also by Jews and Heathens themselves, that the authors of these books were the disciples of our Lord, and the things said by them true. But then to tell us, that because we receive Scripture upon this evidence, we must therefore receive a long list of doctrines upon mere tradition, after seventeen ages, is to affirm that the memory of things may be as well preserved for ever, by general rumour and hearsay, as by authentic records. But here they plead, that the tradition which they depend on, is not altogether unwritten, but partly recorded by the ancient fathers of the Church. To this we answer, that we acknowledge truly ancient writers in matters where they all agree, to be a very valuable evidence of the faith, though at the same time a fallible one. And we can prove undeniably, that these writers, in proportion as they lived near the days of the apostles, were of our faith, not theirs. But as this is a proof in our favour, that few persons are capable of entering into, SO we have happily a much shorter. For if antiquity be an argument, the greater the antiquity, the stronger the argument: and therefore the authority of the Bible, for this, as well as many other reasons, is the strongest of all. An original account is always to be depended on in the first place. Such others, as come a little after, in point of time, may be of considerable use to illustrate and confirm the former; but, wherever they appear to contradict it, must be rejected without scruple. And those which

come a great deal after, such as the Church of Rome chiefly depends on, deserve little or no credit. The Spirit of God therefore, seeing the need there would be of it, inspired the apostles and evangelists to deliver a full and clear rule of faith, to all posterity, in the New Testament certainly not that this might be interpreted afterwards by tradition into whatever sense men pleased (for then tradition alone had done as well or better without it), but that tradition, as often as it went wrong,

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might be rectified by this. Had not Christianity been committed in the earliest ages to writing, long before this time, in all probability, there had been scarce one doctrine of it left, which we could have been secure was genuine.........That the Church is infallible, they (the Papists) sometimes attempt to prove from reason. Making it so was the only way to end disputes, and therefore God being wise and good, must have made it do. But certainly a much more effectual way of preventing disputes and errors, had been to have made every single man infallible; and yet God hath not done this. It might therefore be more modest for them to let him show his wisdom and goodness in what way He pleases. The Jewish Church, we know, was not infallible; for they denied their Saviour, and it was by following tradition that they came to do it. How then does it appear that the Christian must be more infallible? Why, they have texts of Scripture to prove this. But if, as they commonly tell us, the Scripture can neither be proved or understood but by the infallible authority of the Church, how can the infallible authority of the Church be proved or understood but by Scripture? .... It can never follow, that because persecution shall not destroy the Church, error shall not corrupt it......We acknowledge the Church was then (when St. Paul wrote) and ought always to be, and in some measure always is, a pillar and support of truth; and so in his proportion is every believer and therefore of every single good Christian our Saviour says, in the Revelation, "I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God." But then it does not follow from hence, that any one Christian, or the majority of Christians, so support the truth, as that they do, and ever will, profess it all,

:

without any mixture of error; and unless this be done, there is no infallibility. . . . . . ...These (the Scriptures)

which confessedly give us a true account of Christianity,

do also, as I have shown to you, give us a full and sufficiently clear account of it: and that there is none whatever besides that can be equally depended on. Other antiquity, compared with that of Scripture, is modern; tradition in its own nature, soon grows uncertain; and infallibility is no where to be found upon earth. The only thing then we have to rely on in Christianity is the written word of God." Sermons on 1 Peter v. 12.

34. SHERLOCK, BISHOP OF LONDON.

"It is to little purpose to exhort men to be zealous for the Christian faith unless you give them some sure mark to know what the right faith is. If you inquire of particular Churches, or societies, which is the true faith, each of them will answer, that the faith professed by them is the true one, and that other societies have fallen into errors and mistakes. In this divided state of things, therefore, no Church has a right to be believed on its own word merely, without giving a reason of the faith which is in them." Sermon on Jude iii.

35. HORSLEY, BISHOP OF ST. ASAPH.

"The claim of infallibility, or even of authority to prescribe magisterially to the opinions and the consciences of men, whether in an individual or in assemblies and collections of men, is never to be admitted. Admitted, said I ?— it is not to be heard with patience, unless it be supported by a miracle." First Sermon on 2 Peter i. 20, 21.

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36. TOMLINE, BISHOP OF WINCHESTER.

Since, then, oral tradition is, from the very nature of man, incompetent to convey any doctrine to us from the times of the Apostles; since it is improbable in the highest degree that part of our religion should be delivered in writing, and part by oral tradition; and

since the traditions of the Jews were severely condemned by our Saviour himself, and no authentic tradition is referred to, either by Him or his Apostles, we consider ourselves fully justified in rejecting all oral tradition as as of divine authority, and in believing that Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation. Exposition of xxxix Articles; Art. vi.

It appears from the preceding article, that it is not here intended to ascribe to the Church an infallible authority. The words of this article are, Controversies of faith, and this expression, perhaps, alludes to disputes which may arise between the members of any Church; and it may be designed to assert that the governing part of the Church has authority to take cognizance of such disputes, and to deliver their judgment concerning the points in controversy. Great weight and deference would be due to such decisions; and "every man that finds his own thoughts differ from them, ought to examine the matter over again with much attention and care, freeing himself all he can from prejudice and obstinacy, with a just distrust of his own understanding, and an humble respect to the judgment of his superiors. This is due to the consideration of peace and union, and to that authority which the Church has to maintain it but if, after all possible methods of inquiry, a man cannot master his thoughts, or make them agree with the public decisions, his conscience is not under bonds, since this authority is not absolute, nor grounded upon a promise of infallibility."*

The observation which we claim to Infallibility in the extended to General Councils.

Art. xx.

made upon the pretended Roman Pontiffs, may be If God had been pleased

* Burnet.

to exempt them from a possibility of error, he would have announced that important privilege in his written word; but no such promise or assurance is mentioned in the New Testament. If Infallibility belonged to the whole Church collectively, or to any individual part of it, it must be so prominent and conspicuous, that no mistake or doubt could exist upon the subject; and above all, it must have prevented those dissensions, contests, heresies, and schisms, which have abounded among Christians from the days of the Apostles to the present times; and of which that very Church which is the assertor and patron of this doctrine, has had its full share..... ...We reverence the Councils for the sake of the doctrines which they declared and maintained, but we do not believe the doctrines upon the authority of the Councils." Art. xxi.

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FINIS.

J. G. Goodwyn, Printer, Tetbury.