not and hateth them not nor punisheth them with any correcting punishment 10. That they that have the spirit need not study for matter method words or affection 11. That they are perfect or their duties perfect who have the spirit because all the spirits works are perfect 12. That the day of grace may be so past with some as that sincere faith and repentance and a changed will that loveth holiness and consenteth to the Covenant of grace may be rejected of God and unavailable to salvation XIII Of Justification and pardon 1. That God forgiveth the deserved punishment of no sin but requireth it of the sinner himself and Remission is only the destroying of sinful dispositions and preventing future sin and not forgiving the punishment of what is past or will be 2. That Christ's sacrifice and righteousness is not the meritorious cause of our pardon Justification adoption and Salvation 3. That Christ is not the Lord our righteousness or made of God to us wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption nor we made the Righteousness of God in him or that it is not the Righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ which justifieth us 4. That Christ suffered for his own sin being either actually a sinner or our sins made properly his own sin in the guilt of culpability and not only of punishment before he suffered for them And so that he was by real imputation or Divine reputation the greatest Atheist infidel malignant murderer adulterer c. in the world these sins being in their forms or culpable guilt translated from all the elect on him 5. That all the elect were justified from eternity or before they were born or while they were no true believers by that justification which the Scripture meaneth when it saith we are justified by faith 6. That the elect are justified by the Law of innocency made to Adam or the Law of works made to and by Moses to the Jews because they were Legally in Christ fulfilling them and did perfectly fulfill them in him 7. That the sense of the Law of innocency was Thou or Christ for thee shall be innocent and obey perfectly to the end or die 8. That the Gospel Covenant or Donation is not Gods justifying instrument gift or Law 9. That God reputeth us to have been perfectly innocent from our birth to our death or at least since our believing because we were so Legally in Christ and yet reputeth us such sinners as need a Saviour and Christ suffered for our sins though we were so innocent 10. That the elect have no need of pardon at all because they are perfectly obedient by imputation 11. That at least we need no pardon of any sin committed since we believed save only of temporal correction 12. That pardon and justification actually remit all sin at once that is yet to come and is yet no sin as well as that which is past and present 13. That pardon and justification are perfect as soon as we believe 14. That therefore no true penalty no not corrective is inflicted or remaineth after our first faith 15. Therefore to such none of their wants of grace or Communion with God nor permitted sin nor suffering nor death are any true punishments for sin for the demonstration of paternal justice 16. That therefore no believer must pray for the pardon of sin it being perfected already nor seek for it of Christ by faith 17. That therefore there is no further condition or means to be used by us for pardon of new sins or for fuller pardon 18. Therefore there is no other or perfecter justification at the last judgement 19. That faith is not imputed to us for Righteousness 20. That against the false accusations that we were impenitent infidels ungodly hypocrites we need no personal Repentance faith piety or sincerity to justifie us as the righteousness contrary to this accusation but only the imputed righteousness performed personally by Christ himself 21. That we shall not be judged according to our works nor in any respect justified before God by our works nor is St. James so to be understood nor Christ that saith By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Mat. 12. 22. That men are justified by the works of the Law of Moses or of innocency or some other works which must be joyned to the righteousness of Christ to make it sufficient to its proper part or office and are not only subordinate thereto 23. That we are justified by faith only in our Consciences as knowing that we are otherwise justified before God 24. That we are justified only by inherent righteousness and that pardon of sin and acceptance for Christs merits and mediation is none of our justification at all 25. That a man unjustified must believe that he is justified that thereby he may be justified taking justification in the same sense 26. That God doth not make men just before he sentenceth them just 27. That Christ justifieth only by his Priestly Office and not by his judicial sentence 28. That we are justified by no act of faith but only by the act of resting on or also accepting Christs imputed justifying righteousness 29. That being perfectly justified by the first act of faith we are never after justified as to continuation by any act after that first instant 30. That to expect justification by believing in God the Father or the Holy Ghost and in Christ as Christ in his person and whole office of a saviour and not only by the foresaid single act is to seek justification by works reprehended by Paul or unlawfully 31. That faith or repentance are not by Gods gift or promise made any conditions necessary to be done by us through his grace that we may have right to Christ or pardon or justification 32. That our believing in Christ is of equal impossibility to us as our personal perfect innocency 33. That to believe Heaven and that God will glorifie us for the sake of Christ and as a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him is no act of that faith which justifieth as a Condition of justification or salvation 34. That it is all mens duty to believe that they are elect 35. That justifying faith is only a full assurance that we are elect 36. That true faith is inconsistent with doubting or imperfection 37. That it is unlawful to trust to any thing in us or done by us as a means or condition of pardon or salvation though but subordinate to Christ 38. That no meer death-bed faith or repentance is accepted to salvation or pardon because good works are part of the condition 39. That there is no degree of pardon given by God to any but the elect that are saved 40. That all praise that is ascribed to any thing in our selves or done by us or to any subordinate act of man as a means to our salvation or final justification is a dishonour to God and our Saviour and
to sentence or declare him none For the sentence must be true Many things in such cases may cause a man to err which do not unchristen him or cut him off from Christ § 42. The disowning and refusing some humane forms of Profession of faith called Creeds or some doubtful though lawful subscriptions promises declarations Covenants or oaths much less false ones are no just causes of Excommunicating that man who professeth all the essentials of Christianity and whatever is necessary to salvation § 43. The condemning of some such humane Creeds Articles Forms Covenants promises or oaths though unjustly is no just cause of such excommunication because all men being known to be fallible a good Christian may mistake another mans or many mens words And the misunderstanding of a man or many men may stand with Christianity piety and salvation § 44. It is not all that maketh a man uncapable of local Communion with this or that particular Church which unchristeneth him or maketh him uncapable of continuing in the Church-universal as shall be after proved § 45. Nay a man may be a Christian in the Universal Church who is a member of no particular Church as is before shewed As 1. some newly Baptized as the Eunuch Act. 8. 2. Some Christians that live among Infidels where is no Pastor or Church As if one were now Converted in any Heathen Land or cast there after or called as an Embassador or Merchant to live there 3. Some poor vagrant persons that have no dwelling as Pedlars Tinkers and such others that go from place to place and some others § 46. Therefore if a man should so far err as to think that he were not bound to be a member of some particular Church it may consist with his being a member of the Universal Church § 47. Some few brethren called Independents think that none are members of the Church-Universal but those that are members of some particular Church But it is but few of them and they are mistaken As Corporations are the most regular parts of the Kingdom but not the whole Kingdom so particular Churches are the most regular parts of the universal Church but not the whole as hath been proved by instances § 48. Yea though we need lay no stress on this I doubt not but in cases of necessity an open profession of Christianity and entring into the Covenant of God doth make a man a Christian even without baptism it self As if a Bible or good book or speech convert a man among Infidels where there is no one to baptize him St. Peter saith It is not the outward washing that saveth but the answer of a good Conscience to God in the holy Covenant And it is a dishonourable doctrine against God and Christianity to say that God layeth his love and mans salvation so much on a Ceremony as to damn or deny an upright holy soul for want of it or to give grace to none but by that Ceremony though it be of Gods institution I am sure St. Paul saith Else were your Children unclean but now are they holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. And if Holy before baptism because the Parents are so and do devote them to God and God accepts them then baptism doth but solemnize this dedication and invest them It is the solemn Covenanting with God that is the chief part of baptism and is it which the ancient Churches meant when they pleaded for the necessity of baptism to salvation Though it is no doubt a duty where it may be had and the thing signified is necessary to salvation § 49. The Keyes of Admission and exclusion as to the Church universal and salvation are not given absolutely to the Pastors but only to exercise on qualified persons And every man herein hath more power as to his own entrance or ejection than the Pastors have They do but judge a man to be what he is according to Christs Law and not what he is not no man can make a man a Christian without himself nor unchristian him without himself nor can all men and devils do so much to it as himself God hath not put our salvation or damnation so much in any ones power as our own § 50. A false and unjust sentence of excommunication doth no more to damn a man than a false absolution doth to save him But till the falshood is known others for