Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5200 .B352 1835 v2

APPENDIS. 187 hath been kept for such memorial ever since, tnrough all the Christian part ofthe world, which proveth the uninterruptedbelief of Christ's resurrection, as a notorious, practical tradition. 6. Christ and his apostles, ever since his resurrection, instituted solemn assemblies of Christians to be held on those days, and at other times ; once a week was the least through the Christian world; and what did they meet for, but to preach, hear, and pro- fess the same Christian faith ? 7. It was the Constant custom of Christians in their assemblies, and their houses, to sing hymns of praise to Jesus Christ, in re- membrance of his resurrection, &c. Pliny tells Trajan that this was the practice by which Christians were known by their, perse- cutors ; which is a practical tradition. 8. Jesus Christ instituted, and all Christians to this day have constantly used, the sacrament of Christ's sacrifice, called the eu- charist ; to keep in remembrance his death till he come, and pro- fess their belief that he is our life. And as theconstant celebra- tion of the passover, with all its ceremonies, was a most certain tradition of the Egyptians' plagues and Israelites' deliverance, more than a bare written history would be, so bath the Lord's supper been, of the uninterrupted belief of the history of our redemption by 'Christ. 9. The church hath, from the beginning, had a constant disci- pline, bywhich it hath kept itself separate from heretics, who have denied any essential article of this faith ; which is a sure tradition of the samebelief. 10. None question but Christians have, from the beginning, been persecuted for this same faith, and in persecution made con- fession of it : persecutors and confessors, then, are both the wit- nessesof the continuance. 11. Whenever heretics or enemies have written against Chris- tians, their apologies and defenses show that it was this same faith which they owned. 12. Most of the adverse heretics owned the same matters of fact. 13. The Jews were long before in possession of the books of the Old Testament, which bear their testimony to Christ. 14. Thebooks of the NewTestament have, by certain tradition, been delivereddown to this presentdày, which contain thematters of fact and. docttite, the essentials, integrals, and accidents of the faith. 15. No enemies have written any thing against the matter of fact, of any moment. 16. Yea, the Jews, and other bitterest enemies, confess much of the miracles of Christ.

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