and not to please our selves saith the same Apostle That Church pleaseth it selfe too much which scorns and disdaines other Churches as unworthy of her Communion for some weaknesse in their understanding which are found guilty neither of Tyranny Idolatry nor any deadly Heresie Not so the Fathers of the ancient Church whose desire and care in making agreement betwixt particular Churches scattered over the whole world may be observed in the Centurists through every hundred of yeares But that very fitly serveth our purpose which Optatus Milevitanus hath written Lib. 2. c. 7. That the Churches through the whole world by the intercourse of Formall letters might agree in the fellowship of one Communion Now in those formall peaceable or Synodall letters nothing else was contained besides the confession of the Catholike Faith established in the Creeds and briefly explained against Heritiques by the generall consent of the universall Church in the Nicene Calcedonian and other Councels Of infinite other questions which may arise and be canvassed betwixt the private Doctors of dispersed Churches no Church either required or expected a forme of absolute consent from other Churches For if without this the brotherly Communion betwixt particular Churches were adjudged impossible to the cementing and sodering thereof we should not stand in need of Synodall Epistles or briefe formes of confessions but of huge volumes of controversies But if we refuse to learn of the ancient Fathers yet now at last let us learn of our Enemies that the brotherly communion of Mindes Duties of Courtesie and Sacraments is not impossible betwixt those Churches which defend contrary opinions about controversies never to be decided I will say nothing of the wranglings of Thomists and Scotists nothing of the Dominicans and Jesuites There is at this day a controversie beaten and bandied betwixt the Churches of the Romish Religion of more moment than all those things whereabout Protestants doe strive if they were rouled up in one bundle I mean that of the infallible Judge in all questions of the Christian Faith The Spanish and Italian Churches defend the Pope to be this Supreame Judge warranted with the irresistable authority of Christ himselfe and so inspired and inlightned with the spirit of truth that in all his decrees and determinations wherewith he intendeth to bind the whole Church he can in no wise erre and be deceived But on the other side the French Churches cry him downe justle him out of his infallible chaire and conclude him to be so subject to error that if in matters of faith or manners he refuseth to obey and to be ordered by the judgement and Authority of a generall Councell they voice him to be counted for a Schismatique and a Heretick and one to be deposed See agreat difference about the very Pillar of the Catholike faith Yet in this brawling about opinions there is no breaking off of brotherly communion betwixt the Churches themselves Tell it not in Gath nor publish it in the streets of Ascalon that the Philistines were more forward than the Israelites to preserve Peace and unity betwixt them Lastly if such controversies should make an union betwixt particular Churches impossible I faine would have one shew to me even but two Churches whereof one is not subject to the other which must not of necessity be alienated pluckt asunder and as it were with a partition wall divided each from other For except we return to this point that we only admit and allow of this Separation from other Churches for dissenting in Fundamentals the communion of the Catholike Church anciently so highly extold August de unit Feles cap. 12. will be but a bare name fained title to which the heart of the thing it selfe will never answer The Donatists of old were wont to say that the Church had perished out of the whole world besides and onely remained in the party of Donatus The Romanists in this point are pure down-right Donatists who shout it out that the Catholikc Church is found only in the part of the Pope of Rome It is our duty to detest such Schismaticall wickednesse and to keep and professe brotherly Communion with all Christian Churches which we adjudge not as yet to be disjoyned from Christ the Head by Heresie or Idolatry or not at all to be shunned by other Churches for usurpation of Tyranny What hitherto hath been disputed about those Obstacles which make the communion of divers Churches betwixt themselves impossible and also of those different opinions which no wayes cause the same all aime at this end That if it could be agreed betwixt Divines that those controversies which so long have troubled and tyred the Protestant Churches are not of such importance that whether one come off to this or that side in their opinions he is not to be judged to depart from Christ and the Fundamentall Faith and to fall into a Heresie contrary to the foundation we would confesse that brotherly union may be made up and kept betwixt all Protestant Churches even whilest these dissentions rather of the Schooles than the Churches doe still remaine It is not my purpose to engage my selfe in the controversies themselves only I would desire that the most learned and famous Divines of the Dutch Churches would be entreated with peaceable mindes and calme affections to runne over all those controversies which are in agitation betwixt them seeing the Judgement perisheth when the matter is passed into the affections The chief and almost the mother of all the rest is that controversie which as yet remains undetermined of the manner of the presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Lords Supper And as touching this point the every way most learned Bucer after serious weighing and considering of the matter