order sake must avoid the person if it be done by a just power and not notoriously abused to the subversion of order or the Church otherwise not But the injured person is still a member of the Catholick Church And is not disobliged from his Communion with it and publick worshipping of God because a Pastor unjustly forbiddeth him Though he must give all due satisfaction and seek his right in a regular way CHAP. V. III. What are the terms necessary to the Office and Exercise of the Sacred Ministry § 1. THe Schisms in the Church are far more among the Clergy than the people and have been mostly exercised by Bishops militating against each other and anathematizing each other as hereticks or as not submitting to the challengers of superiour jurisdiction Or else in the Bishops silencing Christs Ministers for not obeying them as they expect HARD WORDS for want of an equal skill in speaking and JURISDICTION or superiority through pride and a carnal mind contended for by the Clergy against each other have torn the Church and confounded States and been the shame of Christianity in the eyes of Infidels and brought us to the low and broken state that we are in § 2. The great cause of all this hath been the introduction of ignorant or bad men into the sacred Pastoral Office And the remedy doth not yet seem very hopeful to us And operari sequitur esse As the man is so will he do A good tree will bring forth good fruit and è contra An ignorant man will err An erring man will do evil and not repent none will do more mischief against the Churches peace than an erring Ruler that Can do it and thinketh that he Ought to do it worldly men will prefer their worldly interest before the interest of Christianity and mens souls The carnal mind is not subject to the Law of God nor while such can be But the Proud while they will not obey God will rage against the best that obey not them Read Church-History and you 'll see it proved § 3. Such as the choosers are such ordinarily the chosen are like to be God and the ancient Churches set three locks to this door for the safety of the Church that so great a matter should not be disposed of without a manifold consent 1. The person to be Ordained and the Ordainers were made the Judges who should be a Minister of Christ in the Church-Universal as being qualified by God thereto II. The People and the Ordainers were to choose or consent who should be their Pastors in particular The people and the
them I was once blamed for dating a book out of the Common gaol or prison in London as if it reflected on the Magistrate But I imitated Paul and mentioned nothing which the Rulers took for a dishonour as their actions shewed Doct. 2. Beseeching is the mode and language of wise and faithful Pastors in pleading for Vnity and against Schism in the Church For they are not Lords over the flocks but helpers of their faith They have no power of the sword but of the word They rule not by constraint but willingly nor such as are constrained by them but Voluntiers It is not the way to win Love to God to Pastors or to one another to say Love me or I will lay thee in a gaol stripes are useful to cause fear and timerous obedience but not directly to cause Love And hated Preachers seldom prosper in Converting or Edifying souls or healing disordered divided Churches Doct. 3. Though Grace find us unworthy it maketh men such as walk worthy of their high and heavenly calling that is in a suitable conversation answerable to the principles of their faith and hope Christianity were little better than the false Religions of the world if it made men no better If Christ made not his disciples greatly to differ from the disciples of a meer philosopher he would not be â—hought greatly to differ from them himself The â—ruits of his doctrine and spirit on our hearts and lives are the proofs and witness of his truth we wrong him heinously when we live but like other men And we weaken our own and other mens faith by obscuring a great evidence of the Christian Verity And those that are of eminent holiness and righteousness of life are the great and powerful preachers of faith and shew men by proofs and not only by words that Christ is true Doct. 4. Lowliness is a great part of Christian worthiness and a necessary cause of Christian Vnity and peace This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but the same thing which Paul elsewhere Act. 20. 19. tells this same Church that he practised towards them exemplarily himself Lowliness of mind containeth both low and humble thoughts of our selves and low expectations as to honour and respect from others with a submissive temper that can stoop and yield and a deportment liker to the lower sort of people than to the stout and great ones of the world As Mat. 5. to be poor in spirit is to have a spirit fit for a state of poverty not in Love with riches but content with little and patient with all that poor men must endure so Lowliness of mind is a disposition and deportment not like the Grandees of the world but suited to Low persons and Low things condescending to the lowest persons employments and indignities or contempt that shall be cast upon us A proud high-minded person that is looking for preferment and must be somebody in the world is of a spirit contrary to that of Christianity and will never lie even in the sacred Edifice nor be a healer but a troubler of the Church of Christ and must be converted and become as a little child before he can enter into the Kingdom of heaven Mat. 18. 3. And indeed only by selfishness and pride have come the divisions and contentions in the Church even by those that have made it the means of their domination to cry down division because they must have all to Unite in them in Conformity to their opinions Interests and wills A humble soul that can be content to follow a Crucified Christ and to be made of no reputation Phil. 2. 7. Heb. 12. 1 2 3. and to be a servant to all and a Lord of none and can yield and stoop and be despised when ever the ends of his office do require it is a Christian indeed and fit to be a healer Doct. 5. Meekness or Lenity is another part of Christian worthiness and a necessary cause of Vnity and Peace Though in some this hath extraordinary advantage or disadvantage in the temperature of the body yet it is that which persons of all tempers may be brought to by grace A boisterous furious or wild kind of disposition is not the Christian healing spirit If passion be apt to stir wisdom and grace must repress it and Lenity must be our ordinary temper we must be like tame creatures that familiarly come to a mans hand and not like wild things that flye from us as untractable otherwise how will such in Love and peace and sociable concord ever carry on the work of Christ Doct. 6. Love to each other is a great part of Christian worthiness and a most necessary cause of Vnity and peace Of which I hope to say so much by it self if God will as that I shall here pass it by It being the very Heart and Life of Vnity Doct. 7. Long suffering or a patient mind not rash or hasty is another part of Christian worthiness and a necessary Cause of Vnity and peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath more in it than many well consider of I know it is commonly taken for restraint of anger by patient long-suffering But I think that it chiefly signifieth here and elsewhere in Pauls Epistles that deliberate slowness and calmness of mind which is contrary to passionate haste and rashness When a passionate man is hasty and rash and cannot stay to hear another speak for himself nor to deliberate of the matter and search out the truth nor forbear revenge while he thinketh whether it will do good or harm or what the case will appear in the review this Longanimity will stay men and compose their minds and cause them to take time before they judge of opinions practices or persons and before they venture to speak or do lest what they do in haste they repent at leisure It appeaseth those passions which blind the judgment when wrath doth precipitate men into those conceptions words and deeds which they must after wish that they had never known Hasty rashness in judging and doing for want of the patience lenity of a slow deliberating mind is the cause of most errors Heresies and divisions and of abundance of sin and misery in the world Doct. 8. Bearing supporting and forbearing one another in Love is another part of Gospel worthiness and needful means of Vnity and peace Doubtless to forbear each other patiently under injuries and provocations is a great part of the duty here meant But both Beza who translated it sustinentes and the Vulgar Latine which translateth it supportantes seemed to think that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth something more While we are imperfect sinful men we shall have need of mutual support and help yea we shall be injurious provoking and troublesome to each other And when Christians yea Church Pastors are so far from supporting and sustaining the weak that they cannot so much as patiently bear their censures neglects or other effects of weakness Unity
Rector of the Bishops under him and their people but only the Orderer or Guide of the Modes and Circumstances of the Council as such And therefore could the Pope prove a right to preside in General Councils orbis Romani vel orbis terrarum which he cannot it were no proof that he is Regent Head of the Church universal The same I may say of the other Presidents § 13. If it hold that God instituted only Congregational or Parochial Churches as for present Communion then it must needs follow that none of the rest instituted by man have power to deprive such single Churches of any of the Priviledges granted them by Christ And therefore whereas Christ hath made the terms of Catholick Communion himself and hath commanded all such to worship him publickly in holy Communion under faithful Pastors chosen or at least consented to by themselves which many hundred years was the judgement of the Churches no humane order or power can deprive them of any of this benefit nor disoblige them from any of this duty by just authority § 14. Nay seeing that the universal Church is certainly the highest species none hath authority on pretence of narrower Communion in lower Churches to change Christs terms of Catholick Communion nor to deprive Christians of the right of being loved and received by each other or disoblige them from the duty of loving and receiving each other Humane power made by their own contracts cannot change Christs Laws nor the Priviledges or forms of Christs own Churches § 15. They that say that these several Church species are of God must prove that God instituted them and that can be only by Scripture or else that he gave some power to institute them since Scripture times which till