the case of a person at the age of reason, is an acknowledgment that the doctrines comprised in them are sincerely those of the subscriber. As the signature of a letter implies that the letter conveys the sentiments of the person signing; as the subscription of a prince to an edict or a proclamation, attests that it is the act of that prince; so subscription to articles implies their entire adoption as the profession of the subscriber. If any person should accidentally discover a confession of faith and doctrine formally subscribed by some other individual, he would infallibly regard it as the confession of that individual's own belief and persuasion. The inscription of each apostolical epistle, comprising the name of the apostle, and the particular subscription which was sometimes added ", testified that that epistle contained the doctrine of the apostle. Thus also the prefixing of the names of bishops to the synodical epistles of the early synods, expressed their union in those acts. Wherever we find instances in subsequent ages of subscriptions to articles, the meaning always, either expressed or understood, was that of a real adoption and approbation of those articles, not a mere submission to them as articles of peace. At the first œcumenical synod of Nice all the bishops, according to Eusebius, confirmed the faith by their subscriptions, Socrates says that they approved and adopted it, and that at length Eusebius of Cæsarea agreed a 2 Thess. iii. 15; 1 Cor. xvi. 20. b * Ε. g. the Synods of Carthage and Antioch in the third century. e Euseb. Vita Const. lib. iii. c. 14. Ἐκυροῦτο δ' ἤδη καὶ ἐν γραφῇ δι' ὑποσημειώσεως ἑκάστου τὰ κοινῇ δεδογμένα. · Ταύτην τὴν πίστιν τριακόσιοι μὲν πρὸς τοῖς δεκαοκτὼ ἔγνωσάν τε καὶ ἔστερξαν καὶ ὡς φησὶν ὁ Ευσέβιος, ὁμοφωνήσαντες καὶ óμodočnσavτes čypapov.- Socrat. Hist. Eccl. lib. i. c. 8. with the others and subscribed. The Emperor Constantine had exhorted all to be of one mind and subscribe the doctrine. In all these instances subscription is understood as equivalent to confirmation, agreement, or assent to the doctrine subscribed. Subscription was viewed in the same light by those who refused to subscribe to the condemnation of Athanasius, and to the creed of Ariminum. They believed that it would identify them with proceedings which they disapproved. Several persons went into exile rather than subscribe the decree of the cecumenical synod of Ephesus, against Nestorius, which was enjoined by the civil power. In the oecumenical synod of Chalcedon, the bishops, having approved the epistle of S. Leo, said, "He who does not subscribe the epistle to which the synod has consented, is a heretic "." Flavianus, patriarch of Constantinople, was obliged to excommunicate several monks who refused to subscribe the condemnation of Eutyches by the synod at Constantinople. Subscriptions were exacted to the decrees of the fifth œcumenical synod against Theodore, &c., when Facundus Hermianensis complained of the demand of subscription, “as if," he says, no one could be a catholic without pronouncing anathema against Theodore of Mopseuestia *." In those ages subscription was always considered equivalent to a real approbation and adoption of what was subscribed, and therefore who e k Οὕτως ἅμα τοῖς πολλοῖς πᾶσι συνήνεσέν τε καὶ συνυπέγραψεν. Ibid. * Πάντας συγκαταθέσθαι καὶ ὑπογράφειν τοῖς δόγμασι, καὶ συμφωνεῖν τούτοις αὐτοῖς παρεκε λεύετο. Ibid. Synodicon c. 148. 179. 183, 66 &c. Baluzii Coll. Conc. t. i. ed. 1683. h Actio iv. Hard. Conc. t. ii. p. 418. i Harduin. Conc. t. ii. p. 234. * Facundus Hermianens. lib. iii. c. 1. ed. Sirmond. p. 472. ever objected to the doctrine, refused to subscribe. I shall not multiply similar instances. The forms of subscription to the decrees of councils, and to formularies of doctrine generally, testify the same thing. We find, intermingled with the signatures of bishops who subscribed simply, those of many, who expressed in the very form of subscription their approbation of the preceding formulary. According to Socrates, Hosius subscribed the Nicene decree thus: "I, Hosius, believe as is above written'." A frequent form is: "Ego N. consentiens subscripsi." The same form is observed in the signatures to the confessions of the Reformation. The articles of Smalcald are succeeded by subscriptions in this form: "All consenting profess that they think