But he that doeth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." The Papists however are not so blind but they clearly perceive that, if the Scriptures once become generally read and known, their kingdom must perish; and, as it was said in the old time, All the idols of the Dæmons, whose oracles were formerly consulted in cases of perplexity, suddenly became dumb at the appearance of Christ upon Earth; so in these days will all their arts perish, all their influence decay at the preaching of the Gospel. For Antichrist cannot be dethroned but by the Brightness of Christ's Advent."*

How different is our conduct. We of the Reformed Church have no recourse to Flames,† but to the Word of God. We do not attack our opponents with the Sword, but with the Holy

* 2 Thess. ii. 8.

+ Utinam filios Hæreticorum et omnium qui decepti sunt, interficiamus Sagittis Spiritualibus, id est testimoniis ScriptuSt. Jerom. in Isaiah, lib. v. cap. 14.

rarum.

We desire to overcome our adversaries with the sword of the Spirit, that they may no longer be the enemies of God, but rejoice, as saith St. Augustin, together with us in the Knowledge of Truth, and Destruction of Error.

Scriptures. By them, as saith Tertullian, we nourish our Faith, upon them we found our Hope, and establish our Belief: for we know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ † is the Power of God unto Salvation, and that in it there is Eternal Life; and as St. Paul exhorteth us, we would not hear an Angel of God that came from Heaven, if he strove to seduce our minds from any part of this Doctrine. Yea, as that most holy man Justin Martyr said of himself, "we would not believe God himself if he should teach us another Gospel;" for whereas they make the Holy Scriptures useless and unserviceable, and invite mankind to listen to God himself, who they say speaks in their Churches, and presides in their Councils, this is a very dangerous and unsatisfactory way of finding out Truth, which is wholly disapproved by the Holy Fathers, and savours strongly of Fanaticism. Chrysostom says indeed, that many persons are frequently found

* Archhishop Laud, in his Conference with Fisher the Jesuit, declares, "That the Scripture only, not any unwritten Tradition, was the Foundation of Faith," and that " The Books commonly called the Bible, are the Word of God."

Page 75. fol. Lond. 1686.

† Rom. i. 16,

‡ Gal. i. 8.

who boast of the possession of the Holy Ghost:* but they are vain glorious and false teachers who thus speak of the Spirit of God. For as Christ denied that he spake of himself when he spake out of the Law or the Prophets; so likewise, if any Doctrine be obtruded upon as under the name of the Holy Ghost, save the Gospel, it is not to be credited. For as Christ is the Fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets, so is the Holy Ghost the Fulfilment of the Gospel. Such are the Sentiments of St. Chrysostom.†

* It was thus, says the Bishop in his Defence, that the old fanatical Heretics, when confounded by the testimony of God's Word, appealed to his Spirit; which they asserted could never fail them. St. Augustin addresses persons who entertain these opinions in the following words: "Videtis ergo, id vos agere, ut omnis de medio Scripturarum authoritas auferatur: et suus cuique animus author sit, quid in quaque Scriptum probet, quid improbet: id est, ut non Authoritati Scripturarum subjiciatur ad Fidem, sed sibi Scripturas ipse subjiciat: Non ut illi ideo placeat aliquid, quia hoc in sublimi Authoritate scriptum legitur: sed ideo recte scriptum videatur, quia hoc illi placuit; thus demonstrating that in drawing up their articles of belief, they were not at all guided by Scripture, but that each followed his own inclination, in accepting or rejecting whatever might suit his individual habits and temper.

S. Augustin, Contra Faustum Manichæ, lib. xxx. c. 18. + Chrysostom de Sancto et Adorando Spiritu.

CHAP. V.

THE

OPINIONS

MAINTAINED IN THE PRIMITIVE

CHURCH BY THE ANCIENT FATHERS AND GENERAL COUNCILS, AND THE DOCTRINES AND DISCIPLINE OF THE REFORMED DIVINES COMPARED WITH SOME OF THE POPISH TENETS.

But what if these men have not the Scriptures? They can boast perhaps a long Catalogue of ancient Doctors and holy Fathers. For from time immemorial they have arrogantly maintained that all antiquity and the uninterrupted consent of every age favoured their pretensions; whilst on the contrary, our doctrines were the offspring of innovation, the forgery of yesterday.

*The assertion made by the Papists, that Augustin, a Monk of Rome, first introduced Christianity into this Country,

*A. D. 596. See Flores Historiarum-The Saxon Chronicle of Peterborough-and "The true storie of Beda, translated by Kinge Alfrede." This last work is thus described by Jewell. "The true Beda indeede, was translated above seven hundred years agoe into the Olde English or Saxon tongue, by Alfredus, or Aluredus, then Kinge of this lande.

Now it must be confessed that against the Religion of God no heavier charge can be adduced than that of novelty. For as God himself is the same yesterday, to day, and for ever; so are the principles of his religion unchangeable. We have always however observed, though unable to discover the cause, that, notwithstanding its great Antiquity, its Eternity of duration, whenever God hath kindled as it were the flame of his truth, and revealed it to mankind, it hath by the impious and the hostile been stigmatized as a recent and new-fangled device. The profligate and sanguinary Haman, when desirous of bringing odium upon the Jews, brings the following accusation against them before King Aha

is totally false. For Origen, Tertullian, Chrysostom, Hilary, Theodoret, Eusebius, and indeed many other Ancient Writers, inform us that the Faith of Christ had been universally received and perfectly established in this Realm many Centuries before this Friar existed. He it is true introduced a variety of strange Novelties and Superstitions, as Candles, Candlesticks, Banners and Holy Water. Whereof, says Bishop Jewell, the Churche of God had no great neede, and yet have the same sithence benne encreased by other Newe Devises and Vanities above measure." For a full account of the Avarice, Pride and Cruelty of this Christian Teacher, consult the Writings of the Venerable Bede, lib. ii. cap. 2. and The Defence of the Apologie, p. 492, 4.