expressed himselfe thus that In the thing it selfe and meaning there was an agreement only some variety in the words In Epist ad Lutherum Contra. Robert Atringen alibi Hosp Hist Sacrpa 144. and manner of speaking Luther said formerly If you beleeveâ— and teach that the true body and true blood of our Lord is exhibited given and taken in the Lords Supper and not the bread and wine only and that this receiving and exhibiting is done truly and not imaginarily we are agreed At the same time Bucer with his associates did grant That the true body and true blood of the Lord were exhibited given and taken with the visible signes Bread Wine James Andrews wrote formerly Wee neither are of opinion of the Capernaites nor doe we receive the Transubstantiation of the Papists nor doe we establish a Physicall or Locall presence or inclusion of the body and blood of Christ in the holy Supper Neither doe those words Substantially Corporally Orally signifie to us any thing else besides the true presence and eating of the Body and blood in the holy Supper Now let us heare what was the Judgement of the Helvetian Churches Hosp Anno 1536. â—ag 145. Although they deny
no other Originall and obstinate persisting in a Schisme but brotherly hatred Most sure it is that the proper duties of Charity cannot appeare and shew themselves in these differences of the Protestant Churches I appeale to the Apostle himselfe for my witnesse Rom. 12.9 10 11 Ioh. 13.35 1 Ioh. 3.14 1 Cor. 13.1 2. c. 1 Cor. 13.5 6 7 c. If we grant those Churches which wee conceive somewhat to erre in the Faith yet to be sanctified and preserved in Christ the foundation of the Church our Faith though something the sounder Chap. 9 will little availe us August de Bapt. contr Denat lib. 1 cap. 8. if our Charity be wanting towards all the Saints For saving Faith cannot bee unlesse conjoyned with Charity or Brotherly love as the Scriptures every where doe witnesse For what shall a mans sound Faith profit him where the soundnesse of his Charity is baned with the deadly wound of Schisme CHAP. IX That Brotherly Communion betwixt the Protestant Churches is not to be broken off for their divers opinions about questions in Controversy is proved by Arguments drawn from the want of lawfull power in Ministers to cause such a breach or dissolution NONE can be ignorant but that at the first the very Doctors and Ministers of the Churches were the chiefe yea the sole Authours of this Separation which we so desire may be taken away For it is not to be doubted but they alone are the hinderance why the Reformed Churches though by wofull experience they have found the numberlesse discommodities of this long lasting dissention yet they will not amongst themselves renew the Charter of their Brotherly Communion For if it seemed good to their Doctors to give each to other the right hands of brotherly fellowship in this selfe same houre we should see the Churches mutually embracing one another Therefore let us see whether they have done or now doe rightly who either have perswaded that the bands of Brotherly Communion betwixt the Protestant Churches should be broken or earnestly maintaine that for the present they ought not to be renewed againe We are of the contrary opinion being induced thereunto by these Arguments It is not in the power of the Ministers of any particular Church Reas 1 to separate or cut off another particular Church from the brotherly Communion which it hath with the Catholique therefore neither from that which it hath with any part of the Catholique Church and by the same reason not from the brotherly Communion which it ought to have with it selfe unlesse she will confesse her selfe to be no part of the Catholique Church The truth of the Antecedent seems therefore plaine to me because all just and lawfull seperation of every member from its body Catholique ought to leane and rely on the authority of the Catholique Church for one member hath not this judiciary power over another It is a known Rule of Lawyers A sentence given by him that is not his Judge is voyd in Law But particular Churches are not the Judges of private persons living in forreign churches how much lesse then over the Churches themselves If therefore any Church should pronounce another to be disjoynted from the Communion with the Catholique Her sentence were to be sleighted and contemned as of a Judge that presumed to make laws out of the bounds of his owne Jurisdiction But perchance they who easily grant the Antecedent of our Argument will yet doubt of the Consequent and set downe that one part of the Catholique Church may cast off another part thereof that is one particular Church may separate another particular Church from Brotherly Communion with her selfe by the power of her own private sentence and authority I deny that any particular Church hath any lawfull power to dissolve Christian Brotherhood with any other except so farre forth as the separation rely on the Authority of the Catholique Church which one claspes and containes within her embraces the Churches of all Nations Now this separation relyes on this authority so often as it is made for those points which are so established by the judgement of the Catholique Church that they are to bee counted shut out from the cōmunion of faithfull Christians who are known to oppose or deny them Trusting on this authority we justly deny brotherly Communion to those Churches which falsely and equivocally are entitled with the name of Christ who with joy and jeering hisse out the Divinity of Christ Who carpe at the mystery of the Trinity which is to be adored or with sacrilegious boldnesse overthrow any foundation of the Christian Faith For all these things have been passed for things judged on