they prove none are bound to obey them at least when they over rule Christs own institutions § 16. To devise new species of Churches without Gods authority and impose them on the world yea in his name and call all dissenters schismaticks is a far worse Usurpation than to make and impose new Ceremonies or Liturgies § 17. Dr. Hammond Dissert cont Blond Annot in Act. 11. pass affirmeth that it cannot be proved that the order of subject Presbyters was existent in Scripture times and consequently holdeth that Bishops had but single Congregations as Ignatius speaketh with One Altar Now if Diocesans Metropolitans Provincials Patriarchs or Pope as constitutive of Church-species were made after either these new Churches were made by the Bishops of Parochial Churches or by those that were No Bishops or Pastors of any Churches at all For the Apostles were dead and no institution of these but Scriptural can be truly proved And other Churches besides the Catholick and Parochial or single distinct from a compound of Churches there were then none For the lower to make the higher Churches is that which they will not grant who grant not that Presbyters may propagate their own species and deny that power ascendeth ab inferioribus And that men of no Church made all these new Church species is no honour to them § 18. Two contrary opinions herein now reign One of the Papists that think Christ instituted the Pope with power to make inferiour Church species That other is that Christ or his Apostles instituted Diocesans giving them power both as rulers to make Parish Churches or Chapels under them and by Contract or Consent to make the highest species over them Provincial National Patriarchal and say some Papal But as to the Papists so much is said against their supposition that it 's not here to be confuted And it 's certain that single Church order was constituted by no Pope and that all the Apostles had power thereto And as for the latter which affirmeth the lower degrees to make the higher we still want the proofs of their authority so to do of which more afterwards § 19. As for them that say that it is Magistrates that have power to make new species of Churches I grant them that whatever alterations of Church-Orders may be made Magistrates may do much in them The Power of Princes and the Guidance of Pastors and the Consent of the people have each herein their special place But what these alterations or additions are which they may make is the chief question Both the Catholick Church and single Church assemblies being instituted by Christ are not left to them The circumstantiating of other Assemblies and Associations are left to them to be done according to Gods general Law But that making new Political Societies that are properly called Churches or Religious bodies consisting of the Pars regens pars subdita is left to them by Christ I never saw proved any more than the making of new Sacraments But if that could be proved yet that these humane Churches or their makers may change those that are of Divine institution or deprive them of their priviledges or forbid them commanded duty cannot be proved § 20. And it is certain 1. That if Princes or Bishops or the people did institute Diocesan or Metropolitan Provincial or Patriarchal Churches they may yet make more and other species And who knoweth how many new forms of Churches we may yet expect 2. And they that made them upon good reason may unmake them or alter them when they please § 21. But though the Legislator and not the Subjects be the institutor of the Vniversal and particular Church-policies yet men are the constitutive matter and mans consent and faith is the dispositio materiae without which the form is not received and mans welfare is part of the final cause and Ministers are the instruments and Gods word written and preached for the gathering of Churches by such qualification of the persons and also of revealing the Institution of Christ and investing of particular persons in their Church-relations § 22. By all this it appeareth that as it belongeth to Christ to institute the political species of Churches though circumstantiating may be left to man at least undoubtedly of the Vniversal and of the single species so it belongeth to Christ and not to man to institute and describe their terms of Union For this is the very institution of the species And we are not to receive humane Church-policies without good proof of mens authority to make them and impose them CHAP. XI The danger of the two extreams And first of despairing of any Concord and of unjust Tolerations § 1. SOme men having seen the Christian world so long in Sects and contending parties do think that there is no hope of Vnity and Concord and therefore that all should be left at liberty And others think that there is no hope but on terms so wide as shall take such as Christ receiveth not nor would have us receive And on such accounts there were very early great contentions about the qualifications of the baptizers and baptized and the validity of baptism and about re-baptizing As to the Baptizers some thought
party that is in power In Japan and China and Heathen Lands they can copiously declaim against the mischiefs of tolerating Christianity The Papists think tormenting Inquisitions and burning Christians and murdering thousands and hundreds of thousands better than to tolerate Protestants The Lutherans cry down the toleration of Calvinists What need I name more As the Papists say that every Sect pleadeth the Scripture so we may say that every powerful party be their cause never so false cry out against tolerating others though in the truth § 6. And doubtless Concord even in perfection is so desirable that it 's easie for a man to set forth the beauty and excellency of it And discord is so bad that it 's easie to declaim against it But for him that Causeth it to do it is self-condemnation And for him that falsly describeth the cause and justifieth the Schismatick and accuseth the innocent to write Books and preach Sermons against Schism and Toleration is but delusion tending to their own shame and others deceit and ruine § 7. And he never was a good Musician Builder Watch-maker nor good at any Art or Science that thought all diversity was discord He that would with zeal and learning write a Book to prove that a Lute or Organs must not be tolerated if each string and key be not of the same sound or that all the parts in a Clock Watch Building c. must be of the same shape and magnitude or all men of one language or complexion c. would scarce get so much credit as most of our Hereticaters do when they call for fire and faggot and Jaylors as more meet and able confuters of error than themselves § 8. The men on whom they cry for vengeance either are really religious or not If not it 's a marvel that they are not of the accusers mind being supposed to follow the upper side It 's possible that some advantage may turn a man that hath no religion out of the Kings high-way into some Sectarian cottage especially in some storms But it 's very rarely that Gain goeth not for Godliness and the way of reputation ease and profit for religion with such as indeed have none at all But if they are seriously religious they take it as from the Law of the Almighty the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to whom all men are less than the vilest worms to us and they take it to be that which they lay their salvation and everlasting hopes on believing that God will bear them out and if they dye for it will reward them with the crown of Glory They believe that they shall be damned in Hell for ever if they break Gods Law and obey man against him And in this case it should not be hard to reasonable men especially Bishops and Teachers to know what means and measures are meetest to be used with such men and when he that must suffer hath flesh that is as unwilling to suffer as other mens it should be considered how far Satan useth the flesh for his interest and how far the Pastors of the Church should take part with it when as St. Paul saith He that doubeth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith § 9. There is no heed to be taken by mens crying out against error or schism to discern who is the erroneous or Schismatick None more cry out against them than the guilty Who condemneth error and schism more than the Papists and who are greater causes and authors of them than the Pope As our common prophane rabble are so great hypocrites that they live quite contrary to their Baptismal Vow and the Religion which they nominally profess and yet commonly crâ—â—ut against hypocrisie and call all men hypocrites that seem to be serious in living as they vowed and profess even so the greatest Schismaticks and Hereticks partly in blindness and partly to avert both men and conscience from accusing themselves do usually first cry down Schismaticks and Hereticks and perhaps preach and write most vehemently against them I take a man to be never the more Orthodox Catholick or of the true Church for crying up the true Church Catholicism and Orthodoxness and crying down the contrary and accusing others § 10. I have long observed with the best judgement I have that usually those Divines that write most for Peace and Reconciliation of hot contenders are men of clearer judgement than others and usually see further into the cause than either of the fierce contending parties Though the Turks in policy give some liberty to Christians as a necessary preservation of their Empire and the Socinians have much pleaded for peace and concord partly by necessity for themselves and partly from common light of reason yet among real Reformed Christians the greatest judgement is found in the greatest Pacificators such as Le Blank Amyrald Phaceus Camero Lud. Crocius Bergius Martinius Calixtus Dallaeus Blondel Vsher Davenant Hall Morton Chillingworth and such others Darkness doth best fit the Spirit of contention § 11. There is nothing in humane actions that is free from inconveniences especially actions of publick consequence And the collecting and aggravating of such inconveniences and making tragical exclamations thereupon without looking to the mischiefs that men imagine must be the remedy or seeing the evils on the other side is the common practice of these Church-Mountebanks How easie is it to say If we be not all of one Religion it will cherish contention bring Ministers into contempt scandalize the weak harden the enemies raise factions shake the peace of Kingdoms and more such like How easie is it to say If men be tolerated to break the Laws and gather Conventicles souls will be poysoned error propagated Christianity disgraced c. When in the mean time 1. Their course tendeth not at all to make men of one Religion 2. Nay they plead for that which is the great divider where do fire and banishment or prisons cause true faith or make men think that their persecutors are in the right Is there any thing in the nature of the thing so to perswade men nay what more inclineth men to think that other mens opinions are false than to feel that their practice is hurtful All will say Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles By their fruit they may be known If it be forcing some to dissemble and destroying the rest that they mean by making men of one religion thus saith Tertullian did the Heathen persecutors Solitudinem faciunt pacem vocant But 1. This will not do France Ireland Belgia and Queen Mary in England cryed it in vain God will still have some that shall be seriously religious and shall fear him more than man and not sell their souls to save their bodies If you have no hope of making men to be of one Religion but by making them to be of no Religion as all are that fear not God more than man your hopes are vain
