I think it needlesse at this present Seeing it is for the most part agreed on in Thesi or position of it But in Hypothesi or application of it each one favoureth his side best and transferreth the fault and cause of all dissentions and divisions upon his adversary Wherefore for the conclusion thereof we must apply such common and generall Doctrine to the modern differences and controversies and especially to the three dissenting parties afore mentioned without any partiality and passions CHAP. X. Whether or how farre the Protestant Churches ought or are bound to judge the said Roman-Catholicks in their Doctrine and Religion or to separate themselves from them or to undergo any Reformation AMongst all Schismes and Divisions in Churches which ever since the Apostles times arose amongst the Christians we shall hardly find any one which hath been fomented with more vehemency and fiercenesse then that which in our Predecessours dayes sprung originally in Germany and afterwards was spread over all Europe and at this present is divulged witnesse our own eyes to a most lamentable desolation and destruction of Christendom so that some long continuance thereof which is feared will draw at length upon the necks of all Western Churches like punishment and oppressions as formerly the Eastern suffered under the Turks Tartars and other Barbarous Nations unlesse the Lord doth shorten and prevent them by the day of his apparition Wherefore every one hath good reason to be carefull and to search out which side properly is guilty and the cause of such pernicious Schismes that we may know to which to give assent and to which not Whereby it is not imaginable that one side should be only and totally guilty and the other absolutely innocent and guiltlesse For it may well be that there hath been faults on both sides either in the excesse or defect whereby their minds were exasperated and the divisions grown to such a high pitch And the differences and disceptations in Churches are much like the warre or judiciall law-businesse where many times the most just and equitable cause is very ill managed and commonly prolonged and extended to a great inconvenience if not to the utmost ruine of both disagreeing parties But since indifferences in Religion especially when a resolute Schisme and Division is already formed in the Church no Neutrality nor therefore a totall separation from the Christian Church or the settlement of a peculiar Church is admitted but assent is to be given either to one or the other side in the saving Doctrine and Religion though not all its actions may be approved At least thus far must be determined of the guiltinesse and innocency of the different parties to the end that men may know which Church is to be imbraced and which not Which subject fully and punctually to handle and maintain would require a peculiar book in regard that all modern writings whether they concern Divisions and Dissensions or Ecclesiasticall Unity are in some kind directed to this scope But we shall here be constrained only to touch it in a short and compendious way as much as will conduce to our present intention and to declare it briefly by the aforementioned principles And first whether and how farre we have reason to judge their Doctrine and Religion to separate our selves from them or to reform them Then secondly whether therefore by any means we ought to judge and condemn the persons or whole Churches I. Where then first it is to be exactly examined How farre the Protestants are separated from the Romish Church how farre the Protestant Churches have separated themselves from the Roman-Catholicks Seeing they have not withdrawn themselves one from another in al points of Christian Doctrine and Religion but remain still united in many great and weighty Articles which have been unanimously acknowledged of both sides out of the Word of God For both sides professe and receive the whole Vniversall Apostolicall Creed whereunto we are Baptized on all sides Likewise both sides retain the ten Commandements and the Prayer of the Lord And although they omit in their Catechismes the second Commandement concerning Images yet they retain it at least in their Bibles so that we remain undivided at least according to the letter in three most necessary Symboles or Articles of the Universall Christian Religion credendorum faciendorum petendorum what is necessary to beleeve to do and to aske as was mentioned heretofore And notwithstanding they have added many other human Ceremonies and Traditions to the holy Sacraments which Christ himself hath instituted yet we acknowledge that they have thus farre kept the true Baptisme being the most necessary Sacrament that we nor they desire to rebaptize those that were baptized by us and them Moreover they receive and acknowledge with us the whole Sacred Scripture of the Old and New Testament to be the indubitable Word of God whose Interpretation and meaning in many sound Doctrines yea I dare say in the most is unqestioned betwixt us and them Yea likewise in the Symbols of the Primitive Church of the first and principall Councels which we receive on both sides agreeable and warrantable by Scripture and finally in all points of