and that by the well known and famous authority of the Apostolike and Catholike Church But this separation is not made rightly nor according to the custome of the Catholike Church as often as one particular Church shall deny Brotherly Communion to another for dissenting from them in questions newly risen and never determined on one side or other by the authority of the Catholike Church as points of the Catholike Faith For no Church can at its own pleasure breake off the Band of Brotherly Communion by which all the members of the Catholike Church are coupled together with any particular Church but that with the selfe same Deed shee divides her selfe from the body of the Catholike Church in which those members can have no being which have lost their due joynting and Union with their fellow members We will conclude this argument with the Testimony of Augustine who every where teacheth Tom. 3. de side ad Petr. Diac. cap. 43. that this Separation of the good from the evill being within the Catholike Church is unlawfull and they which endeavour to pluck other members from the joynting of the body doe rather separate themselves from the Vnity of Christ Tom. 4. de side oper cap. 4 5. Lastly it nothing hurteth or hindereth those that are good that they abide still in Vnity and participation of the Sacraments with those whose Deeds they disallow Neither with those whose opinions they cannot approve For if we will beleeve the same Augustine they cannot be excused of unlawfull presumption who too much loving their own judgement arrive at such an height of boldnesse as to cut off Communion with others Tom. 7. de Bant. contra Don. For they neither ought nor can be cut off from communion with particular Churches which remaine conjoyned with the Catholike Church Particular Churches ought not in our age Reas 2 to challenge that to themselves which none ever durst to do in the time of the Apostles The Ministers of the Churches ought not to urge that which the Apostles themselves durst never perswade to be done But that one particular Church should renounce all Brotherly communion with another is a thing altogether unheard off wholy swerving from the prudence and practice of the Apostles Amongst the seven Churches to which S. John wrote
men may erre preserving still the Faith whereby wee are Christians gives us power to depart from other Churches or to abhorre from holy and brotherly Communion with them Vid. Aug. contra Jul. Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 2. de peccat Orig. lib. 2. c. 23. Neither doe those Christians play with the Sacraments and incurre the guilt of dissembling when they celebrate one Lords Supper with them whom they know to differ from themselves in some heads of Doctrine in divinity For the Sacrament of the Eucharists is not instituted of Christ to this end that it should be a note or token of perfect Knowledge in all which are fellow-partakers of the same Therefore neither of perfect Agreement which perfect Agreement it is altogether impossible to finde in the imperfect Knowledge of Christians They therefore who use this moderation towards other Churches that they reject them not from Communion with them under pretence of difference in particular confessions even themselves also enjoy the same benefit amongst others Neither in the mean time doe they derogate any thing from their owne confession or favor and Patronize a strange one but they doe not at all challenge to themselves the power of dividing of Churches or dissolving of Brotherly Union betwixt Christians from that cause which neither Christ nor the Apostles nor the Primitive Church would ever have approved Lastly the Example fetch'd from the Arians is altogether divers and farre off from the matter in hand for we willingly grant that Brotherly Communion is to be denyed to them not onely of some one particular Church but even of all who durst denie the Eternall divinity of Christ For this is to overturne the most solid foundation of Christian Faith and mans Salvation But far different is the Reason and nature of those Controversies which are disputed of in the Protestant Churches and in which they differ and disagree amongst themselves For in none of these can any truly say That either the Foundation of mans salvation is overthrown or the Authoritie of the Catholike Church contemned or lastly that any particular Church ever was for errors in such points separated or to be separated from the Brotherly Communion of all Christians by the Judgement and power of the Catholike Church But this seems to have no doubt at all in it that one particular Church doth unjustly cut off any other from her Communion when for the same opinions according to the ancient discipline of the Catholike Church and rules Catholikely established she was not to be cut and cast off from all other Churches But through the love of Peace and desire of renewing concord betwixt most famous Churches I am carried much farther than at first I propounded to my selfe I will now turne my Speech to God himself whom I humbly beseech that at last he would be pleased to binde up the differences of all the Protestant Churches and to make them up into one and that he would shew unto all That it agrees with the nature of this One God to be worshipped in Unity Now I take my farewell of my most deare Brethren of the forrain Churches with the Exhortation of most holy Augustine If you will live of the Holy Spirit hold Charity love Verity desire Vnity that you may come to Eternity To the God of heaven who is the God of Peace to Jesus Christ our Lord who is the Prince of Peace to the Holy Spirit who is the Bond of Peace be Glory Honor and Thankesgiving for ever and ever Amen FINIS Imprimatur THO. WYKES April 8. 1641.