voluntarily came or were duly brought 2. And if men will stay without or keep their Children out they wrong themselves and theirs but this breaketh no unity of the Christian Church § 8. There have been also factious persons that tye the validity of Baptism to their sects such as were specially the Donatists supposing that their Prelates had the truest call and power and that all others were Sectaries or Hereticks and therefore their baptism null and void and to be iterated But though in other arrogancies some follow them to this day yet few if any in the nulling of baptism § 9. But a greater and longer stir there hath been about Creeds and professions required as Tests to excuse men from heresie But yet it is to be noted that few of them by these altered the form of baptism but there took up with the ancient Creed the Apostles and the Nicene or Constantinopolitane and required no more but only imposed the rest on Bishops Priests or other afterwards § 10. And is there now any cause of discord here 1. All Christians have been made such by baptism from the Apostles dayes till now Is there any thing in the world that ever came down to us by more certain uniform consenting tradition The very same words of baptism which Christ did institute are every where used to this day And if all ages and Countreys have still baptized persons as believers or Christians and yet be not agreed what Christianity is or what the faith is that baptism requireth it will be a strange incredible shame to them But even Hierome and Hillary that cry out of their new Creeds do tell us that in Baptism the old one was still used to which they did appeal And though the Greeks and Latines differ about their filióque and some small new clauses are found in the Creed that were not in the old Copies which are now found on Record they are not so factious or vain as to nullifie Baptism by any of those differences For the Creed is but part of the Exposition of Baptism and Baptism is true Baptism if no other Creed or words were used but it self 2. And there are few Christians yet that will refuse any of the truly ancient Creeds of which more anon § 11. 3. It is true that there are some humane ceremonies which some Churches adjoin to Baptism and by others are rejected or omitted The most of the ancient Churches used the tasting of milk and honey the wearing of a white garment and Chrisme and now some use the transient Image of the Cross as a symbol of our engagement to a Crucified Christ which others omit as taking it to be so far participant of the nature of a Sacrament of the Covenant of Grace as that it is an usurpation of Christs prerogative for any men without his institution to appoint But yet all these Churches that differ in these Ceremonies agree that the validity of Baptism dependeth not on them Whether they be used or omitted the person is nevertheless baptized § 12. Qu. But what is it that is necessary to the being and validity of baptism Answ This was partly answered before 1. It is necessary to the validity of it in foro Ecclesiae that both the baptizer and the adult baptized or the person that is authorized to Covenant for the infant do Profess to intend real Baptism and not to do it in jeast or to other ends And it is necessary to its efficacy to pardon and salvation that this profession of the Baptized be sincere and that he do it from the heart And it is necessary to free the baptizer from Gods displeasure that his intention be sincere 2. It is necessary that the words of Baptism be such as express all the Essence of it such as are those of Christ which all Christians use I Baptize thee in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And that no contradictory words which nullifie these be added 3. It is necessary to the validity of it in the judgement of the Church that the adult person and the Parent or pro-parent for the Infant do seem or profess to understand all the words of Baptism so far as is essential to it For ignorantis non est consensus 4. It is necessary to the validity of it to real pardon and salvation that he not only seem to understand it but really do so 5. It is accordingly necessary that the person consent to all the essence of the Covenant that is seem and profess to do it to the Church and really do it to satisfie God and obtain pardon and life by it 6. It is not absolutely necessary to the validity that the Creed or any other profession be used by the baptized besides the words themselves I believe in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and give up my self to him in this Baptismal Covenant Because understanding and consent may be expressed by those words 7. But it is usually necessary to the bene esse or the best performance of baptism that the adult person or the Parent of Infants do in larger words profess his understanding belief and consent to baptism And it is best that these words be not too many nor too few and that they be for the most part one unchanged form Lest ignorance or heresie deprave baptism by change and variety of words 8. To this end the Churches of Christ have still used the Creed as the summary form of Profession of faith As the Lords Prayer is a summary form of our Desires and the Decalogue of our rule and profession of practice But because Assent is supposed to imply Consent to the particulars Assented to though but Generally professed therefore the Church hath more rarely omitted the Creed in the profession of Assent when yet they have accepted of a more General profession of Consent to the Covenant and promise of obedience 9. But if the adult do before-hand as a Catechumen learn the Creed Lords Prayer and Decalogue and give the Pastor a satisfactory account of his competent understanding of them then that may be supposed and only a General profession of faith consent and subjection be used at the time and in the words of baptism And so much of the constitutive causes of baptism § 13. II. Though no more than Baptism be essentially Necessary because so great a work should be well done and ignorance and errour are very common it is meet that the Church require an understanding Assent to the common Articles of the Creed and an understanding Consent to the Lords Prayer and Decalogue and in general to all that he understandeth to be Gods Word Belief and sincere Obedience And therefore that the adult person and Parent of the Infant be one that hath before been Catechized or examined herein § 14. Though I consent to Ger. Vossius and others that there is no proof at all that the twelve Apostles made the twelve Articles of the
and ruled by laws of reason and led towards Christianity and the hopes of future felicity And if they sin against the Laws of humanity they so far forfeit the priviledges of humanity or are to be punished as the ends of the society require § 17. III. To the third question how Magigistracie or the sword or forcing power is to be used for Christ and for his Church and on Christians as such who is to be rewarded punished or tolerated for the Churches Vnity and edification and preservation I answer I. In general Men should be used as men Christians as Christians The weak as weak The strong as strong and the eminently wise and good as such The criminal as criminal And all this with chief respect to the laws of God and the common good § 18. II. More particularly 1. Negatively 1. The Magistrate cannot make men Believers by the sword He cannot make the ignorant wise nor the wicked godly at the heart § 19. 2. He ought not to force men to lie by professing themselves to be what they are not or to know or believe or do what they do not Therefore he may not make a Law that All men shall be compelled to profess themselves Christians or Godly persons or any that are not such indeed And therefore none must be compelled to it because no man knoweth who are such but every man must be the voluntary professor of his own faith and piety § 20. 3. He ought not to force the weak to profess that they are strong or know or believe more than they do either to profess those measures of wisdom those Articles of faith that are not essentials or those measures of affection or practice which are proper to strong Christians And for not professing such things or Covenanting accordingly he may not deny them any priviledges belonging to Christians as such but only such as are proper to wiser and stronger Christians § 21. 