errors that we and others who protest against these unwarrantable doctrines may communicate freely with you 29. (e) n. 7. You would therefore willingly hear how I distinguish between errors in matters of faith pertinaciously held and heresie What 's this to the point in hand This is but onely to tempt me into another discourse nothing to our purpose As there is great difference between error and pertinacy so is there also between errors in faith and errors in matters of faith Errors in faith are such as are against the Creed errors in matters of faith I understand to be such as concern the faith in points of lower moment that deny not the letter of the text but give and impose for by-ends some unwarrantable expositions unknown to antiquity Such is that which was (f) Cod. Eccles Vniver can 177 brought in by Charisius and such are yours which the Church of England nominates Though these with the former batter not the foundation yet they endanger the out-works and will in time make way to undermine some of the necessary forts 30. 'T is very true that an error in faith pertinaciously maintained is no lesse then heresie but we say not so of errors in matters of faith (g) Quid faciat Haereticum regulari quâdam definitione comp ehendi sicut ego existimo aut omnino non potâ—st aut difficillime potest Aug. Praefat. ad li. de Haeres St. Austin was very cautelous in defining an Heretick and I shall be wary how I determine what heresie separates from the Catholick Church And yet your Masters cannot deny but St. Cyprian not St. Austin as you mistake resolves thus (h) Cypr. Pompeio ep Haeresis Christi sponsa non est Heresie is not the spouse of Christ But every thing that is called heresie by you or error in doctrine with us will not separate from the Catholick communion St. Austin therefore limits it thus (i) Aug. de Fide Symb. c. 10. Haeretici de Deo falsa sentiendo ipsam fidem violant Quapropter non pertinent ad Ecclesiam Catholicam every violation of the faith cuts not off from the Catholick Church but a false opinion of God does beware of that take heed how you think amisse of the blessed Trinity or any person therein And in this sense is that of Tertullian to be understood (k) Tertul. de Praescrip c 37. Si Haeretici sunt Christiani esse non possunt where an heresie is against any person of the Trinity there 's no Christianity That Great Athanasius therefore tells us that (l) Athan. de Spiritu sancto p. 202. 203. this beliefe in the Father the Son and the holy Ghost Christ gave to be setled in the Church as a foundation to the Church the foundation of faith and the faith of the Catholick Church And (m) Ib p. 204. whoever divides the Son from the Father or reckons the holy Ghost among creatures he neither hath the Father nor the Son sed impius est sine Deo infideli deterior quidvis potius quam Christianus but he is an impious man without God worse then an Infidel and any thing rather then a Christian. And if no Christian no member of the Church * Hilar. Pict ad Constant Aug. p. 273. Catholicus sum nolo esse Haereticus Christianus sum non Arianus Thus far I dare goe with these Fathers but no further But if as you will have it every error in matters of faith pertinaciously held be an heresie and separate from the Catholick Church Rome hath been in an ill case for many yeers For those foure errors mentioned § 29. ye have held with pertinacy enough and yet are they by the Archbishop strongly proved to be errors though your stomachs be too high to retract them 31. But you would fain have me doe what our Church hath never done that is to charge your Church with heresie for say you (n) n. 7. if the Church of Rome be guilty of heresie she is no part of the Catholick Church But I never said she was guilty of heresie and till I have just cause to say so I shall forbear to say that she is no part of the Catholick Church And I shall be as tender as my betters have been to set down (o) Archbishop Lawd §. 11. n. 1. what errors in doctrine may give just cause of separation in this bedy or the parts of it one from another I have satisfied my selfe that the Reformation of this Church was Canonicall and is justifiable and that she was and is a very member of the Catholick in whose communion I have ever lived wherein also by Gods grace I am resolved to die And it were wisdome in you to see your Church justified from those foure errors before you enter into further controversies As for that (p) n. 7. which you produce out of the 11 Sect. there it is sufficiently proved that your Church hath most sacrilegiously robbed the Laity of Christs blood This is not denyed I take it therefore for confessed and hope your Masters will see it mended 32. Well if we will not declare yours to be no Church you will prove yours or ours to be no Church and upon these grounds (q) Ib. 4 ly say you Christs mysticall body is but one and although that body is made up of many members yet all those members must communicate one with another for if a member be separated but by schisme it is like an arm cut off from the body or a branch from the vine which make that arm or branch no part of the body or vine What though all this be granted will this make one of the two no Church I beleeve not That Christs mysticall body is but one the Scripture speaks more then once 1 Cor. 12.13 Eph. 1.23 Col. 1.18 That may not be denyed or questioned That this body is made up of many members is liwise testified Ro. 12.4 5. 1. Cor. 12.12 c. And we know all those members must communicate one with another and wherein (r) 1. Cor. 12.25 26. in the same care one for another in the same sufferings and rejoycings one with another We are not bound to communicate with you in the same ceremonies gesture superstition or error no more then the hand is bound to communicate with the foot in going the heels with the ears in hearing or either with the other in the gout or any other disease The difference between you us is this we love the body and hate the disease but you love the body so that ye love and foster the disease hate those that are not visited with the like contagion We communicate with you in the necessaries in Faith Hope and Charity as also in all things essentiall to a Church We beleeve the Scriptures and the three Creeds with you though not alwayes in the same sense Our hopes are the same with yours though we something differ in
