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PRINCETON,

N.

J.

SAMUEL AGNEW,

BX 5055

.L477 184A

Misopapisticus
Letters on the writings of
the Fathers of the first

LETTERS

WETTINGS OF THE FATHERS


OF THE FIKST TWO CENTUKIES,
WITH

REFLECTIONS ON

THE OXFORD TRACTS,


.IND SrRICTUnES

ON

"THE RECORDS OF THE CHURCH."


noXXowf yap t-rXavriaiv
" For their assumption has led
'

r)

vTzoKijipig avTiov,

many astray." Son of Sirach.

Their own lionor is however secured


the ancients
but faith is
nnhj to Ood'x word, and to experience." Lord Bacon.
;

By MISOPAPISTICUS.

PUBLISHED BY

R.

B.

AND SOLD BY

SEELEY AND W. BUKNSIDE


L.

AND

G.

SEELEY,

FLEET STREET, LONDON.


1844.

Digitized by tlie Internet Arcliive


in

2014

https://archive.org/details/lettersonwritingOOmiso

PREFACE.

Ov yap KoXavevovres v^as


Xop"'

Koyov

ofXiX-riiTovTis,

tuv Se

Bia

ri]v KptiTiv iroiTtaaaeai,

irpoaeAyiAvdeifid'

dputrap((JKeia rriSaiaiZaipLOVav KOTCX'o/iefous.

you by these

to flatter

ypaixfiarojv, ouSe irpos

tcov

a\\' aTraiTijirofTft Kara rov

km

aKpiji-q
fin]

(^sracTTiKOi'

vpoK-nii ei,nri5' av-

" For wc come


,

letters, (writings,) or to

not to you,

address you for favour,

but to ask of you to form judgment according to accurate and scrutinizing


reason, being not restraincl hy prejudice, nor

Uon towards

The
lish

"

the superstitious.^" J vsTiy

i.

diiposi-

Sect. 2.

writer of these Letters has been encouraged to pub-

brethren,

larged

that when they appeared in


much approved by many of his
They are now considerably en-

they were

the Clergy.

and there are added to them Strictures on " the

Records of the Church,"


Appendix,

containing

Letter was

this

Apol.

them, from having learnt,

The Record,"

tlie

by a muii-pleasimi

Martyr,

first

year.

Letter on Tradition, and an

copious

written some

time

Notes.
ago,

The

additional

and appeared

two Numbers of the Christian Observer


Its

object

is

to

shew that Tradition

acknowledged as any authority

in

our Church.

is

in

for

not

PREFACE.

IV

The

acquired, and not the real Title of the Tracts re-

flected upon, is

here for the most part retained, as they

known

are better

by

than

that,

by

ovra

their

title,

" Tracts for the Times."

There

is

a sort of

connected with antiquity, which

spell

has ever been very injurious to the interest and progress

As

of truth.

Bacon, so

it

it

was

The

respect to religion.

deemed oracular
in religion,

Philosophy before the time of

in

has been, and

is

measure, with

stiU in a

voice of antiquity

is

by too many

whereas nothing should be so regarded

but the inspired word of truth.

ments of uninspired men,

The

senti-

however excellent they may

have been, are no more divine than


they correspond with the Divine

in the

word

degree in which

and so

and

far

no farther are we bound to adopt and follow them.

Through undue and extreme respect


practices of the early Fathers
religion

after times

in

progress, being

been greatly impeded in

facilitated

the

introduction and

perpetuity of errors and corruption, but rendered


less capable of

its

much encumbered by mere human appen-

which not only

dages,

has

and

for the opinions

and of the primitive Church,

accommodating

itself to

it

also

the innovations of

What

time, and to the varied conditions of society-.

What

is

human
is mutable, and may and ought to be changed, when circumstances require.
But to render what is human stable
divine

and

fixed,

is

fixed,

what

is

is

and cannot be changed.

is

not only a profane attempt to equalize

divine, but

it

to

proves also highly prejudicial to the

PREFACE.
progress of truth.
kind, there
to clog its
its

is

As

the Gospel

nothing

is

intended for all man-

in its original institution that tends

march, or to prevent the freest communication of

blessings.

The modern experiment,

tried

by the writers of

the

Oxford Tracts, to revive the sentiments and customs of


the primitive Church,

justifiable only

is

their being of a divine original.

the attempt

nothing but
is

is

It
is

to give that

is

due only to what

on the ground of

every other ground,

extremely absurd, and

evil.

human which

On

is

calculated to do

importance to what
is

divine, to transfer

the peculiarities of a rude and superstitious age to another


that

is

highly improved, and to introduce things in them-

selves for the

most part immaterial, that are sure

disputes and discord.


is

to enable those, not

of the

to create

main design of these Letters

much acquainted with

the writings

primitive Church, to form a correct estimate of

orthodoxy, and to
its

Tlie

know what importance

is

justly

customs and practices.


" They that rcvcronco

ton

Are hut a scorn

)'."

to tlic

much

uh!

tiiiios,

Loud Bacon.

its

due to

CONTENTS.

I.

PrelimiiiaiT

Apostolical

Succession

The

sentiments of

Bishop Stii.li.ngi i.eet, Archbishop Cii.iNMER, Hookek,

and Archbishop
11.

Extracts

W.utE Tradition

from the writings of Clement, B.iuN.AB.is, and

Hermas
III.

Extracts from the writings of Ign.atius and Polvcarp...

IV.

Observations on the state of the primitive Church, and on


the claims

V.

made

in l)ehalf of the opinions

review of Justin

Postscript

Martyr's

of the Fathers

on Bishop Kayb's Account of


Bickersteth's Edition of Justin's

78

Dialogxie with Tr_\^)hon

review of the

Postscript:
VII.
VIII.

Works

of

Iken.eus

Extracts on various

Baptism, according

to the views

The Lord's Supper,


tive

85

interesting subjects...

108

of the Primitive Church.

117

according to the views of the Primi-

138

Church

PosT.scRiPT

48

63

writings

Remarks

Justin, and on

VI.

33

Efficacy of Sacraments and

of Orders

...

157

CONTENTS.

'Ill

LETTER.

IX.

PACE.

The Character

Addenda

of the

Letter on

Appendi.x

of the

Oxford Tracts

162

-.Strictures on the translations in " the Records of the

Church"

System

Tradition

Notes

jgg
216
237

LETTERS.
I.

INTRODUCTORY APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.

Sir.
I

am

extremely thankful to you,

and uncompromising maimer,

in

for the

able, bold,

which you have offered

your remarks on the British Magazine and the Tracts for


the Titnes

Popery

the two wooden props


our

in

Protestant

not only adopted

Church
what
while

but they do also imitate the tone,

may

call

the xlang of Popery

reading them, that he

some monk or
very

some of

and
They have both
the doctrines of the Romish

like.

of superstition

Church.

spirit,

and

so that one thinks

is

reading the writings of

Jesuit, the tenor

and substance being so

There

with a vast show

is

a high-toned pretension,

of

humility

an

combined

apparent candour,

united with a narrow-minded exclusiveness

a puling

dis-

play of zeal, accompanied by a supercilious apathy towards


all

the grand essentials of truth

vity, evidently

and a sanctimonious gra-

produced by superstition, rather than by any

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.

really spiritual discernment,

and

There

enced.

them a

is in

is

much

in

inexperi-

which

sort of rehgious tone,

who

are

than by their understanding.


display of zeal,

is

young and

to impose on the

very captivating to those

possesses any

There

can deny.

and those naturally disposed to

to allure the unwary,

superstition,

this is the cha-

who

of these publications, no one

racter

them

That

genuine godliness.

vital principle of

more

led

by

is

their feelings

combmed with great


What-

Tliis,

calculated to be very winning.

ever the subject be, zeal has always a very attractive power,

and has often proved the means either of doing great good,
or of producing great evils.

There

is

scarcely any thing

which has been so

as Zeal, having often produced

amazing

working be

its

sets
its

for

and of good

will

It is

but whether

depend wholly on what

If true religion

be the mo^^ng power,

e\'il,

be beneficial

man.

to

will

good or

in motion.

it

working

effective

results.

mighty instrument, a machine of vast power

But

promotive of honour to God,

if

superstition, ambition, selfish-

ness, bigotry, or interest, sets

it

motion, dishonour to

in

God, degradation to religion, and imtold injury to the wellbeing of man,

we

see

it

character.

When

be the inevitable consequences.

we

should always try to ascertain

The Jews were

zealous

but

Tlie papists are verj^ zealous

tions.

but

it

was

it is

professors
it

is

of heathenism
for

are

often

its

for tradi-

for foolish

traditionary doctrines, and useless ceremonies.

rites,

but

will

displayed,

Tlie

extremely zealous

things truly degrading to

human

nature.

The writers in these pubhcations are also very zealous but


for what
For the spiritual truths of the Gospel for the
grand essentials of religion ? By no means. They speak.
;

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.

some of these but evidently their zeal is for


for false
otlier things, for outward rites and ceremonies
doctrines, such as Baptismal Regeneration, and Popish noindeed,

of

tions about the Lord's

barbarous age

Such seem

for

Supper

cessary

we

if

" Beware of

What you
to

are captivated

in the present

it is

by

their zeal in

And woe

movements.

its
its

How

attractions.

day to say to

ne-

religious people,

all

prophets !"

false

said lately on Apostolical Succession,

To

the purpose.

was much

character of the Christian

infer the

ministry from an abrogated priesthood, as the writer in the


British Magazine does,

have well been


of

Rome.

is

surely an absurdity

Apostolical succession ought to have been "proved

The

by the witer, instead of being assumed.

more
to

difficulties

know.

It

those

tlian

who

seem

it

has no direct proof from the Scriptures.

them produce

it

2 Tim.

sometimes quoted for

2,

subject has

thus deal with

they plead that


ii.

which might

the mother of absurdities, the Church

left to

is

has, let

things that thou hast heard of

teach others also."

The

it.

purpose

me among many

the same commit thou to faithful men,

but to doctrines.

this

who

If

text in

"

The

witnesses,

be able to
But this does not refer to " orders,"

He was

shall

convey to them the same truths

to

which he had received from Paul, that they also might convey

them

to others.

This

is

if

they can, that there

tion in the

New

a transmission of doctrines, and not

The

a conferring of orders.
is

fact

is,

and

let

no command, no

them disprove

rule,

it

no regula-

Testament, on the subject of apostolical

succession, in the sense intended by them.

B 2

Vide
'

which mainly put

to be the things

motion, and continue to propel

be to us,

customs of a

for foolish old

Tradition and Apostolical Succession.

And why

so

.''

a'

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.

The answer
right

is,

God

because the

wisdom did not

of

tliink

it

or needful to appoint any thing specifically on the

subject

and his wisdom has been abundantly proved by

As

the event.

it

is,

where there

no command, no

is

rule

on the subject, the assumptions of men have produced

Thev have prided themprivilege, hedged


by an enclosure alleged to be Divine, and

mischiefs that are incalculable.

on

selves

their

themselves in

supposed

God has never

anathematized all others.


closure.

We

appointing

mand

and

others,

such as

Titus, to ordain ministers, without

any com-

appointing

That mode was suitable

to perpetuate that example.

to the state of things at that time


oi'der

Stillingfleet.

and regularity.

and

it

may be

suitable

Bishop Slillingfleel, in his

Irenicum, strongly maintains, that neither our Saviour nor

have appointed or settled any particular mode

his apostles

in this respect.

" Nothing

Iremc.

raised such an in-

have, indeed, the example of the apostles

ministers,

Timothy and

exclusive

'

is

I shall

make

a few quotations from him:

founded on divine right, nor can bind Chris-

tians directly or consequently as a Divine law, but

what may

be certainly known to have come from God, with an intention to obhge believers to the world's end." " Example
doth not bind us as an example.

Ibid.
^'

"

'

without a law making


is

the law,

making

which gives

it

There can be no duty

it

to be a duty

to

be a duty to follow such examples,

and, consequently,

a Divine right to those examples,

the examples themselves."

nature of

" Those

who

toi'y

P-

the moral nature of those examples

and not barely

plead the obliga-

must

Scripture examples,

Ibid.

it

either produce

or else a rule, bind-

ing us to foUow those examples."


Ibid.
p. 177.

" That Christ hath appointed

officers in his

Church, and

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.

them with authority

invested

to preach,

minister the Gospel ordinances,


in the

word

a])ostles in superiority of

in

nowhere determined by the

will

is

of Christ

to us

re-

all

is

Scripture,

in

" The main duties and

prescribed, but

manner of performance are


liberty,

made known

shall succeed the

an equality of power,

royal law."

his

are

and ad-

baptize,

power over presbyters, or

main governing the Church

ordinances

clearly

is

But whether any

of God.

which contains

and

their

as

left

circumstances and

matters of Christian

and only couched under some general rules

which

a great difference between the legal and Gospel state.

Under the law,

all

actly prescribed

ceremonies and circumstances are ex-

but in the Gospel

we Kead

of

some general

rules of direction for Christians' carriage in all circumstantial

things."

"

expressed

in

Any

particular

form of government

any direct terms by Christ,

deduced by just consequence

government
law,

it

is

instituted

neither

^^^'^
^'

therefore no such form of

by Christ.

must be produced, whereby

ture, either that there

is

nor can be

If there

it is

be any such

determined

in Scrip-

must be superiority or equality among

cliurch officers, as such, after the apostles' decease."

" The essentials of Church government are such as are

Now,

necessary to the preservation of such a society.

IW^^
^'

all

these things have been proved to be contained in Scripture

but whatsoever

is

not so necessary in

necessary by virtue of God's express


is

not so

commanded

is

can only become

command

of

and what

and

and such we assert the form

Church government to be."


The learned Bishop also adduces on the

confession

accidental and circumstantial,

a matter of Christian liberty


of

itself,

two canonists, who," he

subject, " the

says,

" are the

.yj'd

"

;;

among the Papists," and who must of course be


very high in the estimation of the writers in
the British
Magazine and of the Oxford Tracts. These canonists are
highest

Gratian and Johannes Seneca.


are the following
Gratian.

The passages he quotes

" Sacros ordines dicimus Deaconatum et Presbj-teratum;


hos quidem solos in Ecclesia primitiva habuisse
dicitur.
Gratian. We call deaconship and eldership holy orders
it is indeed said, that these alone
existed in the primitive
'

Seneca.

Church.'""
primitiva

Dicunt quidem quod

commune

in

Ecclesia

prima

erat officia episcoporum et sacerdotum,

et nomina erant communia.


Sed in secunda primitiva cceperunt distingui, et nomina et officia. Joh. Seneca.

We

say, indeed, that in the first primitive

Church the

office

of

bishops and priests was

common, and that the names were


common. But in the second primitive (Church) both the
names and the offices began to be distinguished.'
Iremc.

" Estius,"
fairly

says the Bishop,

quits the

weapons

'
:

Quod autem

byteris superiores, etsi


Estius.

" a no mean school-man,

Scriptures, and betakes himself to other

jure divino sint Episcopi

non

ita

pres-

clarum est e sacris Uteris

aliunde tamen satis efficaciter probari potest.

That bishops
by Divine right superior to Presbj-ters, though it be
not so clear from the Holy Scriptures, can vet be sufficiently proved from other quarters.' "
Upon this the
Bishop shrewdly remarks, " The difficulty is, how a jus
are

divinum (a Divine right) should be proved, when men


leave the Scriptures."
Irenic.
p. 287.

"
place,

that I have to say," observes the Bishop


another
" concerning the course taken bv the apostles, lies

in these

tliree

propositions

Tliat

neither can

we have

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.
that certainty of apostolical practice, which
constitute a Divine right

nor, secondly,

necessary to

is

is it

probable that

the apostles did tie themselves up to any one fixed course


in

modelling Churches

thirdly, if

7ior,

we must

necessarily follow that

they did, doth

it

observe the same."

The learned Bishop brings forward the testimonies of


reformers, EngUsh and foreign; but the most
is the opinion of Archbishop Cranmer,

several

interesting to us

which he gives as follows


"

The bishops and priests were (the same) at one time,


and were not two things, but both one office in the beginning of Christ's religion. A bishop may make a priest by
'

the Scriptures

and so may princes and governors

Cranmer.

also,

and that by the authority of God committed unto them

and the people

by

also

their election.

before Christian princes were,

bishops and priests.

In the

And

commonly did

New

the people,
elect their

Testament, he that

is

appointed to be a bishop or priest, needeth no consecration

by the Scripture
sufficient.'

for

election or appointing thereto

is

"

" Thus we see," adds Stillingfleet, after giving a more


lengthened extract, " by the testimony chiefly of him who

was instrumental

our Reformation, that he owned not

in

Episcopacy as a distinct order from Presbytery, of Divine


right, but only as a

prudent constitution of the

civil

magis-

governing in the Church."


In the
" After our Reformation had truly
same page he says

trate

for

better

undergone the
Articles of

fiery

trial

in

Queen Mary's

days, in the

Rehgion agreed upon, our English form of

Church government was only determined to be aijreeablc


to God's holy word
which liad been a very low and
;

Irenic.
^'

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.
diminishing expression, had they looked on

it

as absolutely

prescribed and determined in Scripture, as the only form


to be observed in the
I

shall

Church."

make a few

Irenicum: "

fleet's

of antiquity

and

certain

the Apostles

now

handle

the incompetency of this

what

more from Bishop

extracts
I

herein

for that

the antiquity of

repugnancy of
it

testimony,

I shall

it

it,

to the

as

make one

"

If

of that

shewing

Then

fourfold

testimony, from

this

from the partiality of

to itself."

it,

and from the


he

as to defectiveness,

and persons

as to places, times

observation

Stilling-

testimony

form of Church government was practised by

argument, from the defectiveness of

notices

only the

endeavour to show

shall

but one place varied,

and makes

it

this

were enough to

overthrow the necessity of any one form of government,


because hereby

it

would be evident, that they obser\-ed no

certain or constant course, nor did they look

We

selves as obliged so to do.

appear that there

is

upon them-

have already made

ing one form and forbidding

all

other."

Tlie Bishop goes

the above particulars, and shews clearly that

through

all

there

is

a great uncertainty on the subject from the

mony

of antiquity.

in

it

no law of Christ absolutely command-

And quoting

which he acknowledges

it

testi-

a sentence from Eusebius,

hard to find out who succeeded

the Apostles in the churches planted by them, except those

mentioned in St. Paul's writings, he proceeds thus:" Is

come to pass at last that we have nothing certain but


what we have in Scriptures and must the tradition of the
Church be our rule to interpret Scripture by } An exit

cellent

way

to find out the truth doubtless, to

rule to the crooked stick, to

make

bend the

the judge stand to the

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.
opinion of his lacquey, what sentence he shall pass upon
to make Scripture
know whether it may have

the cause in question


to tradition, to

not

Are

stand up in hand
leave to speak or

the great outcries of Apostohcal Tradition, of

all

personal succession, of unquestionable records, resolved at


last into the Scripture itself,

by him from whom

all

these long

know its place,


and learn to vail bonnet to the Scriptures. And withal let
men take heed of over-reaching themselves, when they
would bring down so large a catalogue of single bishops,
pedigrees are fetched

from the

first

Then

let

succession

and purest time of the Church

for

it

be

will

hard for others to believe them, when Eusebius professeth


it is

so hard to find them."

The testimony

of the celebrated Hooker

ent from that of the Archbishop, and

is

not very differ-

I shall

" Another kind of extraordinary vocation

add

it

here

where the

is,

Hooker
Ecc. Pol.

exigence of necessity doth constrain to leave the usual book

ways of the Church, which otherwise we wovild willingly


keep,
where the Church must needs have some ordained,

and neither hath nor can have possibly a bishop

to ordain.

In case of such necessity, the ordinary institution of

hath given oftentimes, and


fore

we are

may

give,

place.

And

not, simply without exception, to urye

God

there-

a lineal

descent of power from the apostles by continual succession

of bishops
I

of

The

am

also

another

in

every effectual ordination."

tempted to give an extract from the wi itings


great

following

is

and good

man.

Archbishop

Wake.

taken from the Christian Observer for

1820, pp. 379, 381.


" Far from me," says the benevolent and liberally-minded Wake.
Archbishop, " be the iron heart, that for such a defect

viii.

10

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.
(Episcopacy)

should think any one of them (the reformed

Churches) to be cut

oflF

certain raving writers

no

valid Sacraments,

Who am

Christian.

from our communion, or with

among

us, think

them

I,

that

should dare to pronounce a

whom

sentence of reprobation against any one in

appear

all

to possess

and so to pronounce them scarcely


there

the other characters of an humble, upright, sin-

cere Christian, only because he has not perhaps

met

-w-ith

the same instruction, or does not argue in the same


or, in

a word, because he

is

not so wise, or

wiser than I am, and sees further than


Vide
jpriuli.K,

is

not exactly of

my

do

opinion in every thing

These are great names, and they bear

it

may

way
be,

is

and therefore
"

directly against

the extravagant sentiments of the British Magazine and

the Oxford Tracts.

And

they have been adduced here

not merely because they are great names, but because they

seem

and common sense on


What would Archbishop Wake, were he now

to have

their side.
living,

Scripture,

reason,

think of the authors of these pubhcations

Of

course the same as he thought of men of similar sentiments


in his day
men of " iron hearts," and " raving wTiters."
;

For they

clearly

their tongues

have such " iron hearts," however smooth


be, as that they can unchurch " humble,

may

upright, and sincere Christians."

High-Church, or rather Romish

And

their ravings

on

principles, are quite equal

to those of any of the Romanists themselves, with

whom

they seem anxious to fraternise, while they deny that any


except Episcopalians possess " any vahd Sacraments,"

and

declare, that " orders" are the only " external

mark

of a Christian minister."

They have indeed very

soft

and tender hearts towards

11

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.
ceremonies and traditions, and even towards the
tices

silly

prac-

and gross errors of the Romish Church; but they

have no such hearts towards Protestants that are not Episcopal,

however excellent they may

essentials of religion.

heavenly-mindedness,
with sacramental
ciphne

It is

be,

not with

that they feel

rites,

and correct
and

faith,

in the

love,

and

any sympathy, but

outward forms and matters of

dis-

these they seem to venerate with the same ardent

and extravagant devotion as the superstitious heathens their

wooden

idols,

and to regard with as much fondness as

fants their pretty dolls

It is

in-

amazing with what superstitious

some people regard rites and outward forms, asthem such virtues as are wholly unwarranted,
and paying them a sort of idolatrous adoration similar to
what the Israelites formerly did to the brazen serpent.
Two things seem to me to combine to form such characLearning has
tersambition and a superstitious spirit.
been ascribed to these men, and piety too and hence some
feelings

cribing to

conclude, as the Bishop of Lincoln in his late charge, that

what they advance is entitled to much attention.


But
leamuig is no guarantee for truth
for the most learned
;

have often been the most erroneous


been the authors of heresies
instance,

was

and they have mostly

in all ages.

Tei'tiillian, for

one of the most learned of the

certainly

primitive fathers, and possessed a genius evidently superior


to

them

Piety,

all

when

and yet he became a prey to strange chimeras.


genuine,

is

a far better guarantee

but a

^^pj^^

spurious piety, the offspring of superstition,

the most prolific of errors and

and ceremonial

rites,

folly.

The

is

of

all

things

piety of forms

of fasting and sacramental ordinances,

was the parent of most

of the extravagancies

and

fooleries

C.

12

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.
of Popery.
learning.

Ambition

Knowledge

is

rather increased than lessened by

And

puffeth up.

order to raise themselves,


often do strange things

if

possible,

ambitious men, in

above others,

and the more learned they

will

are,

the more dangerous their schemes and their influence.


in solid attainments

and

superiority, they will

and unimportant

common way,
quity,

If,

real excellences, they cannot attain

have often recourse to some peculiar

something out of the

privileges, or to

such as the customs and practices of anti-

whether wise or

foolish, useful or useless, suitable or

imsuitable to present circumstances.

When men fail to excel

others in any of the great and important quaUfications for

the ministry, they pique themselves on their ordination,

and claim to themselves the exclusive right


and of ministering the sacraments

and

of preaching

to swell the

mea-

sure of this kind of superiority, they attach, especially to

the sacraments, an importance which nothing but Romish

Standing on this pinnacle, raised


them by the Romish Church, they seem as self-complacent as if they had fully gained their ambitious object, while
they become in reality objects of compassion or dread to all

traditions can justify.


for

enlightened Protestants

selvesof

of compassion,

as

it

respects them-

di-ead, in relation to the effect of their labours

on the unstable and

ill-informed.

But, as a cloak for this ambition, superstition comes

devotional.

failed to

have ever been notorious for

fasting,

making long prayers,

and talking and writing most rehgiously, or rather


tiously, especially
rites,

in,

win adherents by being extremely


The men of " mint, and anise, and cummin,"

which has never

supersti-

about the traditions of the elders, outward

forms, and ceremonies.

truly religious devotion

is

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.
the progeny of faith, love, and hope

is

supersti-

and overweening reverence

tious is the offspring of puerile


for

13

that which

mere outward ordinances, old customs, and traditionary

Vide
The latter is often more apparent, showing itself at
the comers of the streets, or by crossings, and genuflexions, ^PP^^*^'

rites.

always obtrusive and plausible, as what

and

is

and

fictitious

makes invariably greater


what

display, than

But

real

is

We

to return to apostolical succession.

that even

shallow

is

show, and

noise,

and genuine.

Hooker gives up the

have seen

point, as being not indispen-

sably necessary for a Christian ministry

and Archbishop

Cranmer breaks the chain completely, and makes very


account of

it.

of in the

little

And

the truth

New

Testament, and the main stress

on the necessary

is,

that orders are

little

made very

qualifications for the ministry.

is

laid

We

find

men

preaching, and baptizing too, without orders, as the

first

deacons, whose appointment, by laying on of the hands

of the Apostles, was not to preach or baptize, but to minister the alms of the

Paul,

Church.

who was never

corded

in

Acts

And what
men }

ordained by

apostolical succession, for there

and appointed,

Saviour

but

importance,

still,

or

in

if

if
it

is

re-

It is true, that

he was

an extraordinary manner, by our

apostolical succession

why was he

to think of

what

was not by

was no Apostle present, but

" certain prophets and teachers."


called

we

are

was an ordination,

xiii.

not ordained by the

was

first

of such

Apostles

And when he came to Jerusalem, as recorded in Gal. ii.,


how was he acknowledged as an Apostle ? Did they examine into his ordination ? Had they done so, they would
have had no testimony as to his appointment from heaven,
but his

own

for the

men who were

with him, though they

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.

heard the voice, did not, as

was

said

What,

received.

of his
fied

appears, understand

it

and no man's testimony,

ministry,

in his

ovm

then, were his credentials

God owning him

work.

in his

what

case,

can be

The

effects

This

satis-

them, and they acknowledged him as a true minister.

And though

wholly subscribe to the high propriety of

ordination by men, as an useful practice, and, in ordinary

circumstances, a necessary

means

of that

good order

in the

Church, so strongly enforced in the word of God, yet


fully

many not

persuaded that

ordained at

power, for

all

episcopally ordained,

am

and not

by men, are sent and ordained by a higher

God owns and

them

blesses

And

of souls, as he did St. Paul.

and can produce credentials of

all

for the conversion

that preach the truth,

this kind,

ought to be owned

To do

by all as time Christian ministers.

otherwise, would

be to act directly contrary to the practice of our Lord's

own

Apostles, which

is

with

me

a practice of far higher

authority than that of succeeding ages.


said, that extraordinary gifts

This

is

But

But what were they

very true.

secondary things as to time and importance.


conferred on none but those
professed to be so

it

may be

attended St. Paul's ministrj'.

who were

They were
They were

first

converted, or

and they were only given

for a time, to

answer a temporaiy purpose, and were

when compared with converting

in value nothing,

grace, which accompanied

his ministry.

To

say, therefore, that

of a Christian minister,"

"there
is

does in no degi-ee countenance.


thing, in

my

no other external mark

is

to say

what the best antiquity


It is exactly the same

view, as to say that a

man, because a coat

is

put on him

man

of straw

is

a real

or that a scarecrow

is

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.
a real man, because a hat

is

put on

its

15

Ordination

head.

is

but make too much of it, make it the only


its place
" external mark," and you make it worse than no ordinawell in

tion at

For

all.

my

part, I

would prefer a simple layman,

"rightly divided the word of truth," who "held faith


and a good conscience," who was " apt to teach, a lover of
good men, sober, just, holy, temperate," and who " ruled

who

own house," which

well his

of a Christian minister,
all

who

those

When

are the apostolic outward

would

think that orders

is

far prefer such

is

marks

an one to

the only external mark.

and propagate such antiscriptural

people adopt

notions, there

no wonder that others leave the Church,

and that some turn Quakers, and allow of no ministry

And may we

all.

at

not expect that God, in his providence,

and do away with orders

will

degrade the

yea,

were orders as much his appointment as some would

office

altogether.'

have them to be, when they are thus abused by extrava-

gance

Did not God

the law

distinctly appoint the sacrifices

under

and what did he do with them, when the Jews

placed most of their rehgioii in the mere acts of sacrificuig

He

caused them

to

discontinued, by removing

be

people into a distant countiy.

And what

did he say of

them, previous to his making them thus void.'


purpose

the

"To what

the multitude of your sacrifices to me.'' Bring

is

no more vain oblations

incense

is

an abomination to me."

And was not the temple built with the express approbation of
God } And what did he do to the temple, when the people
thought that to be a
his people

are

made

He

sufficient external

destroyed

it.

of such consequence,

mark

of their being

And when mere " orders"


what are we to expect } and

what, indeed, has actually taken place already in this coun-

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.
try

God

has evidently endowed

and has extensively blessed

without " orders,"

men

and "orders,"

their ministry;

not because they are not right in their place, but because

they have been too

much

considered

the only external

eis

mark, have been brought into disrepute

and nothing

will

bring them again into repute, and nothing ought to bring

them

into repute, but the exhibition of such external

accompanying them as the word of God

But when men


Scriptures, they

Jews
as

if

fail

go to

to prove
tradition

they were almost

broken

man

cisterns.

what they wish from the


and thus they imitate the

The Fathers

in our Saviour's time.

disposition of

marks

requires.

infallible.

It

are appealed to,

has ever been the

God, and to seek out some

to leave

This was the case with the Jews: they

had the Scriptures, but they paid more regard to the


ditions of the elders.

This

indeed, acknowledge

they do,

the

Scriptures,

acknowledge tradition as equal to them, and


practically far above them.
vails in

the writers

Oxford Tracts.

tra-

the case with the Papists

is

but

they

really

and

The same

spirit evidently pre-

British

Magazine and the

of the

Tradition seems to be the idol.

Unin-

spired writings of poor fallible men, like ourselves,

must be

brought

God,

in to overrule

to

proper.

curtail

or extend

there can

will

its

meaning, as they think

Let these be taken as helps and assistants, and


be no objection

judges, the inevitable

word

and control the inspired book of

but

if

they be constituted

consequences will be,

that God's

be dishonoured, reason and sanctified under-

standing will be outraged, and the

way

will

the introduction of the greatest delusions.

be paved for

Some

of the

Fathers, especially the earliest, were the greatest bunglers

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.
in interpreting Scripture of

17

any that have ever lived

which

intend shewing in my next letter.


It is not well, inVide
deed, to disclose and expose the weaknesses of good, well- '^PP^'*'
I

meaning men
demi-gods,

when they

but

it is

are converted into a sort of

a duty to shew what they were, that

may be shamed, when

men

they cannot be reasoned, out of their

foUy.

And

lenge to these wise

am very much disposed to give a chalmen of the British Magazine and of

the Oxford Tracts

here,

sir, I

and

I will

do

so,

especially, with the

view of undeceiving the public on this point


lenge

is this

and

my

chal-

/ challenge all these men to produce from the modern


works of sectaries any thing so puerile, fanciful, foolish,
extravagant, and unscriptural, as I shall produce from
the luritings

of the very

earliest Fathers, even those called

apostolical.

This

is

my

challenge

and

all the sectaries in our day,


I

let

them ransack the works

of

except Socinians and Papists.

could almost afford them the works of Joanna Southcote

and Jacob Behmen.


for I

them.

am

sure I can

With

I will

not except those of Ranters

match them, and even over-match

this challenge I close this letter.

MiSOPAPISTICUS.

18

II.

Jan. 11, 1838.

Sir,

Before
is

proceed to make extracts from the Fathers,

necessary that

of the Scriptures and of the Fathers' writings.


to the

it

should give some brief historical account

most approved opinions,

all

According

New

the books of the

Testament, with the exception of St. John's Gospel and the

The Gospel

Revelation, were written before the year 70.

and the Revelation of


written between
writings.

St.

John are supposed to have been

96 and 99.

These are

The next records which we have

the

all

the writings of the Apostolical Fathers, that

is,

Barnabas, Herrnas, Ignatius, and Pohjcarp.

two

Clement,

epistles of

one of Barnabas,
by Hermas,

mands,

and

Ignatius,

and one of Polycarp

similitudes

relations of the

tain

all

Fathers, that
the apostles
of the

martyrdoms

we have belonging

New

inspired

are those called


of Clement,

There are

visions,

seven

com-

epistles

of

these, together with the

of Ignatius

and Polycarp, con-

to those called

the Apostolical

such as lived with and had seen some of


and " these, together with the Holy Scriptures
is,

Testament," says Archbishop Wake,

who

has

19

EPISTLES OF CLEMENT.

them

translated
tion

all

into English,

" are a complete collec-

of the most primitive antiquity for about 150 years

after Christ."

To make up two
Justin Martyr,

centuries,

we must

Aihenagoras,

take in the works of


of Antioch,

Theophilus,

Tatian, Irenaus, and perhaps of Tertullian, though he


wrote, if not in the third, yet on the eve of that century. . Vide
Appendi:
,
,
,

All other writmgs durmg the first two centuries are either
F.
.

acknowledged spurious, or deemed doubtful or

The

Apostles' Creed, as

may be

period, as

we have

it, is

heretical.

no production of that

The Canons of the


drawn up by any of

clearly proved.

Apostles, as they are called, were not

the Apostles,

nor, probably, during the second century,

They were " put together,"


except in a few instances.
says Archbishop Wake, " at several times, and finished as

we now

see them, within

300 years

proof they did not exist in the

after Christ."

first

two

As a

centuries, they

are not mentioned, as far as I can find out, in any authentic

work belonging
century

is

to that period.

The beginning

the earliest date that can,

any of them. To

call

of the third

perhaps, be fixed for

them Apostolical

is

very wrong, as

it

tends only to impose on those not acquainted with their


.

origin.
epistles

I shall

now

proceed to notice the contents of the

and other works of those

called the Apostohcal

Fathers.

I.

His first

Rome

THE TWO EPISTLES OF CLEMENT.

epistle,

to the

written in the

Church

at

Corinth,
c 2

name
is

of the

Church

at

supposed to have been

Vide
Appendij
g.

20

EPISTLES OF CLEMENT.
sent between the years 68 and 70, clearly after the death

of Paul.

rather a long epistle, occupying in Arch-

It is

bishop Wake's translation, about forty-six octavo pages in a


type of moderate

very excellent

and

Its contents, for the

size.

much

calculated to cure the

most

part, are

of schism

e^'ils

sedition, prevalent at the time in the Corinthian

on account of which evUs

it

was

Church,

sent. It contains large

and

long quotations from the Old Testament, and some from the

New.

It refers to Scripture only as authority, and never


mentions nor alludes to tradition at all. " Look," he says,
" into the Holy Scriptures, which are the true words of the

Ye know

Holy Ghost.
Sect. 45.

counterfeit

Though
fanciful,

that there

is

forged)

(irapairTroiv)/*6K',

nothing unjust or
written

in

them."

there be several minor points on which he seems


shall

Judaising

spirit

adduce

now

but one passage, in which a

That

appears evident.

may

not trouble

your readers with the original, and yet afford them


faction that the rendering
in this

and

Sect. 40.

"

It

italics are

mine

behoves us to take care that .... we do

order, whatever our


particularly that

God

correct and faithful,

in other instances the translation of

The

Wake.
First Ep
of

is

at their

manded

appointed seasons

offerings
:

he hath ordained by his supreme

things in

to do

and

he has com-

and

but at certain determinate times and hours.


fore,

all

and service to

for these

to be done, not rashly, (by chance)

give

Archbishop

Lord has commanded us

we perform our

satis-

I shall

will

disorderly,

And, thereand authority,

both where and by what persons they are to be performed


that so

they

make

all

may

things being piously done to

be acceptable unto him.

all

weU-pleasing

They, therefore, who

their offerings at the appointed seasons, are

happy

EPISTLES OF CLEMENT.

and accepted, because

obeying the commandments of

that,

sin.
And the same care
must be had of the persons that minister unto him. For

Lord, they are free from

the

the chief priest has his proper services, and to the priests
their proper place is appointed

and

the bounds of what

commanded

The whole

confined within

is

laymen."

to

passage was to Judaise the Chris-

effect of this

The command

Church.

tian

is

to the Levites appertain

and the layman

their proper ministries

of the

Lord

as to offerings at

appointed seasons, determinate times and hours, could have

no reference to any thing


Old,

The tenor

in the

New Testament,

of the whole passage

is

but to the

ceremonial, legal,

and Jewish.

The second
Its

epistle of

genuineness

bishop

It

Clement

is

also to the Corinthians.

doubted by many, but conceded by Arch-

Wake and some

ascertained.

many

is

is

others.

short,

Its

date cannot well be

and seems much

points, to the other.

The

spirit of

Evangelical, but tinged with legality

and

its

in

inferior,

not very

is

it

conclusion

is

worthy only of a Jewish Rabbi : " For the Lord himself


being asked," he says, " by a certain person when his

kingdom should come, answered. When two shall be one,


and that which is without as that which is within and
;

the male with the female, neither male nor female."

Where he

got

this,

it is

not

difficult to

guess.

That

it is

wholly unlike anything said by our Saviour, needs no proof.


It

bears the stamp and

he no doubt heard

it

mark

and

from some Jewish Christian,

still

of a Rabbinical origin

deeply tinged with the remains of his former sentiments.

The Oxford Tract men may consider


as

this,

a precious traditionary rehc, handed

if

they choose,

down

to

Clement

22

EPISTLE OF BARNABAS.

from the Apostles


it

in the

way

but

Of

with the train of the tale itself


" Now two are one, when

and there

^nd

bodies,

he means

he

calls

the body that which

is

quite consistent

we speak

the truth to each

(without hypocrisy) one soul in two

is

that which

this,

is

is

without as that which

the soul that which

the female.
that he

is

he

calls

When,

within

female

our anger the male, our concupiscence

man

therefore, a

is

come

to such a pass,

subject neither to the one or the other of these,

education, cloud and darken the reason


dispelled the mist arising from
shall,

spirit in
is in

he

both of which, through the prevalence of custom and an

shame,

And

good works.

its

the male tvith the female, neither male nor


this,

is

within, and

is

As, therefore, thy body

without.

appears, so let thy soul be seen by

means

Clement

this tradition,

himself gives us the explanation, which

other

he got

feel quite satisfied that

have explained.

them,

and being

by repentance, have xmited both

the obedience of reason

evil

but rather having


full

his soul

of

and

then, as Paul says, there

us neither male nor female."

THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE OF BARNABAS.

II.

This was the companion of St. Paul, and


apostle

he has written.
Vide
Appmdi.x,
Scriptures but that he
;

of the

allowed by

is

called

many

an

what
That he was a good man appears from

and hence great weight

is

was inspired

Church does not appear

to

wite

to

for the benefit

nor does the character of

his epistle justify such a supposition.

Many may

be good,

honest, and pious men, and yet be very

wrong and

foolish in

many

of their notions.

The date

of this ^istle I

cannot

EPISTLE OF BARNABAS.
ascertain.
cially to

supposed to have been written more espe-

It is

Jewish Christians, and he himself was a Jew.

It

takes up thirty-six pages in Wake's translation.

This

epistle,

with a few exceptions,

is

fictions.

Archbishop Wake came to view

it

many

very strange, as there are

even

common

sense

wisdom and

folly,

as half-inspired, seems

things in

it

which offend

mixed, indeed, with a few things

which are good and excellent.


of

very fanciful and

mind by no means free


How the good

extravagant, the production of a

from the influence of Jewish

a strange mixture

It is

of truth Euid error, of sobriety and

extravagance.

How

incongruous

is

the exposition he gives of Moses'

breaking the two tables


" And Moses cast the two tables out of his hands
:

their covenant

and

was broken, that the love of Christ might

be sealed in your hearts, unto the hope of his faith."

How
lowing

strange an explanation of Scripture


:

the

is

fol-

" Behold, thus saith the

Lord God; enter ye

into the

good land of which the Lord hath sworn to Abraham, and


Isaac, and Jacob, that he would give it you, and possess it

Now, what

a land flowing with milk and honerj.


ritual

meaning of

said.

Put your trust in Jesus,

you

in the flesh

this

is,

learn

it

who

it is

shall

as

if it

the spi-

had been

be manifested to

forasmuch as out of the substance of the

earth

Adam was formed. But what

honey

Because, as the child

is

signifies the

milk and

nourished with milk and

then with honey, so we, being kept alive by the belief of


his promises

over the land.

and his word,

For he has

shall live

and have dominion

foretold, saying,

Increase

and

24

EPISTLE OF BARNABAS.

and have dominion over

multiply,

who

there that

is

now

is

the Jishes,

know

that to rule

set over

not now, he

Wa^e.

we

Pp.^169,

of

But forasmuch

when we

perfect, that

have

shall

all,

it

of the epistle.

was the

it,

I
is

shall

inheritors

him

margin,

more

" Understand, there-

fully, that

'

his house,

('

Many others,'

says Wake,

of the ancient Fathers have concurred with

they said what the Scripture does not

made known unto him


next the three hundred.
eight, are I
is

Mark,

that

by which we are

and by the third

his cross.

gift of his doctrine

it.

and

because the

is

('

he

the figure of

he signified Jesus,

has put the engrafted

knows

any one a more certain truth


of

And

letters

He who

within us,

letters of ten

to find grace, therefore

Wherefore, by two

the cross).

worthy

the eighteen and

first

For the numeral

H, and these denote Jesus.

adds three hundred, the note of which

^,

For the

three hundred

But what, therefore, was the mystery that was

say.)

cross

Abraham, who

letters.

Abraham circumcised

If so,

in this.'

and were

that brought in circumcision, circumcised,

first

and eighteen men of


in the

content myself with the following

purely Cabalistical

Scripture says, that

176.

we have
when

namely,

we may be made

having received the mystery of the three

to

should be

would be to transcribe the greatest part

fore, children, these things

Ibid,

man

as this

unmeaning, and incoherent exposition

to give

passage, which

Pp. 175,

For you

could easily midtiply instances of this kind of strange,

fanciful,
I

But

covenant of the Lord."

tijg
I

have power, that a

rules.

us

tells

become

shall

to

is

what he

8fc.

able to have this dominion over

the wild beasts, or fishes, or fowls of the air

but

that
I

never taught

trust

that ve are

"

HERMAS.
This

expect will exactly suit the taste of the admirers

Magazine and the Oxford Tracts for the


is magnified, and it is a " certain truth
announced by an Apostolical Father. These two considerations must of course strongly recommend to them this
of the British

material cross

How

Cabalistic fiction.

inspired writings

more

admire the

Scriptures,

we

thankful ought

The more

solidity,

to

be for the

read of the Fathers, the

and wisdom of the

sobriety,

and the more convinced

am

that they are

The difference between them and the writings


those who came nearest to them in time, is amazing
is,
inspired.

fact,

such as to be sufficient of

itself to

of
in

convince us of their

inspiration.

III.

It is

by

St.

THE

WRITINGS OF HERMAS,

thought probable that he was the Hernias mentioned


Paul in

Church

at

Hermas.

Rom.

xvi.

He

Rome.

He seems

is

14,

as one belonging to the

called the

to have been at

Pastor or Shepherd

Rome when he

wrote,

and the time appears to have been about the year 70. His
works occupy 147 pages in Wake's Translation, and are

The first contains 4 visions ; the


commands ; and the third, 10 similitudes. They

divided into three books.

second, 12

might indeed have been


said to

all called visions ; for the whole is


have been communicated to him by some lady, or

some angel or another,

whom

he sees either

in

dreams, or

visions.

In reading Hermas, one


to form of him.

is

greatly at a loss

That he was inspired,

is

what opinion

a thought that

HERMAS.

mind cannot

the

moment

for a

entertain

and

his ideas

notions are often so driveUing, and oftener so strange and

unmeaning, that

not possible for any to harbour that

is

it

thought, except he were wholly blinded by veneration for

many

the Fathers, as

The difficulty

is,

learned

men have

much

appears to me, after

This

enthusiast.

is

opinion that can,

been, and are

whether he was an

to determine

Bunyan, or an enthusiast,

like

like

still.

allegorizer,

Jacob Behmen.

consideration, that he

It

was an

the correctest and the most charitable

He

formed of him.

think, be

sees

women, as well as angels in his visions, and holds


converse with them and all his writings are made up of
these conversations.
And this book, as we are told, was

ladies, old

read in the Churches in the earliest ages


is

no great

which certainly

credit to the Primitive Church.

In his second vision, the heading of which

(Hermas) neglect

"

is,

Of

his

correcting his talkative wife," &c.

in

he represents himself as being carried away by " the

where he had seen a vision the year

Spirit " into the place

before,

and then proceeds thus

the place,

I fell

" When

down upon my

was come unto

knees, and began to pray

unto the Lord and to glorify his name, that he had esteemed

me

worthy, and had manifested to

when

the old

woman whom

had seen the

And

reading in a certain book.

thou

tell

former

sins.

last year,

And
me

my memory,
'

Lady,

but give

Take

again to me.'

'

it,'

me

As soon

as

God

cannot retain so
the book and

says she,
I

'

walking, and

she said to me,

these things to the elect of

and said to her,


down.'

me my

arose from prayer, behold, I saw over against

'

Canst

answered

many

things in

'

I will

write

them

and see that thou restore

had received

it,

went aside

it

to

HERMAS.
a certain place of the

27

and transcribed every

field,

letter, for

And as soon as I had finished what


I found no syllables.
was written in the book, the book was suddenly caught out
of

my

hands, but by

whom,

saw

not.

After fifteen days,

when

ness,

the knowledge of the writing was revealed unto me.


the writing was this
Thy seed, O Hermas, hath

Now

had fasted, and entreated the Lord with

all

earnest-

'

sinned against the Lord, and have betrayed their parents,

And they have been

through their great wickedness.

called

the betrayers of their parents, and have gone on in their

And now have

treachery.

they added lewdness to their

other sins and the pollution of naughtiness.

they

filled

up the measure of their

upbraid thy sons with


shall

be thy

sister

all

and

Thus have
But do thou

iniquities.

these words, and thy wife, which

let

her learn to refrain her tongue,

with which she calumniates. For


things, she will refrain herself,

they shall also be instructed,

when she

shall hear these

and shall obtain mercy. And

when thou

shalt

reproach

them with these words, which the Lord hath commanded


to be revealed unto thee. Then shall their sins be forgiven,
which they have hitherto committed, and the sins of all the
saints

which have sinned, even unto

repent with

all

their hearts.

their hearts,

this

and remove

day
all

if

they shall

doubts out of

For the Lord hath sworn by his glory con-

cerning his elect, having determined this very time, that if

any even now

sin, he shall

ance of the righteous has

not be saved.

its

are fulfilled to all the saints

/ even imto the


repentance
^

How

end
;

For the repent-

the days

of repentance

but to the heathen there

is

206.

unmeaning and how rambling are many parts of

this vision

Transcribing letters and not syllables

Wa^*e.

Pp.205

*j
last day.
1

Then,

28

HERMAS.

and praying, there

after fasting

made

letters

to

him

things, about his talkative wife

and

find

mercy

a discovery of these

is

and the revelation

words

after hearing these

among

is,

Then she

other

sure to repent

is

After

he

this,

rambles into another subject, and speaks of the repentance


of

all

the saints, and states, that there

is

a determinate time,

The

they shall not be saved.

after which, if they sin,

writers of the Oxford Tracts have picked out a leaf here,

and from other parts of Hermas's writings

"

for

have even now heard," he says to the angel, " from

Oxford Tracts men,) that there

no other repentance besides that

down

Hermas,

certain teachers (like the


is

for they hardly

No more does

allow repentance after baptism.


these are his words

to the water

of baptism,

when we go

and receive the forgiveness of our

we must

no more, but

and that

after that

And he

(the angel) said unto me.

sin

Thou

sins

live in purity.

hast been rightly

informed."

The

angel, however, qualifies this in

some

respect,

and

him, that the Lord had appointed repentance under


"gave " him " the power of it."
And therefore, he adds, " I say unto thee. If any one after
tells

certain circumstances, and

that great and holy calling shall be tempted

and
,^bp.

W ake.
p. 238.

sin,

John

'ii^ri^'

by the

devil,

do not know whether

men of Oxford go
so far, or farther than this. It was
not without reason, as it appears evident from Hermas,

the

that St.
1

he has one repentance."

John

in his First Epistle,

on the subject of forgiveness.

has spoken so pointedly

He

doubtless observed this

error prevailing in his day.

There are many seeds and germs of future errors to be


found

in

Hermas, besides such as are evident and glaring.

HERMAS.

many errors that became prominent in after ages,


which may be traced to Hermas such as the adoration of
Tliere are

angels, baptismal regeneration,

some

the merit of works, and

others.

On the

subject of baptism he

He

can well be.

as extravagant as

is

which turns out to be the Church.

built,

He

sees the build-

it

from various

ing going on, and stones brought into


places,

from twelve adjoining mountains, from the

from the deep, or the water.


the meaning of

any one

represents himself as seeing a great tower

all this,

He

plain,

and

asks the angel to reveal

which he does

at

length.

About

the stones of the deep, which were the saints under the Old

Testament, the angel speaks thus


" It was necessary for them to ascend by water, that
:

they might be at
into the

rest.

kingdom

of their former

For they could not otherwise enter

of God, but by laying aside the mortality

life.

They, therefore, being dead, were

nevertheless sealed with the seal of the

entered into the kingdom of God.

Son

of God, and so

For before a man

re-

name of the Son of God, he is ordained into


but when he receives that seal, he is freed from

ceives the

death

death, and assigned into

life.

Now

that seal

is

the water

of baptism, into which men go down under the obligation


unto death, but come up appointed unto life.
Wherefore
to these also
it,

was

said.

Why

them out

He

and they made use of


kingdom of God. And I

this seal preached,

that they might enter into the

then. Sir, did these forty stones also ascend with

of the

answered.

deep, having already received that seal

Because these apostles and teachers,

who

preached the name of the Son of God, dying after they had
received his faith and power, preached to them viho were

30

HERMAN,
dead before

and they gave

They went

this seal to them.

down, therefore, into the water with them, and again came

But these went down whilst they were

up.

up again

down

alive

alive,

and came

whereas those, who were before dead, went

came up alive. Through these, therefore,


and knew the Son of God for which
cause they came up with them, and were fit to come into
the building of the tower and were not cut, but put in
dead, but

they received

life,

Abp.

entire

Pp.%25

purity

326.

because they died in righteousness, and in great

only this seal was wanting

The men

portion of what

made up

them."

is

said here

but they do not seem to have

system so complete as Hermas

their

had better mend


tolical

to

of the Oxford Tracts have evidently imbibed a

otherwise

it,

it

will

They

and primitive. Hermas makes the dead as well as the

living to be baptized

and, giving

them the

seal of baptism,

he transfers them straight into heaven. But there


thing in his system

To

men.
ter,

did.

not be thoroughly apos-

transcribe

all

one good

the strange things said by this wri-

would be to transcribe the whole book

fore, give only

is

he gives the sign to none but godly

I shall,

there-

one extract more, which clearly teaches the

merit of works the angel says to him


" Keep the commandments of the Lord, and thou shalt
:

number of those that

be approved, and shalt be written

in the

keep his commandments. But

besides those things

the

if,

Lord hath commanded, thou

shalt

which

add some good thing

thou shalt purchase to thyself a greater dignity, and be in

more favour with the Lord than thou shovddest otherwise


.

27(5,

have been."

The

notice of Ignatius and Polycarp, I shall reserve for

another

letter,

and

shall close this

with a few brief remarks.

THE EARLY CHURCH.

The

in the time of the apostles,

There

neous.

it,

by the Gospels and

which no right view of

We

stances can justify.

So

far

knowledge, that

it

it

Epistles, taking for granted

believed

that they

and sub-

their heavenly

all

circum-

its

too often judge of what

comprehended and imbibed

lime truths.

conceive, extremely erro-

is,

an extent of knowledge and a purity of

is

doctrine ascribed to

fully

31

idea generally entertained of the early Church, even

were they from having any enlarged

appears, judging by

writings

the

what are we

to think of them

by the reproofs

in

many

that they were very deficient both in

Epistles, but

ledge and moral conduct

And no wonder,

The most ignorant era


view the

first

Too much

The

these were

is infallible.