Catholique Church under Christ the head The Illustrious Princes themselves Osiander Antist p. 75 in their Preface to the forme of concord cleerely professe That it is in no wise their purpose or intent to damnt those men who erre out of a kinde of simplicity of heart nor are they blasphemous against the truth of heavenly doctrine much lesse to condemne whole Churches which are under the Roman Empire nor that they did doubt that even in those Churches many godly were found which hitherto consented not with them in all things And also Lucas Osiander when it was objected against him that he called the Calvinists the Devils Martyrs diligently purged himselfe in this manner They that have heard my Sermons will say that they never heard any raylings against the Martyrs of Christ In Antist pag. 91. and my publike writings doe witnesse that I called them holy Martyrs that on Bartholomew day were murdered in France It is therefore seriously to be weighed whether it be safe whether it be pious whether it agree with the duty of Christian Churches for every errour of lighter moment not to reach forth the riâ—ht hand of fellowship to those Churches which notwithstanding this errour may remaine Christ's Martyrs yea his holy brethren Will they â—ill they whosoever acknowledge Christ their elder Brother they must of necessity have all the Brethren of the same Christ joyned unto them in a most neere and Brotherly Communion Moreover I doubt not at all but that the Saxon and Helvetian Churches and others which either consent with these or those acknowledge themselves to have and to desire to retaine Brotherly Communion with the English Scotish Irish and other forreign Reformed Churches Surely as concerning us although we consent not with them in all points and titles of controversall Divinity yet we acknowledge them Brethren in Christ and protest our selves to have a Brotherly and holy Communion with them But if they themselves be like minded towards us with what equiâ—â— dâ—e the German Churches amongst themâ—elves deprive each other of that Brotherly Communion which with forreign Churches they feare not to retaine What therefore Mâ—ses said of old â—o the Israelites that fought together that may truly be said to the Dutch Churches striving amongst themselves Acts 7.26 but cannot truly be confuted by them Yee are brethren why doe yee wrong one to another Lastly what all the godly are bound to begge of the most great and good God and request it in their fervent Prayers that this may come to passe out of doubt they are bound to employ all their study and endeavours But who doth not daily solicite God for the peaceable and flourishing State of the Church Who prayes not that those things may be taken away which trouble vex disturbe or any way hinder the Spirituall edification of the Church This was the wish of the Royall Psalmist and the same ought also to be of Princes Psal 122. v. 9. Doctors and all Christians Neither did he only wish all good things to the church of God but sought for them and procured them as much as lay in his power This was his duty 't is surely ours also And here I should not be so well employed if in a long set Oration I should lay open to the German Churches either the commodities of Peace and Union or the discommodities of long lasting dissention That of Prudentius is instead of an Oracle Scissura domestica turbat Rem populi titubátque foris quod dissidet intus Home-bred rents trouble the State and that shakes abroad which is divided at home Let them therefore looke to that which is for the benâ—fit of their owne Churches and let them resolve with themselves that all that is not only to be requested of God in daily Prayers but also it must be laboured after with the greatest and unwearied endeavours of all men that it may be effected and obtained Neither let men unexperienced in matters hope that they shall ingratiate themselves the more with the Papists and suffer lesse dammage from them if they refuse to joyn with those whom they call Calvinists What is to be hoped of them Osiander long since hath told The Papists saith he burne the Lutherans no lesse than the Zwinglians in those places In Antist pag. 74. where the Pope of Rome that fierce and cruell beast hath and doth exercise full dominion They therefore who are highest in their favour can hope for no more kindnesse from them than Polyphemas in Homer bestowed on Vlysses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will eate Vlysses last after his Companions They will devoure the Câ—lvinists sooner the Lutherans later and at last if they can they will devoure all Hitherto wee have employed our paines to this purpose that this communion betwixt the Dutch Churches may bee understood not onely to be possible but by vertue of Gods commandement altogâ—ther due and necessary It remaines now that we shew in what manner and by what meanes these Churches miserably rent and torne a sunder may with best conveniency and speed be reduced and made up together into one Body which I will endeavour to doe rather that I may manifest the willingnesse of my minde to so worthy a worke than that I conceive those noble Churches and evermore stored with plenty of learned pious and peaceable Divines to stand in need of the counsell of forreginers in this matter Forasmuch therefore as the foreâ—â—â—d controversies may be agitated either betwixt Churches belonging to divers dominions whereof one is not subject to another or betwixt Christians of the same Church who acknowledge one or the selfe same Prince or supreme Magistrate wee will speake first of divers Churches standing on terms of equall right â—hen of the members of â—ne and the selfe same Church how they re all to be joyned together amongst themselves For the reducing of divers Churche into one communion I conceive no more fit and convenient way can be thought upon than that familiar one of appointing a faire and peaceable Conference betwixt Divines chosen by the authority of their Princes For if any man think that by calling a Councel out of all the Reformed Churches these questions which have employed the wits of most learned men these many years may within a few moneths or years or within one century of years be so defined that the consent of all men may be obtained in all these heads of controversall Divinity be it spoken with the good leave of all good men to me it seems scarce likely Seeing the weake eye of Mens mindes hardly pierceth into the nicity of subtile controversies even when it surveys them being in quietnesse But if it be as if it were full of black dust raysed with the motion of Disputants for most part it cannot so much as see them or with a fixed and steddy looke behold them And to speak the truth Councels especially those that are Generall ought rather to be used for the defending