according to your charge I did say that the Romane Church had grievously erred and in one fundamentall at least yet as then so now I am have been and ever shall be loath to deny her to be a true Church since without the Church no salvation If you will make her no Church or a false Church and put your selves out of all hope I can pity you but not help it Indeed the pride of that See is such she will be all or nothing either the Catholick or no Church It is not therefore to her content to yeild her to be a Church since that implyes no more then that she is a member of the whole Alas the Universall she cannot be (z) Sicut universa terra ex multis terris unviversa Ecclesia ex multis constat Ecclesiis Aug. de Civ Dei l. 13. c. 13. that consists of many Churches as the whole earth consists of many lands and countreys and yet but one Earth and one Church Neither of them is couped up or confined within the largest Continent For my part I professe with St. Austin that (a) Aug. contr Crescon Gram. l 3. c. 35. I am in that Church cujus membra sunt omnes illae Ecclesiae quas ex laboribus Apostolorum natas atque firmatas simul in literis canonicis novimus the members whereof are all those Churches which in Scripture we know to have been planted and confirmed by the Apostles industry And (b) Earum communionem quantum me adjuvat Dominus sive in Aphricâ sive ubicunque non deseram Ib. their communion with Gods assistance I shall never forsake whether in England or elsewhere unlesse these forsake the truth I shall never leave the Vniversall to side with any particular Church And I would advise your Masters to take heed lest while with the Dogge in the Fable they catch at too much they lose all 15. (c) Cyprian de unit Eccles The Church according to St. Cyprian is like a Tree whose boughs are many but the body one firmly rooted Ab arbore frange ramum fructus germinare non poterit break the best arme from this body it will bear no fruit for heaven the branch it self will wither and rot and come to nothing Hath that Church you speak of been heretofore a glorious and happy Church Glory not too much in that (d) Ro. 11.18 boast not over the rest of the branches that have been lesse successefull thou bearest not the root but the root thee thou art but graffed in as the rest were and (e) Ib. v. 17. with them thou partakest of the root and fatnesse of the olive tree Remember also though there be many branches yet there is but one originall one root that yeelds sap and life and fruit to every bough great or small Suppose thou be the top-bough yet rend not suffer not thy selfe to be rent from this body Take heed of this lest thou become fewell for that dreadfull fire 16. That the Church of Rome hath grievously and dangerously erred I need no witnesses but your own family Stapleton justifies that (f) Stapleton Relect. cont 1. q. 5. A. 3. there is scarce any sin that can be thought by man Heresie onely excepted with which that See hath not been foully stained especially from the 800 years after Christ. But (g) Stella in luc 22.31 Stella and (h) Almain l. 3. D. 24. q. 1. Almain grant freely that some of the Bishops of Rome did fall into heresie and so ceased to be heads of the Church And though some of that Churches errors at this day be dangerous to salvation yet (i) Archbishop Lawd §. 20. n. 23. that judicious Bishop I then spake of would not venture to set down what errors in doctrine may give just cause of separation in this body or the parts of it one from another Neither shall I by Gods grace be over-bold in this point 17. The points fundamentall are contained in the Creed which is as the Councell of Trent speaks (k) Concil Trid. Sess 3. Et fundamentum firmum unicum not the firm alone but the onely foundation And Bellarmine resolves that (l) Bellar. de Verb. Dei non Scrip. l. 4. c. 11. All things simply necessary for all mens salvation are expressed in the Creed and Deealogue If yee have erred in any of these and grown obstinate in this error yee are become an Hereticall Church in battering the foundation And yet we must take notice that (m) Archbish Lawd § 11. n 1. every thing fundamentall is not of a like neernesse to the foundation nor of equall primenesse in the faith For there are (n) The. 2 a. 2 ◠q. 1. Art 7. c. quaedam prima credibilia certain prime principles of faith in the bosome whereof all other Articles lie wrapped and folded up What ever Church denies or disbeleives any of these ceaseth to be not onely Orthodox but Catholick and so no member of the true Church since (o) 1. S. Jo. 4.3 every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but is that spirit of Antichrist Now if yee have at any time denied (p) Ib. c. 5.20 this Jesus Christ to be the true God and eternall life ye were at that time no Church but an Antichristian Synagogue But this did Marcellinus and