, " and by the fruit of faith, we muft provide for our eter- " nal falvation. While we live in this world, no repent- " ance is too late. Chrift imparts this grace, this is the " free gift of his mercy, by fubduing death with the tro- " phy of the crofs, by redeeming the believer' with the " price of his blood, by reconciling man to God the Fa- ?f ther, by reviving man according to a heavenly regene- " ration. Him, if we are able, let us all follow; let us " all take part in his facrament and fymbol ; he opens " the way of life to us, he reftores us to paradife, he will " bring us to the kingdom of heaven." NUMB. III. P. 163. From Tertullian " Upon Idolatry,*' c. vi. ," Can you deny with your tongue- what your hand " confeffes ? Pull down by words what your actions build " up ? Acknowledge one God, you who make fo many " Gods ? the true God, you who make falfe Gods ? I " make them, but I worfhip them not, fay you. As if " the fame feeling which induces you to fear to worfhip " them, would not alfo point out your duty to be not to " make them : God is offended in both cafes. Nay, you " worfhip them, by making them to be worshipped. You " worfhip them not with the vapour of fome vile fmell, " but with your own breath : not with the life of fome " purchafed animal, but with your own foul. You APPENDIX. 269 " deny that you worfhip the work of your own hands ? "But they (the devils) do not deny it, to whom you *f facrifice your falvation, a victim more favoury, mor© " adorned with gold, more valuable." P. 167. " He (the Pope)' alone can depofe or readmit Bifhops. " If any are excommunicated by him, we ought, " among other things, not to remain in the fame houfe " with them. " The name of Pope is alone in the world : there is " none like it. " He can depofe fovereigns. " His fejntence, or decree, can be repealed by none : he " alone can repeal all other decifions. " He is to be judged by none. " The Church of Rome has never erred : and by the " teftimony of Scripture, fhe never will err. " He is not to be thought a Catholic, who is not in " union with the Church of Rome. " The Pope (or the Church) can abfolve the fubjects " of iniquitous princes from their allegiance." " Thus far Gregory concerning the privileges of the " Roman Pontiff and of the Apoftolical See. P. 171. From Irenceus, book iii. chap. 3. " To this Church (of Rome), on account of its fuperior " headfhip, every other muft have recourfe, that is, the " faithful of all countries." P. 173. From Tertullian " On Prefcriptions againft He- " retics," ch. 36. " Now would you exercife your curiofity to better ' purpofe in the bufinefs of falvation, run through the * Apoftolic Churches, in which the chairs "in which 37° APPENDIX. " the Apoftles fat are now filled ; where their authentic " Epiftles are read, conveying the found of their voices, " and the reprefentation of their perfons. Are you a " neighbour of Achaia, you have the Church at Corinth. " If you are not far from Macedonia, you have Philippi, " you have Theffalonica. Pafs into Afia, there is Ephe- " fus : in Italy, Rome ; an authority to which we can " readily appeal. Happy Church, which the Apoftles " fully impregnated with all their doctrine, and with their " blood !" P. 173. and note. From Tertullian " On Chaftity," ch. i, 31, 32. " I hear alfo that a decree, a peremptory ^decree has " been iffued. The Chief Pontiff truly, the Bifhop of Bi- " fhops fpeaks ; ' I abfolve penitents from the fins of adul- * tery and fornication.' O edict of evil !" " Who could forgive fins, but God alone ? Whence do " you ufurp this right for your- Church ? If, becaufe the " Lord faid to Peter; ' Upon this rock I will build my ' Church ; I have given to thee the keys of the kingdom 1 of heaven; whatfoever thou fhalt bind on earth, 8cc.' "you therefore prefume that lhe power of loofing and " binding is derived to you, that is to fay, to every kin- " dred Church of St. Peter : fee how you overturn and " alter the rnanifeft intention of our Lord, in conferring " this on Peter perfonally. Acts xv. l Why do ye tempt 'the Lord in impofing a yoke, &c. By the grace of Je- ' fus we believe that we fhall be faved.' This fentence " loofened and bound the things which were omitted or " left open in the law. Therefore the power of loofing " and binding delivered to Peter has nothing to do with " the capital fins of the faithful. Right, power, and ju- " rifdiction belong to the Mafter, not to the fervant ; to " God himfelf, not to the Prieft." APPENDIX. 3/1 P. 174. From Cyprian, Ep. Iv. " And if the number of African Bifhops feemed infuffi- " cient, I wrote moreover to Rome concerning the affair " of the lapfed, to Cornelius, our colleague, who himfelf, " in council with many fellow- bifhops, with equal gravity " and wholefome moderation, coincided in opinion with " us. I think myfelf obliged to fhew, that I acted not " lightly, &c." From Ep. xlix. " We are not ignorant that there is one God, one " Chrift our Lord, whom we have confeffed, one Holy " Ghoft, and that there fhould be one Bifhop in the Ca- " tholic Church." P. 175. From Cyprian, Ep. lix. " Herefies and fchifms have had no other origin and "fountain than difobedience to God's prieft : becaufe re- " fpett is not paid to one prieft for the time in the " Church; to one judge in the place of Chrift." From Ep. lix. " Afterwards the Heretics, having conftituted for them- " felves a falfe Bifhop, dare to fet fail, and to carry letters " from fchifmatics and infidels to the Chair of Peter, and " the Head Church, from whence the unity of the prieft- " hood originated : nor did they confider who thofe Ro- " mans were, whofe faith the Apoftle extolled, with " whom perfidy cannot avail." " We all determined, according to equity and juftice, " that the caufe of each fhould be heard there, where the " offence was committed ; and that each paftor fhould " have the charge of a portion of the flock under his rule " and government, of which he muft give account to the 373 APPENDIX. " Lord. Thofe therefore who are under us fhpuld not " hurry to all parts, nor make a breach- in the epifcopal " union by their crafty and fallacious temerity." P. 176. note. From Cyprian' s- treatife " On the Unity of . " the Church." " Although he gives to all the Apoftles equal power, " and fays; c As my Father fent me, fo fend I you, &c.' " yet that he might make manifeft the unity, he by his " authority framed the origin of this unity to begin from il one. Therefore what Peter was, the other Apoftles " were alfo, invefted with an equal partnerfhip of honour " and power ; but the beginning iffues from one, that the " Church may be demonftrated to be one." P. 176. " For none of us has conftituted himfelf Bifhop of Bi- ',' fhops, nor forces his colleagues by tyranny and terror " to a conftrained obedience : fince every Bithop has his " own jurifdiction, according to the extent of his liberty " and power; and can no more be judged by another, " than he himfelf can judge others. But let us all wait " for the judgment of the Lord of all, Jefus Chrift, who " himfelf alone has the power of making us overfeers " and governors in his Church, and of judging our acts." P. 177. "Cyprian to Cornelius, his brother: to Stephen, his « brother." " Cornelius to Cyprian, his brother." « Bleffed Pope." " Beloved brother, I exhort and requeft you to do at " my folicitation, what of your own accord you have of- "ten honoured me by doing, namely, to let this my "letter be read before your excellent coadjutors, the " Clergy, and your holy flock." APPENDIX. %73 P. 178. note. From Firmilian's Letter. " Upon this queftion I am juftly indignant at the open " and manifeft folly of Stephen (then Bifhop of Rome) : " becaufe he who glories in his particular bifhopric, and " contends that he is Peter's Succeffor, upon whom the ''foundations of the Church are laid, yet introduces "many other rocks, and erects many new Churches, by " defending upon his authority the baptifm they have " among them." " That at Rome they do not in all things obferve the " original traditions, and vainly pretend Apoftolical au- " thority, any one may underftand from this circum- " fiance; that they differ concerning the time of keeping " Eafter, and many other holy rites of religion, and do " not obferve exactly the cuftoms of Jerufalem." P. 180. A fentence from Vincent of the Ifle ofLerins, a great upholder of Tradition, A. D. 434. " What has been believed by all, at all times, in all " places." P. 184. and in the note. From Cyprian's treatife " Con- " cerning the Lapfed." "Let no one flatter, and deceive himfelf: the Lord " alone can fhew mercy." " Pardon to our fins, committed againft him, he alone " can grant, who bore our fins, who fuffered for us, " whom God delivered for our offences. Man cannot be " greater tban God ; nor can the fervant remit or pardon " by his indulgence the more grievous faults committed " againft his Lord. Let the lapfed beware left he add to " his offence by forgetting the prophecy, ' Curfed be f the man who trufts in man/ Pray to the Lord : the " Lord is to be appeafed by our fatisfaction ; who has " faid, that he will deny thofe who deny him, who atan_s se has received all judgment from the Father. We believe 274 APPENDIX, ¦" indeed that .the merits of martyrs and the works of juft " men avail much jvith our Judge; that is to fay, when " the day of judgment fhall come, when, after the fall of " this age and world, Chrift's people fhall ftand before " his judgment-feat. But if any one, with premature " hafle, has the , temerity to fuppofe that he can remit "fins, or dUres to refcind the Lord's precepts ; inftead of " profiting, he injures the lapfed." " Nor do we preoccupy the Lord's power of judg- " ment : if he fhall : find the repentance of the firmer full " and juft, then can he ratify our decilion." " What fwelling arrogance, what forgetfulnefs of hu- " mility and lenity, what oftentatious arrogance, for any " one to dare to do, or to believe that he can do, what " even to the Apoftles the Lord granted not, namely,' " diftihguifh the tares from the good corn ! or, as if it " were given to him to bear the fan and to purge the floor, " to endeavour to feparate the chaff from the wheat !" P. 196. From Cyprian, jEp.lxxiii. " Moreover in vain do they, who are confuted by rea ¬fon, oppofe cuftom to us; as if cuftom were greater " than truth, or that were not to be obferved in fpiritual " things, which the Holy Spirit has revealed for our " better direction. " After the infpiration and revelation which we have, " he who wilfully and knowingly perfeveres in error, finS " without the excufe of ignorance : nothing but prefump- "tion and obftinacy can fupport him againft reafon. " Let no one fay, we follow what we have received " from the Apoftles ; for the Apoftles delivered but one " Church. Wherefore rejecting the errors of human " contention, let us, with pure and religious faithfulnefSJ " return to the authority of the Gofpel and of Ap,ofloli$ •" tradition." 376 APPENDIX. " error ceafes. If an aqueduct fails, do we not have re- " courfe to the well-fpring, to trace the caufe of defi- " ciency ? Now this the Priefts of God ought to do, to " obferve the divine commands ; fo that if the truth " fhall at all waver and feem doubtful, we fhould trace " it back to its origin from our Lord, and his Gofpel, and " Apoftolical tradition : that the reafon of what we do " may be Simultaneous with our order and origin." P. 308. note. From Irenaeus, bookiv. ch. 75, 6. " It is good to obey God, and to believe in him, and " to keep his commands ; and this is man's life : as not " to obey God is evil, and man's death. Man, by a " greatnefs of mind which is the gift of God, has know- " ledge of the good of obedience and of the evil of dif- " obedience ; fo that, making experience of both by his " mind's eye, he may choofe with judgment the better " part. Firft you muft keep your place as man, and then " you may be a partaker of the glory of God. Mollify " your heart, and prefent it tractable to him : preferve " that form, in which the great Artift has moulded you ; if you are a veffel' without moifture, you may by indu- " ration lofe the traces of his fingers. To make is the " property of the lovingkindnefs of God : to be made is " the property of human nature. If therefore you offer " to him what is your part, that is, faith in him and fub- " miffion to his will, you will receive the workmanfhip of " his art^ and will be God's perfect work. But if you " do not truft in him, and make your efcape from his " hands, the caufe of imperfection will be in you who " have not obeyed, not in him who called. He has fent " me'ffengers to call to the wedding ; and thofe, who have " not obeyed him, have deprived themfelves of the King's " fupper." " They who have gone afide from the light of the Fa ce APPENDIX. 277 "ther, and have tranfgreffed the law of liberty, have " gone aftray through their own fault, being created free " of choice, and mafters of themfelves. But God, who " has foreknowledge of all things, has prepared fit habi- " tations for both : to thofe who feek the light of incor- " ruption, and run after it, he mercifully gives the light " which they long for : but he has prepared darknefs, " congenial to thofe who hate the light, for others who " defpife it, and avert themfelves from it, and as it were " blind themfelves ; and thofe who fly from his fervice he " hasv appointed to fuitable punifhment. But the fervice " of God is reft and peace everlafting." P. 3io. From Clem. Alex. Strom, lib. vi. p. 667. Edit. Paris. 