contend no Man can be of the Catholick who is not of the particular Church where he lives if that be a true Church or such an one in which he may serve God acceptably and finally save his Soul Then such a Church requiring other Articles of Belief or in other words than Christ or his Apostles required makes those Articles necessary to Salvation and if they who are shut out of one true Church ought not to be admitted into any other without Letters Commendatory from the Church of which he had been or de jure was a Member then at least there may be a total Exclusion from the Catholick Church for such terms as Christ or his Apostles never required and thus Men may become Schismaticks for Doctrinals as well as Ceremonies which they honestly scruple They who hold this would do well to preach up St. Zavierus his new Gospel Vid. Dr. Stillingfleets Fanaticism of the Church of Rome invented with the like pious Intention But when they talk of these things for the Peace of the Church I cannot but apply the old observation solitudinem faeiunt pacem vocant but for certain how merciful soever God Almighty may be hereafter you must believe as the Church where you live believes if you would have Peace here But if there ought to be a Catholick Communion on Earth and they who are deprived of one Churches Communion ought to be of all this shews how necessary it is that Communion should be upon terms truly Catholick The contrary to the other Notion shines methinks with native Light in an excellent Discourse of my learned Friend Dr. Bringhurst who adorned his Doctrine by a steady Adherence to it in the worst of times We says he Vid. Dr. Bringhursts Sermon before the Lord Mayor May 26 1689. Page 24. make this Yoke and Burden uneasier than Christ has made it to one another when we impose as necessary Articles of our Faith either what it is certain our Saviour and his Aposties never imposed or uncertain whether they did or no. Articles of Faith necessary to Salvation can derive Authority from none but God he only can tell us what will be acceptable to himself so that the Scriptures only of the Old and New Testament by all Protestants being the Revelation that God hath given of his Will in this case to us Whatever is made necessary that is not here must be a very uneasy Yoke and heavy Burden for 't is not in a Mans Power to believe as Men would have him we cannot believe beyond our Evidence and our Evidence must be as we can understand it so that what is necessary must be supposed to be intelligibly revealed to all concerned in the Belief of it Vid. P. 8. Wherever the Scripture it self does imprint a Character of necessity either for Faith or Practice we cannot speak plainer to one another than that doth to us And if any thing be revealed which we cannot comprehend as for Instance the Article of the Trinity yet the Revelation is plain and in all matters of Revelation we are to believe no more than is revealed and no otherwise of it than as it is revealed c. This hath often made me think that we should be easier to one another were the Articles of our Faith given us in the very words of the Scripture I am sure that both the Orthodox and the Arians in the Council of Nice concurred in this that all the Mischiefs in the Church of God were caused by bringing in words into the Creeds of the Church which were not in the Scriptures Consequences indeed are as sure as the express terms of the Scriptures but Infallibility in these Consequences seems to be necessary for Articles of Faith because infallible Authority only can create them Certainty may satisfy a Man's Conscience for his own sense and Compliance but for terms of Communion that may not be sufficient because that is so according to Mens different Capacities and Apprehensions c. We are to believe no more than the Word of God declares to us and also as it declares it and if we desire more of one another we make Christ's Yoke more uneasy and his Burden heavier than he hath made it As all Men are presumed to have some end in what they do unless where they act in passion without Consideration It were worth enquiring to what end this Sermon which for the sake of my Country I cannot but disrobe was preach dat this time Was it to convince the Dissenters Then since he could not expect that such should be his Hearers it must have been preach'd to be printed Which may take off Mens Surprize at such a Command more likely to be obtained than given ex mero motu Unless it should proceed from Dislike and be intended as it has proved a gentle enjoyning of publick Penance which all must agree to be suitable to his Majesties great Judgment and Clemency However there was small reason to believe that they were thus to be brought over now who persisted in their Dissent when they could not serve God in publick without being made Rioters And to be a Diffenter was counted not only a Dividing from God's Church but the being of a Faction against the State. And in all