Liberius and John 22. all Bishops of Rome In those times therefore yee were no Church but an Antichristian Synagogue (q) Cypr. Pomp. Haeresis enim Christi Sponsa non est since Heresie is not the Spouse of Christ 18. If you doubt of the Minor Stella makes that good for he testifies that (r) Stella in luc 22.31 Marcellinus sacrificed to Idols that Liberius assented to the Arians that is he denyed our Saviour to be of one and the same substance with the Father and that John 22. affirmed that God the Son is greater then the Father and the Holy Ghost These batter and undermine the foundation which what ever Congregation does it apostatizeth and is no Church While then Rome did and beleeved thus neither she nor any of those that communicated with her in these or any of these heresies (s) Nulla societas fidei perfidiae potest esse Qui cum Christo non est adversarius Christi est Cypr. l. 1. ep 3. were so much as a Church much lesse the Catholick Church Especially since all these are contrary to the Creed and Catholick faith (t) Athan. Cre. which faith except every one doe keep whole and undefiled without doubt he shall perish everlastingly This Creed our Church appeals to whether Catholick or not Catholick this is the faith she desires to be saved by He that faithfully beleives this Creed is a Catholick but he that beleives it not is no Catholick neither can he be saved I am one of Athanasius his Catholicks and with Gods blessing I shall live and
die so 19. But I know what you drive at You were pleased to ask where our Church was before the Reformation It was answer'd in the Catholick Next you inquired whether the Catholick were alwayes visible The reply was affirmative both here and in other places But before the Reformation we communicated with Rome and since we have not That 's no fault of ours yee will no suffer us to communicate with you unlesse we communicate with your errors And yet we shall maugre Satan communicate with the Catholick Church while (u) Ro. 15.6 with one mind and one mouth we glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ according to this the Nicene and the Apostles Creed While we pray for the Church Universall and for all Bishops Pastors and Curates thereof While we pray for all Gods people for all that have erred and are deceived even for our enemies persecutors and slanderers While we continue the Apostolick government and while we not onely receive but administer the Sacraments according to Christs holy Ordinance we shall be in the communion of the Catholick Church 20. Truth it is as that judicious Bishop told Mr. Fisher (x) Archbishop Lawd § 21. n. 1. the cause of the Schisme is yours for yee thrust us from you because we called for Truth and redresse of abuses What was then to be done must we swallow untruths and wink at abuses that we may collogue and communicate with you It had not wont to be so every Province had wont to reform it selfe And so she did not transgresse the Faith or Canons of the Church Catholick the reformation was both legall and commendable We did so with our Provinces following therein the ancient Canons of the Church which assure us that (y) Concil Constantinop can 2. every Provinciall Synod is to order all things within the Province And for full satisfaction those Fathers of Constantinople justifie this Canon by the Decrees of the Nicene Councel Indeed sometimes (z) Ib. can 6. it may happen that the businesse will prove to be of such consequence and circumspection that a Provinciall Synod is not fit to determine it What is then to be done That very Canon says (a) Ib. in such a case we must not make our addresse to a Generall Councel but to a greater Synod of the Bishops of that Diocese called together for that purpose But we must observe that in the ancient both Civil and Ecclesiastical acceptation (b) Dixcesis multas sub se habet provincias Balsam in conc Chalced. Can. 9. a Diocese contains in it many Provinces This Councel we ought not to decline by molesting the Emperour or any secular Magistrates with complaints as our late Ministers have done This is not canonicall and the complaint is not to be admitted We are therefore to take notice that (c) Notit Imp. l. 2. c. 48. the three Britains were a Diocese of themselves and had a Praefectus Praetorio for Civil and a Primate for Ecclesiastical affaires (d) Cantuariae prima sedes Archiepiscopi habetur qui est totius Angliae Primas Patriarcha Guil. Malmesbur in Prologo l. 1. de Gest Pontif. Angl. p. 195. The Primate or Patriarch is the Archbishop of Canterbury So then our Reformation is not after any new or lately invented model it is according to the ancient course and canons of the Church and therefore justifiable If we had taken any other course in our Reformation we had done amisse For according to the Councel of Constantinople (e) Concil Constantinop can 6. we had run into an high contempt 1. by slighting all the Bishops of this Diocese 2. by injuring the Canons and 3. by subverting the Ecclesiasticall order and government 21. In submission to these Canons the Church did usually reform both in manners and faith by Diocesan or Provinciall Councels as is to be seen in the Code of the Vniversal Church in the African-Code in Balsamon and Zonaras in the Councels of Spain and in the Councels of England set forth by that pious and worthy Knight Sir Henry Spelman Much in this kind is readily presented to every eye by our learned Archbishop § 24. n. 4. Where you may see this course approved by your own learned men (f) Alb. Mag. in 1. Dist 11. A. 9. Albertus Magnus and that (g) Gerson de Gen. Concil Vnius obedien