according to the articles, &c. and that they approve the article, &c. Therefore they subscribe their names "" The Formula Concordiæ terminates thus, "In the sight of the omnipotent God, and before all the church of Christ, &c, we openly and expressly testify that this declaration... is truly our doctrine, faith, and confession, &c. . . . In it, the Lord helping us, we will persevere constantly to the end of our lives. In assurance of which, with mature deliberation, &c. . . . we have subscribed this declaration with our own hands"." Those who objected to the doc ... trine of such articles refused to subscribe them: thus 1 Όσιος ἐπίσκοπος κουδρούβης ἱσπανίας, οὕτως πιστεύω ὡς προγέγραπται. Socr. Hist. Eccl. lib. i. c. 13. m De mandato illustrissimorum principum, &c. . . relegimus articulos confessionis exhibitæ imperatori in conventu Augustano, et Dei beneficio, omnes concionatores qui in hoc Smacaldensi conventu interfuerunt, con sentientes profitentur, se juxta articulos... sentire.... Profitentur etiam se articulum de primatu papæ. . . approbare. Ideo nomina sua subscribunt."-Artic. Smalcald. "Clara voce et diserte testamur, quod declaratio illa nostra de omnibus commemoratis controversis articulis, et nulla prorsus alia, revera sit nostra doc Peter Martyr and Zanchius were obliged to leave Strasburg, because they would not subscribe the confession of Augsburgh, at least, without some limitation. The Arminians went into banishment rather than subscribe the doctrines of the synod of Dort, which they disbelieved. The puritans refused to subscribe the English articles which related to discipline. The forms of subscription to the English articles by the convocations in 1562, 1571, and 1604, all equally and formally expressed their assent, approbation, and adoption of those articles as true and consonant to the word of God. The form subscribed by all the clergy in obedience to the synod of 1603-4, and practised ever since, even to this day, declares that all the Thirty-nine Articles are agreeable to the word of God, and that the subscriber allows them all". This form evidently implies an approbation and adoption of all the Thirty-nine Articles. It may be concluded, therefore, from the reason of the thing, and the universal sense of christians from the earliest ages, that the subscription to the articles given by the clergy, implies a real and sincere profession and adoption of the doctrines contained in them, and an undertaking to profess those doctrines on all fitting occasions: but it by no means implies the adoption and inculcation of all these articles as matters of faith, or obliges us to consider as heretics members of other churches, who may in some points differ from them: for that only is matter of faith, which is clearly proved by scripture and catholic tradition. trina, fides, et confessio... in ea, Domino nos bene juvante, usque ad vitæ finem constantes perseverabimus. In ejus rei fidem, matura cum deliberatione, in VOL. II. timore Dei et nominis ipsius U CHAPTER XV. ON THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH CONCERNING, DISCIPLINE AND RITES. I HAVE elsewhere shown the lawfulness of instituting discipline and rites which, though not expressed in scripture, are not contrary to its precepts. It only remains to consider more particularly the power of the church to make regulations on such points, and the obligation of those regulations on individuals and churches. I. I am now speaking of catholic churches as distinct from all heresies, and therefore assume all the essentials of rites and discipline, transmitted from our Lord and his apostles, to be preserved. We also suppose that other general and lawful regulations of discipline have been transmitted from former times. Supposing that at any time alterations, not affecting essential points, are proposed: the first question is, by what members of the church they may be enacted: that is, whether by bishops alone, or conjointly with others? I reply that bishops are invested with the right of making regulations in such points, without the addition of any other members of the church for being chief pastors of the church, and succeeding to the place of the apostles, it is virtually said to them, as it was to the apostles themselves, "Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven :" "He that hear a See Part III. Ch. IV. |