TheSixtb,of

12. So Esther is quite omitted by St. Melito, in his Catalogue of (1) Canonical Books, of the Old Testament. And by St. Gregory Nazianzen, in his. It is doubted of, by St. Amphilochius ad Seleucum, τέτοις προσε[κρίνεσι † Εσθήρ τινες but it feems he did not: And Rejected by St. Athanafius, in his thirty ninth Pafchal Letter, and by the Author of the Synopfis bearing his Name, p. 128.

13. WHEREBY it Appears, First, That
the thirty fuch as will not allow the Church, after the A-
nine Ar.
ticles, in- postles time, to be a Competent and Certain
coberent. Judge of Scripture, must, of necessity, Doubt of

feveral Parts of it. Secondly, That the Sixth of
the thirty-nine Articles, contradicts it felf.
For, on the One hand, it receives all the Books
of the New Testament, as they are commonly re-
ceiv'd, and accounts them Canonical. On the O-
ther, it tells us, that, by the name of the Holy
Scripture, are meant thofe Canonical Books of the
Old and New Testament, of whofe Authority, was
Mever any
Doubt in the Church.

(') Apud Eufebium, lib. 4 cap. 26.

§. VII.

Truths Certain by Tradition, fbew the
Church's Authority.

"TH

1.THE First, and moft Comprehensive of all
the Truths, convey'd to us by the Au-
thority of the Church,as an Illuftrious and Credi-
table Society, is the Scripture it felf, or the Num-
ber and Quality of Canonical Books. For which
Number, as Dr. Cofin confeffes, p. 5, we have no

better

better, nor other, External Rule or Teftimony to Guide us, than the conftant Voice of the Catbolick and Univerfal Church, as it hath been deliver'd to us, upon Record, from one Generation to another.

2. AND, as the Church gives us the Words of Scripture; fo fhe is likelieft to know the True Senfe of it, by Apoftolical Tradition. Efpecially feeing, as (1) Dr. Walton fays, the Word of God, does not confift in meer Letters, whether Writ or Printed; but in the true Senfe, which no one can better Intepret than the True Church, to which Chrift committed this Sacred Pledge. and for this Reafon, all are ftrictly Obliged to hear her Voice.

3. HENCE, there are certain Truths of Chriftian Religion, which cannot be Evidently Proved by any Text of Scripture alone; and must therefore be taken upon the Authority of the Church, and continual Tradition. As,

1. THAT it is Lawful for Chriftians, to work upon the Saturday; altho' in the Commandments (Exod. 20. v. 8. and Deut. 5. v. 12.) all Work was forbid upon that Day. For, it appears by the Gofpel, that Good Friday, upon which our Bleffed Saviour fuffer'd, was the Day before the Sabbath; and Sunday, on which he Rofe again, was the Day after it. See St. Mark 15. v. 42. St. Mark 16. v. 1. Hence Saturday is ftill (with the fews) the Day of Worship; and the Latinname for it, is Dies Sabbati. If we cannot Rely fecurely upon the Church's Testimony; how

() In Prolegomenis, cap. 5. §. 3. Verbum Dei non in literis, five fcriptis, five impreffis, fed in vero verborum fenfu propriè confiftit. Quem nemo meliùs explicare poteft, quàm Ecclefia vera, cui facrum hoc Depofitum Chriftus commifit Unde ejus vocem omnes, fub pœnâ gravi, audire tenentur, &c.

Q

do

do we know, but that She has forfeited her Charter, ever fince the Apoftles time, by Entrenching thus upon the Ten Commandments ? Or, is there fomething even in the Commandments, that does not Oblige Chriftians? But, how can we be Affured of this, but by the Church's Authority?

Secondly,THAT all Law-Suits are neither forbid to Chriftians,by thofe words of our Saviour, St. Matt. 5. v. 40, If any Man will fue thee at the Law, and take away thy Coat, let him have thy Cloak alfo nor by thofe of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 6. ver. 7. Now therefore, there is utterly a Fault among you that you go to Law one with another. Why do you not rather take Wrong? Why do you not rather fuffer your felves to be Defrauded?