4. Princes and other Magistrates may not make themselves the Lictors or executioners to the Clergie to punish men with fines imprisonment banishment or death eo nomine because they stand excommunicate by the Clergy without trying whether it was rightly or wrongfully done and whether the crime be such as should be so punished by them Excommunication if just is it self a dreadful punishment no man is to be punished for being punished If it be for not repenting 1. He must first be sure that it was a crime 2. And that God hath appointed this way to force men to repentance 3. And that such forced repentance must go for true But when the excommunication is unjust the Magistrate must not second it with oppression It is enough to be so much wronged by the Clergy more should not be added for that cause nor must the Magistrate suppose the Clergy to be unerring and so lay by the person of a Judge himself and become the blind executioner of their sentence § 22. II. Affirmatively The Christian Magistrates Office is To promote the common good of the people and their salvation and the pleasing and glory of God by preserving and promoting Piety Love Justice and peace even mens obedience to all the Laws of God in Nature and Scripture § 23. Therefore as the means 1. He must promote to his power the due publication or preaching of the Gospel and the subordinate means that are needful thereunto 2. He must by just means restrain and punish the gross violators of Gods Laws and must encourage the obedient and good § 24. Therefore III. He must deal differently with his subjects as they differ according to this common distribution They are I. Not Christians who are 1. Enemies of the Church or of Christianity 2. Neglecters of Christianity 3. Candidates or Catechumens Seekers II. Christians who are to be considered as 1. Personally qualified and so they are 1. Eminently wise good and strong 2. Of a middle sort or degree 3. Ignorant culpable and weak 2. Relatively as being 1. Only Christians of the universal Church and no particular 1. Not yet entred into particular Churches 2. Separated from them 3. Cast out of such only 2. In particular Churches which are either 1. Consociate viz. under 1. The Pope 2. Diocesans 3. Presbyteries 2. Independent and diverse 3. Opposites and adverse 3. In their Practice which is either 1. Laudable to be encouraged and promoted 2. Tolerable 3. Intolerable I shall therefore briefly shew how each of these sorts are to be used by a wise and righteous Christian Prince or other Magistrate though somewhat is said already to the first § 25. I. The enemies and opposers of Christianity are 1. To be wisely and soberly restrained from any effectual dangerous hindering of it By moderate means if they are moderate and by greater severity if they be violent and inhumane 2. As far as obstinacy maketh them uncapable Light and Love should be used to win them with the example of our better lives In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth that they may escape out of the snare of Satan 2 Tim. 2. 26. § 26. II. The Neglecters of Christianity are to be instructed and excited And therefore 1. By perswasion 2. or necessary moderate penalties constrained only to Hear what can be said for it § 27. III. The seekers or willing candidates are to be clearly and skillfully and patiently taught and encouraged by love § 28. IV. Eminent Christians are to be made the Teachers and Rulers of the rest and to have praise and best encouragement § 29. V. The middle sort of Christians must be governed and instructed with encouragement to grow and the body of a Christian Common-wealth well ordered will be most of such § 30. VI. The ignorant faulty and weak must be pityed and gently used but as children under more teaching restraint and necessary rebukes than better men § 31. VII Those that are not yet entred into any particular Churches Communion under any known particular Pastor if necessarily such as persons that have no dwelling but wander up and down as Pedlars c. are to be pityed and suffered if we cannot help them to better Those that being baptized only into the universal Church as wanderers children c. and are not come to knowledge or desire should be taught and perswaded into Church order as a second sort of Catechumens Those that are hindred by the disorder or persecution of the place and times must be pityed and patiently born with § 32. VIII Those that separate from one or other particular Churches if by some great crime and abuse must be used according to their fault as is after shewed about Practice But if either by tolerable weakness or outward necessity they depart but from one Church they must be received into others If from all particular Churches as some called Seekers and not from the universal they must be used as the seventh sort those
as that they forfeit their Toleration § 47. Those are to be accounted Intolerable who do more hurt than good and whose silencing and suppression will do more good than harm All men are faulty and do some harm And few are so bad as to do no good But that which prevaileth must prevail in the judgement of the Magistrate And yet when the suppression of a hurtful person will do by accident much more hurt to the Church or Commonwealth than the doth as it may fall out he is not to be so hurtfully suppressed § 48. Those therefore are intolerable in the Ministry 1. who through ignorance or disability are utterly insufficient for the necessary acts of the office and so will marr and disgrace the work appointed them and make Religious exercises scorned 2. Those that are hereticks in a strict sense that is that deny any Article of faith or practice necessary to Salvation or preach that which plainly overthroweth it 3. Those that are against or utterly corrupt any necessary part of Church-order or of the publick worship of God so as that God accepteth not worship so corrupted or that it tendethto more hurt than good to the assembly 4. those that will not profess the Essentials of Christianity Ministry and Church Communion 5. Those that live such scandalous and wicked lives as disgrace the Ministry and do more hurt than they do good 6. Those that will not promise and perform necessary diligence in the work of the Ministry which they undertake but idly neglect the flock 7. Those that by malignity and misapplication of truth turn their preaching or discourse to the reproach of serious godliness making people think that it is needless or hypocrisie 8. Those that will not promise and perform subjection to the supream Governours of the Kingdom or Republick 9. Those that will not forbear such reviling of Tolerable dissenters as tendeth plainly to destroy love and peace and to turn publick assemblies into stages of malignant strife 10. Those whose Religion or opinion is for burning destroying or exterminating either all dissenters or the innocent or tolerable while they call them Hereticks or that are for the subjecting of Kings or States or people to foreign Usurpers or for giving such a foreign Usurper power to excommunicate depose or murther Kings or temporal Lords and absolve their subjects from their Oaths of allegiance or force them to destroy or exterminate their innocent or tolerable subjects and that exempt the Clergy from subjection to Kings § 49. The Approved Tolerable and Intolerable thus distinguished and thus used by the Magistrate will best answer the ends and interest of Christianity and the Laws of Christ and will do as much to preserve Love Unity and peace as is on earth to be expected which all other contrary ways will unavoidably violate CHAP. IX Objections answered § 1. 1. SOme object against any restraint in Religion and the countenancing and preferring of one sort before others and say that the Magistrate should equally tolerate all or else he will discontent those that are but tolerated and much more those whom he useth as intolerable But this is so unchristian and unreasonable that I think it needless to say much against it Few men that believe there is a God and a life to come and that religion is mans duty and interest can believe that God hath appointed Government for no higher ends than our bodily peace and safety If men once believed what divers Popes have written that the office of the Priest excelleth the Kings as far as the soul excelleth the body and as the Sun excelleth the Stars it would cause religious people to set as light by Kings as they do by these worldly things which Kings have power over § 2. 2. Obj. But each party think themselves in the right and Kings and Parliaments are fallible and if they trouble those that are in the right they are persecutors if others yet they shall be accounted so Answ Being is before Thinking either the King is in the right or the sufferers If they are in the Right either their cause is evident and such as a willing diligent person may understand or not If it be clear the Prince is a persecutor that troubleth them If it be too hard for him he is unfit to be an active man against them for he cannot do it in faith and therefore sinneth and may be a persecutor for ought he knoweth If he or they be ignorant through wilfulness or negligence it will not excuse them If their cause seem clearly good to them and clearly bad to him one of them must needs be sinfully erroneous and it is the erring party that God is against who will be the final judge § 3. 3. Obj. But it is a thing that Princes and Statesmen are ignorant of they are not bred up in the study of Religion Bishops and Clergy-men are liker to understand such matters and it is their work Ans 1. God hath commanded that Kings and all Rulers study his word As Justices should know the Kings Laws the King and they should know Gods Laws It is as truly their office to Rule by them as it is the Ministers to Teach and Guide by them Government by the Sword and Church Government by the word and Keys are to be exercised according to the same Law of God and both have their use about causes Ecclesiastical in which we swear the King to be supreme as to that part which is to be done by the sword or corporal force 2. This objection long used by Popes and their Prelates hath been sufficiently confuted by themselves Church history putteth us quite past doubt that it went ill with the Church while the Clergy had all the power of Religion It hath been Popes and Prelates and Priests that have worse corrupted Religion and disgraced the Church and embroiled the world in religious quarrels and Schisms than ever Emperors and Kings have done Thirteen hundred years lamentable experience confuteth such thoughts as many have and as I have sometime been tempted to my self how well it would go with the Church if the disposal of all matters of Religion were rather in the hands of the Bishops and Clergy than of Kings and Parliaments Nay rarely are any Magistrates so hot for persecution and religious cruelty as the Bishops and Clergy or those that are stirr'd up by them against dissenters or one another The doleful devastations and Schisms about Nestorianism Eutychinnism and such like were caused more by the Bishops than the Magistrates And though Constantius and Valens did much against truth and peace it was by their Clergies instigation He that will consider the lives of Constantine M. Theodosius Senior and Theodosius Junior Aâ—astasius c. and of Charles Otho the Henries and others since in the West will see how much ado the Emperors had to keep the Prelates from Schisms and confusions And he that readeth but the Laws of the Spanish French