respects both themselves and all who wish'd well to them suffered accordingly Was it to induce his Majesty to withdraw his Protection and Favour from such as being shut out from God's care and not worthy of his Majesties But surely 't is not to be supposed that his Majesty who had reason to believe that he serv'd God acceptably in Holland where there was no National Church should be perswaded of the Necessity of being a Member of such a particular Church that one may be a Member of the Catholick Was it to raise a Contempt of the Protestant Dissenters in the Generality of the Hearers and thence to animate a party for the Church This may with better ground be look'd on as the encouraging a Faction against the State at a time when the Union of Protestants is little less than essential to its being Whoever goes to make the King a King of one party of Protestants under a pretence of advancing the Interest of the Church of England would certainly have a Reward according to his Merit if the late King should be the Advantages such put into his Hands come again to be its Defender Such must understand that though the greater part of the Nation have fewer Scruples than the Dissenters have yet as they are united with them in the same Profession of Faith and Affection to the present Government they cannot but desire to live with them as Men who must stand or fall by the same common Interest And if they who are otherwise minded are not guilty of making a Schism in the State I am sure they who refuse to swear Allegiance to King William and Queen Mary are And this more truly answers the Apostles Notion
Earth who embrace the Faith he hath delivered From St. Austin he tells us Schismaticks are not to be look'd upon as Christians And yet they who agree in the same Faith and separate or are driven or kept out only upon the account of Ceremonies nor are charg'd with want of Charity are Schismaticks with him and that though many of them were bred up under other Pastors and cannot be faid to have rent themselves from the Church of England This indeed must be said for him that though St. Austin and other antient Fathers make no Degrees of Schism and knew of none but in such as divide out of Malice or Hypocrisy or at least from such terms as Christ required Our Doctor makes Degrees of Schism without Authority from the Apostles or the Fathers He tells us some are greater Schismaticks than others yet the least are guilty of the Sin of Schism And so perhaps we may find a Schism which is not a Rent from God's Church nor a Breach of Charity among Christians And then I would gladly know how the Nature of Schism remains And indeed it is evident that as he applies the Name of Schismaticks to them who embrace the Faith Christ has deliver'd and whom he cannot in general charge with dividing from other Christians out of Hypocrify or Malice he imputes Schism to them who certainly remain true Members of God's Church and maintain that Bond which unites them to their Fellow-Christians Yet notwithstanding all the seeming Softnings 't is plain the Doctor will not allow such to be true Members of God's Church For he says to be a Member of the Catholick 't is necessary to be of some particular Church Nor can it be deny'd that he charges the Protestant Dissenters with failure of what is necessary to being of the Catholick Church And though in the Choice of Churches he restrains it to such as God may be acceptably served in Yet I shall foon shew he makes it absolutely necessary to be of some visible Church and therein agrees with the Papists and differs only in that he will have the Church of England so called that is they who are united under the same Ecclesiastical Polity to be the Church Yet some would think that as Christ's mystical Body or Church Universal is a Collection of all throughout the Face of the Earth who embrace the Faith Christ has delivered Wherein according to this Doctor himself Visibility is by no means essential to the being of the Church-Universal for embracing the Faith is a pure Act of the Mind so the Church of England as it is a part of the whole is a Collection of them who embrace that Faith in England Every part must be in some place but it would not cease to be a part if there were no other part upon the place to join with And therefore a single Person may make as true a part of Christ's Body as the greatest Numbers But examine the ground for the Imputation of Schism upon our Protestant Dissenters Page 18. because they causlessly divide or rend themselves from that Church of which de jure they are Members Page 16. This he had explained before where he says that I call every Mans particular Church not which it may be he himself doth call so but which the lawful Authority of the Country where he liveth hath made so Now I would gladly know by what Law Dissenters are still obliged to comform to the Ceremonies of our Church and in that respect to become Members Is it because the Law leaves