Thirdly, THAT Chriftians, in all Circumftances, are not forbid to fwear, by the Words of St. James, Chap. 5. v. 12. Above all things, my Brethren, fwear not,neither by Heaven,neither by Earth, neither by any other Qath: but let your, Tea, be yea; and Nay, nay test you fall into Condemnation. Nor by thofe of Chrift, St. Matt. 5. v. 33. You have heard, that it hath been faid by them of old time, thou shalt not Forfwear thy felf; but fhalt Perform unto the Lord thy Oaths. But I fay to you,

Sipear not at all.

Fourthly, THAT Chriftians, are not forbid to Fight in the Wars, by the Law of their Master, St. Matt. 5. ver. 38, 39. You have heard it hath been faid, an Eye for an Eye, and a Tooth for a Tooth. But I fay to you, that you refift not Evil. But, whofoever fhall strike thee on thy Right Cheek, Turn to him the Other also. Sce St. Matt. 26. ver. 52. St. John Baptift did not Forbid (that we know of) Soldiers to Fight. But the Law and the

Pro

Prophets were until John, S. Luke 16. ver. 16. We read, in the Scripture, of a Centurion Chriften'd; but not, of his remaining in Arms after his Baptifm.

Fifthly, That Baptifm is both Valid, Lawful, and Profitable for Children, before they can either have any Inftruction; Defire, or Knowledge of it, or Believe in Chrift; Tho' we have no Example in the Scripture of Baptizing Children: and our Bleffed Saviour joins Baptifm with Inftruction, S. Mat. 28. ver. 19,25. Go ye, and Teach all Nations, Baptizing them, &c. He faid, indeed, S. Luke 18. ver. 16. Suffer little Children to come to me. But they did not come to be Chriften'd. See ver. 15. S. Mat. 19. ver. 13. S. Mark 10. ver. 13.

Sixthly, Mr. L. tells us, p. 127. There is one Saint (truly fo) of whom I have referved to Speak in the last place, viz. the Virgin Mary, Becaufe of the Exceffes of your Church in their Devotions to her, bordering even upon Blafphemy to any Common Ear. If Chrift was Accus'd of Blafphemy; well may his Spoufe. his Spoufe. But if She may be Credited; how fhall we Excufe Mr. L? If She cannot; how came he to know, the Virgin Mary is truly a Saint? All Generations shall call her Bleffed in this, that She brought forth their Redeemer; but, where does the Scripture tell us, that She Perfever'd to the End? If not; This too will be a Truth convey'd to us, by the Authority of the Church, after the Apostles time.

Laftly, Not to mention others, the Church of England grants, in the twenty-fixth Article of the thirty-nine, that Sacraments have their Effect, by the Promife and Inftitution of

Chrift,

མ

Chrift, tho' the Minister be Wicked; and in her Practice Evidently fuppofes the fame, altho' he be a Heretick. The Donatifts, for denying this, were esteem'd Hereticks by S. Augustin, lib. de Harefibus, cap. 69. and by the Catholick Church ever fince. But what clear Scripture have we for it? S. Auguftin grants there is none, lib. 1, contra Crefconium, cap. 33. and lib. de Unitate Ecclefia, cap.22. And he excufes S. Cyprian (tho' he rejected the Baptifm of Hereticks) because the Controverfy was not then Decided, by a General Council of the Catholick Church lib. de Baptifino, cap. 6.

4.

§. VIII.

The Judgment of St. Irenæus, and St. Auguftin, concerning the Authority of the Church.

I.

S.

Irenæus writes, that (1) Truth is not to be fought from others; which you may have easily from the Church: with which the A

·(1) Lib. 3. cap. 4. Tantæ igitur oftenfionis cum fint hæc, non oportet adhuc quærere ab aliis veritatem, quam facile eft ab Ecclefiâ tumere. Cum Apoftoli, quafi in Depolitorium dives, pleniffimè in eam contulerint omnia, quæ fint veritatis: ut omnis, quicunque velit, fumat ex eâ potum vitæ. Hæc eft enim vitæ introitus; omnes autem reliqui Fures funt, & Latrones propter quod oportet devitare quidem illos: quæ autem funt Ecclefiæ, cum fummâ diligentiâ diligere, & apprehendere veritatis Traditionem. Quid enim? Et fi quibus, de aliquâ modicâ quæftione, Difceptatio effet; nonne oporteret in antiquiffimas recurrere Ecclefias, in quibus Apoftoli converfati funt, & ab eis de præfenti quatione

A

44.

poftl's