no not as it is a Conditional Covenant 3. That all except the elect or most or many at least are still under that first Covenant of Innocency made with Adam as prescribing to them and requiring of them sinless innocency or perfection as the only condition of their salvation As if God still said to sinners I will save you if you are not sinners 4. That the Covenant of Grace was made only to and with Christ and no other 5. That there was and is an eternal Covenant of Redemption made between God the Father and the Son which is neither Gods Essence a Divine Person or Decree but a proper Covenant 6. That God gave no grace pardon or salvation by Covenant till Christs incarnation 7. That the same faith objectively considered was necessary to salvation under the first edition of the Covenant of grace as under the last viz. to believe that Jesus the son of Mary is or must be the Messiah and that he must die for sin and rise again and intercede in heaven and return to raise us and judge the world 8. That Christs Disciples were not in a state of justification till they believed all this 9. That all men shall not be judged as they believed and kept or brake the condition of the Covenant in that edition which they were under but all according to the tenor of the last edition 10. That no faith in God as gracious and merciful to sinners and as pardoning sin was necessary before Christs incarnation 11. That God before did pardon sin without any respect to the future sacrifice and merit of Christ as mans Redeemer 12. That no souls were glorified or received to heaven and happiness till Christ's resurrection but reserved in some Limbus till then X. Of the Covenant made with Abraham and Moses Law and the Israelites 1. That Abraham was the first true Believer or the first to whom a promise or Covenant of Grace was made 2. That the Covenant of Grace was made to no other people in the world but the Israelites were Gods whole visible Church on earth and did not only add to them a Covenant of peculiarity 3. That this promise to Abraham and his seed in whom all Nations of the Earth should be blessed extended no way to the believing Gentiles 4. That all Heathens children that were circumcised were certainly saved if they died before actual sin 5. That Moses Law bound men to no spiritual duty nor promised any future reward or happiness after this life 6. That Moses Law was given by an evil God or evil Angel 7. That Moses Law was the same as the Law or Covenant of perfect innocency first made for Adam 8. That all the world was bound to keep Moses Law as such even the judicial and ritual parts of it 9. That under that Law God gave no grace to obey him 10. That the converted Jews are still bound to keep Moses Law 11. Yea and all converted Gentiles now 12. That we are bound to form our Church government according to the Mosaical or Jewish XI Of Redemption by Christ incarnate and the Gospel or last edition of the Covenant of Grace 1. That Christ brought no more Grace than was as ordinarily given before his incarnation 2. That he was habitually or actually a sinner guilty of original or actual sin 3. That Christ was properly reputed a sinner by God or a proper sinner by imputation in that he took our sin to be his own or God took him to be guilty of the fault of all our sin and not only one that undertook to bear the punishment deserved 4. That Christ was as guilty of our sin as we were of Adams 5. That Christ was habitually or actually holy and fulfilled all righteousness in the Legal person of every elect person or of every true believer so that the Law therefore judgeth them to have been what Christ was or done what Christ did therein they doing it in him 6. That Christ was not a satisfying sacrifice for sin 7. That Christs satisfaction and merit were not sufficient for their proper use and effect without our satisfaction and merit to make up their defect 8. That Christ was not the Saviour of the world or that God did not so love the world as to give his only son that who ever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Or that God hath made no such promise or grant to all to whom the Gospel cometh that if they repent and believe in Christ they shall be pardoned and saved or that this conditional universal pardon was no fruit of Christs death 9. That none but the elect have any mercy purchased by the death of Christ nor are bound to be thankful to him for any such 10. That Christ suffered the same pains of hell hatred of God and torment of Conscience which all the elect should else have suffered 11. That Christs Righteousness and sacrifice are not the true meritorious cause of our righteousness pardon justification and salvation 12. That Christ must be oft really sacrificed 13. That Christ at his last supper did make the bread and wine become his real body then living and that it was broken and his blood shed by himself really before he was crucified by the Jews 14. That Christ felt no real pain as St. Hilary Picâ—av ill said 15. That Christ died not but another in his shape 16. That Christ took not his body into Heaven 17. That all power is not given to Christ nor are Kings and Magistrates his Ministers nor hold their power by him 18. That Christ is no Law-giver and made no Law 19. That he is not our sufficient intercessor with God by whom we may have access and acceptance 20. That Christ sendeth not forth his spirit to be his agent and witness to the end of the world in sanctifying his elect XII Of Faith Repentance and sanctification 1. That Faith repentance holiness and obedience are not necessary in us to our salvation because Christ was righteous for us and repented and believed in our stead 2. That believers are under no Law of God 3. That he may be pardoned and saved who forbeareth only the outward Acts of sin through meer fear and is absolved by a Priest though he love sin better than holiness and had rather keep it than leave it 4. That loving others and doing them good and no harm is all the Love of God and Holiness that is necessary to salvation 5. That Faith and Repentance are of nature or by meer natural power and free-will and not the gift of grace through Christ 6. That God giveth grace equally to all till good improvers make a difference 7. That men may be holy in the restored Image of God without the grace of the Holy Ghost 8. That men need not the Spirit of God to help them to pray or preach 9. That the sins of sanctified persons are not judged by God to be theirs and that he seeth them
renounced by Ministers but to lie before the Church Rulers to tell them what to forbid Ministers to preach and moderately and wisely to rebuke or restrain the offenders as wisdome shall direct them according to the quality of the persons and the offence and their frequency obstinacy or impenitency in offending Not that every one should be ejected or silenced that holdeth or preacheth any one such errour but only those who consideratis considerandis are found to do more harm than good The Third Part OF SCHISM OR The False Dividing Terms and Means OF UNITY and PEACE CHAP. I. What Schism is and what are its Causes and Effects Sect. I. SCHISM or Divisions among Christians is by the Common Confession of all Christians a sin against God and a dishonour and hurt and danger to the Church but especially to the guilty But what it is and who are the guilty men are not so much agreed on Each Party laying it upon the other and one taking that for Damnable Schism which another taketh for his greatest Duty And while the guilty are no better known the Division is continued and few repent Sect. II. SCHISM or Division or Rents among Christians is considerable I. As to the Agents when it is by 1. Many 2. Few 1. The Pastors or Rulers 2. The People either 1. The Learned 2. The Ignorant II. The Terminus as it is dividing 1. In a Church and not from it 1. From their Government 1. Of one 2. Of More 1. Few 2. Many 1. Sound 2. Unsound 3. From the Universal Church 2. Communion 2. From a Church III. The Act As 1. In kind 2. In degree which both are either 1. Inward 1. Of Mind 1. Dividing Opinions 1. Of Doctrines 1. Of Faith 2. Practice 1. Worship 2. Conversation 2. Of Persons by consent 2. Ignorance of necessary means of Unity 2. Of will and passion 1. Wrath and uncharitableness 1. To things 2. Persons 2. Love to 1. Division 2. Dividers 2. Outward by 1. Words 1. Of Persons 1. Single 1. Rulers 2. People 2. Collective the Church 2. Things of 1. Doctrine 2. Practice 1. Towards God 2. Towards Men 2. Deeds 1. Separating 1. Morally by merit 2. Actually 2. Promoting Schism 1. Drawing Others 2. Resisting 1. Uniting Persons 2. Uniting Means Doctrine Acts IV. The Effects 1. On Christians 1. Single 1. The Dividers 2. Others viz. 1. Pastors 2. People 1. Weak 2. Strong 2. Collective 1. That Church 2. Other Churches 1. Church 2. State 3. Families 2. On those without 1. Unbelievers 2. Enemies All these things should here distinctly be considered A large Scheme of the Causes Nature and Effects of Schism and Contentions with the Remedies c. I have prefixed to my Book called Catholick Theology Sect. III. Of all the sins that men charge on one another there is none used by Accusers more partially and less regardably than the charge of Heresie and Schism the words usually signifying no more but that the accused differ in judgment from the accusers and are not so obedient to them in matters of Religion as they expect Insomuch that whoever can but get uppermost or get the major Vote doth usually make it his advantage to call himself Orthodox and Catholick and all Dissenters Hereticks and Schismaticks By which means Heresie and Schism are greatly promoted while many that else would hate and oppose them are tempted by this usage to take the words to be but proud mens reproach of the innocent Sect. IV. The full opening of all the parts of Schism will be a work so long as may tire the Reader I will therefore first give some notice of them transiently and briefly and then examine some things that are by others supposed to be the Causes and shew how uncapable divers means are of being terms of real Union and Concord which some men venditate as the only or necessary terms Sect. V. 1. A Schism made by Many is in some repects worse than by Few and in some not all so bad The sins of many hath more guilt than of one Their ill success is like to be greater Those will fall in with the multitude who would despise a singular tempter The Donatists prevailed in Africa by their number It seemeth by their Bishops in their Councils that they were the greater part It is not impossible for the far greater number to be the Schismaticks But yet the guilt of singularity is more upon a single Separatist or few that dare separate from the whole or most of the Churches Sect. VI. 2. The Bishops and Pastors are liable to the sin of Schism as well as the ignorant people Yea as Mutinies seldom happen in an Army at least to any great danger unless they be headed by some Commander so seldom hath there been any Heresie or Schism in the Church of which some Bishops have not been the Leaders or Chief Promoters since Bishops were great in the world at least and before they or some Elders were the Chief To instance in Paulus Samosit Apollinarius Novatus and his followers Maximinus and the Donatists Nestorius Dioscorus Severus and the multitudes more which Church-History mentioneth and which made up the Councils at Ephes 2. Arrinene Sinnium Milan divers at Constantinople Alexandria and multitudes more would be but to suppose my Reader a stranger to such History which here I must not do for then I cannot expect that he should take my word Sect. VII It is a far greater sin in Bishops and Pastors to be Schismaticks than in the People because they are supposed to know more the Good of Concord and the Means and the Mischiefs of Schism and the Causes and Remedies And it is their Office to be the Preachers of Unity and Peace and to save the People from the temptations which would draw them into such guilt Sect. VIII Bishops and Pastors have greater temptations to Schism than the People and therefore have been so frequent in the guilt especially Pride and Covetousness in them hath stronger Faith And 1. Striving who shall be Greatest and have Rule 2. Who shall be thought Wisest and most Orthodox have been the cause of most of the Schisms in the world And 3. Sometimes especially with the Presbyters and People it hath been who shall be thought the Best and Holiest persons But the two former have done much more than this Goodness being that which corrupt nature doth not so much contend for or the reputation of Holiness as for Greatness and Wisdom the commoner baits of Pride Therefore Controversies and Power and Riches have been the usual matters of Dissension Sect. IX 3. True Learning tendeth to prevent and end Controversies which Ignorance cherisheth as it did with the Egyptian Monks that turned Anthropomorphites But a smattering in Learning which amounts not to solidity and a settled mind is the common cause of Heresies and Schism while praters must needs be taken for wise and to know more than others while they know nothing as they ought to know