1641. " I think that the orders here in the Church of Bi- " fhops, Priefts, and Deacons, are imitations of angelical " glory : and of the difpenfation, which, the Scriptures " fay, awaits thofe who, treading in the footfteps of the " Apoftles, fhall have lived in the fulfilment of righteouf- " nefs, according to the Gofpel." * P. 310. From Cyprian, Ep. xxxiii. " Through different ages, in regular fucceffion, the or- " dination of Bifhops and the order of the Church is de- " livered down, that the Church may be conftituted upon " the Bifhops ; that every act of the Church may be go- " verned by the fame rulers." P. 3ii. From Cyprian, Ep. xlvi. " My heart pains me, and I feel an intolerable depref- " fion of mind, from finding that, contrary to every eccle- " fiaftical ordinance, contrary to the law of the Gofpel, " contrary to the unity of the Catholic eftablifhment, you " have confented to the appointment of another, a fecond " Bifhop, (of Novatian at Rome, where Cornelius was the t3 s*7* APPENDIX; " lawful Bifhop ;) that is, what neither can nor dught to1 ei be done, to the formation of another Church* tO the1 rt tearing afunder Chrift's members, to the dividing the " Lord's flock, which is one in fpirit and one body, by rt zealous contention." P. 2ii. Ep. xvi. " How great reafon have we to be afraid of the wrath " of God, when fome Prefbyters, neither mindful of the " Gofpel, nor of their own ftation, nor thinking 6n the " future judgment of God, nor confidering that they ic have a Bifhop now their governor, dare to affume all to " themfelves, to the contempt of their governor ; a thing " never before attempted under any of my predeceffors." P. 211. and note. .Ep. iii. " You have acted in a manner which confers horidur " upon me, and according to your wonted humility, iri " preferring to bring your complaint againft him (the " refractory Prefbyter) before me ; although by force of ff the Epifcopal office itfelf, and in the exercife of the " authority of ydur fee, you poffeffed the power of fum- " marily righting yourfelf;" " The Deacons fhould remember, that the Lord chofe " Apoftles, that is to fay, Bifhops and Governors ; but " the Apoftles conftituted Deacons. What we may dare " to do againft God, who makes Bifhops, that Deacons " may dare to do againft us, by whom they are ap- " pointed. Therefore the Deacon, concerning whom " you write, ought to fhew repentance for his audacity, " and to acknowledge the honour due to the priefthood, " and to fatisfy the Bifhop his ruler with all humility3." a Hooker Icing ago faid io the Prefbyterians :' li We require you to " find out but one Church tipbn the face of the whole earth that hath " been ordered by your difcipline, or hath not been ordered by ours, " that is to fay, by epifcopal regiment, fithence the time that the bleffed " Apoftles were here converfant." Preface, fe&. 4; And again : " Let APPENDIX. 379 P. 218.. From Juftin Martyr 's "Apology," p. 93. E^reira ayovTat v<$ vjjimv evba Mi»g etm, xai Tpoitov avayevvrj- ireia; bv xai irju.it; auTOi avayevvrfirjikiv avayevytavrai- eit ovopaTo; yap tov issaTgo; Ttav bXtov xai letriroTOV ©sou, xai ts trayrt^po; ijju.cov \yjirov %pitrTov, xai tsvevpiaTo; dyiov to ev Tip vtari TOTe XovTpov 'syotovvtat. P. 218. From Tertullian " On Baptifm." c. 1,6. " Bleffed is our facrament of water, for by it the fins of "our former blindnefs are wafhed away, and we have " freedom to eternal life." " As John was the forerunner of the Lord, preparing f his way ; fo the Angel, (Bifliop or Minifter,) who dif- u penfes baptifm, prepares the way for the coming of the " Holy Ghoft by the ablution of fins, which faith, fealed " and witneffed in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, ac- " complifhes." P. 318. From Cyprian* s Addrefs to Donatus. " After that the pollution of former habits had been "wafhed away by help of the water of life, light from " above poured itfelf into my bread, purified by expiation " from fin : after imbibing the heavenly Spirit, and a fe- " cond birth formed me into a new man, I felt, by an " immediate and wonderful change, that confirmation " fucceeded to doubt, hidden things were made manifeft, " obfcurity was turned into light. Knowledge was im- " parted to me : that what was born of the flefh, and be- " fore lived in the bondage of fin, was earthly ; that " which the Holy Ghoft had juft animated and infpired, " began to'be of God." " us not fear to be herein bold and peremptory, that if any thing in the " Church's government, furely the firft inftitution of Bifhops was from " heaven, was even of God ; the Holy Ghoft was the author of it.1' Ecclef. Polity, book vii. feci. 5. T4 ^80 APPENDIX. P. 219. and note. From Cyprian, Ep. lxiv. "With regard to infants,, who, when brought within " the fecond or third day after birth, you fay ought not " to be baptized, in confideration of the ancient law of " circumcifion : our council is unanimoufly of a contrary " opinion : we have all with one confent judged, that it " is not right to deny the mercy and grace of God to any' " fon of man." " Since the Lord in his Gofpel fays : ' The Son of ' man came not to deftroy men's lives, but fave ;' as far as " it is poflible on our part, no foul is to be loft, as God " accepts not perfons, fo does he not accept ages : with. " impartial equity he offers himfelf a Father to all, that " they may attain eternal life. — But if any thing could " hinder men from the attainment of grace ; then much " more the heavier weight of fins would hinder thofe who " are advanced in years. Moreover, if remiffion of fins " is given to true believers, though they may have been " in former life the greateft of finners towards God, and " no one is debarred from baptifm arid from grace; much " lefs ought an infant to be debarred, who being juft " born has finned in nothing, except that, being of the " flefh and race of Adam, his nature has contracted the * " original contagion of death. Therefore, dear brother, " this was our decilion in council* that we ought to im- " pede none from baptifm and the grace of God; who is " merciful, kind, and of tender love to all. As this is to " be obferved and practifed towards all men; efpecially "we think it fhould be obferved in the cafe of infants " lately born, who have more claims upon our affiftance, " and upon the divine mgrcy for this very reafon, that in " their helplefs ftate they can only fupplicate with cries " and tears." APPENDIX. 381 P. 233. From Cyprian, JSp.lxxiii. " Hence we underftand, that only governors in the " Church, and thofe who are eftablifhed on the founda- " tion of the law of the Gofpel and divine ordination, " have power to baptize and remit fins : out of the " Church nothing can be loofed or bound, for there is " no one who can loofe or bind. Nor do we lay down " this rule without the authority of holy Scripture, in " faying that all thefe things are difpofed by God accord- " ing to a certain law and a peculiar ordination; and " that no perfon can take any authority upon himfelf, in " oppofition to the Bifhops and Priefts, in matters not " within his province. For Corah, Dathan, and Abi- " ram, &c. The fame punifhment awaits thofe who in- " troduce without right a foreign and falfe baptifm a." " Since the fins of each perfon are remitted in baptifm, " the Lord proves and proclaims in his Gofpel, that fins " can be forgiven by thofe only4, who have the Holy "Ghoft." EpAxhz. • P. 223. From Cyprian's treatife " Of the Unity of the « Church." " Thefe are they who prefide among the hot-headed " in conventicles without divine appointment, who con- " ftitute themfelves rulers without any law of ordination, " who affume the name of Bifhops, and receive Epifco- " pacy from no hands but their own. Againft men of " this ftamp the Lord himfelf cries out ; he reftrains and " recalls from them his erring flock, faying, ' They fpeak ' a vifion out of their own heart, and not out of the < mouth of the Lord.' Jer. xxiii. 16. They cannot attain " * The opinions of the Fathers of the firft three centuries are fhewn 'to be in oppofition to the peculiar tenets of the Church of Rome and of the Diffenters, in a ufeful work, entitled, "A Treatife on the Govem- « ment of the Church." PubUflied at Dublin, 1811. 382 APPENDIX. " peace, who have. broken the Lord's peace by the fury " of difcord. Let them not deceive themfelves by a vain ic interpretation of the Lord's words, ' Where two or c three are gathered together in my name, there am I in ' the midft of them.' Thofe who corrupt and falfely inr " terpret the Gofpel, ftrain particular paflages to an ex- " treme meaning, and pafs over -the preceding context: " part they remember, and part they craftily fupprefs. " As they are divided from the Church, thus they fepa- " rate one particular text from Scripture. When the " Lord was perfuading his Difciples to unanimity and " peace, he fhews that he paid more regard to the unani- " mity of fupplicants than to their numbers. ' If two of ' you,' he fays, ' fhall agree upon earth :' union and con- " cord are the previous conditions, then ' I am with '. them ;' I am with the fimple-minded, the peaceable, " with thofe who fear God, and keep his commandments. " But how can he agree with any, who does not agree i' with the body of the Church, and the whole brother- " hood ? For we have not feparated from them, but they " from us." NUMB. IV. The two following documents exhibit the excefs of Pontifical tyranny, and the light, which fhewed the way to liberty, from the torch of Erafmus. " Bonifacius (A. D. 1303.) Epifcopus Servus Servorum " Dei, facrofanctse Romanae Ecclefiae (quam imperfcru- " tabilis divinas providential altitudO univerfis difpofitione " incommutabili praetulit ecclefiis, et totius orbis praeci- " puum obtinere voluit magiftratum) regimini praefidentes " curis agitamur continuis, 8cc." Corpus Juris Canonici Sext. Decretal. Lib. p. 1, <%. APPENDIX. 285 ic Uriam fanctam Ecclefiam catholicam et ipfam Apo-* ^' ftolicam, urgente fide, credere cogimur et tenere. " Ip Mc ejufque poteftate duos effe gladios, fpiritalem* " videlicet et temporalem, evangelicis dictis inftruimur/ " Luc. xxii. Uterque eft in poteftate Ecclefiae, fpiritalis fci- " licet gladius et materialiss Sed is quidem pro Ecclefiav " ille ab Ecelefia; exercendus. Ille Sacerdotis, in manu " regum et militum, fed ad nutum et patientiam Sacer- " ddtis. Oportet autem gladium efle fub gladio, et tempo- " ralem auctoritatem fpiritali fubjiei poteftatL Spiritalem, " et dignitate et nobilitate, terrenam quamlibet praecel- " lere poteftatem, oportet tanto clartus nos fateri, quanto " fpiritalia temporalia antecelluht. " Si deviat terrena poteftas, judicabitur a poteftate fpi- " ritali : fed fi deviat fpiritalis, minor a fuo fuperiori. Si " vero Suprema, a folo Deo non ab homine poterit judi- " cari. Eft autem haec auctoritas, etfi data fit homini, et " exerceatur per hominem, non humana fed potius di- " vina, fie divino Petro data, fibique fuifque fuccefforibus, " in ipfo quem confeffus fuit, petr^. firmata3: dicente " Domino ipfi PetrO, ' Quodcunque Iigaveris &C' " Ouicunque igitur huic poteftati/a'Deo fie ordinatae, " refiftit, Dei ordinationi refiftit ; riifi duo (ficut Mani- " chaeus) fingat effe principia : quod falfum et haereticum "judicamus : quia, teftante Moyfe, non in principiis, fed " in principio, coslum Deus creavit et terram. " Porro, fubeffe Romano Pontifici, omni humanae crea- " turae declaramus, dicimus, definimus, et pronuntiamus, " omnino effe de neceffitate falutis. " Datum Latera. ponti. noftri anno 8." Ibid. Extravagant. Commun. de Majoritate et Oledi- entid, lib. i. p. 319. Erafmus, in an Expofition on the thirty-eighth Pfalm, b Note of explanation : " Firmata in ipfo Chrifto petra, quam PetruS « confeffus fuit." 384 APPENDIX. as a check to the plea of infallibility, points out the errors which have been committed by the beft men ; and aflerts, though with fOme caution, that no men and no boqk_s are faultlefs, except Jefus, Chrift, and the canonical Scriptures. He inftances in the Fathers of the Church : and we have already quoted (fee Sermon I. p. 13.) his ftrictures upon Origen, whofe genius preferved him not from herefy; upon Tertullian, who, notwithftanding his learning and difcernment, lapfed into the fchifm of Montanus ; upon Cyprian, a man of Apoftolic faactity, who declared bap tifm by Heretics to be void : and upon Irenaeus, whofe knowledge and love of true religion were not fufficient to defend him from the error of the Millenarians. Erafmus, in continuation of his fubject, brings to view the miftakes of fucceeding Fathers. He fays : St. Am- brofe makes Peter's denial of Chrift an allegory; that the errors of Lactantius are too obvious fo need enumeration; " Jerome, that pillar of the Church, thought that he " who married a fecond wife after baptifm, the firft -wife " being dead, fhould be ejected from the priefthood for " bigamy : the Church decrees differently." " Auguftinj " than whom no one has more genius or circumfpection^ " is perhaps free from error. No : he thought that bap? " tifm availed not to infants, without the body and blood " of our Lord. How often does he deny the merit of " good works, and afcribe falvation to grace0? He aflerts " that the Apoftle erred in a matter of faith, after having " received the Holy Ghoft." Chryfoftom thought confeffion of fins to the Prieft not neceflary, but only to God. Hilary fpeaks improperly e " Idem quot locis inculcat nulla effe hominum merita ? Quotie? " univerfam hominis falutem afcribit gratia? ? Affeverat Petrum Apo- " ftolura, poft acceptum Spiritum fanctum erraffe in fide, tribuens illi « perverfam voluntatem, ac fuperftitiofum ftudium gentibus imponendi " MofaicK legis jugum." APPENDIX. 