part 1. p. 222. famous Chancellour of Paris to be not onely lawfull but sometimes necessary Indeed to what purpose is it to justifie that to be (h) Perfecta Synodus illa est cui interest Metropolitanus Episcopus Cod. Eccles univers Can. 95. a full a perfect Synod wherein a Metropolitan is present if it may not upon just occasion amend what is amisse within her own precincts What is it then a perfect Synod for Otherwise Israel must not have reformed without Judah nor Judah without Israel Neither must Laodicea have cast off her wicked courses unlesse the rest of the Churches in Asia would have joyned in the Reformation They that dare say this are wiser then God Almighty For he calls to every one of these in particular to repent and amend with in themselves what is faulty And though Timothy had failed of his duty at Ephesus it had been no excuse for Titus to wink at abuses and disorders in Crete (i) Hos 4.15 Though Israel transgresse yet let not Judah sinne 22. Hitherto my Propositions as you terme them from whence you inferre as a necessary consequence thus Then by your own saying The Inference the Catholick Church must be distinct from the Church of Rome and those in her communion It must be so just as a reasonable creature is distinct from Socrates the species from the individuum or particular person Socrates is a reasonable creature but not all not the onely reasonable creature every individual person is as much man as much a reasonable creature and hath as much of man in him as Socrates This will be the more easily discerned if we look upon St. Paul's comparison (k) 1 Cor. 12. who likens the Church to a body consisting of many members One member is not the body nor the body one member but many The body receives not life from the members but every member from the body The body can live without the hand or foot or eye indeed without all these but none of these can live when sever'd from the body The Catholick Church hath subsisted without the Church of Rome but the Church of Rome cannot subsist without the Catholick The Church did stand without Rome before Rome was a Church And the Church was visible in the time of Marcellinus Liberius and John 22. when Rome was no member thereof (l) Cypr. de unit Eccles Adulterari non potest Sponsa Christi though Rome defile her selfe the Spouse of Christ is not cannot be made an Harlot The tree is sound though the leaves fall and
one or more branches be broken off The fountain flows comfortably though a rivulet be cut off The reason is because (m) Jer. 2.13 Christ and no particular Church is the fountain of living waters (n) 8. Jo. 4.14 that spring up into everlasting life and they that seek to him for this water as they ought shall be sure to have it Or as St. Cyprian speaks the Church is (o) Cypr. de unit Eccles luce Domini perfusa she hath her light not from Rome but from (p) S. Jo. 1.9 that true light which enlightens every man that comes into the world And we shall be no longer (q) S. Mat. 5.14 the light of the world then we are furnished with this light 23. So then since you will needs have it so the time was when there was a necessity for the Catholick Church not onely to be distinct but diverse from the Church of Rome and those in her communion otherwise there had been no Church I shall give you a satisfactory instance When Liberius Bishop of Rome turned Arian to recover liberty and an honorable Bishoprick when all Italy and Spain sided with him in that heresie then was the Catholick distinct from Rome and those in her communion For these if we may beleive (r) Haeretici non pertinent ad Ecclesiam Catholicam Aug. Locut de Deut. l. 5. c. 10. St. Austin and (s) Si Haeretici sunt Christiani esse non possunt Tertul. de Praescript c. 37. Tertullian had no share in the Church they were not so much as Christians because Hereticks St. Hilary of Poictieurs lamented the infamous lapse of this Bishop professing publickly thus (t) Hilar. Pict de Synodis p. 287. Ex eo intra nos tantum communio Dominica continetur from that time forward the Lords communion is continued AMONG US ONELY Onely us And who are these that he clears suddenly after in these words (u) Ib. p. 288. Quidam ex vobis firmissima fidei constantia INTRA COMMUNIONEM SE MEAM CONTINENTES SEACAETERIS EXTRA GALLIAS ABSTINUERUNT Some of you with a most firm constancy of faith containing themselves within my communion abstained from others without France Here then was no communion with Rome unlesse you can prove Rome to be in France and yet I hope a Catholick communion Boast not then too much of the Romane Church Wee see in what state it hath been and into the same state without Gods great mercy it may fall again And when such cause is given it shall be lawfull for us in like manner to hold communion within our selves in the three Britains even in England onely And now I think I have shewed you the Catholick Church distinct from the Church of Rome and those in her communion such a one as would have nothing to doe with Rome while Hereticall 24. I have done with the Propositions your desire remaines which requires a large library and a younger man for your words are these Wherefore I desire to be shewn the Catholick Church distinct from the Church of Rome and those in her communion for the last 1100 years What will no lesse serve the turn then 1100 years and those together what 's the meaning of this I never undertook any such thing neither as I know hath this Church or any of the Fathers thereof said any such thing (x) Art 19. Our Articles acknowledge the Church of Rome to be a Church and call her so But withall we say that (y) Ib. those of her communion have erred not onely in their living and manner of ceremonies but also in matters of faith And this hath been prettily well proved out of your own men So a Church it is though erronious We have never declared her to be no Church neither have our Articles hitherto charged her with Heresie but (z) Art 22. with fond doctrines vainly invented and founded upon no warranty of Scripture Yea something we blame you with (a) Art 29. that is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture Foure opinions of this kind my Lord of Canterbury taxeth you with viz. (b) Archbishop Lawd §. 