9.15 fence against new Herefies, the Church has certainly full Power to fet forth fuch Creeds, and oblige her Children to a Belief of the Articles they contain. This Power was exercifed by the two first general Councils that of Nice, and that of Conftantinople, both received by the Church of England. The Council of Nice added to the Apostles Creed the following Article. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all Worlds; God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God; begotten not made, confubftantial to the Father. And whoever refufed to affent to this additional Article, was not acknowledg'd for a Member of the Catholick Church.

The Council of Conftantinople made likewise an Addition to the Nicene Creed in this Article against the Macedonians. viz. and in the Holy Ghost the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son, together is adored and glorified, who spoke by the Prophets. It alfo added this Article begotten of the Father before all Worlds, against Photinus: and this other Whofe Kingdom shall have no End, against the Millenarians. All which are actually a Part of the Nicene Creed.

After this appear'd the Athanafian Creed containing many Articles concerning the Trinity, the Perfons, and the Proceffions of them: whereof there is no exprefs Mention either in the Apostles Creed, oc that of Nice. And it was received by the whole Ca tholick Church: and what is very remarkable, it begins and ends with this Article: except every one keep that Faith whole and undefiled, without Doubt he shal perish eternally.

The Church therefore has always had Power to make an Addition of fuch Articles, as she Judg'd would be a neceffary Antidote to hinder the Poison

of new Herefies against the Ancient Faith from Spreading. And you yourself, Sr, Sr, cannot deny this without Renouncing the 8th Article of Religion which is thus. The three Creeds, Nice Creed, Atha nafius's Creed, and that, which is commonly call'd the Apoftles Creed ought throughly to be received and believ'd, for they may be proved by most certain Warrant of Holy Scripture. Here, Sr, your own Church requires a Belief of two new Creeds over and above that of the Apoftles, and acknowledges a full Power in the Church to make fuch Creeds according to the Exigencies of Times, and oblige the faithful not only to an explicite Profeffion, but inward Belief of the Articles they contain.

G. Can the Church then coin new Articles of Faith?

L. No, Sr, but she may add new Articles to exa plain the ancient Creed, or Faith.

G. Pray, My Lord, what Article in the Apof- « tles Creed do's Tranfubftantiation explain? For there « is nothing of all the Sacraments in that Creed. « pag. 17. «

your

L. Very right, Sr; There is nothing of the Sa craments in that Creed. But do's not this confute falfe Notion of that Creed's Expreffing all neceffary Truths of Faith? For are the Sacraments, as likewife the canonical Books of Scripture, and the Precepts of a Chriftian Life no Objects of your Faith, because they are not exprefs'd in the Creed? I doubt not but they are. 'Tis therefore evident against you, that the Apostles Creed neither expreffes, nor was intended to exprefs all neceffary Truths of Faith, but only the principal ones: As for the reft, they are all contain'd in general under the Article of the CatholickChurch; in as much as Believing the Church im plies believing her whole Doctrine.

K

» G. My Lord, the Sacraments are the Signs or Seals of our Faith, as Circumcifion was call'd Rom. » 4. V. 11. but not the Faith itfelf; and therefore are not put into the Summary of our Faith. » pag. 17.

L. Sr, you have made a wonderful Discovery in telling me, that the Sacraments are not the Faith itself. But tho they be not the Faith itself (which is a Theological Virtue, and the A&t of it an inward Affent of the Mind) are they not the Objects of Chriftian Faith as well as the Signs or Seals of it? Is there nothing reveal'd concerning Baptifm or the Lord's Sup per, which we are bound to believe? This would be pleafing Doctrine to Quakers: but I prefume no Chriitian Divine will relish it.

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» G. They are generally neceffary, as our Cate» chifm Words it: that is, to be reverently used, » when they may be had: but they are not abfolu»tely neceffary. So that if our Circumftances or » Places where we live be fuch, as not to afford uş

the Opportunity of Receiving the Sacraments we » should be damn'd for Want of them. I think » none will fay this. They are Mean's of God's Ap»pointment; therefore to be ufed when we can have

them. We are tied to this. But God, is not tied » to thofe Means, to which he ties us. He can save » us without them. Even of thofe five, which you » have more than we, you cannot fay they are fo » much as generally neceffary to Salvation: because » none can partake of them all. For your Sacrament of Orders excludes all the Laity, and that of Mar»riage the Clergy. pag. 18.

L. I perceive, Sr, you are difposed to be upon the Ramble. For fuppofing all you have faid to be Strictly true (whereas it is liable to feveral Exceptions) what Connection has it with the Matter un¬

der debate? Our Difpute was, whether the Sacraments be not properly the Objects of Faith, tho they be not mention'd in the Creed? But instead of keeping to the Point in Queftion, you have made an Harangue to prove that the Ufe of them is not ab folutely neceffary to Salvation. Suppofe it be not, what then? Is there therefore nothing to be believed of them? The Truth of the Matter is, you know not well what you are bound to believe, what not. For where there are no Principles, or those very Princi ples are a Seed of Divifion, there can be no Steddinefs or Uniformity in Faith. And this is the Reafon, why there are fo many Sects and Divifions amongst you, all spawn'd from the Reformation.

G.

M

§. 14.

Of Sects, and Divisions.

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Y Lord, not fo many with us as with « you. pag. 18. L.. Stoutly faid, Sr; and I promife to be of your Opinion, when you can make out these three Things. 1. That Scripture interpreted by private Judgment is our Rule of Faith. 2. That we agree with you in your Latitudinarian Notion of the Church's Unity confif ting in the bare Belief of common Chriftianity; and 3dly, that we call Prefbyterians, Puritans, Independents, Anabaptifts, Quakers, c. or any feparate Communion Our Catholick Brethren as you call most of them your Proteftant Brethren. Nay the very fundamental Principle of the Reformation as such, obliges you to call even those your Brethren, who are immediately gone out from you, and broke off from your Communion. Because they have all broke off from you apon the very fame Principles, on fame Principles, on which you groun

ded your Separation from the Church of Rome. For, as you accufed her of Superftition, fo they repay you in your own Coin. And as you appeal'd from your Mother-Church to Scriptures interpreted by your own darling private Judgment, fo they attack you with the very fame Weapon. And therefore you are anfwerable for all the Sects, that ever have divided, or ever will divide themselves from you.

» G. If a Church be anfwerable for all that break "off from her, then you have all the Sects, you » have named, to reckon for, and us too, which » is one more. And if you are not anfwerable for "those, that broke off from you, neither are we » answerable for those, that broke off from us. $9 pag. 19.

L. No, Sr! I shall convince you of your Miftake. If either the Church of England, or any other Sect had broke off from us upon a Principle acknowledg'd by us, then we should be refponfable for their Separation. But fince we difown and deteft any fuch Principle, the Guilt of their Schifm lies at their own Doors, and cannot be charged upon the Church of Rome. But the Cafe is not fo with you. For you maintain a Principle, which cannot but produce Sects and Divifions. You make the Scriptures interpreted by private Judgment the Rule of your Faith: And pri vate Judgment is the fruitful Mother of Herefies and Schifms. And 'tis the true Reafon, why no Herefy ever came into the World without a Litter of Sects in the Belly of it. A rotten Dunghil is not fo fruitful in Breeding Vermin, as private Judgment interpreting Scriptures by its own Light is in Producing Sects. Yet by this Rule you guided yourselves in your Separation from the Church of Rome.

You have therefore fet the Pattern to Prefbyte vians, Puritans, Independents, Anabaptists, Quakers