III. APPENDIX in a manner which shewed that he looked upon the removal of the Gallican church from the jurisdiction of Rome as an essential preliminary article, without which no negotiation could even be com. menced. "To speak freely, says the prelate, in his letter of the 11th of August, to Mr. Beauvoir, I do not think the regent, the duke of Orleans, yet strong enough in his interest, to adventure at a separation from the court of Rome. Could the Regent openly appear in this, the divines would follow, and a scheme might fairly be offered for such an union, as alone is requisite, between the English and Gallican church. But, till the time comes when the state will enter into such a work, all the rest is mere speculation. It may amuse a few contemplative men of learning and probity, who see the errors of the church, and groan under the tyranny of the court of Rome. It may dispose them secretly to wish well to us, and think charitably of us; but still they must call themselves catholics, and us heretics; and, to all outward appearance, say mass, and act so as they have been wont to do. If, under the shelter of Gallican privileges, they can now and then serve the state, by speaking big in the Sorbonne, they will do it heartily; but that is all, if I am not greatly mistaken." ; Soon after this, the archbishop received Du Pin's commonitorium, or advice relating to the method of reuniting the English and Gallican churches of the contents of which it will not be improper to give here a compendious account, as it was read in the Sorbonne, and was approved of there, and as the concessions it contains, though not sufficient to satisfy a true protestant, are yet such as one would not expect from a very zealous papist. Dr. Du Pin, after some reflections, in a tedious preface, on the reformation, and the present state of the church of England, reduces the controversy between the two churches to three heads, viz. articles of faith, rules and ceremonies of ecclesiastical III. discipline, and moral doctrine, or rules of practice; APPENDIX and these he treats, by entering into an examination of the XXXIX articles of the church of England. The first five of these articles he approves. With regard to the vith, which affirms that the scripture contains all things necessary to salvation, he expresses himself thus; "This we will readily grant, provided that you do not entirely exclude tradition, which doth not exhibit new articles of faith, but confirms and illustrates those which are contained in the sacred writings, and places about them new guards to defend them against gainsay. ers," &c. The doctor thinks that the Apocryphal Books will not occasion much difficulty. He is, indeed, of opinion, that "they ought to be deemed canonical, as those books concerning which there were doubts for some time;" yet, since they are not in the first, or Jewish canon, he will allow them to be called Deutero-canonical. He consents to the xth article, which relates to freewill, provid. ed by the word power be understood what school divines call potentia proxima, or a direct and im mediate power, since without a remote power of doing good works, sin could not be imputed. With respect to the x1 article, which contains the doctrine of justification, Dr. Du Pin expresses thus the sentiments of his brethren; "We do not deny that it is by faith alone that we are justified, but we maintain that faith, charity, and good works, are necessary to salvation; and this is acknowledged in the following, i. e. the x11th article.' The original words are; Hoc lubenter admittemus, modo non exclu, datur Traditio, que Articulos Fidei novos non exhibet, sed confirmat & explicat ea, quæ in Sacris Literis habentur ; ac adversus aliter sapientes munit eos novis cautionibus, ita ut non novą dicantur, sed antiqua nove. * The original words are; Fide sola in Christum nos justificari, quod Articulo XImo exponitur, non inficiamur; sed fide, charitate, & adjunctis bonis operibus, quæ omnino necessaria sunt ad salutem, ut articulo sequenti agnoscitur, APPENDIX Concerning the XIIIth article, the doctor observes," that there will be no dispute, since many divines of both communions embrace the doctrine contained in that article," viz. that works done before the grace of Christ are not pleasing to God, and have the nature of sin. He indeed thinks "it very harsh to say, that all those actions are sinful which have not the grace of Christ for their source;" but he considers this rather as a matter of theological discussion than as a term of fraternal communion.1 On the XIVth article, relating to works of supererogation, undoubtedly one of the most absurd and pernicious doctrines of the Romish church, Dr. Du Pin observes, that "works of supereroga. tion, mean only works conducive to salvation, which are not matter of strict