ARGUMENTS FOR ROMISH UNITY ANSWERED. 407 like perspicuity), advanced by a late divine of great repute, and col- lected out of his writings with some care, are those which, briefly proposed, do follow, together with answers declaring their invalidity. Arg. I. The name " church" is attributed to the whole body of Christians, which implies unity.Ep., p. 38; Lat., p. 114. Ans. This, indeed, implies an unity of the church, but determines not the kind or ground thereof, there being several kinds of unity. One of those which we have touched, or several, or all of them, may suffice to ground that comprehensive appellation. Arg. II. Our creeds import the belief of such anunity: for in the Apostolical we profess to believe "The holy catholic church;" in the Constantinopolitan, "The holy catholic" and "apostolic church." Ep. ; Lat. p. 144. Ans. 1. The most ancient summaries of Christian faith extant in the first fathers, Irenus, Tertullian, Cyprian, &c., do not contain this point. Iren.; Tert.; Cypr.; Cone. Nic. The word "catholic" was not originally in the Apostolical or Ro- man Creed, but was added after Ruffin and St Augustine's time. This article was inserted into the creeds upon the rise of heresies and schisms, to discountenance and disengage from them. Ans. 2. We avowa "catholic church" in many respects one; where- fore, not the unity of the church, but the kind and manner of unity, being in question, the creed does not oppose what we say, nor can with reasonbe alleged for the special kind of unitywhich is pretended. Ans. 3. That the unity mentioned in the Constantinopolitan Creed is such as our adversaries contend for, of external policy, is precariously assumed, and relies only upon their interpretationob- truded on us. Ans. 4. The genuine meaning of that article may reasonably be deemed this: That we profess our adhering to the body of Christians, which, diffused over theworld, retains the faith taught, the discipline settled, the practices appointed, by our Lord and his apostles; that we maintain general charity toward all good Christians; that we are ready to entertain communion in holy offices with all such; that we are willing to observe the laws and orders established by authority or consent of the churches, for maintenance of truth, order, and peace; that we renounce all heretical doctrines, all disorderly prac- tices, all conspiracy with any factious combinations of people. Ilapa- euvayayaí. Ans. 5. That this is the meaning of the article may sufficiently appear from the reason and occasion of introducing it, which was to secure the truth of Christian doctrine, the authority of ecclesiastical discipline, and the common peace of the church; according to the discourses and arguments of the fathers, Irenus, Tertullian, St
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=