diversity of opinions or perswasions in matters of Religion which takes away from any man his right to all that kindness and advantage from us but of whatsoever Countrey Calling or Religion he be he is our Neighbour meant in Luke 10. to whom all the instances of love must be performed for what Religion was ever more odious to any one than the Samaritan was to the Jews John 8.48 Insinuating thereby that any man though so contrary in Religion as those two were to one another is the neighbour whom the Law intends Mr. Glanvell 's Essay upon Preaching pag. 32. Catholick Universal Charity is a Doctrine exceeding sit for these times in which Divisions and mutual Animosities have produced so many fatal and deplorable effects and though the doing this will displease the Bygots and Beautefeus of all sides yet we must go on arm'd with Courage and Patience of the Gospel and be instant in preaching Peace and Love though we are torn in pieces for it Idem Vsefulness of Real Phylosophy to Religion pag. 32. I secure Charity for all the Diversities of Belief and equally offer my Friendship and Converses to the several Sects and Perswasions that stick to the plain principles of the Gospel and a vertuous life overlooking their particular Fondnesses and Follies Bishop Taylor 's Advice to his Clergy p. 29. Let no names of Sects or differing Religion be kept up among you to the disturbance of the publick Peace and private Charity and teach not the people to estimate their Piety by their distance from any Opinion but by their Faith in Christ Obedience and love to all Christian people even though they be deceived Again Rule 47. Let the business of your Sermons be to preach Holy Life Obedience Peace Love among Neighbours Hearty Love to live as the Old Christians did and the New should Dr. Tillotson 's Sermon on Luke 9.55 56. pag. 7. The Gospel designs Universal Love and peace and Good Will and now no difference of Religion no pretence of Zeal for God and Christ can warrant and justifie the contrary Idem Vol. 1. of Sermons pag. 213. When we come to Heaven we shall enter into the Society of the Blessed Angels and of the Spirits of just Men made perfect that is freed from all those passions and infirmities which do now render the conversation even of the best men sometimes troublesome to one another We shall then meet with all those excellent persons those innocent and charitable Souls whom we have seen and heard and read of in this World with all intimate Friends and perhaps with many of our Enemies to whom we shall then be perfectly reconciled notwithstanding all the warm contests and peevish differences which we have had while in this World even about matters of Religion For Heaven is a state of perfect Love and Friendship all Quarrels and Contentions Schisms and Divisions will then be effectually hindered not by Force but by Love and all those Controversies of Religion which are now so hotly agitated will then be finally determined by a perfect knowledge and convincing Light Lloyd Bishop of St. Asaph in Sermon November 5. 1680. pag. 9. We know that Christ gave love for the Character by which his Disciples were to be known Joh. 13.35 and least men should unchristian others that they may hate them and destroy them afterwards Christ enlarged his precept of love and extended it even to Enemies and not onely to ours but to the Enemies of our Religion Mat. 5.43 44. Mr. Cook 's Sermon on Rom. 12.18 pag. 6. The Church of Christ allowes no Enemies at all but like it Charity is Oecumenick and Universal nay like God himself Infinite and Eternal it knows no bounds of Love nor respect of Persons and must never fail surely then Christianity must fail utterly vanish and perish so long as we are at variance among our selves Idem pag. 10. The grand Duties of Humility Peace and Universal Charity are delivered in the Scriptures in the most plain express and entire manner as to all Points and Circumstances of obligation and therefore whatsoever places are erected against those fundamentals of Practice destroy the very essence and being of Christianity Vnity of the Catholick Church pag. 7. Catholick Unity consists in Unity of Belief and in the Unity of Charity having an intimate Fellow-feeling of all the good or evil which befals any joyned in so near a relation as fellow-members beyond the compass of ordinary Humanity whereby we are bound not onely to pray for but by all Offices of Kindness and most intimate Affection to assist and relieve each other in the same Houshold of Faith Item pag. 53. Many of our Church yea the constitution it self hath been often charged and reviled though most unjustly with too favourable an inclination to them of Rome because we are not so hasty and peremptory in unchurching them altogether or damning presently all that have been or are still of their communion as some would have us which is in effect for being more tender of preserving the Principles of true Catholick Unity then in pleasing some private Humours or Prejudices Mr. Pygot 's Abners Plea for Accom pag. 38 39. Now whatsoever Breaches or Divisions happen in other Kingdoms which are without God in the World and Strangers from the Covenant of Grace Psal 122.3 yet let Jerusalem the Church of God be alwayes like a City which is at Unity within it self Methinks Philadelphia the name of one of the Seven