order to find it, or to settle its exact form and limits. This is the true method for bringing to an issue the sacramental question, the liturgical question, the question of festival days. An active revival of the consciousness expressed in the Creed, would in due time restore all these great interests to their pristine authority. And we will just add, in the way of friendly hint to Episcopalians, that if their favorite system of church polity could be vindicated as necessary, in this way, to the conservation of the great catholic ideas that enter into the primitive faith, it would be, in our estimation, an argument of more weight and force in its favor, than whole tomes of learning employed to establish its authority in an outward and abstract view. J. W. N.

ART. XXI.-THE RULE OF FAITH.- Concluded.

HAVING defined our subject and glanced at its earlier history,* we shall next notice the leading false theories of it, which more or less prevail, and conclude with a statement of the evangelical doctrine in the case.

III. It has been the mournful destiny of the Church and her ordinances, from the first, to be perverted and scandalized by the false zeal or the depravity of those professing to be her sincere friends. Driven thus from one extreme to another, and tossed by the contentions ever connected with such movements, her history presents, in this view, an ever varying scene of agita

• Which was explicitly stated to be the sole object of the former article, and more than which, consequently, no intelligent reader would expect to find in it. As to the definition given, it is hoped that those who did not discover it at first, have been so fortunate as to find it since, lying very quietly in simple italics, and in its proper place, about the middle of p. 50. If they have not, we really know of no better remedy than pica!

tions, giving full occasion for grief and wonder, fear and hope. Her constant subjection to abuse from human ignorance, pride, or passion, awakens sorrow and alarm, whilst the continual evidence we have that an Omnipotent Agency is overruling all for a most triumphant issue to these alarming conflicts, must call forth admiration of the mighty power of God, as exhibited in the Past, and inspire confidence in its all-sufficiency for the Future. No doubt but the end will prove that, as the fall was the necessary antecedent to Redemption, the suffering life and ignominious death of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the conquest of death and hell, and the falling away, and "blindness in part that hath happened unto Israel," to the gathering in of the Gentiles, so all these violent perversions of Christianity are essential to the working out of the great scheme of grace which God is executing by the Church.

An illustration of what has thus happened to the Church in general, is afforded by the fate of the subject in hand. For clear and well-settled as the primitive doctrine and practice in reference to the Rule of Faith must have been, tendencies to departure from it very soon began to work and show themselves. This is implied in the complaints of Paul already, concerning those on the one hand, "who opposed and exalted themselves above all that was called God,"" departing from the faith, and giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils;" and of those on the other hand, who were "lovers of their own selves, boasters, proud, disobedient to parents, traitors, heady, highminded, ** who, as James and Jambres withstood Moses, so they resisted the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith, ** deceiving and being deceived." With these complaints of Paul, others of Peter, James, and Jude fully agree, and all show that the mystery of iniquity did then already work. The aim and purpose of these departures from the creed of the early Church upon this subject, we are expressly told, was to loosen the hold of the faithful upon "the traditions they had been taught, whether by word or by epistle," and thus to turn them from following Paul (and the other representatives of the Church) as he followed Christ. But though their aim was thus one, the forms which they severally assumed, were almost as diversified as the instan

ces of their occurrence were numerous. They may, however, be reduced to three general classes, to which those existing at the present day are intimately allied. They will also be found to stand in close inward relation to each other, (notwithstanding the apparent outward conflict,) whilst all of them cling to the Truth, like the gum and other excrescences of a wounded tree, seeking to rid itself of the worm deposited to feed upon its strength. And firm must be the sinews, and vigorous the life of that old vine, which has been able so long and successfully to contend against these and similar pernicious foreign elements, so likely to effect its ruin!

The first of these false theories that claims attention, is that which signalizes the Romish Confession, and which is, indeed, "the ground and pillar" of its strength. It consists in an extreme abuse of that side of the gospel principle which provides for the proper subordination of the part to the whole, of the members to the body, by perverting it into a despotic hierarchy, in which the christian principle is frustrated, because the rights of the individual are destroyed. This theory may be summed up in the following proposition: In all matters of faith and practice, the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church, with its interpretation of them, are of divine authority, because the Church is infallible. This is the substance of the decree of Trent upon the subject. That Council, at its fourth session, decided as follows: "Praeterea, ad coërcenda petulantia ingenia, docerint, ut nemo, suae prudentiae innixus, in rebus fidei, et morum, ad aedificationem doctrinae Christianae pertinentium, sacram scripturam ad suos sensus contorquens, contra eum sensum, quem tenuit et tenet saneta mater ecclesia, cujus est judicare de vero sensu et interpretatione scripturarum sanctarum, aut etiam contra unanimen consensum Patrum, ipsam Scripturam sacram interpretari audeat." It is not our purpose in this brief review of false theories, to arraign and condemn the authors of them as being influenced only by the