things they professe the same Communion who are admitted to the same holy Supper But in very deed as by this mutuall Communion we doe not professe that we all have attained a perfect or the same degree of knowledge in Diviniry so neither doe we by this deed protest that we have a perfect consent amongst our selves in all heads of Doctrine in Divinity or altogether the same opinion of every question If the Communion of Christians amongst themselves should stand on these hard termes scarce could Peter and Paul have held Communion amongst themselves Sure the Church of the Corinthians had been broken into shivers but in these our times it had not been easie to finde many divines of great credit who could with a safe conscience be partakers together of the Lords Supper All Rulers therefore of Churches ought being guilty of their own and the common infirmity to beware least whilst they exact require from their own people a too harsh and not at all necessary confession they seem to shake and weaken the most sweet and most necessary Communion of Christians amongst themselves So much concerning the Governors of the Churches Wee come now to the Ministers or any other Christians which desire Communion with the Chruches wherein they live and yet cannot worke upon their consciences with any entreaties to approve and professe all the received opinions of the same Church It shall be their duty to afford and expresse themselves teachable and humble not obstinate and proud in the maintaining of those opinion wherein they step aside from the common opinion of the Church but he is to be counted teachable and humble who willingly and submissively lendeth his cares and heart to the Church teaching him who rejects not the doctrine propounded unto him out of a vitious disposition of his Rebellious will but is hindred by the weaknesse of his understanding that he sees not the Truth in these hard controversies which those who are more learned and accurate perchance with no difficulty can discern Now because 't is the priviledge of God alone to search hearts it is our part ever to encline to the most favorable side and to presume of every one where the contrary appeares not by manifest evidence that rather out of conscience than stubbornnesse he is detained and hindred from affording his consent They who shall behave themselves in this manner are not for every stubble of erroneous opinion to be parted and kept off from the Churches Communion wherein they live Yet on those terms and conditions they are not to be driven off if they presume not at all to oppose the common Judgment of the Church or to extoll and spread their private opinions amongst the people Nor ought they to take this in ill part who are desirous to entertaine Peace and Ecclesiasticall Communion for suppose the opinion of any private Doctor or Christian to be true and that to be erroneous which useth to bee defended by the Church yet if the error be in a matter or opinion which hinders not the Salvation of Christians farre better is it that the true opinion of any private Doctor whatsoever lye hid in the dark than that the publike authority of the Church bee in the broad light openly trampled upon or the Peace of the Church be shaken by this altogether unnecessary bickering of contrary opinions as with the struggling of windes crossing each other But if any one perswadeth himselfe that that opinion which he defends against the judgement of the Church be of so great moment that the Salvation of men doth depend from the knowledge thereof if he cannot perswade the same to the Rulers of his own Church he must either depart unto another Church or else for the good of the Soules in that Church to which he is subject patiently to undergoe the censure imposed upon him These are the things most learned Duraeus which I though fit at your request to write and send unto you If they may be usefull to you or any other towards the furthering of the Union of the Churches I have abundantly satisfied mine own desire and purpose They without doubt may suggest more and better things to whom the present estate of the German Churches is better known and looked into This thing alone remaines for me to doe humbly to pray to the God of Heaven that he would bow the hearts of Princes from their Soules to desire this Union of the Churches that he would enlighten the mindes of Divines to finde out and apply those meanes whereby it may foonest be established that he would kindle the hearts of all Christians to embrace and propagate this Peace to all Posterity The God of peace grant this for his Sounes sake our only Mediatour and Procurer of Peace with the Father to whom with the Holy Spirit be all Honour Glory and Thankesgiving for ever and ever Amen FINIS AN EXHORTATION to the restoring of Brotherly COMMUNION betwixt the PROTESTANT CHURCHES FOUNDED IN THIS That they do not differ in any Fundamentall Article of the Catholique Faith IN DOMINO CONFIDO LONDON Printed by R. B. for Richard Badger and John Williams 1641. An Exhortation to the restoring of Brotherly Communion Chap. 1 betwixt the Protestant CHURCHES CHAP. I. Of the discommodities and occasions of these Discords together with the Remedies briefly declared WHAT Cicero the Oratour said once of the Discords betwixt famous men Orat. de harusp respons that may we now truely say of the Dissentions betwixt severall Churches that they usually end either in the destruction of them all or in the injurious domineering of the Conquerours over the party subdued Now though it is to be hoped that there is none amongst the Reformed Churches which affecteth a sole and absolute Command over the rest Yet is it much to be feared least all by these dayly and deadly contentions which God forbid hasten their own overthrow Whose present condition the godly bemoane and by the miseries fallen on some guesse the dangers hanging over all unlesse they schooled with their calamities at last begin to be wise and heartily study the advancing of Peace For whilst this strife groweth hot amongst Brethren they afford their enemies constant matter of rejoycing and insulting over all Churches and not only of rejoycing and insulting but also arme them with infinite opportunities to hurt and oppresse them Nor do they order the matter well for their own people which will have even the unlearned to be distracted about such endlesse Controversies which perchance the Learned are never able to determine If Schollers only were to enter the Lists and to combat with Schollers the danger were lesse but it is too plaine that Christians of all sorts and sides are summoned to the fight whose minds are no sooner entangled in these needlesse controversies but they are cal'd away from the most necessary duties of charity and fruits of new obedience Moreover these dissentions betwixt the Reformed Churches hinder the more