Golden Candlesticks Rev. 1. is a fitting name for a Church which signifies brotherly Love and every Congregation ought to be in a good Sense the Family of Love Item pag. 43. Consider there is but one Body Eph. 4.4 the whole Church is but one Body and the Members of the same Body do not use to contend one with another Dr. Barrow 's Serm. 8. pag. 316. I close up all with this Corollary that if we must live lovingly and peaceably with all men then much more are we obliged to do so with all Christians Our Spiritual Brethren Members of the same Mystical Body Temples of the same Holy Ghost Servants of the same Lord Subjects of same Prince Professors of the same Truth partakers of the same Hopes Heirs of the same Promise and Candidates of the same Everlasting Happiness That an Agreement of all Christians in any one Sect or Perswasion is never to be Expected BIshop Jewel 's Answer to Mr. Harding 's Preface It were above all things to be desired of God that his Heavenly Truth may pass forth without these contrarieties and Quarrels of judgments and many Godly Wise Men are much offended to see it otherwise but thus it hath been ever from the beginning Sir Francis Bacon in his Advertisements of the Controversies of the Church of England pag. 183. of his works It is excellently alluded by that Father that noted that Christs Garment was without Seams and yet the Churches Garment was of divers colours and sets down as
badge of the Church a mark whereby to discern Christian men from Infidels and Jews Dr. Hammond of Schism p. 58. Calls the Creed the Apostolick badge or mark A tessera or token of the Apostles having planted the Faith in any Church the known summary of that beleif which had been received from the Apostles p. 211. It cannot be affirmed of all the Articles of the Creed that they are thus absolutely necessary i. e. that no man can be imagined to Reform his life so as to be acceptable to God but he to whom every one of those Articles has been intelligibly revealed for as to many plain yet pious Christians it s not certain that can be affirmed Bishop Tailor Coll. of disc p. 536. The Religion of Jesus Christ is the Form of sound Doctrine set down in Scripture separated as to the Question of necessary or not necessary by the symbol of the Apostles Item p. 407. Now if more were necessary than the Articles of the Creed I demand why was it made the characteristick note of a Christian from an Heretick Jew or an Infidel or to what purpose was it composed or if this were intended as sufficient did the Apostles or those Churches which they sounded know any thing else to be necessary Bishop Sparrows Rationale upon the Common Prayer p. 50. In the time of the stay at Jerusalem they agreed upon this Creed as a Rule of Faith according to the Analogy of which they and all others should teach and as a word of distinction by which they should know Friend from Foes for as the Gileadits by the word Shibboleth Judges 12.6 c. So the Apostles and the Church should know who were right believers who false by this word of Faith for all that walked according to this Rule and Professed this Faith she acknowledged for hers and gave them her peace but all others that went contrary to this Rule and Word she accounted enemies Tertull. de praescriptione and lead by false Spirits as 1 John 4.6 Item a Christian evidences to the Church his sound beleif by expresly repeating the Creed and every particular thereof which is and always hath been accounted the mark and character whereby to distinguish a true beleiver from an Heretick or Infidel Judge Hales discourse of Religion p. 4. The Credenda or things to be known or beleived are but few and intelligible briefly delivered in that summary of Christian Religion usually called the Apostles Creed and in brief the Baptismal Covenant as it is contained in the Liturgy and Explanation thereof in the Church Catechism i. e. by the Covenant Mercies and Covenant-duties together with the precepts of the Decalogue contain in effect the summary or brief Epitome of our Christian duty Cars peaceable Moder p. 43. The Creed is a short Abridgment and Epitome of the Apostles Doctrine which they received from Christ our Saviour and delivered to us in the New Testament the Rule of our Faith Touch-stone of Truth the pith and substance of our Christian Religion the very badge and cognizance of a Christian whereby he is not only known from Pagans but also distinguished from Hereticks Bishop Pearson The Creed without controversie is a brief comprehension of the objects of our Christian Faith and is generally taken to contain all things necessary to be beleived in praef to his Exposition on the Apostles Creed Glanvell's Catholick Charity p. 30. The Fundamentals of belief are few and plain for certainly the Divine goodness would not lay our Eternal interest in difficulties and multitudes things hard to be understood and retain'd Item Agreement of Reason and Religion pag. 5. In the Creed are all the Fundamentals of Religion and though our Church require our Assent Ministers he means to more propositions yet those are only Articles of Communion not Doctrines absolutely necessary to Salvation And if we go beyond the Creed for Essentials of Faith who can tell where we shall stop Doctor Tillotson I doubt not but that the belief of the Ancient Creed provided we entertain