Church was in my

including the latter part of the first and the

Hence

sprung up, which began to

time.

inspiration

of the primitive

whole of the second century.


sies

them was no guaran-

often abused, and the possession of

Nothing but

of the

know-

considering the

great disadvantages under which they laboured.

has been also attributed to miraculous gifts

tee against errors.

of

And

those uninspired, that their views were veiy confined.

light

rise

many

so

strange here-

even in the Apostles'

which the Apostles brought was

bright, but the dark world received

it

clear

but very partially.

and

From

the death of the apostles until Justin Martyr, (about eighty


years after the death of Peter and Paul, and about
after the death of John,) there

and the Scriptures were comparatively


especially those of the

New

Testament

in
:

how came

but few hands,

and the works of

Clement, and Barnabas, and Hermas, were read in


the Churches

fifty

was no writer of any note

many of
And

which afterwards were discontinued.

they to be discontinued

Doubtless, through the

THE EARLY CHURCH.


increasing knowledge the Christians acquired by having the

New

Testament Scriptures collected together, and more

generally dispersed.

It

was, no doubt, found impracticable

to reconcile the Judaizing tendencies of Clement,


balistic fancies of

the Ca-

Barnabas, and the wild reveries of Her-

mas, with the Christian, sound, and sober truths of the

New

Testament.
MiSOPAPlSTICUS.

33

III.

Sir,

Jan. 15, 1838.

It is

very necessary, in older to form a right judgment

of characters, to keep in view the distinction

between know-

ledge and piety, correct views and holy impressions, or a


clear

head and an upright heart.

The one may

We may

does often exist, without the other.

thodox

many

and

our sentiments, and yet be far from having true

in

And

religion in our hearts.

The heart may be

true.

exist,

be quite or-

of our opinions.

Christian,

the converse of this

right,

while

A man may

is

also

we may be wrong

in

be a true and devoted

though he may entertain views on many points

by no means correct.

The present day

instances confirmatoiy of this truth.

exhibits abundant

There are good and

men to be found among all denominations of Christians who hold the essentisds of the Gospel
and yet how
various and contradictory are many of their sentiments, on
pious

points, too,

deemed

of considerable importance

a man's having a right heart


head.

make

observations
epistles

is

So that

no proof that he has a

clear

these remarks to prepare the reader for the

am going

make on

to

Ignatius and his

34

THE EPISTLES OF IGSATIIS.

IV.

Ignatius.

man was Bishop

This evidently pious

of Antioch from the

year 69 to the year 110, or as some say, to the year 116.

When

Trajan the Emperor was on his way to subdue the


Parthians, and passing through Antioch, Ignatius, as we

are told,
saint

was "

oluntarily brought " before him.

conducted himself

ver\'

The old

courageously, and seemed to

court persecution rather than avoid

admire him, and yet blame him

it.

We

cannot but

for as I shall presently

shew, there was a considerable sprinkllhg of superstition in


his reUgion.

Though he shewed an apostoUc

did not manifest an apostolic spirit.

ing him,

condemned him

to be

he was ordered to be sent to


his journey to
ces,

Rome he was

especially at

courage, he

Trajan, after examin-

thrown

Rome

to wild beasts

and

On

for that purpose.

allowed to stop at several pla-

Smyrna, where Polycarp was

and

re-

ceived deputations from several of the Asiatic Churches, to

whom,
and
Epistles.

it

in return for their kind attentions,

was during

this

he wrote

journey that he wrote

all

epistles

his epis-

His seven epistles were written to the Ephesians,

ties.

Magnesians, Trallians,

Ro7na)is,

neans and to Polycarp.

They

are

Philadelphians, Smyrall

short,

occupying

al-

together sixty-five pages in Archbishop Wake's translation.

When

he arrived

at

Rome

the sentence was executed,

and

he was devoured by wild beasts, while manifesting great


courage, and a desire for martyrdom incapable of being

al-

together justified.
It

would be wholly

of this

unjustifiable to

good man, were

it

expose the weaknesse;^

not that improper advantage ha*

been taken of his sentiments, and thut he has been brought

forward as an authority
unscriptural.

I shall

in

many

support of

arrange what

I shall

things wholly

adduce from his

under the heads of errors, fancies, and extravagan-

epistles
cies.

There are many germs of error

grown

into considerable size.

lowing but in

this light

in his epistles,

and some

cannot consider the

"Let all reverence the deacons as Jesus Christ," and the


bishop as the Father, and the presbyters as the sanhedrim
of

God and

college of the apostles.

Without these there

is

Kpi
'^!,

'^J

Trail.

no Church."
This was to claim for pooi-

belong to them
without them
in

En-

fol-

is

and

creatures what did not

fallible

to assert

that

wholly unscriptural

there

no Church

is

we read of Churches

for

Paul's epistles in which there could not have been all

Then he speaks

these officers.
as being

we should not

And

what

"My

soul

offering

live

erroneous

be for

for

but

die,

but

yours;

of

Ephesus."

in

the

blood

but when

My

soul

shall

have

"
I

deceive

heaven,
visible

-2

myself the expiatory

of Christ,

these

like

and

and princes, whether

believe not in

sml'a)

"Let no man

both the things which are


angels,

Epi.
to'^the

passages

not only now,

unto God."

bread"

our antidote that

for ever in Christ Jesus."

are

your Church

be your expiation,
attained

of the sacramental "

" the medicine of immortaUty,

himself;

and the glorious

or invisible,
(he

if

they

did not die for

Sect.

to^'the

Trail.
.ect. 13,

36

IGNATIIS.

EpU^.

angels)

not

Smyr.
sect. 6-

it

shall

full

them

be to

grown

condemnation."

to

we meet

error that

fancies or extravagancies

which gave

to

But

much

with, so

rise

them

in

as

after

ages.

n. FANCIES.
There are many things which may be classed under
term, the following are some specimens

"
Epist.

Ephe*
sect.

6.

^'n'

The more any one


reverence him.

himself."

"

Am

not able to write to you of heavenly things

I fear lest I

(excuse

me

should

harm you who are but babes in

this care)

and

lest

am

in

bonds, yet

to understand heavenly things

Christ

perchance, being not able to

receive them, ye .should be choked with them.

myself, although I

am

For even

not therefore able

as the places of the angels

and the several companies of them, under

their respective

and
but in these I am yet
For many things are wanting to us, that we

Epist.

princes, things visible

Ti^^

a learner.

5.

let

we ought

therefore evident that

upon the bishop even as we would upon the Lord

But

sect.

more

sees his bishop silent, the

It is

this

invisible

How

God."

come not

short

is all this,

and betokens a mind not altogether

of

foohsh and

strange
free

from

conceit.

"
her,

Now

who was bom

the wginity of Mary, and he

was kept

in secret

from the prince of

this world, as

Epist.
to the

also the death

Ephes.

most spoken of throughout the world, yet done

sect. 19.

Qq(J

of our

\Sliat

Lord

of

was

three of the mvsteries the

a frivolous

fancv or

tale

in

secret

was

this

37

IGNATIUS.

How much
He tells us

also,

men, " shone


"

Jewish

like a

tale or a tradition of

heaven beyond

which

still

say,

that

other stars," and that

This of course, according


faithfully preserved

an apostolic tradition,

is

Ignatius.

all

with the sun and the moon,

were the chorus to this star."


to some,

that the star which appeared to the wise

in

the rest of the stars,

all

the elders

a shoot from a Jewish

it is

many

of the

its

roots in

III.

EXTRAVAGANCIES.

retained

ibid,

by

stock,

Jews who turned

Christians.

do not

know what

else I can call the following passage,

which he represents the

in

"

saints,

As being the stones of the temple of the Father, pre-

pared for his building, and drawn up on high by the cross of


Christ, as by

What but

an engine, using the Holy Ghost as the rope."


extravagant are passages like these

" See that ye aU follow your bishops, as Jesus Christ the

Father

and the presbytery as the apostles

" It

is

honoured of God.

of

Christ,

things with

8.

sect.

9.

he that honours the bishop shall be

are therefore with

journey, full of

sect.

God

But he that does any thing without his

knowledge, ministers to the devil

Ye

9.

Epjgt.

and reverence

a good thing to have a due regard both to

and to the bishop

"

command of God."

the deacons as the

^^^^^
to the
sect.

God

all

"
:

your companions in the same

his spiritual temples, full (carriers)

full

(carriers)

the

commands

of holiness

of Christ."

adorned

in

all

This language

goes clearly far beyond the limits of sober truth

and

g^j^j
to the
sect^'^g.

38

IGNATIUS.

and so does the following

"

Let

it

be vour care therefore

come more fidly together to the praise and glory of God


for when ye meet fully together in the same place, the powers
of the devil are destroyed, and his mischief is dissolved by
The Devil no doubt exerthe unity of your faith."

to

Sect. 13.

influence in the house of worship, as well as in

cises his

other places

any where

in a way more ruinous than


The connecting of great things with mere

and there often

else.

outward means,
epistles

and

is

this

one prominent mistake throughout these

was one

main sources of error

of the

in

Church and in the Church throughout all ages.


The
I shall add no more on these particular subjects.
foregoing extracts sufficiently shew that Ignatius is no very
safe guide.
He was evidently a man of great zeal and
the primitive

mind and sound


some to be in

ardour, but was deficient in sobriety of

judgment.

He was what

all

of us have seen

our day, humble and yet vain, honest but credulous, devoted
to his

calling,

and yet somewhat

superstitious,

confessing

himself unworthy and yet entertaining not only high but

extravagant ideas of his

Vide

characters.

There

ning through

all

is

office,

and indeed of

all

official

indeed a strain of extravagance run-

His conduct was the same.

his epistles.

Appendix,

gi^ews himself quite impatient for

martyrdom, and wTote

an epistle to the Romans on purpose to dissuade them from

making any
them not to
was wholly

efforts to get

He was

He

released.

inconsistent with

needs not to be proved.


Paul

him

interfere in his behalf.

How

He earnestly

That

prays

this sort of spirit

what the Scriptures teach,


different

was the conduct of

requested his brethren to pray /or his release.

willing to undergo any evils,

when

it

pleased

God

but he did not court persecution and seek martyrdom as

39

IGNATIUS.

To account

Ignatius did.
difficult

He

attaches very great merit to

"

It is

me

evidently,

is

to attain

by procuring his

me

to die for

am

God

the wheat of

whom
;

teeth of the wild beasts, that

what

is

" Pardon

in

altogether

the

great

1.

it

Sect. 2.
Sect. 4.

God:

be ground by the

found
matter

the
I

pure

know

begin to be a disciple."

this spirit,

Sect.

was

g^^.^

clearly gene-

measure by views of martyrdom not

Marty dom came

scriptural.

Church

be
this

in

"I am ready
me to be

" Suffer

shall

but

Ye cannot do

I shall attain unto

may

me

Now

profitable to me.

However we may admire


rated

and

to be sacrificed unto

God, except you hinder me."

bread of Christ."

"

altar is already prepared."

food for the wild beasts, by


for I

in

you spare me,"

if

release.

a greater kindness than to suffer

God, now that the

in

unto God,

expressions

easy for you to do what you please

wUl be hard for me

that

martyrdom

Romans we meet with such

epistle to the

as these
it

not

is

to any one that will read his epistles with any at-

tention.
his

for the spirit of the latter

not only

as

to be considered

meritorious,

but also as

means of expiating for sins, and of attaining eternal


life
and the language of Ignatius goes very much
to coimtenance such an opinion
and there is especially
;

a passage of this kind in the relation

tyrdom, which

is this

Christ, they (the martyrs) despised

world

of Polycarp's mar-

" Being supported by the grace of


all

the torments of the

by the sufferings of an hour, redeeming themselves

from everlasting punishments."


The way in which the extravagant language
viduals has produced so many evils, has been this

Sect. 2.

of indi:

They

were extremely venerated, and every thing they said was

deemed almost

Divine,

there being not sufficient light and

IGNATIUS.

knowledge to distinguish between what was human and


Divine, between what was weak, vain, and
superstitious,
and what was truly dignified, disinterested, and consistent
with the

spirit

once canonized,

of the Gospel.
it

was

And when

difficult to rid

persons were

the public

mind from

the undue

veneration that was entertained.


This has
continued in some degree even to the present dav.
There
is in some an exorbitant notion of
the merits and excellency
of the primitive Fathers.
That many of them were xety
zealous and devoted to God, there can be no doubt

but

in right

views of religious truth, in enlarged knowledge,


enlightened piety, they are far inferior to the latter
Fathers, and especially to modern divines.
When will

and

in

people be released from the enchantments of antiquity


and
cease to adore the ancients, as the Heathens did
their pri!

mitive heroes

But

it

would be wrong

to leave lynutius, without ac-

knowledging the excellency of some parts of his epistles.


There is a more evangelical strain in them than in any of
the works of the other apostolical Fathers.

and his atonement, and the work of the

The Saviour
more

Spirit, are far

fi-equently referred to than in their writings.

Repentance is
mostly the theme of Clement, Barnabas and Hermas and
there is very little of the Saviour and his works in either
of
;

them.

Ignatius

is

in this respect far superior to

them.

Here I may notice the disagreement that seems to exist


between Ignatius and Hermas on the subject of repentance.

The one repentance


tius,

says

of Hermas is not to be found in Ignabut what evidently appears inconsistent with it.
He

: " As many

as shall with repentance return to the

unity of the Church,

even

thc.'^c

shall

be also the servants

41
of God,

may

that they

And

again,

that

repent,

live

according to Jesus Christ."

" The Lord forgives all

the same epistle,

in
if

Epist.
p]|!jj

Not

they return to the unity of God."

word is said about one repentance, even in the very


places where it ought to have been mentioned, if this
was the commonly received doctrine.
Clement's Ianguage agrees with what Ignatius, and not with what Hera

mas

In his

says.

Epistle,

first

sect.

sect.

8.

he exhorts the Corinthians

any thing about one repentance.


" Hence," he says, " we find how all the ministers of the

to repent, without saying

grace of God, (that

is,

And

repentance.

Noah, Jonah, &c. to

whom

he had

have spoken by the holy Spirit of

referred)

jireviously

even the Lord of

clared with an oath

concerning

it,

all

"As

has himself deI

saith the

live,

^,

Lord,

desire not the death of a sinner, but that he should

Then he quotes Ezek.

repent."
i.

xviii.

16, 18, &c. thus putting repentance

30 32; Isaiah

Then he concludes the eighth

God

" These things has


desiring that

And more

all

dispen-

old

section

thus

established by his Almighty will,

his beloved should

express

8.

under the Gospel on

the same footing with repentance under the


sation.

Epist.
sect.

still is

come

to repentance."

his testimony in the 7th Section

" Let us look stedfastly," he says, " to the blood of Christ,

and

see

how

precious his blood

which being shed

is

for our salvation,

of repentance for

all

the world.

in the sight

of

God

has obtained the grace

Let us search into

all

the ages that have gone before us, and let us learn, that

our Lord has in every one of them

still

given place to

repentance to all such as would turn to him."

was

j)ressing

refractory

All this he

on the attention of the professing, but the

members

of the Corinthian Church.

And

it

was

Sect.

1.

42

POI.YCARP.

" tears " and penance,

not

according to

the

men

of the

Oxford Tracts, which obtained the grace of repentance,


but the " blood of Christ, shed for our salvation."

proceed to notice

the Bishop of Smyrna, a contemporary in part

with Ignatius, but outlived him about

The

thirt\' years.

only thing that remains of his WTitings

an epistle to the

is

Phihppians, written mo.st probably in the year 117.

appears that he has written other epistles

He seemed

extant.

THE EPISTLE OF POLYCARP.

IV.

He was

But

to be a sounder

It

but they are not

and more sober divine

than Ignatius, though his zeal was evidently of a colder

He was

temperature.

evidently a

influence in his day. and as


epistle is

Scripture, and

recommends

of the Philippians

in

if

the

it

referring

"renowned Paul

which
^'

can see, but what

quote the following passages,

the

of great worth and

in

is

scriptural.

which he appeals to

them

has been

to

he says,

of
Sect. 7.

Sect. 9.

them thus:

many, and

word
Again,

that

"Wherefore,

unto

was delivered

ness," which

could

to

to "

be no

us

Obey

from

you."

errors,

leaving the

their false doctrines, let us

He exhorts them

which

"Into

edify yourselves

delivered

Having referred to Antichrist and the spread of


exhorts

and perusal

to the Epistle

" wrote to them,

that

and contains

to the attention

you look, you wiU be able


faith,

His

appears, deservedly so.

short, occupying about ten pages,

nothing, as far as
I

it

man

he

vanity

return to the

the beginning."

the icvrd

other than the

of righteousword of God.

43

POLVrAKP.

And
ye

he expresses his hope of them


exercised in

well

are

nothhig

hid from

is

when he keeps
of the

"I

trust that

Holy Scriptures, and that


Can a Romish Bishop or

the

you."

express a hope of this kind

Priest

men

tlius

How

is it

the Scriptures from his people

Oxford Tracts would have evidently

And

They would have the people

teaching, which

having

minds with that which

their

filled

first to

teaching of Tradition

the

is

the

their people

rather exercised in Catholic Tradition, than in the


Scriptures.

Sect. 12.

possible,

Holy

hear their

and

after

no better

is

than Romish legends, they pretend then to send them to

word

the

of

mind and

be consulted

Oxford

God
it

fill
!

for confirmation

with

This

the

is

and then

folly,

new wisdom

First prejudice the

the

let

word

of

God

of the Protestants of

Using the words of Polycarp, we would say to their

l)eople, "

Leave the vanity of many and their

false doctrines,

and return to the word that was delivered unto you from
is no other than the word of God.
Connected with Ignatius and Polycarp are the " Rela-

the beginning," which

tions

four

of

their

pages.

one

Martydoms,"

said,

by

it

which

is

soon

his friends

sentence in

occupying

short,

some Romish notions

shall transcribe, as

in the

" Wherefore continuing

the

(a previous

manner

faithful

twenty-

was drawn up,

after the event.

general character of Ignatius' preaching,

Church

about

have already noticed the martyrdom of

The account, which

Ignatius.
it is

as
is

shews the

and bears upon

present dav.
a few years longer

persecution

of a Divine

it

There

is

with

the

referred to), and after

lamp illuminating the hearts of the

by the exposition of the Holy Scriptures (mark,


he attained to what he desired."

not by tradition),

Sect. 2.

44

POLYCARP.

The martyrdom

He was

147.

of Polycarp took place about the year

burnt

alive,

our reformers. The " Re-

like

drawn up soon after, is contained in an epistle


from the Church at Smyrna to the Church at Philadelphia,
lation,"

and

to " all other assemblies of the holy

The conduct

CathoUc Church."

of Polycarp under his trial

was much more

Christian and dignified than that of Ignatius, and equally

He

courageous.
practicable

avoided his enemies as long as

nobly and manfully, and manifested a

The answer
to

always with his name

.").

my

now

wrong

the least
Sect.

Saviour

disapproved
this
Sect. 4.

was

spirit truly apostolical.

when

of Polycarp to the Proconsul,

swear and reproach Christ,

years have

it

and when he was taken, he stood his ground

"
of

it

was

served Christ

How

this

in

this

" Eighty

and six

and he has never done me

then can

The courtiny

required

worthv of being mentioned

is

blaspheme

my King

of persecution

" Relation."

" We do not commend those who

is

The

sentence

offer

and

expressly
is

themselves

to persecution, seeing the Gospel teaches

no such thing."

evident that at that time, nothing

was considered

It

is

what the Gospel sanctioned. If tradition sanctions


a thing now, and any Scripture can be so twisted as to give

right but

it

anv support,

it is

quite

Tracts.

The boast

in this

respect avail

tract

which

I shall

enough

for the

men

of the Oxford

of being primitive, however, does not

them at all. There is one more exmake from this relation. The authorities

took care to prevent the Christians from ha\-ing anv part of


Polycarp's body, " lest," as it was said, " forsaking him
that

was

carp."

crucified, they should

The

begin to worship this Poly-

" relation " then goes on thus

he (the adversary) said

at

the

" And

this

suggestion and instigation

J5

POLYCAKl'.

who

of the Jews,

him out

watched

also

of the fire

us,

that

not considering,

of

all

we do

of God,

adore

neither

is it

sutleied for the

should be saved throughout the

such as

whole world, the righteous

for the

ungodly

For him indeed,

any other besides him.

slioidd not take

that

who

possible for us ever to forsake Christ,


salvation

we

but for the martyrs,

as

nor worship

being the Son

we worthily love

them, as the disciples and followers of our Lord, and upon


the account of their exceeding great affection towards their

Master and

Of whom may we be

their King.

also

made
Sect. 17.

companions and fellow- disciples."


This passage,
the

men

suspect,

of the Oxford Tracts.

Saints' days,

and

a disposition very

motion towards
the faithful,

Their attempt to restore

to canonize poor Bishop Ken, betokens

much

akin to popery.

Rome and

and

It is

mummeries.

its

especially

beginning to grow even


as

not exactly to the taste of

is

martyred dead,

for the

at this

martyrdom

continued growing for some ages, before

but

it

its

maturity and became

was

time in the primitive Church,

evident from the " relation" of Ignatius'

is

yj^^
a retrograde A))pendix,

Reverence for

very disclaimer, though satisfactory in

itself,

yet

attained

it

acknowledged.

formally

This

seems to

imply that there was then an inclination to what was excessive.

But how strongly does

and how

we

it

exposes

its

it

extreme

bear against saint worship


folly

worthily love them," and in what capacity

ciples

ples."

" But for martyrs,


?

As "

dis-

and followers of our Lord," and as " fellow-disci-

How

strange then that

to disciples

and fellow -disciples

committed

in this

land,

if

we should worship and pray


But we shall have this folly
men of the Oxfoid
!

the wise

Tracts succeed in their schemes, and corrupt and stultify

EAKLY FATHERS.
the country with their doctrines.

demolishes

saintworship,

Christ as the Son of God.

and the Socinians, the

But while the passage

establishes

it

the

worship

of

opposes both the Papist.s


two extremes, which come far nearer
It

each other than many suppose.


The Papist divides the
worship, and thereby etfectually makes it void, as
to the
Saviour, who allows of no rival
and the Socinian denies
it altogether
-and both can join freely in all the vain and
;

dissipating

amusements of the world ; the Papist even on

Sunday after his morning devotions and the other is not


over-scrupulous about the observance of any part of that dav.
;

And this

clearly proves that the character of their religion

i.*

No worship is genuine, but what


and makes heavenly impressions on our minds
and affections, elevating om thoughts above, and alienating
not very dissimilar.

i.^^

sanctifying,

our hearts from, such vain objects, as delight the ungodly


and worldly-minded.
I

wish

now completed my

have

Fathers.

me

you

If

to proceed, I

may be

the principal works, that

I shall
1.

is,

and your readei s

inclined to carry

end of the second century,

to the

review of the Apostolical

will insert these letters,

Martyr and

conclude at present with two remarks

There

is

nothing

nance the idea of

in the apostolical

tradition,

on

my work

at least so far as to notice

of Justin

that

is,

Irenceus.

Fathers to counte-

that the apostles de-

any thing to them that was peculiar, to be handed


down to posterity nor do they say that they received any

livered

particular explanation of Scripture on any point

writings contain any thing but what


ture, except

more

fairly

some

is

reveries and fancies,

traced

to

tlie

nor do their

contained in Scrip-

which may be much

Rabbinical Jews than to

tlie

KARLY FATHERS.

And

apostles.

these writings contain

if

found

They form the chain

and succeeding ages, and

ditions,

it

if

must follow that what


idle tales,

traditions

of connexion between the

apostles

nothing better than

no

are they to be

either as to doctrines or practices, ichere

they convey no tra-

their successors report is

the mere gossip of the most

talkative.
2.

There

entitles

is

them

nothing

to any

productions of

in

men which

the writings of these

greM attention. They

men who were

are evidently the

pious, honest,

and zealous,

but destitute of learning, defective in solid judgment, and


withal

somewhat

superstitious.

Were

their writings the

productions of the present age, they would not be noticed

and many who now seem to admire them would despise


them.

" That which

and very

justly,

complain of," says Jeremy Taylor,

we look upon wise men


much veneration and ?nistake,

"is, that

lived long ago, with so

we reverence them not


that they

ought

to

for

lived long since."

that
that

having been wise men, but


Tlie truth

be told and avowed,

that

is.

Sir,

modem

and

it

divines,

especially since the Reformation, are giants in divinity, com-

pared with the dwarfs of the primitive Church.

MiSOPAPISTICUS.

48

IV.

Jan. 22.

Before

my

proceed further in

of the early

Fathers,

I shall

1838.

examination of the works

interpose this letter

in

which

intend making some remarks connected with the works


already noticed.
I have said in a pre\-ious letter, that the
darkest or the most ignorant, or, what perhaps I should
I

have

said, the

was the
tury.

first,

This

most

illiterate

reaching

down

age of the primitive Church,


to the

end of the second cen-

may be

considered to have been a wise dispensation of God, in order to cut off, as much as
possible,

any channel through which oral tradition might have


been conveyed, to which mankind have ever been immoderately and foolishly attached.
I am aware of the conjectures of the admirers of antiquity on this point, and the sort
of a priori reasoning which they adopt.
But their conjectures and reasoning do not comport with the circumstances

of the times.

The

history of the Israelites presents in

respects a similar case.

After

tlieir

some

miraculous deliverance

from Egypt, the g'w'mg of the law and the appointment of


religious ordinances,

their

condition as a religious people


ERRORS OF THE EARLY AGES.

became
time
the

it

verij soon

exceedingly deteriorated

improved greatly, that

first

kings,

under the

is,

49
but

course of

in

judges and

latter

Church

the condition of the primitive

as

did as to learning and knowledge in the third, fourth, and

But this improvement among the

fifth centuries.

was followed,

as in the case of the

Israelites

Church, by gradual cor-

ruption, until, after various changes, sometimes for the bet-

but mostly for the worse, they ceased to be the acknow-

ter,

The same thing may be said of the


Western Church, the Church of Rome it has long ceased

ledged people of God.

to be a part of the true

Church

for

how can an

and antichristian Church be the Church of Christ


to

the condition of the Jews,

apostasy, and has especially one

it

is

heretical
?

Similar

evidently in a state of

mark which belongs

to the

Jews, an attachment to oral traditions.


think

it

right to specify

for the opinion

which

part the following


1

more

particularly

have expressed

my

reasons

and they are

in

The moral and

religious, or rather the

world

immoral and

Both the Jews


and the Gentiles were exceedingly ignorant and debased in
mind and conduct. The Jews had their minds filled with

irreligious, state of the

at the time.

Rabbinical and traditionary tales, and the Gentiles

mythological and idolatrous

absurdities.

with

Hence the ex-

travagant opinions and the fantastic notions of the heretics


of the age, with which the minds of Christians, as

it

from Paul's

and some

Epistles,

traces of which

thers

we

were

in a

measure tainted

appears

find in the writings of the earliest Fa-

and these are some of the traditions that came down

to posterity,

and are said by some to have come from the

apostles, but, which, in fact,

came from Judaizing and Gen-

yj^^
Appendix,

50

ERRORS OF
tilizing teachers

of which

shall hereafter afford

some

proofs.

The

2.

first

Christians and those in the succeeding cen-

They were indeed

tury were mostly of the lower orders.


truly rehgious, but as little

competent as such in our day,

to transmit any thing to posterity, except the

of the Gospel

correctly conveyed to futvire ages


apostles than

The

3.

Some seem

we meet vdth

perfectly learnt, or perfectly followed, any

what
Vide

WTiat was

was not
more than in the
but

it

and we may gather from the reproofs given,

their peculiar mistakes were.

Fables,

useless ques-

traditions, observance of days, will- worship, volun-

tary humility',

&c.

Ap^ndix,
prevailing,

And

in the

to think that the apostles

the Churches in almost a perfect state.

tions,

and

by them.

taught them by the apostles was perfect

present day

safely

by the writings of the

reproofs and remonstrances

inspired epistles.
left

main truths

and even these were much more

these are

these

are

some of the things which

and with which the apostles had to combat.

some

of the very things

afterwards by the early

made

too

much

And we may add

Fathers.

of
to

these the overv-aluing of outward ordinances and of ministers, as in

the case of the Corinthians.

Preaching and the

administration of baptism by certain ministers were consi-

dered as matters of vast importance


tle

for

which the apos-

strongly and expressly reproved them.


4.

The

fact, that

the writings of Clement, Ignatius, Bar-

nabas, and Hermas, were read at


if

they had been inspired books.

authentic or not, which

rence in the case

is

first in

the churches as

\NTiether

all

these are

doubted by some, makes no

difi'e-

the fact of their being read in churches

THE EARLY AGES.


during the second century

Those who could

Eusebius.
nias,

from Irenaeus and

listen to the reveries of

Her-

could not be altogether free from the mania of super-

stition,

5.

51

clear both

is

nor from the taint of Jewish traditions.

The

that

fact,

penmen

the writings of the sacred

all

were not then collected together, and were not universally


known and read.
When they became more generally

known and

Hermas and

read, the writings of

discontinued

and

was owing

it

becoming more known,

others were

to the inspired writings

the

that

Church became more

enlightened, and not owing to any stock of tradition being


left

by the

but not

earlier,

And the later Church


some things adopted by the

apostles to the Church.

had wisdom enough

to discard

all

that ought to have been discarded.

There were two things which operated much


retaining what had been handed

The

Church found

necessity under which the


to

down

itself of

what had been previously taught and

to the heretics,

timents

and

who

Even

wonder,

if

was, the

appeahng

practised,

owing

claimed tradition in favour of their sen-

the other was,

which many of the


doms.

in favour of

first

first

the repute and veneration

Christians gained by their martyr-

their relics

were deemed as sacred

their opinions,

and even

and no

were
Such instances of

their

looked upon with no ordinary respect.

fancies,

Christian sincerity and firmness have been too often viewed


as proofs of infaUibUity.

What may
Christians

under

is

be truly and justly said of the

this

suflf'erings,

They were
holy,

towards each other

and remarkable

and

first

for unity

in all these respects

amples worthy of imitation.

But
E 2

and early

sincere, self-denying, patient

their

and love

they are ex-

knowledge of Scrip

ERRORS OF

and their views of the scheme


and doctrines of the Gospel were neither enlarged nor
tare

in

was by no means

great,

respects accurate, their

all

comparatively very limited.

means of information being


They did not possess one-

twentieth part of the advantages of the present day.


condition as to the

means

of

knowledge was

that of converts in our day in heathen lands.


in India, in Africa,

unknown

leges

and the South-sea

Their

far inferior to

Our

converts

islands, enjoy privi-

to the primitive Christians.

How,

therefore

can they be looked upon as infaUible expounders of the


Scripture, or as persons conveying to us any

additional

when in fact they seem to come short themof much that the Divine word contains, and when

information,
selves

their writings contain

some

tilings

which

it

does not teach,

and which are not consistent with its doctrines } What Dr.
Cave, in liis " Primitive Christianity," says of them, is
most

true.

" Their creed," he says, " in the Jirst ages

was short and simple


in nice

and numerous

The

their faith lying then, not so

articles, as in a

vicious principle of

good and honest

much
life."

accommodating the ceremonial

law to the Gospel, was the origin of many of the mistakes


of the primitive

Chmxh,

especially as to the ministerial cha-

racter and the sacraments, as

And

I shall

That

the present day.


earliest

Fathers

is

this principle

future letter.

it

was adopted by the

from their writings, and

quite apparent

even from the few extracts which


that

show in a

the corrupting effects of this principle continue even to

have already given

and

continued to be adopted to a considerable extent,

is

many of their successors. This


when we consider how strongly and

evident from the writings of

may appear

strange

expUcitly the apostles have asserted the abrogation of the

THE UARLY AGES.

53

But we must bear

ceremonial law.

mind

in

that the

more common among the

ancient Scriptures were

earlier

Christians than the writings of the apostles, especially the

which speak most expressly on that

epistles,

many
may be said

of

also, that
It

living,

them were Jews by

subject,

and

birth and education.

that the preaching of the apostles, while

counteracted this

evil.

No

doubt

did.

it

But

neither did their preaching nor their writings, which con-

tained what they preached, as Irenceus expressly

lives,

read,

tells us,

As during their
so when their writings became generally known and
the practice of ceremonializing the Gospel, if I may

wholly succeed in eradicating this

use such an expression,

still

evil.

continued, and in a measure

The sanction which the first Fathers gave to


and some of the
principle had an undue" weight

prevailed.
this

extravagances to which the principle gave

form and shape of positive

after-ages, the
said,

and have been long

rise,

assumed, in

which are
by the Church of Rome, to

said,

errors,

have been derived through the Fathers from the apostles

Thus the

themselves.

fruits of

a seed which neither their

preaching nor their writings could wholly destroy,


ascribed to their

own

labours

Some

They

and

it

seems, that because the Fathers had some

of that leaven (though they sometimes disavow

must have derived


the apostles, as
out

iv.

it

it is

from the apostles, while the

9-12.

See Col.
1

Tim.

it),

they

efforts of

evident from their epistles, was through-

most strenuously exerted

Church.

are the

Judaizing leaven that was in the primitive

effects of the

Church

are

of the things advo-

cated by the Oxford Tracts are of this kind.

ii.

8, 16, 18,

iv.

1 3.

purging

2023.

Titus

i.

14.

it

Gal.

out of the
ii.

Heb.

12, 13;
xiii. 9.

54

THE CONSENT

A
is,

great difficulty occurs respecting the early Fathers, that

how

what they received from the

to distinguish

and what they did not


ments nearly

in the

They

receive.

apostles,

declare their senti-

same way, without saying, except

in a

few instances, and those regarding the main truths, what

had been received from the

For instance, what

apostles.

Ignatius says about the virginity of Mary, and the death of

our Saviour, being "kept secret from the prince of this


is announced in the same way as what he says about
the sacramental " bread " being " the medicine of immor-

world,"

tality,

our antidote that

we should

The

not die."

first,

take for granted, most wiU regard only as a Jewish tale,

while some

may be

disposed to regard the second as a holy

doctrine derived from the apostles.


idix,

'isnce of the latter

deem one a

But there

is

no

being more so than the former.

Jewish

fiction,

we may deem

evi-

If

we

the other as

sort. But it may be said, that those


who came after made the distinction. How came they to
make it ? Both are declared in the same way there is no
Now, if sonie
difference in the mode of announcing them.

something of the same

of the things said by Ignatius and others of the apostoUc


Fathers,

who

conversed with the apostles and heard them

preach, are such as no reasonable

man

been derived from the apostles, how


the line of distinction

It

is

can beheve to have


it

possible to

draw

cannot be drawn in any other way

than by comparing their writings with those of the sacred

penmen.

Let,

if

he can, any

of procedure that reason and

man propose any other mode


common sense wiU approve.

But the consent of the Fathers, a Romish figment


screen

all

abuses, and justify

WTiat they approved,

it

all absui'dities,

seems,

is

is

to

resorted to.

to be approved,

and what

or THE FATHERS.
they discarded
Fathers to

But how came the

to be discarded.

is

know what

later

down from the

the earliest handed

and what they delivered as their own sentiments

apostles,

Was

it

unto

them.''

by

Then how

tradition

could not have been any

It

They must then have

tradition.

sifted

come

did that tradition

other than

oral

and purged the

written tradition of the apostolic Fathers by the oral tradition

Thus

of the Church.

Romish

one, the

and both

tradition,

And

gle straw.

oral tradition overruled the written

Oxford Tracts

tradition prevailed over the


traditions, after

here

might

all,

ask,

are not worth a sin-

how came

the writings

by
They were

of Clement and Hermas, which are quoted as Scripture


Irenseus, to
e\'idently

be afterwards disowned as such

read as such in the early Churches.

that they were not universally read, and were


rejected

then, in that case,

must have been rejected

for

faction that they

thority

said,

were other

and internal, afforded, which gave

were what they were said to be.

satis-

Their au-

was estabUshed not by tradition, or by the concurrence

of the universal
in

be

in their favour

but, doubtless, because there

proofs, both external

it

but finally they were,

and why.' Not because of universal consent


first

If

on that groimd

some of the apostolic epistles


it was some time before they

were universally known and adopted


from the

Church from the beginning, from the time

which they were written, but by such other proofs as

were

satisfactory, as " the

and the

drift

Eusebius says,

manner

of the phrase

and

and meaning of the things dehvered

when he speaks

style,
;

" as

of the proofs by which

spurious books were decided to be such.


It is said

by Archbishop Wake, that the works of the

apostolic Fathers are the only writings

now

extant, not

THE CONSENT

56
spurious, which

we have

after the

We

middle of the second century.

documents but them

Testament,

till

the

have therefore, no other

for fifty years at least, after the last of

What

the Apostles.

New

we can

therefore,

traditions,

possibly

have from the apostles must be from these writings, except

what was handed down by word of mouth, or orally. We all


know what changes may take place in the opinions of any
large body of men during fifty years, md what credit can
be given to what

is

orally reported for such a

term of years,

except in case of well and widely knowTi facts and broad


Vide
jpendix,

O.

...

truths, such as the essentials of the Gospel.


,

lar opinions

and

placed on such a

mode

What great

on many points took place in our Church,

And

to particu-

no dependence can be

of conveyance.

leading members, within

As
,

interpretations,

changes

especially as to its

years after the Reformation

fifty

when not avowed, but even


to judge of what was orally conveyed,

these changes took place,

denied.

If we are

as to doctines

and interpretations, by what has been con-

veyed by the writings of the apostolic Fathers, (and this


is a fair way of judging,) we must conclude that much that

was extravagant, foolish, and even erroneous, was thus


And what was thus conveyed supphed a portion

conveyed.

of the stock of future traditions

the

so

much

valued

British Magazine and the Oxford Tracts

through such a channel as

this,

it

now by
It

was

seems, that the later

Fathers derived their expositions of baptism, of the Lord's

Supper, and of other things


as

good

by no means
indebted for
tradition

a channel, which,

if it

was

as the writings of the first Fathers, could have been


safe or certain.

their

much

But they must have been

interpretations

longer

than

this

to
;

for

channel of oral
the

writings

of

Justin

Martyr and

has existed,

which form the principal

IrencBUs,

documents, not only of what

now

exists,

but of whatever

the end, or nearly the end of the second

till

little or no countenance to their expositions.


So that for nearly 100 years after the death of John, and
more than 1 30 after the death of Peter and Paul, they

centm-y, give

had scarcely anything


tradition, the

Any

very uncertain and of no value


it

but oral

for their interpretations,

most varying and uncertain thing in the world.

exposition derived from a source of this kind must be

as derived

and to adopt and announce

from the apostles

nothing less than an

is

There

attempt to impose on the credulity of mankind.

is

nothing certain or worthy of credit respecting what the

and practised, but what

apostles taught

own

avows and

The

asserts in his Religion

interpretations

of the third

contained in their

Church

fifth centuries,

who wish

to

distinctly

were their own,

and are incapable of


is no chain but

in their time,

being traced back to the apostles.


that of oral tradition,

most

of Protestants.

and peculiar opinions of the fathers

and fourth and

or those of the

they

is

writings, as the great ChilLingworth

There

on which none can depend, except

deceive themselves and

peculiarities of these Fathers, that

is,

others.

The

such things as are

not clearly taught in Scripture or are inconsistent with

it,

were either their own or those of the Church in their day,


or derived from the hocus-pocus of oral tradition.
this oral tradition,

as a snowball, collected,

onward, new accretions from Jewish

rites

as

and

it

And
rolled

traditions,

heathen ceremonies, and even from heretical customs and


sentiments, but not from any thing that
tolical,

as

intend fully

to

show

was

really apos-

hereafter,

especially

VALUE OF THE OPINIONS


with regard to two

and the Lord's

subjects, baptism

Supper.

There

is

one other point to which

which requires a more


lous gifts in the early

specific notice

Church

I
:

have akeady alluded,


it is

that of miracu-

on account of which some

are disposed to attach great importance to

That

it

its

opinions.

did possess such gifts in the second century,

is e\i-

dent from the express testimony of Justin Martyr and

But

Irenaeus.

to admit this,

is

not to admit the Church to

be free from errors and mistakes in minor points of doc-

The possession of such gifts is consistent, not only with a weak judgment, and defective and
even wrong views in religion, but with an imregenerate
state.
Balaam possessed the extraordinary gift of protrine or practice.

phecy.

Judas, as well as the other apostles, performed

And what was

miracles.

the case of the other apostles

themselves, before our Lord's crucifixion


dently

demption

it

was not

They had

e\\-

members

till

our Saviour

many

miraculous

of the Corinthian

St. Paul reproved

them

for

conduct and proceedings.


gifts of this

latter is justly

sufi'ered that

it

was

by them, though they had previously

clearly imderstood

conferred on them

tween

very imperfect knowledge of the mystery of re-

gifts.

Many

Church had these gifts


many things wrong in

We

of the

and

their

ought to distinguish be-

The

kind and the gift of inspiration.

conceded only to the writers of the

Testament, while the former were possessed by

New

many

not

only in the Apostle's time, but for a considerable period


after that

how long

it is difficult

The posChurch from

to determine.

session of them, however, did not secure the

mistakes either in doctrine or practice.

OF THE EARLY CHURCH.

Now

would

ask,

on luhat grounds

30
such importance

is

attached to the opinions of the Fathers, either of the early or


of the late Fathers

Were any

of

say so, they will say what

is

after

modem

This, I presume, will not be asserted

cannot be

proved.

learned than they

Modem
for they

and

if

any

will

Were

times, especially

and the Reformation

of Printing,

discovery

the

not worthy of credit.

they 7nore learned than divines in

lam

them inspired?

not aware that any will say this roundly

and

if

asserted,

it

ought to be more

divines

have vastly greater advantages,

more books, far more opportunities for information, and


more of every thing necessary for the attainment of Divine
knowledge.
Modems may stand, as Lord Bacon says, on
the shoulders of the ancients, and be thereby enabled to
But instead of standing thus on their
see much farther.
shoulders, the men of the British Magazine and of the
Oxford Tracts seem to crouch and lay themselves prostrate
before the Fathers, like the heathens before their wooden
idols;

and
it

and with amazing show of humility, they receive

what may

collect

foolish,

and lay

be

it

fall

from their hps, be

The

up as something oracular.

it

the learned

is

it

wise or be

a scriptural truth or a traditionary figment,


infatuation of

oftentimes greater than the infatuation of the

ignorant.
I

would ask again, on what grounds

attached to their opinions

Is

it

judgment, sobriety, and penetration


Scriptures

is

so

much weight

because of their superior


in

interpreting

the

This cannot be conceded so long as sound

reasoning, extensive knowledge of the Divine word, soUd


learning, consistency, and

cessary requisites.

Is it

common

sense,

are

deemed ne-

then because they derived their

VALUE OF THE OPINIONS

from

interpretations

who can. But


may be easy to

the Apostles

assert

There

it.

ance that any reasonable

What

Let those prove this

incapable of being proved, though

is

it

man

can put any confidence

Bishop Jeremy Taylor asserts

says, "

There are no such things as

But

universal."

is

is

most

in.

when he

true,

traditive interpretations

on the ground of their piety

it

it

no channel of convey-

is

It

remains to be proved that they possessed this in a higher

many modems.

degree than

It

with a great deal of superstition

was undoubtedly mixed


and superstition

is

of aU

things the most unfavourable to the exercise of correct

judgment.

Once more
deference

I ask,

what are the grounds on which so much

paid to the opinions of the Fathers

is

Is

it

because some of them suffered martyrdom in the cause of


truth

This was, indeed, a proof of sincerity and Christian

firmness.

But there have been modems who have done the

same, and in a

spirit far

martyred Reformers
outshine,

in

many

more worthy

afi'ord

of the Gospel.

examples of

respects,

this kind,

Our

which

far

any to be found among the

There are not to be met with in the primitive


Church any martyrs, except, perhaps, Polycarp, who can be
ancients.

compared with our Latimer, Ridley, and some others, who


not only stood finn, but were also humble and temperate in
spirit,

and collected

in

mind, combining with the courage of

the Uon, the meekness of the lamb, and vrith the


the sei-pent, the innocency of the dove.

more

difficult

than that of any of the ancients.

tive Christians

gion,

who

Their

had

to contend with

wisdom of
was far
The primi-

trial

avowed enemies of

reli-

required them to do what was palpably and grossly

wicked and idolatrous, so that the mind had no

difficult^^ to

OF THE EAHLY CHURCH.

61

what was right and wrong while our


deal with the subtle, cunning, and Jesuitical

distinguish between

Reformers had to

emissaries of heU, the ministers of Satan transformed into

who by

angels of light,

means

happily succeeded for a short time

But

Cranmer.

in

sophistry tried

their diabolical

and confound them

to embaiTass

all

by which they un-

with our venerable

spite of this peculiar pressure

of their

they remained firm and resolute, and shewed a Chris-

trial,

accompanied

courage,

tian

and meekness of

spirit,

found

are

to be

was

in the primitive

with

such

submissiveness

and settled collectedness of mind, as

scarcely any of the ancients.

in

martyrs an excess of

zeal,

There

a haste, a

which clearly proves, that they


some measure intoxicated with the drug of super-

foi-wardness, an enthusiasm,

were

in

They were too much like heathen devotees. If


martyrdom then, borne in the true spirit of the Gospel, be a
recommendation to any opinions, we ought to regard those
of our Reformers, far more than those of the ancient Fathers.
stition.

We can therefore
the Fathers.
cified

and

let

find

If there

no reason to ascribe superiority to

be any reason,

let it

be distinctly spe-

us not be beguiled into fancies and errors by

names of men who have no right whatever to overrule our


judgment, and who were far inferior to many modem divines
in every thing necessary to qualify persons to interpret Scrip-

and

ture, correctly, soberly, rightly,

consistently.

Arminius said of Calvin's Commentaries,


is

perfectly just, that

is,

that,

Henry.

said with truth of the

What

have no doubt

"they are more valuable than

anything that the Fathers have

may be

left

us." *

The same

Commentaries of Scott and

In enlarged and consistent views of Divine truth,

* I shall give the passage entire; and

it is

especially creditable to

Ar-

Scott.

VALUE OF THE FATHERS.


and

in the application of scriptural verities to the experience

and practice of Christians, who among the ancients can be


compared with Scott ? And in elevated piety, and evangelical train of thought,

with Henry

zing authority
tifies

what
is

of the ancients can compete

is

is,

that, in the estimation of

ancient, or primitive, carries with

some, the term

what

who

But the truth

it

sheds a lustre over what

ugly,

dignifies

what

gods of their ancient heroes


Tracts would

make a

It is blind,

sort of

is

it

ama-

foohsh, beau-

moderates

vulgar,

extravagant, and converts what

erroneous, into sober and soUd truth.

Fathers.

is

is

fanciful

and

The heathens made

and the men of the Oxford

gods

infatuated,

in di\inity of the ancient

and superstitious human

nature, in both instances.

MiSOPAPISTICUS.

" Dico enim


minius, as he differed from Cahin on many important points
incoraparabilem esse in interpretatione Scripturarum, et majoris faciendos
ipsius commentarios quam quicquid Patrum bibliotheca nobis tradit ; adeo
ut et spiritum aliquem prophetiae eximium illi prte aliis plerisque, imo et
omnibus concedam. For I declare him to be incomparable in the interpretation of the Scriptures, and that his Commentaries are more to be
valued than any thing the library of the Fathers delivers to us ; so that I
concede to him even a certain excellent spirit of prophecy beyond most
others, yea, even beyond all."
Brandt's life of Arminius, quoted in the
Edinburgh Review, No. 10^. 1832.
:

63

V.

JUSTIN MARTYR.

February

Sir,

What

1,

1838.

some acThey
count of the character of Justin Martyr's writings.
are justly deemed more valuable than any that appeared
previously from the close of inspiration. He was far superior
in attainments to any of the apostolic fathers, and by no
means

propose to do in this Letter

inferior to

them

courage and firmness.

in zeal

and

is

piety,

to give

Justin

nor in Christian

His principal works were his First

Apology for the Christians, and his Dialogue with Tryphon,

There are also works of

the Jew.
(Xoyo?)

to

Greeks,

the

7rapaivT(/(o;) to

cond Apology

An

his,

called,

Admonitory

(Xoyo?

Greeks, concerning Monarchy, A Seand an Epistle to Diognetus, which seems

the

A Word

Word

to be of a very dubious authority.

His

first

apology

is evi-

dently the best of his works.

Though he was
first.

There were

the ablest apologist, yet he was not the


at least

two before him.

The

first

was

Quadratus, Bishop of Athens, who presented an apology for


the Christians to the Emperor Adrian, about the year 126.

Quadratus.

64
Aristides.

JUSTIN MARTYR.

The other was


been

Aristides, a Christian philosopher, as

called, living at

who soon

Athens,

apology to the same Emperor.

he has

after addressed

an

Eusebius speaks well of both

these apologies, and says, that they were in the possession of

many

of the brethren in his day, that

tury

but they are not

of that day, (for the

now extant.

is,

most part small treatises,) they evidently

did not possess sufficient interest to

command that

and care necessary to transmit them to


pose that the best books are lost
trary to

all

in the fourth cen-

Like some other works

is

to suppose

The writings that

experience.

generally the least meritorious


to be read are generally the

attention

To sup-

posterity'.

what

is

con-

are forgotten are

and those which continue

most valuable.

We have, in all

probability, very little reason to regret the loss of

what has

perished of the writings of the Fathers of the second centur}-.

"What remains of them


tion of the

of

is

no great

value, with the excep-

works of Justin Martyr and Irenceus.

consider

Tertullian and Clemens Alexandrinus as belonging to the


third century.
Justin.

Justin was a Greek by birth and education, a native of


Neapolis, in Palestine, and brought up a Pagan pliilosopher.

He

studied, as

appears,

it

philosophy then

known

all

the various systems of Grecian

but the Platonic was what he most

He was

admired and adopted.

converted to Christianity'

about the year 132, when nearly thirty years of age.


the year 140 he went to

Rome, and kept a sort

About

of school for

the purpose of furthering the interest of religion, retaining


still

his

garb as a philosopher.

In the year 150 he wrote his

First Apology, addressed to the

and the Roman Senate.


eastern

parts

of the

Emperor Antoninus Pius

After a few years he visited the

empire

and

at

Ephesus he met

65

JUSTIN MARTYR.
accidentally with

Tryphon, a learned Jew

and the two

days dispute he had with him forms the Dialogue which he

composed, and which

is still

We find him at Rome

extant.

again in the year 165, disputing with Crescens, a Cynic


philosopher

and

in the following

Apology addressed
of Pius

to

year he wrote his Second

Antoninus Philosophus, the successor

but in the year 167 he was put to a cruel death

and then beheaded.

for his religion, being first scourged

His conduct, when examined by the Prefect of Rome, was


quite worthy of a defender of the faith.

His First Apology, as already stated,


merit

bold,

the most part judicious


of

is

and on the whole respectful

a work of great
explicit,

and

pir&t

for Apologj'.

showing an extensive knowledge

mythology and of the various forms of idolatry, and

an enlarged acquaintance with the Scriptures.

He

also

appeals

with great force to the justice and equity of the Emperor in


behalf of the Christians,

them

exhibits the injustice of punishing


name, defends them from

no crimes but a

for

the calumnies with which they were loaded,

shows from the

Scriptures what their sentiments were, and the conduct they

considered themselves bound to maintain,

proves the truth

of their religion by prophecies already fulfilled, and then


fulfilling,

and by

and by miracles done by Christ and

his followers, even in that

corruption,

the folly,

and absurdities of idolatrous worship,

relates minutely the religious rites

Christians.

his Apostles

age, exposes

Tliis

is

summary

and

and services performed by


of

what

this

Apology

contains.

His Second Apology

is

As in

short.

the

first,

he complains
gg^^jj^^

against the injustice of punishing Christians for no crime Apology,

but for being Christians.

He

brings instances of this.


F

He,

JUSTIN MARTYR.

then answers a taunt of the Pagans,

why do you

going to God,

too, to another taunt,

replies,

helper,

why

stroyed

"

who

"If you are

said,

not destroy yourselves

which was, "

If

God

"

He

is

your

does he suffer you to be persecuted and de-

In replying to this cavil he

advances some

He says, that when God created the world,

singular things.

he committed the care of

it

to angels.

