1

as synonymous terms; in other words, the Church Catholic is pronounced to have been all along, and, by implication, as destined ever to be, the guardian of the pure and undefiled faith, or to be indefectible in that faith." To glance from the Formularies of the Church to the writings of her Martyrs and Doctors;-Archbishop CRANMER remarks that "the Church doth never wholly err;" and adds, in a passage already quoted, that the testimony of the Catholic Church, ascertained by the rule of Vincentius, " may be taken as a necessary witness for the receiving and establishing" of the faith. FARRar, HOOPER, COVERDALE, ROWLAND TAYLOR, PHILPOT, and BRADFORD, (in their famous Confession at Oxford, 1554,) assert that "the Catholic Church, which is the spouse of CHRIST, as a most obedient and loving wife, doth embrace and follow the doctrine of these Books [holy Scripture] in all matters of Religion, and, therefore, that she is to be heard accordingly. and," they add, "we doubt not,

2

which, whether it allows private judgment or not, clearly propounds, that unless private judgment terminate in the reception of certain most definite statements of Doctrine, it incurs the Church's direct and absolute anathema?"-Brit. Critic, No. XL. p. 385.

1

Newman On Romanism, &c. Lect. viii. pp. 227, 228. 2 P. 14.

by God's grace, but we shall be able to prove all our confession here to be most true, by the verity of GOD's Word, and consent of the Catholic Church."1 FIELD unreservedly acknowledges the infallibility of the Catholic Church in matters of faith.2 DONNE recommends; "To know which are the Scriptures, to know what the HOLY GHOST says in the Scriptures, apply thyself to the Church." LAUD says; "That the whole Church cannot universally err in the Doctrine of faith is most true." USHER remarks; "Now, these common principles of the Christian faith, which we call KowÓTIOтa, or things 'generally believed' of all, as they have Universality, and Antiquity, and Consent, concurring with them, which, by Vincentius's rule, are the special character of that which is truly and properly Catholic, so for their duration we are sure that they have still held out and been kept as the seminary of the Catholic Church in the darkest and difficultest times that ever have been."5 HEYLIN writes, "We do believe that the Church is led by the SPIRIT of GOD into all necessary truths; and, being so

1 P. 18.

5

Pp. 108, 109. The third edition of the Sermon (which was preached before King James, 20th June, 1624,) from whence the

quotation there cited is taken, was published in 4to. 1631.

taught, becomes our Schoolmistress unto CHRIST, by making us acquainted with His will and pleasure; and, therefore, that we are to yield obedience unto her decisions, determining according to the Word of God." And again; "That the Universal Church should so fall away as to teach any doctrine contrary to the faith and Gospel, is plainly contradictory to the promise made by CHRIST our SAVIOUR."1 TAYLOR remarks, "Then we speak according to the SPIRIT of GOD, when we understand Scripture in that sense in which the Church of GoD hath always practised it ;" and adds, that he who "leaves the way of the whole Church, hath no pretence for his error, no excuse for his pride, and will find no alleviation of his punishment."" BEVERIDGE asserts, that CHRIST "so acts, guides, directs, and governs [the Universal Church] by His HOLY SPIRIT, that though errors and heresies may sometimes disease and trouble some parts of it, yet they can never infect the whole; but that is still kept sound and entire, notwithstanding all the power and malice of men or devils against it."3 Similar testimonies might be collected from the writings of CHILLINGWORTH, HAMMOND, BRAMHALL, PEARSON, and others.

1

1 Pp. 94, 95.

2 P. 120.

3

Pp. 173, 174.

The following are some of the texts which have been thought to assert the infallibility of the Catholic Church in all matters of saving faith.

"The Church of the living God, the pillar and

66

ground of the Truth." 'Upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."2 "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations; and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." "And I will pray the FATHER, and He shall give you another CoмFORTER, that He may abide with you for ever."4 Howbeit, when He, the SPIRIT of Truth is come, He will guide you into all Truth.” 5

·66

It would be foreign to the design of this Introduction (which is rather to declare what the Anglican Church believes respecting Tradition, &c., than to exhibit the grounds of her belief) to discuss at any length the arguments which have been urged in proof of the Church's indefectibility. LAUD and BEVERIDGE Concur in maintaining, that had she erred in fundamentals, "the gates of hell" would

xvii

fearfully have prevailed against her; and that then the words of the Creed-"I believe in the HOLY Catholic Church"-would have been falsified, since "heresy is directly opposite to true holiness."1 Other arguments may be drawn from the promises which our LORD vouchsafed to the Apostles collectively-"When He, the SPIRIT of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all Truth." "Go ye, and teach all nations to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you." These words of CHRIST evidently exempt the Apostles from the peril of lapsing into fundamental error,—they assure them of the guidance of the HOLY GHOST into all Truth, and promise them the special assistance of their LORD-" I will be with you" for its promulgation. promulgation. It is generally allowed that the Apostles were thus divinely guided and assisted, but have any other persons an assurance of similar direction? Successors of the Apostles. expressions, "He shall abide

Surely, the legitimate

This is clear from the

with you for ever.”

"Lo, I am with you alway." Our SAVIOUR, it is evident, could not be with the first Disciples always as individuals, because they were subject to death:

Pp. 68, 69, 72-pp. 173-174.