their Doctrine and Religion which are true Vndoubted Ancient Catholick we remain as yet united with them against all other erroneous Sectaries as hath been declared before Wherefore we cannot nor will judge them Hereticks but rather we must judge and determine by those undoubted and undeniable grounds of both sides all other differences in Doctrine that are left And if we only might be tolerated by them without compulsion of Conscience we nor they had then no cause to separate and with-draw our selves one from another And we would sufficiently find in the said articles whatsoever is necessary unto salvation II. Neither do we judge and condemn them in those things which we generally and on all sides acknowledge and receive as free indifferent matters which neither directè or indirectè in the Word of God are commanded nor forbidden to beleeve or to do but rather confesse that men ought herein to conform themselves to each Church and Lawes of the Countrey Customes and Ceremonies lest because of unnecessary things a separation and scandall be caused according to Augustins rule Quod neque contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's injungitur indifferenter est habendum pro eorum inter quos vivitur societate servandum est Epist 118 But in such things which We for our part account for free indifferent matters but they for necessary either out of custome or because of the Tradition of their Church or out of a mis-apprehension of the Word of God as for example in Fasts and Holy daies we ought to judge the matter thus far lest according to the rule of the Apostle we may cast a stumbling block or scandall before them by our liberty and knowledge in their pretended necessity but rather dispense with our exteriour liberty in such
each impartial and unpassionate man may easily comprehend How farre we judge the Papists First that we for our part not only ought but are bound in conscience to judge and determine thus far of their Doctrine and Religion yet not with the intent that we should attribute unto our selves or to our Churches any jurisdiction or power over other Churches or persons and their Consciences or constitute our own spirit to be judge in matters of Religion as the Papists do charge us withall or that every Idiot or Ignorant may and can judge of Theologicall Controversies But only that we each of us for himself and his own Conscience must judge and discern Judicio discretionis as far as God through his spirit hath endued him with knowledge of his word what we apprehend to be consonant or repugnant to the Word of God truth or falshood good or evill light or darknesse and consequently what for to avoid our own damnation we beleeve for our selves or not beleeve confesse or deny or also set by as uncertain and doubtfull and in one word what we must do and avoid for our salvation Which judging and determining no man let him be never so simple and unlearned and of what Religion soeveâ— can be hindred and refrained from because no man even amongst the Papists themselves can or shall receive or reject any Religion for himself but he judgeth partly of it and hath his reasons and grounds why he doth imbrace or reject it though in his sentence and decision he may judg aright or wrong build upon good or evil grounds upon the Word of God or the words of men which either will make for his own salvation or damnation as the Apostle saith in the precedent verse That every one shall give an account for himself Wherefore we shall also alwayes be ready to give an answer to every man that asketh us a reason of the hope that is in us with meeknesse and fear The true cause of the modern Ecclesiasticall Schisme and separation is to be imputed to the Romish Catholicks having a good conscience 1 Pet. 3. v. 15.16 Secondly that also the cause and occasion of the Schisme and Separation of the Protestant Churches from the Romish is not properly to be imputed to the Protestants but to the Roman-Catholicks yet not to the whole Romish Church but principally to the Popes and their Prelates who have their dominion over the Romish Church and those Divines whose advice and doctrine they follow Yea that We are not those who separate and with-draw our selves from the Catholick Church but the Papists are they who first by un-Catholick additions of new Doctrins and Traditions are fallen away from the true Ancient Catholick Apostolicall Church and withall reject and separate themselves from us by their un-Christian condemning and persecuting us as Hereticks And not only us but all other Churches of the whole world which are not subjected to the See of Rome viz. the Grecian Russian Armenian Georgian Aethiopian c. wherby neverthelesse the Romish Church by pretending to be the Universal Catholick Church on earth and excluding all others from it hath separated it self from all other Churches in the whole world like as in fromer times the Donatists in Africa and is also become a right Schismaticall Sectary Church Wherefore also we must of necessity separate our selves from it both for its un-Catholicall superstitious Doctrine and Religion lest we make our selves partakers of it and also for its un-Christian Tyrannical judging because we may not be