Examen Censurae: Or, an Answer to Certain Strictures on a Book Entitled: Harmonia Apostolica

The invidious charge of religion being innovated on, with which Dr. Tully in the
title of his book wished to crush his opponents, removed. Popular charges of
Popery and Socinianism, with which he taunts those whom he calls innovators,
throughout his book, clearly refuted.

SECTION II.

ON THE PREFACE OF THE BOOK.

(Page 243.)

Dr. Tully's rhetoric, in the very beginning of his book, irrelevant. Dr. Tully
undeservedly blames those who thought they ought to abstain from the contro-
versy which he himself is carrying on with such zeal against the author of the
Harmony. The great things of Divine truth, for which Dr. Tully considers
persons should so earnestly contend, are partly mere trivial distinctions, and
partly pernicious doctrines, dreadful to Christian ears. Tragic discourse of
Dr. Tully, which he thunders against the Harmonist and the rest of his adver-
saries, refuted. Dr. Tully declares in vain that he has entered the lists of this
controversy unwillingly. He does not observe the law that he himself lays
down for his adversaries.

State of the question badly defined by the Doctor. True state of the question

clearly explained.

SECTION IV.

(ON THE SECOND CHAPTER.)

ON THE OPINION OF THE FATHERS.

(Page 263.)

Dr. Tully falsely attributes to the author of the Harmony, that he had written

that most of the Fathers before Augustine, went on his side for the righteous-

ness of works. The author of the Harmony willingly appeals to the tribunal

of the Fathers. This to be stated generally, concerning the Fathers, namely,

that in all those places where they teach that a man is justified by faith only,

they are not speaking of faith as a single virtue, but of faith in its complex

sense, or of fides formata, as it is opposed (1.) to external works, or to the actual
righteousness of works; or (2.) to works of the natural law, done before and
without the knowledge, faith, and grace of the Gospel; or (3.) to works of the
Mosaic law; or lastly, to meritorious works of whatever kind. The testimo-
nies of Irenæus, Origen, Cyprian, Hilary, Basil the Great, Ambrose, Chrysos-
tom, Augustine, severally answered.

SECTION V.

(ON THE THIRD CHAPTER.)

ON THE JUDGMENT OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

(Page 248.)

Threefold dishonesty of Dr. Tully noted; namely, his not quoting the decree of

the Church of England in the Eleventh Article, as it stands; his being wholly

silent on that more diffuse explanation of the Article, contained in the Homily

on Salvation, to which the Church, in the Article itself, refers her sons: lastly,

his referring the reader to certain scraps of the Homily, and those not faithfully

translated by him, and wretchedly distorted by his interpretations. Passages

adduced from the Homily on Salvation answered. Our own explanation of the

Article confirmed by an illustrious testimony of the very illustrious divine,

Richard Field.

The assertion of the author of the Harmony that all the Confessions of the re-
formed Churches, or at least of the first and best of them, are on his side, de-
fended against Dr. Tully. Dr. Tully in vain blames the author of the Har-
mony, for saying that the Confession of Augsburg was the most celebrated of
all the reformed Confessions, and that the first authors of our Reformation had
followed or imitated that Confession. It is proved against Dr. Tully, that the
divines of Augsburg taught that true repentance is altogether necessary for a
man's justification. The passage quoted by the author of the Harmony, from
the Confession of Wurtemburg, explained. The words of the noble Confession
of Strasburg vindicated from Dr. Tully's untrue interpretation of them.

SECTION VII.

BEING AN APPENDIX TO THE PRECEDING SECTIONS.

(Page 301.)

Accusation of heterodoxy retorted on the Doctor. It is shewn that Dr. Tully in

certain very important points of Christian doctrine, is altogether at variance

with the clear definitions of the English, and other of the better reformed, and

so of the Catholic Church. Four of his uncatholic dogmas are specially noted:

namely, (1.) That repentance or true contrition for sin is in no degree neces-

sary for obtaining the first justification. (2.) That the continuation or pre-

servation of our justification already obtained by faith only, does not at all

depend upon the condition of good works to be hereafter performed by us.

(3.) That a man who has been once imbued with justifying faith, cannot pos-

sibly wholly fall away from the same, and perish everlastingly. (4.) That

Christ has made satisfaction, and offered Himself on the cross, for the sins of

the elect alone.

SECTION VIII.

ON THE REMAINING CHAPTERS.

(Page 344.)

Certain wonderful sophisms of the Doctor are noted. It is falsely asserted by
Dr. Tully against the Harmonist and his friends, that on their view, the
Fathers, the Church of England, and all the reformed are Solifidians. Dr.
Tully, however, is fairly convicted of Solifidianism. The charge he brings
against the Harmonist, that he is playing a part in opposition to the truth,
clearly refuted. A certain argument of the author of the Harmony defended
against Dr. Tully, which runs thus: In whatever degree St. Paul rejects ritual

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Examen Censurae: Or, an Answer to Certain Strictures on a Book Entitled ...