The Editor has only, in conclusion, to thank those Noblemen and Gentlemen, lay and clerical,' who have kindly lent him the sanction of their names, and to express an earnest hope that the following compendium may lead, so far as this is practicable, to a more general perusal of all the writings of our elder Masters and Doctors—may help to silence the misrepresentations of Roman and other sectaries, and hasten the revival of ancient piety and faith.

ST. PETER'S COLLEGE.

The Vigil of the Feast of All Saints.3

He would in particular tender his grateful acknowledgments to the Rev. Dr. Pusey, the Rev. Henry J. Rose, and the Rev. W. J. Irons, for their kind and judicious advice; and to the Rev. H. W. Cookson, Fellow of St. Peter's College, for his courteous attention respecting the Library of that Society.

2 The voluminous nature of these writings, unfortunately renders them sealed books to the great majority of the Clergy. Happy, in this respect, is he whose lot is cast in the neighbourhood of our noble University and College Libraries, or the wellstored cases of some of our Nobility and Gentry.

3 See the Collect for the day, and the Appendix, No. II., p. 270.

85,

- 107,

248,

30, for instructions read nstruction.

26, dele the commas between believe and as he doth, and between doth and

the four Gospels.

17, for aditâ read traditâ.

12, Note, for doctrines read Doctrine.

INTRODUCTION.

THE following Introduction is designed to exhibit a brief summary of the "Judgment of the Anglican Church" with regard to the sufficiency of Scripture and the value of Catholic Tradition. The reader will be left, in a great measure, to test its assertions by a reference to the authorities cited in the body of the Work.

ficiency of

holy

I. A most rapid survey of the contents of this The sufvolume must convince any one that the written Scripture. Word is regarded with supreme reverence by the Church of England. She declares in her sixth Article, that "holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not

b

Primitive
Catholic
Tradition.

INTRODUCTION.

read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an Article of the faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation;"1 and accordingly (in opposition to all traditions professing to contain fundamental doctrines which are not in Scripture) holy Writ, as interpreted by the "Catholic Religion," is called by our old divines, the paramount RULE (i. e. Standard and Guide) or FAITH.

II. But, while the Church of England honours the Bible as the Record, Depository, and Touchstone of Truth-the "Document of proof," she regards-as has just been hinted--with religious respect and veneration all Primitive Catholic Tradition. By an Act of the Legislature passed in the first year of the reign of Elizabeth, and confirmed by Convocation in 1640, the decision of the first four General Councils is made the Rule by which heresies are to be convicted and condemned; and all our Masters and Doctors unreservedly admit the existence and value of Tradition.

A few quotations (selected from the following

1 See p. 2.

2 Pp. 3, 4, 5.

pages) may serve to confirm this position, which has sometimes been disputed.

CRANMER allows that "when all the Fathers agreed in the exposition of any place in Scripture, he looked on that as flowing from the SPIRIT of GOD."1 "That which is of GOD," says HOOKER, "and may be evidently proved to be so, we deny not, that it hath in his kind, although unwritten, yet the self-same force and authority with the written laws of God."2 BILSON Confesses that "there can nothing be Catholic, unless it be confirmed two ways: first by the authority of GOD'S Law, and next by the Tradition of the Catholic Church."3 FIELD remarks, "Much contention there hath been about traditions, some urging the necessity of them, and others rejecting them. For the clearing thereof we must observe, that though we reject the uncertain and vain traditions of the Papists, yet we reject not all." DONNE affirms that "the HOLY GHOST were as well to be believed in the Apostles' mouths as in their pens," and that "an Apostolical tradition, that is truly so, is good evidence."5 CHILLINGWORTH observes, "We are

1

1 P. 15.
1 P. 43.

2 P. 32.

5 P. 49.

3 P. 37.