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Life, which they themselves require in seeking the perishable Water of the Fountain. The springs had now failed them. The Elders, saith Jeremiah,* sent their little ones to the waters, they came to the Pits and found no water, they returned with their Vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads. And † Isaiah informs us that the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, They had destroyed all the Canals and Aqueducts; they had stopped up all the Springs, and choked the Fountain of Living Water with mire and filth and as Caligula by closing the Public Granaries formerly brought Famine and Destruction upon the Romans; so they by closing the fountain of God's Word have subjected the People to a miserable Thirst. They have in the words of the Prophet Amos‡ brought upon the world a Drought and Famine; not a famine of Bread, nor a thirst of Water, but of hearing the Words of the Lord. Unhappy mortals in vain sought a small Spark of Divine Light to cheer their consciences; but they were all gone out, and they were unable to discover even one. Such was the wretched

+ Isaiah xli. 17.

* Jeremiah xiv. 3.
Amos viii. 11.

condition, such the appalling state of the Church of God: under their controul men dragged on a miserable existence, without a Gospel, without Light, without Hope!*

Although therefore our secession from their Church may have given the Papists considerable annoyance; they ought to reflect on the justice of the Grounds by which our conduct was influenced for if they presume to assert that no one can with propriety, however great the provocation, leave that Society in which he has been brought up;† in that case the Prophets, the

"Wee have departed therefore, from shepeheardes that spoiled the flocke; from Bishoppes, that destroied the Churche; that oppressed the Sprite of God; that defied the Voice of the Prophetes; that persequuted Christe in his members; that bothe perished themselves, and killed others; that walowed in monsters of filthinesse; that lived as heathens under the name of Christe; that were voide of Charitie; voide of Faithe; voide of discipline; voide of Religion; that were Christians only in titles and ceremonies; from whom Christe had withdrawen his Blessinge: To be shorte, we have departed from the Temple of Heresie, and from the Schoole of Erroure." All the above accusations brought by Jewell against the Church of Rome are taken from Popish writers whose works were known to him.

The Defence of the Apologie, p. 569.

+ On this point the works of the ancient Fathers may be advantageously consulted, and as they cannot be accused of inno

Apostles, nay Christ himself are in our persons condemned. For why should they not with equal justice complain that Lot retired from Sodom; Abraham from Chaldæa; the Israelites

vation or hostility to Papacy, their opinions will have greater weight with our adversaries.

St. AMBROSE says, Nullus pudor est ad meliora transire. It is no disgrace to renounce an error.

In Epist. ad Theodosium et Valent. ST. AUGUSTIN observes, ne Catholicis quidem Episcopis consentiendum est, sicubi forte fallantur, et contra Canonicas Scripturas aliquid sentiant: We must not agree even with the Catholic Bishops if they chance to be deceived, and entertain opinions contrary to the Canonical Scriptures.

De Unitate Ecclesiæ, cap. x.

ST. CHRYSOSTOM does not hesitate to assert that, Ex ipsis veris Ecclesiis frequenter exeunt seductores. Propterea nec ipsis omnino credendum est, nisi ea dicant vel faciant, quæ convenientia sint Scripturis. Even from the True Church deceivers sometimes go forth; we must not therefore place implicit confidence in them, unless they both speak and act agreeable to the doctrines of the Holy Scriptures.

Chrysostom in Matt. Hom. xlix. ST. CYPRIAN says, Non est pax, sed bellum; nec Ecclesiæ jungitur, qui ab Evangelio separatur. It is no peace, but war; neither can he be connected with the Church, who is separated from the Gospel. De lapsis Sermo. v.

In a word, as St. Chrysostom says, We have left with them the foundations of the walls, they have left with us the Foun dations of the Scriptures; we have departed from them in the sight of man: they have departed from us in the judgment of God. In Matt. Hom. xlvi.

from Egypt; our Saviour from the Jews; and Paul from the Pharisees. For unless it be allowed that there may be a just cause of separation, we see no reason why these should escape the charge of Faction and Sedition more than ourselves. And if we are to be branded as Heretics for refusing obedience to all their unjust decrees; what are they? In what light must they appear who treat the Commandments and Institutions of Christ and his Apostles with Contempt? If we are Schismatics who have withdrawn ourselves from their communion; by what name must they be distinguished who have forsaken the Greeks, from whom they first received their Doctrine;* who have deserted the Primitive

**

The Papists have always been anxious to disprove the assertion here made, that the Church of Rome first received her Faith from the Church of Greece. In the early ages however no question was ever raised upon the subject: the words of St. Augustin are, Terra Græcia unde ubique destinata est Fides; Greece from whence the Faith was published abroad in all places to which he afterwards adds, Radix Orientalium Ecclesiarum, unde Evangelium in Africam venit. The foundation of the Eastern Churches, from whence the Gospel came into Africa. St. Chrysostom † thus addresses the people of Antioch, Christianorum nomen, velut ex quodam fonte, hinc incipiens, omnem mundum inundavit. The name of Christians

Augustin Epist. clxx, clxxviii. + Ad Populum Antiochen. Homil. xiv. ›

Church, Christ himself, and the Apostles, who may be considered their Spiritual Parents?

The Doctrines of the Greek Church.

Although it must be allowed that the

Greeks, who at this time profess the

Religion and Name of Christ, countenance many corrupt practices; still they retain no inconsiderable portion of the Institutions delivered to them and ordained by the Apostles. They do not therefore tolerate Private Masses, the Mutilation of the Sacrament, Purgatory, or Indulgences; they hold Papistical Titles, and magnificent Names in no respect whatever; and do not hesitate to call that man who assumes any such dignity, and is desirous of being saluted as Uni

first springing up in this City (Antioch) as from a fountain, has spread over the whole world. St. Basil, with whom also agrees Eusebius, declares that the Gospel of the Kingdom first sprung up in the Church of Greece, and not to multiply testimonies, the Emperor Justinian +† calls Constantinople, the Everlasting Mother of Faith and Religion.

* Basil Epist. ad Episcop. per Italiam et Galliam. And Eusebius de Vita Constant.

+ The Defence of the Apologie, p. 577, where Bishop Jewell cites a similar passage respecting Constantinople, ἡ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως Ἐκκλησία ἡ Μήτηρ πάντων τῶν ὀρθοδόξων, και διδάσκαλος. Cod. de Sacrosan. Ecclesiis,

Consult also the Tripartite Work annexed to the second Volume of Councils, book ii. chap. 1.

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