nothing that is destructive of it together with a good Life will certainly save a Man True state of the Primitive Church Part First That which we commonly call the Apostles Creed if it were not composed by them yet certainly by Primitive and Apostolick men and proposed as the sum of Christian Faith the sum total necessary to Salvation It cannot be supposed that they left out any thing which they thought necessary to Salvation they might as well have omitted half or all Dr. Steward 's Englands Case pag. 20. In our Reformation we still adhering unto the Three Creeds which are the Faith of the Church Catholick Mr. Hancock 's Sermon on Luk. 19.42 pag. 26. To the Honour of the Church of England let it be said whatsoever is imposed on us as necessary to the Salvation of all men is contained in the Apostles Creed This is the Faith of the first and best times of Christianity the Faith into which we are Baptized and the Belief of this Creed hath a direct influence on our Christian practice which is the great business of Religion Bishop Sanderson in his nine Cases of Conscience pag 8. Whosoever well considers may rest satisfied in his judgment and conscience that the Faith professed and taught in the Church of England is a plain and safe way to lead a Christian Believer to Eternal Salvation if he withal lead his life and conversation answerable thereunto Dr. Barrow 's Discourse of the Vnity of the Church annexed to his Treatise against the Popes Supremacy In regard to this Union of Faith among Christians the Body of Christians adhering to it was called the Catholick Church from which all those were esteemed Ipso facto to be cut off and separated who in any point deserted that Faith pag. 9. Conformists not forward in Censuring any as guilty of Heretical and Damnable Errors HOmily of Contention First Part. May help with other Citations to explain the Hereticalness of an Error He that is faulty let him rather amend than defend that which he hath spoken a miss least he fall by contention from a foolish Error into an obstinate Heresie Bishop Jewel's Def. of Apol. pag. 46. For just proof of Heresie three things necessarily be required 1. That it be an Error 2. That it be an Error against the Truth of Gods Word for otherwise every Error maketh not an Heresie 3. That it be stoutly and wilfully maintained otherwise an Error in Gods Truth without wilful maintainance is not an Heresie St. Augustine saith Errare possum Hereticus esse non possum Item p. 67. The Catholick Fathers and Bishops made no doubt but our Religion might be proved out of the Scriptures neither were they ever so hardy to take any for an Heretick whose Error could not evidently and apparently be reproved by the self-same Scriptures Bishop Andrews cited in Appendix to the third Part of the Friendly Debate Let but obstinacy and perverseness be wanting it
pertained only unto a mans friends Christ gave this Godly law of Charity a true and clear interpretation that we ought to love every man both friend and foe adding thereto the Commodity to be the Children of our heavenly Father and this we shall be sure of saith Christ if we love every man without exception Conformists Plea for Nonconformists Part 4. pag. 106. The salutations of the Holy Apostles expressed their largeness and their Catholick love to the Corinthians among whom were great divisions to the Galatians and Colossians among whom were some very Erroneous so did their Benedictions peace be to Brethren and Love c. And Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus in sincerity Eph. 6.23 and verse 2. Bishop Davenants Letter to Duraeus Whether we will or no it s necessary that we all own Christ as our elder Brother and joyn in strict and Brotherly Communion with all that are his Brethren Moreover all must confesse true and genuine Charity is as necessary to the Salvation of all the Members of the Christan Churches as the true and entire profession of Saving faith Christ having made this love the Cognizance Whereby to discriminate his disciples and those who falsely professe his name he puts this question Whether it be safe Pious or suitable to the duty of Christian Churches not to stretch forth the right hand of Brotherly affection to those Churches which though they differ and in some lesser matters err may notwithstanding be Christs Martyrs and our holy Brethren Mr. Thomas Pierce on St. John the 13.35 Our love must be so extensive that it must reach even to all not only to our fellow-disciples but to all men living upon earth it must reach even to our enemies not onely to those without the pale of the Church who do us little or no hurt even Jews Turks Infidels and Hereticks for whom we pray once in a year in our English Liturgy but to our Crueller enemies within the Church P. 414. item 282. Whom our Lord hath enjoyned us not onely to forgive but pray for to love their souls to pray for their repentance and desire they may be sharers of immortality and blisse of which we shall not have the lesse but rather the more for having sharers and tells us on St. John 13.35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples c Love to Christians as Christians is as the badge and Cognizance the testimony and proof of our real discipleship under Christ and the firmest bond to hold us together in peace and love not so much that we are of one