285 of the Holy Ghoft, as " Spiritus Dei Patris." Gregory thought marriage impure ; and that no image fhould be worfhipped ; " nullum manufactum ullo modo adoran- " dum." Writers of inferior celebrity, Bernard, Gerfon, Thomas, Scot, committed many errors. " How many things are contained in the decrees and " decretal epiftles of the Popes, which would now be " confidered heretical. For we are now come to the " chief Pontiffs, whom fome deny to be fallible, at leaft " in matters of faith and morality d. What is the mean- d " In decretis ac decretalibus epiftolis Pontificum quam multa re- " feruntur, quae nunc haberentur hseretica? Jam enim venimus ad " fummos Pontifices, quos quidam negant poffe labi, duntaxat in his " qua? fpeftant ad fidem et bonos mores. Quid igitur fibi vult, quod " frequenter pofterior Pontifex refcindit de mortui decreta. Nonne , " Joannes vigefimus fecundus, de paupertate Chrifti et Apoftolorum " diffentit a Nicolao ? Ne commemorem tot errores quos illi intentant " Occaniftae, certe de piorum animabus, non fruituris vifione beati- " fica ante refurre&ionem, et huic adhaerentes fententias damnavit " etiam Schola Parifienfium. Nonne Innocentius tertius pugnat cum " Celeftino, qui jus fecerat iterandr conjugii, fi alter fuiffet prolapfus in " haerefim. Nonne Pelagii conftitutionem de conjugibus adimendis " Sicilian diaconis, quas ante ediftum proditum legitime duxerant, Gre- " gorius primus abrogavit, tanquam Evangelio repugnantem et proinde " haareticam. Rurfus quod damnat Gregorius, probat Innocentius ter- " tius. Adhaec quod Romani Pontifices ftatuerant, ut qui cum duabus " contraxiffet ea effet uxor, quam cognoviffet, nonne refcindit Innocen- " tius tertius, pronuncians earn effe uxorem, cum qua prius contraxerat. " Jam fi quis excutiat prifcas Synodos, quam multa reperiet, quae nunc " multis nominibus pateant calumnia?. Quorum illud eft, quod in Sym- " bolo Synodi Conftantinopolitanae, quod hodife canitur in facrificio " milfae, Spiritus fanftus tantum dicitur ex Patre procedere : atque in- " ibi quum Filius pronuncietur Deus verus ex, Deo vero, Spiritus fanc- " tus tantum Dominus dicitur. De fimonia quam multa decreta funt, " quorum alia nunc funt ufu abrogata, alia veluti perperam definita, " reprobata. Prioris generis funt tam multEe conftitutiones de libertate " ele6tionis, de multitiidine facerdotiorum, de immunitatibus eccle- " fiarum :, pofterioris quod fimoniacus ordinans nihil agit, fed quod " accipit facrilegium eft, quod dat lepra elt. Sed quod ego hoc pelagus " immenfum aggredior. Laudata et theologorum pia civilitas qui talia ?86 APPENDIX. " ing then,' that one Pontiff often refcinds the decrees of "iis deceafed predeceffor? Did not John the twenty- " fecond differ from Nicholas, concerning the poverty of "Chrift and his, Apoftles? Is not Innocent the third at " variance with Celeftine, who -allowed a fecond marriage, " in cafe one of the parties were heretical ? Pope Pela- " gius ordained, that the Sicilian Deacons fhould be de- " prked of their lawful wives : Gregory the firft abro- " gated this ordinance, as repugnant to the Gofpel, and " therefore heretical. And again what Gregory conr " demns, Innocent the third approves, &c. But where- " fore fhould I engage in this boundlefs fubject? The "pious courtefy of theologians is to be commended, " who, when fuch things fall in their way, either decline " them, as they term it, or give them a convenient inter- " pretation : fuch conceffion is made to antiquity, and to " quoties incurrunt, aut declinant, ut ipfi folent loqui, aut commode '.' interpretantur : datur hoc antiquitati, datur vitas fanftimonia:. A.udip " et probo. Sed interim verum eft quod propofui, ne fummos quidem f viros potuiffe cavere quin alicubi Jaberentur." Erafmus feelingly adds : " Accedit hue prodigiofa qusdam hominum, " ingratitudo : pro tam multis bene difitis nulla eft gratia, unus et alter, " lapfus, licet humanus, faevis exagitatur modis. Tantorum laborum ac " vigiliarum memoriam obruunt pauculi naevi. At mifer ille pro tot " vigiliis, pro tantis fudoribus praemii loco refert furiofos clamores, con- " foditur veneno tinclas linguis, lapidatur petulantiffimis libellis, undique " fie tunditur rixantium, et conviciantium vocibus, ut fe nee aures " habere credat nee oculos. Sunt enim ingenia quae dicas in hoc " nata, ut aliis aliquid praeclari molientibus obftrepant, ac rem piam " fedulo conantibus oppedant, ipfa nihil ex fefe pariant. Deinde paula- " tim contagio ferpit lues, et ufque glifcit incendium, donee omnibus " phanatico fpiritu afflatis undique clametur, Crucifige, crucifige. Ge- " nerofus animus nihil habet fama clarius, adeo ut multi mortem minus " hoffear(t quam ignominiam." Era/mi Enarratio in Pfalm. xxxviii, lib. v. p. 362. Edit. Bafil. apud Froben. 1540. In the 28th book of Erafmus's Epiftles, vol. iii. of the fame edition, the reader will find a diftin6fc and judicious account of moft of the Fathers : Erafmus publiflied thefe works at Bafil, and prefixed prefac^ addreffed to diftinguifhed men. APPENDIX. 287 " fanctity. I heatf and I approve : I only mean to affert « the truth of my propofition, that the beft and greateft ** men are fallible." NUMB. V. ExtraBfrom M. Daily's treatife " DeUfu Patrumf" Genev. 1686. p. 9. and 356. " Juftin and Tertullian and Clement declare the vanity "of falfe deities, and teach that the objects of heathen " worfhip, Jupiter, Mars, Juno, were in fact mortals ; and ft that there is one only God, the Creator of heaven and " earth. Irenaeus overthrows Bafilides, Valentinus, and *' the other Gnoftics, thofe monfters, and fabricators of a "theology at once the moft deteftable and the moft un- wife. Tertullian alfo refutes the Gnoftics, and more- " over combats Marcion, and Hermogenes, and Apelles " and Praxeas, and others who conftituted two gods or " two firft principles ; or who confoiinded the perfons of " the Father and of the Son. Cyprian employs himfelf " almoft entirely in promoting difcipline and virtue in the " Church of Chrift. " That the authority of the primitive writings is fu- -" preme and infallible we indeed deny : but we do not " therefore think them ufelefs. If nothing but what " is infallible1 were conducive to the interefts of reli- " gion, all human compofitions would be vain. We read " with great advantage the authors of our own time, and " of an age immediately preceding. How much more " advantageous muft the ftudy of the Fathers be, whofe •" piety, if not greater, is at leaft more confpicuous than •" that of moderns ? Auguftin defpifed not the ancients, •^.becaufe he thought the truth of their 6pinio.ns refled n 388 APPENDIX. " upon the light of reafon and the authority of Scripture. " The fame may be faid of Jerome, who perufed the " Fathers, though he noted their miftakes. Take from " the primitive writers, I do not fay that fovereign autho- " rity, which they never claimed, but their reputation and " very name : their writings will not in that cafe be " ufelefs. For books profit, not becaufe they are com- " pofed by this or that perfon, but becaufe they teach " ufeful truths, and profcribe error and vice. Expunge, " if you pleafe, the name of Auguftin from the frontif- " piece of thofe capital treatifes 'De Civitate Dei' and ' De Doctrina Chriftiana ;' I fhould ftill receive informa- " tion of the moft valuable kind from both works, al- *' though I knew not the author of them. The fame " reafoning holds good with refpect to other Fathers. " Above all, in thefe ancient records are fcattered very " many folemn exhortations to holinefs of life, and the " obfervation of Chriftian duties. There are numerous " and obvious paflages, which eopioufly illuftrate and " confirm the univerfally acknowledged fundamentals of " the Chriftian religion : many ufeful explanations of " Scripture, and the myfteries contained in Scripture : " and thus they are of great weight in proving the truth " of Chriftianity. For, let me afk, is it not a wonderful " thing, that fo many men, endowed with ftrong under- " ftandings and a felicity of genius, born through fo " many centuries in different countries, differing in dif- " pofitions, in purfuits, and fometimes in opinion, fhould " firmly confent and agree in all the fundamentals of " Chriftianity, as with one mind and one will ; and, " however they may differ on other points, fhould wor- " fhip one Chrift ? fhould teach the fame fanctification ? " fhould hope in the fame immortality ? fhould receive " the fame Gofpels ; and all behold in them great and " fublime myfteries ? I confefs the truth of Chriftianity APPENDIX. 489 " is fufficiently eftablifhed by the reafon of things, by the *( excellence and wifdom of all its precepts, by an extra- ** ordinary and inherent beauty, which makes its celeftial tl origin felf-evident, without any more certain or ftriking " proofs. Still the aftonifliing confent of the Fathers, " upon the fubject of the truth of the Gofpel, is no light " teftimony to the fame effect. For it is quite improbable " that fo many men, pollened, as thefe memorials fhew, " of clear and fuperior intellect, fhould be fo ftupidly be- " wildered, as to place the fum of every thing in the " religion of Chrift, to ftake for this religion their whole " fortunes, to encounter for it all kinds of difficulties and " dangers, to fpend their lives for it willingly and joy- t( fully ; unlefs there be really in this religion a heavenly " virtue and efficacy in making an impreffion on the " fouls of men. Is it credible that thefe heroes, who " with fuch admirable conftancy agreed in the truth of " the Gofpel, had views of things lefs clear and juft than " fome few Atheifts, who have here and there vented " their calumnies againft Chriftian holinefs, fo foully and " unreafonably, that they appear more like barking dogs " and fwine, than men gifted with the faculty of fpeech ? " Did thefe: perfons poflefs in reality thofe powers of " mind, of which they falfely and foolifhly boaft, ftill " their own morals and way of life would invalidate their " teftimony. For it is not furprifing, that men, devoted " to ambition and the gratification of their lufts, fhould " defame that difcipline which condemns the proud, and " whoremongers, and drunkards, to eternal punifhment. " They eafily perfuade themfelves that Chriftianity is " falfe, becaufe it is their intereft that it fhould be falfe. " To attach importance to the calumnies of fuch wretches "againft religion, is the fame thing as to liften to the " opinion of thieves and ftrumpets, concerning laws made " for the prefervation of morality. 290 APPENDIX. " Very different was the coriduct of thofe holy inert* " who perfevered in their Chriftian profeffion. Born and " educated in infirmities, doubtlefs they were, like other " men, naturally prone to thofe vices which' the law of " Chrift forbids, and averfe from its falutaryinjuri&ions. " Neverthelefs they proclaimed its truth, arid their, tefti- '.' mony is not open to fufpicion. Therefore, even if the "Fathers did not, as they manifeftly do, excel Infidels in " underftanding and knowledge, yet their bare word 5' ought to carry more weight than any teftimony from " the oppofite quarter. " The difagreement which we have noticed to exift, be- '/ tween the Fathers, upon fome points, is fo far from " detracting from the value of their evidence, that it en- " hanoes it, as it frees them from all imputation of collu- " fion. It proves- that the unanimity, with which they " fpeak of Chrift, proceeded from no confederacy. They, " who are perceived to differ on many fubjects, cannot " derive their agreement upon others from any mutual " fettled communication : but it muft proceed from me- " ditation and fixed confideration of the fubject itfelf. " And if this were the only ufe of the works arid monu- " ments of the Fathers, it would be an ample recom- " mendation to ftudy them. " Notwithftanding the differences arid errors of the " Fathers, the moft grateful fruit may be gathered from " their writings. For Chriftianity confifts not in fub- " tleties and cafuiftry, &c." See Sermon VIII. p. 249. AN ABSTRACT OF JUSTIN MARTYR'S DIALOGUE WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. E?re» ei vevoijxaTg Ta eigrjjjieva mo twv •nspotyttTim, ovx av ffog- veitrSe aurov etvou &eov, tov ftovov xai ayevvtjTOv xai upprpov ©eon vlov. Dial, cum Tryphon. p. 355. Ed. Colonics. " If ye bad understood the sayings of the Prophets, ye would " not be found denying that this is God, the Son of the only, " unbegotten, ineffable God." V 2 CONTENTS OF JUSTIN MARTYR'S DIAIX5GUE WITH TRYPHQ. Sett. I. THE meeting of Juftin and the Jews in the Portico at Ephefks : Juftin declares the fuperiority of the Go/pel over Heathen morality, and the Jewifh 0ovenant. After a trial of different feBs of teachers, he had found Chrif tianity the only true philofophy. II. Juftin enters into a defence, of his religion, and extols that piety which is fpiritual above thofe external cere monies, which were ordained to the Jews for a particular and temporary purpofe. He points out the judgments denounced in Scripture againft the Jews. III. The admiffton of the Gentiles into God's covenant fore told hy tke , Jewjfh prophets. The Mof aic, rites not effential, becaufe the patriarchs obferved them not: but juftice and virtue are of. eternal and unchangeable obli gation, and were preached by Chrift. IV. Trypho objeBs lo the abjeB condition of Jefus Chrift, as being itnconftftent with the glorious charaBer of the Mefliah, delivered by the prophets. Juftin fhews that fome Scriptures, which the Jews apply to .Solomon and Hezekiah, really refer to Chrift. The two advents of the Mejftah. V. The failings and offences lofjbme profejfors @f Chrifti anity no conclufive argument againft its truth. The blamelefs and exalted charaBer of Jefus. "3 204 CONTENTS OF JUSTIN MARTYR/S _.. VI. Trypho, admitting that two advents of the Mefftah, one in humility, the fecond in glory, are prediBed, afks for proof that Jefus is Chrift. VII. He thinks it blafpheiky to affb ¦), that this crucified perfon was in preexiftence with Mofes and Aaron, and became man, and is to be (idored. VIII. Juftin expounds fome types and prophecies in the Old Teftament, relative to Chrift ; and /hews -that the ritual law was given to the Jews particularly, on account of the hardnefs of their hearts. IX. The my fiery of Chrift's birth: he was born of a Virgin according to the Scriptures. Remiftion of fins is through him. , ' ' X. Of eternal falvation. Trypho afks, Will, thofe who ob- . ferve the law of; Mofes live with Enoch, &c. according to your principles P The entire law of Mofes cannot now be kept. XI. Trypho afks, If any true Chriftian wifh alfo to, keep the law of Mofes, will, he . be faved P Juftin gives his opinion in the affirmative. XII. Trypho returns to the quefiion of. Chrift's preexiftence, which fie thinks a paradox. The celebrated paffage in which Juftin mentions that fome profeffors of Chrifti anity thought Chrift a mere man : he himfelf does not ' agree with them. Xlli. Trypho thinks the doBrine that Chrift had only a human nature the moft probable. Heftarts as an objec tion to Jefus being the Chrift, that Elias muft firft come. Juftin replies, that Elias is come, becaufe John the Bap- tift came in his fpirit. XIV. It is farther proved that this is Elias, that was for to come. The law and the prophets were until John : the fulfilment of prophecies in the difperfion ofthe'Jews, after the coming of Jefus Chrifti XV. Trypho preffes for an explanation of the doBrine of there being another God befides the Creator. Jiiftirt DIALOGUE WITH TRYPHO. 