XVI. Primate of Dalmatia and Croatia, and afterwards Dean of Windsor in the NOTE Church of England; and by Father Michael Le Quien, in the Dissertations prefixed to his edition of the Works of St. John Damascene printed at Paris, A.D. 1712. Both of these writers, among other things to the same purpose, quote those words of Mark of Ephesus in the Council of Florence which have been given above. XI. And lastly, so far as the Eastern Church herself is concerned, the most learned theologians of that Communion, who have treated the subject of the Procession since the Council of Florence, continue to repeat the same thing; as Adam Zoernikaff, vol. ii. tract. xix. p. 1016: "The chief controversy between the Churches was and still is concerning the Interpolation. Mark of Ephesus then confessed, and the Easterns too confessed after him, that there could at any time be made a true and lasting union between the Churches, if the Interpolation of the Creed were laid aside :" And again: "The chief point in this controversy is about the addition made to the Creed. In the General Synod assembled under Photius no mention at all was made of the Doctrine considered in itself : only the Interpolation was condemned: after the Schism had arisen between the Churches it was at all times alleged by the Easterns as the chief cause of the same Schism against the Latins, that they used the Creed with the addition. If only this one thing were reformed, Mark of Ephesus declared at Florence in the name of his Church, the Easterns could receive the Latins to their communion."-Ibid. vol. i. p. 398. XII. But that the Scottish and other British Bishops, who corresponded in the last century with the Easterns, were willing to restore the Creed to its original and canonical form, we have shewn above, under Note v., (page 133, &c.); where may be seen other testimonies also on the same point. NOTE XVII. Q. What is the Church? A. The Church is a divinely instituted community of men, united by the orthodox faith, the law of God, the hierarchy, and the Sacraments.— Orthodox Catechism, p. 47. I. The Scottish and other British Churches in like manner believe "One holy Catholic and Apostolic Church" which is not invisible only but also visible "throughout all the world." (The Creeds, and the Te Deum.) "The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly ministered." NOTE (Art. XIX.) This Church "is the Spouse and Body of Christ, the pillar and XVII. ground of the truth" and "against it the gates of hell shall never prevail:" (Ordinal, and Scottish Catechisms.) "In it from the Apostles' time there have ever been these three Orders of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons;" (Preface to the Ordinal.) who have committed to them the ministry " of the Doctrine, and Sacraments, and Discipline of Christ:" (Ordinal.) "to which Offices no man may presume, unless he be first called and 'coopted' and ordained thereto by lawful Episcopal authority." (Preface to Ordinal, Ord. and Art. XXIII. and xxxvII.) "The Church is moreover the teacher and witness of Holy Writ, and has authority' to 'teach' and 'decree rites and ceremonies' and to decide controversies of faith;' It contains within itself certain chief sees, as those of 'Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, &c.' (Art. XIX.) and is represented by General Councils or Synods.' (Art. xxi.) Further, the Doctrine of the Church, as founded on the authority of the Scripture, being fixed and immutable, ought to be uniformly received and adhered to, at all times and in all places. The same is to be said of its government in all those essential parts of its constitution, which were precribed by its adorable Head; but in the Discipline, which may be adopted for furthering the purposes of Ecclesiastical Government, regulating the solemnities of public worship, as to time, place, and form, and restraining and rectifying the evils occasioned by human depravity, this character of immutability is not to be looked for. The Discipline of the Church is to be determined by Christian wisdom, prudence, and charity. (Preface to the Scottish Canons, subscribed by all the Bishops, A.D. 1838.) However even with regard to those things which are in their own nature changeable, "whosoever through his private judgment, willingly and purposely, doth openly break the traditions and ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to the Word of God, and be ordained and approved by common authority, ought to be rebuked openly," (Art. xxxiv.) and if need be " excommunicated." (Canons, A.D. 1602.) And lastly, "that person who by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off from the unity of the Church, and excommunicated, ought to be taken of the whole multitude of the faithful as a heathen and publican, until he be openly reconciled by penance, and received back into the Church by a judge that hath authority thereto;" that is by absolution.