СНАР. Of the pretended Novelty of our Religion, or an anfwer to the common Queftion; Where was your Religion before Luther? TH HIRDLY, 'Tis objected against the Church of England, that the profeffes a new Religi on: whereas the true Religion, which our Savior Inftituted,was to continue to the end of the World ; and confequently, that Religion which bears date from the Reformation only, cannot be the true Religion. And accordingly, our Adverfaries often ask us, Where was your Religion before Luther? thinking it a Demonftration againft our Profeffion, that it was not (in their opinion) from the beginning. Before I answer this Objection, I fhall premife three things. 1. We readily acknowledge, that the true Religion was to continue from the first Foundation of it to the end of the World. Our Lord Inftituted but one Church, and he promis'd, that the Gates of Hell fhould not prevail against it; that is, that it fhould never fail, but be profefs'd in fome Region or other, in every Age of the World. But, 2. we contend that Jefus Chrift never promis'd, that his Religion fhould not be corrupted. 'Tis true it cannot be destroy'd; but it may be polluted. 3. Our Savior never promis'd, that his Church fhould alwaies flourish. It should not fail, I confefs; but it might be afflicted or leffen'd. It fhould alwaies be receiv'd, but not alwaies by the fame number of Perfons. These These things being premis'd, the answer to this Objection is very eafie. For we believe, and are able to prove, that our Religion is as old as our Savior Chrift. For wherein do's our Religion dif fer from that of our Adverfaries? I have already fhewn, that we believe whatsoever they believe, excepting fuch Particulars, as I have prov'd to be either abfolutely falfe, or forbidden in Scripture, or not contain❜d in it. And confequently, thofe things, wherein we diffent from them, are not ef fential to the Christian Religion, but palpable corruptions of it. Now those things, that are corruptions of the true Religion, being thrown away, the true Religion remains pure and intire: and confequently, fince our Adverfaries acknowledge that they profess the true Religion; 'tis plain that we who profefs the fame Religion, only without their Corruptions, do profefs the true Religion. And fince the true Religion is by their own. confeffion, as old as Chrift; 'tis plain, that our Religion being the true Religion, it must be as old as Chrift. Thus alfo it appears, that our Religion has never fail'd fince the firft Foundation of it, for our Religion is the true Chriftian Religion; and our Adverfaries dare not fay, that the true Chriftian Religion did ever fail. Befides, our Religion being in fubftance the fame with their own,'tis plain, that if their own Religion has been conftantly profefs'd fince the first Inftitution of Chriftianity; then our Religion has been also conftantly profeffed fince the first Inftitution of Chriftianity; and confequently, it has never fail'd fince the firft Foundation of it. But our Adverfaries tell us, that the Reformed Religion is known to be of a very late date; whereas Po pery Popery has been the Belief of many Ages. Now I now defire fuch Objectors to confider, 1. That our Learned Men have often prov'd, that Popery is a very new Religion; that is, the Popish Doctrines, which I have examin'd by the Rule of the Holy Scriptures in the fecond Part of this Book, were not known in the Primitive Times, but have late ly crept into the Church. z. That the fame Learned Men have also often fhewn, that ever fince the Popish Doctrines did firft appear, there has been a Generation of Men, who have ftifly oppos'd them, and declar'd against them; tho' the Enemy did un happily prevail, and was in fpite of their Endea vors, able to fow Tares amongft the Wheat. 3. That the oppofition of fome few Men, who rejected and condemned fuch Innovations, and pro fefs'd the purity of Chriftianity, was enough to preferve a pure Church, tho the generality of Chriftians fubmitted to thofe Pollutions. For God, as I have already faid, has not promis'd, that his Church fhall alwaies fpread and flourish, or that his Religion fhall alwaies be maintain'd pure by the whole Body of the Profeffors of it: but 'tis fufficient to justify the truth of his Promife, if a fmally tho' contemtible and obfcure mumber, have ftuck clofe to the Primitive Doctrine; and deliver ed it down to us by a lefs vifible fucceffion. However, I fhall not infift upon thefe Particulars, which our Adverfaries may poffibly difpute; but return them another anfwer which they cannot gainfay. Let it be granted, that the Popish Doctrines are very ancient; and that when they first appear'd, they were not oppos'd, but univerfally receiv'd; and that there has not been a fucceffion of Chriftians, who never profefs'd them; I fay, be it granted that these things are fo'; yet 'tis eafie to prove that the Reform'd Religion is truly ancient, tho' the Reformation commenc'd but lately. For what, I pray, do our Adverfaries mean by the Reform'd Religion? 'Tis granted by our Adverfaries, that their own Religion is the Chriftian Religion; and 'tis plain, that our Adverfaries and thofe of the Reform'd Religion, do agree in many things, which are effential to the Chriftian Religion. The difference therefore between the Reform'd Religion and that of our Adverfaries confifts in this; that whereas our Adverfaries do think, that all their Doctrines are effential to the Chriftian Religion, and ought to be believ'd; thofe of the Reform'd Religion think, that only part of the Doctrines of our Adverfaries are effential to the Chriftian Religion, and that the other Doctrines of our Adverfaries are only Corruptions of it. Now if those Doctrines wherein we agree with our Adverfaries, be the only effential Doctrines of the Chriftian Religion; then we of the Reform'd Religion do profess all the Effential Doctrines of the Chriftian Religion: and confequently, whenfoever and wherefoever the Chriftian Religion is profefs'd, then and there our Religion is profeffed alfo. The only Queftion therefore is, whether we of the Reformed Religion do profefs all the Effential Doctrines of the Chriftian Religion, or no. Now our Adverfaries acknowledge, that they do profefs all the Effential Doctrines of the Chriftian Religion; and I have fhewn, that thofe Doctrines of theirs which we reject, are not effential, because they are unlawful Doctrines; and confequently, we of the Reformed Religion, who profefs all their Doctrines, except the unlawful ones, do profess all the Effential Doctrines of the Chriftian Religion. And therefore, whenfoever and wherefoever the Christian Christian Religion is profefs'd, then and there our Religion is profefs'd also. Tis true, the Errors of the Church of Rome have been but lately rejected; but our Religion is truly ancient notwithstanding. For that confifts, not in rejecting the Errors of Rome, but in retaining the Effentials of Chriftianity. We do not fay, that the Errors of the Papifts do make them to become no Chriftians: but we say, and I think I have fairly prov'd, that they are corrupted Chriftians. Our Religion and theirs is in fubftance the fame; for both do profefs the Chriftian Religion but theirs is corrupted, and ours is Re+ formed, not into another Religion, but from their Corruptions of the only true Religion. And now, if our Adverfaries ask, Where was your Religion before Luther? we answer them by re turning the question, Where was the Popish Religion before Luther? For wherefoever their own Re, ligion was, there was ours: only our Religion was then corrupted; and we have now rejected the Corruptions of our Religion, but our Adverfaries retain them ftill.. |