295 enters into a detailed proof, that the heavenly Being who Jpake to Abraham, Jacob and Mofes, was God, but not God the Father and Maker of all. XVI, XVII. More proofs from Scripture of the preexift ence of God the Son. XVIII. Trypho afks for proof that this fame God endured to be born of a virgin, to be crucified, and lo die. XIX. Trypho fays, Be this then Lord and Chrift and God to you Chriftians. But we worfhip the God who made him ; and need not confefs this Chrift. Juftin repeats that none can be faved but through Jefus Chrift. The inefficacy and temporary inftitution of the Mofaic law again urged. XX. Trypho is flow to comprehend how God endured to become man. Juftin brings more arguments to this point : he marks the difingenuoufnefs of the Jews in ex pounding Scripture, and inftfis upon the great authority of the verfton of the Seventy. XXI. The fecond day's conference. God the Son was born of a Virgin, according to the Scriptures. XXII. The power of evil angels. XXIII. Recapitulation. XXIV. Trypho inquires, If Chrift had preexiftence as God, how could he receive the Holy Spirit ? XXV. Trypho flumbles at the ignominious and accurfed death of Chrift. It is explained to be tlte fulfilment of Scripture. XXVI. The benefits of Chrift's paffion, XXVII. The fanBification of Chriftians. XXVIII. Juftin urges the power and Godhead of the in carnate Redeemer. XXIX. No. remiffton of fins without repentance. U4 AN ABSTRACT OF JUSTIN MARTYR'S DIALOGUE WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. A. D. 150. JUSTIN relates the manner of his being accofted by Trypho and his companions, in the public Portico at Ephefus. Trypho declares himfelf a Jew, and expreffes his fondnefs for the Grecian philofophy : Juftin admo- nifties him of its futility, and of the fuperior importance* of the Jewifh Scriptures ; he points out the doubts and ignorance of heathen philofophers on the fubjects of the nature of God and of a future ftate, and obferves, that they attracted followers, not from an admiration of any real knowledge they poflefled, but by their confpicuouB virtues, by their fortitude and temperance, and the no velty and elegance of their language. He ftates his own experience of the vanity of thefe teachers c, and the extra ordinary direction he received to Chriftianity, that truly divine wifdom which no man can underftand, unlefs the Spirit of God be with him. The Jews ridicule Juftin believing in Chrift. It were better, fay they, to have re- e See the account of Juftin in Sermon III. 298 JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE mained a follower of Plato, and an obferver of moral vir tue, than to leave God and place your hopes in a man. They wifh to perfuade and wanton ' eyesa and long trains to their garments P.' 'For all,* " he cries, c have gone out of the way, all are become 'abominable;, there is none that doeth good, no not one. ' Their throat is an open fepulchre : adders* ppifon is ' under their lips. Deftruction and wafting are in their 'paths, and the way of peace have they not knownV 1 Ifaiah xiii. 6, 7. m Ixii. 10, 11, 12. » lxiii. i. » Ifaiah i. 23. f iii. 16. 4 Pfalm xiv. 3. v. 9. cxl. a. Ifiuah lix. 7, 8. 3o» JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE "The Law was originally given on account of "your of* "fences; and it was continued, becaufe ye continued "an them. Would God, think you, have enjoined your *f priefts to offer facrifices on the fabbath-day, arid chil- f' dren to be circumcifed on the fabbath-day, if thefe "ithings; had been fin? Could' he not ' have commanded ">that the child fhould be circumcifed on the day before, "Or the day after, the fabbath? The patriarchs too, be- (f fore Mofes and Abraham, men renowned for their " righteoufnefs and accepted with God, wherefore were "they not' enjoined circumcifion and the obfervance ". of " the fabbath ? Trypho could only anfwer, Thus it pleafed " God : the ufual pretext of thofe, who have no reafon- " able defence to make. On the other hand faid I, I bring 'f you arguments and proofs from Scripture and from facts : " delay not therefore; liften to me, though uncircumcifed; " and become profelytes to Chrift, while time is yours, and " before his coming, when your repentance and tears will "¦ be vain. Circumcife your hearts : no longer fow among "thorns, and on land unploughed : but become new men " in Chrift, and your hearts will, then be like frefh, beau- " tiful, and rich land. ' Behold, the days come, faith ' the Lord, that I will punifh the circumcifed with the 'uncircumcifed; Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the ' fons of Moab : for all thefe nations are uncircumcifed, ' and all the houfe of Ifrael are uncircumcifed in the 'heart1.' Thus God only regards circumcifion as a fign. *' But if a Scythian or Perfian know God and his Chrift, f and keep the law of eternal juftice, he has the good " and ufeful circumcifion ; God is friendly to him, and " rejoices in his offerings. Let me remind you of the " words of the .prophet Malachi : ' I have no pleafure in ' you, faith the Lord of hofts, neither will I accept an ' Jer. ix. 25, 26: WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. £03 * offering at your hand. For, from the rifing of the fun' * even to the going down of the fame my name fhall be ' great among the Gentiles, &c.s' And ,of David : ' A 'people whom 1 1 have not known fhall ferve me. As 5 foon as they hear of me, they fhall obey me '.' Let all " of us aflembled nations glorify God; becaufe he has tc vifitedus. Let us glorify him /through the King of !" glory, through the Lord of powers. His favour ; is " towards the -Gentiles : our facrifices are pleafanter to " him than yours. What then is circumcifion, to. me, " who have a teftimony from God ? What is the ufe of " that baptifm to one who is, baptized with the Holy "Ghoft? .Thefe. reafons muft, I think, perfuade men of " any underftanding : for the matter is no preparation of "mine, neither adorned by the art of man: the, words " are in the Songs of David, and in the Gofpel of Ifaiah ; " they are the prophecies of Zechariah, the writing of " Mofes. Do you acknowledge : them, Trypho ? They Cl. are depofited in your, let me rather fay in our, Scrip- f tures : for we believe in them, and obey them : ye at-- V tend to the letter, but the fpirit efcapes you. No 5* longer therefore vent your bitter reproaches againft. us, " becaufe we obferve not circumcifion and the fabbath : ',' by whioh rites foolifh men act the. part of fycophants' "towards Almighty God, who has indeed always taught' " all men the fame juft laws. Many have thought thofe f commands unreafonable and unworthy of God, not " having received grace to perceive that they were iffued " on account of your wickednefs, to lead you to repent - ** ance. It is plain that God's law isc fweeter to us than "honey or the honeycomb, becaufe we fuffer. death ra- " ther than deny it. , . .... \. " We always implore God, through Jefus Chrift, to • Mai. i. 10, 11. \ Pfalm xviii. 43, 44. $04 JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE "guard us from thofe evil fpirits whom we formerly "adored. Him we call upon, our Helper and Re- " deemer, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate; and " at the found of his name, the devils now tremble a^d "obey. Such power has the Father given him, and *' hence we may gather what his appearance will be in his "gloryj according to the defcriptjprt of the prophet Da- " niel : ' I beheld till the thrones were caft dawn, and * the Ancient of days did fit, &c.' See Da>riiel vii. 9. to "fhe end." IV. " When I had ceafed, Trypho faid : Thefe and fimilar " Scriptures oblige us to expect that glorious and greaf " One, who, as the Son of man, is to receive from " the Ancient of days an everlafiing kingdom. But he " who is called your Chrift was bora in a ftate without " honour or reputation, and fuffered the extreme curie1 "of the law, even crucifixion. If I had not fhewn, I " faidj from the Scriptures, that his appearance was " mean, and his generation obfcure ; that for his death " the rich fhould fuffer death, and that by his ftripes we " are healed ; and that he was led like a lamb to the " flaughter : and if I had not explained his two advents, " one in whioh he was piereed by you, the other when " y© fhall look on him whom ye have pierced, and your " tribes fhall mourn : I fhould indeed have thought I had "fpoken unintelligibly. But I adduce all my proofs " from the holy and prophetic Scriptures, hoping to find " fome among you, through the grace which comes from " the Lord of hofts, referved for eternal life. That the " point in queftion may be made clearer, I will now " bring forward fome writings of bleffed David, in which " ye will perceive, that he mentions the Lord Chrift by " the divine Spkit of prophecy, and the Lord the Father te WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. 305 "of all things bringing him upon earth, and placiitg him " at his right hand, until he makes his enemies his foot- " ftool. Which came tO pafs from the time that our " Lord Jefus Chrift afdended into heaven, in the fulnefs " of time, after his refurrettion. Daniel . alfo mentions "him who fhall fpeak blafphemoiis and great words " againft the Moft High, until a time and times and the " dividing of a timeu. This ye do not rightly interpret :' " for ye fay that a time is one hundred years ; therefore " the man of fin muft reign at leaft three hundred arid " fifty years. Thefe things I bring forward indirectly, " that ye may perceive their application to yourfelves, of " whom it is faid, 'The wifdom of their wife men fliall ' perifh, and the underftanding of their prudent men fhall 'be hidx." No longer therefore feduce others, but learn of us, whom the grace of Chrift has made wife. Thefe "are the words of David: * The Lord faid unto my * Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine ' enemies thy footftool, &c. The Lord hath fworn, and ' will not repent, Thou art a prieft for ever after the order ' of Melchizedeky.' Which words cannot apply, as ye " fay^ to King Hezekiah : for ye do not affert that he " was, or is, a prieft. But they are fpoken of our Jefus, as ye might perceive, if your ears were not flopped, '* and your hearts blinded. The Lord fwears, on account " of your incredulity, ' He is a prieft for ever after the • order of Melchizedek.' Now Mofes fays, that Melchi- " zedek was prieft of the moft high God, and he was " prieft to the uncircumcifed, and alfo bleffed Abraham " in circumcifion, who gave him tithes. Thus God ma- " nifefted that he would be an eternal highprieft, both to " the circumcifed and uncircumcifed ; and would blefs all ¦' Ban. ix. 36. * J&iah xxix. 14. y The whole 110th Pfalm is here quoted. «c 306 JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE " thofe who come to him, that is, who believe in him, " and afk his bleffing. The laft verfe of this Pfalm, ' He ' fhall drink of the brook in the way : therefore fhall he ' lift up the head,' fhews his ftate of humility, and of ex- " altation. As a farther proof of your felf-deception and " mifinterpretation of Scripture, I will quojte another " Pfalm, compofed by David under the infpiration of the " Holy Ghoft, which ye refer to Solomon, but which " was really fpoken of our Chrift. This fentence, ' The 'law of 'the Lord is perfect21,' means not, as ye expound " it, the Mofaic covenant : whereas God himfelf pro- " claims, that he would make ' a new law and a new co- ' venant with the houfe of Ifrael a.' Again: 'Give thy 'judgments unto the king, O Godb.' Thisye apply alfo " to Solomon : but the words of the Pfalm explicitly de- " note Chrift, the eternal King : for Chrift is King, and " Prieft, and God, and Lord, and Angel, and Man, and " chief Captain ; and a Stone, and born a Child, and be- " ing made firft expofed to fuffering, reafcended afterwards " into heaven, and fhall come again with glory, having " obtained an eternal kingdom. I can fhew that all this " is prophefied of him in the* holy Scriptures c. I know " that Solomon was a king, great and glorious, and that " by him the temple at Jerufalem was built : but the " Pfalm is not applicable to him. For all kings did not " worfhip him, nor did he reign to the ends of the earth, " nor did his enemies bow dowri before him, and lick the " duft. Let me remind you of his worfhipping idols, by " means of a Sidonian woman, which is mentioned in the " books of Kings.; a thing which they who acknowledge "the Creator of all things through the crucified Jefus " cannot do, but they rather endure torture, and punifh- " ment, and death." a Pfalm six. 7. a Jer. xxxi. 31. b Pfalm Ixxii. 1. 9 The whole of the 72d Pfalm 'is here quoted. WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. 307 V. Trypho. " But I hear that many profeffors of Chrif- " tianity eat things offered to idols, and fay there is no " harm, in fo doing." " I underfland there are fuch per- " fons," I replied, " who acknowledge indeed Jefus to be " Lord and Chrift, but inftead of his doctrines, they " teach 'thofe of the fpirit of error. We are followers of " the true and pure difcipline of Chrift Jefus, and are " more faithful and firm in the hope revealed from him. " He himfelf faid : ' Many fliall come in my name, clad ' in fheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening ' wolves ;' and 'There fliall be herefies and fchifms ;' and ' Beware of falfe prophets ;' and ' Many falfe Chrifts and ' falfe apoftles fhall arife, and fhall feduce many of the ' faithful.' Accordingly there are and have been many, " coming in the name of Jefus, who, by word and deed, " 'have taught atheifm and blafphemy ; and we denomi- " nate them after the authors of fuch doctrines. We " have no communion with thefe ungodly, irreligious, " and unjuft men, who, inftead of worfhipping (treSsiv) " Jefus, confefs him only in name : as idols are inscribed " with the name of God by the workers of wickednefs " among the Heathen. Thus fome of them are called " Marcionites ; others take the names of Valentinian, " Bafilides, and Saturninus, from the chiefs of their dif- " ferent opinions,- juft as the fects of philofophy receive " their titles. From thefe things we know that Jefus " was a true prophet, and from others which he foretold " would happen to thofe who believe and confefs him to " be Chrift. Our fufferings and perfecutions from our " countrymen he explicitly foretold : nor is he reprehen- " fible in word or deed. Wherefore we pray for you, " and for all others, our enemies ; that ye may repent *' and think with us, and no longer blafpheme him, who " by his works, by the virtues now exifting through his x 3 308 JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE " name, by the precepts of his doctrine, and by the pro- " phecies accomplifhed in him, is altogether without fpot " a|id blamelefs, Chrift Jefus. By faith in him fave yipuf- " felves at his next coming in glory, that ye may not b« " condemned to fire by him." VI. Trypho. Be it fo, tbat Chrift came, according to pro- " phecy, liable to fuffering, that he was called the Stone* " and that he fhall come again in glory, the, Judge " of all, an everlafting King and Prieft : ftill how do you " prove that this is he ?" " I am coming in good time to that proof. At pre- " fent permit me to adduce fome paflages from: the " prophets, to fhew that Chrift is God and Lord of " power, and is fymbolically called Jacob d by the Holy " Spirit. Your interpreters are, as God declares, with- " out underftanding, who refer thefe fayings, not to " Chrift, but to Solompn. Thus the twenty-fourth Pfalm " is fuppofed to relate wholly to the carrying the taber- " nacle of teftimony into the temple built by Solomon : " but Solomon was neither Lord of power, nor King of " glory. In the forty-feventh Pfalm the paffage, ' God ' is gone up with a fhout, the Lord with the found of the ' trumpet, &c.' can only relate to Chrift. In the ninety- " ninth Pfalm, he whom ye refufe for your King is called " King and Lord of Samuel, and Aaron and Mofes and "of all." VII. Trypho. " We fhould do better to attend to our " Rabbis, and not to have any intercourfe with you : for " you fpeak blafphemies, in attempting to perfuade us d A fupplanter. Gen. xxv. 26. xxvii. 