tolerated amongst them but are utterly rejected by them to the end that we may remain united with the true Catholick Church in the Univerall Christian Faith and brotherly charity in Christ Wherunto we are so often and earnestly exhorted in the Word of God Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins Revel 18. v. 4. Come out from amongst them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you 2 Cor. 6. v. 17. Take heed and beware of the leaven Mat. 16. v. 6. Keep your selves from Idols 1 Joh. 5. v. 21. Flee from idolatry 1 Cor. 10. v. 14 c. Thirdly that herein also we do not proceed against this Apostolick rule but therfore rather separate our selves lest we may offend and scandalize the consciences And first our own Conscience which needs must be grievously offended if we should against our Conscience adhere to such a Doctrine and Religion whereof not only we have no certain ground from the Word of God but acknowledge it to be repugnant to it and superstitious whereby we should separate us from God himself by reason we wilfully forsake and deny his Word and Ordinance for if it be damnable for them to proceed against Conscience when they do erre or yet doubt as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 14. v. 23. How much more then when it is sufficiently and evidently warranted and convinced by the Word of God Then secondly the Consciences of our brethren who acknowledge with us such errors and abuses of the Popish Doctrine and Religion to whom we should give a very grievous offence if we dissembling against Conscience would also by our example mis-lead them against Conscience to the like hypocrisie and superstition Thirdly the Consciences of the erring themselves who do not acknowledge the errours as yet and whom we would by our example confirm in their Idolatry and abuses and consequently in their uncharitable excommunications and persecutions of the true beleevers and therewith make our selves partakers of their sins whereas we should rather labour to bring them to knowledge as much as lies in our power And although we upon these most urgent and solid reasons must be separate from the Romish Church in the Communion of their exterior Congregations Yet we are inseparate and undivided in those things wherein they agree with us in the Primitive Apostolicall Christianity as hath been said heretofore and remain with them as far united both in the Doctrin of faith and in the duties of Christian charity as much as we with safety of our Consciences may discharge towards them or they will but accept of us Fourthly Because not onely particular men and teachers but also whole Congregations yea whole people and nations unanimously agree in the knowledge and rejecting of such erroneous Popish Doctrin and Worship That the Protestant Churches had good reason have been bound in Conscience to reforme themselves It doth follow by all this without any contradiction that they have had good reason yea have been bound in Conscience and by vertue of their Function to purge their Churches from such Popish leaven and to reform them according to the word of God though the Popes of Rome or the Romish Church with their Dependents will not condescend at all to such Reformation but Anathematize Excommunicate oppose and destroy it to their utmost power seeing it cannot be maintained under any
principally guilty of the pernicious Schisme and Division betwixt Evangelicall Churches By which also without any further inlargement sufficiently appeareth that the native and genuine cause and fault of the long continued Schism and Division of all the Protestant Evangelicall Churches and consequently of all the miseries and calamities from thence arising principally refideth not in the Reformed but in the Lutherans and especially in their Divines yet not generally in all but onely in those who condemne us as Hereticks and therefore hitherto have refused and stopped without any reasonable ground the reconciliation we sought and offered to them For although they use to pretend for their excuse many damnable doctrines yea many terrible Blasphemies of the reformed Chap. 2. yet partly and most of them consist in such slanders and aspersions which the reformed Churches never professed but rather many times have expresly and unanimously rejected So that those doe but aggravate their fault before God and man who restrain and hinder the Ecclesiasticall peace by false testimonies or by their own Vnreasonable mis-construction of strange words and doctrine from which yet they might be easily diverted if they would but give way to a peaceable Conference Partly they consist of such controverted points of doctrine as have been demonstrated in the fifth Chapter before which cannot afford any sufficient cause for the condemning and excommunicating of the reformed neither for division and separation from them And suppose wee did erre in such points of doctrine yet this would only exempt us from all hereticall damnable errours that wee besides the universall undoubted fundamentall doctrine doe not make any wayes our owne particular opinions to be a By-ground as the Lutherans nor impose them on any man as necessary unto salvation except so farre as