-Art. xxxIII. II. From Bishop Nicholson's Exposition of the Catechism of the Church of England, A.D. 1661:— "To believe the Catholic Church, is to believe that there is a society of Christians dispersed into all quarters of the world, who are united under Christ their head, formalized and moved by His Spirit; matriculated by Baptism; nourished by the Word and Supper of the Lord; ruled and continued under Bishops and Pastors lawfully called to these offices, who succeed those upon whom the Holy Ghost came down, and have the power of the keys committed to them, for administration of doctrine and discipline; and who are bound to preach the Word, to pray with and intercede for the people, to administer the Sacraments, to ordain ministers, and to use the Church censures."-Oxford ed. p. 60. III. From the Proposals sent by the British Bishops to the Eastern Patriarchs, in the year of our Lord 1716: “We agree, that there is no other foundation of the Church but Christ alone; and that the Prophets and Apostles are no otherwise to be called so, but in a less proper and secondary sense, respectively only."-Prop. VII. "We agree, that Christ alone is the Head of the Church; which title ought not therefore to be assumed by any one; much less by any Secular Power, how great soever; and that Bishops under Him have a vicarious headship, as His proper representatives, and vicegerents; being thence subject in spirituals to no power on earth."-Prop. VIII. "We agree, that every Christian ought to be subject to the Church; and that the Church is by Christ sufficiently instructed and authorized to examine the writings and censure the persons of her subjects or ministers, though never so great.”—Prop. ix. "We agree, that the Holy Ghost assisteth the Church in judging rightly concerning matters of faith; and that both general and particular orthodox Councils, convened after the example of the first Council of Jerusalem, may reasonably expect that assistance in their resolutions.”—Prop v. IV. From the Scottish Catechism of the Diocese of Aberdeen :"Q. What is the Church? A. The whole Body or Society of the Faithful, under one and the same Head. Q. Who are the Faithful? A. Those who profess the true Religion. Q. Which is the true Religion? A. That which God Himself has taught. Q. What are the marks of the Church of Christ? A. That it is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic, Q. How is it One? A. By being united under one only Head. Q. Who is its Head? A. Jesus Christ. Q. Who are Heretics? A. They who teach a different faith from that of the Church. Q. Who are Schismatics? A. They who form a separate Church by themselves. Q. How is this Church Holy? A. By its Doctrine, its Sacraments, and its Head, Who is Jesus Christ. Q. Are all its members holy? A. No; it is made up of good and bad to the end of the world. Q. What means the 'Catholic' Church? A. It means the Universal Church. Q. How is it universal? A. By its extending to all times, from the creation of the world. Q. Does it extend likewise to all places? A. Yes; it is the same Church throughout the world.' Q. What means 'Apostolic'? A. It means that the Church preserves the Doctrine of the Apostles. Q. And what else? A. That its Pastors are the Successors of the Apostles. Q. Whom did the Apostles appoint to succeed them in the government of the Church? A. The Bishops; &c. . Was not the Christian Priesthood typified and prefigured M NOTE XVII. NOTE by the Jewish? A. Yes; the Bishop is the Christian High-Priest; and the Presbyters and Deacons answer to the Priests and Levites. Q. Whom does the Christian High-Priest represent? A. He represents Jesus Christ, the invisible Bishop and Head of the whole Church. Q. Ought not then every Christian to be subject to his Bishop? A. Yes; as to the visible Head, or High-Priest in his own Diocese... Q. What is the Communion of Saints? A. It is the mutual communication of all good things in the Church. Q. Who partake of it? A. All that are in the Church, and live as becomes the Gospel. Q. Can Schismatics or excommunicated persons partake of it? A. They cannot, any more than Infidels. Q. Whom do you mean by excommunicated persons? A. Those who are cast out of the Church by the governors of it. Q. Whom do they cast out of the Church? A. Those who have committed great sins, and will not submit to Penance for them."