Some

of these be-

trayed their trust and became rebellious, ha\'ing been enticed

by the beauty of women, with

whom

they cohabited

and their offspring were the demons, which have ever cornipted, and

continue to corrupt, the world.

still

demons have been

These

invariably inimical to the logos or reason,

and have always been persecuting even those among the


heathens

who had any

and Heraclitus.

portion of this logos, such as Socrates

But Christ being the perfect logos, and the

demons knowing this, they became more enraged against


him and his followers than against any previously. And it
was these demons that instigated men in power to persecute
the Christians.
The two following passages wiU show his
opinion:

"

God having

created

the whole world and subjected

earthly things to men, and adorned the heavenly elements,

which he seems
fruit

to

have made for men, for the increase of

and for the change of times, and having ordered

Divine law, delivered the care of

heaven to angels,
angels, having

whom

men and

this

of things imder

he appointed over them.

But the

gone beyond the order, degraded themselves

by improper commerce with women, and begot children,


who are those called demons and they afterwards made
;

mankind slaves to themselves.''


caused to be hated

all

those

" The demons have always

who in any way were

desirous of

JUSTIN MARTYR.
living according to reason

wonder, therefore,

to

and of shunning
hated,

portion of seminal reason

vice.

no

It is

the demons, being reproved, should

if

much more

cause them to be

who

live,

not according

(o-nep/xaTixoi'

Xoyav,')

but

according to the knowledge and perception {Bea^iav) of per- A

which

feet reason

is

Christ."

This opinion was evidently grounded on Gen.

vi.

1,

2.

But, as in other instances of error, the passage was ex-

tended beyond
to

But

its

by no means

it

in

accordance with the whole context.

was not peculiar

this opinion

made

proper limits, and additions were

to Justin

Athenagoras

and IrencBus, of the same century, held the same.


that

we have

to

it.

and nothing, that

There

far greater

is

the second century in

its

we have no

and stronger consent during

As

to bishops, distinct

Clement and Polycarp most

two

clearly

recognise but two orders.

centuries.

Barnabas and Hermas

having nothing very distinct on the subject.


tions only

two

officers

in the

Church

in

Justin men-

his time,

he calls president (wpoeo-Tw?) and deacon {liaKOio^).


uses the

terms bishop

from

evidence except that of Ignatius,

for the

first

can find, in opposition

favour than for the existence of

three orders in the church.


presbyters,

So

the highest authorities of the second century

in its favour,

and

presbyter

whom

Irenceus

indiscriminately.

Thus we

see the weight of evidence during the

centuries

is

against the three orders, which

may

two

first

naturally

create a suspicion, that those passages in Ignatius, which


refer to them, are interpolations

what he

states,

for the

two

first

for

he stands alone

centuries,

in

and not only

alone, but opposed by the strongest authorities during that

period.

JUSTIN MARTYR

But with regard to


tenanced by

many

this opinion

in that

age.

of Justin,

has as

It

it

is

much

coun-

consent

of Fathers as any vagary that can be mentioned.

It

is

adopted too by Fathers of succeeding centuries, by Ter-

Clemens Alexandrinus, Methodius, Origen, Cyprian,

tulHan,

Lactantius, and others

puted
tion,

till

and

and Athenagoras

Christians,

the opinion of the


it

all,

it is

Embassy

refers

is

Irenseus

find out

for

for the

Whence

Oxford Tracts.

The nearness

It

he plainly

tells

What

its

clearly derived

is

all

favour.

from the

in

more than intihis Notes on

many

of the Rabbins

This

us that

then

was

of the time

of course strongly in

what has been

mated by Feuardeniius, tbe~Papist,


held this opinion.

(vfta^peia)

the Apostles, of course,

of the

rich stock of Jewish traditions.

dis-

an interpreta-

to Scripture.

it

From

held from the Apostles

after

clearly

Church, and the Church derived

to the apostolic period

But

was not questioned or


It is

in his

manifestly

came this interpretation ?


if we adopt the principles
that

it

the fourth century.

is

there to enable us to

whether any other interpretation given by the

is not a Jewish tradition of some sort or another,


some figment of their own ? How, for instance, can
what they say of Baptism or of the Lord's Supper be
proved to have come from the Apostles, any more than
this opinion ?
But the real fact is, that there is no way
to deal with the Fathers, that there is no rule to be
adopted in judging of their interpretations and opinions,
but what ought to be adopted with respect to uninspired

Fathers

or

writers in any age, yea, even in our time, that

them

is,

to bring

to the test of Scripture, interpreted according to the

generally approved rules of sound criticism.

Tlie consent

60

JUSTIN MARTYR.
of the Fathers
often to exists

of truth, as

we

even where

where

it

it

really exists,

does not,)

return to notice the next

work

He met

no sure evidence

But

must

the longest of his wri-

Dialoc
j^l'^p^

on philosophy and

whom
whom

said

with this Jew accidentally at Ephesus, in

is

The conversation turned

company with some other Jews.


version,

it is

of Justin.

His Dialogue with Tryphon


tings.

is

instance.

clearly see in this

(and

Justin relates his

religion.

own

con-

which was by the means of a venerable old man

he met while walking

in a field

with what the old


the Scriptures

man

that he

said,

near the sea, and

He was

he never saw afterwards.

so impressed

was induced

to read

and the consequence was his conversion to

The Dialogue then turns on the


the Christian faith.
points in dispute between Jews and Christians.
Justin,
by various references to the prophecies and types of the
Old Testament, most clearly proves that Jesus was the
long-promised Messiah.
A great portion of what he
brings forward
there are

many

is

to be found

in his

First Apology, and

as to the passages referred to

repetitions

He

and the arguments employed.

was, however, success-

making a happy impression on the mind of Tryphon.


There are some parts of this Dialogue which would be
deemed valuable and useful in the present day. This is
what may be justly said of most, if not of all the works
ful in

of the Fathers.

There are parts which are very excellent,

while there are others which are very


fanciful,

of

and unsound.

some Jewish

others are by no

The Dialogue,

The

are

difficulties

means

so,

solutions

foolish,

puerile,

which Justin gives

very satisfactory,

while

being fanciful and far-fetched.

as a whole,

is

highly credible to Justin,

considering the age in which he lived.

JUSTIN MARTYR.
I shall now add
some remarks on their character. There was not much
room for him, either in his Apologies or in his Dialogue, to

After this brief notice of his writings,

go

into very minute details as to the peculiar doctrines of

the Gospel or the practices of the Church.

mostly

Apology

in his First

Sacraments, he

very

is

cular account of the

And

this

account

manner

pecial

full

way

in

and

sending you a letter on each

mean

also

Irenaeus,

and others of the two

first

and

at the

same time

what

to introduce

centuries, have said

compare

to

with those of the third, fourth, and

their

views

fifth centuries.

appears evident that the opinions of Justin were de-

It

fective

and

faulty

of Scripture he
1

parti-

purpose hereafter to notice in an es-

subjects

on them, and

and gives a

explicit,

of these

does this

which they were administered.

for I intend

He

and with regard to the two

He

is

on several points
often

is

wUd and

by no means

Original Sin.

He

and as an interpreter

fanciful.

clear or correct in his views of

does not seem very distinctly to

mark

man when created and man when he


being.
He speaks of him as still possess-

the difference between

became a

fallen

ing the power, independently of Divine grace, of choosing

good
ing)

as well as evU,

which he

and he represents

virtue (KaKiai;

Kai

calls auTflov^-io? (self-govern-

fallen

apcTiji;

man

lead us to think, that he thought


to the one as to the other.

as capable of vice

and

such a way as

may

SeKTiKo?) in

him

as strongly disposed

His views on this subject, and

those of Irenseus and of others of that centun% seem to

be very imperfect

by no means consistent with Scripture,

nor with the Articles of our Church, and paved the way,

no doubt, for the introduction of the Pelagian heresy

for

71

JUSTIN MARTYR.

had not

Pelag-ius

found

his sentiments, he

many

which accompanied the spread of

was doubtless

in

Church favourable

in the

Pelagius.

The Church

his errors.

great measure Pelagianized before

Pelagius began his mischievous career.

ready to take

bustibles

to

would not have met with that success

fire

when

There were com-

Pelagius

applied

his

torch.
2.

Justin does not appear

have possessed correct

to

views on the great doctrine of Justification by

former

understand the guilty and

sinful state

able clearly to

vided for him.

faith.

This de-

of

man,

will not

be

comprehend the nature of the remedy proBut it is not only Justin who had but

obscure and incorrect views on this subject, but, as


ceive, most, if not

all,

con-

This doctrine,

of the early Fathers.

after the Apostle's time, never shone forth in its scriptural

brightness

till

the time of Augustine.

It

was then that

the inspired page was sedulously studied, and this rich


treasure was brought

This was not effected

fully to light.

hy the help of tradition, for that had in a great measure


lost it

but by the examination and study of the Holy


occasioned by the spread of Pelagianism.
though substantially adopted before, and no

Scriptures,

That

error,

doubt to a considerable extent, when broadly avowed and


systematically taught, aroused, through God's grace, the

energies of Augustine and


truth,

ness

some

others,

and the great

by means of controversy, attained a

scriptural clear-

unknown

for a time,

to the early

Fathers.

It retained its lustre

and prevailed over the opposing error

but

became soon bedimmed; and though entertained by


dividuals,

it

Vide

Appradix,
he who does not clearly

feet necessarily follows the

it

in-

ceased to be the prevailing doctrine of the

JUSTIN MARTYR

Church, until another Augustine the great Luther appeared, and, being assisted by other illustrious reformers,

which

dispelled the darkness in


efforts

have been since made

and darken

was involved.

it

at different

this glorious truth

This

by

faith only,

is

what

evidently one of

To be

the objects of the Oxford Tracts.

Wliat

times to becloud

is

freely justified

not suit the pride of nature, nor

will

the pride of learning.


Justin evidently viewed

the

Atonement more

source of Sanctification than of Justification.

It is

the

as

corrupt

man, rather than guilty man, that he considers Christ to


It was to redeem man from the
have come to save.
power of the demons, rather than from the curse of the
law, that he viewed our Saviour's purpose in coming into
the world.

It

is

not so

much

as an offence against

that he regards sin, but as an evil in

its effects

God

on man.

His views were right to a certain extent, but they were

and holiness of God

manifestly defective.

The

were in a great degree

lost sight of, while his

justice

and grace were mostly regarded.


of legaUty running through his

the

commandments,

penitence,

or

mercy, love,

Hence there is a strain


writings.
The keeping of
instead

of faith

Christ, are mostly stated as necessary to salvation.

invariably the case with those

who

in

This

is

lose sight of the justice

and holiness of God, and consequently of the high de-

mands
of

all

and

of the Divine law.

formality,

ritual

and of

all

Let a

observances.

notion that he can gain

works (and

this notion

And

this defect lies at the root

extreme attachments to outward

life

in

man once

entertain

the

any degree by his own

he can only have, while his views

of Divine justice and hohness are indistinct and obscm-e).

JUSTIN MARTYR.

and

lie

rites

and ceremonies.

become enamoured with external

naturally

will

And here, I conceive, lies the main


of the men of the Oxford Tracts.
From

root of the errors

having inadequate and imperfect views of the high justice

and pure sanctity of God and

his law, they see not the

need of the atoning Sacrifice as the only ground of acceptance with God, and of the merits of the Redeemer, as the
only

title

human

to eternal

life.

Attaching undue importance to

works, and viewing them in some

they try to patch up something of their

pose of procuring

There

ous

Hence comes the

life.

and to add to the

magnify externals,
religion.

no surer sign than

is

way
own

meritorious,
for the pur-

disposition to

ceremonials

of

this of a self-righte-

spirit.

But

have said that Justin was a fanciful interpreter of

There are especially two

Scripture.

respect

He makes

that prophetical

faults in

which

is

him

in this

not so

and

he represents many thmgs as typical which evidently were


not so intended.

He

1.

apt

is

first

He

Tryphon.

ivith

phetically,

and

find prophecies

to

This he does in his

where

none

exist.

Apology, as well as in his Dialogue

Psalm proDialogue he represents the " tree

interprets even the first

in his

planted by the rivers of waters " as referring to the Saviour.

He

xxxiii. 16,

considers the following passage from Isaiah

"Bread

shall

be given him; his water shall

be sure," as prophetic of the sacramental bread and cup.


" It is manifest," he says in his Dialogue, " that even in
this

prophecy

it

is

which
commemoration

foretold concerning the bread,

our Christ has taught us to offer

(iroieo')

of his having been embodied (tol

in

o-w.uaTOTror-j^ao-flai avTOf)


JUSTIN MARTYR.

who beheve

those

for

also passible

in

him, and for

(7ra9)T(i?) and

he taught us to

offer,

he became
cup, which

giving thanks, in commemoration of

While we may

his blood."

whom

concerning the

prophecy

justly consider the

we cannot

very far-fetched, and even misapplied,

but ap-

prove of his language respecting the bread and cup


are rightly said to be in

commemoration (ek

what they are intended to


first

signify.

both

ava/*vij<ry)

Many

of

parts of the

He

chapter of Isaiah he quotes as prophetic.

appUes

know; my people doth not

the words, "Israel doth not

understand," to the Jews not believing in Christ, and as


" Wash you, and make you
predictive of their unbelief.

was a prophetic intimation of baptism.


Many
might be mentioned but where he is
most fanciful and extravagant is in the following parclean,"

similar instances

ticular
2.

He makes

things typical to a ridiculous extent.

Dialogue with many things of

meet

in his

lamb

of the passover, as fixed

on the

this

kind

so,

cannot well

description

understand,

The offering

made by

wei-e symbolically represented

fighting with the Amalekites

how

it

the leper under the


;

The twelve bells

priest,

signified

; The two comings

the twelve Apostles

ty|jified

high

to the dress of the

it

notwithstanding his

law, symbolized the sacramental bread

appended

We

The

spit roasting, typified

the material cross, being in form and shape hke

was

and

of Christ

by Moses and Joshua, while


Moses on the hill holding up
which was Christ's first

his hands, represented the cross,

coming

and Joshua conquering

Christ's second coming, which

coming all

his enemies

is

to

in the field,

presignified

be for the purpose of over-

Moses blessing Joseph, and saying


JUSTIN MAIlTYl!.
that " his horns were the

horns of unicorns?," did thereby

give a symbol of the cross

the application of this

am

; The broken

not able to comprehend

type of our Saviour's suffering;

thigh of Jacob was a


The double marriage of

Jacob was symbolical of what was afterwards to be done

by Christ.

This

mad, not to be

surely symbolizing run

is

modern

equalled by any reveries of

Many

times.

other

Notwith-

instances might be adduced, but I shall desist.

He

Justin deserves great respect.

standing these faults,

acted a noble part in defending Christians, and the truth

Considering the age in which he lived,

they professed.

he was eminent, though not to be compared with many


after-ages, especially

since

nothing in his writings that


in the correctness

of his views,

As a
There

tures

and,

as

to

guide,
is

tradition,

know nothing about

how came Justin not to draw out


He blames Tryphon, indeed,

materials

traditions of the elders

He

but

invites

first

tures to the perusal of the


Tlie passage

is

attention to the

some

of his

Scriptures.

offers the Scrip-

Emperor and the Roman Senate.


is

as follows

operation of wicked demons, death has

been allotted to those who read the


prophets

it

vainly

for following the

Ajwlogy, and

worth recording, and

"Through the

of

it.

some

but he brings forward none of his

constant

does the same in his

of our

independent of what the

there been a stock of such commodity, as

think,

own,

many

one thing in him

constant appeal to the Scrip-

Scriptures contain, he seems to

Had

is

or in the justness and

sobriety of his intei-pretations.

commended his

in

any great confidence

justifies

reformers are far before him.


highly to be

There

Reformation.

the

books .... of the

that through fear they might turn aside

men

^^P"'

JUSTIN MARTYR.

who

read for the purpose of attaining the knowledge of

good things, and might retain them slaves

to themselves

which, indeed, they have not been able effectually to do

for

we not

to you, as

only fearlessly peruse them, but offer them also

you

your inspection, imagimng that they

see, for

will

appear well pleasing to

few,

we

shall gain

much

And

all.

for

we

shall,

we persuade

if

good husband-

as

men, receive a reward from the Lord."


This

is

truly Protestant, a plain recognition of the prin-

ciple of the Bible Society,

conceive,
latter

but by no means agreeable, as

The

or to the Oxford divines.

to the Papists,

have not yet gone quite as far as the former, but

The

they follow them very closely.

Scriptures,

it

seems,

are to be perused under the sanction and with the inter-

Of this poor honest

pretation of the Church.

Justin

nothing in the middle of the second centun,',


after the apostolic

age

Emperor and the Senate

of

Rome "without

note or com-

the

that

mark"

external

interpreting the
ages,

Church,

of orders,

word

of God,

in

that

is,

power

men

ministers

of the

who have

is

a vagary
for the

demons had

in

" the

right of

unknown

to the

same purpose,

as

view in inducing

to prohibit the perusal of the Scriptui-es,

to " retain

manifestly the

the

or those

have the exclusive

and evidently invented

Justin says, the wicked

men

its

Church has grown wiser since, as it


by what means it would be desirable to know.

idea

first

years

Tlie

as interpreters.

appears

knew

for he offers the Scriptures to the

ment," and without introducing the Church or

The

fifty

them

slaves to themselves."

This

is

primum mobile of all the efforts made by


British Magazine and the Oxford Tracts.

Let the Bible be sealed or interpreted by tradition, or by

JUSTIN MARTYR.
the Church exclusively, and the work of enslaving

minds and consciences of men

Church

as in the

of

Rome.

will

the

be done as completely

the same thing, whether

It is

done under the name of Protestantism, Anglicanism,

or

Popery.

The

divines alluded

seem

to,

to tread

very

the

in

footsteps of the Papists, and the clear tendency of their


principles

is

the way,
if it

seems,

it

and

to enthral the mind, to fetter reason,

And

destroy the exercise of individual judgment.


to produce

unity

an

to

this is

unity, which,

coidd be effected, would not be that of intelligence,

but of blindness,

escencenot

not of conviction,

of reason, but of

but of morbid acquicompliance.

slavish

would be the unity of mute animals trained

It

work

to

together, of mules and asses well disciplined, and not the


of

unity

rational

will

and

dictates of the

in a willing

submission to the

This

Highest.

and

convinced,

enlightened,

beings,

acting a reasonable part,

the unity

is

of

blind Popery, and not of intelligent Protestantism.

In perfect accordance with the

last extract, is the

which Justin gives of his own conversion.


old

account

The venerable

man whom he met did not direct him to consult the


men of the Oxford Tracts would doubtless

Church, as the

do, but called his attention to the Scriptures.


I

conceive, improper, under

inquirer to an intelligent

point

is

afford.

It

is

not,

circumstances, to send an
;

but the

first

him the word of God. It is to confine the


the Church that is objectionable, and not the

to give

business to

making

all

and pious teacher

of proper use of the help

which

But the old man did not only

Scriptures, but gave him, as

it

were,

its

ministers

direct

him

may

to the

a cayion of inter])re-


JUSTIN MARTYR.

which excels every other, and

is

far better

boasted consent of the Fathers, which

is

a mere figment,

tation,

than the

or the decrees of coimcils, which are human, and

and

errors

which

is

absurdities,

or

to a right interpretation.

prescribed

It is

is

man

literate will

and with

the safest guide

indeed the only safe guide

Without

both to the learned and to the unlearned.

most

of

often very erroneous, and always liable to mis-

The canon which he

takes.

full

the teaching of the Church,

it

the

be sure to grope in the dark as a bUnd


the most

it

illiterate will find

sufficient

light clearly to see every thing necessary for his salvation.


It is, in fact,

the only key that will unlock the rich trea-

And

sures of Divine knowledge.


primitive canon,

They

it.

error.
late

will

Et^^oK

Kai

give

troj

Xoiaroi avTov.

navrav fuTO^

ir/)o

itaaiv

trvvvoriTa

gates of light

an ancient and

man's words, and trans-

in the old

it

as literally as I can

a-vvottra svSe

is

it

never otherwise get out of the trammels of

I shall

it

as

lovers of antiquity, will, I hope, adopt

all

But

may

he

anoi-xfi'/inat

((rriv,

ei

fM)

pray that above

opened

to

you

irtXa;.

ra 0eo; 8w

all

on

yap

a-vneyai

things the

for these

flhe

Scriptures) are not clearly seen nor clearly understood by

any, but by him to


to

whom God and

his Christ give (grace J

understand (them)."
MiSOPAPISTICUS.

Postscript.
There are sentiments announced by Bishop
Kaye in his "Account of the writings, &c. of Justin,"
which require some notice, as they are entertained by not

a few.

In his

first

benefits of consulting

chapter, the Bishop speaks

the

Fathers

of the

and while on

this

JUSTIN MARTYR.

he adduces

subject,

in favcur of

which do not appear


exist between "

what he advances, reasons

to be valid.

human

science,"

difference

is

neither fairly nor justly

made

the two things do

The

not belong to the same class of ideas.

human

said to

The compari-

one being progressive, and the other not.


son

is

and "Revelation," the

field

or book

which

is

nature, and the field or book

of divine science, which

is

Revelation, are the two things

of

science,

that ought justly to be put in contrast

and both may be


But human

rightly said to be incapable of improvement.

and divine science are equally capable of being


progressive and what is true of the first is also true of
science

the second,

that

is,

that

it

advances by " the labours of

successive inquiries," and that the " crude notions of those

who

engaged

first

in the

pursuit are discarded for

more

mature and more enlarged views." This has both reason and

The very

facts on its side.

of the Fathers,

condition and circumstances

especially the

first,

forbid

us

to

think

that they

had any very mature or enlarged knowledge of

the wide

field

and

their

of Revelation.

They were mostly

knowledge was very much confined

the main truths, similar to


possessed.

what the

Facts confirm this view.

illiterate,

to

first scientific

few of

inquirers

Their writings shew

that their knowledge of divine truths was far below what

many have

attained since their time.

methodist preacher

of ordinary abihties in the present day, could write

much

better epistles than any of those left us by the apostolic

Fathers,

epistles

that would convey far

more enlarged,

more correct, and more scriptural views of divine truths,


and much more free from fancies, puerilities, and extravagancies.
This can be denied by no man whose judgment

JUSTIN MARTYR.
is

The Bishop

not warped by prejudice.

himself, there can

be no doubt, possesses far correcter knowledge of Scripture

than

all

the Fathers of the three

work on Justin
to the meaning

is

centuries

first

a proof of this.

And

of any difficult passage

entitled to a higher regard than that of

Fathers

yea,

it

instances, to the

might

his very

many

cases,

all

first

many

the Fathers

no more than an

is

down from

assent to what had been handed

as

justly

any of the

rightly be preferred, in

universal consent of

for their consent in

opinion

his

would be

early times,

not from the Apostles, but from their fanciful cotemporaries

and nearest successors,

tests of Tertullian

by the vicious

tests that

and

strictly ap-

would countenance and confirm,


traditions

plied, the

environed

and Vincentius Lirinensis,


if

rigidly

and errors of the Jews, as well

the traditions and errors of the Church of

as

Rome, and

which the very Pagans adopted to a considerable

tests,

extent, in the
as

tianity,

it

first
is

ages, to invalidate the claims of Chris-

evident from

the Octavius of Minutius

Felix.

There is another sentence in his lordship's first chapter,


which does not seem to be legitimately applied. " The
greater," it is said, " the distance from the fountain-head,
the greater the chance that the stream will be polluted."

Had

tradition

been the source, and the only source,

would have been just


ture

is

first

We

is

by no means

now as near the fountain-head as


for we have the Scripture, which

are

Christians;

contains substantially

we have

this

but as the Scrip-

the fountain-head, the appUcation

warrantable.

the

in its appUcation

all

that the apostles preached, and

far greater facilities

to

draw

clear water out of

fountain

this

the advantage of the

skill

ages to assist us, and

many

as

we have

of the disadvantages of the

And

Fathers no longer exist.

to us

is

it

and knowledge of succeeding


yet

tained, that their interpretation

than those of future ages, as


of the

The fountain-head

than the Fathers had.

was not so accessible to them as

strangely main-

is

it

purer and more correct

is

ignorance and scantiness

if

means of information tended

throw more light

to

on the pages of Revelation, than the knowledge and the


enlarged inquiries of succeeding ages
is

to get rid of

entertained and countenanced by great


^

may

It

How

difficult

it

however groundless, when long

notions,

names

not be improper to notice

also

here

.rustin's

Justin

Dialogue.

Dialogue, lately published in English as a part of the


" Christian's Family Library," edited by the Rev. Edw.
Bickersteth.

Browne,
and

is,

It is

vicar

a translation

of Nether

made by

on the whole, as far as

But there

impartial translation.

can judge, a

in

is

a singular instance of undue leaning

both

in the translator

and

lessen the

number

of

its

fair

and

the 80th section,

to one's

in the editor.

The

fers to the millennium.

Rev. Henry

the

Sewel, and pubhshed in 1745,

own

views,

Tlie passage

re-

translator's rendering tends to

Millen-

mum.

advocates in Justin's time, and

number

so

much,

as to include almost all the Christians

of that age.

The

passage is the following


" I have already owned,

and several others

the editor's correction increases their

(aXXoi iroXXoi) of the

that

same way of thinking with myself.

are fully persuaded that this will


pass.

And

most assuredly come

again I told you, that there are (not)

good and pious Christians who do not believe


G

it."

to

many

Sect. 80.

JUSTIN MARTYR.

The translator by rendering tsM.'h, "


of " many," clearly lessens the number
and the

number

their

authorizing

body

He

greatly.

this

alteration

can reconcile

else

have used

Justin

what a strange

Had he

"

with the

it

"many"

in

sort of diction

in the

way

that

the

the

is

instance,

first

this opinion

word he employs with

"many;" who,
The

divided.

he employs by putting
done by

who do

latter portion of the

TOVTO

it

as

would

and there

not believe

respect to

in

this construction

it."

But

both parties,

is

according to him, were pretty equally

ntiXKavq Z'av Kat toiv Tr^q


i/uv yvafA-r)^,

he

if

Besides,

upon him, the simple mode of stating

are but few, rightly-minded,

as

for one,

Mede nor any


Would
context.

and most other Christians believe this

but neither

intended to convey the meaning imposed,

conceive,
be,

of Millenarians

Mede,

refers to
:

meant that most Christians held

two negatives,

several," instead

by putting in the negative, "not," increases

editor,

junj

yvapi^eiv

who

again, even of those

passage

KaBapaf Hat

is as,

tt/!7efov^

etT'^y.ai/a <roi

are Christians

pious mind, do not acknowledge this,

follows

ovtuv XpiiTTia-

"'And that many


I

of a pure

and

have signified to

you."
Tliis

made.

is

as literal

How

a rendering perhaps as can well be

to introduce the negative, consistently with

any propriety of language,

it is

difficult

to see.

Neither

more than the English, can in this form


many. It is only by
a negative with iroXXov?

the original, any

admit of

changing the form of the sentence, that


ticable to put in the negative.

word, in
all,

its

When

original form, the negative

admissible,

as

it

it

has been prac-

rendered,
is

word

for

scarcely, if at

would make the expression very

JUSTIN MAHTYll,

strange; "That not many do not acknowledge this!"


Besides,

very

the

Tryphon asked

against

answer,

this

elicited

proposed

this

alteration.

whether he really beheved that Tryphon

Justin,

Jerusalem would be

whether he avowed

&c., or

rebuilt,

Now

the sake of carrying a point in dispute.

this for

it

that Tryphon, a learned Jew, as he

scarcely credible,

is

which

question

seems clearly to be

has been represented, should be ignorant concerning this


opinion,

if it

were almost universal, as

sentence would

make

it

change

this

in the

Nay, the very question, coming

from a learned man, would lead us to think, that Justin in

number nearly

stating the

equal on both sides, did exhibit

the exaggeration of apartizan.

The conclusion
is true, in this

of this section, 80,

sentence already quoted

not just.

The

opOoyyafA.ovff

ae<T9ai

Kai

original

my

but in

is

this

Kai xiXia

Kat

Christians, orthodox in

all

Se,

<7af>Koi;

Kai

" But

I,

and

<'

if

is

T(ye? ettriv
"ycv/j-

(ji/<oS<!,)}9e(0"/)

le^exivjX

Kat

there are any

know, that there

will

and that there

will

things, do

at Jerusalem,

it

in the

avacTaatv

Trpo^vjTdi

ot

be a resurrection even of the flesh


be a thousand years

change

trvj ev leportraXrjfi

i:\aT\jyB(i(T7\,

Ho-aia?, Kai aXKoi o/AoXoyova-iv.

so rendered,

view, the rendering

Eyw

KaTairavTa. Xfttrriavot, Kai

e'lrta-TajjieBa'

KOT/A'/jSeio-i)

is

translation, as to favour this

when built and adorned

and enlarged, the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah and others, do


confess." That the resurrection of the flesh and the thousand
years, are not connected,

is

apparent from a proper rendering

of the passage, and also, from the

commencement

next section, which refers only to the millennium.

of the

The

beginning of the section, and the next words to the above,


are

the

following

Outu? yap Ha-ata;

wepi

tij?

%iX(Oi/Ta-

question

84

JUSTIN MARTYR.
cT/jptloi;

TatTij? emev.

" For thus


Then

of a thousand years."

given at large

Isaiah speaks of this term

Isaiah Ixv. 17, to the end,

and no reference

is

afterwards

made

is

to the

resurrection.

appears rather remarkable that Justin should confine

It

his opinions respecting the

See
^

Eccl.' Hist,

B.iii. ch.l.

as

millennium,

reputed

to those

was held by some of the heretics, such


the Cerinthians and the Marcionites, in Justin's time,

orthodox

for

it

and afterwards by the Meletians. and the Apollinarians.


jj.

improbable that the adoption of

jg jjqj.

heretics, operated as

denounced as

to be

was

tradition,

and

it

by some of the

it

one reason

why

in after-times it

heretical.

The

origin of the opinion

came

which is always very unsafe and uncertain


came from one who is represented by Eusebius and
others, as a credulous man, and very weak in judgment.
Such is the account given of Papias, who may be con;

sidered to be the very founder of the miUennarian system.

Whether

the credulity of

judgment, have
cates in
it

all

in a great

much

in

some

paradise, cannot well be


it

measure characterized

its

advo-

That

ages, I will not undertake to determine.

borders too

that

propagator and his w^eak

its first

respects on the

denied

has been often associated, in

nor can

many

Mahommedan
it

of

be doubted,
its

abettors,

with sentiments very strange and heterodox, and marked


with peculiar wildness and extravagance.

These things are

not of course sufficient of themselves to condemn


they go far to lessen

nor should they be

its

left

weigh evidence on th

out in our calculation,

subject.

it,

but

many
when we

credit in the estimation of


85

VI.

IREN^US.

Sir.

The most important works

in the

second century, next

to those of Justin Martyr, are the writings of Irenaeus.

What we

have besides, except some fragmentary remains,

are Tatian's speech against the Greeks (and he afterwards

became a
tians,

heretic)

and a

treatise

Athenagoras

Embassy

on the resurrection,

for the Chris-

and

three books or rather letters to Autolycus

Theophilus'

which may

all

be comprised in an octavo volume of 200 pages

and which

contain nothing very interesting to us in the present day.

They seem

to

Irenaeus

same

Smyrna, and

at

Poly carp.

Tliat

is

to

is

in the

strain

defects.

supposed to have

have been instructed by

evident from a fragment of one of

his letters to one Florinus.

his great

and

he knew Poly carp and heard him preach

when he was young,


France

faults

was by birth a Greek, and

been born

in

much

have been written very

of Justin, and exhibit the

in the year 178,

He was made

Bishop of Lyons

and about the year 187 he wrote

work against the heretics

in Jive books,

addressed


86

IREN-US.
to

This work, accompanied by a few fragments

a fi-iend.

The

from his other writings, has been often published.


best edition
at

Oxford

considered to be that of Dr. Grabe, published

is

in the year

702.

the original has been lost

Irenseus \\Tote in

made soon

Latin translation, supposed to have been


the work was published.

Greek

and what we have now

Some fragments

but
is

after

of the original

have been preserved by Eusebius, Epiphanius, and others,

and are given by Dr. Grabe

in

from these fragments that the


the best

among

style

and indeed he confesses

was rude
lator is

his edition.

appears

was not
he

in his preface that

speech, owing to his having Uved so long

in

But

a people of a barbarous language.


still

It

of Irenaeus

ruder

for his Latin

is

his trans-

so barbarous that

it is

make out the sense. Still the work itself


on many accounts, and shews a mind of consi-

difficult often to
is

valuable

derable vigour and capacity, and contains correct views of

many important

truths.

In the FIRST book he details with singular minuteness


the strange vagaries of the numerous heretics of his day,

and the various ways

in

which they turned and perverted

Scripture to support their fantastic notions, contrary to

and consistent meaning.

plain, obvious,

this respect are very strikingly expressed

he says may be a warning to others,


passages
" They attempt speciously to adapt

its

Their attempts in

and as what

shaU quote two

Lib.

i.

jixo^efv)

to

what

is

or prophetic expressions,

their

system

(aiAagrvpoy)

(af<07ri(f xa; -npoiraf-

spoken by them, either our Lord's para-

bles,

may
passing

not

or apostolic words, that

appear to

be without evidence

over the order (Ta^iv)

and context

87

IRENyEUS.
(dfl^oi')

ing

and as

of the Scriptures,

the

far as

they can, loosen-

members or hmbs of truth (Xvovtc; ra /AiXvi tvj;


" Having patched together old women's fables,

aXijfif ia<) ."

then tearing from this and that place sayings, expressions,

and parables, they endeavour to adapt to their

fables, the

words of God."

He

then refers to the

known

what

of

doctrines of the

Church

which may be deemed to con-

gives an epitome of them,


tain the rudiments

is

now

called the Apostles

Creed, and maintains that the acknowledged doctrines of


the Universal

Church give no countenance whatever to the

strange notions of the heretics.

whole and

entire, that

may
summary of

considered in his day as the


that they

I shall

your readers

may understand

what

to

forms the second chapter


" The Church, though
:

give this epitome


see

what Irenseus

Divine truth, and

his tradition refers.

It

scattered

through the whole

world, to the extremities of the earth, hath yet received

from the Apostles and their


in

one God,

earth,

"

and

And

in

disciples, that faith

Father Almighty,

seas,

and of

all

maker

one Christ Jesus,

which

of heaven,

is

and

them
the Son of God, incarnated

things in

for our salvation

"

And

in the

Holy Ghost, who through the prophets

preached the economies, and the advents, and the generation

from the Virgin, and the passion and the rising

from the dead, and the incarnate ascension of our beloved


Christ Jesus the Lord into the heavens, and his coming

from the heavens


all

things,

and to

sum up
mankind

in the glory of the Father, to


raise

up

all

the flesh of

all

that to Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and Saviour, and

^"P-

88

IREN.EUS.

King, according

to

good pleasure of the

the

invisible

Father, every knee of those in heaven, and on earth, and

may bow, and every tongue may confess


him and that he may execute righteous judgment on
them all : that he may send into the eternal fire the spirits

under the earth,


to

of wickedness (ra

who

Trvtu/^ariKo. TT); wovv)()(a?),

and the angels

transgressed and became apostates, and the ungodly,

and the unjust, and the lawless and the calumniators of

men

and that he may, graciously bestowing

incorruption,

life,

grant

and confer eternal glory on the righteous

and the holy, who have kept


have from the beginning or

his

commandments, and

after

repentance continued

in his love."

Now

Mr. Newman, one

Tracts, according to

what

of the writers
is

of the Oxford

reported, in his Lectures on

" The Prophetic Office of the Church," would have us


believe that

what

is

Creed came from

called the Apostles'

the Apostles, at least substantially and nearly in the form

we now have it. If there was such a creed in Irenaeus'


time, how came he not to use it, instead of forming one
himself, as he appears evidently to have done,

part

There was

to epitomes of this kind

spread of the Gnostic errors


future errors
until

it

that

at least in

no creed regularly formed

at that time

and what gave occasion

the creed

and

it

was on account of

new accessions,
now possesses.
human composition,
To palm it on the

acquired

had attained the form and

fulness

it

The creed itself is excellent but it is a


and as such our Church receives it.
world as Divine, and as coming from the Apostles,
;

the effect of ignorance or of strong delusion

attempt

to foist

word of God,

in

in sornethinfj

was the

else as Divine,

or

is

either

it is

an

besides the

order to introduce some other things.


89

IREN.'EUS.

What

Irenaeus says of this

contained in
lieved

that the truths

is,

were universally acknowledged and be-

it,

I shall give his

summary

own words

" This preaching and this faith, the Church having re-

we have

ceived, as

though scattered through

said before,

the whole world, carefully preserves, as

same house

and

it

had one soul and the same heart


preaches, and
things, as

if

inhabited the

it

likewise believes these things, as

and

and delivers

teaches,

(irapaSiSao-jj/)

it

these

For though

possessed but one mouth.

if it

if

harmoniously

it

the dialects through the world are different, yet the substance of what

is

and the same.

Germany

neither the

tvj?

napaSoo-ew?)

is

one

Churches founded

in

believe otherwise, or otherwise deliver (napa^t-

nor those

ZoaiTiv),

Celts,

deUvered (dwafAi^

And

among

the

among

or

Iberians,

the

or in the eastern parts, or in Egypt, or in Lybia,

nor those founded in the middle regions of the world


but as the sun, the workmanship of God,

same through the whole world

so also the preaching of

the truth shines everywhere, and enlightens


desire

to

come

to

the

knowledge of the

all

(for no one

Churches speak things


is

different

above the teacher), nor

speech lessen what

is

delivered

men who
And
who pre-

truth.

neither will the most powerful in speech of those


side in the

one and the

is

from these

will the

weak

(tijv ira^iaSoo-iv the

in

tradi-

faith being one and the same, neither he who


much concerning it enlarges it (eTrXtovairey), nor
does he who says little make it less (ojXarTofvjcre)."
The preceding passage has been given, that it might

tion)

for

can say

be seen what Irenaeus meant by

tradition.

His tradition

was evidently the truth conveyed by preaching

and

this

Cap.

3.

IREN^US.

.90

summary which he had

tiTith is

mainly included

given.

This had been traditioned or deUvered to the

Church by the Apostles, and

and

this

many

it

continued to be thus delivered

The harmony, of which he


this summary of Divine truth

and taught everywhere.


speaks,

the

in

was with respect to


harmony still exists, notwithstanding differences on

other points,

Churches, and in

all

in

the

all

We

may now say,

that this preaching or this faith


that

it is

Reformed or Protestant

Dissenting Churches, except those

which are Socinianized.

traditioned and taught

orthodox throughout the world.

as Irenaeus did,

" one and the same,"

is

by

Protestants

all

But

same way

Irenseus has often been perverted in the

deemed

this declaration

of

as he tells

by the heretics. It has been


" context," and been made to apply not

that passages of Scriptui-e were


Appendix, separated
S-

from

its

only to all the doctrines of Scripture, but also to


of Church order and discipline.

This

is

all

matters

heretical work.

In the SECOND book Irenaeus proceeds formally to refute


the fantasies of the heretics, shewing by argument and clear

how inconsistent and absurd they were. His


he says, was to " destroy and overturn what they

reasoning
object,

falsely taught,

by denuding and shewing what

they were."

They were,

the reach of
of

for the

human knowledge

them were foolish and

most

contradictor)', or, in his

were indeed truly absurd.


of

Gnostics

own words,

Their opinions

They were distinguished by the


men: but they held various

knowing

sentiments, differing in
for the

beyond

and the notions they had

" incongruous, fatuitous, and irrational."

name

sort of things

part, things

many

things fi-om each other, but

most part maintaining divers creations or emanations

with respect to the Divine Being, making so

many beings

or


IREN.EUS.

emanations to be within what they


ness,

and so many without

God

it,

91
call

the Pleroma, or ful-

and holding that the Creator

of the

Jews and the Saviour, were

different beings or emanations,

by various generations, from

of the world, the

the Great parent of


opinions,

many

all.

But they had many other strange

of which Irenseus notices

and refutes, shew-

ing their absurdity and inconsistency with the Scriptures


for they

at least

all,

most of them, seemed

to

pay some

re-

gard to the Scriptures, and borrowed something from them


to countenance their absurd notions.

But Irenseus does

not seem disposed on that account to take the Scriptures

from them, as the Papists do with respect


the

men

to the laity (and

of the Oxford Tracts are rather jealous on this

point,) but

he encourages them to read the Scriptures, and

them how to read them profitably.


While IrencBus very successfully disproves the

directs

fantasies

of the heretics, he commits a few blunders himself.


heretics

made a

thirty,

&c.,

as

The

great deal of numbers, such as seven, ten,

mentioned

in the Bible,

and existing

in

To shew that this was all a vain thing, he brings


forward many instances of Jive being a number applicable to
many things. He says that each table of the law had five

nature.

precepts, following in this instance the division of

the Jewish rabbies

; that

some

of

the cross had five points, two in

the length, two in the breadth, and one in the middle

had five piUars, whUe


Moses only mentions four
and that the altar of the burntoffering was five cubits high, while it was only three.

that the veil of the holiest place


;

But there are certain principles which are

avowed by

Irenaeus in this chapter.

the parables to their

The

truly Protestant,

heretics perverted

own purpose, by taking some

parts,

and


92

IREN.^US.

How

applying them to the support of their systems.


Ireuaeus deal with

them

Does he

refer

ing of the Churcli or to Catholic tradition

He

another course.

make
^'

the following extracts

'

man, and subjected


a mind that

is

to our

will readily meditate

No

he pursues

To shew

this

God

sound, and

does

to the teach-

a rule by which the parables

safely explained.

" Wliatsoever things

Lib. 2

down

lays

might be correctly and

them

has put within the power of

knowledge upon these things

safe,

and godly, and truth-loving,

and he wUl make progress

them,

in

And

acquiring to himself easy learning by daily exercise.

these are things which are obvious, and are openly, and as
to diction, inambiguously, read in the Divine Scriptures

and therefore the parables ought not

to

For he who thus explains (that

biguous points.

be adapted to amis,

plain parts of Scripture), explains without danger,

parables shall receive a similar explanation from

by the

and the

But

all.

those things which are not plainly spoken, aud are not obvious,

it is

folly to

couple

them with those explanations of

the parables, which any one invents as he pleases

for thus

the rule of truth (regula veritatis) will be with no one


there will be as

many

tradictory dogmas, as there will be expounders.

the parables are capable of

who

Vide
ppradix

but

many

explanations,

Because

who

of those

love the truth will not confess, that to affirm anything

from them
is

truths opposing each other, and con-

in the inquiry respecting

certain, indubitable,

and

God, and to leave what

true, is the part of those

precipitate themselves into danger,


"
irrational ?

who

and who are wholly

^j^^ principle of the analogy of faith is here clearly re-

cognised.

The "

rule of truth"

is

to

explain

what

is

93

IREN.liUS.

obscure by what
will

clear

is

and obvious, otherwise the

be that there will be "truths" opposing

And we shall have presently

another direction

introduced the discussion of

each other.
Tlie heretics

started curious

and some of them arising from things said

ture, but

which were such

Irenseus very justly

"

things manifestly beyond

human knowledge, and

the reach of
culties,

many

We

result

as could not be solved

diffi-

in Scrip-

by man.

and wisely answers them and says

ought to refer such things to God, our maker

very justly knowing, (rectissime scientes) that the Scriptures


are indeed perfect (Scripturae quidem perfectse sunt), because

they have been dictated by the word of

And

in the

God and his

Spirit.

degree in which we are less than, and farthest

from, the word of

God and

his Spirit,

in that

degree

stand in need of the knowledge of his mysteries.

we

If some

things in the works of creation be referred to God, and some

come within our own knowledge, what hardship

is it, if,

of

the things sought after in the Scriptures, the whole Scriptures

being

spiritual,

some, and

if

we

do, according to God's grace, explahi

some should be

this present world,

referred to God, not only in

but also in that which

is

to come, that

God may be always teaching, and man may be always learnGod ? If, therefore, according to what we have said,
we refer some of the questions to God, we shall keep our

ing of

faith

and continue without danger

and the whole Scripture,

given us by God, will be found by us consonant

and the parables


said,

will

(o-Kft^aivcic),

harmonize with the things expressly

and the things plainly said

will explain

((ntXva-e'i)

the

parables."

We

read nothing here of the teaching of the Church, or

of tradition or of traditive interpretation; but of rules and

cap. 47.


94

IREN.EUS.
directions

by which Scripture may be

Tradition

is

safely interpreted.

only applied by him to the general truths of

the Gospel which continued to be preached in the Church.

When

he mentions expositions, and solutions of

he prescribes

rules,

and such as are

suitable to

what he says indiscriminately to

not con-

but recommending

fining himself to authorized teachers,

The Scriptures he recognises

difficulties,

all,

even to the heretics.

all,

as " perfect," and he recog-

nises too the necessity of Divine grace in order to understand

them

The explanation

aright.

explained,

is

so

the following

is

what

is

what

is

less

" For these (the heretics) are not more competent (that

is,

Nor ought we

to

to teach the truth) than the Scriptures.

leave the

Vide

capable of being
"

insolvable, is referred to

These are truly Protestant sentiments, and not

God.
Cap. 54.

of

said to be given " according to God's grace

while, with due humility,

and

words of the Lord, and Moses, and other prophets.

to believe, these,

who

say nothing that

sane, but dote

is

\lipuiaix,

unstable things (instabila delirantibus)."

The
is,

in

application of this to the

my

men

of the

view, perfectly warrantable.

Oxford Tracts

Many

of the things

they advocate are wholly "unstable" and uncertain, and

even by no means sane or sound.

What

is

their

Cathohc

Church and the consent of


They are " unstable"
Fathers, but things of this kmd ?
things, and what no spiritually-sane mind ought to receive,
when not clearly sanctioned by the Divine Scriptures. The
tradition, the teaching of the

doting on " unstable things "

is

the character of heretics in

every age. That these writers dote and say the most delirious
things, on the points above mentioned,
their writings.

is

quite evident from

IKEN.liUS.

The

object of

tlie

third book, as stated by himself, was

to " bring proofs from the Scriptures."


chiefly

how

words are remarkable

the Gospel
;

came

"

to

them

and were they adhered

would receive no more countenance


these

Tliese proofs are

He

from the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles.

begins by stating

and

his

to, tradition

They

in the world.

are

We have not known the method of our salvation through

any but those through

whom

the Gospel has

come

which indeed they first preached, but afterwards through the


will of

God

Scriptures,

tradited or delivered (tradiderunt) to us in the

and

to be the foundation

pillar

of our faith

columnam fidei nostree)."


in mind while reading Irenseus, and we
shall not mistalie what he says of tradition.
The Apostles
and they
tradited or dehvered the truth to the Church
What was delitradited or delivered the same in writing.
vered and preached in his day, he declares to be the same as
(fundamentum
Let us bear

et

this

what the Apostles preached and delivered to writing. Wliat


the heretics maintained was the reverse of this, which he
strenuously opposed.

They held

that the Apostles taught

things not contained in the Scriptures

and some of them

maintained that the Apostles themselves had not perfect

knowledge.

On

this point

he makes

this declaration

" After our Lord arose from the dead, and they (the
Apostles) were endued with the power of the Holy Ghost

coming upon them from above, and were filled with all things,
and had perfect knowledge, they went forth to the extremities
of the earth, evangelizing those

from God, and announcing

good things which are to us

celestial

peace to men,

and each of them having the Gospel of God."


pariter et singuli eorum habentes evangelium Dei.)

Lib.

3^

to us

all

alike

(Omnes

9G

lUEN/EUS.

There

in the

is

well deserving
Tracts, as

it

second chapter a very singular passage,

men

the attention of the

whom

shews

The

pleading for tradition.

of the Oxford

they have as their companions in


originators, advocates,

and

patrons of oral tradition were the heretics ; and it has never


heen resorted to nor pleaded in any age, except for the

The Jews

support of heretical and erroneous sentiments.

quoted

and the Papists quote

it,

maintaining what

The passage
l^gp

"

When

for the verj' purpose of

superstitious,

foolish,

is

this

is

it

or unscriptural.

they (the heretics) are reproved from the Scrip-

tures, they turn to find fault with the Scriptures, as

were not
Vide

right, or

)IK^di.x,

but by word of

To meet

this objection,

were, on their

own ground,

that tradition,

if

there

and to take the

are ignorant of

heretics,

Irenaeus proceeds to

as

it

shew where

was any, could reasonably be found.

infers, that if there

and not committed to writing,

whom

who

was not delivered by means of writing,


mouth (per vivam vocem)."

for that

He justly

they

and because the truth

found from them by those

^^j^j^^jj.

tradition

if

were not of authority, both because they

are variously expressed (varife dictae),

was anything
it

orally

dehvered

must have been left

the Apostles appointed to succeed them.

to those

He

then

begins at Rome, and traces the succession of bishops or


presbyters up to the Apostles, and maintains that the tradition or delivery of the truth

the

first

had continued the same from

and thus he completely shuts out oral

Then he goes

to Asia,

tradition.

and mentions Polycarp, and says that

he taught the same things as he learnt from the Apostles,

and

refers to his epistle as a proof,

truths

of the Gospel which

they being clearly the

the Apostles preached and


97

IKF.N.EUS.

delivered to writing.
uiiiversally in these

He

words

afterwards refers to the Church

" When, therefore, the proofs are so many,


to seek the truth from some,

when

it is

we ought not

easy to take

it

from

the Church, since the Apostles had most plentifully poured


into

it,

which belong to

as into a rich depository, all things

who wishes may

the truth, that every one

drink of

take from

the

it

Cap.

life."

Let what he said before be connected with

that

this,

4.

is,

that what the Apostles preached they delivered to us in the


Scriptures,

and there

any

tradition,

oral

will

be the strongest evidence against

independent

of

"poured," he says, "into the Church


to the truth :"

They

Scripture.
all things

belonging

and what they thus poured, or what they


This must

preached, they delivered to us in the Scriptures.

have been his meaning, otherwise there would have been a

gap to escape
Apostles

left

for the heretics,

some things

who maintained

for an oral delivery.

question he afterwards puts confirms this view

the Apostles," he says, " had not

would

it

left

that the

The very

" What

if

not be our duty to follow the order of tradition

which they delivered to those to

Churches

.''

"

He, throughout,

whom they

committed the

identifies their writings

with

what they delivered to the Churches, and admits of nothing


This is what no one who reads him imelse as tradition.
partially can deny.

But Romanists and others have often

perverted what he says to support their

argument necessarily excludes

own views.

His very

oral tradition, as containing

anything different from the truths of the Scriptures.


object of

Vide
'^PP'!'^'

the Scriptures to us,

all

he advances

is,

to

show the plea

oral tradition to be wholly groundless.

The

of heretics for

Wliat does he say in

Cap.

4.

IREN.EUS.
his preface that

?
To bring proofs from
make those proofs to bear

he was going to do

And

the Scriptures.

in order to

on them, he begins by nuUifsdng the vaUdity of any oral tradition,

independent of the Scriptures, maintaining that what

the Apostles preached they committed to writing, and that

what they preached continued to be the tradition of the


Church in his day. Having cleared his ground, he proceeds
to execute the work which he announced in his preface.
Tlie scriptural proofs he adduces are numerous,

on the whole appropriate, and

and are

sufficiently strong against the

But he states now and then some singular things


which appear to us now even ridiculous. He holds that
heretics.

there could not have been less or more than four Gospels.
" Since there are," he says, " four regions of the world in

which we

are,

and four general winds, and the Church

is

dispersed through aU the earth, and the pillar (o-tvac<) and


stay

Cap. 11.

of the

(o-Tijpj'yjua)

that

breathing

incorruption

Tijv aif^a^ijiaii

Church

the Gospel and spirit of

is

should have four

life, it is fit

it

everywhere

pillars,

and revivifying

men

(jn-eovra?

Though

Kai afa^utrvpovs/rai; tov? avSpanovq.)''

the reasons given

are fanciful, yet there is in this

sentence

an acknowledgment of a truth w-hich the men of the Oxford


Tracts would, as

concede, the Church

expect, hardly

But there

having the four Gospels as piUars.


portant sense in which this
declaration, that the
truth.
built

There

is

Church

Prophets

is

and then the Gospel

He

an im-

the ground and pillar of the

The Church is first


by the Apostles and
spread and sustained by

a mutual support.

is

on the Gospel, the foundation

the Church.

is

true, as well as the Apostle's

is

laid

finds a reason also for the four Gospels

from the four covenants made with mankind

Noah, Moses, and

Christ.