33. n. 13 1. Transubstantiation 2. The administration of the blessed Sacrament to the Laity in one kind 3. Invocation of Saints and 4. Adoration of Images Ye have not hitherto quitted your selves of this Inditement and while his book stands unconfuted I shall beleeve that ye are justly charged with these unsound and uncatholick doctrines 25. Besides we acknowledge that (c) Art 26. in the visible Church the evill be ever mingled with the good That sometime the evill have chiefe authority in the ministration of the Word and Sacraments These we deny not to be visible members of the Church but grant that (d) Ib. the effect of Christs Ordinance is not taken away by their wickednesse Though these be bad in and to themselves oft-times their calling does good to others like (e) S. Mat. 23.2 c. the Scribes and Pharisees in Moses chaire We are not then so forward to make a separation as ye are taught to beleeve Indeed hardly any but the Church of Rome hath been so touchy as to excommunicate whole Churches upon slight occasions (f) Euseb hist l. 5. c. 24. What a stir did Bishop Victor keep about the observation of Easter He excommunicated divers Churches because they would not stoop to his lure (g) Ib. Verum ista caeteris omnibus parum placebant but this was little pleasing to the rest of the Bishops and among them to that famous Bishop of Lyons Ireneus Who with divers other (h) Victorem graviùs acerbiùs coarguebant Ib. sharply checked and reproved him for it These consider'd that no member can cut off another without mischief to the whole body even to it self And the hand ought not to doe it without a commission from the head For (i) Neque quisquam nostrum Episcopum se esse Episcoporū constituit aut tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitaiem collegas suos adegit Cypr. in Conc. Cart. ag there is no Bishop of Bishops as ye conceive neither may any one Bishop excommunicate another of his own proper authority (k) Apost Can. 34. Cod. Eccles Vnivers Can. 88. This is the work of a Synod of Bishops Whoever does it of his own head offends against the practise of the Church the Canons and Scripture it self 26. Thus also (l) Euseb hist l. 7. c. 4. Bishop Steven though otherwise a good man carried himself very high about re-baptizing Hereticks Whether zeal or that vain conceit of St. Peter's Chair transported him I know not but this I am sure of he excommunicated all those that re-baptized Hereticks But what said that great Bishop of Cappadocia Firmilianus (m) Firmilian apud Cyp. ep 75. Teipsum excidisti noli te fallere mistake not thy self thou Bishop of Rome while thou goest about to cast out others by this
a separation for points not necessary I freely subscribe to what he says But withall he tells us that (x) Archbishop Lawd §. 23. In the Church of Rome there are errors in Doctrine and some of them such as most manifestly endanger salvation And I hope it is lawfull to separate from these especially since your most able friends grant that (y) A. C. p. 56. Error in the doctrine of Faith is a just cause of Separation But the same Bishop hath proved that (z) Archbishop Lawd §. 33. n. 13. the Church of Rome hath erred in the doctrine of Faith and dangerously too in severall particulars In those his words then which you mention he touches not us but you not us who are separated passively but your Church which hath actually actively separated and excommunicated us for points not necessary not to be endured in an Orthodoxe Church Thus the cause the fault rests upon you not upon us 15. Whereas then you tell us (a) n. 4. If we say we did not make the Separation but the Church of Rome then Luther Tindall c. did not goe out of the Church of Rome but the Church of Rome out of them What consequence is this or what is this to us What Tindall did I know not neither does it concern us What Luther did I know if the History of the Councel of Trent misguide me not He humbly acquainted you with your errors and enormities and desired redresse and for this ye most unchristianly thrust him forth of your communion resolving rather to persevere in error then to amend what was and is amisse For my part I am resolved not to justifie any man or act against the consent and rules of the ancient Church But our Reformation was legall and canonicall as is fully proved § 20.21 We went not out of the Church to make a Reformation but this we did in the Church according to the laudable customes and canons of the ancient Church And whoever condemnes us for this he condemnes himselfe of grosse ignorance or malice I may justly therefore say with Moses (b) Num. 16.7 Ye take too much upon you ye sons of Levi Ye men of Rome ye transgresse the 92. 