36. " He took his brother by " the heel in the womb, and by his ftrength he had power with God," Ilofea xii. 3. WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. 309 *' that this crucified perfon was with Mofes and Aaron, "and talked with them in the cloudy pillar; then that " he became man, was crucified, and afcended into hea- " ven, and that he will come again upon earth, and that " he is to be adored {-srpoo-xvvYjTov) ." " ftpnfwerad : I know that according to the word of " God, the great wifdom of the Creator of all is hid " from you : wherefore, out of feeling for your condition, " I labour to make you underftand thefe apparent para- " doxes ; at leaft that I may be unpunifhed in the day of "judgment. Ye will hear ftill more incredible things; " but be not difturbed, rather liften with more alacrity, " and caft afide the traditions of your teachers, who are " more attentive to their own doctrines, than to the pre- " cepts of the holy prophetic Spirit. The forty-fifth " Pfalm is alfo a prophecy of Chrift. It is no wonder " you hate us, who underftand thefe prophecies, and who " conftantly reprove the hardnefs of your hearts. As God " reftrained his anger in the days of Elias, on account of " the feven thoufand who had not bowed their knees ta " Baal, fo is he now flow to judgment, becaufe many are " daily converted to Chrift, and leave the way of error, " and receive a diverfity of gifts through the illumination " of Chrift ; one the fpirit of underftanding, another of " counfel, another of ftrength, another of healing, another " of foreknowledge, another of teaching, another of the " fear of God." Trypho. " You are mad." Juftin. ." I am neither mad nor befide myfelf. After " Chrift's afcenfion to heaven it was prophefied, that he " fhould lead us away captive from error, and give us " gifts e: and we fhew, that, although ye are wife in your " own conceits, yet we alone, being inftru&ed in all e Pfalm Ixviii. 18. J3 310 JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE " truth, honour God jn works, in knowledge, and in " heart. Perhaps alfo ye forbear to confefs Chrift, and " the works that are done in his name, on account of the " perfecution of perfons in power, who being inftigated " by the ferpent, that wicked and fedu6Jive fpirit, ceafe " not to put to death and to perfecute. thofe who*confefs " Chrift, until he fhall come again, and diftribute to " every man his reward." VIII. Trypho. " Now then prove to us that he, «who you " fay was crucified and afcended into heaven, is the " Chrift of God. For you have fufficiently fhewn from " Scripture, that Chrift was foretold as obnoxious to fuf- " fering, (waS^Toj,) that he will, come again in glory, and " that he will receive an everlafting dominion over all " nations, all kingdoms being fubdued to him." Juftin. " This has been already proved to thofe who "have ears to hear, according to your own confeffion. /' I will bring forward more proofs in due time : but let " me now continue the thread of my argument. The " pafchal lamb was a type of Chrift, with whofe blood " the faithful fprinkle his temples, that is to fay them- " felves. But the pafchal lamb was a temporary inftitu- " tion, for it was only to be offered in the place where " the Lord's name was called upon, ancLGod knew that " the time would come when Jerufalem fhould be deli- " vered into the hands of your enemies. The two goats " of the Levitical law f, the fcape-goat, and the other of- " fered in facrifice during a faft, are types of the two ad- " vents of Chrift. He became an offering for all who " wifh to repent of ^heir fins, and to faft, according to " the faft prefcribed by Ifaiah, as I have already' ftated. f Lev. xvi. 5. WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. 311 " Ye know that the offering of the goats is permitted " only in Jerufalem. The offering of fine flour for the le- " prous prefigured the bread at the eucharift, which Jefus " Chrift our Lord commanded to be done, as a token of " our gratitude to God, becaufe he created the world and " all that it contains far man's ufe, and becaufe he has " delivered us from the ftate of fin and evil in which we " were, and has utterly deftroyed its principality and " power, by him who became fubject to fuffering through " his will. I have already quoted the words of Malachi, " one of the twelve prophets, on the fubject of your " former facrifices ; ' I have no pleafure in you, faith the ' Lord of hofts, neither will I. accept an offering^ at your 'hand. For from the rifing of the fun even unto the go- ' ing down of the fame my name fhall be great among * the Gentiles ; and in every place incenfe fliall be offered ' unto my name, anoVa pure offering : for my name fhall i be great among the heathen, faith the Lord of hofts. s But ye have profaned its." " As circumcifion originated with Abraham, and the " fabbath, the facrifices, the offerings, and the feftivals with " Mofes, and were all ordained on account of the hardnefs " of your hearts : fo muft they have their accomplifhment, ' " according to the will of the Father, in him, who was " born of a Virgin of the feed of Abraham, and of David, " of the tribe of Judah, the Son of God thrift Jefus. He " came, according to the prophets, to preach to the " whole world an everlafting law, and a new covenant. *" And we who approach to God through him, have re- " ceived not a circumcifion of the flefh, but a fpiritual " circumcifion, which Enoch and the others obferved. ."This we receive, being finners, through baptifm^ by the " mercy of God : and all may fo receive it. s Mal. i. 10, 11, 12. Some remarks concerning the typical rites of the Jews are here omitted. X4 313 JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE IX. " The myftery of Chrifts birth now demands our " confideration. Ifaiah declares that it is inexprefiible : ' Who fhall declare his generation ? for he was cut off ' out of the land of the living : for the tranfgreffion of ' my people was he ftrickenh.' Thus is he fpoken of by " the prophetic Spirit, who came into the world to die, " that by his ftripes we might be healed. When.Ahaz, " being at liberty to choofe a fign, refufed it, faying, ' I ' will not tempt the Lord ;' God himfelf gave him this " fign, 'Behold, a Virgin fliall conceive, &c.'' But ex- " cept Chrift, none of the feed of Abraham was born, or "faid tp be born, of a Virgin. Ye and your Rabbis " dare indeed to fay fhere is no fuch prophecy in Ifaiah, " and explain the words to relate to king Hezekiah : and " I will therefore enter into a farther commentary. If I " perfuade you, my confcience wiil be clear : if ye re- " main bard-hearted, and vainly fuppofe that ye will re- " ceive the rewards promifed through the Meffiah, be- " caufe ye are the feed of Abraham, ye wilt then .be felf- " deceivers. None of the feed of Abraham can receive " them, unlefs their faith be equal to that of Abraham, " and they have a knowledge of myfteries: upon them " the commands to obferve piety and juftice were obliga- " tory, for God fays by Ezekiel, ' Noah, Daniel, , and ' Job fhould not deliver their fons and their daughters; ' they fhould only deliver themfelves k :' and by Ifaiah, ' The Lord God faid, They fhall go forth, and look at f the carcafes of the men who have tranfgrefled againft 'me; their worm fhall not die, and their fire fhall not be ' quenched1.' Wherefore caft from you thefe v&in hopes, " and haften to know the way of the remiffion of fins_, h Ifaiah liii. 8. i Ifaiah vii. 14. * Ezek. xiv. 14. ? Ifaiah lxyi. 24. WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. 313 " and to have confidence in the inheritance of promifed " bleffings. There is no other way but to confefs Chrift, " to be baptized for the remiflion of fins, according to " Ifaiah's words, and to live without fin." X. Trypho. " Permit me to interrupt you by one queftion-." Juftin. " As you pleafe." Trypho. " They who live according to the law of Mo- " fes, will they live with Enoch, Noah, and Job in the " refurre&ion, or not ?" Juftin. "'I quoted Ezekiel to prove that thofe three " righteous men would deliver themfelves only, not their " fons and daughters : each perfon will be faved in his " own righteoufnefs, and fo they who obferve the law of " Mofes. For in that law the things which are naturally " excellent, and pious", and juft, are prefcribed : and alfo " other things, which were commanded on account of " the hardnefs of your hearts. And they who do the " things which are entirely and naturally and everlaftingly " good, pleafe God : and through this Chrift, in the re- " furrection, as their forefathers Noah, and Enoch, and " Job, and other juft men were faved, fo fliall they be " faved, together with all who acknowledge Chrift the " Son of God, who was before the morning-ftar and the " moon, and endured to be made flefh of that Virgin " of the feed of David, that through this difpenfation, " the ferpent wicked- from the beginning and his angels " might be deftroyed, and the power of death fet at " nought, ceafing altogether at the fecond coming of " Chrift, and exifting no more with refpect to thofe who " believe in Chrift and live according to his will. Then " fome fhall be difmiffed to the juft fentence of everlafting " punifhment by fire : and others fhall enter into a ftate 314 JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE "free from fuffering, and corruption, and grief, and " death." Trypho.^ " If there be among the obfervers of the Mo- " faic law, who wifh now to have life, believing alfo in " the crucified Jefus, confeffing that he is the -Chrift of " God, and that to him is given abfolute judgment over ".all, and that his kingdom is eternal: can they alfo.be "faved?" Jiiftin. _" Let us confider, is it poffible now to obferve " all things which Mofes commanded ?" Trypho. " No : " for the pafchal lamb, the goats, and other offerings " cannot be facrificed, as you have faid, any where but " in the holy land ?" Juftin. " Tell me then fome of " thofe which it is ftill poffible to obferve m." He an- fwered, " The fabbaths, and circumcifion, and moons, " and ablutions." Juftin. " Abraham and Ifaac and Ja- " cob and Noah and Job and the patriarchs before them, " and Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah, obferved none " of thefe : you think that they are faved ?" Trypho. " Surely : Abraham and his pofterity were circumcifed." Juftin. " Yes, but the rite began with him. And all the " ceremonies given by Mofes were appointed on account " of the hardnefs of heart of the Jews ; in order that by " many inftitutions in every action ye might have God " always before your eyes, and not be feduced into in- " juftice and impiety. Your fcarlet clothes and your " phylacteries were for the fame purpofe : ftill the Jews " fwerved from the worfhip of Godj and all thefe inftitu- " tions preferved them not from idolatry. On the con- " trary, rather than continue to facrifice to idols, we " Chriftians endure extreme torments, and rejoice in " death: believing that God by his. Chrift will raife us " up to incorruption and immortality ; and we know m Inftead of fiva ouv adbivurov itrvt tpvXc-.trirtiv, I read Tiva ovv a ^vvearev. WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. ' 31^ '" that thofe things Which were appointed to you on ac- #" count of the hardnefs of your hearts, do not really con- " ftitute juftice and religion." XI. Trypho. " What if- any, befides having fincere faith " in Chrift, and paying obedience to him, fhould farther " wifh to keep the Mofaic ritual : will he be faved ? Juftin. " Indeed I think fo : provided he does not at- " tempt to , perfuade others, the Gentiles particularly, to " be of that opinion, telling them, as you, have juft told " me, that they cannot be faved without the Mofaic " rites." Trypho. " You fay you think fuch a perfon " will be faved. Are there then who think otherwife ?" Juftin. " Yes, and who would not dare to have any com- " munion with fuch perfons : but I affent not to their " opinion.. If any, of weak underftanding, wifh to ob- " ferve what Mofes has delivered, as far as they can in " the prefent ftate of things, befides their hope in this " Chrift, and befides the works of juftice" and piety which " are eternal and obligatory by the law of nature ; and " prefer con Porting; with faithful Chriftians, without, as I " have faid, preffing upon them circumcifion, and the " fabbatical and other rites : for my part I think they are ' " to be received with open arms, in entire fellowfhip; as " brethren of our own flefh and blood. Upon the fame " principles, if any, of your people, Trypho, converts to " Chrift, force the Gentile Chriftians to obferve the law " ©f Mofes, I am not for receiving them : but ftill think " thofe Gentile Chriftians, who are perfuaded to follow " the law of Mofes, may be faved. They