but deny the matter of the Articles Thus the Arians in words confessed Christ to be the Son of God but they hatcht a Monster in their hearts when they would not acknowledge him to be coessentiall to the Father Hee is but mocked with a Title to whom the thing signified by that Title is denyed It was lawfull therefore for the Representative Church that is for the generall Councell for the better declaring of the true meaning of an Article to frame and fit a new but apt terme and to compell Christians to confesse Christs Divinity under this forme of words Christ is Coessentiall with God the Father For to be God and to be the Son of God though not in sound in sense are the same as to be coessentiall with God Lastly we do not straiten and confine the power of an Oecumenicall Synod or representative Church only to the declaring and defending of Fundamentall Articles such whereof an explicite and cleare unfolded Faith must be had to Salvation but wee confesse the same also doth extend to any true doctrines and profitable for the edification of mens Soules Yea we conceive this definitive sentence of the Church to bee so armed with the sharp edged sword of Excommunication that they may be separated from the outward Communion of the Catholique Church which dare stubbornly oppose their private opinions against her determinations Notwithstanding if that wherein they do erre be not of the Fundamentall and absolutely necessary Doctrins we ought not to despaire but that some who justly are cut off from the outward CommunioÌ„ of the Church God in his mercy pardoning their errors arising from the weaknesse of their Understanding may still retain an Inward and saving Communion with Jesus Christ their Foundation For the outward Excommunication is not a certaine or infallible signe of the inward Excommunication Tom. 1 an disp pag. 374. as rightly Luther What we have said of the Power of a Generall Councill we desire should also be understood of any lawfull and free Councill rightly representing the Catholique Church not of those Councils which are meere Vassals to the Pope of Rome and represent the Catholique Church in the same manner as an Ape doth a Man But because it is altogether impossible to call the Catholique Church into a Councill representing the whole body by reason of the Popes Tyranny and other hinderances let us come to explaine what power particular Churches have in this matter If therefore the name of Ministeriall Foundation doth agree to the Representative Church or Generall Councill for the Ministeriall power it hath in publishing explaining and defending that Doctrine which joyneth Christians to their saving foundation it agreeth also in its kind and degree to every particular Church suppose the English French Dutch and others which take their denomination from divers Countries For what the Catholike Church assembled in a Council may and ought to do towards the founding of all Christians in the saving Truth of the Gospell that every Particular and Provinciall Church may and ought to do to those that are under it From this Office the Church of Ephesus wherof Timothy was President is called the pillar and ground of Truth because it is the duty of every Church to defend and maintaine the Truth preached by the Apostles to the World commending and explaining the same to the people and to unsheath and draw the Sword of Ecclesiasticall censures against forgers and Heretiques But least every particular Church should advance her power and authority even to match and equall it with the Catholike Church in a Generall Council we must marke and observe first that the particular Doctours of particular Churches met in a Synod only represent their own and nâ—t forraigne Churches and therefore to have no power of prescribing to others what they must beleeve or refuse much lesse to cut them off from the Brotherly Communion which they hold with the Catholique Church who either out of conscience or ignorance cannot assent to their Decrees and Determinations For an Equall hath no power over him which is his Equall Herein the moderation of Cyprian is commended who held communion with those Churches whom he conceived to live in a grievous errour The African Churches are commended Apud August de Bapt. cont Donat. lib. 2. cap. ult Idem super gestis cum Emerit Serm. for their not condemning of any nor removing them from the right of communion but continuing in fellowship with those Churches which were of a different opinion and would not rest and rely on their judgement For no particular Church ought so far to tender her own honor as thereby to envy prejudice or dammage the unity of other Churches Secondly we must observe that particular Churches for instance those of Saxony and Switzerland may and ought to commend the Summe of the Doctrin of the Gospell which they professe to such as are subject to their Ministery which abridgement of Doctrine compiled and digested into Articles we use to call the Confession of the Churches or Articles of Religion But a speciall care must be had that in the framing of these Articles we insert not into them any thing that is subtile superfluous and litigious For it is not the part of wise Doctors to stuffe those things which should further Peace and the Edification of Soules with that which may trouble the Learned help the Unlearned little or nothing to Salvation For what is this else than to minister to the Learned matter of striffe and to thrust on the unlearned Wind for Milk and Stones for Bread We ought also to have some respect of neighbouring Churches in these our Confessions which wee set forth and nor to affect in our Articles to expose to the view of all that whence occasion of wrangling may bee given to our neighbour Protestant Churches and matter of rejoycing afforded to the Papists These inconveniencies might easily bee avoyded if it would once enter into the hearts of Divines to sever hard and obscure Controversies from the publike Confessions of the Church and confine them to private exercises in the Schooles For whilst we place and proclaime our Controversies in the light Mat. 10.27 and as it were on the house top of our publique Confessions wee shew abroad the nakednesse of the Reformed Churches which it was farre better going backward with our faces wee should desire to cover Lastly when these Confessions are ordered in this manner it is lawfull and usefull for every particular Church to exercise that Jurisdiction over their owne people which in no case they ought or can usurpe over the subjects of another Church For if their own oppose the received Doctrine of their Church established by publique consent they may both for the errors they scatter and for the disturbance they cause in the Church put them aside from the Communion of their Church so long till they leave off to infect others and trouble the Church with their errours But as soon