165. canons of the Catholick Church by medling beyond your bounds as also by imposing upon us and other Countreys the Creed of Pius Quartus which is contrary to the 177. Canon of the same Code 16. Yet as if no satisfaction were given to your demands you proceed thus (c) n. 5. Therefore I had reason still as in my Letter to demand a Church distinct from the Church of Rome and those in her communion of which no man that reads your answer can thereby I think receive satisfaction So you think and some that have read it think otherwise and conceive that I have given full satisfaction to your demands though you be resolved to turn your eares another way For I have demonstrated that when the Church of Rome and those in her communion were no members of the Catholick Church there were at that very time severall Orthodoxe Churches in France § 23. in Asia Sardinia Aegypt and at Constantinople All which at the same instant abhorred those heresies which Rome professed and would have no communion with her or her heresies 17. But say you (d) Ib. the whole drift and scope of my Papers is either to prove First that the Church of Rome and those in her communion is not the Catholick Church Secondly that the Church of Rome and those in communion with her and the Church of England are but one that is severall members of one Church To these in their order For the first you speak truth The Church of Rome and those in her communion is not the Catholick Church this is both said and proved § 12 c. There my minde may be fully seen and till that be disproved I shall adde onely thus much If the Church of Rome be not the Catholick as I affirm and yet the Catholick alwayes visible then was there a Church distinct from the Romane Church when Rome it selfe was not Catholick But there was a time when Rome was not Catholick not Orthodoxe as is proved in my former Papers § 18 23 27 29. 18. Your reply to that which I wrote before is this (e) n. 6. For the first That the Church of Rome and those in communion with her was not the Catholick Church for that time I required you shew no proofe that I doe finde but that some of the Popes have been Hereticks or Schismaticks Proofe then is shewed for this and this I take to be proofe enough For if the head be amisse the whole body is out of tune But the Bishop is (f) Concil Nic. Diatyp 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the head or as the head of that Church whereto he is prefer'd over which he is placed For (g) Episcopus est in Ecclesia Ecclesia in Episcopo Cypr. ep 69. n. 31. as the Bishop is in the Church so is the Church in the Bishop and such as the Bishop is such is the Church presumed to be till it renounce the Bishops errors for h by the Bishop every Church communicates with other Churches Hence it is that at the ordination of a Bishop the Metropolitan or other Bishops of that Province acquaint the Primate therewith and he the other Bishops within his Diocese that so they might know with and by whom they ought to communicate with other Churches This is to be seen in St. Cyprian (i) Cyp. l. 4. ep 8. by the ordination of Cornelius as also (k) Euseb hist l. 7. c. 24. by the deposition of Paulus Samosatenus by the ordination of Domnus into the See of Antioch (l) Ib. This intelligence was given that so they might know to whom to write and from whom to receive Letters of communion 19. That some yea divers of your Popes were Hereticks or Schismaticks is throughly manifested out of your own men § 18 32 c. And while Hereticks (m) Cod. Eccl. Vnivers Can. 171. both themselves and all that side with them are secluded from Ecclesiasticall communion every way (n) Ib. All their Episcopall acts are made void and (o) Ib. Can. 172. those Bishops which adhere to them are to be degraded from their Episcopacy While therefore your Bishops were Hereticall your Church was in an ill case it could not possibly be Catholick when all Episcopall acts were void Is not this a main evidence against you (p) § 23. Some proofe there is also from St. Hilary who professeth that in these Western parts there was in his time no Christian communion but in France This touches not onely the Bishop but the whole Church of Rome and all that adhered to him or that 20. For all this as if it were doubtfull whether your Bishops were such you adjoin (q) n. 6. Which if admitted though it is not to
AN ACCOUNT OF THE CHURCH CATHOLICK Where it was before the Reformation AND Whether ROME were or bee the CHVRCH CATHOLICK IN ANSWER to II. LETTERS SENT TO Edward Boughen D. D. We write none other things unto you then what yee read or acknowledge 2 COR. 1.13 Evigilate ad salutem amate pacem redite ad unitatem Aug. ep 171. LONDON Printed by E. Cotes for Richard Reyston at the ANGEL in Ivie-lane M.DC.LIII To my Reverend friend Mr. Boughen Doctor in Divinity These humbly present SIR BEcause I see in a conference zeal often turns to choler and because it was desired I would put my mind in writing that I might the more distinctly be understood and thereby the better receive solution I have here beneath set downe what I desire to have shewn viz. the Catholick Church distinct from the Church of Rome and those in communion with her which by your own propositions below is necessary to be shewn to find the Catholick Church If this you doe you may win a soul to your Church If this you cannot doe I hope you will not accuse mee for remaining where I am I have made bold to trouble Mris. M. at her conveniency to present this to you and at your conveniency crave the favour of your Answer and am SIR Your Servant to command T. B. I. You grant the Catholick Church to be alwayes viz. from the Apostles time to this time visible II. You say that the Church of Rome and those in communion with her are not the Catholick Church because they have grievously erred and in one fundamentall at least Then by your saying the Catholick Church must be