He makes

with Adam,

a false

comment on

99

IRKN.EU;

"Of

expression in Psalm cxxxii. 11,

tlie

body," making

it

different

from " the

when quoted

very word used

states as a proof that Christ

fruit of

thy loins," the

30; and this he

in

Acts

ii.

was

to be

bom

common course of

not according to the

the fruit of thy

of a virgin, and

The

nature.

stone,

mentioned by Daniel, " cut out without hands," was a presignification of the

of

Moses becoming a

He

of Christ.

living serpent

was an intended symbol

strongly maintains the salvation of Adam, as

necessary to vindicate the power of

and Feuardentius

tells

God

over the enemy

us in his notes, that

opinion of the Fathers, that


trials, toils,

The rod

same supernatural generation.

Adam,

and calamities, came

after

it

undergoing many

at last to

Mount

Calvary,

died there, and was buried where Christ was cmcified.

the same author says, that


Irenaeus in

worse

many

judgment and

And

of the Fathers agreed with

most of the foregoing notions.

for their

was a general

So much the

discretion.

In the FOURTH book, Irenaeus adduces against the heretics

though he does not confine himself

iv.

the same,

Son, and

and that there


Spirit, the

is

While he

to them.

brings forward what clearly proves that

God

is

one and

only one God, being Father,

Creator of the world, the

God

of the

Jews and the God of Christians, he takes the opportunity


of obviating the various frivolous objections of the heretics

Liber

the sayings or sermons of our Lord (Domini sermones,)

and

jects

this leads

some

of

him

to notice a great

number

which he handles wisely and

of sub-

scripturally

but there are others on which his remarks are singular and
fanciful.

adduce the following as instances

Quoting

" God is able of these stones to raise up


Abraham," he remarks, "This Jesus did by
H 2

John's saying
children to

^^^ppj^^jx
Z.

"

100

IREN.EUS.

He

applies the

22, to the Jewish elders.

" Isaiah

drawing us from the religion of stones."


saying of Isaiah,

i.

says," he observes,

"Thy

(the Septuagint version)

mix wine with water


" showing that the elders would
vintners

mix watery tradition (aquatam traditionem) with the strict


precept of God."
Jacob laying hold of Esau's heel, thus
striving and conquering, was a type of Christ.
Esau sel-

ling,

and Jacob obtaining the birthright, svTnbohzed the

case of the Jews and Gentiles.

Jacob begetting his twelve

sons, the twelve tribes, in a foreign land, betokened that

" Christ should begin in

a foreign country to generate

the twelve-piUared foundation of the Church " (duodecas-

tylum firmamentum

Ecclesiae).

The

variegated sheep of

Jacob represented the various nations that believed.

Paul

labouring more than the other Apostles, was, because he

had more

to

do to teach the Gentiles, than the others had

in teaching the

Jews. Lot's

incest

represented as ex-

is

and they

cusable, as well as the conduct of his daughters,

are

made

after

symbolical of what I do not choose to repeat

Many

him.

similar

things might be

But on almost aU these and the

mentioned.

like strange things,

dentius, the Popish annotator, tells us, that there

consent of the Fathers

as

if

is

Feuara vast

the consent of the Fathers

could convert foUy into wisdom, and nonsense into sense,

and transmute vagaries and Rabbinical

fictions

And

almost the

expounders of Scripture, and

infallible

Oxford divines quote,


to regard as

if

these are the

and

whose

into sober

men who

Christian verities.

are to be

whom

the

opinions they seem

they were the dictates of Divine wisdom.

Notwithstanding these blemishes, there are many passages in this book that are truly valuable.

The same truth

IREN/EUS.

appears throughout
tradition of the

Scripture

101

as in the preceding, that

it

Church

that the

is,

the same with the tradition of

is

and, like Justin, he recognises the principle of

the Bible Society, that the Scriptures are and ought to be

read by

all.
This is what he says to the heretics
" Read more diligently that Gospel which is given us by
:

more

the Apostles, and read


will find

diligently the prophets,

every act and every doctrine

(omnem

Could he have said


learned from tradition

what more was wanted


his

unAyoM

doctrinam),

them."
this, were any thing more to be
Here is " every doctrine," and

and the whole passion of our Lord related

Had he

in

'^''P-

allowed any thing more,

attempt to convince them from Scripture must have

been useless; for they might have again told him, "These
are imperfect, there
dition."

No: he

"every doctrine"

who

the benefit of those


external mark,"

another channel, there

is

says,

what

God

who

in their

hearts,

own

by many to be pres-

lusts,

and

of the principal

to stand aloof (absistere

to depart), but to adhere to those who keep,


the doctrine

order of the Presbytery


exhibit sound speech

set not the

but treat others with re-

From aU such we ought

said before,

For

are believed

proaches, and are elated by the pride


station.

oral tra-

Irenaeus says respecting " unjust

byters; but they serve their


fear of

is

here.

plead for orders as " the only

presbyters," shall be quoted

" There are those

is

as

we have

of the Apostles, and with the


(presbyterii

ordine)

and conversation

blamelessly

^.^^
for the instruction Appendix,

and correction of others."

One more

passage

I shall set

down from

that for the sake of the traditionists.

this book,

What he

and

says of the


102

IREN.-EUS.

Jewish traditions,

pressions are these


Cap. 25.

"

true of almost

is

observe according to the law,

was given by Moses

some

His ex-

all traditions.

tradition of their elders,

is

by which

which they pretend to

contrary to the law, which


(tradition) they take

away

and add some things, and some things they

things,

interpret as they wish."


Liber

v.

I" t^e fifth and

last

book, the same subject

pursued,

is

and the proofs are mostly taken from the Apostolic Epistles.

The

real incarnation of Christ,

and the resurrection

of the flesh, are in the former part discussed

and proved.

The character

and the

subject

is

of Antichrist

the

Millennial

is

then described

question.

last

Both Irenseus and

Justin were Millenarians, holding the temporal reign of


Christ.

What

is

advanced on the two

first

subjects

for

is

most part suitable, though mixed with what is extraneous and fanciful.
What he says on the Millennium
the

shows, that our modern Millenarians have not originated


their particular views, nor
favoui- of

Added

adduced much that

to

new

these five books are a few fragments,

lected from succeeding authors,

from writings of his,

much

is

in

them.

interest,

now

lost.

by

whom

col-

they were quoted

Tliey contain nothing of

except a part of a letter to one Florinus, in

made of Polycarp. He says,


that he well remembered " how Polycarp, having received
what he preached from eyewitnesses of the word of life,
which there

declared

all

is

a mention

things consonant with the Scriptures (Travra

The mistakes and


with those of Justin.

defects of Irenseus are nearly the

His views respecting the

same

effects of

IREN/EUS.

the

appear defective

fall

fault of

man

is

set forth

103

the corruption rather than the

and dwelt upon, or

sin as a de-

pravity rather as an offence against God.


his notions of justification,

really exist,

to an extent that

scarcely any

There

is

as distinct

from

is

modern

and

carries the symbolizing

fanatics have done.

perhaps no author

who

none,

is

who

conceive,

when he

is

Irenaeus

To
we have only to consider the design
and the way in which he executed it.

book he describes the strange notions of the


asserts

them

sense.

and

convince us
of his wri-

In his first

heretics,

and

to be inconsistent with the general belief of

In his second, he exhibits the inconsistency

of their notions with each other,

mon

rightly understood,

has done more to nullify such a plea.

the Church.

much

has given so

of this,
tings,

scheme

beyond what

often quite absurd, even

occasion to the plea for oral tradition as


there

sanctification,

Like Justin, too, he finds prophecies

are not veiy clear.

where none

Consequently

And

and vnth reason and com-

then in the three following books he

brings forward the Scriptures against them


troduction of tradition

and the

in-

the beginning of the third book

was made for the purpose of preventing the heretics from


evading the proofs from the Scriptures, which they attempted
to do

by pleading

oral tradition.

This was what he was

driven to by them, and was not the ground which he had


chosen, and on which he designed to carry on the contest.

His ground was Scripture


throughout.

The very

and on that he

declaration, that

fights

mostly

what the Apostles

preached they committed to writing, to be " the foundation

and

pillar of

our faith," proves most clearly, that he

considered tradition and what they wrote to be the same. It

104

IREN.EUS.
is

by overlooking

main

drift of his

and wholly mistaking the

this declaration

argument, that what he says can be at

How

construed favourably to oral tradition.


possibly favour

what he blames

in the heretics,

he manifestly labours to disprove

He most

all

could he

and what

explicitly, in

several places, rejects entirely the idea of anjthing being


secretly taught

by the Apostles, or taught

to a few,

which

the heretics vainly pretended, and declares that what they

taught they taught to aU without distinction, ha\Tng


" poured," he says, " into the Church all things belonging
to the truth."

But

must

state, that, contrary to his usual practice,

he

has mentioned one or two things himself on the ground of

though not on that ground only; and strange

oral tradition,

to say, in both instances his tradition

palpably

false.

He

is

confessedly and

occasionally indeed refers to the tes-

timony of some unnamed presbyter on some other points


but the two subjects that

am going

to mention

most prominent and mostly dwelt upon.

He

pecting the Millennium.

Tlie

one

are the
is

re-

reports a certain declaration

as having been made by our Lord, and related by John the


disciple to

received

it.

some

elders,

from

whom

" Elders," he says, "

he seems to have

who had

seen John, the

Lord's disciple, have mentioned, that they had heard from

him,

how

the Lord taught concerning these times and said.

The days shall come,


having ten

in

which vines shall grQw, each

thousand branches, and on each branch ten

thousand shoots, and on each shoot ten thousand clusters,


and on each cluster ten thousand grapes ; and each grape,
when pressed, shall yield ticenty-Jive kilderkins (metretas

twelve gallons)

of wine.

And

ivken any one shall lay


105

IREN.EUS.

hold on any of these hvly clusters, another will cry,

better cluster,

the Fathers
all

me
much

take me, by

extravagance of this was too

bless the

am
The

Lord."

to gain the consent of

and Feuardentius, the strenuous defender of

their follies, gives

up

this folly as a fiction, originally

drawn out of the abundant stock of Rabbinical fables.


The other oral tradition is respecting the age of our Saviour.
He maintains that it was necessary that Christ
should be of every age, that he might save those of every
age, that

that he should be an infant, that he might

is,

save infants

chdd, a youth, a grown-up man, and an

old man, that he might save persons of

" All the elders," he says, "

who were

John, the Lord's disciple in Asia,


livered this

very thing to them."

the Gospel bears the same witness.

these ages.

all

conversant with

testify, that

He

tells

Tliis

what the Jews said to our Saviour, "

John de-

us also that

he makes out by

Thou

fifty

years old " he hence concludes, that he must have

been then near that age.


oral tradition,

So

and Scripture,

in all these respects

in

that he brings his reason,

support of his views

and

manifesting a weakness not very un-

to many of the primitive Fathers.


As to traditive interpretations derived from the Apostles,
we have no traces of them in Irenseus any more than in

common

Both expound and explain the Scriptures, reason

Justin.

upon them, and di-aw


to

what Protestants

their inferences, in a

do, without

way

there were such things, from

them,
to

if

whom

could

we

And
expect

who lived in the next age


who were both acquainted with the

not from these authors,

the Apostles, and

similar

giving the least hint that

they had received any traditionary interpretations.


if

lj^,

jj

Cap. 39.

art not yet


Lib.

ii.

^ap. 40.

106

IREN.EUS.
eastern as well as with the western Churches

And we

look in vain to these authors for any oral traditions (except


in the instances

named as

How

Apostles.

and these are

to Irenseus,

independent of the Scriptures,

left

to the

vain and groundless therefore

Newman

parent lament of Mr.

false)

Church by the
the ap-

is

when he

in his Lectures,

speaks of " rich, imcatalogued treasures of a traditionary


"
It ia the mere effect of a vagrant and deluded

nature

For if they were " uncatalogued," we might


some references made to them, they being so
"rich" and valuable! too rich and "too sacred or too
"
subtle," it seems, " to be recorded in words
How
pitiably superstitious is this
and how lamentably credulous
must such a mind be as to Popish tales
for he could not
imagination.

surely expect

find such a thought

anywhere

else.

With respect to oral tradition and traditive interpretation,


we have no need of either. The Scriptures contain aU the
essential truths

which the Apostles preached

we have

terpretation,

and others have

and as to

entangled themselves in their errors.

which the heretics


Let us obsers-e the

order and context of Scripture, and explain things

by what
explain.

which

is

is

plain,

And
pi-ay er

let
:

in-

only to follow such rules as Irenseus

specified, for neglect of

and

refer to

difficult

God what we cannot

thus

us add the rule mentioned by Justin,

and we

shall

do

far better

than by follow-

ing any decrees of council, consent of Fathers,

or any

such varying thing as the teaching of the Church, or


Catholic tradition.
all

The

plain

and certain truth

is,

that for

necessary purposes the Scriptures are wholly sufficient.

But

if

we want to establish what is erroneous, superstitious,


we must have recourse to the Fathers and

or pontifical,

IRENiEUS.
Catholic

tradition.

that baptism
to

it,

as

is

is

If

we want

to propagate the error,

an opus operatum, or something very near

done by the

men

of the Oxford Tracts,

we must

have tradition, decrees of councils, and consent of Fathers


and, like the heretics,

we must "patch up" something

from these resources, and "adapt" to our fable some


words of Scripture, " passing over," as Irenseus says,
" the order and context of the Scriptures
thus effect our purpose.

If

we want

doctrine, or something alcin to

we have

Supper,

we shaU
men of
If,

it,

" and

we

shall

to establish the Popish

respecting the Lord's

only to proceed in the same way, and

succeed in deluding our fellow-creatures, as the

do in too many instances.


make orders " the only external mark

the Oxford Tracts

again,

we wisR

to

of a Christian minister," and establish a priesthood similar


to the Levitical, or rather a
clusive

and monopohzing

to Catholic tradition

Romish priesthood, on an exwe must have recourse

principle,

and consent of Fathers, and say with

the heretics, that the " Scriptures are not perfect," and

cannot be

fully

understood without tradition

and we

shall

produce a vast show of evidence in our favour, especially


if we imitate the practice of the heretics in " speciously
adapting " to our scheme

some

" apostolic words."

If

any of these or similar things be our objects, we must


have Catholic tradition, consent of fathers, and
strange, false,

On

and useless

the other hand,

if

God, to understand the


quainted with the

many such

authorities.

we
will

desire to

of

way which God

know

the Highest,
in his

the truth of
to be ac-

mercy and wisdom

has contrived to save sinners, or in other words, to possess


all

that

is

really needful for conversion,

edification,

and

108

IRENiEUS.
salvation,

we want no more than

the Scriptures, accompa-

nied with such ordinary helps, as means, as are usually

employed, and especially with prayer, that " the gates of


light," as the

"

venerable old

may be opened

tures alone, conveyed in their

of faithful expoimders, are able


for that purpose for
I

may

tion,

through

and the Scrip-

own words, or in the words


to make us truly wisewise

which they have been expressly, and,

faith

which

God may be

of

said to Justin Martyr,

Scriptures,

exclusively given, that

say,

man

the

man

The

to us."

is

is,

" wise unto salva-

Christ Jesus," so " that

in

perfect, thoroughly furnished unto

good works."

all

MiSOPAPISTlCUS.

Postscript.

Subjoined

are a few interesting passages

from Irenseus on various subjects

"
Lib.

i.

Cap.

1.

He who will reduce each particular


own order, and fit it to the body of

its

of

what

said to

is

truth, will

denude

and shew it to be baseless."


" Tliose, called continent, (the followers of Marcion the

their system,

heretic,

and

others,) preach celibacy, (aya/^iav,

ness) rendering void the ancient formation

Lib.

i.

for

of God,

and

him who made male and female


the procreation of men and they introduce absti-

indirectly
Cap. 30.

mimarried-

blaming

nence from those things called by us animals,


thankful to

God who made aU

heretical sentiments,

infallible
is

being un-

We have here two

which were afterwards

measure adopted by the


"Tlie Father of aU

things."

in

great

Church of Rome.

far distant

from those

affections

and passions which belong to men, being both simple and


uncompounded, homogeneous, and all like himself and

109

IllEN^US.

mind and all spirit, and all perception


and all understanding, and all reason, and all hearing,
and all eye, and all light, and the whole fountain of all
good.
After this manner it is usual for the religious and
pious to speak of God.
But he is above all these things,
and for these things, ineffable. For he is well and rightly
called mind, comprehending all things
but it is not like
the mind of men
and he is most justly called light
equal

for he

is all

..

but it is nothing like that light which is in us."


" It is better not to know any thing, not even a single

Cap. 16.

cause of any of the things that are made, and to believe

God and

persevere in love, than to be inflated with such

knowledge, and to

men

and

it is

knowledge,

to

was

fall

away from

which

love,

vivifies

better not to enquire after any thing else as

save Jesus Christ the

crucified for us, than,

Son

of God,

who

through abstruse questions and

subtle prating, to fall into impiety."

" Language, being carnal,

man's thought,

velocity of

word

is

once, as

is
it

being spiritual

suppressed within, and


it

is

Cap. 45.

not adequate to serve the

is

hence our

not brought forth at

conceived by the mind, but by parts, ac-

cording to what language is able to supply."


" That eternal fire is prepared for transgressors, our

Lord hath
strate.

clearly declared,

And

that

Scriptures in like

and other

God foreknew

scriptui-es

that this

would

manner demonstrate, inasmuch

demonbe, the

as he has

prepared from the

beginning eternal

would transgress.

But the very cause of the nature of

fire

^
tap. 47.

for those

that

the transgressors (ipsam causam naturae transgredientium)


neither has

any scripture related,

declared, nor has the


to leave this

Lord taught.

knowledge with God."

nor has an apostle

We

ought therefore

^.^
Cap. 49.

;;

110

IREN.-EUS.

"

He who formed man, who planted paradise, who


built the world, who brought the deluge,
who saved
Noah, the same is the God of Abraham and the God
of Isaac and the God of Jacob, the God of the hving

whom
Cap

Church
^.^

...

Pief.

whom

the law announces,

whom

Christ reveals,

5^5

the prophets proclaim.

the Apostles teach,

whom

the

believes."

" The love which

is

in

God, being rich and bounteous,

grants more than any one asks of


" These are the

it."

words of the Church,

(after

quoting

2430), from which every church has had its


beginning these are the words of the metropolis of the
Acts

iv.

citizens of the
Tijc;

KatvYji

new covenant,

S<aSvjf<-<j5

TroXiTiov)

(avrai f tvaiT'ij? f^ijTpomKiu^Tuy


;

these are the words of the

Apostles, these are the words of the Lord's disciples,


Lib

iii

Cap. \2.

were truly

perfect,

having been perfected

(that

who

is,

in

knowledge,) after our Lord's ascension, by the Spirit."


" We having laboured with these proofs from the
Scriptures,

what

is

patience,

and announcing

briefly

and compendiously

spoken at large, do thou attend to them with

and think

it

not prolixity,

knowing

this,

that

the proofs which are in the Scriptures cannot be shewn,

except from the Scriptures themselves.


j^.^

...

Cap. 12.

(Ostensione quae

sunt in Scripturis non possuiit ostendi, nisi ex ipsis scripturis.")

" If any one yields himself easily, as a

them

(the heretics)

and has obtained

such an one becomes

inflated,

little

sheep, to

their redemption,

and thinks himself to be

neither in heaven nor on earth, but to have entered within

the pleroma, and to be embracing

now

his

own

angel

he walks struttingly and superciliously, having the elation

Ill

IREN/EUS.

There are some among them, who

of a dunghill cock.

man who comes from above ought

that the

good conduct
by some

on

this

say,

attain

to

account they counterfeit gravity

j^n,.

jji.

sort of a stately look."

" Our Lord promised to send the Paraclete to

us for

fit

For as one mass cannot without moisture be made

God.

nor one bread; so we,

from dry corn,

who

are

many,

cannot be made one in Christ Jesus without the water

which

And

from heaven.

is

no moisture, does not

as the dry earth,

fructify

we

also,

dry wood, could never fructify into

like

voluntary supernal rain. (Sine

"Though
the

so

supema

receives

if it

being at

life,

first

without the

voluntaria pluvia.")

Cap.

l.o.

they (the heretics) speak similar things with

they yet relish things not only dissimilar, but

faitliful,

even contrary,

and altogether

of

full

blasphemies,

by

which they destroy those, who through similarity of words

draw

in their poison,

which

is in

nature dissimilar

as any

mixed with water, seduces by similarity


according to what a certain person, superior to

one, giving gi/psum

of colour
us, has

said respecting all

who

in

any way deprave the

things which are of God, and adulterate God's truth,

"

Gypsum

is

wickedly mixed with milk." In what measure

l;],

Cap. 19.

this apphes to the divines of the Oxford Tracts, the reader


will

be able to judge

writings.

There

is

when he

peruses with attention their

a large quantity of gypsum,

have no

doubt, to be found mixed up in them.

"

It

men,

was necessary that the Mediator between God and


should through his

own

relationship,

(oiK-eioTijTo^,

domesticity,) to each, bring together both into friendship

and unanimity,

(o/xovoiva,)

make known God

to

men."

and present man to God, and

...

Cap. 20.

112

TREN.US.

"The

preaching of the church

everywhere steady and

is

equally perseverant, and has testimony from the prophets,

and from the


gift

and from

apostles,

of God, (that

the Church, as breathing to the

end, that
yea, in
is,

all

is

human

the members, receiving

it,

This

committed to

frame, for this

might be

vivified

deposited the communication of Christ, that

is

it

the disciples.

all

the Holy Spirit,)

is,

the Holy Spirit, the earnest of incorruption, and con-

firmation of our faith, and the ladder of ascension to God.

For

" in the church," he says, "

prophets,
Spirit

teachers,"

of which they are not

God

has set Apostles,

and every other operation of the


all

partakers,

not to the church, but deprive themselves of


a wicked opinion and the
the church
Spirit

is,

of God

and the

Spirit

there
is,

is

is

worst operation.

the spirit of

there

God

who
life

resort

through

For where

and where the

the church, and every g^ace

is

who do

truth. Therefore they

not partake

Him, are neither nourished by the mother's breasts,


nor participate of that clearest fountain which proceeds
of

from the body of Christ

but they dig for themselves

broken cisterns out of earthly ditches, and drink putrid


water from miry places,
Lib

^^^^
iii

Cap. 40.

shunning the

faith of the church,

^^^7 should be converted, and rejecting the Spirit,

that they

may

objectionable,

not be instructed."
if

No

portion of this

is

properly understood, and viewed accord-

The preaching
of the Church was then consistent, and the same as to all
the points in dispute with the heretics.
The Spirit of
ing to the state of things at that time.

God and
for there

the Church, are doubtless invariably coimected


is

no true Church where the Holy

not exert and manifest his influence.

Spirit does

But there have been

113

IREN.EUS.

and there are no doubt, many churches, or

where

churches,

What was the


And what is
It

the

of

Spirit

God

tliose called

does

not

reside.

Church when filled with Arianism

primitive

the present state of the

cannot surely be said of either,

Church of Rome ?
" That where the

Church is, there is the Spirit of God," except we ascribe


to him the works of the spirit of darkness.
Something
besides " succession "

necessary to preserve the apos-

is

That the main truths were

character of a Church.

tolical

then held by the Church, and not by the heretics, was no

doubt a

What

fact.

said

is

who

of those

left

it

was

therefore true.

He who

"

wishes to convert them (the heretics,) ought

to seek diligently to

For

it is

know

who knows

who

free in will

and to be of

the cause, that he should

sometimes

are

ill,

not what their illness is."

" Man, being rational, and in this

made

and arguments.

their principles

not possible for any one to cure those

He

chaiF.

his

Piefatio.

like

own power,

to himself

is

become sometimes wheat, and


be even justly con-

will therefore

demned, because, having been made


genuine reason, and living

God, having been

he has lost

rational,

become adverse

irrationally, has

to the justice of God, delivering himself up to every ter-

rene

spirit,

and serving

" Because

all

kinds of lusts."

he (Christ,) teaches

men

to

know God by

" Christ received testimony, that he


that he
Spirit

is

truly

the

God, from

and from angels

men and from


enemy

cap. 9.

was impossible without God

it

all

his

is

know God,
own word."

to

truly

man, and

from the Father from the

from

his

own

condition

from

apostate spirits from seductors and from

and

lastly,

from death

itself.

And

the Son,

j^j^^

cap.

10.

114

IREN^EUS.

administering to the Father, performs


^.^

beginning even to the end

cap.

14.

know God."
" Sacrifices

j^jj^

cap. 34.

need of

things from the

all

and without him no one can

God

do not sanctify a man, for

sacrifice

who

but his conscience,

has no

being

offers,

pure, sanctifijes the sacrifice."

"

As they who

take of

its

see the light, are in the light, and par-

brightness

who

so they

and partake of his briglitness

God, are

see

in

and the brightness

who

God,

vi\-ifies

And

them.

They

on

account the incomprehensible and the inconceivable

this

therefore possess

life,

God.

see

and the unseen, makes himself to be seen, and conceived,

and comprehended by the


those

as his greatness

terable

who

cap. 37.

Him.

his

is

goodness

The

that he might vivify

life

through

He

to those

life

not possible,

is

proceeds from a participation of


is

to

For
unut-

know God and

God

to enjoy

"

glorj' of

God

is

living

man, and the

life

of

man

the vision of God."

" Eveiy prophecy, before the event,

cap. 43.

grants

life

is

a contradiction (^ai/nXoyia.) to
^.^

faith.

so his goodness

Since to live without

and the participation of God


"

Ibid.

untraceable,

is

Him

see

through which being seen.

see

the support of
j^.j^

faithfiU

who comprehend and

and what

is

prophecied takes place, then

exactest explanation,
"

On

is

those

who

an enigma and

When the

men.

it

time comes
obtains the

."

(aK/>i?o-TaT>)? ^riyri<reai)

believe

not,

but despise him,

God

brings blindness, as the sun, his workmanship, does on


those who, for some infirmity of the eyes,

much on

the light

but to those

cannot look

who beheve him and


115

IRF,N;t;US.

follow him, he grants a fuller

and a greater illumination

of mind."

'.^j''

"jj,

" If

God therefore, the foreknower of all things, has


even now deUvered up as many as he knew would not helieve,
to their own infidehty, and has turned away his face from
such, leaving

them in the darkness which they have chosen


what wonder is it, if even then he de-

for themselves

livered

those
this

up Pharaoh, who would not

who were

with him, to their

view consists with Scripture

believe, together with

own infidelity ? " Whether


and reason, may possibly

be doubted by some.
" Every word (omnis sermo) will appear to him,

may

who
who

read the Scripture diligently, to be with those

are Presbyters in the Church, with

This

cal doctrine."

is

whom

the apostoli-

is

jbij

^'''59

wholly to identify the Church doc-

trine with the Scripture.

" True knowledge

is

the ancient constitution

the doctrine of the Apostles


(a-va-Trrj/jLa,

even the character of the body of Christ,

whom

the successions of Bishops, to

Church which
fullest

is

in

every place

(in

is

according to

they delivered the

which) there

handling (tractatio plenissima) of the

having reached

us,

and

system) of the Church,

being preserved without

is

the

Scriptures,

fiction, receiv-

ing neither addition nor diminution (neque additamentum

neque ablationem recipiens,)


fication,

and the reading without

falsi-

and the legitimate and diligent exposition accord-

ing to the Scriptures (secundum Scripturas expositio leg^-

tima et diligens) without danger and without blasphemy,

and the

chief gift of love,

which

is

more precious than


far more

knowledge, more glorious than prophecy, and

eminent than

all

Here we have " the

other gifts."
1

fullest

cap. 63.

116

IREN^US.
" addition or

handling of the Scriptures," without any

diminution," and a "legitimate exposition," not according


to tradition, but " according to the Scriptures."
"

We,

^.^

veritatis

cap. 69.

and only true God as our

following the one

teacher, and having his

words as the rule of

truth, (regulam

we

all

do say the same

God, and believe

in

the advent of his

habentes ejus sermones)

things on the same subjects."

" As

many

as fear

God in their hearts,


be such men (that is, as have

Son, and set by faith the Spirit of


these

may be

the Spirit,)
to
cap.

9.

God

justly said to

and

being both clean,

spiritual,

and living

because they have the Spirit of the Father,

cleanses man, and elevates

him

to the

life

of

who

God."

" Since without God's Spirit we cannot be saved, the


apostle

exhorts us to preserve

versation, the
Ibid.

Spirit of

God,

by

lest

faith

and holy con-

being destitute of the

Spirit, we should lose the kingdom of heaven."


" The win of the intelligent soul is the reason that

Holy

within us, as a power ha\'ing authorit}- over

win

is

to

itself.

is

The

a desiderative mind, and an intellective desire, assent-

what

is

Frag. Ser
de Fide. yovjrtKij o/jefi^,

desired, OeXvjo-i? ea-n


Tfo? to

fifXijfifv

vov^ oj>KTi(CO?,

emvevov<ra."

Kai Ita-

117

VII.

BAPTISM.

February 22, 1838.


Tof^ Kara, aXriBeiav
TijAif.v

Kai errepyeiv

euo-fjSef?

Xoyo?

Kai

vi^ayopevei,

vaXaiaiv e^aKoXovOdv dv (favXat

TaXijflf?

ftXoa-ofovi; jAovov

oiaiv.

Ttapairovf^evovi;

" Reason

So^af?

prescribes,

that the godly according to truth, and philosophers, should

value and love only what

true,

is

opinions of the ancients,

declining lo follow

they be worthless."

if

the

Justin

Martyr.

Apol.

i.

sect. 2.

Sir,
I

two

have

now completed my

first centuries,

review of the Fathers of the

at least of the principal Fathers, there

being none else whose works are of any importance, especially

on the subjects which

and the Lord's Supper.

propose to discuss, that


I

and fi-agmentary remains of those


viewed, and
tional to

I find

is

Baptism,

have not expressly re-

nothing in them on these subjects addi-

what the Fathers

present subject

is.

have also examined the works

Baptism.

have reviewed contain.

My

118

BAPTISM.

Neither Clement, nor Polycarp, nor Ignatius, contain any


first,

and

no reference to Baptism.

In

thing very particular on this point.


best,

and longest

epistle, I find

his second, he calls


Clement.

Baptism a "
^

to keep "without spot."


Polycarp.
Ignatius,

q Baptism.
refers to

it

In Clement's

seal,"

which he exhorts us

In Polycarp, there

but in three places, and that in no way favourable

to the erroneous views of after-ages.


to

no mention

is

Ignatius, in his seven epistles, very slightly

have acted

their writings,

in this instance

who have

All these

somewhat

men seem

like the apostles in

said comparatively but

little

either

on Baptism or on the Lord's Supper, other things having


been deemed of much greater importance.

outward signs and


signified

and

seals,

These being

they attended mostly to what these

They would have doubtless done


them in the same light with the

sealed.

otherwise, had they viewed

Oxford Divines.

But when we come

to the wild, incoherent,

extravagances of Hermas, we meet with what

whimsical

and exaggerated.

"^^^^'^ epistle,
Sect

and cabalistic

Barnabas, or to the almost insane and fatuitous

efi^usions of

is

of this kind.

What

is

verv fanciful,

follow's

It is, as will

from

Bar-

be seen, an

II

interpretation of prophecy, and not an apostolic tradition

an interpretation the strangest that can well be conceived.


" Let us now inquire whether the Lord took care to manifest
anything beforehand concerning waler and the cross.
for the former of these,

how

it is

Now

written to the people of Israel,

they shall not receive that Baptism which brings to for-

giveness of sins
that cannot.

heaven, and

but shall institute another to themselves

For thus
let

saith the

Prophet

the earth tremble at

it,

have done two great and wicked things

Be astonished O
,

because this people


they have left me.

119

BAPTISM,

of living waters, and have diggedfor themselves


Then he quotes
broken cisterns, that can hold no water."
portions of Isaiah xvi. 1, 2; xlv. 2; xxxiii. 16, 17, and
the fountain

" And again he saith in another Prophet,


He that doeth these things, shall be like a tree, planted by the

proceeds thus

currents

And

of water, which shall give

its

fruit

in its season,

these observations, but

stand

how

they apply

cannot under-

" Consider how he has joined both the

water together.

For

this

he saith

cross

and the

Blessed are they who,

putting their trust in the cross, descend into the water

they shall have their reward in due time


I

<SfC.

then he goes on to the end of the Psalm, and appends

give

whole

it

them."

How

inapplicable

and incoherent

After a few hnes, he proceeds thus

for

then, saith he, wiU

"

is

the

In like

manner does another Prophet speak The land of Jacob was


the praise of all the erM, magnifying thereby the vessel of
His Spirit and what follows ? And there was a river running on the right hand, and beautiful trees grew by it ; and
he that shall eat of thern shall live for ever. The signification of which is this, That we go down into the water full
of sins and pollutions
but come up again bringing forth
;

fruit

Jesus,

having

by the

in

Spirit."

divines of the
are

men

our hearts the fear and hope which

On

is

in

such authorities as these do the

Oxford Tracts build

of wisdom, they should not

their system

go

If they

to folly for support.

As to Hermas, he fairly outdoes these divines. They have


yet to make some progress before they come up to him for
he is yet some degrees before them. " I asked her," he says,
;

"Lady, why

She

is

the tower (the Church) built upon the water

replied, I said before to thee, that

thou wert very wise,

to inquire dihgently concerning the building; therefore, thou

120

BAPTISM.

upon the water

why the tower is built

Hear, therefore,

shall find the truth.

shall be saved by
Thus the foundation of the Church is water! and
not that laid by the apostles and prophets.
In the quotation
;

because your

life is

and

water."

which

have already given

in a

former

letter,

he makes the

ancient saints, those under the Old Testament, to partake of

Baptism

in their departed state.

How

could be baptized with materieJ water,


perhaps, never occurred to him.

he gives to Baptism
only he connects a

disembodied

is

However, the only term

" seal," in which he

is

wrong

spirits

a question which,

idea with

is

making

it,

not wrong;
it

a sort of

mark, instead of a confirmatory emblem.


Relieving myself and
shall

tory.

my

readers from these reveries,

proceed to the works of

he gives of Baptism

is

The following

tain, substantially,

very

Justin
full,

Martyr.

The account

and on the whole

satisfac-

extracts from his jirst Apology, con-

every thing he has said on the subject

" And how

we dedicate ourselves to God, having been made


new (xaivoTToiiiBei/Tei;) by Christ, we shall also explain, lest by
leaving out this, we should seem to do any thing amiss in the
narrative.

Whosoever

are persuaded

and believe that those

things taught and spoken by us are true, and imdertake to

be able so to
fasting, of

live,

are taught to pray,

God, the remission of past

time praying and fasting with them.


us where water

we

is,

and to ask, while

sins,

we

at the

same

Then, they are led by

and according to the regeneration by which

ourselves have been regenerated, they are regenerated

name of the Father of the universe and Lord God,


and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit,
they then undergo the washing which is bv water (to tv t&j

for, in the

viari Toie

Xoi/Tpoi- Trotonvrai)

for Christ has Said,

Except ye

121

BAPTISM.
be regenerated

(avayfi/vridyire)

ye shall not enter into the

Apol.

up

in evil

customs and wicked practices, that we may not

continue the children of necessity

and of ignorance, but

that being those of choice and knowledge,

we may

obtain

by water the remission of the sins which we have before


committed, the name of the Father of the universe and Lord

God,

called over

is

generated, and
that

is

to be

who

him who chooses

(tw

(that

to be re-

eXo/tevia)

repents of his sins, and

washed this name alone

we

is,

say over

give a

to say

that there

And

this

is

a name, he

washing

is

is

called

mad

him

of the Father,)

when we lead him to the washing for no one can


name to the ineffable God and if any should dare

with desperate madness.

illumination (yTiV,o?),

since

He
who is illuminated is washed (o <paTi%oiJ.(i'oi; Xoverai) also in
the name of Christ Jesus, who was crucified under Pontius
Pilate, and in the name of the holy Ghost, who, through
those

the

who

learn these things are in

prophets,

Jesus."

"We,

fore-annomiced
after thus

mind

the

illuminated.

concerning

things

washing him who has been


jj^.^j

persuaded and given his consent, bring him to those called

met together, about to join fercommon prayers for ourselves, and for the illumi-

brethren, where they have

vently in

nated, and for

all

may be worthy

others everywhere, that we

to learn true things,

and be found by works good

and keepers of what has been commanded,

may be saved with an

but

loose and hiaccurate in these and other parts of


is

full

and

distinct,

we

There

everlasting salvation."

a translation of this Apology by one Reeves

The foregoing account

citizens,

that

it is

is

very

it.

more

so than

i.

**'

kingdom of heaven. Since, being ignorant of our first generation, we were bom from necessity, and were brought

122

BAPTISM.

any other we have during the two

much

liable to

centuries, and

first

not

There are two or three things

objection.

added to the scriptural account of baptism. The formula,


In the name of the Father, &c., is increased. The expressions added were no doubt added on account of the heretics,

who

professed another god, beside the Creator, and denied

the actual sufferings of Christ, and rejected the prophetic

Another addition

Spirit,

is fasting

there being no baptism

recorded in Scripture, in which this

is

given takes away

much

And there

enjoined.

another term given to it illumination.

is

of the objection to

it

The reason
it was so
;

given, because " the illuminated was washed," and not be-

cause the washed was on that account illuminated.

As

we meet with nothing

to Irenceus,

^^^ditional,

Irena!us

except

in

him

that

is

be a singular idea respecting the

it

necessity of the baptismal water with regard to our bodies


his
Lib.

words

are,

"

Our

bodies have

received

(lavacrum) that unity which belongs to incorruption

iii.

^ap- If-

our souls,
ration

by the

several

this ordinance

generation,

He

Spirit."

times.

The

first

and illumination

cribed in a particular

but

Baptism regene-

calls

only terms

during the two

seal,

by washing

then given to

centuries,

were

re-

and Justin has des-

manner the way

which

in

it

was

administered.
I shall

in

Dr Cave
Prim.
nstian.

the

now

notice the

two succeeding

"^"^^^ given to

it.

mode

which

it

was administered

some of the
The tenth chapter in Dr. Cave's Primi-

tive Christianity/ is distinctly

Baptism

in

centuries,

in

on

" the

and

also

this subject

primitive

the adminis-

Church."

His

references clearly show, that his account takes in especially


the third and fourth centuries.

For the sake of brevity.

123

BAPTISM.
I shall select certain particulars,

convey a correct view of


1

The time

its

which

will

administration

for baptizing

be

sufficient to

was mostly confined

to Easter

and Whitsuntide.
2.

The candidate was made

to stand with his face

terrogated on

the renunciation of the devil

and when he renounced the


hand, as

3.

were

it

was made

in

devil,

in-

and his works

he was to stretch out his

defiance of him.

This

and

twice, before the congregation

He YiSiS then exorcised.

towards

when he was

the west, the supposed place of darkness,

renunciation
at the font.

Dr. Cave's words are these

" After this there was a kind of exorcism, and an insuffiation


or breathing in the face of the person baptized, (which St.

Austin

calls

which they

a most ancient tradition of the Church,) by

signified the

expeUing of the

breathing in the good Spirit of God."

evil spirit,

and the

And all this after

the

person had renounced the devil with the uplifted hand of


defiance
4.

The candidate being

nnointed with

oil,

stript of his

garments, was then

" a ceremony," says Cave, " of an early

date."
5.

Together with

this the sign of the cross

was made on

the forehead.
6. Then followed the trine immersion
the person was
immerged in water at the naming of each person of the
:

Trinity.
7.

After this immersion, another anointing took place.

8.

Then the candidate had

which he was

to

wear

for a

a white

garment given him,

whole week

and then

it

was

to be deposited in the church.

What

an accumulation of ceremonials do we find here

124

BAPTISM.

Not one

which

of

with

nexion

is

mentioned

in

the Scriptures in con-

Baptism, nor even in the account which

Justin gives us of this ordinance in the year 150, the date


of his

How

Apology.

first

came they

whence were they borrowed


if

we beheve

From

be shown

in

though

not

any traces of them


left,

in the

however, to what

is

what the Fathers themselves

came

Some

it

They
cannot

They must have been conveyed

which way.

by some hidden and underground channel


find

of course,

the Papists and the Oxford divines.

were handed down from the apostles

and

to be adopted,

tradition,

for

we cannot

We

second centur^^

conjectural on this head


say, clearly proves

how

are
for

they

them evidently originated in fansome proceeded


from Jewish ceremonies and traditions and some from
into use.

ciful applications of

of

Scripture expressions

heathen practices.

Their different sources were similar to

those of the hodge-podge of Mahomedanism, to which the

Church had very probably given


The particular appointment of Easter
and Whitsuntide, was an attempt to assimilate the Gospel
to the Jewish dispensation
it was " the observjmce of
days," which the apostle expressly disapproves.
The renunciation of the de\'il with the face to the tvest, was

practices of the primitive

the bad example.

borrowed

from the

either

heathens,

or

from

Jewish

The exorcism was derived from the Jews,


It
for we have proof that it was practised by them.
was also a heathen practice. The unction has also a
traditions.

double origin.

Some

to Scripture, and

some

of the Fathers

ing their champions for the games


tions

it

as

fancifully

refer

it

to the heathen practice of anoint-

used by heretics

in

his

and Irenaeus menday.

The

sign

of

125

BAPTISM.
the cross, as Dr. Cave reports from Tertullian, was " no

law of Christ, but brought


trine

in

an addition, not countenanced by anything


introduced, as
in

him no

allusion to

it

except

it

up

and

The white garment was a

it.

the Church,

in

fan-

the words, " putting on Christ," and

"the white robes" mentioned

laying

it

contains,

appears, after Justin's time, for I can find

it

ciful application of

of

The

by a pious custom."

immersion was a refined improvement on Scripture,

in

Rev.

13.

vii.

Of

can find no precedent,

be the keeping of the linen clothes of the priests

It may have been some heathen custom.


Such a number of new ceremonies must have been accompanied with new ideas and the probability is, that
these ideas preceded for the most part rather than followed

in the temple.

the ceremonies.

The

fancies of

Barnabas and Hermas,

and of similar characters, had no doubt gained ground,

and increased

as they roUed

down

the descent of time, and

by degrees became embodied in external

Nor

rites.

is it

improbable that some of the extravagant words applied to


the ordinance, arose from the very imposing appearance

had

attained,

when surrounded with

And

ritual observances.

it

is

fi'om

evidently fi-om such an origin as this,

so

it

many pompous

expressions,

some,

derived

the progeny of

extravagant fancies which led to the introduction of ceremonials,

and

some, arising from these imposing cere-

when introduced it is from such expressions


that we are to obtain, it seems, a scriptural view

monials
these

Baptism
tell

so

If the

as

of

writers of the Oxford Tracts wish to

us what the Fathers thought of Baptism, let them do

but

let

them not

that their view of

it

tell

is

us such a manifest falsehood, as

the view of Scripture.

If

it

was,

126

lAI'TISM.

how came

did they give

Gentiles,

manner

for the puipose both

in

which

it

it,

Why
having

from Jews and

and according

was the simplest ordinance


it was administered by

When

the apostles, there were no fixed seasons

no fasting no

west with an uplifted hand to defy the

turning to the
devil

rite

was administered by the apos-

in their time, it

possibly be

coidd

that

outward

when, according to Scripture,

and others

tles

to the

such an imposing appearance to

borrowed ceremonials
to the

much

they to add so

no anointing of the body after the manner of chamno crossing of the forehead with the ointment no

pions

insufflation or breathing out the devil after the person

him with

defied

none afterwards

who have added


to

as

laid

up

Baptism

ancients.

these persons,

ceremonials introduced even by

the false prophet, are those

Shame on

been for you,


disclose

And

in the church.

appears, a sober,

it

had

white garment and

such strange things to the ordinance, not

be equalled by any

Mahomet

hand no

uplifted

you,

correct,

who

are to give us

scriptural view

of

And had it not


have been necessary now to

men

would not

it

and

of Oxford

the weaknesses and

follies

But remember, that

of

these

to choose follies

tate extravagances, is far less excusable,

venerable

and imi-

under the favour-

able circumstances of our age, than to invent or adopt and

propagate them at

first.

Without alluding to whole passages from the Fathers,


I shall mention some of the expressions they apphed to
baptism.
They are such as these illumination, bounty or
gift

(xapio-;i>ca),

incorruption
viaticum, &c.

absolution,

(afSapaiai;

Some

redemption, the

vSv//ia),

of these

clothing

of

unction, consummation,

words seem

clearly to be con-

127

BAPTISM.

nected with the ceremonials, wliicli had been added, such


as " unction," and the " clothing of incorruption." " Re-

demption " was derived, probably, from the


us

Irenseus tells

them

of
T5JV

expressly in his

civai Lib.i.c.18.

(deemed)

Their baptism was also accompanied with

redemption."
ointment

" tovto

wish this to be

BeXovtrt they

aircXuT/jiiio-o

heretics, for

book that some

first

by that word:

called their baptism

and

it

not unlikely that this gave rise to the

is

custom of anointing before baptism, afterwards adopted by


the primitive Church.
Baptism was called " viaticum,"
a voyage provision, because they used to baptize persons

on their death-bed, a custom which, as

was often prac-

it

served no other purpose but that of promoting the

tised,

most awful delusion.


Tlie

vagrant

spirit

of

superstition led

many

Fathers to very strange and incongruous notions

of

the

so that

they entertained various and differing opinions respecting


this

ordinance.

Some,

maintained, that

Augustine,

as

unbaptized infants could not be saved. Others, a? Gregory

Nazianzen, allotted to them a middle


neither hell nor

heaven.

state,

which was

Cyprian maintained, that the

minister possesses the regenerating power.

It

was on

this

ground that he held the necessity of baptizing those that had


been baptized by heretics

for that they, not

Ghost, could not convey him.

ment.

tize.

This was his main argu-

Tertullian held, that the water was imbued with

a sanctifying
also,

having the Holy

power

and he as well

that in cases of necessity a

He

as

Augustine held

layman might

justly bap-

indeed maintained, that the laity possessed the

right to baptize, only

it

was

respect and deference to those

their duty to waive

who were

it

out of

appointed minis-

128

BAPTISM.

Many

ters.

attainable

scarcely
falsely

of the Fathers

held,

forgiveness was

that

by those who sinned

hiterpreting

the

expression,

baptism,

after

" being

once

en-

lightened," in the Epistle to the Hebrews, and referring


it

Thus, by " adapting to their

to baptism.

own

notions

apostolic words," as the heretics in Irenseus's time did,

without regarding " the order and context," they intro-

duced a

false opinion,

wholly inconsistent with the whole

and by thus imitating the

tenour of Scripture

they " loosened the

members

idea

it

was that brought

of truth."

in the

And

heretics,

this strange

long and cumbrous train

of penances, and those penances engendered the notion,

some way expiatory and meritorious.


The penitent was kept in a state of penance for years, and
sometimes for hfe.
How inconsistent was this with what
Paul recommended as to the offender in the Corinthian
Church.
But to give some idea to my readers of the fantastic reveries of some of the Fathers on the subject of
baptism, I shall set down some extracts from Tertullian's
that they were in

De
Tertullian

Ue

Bapt.

Sect

Baptismo.

" ^^PP^ Sacrament of our water! by which, being


washed from the faults of former blindness, we are made

But we,

are

life.

born

nor are we otherwise saved than by remain-

in water,

little

fishes*

....

free for eternal

He proceeds then, as the Oxford Tracts


men do, in speaking of men's want of faith as to the effects of
ing in water."

water, and refers the matter to the Almighty, with

nothing
*

is

What

impossible.

is left

rather to mention

And

it

in a note

mov-

much on profaneness, that I choose


and in his own words
secundum ixSw

out here borders so

nostrum Jesum Christum.

whom

alluding to the Spirit, "

1-29

BAPTISM.

on the face of the waters," he goes on thus

man,

in

the

because

it

is

cause

was the

it

place, to

first

an old substance

" Thou hast,

venerate the age of waters,

and then the

dignity, be-

seat of the Divine Spirit, being doubtless

then more acceptable than other elements.

'WTien inhabi-

command was

tants were given to the world, the

first

first

liquid

brought forth what might

seem wonderful

mate (animare noverunt)."


sufficient

But

it

should

knew how

to ani-

lest

live,

in baptism that waters

all this,

it

seems,

ditional virtue

for

he

being given to

says, " Tlie

mediately (that

is,

Spirit

it.

Tliis,

brings

Sect.

."i.

however,

some ad-

is

supplied

after the offered prayer,)

and remains

and being thus

itself ;

they drink in (combibunt) the power of sanc-

But he

tifying."

not

from heaven comes down im-

on the waters, sanctifying them by


sanctified,

is

neither the age nor the dignity of water, nor

capacity to animate, will be enough, without

its

to

The

the waters to bring forth living things (animas).

is

not satisfied with even

down an angel

this, for

too to medicate the waters

he

: " The

waters," he says, " being medicated through the interven-

an angel,

tion of

the spirit (that

corporally (corporaliter diluitur) in


flesh is spiritually

is,

of

man)

is

the waters,

washed

and the

cleansed in the same (spiritualiter

mun-

datur)."

This

is

Sect. 4.

surely enough,

if

anything can be

so,

to produce

a surfeit even in the writers of the Oxford Tracts.

If they

can swallow, and digest, and feed on such strange vagaries,


it

appears to

me

that the only suitable situation for

them

is

on the banks of the Ganges.

For in this country we have no


such " medicated waters," as Tertulhan mentions, such as
can "corporally" wash

spirits,

and "spiritually" cleanse

130

BAPTISM.
the flesh, nor any such waters as " drink, or suck in the

power of
rivers in

The Ganges,

sanctifying."

Are we

report, contain such waters.

into the darkness of heathenism

As
is

to be plunged again

the Fathers often symbolized what

to be taken only in

what

literalized

what

often with
to

and some other

India, are the only rivers, which, according to

figurative

what

language

literally,

and what

They

figurative.

dealt

as the heretics did, according

paraboUcal.

is

is plain,

so they sometimes

sense,

symboUcal and

is
is

Irenaeus, with

figurative

its literal

They interpreted

without regarding the con-

current testimony of Scripture

and by thus introducing

" o])posing truths, they destroyed the analog)' of faith,

and " loosened the members of

truth. "
Hence their
They interpreted symbolical
and by this means they were led to

erroneous views on baptism.

language

literally,

what belongs to that which


For instance, the expression, " Wash away

ascribe to the outward ordinance


it

represents.

thy sins," has been taken in a way inconsistent with other

Who

plain declarations of Scripture.


really,

and

actually,

and that through

and

effectually,

faith in Christ

symbolically

God

at the

He was

same time

bol represented.

This

Now

voice of Scripture confirms.

Paul to wash away his sins

but

in

washes away sins

God by

his Spirit,

what the whole


what sense was

is

In what other way, but

upon
him which the symthe washing of regeneration"

to use the symbol, calling

to do that for

Again,

'

has been misapprehended in a similar way

some render

the word, bath, but very wrongly, for there was nothing

then resembling any such thing, no font, no baptistry


they baptized in

rivei s

and ponds

till

the end of the second

BAPTISM.

The language

century.

be understood

to

cision

ges,

Lord thy God

intended.

the

and similar passa-

is

symbolized

ordinance

of the

is

in

here

" the renewing of the Spirit " which

And

expresses

of the

but the renewing

There

operation of the Spirit.

Regeneration

soul.

God, or of the

to be born of

act;

first

and abiding influence

subsequent

its

commencement

the

it is

will circumcise thine heart ;"

The language

the progressive renewal

in
is

used, but

what the ordinance represents and symbolizes

taken, but

follows,

is

language of circum-

he will do to thine heart what

is,

circumcision.

is

spiritually, as the

to be taken in the following

is

" The

that

of the ordinance

nothing

is

Spirit, is

continued

the

is

context

in the

to call our attention to baptism.

Another thing

to be

remarked

in the

Fathers

is

this

they drew their conclusions often from no sound premises,

and sometimes from no premises

John

5.

iii.

They seem

to

at all

as in the

case

of

have inferred fi'om this text

the inseparable connexion between baptism and regenera-

And

tion.

so do the

Oxford divines

blind, following blind guides.

man be born

cept a

enter into the


clared

is,

kingdom
are

of

There
yet

is

it is

God."

The only thing de-

God

in

this

world, the

another great mistake of the Fathers.

upon the proof that

interpreted
!

" Ex-

nothing said about their necessary connexion, and

that this connexion

iense

says,

both necessary, not indeed for

heaven, but for the kingdom of


is

them, like the

of water and of the Spirit, he cannot

that they

denial of which

after

Our Saviour

is

this text is

maintained

supposed to

afl^ord,

The Fathers have

so

the passage, this must therefore be the true

Tliey have

drawn

tliis

conclusion,

though thev

132

BAPTISM.

had nothing

draw

to

from

it

This

is

surely notliing else

men

but an addition to Scripture, made by uninspired

and
is

it is

upon

this miscalled

scriptural foundation,

which

no other than a sandy foundation constructed by the

Fathers, that the doctrine of baptismal


built

and

that

it

brought

this text is

adapt " their fable to

it,

in,

regeneration

after the fashion of the heretics,

" might not appear to be without evidence."