Foundation of Religion Catholike Faith But if we should let the matter run on so long till all the controverted Problemes betwixt Protestants bee counted Fundamentall long since they have grown to too numerous hereafter they may grow to an almost numberlesse multitude For this solemne course and practice is observed of many that what they themselves have added to any Fundamentall Axiom as over weight and what they beleeve to be a consequence of the same this they presently require of all to be counted in the number of Fundamentalls If we grant to any particular Churches or to their Doctors this power of creating and multiplying Fundamentalls all hope is past of the certainty of the Catholike Faith all hope is gone of the Brotherly communion of the Catholike Church The mad error of the Church of Rome may confirme the Truth of our opinion who by stuffing a medley of uncertain opinions into the Creed of Trent by the same deed did both shake the immoveable certainty of the Catholike Faith and the Union of the Catholike Chuch so much desired of all we ought not therefore to mingle controversies lately born betwixt us with the foundations of Catholike Faith which are few and published by the preaching of the Apostles through the Christian world and received by the joynt consent of Christians In the last place that these things whereabout we contend Reas 6 were never counted in the number of Fundamentalls plainly appeares out of the very Augustane confession penned by Ph. Melancthon and approved and commended by Luther It is not likely that the Authors of so solemne a confession would have omitted any Fundamentall Doctrine of the Christian Faith without the knowledge and beleife whereof Salvation could not be attained by Christ Jesus But in this confession none of those points doe appeare about which so fierce a strife hath been been maintained betwixt the Helvetian and Saxon Churches In the third Articles of the Union of the two Natures in Christ in the tenth Article of the presence of the Body and Bloud of Christ in the Lords Supper they have established nothing which is not approved by the consent of all the Protestants And if we should run over the rest of the Articles we shall finde very few things after the last correction of which there is any dissenting betwixt the Protestant Churches nothing of so great moment that it should bring in a Schisme into the Church But grant some things to be in this confession to which other Churches cannot afford their consent it sufficeth to the retaining of Peace that they consent in all things necessary to be known for the Salvation of Christians For the confessions of particular Churches are not streitned to fundamentals alone but sometimes are extended to the declaring of their judgement of all heads of Divinity as they conceive it expedient for the Aedification of their people in Truth and Piety Therefore their errour is not to be born with who what ever they finde in their confessions will have it counted so fundamentall that they feare not to ranke those forreign Churches which in all and every thing will not admit the same to be the Rule of saving Faith among damned Hereticks overthrowers of the Foundation in a word amongst wicked men estranged from the holy brotherhood of good Christians Nothing could be done or thought of more injurious For if we weigh the confessions or disputes of all Reformed Churches and place on one side those things wherein they exactly agree and set on the other side those things which are in controversie wee shall perceive that the former out of the very Nature and Quality of the points themselves belong to the foundations of Faith and Piety the later either to the no wise necessary speculations of subtile braines or if they have any soliditie in them to the true inferences of the more skilfull Divines out of well grounded Propositions But those things which in this manner are built upon the foundation are not to be made equall with the fundamentalls themselves nor are they to bee accounted to erre in fundamentalls which swarve somewhat herein from the right line of Truth CHAP. XI Chap. 11 That there is no Controversie betwixt Protestants about Fundamentalls is shewn by instancing in three particular questions which are conceived before all other of greatest moment to the disjoynting of Churches BEFORE wee enter into this dispute wee must premise this firme and unmoveable rule That Christian Churches are not to be disjoynted which agree in all things necessary to be known or done to the Salvation of Christian men For no Authority lyes in one particular Church to make enquiry into others or office to compell other particular Churches to the rule of their owne confessions or power to dissolve the bands of brotherly Unity betwixt their owne and other Churches whatsoever which consent in the same common Faith that is in fundamentalls and the saving Articles of the Christian Religion Let us see therefore whether the Protestants agree so farre forth and let us take example only from those three controversies Of the Presence of the Body and bloud of Christ in the Eucharist Of the Communication of Properties in the person of Christ God and man Of Divine election and preterition according to the good pleasure of the Divine will For if in these questions by occasion whereof mighty surges and billows of contention have been blown up betwixt the Saxon and Helvetian Churches so much bee confessed on both sides as is necessary to know to Salvation All the rest may be left indifferent in the middle or to be disputed of betwixt learned men with peaceable mindes the brotherly Communion betweene Churches being no whit broken or torne a pieces Wee will begin from that which gave beginning to all the rest namely from the Presence of the Body of Christ in the Lords Supper and the eating of the same First of all nothing can be conceived fundamentall which is not by joint consent admitted by or received on both sides This is Fundamentall That the Body and Bloud of Christ are so truly present in the Administration of the Sacrament that Communicants may partake of them so as to draw life from thence and they may justly be condemned who so receive Bread and Wine as that withall they receive not the Flesh and Bloud of Christ to the Salvation of their Soules Hospin ad annum 1544. p. 191 Of this there is no dissention For Bucer grants That the Body of the Lord in the Eucharist is truly present and partaken off An annum 1540. p. 178 Calvin saith Wee all confesse with one mouth that we when we receive the Sacrament by Faith according to the Lords institution In Cons Mompelg p. 66. are made truly partakers of the Substance of the Body of Christ Beza saith we deny not the Body of Christ to be truly present to bee truly given and received I passe by the rest because no
