their Councils abridged. declare what was theTradition of their Fathers ; And they all agreed that according to Scripture, andTradition, the Baptifm of Hereticks was a Nullity, and it was no rebaptization to baptize fuch as they baptized :'(fee here what ftrength is in the Papifts argument of Tradition in Euch cafes.) But this Council and their Doctrine Pope Stephen condemned: But they never the more altered their judgments,- not believing his Infallibity or to judge between them in .fuch matters of Faith. In this Council is fet down every Bithops Reafonof bis Judgment. S. 32. XII. When Pope Steploen had condemned thefe Bithops, Cy.rian calleth yet a greater Council of 87 Bilhops, who confirmed the fame Do- Etrine,and rejected the-Popes opinion and his arrogancies, that would make himfelf to be a Bifhop of Bithops, and by tyrannical terrour and abufeof Excommunication, force others tohis opinion. And with theAfricans in this judgment joyned Firmilian,. with 7o AlianBithops, and faith Binnius... Dionyfius Alexandrines afro- S. 33. But I muff here tell the Reader, that I mention not thefe inftan ces tobreed ill thoughts in him of thefe African and Numidian Bilhops-: For as far as I can difcernby their Writingsand by Hiftory, theywere the Godfieft, Faithful, Peaceable company of Bilhops that were found in any part of the World lince theApoftles times : Cyprian's flyle and theteftimo- ny of all juft Hiftory which concerneth him, as well as his Martyrdome, de- clarehim to be a Saint indeed (Nazianzen declareth the ftrange occafion= of his Converfon; viz. Thathe loved or lulled after a Chriftian Virgin,. andwhen he could not obtain his will,, being given to Magick, he agreed with the Deviltoprocure his delire;. but when he taw that the Devil con- left himfelf unable to do it,- and 'fo that he was too weak for Chrift, he forfook the Devil and turned Chriftian :) The Papilts (Bimtius, Bareniur_. &c.) conje lure that Cyprian before his: death: reformed this Errour, but- their conjefure meerly tells us what they with, without any reafon,,., but that he dyed a Martyr and his Succeffours honoured him. As: if none 'night fo die and be honoured that had any errour, . which- noman living is without. z. And this may be raid toexcufe their errour.- r. That the ftrifteft men oftner erre on the ftricter fide againft fin,,. xhan- the complying Carnal Clergy. a. That they thought it the fafer way to:, baptize fuch again, (on the fame reafon as wedo in cafeofuncertainbap- - tifine, withaJinonbaptizatuses, baptizo te not knowingwhy there fhoulef, be any danger in the mittake Much like as in Fnglandnow; theBilhops area: for the re-Ordainingofall fuch as-Were Ordained by others that were not: Diocefanes, andyetdonot call it re-Ordaining. 3. That in thole times of Heathenifme and perfecution; the Chriftians had noway'to maintain their' ftrength but by the ChurchesConcord ; nor:could theyotherwife.have kept up fo aria adilcipline as they did, having no forcing power of.Chriftian -= Magiftrates : Therefore they were neceffiaced to- be revere with dividers. And theambiguity of the word-CHerej^reJ was not the leaft occahon of" their. errour.- The Nicene Conncil.afterwatd;rebaptixed fuch. as..thofc rctïc kì; 37
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=