who have been " converted to Chrift, and relapfe into the legal infti- " tution, denying Chrift, cannot without repentance be " favefl : nor they of the feed of Abraham, who live ac- " cording to the law without faith in Chrift; and efpecially 3io" JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE " the perfecutors of Chrift in the fyriagogues. Such in- " deed is the goodnefs and loving-kindnefs of God, fuch* " the immenfity of his mercy, that, as he fays by Ezekiel, " he will receive him who repents and turns from his " wickednefs, as juft and blamelefs : but him who is an " apoftate from the true worfhip of God, and the ways " of righteoufnefs, he confiders a finner and an infidel. " Thus our Lord Jefus Chrift has faid : ' In whatfoever ' (things or actions or ways) I fhall find you, in them will ' I alfo judge you." XII. Trypho. "Well, we have heard your fentiments on " this point. Refume, if you pleafe, the thread of your " difcourfe. • You fpeak a' paradox, incapable I think of " demonftration : indeed to fay, as you do, that this " Chrift is God preexiftent before the worlds, fapoviragxEiv " &eov ovTa ispo aisovcov toutov Xjoiotov,) that he was born . " and endured to become man, though not of man, this " appears to me rather nonfenfe, than a paradox/' Juftin. " I know that this doctrine appears paradoxical, " particularly to the Jews, who have not been willing ei- " ther to know or to do the will of God, but obey the " precepts of their teachers, as God himfelf declares. " However11 this truth will not perifh, that this is the " ChriA of God, although I may not be able to demori- n From this celebrated paffage Dr. Prieftley and other writers have inferred, that Juftin Martyr and the primitive Church in general held communion with Unitarians ; and confequently did not think the dopr trine of the Godhead of Jefus Chrift an article of faith effential to fal vation. Bifliop Bull's obfervations on this point, Judicium Ecclef. Ca tholic, p. 69, 70, &c. are worthy of all attention. He with reafon re marks, that Juftin's argument is here addreffed to the man, to the Jew; whom he wants to convince in the firft place, that the expe6ted,Meffiah has come in the perfon of Jefus Chrift. The character of the Meffiah, whether or not he be really God, he for the prefent omits to confider, fheep fhall be fcattered4:' and it was ful- " filled; for, after Chrift's crucifixion, his followers were " fcattered, until he rofe from the dead, and proved to " them that ,it was foretold he muft fuffer. And they " were convinced, and went out into all the world, teach- " ing thefe things. We are firm in his faith and difci- " pline, for we are perfuaded by the prophets, and by " thofe who through the world have believed in him who " was crucified, and have become pious. In the prophecy " of Jacob, ' He wafhed his garments in wine, and his " clothes in the blood of grapes,' the Holy Spirit denotes " thofe who fhall be wafhed by his blood, and receive re- " million of fins. The expreffion, ' blood of the grape,' " means that the efficacy of Chrift's blood is not any " thing human, but by the power of God. This prophecy " fhews that Chrift is not a mere man, born after the " common manner of men." XV. Trypho. "We fhall bear in mind what you fay on this " point : now refume your proof that the Holy Spirit " has declared another God befides the Creator. Re- " member that the Gentiles were fuffered to worftiip the " fun and the moon, and that the prophets often fay, 'Thy God is God of gods, and Lord of lords",' adding " the epithets, ' great, ftrong, terrible *.' They were not " in reality gods, but we are taught to believe that the " true God, the Creator of all things, is only Lord of " thofe who are called gods and lords. Thus the Holy " Ghoft fays by holy David; 'The gods of the nations " are images of gods, not godsv:' and a curfe is added " upon thofe who make and thofe who worfhip them." « Zech. xiii. 7. » Deut. x. 17. * Ff. 1. 1. f Pf. cxv. 4. y 3%% JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE Juftin, " I rriean hot to adduce proofs of this kind, but " fuch as cannot be controverted. Though read daily to " you, they- will feem new : and hence ye may unddr- " ftand, that on account of your iniquity God has hidden " from you the wifdom of his word : though a Very fmall " remnant indeed is left, as Ifaiah fays, that your nation " may not be like Sodom and Gomorrah. Attend there- " fore to "my evidences from Scripture, which require not " explanation, but only to be heard. , Mofes indicates f, " that God was feen by Abraham with tie two angels " fent to the judgment of Sodom by the other (God), "who is always in heaven, neither is feen by any, nor " cohverfes with any, the Creator and Father of the uni- " verfe." Trypho and his friends exprefs themfelves not convinced by this evidence. Juftin. " Do you not think " that God was feen by Abraham under the oak of " Mamre, as the word fays ?" Trypho. " Yes." Juftin. " And he was one of the three, whom the prophetic Spirit "mentions?" Trypho. "No: God appeared fo him " firft; and then the three angels, who are called men." Juftin. " Yet one of the three faid to Abraham, ' I will ' certainly return unto thee according to the time of life • ' and lo, Sarah thy wife fhall have a fon :' and afterwards " it is written, ' God faid unto Abraham, Let it not be ' grievous in thy fight, becaufe of the lad; and becaufe of * thy bondwoman z.' Was it not therefore God who re- " turned under the oak of Mamre, and fpoke again to "Abraham?" Trypho. "You have not proved that this is another " God befides the- Creator. Though I confefs I was not " correct in faying that the three who were in the tent " with Abraham, were merely angels." Juftin. " You al- " IoW at leaft that you can comprehend how God, who was y Gen. xviii. 1, 2. * Gem xxi. 12. WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. 333 " before the creation of the world, appeared on earth in " the form of a man. I fhall now attempt to perfuade " you from Scripture, that the fame who appeared to " Abraham, and Jacob, and Mofes, is called God, and " differs from the Creator in number, but not in will; ' The fun was rifen upon the earth, when Lot entered ' into Zoar. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and * Gomorrah brimftone and fire from the Lord out of ' heaven a." Here the fourth oT Trypho's friends faidj " We muft then allow that this was another Lord God, " befides the one who appeared to Abraham." Juftin. " David fays the fame thing : ' The Lord faid unto my ' Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, &cb.' and again: ' Thy ' throne, O God, is for ever and ever; thou haft loved truth ' and hated iniquity ; therefore God, even thy God, hath ' anointed thee with the oil of gladnefs above thy fellows0." (The Author proceeds to quote at large the 18th and 49th chapters of Genefis, for the purpofe of proving that, not one of the two angels who defcended upon Sodom, but he who appeared with them to Abraham, and is called God, was both Lord and God, and con tinues thus :) " When he came to Sodom, he, and not the " two angels, fpoke, as the Scripture fhews, to Lot ; and " he is the Lord who brought deftruction from the Lord " in heaven, the Creator of all, upon Sodom and Gomor- " rah." Trypho fuggefts a difficulty concerning the food eaten by the three who appeared to Abraham. Juftin fays, " The expreffions are to be underftood in a figurative " fenfe, as when we fay, Fire devours." XVI. TrypRo. " This interpretation helps to remove the " difficulty. Now you have to explain how this God, » Gen. xix. 23, 24. b Pfalm ex. 1, 2. « Pfalm xiv. 6, 7. Y i 324 JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE " who was feen by Abraham, and who is minifter of God " the Creator, was born of a virgin, and made man, liable " to human paffions." Juftin. " I poffefs no eloquence or ' " art of words: I can only open to you the Scriptures, " according to the grace which God gives me." Trypho. " Your expreffions of modefty are ironical." Juftin. " I " cannot control your thoughts. I fay, Mofes has again "written that he who is called God, and Angel, and " Lord, was feen by the Patriarchs : and thus ye may be " confirmed in that opinion, which ye have already ex- " preffed, that he is the minifter of the Creator. ' The ' angel of God fpake unto me in a dream, faying, Jacob : ' And I faid, Here am I. And he faid, I am the God of ' Bethel, &c.d' Again : ' Jacob was left alone; and there ' wreftled a man (an angel) with him until daybreak : ' and he faid, Thy name fhall be no more called Jacob, but ' Ifrael ; for as a prince haft thou power with God, &c. ' And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel : for I ' have feen God face to facee.' Again : ' God appeared * unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram : ' and Jacob called the name of the place where God ' fpake with him, Bethel f.' He is called God, and is and " will be God. (0eoj xaXeiTai, xat ©eo; sj-i, xat sg-ai.) "They all nodded affent: and I [Juftin) added; Let " me remind you that this Angel and God and Lord, who " was feen by Abraham in the form of a man, and wreftled " with Jacob in the form of a man, appeared alfo to Jacob) " when he fled from his brother Efau e. This very Angek " and God, and Lord, and man, who appeared to Abra- " ham and Jacob, fpoke to Mofes from the burning bufli. " For he fays, ' The Lord God of your fathers appeared " to me, the God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, the God "of Jacob".' ¦i Gen. xxxi. 11, 18. e xxxii. 24, 28, 30. f xxxv. 9, 15. S Gen. xxviii. 10, 20. h Exod. iii. 16. ' M WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. 345 XVII. Trypho. "We think that an arigel appeared to Mofes " in the bufh, while God fpake to him." Juftin. " Even if it were fo, that both an angel arid "God were in the ^ifion of Mofes, yet no one, of the " flendereft underftanding, would venture to fay that the " Author and Father of the univerfe left his heavenly " abode, to fhew himfelf in a corner of the earth. He " alone, who is called an angel and is God, appeared and " converfed with Mofes : ' The angel of the Lord appear- ' ed to him in a flame of fire out of the midft of the ' bufh. And when the Lord faw that he turned afide to ' fee, God called unto him out of the midft of the bufh ».' " As the word calls him who appeared to Jacob in a " dream an angel, who fays, I am God, who was feen by " thee, when thou fleddeft from thy brother Efau : and as "the Lord is faid to have brought deftruction from the " Lord in heaven upon Sodom ; fo the angel of the Lord " is faid to have appeared to Mofes, and is afterwards " called Lord and God. Scripture fhews, that before all " creation God generated. from himfelf a rational virtue, " (Suva/xiv Xoyixrjv,) which by the holy Spirit is called the " glory of God, fometimes the Son, fometimes Wifdom, " fometimes an Angel,. fometimes God, fometimes Lord, "fometimes the Word; fometimes he calls himfelf the " Chief Captain, appearing in the form of a man to " Jofhua the fon of Nunk. Thus one fire, without dimi- " nution of its fubftance, kindles another '. God himfelf, " the Son, the Word, the Wifdom, Virtue, and Glory of 'Exod. iii. 2,3,4. k Jofli. v. 14. " As captain of the Hoft of the Lord am I now come. " And Jofliua fell on his face to the earth, and worfliipped." 1 " When Juftin fays that fire propagates the fame fire, he muft " mean that the Son of God, -generated by God, is alfo very God." BulliDefenf. Fid. Nic. c. iv. feet. 3. Y3 3»6 JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE " the Father, fpeaks by Solomon, ' The Lord poffeffed me ' in the beginning of his way, before his works of old, ' &cm.' The word of God by Mofes denotes him to be "God, faying, 'Let us make God after our, image".' "Do not fay, after your Rabbis, that God was here " fpeaking to himfelf, or to the elements, of which man " was formed : for afterwards God fays—-' Behold the ' man is become as one of us, to difcern good and evil ".' " They were therefore evidently two at leaft in number ; " nor could the words be fpoken, according to fome here- " tics among you, of angels. But in reality the very off- " fpring of the Father, was before all creation with the " Father, and the Father converfed with him." XVIII. Trypho. My friend, you have argued this point " powerfully. It now remains for you to fhew that the " fame endured, according to the will of the Father, to be " born a man of a virgin, and to be crucified, and to die : " and that he afterwards rofe again from the dead, and " afcended into heaven." Juftin. " I think I have already proved thefe truths " from Scripture °, particularly from the 45th Pfalm j " wherein there is a teftimony from the Creator himfelf, " that he is to be adored as God and Chrift, (irpo Juftin. .," Ye are eager, riot to obtain knowledge, but " for pqntentipo. I fear .the judgmentof God, and it is " not for me to determine, whether fome of your nation " may not be faved through the grace of the Lord of " hofts.; However perverfe the controverfy may be on " your part, I will not ceafe my endeavours to anfwer " your objections ; and I hold myfelf in readinefs to do " the fame towards all perfons of all countries. They of " your race who are faved, are faved by him, (by Chrift,) " as ye might have known, if ye had attended to the paf- " jages.-of Scripture already adduced by me." (Juftin here repeats his quotations from Pfalm xcix. i — 7. the 7 2d Pfalm, and Pfalm x'w. 1 — 6.) Trypho.