it self and which wil take it in very ill part that her parts are pluckt and broken asunder on any colour whatsoever We ascribe it therefore to be an act of Piety that they are fearefull to sin against the Glory of God but wee account it to be from want of wisedome that they esteeme the division of the Protestant Churches as either a necessary or fit or lawfull meanes to the advancing of the Glory of God Those Churches cannot entertaine Brotherly Communion betwixt themselves Arg. 2 Coll. Mempelg p. 567. whose Doctors doe mutually arraigne one another as guilty of horrible errors and the worst Heresies But the Doctors of the Protestant Churches have done and yet doe this in their writings Therefore the brotherly communion betwixt the Churches can neither be retained nor renewed Whatsoever by angry adversaries Ans is branded with the name of Heresie is not presently to bee recounted in the Catalogue of Heresies for my part I conceive that none can free or defend the Divines of these or those sides from all errors in their controversall Writings We therefore who know well to mollifie the harsh speeches of our own Divines with a fovourable interpretation ought not any more to wrest the crooked opinions of our Adversaries and to make foule and horrible Heresies out of their errours whatsoever Hitherto it may be added which all men skilled in controversies know to be most true that those foule Heresies which the Protestants charge one another with for the most part are not expresly found in the writings of the Doctors themselves nor are affirmed of them in very words but are forcibly racked out of other words of theirs by I know not what small threads of consequencies whilest they themselves disclaim them curse such Heresies from their whole heart But good men ought to deale fairely and not to fasten Hereticall sense on other mens words when the Writers themselves which are the best expounders of their own words can and use to reduce them to a Catholike sense Moreover let it be taken for granted which indeed is not to be granted that these Doctors were convicted of those horrible errors whereof they use to be accused namely That they make God the author of sinne That they make numberlesse men to bee created to destruction and damnation That they make Christs Body and Bloud absent in the Lords Supper and that others also are justly condemned for bringing in a double Omnipotency into the Church one created and another increated of the Capernaits rending and mangling of the flesh of Christ of Christs flesh immense infinite yet for these errors of the Doctors were it lawfull for no man to breake off that Brotherly communion which Christ Jesus our elder Brother will have preserved safe and sound betwixt all parts of his Catholike Church which thing we so much the more confidently affirme because whatsoever may be determined concerning the private Doctors most sure it is that all the foresaid errours and others of the same kinde were ever by the joynt consent of all learned and unlearned blackd and branded with the note of Hereticall wickednesse in all Protestant Churches Wherefore what was anciently said of Augustine to the Donatists which ill hated the brotherly Unity of Churches Epist 50. If Caecilian hath sinned Christ hath not therefore lost his inheritance that being a little altered may be used of us If Luther did erre If Calvin did slip into an error Christ therefore hath not lost his Unity nor ought those Christian Chruches wherin Luther or Calvin discharged the function of a Doctor to lose their Brotherly Communion Lastly whereas all particular Churches are gathered together out of men subject to error it is more than probable that there is no Church to be found on the Earth in which either those that teach others or are taught by others are free from all error If therefore any Protestant Church hath determined to have no brotherly communion with any in which their famous Doctors have grievously erred it may safely communicate which none under heaven yea not it selfe with it selfe Therefore for the Errors of the Doctors the Separations of the Churches are not to bee made or allowed They that sit in the Chaire either Doctorall or pastorall Arg. 3 discharge a publike office and their Doctrines are to be accounted the Doctrines of the Churches wherein they live especially when their writings are set forth in print whereby they are made publike and are approved with the expresse at least with the silent suffrage and consent of those Churches wherein they serve When therefore the Doctors maintaine foule and damnable Heresies the whole Church is presumed to be guilty of the same and therefore brotherly Communion is to bee broken off no lesse with the Churches themselves than with their Hereticall Doctors I answer Ans That the Protestant Doctors which on both sides accuse and are accused of some horrible opinions published in their writing were never convicted by their adversaries of so horrible a crime by any publike or legall judgement Yea none can be named of those foule Heresies which they themselves that are accused to maintaine them have not confuted and condemned in their writings Let any that can produce any of those foule Heresies which hee exclaimes to be publikely defended by Luther or Calvin by those they call Lutherans or Calvinists one may easily shew that they have been rejected and condemned of the same John Gerard a most learned man and most famous in the Church of God hath vindicated Luther from such accusations Calvin whilst he lived cleered himselfe and since his death many of ours have cleered him Therefore the very foundation of this argument shaketh as for those things which are built upon it they likewise doe totter every one of them For whosoever sits in the Doctorall Chaire is not therefore to be presumed to teach nothing besides the doctrine stamped with the Church marke and as it were confirmed under their authentical seal Neither if more writers should consent in the same error is the consent of the whole Church presently involved For by sending forth their bookes abroad into the world they make them to be of common Right that any may buy them but not of publike authority All may read them but all ought not to approve and beleeve every thing in them That the matter is thus 't is plaine from hence Because the writings of particular Doctors which have lived in the same Church have not the same agreement which is pretended chiefely in these questions which are in the controversie and if one Doctor let fall that which may bend toward so me pernicious Heresie it may easily be shewn that the same was reproved and amended by some other Therefore with no colour of reason are whole Churches convicted guilty of Heresie and to be cut off from the Brotherly communion with others for the errours of their private Doctors whether falsly or truly objected