Conformity of the ecclesiastical discipline of the Reformed churches of France with that of the primitive Christians written by M. La Rocque ... ; render'd into English by Jos. Walker.

CONFORMITY.

There is nothing in all this formulary as large as it is, which is not found in substance in what we have remaining of the Catechisms of the Antient Doctors of the Church, and in what was practis'd towards those to whom Baptisme was to be conferr'd; and because most part of those which converted themselves to the Christian Faith, turn'd from Paganisme, where they had learn'd to believe and serve several Gods, the first step they were made go in the way of Salvation, was to make them renounce this Diabolical Doctrine, after∣wards to believe, and be throughly perswaded that there is but one True God, which has made Heaven and Earth, that supports all things by his Almighty Word, who gives us our Life, Being, and Motion, who ne∣ver

left himself without Witness, and has manifested himself to Men, not only by his Works, but also by Reve∣lation of his Will, contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. * 1.1 The first act of Faith of the Catecumeny's, saith St. Cyril of Alexandria in the third Book of Adoring in Spirit and Truth, is to depart from the belief and opinion touching the plurality of Gods, and to imbrace him who is the only true God by Nature.

Theodolphus Bishop of Orleans in a Treatise he made of the Order, which is to be observ'd in the administrati∣on of Baptism, establishes near hand the same practise when he writes in chap. 2. that the first instruction which is given to Catechumenies, is, that there is one true God, to the end that leaving the worship of the creature, they should Consecrate themselves to the Worship of God the Creator.

It's true that when 'twas a Jewish Proselite, he was ob∣liged before Baptisme, to renounce particularly all legal Ceremonies, to the Ancient, Material and Typical Wor∣ship, to the Jewish Washings and Purifications, to their Feasts, their New Moons and Sabbaths, and generally to all that pertained to the Synagogue, especially to the false Messias they yet expect, and will never come. More∣over they were to make open profession to believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, Holy, Consub∣stantial and individual Trinity, that they should admit of the Incarnation of the Eternal Word Jesus Christ our Saviour, in confessing he is come into the World, and that he is made Man, but not ceasing to be God, the Holy Virgin having brought him forth after the Flesh, and by this means being become the Mother of God. It is after this manner they proceeded with the Jewish Pro∣selites, * 1.2 as we find by a Catechism in the Ritual of the

Greeks, which in substance answers to what's prescrib'd in our Discipline.

But if it was a Mahumetan that imbraced the Christian Religion, the first thing that was requir'd of him, was to Anathematise Mahomet, his Sectators, his Successors, his lying Alcoran, full of Impostures and Dreams, especially in what regards our Saviour Jesus Christ; in a Word, all the impieties which depend of the Carnal Religion of this infamous Impostor of the East; which being done this Proselite made this Declaration; I now adhere to Jesus Christ the only true God, I believe in the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost, holy, indivisible and consubstantial Tri∣nity, I believe the Mistery of the Incarnation, and the com∣ing into the World of one of the holy Trinity, that is, of the Word and only begotten Son of God, who was begotten of the Father before the World began, by whom all things were made, and I am perswaded he is true Man without being divested of his Divinity, for he is true God and true Man, without confusion, without conversion, and without alteration, with two Natures in one sole Person; I confess also he suffered all things voluntarily, that he was crucified according to the Flesh, the Divinity remaining impassible, that he was buri∣ed, that he rose again the third day, that he ascended into Heaven, and that he will come in glory to Judge the quick and the dead; to conclude, I confess and believe that the holy Virgin is preperly and truly Mother, and the Mother of a God which made himself Man.

Those who desire to be more fully informed of what I have now discoursed, may Read the formulary of Nicetas whereof I have made mention on the 3 article of this chap∣ter, and in the place I marked.

After all, 'tis most certain the Catechumeny were instructed on all the articles of the Symbol, which com∣prehend the principal points of Christianity, and the es∣sential

and capital points of Religion; the Catechisms of St. Cyrill of Jerusalem shew so much, seeing he there Ex∣plains all those saving truths, which those ought to know which fitted themselves to receive holy Baptism: in effect, they often heard mention made of God the Father and the Work of Creation, with the Titles of Father, of Almighty, and of Creator, which are given to him; of Jesus Christ, and of the work of Redemption with his quality of only begotten Son of God; of the Holy Ghost, and the Work of Sanctification; they were taught there were three Persons in Unity of One and the same Essence; that the second Person of the Trinity took on him our Nature in the Womb of the Virgin Mary by the Ope∣ration of the Holy Ghost, to the end he might dye, and by his death make Expiation for our Sins, fully satisfie his Fathers Justice for us, appease his Wrath, and restore us into his Favour.

They often heard mention made of his Person, of his two Natures, Divine and Humane, of his Imployments and Offices, of the Misteries of his Incarnation, the Won∣ders of his Birth, the Holiness of his Life, the Glory of his Miracles, the meanness of his Cross, the shame of his Sufferings, the power of his Resurrection, and the Glory of his Ascension and of his Triumph; thence they pro∣ceeded to the Explication of the Article of the Holy Ghost whose Divinity and Operations were established; Jesus Christ having sent Him from Heaven on the Apo∣stles for the establishing his Kingdom, and for Illuminat∣ing and Sanctifying those which he was effectually to call to the Communion of his Gospel. To conclude, they were made understand the Nature of the Holy Church which was to beget them anew unto God, of the Graces he bestows on it in this Life, and of the Glory he pre∣pares for it in that which is to come. All these thing

are at large treated of in the Catechisms of S. Cyril which I have cited; and they are seen more succinctly in the 7 chapter of the little Treatise of Theodulphus of whom I have also spake, and in that of Amalarius Arch-Bishop of Treves, * 1.3 dedicated to Charlemain in the works of Alcuin.