- " Though fomewhat difconcerted by fo many " paflages of Scripture, I know not what to fay to the " words of Ifaiah, ' I am the Lord God : that is my ' name : and my glory will I not give to another P." Juftin. " If you confider the preceding context, • you " will find that God affirms he will give glory to him " whom he appointed a light to the .Gentiles. I then " quoted the paffage from Ifaiah, ' Behold, a virgin fliall 'conceive, and bear a fon, &c %' and infifted that, except P jtfai. xiii. 8. * Bai. vii. 10, 18. V4 3*3 JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE " this our Chrift, it is plain none of the feed of Abraham " was born; or faid to be born, of a virgin." Trypho. " The true reading is, not 5 a virgin,' but ' a ' young woman fhall conceive;' and moreover the whole " prophecy relates to Hezekiah. In the Grecian fables, " Perfeus is faid to have been the fon of Jupiter born of a " virgin, Danae. You ought to blufh to relate the fame " thing, and fhould rather fay that Jefus was a man born " of men ; and (if you can fhew from Scripture that he " was Chrift) that becaufe he lived a perfect life according " to the Law, he was thought worthy to be elected to be " the Meffiah. You have acknowledged that he was cir- " cumcifed, and that he obferved the other legal ordi- "• nances of Mofes." . Juftin: " I have acknowledged, and do acknowledge it. " But he did not obferve thefe things, in order that he " might be juftified by them, but that he might completely " fulfil the difpenfation, committed to him by his Father, " the Creator and Lord and God of all. For this caufe " he endured the death upon the crofs, and to become " man, and to fuffer thofe things which he did fuffer from " your nation. Since you depart from your former con- " ceffions, I muft again afk you, have the Patriarchs, who " received not the law of Mofes, their inheritance among " the bleffed or not?" Trypho. " They have." Juftin. " Again, did God command your fathers to " offer oblations, and victims, becaufe he wanted them, or " on account of the hardnefs of their hearts, and their in- " clination to idolatry ?" Trypho. " Scripture obliges me " to concede this alfo." Juftin. "And God promifed a new covenant, befides " that in Horeb, unaccompanied with fear and trembling, " thunders and lightnings : thus fhewing, that God has " ordained fome precepts and work to be eternal, and WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. 339 "fuited to all mankind: and fome things he appointed, " as he proclaims by the Prophets, on account of the " hardnefs of your hearts ?" XX. Trypho. " All this muft be acknowledged by thofe who " are lovers of truth, rather than of contention. Still you " attempt to prove a thing incredible, and fcarcely poffi- " ble, that God endured to be born and become man." Juftin. " Had I undertaken to prove this by human " doctrines and arguments, you ought not to bear with " me. But after adducing fo many paflages from Scrip- " ture, over and over again, to the fame point, I ftill find " your hearts clofed to the knowledge of the will of God, " I fhall not be injured, but, retaining my own opinions, " fhall take, my leave." Trypho. You have acquired this knowledge after much " trouble and labour : and it behoves us, after lifting and " examining every thing to the utmoft, to affent to Scrip- « ture." Juftin. " I am far from defiring you not to examine the " matter in every fhape. But I certainly wifh you not to " retract what you have already granted. The words, ' Who fhall declare his generation ?' do they not fignify " that the perfon fpoken of is not of human race ?" Trypho. " Does not the word fay to David, that from " his loins God will take to himfelf a Son, and will give " him a kingdom, and place him on the throne of his «' glory r?" Juftin. " That prophecy is explained by another, which " is alfo addreffed to the houfe of David, viz. ' Behold, a * virgin fhall conceive.' Believe not your teachers, who " fay that the tranflation made by your feventy-two elders, r Pfalm cxxxii. 11. The Seventy tranflate thus : ix sx^mu ns xuXias 330 JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE " for Ptolemy King of Egypt, is not in fbnae places eor- " reel:. Whatever in holy writ refutes their own foplifh " and arrogant fentimerits, they venture to fay is not " genuine, or they diftort its meaning. Thus they affirm " that the paffage in queftion relates to Hezekiah. Thofe " Scriptures which manifeftly defcribe Chrift.as obnoxious " to ;fuffering, yet as adorable and God, which I have be- " fore quoted, thofe tbey are forced to acknowledge " refer to Chrift : but they have the effrontery to fay, this " is not the Chrift; and confefs that he is to come, and is "to fuffer,. and is to reign, and is to be God adorable. " Th.at the Devil has fometimes counterfeited the truth " among the Gentiles (as he formerly effected his pur- " pofes by the magicians in Egypt*, and by the falfe pro- " phets in Elias's time1) confirms ' words of. this law, to do them5 :' and ye will not venture " to affert that any one has obferved them punctually. " Much more are. the Gentiles exppfed. to this curfe, who, ". befides not keeping.the law, worfliip idols, and commit ". other grofs fins. Since God the Father of the univerfe " willed his, own Chrift to take upon him the curfes of all, " knowing that he would raife him up again after cruci- 5 Deut. xxvii. 26. WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. 341 " fixibn arid death, Wherefore do ye fpeak of him, who " endured, accordirig to the will of the Father, as ac- " curfed, and not rather deplore yourfelves ? Although the " Father brought it to pafs that he fhould thus fuffer for " the human race, ye have not been God's minifters in " this work : as ye acted not pioufly in putting the pro- " phets to death. Nor can ye fay, if the Father wifhed " him to fuffer, that by his ftripes all men might be " healed, we have done no iniquity. If repenting of your " fins, arid acknowledging this to be Chrift, and keeping " his commands, ye fay this, I have faid before, ye fhall " be delivered from your fins. But if ye execrate him, " and thofe Who believe in him, and as often as ye have " power, put them to death, his blood muft be required " at your hands, as unjuft men and finners, hard-hearted, " and devoid of underftanding. Our hope in Chrift cru- " cified is not only confirmed by the curfe pronounced in " the Law, but alfo by the divine prediction, that your " people would not know him, that be was before all " things, and fliould' be an eternal Prieft of God, King, " and Chrift'. Thus it has come to pafs : ye curfe all " Chriftians in your fynagogues, and other nations ex^ "ecute thefe curfes by putting Chriftians to death : to " whom we fay, ' Ye are our brethren, acknowledge the 'truth of God.' And when neither they nor you are " moved by our perfuafions, but ye urge us to deny the " name of Chrift, we prefer death, and endure it, being " perfuaded that whatever good things God has promifed " by Chrift, he will abundantly perform- In addition, " we offer up our prayers for you, that Chrift would have " mercy on you. For Chrift has commanded us to pray " for our enemies : and we fee Almighty God abundant ' " Juftin here fignifies, that God the Father decreed that the fins of « mankind fliould be expiated only "by him who was before all, and an " eternal High-Prieft." Bulli Judic. Ecclef. Cathol. c. vii. f. 5. Z3 34a JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE " in mercy and loving-kindnefs, who makes his fun to " rife equally upon the ungrateful and the juft, and rains " alike upon the holy and the bad : all of whom he will " bring to judgment11. " In the Gofpel he fays : ' All things are delivered to ' me from the Father. None know the Father but, the ' Son, nor the Son except the Father, and thofe to whom ' the Son fhall reveal him.' He has revealed to us all " things which by his grace we underftand from Scrip- " ture : knowing that he is the firft-born of God, and " that he has exifted before all creatures, and that he is " the Son of the patriarchs, being incarnate of a Virgin " of their race, and endured to take the form of man " without comelinefs, in difhonour, and fubject to fuf- " fering. He himfelf prophefied, ' It behoves the Son of ' man to fuffer many things, and to be rejected by the ' Scribes and Pharifees, and to be crucified, and to rife ' again the third day.' He called himfelf the Son of man, " on account of his birth of a Virgin of the feed of Da- " vid, Jacob, Ifaac, and Abraham. Eve while a virgin, " being feduced by the ferpent, bore difobedience and " death : the Virgin Mary conceived of the Holy Ghoft " faith and joy, and the holy Child born of her was the " Son of God. Of her was he born, whom the Scriptures " declare, by whom God deftroys the Serpent, and an- " gels and men who refemble him ; and works redemp- " tion from death to thofe who repent and believe in him. " Thefe words of the twenty-fecond Pfalm, ' Our fathers ' hoped in thee, and thou didft deliver them : I am a u Juftin gives here more types and prophecies of Chrift's crucifixion from Pfalm iii. 4, 5. Ifaiah Ixv. 2. liv. 9. and particularly the twenty- fecond Pfalm : " They pierced my hands and my feet ;" " They parted «' my raiment amongft them." " The Jews," he fays, " deny that this <¦' prophecy relates to the Meffiah : but what Chrift or anointed King " ever fuffered crucifixion among you, except Jefus only?" WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. 343 ' worm, and no man ; a reproach of men, and an outcaft * of the people, &c.' fhew that the fathers who hoped in " God were faved by his help, and not by any counfel or *' ftrength of their own. Again : ' All who fawme laugh - ' ed me to fcorn, fhooting out their lips, and faying, ' He trufted in God, let him deliver him, if he will have * him :" thefe words are a prophecy of what happened " to Chrift crucified. " When Jofeph fled into Egypt, if it be afked where- " fore God did not rather deftroy Herod ; we may pre- " vioufly afk, could not God originally have annihilated " the Serpent, inftead of putting enmity between him ¦" and the woman's feed ? Could he not have created at " once a multitude of men ? But he knew that it was beft " to give them a choice of following what is good, and " time of preparation both for general and particular "judgments. Thus our Lord acted differently at diffe- " rent times, according to the will of the Father, de- " clared by the prophets : he refuted the difputatious " Scribes and Pharifees, and all the mafters of your race : " and his tongue, like a plentiful ftream turned backward, ' " was filent before Pilate. " Again : the words, ' Thou art my God ; forfake me ' not;' teach all men to place their hope in God who " made all things, and to feek fafety and affiftance from " him only : nor is the opinion to be entertained that " falvation can be obtained by birth, or wealth, or power, " or wifdom. ' My bones are poured out like water: my heart in ' my body is like melting wax :' thefe words are a pro- " phecy of what befel Chrift in the mount of Olives, the " night that he was betrayed. And the prayer, ' If it ' be poffible, let this cup pafs from me,' proves that the " fufferings of the Son of God were real : as the expref* " fion, ' My tongue cleaves to the roof of my mouth,' is Z4 344 • JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE " prophetic of his filence x. Remember the fign of Jonab, " which Chrift appropriated to himfelf: inftead of repent- " ing like the Ninevites, ye have fent meffengers. into all ." countries to fay, that an impious and unjuft fedition " had been raifed by one Jefus, a Galilaeari, whofe body, " after crucifixion, was ftolen away by his dilciples. " All your commentators agree that the prophecy of " Micah y relates to Chrift, but they are not aware that it ." prefigures his two advents, one in which he is in a ftate " of humility and fuffering, and crucified ; and the fe- " cond, in which he fhall come from heaven in glory, " when the man of fin, fpeaking great fwelling things -" againft the Higheft, fhall dare to do injury to us Chrif- " tians ; who have received the true worftiip of God from " the law and the word proceeding from Jerufalem, "through the Apoftles* of Jefus, and fly to the God of ." Jacob arid the God of Ifrael. S.urfeited with war, and " mutual fl a ughter, and all kind of malice, we come ¦" from all countries to turn our fwords into ploughfhares, " and our fpears into inftruments of hufbandry ; the foil " which we cultivate is true piety, juftice, humanity, " faith, hope from the Father in him who was crucified : " and we live in domeftic content with our wives each " under his own vine. It is plain that none can terrify " or enflave us who have believed in Jefus through the " whole earth : for though fmitten with the fword, cru-: " cified, thrown to beafts, tormented in chains and fire " and other pains, ftill we recede not from our profeffion " of faith ; and the more torments are exercifed againft " us, in the fame proportion do the numbers of thofe " who follow the faith and religion of Jefus increafe ; as * I have omitted fome alluvions to Scripture and the crucifixion which occur here. if Micah iv. 1—8, WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. 