MISCELLANEOUS WORKS.

A ROMAN CATECHISM:

WITH A REPLY THERETO.

THE PREFACE.

IT has been a frequent complaint among some of the Romish church, that the Protestants have misrepresented the doctrine of their church: on the other side, the Protestants accuse the writers in that church, of concealing, disguising, and palliating their doctrines. The latter justify their charge by producing such authors as have in several ages not only taught that doctrine, but taught it as the doctrine of their church; the former deny the charge, by appealing from particular authors, to a higher authority, to councils, and public acts and decrees, to missals, breviaries, and catechisms. Now though those Protestants are not to be blamed, when the authors they quote have been first licensed and approved in that church, and were never afterward condemned by it; yet in composing this Catechism, to avoid contention as much as I can, I have generally observed their directions, and have seldom made use of particular authors, but when it is for the explication of a doctrine that is not sufficiently explained, or for confirmation of a doctrine generally received. I am very confident that the quotations throughout are true, having again and again examined them; and I have been as careful as I could, not to mistake the sense of them; that I might rightly understand and truly represent the doctrine which I profess to censure: for without a faithful and impartial examination of an error, there can be no solid confutation of it.

VOL. 10.-B

A ROMAN CATECHISM,

FAITHFULLY DRAWN OUT OF THE ALLOWED WRITINGS OF THE CHURCH OF ROME.

SECTION I. Of the Church, and Rule of Faith.

Q. 1. WHAT is the Church of Rome?

A. The Church of Rome is that society of Christians, which professes it necessary to salvation* to be subject to the Pope of Rome, as the alone visible head of the church.†

Dicimus, definimus, pronunciamus, absolute necessarium ad salutem, omni humanæ creatur subesse Romano Pontifici, Extravag. c. Unam sanctam de majoritate et obedientia.

We say, define, and pronounce, that it is absolutely necessary to salvation, for every man to be subject to the Pope of Rome.

† Bellarm. de Eccles. milit. l. 3. c. 2. ss. Nostra autem sententia et cap. 5. ss. respondeo neminem.

Q. 2. How comes subjection to the Pope to be necessary to salvation, and an essential note of the church?

A. Because the Pope is Christ's vicar, St. Peter's successor,* and hath the supreme power on earth over the whole church.† "The church is called one, as it has one invisible head, Christ; and one visible, who doth possess the chair at Rome, as the lawful successor of St. Peter, prince of the apostles." (Catech. Rom. par. 1. c. 10. n. 11.)

*Concil. Trid. Sess. 6. Decret. de Reform. cap. 1. Bulli Pii. 4. sup. ferm. Juram. Con. Trid. Sess. 14. c. 7.

Q. 3. What authority doth the church of Rome challenge? A. She declares that she is the mother and mistress of all churches,* and that to believe her so to be, is necessary to salvation.† Pope Innocent III. thus decreed, As God is called universal Lord, because all things are under his dominion: so the church of Rome is called catholic or universal, because all churches are subject unto her. Apud Bzovium Annal. 1199.

Concil. Later. 4 Can. 2 Concil. Trid. Sess. 7, de Bapt. Can. 3, &c. + Bulla Pii 4, super form. Jur.

THE REPLY

ΤΟ

THE ROMAN CATECHISM.

SECTION I.-Of the Church, and Rule of Faith.

R. 1. CHRIST is the Head, from whom the whole body is filly joined together. And the holding to that head, (Col. ii. 19,) is the one great note of the church, given by St. Austin de unit. Eccles. c. 3, 4. But there is neither in Scripture, nor antiquity, any evidence for a visible head, and much less for the visible head the pope, and least of all, that it is necessary to salvation to be subject to him.

If it is necessary to salvation to be subject to him, it is necessary to know who is the pope; but that the world hath often been divided about, when there were sometimes three, and for about forty years together two popes. Vid. Theod. Niem. de Schism. Univers.

R. 2. If Christ gave no such power to St. Peter, or the pope be not St. Peter's successor, then the pope has no pretence to this power. Now we read that Christ gave some apostles, and some prophets, for the work of the ministry and the edifying the body.' (Ephes. iv. 11, 12.) But that he gave one apostle pre-eminence above the rest, much less absolute power over them, we read not. This power they were forbidden to attempt or desire, (Matt. xx. 26,) and St. Paul was so far from acknowledging it, that he challenged an equality with the rest of the apostles, (Gal. i. 15, 17,) and upon occasion withstood St. Peter. (Gal. ii. 11.)

"The other

To this we may add the judgment of St. Cyprian. apostles are the same St. Peter was, endowed with an equal fellowship of honour and power." Epist. de unit. Eccles.

R. 3. As it was foretold, (Isaiah ii. 3, so it was fulfilled, Out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.' There the church began, and therefore in the synodical epistle of the second general council of Constantinople, Jerusalem is called "the mother of all churches." Baron, A. D. 382, p. 461.