Besides, it must not be thought that in the ancient Church they satisfied themselves with explaining to the Catechumenies the things which I but now touched, it was also necessary they should give an account in answer∣ing the questions put to them on each article; according to which Eusebius makes mention in his Ecclesiastical Histo∣ry of a man, * 1.4 which had assisted at the Baptism of those which had been newly Baptised, and he said, he heard their Questions and Answers: St. Cyprian in his 70 Epistle speaks also of this custom, when he saith, the Question it self made at Bap∣tism, is witness of the Truth. Firmillian Bishop of Cesa∣ria in Cappadocia teaches us the same thing, when speak∣ing of a woman which boasted to be a Prophetess, he saith that to give the more colour to her Delusions, * 1.5 She Baptis∣ed several persons using the usual words which were wont to be implyed in the Interrogations, to the end her Baptism should not seem to differ in any thing from the Ecclesiastical Rule, seeing that neither the Symbol of the Trinity, nor the usual and Ecclesiastical Interrogations was omitted by her.

It is to which doubtless the first Council of Arles had regard, * 1.6 when in the year 314 it appointed in the 8th. of it's Cannons, not to re-baptise Hereticks, if after Examin∣ing them on the Creed, one found that they had been Baptised in the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; but only those amongst them who being interrogated, answered not this Trinity, that is to say, to the questions made them touching the Trini∣ty of Persons, and unity of their Essence.

St. * 1.7 Cyril of Jerusalem has not forgot this Circumstance in his two Mystagogical Catechisms, no more than Optatus of Mileua in his 5th. Book against Parmenian; nor St. Jerom in the 5th. Chapter of his Dialogue against the Luciferians, nor St. Austin in the 20th Chapter of the 5th. Book against the Donatists, and he even tells us in his 23th. Epist. to Bonifacius, that when Little Children were Baptised, those which presented them, answered for them to all the Interrogations which were made, and the Author of the Book of Ecclesiastical Dogma's in the Appendix of the 3d. Tome of his Works, establishes the same Custom in the 52 Chap. The Author of the Book of Sacraments in the 4th. Vol. of the Works of St. Ambrose, also observes this Custom in the 7th. Chap. of the 2d. Book. And a great while before, Tertullian in the 3d. Chap. of the Book of the Crown, had made mention of the Answers of those which were Baptised; therefore he could have wished they had deferr'd the Baptism of Children, until they were in a state of being able to give an account of their Faith; which opinion St. Gregory of Nazianzen seemed also to approve.

In the book of Sacraments of Gregory I. * 1.8 it is demanded of the Party to be baptised, Do you believe in God the Fa∣ther Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth? He answers, I do believe. Do you believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, which was born, and suffered? I do believe. Do you also believe in the Holy Ghost? do you believe the holy Catholick Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of Sins, the Resurrection of the Body, and the Life Ever∣lasting? I do believe. Do you desire to be Baptised? I do. Somthing to this purpose is to be read in the book of Sa∣craments, whereof I made mention in the foregoing Secti∣on, and in the place I noted. Besides, there's great pro∣bability that St. Peter made Allusion to this practice

when he said in the 3d. Chap. of his first Epistle, that the Baptism whereby we are saved, is not that whereby the filthiness of the Flesh is washed, but the witness of a good Conscience in the sight of God the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Greek Word which we have translated Witness, sig∣nifies properly Interrogation. I add for a Conclusion of these matters, that those which were to be baptised were bound to recite the Symbol of their Faith, to renounce the Devil, to his Power, and his Angels; to acknow∣ledge that they were by Nature Children of Wrath, and to shew Repentance and Sorrow for their Sins committed during the time of their Ignorance, and if they were instructed in the knowledge of Heavenly things, they were also taught to live well, that is to say, holily, and in a way answerable to their Vocation. The Nature and Fruits of Baptism was explain'd to them. They had also some Light of the Eucharist shewed them, because they did communicate presently after being baptised, and all these things were accompanied with Ardent Prayers to God as well to render him thanks for calling them to his blessed Communion, as to implore his Grace and Bene∣diction on them at the very instant that he honour'd them with the seal of his Covenant, and Sacrament of our Sal∣vation. After all I have said, the perfect resemblance may easily be seen which is found in the Matter I Examin, betwixt our practice and that of the Ancient Church, if you except what regards Anabaptists, which appearing but in the last Century, could be neither the Subject nor Matter of any of the Decrees of the Cannon Law.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tom. 1. pag. 93.
• * 1.2

  Pag. 344. Par. 1647
• * 1.3

  Pag. 1151 Par. 1617
• * 1.4

  Lib. 7. c. 9.
• * 1.5

  Apad Cypri. Ep. 75. pag. 147.
• * 1.6

  Tom. 1. conc. Gal. pag. 6.
• * 1.7

  Pag. 86. Par 1631
• * 1.8

  Pag. 73.