-P. 16, 19. See also the Scottish Catechism of Bishop Jolly, p. 31, &c. ed. 1837. : V. From the Scottish Catechism of the Diocese of Brechin :"Q. What are we taught in the Creeds to believe concerning the Church? A. We are taught to profess our belief in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. Q. What is the Holy Catholic Church? A. That Spiritual Society of Christians, which Christ constituted, to preserve the knowledge and worship of the true God, and to dispense His holy Word and Sacraments, for the Salvation of mankind. (P. 23.) Q. What do you mean by professing this belief? A. I profess to believe that, according to God's word and promise, there has been from the beginning of Christianity, and will be to the end of the world, a Church possessing these characters. Q. What do the Scriptures say concerning the unity of the Church? A. They describe it as one temple or House of God, having one Foundation, one Corner Stone, one Fold under one Shepherd; as having one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one Hope; as being one Body or Society, all whose members should speak the same thing, and with one mind and one mouth glorify God. Q. How is the Church Holy? A. Because it is united to Christ, the Holy One, as its Head, by whose appointment it enjoys many holy Privileges; and because its principal use is to sanctify those who are in it, and who are called Saints, that is, holy persons. Q. Why is the Church called Catholic? A. Because, unlike the Jewish Church, it is universal in regard to time and place, taking in people of all nations, and in all ages; and because it is universal in regard to doctrine, teaching and receiving all truth. Q. Why is the Church called Apostolic? A. Because it continues in the Apostles' Doctrine and Fellowship. Q. What do you mean by continuing in the Apostles' Doctrine? A. I mean holding and teaching the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints,' the pure and uncorrupted doctrine which it has received from the Apostles, and duly administering the Sacraments .... XVII. which Christ committed to their care. Q. What is meant by continuing NOTE in the Apostles' Fellowship? A. I mean holding communion with those Pastors, who are the Successors of the Apostles in the government of the Church. Q. Is the Church then a regularly organized Society or Body? A. Yes; it is a regular and permanent Society, constituted by Christ, having a settled government, and duly appointed officers, a form of admission, and peculiar privileges. Q. Is there not a tendency to overlook the fact of the Church being thus constituted? A. Yes; this is a prevailing fault of the present day. Q. And what is the natural result of this error? A. People lose sight of the Church as the Means, Instrument, or Organ, through which their spiritual blessings are appointed to flow. (1 Tim. iii. 15.).... Q. What promise did our Lord make to the Apostles respecting the continuance of their office? A. 'Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.' (Matt. xxviii. 20.) . Q. Have the three Orders of the Ministry been regularly continued in the Church? A. Yes; they have been regularly continued to the present day. (P. 59, 63.) Q. What effect should the belief of this Article of our Faith produce? A. It should unite all Christians more closely in the bonds of peace, love, and unity. (P. 24.) Q. Does our Blessed Lord speak on the same subject? A. In the affecting Prayer, which He offered up to the Father, the night before He was crucified, for all that should believe in Him, one of the chief petitions is that they all may be one.' (John xvii. 21.) Q. What is the best way of answering the end of this Divine Prayer? A. To adhere in the unity of the Spirit, and in the bond of peace, to the Communion of the Holy Catholic Church. Q. Must not all to whom the Gospel is preached become members of the Church? A. Yes; for it is said, (Acts ii. 47.) 'The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved;' which shews that the appointed road to heaven lies through the Church of Christ upon earth. Q. What respect and obedience do the people owe to their Pastors in Spiritual matters? A. 'Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account." (Heb. xiii. 17, &c.) See also under Notes II. XXI. VI. The Scottish Bishop Rattray, of Dunkeld, has the following: "No moral duties whatsoever that can be performed by any person out of the Communion of the Church, (however the assistance of the Holy Spirit, as an external principle, be necessary to produce them,) can ever give an immediate title to the Kingdom of Heaven. For these inferior communications of the Spirit, as a principle only extrinsical to our nature, which were still continued to mankind, even after the loss of the Spirit Itself by the Fall, and which are more or less given to all men as they cultivate them by a right use of their free-will (not only as being necessary in order to the government of the world even with respect to this life, but likewise to fit and dispose us for the embracing of the offers of the Gospel |