precept, but of counsel only; that the word, being new, may be rejected, provided it be owned that the faithful do some such works." The doctor makes no objections to the xv, XVI, XVII, and xvIIIth articles. His observation on the x1xth is, that, to the definition of the church, the words, under lawful pastors, ought to be added; and that though all particular churches, even that of Rome, may err, it is needless to say this in a Confession of Faith. He consents to the decision of the xxt article, which refuses to the church the power of ordaining any thing that is contrary to the word of God; but he says, it must be taken for granted, that the church will never do this in matters which overturn essential points of faith, or, to use his own words, quæ fidei substantiam evertant. It is in consequence of this notion that he remarks, on the xxI" article, that general councils, 1 De Articulo XIIImo nulla lis erit, cum multi theologi in eadem versentur sententia. Durius videtur id dici, eas omnes actiones quæ ex gratia Christi non fiunt, esse peccata. Nolim tamen de hac re descep. tari, nisi inter theologos. IIL received by the universal church, cannot err; and APPENDIX that, though particular councils may, yet every private man has not a right to reject what he thinks contrary to Scripture. As to the important points of controversy contained in the xxII" article, the doctor endeavours to mince matters as nicely as he can, to see if he can make the cable pass through the eye of the needle; and for this purpose observes, that souls must be purged, i. e. purified from all defilement of sin, before they are admitted to celestial bliss; that the church of Rome doth not affirm this to be done by fire; that indulgences are only relaxations or remissions of temporal penalties in this life; that the Roman catholics do not worship the cross, nor relics, nor images, nor even saints before their images, but only pay them an external respect, which is not of a religious nature; and that even this external demonstration of respect is a matter of indifference, which may be laid aside or retained without harm. He approves of the xxIII article, and does not pretend to dispute about the xxIvth, which ordains the celebration of divine worship in the vulgar tongue. He, indeed, excuses the Latin and Greek churches for preserving their ancient languages; alleges, that great care has been taken that every thing be understood by translations; but allows, that divine service may be performed in the vulgar tongue, where that is customary. Under the xxyth article he insists, that the five Romish sacraments be acknowledged as such, whether instituted immediately by Christ or not. 2 He approves of the xxv1th and xxvIIth articles; and he proposes expressing that part of the XXVIIIth that relates to transubstantiation, which term he is willing to omit entirely, in the following manner; "that the bread and wine are really changed into the body and blood of Christ, which last are truly and really received by all, though APPENDIX none but the faithful partake of any benefit from them." This extends also to the xxIxth article. III. Concerning the xxxth, he is for mutual toleration, and would have the receiving the communion in both kinds held indifferent, and liberty left to each church to preserve, or change, or dispense, on certain occasions, with its customs. He is less inclined to concessions on the xxx1" article, and maintains that the Sacrifice of Christ is not only commemorated, but continued, in the Eucharist, and that every communicant offers him along with the priest. He is not a warm stickler for the celibacy of the clergy, but consents so far to the xxx11d article, as to allow that priests may marry, where the laws of the church do not prohibit it. In the XXXIII and xxx1vth articles he acquiesces without exception. He suspends his judgment with respect to the xxxv, as he never perused the homilies mentioned therein. As to the xxxvith, he would not have the English ordinations pronounced null, though some of them, perhaps, are so; but thinks that, if an union be made, the English clergy ought to be continued in their offices and benefices, either by right or indulgence, sive ex jure, sive ex indulgentia Ecclesiæ. He admits the XXXVII, so far as relates to the authority of the civil power; denies all temporal and all immediate spiritual jurisdiction of the pope; but alleges, that, by virtue of his primacy, which moderate, he ought to have said immoderate, church of England men do not deny, he is bound to see that the true faith be maintained; that the canons be observed every where; and, when any thing is done in violation of either, to provide the remedies prescribed for such disorders by the canon laws, secundum leges canonicas, ut malum resarciatur, procurare. As to the rest, |