by itself nor by anie vndoubted acts therof as the soule of man is visible by her vndoubted vital acts Thirdly becaus if communion in charitie were an essential 3. parte of the visible Church none that want charitie should be true mēbers of the visible Church And so wicked men should be nether of the inuisible nor visible Church Which is contrarie August art 7. 8. Saxon art 12. Caluin 4. c. 1. parag 13. whitak cōt 2. q. 5. c. 3. to the Confessions of faith of Protestants And Chillingworth cap. 5. p. 255. When his Aduersarie had saied That al the mēbers of the visible Church are by charitie vnited into one mystical Bodie replieth thus which is manifestly vntrue for manie of them haue no charitie How then can vnion in charitie be that communion which is essential to the visible Church seing they that want charitie maie be true members of the visible Church who cannot be vnited in charitie which they haue not True it is that who break the cōmunion of the Church as Schismatiks doe haue not charitie and charitie hindereth that breach But yet not al that want charitie break communion And one thing it is to want charitie an other to make Schisme in the Church And charitie is lost by Schisme but not only by Schisme Besids what charitie haue 4. Protestants to al the members of the vniuersal Church but such as they must haue to Iewes Turks Infidels and generally to al that are out of the Church that is to praie for them and wish and doe them good A singular cōmunion surely with the members of the vniuersal Church which they haue common to al Infidels and men whatsoeuer Is there no communion peculiar to the mēbers of the vniuersal Church which they haue among themselues and one to an other more thē they haue to Infidels If Protestāts had indeed true charitie ether toward God or the vniuersal Church they would not separate themselues from her communion in Sacraments and publik worship of God For as S. Aug. lib. 1. de Sermone Domini c. 3. If they had charitie they would not teare in peeces the Bodie of Christ which is the Church But they doe external acts against charitie and vainely pretend inward charitie And it is contrarie to charitie both towards themselues and others to forsake the communion in Sacraments and publik worship of God of the vniuersal Church For so as is before shewed they put themselues Protestant inference absurd out of al Churches and become in none And out of al that hath bene saied hitherto of faith and Communion appeareath euidently how fondly Protestants infer themselues or other Churches or persons whom they please to be true Churches or true members of the Church or in the way of saluation onely becaus they beleue al the fundamental points For that is not enough to a true Church or to a true member therof or to the way of saluation But they should add also that they doe not sinfully err in anieother point of faith or in Communion Becaus if they sinfully err in anie point of faith they are Heretiks and if they sinfully err in Communion they are Schismatiks and so no true Churches nor true mēbers of the Church nor in the way of saluation But becaus Protestants despaire to proue that such Churches or persons as they mainteine doe not err sinfully at al in faith or communion they speak not of this and damnably deceaue thos that beleue onely fundamētal points But now out of that which we haue saied of the Communion of the Church let vs refel the Protestants errors concerning it Protestants errors about communion refuted outof vvhat vvas saied in the former Chapter THIRTEENTH CHAPTER 1. OVt of that which we have saied of Communion are clearly refuted the errors of Protestants touching the same their first and radical error and the foundation of the rest is that * King Iames resp ad Peron p. 384 Communion is not essential to a true Church or to a true member of the Church For Communion is put in the definitions of the Church taken out of Scripture and giuen by Fathers and Protestants themselues and therfore essential to a true Church and to euerie true member of it If anie aske how then can a true mēber of the Church be without Communion as if he be in a Desert or be by force hindered from Communion I answer that natural or material things cannot be without natural or material existence of euerie essential parte of them But Moral things may haue their partes but morally moral things such as a member of the Church is depending of mans wil maie be when some essential parte is only morally and by effectual wil. And so Communion of a man in a Desert or held by force morally maie be For it is in his wil to be done when he can and ought to communicate and neuer leaueth to be til he haue a wil the contrarie as Schismatiks have And it is essential and sufficient to a true member of the Church when he cannot actually communicate with the Church to profés to haue this wil to communicate whensoeuer he can and ought 2. An other error of Protestans is that to leave the external communion of the Church is not to leave the Church as one maie leave the custome of the Colledg yet not the Colledg so Chillingworth c. 5. p. 265. 