* As it altogether suits the design of this essay better, the language of the decree is given in the original. Those who desire, may find a good translation of all the Decrees of the Council, (with the original appended,) in "Cramp's Text-book of Popery."

most wicked motives in their production and defence. Rather would we go upon the opposite presumption, and hope, that whatever may be true of some who advocate error upon this subject, others are sincere in believing it to be truth, and as such essential to the maintenance and furtherance of the gospel. But certainly, a more subtle mixture of truth and error, a more cunning wrapping up of the poison in sweet and precious truth, could hardly be conceived of, than is exhibited in this decree. For who will deny that "petulant minds" ought to be restrained? Or that "Christian doctrine should be maintained?" Or that any one should so "confide in his own judgment" as to wrest the sacred Scriptures to his own sense of them?" Or that the Church is holy and cur Mother, and hath held and still holds that which it becomes all to believe? In what, then, does the error of this doctrine of Rome consist? Let her own version and interpretation of it answer.

The creed of Pope Pius already furnishes a significant paraphrase of it: "Apostolicas et ecclesiasticas traditiones, reliquosque ejusdem ecclesiae observationes et constitutiones firmissime admitto, et amplector. Item sacram scripturam juxta eum sensum, quem tenuit et tenet sancta mater ecclesia, cujus est judicare de vero sensu et interpretatione sacrarum scripturarum, admitto; nec eam unquam, nisi juxta unanimem consensum patrum accipiam, et interpretabor."

If now we turn to accredited writers in the Romish Communion for a further exposition of their doctrine, we shall find the proposition laid down above, fully sustained by their own avowals. From a great abundance of evidence, we shall adduce the testimony of only a few witnesses, and those of the better sort.

Bellarmine affirms, in defence of the Romish doctrine, "that scripture is very often obscure and ambiguous, so that unless it be interpreted by some one who cannot err, it cannot be understood; hence it is not sufficient alone." (De Verb. iv. 4.) That "one who cannot err," is afterwards declared to be Tradition speaking through the Popes and Councils of the Roman Church.

Knott, in the memorable controversy with Chillingworth, asserts still more boldly, that the traditions of that church, with her interpretation of them, is the only and sufficient judge in all

religious disputes, because of her infallibility, defending this position as the doctrine of his church. He says, after laboring to show that the holy Scriptures are in themselves insufficient, and that the Church is invested with infallibility to make up for this deficiency of the word: "I conclude, therefore, with this argument; whosoever resisteth that means which infallibly proposeth to us God's word or revelation, commits a sin, which, unrepented, excludes salvation: but whosoever resisteth Christ's visible Church, doth resist that means which infallibly proposeth God's word: Therefore, &c., Now, what visible church was extant, when Luther began his pretended reformation**, is easy to be determined." This he determines himself, in another place, to be none other than the Roman Catholic.

Pallavicini, one of the most esteemed and distinguished advocates of Rome, confirms this testimony when he declares: "The whole of our faith rests upon one indivisible article, viz: the infallible authority of the Church."

Another eminent writer, whose notoriety has been rendered more extensive than was probably thought desirable, (though he is of standard authority in the Church,) tells us that the doctrine of the Church is, that "divine tradition is a Rule of Faith, and whatever the Catholic (Roman) Church declares as such, is to be regarded as tradition." And again in reply to the question: "What is the judge of controversies concerning the faith and customs? The Church, whether scattered or assembled in general Council, and the Pope, the head of the Church." (Den's Theology, translated by Rev. Dr. Berg.)

But it is useless to multiply proofs in so plain a case. Indeed the doctrine, as set forth in the foregoing quotations, is so precious to every true Papist, that, rather than invalidate it by a denial, he would seek to corroborate it by additional testimony. So firm is the Church's determination to maintain this doctrine, and so zealous are her sons in their defence of it that we are warmly assured by a man of as much learning and seeming sincerity as Dr. Wiseman, that "the moment any Roman Catholic doubts, not alone the principles of faith, but any one of those doctrines

• "Charity maintained by Catholics." Chap ii. § 27.