anxious to prevent divisions among themselves: and he is apprehensive of danger from the proposed changes. He takes up the four points, in the order, in which they are ranged by Collier.
With respect to the mixture, he contends that it cannot be shewn to be necessary from Scripture, and that the first mention of it occurs not, until one hundred and fifty years after our Lord, by Justin Martyr. As Justin Martyr mentions the salutation by a kiss, which was known to be an Apostolic custom, he argues, that it might be revived with more reason than the mixture, which does not appear to have been known to the Apostles. The author intimates, that Cyprian and others might have been mistaken in the Tradition, alleging the well known case respecting Easter, in which both parties pleaded Apostolical Tradition.[1] All the authorities cited by Collier are examined: and the writer infers from the whole, that the custom cannot be proved to be of perpetual obligation.
In the next place, the authorities quoted in favour of Prayer for the Dead are examined with great minuteness; but he thinks, that they do not prove the necessity of a change. Alluding to the quotation from Tertullian, he remarks, "that this Father expressly declares, that there is no Scripture authority for the practice." "So that," says he, "all is resolved into bare tradition, without which there was nothing to be said in their behalf. And yet I could never find that our Saviour has any where referred to tradition, as a sure ground to go upon in imposing necessary duties, that he has said nothing of. I own it is of great use, when it is truly primitive, for establishing
- ↑ No Reason, &c. 7.