others the Possession of the material Churches made with Hands Page 18. This indeed I think he offers at when he tells us how they under whose spiritual Conduct such Persons put themselves can satisfy their own Minds he knows not But I should think they might say Are Ye Ministers of the Gospel So are We. Are Ye to take care of the Flock over which Christ hath made you Overseers So are We. Nay what if they should say Your Bishops look over the Clergy and not the Flock Vid. The Prayer in the Lyturgy for Bishops and Curates and at the Consecration of Bishops Bishops the Pastors of the Church Your inferior Clergy are not Pastors but Curates to the Bishops Wherefore we are ready to enter upon the Trial which of us are most properly Pastors of Christ's Institution Vid. The same Protestant Principles Or what if they should say farther Your Bishops Lord it over the Flock and contrary to the Apostolick Example and the antient usage in England claim a Power of making Laws Canons and Constituons in the Church without the Laity Vid. Spelm Council de modo tenendi Synodos apud Anglos with this only difference among them that some place the Power in every single Bishop and so far are Independants others in the Episcopal Colledg Vid. Protestant Principles Licens'd or Assembly of all the Bishops in a Kingdom The last of which I think is most agreeable to their Notion who are only for a National Church Vid. Protestant Principles the others seem not aware that according to them every distinct Diocess makes a Church And if it should fall out that the primitive Diocesses were but single Assemblies of them who worship'd God in the same place with one Heart and one Mind Vid. Clackson's Primitive Episcopacy though with different Postures then every Protestant Congregation may chance to put in for as compleat a Church as any and others may be as great Schismaticks in refusing to Communicate with them as they for not Communicating with others The Doctor indeed speaking of the Dissenting Ministers receiving those whom he takes de jure to be Members of the Church of England Pag. 18. They under whose spiritual Conduct such Persons put themselves Na be no where takes the Ministers for Brethren says How opposite soever they may be to the Pope in other matters in this his Vsurpation they agree with him and can no more be justify'd in it than he And thus in the Spirit of Meekness and with many gentle stroakings to the Laity the Preachers are call'd Usurpers the hearers Schismaticks For my part waving the Question about a compleat Pastor and the due Government of the Church I should rather fear that the Charge of Schism might be retorted upon them whoever they are who so far usurp upon Christ's Office as to make more or other Terms of Communion than Christ hath made And whosoever insist upon Conformity to other Terms I should think to be real Schismaticks howmuch soever others suffer under the Name Sure I am Schism lies in something else besides causless Separation from external Communion for other wise the Apostle would never have charg'd it upon them who continued in the same external Communion as did the Corinthians to whom alone he appli'd the word If the Apostle applied this to them who continued the same external Communion and never to them who divided
or separated from such Communion Vid. 1 Cor. 12.25 that there should be no Schism in the Body but that the Members should have the same care one for another 't is evident Schism does not lie in Separation from external Communion though there may be Schism in the Separation I take it not to lie so much in divided Communions as the uncharitableness of them on either side As Schism is a Rent we shall never know what sort of Rent is Schism till we settle the bond of Union which I should think to be Charity For they who are united in the same Faith and external Communion may be guilty of Schism both in Relation to others and among themselves which they who maintain that perfect bond of Charity cannot be in either Respect But evident it is that the Papists and others from them have taken up a Notion of Schism which the Apostle never mentioned And according to this Doctor himself was never intended by St. Austin or other antient Fathers And if the Livings will not satisfy our Pluralists unless the Non-conformists be exposed as the Christians of old in the skins of wild Beasts to be hunted down they will find their Congregations thinner than yet they are for it is not to be thought that the Laity in general will Countenance this Uncharitableness and Communicate with them in this real Schism But let them not any longer hang up that Theological Scarecrow Schism till their Church or rather aggregation of Churches Vid. Gal. 1.2 unto the Churches of Galatia is wide enough to comprehend all Christians But till it is so why may it not be enough for us here to do as he shews to be our Duty in Relation to other Christian Churches abroad mutually to own and Acknowledg