one Nature only but they meant that Christ had but one Nature as undivided which the Orthodox granted but denied not that the Godhead and Manhood were distinct And what was the difference then but whether the undivided Godhead and Manhood should be called one Nature or two which truly in one sense was two and in another one The like was the Monothelites Heresie for and against which were many Councils about one or two Wills and Operations no more disagreeing than as aforesaid about the sense of One and Two And had not a wise Explication and patient Reconciliation done better service than Cursing did whose doleful effects Hatred Hereticating and Schism continue to this day Should I come to the Councils about Images and that at Constantine that decreed the Tribus Capitulis and the multitudes since that have deposed Emperors and Kings raised Wars set up Popes and Anti-Popes c. Alas how sad a History would it be to convince us that Councils of Bishops have caused most of the Schisms Church-Tyranny Rebellions and Confusions in the Christian world And if the Popes have been restrained or deposed or Schisms at Rome partly stopt by any the flame hath quickly more broke out and condemned Popes have oft got the better of them And if one Council hath said That the Pope is responsible another hath determined the contrary If Basil and Constance decreed That a Council be called every ten years it was not done but was a mockery in the event In a word Councils of Bishops have been but Church-Armies of which at first the Patriarchs were Generals and afterwards Popes and Emperors and came to fight it out for Victory the sequel being usually Schism and Calamity And must this be the only way of Universal Peace CHAP. VII The Vniversal Church will never unite in many pretended Articles of Faith not proved to be Divine nor in owning unnecessary doubtful Opinions or Practices as Religious or Worship of God notwithstanding the pretense of Tradition Sect. I. I Need say no more for proof of this than is said in the first Part. If Preachers say that this or that is an Article of Faith If Popes say it If Councils say it this saying will never unite all Christians in the belief of it It is no belief of God whose object is not revealed by God and perceived so to be and received as such That the sacred Scriptures are written by Divine Inspiration Christians are commonly agreed But that Popes Prelates or Councils speak by Divine Inspiration even when they expound the Scriptures all Christians neither are agreed nor ever will be And till a man perceiveth that it is God that speaketh or that the word spoken is Gods Word he cannot believe it with a Divine Faith which is nothing but believing it to be Gods Word and trusting it accordingly God is true but men are Lyers Rom. 3. Sect. II. Before we can receive any thing as Truth from Man we must have evidence that it is true indeed And that must be 1. Either from the nature of the thing and its causes 2. Or from some testimony of God either concomitant as Miracles were or subsequent in the Effects 3. Or from our knowledge of the Veracity Authority Inspiration and Infallibility of the Instrument or Speaker If therefore any Church or company of men shall tell us that this is a Divine Truth or Article of Faith no more of the World can be expected to believe them than are convinced of it by one of these three proofs The first is the case of natural Revelation and not now questioned The Second none but the Church of Rome do plead for their own belief viz. that they work Miracles and therefore are to be believed in whatever they affirm to be the Word of God Knot against Chillingworth and others of them do ultimately resolve their Faith or their proof of the truth of their Religion into the Miracles wrought in the Church of Rome by which God testifieth his approbation of their Assertions Other Christians that may have more miracles than Papists yet resolve not their proof of Christianity into them but lay more stress on other Evidence and particularly on Christs and his Ministers miracles attesting the holy Scriptures and Gospel to be of God And when we can find just proof of the Papists Miracles we shall be willing to study the meaning of them But hitherto we have not found such proof If any Council in Rome France Germany or England shall say These are Divine revealed Truths and as such you must believe subscribe or swear to them the world will never agree in believing them when no sober man is bound to believe them but as humane uncertain and fallible witnesses according to the measure of their Credibility Sect. III. Long experience fully proveth this No Age of the Church did ever agree in Articles of meer humane Assertion for that had been but a humane Faith That which the Council of Nice said was denyed by the Councils at Sirmium Ariminum c. That which the Council at Ephesus the first and at Chalcedon affirmed they at the Council of Ephesus the second denyed That which the Monotholites under Philippicus innumerable Bishops saith Binius affirmed many other Councils condemned That which the Council at Nice the second decreed for Images was condemned by many other Councils That which the Councils at â—isa Constance and Basil decreed to be Articles of Faith the Council at Florence and others abhorre Much less will a Provincial Synod or a Convocation or a Parliament be taken by all the Christian world to be infallible Sect. IV. And indeed the obtruding of â—alshoods or Uncertainties on the Churches is a notorious cause of Schism For what can you expect that men of Sobriety and Conscience should do in such a case Discern the certainty of the thing they cannot nor can they believe that all must needs be true that is said by a Synod a Convocation or a Parliament And they dare not lie in saying they believe that which they do not And to take all for Schismaticks that dare not deliberately lie or that set not up 〈◊〉 men as Lords of their Conscience instead of God is Schismatical unchristian and inhumane And as mens mere wills ought not to rule their understandings nor the will of Synods of Bishops or others to be the rule and measure of our wills so though we were never so willing to believe all to be true that Councils of Bishops or Princes say 〈◊〉 are not our understandings in the power of our 〈◊〉 We cannot believe what we list To know or believe without evidence of truth is to see without light False Hypocrites may force their tongues to say that they believe this or that at the Command of man but they cannot force themselves indeed to believe 〈◊〉 How then can a book of Articles or the Decrees of a Council or the Laws of a Prince bring the World to any unity
Communion 9. This cannot be from God but by a continued Succession of persons orderly receiving Authority from those who had Authority to give it them viz. Bishops from those first times of the Apostles to ours at present 10. That the Holy Ghost is the Instituter of this Order and to violate it by administring without such Ordination is to sin against the Holy Ghost the Sin that hath no other sacrifice and promise of pardon 11. That the Ordained have no more or other power than the Ordainers intend or profess to give them 12. That it is certain that the Bishops of all former Ages intended not to give Presbyters power of Ordaining or Administring out of their Subjection Ergo they have it not Sect. XXI This and a great deal more to this purpose is his matter To gather all the Confusions Contradictions and Absurdities of that wordy Volume would be tedious and little profitable to the Reader only these three things in general I tell such as may be in danger of infection by it 1. That he never agreeth with his Adversaries of the state of the question nor so much as explicateth the terms nor doth any thing beseeming a Disputant to make himself understood 2. That not only by denied false Suppositions he maketh all his Discourse useless to the Nonconformists but also at the first giveth them their Cause and confirmeth them 3. That while in his Preface he disowneth Popery it is the very sting of their Argumentation which he useth And that which yet by consequence overthroweth not only the Churches Ministery Sacraments and Salvation of the Protestants but of all Christians on Earth and of none more certainly than of the Papists All which I undertake when called to prove Sect. XXII It were tedious to mention all his ambiguous confounding terms For a few 1. He that layeth so great a stress on Episcopacy never tells us what he meaneth by a Bishop when he ought to know that with the chief of his Adversaries the Controversie is very much in that For as Grotius de Imper. Summ. Pol. and many others they take the chief Pastor of every Parish-Church especially that hath Curates under him for a Bishop at least if he be Pastor of a City or Town so called of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when others deny him to be a Bishop that hath not many Altars or Parishes under him 2 Some take him for a Bishop that is but the prime Presbyter or different from the rest but Gradu non ordine call'd Episcopus Praeses And others deny him to be one unless he differ Gradu as another Officer in specie 3. Some take him to be a Bishop that hath no