Fathers might have thought of instances


If there

their interpretation.

is

and they " speciously

were none

The

contravening
days,

in their

which probably was not the case, they might have remembered Simon Magus, who was born of water, but
clearly not

born of the

Spirit,

otherwise Peter would not

He

have told him what he did.

could not have been

bom

of the Spirit, and yet be in the gaU of bitterness and in

the bond of iniquity, except spiritual birth be something,

and yet nothing, as Bishop Bethell represents


maintains that

takes place in

it

on what authority, that

tized,

remains to be shewn
it is,

find nothing left, but the

is

worth any thing,


to tell us

The passage

we

mere " shadow of a shade," and

in St.

this text is considered at large,

handled

subject

is

ment.

The

John, referred to above, requires fur-

In the " Plain Tracts for Critical Times,"

lately published,

witli

great

acumen and

it

and the

force of argu-

particular view given of the passage

what new, but


facts

it

what

much.

ther notice.

tlie

for he

his negatives so fuUy balance his affirmatives, that

scarcely so

and

infants that are bap-

when he comes

but

it

all

is

some-

wholly corresponds with the theory

of divine truth

which

is

not the case with

opposite view, entertained and abetted

by the writers

133

iAPTISM.
of the Oxford Tracts.

is

every thing in the con-

the expressions used, and in the general doctrine

in

text,

There

of Scripture, in favour of the explanation given in the

" Plain Tracts," while the context, the expressions used,

and the general doctrine of Scripture, are


the view given by the Oxford Tracts

all

opposed to

and which

is

not

countenanced by any thing, but by the opinions of some

But

of the Fathers.

this

is

not the only instance in

which the Fathers are brought forward to make the Scrip-

what

ture say

it

does not say, and what

is

inconsistent

with the context, and with the general tenor of divine

An

truth.

and of

its

impartial consideration of the whole passage,

manifest design and object, cannot fairly lead us

to any other

Tracts

which

than

conclusion
is,

that

stated in the

Plain

that the purpose for which the water and

is, in order to become the ostenmembers of God's kingdom or Church here on


The importance given to Baptism was no doubt

the Spirit are necessary,


sible

earth.

on the ground of
fession of Christ

its
is

being a public act by which a con-

made

which seems to be one of the

main designs of the ordinance.


It

may

not be amiss to advert briefly to the language of


In a previous verse, " to be born again,"

this passage.

" from above,"

is said to be necessary in order to


" see the kingdom of God," that is, as the word often

or,

means,

in

order to comprehend, understand or perceive

the kingdom of God.

water

is

added to the

But

in the verse in

Spirit, the

and then the vvord " see,"

is

author of the

dispute, tlie

New

changed into " enter

cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

It

"

Birth

"

lie

seems that

the addition made, rendered the change necessary.

It is

134

BAPTISM.

most evident that the expression, " the kingdom of God,"


has different significations as used

meaning

Its

is

to be determined

terms employed

in connection

God is within you


God" "he cannot

"

" he

connections.

in different

by the context, and by the

with

"

it.

The kingdom

of

cannot see the kingdom of

eJiter into the

kingdom

of

God."

The

very language used requires, in these and other instances,


a different meaning should be admitted.

that

clearly meant,

God

of

in

the

in

instance,

first

^Hiat

the reigning

is

the heart, influencing and regulating the

tives, elevating

and strengthening the

and controlling

all

movements

the

instance a different idea

mo-

affections, directing

In the second

within.

conveyed, as connected with

is

seeing or comprehending,
leges are clearly intended

is

power

then

its

blessings

and

privi-

the treasures of the kingdom

are the things meant, as being objects of sight or spiritual

perception, and enjoyment.

But

in

the

third

instance,

another thing contemplated, which is implied, and necessarily implied in the term to " enter."
there

We
for

is

still

cannot enter into that kingdom which

We

has entered into us.

it

said to enter into blessings

enter

Tliat

we may

and privileges, which we are to

What

comprehend and enjoy.

within us

is

cannot very properly be

then

we
we must

that into which

is

see the propriety of this,

attach an idea to " kingdom," quite different from the

two already given.

We

must view

kingdom,
enter.

Now
God

in this sense

And
it

is

this

is

it is

that

evidently

its

as

it

body, as a community joined together

we can

an associated

and into God's

properly be said to

meaning

in this

quite possible for us to have the

within us, and to see the

kingdom

passage.

kingdom of

of God,

and yet

BAPTISM.

13

not to enter into the kingdom of


join

it

and

while

form, which

in its associated

it

has,

it

ca)i

still

everlasting glory.
affords

entering

of

into

All the past history of God's people

There were some


name of the Lord."
within them and they

a confirmation to this view.

who " called upon


The kingdom of God was no doubt
saw, perceived and enjoyed

we

meaning

the only

is

not to

is,

enter into heaven, and be heirs of

the

before the flood

but

that

when we speak

have,

we may

God

its

blessings and privileges

have no reason to think that they entered into

as a society, for

we hear

The same

united together as one religious community.

remark apphes to some

it

of no rite by which they were

after the deluge

to

Melchisedec,

Lot, Job and his friends, and even to Abraham before he


was circumcised, and also to the thief on the cross. Baptism is now necessary in order to become visible members of

God's kingdom on earth, but not indispensable for an admission into the kingdom of glory.

As

to the necessity of baptism, our

wisely determined.

It is

astonishing

rated Reformers, when their

had succeeded
had collected

in

throwing

in the

represent baptism
It

difficulties

our justly veneconsidered,

are

off the loads of rubbish

which

They

Church, even from early ages.


as

generally

necessary

to

salvation.

being an outward ordinance, and a positive, and not

a moral command,

absolute necessity

its

just grounds be maintained.

been saved without


is

Church has most

how

it

cannot on any

Thousands have no doubt

and there

is

nothing

The

obligation

is

in

it

that

of

the soul.

derived only from a particular

command,

necessarily essential to the sanctification

and not from any

essential connection

between God and

136

BAPTISM.
his creatures.

obligation

Its

that of circumcision,

it

is

same purpose.

answer the very

That institution was

suspended for thirty years of the

wUdemess
would

in the

stay

Israelites'

and there may be circumstances now which

non-observance of baptism

justify the

such extreme notions respecting

To

it.

as

plainly

it is

who

admitted even by the Fathers themselves,

ture

same with

exactly the

being an ordinance intended to

entertained

interpret scrip-

under a profession of high

rigidly in one particular,

without having regard to

authority,

pendix

'^^P^ct for

general and concurrent import, has always been the prac-

b.

its

men engaged

tice of

its

promotion of erroneous and

in the

This was exactly the case with the

heretical sentiments.

heretics of old, as Irenaeus plainly informs us.

Baptism

it

so

an ordinance, necessary to be observed when

is

practicable,

We

was.

circumcision

as

generally

and yet the Quakers do not deem

and they never observe

evidently

for reasons

it,

own minds

factory to their

deem

necessarj'

it

satis-

not from any disrespect to

the Saviour's authority, but from a conviction that the

command
sult

is

not

now

obligatory.

And what

according to apparent evidence

wrong

the re-

is

Most think them

and yet they, as a body, afford as ample proofs


of possessing what the ordinance represents, as any body
;

who

of Christians

dently possess

men

all

He who

for heaven.

that he himself
things.

The

observe

Many

it.

is

will

yet blind

deny

them most

evifit

only prove,

being produced,

evidence of the Spirit's influence.

God

this, will

and ignorant of

fruits of the Spirit

shew, but that

of

those graces and qualifications which

And what

spiritual
is

a clear

does this

regards this neglect as one of those

137

lAPTISM.

things which result from the imperfections of

men

in the

present state, and in this instance as in others, from prejudices occasioned

by the abuse of the ordinance; and

that the neglect arising from principle,


affecting

on a point not

any thing necessarily essential to

religion,

no

is

hindrance to that intercourse and communion which

He

deigns to carry on with his people in this world, in order

and render them meet

to prepare them,

to dwell in his

presence for ever.

These obsei-vations are made, not for the purpose of


lessening a due and proper regard for baptism, but of

diminishing extreme and unwarrantable notions respecting


its

benefits.

shall

now

conclude this letter with the

appropriate words of Justin in his dialogue with Tiyphon

" What
flesh

tized

is

the benefit of that baptism, which

makes the

and the body only clean ? Let yom- soul be bapfrom wrath and from covetousness, from envy and

from hatred

and behold, the body

will

be clean."

MiSOPAPISTICUS.

138

VIII.

THE LORD-S SUPPER.

ccKoXovBtiv,
Dial,

aXXa &ea km

cum rather not to follow

sect. 80'.

toj; irap' exfiviiu htlayfA.aa-t.

men

choOSe

or the doctrmes of men, but

and the doctrines which are from him."

God

Justin Martp-.

Sir,
It is a

matter worthy of observation, that the two sacra-

ments occupy but a very small share of attention from the


Baptism, merely as an outward

Apostles in their writings.

ordinance, is not mentioned through the whole Epistles, except in these three places,

and

Cor.

comparative non-importance
ing for the dead,"

meaning; and
"that there
in

i.

in the first it is referred to in

which

is

it is

is

17

xv. 29

Eph.

iv.

such a way as to show

its

in the second,

the "baptiz-

the expression, and one of doubtful

in the third there is only the

mere

assertion,

but one baptism." In the seven other instances

mentioned, the reference made to

purpose of showing

its

spiritual

import; Rom.

it is

vi.

for the

5:

THE lord's supper.


Cor.

iii.

13; Gul.

xii.

Pet.

iii.

21.

iii.

27; Eph.

It is

26; Col.

v.

in fourteen of the Epistles, nor in the Revelation.


St. Paul alone refers to

to the Lord's Supper,

12; Tit,

ii.

never mentioned or alluded

to,

And as

it,

and that

only in two places, the tenth and the eleventh chapters of


the

Epistle to the Corinthians, and then chiefly for the

first

purpose of correcting abuses connected with

James, nor Peter, nor John (either


or Revelation), nor Jude,
allude to
in

which

as

it,

make

the least mention of

conceive, in any way.

believe

not far from being

am

so,

correct,

Neither

it.

in his Gospel, Epistles,

and

I
I

nor

it,

state these facts,

am

am

sure that I

not with any design of depreciating

the due importance of these ordinances, but of showing that


the Apostles did not give

now

are

disposed to do.

them that prominence which some

Had the Apostles entertained such


men of the Oxford Tracts and

high notions of them, as the


their friends

seem

to do, they

pecting them, especially

would not have said so little

typified in these ordinances.

They looked

to the substance rather than to the

whilst these

men do

If
rites,

grace

If these

the
to

is

it

chiefly

made

that the Apostles

so

through these
little

them

of

.''

be the only means, or the principal means, or even

common means, how came most

mention them, and how was

alluded

shadow,

exactly the reverse.

communicated only or

how was

res-

when the very points mostly handled

by them embrace the very things

much

to

them

This

of the Apostles

never

number

it

that none of their

is

inexplicable on any other

ground that a Protestant can admit, but on this that they


viewed them chiefly, as our church most justly represents
them, as " outward and visible signs of an inward and
spiritual grace."

And

they well

knew how prone men

are

140

THE lord's supper.

make

to

much

too

of outward signs and ordinances, and

therefore directed the whole force of their reasoning, comisel,

and exhortation, to enforce what these


represent.

If

we

signify

rites

and

allow these ordinances that importance

claimed for them by Papists and those papisticaUy inchned,

then

we must conclude,

as the Papists do, that the Apostles'

writings are very defective, and stand in need of being

supplemented by the Fathers.

we must apply

We

But the misfortime

must leap over the two first centuries

or four centuries, before

made

We

up.

is,

that

to the late rather than to the early Fathers.

have already seen that

respect to baptism

the deficiency

this is the case

with

none except the cabahstic Barnabas

for

at least, yea, three

we can possibly have

imder that name

(or the writer of the epistle

for I can

scarcely believe the Barnabas mentioned in Scripture to be


its

author),

and the enthusiast Hennas, quoted as a great

make up this deficiency in


now show that there is a

authority in the Oxford Tracts,

any suitable degree.


still

shall

greater dearth of materials as to the Lord's Supper.

Even Barnabas and Hermas


tain nothing

on the subject

an allusion, that

can

find,

us here

fail

my

fourth letter

is

one place.

in

Ignatius
at

all,

Heb.

and

He

and so does
But Ignatius's " altar" is

the Church or Church-communion

mentioned by Paul

it

the only objectionable one.

indeed mentions the word altar several times


at least in

Nor does

The sentence already

that only ui two or three places.

Hermas,

them even

point.

the only apostolic Father that alludes to

quoted in

for they con-

to this ordinance.

Clement or Polycarp say any thing on the


is

there being not in

xiii.

and Hermas's,
10;

which

is

is

that

not on

earth but in heaven, so called in conformity with the idea of

THE lord's supper


Christ's having entered into heaven,

141

and liaving become "the

The
"command," is this:
sad man has no efficacy to come up to

minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle."

passage fi-om Hermas in his tenth

" For the prayer of a

And I said to him, Sir, Why has not the


man virtue to come up to the altar of God?

the altar of God.

prayer of a sad

Because, said he, that sadness remaineth in his heart. "When,


therefore, a man's prayer shall be
it

will

accompanied with sadness,

not suffer his requests to ascend pure to the altar of

The

God."

apostolic Fathers, therefore, fail to supply the

supposed deficiency.

from Ignatius, which

quite opposed to the views of the

is

writers of the Oxford Tracts.

They

interpret a portion of

the sixth chai)ter of St. John's Gospel in such a


refer

it,

as the Papists do, to the Lord's Supper.

guage of Ignatius,
to the

Romans,

is

in the following passage

from

I take

no pleasure

pleasures of this

drink that

and

in

an

life.

long for

I desire

the bread of God, which

is

life."

epistle in

his blood,

He

which

is

uncorruptible love,

which he earnestly requests the Romans

therefore, have the sacrament at

contemplated
is

He

aU in view.

It

could not,

was

spi-

and drinking alone that he most evidently


:

and with respect to the blood, his meaning

expressly and explicitly stated.

The next author


subject

is

that contains any thing definitely on the

Justin Martyr

Ignatius,

is

and the

wrote this on his way to Rome,

not to exert their influence for his release.

ritual eating

his epistle

the food of corniption, nor in the

in

the flesh of Jesus Christ, of the seed of David

and perpetual

way as to
The lan-

nearly the same, but he evidently refers

not to the sacrament, but to spiritual things

"

^'

might indeed quote a passage even

and what he says

is

deserving

gect. 7.


142

THE lord's supper.


of attention

in his

for,

first

apology, he undertakes to

give an explicit account of the ordinance, as in the case of

Tatian against the Greeks has nothing on the

baptism.

Athenagoras in his embassy has,

subject.

sentence, and that


I

I think,

but one

consistent with the \'iews of Justin.

can find nothing to our purpose in Theophilus Antiochanus.

Justin's account

be found
" Bread

the fullest and the most explicit that can

is

any writer of the second centuiy, not except-

in

ing Irenaeus.
Justin.

is

The words

of Justin are the following

brought to the president

is

(icooea-TaTi)

brethren, and a cup of water and wine (x^xyia

with water)

of the

wine mixed

and having received them, he sends up praise

and glory to the Father of the universe through the name


of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and offers a long thanksgiving

{evxa^ia-rtav

tirt

and thanksgiving,

Be

it

so.

all

saying.

(e-Kfvfvjfjiet,)

When

moXv

When

vouchsafed by him.

naunai)

for these

things

he has finished the prayers

the people present joyfully acclaim

And Amen,

Amen.

in

Hebrew means.

the president has thus given thanks, and

the people have joyfully acclaimed, they,

who

are

by us

called deacons, give to each of those present to partake of

the bread and wine and water, which had been thanked for
(airo Tou enj^a^io-TjjflfVTo;

a^TOv

kcx.i

omov Kat vSaro;), and they

away some to the absent. And this food (rpsf jj) is


by us thanksgiving (evxaoia-Tta) of which it is not
lawful for any other to partake, but him who beheves that
the things taught by us are true, and who has been washed
carry

called

with the washing which


regeneration
taught.

is

for the remission of sins

(et^ ayayevyyiaiy),

For we receive not these as common

and common drink.

and unto

and who so Uves as Christ has


{Koiny) bread,

But as Christ Jesus, our Sa^^our,

H3

THE lord's supper.


having been made

and blood

through God's word, has both

flesh

for our salvation, so also

have we been taught,

that the food, thanked for by the prayer of his


this food,

by which our blood and

flesh

word tliat

flesh after the

change

common) are
nourished, is both the flesh and blood of Jesus, who himself
was made flesh. For the Apostles, in the records made by
(that

from being common into what

is,

not

is

them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered that


that having taken bread, and
Jesus commanded them,

given thanks, he said. This do in remembrance of me


is

my

body

given thanks, he said, This

is

parted (these) to them only."


says, that after the acclaim.

and a participation

made

as to each,

my

blood

In the following section he

very explicit,

these par-

Bread and wine mixed with water, were brought

to the president,

He

offered praise

these gifts of God's providence,


assent by a loud

Amen

and thanksgiving

for

The people expressed their

Then the

deacons distributed to

those present, and carried away some to the absent,

And

the elements were taken in remembrance of Christ's passion

This was

all

there was no consecration of the elements,

but merely the presenting of them as a thank-ofi'ering, or in


the words of Athenagoras,
6va-ia>).

"a bloodless

sacrifice" (a^aiiJiaKrov

This was the whole ceremony.

Then we have the

views of Justin on the subject, which appear to agree wholly


with Scripture

not on tradition.

he indeed grounds them on Scripture, and


Consistently with this account

thing that Justin has said on the point.

He

1.

is

to the absent."

we have

Apol.

(SiaSoo-i;)

of the things thanked for,

and sent by the deacons


is

and that he im-

Amen, " a distribution

(//cTaXvj|/ii;)

In this account, which


ticulars

this

and that having likewise taken the cup and

is

every

indeed applies

Sect.

(il.


THE lord's supper.

144
the word, sacrifice

to this ordinance,

(dua-ia.),

but in the

figurative sense of thanks-giving or of a thank-offering,

no other, as the following passages from


most clearly show
in

and

Dialogue

his

Justin.

"We, who

all,

God

the

Jesus, in

name
is,

man,

believe,

through the name of

the imiverse, having through the

of his first-begotten Son, put off filthy garments, that

our

his

as one

Maker of

sins,

calling

being purified as by

we

God

race of God, as

through the word of

fire

true high-priestly (a^ixitpaTf/cov)

are the

himself

saying, that sacrifices,

testifies,

and pure, shall be offered


among the nations. But God receiveth

wcll-pleasing to him
2)lace

of none, except through his priests.

who through

name

his

offer the

Therefore

sacrifices

Christ has enjoined to be made, that

is,

those

thanksgiving of (or for) the bread and cup


Tov aprov Kat rov

to be well pleasing to

made by

made

(eir( tij

God haxang

him

those,

which Jesus
at the

tvxa^nma.

in every place of the earth

TroTvjpjoi;)

Christians (all those persons)


tifies

in every
sacrifices
all

by the

preferred tes-

but the sacrifices that are

you, and through your priests, he rejects, saying,

/ will not receive your sacrijices from your hands


Prayers and thanksgivings, done by the worthy, are alone
Sect. IIG,

perfect (reXeiat
offering

and well- pleasing

//lOKaj)

of fine

flour,

to him."

" The

enjoined to be offered for those

cleansed from leprosy, was a type of the bread of thanks-

giving

aprov

(rvTTO; Tov

ttj;

fuj^apnTTias)

which Jesus Christ

our Lord enjoined to make in commemoration (c^


of the passion

cleansed from

which he endured
all

may thank God


in

it

for

wickedness

for

man, and

that,

having made

for

for

avaf*i')o-ii')

men whose

at the

this world,

souls are

same time, we
and

all

having made us free from the

things
evil in

THE
which we

lived,

supper.

I.OIId's

143

and completely overthrown

and powers, through him who became a

principalities

sufferer according

to his will."

S,,,.4j

Bread and wine, according to

Justin,

were a thank-

and

for the salvation

offering for the creation of the world,

of men, accompanied with the sacrifices of praise and thanks-

giving

and

and these

this offering,

were con-

sacrifices,

sidered as done, not only by the president, but also by

present

he says that the Christians, yea,

all

of them,
were " the true high-priestly race of God," that they might
for

all

And he brings a reason why they


" God," he says, " receives sacrifices of

offer these sacrifices.

must be

so, for

none, except through his priests."


scarcely

come up to those

many

of

The views of Justin


much less do

Protestants

they

countenance anything favourable

views

may

be stated in

two sentences,

His

Popery.

to

the

elements were

presented as a thank-offering, or a sacrifice of this kind,

accompanied with

sacrifices of praise

and thanksgiving

for

the things of creation, and for the blessings of salvation;

and they were then taken


ferings.

perhaps justifiable
in after

in

commemoration of Christ's sufby Justin, is intelligible, and

Sacrifice, as applied
;

but through a gross perversion,

the greatest of

all

impieties

The foregoing account

the Popish transubstantiation.


of Justin's view of this Sacra-

Kaye

ment, wholly corresponds with what Bishop


in his

"

work on

With

has

it

ages been adduced for the purpose of countenancing

Justin's writings.

respect to the eucharist,

we

time water was mixed with the wine

find that
;

and thanksgivings
L

in Justin's Bp. Kaye'3

and that the presi-

dent, having taken the bread and the wine

water, offered up praises

says,

His words are these

mixed with

to

God

that

"^"'90'

146

THE lord's supper.


deacons

the

llicn

and wine to

bread

delivered the

away a portion

present, and carried

to those

all

who were

absent."

The only author


already named,

Lord's Supper,

in the second century, besides those

who
is

speaks explicitly with respect to the

part, coincide with

who

heretics,

He

Iren<eus.

to this subject in his

works

and

has several references

He had

to

do with

denied the real incarnation of our Lord

he very properly brings forward the sacramental


tion to

prove that

and some of
cion,
^Lfbl'lv*"
Cap. 40.

and

made

use

his words, in his

body, by saying. This

body

unless there

But

ment.
liis

is

my

was a
in this,

real

are these

But

body."

as in

it

is,

This

some other

answers to the heretics.

that the consecrated elements had


talizing

"
iv

is

the figure of

my

is

Irenaeus's argu-

instances, he carries

point beyond the limits of truth, from too great an

jects, to find

Lib

" The bread

could not be a figure,

anxiety, as even Feuardentius admits on

Cap. 34.

he made his own

disciples

body, that

(figura corporis mei).

flesh.

same argument,

of the

Fourth Book against Mar-

in the fortieth chapter,

received and distributed to his

and

institu-

our Saviour was really made

Tertullian, after him,

most

his views, for the

those of Justin.

even our very bodies.

^"^^'^^ ^

"

some

As

some other sub-

He seems
efiiect

consisting of
;

to hold

immor-

earth, recei\dng the invocation of

no more common bread, but thank-ofi^ering

venly

in

the bread," he says.

two things, what

is

earthly and

God,

{ivxafia-Tta,,)

what

is

hea-

so our bodies, partaking of the thank-offering, are

no more corruptible (fOa^ta), having hope of the resurrection, which is for ever."
It is a notion similar to what
he expresses respecting the effect produced by the water

THE lord's supper.


on

baptism

at

fanciful idea,

to

much

With

our bodies.

147

the exception of this

what he says of the sacrament

objection,

though there seems

to

not liable

is

have been

in

importance attached to the

his time an evident increase of

outward ordinance.

As

in the case of baptism, so

Supper,

shall avail

Primitive Christianity

book

on

is

with respect to the Lord's

we find in Cave's
The eleventh chapter of his first

myself of what
.

this subject.

He

undertakes to speak, as to

and manner of

this ordinance, of the persons, time, place,


its

administration.

The

1.

persons.

select the

I shall

Those

who

main particulars

administered

pastors and governors of the Church.

The

the elements, according to Tertullian, was

it

were the

distribution of

made by

the

The
xhe

by the deacons.

presidents, but according to Justin,


practice,

it

seems, was variable and not uniform,

communicants were the baptized, except those under censure

and they continued so sometimes

whoUy

inconsistent with Scripture.

for

fants had the Sacrament also given to them


authority and for what good reason

The elements were


sick, the

it is

in

on what

not easy to know.

also carried to the distant

bread being dipped

in case of those

a severity

life,

Newly-baptized in-

and to the

the sacramental cup

under censures,

if

and

they had expressed a

desire to be reconciled to the Church, this bread dipt in

the cup was given them, sometimes even after they were

dead

but this usage was abrogated afterwards by several

councils.

them some
sions
this

The

Christians

also

in

early

times

kept by

parts of the Eucharist against emergent occa-

and gave and sent some to their

custom was

also abolished

L 2

by councils.

ft-iends

Now

but

almost

Cave's
ciuist.

148

THE LORD
all

these uses

SUPPER.

of the sacrament were very fooUsh and

made

strangely superstitious

and yet they were the usages of

the primitive Church.

The

2.

time.

It

was

week

Sunday,

is

then four times a

Christmas, Easter,

and Whitsuntide.

the universal consent of Fathers

primitive

Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday; afterand at last


then every month

wards every Sunday


thrice a year

whenever

at first every day, or

they assembled for pubUc worship

Church,

but the boast

This

do not blame the

of universal

consent.

These were changes on a point which admits of them,


being one of the

many

of the Church,

to be

stances.

things

determined according to circum-

There are those

in

our day

communion.

revive the weekly


spiritual edification,

it

wholly to the discretion

left

let it

If

be done.

who seem

anxious to

such a thing tends to

But

the custom

if

revived for the purpose of propagating

is

superstitious

reverence for the outward signs, and of deluding

men with

the idea of something like the opus operalum, the attempt


is

wicked, mischievous, and destructive, and our bishops

are in duty
edification

bound

is

to put a stop to

of course

made

it.

but then

The pretence

we must

the views and sentiments of such individuals, and

of

consider
if

their

views are extravagant and superstitious, their object must

Our Saviour has only

be of the same character.

said,

remembrance of me;" and did not say how


often.
But then it is said, this was the practice in the
Very true. But if this practice is bindApostles' times.
"

Do

ing,
if

this in

how came

the primitive Church to change

this practice is binding,

Let that also be revived.

so

is

it ?

And

the community of goods.

Besides, on this principle,

we

THE lord's supper.


must have no churches, nor chancels, nor

men seem

these

so fond of

we must

but

which

altars,

celebrate the

ordinance in private houses, for this was the practice in

What

the Apostles' times.


superstition

there

a strangely inconsistent thing

is

Again, with respect to the time of the day,

was a great variety in the primitive Church Tersays, that it was celebrated at supper-time, and
:

tullian

sometimes in the morning, before day.

Cyprian pleads

strenuously for the morning, and the morning was after-

wards the time almost universally


another point, in which there
but

it

is

This

observed.

no

is

scriptural decision

wholly to the judgment and discretion of

left

the Church

is

and any

stir

made by

individuals about

it

can only be ascribed either to weakness, ignorance, or


superstition.
3.

The place.

private house.

It

Apostles' time, and


cutions, in vaults

When

tyrs.

them, and
table of

was instituted

was celebrated

It

some time

an upper room in a

in

in private

houses in the

and during perse-

after,

under ground, and at the tombs of mar-

churches

were

built,

it

was celebrated

v
"^Pg

in process of time,

Cave does not

at

the east-end,

When it was that

Fathers, the altar.


say.

it

The Laodicean

other councils, strictly forbade

its

first

attained this name.

Council, and

fault with

them, but with those

many

celebration in private

houses, thus directly undoing the earliest practice.

no

in

on a

wood, afterwards of stone, which was called by the

who

I find

stand for things

which are to be regulated by circumstances.


4.

the

The manner.
public

The sacrament was administered after

service

things, of bread

offerings,

consisting,

among

other

and wine, were then made by the people.

150

THE lord's supper.

From

and placed on the table by the minister.


sacramental elements were taken
held at

love-feasts,

first

these the

and these supplied

their

before the sacrament, and at a

Then the deacons brought water to


the bishop and presbyters to wash their hands, in imitation
of what the Psalmist says, " I will wash my hands in innolater time after

cency

:"

it.

and they kissed one another.

prayer for

all

persons and states was then offered, followed by responsive


petitions

theconsecratingprayer, and breaking of the bread.

Then the minister

delivered the elements to the deacons,

and the deacons into the hands of the people, who received

them

one time in a reclining posture, afterwards

at

We

while standmg.

are not told

commenced.
for there is no

practice of kneeling

no consequence
subject

but

it is

the ordinance

being reduced

that

it

rule,

introduced kneeling
in

no command on the

probable that the increased reverence for

our church into

posture becomes immaterial


sake,

by Dr. Cave when the


The posture itself is of

should be

After this they sang

only

suitable

it

uniform

hymns and

but that

its

in

is

well,

every

reverence

measure, the
for order's

communion.

psalms, the bishop prayed

and blessed the people, and they kissed each other the second
time,

and parted.

This account evidently includes the

practices of the third and fourth centuries

many

more

ceremonies

mentioned

Justin in the year 150 relates.

how abundantly

And

for there are

than

amazing how

yet

were aU, or almost

prolific

and

They

things that belonged to

some would have us

all,

what

fast

ceremonies grew in former times.

were some of the most


antiquity.

It is

here,

believe that they

apostolic.

The foregoing account contains

several things very ob-

Tiiu

151

lord's supper.

The customs were not uniform nor permanent, but continually varying.
The primitive Church of
one century differs widely from the primitive Church of
another century and which of them are we to choose ? The
ceremonies were constantly on the increase
if some were
cUscontinued, a still greater number were introduced, till

jectionablc.

the plain and simple ordinance as instituted by our Saviour

was fdmost

lost in

The

them.

ideas

course increased in proportion,

monstrous dogma of

the

ages,

brought forth

entertained of

it

of

succeeding

at last, in

till

Transubstantiation was

and being carefully nursed on the lap of


was finally adopted by the whole body of the
Romish Church. It was the progeny of ceremonials early
introduced and let these ceremonials be renewed again,
and the same monster will rise again from them. The
superstition,

it

writers of the

Oxford Tracts seem to know

they are anxious to increase

rituals,

this well

for

and appear disposed

to think favourably of this strange doctrine.

These things being clearly before


that the exposition

us, are

of this ordinance

is

we

we

the original documents, and

from them

We

Are they who gave

and dead men, and kept by them parts of


occasions, and introduced so

making

it

more

like

many

instruct us in

please

who
:

but

its

it

to infants

for

emergent

its

celebra-

a Jewish or a Heathen ordinance,

spiritual

are intent on
let

it

novelties in

than a simple Christian institution

those

have

see that they deviated far

and are they the persons to teach us the mean-

ing of this sacrament

tion,

to be told

to be sought for

from the Fathers, or the primitive Church

are they the men to

meaning and

intention

being deluded think

so,

not the public be thus deluded.

Let

.''

if

they

And

let

"

152

THE lord's supper.


to " adapt " the primitive fables to
" apostoHc words," after the manner of the heretics, be

made

not the attempts

allowed to deceive any

but

let

all

God, interpreted consistently with

keep to the word of

itself,

and receive the

simple meaning of the sacrament as there given, " This

do

in

remembrance of me

" As

often as ye eat this

bread and drink this cup, ye do shevj the Lord's death

he come."
ing means,
the sign

And
it is

to

shew what our

called (the thing

a mode

till

and drink-

act in eating

signified being put for

of speaking quite

common

in Scripture)

" the communion," or participation of the body and blood

same way as to

of Christ, in the

to eat the paschal lamb.

John vii.
2763.

It

act,

which represents what

faith

faith

with thanksgiving.

is

an outward and

inward, that

is,

means
visible

the act of

and we profess thereby that we feed on Christ by

To add importance
^-j-jj

is

eat the Passover

j-j^g

pj^yj.

jj.

to the eucharist, the Papists connect

gixth chapter of St. John,

and main-

tain that our Saviour speaks there of this institution

and

the divines of the Oxford Tracts seem disposed to do the

But such an interpretation

same.

is

wholly illegitimate,

being consistent neither with the context, nor with the


order of time, nor with scriptural truth, nor with the ex-

The context

planation which the passage itself contains.

cannot admit

and

it is

The

it.

27th verse;

discourse begins in the

by separating a few verses from their connection,

that this interpretation gains

Our Saviour

first

some appearance of

truth.

speaks of the meat that endureth, which

he was destined to give.

The Jews mentioned

the manna,

and he took occasion to represent himself as the true

manna

or bread of

life,

that

came down from

heaven, that

153

THE lord's supper,


he might give Hfe unto the world

and as he proceeded

with this subject, to give his hearers some idea of the

atonement, he refers to his flesh and blood as being this

bread of

and speaks of the necessity of eating the

life,

one and drinking the other, that they might not die but

And he

live for ever.

closes this representation of himself

as he began,

by setting himself forth as the bread of

which must

be eaten

sort of eating

Coming

he had

order

in

view

in

to
is

obtain

life,

What

life.

frequently mentioned.

to him, seeing him, and believing in him,

expressly stated

times connects

and with

faith or believing,

and everlasting

life

life

are

he several

and the same he

connects with eating the bread of hfe, and with eating


his

flesh,

and drinking

his blood.

What

then

is

the ob-

vious conclusion, but that eating his flesh and drinking

what

his blood,

is

that

to " feed

is

it

thanksgiving

"
;

is

done by believing, or in other words,


on him in our hearts by

faith with Appendix,

there being here evidently a similar use

when drinking " the living water " is


mentioned, which means a partaking of divine grace by
of language,

faith

According to an expression of Aiujustine, " Cre-

eum

dere in

him

is

as

est

manducare panem vivum

to believe in

to eat the hving bread."

This interpretation

is

also

wholly incongruous

with

makes our Saviour to insist on the


necessity of that which had not yet been appointed, of
what was not even known in any degree, of what had no
existence, and of what therefore was wholly impracticable
and impossible. That that should be taught as necessary

reference to time.

for

life,

It

which was wholly unknown, having not been

stituted, is a notion

in-

which nothing but the strongest pre-

"

^^

154

THE lord's supper.


judice or the most deluded ignorance could ever entertain.

To

anticipate

by

faith,

and to

realize future

practicable

is

events,

when

material elements by anticipation,

not even known, and

when

an art and ingenuity,

is

when

revealed,

but actually to eat and to drink

divines as the writers

there

those elements are

no command to do

is

so,

of

which Papists,

and such

of the

Oxford Tracts,

are alone

capable.

The

introduced by this

sense

interpretation,

wholly inconsistent with Scripture.

Eternal

life

is

also

is

most

expressly connected here with eating his flesh and drink-

This cannot be true of the sacramental

ing his blood.

eating and drinking

may be

that, as the Apostle

for

attended and followed by condemnation.

has eternal

life

inseparably connected with

dent from the language used


death.

it,

but the other

as

us,

The one
it

is

evi-

may produce

Besides, the end and purpose for which each

said to be necessary,
eat

warns

is

essentially different.

and drink, according

to this passage, that

die but live for ever

we

but

We

is

are to

we may

not

are to partake of the sacra-

mental elements for another end, in order to commemorate


the Saviour's death

Him,

it

is

or to skew his death

sideration

is

quite

enough

to be done in

remembrance of

he come.

This single con-

till

of itself to overturn the whole

system, and to prove that the attempt to identify what


said here with the Lord's Supper,

is

is

vain and groundless.

what may be considered an explanation of


63rd verse " It is the Spirit
the words
the flesh profiteth nothing
that quickeneth
that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are Ufe."
To prevent them from supposing that he meant any thing

But there

is

the meaning given in the


;


THE lord's supper.

15.5

material or gross by eating his flesh, he tells them, " the

nothing

flesh profiteth

"

and to impress on

their

minds

character of what

he had said, he adds,


" The words that I speak to you, they are spirit," that is,
spiritual, " and they are life," that is, they refer to life.

the

spiritual

the eternal
Not

of which he had been speaking to them.

life

inappropriate in

some respects are the sentiments of

Tertullian on this verse

" Because the


ble,

as

Jews thought

word hard and

his

he had appointed that his

if

flesh

intolera- Tertullian

should be really De

resur.

eaten by them, (ver^ edendum), to refer the state of salvation to the Spirit,

quickeneth

"

and

nothing," that

he premised, "

It

is

"The

then added,

Then

to quicken.

is,

the Spirit that

wished to be understood as to the Spirit:

which

before

Him

that sent me, hath eternal

but

and

cause the

life,

and

shall not

come
"
life

word the vivifier, for the word


the same also his flesh
and be-

he called

Word was made

after for the purpose of

life

passed from death into

is

constituting therefore the


spirit

what he

"The words

have spoken to you are Spirit, and life " as also


" H that heareth my words, and believeth on

into condemnation,

is

profiteth

flesh

follows also

flesh,

life,

it is

and

hence to be sought

is

to be devoured by

hearing, and ruminated on by the mind, and digested by

faith."

The

words that

following are the words of

speak to you, they are

Whitby :" The


we cannot

spirit,"

doubt but that he speaks of eating and of drinking his


flesh

and blood spiritually ."

This indeed

while partaking of the Sacrament

but there

may be done
is

no neces-

sary connection between eating and drinking spiritually,

and eating and drinking sacramentally. Tertullian evidently

-wijitijy

156

THE LORD

SUPPER.

connects the eating and drinking with hearing and with


faith.

But then there is a vast importance and a mysterious


meaning attached to the words. This is my body. And
we are told by these men, as we are by the Papists, that
this is a matter of faith, and that we must believe. BeUeve
what ? BeUeve that there is some mysterious meaning in
the words ?
This is to believe what they say, and not to

what the words express. How do they know that


is a mysterious meaning in them }
The primitive
Church does not tell us so, nor the early Fathers the
Church of Rome does, and so do many of the later Fathers.
But am I to believe them in what is contrary to the
primitive Church ? and not only so, for that would not be
believe

there

much

but also contrary to Scripture

interpreted

If I

am

to beheve, I

itself,

consistently

must have some

dence besides the mere saying of any uninspired

evi-

men

yea, besides the decrees of all the councils that ever have
existed.

must have some evidence, and a Divine

dence for a Divine truth, else

my

faith

will

fancy, the faith of enthusiasts and fanatics.

some mysterious import

in

evi-

be a mere
If there

be

these words, there must be

in aU similar modes of speech,


Rock was Christ / am the way / am the
door
The seed is the word of God My Father is the
hnshandman, ^c. When I find that this mode of speaking
runs through the whole Scripture, am I to beheve what men
may choose to say, who produce no proof for what they

something of the same kind

such

as,

say, at

least

painful

in

that

none that

is

worth anything

the extreme to read

some

It is really

of the delirious

Popish ravings of these writers on this subject.

and

157

THE lord's supper.


There

is

an attempt to propagate the notion, that the

Prayer-book expounds the Scriptures, and that the Fathers


groundless than

What

this.

do our Articles say

They

are the creeds received?

may

Nothing can be more

expound the Prayer-book.

are to

How

"/or they

are received,

be proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scrip-

and not because they were received by the primitive

ture,"

How

Church.

does our Church regard what

is

called

Catholic truth or tradition, and the decrees of councils ?


may learn this from her avowal, " that whatsoever is

We

maybe

not read therein (Scripture), nor


is

proved thereby

not to be required of any man, that

an

lieved as

tradition

all

itself to

and

This

the Scriptures.

words of Chdlingworth, "


turecan derive

itself

is

requisite

throw overboard

to

or
at

decrees of councils, and to sub-

all

Prayer-book and

ject the

should be be-

of faith, or be thought

article

necessary to salvation."

once

it

all

the doctrines of the

now

will

No

close

my

tradition but that of Scrip-

from the fountain.

There

cient certainty but of Scripture, only for

am

Church

letter in the

no

is

any considering

man

to build upon.

not,

and therefore man ought not, to require any more

than this

fully assured, that

to believe the Scripture to be God's

endeavour to find the true sense of


ing to

it

and to

God

does

word

live

to

accord-

it."

MiSOPAPISTICUS.
Postscript.
of

The

efficacy of

Sacraments, next to the

made a main pomt

in the Oxford
Sacraments were represented as means of
grace, there would be no objection
but when they are made.

virtue

Tracts.

orders,

is

If the

Chill'"S^\<"'"i

suffi-

THE SACRAMENTS.
or set forth as things in themselves efficacious, provided

they be administered by an episcopally-ordained minister,


there

Were

a manifest error.

is

they not

thus

made,

much about them, as


there are no Protestants except Quakers, who do not deem
them to be generally necessary, and who do not regard them
there would be no reason to say so

as useful

means of grace, and

also as

signs of spiritual

The only

things and pledges of God's love and mercy.


difference that can exist

is

this,

that

the Oxford divines

view them as having something of an inherent

efficacy,

while others regard them as efficacious and beneficial only

when

the

divines

mind

of the recipient

seem not

is

often say

These

in a right state.

to be quite prepared distinctly to admit

the 0}ms operatum of the Sacraments

amounts

to nothing less.

and yet what they

It is

not the qualifica-

tions of the recipients that are dwelt upon, but the necessity

and

efficacy of the

Sacraments which can make no other


;

impression on the reader, than that they produce effects


of themselves, independent of

which they are received,

the

an error,

state

of

mind with

the most mischievous

and delusive that can well be conceived, having no other


tendency than to draw away the mind from regarding
" the power," and to fix it on " the form of godliness."
It

is

to terrestrialize

is spiritual,

what

is ccelestial,

by transfering to a bodily

to materialize
act

what

is

what

peciJiar

to the mind.
Tliat

Sacraments have any virtue of themselves, or that

any grace

is

inseparably connected with them, has no coun-

tenance from Scripture

with
It

it,

nor

nor with reason or

has nothing in

its

is

the sentiment consistent

common

sense, nor with facts.

favour but the opinion or the fancy of

159

ORDERS.

some of the Fathers. When the Jews imbibed the error,


that there was some inherent virtue in their sacrifices, they
became objects of God's
horred them.

that he even ab-

displeasure, so

Andean we

think that the Almighty other-

wise regards the sacraments,

when they

are viewed as hav-

ing some inherent peculiar virtue in them, or as working

somehow

manner of charms.

after the

reception of them, but

exercise

It is

of

not the mere

repentance and

and of other suitable graces, that render them bene-

faith

And what

ficial.

is

the

therefore

ought to be

cliiefly

enforced,

the necessity of those graces, and not the mere efficacy


for the whole of that efficacy depends
on the possession and exercise of such graces.

of the Sacraments
entirely

The same may be

said of orders.

but the receiving,

ing,

What

that

difference on this subject

not the confer-

It is

to be

is

chiefly

regarded.

there between the

is

writings of these divines, and the Epistles of St. Paul

Their absorbing subject


St.

is

Paul, speaking of ministers, dwells mostly

qualifications.

These

seem

writers

on their

think that

to

Bishop by the very act of ordination, confers some


tual gift, irrespectively

He

of any

being previously

Church.
confer

it

Whatever other

on the supposition of

to teach publicly

fitted,

gift

the

spiri-

thing in the candidates.

indeed gives them authority,

their

the apostolical succession, while

in

the

he has to confer, he can

only on those that are rendered by divine grace

capable of receiving

it.

The reception does no more de-

pend on the bishop, than on the minister who administers


the Sacraments, but on the recipient.

and stands with reason and with


nation do for those

who come

facts.

This

is

scriptural,

What

does ordi-

the

work they

unfitted for

IGO

ORDERS.
undertake

any

Does

spiritual gift

them by the bestowment of

qualify

it

Does

it

enlighten their minds to under-

make them apt to teach, or transthem from a thoughtless state of mind into sober and
serious piety ?
Does it give them a new heart, or does it

stand the Scriptures, or


late

new bent

give a

and affections

to their wills

done by conferring orders on those not


fied,

is

who

are

more

too

spiritually quali-

on the wholly

to confer a sacred office

We

The only thing

well know, that these are not the effects.

and

unfit,

to receive thereby a curse than any

likely

spiritual gift or a blessing.

What

do these writers aim

at

Is

it

to propagate the

idea that orders can convert the servants of the

into

de\'il

servants of God, or that ungodly and presumptuous intruders are clothed by

means

of orders with

all

the neces-

sary qualifications of true and faithful ambassadors

who
fied

exercises

from above,

the
is

sacred

office

somewhat

like

without

whom God appoints and sends, are


turn men out of darkness into light,

Those

and sent to

the power of Satan unto

whom

the

he bearing not the character

required in the master's servants according to


rules.

quali-

a person authorized by

a steward to do something for his master, but

master has never recognised

He

being

God

and

if this

his

own

appointed

and from

be not their

main end and purpose, the chief object of their efforts,


they are not sent by God, but only by man, and are no

more than mere hirelings. To say that every one ordained


by a bishop is sent by God, is to make the Almighty the
author of sin, and the propagator of evil it is to confound
;

his permissive with his ordinative will,

good and

evil

and thus to mix

together in one chaotic mass.

ORDERS.

As the

adult person,

repentance and

faith,

or

these and other graces,

who

who
who

is

baptized without

an unworthy recipient, so

is

If

not quahfied for his

faith

and love which are from God,

may be

he must therefore be an unworthy

and no commission,

To

in Scripture,

he

is

whatever his learning or know-

office,

supply these defects, for

them.

he

he be not a renewed man, a Christian indeed,

and possess not that

and the other ministerial graces required

ent

is

takes orders without the essentially necessary qualifi-

cations.

ledge

having

takes the eucharist without

it

no

recipi-

conferring of orders

was never designed

can

to supply

take orders therefore without possessing those

things which qualify for orders, and

on the ground of

which alone can they ever be justly conferred,


the most awful presumption and imposture

is

an act of

and to con-

nect with such an act the conferring of a spiritual

extremely absurd

it

is,

most repugnant elements.

as

it

gift,

is

were, to amalgamate the


162

IX.

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.


March
Tov

Tuv aTKiporefuv, Kai

i/si/v

yovt/Tff

Ta

yivonaoi
yi/uirecix;.

y.oyia Kvfiov,
kcci

mWovi;

avTijv /Aey
;

jAi)

iraiovpyciii;

aKiiBetnepav eavT/jv irapex^iv

elaOev favTaata^

lead astray, through a craftily

mind

OVK CTH^fiKWrai, tva

irtSavu Ze nepi^XrijActrt

avT/ji; tjj? aAvjflfijt?

Tij?

paZiovp-

KaKOi ray KoKuf optj/xevav

ayaTpciroviriy, airayoi/nei avTOVf irpopao-fi

uKav/j Ka6'

kui

fatvciat Zia

mxiAoiKuTiCfiXyiTiv avravf,

tf'/j'yijTai

yvjAVuBtiaa yfvijTai KaTafapo^


KorjA-ovfAivri,

1838.

22,

rott;

aizeiporepoii.

managed

" They

speciousness, the

of the unexperienced, and captivate them, handling

deceitfully the oracles of the Lord,

being bad expoimders of

fairly said
and they subvert many, seducing
them by the appearance of knowledge. Error does not
shew itself alone or by itself, lest being naked it should
become apparent but being craftily adorned by a specious

things

covering,

it

appears to the unexperienced, through an out-

ward splendour,

to be truer even than the truth itself."

Irenai Prefatio.
Sir,
I

have already gone

far

beyond

my

first

intention on the

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFOKU TRACTS.


subject that

But

have been handling.

My

last letter for the present.

general character, and, as


of the system

am

design

163
be

this shall
is

my

to point out the

were, to trace the genealogy

it

Its abettors seem to possess


by which they may be clearly

opposing.

certain evident lineaments,


identified

with a set of men, that have ever been the

not at

times ostensible, opposers of true spiritual god-

all

And

liness.

may be

it

real, if

draw the attention of the


them from being deceived
and imposing, while their tendency and
useful to

public to this point, to prevent

by things plausible

" Error,"
consequences are subversive of vital religion.
says Irenseus, " is persuasive (suasorius), and similar to
truth,

and requires disguises

but truth

is

without disguise,

To conclude

that all,

who

join a party that

moting an erroneous system, have no


will

ing

its

mained

main

of

it,

errors,

what

men

facts

living in

Church,

still

re-

though evidently without partaking of

its

and without being tinctured with

its

Anti-

There were some spiritually-minded

christian spirit.

dividuals

really pro-

Rome, who, notwithstand-

essential character as an apostate


in

is

religion, is

not justify. There have been some good

communion with the Church

among

Pharisees

the

in

our

Saviour's

in-

time,

though as a party he denounced them as wicked and hypocritical.

of

men

There are imperfections belonging to the best


in

this

world

but these are to be distinguished

from the errors which form the


system,

and

panied by what

which
is

are

often

essential parts of a

concealed or

bad

accom-

commendable and praiseworthy, and

even by some things that are true and evangelical.

What

proceeds from a weak judgment, ignorance or prejudice,

^^ih- iii

Ch. 15.

and therefore believed by children."

164

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.


is

very different from what arises from attachment to the

When

erroneous parts of a system.


truth, as

error

mixed with

is

man

always the case, the good

is

adopts the

system for the truth, and the ungodly or the superstitious

man for the sake of the error. So that in this world of


darkness and imperfection, such as are truly spirituallyminded may be found at times uniting with the ambitious
and worldly-minded in advocating some things essentially
wrong, when speciously coloured with the appearance of

what

To

is

sary to
Vidc

good.

ascertain the true character of a system,

mark

dency of

ndix valued

its

its

it is

neces-

prominent features and the e\ddent tenof such

chief doctrines, or

and mostly inculcated.

It

as

mostly

are

the inculcation that

is

proves which are deemed chief, and not the profession.

That any system should contain or include some portions


of truth,

is

what must be the case

in the present day, in

Some

order to insure any success.

professed even in the church of

essential truths are

Rome, though they

are

awfully neutralized by errors, and concealed under such


a load of ceremonials that they can scarcely be discovered.

The system
truths,
in

of the Oxford Tracts contains

and has evidently

the hands of

improved,

present advocates

its

system, which has existed for

absorbed

is

an old

different

but

deplored

religion revived

it

was

no

all its vital spirits.

much

for

many ages under

During the

it

manifesting no warmth,

ness,

some important
some respects,

embraced indeed and defended,

forms and modifications.


cold and freezing,

in

now by

last century,

vitality.

Hence
its

its

Worldliness had

decay and weak-

present abettors.

When

and gained ground, the dry arguments.

SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.

TIIR

declamation, abuse,

braced

produced scarcely any

it,

was with worldliness and even


retained as

Combined

effect.

and

irreligion

as

it

infidelity,

it

mortuum

adlierents only the caput

its

165

and persecution of those who em-

of Chris-

But it has since formed a new aUiance. Without


must have ere now sunk into the grave in this
country.
A religious feeling had so prevailed, that a cold,
tianity.

this

it

and

worldly,

irreligious

spirit

Gospel shone on the country

of the

light

could not possibly have

This was not seen, until the

gained the popular favour.

these

for

high claims were not disputed, when reUgious darkness

But the works of Daubeney and

overspread the land.


others

had

ence.

But another

in a

short

with

the

all

influence

completely failed to support


allied

their

all

influ-

of the

IrreUgion and worldliness,

system has occurred.


bined

time lost almost

opportunity for the revival

of those
It

it.

com-

power, had

in

has therefore become

with other things, and obtained the assistance of

other sort

of helpers.

strangers to

it

before.

has

It

But

its

they have been

now formed

new

associates are

many

supporters

no

times

a compact with fasting, long

observance of days,

prayers,

its

great

show

devotion,

of

ceremonials, Catholic truth, and tradition, the most powerful

and

influential of

any supporters with which

has ever

it

been associated.
In tracing the genealogy of this system,

go beyond the reasonable


be

brief.

Cain.
to

am

might

limits of a letter.

not sure whether

its

origin

But
is

e\'idently

sufficient of itself.

to think

He had

easily
I

shall

not from

Though an ungodly man, he brought an

God, and seemed

was

offering

that the offering

clearly too high an idea


166

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.

mere outward

of a

Jews

in the time of the prophets.

Lord, the temple of the Lord,"

in

the

as

'.'

have the most

being the favourite system of the

its

then, as well as in other ages, was,

same thing

We

act of worship.

undoubted proofs of

The cry of its abettors


" The temple of the
means just the

which

the Catholic Church, the Catholic Church,"

mouths of the advocates of the Oxford Tracts.