every one the other Page 26. as far as they own and acknowledg Christ Indeed he says Ibid. Inasmuch as to be a Member of the Catholick Church it is necessary to be of some particular Church if he may acceptably serve God and finally save his Soul in it every Person ought for Peace and Order sake to live in Communion of that Church where the Providence of God hath plac'd him and not for every Dislike Defect or Blemish to depart from it Here he manifestly speaks of a visible Church to which Men must outwardly conform for Peace and Order This he owns that Men are not oblig'd to conform to unless they may acceptably serve God in it Yet without observing that it is possible for the Church where the Providence of God has plac'd a Man to be such an one as God cannot be acceptably served in it Though indeed this is implyed in the if it may for as it may be it may not be He makes the being a Member of a Particular Church necessary to being of the Catholick and by Consequence to Salvation And yet it is a very great Question how a Man can serve God acceptably in any Church which he believes has such Defects or Blemishes as justify his Separation for the sake of a Communion with fewer Defects or Blemishes And I know not what can hinder such a Communion from making a visible Church wherein he may serve God acceptably Or why the external Peace and Order in a Church for all to move together like a piece of Clock-work should be perferr'd before his spiritual Advantages And now the Law allows a Liberty some will think that they who leave the Parochial Worship for the sake of another Religious Meeting are no more Schismaticks than they who refuse to Communicate in the Cathedrals for the sake of Parochial Worship with fewer Ceremonies But suppose all Churches or Communions visible should impose Terms which a Man conscientiously seruples What hinders but the same Lord the same Faith the same Baptism with a readiness as far as he has attained to walk by the same Rule with all Christians may rather make him a Member of Christ's Family both here and in Heaven than that his scruples in other matters wherein he has not attained to the Sentiments of Men of larger Capacities and Opportunities should shut himout and leave him extra Ecclesiam forâs Thus I have set those Notions in their proper Light which are such means to remedy our Differences Vid. pag. 14. as Procrustes his bed for the different lengths of Mens bodies And methinks this Procrustian humour is prety evident where he vindicates the vein of Creed-making while he condemns the Church of Rome for her uncharitableness in damning all that come not punctually up to her Tenents which though himself does not directly it will appear that he by a Consequence of his own damns all them who do not in matters of belief comply with the Church where they live when that Church is such an one as he supposes a Man may serve God acceptably and finally save his Soul in it So far says he was the ancient Church from it Page 9. that all the Credenda she requir'd of them she admitted to her Communion for some ages was only an Acknowledgment of the Articles of the Creed we call the Apostles and prest no more on them and though all Churches since have added others some more some less it appeareth by their not judging one another about receiving or not receiving them this is not so much from any Opinion they have of the absolute Necessity of holding those Articles as of the absolute Necessity of preserving Peace among their own Members who were like to make Disturbances about them Wherein there is couch't this excellent Paradox that it is absolutely necessary for the Peace of some particular Churches that before Men be admitted into Communion they should receive some Articles of belief which are not of Vniversal Obligation and by confequence are more than Christ or his Apostles required So that it seems Men are to be deprived of Church-Communion for matters of Belief enjoyn'd by meer humane Authority and some who talk high for Catholick-Communion themselves shut the doors against it It is needful to be a Christian but it would certainly be much better for Mankind than it is if they would be so wise to take neither side while Church-men play their Prizes Few that are not wedded to a Party and think it needful to make Peace by the Destruction of all but their own Faction can believe that new Impositions especially in matters of Belief are any other than the occasions of Differences and the Shiboleths which divide the Christian World Nor can they comprehend why any thing should be needful to bé believed in one Church which is not in every Church It may often be requisite for Peace sake to Provide that no Man hold publickly any thing contrary to a received form of Words but whoever impose them as terms of Communion ought to produce a Warrant from Divine Authority To be of the Catholick Church is necessary to Salvation and if as Men of the Doctors Sentiments