269. For Communion To leaue an essential parte is to leaue the whole is essential to the Church and to leaue an essential parte of a thing is to leave the thing itself wheras the custome of a Colledg is accidental to a Colledg and to leave the accident of a thing is not to leave the thing it self 3. An other error is which D. Potter hath sec 3. p. 74. that they forsake not the Communion of the Church of Rome no more then the Bodie of Christ For to refuse to communicate with her in vse of Sacraments Liturgie and publik worship is to forsake her communion And he that meanes otherwise by Communion speaks a new language as indeed à new doctrin needs à new language or equivocation to vphold it Wherfore Chillingworth c. 5. p. 261. saieth It needs no proof that Luther and his followers forsook the external communion of the Roman Church 4. An other error which Chillingworth hath c. 5. p. 270. is that the whole Church being corrupted some parts of it might and did reforme themselues and yet might and did continue parts of the Church though separated from the external communion of the other parts which would not reforme As a man maie renounce a vice of a societie and yet be stil of the Societie And p. 271. It is certainly false that no twoe men or Churches deuided in external communion can be both true parts of the Cath. Church This I saie is easily refuted For to omit that blasphemie that the whole Church can be corrupted whosoever volūtarily
falsitie or word of man or not the whole reuealed word of God are not the true Church Secondly becaus as we proued before C. 2. 4. there are no fundamental points in Field l. 2. de Ecclesia c. 3. freedom froÌ„ pertinatious error is euer found in the true Church Fulks ouerthrow of the answer to Char Preface p. 114. the Protestants sense that is such as are sufficient to be beleued though other points of faith be sufficiently proposed nor anie Not fundamental in their sense that is such as are not necessarie to be actually beleued when they are sufficiently proposed and virtually though they be not proposed But al points of faith whatsoeuer are fundamental or essential Al points of faith essential to a true Church to a true Church and are to be beleued ether actually and explicitly if they be sufficiently proposed or at the least virtually and implicitly if they be not sufficiently proposed For as is said before the whole reuealed word which conteineth as wel Not-fundamentals as fundamentals is the true obiect of faith And no companie but such as professeth al Christs doctrin can be a true Church of Christ And therfore none who denie anie points of his doctrin sufficiently proposed can be his true Church absolutly but only his Church in parte as in parte onely they profès his doctrin And this D. Potter insinuateth when sec 7. p. 74. he saieth That Not fundamentals do Not fundamentals belong to the essence of a Church not primarily belong to the vnitie of faith or to the essence of a Church or to the saluation of a Christian For if they doe anie waie truly belong whether See Chilling p. 209. 291. primarily or secondarily to the essence of a Church a Church cannot be without them altogether becaus nothing can be without that which any way belongs to its essence And they maie be faied to belong secundarily to the essence of a Church becaus How Not-fundamentals may belong secundarily a Church maie be without actual beleif of them to wir if they be not sufficiently proposed 7. Reason also conuinceth that what is simply and absolutly a true Al points Christs doctrin howsoeuer must be professed at least virtually or implicitly Church of Christ must at least virtually and implicitly profès al his doctrin Becaus if it doe no waie profés his whole doctrin but only some parte of his doctrin it is not simply and absolutly his Church but in parte only his Church and in parto not his Church as in parte it professeth his doctrin and in part reiecteth it And they nether virtually not implicitly profès his whole doctrin who sinfully reiect anie part of it when it is sufficiently proposed to be his Secondly becaus to reiect anie parte of Christs doctrin sufficiently proposed to be his doctrin is to reiect Christs veracitie for it is as much as to saie he is not to be beleued in that and is an act of infidelitie as Protestants before C. 3. §. 5. 6. l. 2. confessed And how can they be a true Church of Christ who in anie point reiect Christ veracitie and commit an act of infidelitie Besids as Lord Canterburie saieth sec 10. p. 36. whatsoeuer is fundamental in the faith is fundamental to the Church which is one by the vnitie of faith But Not fundamental points sufficiently proposed are fundamental to faith as before D. C. 3. § 5. 