hee acknowledgeth them himselfe to be agreeable to the word of God and the saving doctrine and that hee is obliged thereunto not by our word but by the word of God Wherefore also Whether the Lutherans may not with a safe conscience have communion fellowship with the religion of the reformed Congregations although we for our part are of necessitie compelled to separate our selves from the Lutherans as long as they condemne and reject us because of their different and controverted opinions yet they cannot pretend any reasonable cause why they must be separated from our Church and Religion and should have no communion with us in it In regard no man on our side is constrained to beleeve or to doe somewhat against his conscience if hee but standeth firme to the Vniversall fundamentall doctrine and doth not disturbe the Church with his owne opinion but laboureth according to the Apostles admonition to prove all things and to hold fast that which is good 1 Thess 5. v. 21.26 To which end also some few yeares agoe it was decreed in a publick Synod of the reformed Churches in France at Charenton Anno 1631. that the Lutherans desiring to participate of the holy Communion with them should not be excluded from it if they did but otherwise behave themselves peaceably and without scandall For those Lutherans who refuse not to take the holy Communion with us doe even testifie thereby that they condemne not our Church and Religion And although they adhere to their opinion of the reall and corporall presence and orall manducation of Christs body yet so that they do not hold them as necessay articles of faith but receive us also in our opinion as fellow-members and Christians If they were generally all thus minded the Ecclesiasticall peace were soone concluded and the way prepared to a totall unitie and reconciliation For in this manner wee should not have any further cause to separate our selves from their Communion and other godly exercises but would be ready for peace and Unitie sake to tolerate the other defects and according to the Apostles exhortation to walke with them as brethren minding the same thing by the same rule whereto we have already attained Phil. 3. v. 15 16. Till God may reveale unto us on both sides even what is remaining Chap. 11. wherein wee disagree But those that will by no meanes condescend unto this shall not with all their Sophistry and arts winde themselves out from bearing before God and man the guiltinesse of the long continued most pernicious Schisme and of all the miseries that may hereafter ensue thereupon Causes of Reformation of the Doctrine and Ceremonies of the Lutherans Now what hath been said of the causes of our Separation that same declareth and sheweth unto us the cause of Reformation in all places where both a generall and particular Reformation was settled For where the whole congregation acknowledgeth with one consent the errour and abuse of the Lutheran Doctrine and Ceremonies in the different and controverted points There no fault can be found with its unanimous and generall Reformation Wherein it may not be hindred though some few private men dissent from the whole Congregation and had rather adhere to their Lutheran Opinion in regard they have the liberty of their Conscience no waies restrained But where the Congregation in any City or Province disagreeth so that a great part of it doth not onely not acknowledge the errour but adhere so closly to their Lutheran opinions concerning Oral manducation and omni-presence of Christs body Exorcisme Images Hosties and such like things that they therefore condemne as Hereticks the other partie which will not allow of them There these since they of necessity must Separate themselves from their condemners are forced also to a particular Reformation of their religion to the end that they for their part might discharge it towards God according to his Word and Ordinance with a safe conscience Especially when the Christian Magistrate whom the worke of Reformation after the example of Kings Asae Josaphat Hiskia Josia chiefly dependeth upon giveth assent to the true-beleeving partie Wherein neither they may be restrained by any Temporall Constitution or Ordinance of their Predecessours who have no dominion over the Consciences of their Posterity nor can tye them to any erroneous Doctrine and Religion which is undeniable amongst Christians on all sides who do not ground or build their Religion upon Temporall Ordinances like the Heathen and Mahumetans but relie only upon the word of God And although such Reformation most commonly cannot be settled without greatly offending the erring partie Yet a more speciall care is to be taken of scandalizing first their owne Conscience then the Conscience of other true-beleevers and lastly the Conscience of the erring least they may be confirmed in their errours then of offending and scandalizing the affections of the erring whereby others are carried away with zeale to their errours though with indiscretion Which zeale neverthelesse I hope shall never prevaile so far with the Lutherans that they against their legall Magistrats who have given them the libertie of their Conscience and Religion without any impediment should