distinct from the Church of Rome and those in her communion Wherefore I desire to be shewn the Catholick Church distinct from the Church of Rome and those in her communion for the last 1100 years and if it cannot be shewn it will necessarily follow those were the Catholick Church or else the Catholick Church was not alway visible To Mr. T. B SIR 1. BY Letter you desire to have shewed unto you the Catholick Church distinct from the Church of Rome and those in communion with her which was at our meeting manifested as plainly as we can distinguish the whole body from a particular member or a particular member from the whole body The body is one thing the member another the body is totum compositum the whole fabrick the member but a part of it And this is the particular Church of Rome to the whole Catholick (a) Chrysost in 1 Cor. 12. Homil. 30. Every member as St. Chrysostome teacheth hath a proper and a common vertue it hath likewise a peculiar and a common form or shape The hand hath not the shape or strength of the whole man and yet by the meer shape we know it is a mans hand And though we know the Church of Rome by her form that is by her Faith and Government to be a Church yet hath she not the form or virtue of the whole Church be she never so Catholick If she have then must the Catholick borrow her life and being from Rome and not Rome from the Catholick If this particular had the virtue of the whole then Timothy and Titus might not have given Orders or censured Delinquents or redressed what was amisse at Ephesus and Crete but by virtue of a Commission from the Church or Bishop of Rome And yet (b) 1 Tim. 1.3 St. Paul besought Timothy to abide at Ephesus that he might charge some those within his Diocese that they teach no other doctrine then St. Paul had delivered And (c) Tit. 1.5 for this cause left he Titus at Crete that he should redresse what was amisse and ordain Presbyters as hee had appointed him not as the Church of Rome directed him And this was before he had visited that City 2. But if the Church of Rome be the Catholick Church Where was the Catholick Church before she became a Church Was there one or was there none If one then was not that the Romane since there was yet no such Church If none what were (d) Act. 9.31 those Churches throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria This was before the Apostles parted from one another to teach all Nations hitherto we find them in these quarters and no other And yet at that time the Catholick Church was in being unlesse the Apostles Creed deceive us For (e) Ruffin in Symb. n. 10. that was framed at Jerusalem before the Apostles went about their great work And for this end was it made that it might be (f) Hanc credentibus dandam esse regulam statuunt lb. credentibus regula a rule for beleevers whosoever became Christian he was to beleeve the Catholick Church which he could not beleeve if it were not in being 3. Secondly if Rome be the Catholick Church then if she be Orthodox the Catholick Church is Orthodox if she be Hereticall or Schismaticall the whole Church must be Hereticall or Schismaticall as she is So the Church shall take denomination from her with her she shall stand or fall Great reason then we should have an eye to Rome and relie upon her But this Church hath been miserably Schismaticall and Hereticall Schismaticall as is to be seen in Platina and Onuphrius when she had sometimes two sometimes three Bishops together a double a treble-headed a monstrous Church Whereas (g) Concil Nic. can 8. in one City there ought to be but one Bishop That she hath been sufficiently hereticall is confessed by your own men And as long as she was in this state shee was no Church (h) Cypr. Pompeio Haeresis enim Christi sponsa non est Heresie is no Spouse of Christ (i) Si Haeretici sunt Christiani esse non possunt Tertul. de Praescrip c. 37. her members not so much as Christians if we may beleeve Tertull. and St. Cyprian And St. Austin saith (k) Aug. de Deut. loc l. 5. c. 10. Haeretici non pertinent ad Ecclesiam Catholicam Hereticks doe not so much as belong to the Catholick Church So then they that confesse Rome to be Hereticall grant her to be no Church And yet who dares say that the Catholick Church was Schismaticall or Hereticall because Rome was so This were to deny to destroy the Church For if Schismaticall she is no body but shivers If Hereticall in the chief fundamentalls at least Where 's the Church Unlesse as there were (l) 2 Cor. 11.13 false Apostles so yee will have false Churches Such Churches we will have nothing to doe with unlesse it be to pray for them and to advise them to (m) Apoc. 2.5 remember from whence they are fallen to repent and to doe their first works 4. Thirdly if Rome be the Catholick Church if any thing be amisse in any particular the fault is hers and she ought to mend it If any mans hand fester or foot be lame if a remedy be not