If she is the mistress, because she is the mother, (as pope Innocent the First would have it, Epist. 1, Concil. Tom. 4, p. 5,) then Jerusalem was the mistress. If the mistress, because she was once the imperial city, then Constantinople was so likewise; and accordingly it was decreed in the 4th general council, that of Chalcedon, Can. 28, "That the church of Constantinople should have equal privileges with that of Rome, because she is the imperial seat.”

Q. 4. What use doth she make of this authority?

A. She requires all persons, upon her sole authority, to receive and believe the doctrines she proposes to be received and believed,* and without the belief of which she declares there can be no salvation.†

*Concil. Trid. Sess. 13, Decret de Euchar. Sacrosancta synodus omnibus Christi fidelibus interdicit, ne posthac de sanctissima Eucharistia aliter credere, docere aut prædicare audeant, quam ut est hoc præsenti decreto explicatum, atque definitum. So again, Sess. 25, Decret, de Purgatorio. And there are above one hundred Anathemas in that council in point of doctrine against such as do not so believe.

† Bulla Pii. 4 super form. Juram. Hanc veram Catholicam fidem, extra quam nemo salvas esse potest: i. e. This is the true Catholic faith, without which no man can be saved.

Q. 5. Doth not the church of Rome acknowledge the holy Scripture to be a sufficient rule for faith and manners?

A. No: For there are some doctrines proposed by that church as matters of faith, and some things required as necessary duty, which are by many learned men among themselves confessed not to be contained in Scripture.

This is confirmed by Pope Pius II. (when a cardinal) Epist. 288, p. 802, who saith, "that before the time of the Nicene council, little regard was had to the church of Rome."

Q. 6. What doctrines of faith and matters of practice are thus acknowledged not to be in Scripture?

A. The doctrines of transubstantiation,* of the seven sacraments,† of purgatory, of the practice of half-communion, § worshipping of saints and images,|| indulgences, and service in an unknown tongue.**

*Scotus in 4 sent. dist. 11, q. 3, et Yribarn in Scot.

† Bellarm. 1. 2, de effectu Sacram. c. 25, ss. secunda probatio.

Roffens. contr. Luther art. 18.

Concil. Constan. Sess. 13, Cassander. Art. 22.

Bellarm. de cult Sanct. 1. 3, c. 9, ss. præterea. Cassand. Consult. Art. 21, ss. 4. Polyd. Virg. de invent. lib. 8, c. 1.

**Bellarm. de verb. Dei. 11. 2, c. 26.

Q. 7. What doth the church of Rome propound to herself as an entire rule of faith?

A. Scripture with tradition; and she requires that the traditions. be received and reverenced with the like pious regard and veneration as the Scriptures; and whosoever knowingly contemns them, is declared by her to be accursed. Concil. Trid. Sess. 4, Decret de

can. Script.

Q. 8. What do they understand by tradition?

A. Such things belonging to faith and manners as were dictated by Christ or the Holy Ghost in the apostles, and have been preserved by a continual succession in the catholic church, from hand to hand without writing. Concil. Trid. ibid.

And if she claims this sovereign authority upon any other reason, she never had, nor can ever prove a right to it.

R. 4. Gal. i. 11, 12, The gospel which was preached of me, is not after man; for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.'

Verse 8, 9, Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached, let him be accursed.'

The church of Rome cannot avoid St. Paul's Anathema, when she requires to bow down before an image, which the Scripture forbids and forbids to read the Scripture, which it requires.

And without doubt the text of the apostle holds as much against any other, as against himself or an angel from heaven.

R. 5. We read in Scripture of the faith once delivered to the saints.' Jude 3, and 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. All' [or the whole] Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

The Scripture, therefore, is a rule sufficient in itself and was by men divinely inspired once delivered to the world; and so neither needs, nor is capable of any further addition.

So Tertullian, "Let Hermogenes show that this thing is written. If it be not written, let him fear the wo pronounced against them that add to, or take from Scripture." Contr. Hermog. c. 22.

R. 6. On the contrary: St. Augustin, lib. contr. Petil. 1. 3, c. 6, writes, "If any one concerning Christ and his church, or concerning any other things which belong to faith or life, I will not say if we, but (which St. Paul hath added) if an angel from heaven preach unto you besides what ye have received in the law and evangelical writings, let him be accursed." For as all faith is founded upon divine authority, so there is now no divine authority but the Scriptures: and, therefore, no one can make that to be of divine authority, which is not contained in them. And if transubstantiation and purgatory, &c. are not delivered in Scripture, they cannot be doctrines of faith.

R. 7. Matt. xv. 9, In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men;' forbidding that as unlawful which God hath not forbidden, and requiring that as necessary duty which God hath not required.

So St. Hierom, in cap. 1, Aggæi, "The sword of God [his word] doth smite those other things, which they find and hold of their own accord, as by apostolical tradition, without the authority and testimony of Scripture."

R. 8. But St. Cyril affirms, "It behooveth us not to deliver, no not so much as the least thing of the holy mysteries of faith, without the holy Scripture. That is the security of our faith, not which is from our own inventions, but from the demonstration of the holy Scriptures." Cateches. 5.