When we come

to our Saviour's time,

we

find the Phari-

sees the strenuous supporters of this system

Abraham's children," that


Oxford Tracts, " We are the

As

then, so now, the

possess the same


Saviour's

own

in

was

one,

" We are

apostles' lineal descendants."

and the same

fciith,

the language of the

true descendants,

disciples

He saw

this error.

is,

in

who

some

are those

One

spirit.

who

of our

degi-ee infected with

did not follow Christ with

He

them, casting out devils, and forbad him.

expected

commendation, but instead of that he met with reproof

and that reproof


was

St. Paul

subjection to

had

flesh,

Oxford

this evident

by the Saviour himself,

Confidence in the

yj^g^g

as suitable to the

Notwithstanding

to him.

of the system

maintained

is

divines, as

it

condemnation

it is still

adopted and

to oppose this system in his day.

which means outward

privileges,

ordinances, which were the doctrines and

commandments

voluntary humility,
of men,

of men,

dom and will-worship,

traditions

show of wis-

affected zeal,

boasting of Uneage,
and bringing to bondage these are
ii. 2022.
and they are
things which he condemned
^18^23 ^"'"^ ^
:

ii

ii.

2 ^Cor?

jd!

Col.

20, 22.

the very limbs of this system.


t the

Oxford

divines,

And were he now

to write

he would have only to notice and

reprobate the very same things under some small modifications.

In the primitive Church, especially after the second

167

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.


century,

we

find

The

the same system gaining ground.

austerities practised, needless fastings,

observance of saints'

days, celibacy, &c., were parts of

and

and nm-tured,

tiU

it

finally

it

it

brought forth the

was caressed

Man

of Sin,

the monster of iniquity, the very Antichrist that had been

long foretold, which

is

The

no other than Romish Popery.

system then acquired a perfection


This being clearly the case,

it

it

is

never before attained.

no strange thing, that

Popery should be viewed with a degree of complacency by


the writers of the Oxford Tracts,

than the creature of their

own

thy which exists between


quite unnatural that

it

all

it

being nothing more

system.
fraternities

There

is

a sympa-

and

it

would be

They have

should be otherwise.

been seduously trying to remove the objections and antipathies of Protestants to what Cecil caWs the " masterpiece"
of the prince of darkness.

They have been attempting

show

Man

that Popery

is

not the

of being the abomination of

all

to

of Sin, and that instead

the

earth,

it

Church of Christ; thus converting darkness


and ascribing the work of the evil one unto

is

a true

into light,

Him who

hateth iniquity, and calling a den of thieves the temple


of the living

When we
try,

we

God

look back on the state of things in this coun-

find evident proofs of the existence

and prevalency

Thomas A Becket was a celebrated advoFrom being the most profligate of men, drink-

of this system.
cate of

it.

ing the spirit of this system, he became the most zealous

and austere

saint.

It

was caressed and embraced by the


him

persecuting Bonner, and was strenuously maintained by

and others against the

eftbrts

who were attempting

to destroy

of our illustrious Reformers,


it.

Hence our Reform-

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.

168
eis are

no great favourites with the Oxford

Bon-

divines.

ner and his associates are far more closely allied to them.
It

was the system of Laud and others of

advocating

it

lion,

his

day

and by

he overturned both the Church and the

Throne. Notwithstanding the check

received at the rebel-

it

through the advantages derived from some excesses

which then took


disguise

place,

the Jesuits,

it

produced

in part

new

gained

by

its

friends in

strength and v-igour

during the licentious reign of Charles the Second. Having


the civil power on
mortifications,

its side,

and

the Church of

it

had no need of affected zeal,


As in some instances in

austerities.

Rome, many

of

its

strict

advocates were

notorious for religious apathy and open ungodliness

them became " the apes

of

divinity of heathen philosophers


austerities of the anchorites.

and a few imitated the

And

these, according to the

Oxford Tracts, were the palmy days of


it

is

from authors of

quotations.

Then

test took place

this

some

of Epictetus," and taught the

their system

TVnd

age they make most of their

in the times of

James the Second a con-

between two parties maintaining

essentially

The Nonjurors wanted to set up


an Anglican Popeiy, while James wished to introduce the

the

same

Romish.
it

principles.

This was the true nature of the contest

and

terminated, through God's gracious providence, in the

exclusion of both

and a mortal wound was given to the

system, which the Oxford divines are


to heal.

men

When

it

as these of the

now

very anxious

was found impracticable, owing

to such

Oxford Tracts, to introduce a moderate

system, proposed by the best

men

of that time, the very

prop of the system attempted to be mamtained was re-

moved, toleration being granted.

Its

advocates, nursed on

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.

169

the lap of indulgence, long protected in their unjust claims

by the law, had no taste for zealous exertions, and no

which

position to undertake austerities,

can have,

when

the

civil

power

is

is

dis-

the only stay

made
The system was found

has not been seen, at least no attempts have been

remedy

until

it,

of late years.

be crumbling into dust

last to

means of supporting
civil

last

and

abettors, seeing

its

to
at

no

but by what, in the absence of the

it,

power, or in opposition to

have at

it

withdrawn. This mistake

it,

has always been resorted to,

gathered fresh resolution, and assumed amaz-

ing zeal; and they

now

fastings, mortifications,

strenuously advocate exertions,

and

and speak strongly

austerities,

against the apathy of their friends in past times.

advertisement to the

first

In the

volume of their Tracts,

they

complain, that " a lamentable increase of sectarianism had


followed, being occasioned (in addition to other

vious causes,)

first

more ob-

by the cold aspect which the new

church doctrines have presented to the religious


ties

of the mind, next

motives to restrain
discipline."

They

it

sensibili-

to their meagreness in suggesting

from seeking out a more

influential

are indeed wise in their generation

for

they have recourse to the only means that can possibly save
their

system from entire

ruin.

Societies, the glory of the land,

The

difierent religious

have done to

it

amazing

damage, and especially the spread of the Bible, to which


they very naturally seem not to be mightily favourable.
Irreligion in

some form or another has

part been combined with this system.


tional,

ligious

at

at

for the

another.

to be read on

The

Book

of Sports, which

Sunday and practised

too,

most

The most devo-

one time, have often been found the most

irre-

was
was one of the


:;

170

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.

men

measures devised and enforced by

party.

of this

The very devout Land was an admirer and promoter


this

book

less

whom

canonized before now, had they succeeded in their

The people were

attempts respecting poor bishop Ken.


all

of

the Oxford divines would have doubt-

to assemble for worship in the morning,

attendance, they were allowed and even

have recourse afterwards to almost

and amusing games

and

attendants were allowed


expressly excluded.

all

Puritans

The

none but Church

and Recusants were

half

first

bribe for

encouraged to

sorts of rustic sports

this pri\41ege
;

and be very

premium or

devotional, and then, as a sort of

of the

Sunday the

people were exhorted to be very religious and devotional

and the other half they were even encouraged,


justly say, to

be as

irreligious

and profane

Sports, levity and profaneness usually

to be.

This was the

mode which

deemed needful
edly to promote

the

abettors

as

we may

as they

wished

go together.

of this

system

to promote Churchmanship, and professreligion,

working, as

it

were, by the rule

The whole was no other than the work


work of hght
and yet learned and dignified, and in the world's estimaof contraries.

of darkness, under the guise of being the

tion,

respectable and reUgious

men were its promoters,


who made a shew

bishops and priests and laymen,

of

reUgion, and at times, very great shew, by observing fes-

and fast days, and with as long and disfigured faces


and sanctimonious gestures as any of the Pharisees of old,
tivals

and progenitors in the art of counterIt


for selfish and ambitious purposes.
shew the character of the present party,
the fact, that they admire and honoiu the promo-

their forerunners
feiting
is

religion

enough

to state

to

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.


book of Sports,

ters of the

far

more than our renowned

Reformers.

The general character of those who


system,

is

usually adopt

tliis

quite sufficient to destroy its credit with

those

who

Who

are those, for instance,

all

possess any measure of spiritual discrimination.

who

notion of baptismal regeneration

generally

fall in

with the

the worldly-minded, the

lovers of fashionable pleasures, the practically irreligious,

such as think

to attend

Church on Sunday,

in all the frivolities

and amusements of

quite

it

and then indulge

enough

What

the gay and giddy world.

has been usually the

character of those candidates for orders,

no

difficulty in

who have found

adopting the views of such bishops as have


unjustifiably made this tenet a test
The easy and complying have been for the

most unwisely, and most


of orthodoxy

most part the thoughtless, the foppish, the gay, such as


afforded no proofs of serious religion, no evidence of being

influenced by the Divine Spirit, no


state of mind,

never undertaken

it,

facts,

spiritual

testified

and who would

except for the sake of

These very

emoluments.

symptoms of a

and whose whole conduct

unfitness for the sacred office,

its

clearly

their

have

honours and

which cannot be justly

denied by any acquainted with the state of things, are


to

sufficient

shew the

character of the notion

earthly, the
;

it

human, the erroneous

being readily imbibed by such

as are manifestly worldly in their spirit,


their minds.

It

general character of

kingdom

It

and unrenewed

in

might again be asked, what has been the


its

strenuous supporters through the

has been supported by such Clergy as were

foxhunters, attendants at balls, and at other places of giddy

amusement, and by such as have been justly suspect-

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.

172

ed to be Pelagians, or Arians, or Socinians, or even


All these have been mostly

dels.

warm

Infi-

advocates of bap-

tismal regeneration, as well as abettors of the extravagant

views respecting apostolical succession, and of the opus

Such

operatum of the Eucharist.

most

in general

have been the

rigid advocates of this system, the usual resort of

the worldly-minded reUgionists, as well as of those


great admirers of what

is

It is the corrupt Protes-

tant system in embryo, of which Popery


It is

all

are

formal, ceremonial and super-

stitious in a religious profession.

offspring.

who

is

the

full

grown

a device to soothe conscience and deceive

men, by substituting the work

of

man

in the place

of the

work of God by pretending, after the manner of jugglers, to


do by a ritual, what is not necessarily connected with it, and
to convey by an ordinance, what is attainable only by a divine
principle.
It is a scheme by which God and mammon
;

may be

served, the one in the morning,

and the other

in

the afternoon, and by which vital and experimental religion

is

rendered nugatory, by a great shew of outward

reverence to the Almighty, and by over- scrupulous attention

and superstitious regard, when that

cessary, to the outward rites

and forms of

is

deemed neIt is

religion.

the prostitution and profanation of some of the highest and

most valuable truths

and therefore

far worse,

dangerous, (being especially more insinuating,

and more

when

at-

tended by a great shew of devotion) than an open denial


of them.

Manifest unbelief

secret undermining of the

is

not so mischievous as

Gospel.

There

is

far less

dan-

ger from rank but open Socinianism, than from slippery,


tortuous

and subtle Popery,

testantism.

under the guise of

Pro-

173

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.

The new working of this system has commenced now


for some time.
The Quarterly Revieiv has advocated it
to some extent.
The Christian Remembrancer was set on
foot pur^josely for its support

Critic has

become

its

and defence.

the Coryphaeus of the party, as a periodical,

Magazine, whose
which

it

Tlie British

tactics are

is

the British

worthy only of the cause

As

has undertaken to promote and defend.

when

But

advocate, especially of late.

for

work of a dignitary or of
a popular preacher is reviewed, the work on the whole is
and
praised, and handsome things are said of the author
some disapprobation perhaps of some parts is expressed in
But if the book
a very smooth and complimentary way.
be published by a person of no great name, by a curate, or
an individual scarcely known, it is sneered at, and treated

instance,

the Evangelical

with supercihous contempt, while

may

it

contain the very

same truths as the former.

Ye

Does the

or the circumstance of his

station of a writer,

imitators

of Jesuits

being not popular as a preacher, make any difference in


the truths that are taught

The

fact

safe for the interest of the party to

"

high in the Church, or a popular man.

The

people," as the Pharisees did.

the good graces of the public

manoeuvre

Jesuitical

greatly,
religious

is

community.

And

fall

fear the

to get into

effect

this a little

for the party

hope they
:

will

had sunk

never rise^

for their rise will

of genuine religion.

There are other things to be mentioned

way

They

in the estimation of the

notwithstanding their tortuous efforts

be the

not quite

is

object

and to

necessary

and had become very low

it is

is,

denounce a person

of promoting this system.

There

is

in the present

a manifest change

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFOUD TRACTS.


language used, and

in the

in

the feehng, at least as ex-

pressed, towards those generally

The language

who

difFer

from them.

was harsh and abusive,


and the feeling shown was \ery hostile, and the spirit
quite persecuting.
But now, except in few instances, the
language

is

in the last centui7

very smooth,

and every harshness

is

civil,

and often complimentary,

exceedingly blamed, as being very

we must speak

Antichristian.

Even

and Popery

everywhere very good and productive of

is

of Popery

great benefits, except in Ireland, and

And

this country.

when

kindly now;

intrusive in

as to the Evangelical clergy,

the last century were undermining the Church,

them

are

now

Church, and

Did

it

who

of

arise

popvdar; though in a few things

are

Such

is

the changed tone of this

from a change of

be hailed with delight

but

principles,

we have no evidence

on the contraiy, we have proof enough, that


essentials of their

should

it

of this

in all the

system they are the same with their pre-

decessors in the last and former centuries

some points they go

and that on

farther even than those before them,

at least in the last age.

The

late

Bishop Tomline, for

stance, held doctrinal sentiments the

party,

in

very excellent, especially those high in the

they are mistaken.


party.

who
many

in-

same with the present

and showed considerable dislike to those called Evanamong the clergy and yet his views of Churchman-

gehcal

'

'

The same
ship were very moderate and truly Protestant.
Jhing may be said of the present Bishop of Peterborough.
our
Church
on
the subviews
of
His representation of the
But the present party, in addition
some doctrines savouring of Popery held by their predecessors, hold and maintain principles of the most exclusive

ject is very satisfactorj'.

to

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.


and

character

illiberal

and yet they use a much more

Christian llherality

language.

liberal

grounded on right principles


play of

if

it,

but

if

is

a high virtue,

if

there be a mere dis-

be abundant in words only, and yet not

it

consistent with the principles

we

hold,

the hollow

is

it

employed to gain some

liberality of a Jesuit,

and

selfish

ambitious purposes.

But the Oxford divines are the most unblushing abetsystem.


And yet there is a flinching and a

tors of this

tortuosity in their

way

evidently wish to

go so

of

Church of Rome does

many

points,

and

Though

but they are not yet "venturesome" enough.


bold on

They

deahng with some things.

far as the

bolder than any evidence

far

can warrant yet they seem sometimes to lack boldness.


" They fear the people."
This country is not yet ripe,
;

and never

be

will

who

ripe, I trust,

for the full

development of

They dare not yet deny salvation to those


Church of England. They generally
than give them over to the uncovenanted

their system.

are not in the

go no farther

God

mercies of

They

Abiram.
least in

indeed, their teachers,

except,

frequently, however,

words, whatever

may be

hesitate at this, at

in so

many words, but

even in words allow, the possibihty of salvation

yet

they say in some parts amounts to a general denial.


it

seems,

ments

who

and

are not Episcopalians, have

it

is

tion

of

and
it.

no

valid

through the sacraments, as

that divine blessings are


doctrine,

are

the sentiment entertained

But though they deny not

within.

who

the condemnation of Korah, Dathan, and

given up to

I find

There

communicated.

it

This

what
All,

sacra-

appears,
is

their

nothing that amounts to a modificais

confusion on this

subject

that


THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.

17C

would be amusing, were not the matter of too sacred a

The

nature.

whaf

style is

is

rigmarole, being an

called

imitation of the religious

babbUngs of the Romish Synods

the arguments are mere

" adaptations of apostoUc words "

to traditionary fictions

and the materials have been

dently borrowed from the Church of


Salvation in Scripture

is

evi-

Rome.

never connected with the sacra-

ments merely as sacraments, nor with any order of ministers,


not even with the apostles

and obedience.
such things,

is

And

but with repentance,

to represent

rumous error through the land.

make

it

faith, love,

as dependant on

to delude mankind, and spread the

any

most

The object apparently

is

to

the minister the dispenser of divine blessings, and the

only channel of communication between the Saviour and his


people, and that for the purpose of getting influence, dominion,

and importance, such as are possessed by the Romish

One

priest.

thing more they want

they

must teach the

existence of purgatory, and pretend to dehver souls from

by prayers and

fastings

it

then the system will be complete

and a noble engine of influence would

it

be

Purgatory

Catholic truth no doubt, and the sooner they adopt

it,

is

the

more Catholic truth they will teach


But it is no Bible
any more than that an " external mark " minister
is the only channel through which divine blessings are conVide
Ap^mhx,
-pjjg ^ggt niinister is no more than an instrument
ygyg(j
employed by God to preach his word and administer his ordinances but the blessing is wholly dependant upon God
!

truth,

himself; " the increase " under the Apostles themselves


said to

ceived

it is

have been from

it is

Him

only.

And

it is

the

word

is

re-

penitence exercised and not professed in baptism

Christ believed in, and not received sacramentally

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.

177

the Saviour obeyed, loved, and served, and not preached


by " an external mark " minister these, and only these, are
it is

tlie

things which entitle any to the promises of

God

in

Christ.

The

intellectual

great truth,

and sagacious Bishop Butler

"Mankind

have, in

all

says, with Bp. Butler,

ages, been ^rreaf/y^jrone

by way of

to place their religion in peculiar positive rites,

equivalent for obedience to moral precepts;" and

it

may be

added, for the exercise of heart repentance, for cordial faith

and love from the heart to God and the Saviour.


in his sermon on the " Mischief of Faction "

in Christ,

Bishop Hall,

has these striking words, which the Oxford divines would

do well to attend to: "This

man

is

not right

dear Christians

sound

this,

What ?

man

is

right, ye say; that

that, rotten.

And how

so,

For ceremonies and circum-

stances, for rochets, or rounds, or squares

Let

me

tell

you.

He is right that hath a liyht heart toivards his God, what


forms soever he is for. The kingdom of God doth not stand
in

meats and drinks,

noises and gestures


in godliness

and

we have happily
trifles

and

The same

in
it

stuffs

or colours, or fashions, in

stands in holiness and righteousness,

charity, in peace

and obedience.

attained to these,

God

niceties of indifferences,

And

if

doth not stand upon

and why should we

"
?

excellent bishop, in his Resolutions for Religion,

expresses the following just and liberal sentiments : "

An

Indian convert, in the remotest part of the world, believing


in Christ,

be saved

main

may, without relation to any Church whatever,


and a particular Church, being orthodox in the

principles of religion,

testation, flying off

which

it

upon matter of

litigious

con-

from some more eminent Church, under

was ranked

for order's sake,

however

it

may be

Bp. Hall,

178

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.


undue

faulty in an

since such slight jars

nesses in Churches can no

and unkind-

more shut them out of a common

than the hke quarrels of a Paul and

Christ,

interest in

excluded from

division, yet is not hereby

the capacity of salvation

Barnabas could keep either of them out of heaven." What-

we may form, the good and ^\nse bishop has


what facts in our day most abundantly prove. Let
us judge by our Saviour's rule by " fruits," and we cannot
ever theories
stated

hesitate to subscribe to the bishop's views,

ferent from those of the


baseless, wild,
stantiate

it

and extravagant

but

all facts

though very

Oxford Tracts.
;

and

are against

it

and

it.

I shall

It is like

the

is

add the testimony of Bishop Ridley, one of the

" The

Fox

in his

martyr-

Holy CathoUc or Universal Church, which

communion

Christ, the
this

a castle

any founda-

invisible.

noblest martyrs on record, as given by

ology

is

has no facts to sub-

built in the air, the creature of fancy, without

tions,

dif-

Their theory

of saints, the house of God, the spouse of

body of Christ, the piUar and stay of the truth,

Church

I believe

according to the creed.

do reverence and honour

Ln the

Lord.

This Church

But the rule of this

word of God ;Xhe guide of this Church is


the Holy Spirit; the marks whereby this Church is known
Chiirch

to

me

is

the

in this

dark world are these

the sincere preaching

of God's holy word the due administration of the


sacraments charitij and faithful observing of Ecclesiastical discipline, according to the word of God.
In
times past,' saith Chrysostom, 'there were many ways to
know the Church of Christ.
But from the time that

'

heretics took hold

Scriptures, which

of
is

the Church,

it is

the true Church.

only known by the


They have all things

:;

179

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.


in

outward show whicli the true Church hath

That Church which

Christ

is

his body,

is

the

is

and of which

the head, standeth only on living stones and trut

And

Christians."

worthy

truth

we know which

wherefore, only by the Scriptures do


true Church.'

in

to be noted

in

another place he says

Church, saith he, doth not stand

power and

dignity,

"

what Lyra writeth upon Matthew


whether

it

men by

in

It
:

is

to have fallen

be ecclesiastical or secular
Therefore, the Church con-

away from God.

sisteth in those persons in

whom

is

ti-ue

knowledge and
I'^"'

confession of the faith and the truth."


exti'act

more

shall

be given, and that from what

called the

Archbishop Cranmer's Catechismus, published

the year

1548, and

it

is

this

is

in

" This company of men,

which believe th the Gospel, although here on earth they


be severed

in

sundry places, yet they are called an Holy

Catholic or Universal Church of Christ, that


multitude, a congregation, a

And

company

is

to say, a

of Christian people.

this congregation receiveth of their head and Lord,

Jesus Christ,

all spiritual

sanctification or

riches

making holy

and

of the

gifts that pertain to

same body

the

and these

common to the whole body, and to every


member of the same. For he that is unfeignedly a faithful
and godly man, is made partaker of these benefits."
It is not on this point only that the men of the Oxford
ghostly treasures be

Tracts are wholly at variance with our Refonners, but on

all

the points that distinguish their system, especially with respect to the ground on which our

these
truth,

men

i^.^c'is.

reason of their

and popes, and other superiors have been found

for princes,

One

Acts and

The p

Church

is

founded.

refer to the authority of tradition,

While

and Catholic

and consent of Fathers, our Church acknowledges


N 2

Abp.

180

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.

By

none of them, but recognises the word of God alone.

recognising that alone, it virtually excludes tradition, Catholic


truth, consent of Fathers,

decrees of councils.

and

all

such vagaries, as well as

It in fact refers,

expressly refers, the

probation of every thing in faith and doctrine, as well as in

and ceremonies,

rites

word

to the

of God, and to that only,

from the contents of the 6th, 20th, 21st,


and 34th Articles. Every doctrine must be " read therein,

as

quite evident

is

or proved thereby."
word of God " it

the

No
is

ceremony must be "repugnant to

not said, to tradition. Catholic truth,

There

or decrees of councils.

is

not a word favourable to

these things throughout the whole Articles but


;

As

them.

to councils,

much against
may

said expressly, that they "

it is

err, and sometimes have erred," and that things ordained


by them " have no strength nor authority, unless it may be

declared, that they be taken out of Holy Scripture."

This

is

the fundamental principle of the Reformation and

Church of England. Our Reformers had influence


enough to have this principle laid down and distinctly acknowledged in her Articles but they were prevented from
carrying it out fully in all its bearings by the abettors of the
of the

Popish system of the Oxford Tracts.


at every period

And

this

system has

done incalculable injury to our Church.

Its

advocates have ever been trying to Romanize the Church, and

have ever resisted every attempt made to carry out

knowledged
efforts

they

its

principles into their legitimate extent.

have been made to do

all failed

this, at

different times

ac-

Many
;

but

through the mischievous influence of those in

love with tradition, consent of Fathers, and decrees of councils

and their factious and schismatic conduct has been the

main cause of almost

all

the Dissent in the kingdom.

And

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TRACTS.

now they blame and condemn that very thing which their own
To make
Popish system has most undoubtedly produced.
a crime and to condemn it, is something like the work of
How came the laudable attempts to introduce
the evQ one.
a moderate system, wholly corresponding with the funda-

mental principle of our Church, to

and WiUiam

II.

influence of those

Oxford Tracts

III.

fail in

and that toleration has nearly

demolished the system that occasioned


bitten,

evil

the Popish system of the

their resistance in William's time ren-

dered toleration necessary

was

the reigns of Charles

was wholly through the

who maintained

and

It

and most deservedly

But the abettors of

this

Thus the

it.

biter

so.

system are entirely aUens to our

Church, being the legitimate sons of the Romish communion.

They are, in fact, intruders, and have no more right to be


its members than the Socinians had to be the managers of
Lady Hewley's bequests. And had we a Lord Chancellor,
possessing jurisdiction over a matter of this kind, he might
with as

much

from

justice exclude the influence of this party

the Church, as he did the Socinians from participating in

Lady Hewley's

charity

for their principles

and sentiments

are quite as foreign and opposed to those of our church, as

the principles and sentiments of the Socinians are to those of


the persons to
property.

And

whom

this charitable lady

bequeathed her

never will our Church be fully what

to be, according to her

own acknowledged

it

have not, indeed, been hitherto


efforts, to

able,

ought

principles, until

this party shall cease to influence her proceedings.

They

notvnthstanding aU their

change any of the doctrines of our Church

but

they have greatly impeded the progress of her improvement.

The Church has

laid

down the

right principle

the Bible,

182

THE SYSTEM OF THE OXFORD TUACTS.


and

Bible alone, the test of doctrine, and the regulator

tlie

of rites and ceremonies

and she has nothing

act according to this principle

chievous influence of such


it

and were

men as those of

could easily accommodate

itself,

to

do but to

not for the mis-

it

the Oxford Tracts,

according to such a wise

plan as that of Archbishop Usher, to the altered circumstances of the times, so as to absorb almost

But oh,

in the land.

no

all

the Dissent

tradition. Catholic truth,

con-

sent of Fathers, decrees of councils, the superstitious and

heathenish ceremonies of the primitive Church, must be regarded, consulted, revered, and almost adored

and charity, union of


fallible

word

faith

and

comparatively of no importance
for unity.

" Diotrephes

now

but

in

and truth,

And

yet these

verity,

men

crj'

of late," says the apostolic

Latimer, " did ever harp upon unity, unity


I,

love, according to the in-

of the Almighty, are to be cast aside as things

not in Popery.

Better

yea, Sir, quoth

is diversit)-,

than

Unity they may have to a great extent,

unity in Popery."

only let them give up their vain traditions, their pretended


Catholic truth, and their boasted consent of Fathers,

which our Church


their Popery,
gi-eatest

virtually

which

it

disowns

all

and let them relinquish

disclaims and abhors, as be

and most mischievous imposture upon

ng the

earth.

MiSOPAPISTICUS.

;:

183

ADDENDA
STRICTURES ON THE TRANSLATIONS IN THE
" RECORDS OF THE CHURCH."

Since writing the foregoing Letters, the Author has had


the opportunity of minutely examining the " Records of
the Church," published by the divines of the Oxford Tracts

and what

follows,

is

the result of that examination.

These " Records," are a

series distinct

from the Tracts,

and contain for the most part, translations of some of the

works of the early Fathers, such as the


tius,

and some portions of Justin,

The

others.

are

epistles of

epistles of Igna-

Clement, Polycarp, and Barnabas,

passed over, and also the works of Hermas.

obvious

suspicion in

and

Irenaeus, Tertullian

this

matter,

is,

that

The

Clement and

Polycarp do not exactly suit the views and purposes of


these divines,

many

and that Barnabas and Hermas contain too

strange and absurd things, to allow of a hope of

their being well received

by the

public.

It

may do

to

make a quotation now and then from them, as is done in


some of the Tracts, and to announce it, as containing the
sentiment of an apostolic Father, with the view of confirming some Catholic tnith, or rather, some Catholic error
but to bring the whole of their writings before the public

The

^fhe^
Church,

184
Ignatius,

ADDENDA.

Ignatius, the great hero of these divnnes, on


ders,

Even
whose shoul-

would be rather hazardous.

the present day,

in

almost alone, rests the whole weight of extravagant

high churchmanship for the two

first

centuries,

is

not

allowed to come abroad, without being polished and altered.

He

what

is

has been subjected to a Procrustean process

curt, has

been cut

been extended

And

off.

and what

is

too long, has

another sort of operation has been

some strong expressions have been softened and


and others, rather too feeble, have been made
stronger.
Of these different processes, some examples
adopted

weakened

shall presently

be given, and an opportunity will also be

taken of exhibiting some of the curious and strange notions of Ignatius,

and of pointing out the rhapsodical cha-

racter of his writings.

There

is

Ignatius,

ground of complaint against these

a very just

Texts and translators,

that they have not told us

have adopted

in these epistles

many

widely differing in very

what text they

for there are various texts,

instances, exhibiting discre-

pancies to an extent greater than those of any other early


Abp.

writings.

Archbishop Usher informs

us,

that there

had

been edited, before his time, two Greek texts of Ignatius,

and two Latin versions


Vossius.

from both.
of Usher,

Vossius,

and the text he adopts

whose

edition

published for the

was posterior

most part what

differs

to that

is

called

the Florentine Text, which varies greatly from that adopted by the Archbishop, and

is

accompanied by a Latin

version, as that of that Archbishop


ces, the versions

other.

differ

is

but in both instan-

from the texts, and from each

There have not been perhaps

in

any other case,

such examples of varieties and discrepancies, as

in

the

185

STRICTURES.

Usher and Vossius.

texts of

many pages

that are wanting in

Usher's text, no doubt, has


often exhibits the sense

much

the latter

and not only

interpolations
clearer,

refers to

often

it

the text

and

it

and yet
gives

Archbishop Wake,

but

it

in his translation,

appears that his improvement of

neither extensive nor very important.

is

Archbishop's
in the "

or

There have been

one especially by Cotelerius, with which

not acquainted.

text

many
much

better sense than that of Vossius.

later editions

am

the former,

in

but the very same sentences are differently worded.

so,

it

There are

translation,

agrees mostly

The

with Vossius's

followed to a great extent by these writers

it is

Records of the Church."

But they seem

to de-

very often needlessly, and frequently to ad-

part fi-om

it

here to

it

when

riority,

no doubt, as a whole, belongs to that of the Arch-

bishop

it

it

might be

easily improved.

being far plainer, more

There

intelligible.

sometimes

is

faithful,

the

in

The supe-

and much more


renderings

of

these divines, a taint of mysticism, a degree of oddity,

which renders the meaning obscure and mysterious.

Nothing

is

attempt made by

more evident than the

these writers to add importance to Ignatius and his writ-

Hence they have prefixed

ings.

tence

to each epistle, this se" Epistle of Ignatius, the friend of St. Peter and

St. John, and bishop of Antioch, on his way to mar-

tyrdom."

The designed

object

is

quite obvious

it is

to prepossess

the reader in favour of the contents of the epistles.

author

is

apostles,

The

announced as the " friend" of two eminent


as "bishop of Antioch, and being on his way to

martyrdom."

That he was on his way to martyrdom,

is

A bp.

186

ADDENDA,
evident from his epistles

that he

but not,

of the apostles, or the bishop of Antioch.

was the

friend

But he must

may be

be connected with inspired men, that people

led

gradually to believe, that he himself was also inspired

The unremitting
Papists,

effort

Scriptures,

plate,

common with

have purposes to an-

clear proof that they

swer, and ends to gain,

which the Bible does not contem-

nor approve, nor sanction.

The
the

of these writers, in

to introduce something as divine, beside the

is

first

writers,

is

given in these " Records,"

epistle

The

Ephesians.
this

salutation,

that to

is

rendered by these

as

" Ignatius, also called Theophorus, to her

sed in the greatness and fulness of


the predestinate before

all

God

who

is

bles-

the Father

to

worlds, to be ever in mar^^ellous

glory unchangeable, united and elect

through the true

passion, through the will of the Father, and Jesus Christ

our

God

to the truly beatified Church,

sus of Asia,
gi-ace."

all

which

is

in

Ephe-

health in Jesus Christ, and in unspotted

The words,

&c." are rendered by

"who is
Wake more

blessed in the greatness,


intelligibly thus

" being

blessed through the greatness," &c. the preposition,

having constantly
twice

so

elect," are

this

meaning

in

Ignatius, being

rendered in this very passage.

ev,

even

" United and

connected here with "glory;" but what sense

they make,

it is

not easy to see.

Wake

follows another

them with the " Church," and thus


some sort of meaning is preserved. But leaving the transLet any
lators, what sense can we make of the original ?
copy, and connects

one examine the dependence which one part has on another,

and trace the connection, and he

will inevitably find,

that


STRICTURES.
the whole partakes

much

of the character of rhapsody.

It

something true and correct, and is in a scripbut when the meaning is sought after, very
tural strain
and hardly any thing
it is sound,
little can be found
sounds

like

more"

blessed

greatness,

the

in

marvellous

united and elect, all health in unspotted grace

"

glory,

These

the rant of an enthusiast than

expressions are

more

anything

Similar to this in style is the salutation in

else.

most of the Epistles


longer, but in

welcome

in

in

is

thus rendered

^iKai^)

God's behalf that well-beloved name,

which you have attained


<pv<r(i

some shorter and in others


The first paragraph

quite as incoherent.

all

after the salutation,

"

like

in all righteousness,

{%

/ce/cxijo-Se

according to the faith and love which

is

in

Jesus Christ our Saviour, for that being followers of God,

and kindling the inward flame by the blood of God, you


have perfectly accomplished the work that belonged to
you, (to (TvyytviKOv epyov)."

The

Greek sentence that

first

rendered
other.

nor

The

is

first

nature;" and the


work."

And

(to iroXu

the

name

the
is,

last

is

put

The one

last.

"

in,

is

not correctly

in fact explains the

Which you have

possessed by just

means, " a native," or "congenial


" thy much-beloved name,"

in the expression

there

ayairijToi/ crov ovo/za)

is

an evident allusion to

which means " desirable,"

of the city, Ephesus,

This is the name


it is remarked by Usher and others.
" which they possessed by just nature." And the latter
as

part should

be thus rendered

(ava^aTtvpijo-a^Teq)

" and

having rekindled

by the blood of God a work that

is

natural," or " native to you, you have perfectly accom-

plished it."

This no doubt

is

whatever may be thought of

the meaning of the passage,

its divinity.

188

ADDENDA.

The following
Sect. 9.

sentence, ayfiviu x/"^/""!" tw irvft/aan xa

by Wake, " using the Holy Ghost

^y,^^ translated thus


as the rope," seems

evidently to have appeared too low,

and perhaps something worse,


divines,

to

polished

it

be

a Uttle

Holy Ghost

is,

to these

they have

therefore

really

it

and rendered

it

thus

" With

by which to ascend."

as the line

we meet with

section

as

rendered

literally

the

In the same

a similar attempt to smooth dowTi

ruggedness, and set forth the meaning with more propriety,

though not very correctly

" Ye

companions of your way, are

therefore, with

temple, of Christ, of the Holy one."

the passage
travellers,

is this

dvn

(co-re

temple-bearers,

Kai

Beofopoi

difficult

it

mean

?)

is

it

is

hate any."
are
is

all

of his spiritual temple,"


it

this

" No man,

for the

" No

nor does he,


is

possessing a

who has charity.


The words, " true, goes wrong, charity,"

improper

rendering

(what

being stronger

itself is sufficiently so.

wrong

the

neither does he

first

is

not in the text, the second

not a correct rendering, and the third

word

However

suitable to

a needless departure from a Uteral rendering oc-

true faith, goes


14.

fellow-

Holy One-bearers,"
ayiofopoi.

not suitable language,

curs in the following sentence

Sect.

all

God -bearers, and

convey the
evident that being " full of

to find terms

than the original, which

What

the

Xpta-rofopoi,

meaning of these words,


God," and especially "
does

-Tcavrec)

Christ-bearers,

the

Literally rendered,

are therefore even

avwlm

Ka.1

i/aofopoi,

may be

it

" Ye

all

of God, of his spiritual

full

term here used.

one,

who

is

The sentence

professing faith,

an obsolete
is

literally

sinneth (a/Aa^Tavei)

possesseth love, hate."

practicable, being both plain

When
and

a literal

intelligible,

189

STRICTURES.
to seek out another betokens either a

tion, or

desire

want of discrimina-

countenance to some party

to obtain

views.

In the Epistle to the Magnesians, some are alluded to ^

who

disregarded the Bishop.

avTov iravra

Ttpaa-a-ova-iv,

him."

This

Wake,

and

the

is
is

sounds more
it

thus

literal

and

plain

not suit these divines

" but

The sentence
they do

rendering,

intelligible

x/"^/"?

and as given by

enough

but

does

it

for they must have something that

like Catholic truth,

" yet

is,

things without

all

they do

all

and therefore they word

without consideration of the

The office is the great matter, it seems, be the


man what he may, good, bad, or indifferent. To sink the
office."

man

in the office

has ever been the attempt of those

who

are fond of irresponsible power, of lordship, and tyranny.

When

a person performs the duties of his

departs from these duties, he loses that


crates his

supposition

may

office,
is

justifies

office

do,

is

and

forfeits

is

this,

to

but

when he

sanction, dese-

rights.

The contrary

To hold

that a

man's

wrong, or sanctions whatever he

a doctrine that opens

pression and injustice.

than

its

monstrous.

quite

what

his office

office,

gives sanction and authority to his deeds

It

all

amounts

the floodgates of op-

in fact to

claim the sanction of

God

nothing less

for the deeds of

It was a leaning to this sort of doctrine, that


probably occasioned the introduction of the word " office,"

the devil.

into the sentence above quoted.


is

is

Ignatius in this instance

too short for the Procrustean bed of these divines

he

and this lengthened part may


some party purpose on some future occasions, and

therefore lengthened

serve

be quoted as a portion of Ignatius himself.

This

is

the

190

ADDENDA.

way

which errors have sometimes been originated, and

in

afterwards perpetuated.

as

tle

if

had been

it

new

piece has been put to an

and that has afterwards been referred

original author,

his

to,

own.

The following paragraph is quoted from the same Epis: " The Bishop holding presidency over you, in the

place of

God

and the Presbyters

council of the apostles

in

the

my

weU-be-

There

loved, entrusted with the service of Jesus Christ."

are

two needless departures from Wake's translation


" Holding presidency over you,"

this passage.
is

fA-evov),

siding

put for the plain and

" and

The reason
sounds

"service"

for the last

but as to the
fuller,

by, however,

first,

more

is

So

literal

in

(irpsKaev)-

expression, " pre-

substituted for "ministry."

change cannot well be conjectured

some plea may be made for it for it


and more authoritative. Passing
;

lordly,

these things, let us attend to the strange

notions of Ignatius himself.

God
who

the

place of

and the Deacons,

that he

is

The Bishop

in the place of

higher than the apostles, for those

stood on an equality with them were the presbyters

and those "entrusted with the ministry of Christ" were

The Bishop

the Deacons.

the Sanhedrim, (a-we^pion

cons are the


This

is

is

presides, the Presbyters

form

the term used,) and the Dea" the working clergy "

efficient ministers or

the view of things which he gives throughout his

epistles,

with scarcely any difference.

The deacons

are

represented as more especially the active ministers of the


Gospel, the Presbyters as the Cardinals in conclave, and
the Bishop as the infallible Pope

was

to be done,

to them, as

we

without

whom

nothing

and nothing was to appear even " rational


shall presently see

Let these

epistles

"

be

STRICTURES.

deemed genuine or

191

not, they clearly

many

contain

things

wholly inconsistent with the primitive state of the Church,


according to

There

it.

is

all

other documents that

as to Ignatius

he

either a false

is

tings have been grossly changed

The

ages.

latter is the

respecting

witness, or

his

wri-

in

after

and perverted

most probable supposition.

were complaints very early of


done

we have

only one of two things that must be admitted

There

shameful work being

this

and attempts were made on some of the inspired

writings

but their spread, their being so

much known,

prevented such attempts from being successful.

But

in

case of such works as those of Ignatius, they being confined to a few, the attempt

was more

feasible.

In the very same section of the same


with a sentence so translated, as
the mystics

and

and

in the Bishop,

lesson of

the following

it is

in

if it
:

epistle,

we meet

had been done by

" Be

Iliid.

ye made one,

the superiors, for an example and

incorruption."

Wake's

contains

translation

some meaning, which this can hardly be said to have,


and is as follows, " Be ye united to your Bishop and

those

who

preside over you, to be your pattern and direc-

way to immortality."
come next to another Procrustean

tion in the

We

an addition
is this

is

made, and also a part cut

" Neither

your own

seek ye gratification in any thing to

judgment."

selfish

by which
The sentence

process,

off.

Would any one suppose


Wake is

that the hteral rendering, and the one given by

the

following

" Neither endeavour to

from
tence.

the

Bishop

" Selfish "

mentioned
is

in

the

any thing

let

appear rational, {v\oyov) to yourselves apart

"

that

preceding

is,

sen-

put in for the purpose of lengthen-

g^'^^''''.

192

ADDENDA.
" rational "

and

ing,

shortening

made suitable,
condemns the
framed,

may now be adopted

it

exercise of

and by cutting

off the

original

its

the

for

off

purpose

of

and being thus adjusted and

word "

at

As now

once as "

rational,"

selfish

"
;

ceases to par-

it

The

extravagance.

what

as containing

judgment.

private

stamps private judgment

it

take of

cut

is

the sentence

short limb has

been lengthened, and the long one has had a part lopped

These divines are exceedingly provident, and very

off.

They prepare instruments

dexterous.

sentiment

here

is

approves,

is

at

a sentiment as
a downright

make
gift

announced

" rational "

should appear

and you must

for his

do

I
;

say,"

is

use.

word

whatan inspired Apostle directed

but Ignatius says,

'

Let the bishop judge

for you.'

the priests,

Bellarmine himself,

does not go beyond

this.

The next example presents another mode


which

is

that of lowering the

extravagance of the author

meaning

may

of operation,

of terms, that the


,

now be adduced

following passage in the Epistle to the Trallians


let

all

Christ," &c.

men
The

rrn_

not come to hght.

only instance of this kind that shall

wise

own

compares the people to Job's " asses feeding beside

the oxen,"

Sect. 3,

so deluded as to

there anything of this kind in the divine

is

and determine every thing

Adopt such

once become a papist,

which God has granted to every one

his people to

Tralhans.

at

member of the Romish Church,

"Judge ye what

Epistle
to the

that nothing

but what the Bishop

us,

once to make a pope of him.

this,

and

surrender, to a fallible and imperfect mortal, of a

Where

who

To hold

to

for themselves,

But what a popish

secure Ignatius from just reflections.

"

Ine

is

the

Like-

give heed to the deacons as to Jesus


original

words are these : O/Koia?

irayret;

193

STRICTURES.
(VTf('nea-6u<iav tovi; hiaKOiovi;

to,"

It

is

To "give heed

Xpiarov.

not the meaning of the verb here used, especially

is

when

Ivja-cv

at;

is followed, as it is here, by an accusative case.


rendered " revereantur " in the latin version given
it

by Usher, and also

in that given by Vossius


and it is
rendered " reverence," by Wake, and no doubt correctly.

The foregoing

instances of perverted renderings from

the Epistles of Ignatius, form but a very small portion of

what might be adduced.

Only three

seven have been at aU referred to

epistles out of the

and many more

of a similar kind might be adduced

stances

in-

even from

But enough surely has been brought forward to

them.

convince every impartial reader, that these divines are not

and that they are wholly un-

to be trusted as translators,

deserving of the public confidence.


of their

want of

stronger proof

still

faithfulness will be aflPorded

by instances

from the works of Justin, Irenseus, and Tertullian.


possessions have amazing influence

judgment
it

in a

way almost

would be very

to

difficult

Pre-

they often warp the

incredible.

Were

it

not so,

screen these writers from the

charge of intentional dishonesty.

free translation,

original, is

then

it

which embodies the meaning of the

on ordinary subjects no doubt the best.

more than the whole.

and

in

It

should embrace the meaning of

the whole meaning, and no

the author,

But there are in almost

meaning.
parts,

But

shoidd contain the whole of the original and no

which a

translation,

more than his


author some

every

embodying correctly

meaning, can hardly be made,

especially

parts contain matters of dispute.

In such

fully his

when those

free

cases, the best

translation

is

the most literal that can be


ADDENDA.
made, provided

it

be

No

intelligible.

mode

other

of ren-

dering can be satisfactory, except accompanied with the

These translators

original, or with its literal rendering.

are in this respect exceedingly faulty.

They give

translation of parts that ought to be

literally

and which might

manage

easily

be so rendered

This

free

rendered,

and thereby they

meaning which the

to introduce a

not contain.

original does

mode of proceeding
am going now to notice. It is

especially their

is

in the

documents which

not so

much

the procrustean process that they adopt, as an

operation by which the original meaning

another introduced in

its

This

place.

is

is

evaded, and

done

instances with

astonishing art and dexterity, as

presently see.

The

first

in

we

some
shall

extracts that shall be noticed, are

those from
JUSTIN MARTYR.

What

Baptism and the Lord's Supper in Jusapology, is given in No. 13 of the " Records of

refers to

tin's first

the Church."
first set

The

translation in the "

Records"

down, and then the Uteral rendering.


:

shall

be

follow-

ing passage is in the 61st section


"
will state in what manner

We

The

we

are created

anew

by Christ, and have dedicated ourselves to God."


Literally rendered
Apol. i.
Sect 61.

it is

this

" We will state in what manner, we, having been made


new through Christ, have dedicated ourselves to God."
The difference may not appear to a cursory observer to
be much but there is a material difference. The " dedication," and being " made new," (jfaivo7roij9evT?), do not
,,

appear so distinct and separate

in the translation of

" the


195

STRICTURES.

Records," as

The renewal

in the original.

is

the previous

God.

The

next passage is from the same section


" For they are then washed in that water in the

name

qualiJicatio7i of such as dedicate themselves to


:

of

God

the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our

Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit."

The

following

is

the literal translation

S'-"'^'-

" For in the name of the Father of the Universe and


Lord God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the
Holy Ghost, they then undergo the washing which is by
water."

By what
words,

authority have they changed the order of these

iraTpof

rav oXav Kai

phraseology of Justin

Sto-iroTOK

and

0eov

It

is

the usual

had a peculiar meaning and

it

which these divines should have known or remembered. " The Father of the universe," or the Creator of
intention,

things,

all

was adopted designedly

opposition to the

in

The original of what they


have rendered, " they are then washed in that water," is
sentiments of the heretics.

this

TO fv

ra uSaTi Toxe Xavrpov notovvrai

dering of which

word

Xovrpov,

is

It

the literal ren-

Let the reader notice the

given above.

washing.

can have no meaning but

washing here, and it ought to be so rendered in


sequent parts of the Apology.

When

all

the sub-

Kovrpov.

a passage occurs

which gives a determinate meaning to a word,

it

should

have that meaning, until another passage be found, which

may

clearly require that another should

It is

made
"

be attached to

from the same section that the following quotation


:

it.

is

He who

leads

him

to be

washed

tism, saying this (name) only over

o 2

in the laver of bap-

him," &c.

yg^t gj

196

ADDENDA.

The literal rendering is this


"This (name) only we say over him, when we
:

that

is

lead him,

to be washed, into the washing," &c.

The word "baptism," is not in the original; and the


word " laver," is an improper rendering. To be " washed
in

the laver,"

these,

not the meaning of the words, which are

is

Tovrof XcivofAfvay ayovre?

Leading or

to XofTpov.

tir

introducing into the washing

clearly

is

what

is

meant.

And why

is

Is

the purpose of directing the reader's attention

for

it

the person changed, " he," instead of "

Everything

to the minister

same way.
never
so.

fail

"
It

"

Their polar star


to turn, even

quote

when

is

there

so illuminated

shovJd be thus rendered

And

the illuminated

is

the priest, to which they


is

no reason

from the same section

still

And he who

"

these writers bears the

in
is

we

is

for

doing

baptized also," &c.

washed

also," &c.

The particle "so," is needlessly inserted


and the
word "baptized," is without any reason put for "washed."
The original is this xat
The
o ^ari^owevo? XovcTat.
;

next sentence
"

We

is

from another section

washed him who hath exand professes the faith, lead him to

then, after having so

pressed his conviction,

the brethren, where they are gathered together, to

common
Sect. 65.

selves,

prayers with

and

for

him who

make

great earnestness, both for themis

now

Uluminated."

The literal rendering is plainly this


" Then we, after having thus washed him
persuaded and given his consent, lead him
:

brethren, where they are assembled,


vently in

nated."

common

that hath been


to those called

about to join fer-

prayers for themselves and the illumi-

197

STRICTURES.

There are no
sage

and

all

than three false renderings in this pas-

less

seem

have arisen from an attempt to

to

The

favour certain views.

expression,

tov

Ttcweta-iAevov,

is

him who hath expressed his conviction," but, " him


who hath been persuaded." The same word is used in the
61st section, with reference to the same character, and

not, "

And

exactly in this sense.

the word, (TvyKaraTeOeiiAevov,

means not him " who professes the


given his consent," that

is,

these writers manifestly

is,

at this early time of the

sion of faith

came

made by

to

what he never

make out

"

The

who

has

object of

that there was,

church, a formal public profes-

the candidate, which afterwards beJustin gives no idea of this

evidently the practice.

in this passage

faith," but,

to be baptized.

but these translators constrain him to say


said,

to speak of a practice

But there

existence in his time.

the particle " now,"

is

put

in,

is

which had no

yet a worse perversion

and placed before

illumi-

nated, which conveys an idea wholly inconsistent with the

sentiments expressed by Justin.


In a former passage he
tells us the reason why " washing is called illumination,"

Sect. 61.

because "those are in mind illuminated, who,"


" learn these things," namely, the truths
as he says,
that

is,

taught by the Christians.


that

But the design of

put in by these translators,

is

is

this

are said to be illuminated, because they had been

or baptized.
or

as

to

do

their

What

Of

prejudices,"

be led

advance their own views, and promote

in order to

own schemes

washed

not men, blinded by prepossessions,

Cecil says, " magnetized by

Lord's Supper
"

will

"now,"

to shew, that they

The following passages

refer to the

the bread that has been blessed," &c.

Sect. 65.


198

ADDENDA.
Literally

"

Of

the bread that has been thanked for, ((vxapKni)-

6VT0<.)"

" The food which

Sect. 66.

Literally

"

blessed."

is

The food that has been thanked


never mentions the

Justin

blessed or consecrated.

them

were taken

On

as

having been

in

And

after this thanksgiving, they

commemoration of the death of the Saviour.

Our head in Uke manner

It

"

offers

should be rendered thus

Our

for

vphat he

is

the same subject are the following passages

"

God

Blessing or thanking

as the gifts of his bountiful Providence

mentions everywhere.

Sect. 67.

for, (evxaoKn-riOeta-ay.)"

elements

president

(o

in like

wpoeo-Ta?)

up prayers and praises."

manner

up

offers

prayers and thanksgivings, (eu/a^jo-na?.)"


" The consecrated elements are then distributed and
Sect. 67.

received by every one.


Literally thus

"

Then a

distribution

is

made, and a reception by each,

of the things thanked for, (awo tbv evxafia-rrjOeyTuv.)"


If thanksgiving for gifts

consecration,
is

Justin

Diognetus, which

sufficient reason.

"

It is

is

is

what

meant by

is

is justifiable

but this

here, as in former instances,

is

made to say what he never


The extracts which next
to

bestowed

then the rendering

not the case.

said.

follow,

are

made from a Letter

ascribed to Justin, but with no

given in No. 15 of the Records

truths which they hold result not from the busy

Letter to
Diognetus. ingenuities

of

human thought

them possess no champion."

the councils

of

men

in

199

STRICTURES.

What may

be viewed as a

rendering

literal

is

this

" This has not been declared to them for instruction,

through any contrivance or ingenuity of inquisitive


nor do they, as some, patronize any
It

is

difficult

been found,

to

know where

word

the

by the Christians

the immediate

is

what

men

doctrine."

" truths " has

The mode

not being in the passage.

it

living adopted

human

is

spoken of

Something seems

preceding context.

of
in

to

have been deemed necessary to bear on what those writers


consider to be the " busy ingenuities of

human thought"
The word " champion," has not been
The
introduced, it may be, without some intention.
practice of some Christians who advocate the sentiments
of some eminent individuals, (not because they were theiiin the present day.

but those

sentiments,

taught as they conceive in the

assuming their names, or allowing themselves

Bible,) in

to be called after them, has been strongly

denounced by

these writers, and represented as being almost a proof of

Such a view

apostacy.

usual

mode

what

is

is

of magnifying

great.

It is

indeed consistent with

what

is

little,

and of

their

nihilizing

not improbable that a thought of this

kind had something to do with the framing of this sentence.

And

the expression, "the councils of men,"

" human doctrine,"

(ioyfAcno^

been introduced

for the

The

from the same

"
in

following

is

What man, who


know

instead of

apparently

purpose of screening themselves.


letter

does

not

feel

an increasing desire

those things, which by the

directly

spoken to the

fully to

them

"

has

hath been taught aright, and nurtured

the kindly word,

clearly to

avB^uisivov)

disciples,

Word

were

and which he manifested


Sect. 11


200

ADDENDA.