4.3 those few in Sardis that had not defiled their garments from the multitude that had (i) Ingemuit totus orbis se Arianum esse miratus est Hieron cont Lucifer c. Vincent Lirin c. 6. The world groaned and wondred to see it self all Arian But God sees not as man sees at that time he had a Church and his eyes beheld it though it were very difficult for man to point it out Visible it was to some and those not over many Thus much for the Visibility of the Church 10. It is time now to look toward the second proposition wherewith you charge me which is this You say the Church of Rome The second Proposition and those in communion with her are not the Catholick Church because they have grievously erred and in one fundamentall at least What ever I said I am sure I have manifested that the Church of Rome and those particular Churches in her communion are not cannot be the Catholick Church no more then some parts of man may be said to be the whole man or (k) The Church is called the House of God 1. Tim. 3.15 some parts of an house to be the whole house But as for the reason which you impose upon me I am certain I never gave it I never said these were not the Catholick Church because they have grievously erred and in one fundamentall at least This reason was not could not be given for that purpose neither was it needfull or usefull For had it never erred the Catholick it could not be a Catholick it might be a part but not the whole If these you speak of be the whole all other are excluded and that your party most uncharitably aimes at Take Rome at the best at the highest (l) Concil Nic. can 6. she hath her priviledges among many not over all other Provinces must enjoy theirs And divers Bishops have as large territories as ever justly had your Pope of Rome He that hath a desire to know the truth of this let him consult the 6 Canon of Nice the 2 3 of Constantinople the 28 of Chalcedon with the 28 125 Canons of the African Code and he shall quickly discern that Rome in those days was no such wondrous Church She no lesse then others had her bounds which she might not passe 11. But I remember well I said that if there were no other cause then the maiming of the Lords Supper I could not communicate with the Church of Rome The reason is because our Saviour ordained it to be given in both kinds and ye have most sacrilegiously robbed the Laity of his blood By this means yee make the people unfit for martyrdome if St. Cyprian mistake not (m) Cyp. l. 1. ep 2 Quomodo saith that Father ad martyrii poculum idoneos facimus si non eos ad BIBENDUM prius in Ecclesia POCULUM DOMINI jure communicationis admittimus How can we make them fit for the cup of Martyrdome if first in the Church we doe not by right of communion admit them to DRINK THE CUP OF THE LORD And againe (n) How can we shed our blood for Christ who are ashamed to drink the blood of Christ Cypr. l. 2. ep 3. Quomodo possumus propter Christum sanguinem fundere qui sanguinem Christi erubescimus bibere No may the people say we are not ashamed to drink it but yee are ashamed to give it us to drink at least to acknowledge the wrong that yee have done us We have a right to drink it but yee have barred us from our right Thus yee have gone against the sense and practise of the Primitive Church Yee have also departed from the Institution of Christ (o) Ex Christi institutione Sacramenta virtutem obtinent Tho 3 q 64.3 c from which the Sacraments receive their force and virtue What efficacy then can your half Sacrament be of 12. But for your further satisfaction I adde First The Church of Rome and those in communion with her are not the Catholick Church exclusivè solely excluding others however divers of that faction appropriate that title to them And yet (p) Art 19. we grant Rome herself to be a Church that is a member of the one Catholick though an erronious member as a vicious man is a man or as an ulcerous member is a part of the body Though we see her errors we deny not her essence but wish she were cleansed from her corruptions Secondly a particular Church cannot be styled the Vniversall and Catholick signifies nothing else * Si hominem dicas jam quemvis hominem dixisti Athan. de Definit tom 2. p. 45. no more then Socrates can be said to be Home in specie all or the onely man Neither can we affirm that man is the onely animal the onely sensitive creature though the most excellent Yet in the third place though we deny you to be the Catholick we acknowledge you to be a Church (q) Archbishop Lawd §. 20. n. 3. For that Church which receives the Scripture as a Rule of faith though but as a partiall and imperfect Rule and both the Sacraments as instrumentall causes and seals of grace though they adde more and misuse these yet cannot but be a true Church in essence 13. It is not then every abuse of Scripture and Sacraments but (r) Haeretici de Deo falsa sentiendo ipsam fidem violan Quapropter non pertinent ad Ecclesiam Catholicā Aug. de Deut. locut l. 6. c. 10. the razing of the foundation that ruines a Church and makes that to be none which heretofore was one Of the essence of the Church I take to be these two (s) Omnes haereses ad utramque formam à nostris Ecclesiis provocatae probent se quaquâ putant Apostolicas Tertul. de Praescrip c. 32. the Catholick faith and the Apostolick government The former is the soul of the Church and gives it life the other is as the sinews thereof which knit the members together firmly into one body Without the former it is built upon sand and without the other it cannot last (t) Heb. 11.6 Without the Catholick faith we cannot please God and without a Bishop the Sacraments will quickly cease Yea the very communion of the Church must fail since according to St. Austin's rule (u) Non possunt communicare nisi iis quos sedere in sedebus Episcopalibus audiebant Aug. ep 163. we may not so much as hold communion with any that have not Episcopall Sees Since then yee professe the Catholick faith and continue the Apostolick government though mixt with corruptions and encroachments (x) Archbishop Lawd § 2◠n. 2. we grant you to be a true but not Orthodox Church For (y) Integritatis custodes recta sectantes Aug. de verâ Rel. c. 5. Orthodox Christians are keepers of integrity and followers of right things Of which the Church of Rome is neither 14. If then