6. l 2. Potter and Chilling worth confessed Therfore c. 8. And out of thes definitions of a true Church which we haue brought out of holie Scripture Fathers Protestants and reason it appeareth First how vntrue it is which Canterburie saieth sec 16. p. 62. The Catholik Church which wee beleue in our Creed is Catholik Church includeth not al ChristiaÌ„s the societie of al Christians or which Moulins saieth l. 1. coÌ„tra Peron c. 2. The Scripture taketh the name of the Church sometimes for the vniuersal companie of al those who profès themselues Christians and to beleue in Iesus Christ Secondly how vntrue it is which the same Lord Canterburie hath sec 36. p. 314. No man can be saied simply to be out of the visible Chureh that is baptized and holds the foundation Or sec 20. p. 129. That Church which receaues the Scripture as a rule of faith and both the Sacraments as seales of grace can not but be a true Church in essence Or which D. Potter saieth sec 5. p. 18. A true Church is alone with a Church not erring in the foundation Or as Chilling worth saieth Tertul. praescrip c. 41. haeretici paceÌ„ passim cum omnibus miscent c. 5. p. 283. Protestants grant their communion to al who hold with them not al things but things necessarie Or which generally al Protestants saie That the Catholik Church is the multitude of al Christians through the whole world who agree in profession of the principal articles of Christian faith howsoeuer they denie other points of faith sufficiently proposed to them nor communicate together at al in Sacraments or publik worship of God For beside that these things are saied without al apparent proof ether of Scripture Fathers or reason but merely to include themselues and such others as they please within the bounds of the true Catholik Church they are clearely conuinced out of the aforesaid definitions of the Church taken out of Scripture Fathers Protestants and reason For nether do al Christians or al that profès themselues Christians perseuer in the doctrin of the Apostles but onely in a part of it nor are they al Orthodox or sound in faith or vnited in communion nor do they al profès the pure sincere vncorrupt and entire word of God and therfore according to the definitions of the true Church giuen by Scripture Fathers Protestants and reason they are not al members of the true Church 9. And with les apparence can they be saied to be the Catholik C. 6. n. 3. l. 2. Church For Catholik as before I said out of Saint Augustin and other Fathers halteth in nothing and manie of thos Christians who hold the principal articles halt in manie other points of faith And besids al such Christians communicate not together and coÌ„demn one an other as is euident in the Roman the Grecian the Lutheran the Caluinist and such other Churches And communion is as wel essential to the true Catholik Church C. 13. S. Austin Epist 48. l. de vnit c. 6 Collat. 3. diei c. 3. de Pastoribê° c. 13. Field l. 3. de Eccles c. 43. as puritie in faith as hereafter shal be proued Nay Catholik rather signifieth communion then puritie in faith What monstrous Catholik Church then must that be which consisteth of al thos Christians who agree only in the principal points of Christian faith A monstruous Church of Protestants but in al other points how sufficiently soeuer proposed to them disagree and condemn one
Communion we ask by what external Notes we maie discerne this Church Spalatensis lib. 7. de Repub. cap. 12. num 132. To the true Church twoe things only are required to wit entire faith in Christ and communion with al faithful that profes this faith Confession of Auspurg art 7. To the true vnitie of the Church it is enough to consent in the doctrin of the Ghospel and ministration of Sacraments Sadeel cont Tur. loc 30. True vse of Vse of Sacraments is essential Sacraments is essential to the Church Caluin 4. iustit c. 1. § 2. Vnles vnder Christ our Head we be vnited to al the other members we can haue no hope of heauen There cannot be twoe or three Churches but Christ must be deuided And § 10. Ib. departure from the Church is denial of God and Christ God so much esteemeth the communion of his Church as he accounteth him a Renegate and Forsaker of his Religion who obstinatly separateth himself from anie Christian societie which hath the true ministerie of the word and Sacraments See him also in Ioa 9. Plessie de Eccl. c. 1. We cōfés in the Creed that the Church is the Cōmunion The Church of the Creed is a communion of Saints So also Confessio Heluetica c. 17. Mulhusina art 5. Argetinensis c. 15. How then can the Church which we profés in our Creed be without Communion King Iames Resp ad Peron p. 384. Damneth and detesteth thos who haue left the Communion of the See Iunius in sub Ecclesiastico c. 4. Church and become Schismatiks Casaubon exercitat 15. It is an vndoubted truth that whiles pious people adhere to a lawful and true Bishop that is a true Church of God So that if anie separate himself from that