- XCVI. To Miss Fuller, exhorting to Steadfastness raged C. Seven Letters to Miss B- CI. Eight Letters to Miss Loxdale CII. Twenty-seven Letters to Mrs. Bennis, of Limerick 328 CIII. Sixteen Letters to Lady Maxwell CVI. To Mr. Charles Perronet CVII. Two Letters to the Rev Mr. Dickenson - CXV. Fifteen Letters to Miss H. A. Roe CXVIII. To Mr. Alexander, jun. CXIX. Thirty-six Letters to Mr. Benson CXX. Eight Letters to Miss Cooke CXXI. Twelve Letters to Mr. A. Clarke CXXII. Four Letters to Mr. Downes CXXIII. Twenty-three Letters to Miss Furly CXXIV. Eight Letters to Mrs. Crosby CXXV. Nineteen Letters to a Young Disciple CXXVI. To the Stewards of the Foundry CXXVII. To certain Persons in Dublin CXXVIII. To the Printer of the Dublin Chronicle CXXXII. Modern Christianity exemplified at Wednesbury Detected" CXXXIV. Thoughts on Slavery 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 bave 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 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 creaturæ 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. 1. 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 fitly 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. e. 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.) To this we may add the judgment of St. Cyprian. "The other 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 ûdelibus 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 eontained 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. 3, c. 9, ss. præterea. Cassand. Consult. Art. 21, ss. 4. Polyd. Virg. de invent. lib. 8, c. 1. ** Bellarm. de verb. Dei. li. 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. |