Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 2.djvu/563

Rh profane Pelagius, ever claimed such power for the will, as to deny that the grace of was necessary to aid it in the particular acts of obedience? Who, before his marvellous disciple Celestius, ever denied that the whole human race was brought under the guilt of Adam's sin? Who, before the blasphemer Arius, dared to divide in his creed the Unity of the Trinity? Who, before the wretched Sabellius, to confuse the Trinity of the Unity? Who, before that cruel Novatian, ever taught that cruelty belonged to Him, who willeth not the death of him that dieth, but his turning and living? … Numberless other instances might be added, did space allow it; all of which plainly and clearly prove this one thing, as the peculiar and genuine mark of heresy, that it is novel, dislikes antiquity, and is wrecked by the captiousness of a pretended knowledge. On the other hand, it is almost the distinctive mark of a Catholic, that he keeps the trust and commission of the Holy Fathers, and condemns profane novelties, in accordance with the Apostle's repeated declarations, "If any one preach to you, what you have not already received, let him be anathema."

[There is this difficulty in applying the doctrine of this extract to these times, that the Church has forfeited in great measure its Catholicity; that is, in matter of fact, it was unanimous in its whole creed in Vincent's day, and it is not now. It now, alas! has one doctrine in Greece, another in Rome, a third in England, a fourth in Sweden. Moreover, since all of these cannot be true, error must have been admitted in some or other of its branches, an occurrence which Vincent never anticipated. He considers the Church to possess within it that principle of health and vigour, which expels heresies out of its system, without its suffering more than a temporary disarrangement from them. The state of things is altered now in matter of fact; though the Church of Rome attempts to deny it, by cutting off from the Catholic Church such branches as do not agree with itself. But this is arguing in a circle; for its members, after having cut oflf from them all who do not agree with them, maintain they are Catholic, because they all speak the same thing.

However, there is a true and sufficient sense in which Vincent's doctrine has been and ever will be fulfilled. In truth, he does not speak of all doctrine, but of the "foundations" (as he terms them, c. 41,) of Christian doctrine.