companie it cannot be doubted but he is out of the Church D. Potter sec 3. p. 74. Whosoeuer professeth himself to forsake the communion of anie one member of the bodie of Christ must confés himself consequently to forsake the whole Musculus loco de Eccles sec 3. The Church is a Cōmunion of beleuers The true Church is a Communion and societie of true beleuers Perkins in explicat Symboli col 794. As long as anie Church goeth not from Christ we maie not separate from it The same he hath in his Reformed Catholik tract 21. And Protestants commonly who exclude Protestants exclude schismatiks who want but communion Schismatiks out of the Church as is to be seene l. 1. of the Author of Protestancie c. 1. and yet confés they want nothing but communion as is to be seene ibidem lib. 2. cap. 15. I wil here ad the Confession of D. Potter sec 2. p. 42. Schisme is no les damnable Schisme as damnable as heresie then heresie P. 47. Voluntarie and vngrounded separation from the Catholik Communion is without doubt à damnable schisme And p. 56. Whosoeuer peruersly deuides himself from the Catholik Communion as doe Schismatiks his condition is damnable Finally Whitaker controuer 2. qu. 5. c. 17. p 541. saieth Almost al our men put thes twoe Notes of the Church to wit pure preaching of the word and lawful administration of Sacramēts And thes twoe we affirme to be true Lawful vse of sacraments is essential and certaine Notes of the Church and essential and perpetual Symboles of the Church And if lawful ministration of Sacraments be a true and essential Symbol of the Church how can Churches be deuided in ministration of Sacraments and not be deuided in an essential parte 6. Hence it is euident that the Protestant Church which is deuided in communion of Sacraments and publik worship of God not only in itself but also from al other Churches which they account true Churches is no such Church as Scripture Fathers Reason and themselues sometimes propose vnto vs. Nether wil it help which Doctor Potter saieth sec 3. p. 67. and sec 1. p. 19. and Chillingworth c. 5. p. 274. That they are vnited to al members of the vniuersal Church in faith and charitie For to omit that Protestants cannot pretend vnion in faith with al members of the vniuersal Church but only vnion in parte of faith becaus they pretend vnion only in fundamental Vnion in charitie is not the essential vnion of the Church points which are but a parte of faith Vnion in charitie cannot be that vnion which the Scripture and Fathers put in the descriptions of the Church For the * Cōmuniō in Scripture is in Sacraments and praier also by Fathers Scripture speaketh of vnion in Sacraments and praier The * sup n. 2. sup n. 3. Fathers speak of such a vnion as is opposit to schisme which is breach in communion of Sacraments and publik worship And Saint Augustin expresly speaketh of vnion in Sacraments which he saieth is necessarie to anie kinde of Religion true or false and also of vnion in praier For thus * Cōcion de Gestis cum Emerito he speaketh to a Schismatik Doe not saie I haue charitie proue it we haue one Father let vs praie together Besids Protestants themselues put the communion of the Church in external And by Protestants things Confessio Heluetica cap. 17. The true concord of the Church consisteth in doctrins and rites expresly giuen by God Whereby Rites they vnderstand Cōmuniō of the Church is in sacraments and Luturgie Sacraments King Iames Respon ad Peron pag. 403. Communion among the faithful cheifly consisteth in publik exercises of pietie And Chillingworth c. 5. p. 265. To leaue the external communion of a Church is by refusing to communicate with anie Church in her Liturgie and publik worship of God Field lib. 1. c. 15. The communion of the Church consisteth in praiers and dispensation of Sacraments And l. 2. c. 2. saieth communion in sacraments is essential to the Church So also ibid. c. 4. and Hooker lib. 3. p. 130. The communion therfore which is essential to the visible Church is in rites or Sacraments publik exercises of pietie Liturgie and publik worship of God Nether euer yet did anie Protestant define the visible Church to be a societie in profession of faith and communion of charitie which they both would and must haue done if they had thought cōmunion in charitie to be an essential parte of the visible Church Cōmunion in charitie cannot be essential for a Church 7. But indeed it cannot be essential to a visible Church First becaus it is no waie proued but merely affirmed by reason that Protestants can pretend 1. no other communion with the vniuersal Church For it is euident See c. 13. n 5. l. 2. they haue no communion with her in Sacraments and publik worship of God Secondly becaus the essential 2. parts of the visible Church must be visible as profession of faith is otherwise not the external Church itself self but only some parte of it should be visible And communion in charitie is nether visible