Countrey but that we are of one Christ or to expresse it with St. Paul that we have but One Faith One Baptism Doct. Hammonds Pract. Catechism under meekness to continue constant to the doctrine of the Catholick Church and maintain the inward Communion that of Charity with all the true Church of God wheresoever they are and with particular Churches so far as to embrace them with the armes of Christian Charity to joyn even with the erroneous Churches so far as they are not erroneous Separating onely from their Corruptions Idem on first Epist of St. John 3.14 We know that we are regenerate Christians by our Chariry to other men which he that hath not is clearly an unregenerate unchristian person Idem the first Epist St. John 4.7 And evidence of our being from God is Charity to our fellow Christians for that is most strictly commanded and exemplified to us from God and no practice renders us so like to Gods example and so concordant to his precepts as the sincere exercise of this duty Dr. Barrow ' s. Vnity of the Church annexed to his Treatise against the Popes Supremacy P. 36. The genuine meaning of that article Catholick Church may reasonably be deemed this that we professe our adhering to the body of Christians which diffused over the World doth retain the faith taught the Discipline settled the practises appointed by our Lord and Saviour and his Apostles that we maintain general Charity towards all good Christians that we are ready to entertain Communion in holy offices with all such Item on Rom 12.18 pag. 230 231. Serm. 3. pursue peace with all without any exception with men of all Nations Jewes and Greeks and Barbarians of all Sects and Religions persecuteing Jews and Idolatrous Heathens as at that time men of all judgments and perswasions Neither is there any evading our obligation to this duty by pretending of others that they entertain opinions irreconcileably contrary to ours that they adhere to Sects and Parties which we dislike and disavow that they are not so vertuous so Religious so Holy as they should be or at least not in such a mannner as we would have them Bishop Saundersons Sermon 3. Ad Aulam sect 39. Here is that evil partiality we are to take heed of when we restrain the Brotherhood or Neighbour to some one party or society in the Church such as we think good of and exclude the rest as if they had no part or fellowship in this Brotherhood nor consequently any right to that special affection where with we are to love the Brethren which partiailty hath indeed been the very bane of the Churches unity and peace and the chief Cause both of the beginning and of the Continuance of most of the Schisms under which Christendom hath groaned from time to time Englands Black Tribunal p. 222. As I am a Member of this Church so I am a Member of the Holy Catholick Church as I hold Communion with so I love and honour all Christians in the World that love the same Lord Jesus in sincerity and call on his name agreeing with those Truths that are absolutely necessary and clearly demonstrated in the Word of God though in charity dissenting from some others that are not necessary Dr. Hewyt's Speech at the Scaffold Dr. Alestrey's Sermon p. 168. Our Saviours addition Matth. 5.44 saith that we must love our Enemies The Christians hath no Canaanites as Deut. 7. but the most profligate Adversaries of his Religion he must love and pray for them although they persecute him which makes appear it doth at least include enemies of Religion for persecutions seldom were upon any other ground And Christ hath proved that the Samaritan he whom the Disciples would consume that Schismatick and rejector of Christ is yet our Neighbour Luke 10. and therefore him also we must love and pray for Item p. 322. Serm. 18. There is no sort of men nor any man whom it is lawful for a Christian not to love and all the reasons urged here by our Saviour do prove that all mankind whether good or bad is the object of a Christians love Mr. Kettlewells measures of Christian Obedience Edit 2. ch 3. l. 7. p. 133 and 134. It is not either distance of Countrey nor contrariety of interest no nor what is most of all presumed to exempt us from the obligations of this duty
and John up with your Sword Peter So that neither by fire here nor by Sword there doth Christ like of these Motions If so oft as Christ suffers indignity fire should come down from Heaven Domine quis sustinebit Psal 130.3 We were all in an hard case Jews and Samaritans yea Disciples yea this James and John and all The Samaritans they received not Christ let them be gone burnt all When he came to Jerusalem why there he was murthered worse used then in Samaria then we must call for more fire Jerusalem must be burnt too Now for the Disciples it is true they had received him but when most need was thrust him from them utterly denied that ever they knew him then we must trouble Heaven once more and call for fire for James and John too nay then the World is at an end facti sumus sicut Sodoma Rom. 9.12 all an heap of ashes if this Doctrine go forward Item pag. 913. And for our comfort 't is that our Saviour Christ was none of these Zelotae but shewed himself on that side that enclined to Humanity and Peace King James the First 's Speech to the Lords and Commons at White-Hall March 21 1609. I never found that Blood and too much severity