The following
"

Who

is

a literal rendering

that hath been rightly taught and begotten

by

the kindly word, does not seek clearly to learn the tilings

which have been manifestly shewn by the

whom

openly,

There are here

most strangely

a person

to

is

two mistakes, or rather perverted

at least

yevvTjSej?,

And

be begotten or

^aycpoi;,

as

" manifestly " or clearly.

more

especially or

than to any

else,

the fact or not,

born,

or " begotten,"

translated, " nurtured."

means than by baptism,


risks

to the

the

The word

renderings.
is

Word

Word, having appeared, speaking


"
has manifested them ?

disciples, to

it

is

bom

The

idea that

agaui by any other

to be discountenanced at all

seems,

" directly,"

is

The notion

and not

that something

must be propagated.

Whether

not the question

but whether

is

was

" directly" addressed to the disciples

this
it

was
was

this passage.
This, most
was not the case.
Have these di\Tnes found out
some new meanings for words by means of tradition or
Cathohc truth ? or have they been taking lessons of the
Jesuits, and are they now practising what they have learnt
The next sentence is from the same section
" You shall be taught the truths which the Word communicates by those whom he chooses in his own good

contemplated by the writer of


clearly,

Sect. 11.

time."

The literal rendering is as follows


" You shall know the things, which the Word communicates, by whom he wills, when he pleases,
8/ av ^ovXt:

rai,

OTi fieXei."

No

sentence could be more artftdly framed than

the

above, so as to elude the meaning of the original, and yet

"

STRICTURES.

seemingly to contain
sense would be seen

Were

it.
:

punctuated aright, the

it

but the points being

those,"
cates,"

is

conveyed to the reader.

word "chooses,"

put for "wills," SovXeTui, and

is

he chooses," instead

whom

" by

of,

whole purpose seems to be to make

which

it

is

has no connection whatever.


the following passage

" Knowledge
bedience in the

The

literal

From

The

of gaining it."

rendering

this

is

but diso-

(avaiptj, kills.)"

According

ruling passion appears here very strong.

Oxford new meaning of words, derived no doubt

to the

and consent of Fathers, the


disobedience destroys, is to be

tradition. Catholic truth

phrase,

TzapaKOrj

There

is

avai^et,

"

" disobedience

in the way of gaining it


an import in the words, " in the way of gaining

translated,

it,"

same

the

" (The tree) of knowledge does not destroy

from

The

minister," with

not that which brings death, but diso-

is

way

bedience destroys,

"whom

he wills."

the sentence favoura-

ble to the notion of an " external-mark

Letter

a false

left out,

The words, " by


&c. appear now to be connected with " communiThen the
while they ought to be with " taught."

meaning

But

which the uninitiated do not perhaps understand.

who

they

acquainted

are

comprehend what
knowledge,

is

by

and through the

it

lineal

is,

"

way

gaining

of

Church,

descendants of the Apostles


in this

be any that really believe

rision,

The

means.

tradition, the teaching of the

knowledge not gained

said,

with the system will easily

way brings death

this,

and

If there

the only thing that can be

that they are objects of pity and almost of de-

being

clearly

deluded, and

under the

influence


202

ADDENDA.
of the

But

wildest fancies.

this passage,

is

to falsify

The next

public.

such a notion to

to attach

its

meaning, and delude the

extracts shall be from

IREN/EUS.

There are

in

two chapters

No.

the

in

They

heretics.

14.

of " the Records," translations of

book of Irenaeus against the

first

are'the second and third chapters.

authors give no references.

Is

it

These

because they are not

what they do should be examined ?


The
second chapter, which contains what may be called the

willing that

Irenaeus,

Creed,

creed of Irenaeus,
last part,

which

clumsy manner.

is

is

rendered tolerably well, except the

not done unfaithfully, but in a very

There

is

indeed an expression which can

They have rendered tXaa-fTjTav avBpwnuv, " profane men," instead of " blasphe"
"
mers
or
slanderers of men."
The rendering of the
hardly be deemed correct.
/Aov;

third chapter shews

thing

is

most

clearly " the cloven foot."

done to countenance

lordship and

tradition,

the following instances will sufficiently

message and

" '^^'^

Cap 3

Which should
" This

is

Every

and to clothe with

authority the ministerial character

shew

which

this is the faith."

be,

the preaching (to

Kyipvy/A-a.,)

and

this

is

the

faith."

The knovsTi unfriendliness of these divines to preaching


accounts for this change of " preaching" into a " message."

To

depreciate preaching,

and to exalt prayers and the

appear evidently to be their great object


throughout their Tracts.
For they maintain, that " the
sacraments,

Sacraments,

not preaching,

are

the

sources

of

divine

203

STRICTURES.
grace," forgetting, or not believing, what St. Paul says,
that the first grace, that by which

cometh by hearing

faith,

One

preaching.

preaching;

the

of

we

saved, even

are

by the means of
of the Gospel is

and hearing

is

peculiarities

thereby distinguished from

is

it

Mosaic

the

There
some measure under the law
And
but sacrifices and prayers form the principal part.
it is remarkable that preaching made no part of the religious services of the pagans. " The worship of the gods,"

and from

dispensation,

was preaching,

Adam,

says Dr.
sisted

it is

No

out prayer

systems of heathenism.

true, in

in his

Antiquities, p. 293, " con-

Roman

prayers,

chiefly in

adds, "

all

vows and

act of religious

sacrifices

the words used were thought

importance."

Is

it

or to heathenize

together.

And
to

live

very

and die

Formalists and the self-righteous have ever pre-

following sentence

down

During the

there was

True religion and preaching

ferred prayers to preaching.

"

and he

of the greatest

it ?

dark ages, when popery was rampant,


preaching.

"

the object of these divines to cere-

monialize the Gospel,

little

worship was performed with-

But

(which the church,)


posterity,

proceed to quote the

preaches, teaches, hands

though she had

as harmoniously as

but one mouth."

The following
"

and

And

Cap.
is

the literal rendering

(the church,)

delivers,

harmoniously preaches, teaches

(irapaSiSaxri)',)

these things, as

if

she pos-

sessed but one mouth."

To

give the idea of handing

verb here used,


deliver

is

down

to posterity to the

by no means warrantable.

any thing to another,

to

convey

It

in this

means

to

mstance.

3.

ADDENDA

204

the truths of the Gospel to others, not to posterity, but


to those living at the time.

convey or communicate

it

verb and in the noun,

To

and

deliver instruction,

TrapaSocji?

tradition,

Tradition, according to Irenseus,

it.

to

is

this idea is included in the

is

derived from

the truth conveyed

by preaching, previously received, and deUvered as such

So

to others.

deliver to others

not

hand

to

which

word

that the proper idea of the

very reverse of what

it

is

given in this translation

what had been previously

down

The

to posterity.

from preaching,

tradition differs

cludes the idea of a previous reception

is
:

is

the
to

it is

received,

and

only respect in
that

this,

it

in-

but the two words

meaning the same thing.


The following sentence betrays the same sort of leaning
are used often by Irenaeus as

towards popish views


" There is no difference of faith or tradition, whether
:

Cap.

3.

(.jjg

in

churches of Germany," &c.

The
"

literal translation is as follows

And

have

the

neither

otherwise

Churches,

believed,

(aXA.s)? itapaiidoacriv,)

founded

in

Germany,

or have otherwise delivered,

" or, as the perfect tense

dered by the present, " otherwise believe,

is

often ren-

or otherwise

deliver."

To

get in the word, tradition, which possesses a sort

of magic to papists and such as are hke them, the form of

the sentence has been completely changed, while the literal

rendering

is

however,

is

brought

in,

quite as

of so

intelligible.

much

whenever the

The word,

consequence, that
least occasion

is

it

tradition,

must be
Au-

offered.

thority and lordship too possess similar attractions, as

following renderings shew

the

'205

STRICTUHBS.
"

Among

the rulers of the Church," &c.

" For no one

is

Cap.

above his master."

These two sentences are thus correctly rendered


"

Among

Churches."
" For no one

Now

who

those

is

To

is

from

instances

within the space of twenty lines

no more.

for the

spread the truth and promote

of course the professed object of these

extracts from the Fathers, and translate

own

is

it

like popery,

it is

but

To

give

writers

them according

certainly a strange sort of proceeding

but however strange

same

is

interest,

its

and inconsistently with those of the

views,

original authors,

occur

Irenseus

whole chapter

they adopt very singular means for the purpose.

to their

the

in

above the teacher, (SiSao-KaXov)."

foregoing

these

(vpoeararaf)

preside

may

be,

it

has always been the

semper idem.

It is a

proceeding

which the admirers of tradition and advocates of Catholic


truth,

have invariably adopted.

now be

There are apes of Jesuits,

The

as well as apes of Epictetus.

extracts that shall

last

noticed are those from

TERTULLIAN.

short historical account of Tertullian

given in No.

is

17 of "the Records," together with some extracts from


his writings.

Tlie heading of the Tract

Account of the Rule of

faith."

And

which quotations are made, may be


"

English,
senters."

" TertuUian's

is,

work,

the

called,

The Church's plea (or demur,)


The original title of the Work

it is

is

the

title

concealed

Why

is

this

in

against disis

not given,

nor any direct reference to the works of Tertullian.

why

from

said,

done

But
These

.'i.

206

ADDENDA.
writers,

seems, are resolved to be consistent in every

it

thing, to carry on their objects in the

dishonest way,
verting,

ivhy

the

is

mangling,

concealing,

the

adding

not given

title

same unfair and


lopping

to,

usual trade of
Is

it

it

purpose for which the extracts are made

suit the

evidently the reason

for

per-

ofF,

Jesuits

because

But

would not
This

is

the notes which they give,

in

they represent those against whom TertuUian wrote, as


" separatists," while the expressed object of his treatise

was

The title of his work is, Liber


Hare ticor urn. It is not of separation

to refute the heretics.

de prcEscriptionihus

from the Church

as a

community that he speaks, but of

separation from the truth,

as taught in the

Scriptures,

and as continued according to what he maintains, to be

And

taught by the universal Church.

men-

the pouits he

tions in his rule of faith, are as purely taught

by

our

all

orthodox Dissenters, as by these divines.

The

first

extract given

which the subject


great ingenuity

from what

it

is

is

really

is

is.

it

in

and

appear different

TertuUian maintains against the

know, and that we ought


inquiries.

make

exercised to

contain

heretics that the Scriptures

further

from the ninth section,

not commenced, but carried on

all

that

to be satisfied with

His

very

we need to
them without

words are the following,

which of course are not given by these divines :


Nobis

curiositate opus

non

post Christum

est,

nec inquisitione, post evangehum.

desideramus ultra credere

Hoc enim

esse quod ultra credere debemus.

Cum

prius credimus,

non

" We have no need of

a searching curiosity, after (we know) Christ Jesus


enquiring, after (we

Jesum

credimus, nihil

know) the Gospel.

When we

nor of

believe.


207

STRICTURES.

we

desire to believe nothing further, for this

we

that there

lieve,

is

not any thing which

first

we ought

be-

further

to believe.

Then

he notices this saying,

in the following section

" Seek and ye shall find," which the heretics pleaded in


favour of their endless enquiries
saying, that

was a command to the Jews in our Saviour's

it

But

time, and not to Christians in general.

admits

The

in the

where the extract

section,

application,

its

an evident

next

their inferences.

question between Tertullian and

not specified by these writers

is

eflfort

in the

" Records " begins, he

and argues against

real state of the

the heretics

Sect. 9.

and he answers them by

made to keep

it

out of sight.

but there

is

The mode

of

rendering, the selection of parts and the notes, seem

all

to have been intended for the very purpose of concealing

the real case, and of misrepresenting the whole matter.

The

whom

heretics with

heretics of Irenseus,

Tertullian contended, were the

commonly

called

the Gnostics,

The con-

receive some, and perverted almost the whole.


test

who

pretended to

denied various portions of the Scripture,

with them was about the very essentials of truth, and

not about regulations of Church discipline


at least

some of

them,

their

bishops,

for they had.

deacons, according to Tertullian, as well as the orthodox.


of faith (Regula fidei) which he adduces,

Tlie rule

summary

is

unfortunately

left out,)

all

difi"erently.

This rule of faith

orthodox dissenters

divines.

By

this

in the

summary

substantially the

same

but worded and arranged

with that given by Irenseus,


very

is

of the fundamental articles of faith, (apostolical

succession

is

as fully

present day

of truth,

truly

beheved by

as

See

and

presbyters

by these

alleged

no

Sect. 13.

208

ADDENDA.
doubt by Tertullian, to be received and embraced by the
universal

Church

in

day, even from

his

the time of the

Apostles, he attempted to prove the heretics

overturn their system

was

same

wrong and to
which as an argument and a proof
But strange to say, by this

which

rule of faith,

embraced by

it

may

is

to prove

is

too

is

This indeed

The

taken.

Though

the important matter.

the

and substantially believed and acknow-

really

ledged; yet they have not received


channel.

them wrong and

probably be said, that the mode in which

has been derived

creed

beheved and

substantially

now attempt

confute their opinions

But

is

orthodox separatists from the Church,

all

the Oxford Divines

it

sufficient for the purpose.

rule of faith is

fully admitted,

and

it

through a right

the only ground

is

that

known and beheved,

all

fundamental

can be

the Bible

articles,

at least

according to Tertullian's creed as well as that of Irenaeus,


are

acknowledged and embraced; and there

is

nothing

mentioned by Tertullian, which belongs to the present separatists in

that

common

with the heretics of his day, except

they have not received the main truths

through the Church from the apostles.


point on which the application

is

This

is

happens, that these very men, according to their


fession,

are in this respect, exactly in the

ment with the


they say

this,

separatists.

If the

it

so

own con-

same predica-

In a note to the third extract,

" Since his (Tertullian's) time,

has gone wrong."

be,

the only

Now

justifiable.

it

regularly

the Church

Church has gone wi-ong, how

has the rule of faith been recovered

Not by apostoUcal

succession, for that conveys only orders,

and not the rule

of faith, which the church, " going wrong,"

must have

209

STRICTURES.
a measure

lost, at least in

gone wrong.
lost

in

If

it

be

for otherwise

it

may be

all this,

the Church had gone

the rule of faith been recovered?

which the

by

that

to

and obtained

it,

that

is,

was never

said of the Bible as a

But notwith-

and acknowledged document.

professed

similar

could not have

it

said, that the rule of faith

any degree, so

standing

wrong

No

And how

has

doubt in a way
found

have

separatists

by means of the Bible and of

mode of transmission than any human


The Church had gone wrong, and it would
have never become right again, had it not been for the

books,

safer

teaching.

the book of God, the precious

Bible,

How

did the

Church

sentials of faith

at

of

word of inspiration.
England become right in the es-

the Reformation

By

the rule of faith, by apostolical succession

but by means of the Bible,

by

tradition,

Surely not

and by the perusal of such

writings as were consistent with, and embodied the grand

and main doctrines of the Bible,

yea,

of such writings as

were condemned by the Catholic Church.


This

not

is

the

place

to

the sentiments of

criticise

him, when
they say in a note to the third extract, that he " does not

Tertullian

mean

but these authors

misrepresent

to decry arguing from Scripture."

Herfoesmean

do so most distinctly with respect to the heretics.

words

are,

Ergo non ad scripturas provocandum

" Therefore an appeal to the Scriptures

As

to his

tain

mode

extent legitimate, and peculiar as

was one way of undermining

made

est

not to be made."

of confuting the heretics,

carried his principle too far, and


It

is

to

His

it

was

to time
it

to a cer:

but he

too exclusive.

their system

but ought

not to have been adopted to the exclusion of the best way,


p


210

ADDENDA.
an appeal to Scripture.

Let those

who

advocate

his

sentiments, reconcile his theory in his younger days with

advanced years, and also with the prac-

his practice in his


Irenjeus

^^^^

the object

Irenseus,

whose great work was

of

and
principally to confute the same heretics hy an appeal to
u mn.
g^j-^pf^^g^ Lg^. tijogg -who advocate the consent of Fathers

er

make

these two Fathers consistent with one another,

the

one refusing, and the other challenging, an appeal to the


divine

oracles

But some examples of perverted ren-

derings shall be given

"

Sect. 10.

Now

that

is

The rendering should be


"

What

which Christ instituted."

to be sought

this

Christ has taught (instituit) should therefore

be enquired after."

The

verb,

instituo,

and

derivatives, are

its

evidently

used by Tertullian in this section and in other parts,


the sense of teaching.

Hcec est

these writers themselves, in

teaching."
it

in itahcs,

To

translate

it

institutio,

section

here,

is

" This

36,

in

rendered by
is

the

" instituted," and to put

seems to have been done with the view of

leading the reader to suppose, that Tertulhan referred to

some creed

or ordinance of Christ.

Hence

it

was fomid

necessary in the remaining clause of this sentence to ren-

der credidisti, " you have believed," by the phrase, " you

have attained to

belief."

sents an instance of
is

still

to Paul's charge to

But the following sentence pregreater perversion

Timothy

the reference

" His direction about committing to " faithful

men"

did not imply a secrecy, but of course care to choose such

men
Sec.

26.

for the

commission as would preach the Gospel

judgment and discrimination."

The whole passage

is literally

this

wth

STRICTURV.S.

"

It

was moreover meet

(adjiceret

should

that

lie

Gospel, that

the

should say further

whom

add,) to him, to

the ministration of

he committed

was not

it

to be

administered everywhere, nor inconsiderately."

The first clause is not in the original nor is there any


thing in the text about " the care to choose." There is
;

not a word about "choosing," nor about

whole purport of the passage

The main design of the original is


pel was to be administered, that
by these translators
" care to

exercising

commission.
their

choose "

what favours

on the same

wherever they can, by any means possi-

their

own

tration of the Gospel,


it

is

quite right,

commission "

as ex-

These writers are constantly influenced by

views.

of nothing but " the commission."

Where

it

suitable persons for the

party notions, and continually bent

object, bringing in,


ble,

is,

" not everywhere,

shew the necessity of

to

is

changed.

is

shew how the Gos-

to

But the main design of

nor inconsiderately."
hibited

in

and when the original expresses them.

their proper place,

Indeed the

"the care"

These things are proper

necessary for the purpose.

is

it

They seem to think


As to the adminis-

much consequence.

not of

mentioned, and made the main subject,


as

it

in

appears,

its

place

for translators

And

this of

done with a good conscience, because

it

to

is

it is

put " the

course

may be

what favours

our own views and furthers our own peculiar object


Instances of the like kind might easily be added from
the six extracts in the " Records,"

But

tise of Tertullian.

from

this

same

Times," No. 57,

I shall

treatise
p.

in

in

made from

this trea-

only notice here a passage

one of " the Tracts for the

which a change of meaning

is

212

;:;

ADDENDA.

The passage,

introduced that can hardly he paralleled.


translated

in

the

Tract,

speaks of the heretics.)


" Their ordinations

following

the

is

are

light,

off-hand,

as

(Tertullian
variable

sometimes mere novices are raised by them to church


office,

sometimes men engaged in worldly business, some-

times deserters from our ranks

whom

they hope to

make

sure of by the compliment, having no reality [of spiritual

power] to

Now

offer."

shall give the original of this passage,

panied by a

literal translation

Ordinationes

eorum

temerarise,

nunc neophytos conlocant

accom-

leves,

inconstantes

nunc seculo obstrictos

nunc

apostatos nostros, ut gloria eos obligent, quia veritate non

"Their ordinations are

possunt.

they appoint sometimes


fast

by the world

may bind them by


This

is

novices

rash,

light,

variable

sometimes our apostates, that they

glory, because they cannot

by truth."

a singular specimen of perversion, which can

hardly be reconciled to any thing like

The perversion was whoUy


which the passage

is

necessarj' to

quoted

it

common

honesty.

answer the end

new

idea that

According to

this

is

introduced makes

new Oxford

for

would have been other-

wise entirely useless, being altogether inappropriate


the

sometimes those held

plan,

it

but

exactly suitable.

we can make the


we please.

Fathers assert anything, or deny anything, just as

To make
things,

but

it

the passage apphcatory to the present state of

it

is

is

in

some measure newly moulded throughout

the conclusion of

it,

that receives the completest

transmuting touch of the alchymist, by which, quia veritate non possunt,

is

changed into the singular phrase.

213

STRICTURES.
"

" having no reality of spiritual power to

offer

not the authority to ordain that Tertullian

assails,

validity of their ordinations


of the ordained.

It

which

in

there anything in this whole

is

on the point which these Oxford Divines are so

all

anxious to establish.
false teachers
call

he

that

itself

nor in the similar works of Irenseus, that bears

treatise,

at

nor the

and variable " manner

light,

Nor

was done.

it

is

but the unworthy character

was not the thing

blamed, but " the rash,

It

and

Like St.

false apostles,

when he opposed

Paul,

these authors do nowhere

question the validity of their ordinations, but the

in

truth of their doctrines.


Thei'e

is

an evident attempt made


" apostolicity "

to identify the

as

Church, with apostolical succession.

in

it

the " Records,"

This

is

" the

heretics

the

not the doc-

most

trine of Tertullian, as the following passage

shews

of

called,

is

clearly

be challenged in the same

will

manner by those churches, which, though they cannot


bring forward, as their founder, any of
of

apostolic

men,

as

much

being

the apostles or

being

later,

indeed

yet agreeing in the same faith, are deemed

established daily,

no less apostolical, on account of consanguinity of doctrine

(tamen

in

eadem

fide conspirantes,

non minus apos-

tohcse deputantur pro consanguinitate doctrinse)."

Corresponding with
of

what may be

that

God

view

this

is

the

called the descent of

delivered

it

to

count he gives

truth.

He

says

Christ, Christ to the Apostles,

and the Apostles to the churches, without singling out the


ministers as distinct from the members.

port of the following passage

"

It therefore appears,

This

is

the pur-

that every doctrine,

which

is

Sect. 32.

214

ADDENDA.
consistent with these apostolical churches, the
originals of the faith (matricibus et

to be accounted for

as doubtless

truth,

wombs and

originalibus fidei),

is

containing what

the churches received from the Apostles, the Apostles from


Sect. 21.

and Christ from God."

Christ,

This was the opinion of Tertullian, which


but not wholly

correct,

is

in a

the truth and the whole truth to the churches,


true

degree

That the apostles delivered

so.

most

is

but that the churches retained this truth whole and

entire

till

the time of Tertullian,

is

what no man,

in

any

measure acquainted with the history and writings of that


age, can for a

were

still

may be

moment

and

truly

fully

That the main doctrines

beheve.

held, (at least those

which the heretics disputed,)

admitted

but that every doctrine,

held by the apostohc churches, was


purity, entire

and unmixed,

The church

conceded.

is

begayi

retained in

still

its

what cannot with truth be


to "

go wrong

"

in

many

things very early.


TertuUiin
on
the

there

another work of Tertullian translated in

is

"Records." No. 22, containing a large portion of

Baptii-m.

The

baptism.

jj.g^j.-gg

exhibition of the
suits their views,

but what

is

translation presents

artful tactics

What

of these writers.

they select and present to their readers

too low, or too vulgar, or too absurd, they

either pass by and leave untranslated, or mould


way as to make it appear different ft-om what it

so that

his

a striking

much

of

what they bring before the

what Tertullian has

actually said.

By

in

really is

public,

this

such a

is

mode

not
the

writings of the heretics, and even the Koran, might be

quoted

in favour of

any notions we may choose to adopt.

Tlic credit of an author does not

depend on insulated

215

STRICTURES.
portions of truth which he

may

advocate,

but on the

general correctness and consistency of his views.


are

some sentiments

quite sufficient to

in this treatise of Tertullian,

There

which are

destroy his credit altogether as a

of sober and correct views on the

subject

of

man

baptism.

But these authors have modified some and left out others.
They should have however told their readers, that he
maintains the right of laics to baptize, and that he disIt is enough to
countenances the baptizing of infants.
say, without producing

any examples, that they have, in

translating this treatise, betrayed the

same want

either of

discrimination or of honesty, as in the other works which

have already been more especially noticed.

21G

A LETTER
ON TRADITION.
I

HAVE already sent you some remarks on the "advertise-

ment " to the Rev. J. Newman's Lectures on Romanism, &c.


and I feel inchned to add a few observations on the Lectures

The author

themselves.*

Church, and a very

false

builds on a false notion of the

Let these two

view of tradition.

insecure supports be taken away, and his imposing structure will inevitably

fall

to the

ground

but these two props to support

remarks

chiefly to tradition,

which he builds

His view on this subject

he cuts

He

nothing

my

main prop on

the

is

is

shall confine

differs

but

little

maintains that there

same sense

off at

it

as that

his system.

the Romanists.
tradition in the

for there

But

it.

as the

Church

some indeterminate

is

of

period,

between the fourth and seventh century.

from that of
a stream of

Rome

only

somewhere

His reasons for

the existence of such a stream as he meiintains, will not


satisfy

any true Protestant

ting short

its

* It is not

nor will his reasons for cut-

progress satisfy any Romanist.

deemed necessary

His opinion

to introduce the previous Letter, as

docs not bear materially on the subject of

this.

it

LETTER ON TRADITION.

there

that

is,

some truths and

were

we cannot

ones, without which

well

important

those

know

the genuine

faith left unrecorded, but which were delivered by the


Apostles to their successors, and have been transmitted to
future generations

and that they are now to be found

the writings of the

in the

as far

exactly specified.

to posterity,

down

In the things thus delivered

he includes, so far as

can

make

and interpretation of Scripture.

doctrine,

in

decrees of coun-

down, with respect to time, as what cannot be

cils,

now

me

and

Fathers,

out, usage,

This appears to

to be his view of tradition.

For such an opinion, he gives

us,

as

think,

no

solid

some such surmises and conjectures

reasons, but only

the Romanists are in the habit of giving.

He

as

takes for

granted, as they do, that the traditions mentioned by St.

Paul were such as were transmitted orally, and afterwards


recorded by the Fathers

some of those
did transmit
of the

word

contrary to the statements of

fathers themselves,

them

who, as he maintains,

and quite contrary to the current use

tradition in that age,

and

in

the ages

imme-

diately succeeding.

"

When

article,

"

St. Peter," says

knew by a

Bishop Burnet on the sixth

special revelation that

means of keeping those things always in remembrance after his death.' Nor do the Apostles give us
any hints of their having left anything with the Church,
to be conveyed down by oral tradition, which they them-

that as a

selves

'

had not put

in writing:

they do sometimes refer

themselves to such things as they had delivered to particular churches

but by

Bishop

he was near ^"^^ VI,

his end, he writ his second epistle, that they might have

tradition in the Apostles' days,

218

and fur some ages

LETTER ON TRADITION.
after,

it is vertj

meant

clear, that they

only the conveyance of the faith, and not any unwritten

The

doctrines."

sensible,

reasonable, and scriptural view

by the bishop on the sixth

of this subject given

forms a striking contrast to the opinions of Mr.

who seems

to be minutely acquainted with

article,

Newman
that the

all

Romanists have asserted respecting the incompleteness,


obscurity,

and mysteriousness of Scripture

and hence of

No

the necessity of something additional.

Romanist has

ever alleged more for the purpose of depreciating Scrip-

and of exalting

ture,

"

We

Let

tradition.

the following extracts

call attention to

consider the Church as a witness, a keeper and

This notion degrades the

witness of Catholic tradition."

Church

me

making her the keeper

of

what cannot now, with

any certainty, be known, and therefore worth very


nothing.

make
of

How much

more

little

dignified does our Article

or

XX.

her, by setting her forth as " the witness and keeper

Holy Writ

"

But the author may

witness and keeper of both.

He may say

say, that she


so,

is

the

but our Church

does not say so in any of her Articles, or other documents.


Newman's He goes On, " She bears witness to a fact, that such and
^^^^ ^ doctrine, or such a sense of Scripture, has ever
'p'^3-^r

been received and came from the Apostles."


^'

p.

sider antiquity
323.

and

the Church their organ."


in

"

We

catholicity to be the real tjuides,

our ^iew of her

office,

con-

and

" The present Church, then,


is

not so

much

the judge of

Scripture, as a witness of catholic truths delivered to her


in the first ages,

whether by councils or by

fathers, or in

whatever other way."

The way

in

which Mr.

Newman

attempts to prove tra-

to

219

LETTER ON TRADITION.

dition

high character

be of this

"the

authoritative

"of Christians "is

teacher," as he says in one place,

same with that adopted by the Romanists.


The only argument wliich seems to have any semblance of
exactly the

truth, is that derived

from the

being received on

itself

in

shew a want of discrimination

New

fact of the

the testimony

The various ways

Church.

for I

Testament,

of the Primitive

which he

siates

this fact,

would not impute

Thus, he says, that we use tradition

want of honesty.

" for the establishment of the divinity of the Scripture,"

and that we "receive


itself,
it is

through tradition both the Bible

and the doctrine that

we

not true, that

it is

we

the testimony of the Fathers, or that

the doctrine that

it is

of Scripture on
receive from

This

divinely inspired.

false and distorted statement.

But

divinely inspired."

build the divinity

is

them

wholly a

Their testimony that

is,

written testimony, not oral tradition is of weight only as


it

regards certain

writings being

handed down as the

writings of the Apostles and their companions.

we

divinity

infer

from that

fact.

We

Their

do not receive them

because the Fathers say that they are Divine, but because
they
their

us that they are the writings of the Apostles and

tell

associates.

This

is

the view of Bishop Burnet,

given in his Exposition of the Sixth Article.


difference," he says, " is to be made between

"
all

the oral tradition of a doctrme, in which there


fixed

or permanent, so

that

carried about and handed down.

the

whole

is

is

this

as

little

Whereas here

between which the difference

possible to imagine

how

is

and

nothing

only report,
is

a book,

that was only to be copied and read publicly, and

persons

as

great

by

so vast, that

all

it is

the one (tradition) should

Art. VI.

220

A LETTER ON TRADITION.

how the other (Scripture) should come


"The authority of these books," adds
not derived from any judgment that the

continue pure, as
to be corrupted."

the bishop, "

is

Church made concerning them

known

selves the Apostles of Christ,

If

this,

that

was

it

men who were themby those who were their

or

and companions."

assistants

our author's argument will hold good as to Christian

traditions,

be

but from

that they were writ, either by

it

may hold good

as to Jewish traditions.

New

Since you receive the

said.

If

it

Testament through the

testimony of the Primitive Church, you ought also to receive

its

traditions

it

may

be equally

said,

you

since

receive the Old Testament through the testimony of the

Jewish church, you ought also to receive the Jewish

The Jews,

ditions.

in

tra-

our Saviour's time, and in succeed-

ing ages, might use exactly the same argument with Mr.

Newman.
he brings
purpose

Of

he was evidently aware, and therefore


" cathohcity " but it does not ser\'e his

this

in his

for there

as the other.

It

is

as

catholicity

must appear,

much

in the

one case

very strange to any

truly,

unbiassed mind, that the Christian Church should

fall

into

the same error, as to oral traditions, as the Jewish, espe-

when

cially

it

is

considered

how

decidedly and strongly

our Saviour condemned traditions, and


Apostles

invariably

appealed to the

might have been thought that


alForded sufficient warning to

has not.

age

Man

is

this

eJI

with what

flatters his pride,

selfish

word.

his
It

example would have

preceding ages

but

it

the same being, essentially, in every

fond of shadows, and disliking

his interest

how He and

written

realities

enamoured

pleases his fancy, and serves

and turning away from what opposes the

and corrupt principles of

his nature.

^-

A I.ETTKR ON TRADITION.
In one of the extracts which have been made, our author
Now
speaks of tradition as " coming from the Apostles."
if

can be proved,

this

enough yet

entitled to the

of course,

it is,

attention with Scripture

but he

to say so, though,

is

same

not " venturesome

"

he continue to indulge

if

himself in such statements as the following, he may, in

He says,
make such an assertion
" Whatever might formerly have been possessed of a

time, get courage to

strictly traditionary

nature

whatever

sorted and uncatalogued treasures

but un-

of rich,

whatever too sacred

words, whether comments on

or too subtle to record in

Scripture, or principles of interpreting them, or Apostolic

usages

still

man seems
go

to the

lost,

we have

Mr. New-

the essentials of faith."

to lament this loss

And

Church of Rome, and he

yet he has only to

will find all that

he has

" sorted and catalogued " in decrees of councils and

popes and whatever has been


" too sacred and too subtle to be recorded in words," he

in the bulls of the infallible

may

find in the oral traditions of that church

however, very inconsistent

he

is

either

wrong

He

in

is,

what he

If he is right in saying
he wrongs tradition.
comes from the Apostles, then he ought to join the

asserts, or

that

it

Romanists and say that


ture.

it is

of equal authority with Scrip-

But that any man, freed from the

fetters of interest

and prejudice, knowing what human nature


merely oral reports soon grow into
in

fables,

is,

and how

and acquainted

any degree with the history of the Primitive Church,

should give to tradition the same weight of authority as to


Scripture,

is

of credibihty.

so monstrous as almost to exceed the bounds

But what

sui-prises

attempt made by our author to

me

exceedingly,

fix tradition

is

the

on the Church

Lectures
p. 249.

ON TRADITION.

LKTTF.R

of England, which acknowledges

says,

" adheres to a double

to

both

He seems aware
and hence

in

in

Our Church," he

safeguards

and Catholic

matters necessary

all

vouchsafed

are

us."

to

of the difficidty of proving this point

we have some

pages 338 and 339

philosophisings

on

counting for the

the

for the

subject,

omission

of

more

However, he attempts

tradition.

"

rule, Scripture

and considers that

salvation,

authority, as to doc-

its

of her documents.

in

tradition
p. 326.

none

trine,

reference

in other parts to

the Church of England recognize the authority


dition.

He

principle

which he advocates

refers to the

Homily

first
;

strange

purpose of ac-

direct

but

to

make

of tra-

as implying

the

can find nothing there

but " the stinking puddles of men's traditions," an expression which surely implies nothing favourable to his

scheme.
seems, at
that yields

There

is

him no

made in 1571, which


him some help but even

an old canon,

first sight,

to

afi^ord

real assistance

for

it

mentions only

what the Catholic fathers and ancient bishops collected


from the doctrine of the Old and New Testament, and not

what they transmitted down by


Apostles.
refer,

And what

oral

tradition

they collected seems

from the

evidently

to

from the other parts of the canon, not to any doc-

trinal subjects, or to the articles,

phne, especially to the

Form

but to matters of disci-

of Ordination of archbishops,

bishops, priests, and deacons

for the articles are after-

wards expressly said to " have been, without doubt,


lected from the sacred books of the

ment," and not from

tradition,

as

Old and

New

col-

Testa-

conveying the Catholic

faith.

The canon

itself is

too long to be quoted, but the follow-


223

A LETTER ON TRADITION.
ing are the words respecting the
rehgionis christiante,
in legitima et

in

articles

Articuli

illi

quos consensum est ab Episcopis

duhie collecti sunt ex sacris libris veteris et novi

hand
Testa-

menti.

portion of the concluding part of this canon

recommend

Oxford Tracts.

beg

to the attention of the authors of the

It is as follows

Vanas

et aniles opini-

ones, et hceresies, et errores pontificios, a doctrina et fide

Christi abhorrentes, non docehunt.

we

part of the canon, and

Tracts as

we have had.

Let them observe this

shall

have no more such Oxford

It

not necessary to translate

is

the foregoing sentence, for the sake of the authors them-

but for the sake of some readers, I will do so


" They shall not teach vain and anile opinions and heresies,

selves

and

pontifical errors, abhorrent to the doctrine

of Christ."

It is

not said,

or Catholic tradition,

added,

if

There
Church.
point

them.
cially

and

faith

abhorrent to the Catholic faith

as our author would doubtless have

he had drawn
is

it

up.

one more attempt made to link tradition to our

The adoption

of the creeds,

and " the Catholic

faith " is

it is

proves this

said,

mentioned

Could there be any-thing so flimsy as

when

in

this,

one of
espe-

the article states expressly on what ground

they are received and adopted

They ought "to be tho-

roughly received and believed," says the article," for they

may

be proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture."

They

^^^("^1^^,

Sancta S}modo, jussu atque authoritate sere-

nissimse Principis Elizabethse convocata et celebrata,

leave to

Collection

are adopted, not on

the ground of tradition, but

on the ground of their scriptural character.


These three creeds, especially the Apostles', are made

^^^^

2-24

ON TRADITION.

I.ETTKR

an unw arranted use of by our author.


are, as doctrinal expositions,

"\'aluable as

any high regard on the ground of antiquity.

Athunasius

is

tliey

none of them are entitled to

The creed

of

not thought to have been drawn up by him

but to have been collected by some one, nobody knows by

whom, from his writings. It


among his works nor was
;

Bishop Burnet,

is

not, says

it

ever heard of before the

eighth century, an age not very remarkable for purity of

The Nicean creed

doctrine.

is

the creed of a council

held at Nice in the fourth century, but not exactly as we


have it now the procession of the Holy Ghost " fi'om the
:

Father," was added in the second general council at Constantinople,

and,

Western Church.

" from the Son,"

The

was added by the

Apostles' creed

is

not thought, by

any person versed in antiquity, to have been drawn


up by them. " There is no reason," says Bishop Burnet,
" to believe that this creed was prepared by the Apostles,
or that

it

was of any great antiquity

lived in the fourth century)


It

is

true,

Aquileia

he published

it

but that was so

was

since

it.

as the creed of the church of


late,

that neither this nor the

other creeds have any authority on their

How

Ruffn, (who

the first that puhlished

wisely, therefore, has our

own

Church acted

in

account."

adopting

these symbols, not on the ground of antiquity or tradition,

but on the ground of their being capable

Holy Scripture

of proof from

They were no doubt viewed by our Re-

formers as containing brief and convenient summaries of


Divine truths, exactly in the same

Church were

way

atom of idea of bearing testimony,


have

it,

as

if

any Protestant

to adopt Dr. Watts' Catechism, without an

to tradition.

as our author

would

2-25

LETTER ON TRADITION.

Durandus, as quoted by Bishop

StiUingfleet, in his Durandas.

" Council of Trent Examined," &c. has these words


" Jll truth is contained in the Holy Scripture at large but
:

for the peoples' conveniency, the necessary points are


summed up in the Apostles' creed." This learned Romanist

had a

far better

idea of the ground on

which

this creed is

Many Romanists

adopted, than our author.

Council of Trent, as Bishop

before the

StiDingfleet clearly proves,

denied exphcitly what our author maintains, that


authority of tradition
ture alone

is

following

is

is,

the

and held expressly, that the Scrip-

the test of truth and the


the testimony of John

rule of faith.

The

Gerson, declared by

Greson.

Zabarella, in the council of Constance, to be the greatest


tradita
est,
divine
of his time : " Scriptura nobis
tanquam regula suddens et infallibilis, pro regimine ecclefinem
usque
in
seculi.
membrorum,
siastici corporis et
The Scripture has been delivered to us as a sufficient and
infallible rule for the

government of the ecclesiastical body

and members, to the end of the world."


Much is made, by Mr. Newman, of the practice of the
Fathers

in referring to Tradition.

does not clearly or correctly state.

The reason

of this he

Ever\^ thing depends

on the grounds on which Tradition was adduced, and on


what was understood by the term. The following quotation from Bishop Burnet,

on the

Articles, represents the

case very clearly and very satisfactorily

"It

is

plain that

the Gnosticks, the Valentinians, and other heretics, began

very early to set up a pretension to a tradition delivered bv


the Apostles to some particular persons, as a key for under-

standing the secret meanings that might be in Scripture


in opposition to

which both

Irenaeu-a.

TertuUian, and others,

gp.

Bomet.

A LETTER ON THADITION.

226

make one

of

two

sorts of arguments.

thority of the Scripture

errors

the other

is

this,

was not

said

Scriptures

their

in

which suc-

They

say.

This

search for Apostohcal tradition.

by them as

if

they had designed to establish

as an authority distinct

tradition

and

apostles,

had been continued down.

we must

In these

the au-

they appeal to those churches

which had been founded by the


cession of bishops

is

was no such

a point of fact, that there

In asserting

tradition.

Tlie one

by which they confuted

itself,

from or equal to the

but only to shew the falsehood of that pretence

of the heretics, and that there was no such tradition for


their heresies as they

gave out."

Exactly the same view should be taken of tradition when

by some of our Reformers in their disputes with


They gave no authority themselves to

referred to

the Romanists.
tradition

and

but as the Romanists pleaded

justly,

that early tradition

maintained that

them.

was

was decidedly and

it

The reason

it,

they denied,

expressly against

exactly the same in latter times, as in former ages.

thers,

as

it

was made by the

It

was

early Fa-

for the purpose of destroying

tradition,
test

been

for the appeal to tradition has

made by our Reformers,

but

in their favour,

the claims of false


and not for the purpose of making tradition the

of truth

or the rule of faith.

They

referred to

it

as

corroborative of what they held as the doctrines of the

The heretics made the first appeal to tradition ;


Bible.
and the orthodox did the same in self-defence, " to clear
themselves," as Bishop Burnet says, " from the imputation
of having innovated any thing in the doctrine or in the

ways of expressing
In no other

it."

way but

this,

can we account for the strong

227

A LETTER ON TRADITION.
things they say in some parts in favour of tradition, and at

same time

the

nothing

is

for their

many

express declarations that

who

they contended with heretics

adduced tradition to confute them

on

in his

book

"

by
us

us,
:

shall in a brief

The

and

centuries,

to us in the

our faith."

whom

his

first

some

is

no otherwise known 167176.

to be the foundation

and

IrencRus.

fear the

it is

Hermogenes

let

written.

woe which belongs

If

to

it

be not

them

that

add or detr&ct. "Tertullian.


" Whosoever of us will preserve piety towards God, he

cannot otherwise learn

it

than from the Holy Scripture."

Hyppolytus.

"Whence

is

this tradition

Is

it

our Lord and his Gospel, or comes


of the Apostles in their epistles
that

what

is

.''

from the authority of


it

from the commands

Almighty God declares,

written should be obeyed and practised.

truth have swerved or failed in any particular,

ward
tion."

"

to the source of Evangelical

If

we go back-

and Apostolical

tradi-

Cyprian.

What

are those things which

Even those which

^j^^

Lively^

extracts from

preached, but afterward deli-

Scripture,

journeymen shew that

him

Whole

Fathers of

the Gospel was brought to

adore the plenitude of Scripture

written, let

of the "

form be added here.

disposition of our salvation

which indeed they

vered
"

first

than by those by

pillar of

and yet they spoke of

called " the Lively Oracles," has

this last subject, the opinions of the

any note during the

which

pleaded tradition, they

The author

Scripture as the only rule of faith.

Duty of Man,"
collected,

When

vahd but what the Scriptures contain.

we ought

to inquire into

are to be found in the Scriptures.

Those

A LETTEK ON TRADITION.
things which are not there to be found,
" It

let

us

not seek

Eusebius.

after."

is fit

word of God, and not

for us to adhere to the

it.
Ask not concerning the Trinity but learn
only from the Scriptures; for the instructions which you
will find there are sufficient."
Alhanasius.

relinquish

" There

is

from above.

no earthly judge, but one is to be sought


Yet there is no need of a resort to heaven,

when we have in the Gospel a Testament. The Lord who


left his will among us, is now in heaven
therefore, let us
seek his commands in the Gospel, as in his will."
Optatus.
;

" Beheve those

(things)

which are written

seek not
those (things) which are not written." jBastV.
" How can we make use of any thing which is not to be

found

in the Scripture

"As we

"Ambrose.

deny not that which

those which are not written."

" The Holy Scripture

(which

is

the

is

written,

same thing

so

we

refuse

Jerome.

settles the rule of

our doctrine,"

Au-

as the rule of our faith.)

gustine.

"

It is the

suggestion of a diabolical spirit to think that

any thing besides the Scripture has divine authority."


Theophilus of Alexandria.
" If the appeal were to reason,

be just cause of being troubled


tures,

in

this case there

would

but

we appeal to the

Scrip-

vou may

easily

and they are simple and

yourself judge.

Christian

He

he that

certain,

that agrees with the Scriptures,

resists

them,

is

far out of the

way.

is

a
I

pray and exhort you, that giving no heed to what this or

man says, you would consult the Holy Scriptures, and


thence learn the Divine riches, and pursue what vou have

that

learnt.

" Cli rysostum

some of the Fathers did

lay great stress

and exalt it to a second or first rule of faith

tradition,
it

if

229

LETTER ON TRADITION

And what

on

Except

be proved that they did this on Divine authority, what they

did

is

They maintained,

not binding on us.

many

practised

and deserve

held,

and

which have been long neglected,

things,

The

to be so.

down by Vincentius

rule laid

and the
human, and not

in the fourth century, for discovering the true faith

true church,

Divine.

is

might serve

It

cing heretics

ward

to

very ingenious

but

it is

weaken or

in his

but

is

it

day for the purpose of

sadly misapplied,

silen-

when brought for-

any degree, the supreme

neutralize, in

and exclusive authority of the Scriptures.

The notions
creed,

of

our author respecting the Apostles'

and the use he makes of

Church teaches

says that the

it,

first

He

are very strange.

the creed, or bears tes-

timony to the creed as containing the essential doctrines


of the Catholic faith, and appeals to Scripture for proof.
If

he refers to

its

elementary teaching

to what the Church

teaches children how does he separate the creed from the

catechism
is

And

and not any

The
lic

as to

pubHc teaching, the word of God


first and last

what our Church requires to be taught


tradition, or

Scripture,

truth

is

he admits)

it

seems,

to be taught
is

the

making the Church

what
is

final test

is

called the Catholic truth.

only for proof

Now,

if

what

is

round

travel this useless

the point to be maintained, that tradition


to Scripture,

but the Catho-

the Scripture (which

of truth,

is

the use of

and how

is

a supplement

and the expositor of Scripture, with which

?
The scheme, it appears, is this
Church does not preach Scripture, or bear witness

he seems to hold

but to traditionary or Catholic truth

and then

The
to

it,

refers to

A LETTER ON TRADITION.

230

Scripture for proof, as the final test of truth.


is

not

all,

Church then,

for the

as

it

And

this

seems, brings forward

tradition as the interpreter of the final test, the Scripture

Thus Scripture

when brought

tradition dictates to
I

know

not what

put in the background

at first

is

forward,

it

and

not allowed to speak but as

If this be not pure Romanism,

it.

It

is.

for such anti-protestant

is

among

too late in the day, I hope,

is

and

anti- scriptural notions to

meet

members of the Anghcan or


The following are a few
any other reformed Church.
extracts from Bishop Jeremy Taylor, on the subject of
with any success

tradition, taken

courses
p. Jer.

raylor.

"

When

the

from the volume of

his

Polemical Dis-

the Fathers appeal to tradition, and with

much

earnestness and some clamour they call upon heretics to

conform

to,

or be tied by, tradition,

it

is

such a tradition

as delivers the fundamental points

of Christianity,

were also recorded

That they did rather

in

Scripture.

which

urge tradition against them than Scripture, was because


all the Apostolical Churches was at
more known and famous than many parts of the
Scripture, and because some heretics denied St. Luke's
Gospel, some received none but St. Matthew's, some reand it was a long time
jected all St. Paul's Epistles
before the whole canon was consigned by universal testimony, some churches having one part, some another
Rome herself had not all so that in this case the argument from tradition was the most famous, the most certain,
and the most prudent. And now, according to this rule,
they had more traditions than we have
and traditions by
degrees did lessen as they came to be written, and their

the public doctrine of


Jirst

;
;

A LETTER

was

necessity
to us

less as the

231

ON TRADITION.

knowledge of them was ascertained

by a better keeper of Divine

There

truths.

in-

is,

any thing but what is turitten in Scripture,


that can with any confidence of argument pretend to derive from the Apostles, except rituals and manners of
deed, scarce

ministration

but no doctrines or speculative

by so
channel, and

mysteries

are so transmitted to us

clear a current, that

may

trace

see a visible

it

we

to the primitive

Either for the difficulty of their being proved,

fountains.

the incompetency of the testimony that transmits them,


or the indifFerency of the thing transmitted, all traditions,

both ritual and doctrinal, are disabled

our consciences either

was an

It

wiped out with


de Fide

to

all

never be

will

fidei lapsus,

et

liquidum super-

respuere aliquid eorum quse scriptura habet,

fall fi'om

either to refuse

est."

(It

is

the faith, and the clear vice of pride,

any thing of what the Scripture contains,

or to introduce any thing that


is

and

quicquam quod scriptum non

vel inducere

manifest

Basil,

the eloquence of Perron, in his Serm.

" Manifestus est

biae vitium, vel

from determining

a necessary believing or obeying.

excellent saying of

is

No man

not written.)

materially a heretic, but he that errs in a point of faith

and

all

faith

judgment of

is

faith

sufficiently

and heresy

recorded in
is

Scripture

to be derived

and no man
for

said

is to be condemned for dissenting in an


whose probatum, tradition only is pretended.

that there are traditive interpretations,

traditive propositions

but these have not

the

from thence

as

much

article
It is

well as
distinct

consideration in them, both because their uncertainty

is

as

great as the other upon the former considerations, as also,

because

in

very deed there are no such things ns traditive

232

A LETTER ON TRADITION.

They

interpretations universal

than the

they are.

taries

there being
many

are no

particiilar authority of those

more argument

men whose commen-

Beside the no-necessity of the traditions

abundantly enough

things called traditions

bij

in Scripture

there are

the Fathers which they

themselves either prove by no authors, or by apocryphal,

and

and

spurious,

in very

much be

heretical.

The matter

of tradition will

so uncertain, so false, so suspicious, so

contradictory, so improbable, so unproved, that


tion

if

a ques-

be contested, and be offered to be proved only by

tradition,

it

be very hard to impose such a proposition

will

to the behef of

all

men

determination

but

it

with an imperiousness or resolved

wiU be necessan,' that men should

preserve the liberty of bebeving and prophesying, and not


Pp.

97^ P^*"*

^'th

it

upon

Esau made for


Such were I

"

worse merchandise and exchange than

will

not say the opinions, but the arguments,

Permit me to add a few exfrom the " Collection of Articles," &c. to which

of Bishop
tracts

his birthright."

Jeremy Taylor.

have already referred.

Ordinances,

K.

K. Edward

Charles

full

and Constitutions

Public Records of the

times of

The

I.

title

the following

is

of Articles, Injunctions, Canons, Orders,

Collection

Church

published to

Ecclesiastical,

with other

of England, chiefly in the

VI., Q. Elizabeth, K. James, and


vindicate

the

Church of

England, and to promote Uniformity and Peace in the

same."

My

copy

Bishop Sparrow
is

is

is

the third edition, printed in 1675,

the reputed author or collector.

no recognition of tradition

in this

There

Collection, but

of

the Scriptures alone, as the only " foundation and pillar


of the

faith"

of our

church.

Tradition

is

wholly an

which

plant

"catalogued;" and
plant

it

233

LETTER ON TRADITION.

exotic

never been

has

hope that every attempt to trans-

Roman

from the

our church

in

will ever

soil

be resisted by the

The

genuine sons of the Protestant Church of England.

following passages are taken from documents not generally


known and they refer us constantly to Scripture, and not
;

at all to tradition

"They

the word of
to

(the clergy) shall purely

works of

God

faith,

and commanded

and

and sincerely declare

same exhort

in the

their hearers

mercy, and charity, specially prescribed,


Scripture

in

and that works devised by

men's phantasies besides Scripture .... have not only no


promise of reward in Scripture for doing of them
Injunctions by King
"

The

but

and maledictions of God."

contrariwise, great threats

Edward

VI.,

1547, p.

said ecclesiastical person shall in

2.

no wise, at any

unlawful time, nor for any other cause, but for their honest
necessity, haunt

And

or resort to

any taverns or alehouses.


them-

after their dinner or supper, they shall not give

selves to drinking or riot, spending their time idly

by day

or by night, at dice, cards, or tables playing, or any other

unlawful
leisure,

game
they

Scripture."

but

shall
Ibid.

at

hear

all

times,

as

they

have

shall

and read somewhat of

Holy

p. 4.

"

Whether they have preached, or caused to be preached,


purely and sincerely, the word of God, in every of their
cures, every quarter of the year, once at least, exhorting
their parishioners to

and not

to

works commanded by the Scripture,

works devised by

Scripture, as wearing or praying

Articles

of Visitation

men's phantasies besides

upon beads or such

by Archbishop Cranmer,

second year of Edward W.,

p. 26.

like."

in

the


234

LETTER ON TRADITION.

"

Whether they have discouraged any person from reading of any part of the Bible, either in Latin or in EngUsh
but rather comforted and exhorted every person to read
the same, as the very Uvely word of God, and the special

food of man's soul." Ibid. p. 26.


" Whether any have wilfully maintained and defended

any heresies, errors, or

false opinions, contrary to the faith

of Christ and Holy Scripture."


I

may

Ibid.

p. 31.

here introduce what occurs in the Articles of

Visitation,

by Ridley, Bishop of London, in the fourth


Edward VI., 1550, as it bears on a subject

year of King

mooted by the Oxford Tracts men.


after baptism.

