Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub
[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

who was ordain'd by him Bishop of Smyrna ; and after the Decease of this Apostle, efteem'd Head of the Churches of Afia. (a) Now this ancient Author undertaking to deliver a Summary of Chriftianity, layeth down no other Articles of Faith, nor Grounds of Religion, than what are ge nerally by us received: So likewife Tertullian, almost, if not altogether his Co-temporary, (b) gives the fundamental Points of Religion gathered out of the Scriptures, the very fame which our Church delivers, and no other, for the Rule of Faith. But to come to particular Instances.

[ocr errors]

As to the Scripture's Sufficiency and the Canon thereof.

Irenaus faith, (c) "The Holy Scriptures are perfect, as being dictated by the Word and Spirit of God." And accordingly was his Practice, as Erafmus in his Preface to his Works obferves. "Ireneus, fays he, fought against "the Troops of Herefy, only with the Forces and Strength " of Scripture. This is quite contrary to the blafphemous Tenets and Writings of our modern Romanifts, who accufe the Scripture of Imperfection, and bring in unwritten Traditions to fupply its Defects in the Church; and maintain that those they call Hereticks, are to be refuted and filenced, folely by the Authority of the Church and Secular Force. So likewife as to the Canon of the Scriptures, Melito, Bishop of Sardis, living in the fame fecond Age, being defired by Onefimus, to fend him a Catalogue of the Books of the Old Testament, returns only the Names of thofe generally receiv'd for canonical, without making any

(a) Lib. 1. Chap. 2, 3. (b) Adver. Haret. Chap. 13. (c) Lib. 2. Cap. 47.

mention

2

mention of Judith, Tobit, &c, (a) Yet profeffeth that he made very diligent Search to fet down a perfect Canon, thereof; which is confefs'd by Bellarmine, who fays, (b) Many of the Ancients, as namely Melito, did follow only the Hebrew Canon, in which these books called Apocry phal are not reckoned.

[ocr errors]

In the third Age, Origen faith thus, (c) " In the "two Teftaments, every Word that appertaineth to God, "may be required and difcuffed, and all Knowledge of Things may be understood." And in his Expolition on the first Pfalm, He fays, "We may not be ignorant that "there are only two and twenty Books of the Old Tef"tament, " which is likewise attefted by Eufebius in these Words: (d)" Origen as he received the Canon of the "Jews, fo likewife he rejected thofe Books which we "term Apocryphal as the Jews do.

In the fourth Age, Athanafius faith; (e)" The "Holy Scriptures given by Inspiration of God, are of "themselves all-fufficient for Inftruction and the Disco"very of Truth.

St. Hilarie (f) affures us that in his Days, "the Word of "God did fuffice the Believers; Yea, what is there, fays "he, concerning Man's Salvation that is not contained in "the Words of the Evangelifts? What wants the Scrip"ture? What Obfcurity is there in it? Verily none at all, "but all full and perfect, as proceeding from the Fountain "of Fulness, and Author of all Perfection."

St. Bazil περὶ πίςεως, "It is a manifeft falling from the "Faith, and an Argument of Arrogance, either to reject any Point of those things that are written, or to bring "in any thing that is not written.

t

(a) Eufeb. Lib.4. Cap. 26. (b) Bell. de Verb. Dei, Lib, 1. Cap. 20. (c) Orin. in Levit. Hom. 5. Tom. 1. (d) Lib. 6. Cap. 24. (e) Ath.Orat. cont. Gent. Tom. 1. (f) De Trinit. Lib. 2.

St.

St. Gregory Nyffen, layeth this for a Ground which no Man fhould contradict; that " therein only Truth must be acknowledged wherein the Seal of Scripture Testimony "is to be feen.

The Council of Laodicea, held about the Year of our Lord 368. reckoning up the Books that were to be accounted canonical Scripture, mention not the Maccabees, Ecclefiafticus, Judith, and other Apocryphal Books; which is a Demonstration that then they were not received.

Concerning the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

In the fecond Century, Clemens Alexandrinus tells us, (a) "Our Lord did blefs Wine, when he faid, "take, drink, this is my Blood, the Blood of the Vine." And Justin Martyr, another Author of this Age; in his fecond Apology, towards the End, gives his Vote, That, "The Bread and Wine, even that fanctified Food, "wherewith our Blood and Flesh, by Converfion, are "nourished, is that which we are taught to be the "Flesh and Blood of Jefus, c." So that in their Conftruction, it was Bread and Wine ftill, which Chrift called his Body: It was Bread in Substance, Material Bread; but the Body of our Lord in Signification and Sacramental Relation. And, indeed, the Conceit of Tranfubftantiation was not hatcht till many hundred Years after. Nor did they, in thofe Days, deny the Cup to the Laity, for Juftin Martyr, in the faid fecond Apology, fpeaking of the Manner of their Admi

(a) Pedagog. Lib. 2. Cap. 2

nistration

« VorigeDoorgaan »