345 " a vine flouriflies by being pruned. The vine of. God :" and of our Saviour Chrift is his people. " Our Chrift therefore, who fuffered and was cruci- " fied, did not fall under the curfe of the Law, but ma- " nifefted himfelf. the only Saviour of thofe who departed ¦" not from his faith. The blood of the paffover fprinkled " on the door-pofts faved the Jews, when the firft-born of " the Egyptians were flain : and Chrift is our paffover, "according to Ifaiah's words, ' He was led as a lamb to ' the flaughter.' The blood of Chrift will deliver thofe " who have believed from death. The red lines which " were given by Joflma's fpies, to be faftened at the " window of the harlot Rahab, are a type that by Chrift's " blood fornicators and all finners among mankind, who " amend their lives, may receive remiffion of fins. Your " teachers confine themfelves to low, mean, and groveling " points, and they have not the fpirit to enter into an ¦" expofition of matters of real importance and dignity. " Thus are they, as our Lord called them, ' whited fe- ' pulchres, fpecious without, and within full of dead ' men's bones ; who ftrain at a gnat, and fwallow a ' camel ; blind guides.' Ye cannot extract their true ufe " from the prophetic writings, unlefs ye defpife the doc- " trines of thofe who exalt themfelves, and wifh to be " called '. Mafter, Mafter.' That Ofliea, as I have before " faid, who was fent out with Caleb to fpy-the land of *' Canaan, Mofes named Jofhua or Jefus. Wherefore he " did fo, you afk not ; you neither doubt nor inquire. ." Therefore Chrift is hid from you ; and reading you do " not underftand : and even now, when you hear that " our Jefus is Chrift, you do not confider the reafon of it " with yourfelf, that this name is not given to him idly " and at hazard. But your theology is employed in ela- " borate differtations upon the addition of an a to the ." name of Abraam, and an r to that of Sarah. You pay 346 JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE. " no regard to the tranfrnutation of Jofhua's name, or to " his character ; how he alone of his contemporaries led " the remnant of the people into the holy land, and di- " vided it by lot among them : as Jefus Chrift will con- " vert the difperfed people, and will give a portion of good " land to each. The one divided a temporary inheritance ; " being neither Chrift God, nor the Son of God (s Xpt^o; " 6 ©eo; toy, «&= vio; ©es :) the other, after a holy refurrec- " tion, will give us an eternal poffeffion. One, having " been furnamed Jefus, and receiving ftrength from his " Spirit, caufed the fun to ftand ftill : for I have fhewn " that it was Jefus, miniftering to the will of the Father, " who appeared and converfed with Mofes and Abraham, " and the other Patriarchs. I fay that he became man of " the virgin Mary, and is for ever. He it is by whom the " heavens and earth were made, and through whom the " Father will renew them : he will caufe eternal light to " ffiine in Jerufalem. He is King of Salem after the order " of Melchizedek, an eternal High-prieft of the Moft " High. He with knives of ftone, that is to fay with the " words of our Lord, has given a fecond circumcifion to " the people, and cut off idolatrous worfhip : Chrift, as I " have fhewn, is termed by the Prophets a ftone and a rock, " and they who receive this fecond circumcifion enter into " the holy land. Their hearts are circumcifed from all evil, " and wafhed with the water of eternal life. " You will perhaps fay, that there was a Jefus a high- " prieft in the Babyloniffi captivity : but I undertake to " fay, that the revelation under him was made through " our Prieft and God and Chrift, the Son of the Father «' of all." XXVI. " By Chrift crucified we are freed from the filth of " corruption. The devil our conftant adverfary preffed WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. 347 " on us, wifhing to draw all men to himfelf: and the " angel or power of God, fent to us by Jefus Chrift, over- " comes and drives him from us. We are as brands " fnatched from the burning, being purified from our " former fins, and proved by afflictions and a fiery trial, " with which the devil and his minifters exercife us. Je- " fus the Son of God has promifed to clothe with pre- " pared garments thofe who keep his precepts, and to " receive them into his eternal kingdom. As one man " we all believe in the Creator of all things, and are his " true priefthood. God receives facrifices only from " priefts : and he accepts the facrifices, namely the eu- " charift of the bread and of the cup, which all Chriftians " offer in the name, and through the command of Jefus " Chrift. But your offerings he has rejected1: though " you interpret the words of the prophecy, ' that God's * name fhould be glorified among the Gentiles,' as refer- " ring to the prayers of the Jews difperfed in all coun- " tries, after the capture of Jerufalem. I alfo fay that the " prayers and praifes of worthy hearts are the only per- " feet offerings and facrifices acceptable to God : and thefe " Chriftians only can offer, in the commemoration of that " dry and liquid food, which is a memorial of that paffion " which God through God endured a, whofe name your " high-priefts and teachers have caufed to be blafphemed " throughout all the world. But God will take away all " reproach from us in that day, when he fhall raife all " men from the dead, and fhall place fome without cor- " ruption and death, and pain, in an eternal and incor- " ruptible kingdom, and fhall deliver others over to the " everlafting punifhment of fire. The prophecy cannot " relate to you, for many countries and nations are igno- ." rant of the Jews : but there is no race of men, barba- * Malachi i. 10, 11. a E» $ xai t* sreSvf I ititov^i li awn o @tos, (or i v'us rtt ©sa /tc/ttvriu.) 348 JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE " rian.s, or Greeks, or of any other country, by, whatever " name they are defignated, whether dwelling in waggons "and without houfes, or in tents among their flocks, " among whom prayers and praifes are not offered tb the " Father and Creator of all in the name of the crucified " Jefus. Be no longer therefore lovers of contention ; " but believe in this Chrift, an excellent High-Prieft, an " eternal King, as the Son of God. Do not fuppofe that " at his fecond. coming Ifaiah and the other Prophets ex- " hort that facrifices of blood or libations fliould be offer- " ed on the altar, but true and fpiritual praifes and thankf- " givings. XXVII. " Thefe things we could not underftand in the Scrip- " tures, unlefs we had received grace from God. We are " not a defpifed and barbarous nation, as Carians and " Phrygians, for God has chofen us, and called us his " people, even a holy people. We are that race, which " God of old promifed to Abraham, faying, that he fhould " be the Father of many nations, not of Arabians, Egyp- " tians, or any particular people, (for Ifmael was the Fa- " ther of a great nation and Efau :) but Chrift. granted " this grace to Abraham, calling him from the land which " he inhabited. And us he has called from the evil con- " verfation of our former lives, which refembled thofe of " other, men : and together with Abraham we fhall poffefs " by inheritance the holy land, everlafting life : for we are " children of Abraham, having the fame faith with him. " As he believed the voice of God, and it was counted to " him for righteoufnefs, fo we believing the fame voice, " again uttered by the Apoftles of Chrift, and before by " the Prophets, have renounced all worldly things even " to death. Some of the children of Abraham may be " likened to the fand on the fea-fhore, not only on account " of their multitude, but for their unfruitful barrennefs. WITH TRYPHO THE JEW- 349 "The Prophet fays, ' The fceptre fhall not depart frorn > •Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until * Shiloh comet.' JSTow this is faid, not of Judah; but of " Chrift Jefus, who led your fathers out of Egypt, who " has come, as we have .fhewn at large, and whom we ex- " pect to come again in the clouds ; when he fliall give an ¦ " eternal kingdom to his faithful fervants, and fhall fend * " the impious and impenitent into everlafting fire. XXVIII. " My earneft defire is to fpeak the truth on thefe points, "- though I ftiould be torn in pieces by you: Thus I was " not afraid of my own people, the Samaritans ; but in ' " my addrefs to the Emperor, declared that they were " feduced to worfliip Simon Magus as their God. The' " times of idolatry, when men worfhipped the fun, God " winked at : but none ever endured to die for his faith " in the fun. For the name of Jefus men of all ranks " have endured and do endure all torments, rather than " deny him. And if now repentance and reformation are1 " effected by him, and devils are fubject to his name, what ' " power will attend his fecond coming ! ' I have placed • ' thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mighteft he- ' for falvation to the ends of the earth0 :' thefe words, ye " think, are fpoken of the Giaour d, Strangers and Prefe--' " lytes ; but they in truth refer to us who are illuminated " by Jefus.. As from Jacob only, who is furnamed Ifrael, ' " all your nation is called Jacob and Ifrael; fo we from " Chrift, who has begotten us to God, are called and are - "true Sons of God,, while we keep his. commands. Thus ¦ " the Pfalmift ; ' I have faid, Ye are Gods, and Sons, of the ' b Gen. xlix. 10. Juftin here prefers theverfion of the Septuagint : and; , accufes the'Jews of expunging fome parts of Scripture, " with a wooden " faw."c Ifai. xlix. 6. d r^ja*, Ttwpxs. Eufebius lib. i. 7. Ifaiah xiv. 1. 350 JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE * Higheftc;' and we have already fhewn that he calls Chrift " God. The name of Ifrael fignifies ' man conquering ' power,' which is denoted by Jacob's wreftling with him, "who appeared to do the will of the Father, and who " was God, as being the Son the firft-begotten of all " creatures. This was a fign of what Chrift incarnate " fhould do : who overcame and caft down the devil who " tempted him to worfhip him. " He who is called the Angel of great counfel and Man " by Ezekiel ; and as the Son of man by Daniel ; and a " Child by Ifaiah ; and Chrift and God to be adored by " David ; and David and Chrift and a Stone by many ;" " and Wifdom by Solomon ; and Jofeph and Judas and a " Star by Mofes ; and the Branch by Zechariah ; and fub- " jett to fuffering, and Jacob and Ifrael again by Ifaiah; " alfo a Branch, a Flower, the chief Corner Stone, and the " Son of God — this fame, O Trypho, has come and was " born and fuffered, and afcended into heaven, and fhall " come again to be the judge of all men, even to Adam ; " and then fhall your twelve tribes, who revile him, mourn. " If ye had underftood the Prophets, ye would not have " denied that he is God, the Son of the only unbegotten " and ineffable God. " The Father and Lord of all comes not into any place, " neither walks, nor fleeps, nor rifes, but remains in his " own habitation, wherever it may be, feeing and hearing ".all, not indeed with fenfible organs, but by his infinite "power he overlooks all things, and knows all things, " and none of us are hid from him. He moves not, nor is " he contained in the world, for he exifted before it was " made. How fhould he appear in a corner of the earth, " when the people at mount Sinai could not endure to " behold his glory ? The Patriarchs never therefore beheld e Pfalm Ixxxii, WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. 351 " the Father and Lord of the univerfe, but Chrift, him " who, according to the will of the Father, is God. I " know that fome explain thefe appearances to be emana- " tions of the Deity : but it is certain that angels have a " real exiftence ; and that power proceeding from God f, " which the facred word calls God, and Angel, as we have "before fhewn, is not merely a divine emanation, as light " from the fun> but is in number another not nominally, "but really, and was born of the Father, without a divi- " fion or diminution of his effence, as fire is kindled by '«• fire. " I have fhewn that God always promifed to call to " himfelf all nations of the world through Chrift, though " he chofe to himfelf your race, a ufelefs, a difobedient, " and a faithlefs people. Even now your hands are lifted " up to do evil, nor do you repent of having killed Chrift, " and of perfecuting us, who believe in God the Father " through him : while on the contrary we pray for you " and for all men, as we are taught by Chrift our Lord to " pray for our enemies, to love thofe who hate us, and to " blefs thofe who curfe us. It will be better for you to *' follow God than your blind guides, who to this day " permit you to have four or five wives each. The mar- " riages of Jacob prefignified Chriftianity : for Leah is " your people and fynagogue, and Rachel is our church, " and Chrift has ferved for both even to the crofs. Leah's " weak eyes denote your blind underftandings ; and as " Rachel ftole her father's gods, and hid them, fo have ". our paternal and material gods perifhed. XXIX. " Abftain, my brethren, from fpeaking evil of him who " was crucified, neither deride his ftripes, by which it is f Vide Bulli Judic. Ecclef. Cathol. f. viii. p. 84. 35* JUSTIN'S DIALOGUE " poffible for all to be healed, as we are healed. They " who prepare 'themfelves by water, and faith, and the> " crofs, and by repentance, will- efcape the judgment of "God: Leave the broken cifterns, which will hold no* " water, of your mafters, who teach, as the Scripture de-" " clares, for doctrine, the commandments, of men; who' vf flatter you, that thofe who are of the feed of Abraham " after the flefh, fhall inherit an eternal kingdom, although " they be finners without faith, and difobedient. Ifaiah " fays, ' Unlefs, the Lord of Hofts bad left unto us a ' remnant, we fhould have been as Sodom and Gomorrah:' " and Ezekiel, ' Noah, Daniel, and Job, fhall not deliver ' their fons or their daughters:' neither the father for the " fon, nor the fon for the father, but each man fhall -die' " for his own fin, and aach fhall be faved by his own " righteoufnefs. ' Many fhall come from the eaft and" * from the weft, and fhall fit down with Abraham, Ifaac* ' and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the children1 ' of the kingdom fhall be caft into outer darknefs.' " Moreover thofe who are foreknown that they fhall be ¦ " evil, whether angels or men, are not evil through God's " means : but each is as be is, by his own fault. That ye " might have no pretence for faying that it was neceflary " that Chrift fhould fuffer, and that there fhould be tranf- " greffors among the Jews, and that things could not have " been otherwife ; I prevented this objection, by ftating " that God, when he wifhed angels and men to do his " will, willed to make them mafters of themfelves to do " righteoufnefs, with reafon that they might by whom, " and for what they were made, having no prior exiftenc.% " and with a law, that they fhould be judged by him, if " they act contrary to right reafon. And we are all, ". angels and men, convinced in ourfelves, when we do ' " evil, unlefs we exercife timely repentance. If the word " of God predicts that fome angels and men muft be tor- WITH TRYPHO THE JEW. 353 " mented, it is, becaufe God foreknew that fuch would " be irrecoverably evil, and not becaufe he made them fo. " Wherefore if they fliall repent, all who fue for it, may " partake the mercy of God : and the word pronounces " them to be bleffed, ' Bleffed is he to whom the Lord ' fhall not impute fin.' But there is no remiffion of fin for " thofe who only acknowledge God s, without repentance : " for even David, that great and anointed king and pro- " phet, was not pardoned, except upon his penitence, with " fupplication and tears." Trypho. " You fee we came without preparation to this " conference. I may fay we have been much gratified " beyond expectation ; and if we could have more conver- " fations of this kind, we fhould receive more advantage, " by a diligent examination of the Scriptures." s Juftin alludes to the Gnoftics, as well as the Jews. THE END. YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 9002 08844 6886