It is

respecting sin

Their view was evidently considered false

and dangerous, otherwise the following inquiry would not


have been made in the Articles of Visitation
"

Whether any

that

saith,

allowed to repentance,

if

Christian

men

cannot be

they sin voluntary after baptism."

p. 37.

" They (the clergy) shall discourage no

man from

the

reading any part of the Bible, either in Latin or in English,

but shall rather exhort every person to read the same with
great humility and reverence, as the very lively

God and

word of

the especial food of man's soul, which all Chris-

tian persons are

bound

to embrace, believe,

Injunctions by

they look to be saved."

1559, p. 69.
" That the vice of

and follow,

Queen

if

Elizabeth,

damnable despair may be clearly

taken away, and that firm beUef and stedfast hope

may

their parishioners, being in

any

be surely conceived of

all

danger, they shall learn, and have always in a readiness,

such comfortable places and sentences of Scripture as do

A LETTER ON TRADITION.
set forth the

235

mercy, benefits, and goodness, of Almighty

God towards all penitent and believing


may at all times, when necessity shall
comfort their flock with the

persons, that they


require, promptly

word

lively

the only stay of man's conscience."

of God, which

is

Ibid. p. 72.

There is not a word in these extracts, nor in the documents from which they are taken, about tradition, or the
Catholic truth, or the consent of Fathers

the
is

are

and

called the catholic faith) purely

the people are to read


omission,

The

if

tradition

Articles

the year

in

humbly and

it

is

1571

King Edward VI, 's

in

all

an

reign, in

with some few

afterwards ratified,

are

same with our

essentially the

And we know

present Articles.

and

What

sincerely,

reverently.

a guide as well as Scripture

drawn up

1552 and

alterations,

is

but the Scrip-

made every thing both to the clergy and laity


clergy are to preach the word of God (and not what

tures

that in the Articles there

not one single reference to the Catholic truth or tradi-

tion

but the Scripture

continually appealed to as the

is

only repositoiy and standard of truth, to which not only


the doctrines, but the ceremonies and the traditions of the

Church, as to forms and

There

formable.

is

are to be

discipline,

not a single mention

made

made conof tradition

as to doctrine, or of Catholic truth, or consent of Fathers,

or the primitive Church.

or even referred

to, as

but the written word of


tradition
It is
I

is

There

is

nothing acknowledged,

" the foundation and piUar of faith,"

And

God.

a guide to our

Church

yet

a guide which she has never recognized

trust, she will

will surely lead

never recognize

for

her into the ditch of

seems that

it

as well as Scripture
;

and which,

it
a bhnd one, and
error and corruption.

is

LETTER ON TRADITION.

236

The Canons were


I.,

in the

drawn up

first

year 1603.

in the reign of

In these, again,

James

we meet with no

recognition of tradition or the Catholic truth, or the primitive church, except in a

few

rituals respectingthe ordination

of ministers and the sign of the cross in baptism.

the

last

subject

orthodoxis

iis

are

the strongest expressions

On

" Freti

doctrinae regulis, de mediis et adiaphoris,

quas Divino Canoni ac Patrum antiquorum concordi sen-

judicamus esse consentaneas." Thus they speak of


themselves as " relying on those orthodox rules of doctentiae

trine, as to

middle and indifferent things, which

to be agreeable to the Divine

Canon and

opinion of the ancient Fathers."

the documents of our Church


is,

if

they relied on

we might expect
but we find it no where among

the same respecting doctrines of


the same sort of statement

Now

we judge

to the concurrent

faith,

but her invariable language

that she relies, in this respect, solely and exclusively

on Scripture.
ANTI-PAPIST.

APPENDIX : NOTES.

A.

It

is

second century,
Easter,

to

p. 3.

that Irenseus in his day,

singular,

ascribes the

the end

the rusticity or rudeness of former times.

In

Rome,

by

his letter to Victor, bishop of

partially preserved

Eusebius, speaking of Easter, he thus proceeds


the variety of those

is

of the ^et

who

observe

it,

not begun

but long before by our predecessors,


appears, beyond what was strict, having

" Such

now by

who kept
made for

km

iSfoiTio-fx.oi'

it,

"

And

vulgarity.")

He

as

and we are

at

ment about

it

(xaO

then adds, that

not,

and the disagreerecommends the harmony of faith.

peace, one with another


fasting

Irenseus in this passage, gives us, most probably, a key


to

many

of the practices in the primitive church

later ages ascribed to the apostles.

simplicity

and rudeness

"

They began

of the first ages

'5^4

us,

and should not, create disunion.


nevertheless,'' he observes, " all these were at peace,

this difference did

p 3

posterity

a custom according to their simplicity and rudeness,


aTrXoTvjTa

various degrees of fasting at

in

which
" the

and how many

lienaeuu.

238

APPENDIX

B. C.

of such things have been fathered, without any authority,

Just and well-founded, no


by Jeremy Taylor in his " Dissuasive

apostles themselves

B Jeremy
faybr""^ doubt,

is

what

is

from Popery," on

said

this point.

said to be apostolical,

if

" Traditions," he says," are

they be but ancient

come from we know not whom, they


the apostles
Collection

Poi'dIsc
p. 406.

and

and

are said to

postnate, they are called primitive

if

they

if

come from
:

and

^^^Y argued and laboriously disputed into the title of apostraditions, by not only fallible, but fallacious argu-

ments."
N.

There

B.

is

an omission of the word cap, after " stand up," in

p. 9,

line 2.

B. p. 10.
Let.i.p.lO.

Archbishop took a wide and a charitable view of the

-pjjg

and seemed evidently aware of the truth of what

subject,

Bishop

Stillingfleet

announces, when he says,

" Nothing

^fleet^

hath been a more

fruitful

mother of mistakes and

errors,

than the looking upon the practice of the primitive chtirch

through the glass of our own customs."

C.

Let.i.p.xi.

Tertullian

and

that he,

imtil he became a
Montanus was a Phry-

and was deemed orthodox

century,

Montanist
Montanus. gian,

p. 11.

flourished about the beginning of the third

which was

late in life.

laid claim to a prophetic spirit.

and the two rich

ladies,

Priscilla

He

maintained

and Maximilla,

who were

his partners in the delusion,

were three chosen

who, being filled with the spirit of prophecy, were


destined to " complete the mystery of eternal redemption."
vessels,

They pretended

to very great

tere

life.

then

left it,

sanctity,

much given

marriage, and were

were adverse to

to fasting,

and to an aus-

Tertullian joined this strange sect for a time

and formed a sect of

under his name

his

own, which continued

some years after his death, but evenHis works were mostly written
They were in high repute
in the primitive church, and Cyprian especially admired
them and they have no doubt been the means of originating and of perpetuating many false and extravagant
tually ceased

for

to exist.

before he became a Montanist.

He was

notions, particularly with regard to baptism.

man

He

berant imagination.

and a superstitious
his lapse into

spirit,

also

but of a fanciful and exu-

of a very vigorous mind,

possessed an ascetic temper,

which

is

sufficiently

evidenced by

Montanism.

D.

p. 13.

Hardly any thing escaped the notice of that acute and


profound observer of
has,

in his Essays,

men and

things.

particidarized,

Lord Bacon,

His words are

nation, the different causes of superstition.

these

: "The

jjg

with his usual discrimi-

causes of superstition, are,

Pleasing and sensual rites and ceremonies

Excess of outward and Pharisaical holiness;


Over-great reverence of traditions, which cannot but
load the church

Let.i. p.l3.

Lord
Bacon,

240

APPENDIX

The stratagems
lucre

E.

own ambition and

of Prelates for their

The favouring too much

of

good

intentions,

eth the gates to conceits and novelties

The taking an aim

at divine

matters by human, which

cannot but breed mixture of imaginations

And

which open-

barbarous times, especially joined with cala-

lastly,

mities and distresses."

E.

Bishop Jeremy Taylor,

Let.i.p.l7.

not too

much

p. 17.

sufficiently partial to the Fathers,

speaks thus of their authority in his


Introduction to his " Dissuasive from Popery," second part.
if

"It

that the testimony of the Fathers, as such,

is false,

infallible,

so,

Taylor,

If

some

things,

every

it

it

be

and not

infallibly

man must
in many

or inspired by infallible

in all,

it is

said to

known where

places,

infallibly in

no purpose

is

sure the ice

and he knows not where

S. Austin did not think the Fathers before

hold.

infallible,

when

it is

for

the infaUibility resides,

tread fearfully, for he

broken
be

aid,

be said, that they were assisted

spirit.

unless

is

since the Fathers never pretended to be assisted

by a supernatural miraculous

plain, that in

it

him

many doctrines,

is

will

to

with-

out scruple he rejected the doctrines of his predecessors.

And
world

for that,

S.

Hierom hath given

in divers places of his

own

satisfaction to the

writings.

"

suppose,"

he says, "Origenis, for his learning to be read as Tertullian,

Novatus, Amobius, ApolUnarius, and some writers,

greek and

latin, that

we

choose out that rvkicft

is

good, and

APPENDIX

"So

avoid the contrary."

241

E.

that

themselves have no conceit of the

is

it

evident the Fathers Collection

infallibility

of themselves

or others, the Prophets and Apostles and Evangelists only

What

excepted.

Cajetan

which

think

we

" If you chance to meet with any

new

exposition

agreeable to the text, although perhaps

is

from that which


Doctors,

is

differs

it

given by the whole current of the holy

desire the readers that they

Again, " Let no

reject it."

"^.^^
p. 373.

of the saying of the Cardiiial

man

would not too

hastily

therefore reject a

new

exposition of any passage of Scripture, under pretence that


it

is

think

contrary to what the ancient doctors gave."

we

" There are

of those words of Petavius

What
many

things by the most holy Fathers scattered, especially S.

Chrysostom,

modate

in his homilies, which,

you would accom-

if

to the rule of exact truth, they

would seem to be
jj

void of good sense."

P-

376.

Perhaps no correcter views have ever been given of the


Fathers, than by the late Rev.

swer to Bishop Tomline.

Thomas

Scott,

This venerable

in

his an-

man seems

have possessed as much sound judgment and accurate

to

dis-

crimination, combined with sober and deep piety, as have

been united

in

one person,

commentary on the

it

may

to any that has ever been published.

true and consistent


mitted, as

following
light

it

be,

Bible, as a whole, is
If

in

any age.

the exhibition of the

meaning of the Divine word be ad-

ought to be, the highest excellence.

passages

His

no doubt superior

exhibit

the

Fathers

in

their

The
true

:-

" The ancient Fathers of the Christian church


read with benefit

in various

general, to be venerated

may be

ways; their persons ought

in

^^^jj^'

even their supposed mistakes are

Works.

242

APPENDIX
entitled to our

candour

F.

but they have no authority over

any more than we have over the creed of our


So little agreement in sentiment is

our creed,

remote posterity.
found

among

these Fathers, that

it

would be

a very easy

task to bring together a long catalogue of their mutual

discordances

and so inaccurate were they as to

historical

would be equally easy to make a long

that

their

undeniable mistakes.

scripture

facts,

it

list

of

Their comments upon the

were often such as would be almost universally

rejected,

nay, despised, in these days.

They were unin-

p. 223.

spired men, and fallible, as others are."

F. p. 19.

There are a few. besides those mentioned

in the text, of

whose writings Eusebius and others make mention and


of the writings of some of them they have retained some
;

fragments

they are the following

Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis in Phrj^gia, the author of


the millenarian opinion

been a

man

who

said

is

by Eusebius to have

of a " very narrow understanding."

Quadratus, Bishop of Athens, author of an apology, about


the year 126.
Aristides,

an Athenian layman, a cotemporary of the

foregoing, and a christian apologist.

Hegessippus, author of

" historical memorials, "

who

lived about the time of Irenseus.

Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth,

who wrote several epistles.


who wrote a book against

Philippus, Bishop of Gortyna,

Marcion.

APPENDIX G
Melito, Bishop of Sardis,

24S

11,

who was an

and

apologist,

wrote several books.


Apollinaris, Bishop of Hierapolis, an apologist, and an

author of some books.


Pynitus, Bishop of the Cretians, a writer of some epistles.

Eusebius mentions two others, without saying

who

they were, namely, Modestus and Musanus. The fragmentary remains of the foregoing authors give us

no high idea

of the excellency of their writings.

G. p. 19.

There are other things not authentic, besides the canons


mentioned

in this

passage.

Echard,

in his

History, speaking of Clement, refers thus to

" Several

other

writings are falsely

Ecclesiastical

some

of

imputed

them

to

"
^'^^^^^

St.

Clement, as particularly, the apostolical constitulions, an


ancient and useful work, but writ long after his death

the Recognitions

and

fables

an ancient book, abounding with errors

Clementina, and the Conferences of St. Feter

and Appion, works of the same nature and authoritv with

Eccle.s.

'

the Recognitions."

f'l^I-

H.
Tliat this

p. 22.

Barnabas was the Barnabas mentioned

ture as the companion of Paul,

is

in Scrip-

the opinion of some, and


^"^"Ig''-

of Archbishop
epistle,

Wake among others.

and compare

its

But when

read the

contents with the character given

244

APPENDIX
of Paul's companion,
this epistle
it is

I.

cannot but think, that the writer of

Not

must have been some other person.

that

wholly necessary for us, from such a comparison, to

have recourse to such an opinion

for a person once right

and possessing many excellences as a minister,


But
afterwards, fall into strange fancies and errors.

in the faith

may

I find,

many

that

ciful

Jewish convert

table, prefixed to

uncommon

it

and seem quite

entertain this opinion,

convinced, that this epistle


:

is

epistle

some fanmore accep-

Barnabas, a

practice not

the production of

who, to make his

the

name

of

in those days.

I.

p. 38.

Milner, in his Church History, apologizes for Ignatius's


Letter

iii.

p. 38.

Milner.

,.

strong language on this pomt,

move

m
.

way

calculated to re-

the objection in some measure, though not to the

extent he wishes:
"The circumstances," he says, in
which the churches were, sufficiently justify the strong
expressions of Ignatius

and

Heretics of various kinds abounded

their specious artifices

of the weak.

What,

were

likely to seduce the

minds

then, could be so just a preservative

to them, as to stick close to the society of their faithful


Vol.

pastors,
i.

p. 157.

no doubt

the successors of the apostles

"

right, in requiring their adherence

to their faithful pastors

Ignatius was

and subjection

but he was not right in requiring

the same honour and reverence to be paid to them, as to

God and

the Saviour

nor was he right in not suggesting,

which he seems not to have done


manner, that

this

in

any direct and plain

honour and reverence were only due to

APPENDIX

245

K.

them, while they taught the truth of God, and followed the
precepts of

Paul would

Saviour.

the

follow him, as he followed Christ.

have his people

Ignatius's omission

as to this point has been the occasion of great evils in after-

and continues to be so

ages,

still.

The

Minister, as a Minister, independently of

and of what he exemplifies

in

regarded as a true Minister,

is

his life

notion,

that

what he teaches,

and

spirit,

is

a mistake, for which

to be

we

are

indebted, no doubt in a great measure to the extravagant

The

and unguarded language of Ignatius.

Primitive

church was inoculated with this notion, and transmitted

down

to posterity

and we have not yet got

it

it. "Ig" certainly would not have wished

natius," says Milner,

rid of

the Ephesians to follow unsound and unfaithful pastors."

This

may be

fore his

very true

but he has not said

so,

and there-

unmeasured language has been too often taken as

all, good and bad, right or wrong in the


provided they be " external mark " ministers.

applicatory to
faith,

K.

pretence

is

p.

45.

afforded for reviving saint's-days, by our

calendar having retained the notice of them, and by our

Liturgy having services for some of them.


has become nearly obsolete in our Church

The

practice

and the experi-

ence of past ages affords no great encouragement to revive


it

and we must be blind indeed not to take lessons from

Such observances have ever been, with few


and the
promoting extravagant veneration for men.

past times.

exceptions, the nurseries of pharisaical formalists,

means

of

^
p. 45.

246

APPENDIX

What have been, and


of Rome ?
Their many

are

K.

the effects in the church

still,

and

fasts

and multiplied

festivals,

seasons of devotion, tend evidently to increase degeneracy

and ungodliness, rather than

The mechanical performance


(

for

cannot be any thing

it

on the mind, and


righteous

not to promote and foster a

fails

confessing to his priest,

or an assassin.

terer
in the

of

in

is, it

religious,

may

pirate,

be, at

an adul-

Of such monsters, no community

world presents so

Rome

self-

very punctual in going

is

in observing fasts, in attend-

same time, an habitual robber or a

at the

ser\'ices,

has a hardening effect

else,)

through his routine of prayers,


ing mass, and

numerous reUgious

The man who

spirit.

worship and piety.

spiritual

of

common

instances as the church

which exceeds every other

in ceremonials

its

observances being not

or rather superstitious

equalled by those of any sect even in the darkest regions


of Paganism.

men

And

yet this

the church which the wise

is

of the Oxford Tracts would have us to imitate

multiply

religious

observances,

to

worship, to institute fasts and festivals,


of religion and of humility

and

is

likely

still

self-judiciaries, to

but the

to be, to

harden

men

form

may have

effect

To

add services of

will-

a show

has ever been,

h)'pocrites,

to

create

for the perpetration of every

wickedness, even while saying their prayers, and to

rjiise

bedlam than

up a host of senseless devotees,

fitter for

the avocations of public

He who "knew what was

in

man

"

life.

has not appointed such things

necessary or useful, he doubtless would have done so.

men would be wiser than the only


ship God in spirit and in truth," is

for

and were they

wise God.

But

To "wor-

the chief and principal

matter, and what our Saviour has expressly required.

APPENDIX

The small
in

247

L.

portion of such observances

recognized

still

our church, was retained no doubt for the sake of con-

ciliating those of the

Romish communion

and not because

our Reformers had any predilection for them.


clearly the opinion of Bishop Stillingfleet.

This was
Having spoken

of the conciliatory conduct of the French Reformers with


respect to the Romanists, he says,

"The same temper was

used by our Reformers in the composing of our Liturgy, in


reference to the Papists, to
eye,

whom

as being the only party then appearing,

draw

desired to

them as they

whom

they

communion, by cominfj as near


could."
And then foUows what is de-

vjell

who

A'^^'-

into their

serving of notice in the present day

holy men,

gtilling-

they had an especial

did seek by any

at such a distance

" And certainly, those

means

to

draw

1,.^,,;,.

p- 122.

in others,

from their principles as the Papists were,

did never intend by what they did for that end, to exclude

The

any truly tender consciences from their communion.

same reason, which at that time made them yield so far to


them then, would now have persuaded them to alter and
lay aside
to

all

those things which yield matter of offence

The

any of the same profession with themselves now."

Protestant principle

is

to diminish such observances

the Romish, to retain and increase them.

accustomed

chiefly

to

but

The former

regard the power, and the

j^j^
p. 123.

is

latter,

the form, of godliness.

It is
calls,

remarkable,

" the future

how

the description of what Irenseus Letter

apostacy under Antichrist,

iv.


248

APPENDIX
with

the

character

While discussing
" As

many

them he

lAijii

from light
loss of all

is

darkness

being destitute of
;

as depart from

opinion, (xara

Trjy

yva-

God

is

and separation from God

is

death, as separation
is

the

good things which come from him. They, there-

who through

ment

own

on them he brings the separation which

and separation from

and communion

As many

come from him.

avTuv.)

from him

with God, to

((plXiav)

and the enjoyment of the good

light,

compliance with their

in

fore,

and

Rome.

church of

he speaks thus

this subject,

communion with himself

is life

things which

God,

L.

apostate

as keep friendship

affords

God

with

of the

apostacy cast away the things aforesaid,

good

all

but punishment
destitute of

in the first place

good

punish them,

them, because of their being

itself follows

all

remain under punish-

things,

God, indeed, does not

things,

(that

is,

the

life

and light

which are connected with God's friendship and communion.)

And
\j\

God

the good things of

therefore the loss of

them

and endless

are eternal

be eternal and endless."

will

Pursuing the same subject, he has these striking words.


" Since therefore in this world, some run to the light,

and through

themselves to God,

faith unite

ivova-iv

eauTOK?

stand

aloof

ru @ea,)

withdraw,)

themselves from

from the

light,

Word

God

God, the

appoint an habitation fitted for


light,

that they

Him, and

for those

])artake of the

says, that

kingdom

may

He

all,

of heaven,

of

(afia-ravTou,

and separate
will

for those

come, and

who are

in the

enjoy the good things that are in

who

are in darkness, that they

wretchedness that
will

(ha. rtj? irla-reat

and some depart

call

and

those
will

is

in

it.

may

Therefore he

on the right hand into the

send those on the

left

hand,

APPENDIX
into
all

everlasting

And on

good things.

249

L.

had deprived themselves of

for they

fire,

this account the apostle says,

" Because they received not the love of the truth, that

God

they might be saved,

working of

error,

believe a

that they

lie,

therefore will send on

them the

may

(operationem erroris), that they


all

may be condemned, who have

not

He

beheved the truth, but have sided with iniquity."

then speaks of Antichrist, as " concentrating apostacy in


himself,

and

sitting in the

are seduced by

tum adorent
Rev.

xiii.

and quotes the verses

18,

at large.

that the origin and the very essence of apos-

tacy, according to

ship of

as Christ, (Sicut Chris-

After this he apphes to Antichrist,

ilium)."

It appears,

who

temple of God, that they

him may adore him

Irenaeus,

is

from the friend-

to depart

God and communion with Him,

or in other words,

from the light and to separate from God.

to depart

not to separate from

communion with any

It is

Church,

visible

but to separate and depart from Divine light, and the en-

joyment of the good things that come from God.


striking
'

On

comment

this

in chap.

account,' he says,

that believeth on

me

'

shall not

faith

and then follows

Now

is

by

and by

God
then,

faith

Christ

in

communion with God.


Romish Church most evidently

very things noticed by Irenaeus.

clearly departed

and from

faith,

united to

The union

friendship and

the apostacy of the

consists in the

most

is

(adunitus est per fidem Deo).

according to Irenaeus,

spiritual

the Lord has said, " He


be condemned " that is,

shall not be separated from God, for he

by

same aspect

27, bears the

It

has

from the true light of God's word,

communion with God,

ages incontestably prove.

What

does

it

as

its

deeds for

make necessary

Lib.

v.

250

APPENDIX M.
to salvation
in the

to

Not

Church.

God and
all

but

in effect faith

has in fact taken the place that belongs

It

makes proselytes to itself,


The tenof the divines of the Oxford Tracts

the Saviour, and

and not true


dency of

faith in the Saviour,

Great Redeemer.

disciples to the

the efforts

They try with all their might and


of the Church for the
word of God, which is the only safe
light to our paths,
and communion with the Church, for
communion with God himself by faith in Christ Jesus.
Increase rituals after the fashion of the Church of Rome,
make them very important things, enhance the value of
is

exactly the same.

skill

to substitute the teaching

teaching of

the

Sacraments, exalt the visible Church, represent


only

medium

of

it

as the

communication between God and his

and depreciate faith in Christ and individual communion with God, and you will not fail to produce the
awful apostacy which Ircnseus describes, the very apos-

people,

tacy of Antichrist

and

this

is

the manifest tendency of

the doctrines of the Oxford Tracts.

ware of them, who dread


of apostate
its

Rome

is

accustomed subtleness and

The following remarks


50.

Let

enormous

all

therefore be-

sin.

The

spirit

evidently working at Oxford with

M.

this

to in the text, are just

all

plausibility.

p.

50.

of Scott on the points referred

and appropriate

" The Judaizing

teachers seem to have blended their system with speculations


Stott.

borrowed from the Pagans and

sophers

their sects of Philo-

thus the traditions of the sages and those of the


APPENDIX

251

By

were incorporated.

Pharisees

izing teachers

new and

had begun

To add

and thus to render

it

more

Jiida-

voluntarily
strict,

and extraordinary

a resemblance of great devotion


:

means the

to corrupt Christianity with a

refined species of Idolatry.

to the rule of duty,

tity

tliese

had

sanc-

it implied that God gave a defective rule, and


would be pleased with what he never commanded.

but

that he

The abstaining from meats, with various self-imposed


austerities, might haveas^ew of extraordinary spirituality,
by which the body was neglected, from an affected superiority

tions

to animal indulgence,

and suffering

God,

tended to
sities of

will,

yet

and willingness

for mortifica-

was not

any honour to

this

all

anything valuable in

or

satisfy,

itself,

in a dishonourable

in

nay,

the

whole

manner, the propen-

the flesh, or the carnal mind, by gratifying

self^.^

self-wisdom, self-righteousness, bigotry and contempt


Col

of others."

N.

p.

54.

This passage has been found fault with by a corresponWliat has been objected to was
dent in the " Record."

what follows
That the sentence from Ignatius, " the medicine,"

substantially
1.

&c.
2.

is

quoted with approbation

in

the 27th Homily.

That our Reformers quoted largely from the Fathers,

and thereby approved of them.


3.

That our Church teaches on

4.

all

important points

Church and martyrs did teach.


And lastly, that I am inconsistent in condemning the

as the primitive

Fathers, and praising the Homilies.

Letter
^'

iv.

252

APPENDIX

My

answer to

following
1

N.

this correspondent

was

in

substance the

That the above sentence

is

quoted

in the

Homily

in

a qimlifyingform
the Fathers are said, not to have been
" afraid " to designate the eucharist by these and similar
;

terms, and that

it

stands connected in the Homily with a

right explanation of the ordinance, and not in an insulated

and therefore not

form PS

in

literally,

and thus taken wrongly.

2.

many

That

Ignatius,

am

fully

liable to

be taken

aware, that our Reformers did quote

passages from the Fathers, evidently approving of

them, which

have done also

in a

measure

but that this

does not shew that they approved of all that the Fathers

have
3.

said.

That our Church teaches many things taught by the

primitive

Church, and that

it

does not teach

many

other

things which the primitive Church did evidently teach, as


I

have already proved as to several particulars

moreover, that our Church teaches

in

my Letters

the primitive Church seems to have known, and that

teaches some things contrary to


the Scriptures being

much

its

4.

And

lastly, that

my

it

most current opinions,

better understood

mers than by either the early or the

much more than what

by our Refor-

later Fathers.

denunciation of the Fathers ex-

tends to some things and not to

all,

that

our Reformers

produced from their writings the best things, because this


course was most suitable to the circumstances of their case,
- and that

it is

my

ungracious work to produce the worst

things, because such a course

is

rendered necessary by the

circumstances of the present day.

APPENDIX O

O.
It

is

253

P.

56.

p.

very doubtful whether even the essentials of the

ijptter

Gospel could have been faithfully conveyed for such a term


of years without written documents.

was the written

It

Gospel that enabled the primitive Church to retain as


did,

even the essentials of truth

and

it

it

was no doubt the

scarcity of copies that occasioned corruption to creep in

so fast into

it.

The words

are very striking:

of

" Reading

Chrysostom on this point


the Holy Scriptures," he Chiysos

says, " is a powerful defence against sin, while ignorance

of

them

is

a deep precipice, a profound gulph

it

is

to

renounce salvation and refuse the knowledge of the divine


law.

This

is

that

which has brought in

heresies, occa-

sioned the corruption of morals, and disordered

P.

What Bishop Reynolds

p.

all

Tom.

i.

things."

59.

says of what

is

due generally

may justly be applied especially to the


Fathers " We may assent to them as ancients, but not
as oracles.
They may have our minds easy and inclinable:
they may not have them captivated and fettered to their

Letter iv
p.

.51.

to ancient authors,
:

Reynolds.

opinions."
N.B. The two next referential letters
wrong ; the O in page 67," should be Q

in
;

the margin of the text are

and the

in page 7

should


254

APPENDIX

Q.
Letter

Q.

p. 67.

v.

Justin frequently speaks of the

07.

p.

following passages shall be added

^.

"
of

We

God

have been taught that Christ

the first-begotten

Him

to be

Reason

whole race of men partake; and


by reason are Christians, though they may

live

Such among the Greeks were Socrates


like them
and among the

and Heraclitus, and others


barbarians

Abraham and Ananias,


and many others. So also the

apapoii;)

(ev

Misael, and Elijah,

lived without reason {a>ev Xoyov),

Azarias,

ancients

were unprofitable

and enemies to Christ, and murderers of those who


Apol.

1.

beet. 40.

jjy

reason.

But they who did and do

Christians, being both fearless

"We know

that

some

seed of reason which

men

(Sia to

and intrepid."

that were of the

opinions of the

sometimes the poets, when they became

adorned, as to moral reason

..

lived

bv reason, are

live

'

Stoics, as also

The

of which the

who

be called atheists.

who

or Reason.

is

and we have before declared

(Koyov),

they

Word

ejxjiviov

is

(r)6iKov

\oyoy),

through the

implanted in the whole race of

itavn yevd avBfUTiuv tTveoixa lov XoXnv),

Sect!

8.

have been hated and murdered."


"

The

doctrines of Plato are not alien to those of Christ

but they are not wholly similar, nor those of others, as

and historians. For everj' one who


saw what was native (to <rvyyev<;), from having portions
the Stoics, poets,

of seminal divine reason (o-Trep/iaTHcou Oetov Xayov), has well

spoken.
selves,

But they who have said things contrary to themon the more important matters, seem not to have

APPENDIX
possessed the science that

255

R.

liidden

is

the knowledge that cannot be refuted.


fore has

been well said by them

tians.

All writers,

planted reason (Sja

unseen), and

(airoirrov,

Whatever there-

belongs to us Chris-

all,

by means of the innate seed of imtvj?

cvova-^;

rov

ef^jivTov

o-iropa?)

could obscurely see things as they are."

power (Kara

Justin also speaks of a seed given by


that

/Aiv),

by created power,

is,

if

rightly

him; and of a seed given by grace (xara


it is

Suva-

understand

Hence

^ajjiv).

not improbable that the idea of " seminal grace " has

with Justin, and that he derived

originated

heathen notion of seminal reason


latter is universal,

former

is

and the

it

from the

idea, that the

has probably led to the notion, that the

through Christ become so too.

R.

The present bishop

71.

p.

of Lincoln, Dr. Kaye, in his " Ac-

count of Justin," distinctly admits that Justin was defective


in

on the
" sufficiently clear and cx-

Letter

v.

''

his views of original sin, but maintains, that

subject of justification he
plicit

is

" two things which appear to

me

to be incompatible

and the passages referred to by his lordship, do not very


clearly bear

him out

in the opinion

which he has expressed,

the materials on this subject are very scanty, and are not

very explicit.

It

is

criminal that Justin speaks


stances,

much

not so

and those nearly

of,

in

the acquittance

except

in

of a

one or two

in-

the words of Scripture, as

deliverance from the power of sin and the corruptions of

our nature

nor

explicit.

so that on this subject he

is

neither very clear

Bp.

Kaye.


APPENDIX

256

S.

Letter

Something

vi.

P- 9**-

way,

p. 90.

like this heretical

has been

actually

work, though

done by the

Creed and what follows

Irenaeus's

S.

it,

in a singular

Oxford

are given in

divines.

No. 14 of

" the Records of the Church," published by these authors.


Tliere

then appended an address, as

is

Dissenters, in which they

appears, to

it

use the following language

all
:

" Wanderers and disputers, perplexed enquirers and weak

brethren

come home

to this doctrine of

But

to be found in the established Church.

By no means. The
is

We

Christ."

are afterwards given to understand that this doctrine

is

only

this the fact

is

doctrine and faith mentioned by Irenaeus,

preached as faithfully and harmoniously in every meet-

ing-house in the
fied,

land, with the exception already

much more

as in the Church, and

fully

than in the churches of these divines,


of their preaching

by the contents of

hear this doctrine

if

If these

not on a false one.

its

To

mote, but
This

is

maintain

them do

invite people to the

Such a shallow
is

And

Church to

to

so fairly

claims on a right footing and

hear what they have already got,


ridiculous.

are to judge

to the

authors wish

the superior claims of the Church, let

and honestly, and put

we

speci-

faithfully

their Tracts.

come home "

yet people are invited to "

and

is

Church

to

extremely absurd and

artifice as this

can never pro-

sure to injure the interest of the

Church.

not the time for any Jesuitical trickery to succeed.

APPENDIX

T.

The

following passage

is

257

T. U. X.

p. 92.

to the

same purport

" Every
may be
who have

question cannot receive solution hy another that


asked, nor will ambiguity be solved, by those

Letti-r vi.
"

""

'''

any sense, by another ambiguity, nor enigmas by another


greater enigma

but those things which are of this kind re-

solutions by things that are manifest, consonant

ceive

and

^.^

..

Cap. 10.

clear."

U.

Similar to those

" For what soi

in

the text are the following words

of thing

of the Prophets and of the

attend
"

to

sane

94.

p.

is

for us, to leave the

it

who

nothing that

say

is

The

lubricity

p.

96.

of the heretics

was very

without a parallel in after ages, nor

When

in

great, but not

our

own

times.

beaten on one ground, they ran to and occupied

another.

Letter

^.^^

Cap.

X.

When

to tradition

Scripture failed them, they had recourse

and when tradition

pose, they pretended to a higher


tles

themselves.

"

vi.

Lord and of the Apostles, and

these (heretics,)

to

words

failed to

serve their pur-

knowledge than the Apos-

When we summon

them," says Irenseus,

..

2.

APPENDIX
" to that tradition, which
the

X.

from the Apostles, which by

Presbyters

the

of

successions

is

preserved

is

the

in

in Ecclesiis

churches (quse per successiones presbyterorum

they oppugn tradition, and say, that they


themselves have found the genuine truth, being wiser not
custoditur),

only than the Presbyters, but also than the Apostles

Against such
serpents,

like

must

2.

it is

to repent

them on

resist

every

We

side.

side

is

seized by error,

yet not wholly impossible to escape error,

when the truth is laid before us."


From this extract we see that Irenaeus
sion

....

who, being slippery

not easy for a person, that

it is

to contend,

endeavour to escape on every

therefore

Though
Cnp.

we have

" the succession

of

uses the expres-

though that of
what he mostly employs.

Presbyters,"

" the succession of Bishops,"

is

and Tertullian, the first


on the subject, disagree as to the Roman suc-

It is singular to find that Irenaeus

authorities

cession, supposed to be the

even of the

succession

volved in obscurity
Lib.

cap. 3,

iii.

The

most perfect of all. But the


Pope is doubtful, is in-

infallible

and the

list

verses against Marcion, Lib.

IREN^US'S LIST.

list

of Irenseus,

as given

of Tertullian, as given in
iii.

cap. 9, are the following;

TERTULLIAN's LIST.

Linus

1.

Linus

2.

Anacletus

2.

Cletus

3.

Clemens

3.

Anacletus

4.

Evaristus, &c.

4.

Clemens, &c.

1.

in

his

There has been a good deal said by the Fathers in favour


And
but the point has never been fully settled.

of each

yet the succession

There

is

is

a^nfallible as the Pope himself

another point on which Irenaeus and Tertullian

APPENDIX
differ

259

X.

with respect to the Church of Rome.

Church of Rome was founded and constituted

that the
jointly

by Peter and Paul

(a gloriosissimis

Petro et Paulo, .... fundata et constituta)


a

little

may

It

Irenaeus, neither Peter

blessed

duobus apostolis
:

but Tertullian,

time than Irenaeus, ascribes the honour

later in

solely to Peter.

Rome,

Irenaeus says,

also be added, that according to

nor Paul was ever a Bishop

for they jointly appointed the first bishop

he says,

Apostles,"

(that

"

Peter and

is,

^
of

(Afvw

to

Linus the administration

Tijv Tjj{ 7r<(rK07r))5

Who

keirovpyiav

Paul,)

Paul was
it

or

if

the

first

tvf)(^eipta-av).

Rome ?

first

There

is

no testimony

absurd

pretensions

of

the

of an early date, that Paul

more

Church

to do with the

the

in

of

among

Rome

beginning of the

began to lay the foundation


saying

Church of

appears from Scripture history, and from every

account that exists

Tertullian

for

centuries that in the least degree favours the

extravagant and
It

then

If Peter was,

appointment belonged to Peter,

belonged equally to Paul.

Rome.

episcopacy

would ever hence conclude that either of the

Apostles was ever a bishop of

the two

the

of

And

third

was

It

century,

that

for its exorbitant claims,

other things, that

(cathedra) of Peter.

had much

than Peter.

it

possessed the

by

chair

these claims increased in suc-

ceeding ages to a vast extent, by no divine authority or


countenance, but by pride, ambition, ignorance and folly

and they are

still

maintained by the same means,

claims

that are as absurd as they are profane, and as'groundless


as they are impious,

only by

its

and

justified

by a sophistry equalled

intolerance, tyranny, and superstition.

iii.

^''P' ^'

" having founded and built the Church (of Rome,) delivered

^
Lib.

Tlie

260

APPENDIX

Y.

Letter

vi.

Y.

p. 97.

That the heretics maintained that there were some


were to be dehvered

secret truths that

them: "They

appears

orally,

The following
themselves thus explain and

evident from various passages.

is

one of
that

say,

Jesus spoke apart in mystery to his disciples and apostles,

and deemed them worthy to deliver these things to the


Lib.

i.

worthy and the obedient."

Cap. 24.

every assertion like

this,

Irenaeus invariably replies,

by denying that there was any such

secret doctrine,

and

maintaining, that the apostles taught the whole truth openly

and

clearly to

all.

"How

can these," he says,

"who

were never connected with Paul, boast, that they have


learnt hidden

has made

it

and

ineffable mysteries

For Paul himself

manifest, that he plainly taught those things

which he knew, not only to those who were with him, but
Lib.

iii.

Cap. 24.

Then he refers
Having

heard him."

to his address at

Miletus to the Ephesian elders.

previously allud-

ed to Luke, he subjoins the following sentence


the apostles delivered plainly to

all,

"Thus

even denpng to none,

the things which they themselves had learned from the

And

Lord."

of the apostles
(nihil

Cap. 15.

in

another place, he says

is

subtrahens

nothing)

clear

and

certain,

o-i/o-xetXa;

" The

substracting

or contracting

and they did not teach some things

but other things openly."

doctrine

and leaves out nothing


in secret,

APPENDIX

Z.

Z.

261

a.

p. 99.

(This letter in the margin of the text,

too

This

low.)

He

by the Fathers.
great host

indeed

What

Letter

vi.

^'

he says of the

it

27 Matth. non probat


;

is

condemn it and
Hanc sententiam Hiero-

that in another he dares not

(lamnare non audet

last

of his works he disapproves of

that in a third, he embraces


in

Feuardentius

mentions Origen, Cyprian, Athana-

that in one part

this notion,

nymus

put eight lines

as

Chrysostom, Epiphanius, Augustin and Jerome

sius, Basil.

curious,

is

was taught with great consent, magna consensu,

assures us,

Adam,

about

notion

in

cap.

ad Ephes.

sed Epist. ad Marcellum, earn

am-

plectitur.

A
Irenaeus connects gifts,
doctrine, together

or of no benefit,
as

is

a. p.

101.

succession, conduct, and sound Letter

and he viewed succession as

when

vi.

^'

nullified,

not accompanied with other things,

evident from what he says of the " unjust Presbyters."

The following passage presents his view very clearly


"Where the gifts of the Lord are bestowed, there we
:

ought to learn the truth, from those with


succession of the church, which
that conduct appears, which

and that word, which

is

is

is

whom

is

that

from the apostles, and

sound and irreproveable,

unadulterated and incorruptible,"

This was his view of the matter, and probably correct

Cap- 45.
;

262

APPENDIX

B b.

But

corresponding with the state of things in his day.


it

does not follow, that the same view should be taken

now.

If the state of things

change

also.

The channel

is

changed, our views must

of truth

may

truth itself continue exactly the same.

through the Churches

what was taught


But since

just.

first

in the

his time,

established

vary, while the


It

flowed then

and an appeal to

Churches was then proper and


" the gifts of God," " the irre-

proveable conduct," and the " unadulterated word," have


ceased in many instances to be connected with " succession

" and the

same appeal could

altered circumstances, be justly

by

Irenaeus,

made.

not,

under such

This appeal,

made

TertuUian and others, when arguing against

the heretics, wholly depended on time and circumstances

and

facts

valid,

and to deem such an appeal proper, just and

when

the reasons for

it

have ceased to

exist, be-

trays great blindness and delusion.

B
Letter

vii.

It is

b. p. 136.

amazing what respect

is

professed at times, by the

writers of the Oxford Tracts, for the Scriptures.

We

it

come "to our

Saviour's feet," and to "think what his

words, teachingly considered, would lead to."


always to

lie

there,

Were

Where

they

they

and leam at his mouth, the doctrines

of their Tracts would be very different from


are.

Were

would be right to regard it as genuine.


are called upon in one of the Tracts on Baptism, to

this unifonn,

lie

mostly,

is

what they

evidently at the feet of the

Fathers, in order to learn Catholic truth.

They

lie

some-

APPENDIX

263

C C.

times at the feet of the fanciful Barnabas, and of the enthusiastic

Ignatius,

to collect their vagaries, with the view

Hermas,

them

of putting

in their Tracts,

This

is

feet of the
this

what

is

is

evidently

were

predecessors

effectual

is

mind,"

sensibilities of the

seems,

mostly done, instead of lying at the

But

Saviour, and of his inspired Apostles.

sort of appeal

their

also at the feet of

and unscriptural no-

and authority of Christian minis-

tions respecting the office


ters.

and

to gather his extravagant

now to
mode of gaining

in

is

" the religious

to

which they complain, that


This

deficient.

be made up

profound regard

made

deficiency,

and doubtless,

it

avowed

for the divine

word,

When

prepare the religious mind to receive what

is

it

it

a very

is

the consent of many.

tends to

said.

But

readers should remember, that great professions of this


kind, are always very suspicious.

need to

the world, that he

tell

honest finds

we can

it

An
is

The

necessary to do so.

give, that

by submitting to

we regard
it

in

honest

honest

man

has no

but the dis-

best proof that

the authority

of Scripture,

is

every thing, and in preference to

any other authority.

C
The word,

altar,

c.

p.

149.

seems to be a favourite term with the


^'^"Y4j)'"'

divines of the
It is

Oxford Tracts, and of the British Magazine.

sanctioned by the Fathers, which, as

far better thing

apostle

"

than that

it

The Lord's table"

apostolic expression.

Altar,

is

it

appears,

is

should be sanctioned by an
will

not do, though

much better,

it

be an

for the Fathers

Altar.

264

APPliNDlX C

have used

it

C.

In the estimation of this party, the Fathers

are evidently an authority higher than the Apostles them-

Our Church has

selves.

others, departed

Word

God.

of

many

as in

instance,

this

in

from the Fathers, and adhered to the

These writers seem anxious to wean us

again from the Scriptures, and to attach us to the Fathers.

Like the Papists, they profess


Scriptures

many

and guides.

instances, their teachers

vsTiter

reverence for the

great

but really and practically, the Fathers are in

some time ago,

new

prised his readers of a

in the British

Magazine, ap-

plan which he had adopted in

his church, that of introducing a small table,

on which the

sacramental elements are to be placed by lay-hands,


as

seems, the altar should be polluted by them

it

own

have some Socinians


ever that

may

be,

Papists and in no

plan

is

it

in
is

said,

pretty clear, that

way much

disguised.

this kind, as a

prevent lay-hands
It

The

ings,

medium

this writer,

from the Pagans.

wards removed to the


altar.

its

Now

being
it

is

of conveyance,

Wherefrom did
It was doubt-

The heathen

priests

on which the people placed their

which by the holy hands of the

article,

we have some
But this new

primitive Church,

the primitive Church derive this custom

table of this kind,

to

we
How-

from touching and polluting the

would be well to ask

less derived

fit

has been said, that

defended by the writer, on the ground of

had a table of

altar.

It

disguise in our Church.

a revival of an old practice.

to

His

hands, of course very holy, seem alone to be

place the elements on the altar

lest,

altar.

priests,

were

had a
offer-

after-

See Encycl. Brit, under the

this writer

is

so

enamoured with

every thing practised by the primitive Church, however

APPENDIX D
heathenish

it

may

and

be,

falls in

265

d.

so readily with any thing

that tends to impress the people with a high notion of


priestly sanctity,

that he wholly

disregards the prudence

discontinuing vain and superstitious

of our Reformers, in

customs, and exposes himself to the just charge of innovating,

and even of heathenizing our Church, without any


and so pleased he seems to be with this freak

authority

must publish

of superstition, that he

he has found an easy mode of doing


of a

it

to the world

and

through the pages

so,

Magazine which furthers every retrograde movement

towards Popery.

d. p. 153.

The following remarks on eating the

flesh,

and drinking

whoUy

the blood of Christ, are clear and satisfactory, and

correspond with the general system of divine truth


"

The

flesh

sinners

and the expressions here

employed, refer to the intention,


of the sufferings of Christ.

and health of our

and drink are to the

souls,

life

efficacy

These are
in

all

our ruined

and benefits
needful to the
state,

as

meat

and health of our bodies."

of Christ, in the sense here spoken

member

in

him

of Christ's

'
;

of,

and therefore

body

and he

'

is

abideth in Christ,
a true and lively

shall

and be a partaker of a happy resurrection

have eternal
:

life,

and so no per-

son can either be wicked here, or deprived of everlasting


life

hereafter, who, in

the sense here mentioned, eateth of

the flesh, and drinketh nf the blood of Christ.

f^*^]""

verse S3.

" Whosoever eateth the flesh, and drinketh the blood

and Christ

p. 153.

and blood of Christ, as separated by death,

j)rocured salvation for

life

266

APPENDIX E

Now this

"
as

"

it

Him

the will of

is

him up

will raise

may have

at the last

mental eating of Christ's

will

in

But then of the sacrafor this

was

eaten by millions,

who

flesh, it is as false

wicked here, and


'

everlasting life; and

day."

eaten by a Judas, and continually

loco.

who

that sent me, that every one

believeth in the Son,

hitb

e.

very true, of eating spiritually and by faith,


imports believing in Christ for " this," saith Christ,
is

is

be damned hereafter.

This

therefore cannot be the import of our Saviour's words."

E
It

is

e.

p.

164,

amusing to observe, what

quite

is made almost
The beginning, the

every thing in the Oxford Tracts.


middle, and the end,

is

terously introduced into

the
sion

sum and substance


it

was

that

it

has been

most of them.
penmen,

system

made one

evidently

What

an omis-

unaccountable

Creeds

since

admitting

it

What
not

what inadvertence

to
it

it

a mistake did

in

is,

if

How

it.

or

no

Hooker commit,

in

little

be indispensably necessary

was

it

ought

of their primary articles,

erroneous was Archbishop Cranmer, in making


it

dex-

is

It

be so important as these Tracts represent

account of

is

it

in not setting this forth

How

out in the

left

surely to have been


it

the subject, and

of their divinity.

in the sacred

as the centre of the

There are

apostolical succession.

several tracts specifically on

And

Archbishop Wake, to allow

the validity of sacraments without

it

New

light,

as

it

seems, has shone upon the world, or rather a stream of

something

like light

has broken forth from the thick dark-

;;

APPENDIX E

267

C.

ness of Popery, through the means of which

made

that apostolical succession

clear,

religion,

and that without

thing

The

without

And

it,

it,

truth cannot

there

is

is

every thing in

no certainty of any

be preached without

there can be no valid sacraments

yet after

the fact

all,

that

is,

Apostolical Suc-

and the evidence

during the two

orders,

first

which

is

of,

is

not the succession of

much made

the point so

cen-

What

extremely scanty, and wholly indecisive.

the primitive writers speak

and

a very uncertain thing

is

in its favour,

it

cession, as taught in the Tracts,

turies, is

now

is

it

of in the Tracts

but the succession of persons, performing the work of

The

bishops or overseers in the Church.

Church, and not ordination,

in the

election of the

modem

sense of the

When

word, was what perpetuated the succession.

was chosen

died, another

and of course,

the

in

do not read, either in the apostolic Fathers, or


the writers of the second century,

other bishops, though


apostles.

first epistle

dead transmitted nothing; and his

We

successor was introduced into his place by election.

by the

one

Church

place by the

his

we

any of

of any ordinations

by

read of persons being appointed

There are two passages

on the subject

in

but there

is

in

Clement's

no mention about

ciem.
44*^*^'

'''P]2
'

orders.

Nor

is

apostolic Fathers
far as I

can

successions

find,
;

there any thing decisive in any of the

nor

in Justin,

in Tertullian.

but in no words

orders being conferred.

TertuUian.

nor

in Irenaeus

nor, as

Irenseus speaks often of SeeLib.iii.

that convey

the

The same thing may be

idea

He particularly mentions the successions in


Rome but by no expressions which imply

the Church of

the conferring of orders.

It

^'

of

said of See Carm.

was therefore not without

Marcion.
^ib.

m.


268

APPENDIX E

on the subject, given

tained in the Tracts,

letters.

a matter of great uncertainty

is

yet upon this uncertain thing,


structure of the system

is

built the

and

whole super-

and by which every thing

in

made certain
Sacraments and every thing
To make things certain by what is uncertain, is a

religion

new

that opinion

seventh page of these

in the

appears therefore, that the sort of succession main-

It

else

e.

Craumer expressed

that Archbishop

reason,

is

qld one revived,

discovery, or rather an

out in the dark ages.


of the two

have very

would

find that

many

found

of their sentiments

and indeed no foundation

little,

and much

ments,

first

were to read the wTitings

centuries, divested of their preconceived

first

opinions, they

If persons

in these docu-

witings.

the apostolic

in

less

The

patching business of the heretics, is too much followed;


an attempt made to " adapt apostolic words" to a system,

which ages of degeneracy and corruption have formed.


having evidently learnt

As a specimen
party,
titled,

I shall

it

In

Oxford Tracts are great adepts,

this art, the writers of the

of the Papists.

of the style of preaching adopted

by

this

give the following extract from No. 10, en-

" Heads of a week-day Lecture

" Thus, in one sense,

it

is

:"

from the bishop that the

news of redemption, and the means of grace, (the italics


this again is a
are in the original) have come to all men
;

witnessing

church.

I,

who

speak

to

you concerning

was ordained to do so by the bishop he speaks


in me, as Christ wrought in him, and as God sent Christ.
Christ
Tlius the whole plan of salvation hangs together.
Christ,

the true mediator above


earthly likeness

his

servant,

the

bishop,

his

mankind, the subjects of his teaching

APPENDIX

God

the author of salvation."

269

f.

style Pages

any thing that has been ever

are as completely popish, as

But the evident design

penned.

The sentiments and


of the

whole tract

to

is,

confine the preaching of salvation to episcopally ordained

teachers

mate,

and what the author seems throughout to

"We

is,

shall

probably lose

The language
the writer

f.

of irony

may be found
in

this

may

and

possibly be blamed;

on

fault with,

strain

respectability,

p. 176.

against him.

by these

this score,

authors, as he has already been by a papist,

somewhat

we

our tithes; but

must retain our influence, and support our


by apostolical succession."

inti-

when writing

But

and

fanciful

baseless notions can hardly be dealt with in any

other

way.

Traditionary and superstitious men, cannot be easily

made

to feel the edge of any

like

men

They

other weapon.

reason can penetrate.

It

up by the keen-edged

must therefore be
sword

of

either ripped

way can

those inclosed in

it

thing
in

to feel the piercings of such weapons,


else,

as is evident

from a

for in

no

be effectually remarked.

These writers have afforded some proof of

seem

pierced

or

sarcasm,

through by the sharp-pointed spear of ridicule


other

are

inclosed in a sack of wool, which no bullet of

letter

the third volume of the Tracts.

this.

They

more than any

by one of the party

Very great gravity

is

assumed, and " the irreverent treatment of holy things"


is

But these holy things turn


more than what are deemed and made

very seriously reprobated.

out to be nothing

4,

f).

APPENDIX

f.

SO by the party, such as extravagant notions respecting the


eucharist and apostolical succession.

How many

things are reputed holy by Papists and Pagans

foolish

When men make things holy which are not so yea,


when groundless fancies, and even strange errors are thus
;

made, and

this,

not by the ignorant, for then there would

be some excuse, but by the learned, there

is,

in

my

view,

Let them be
no mode of attack that can be too severe.
made the butt of ridicule and irony, as the foolish idolaters

were made by Elijah, that they may be ashamed of


doings.

If in these

their

Letters or Notes, the writer has in

any measure treated divine things with irreverence or


with levity, no reprobation can be too severe for him.
But if he has only exposed and denuded the fancies of
men, the errors and extravagances of even good men, for
the purpose of preventing the spread of false notions, as

he believes he has done, no charge of irreverence


ever be

felt

by him as

just,

and no grave, long-faced

monstrance from traditionary men,


repent of what he has done.

will

ever

will

re-

make him

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