Presbyter but Deacons under him and that in a single Assembly as Doctor Hammond on Act. 11. Dissertat Others deny him to be one that is not over Presbyters 4. Some take him to be no Bishop that is not elected or consented to by the people and the Clergy if there be any Others hold him to be one that hath the consent of neither but only the Pope or the Archbishop or the King electing and imposing him and some Bishops consecrating him 5. Some hold him to be no Bishop unless three Bishops Consecrate him Others say one may make him Bishop 6. If three Bishops Consecrate one and 〈◊〉 another he tell◠〈…〉 that Church 〈…〉 see examine◠〈…〉 Church against 〈…〉 Sect. XXIII 〈…〉 repeateth the necessity of being in an 〈…〉 by it when he must need◠〈◊〉 that th◠〈◊〉 or definition of it is the very first point of 〈◊〉 between us and the Papists By the tenor of his discourse the Reader may suspect that he meaneth some Universal Society of Men on Earth under some one visible humane Head either Monarchical or Aristocratical or Democratical a Sovereign who is â—ersona Civilis and Pars Impâ—rans Constitutiva But if so Protestants we at least deny any such thinking this the prime essential difference between us and the Papists the second being whether the Pope or his Council be this Head and he never tells who this supposed Head is So he frequently talketh of necessary Communion with a particular Church and never tells us what he meaneth by it Nor can I gather often whether he means a Diocesane Church or a Provincial or a National But I perceive that he meaneth not a Parochial when yet he knew that the Adversaries take those for particular Churches Sect. XXIV 1. So he oft talks of the necessity of Successive Canonical Ordination and never defineth either Ordination or Canonical Ordination when he must know that some take Imposition of Hands to be essential to Ordination and some deny it and hold that Letters may do it on the absent besides other differences 2. And some take those to be obligatory Canons which others contemn as of no authority The Papists are not agreed what Canons are valid And the Dissenters and this Disputer are not agreed in England Many besides Dr. Heylin say That the Popes Canon Law is yet in force in England except some Particulars that were cast out Others believe not this what is said against the Authority of the English Canons I will not recite 3. And some take it for Canonical Ordination if it be done by one Bishop and Presbyters Others say No unless by three Bishops 4. Some say it is not Canonical without the Clergies and Peoples Election or Consent as aforesaid and others find it necessary to their Cause to deny this Sect. XXV He calls Men oft to Catholick Unity and never tells us what it is or how it may be known Abundance more such Ambiguities make his Disputes to me unintelligible Sect. XXVI Or if he be to be understood in these and such like then he goeth all along by a begging of the questions which are denied 1. He should have rather proved than taken it as granted that those are not Bishops whom we hold to be such 2. And that it is not the Visible Church which we take for such 3. And that it is not a Particular Church which we take for such 4. And that it is no Regular Ordiâ—â—tion which we take for such 5. And that it is no Catholick Unity which we take for such And so of the rest Sect. XXVII 2. He supposeth that there is but one Episcopal Communion in the places where Men live or never tells us if there be divers Bishops which it is whose Communion is so necessary when he knoweth that Grotius thought that of old Churches were formed in imitation of the Synagogues and that one City had divers Churches and Bishops as well as divers Synagogues And Dr. Hammond thought that Rome Antioch and other Cities had two Churches and Bishops one of Jews and another of Gentiles and that Peter and Paul had two Churches at Rome And he knoweth I suppose not only that there were Novatian Bishops in the same Cities with the Orthodox but that oft and long Constantinople Antiâ—ch
and in the Mâ—nâ—thelites Error and a great part for Image-worship and as now many Churches of the Protestants agree in Consubstantiation and Church-Images and many in rejecting Prelacy and many in asserting it but all agree not in any of these though the eldest sort of Episcopacy for ought appeareth almost all in many ages did acknowledge and agree in But yet that which never united the Universal Church but tended to discord will have everywhere usually no better a tendency § II. Yet I have before enumerated divers Particulars which are needful and useful to the Concord of a particular Church which are not so to the Universal As that all the Members have the same Numerical Pastors the same Translation of the Scriptures read to them the same Versions and Tunes of Psalms when they meet together the same place and day and hour of meeting Because these in the nature of the thing are necessary to Concord and avoid Discord and Confusion And if divers Churches associated or all in a Kingdom or divers Kingdoms can agree in the same convenient modes and circumstances as the same Translation of the Bible so far as they have one language the same day of Easter Anniversarily to Commemorate Christs Resurrection as they do weekly on the same first day and some such like it will be laudable so it be done by voluntary consent as a thing of convenience and not of necessity and without tyrannizing over one another or persecuting or despising those that differ or turn it into an Engine of Rents and Schism by making it necessary to their communion which is the unhappy end of most humane impositions of indifferent unnecessary things He that thinketh he hath hit on the fittest Ceremonies â—ites or Modes is seldom ever content with liberty to use them but he must force all others if he can to his way and take away the liberty of all that differ from him We see it by sad experience that men think their Forms and Ceremonies cast out if all may not be compelled to use them though many think them sinful and they had rather have none of them than have them upon terms of meer liberty lest they be disgraced by the disuse or contradiction of those that do forbear theâ— And such men are never content with Union and Concord in Gods own Institutions and in circumstances that are in genere necessary § III. But some men are stiff in the Schismatical Opinion that though Churches of many Kingdoms may charitably differ in Ceremonies and indifferent things yet none in the same Kingdoms should be suffered so to differ of which I spake before But 1. Christ hath given us no such different measures of our Charity Forbearance or Communion 2. The old Churches were quite of another mind as Socrates and Sozomen shew in several instances And it is known that in the same Empire every Bishop had power to use his own Liturgy and other Modes as I instanced in the Canon that requireth every man to bring his Form first to the Synod to be tryed and in the contention between Basil and the Church of Neocesarea and the strife about Gregories and Ambrose's Liturgy and such like 3. It was the Pastors and People of the same Church of Rome that St. Paul giveth the Precepts of Forbearing and Receiving Dissenters in things indifferent to And still mark that he wrote not only to the Laity but to the Rulers as is evident and therefore forbiddeth them such narrowing impositions being himself also a chief Pastor an Apostle and so declareth his own judgment as one that would himself make no such uncharitable impositions § IV. We deny not but some Churches have a while continued in laudable Concord notwithstanding such ensnaring Impositions But 1. It hath been but for a time and this Worm hath fretted them and it hath ended in their great detriment at least 2. And it was not by these means but by better causes notwithstanding these diseases so that as we answer the Question Whether a Papist may be saved so do we answer the Question Whether such Churches may have prosperous Concord viz. 1. If the Essentials of Christianity in Papists and of Communion in such Churches be practically held so as to be more powerful than their Contraries 2. But not by their Contraries but by overcoming them one may be saved and the other have peace even as we answer the Question Whether a Man may live that taketh Poyson or hath the Leprosie 1. Not if it be prevalent according to its malignant nature 2. But yea if it be overcome by natural strength or medicine § V. Chillingworth our powerfullest Disputant against the Papists hath fully laid down the true Principles of Christian Concord and the Causes of Schism even the making more necessary to Salvation or Communion than is necessary indeed And the famous Hales though too bold and sometime going a step too far hath said more against these true Causes of Schism with great Truth and Reason than the Authors of it can well bear But wisdom is justified of all her children CHAP. XI The Severity and Force of Magistrates denying necessary Toleration and punishing the Refusers of unnecessary uncertain suspected things will never procure Church Vnity and Concord but in time increase Divisions § I. HAles of Schism speaking of having two Bishops in a Diocess saith pag. 223. Neither doth it any way savor of Vice or Misdemeanor instancing in Austin's doing it ignorantly their punishment sleeps not who unnecessarily and wantonly go about to infringe it The most pious and wise Church Historians extoll the two peaceable Bishops of Constantinople that quietly bore the Novatian Bishops by them and geâ—tâ—y reduced Chrysostom's Followers the Joannites and dâ—spraise Nestorius and such other turbulent Prelates that persecuted them on pretence of zeal against Error and some of them proved more erroneous themselves § II. This crying out for the drawing of the Sword against those that differ in unnecessary things 〈◊〉 a great dishonour to the persons that tell men how conscious they are of their own insufficiency for their proper work and a reproach to the power of the Keys as if it signified nothing without the Sword And in all Ages Men of Ambition and Insufficienâ—â—y and Uncharitableness have been thus calling to the Magistrate to do all when yet in general claim they have set themselves far above him as being for the Soul when he is but for the Body § III. But Experience hath still confuted them and that which one Age or year thus built the next hath ordinarily pull'd down Not but that orthodox pious Princes are an unspeakable blessing to the Church and the want of such are ordinary causes of sin distraction and misery But such must know and do their proper work and not serve the pride and humor of ambitious ignorant Clergymen nor be their Lictors or Executioners nor lend them the Sword to execute their wills § IV. Constantine defended the