did good in Matters of Religion For besides that it is a sure Rule in Divinity and God never loves to plant his Church by Violence and Bloodshed Natural Reason may even perswade us and all Experience proves it true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpon his Majesties retirement from Westminster Sure it ceaseth to be Counsel when not Reason is used as to men but Force and Terrour as to Beasts to drive men and compel them to assent Idem Vpon the calling in of the Scots and their coming Sect. 11. Sure in Matters of Religion those Truths gain most on mens Judgments and Consciences which are least urged with secular Violence which weakens Truth with Prejudices Idem Vpon the Covenant Ejac. 2. Nothing violent or injurious can be Religious Idem On the Rebellions and Troubles in Ireland Sect. 12. O my God thou seest how much Cruelty among Christians is acted under the colour of Religion as if we could not be Christians unless we Crucifie one another Dr. Chillingsworth chap. 4. Sect. 16. Take away this persecuting burning cursing damning of men for not subscribing to the words of men as the words of God c. In a word take away Tyranny which is the Devils instrument to support Errours and Superstitions and Impieties in the several parts of the World which could not otherwise long with-stand the Power of Truth Sir Robert Pointz Vindication of Monarchy pag. 27. The Sword availeth little with the Souls of Men unless to destroy them with their Bodies and to make them desperate or dissemblers in Religion and when they find opportunity to fall into Rebellion as there are many Examples Pygot 's Abners Plea Shall we prove homo homini lupus one man a Wolf to another to hunt and to worry and to kill one another It is against nature It 's for bruit beasts that have no understanding to bite and tear and gore one another but as for men they should be Meek and Gentle homo homini Deus one man should be Godlike to another to help and to defend and to comfort one another Page 46. Consider that such things will bring a scandal upon our Religion The Kings of Israel were noted to be merciful Kings And the Protestant Religion hath hitherto been noted to be a merciful a peaceable Religion They are our Spiritual Brethren our Christian Brethren and though nature cannot yet Grace should prevail with us to return from following our Christian Brethren those that profess the same Faith and the same Protestant Religion with us King Charles the Second December 26 1662. 'T is evident said his Majesty by the sad Experience of Twelve Years there is very little fruit of all those forcible Courses that have been used Feb. 5. 1672. The then Lord Chancellor in his Speech of his Majesty Charles the 2d He loves not blood nor rigorous severities but where mild or gentle ways may be used by a wise Prince he is certain to choose them And concludes that head thus But His Majesty is not convinced that violent ways are the interest of Religion or the Church Bishop Gauden of slight Healing p. 46. While men of the same Polity are like Pikes in a Pond or Fish in the Sea or beasts of prey in a Wilderness pursuing and devouring one another While they have so little Equity so no Piety or Charity to each other but every party designs to subdue others to set up it self and to oppress the common liberty and publick welfare what peace in Church or State Item p. 25. When true Religion is either corrupted in its soundness of Doctrine or overgrown by Superstition broken by Faction or persecuted by misguided Zeal c. Bishop Tailor 's Advice to his Clergy p. 25. Use no violence to any man to bring him to your opinion but by the word of your Ministery c. Constrain them to come in Rule 28. Stir up no violence against them but leave them if they be incurable to the wise and merciful disposition of the Law Idem if a man cannot change his opinion when he list nor ever doth heartily but when he cannot do otherwise i. e. through his own conviction then to use force may make him an Hypocrite but never aright believer Bishop Saunderson ad Aulam Serm. 3. Sect. 34. A sad thing it is and very grievous it is to the Soul of every good man when in the Church which is the house of God Christians that call themselves brethren fall soul upon one another not onely girding at and clashing against but biting and nipping and devouring one another as if they were bent to consume and to destroy one another Bishop Hackets Serm. on Acts 15.39 p. 38. I have cast my mite at this time into the Treasury to remind them who are of the same lot before Christ with Paul and Barnabas to stop contentions and as they dread the sharp wrath of God to mitigate all sharpness Doctor Barrows Treatise of the Popes Supremacy p. 219 Men not to prescribe to others or not to Persecute for them And Vnity of the Church annexed to it p. 11. Who-ever therefore doth highly offend against Charity maligning or mischieving his brethren doth thereby separate himself from Christs body and cease to be a Christian and cites St. Augustine de Bapt. 3.19 They that are enemies to brotherly Charity they are Pseudo-Christians and Anti-Christ they are separate from the Church of Christ Doctor Allestries Sermons p. 165. To destroy mens lives or other temporal rights on this account meerly because they are Apostates Schismaticks or otherwise reject the true Religion or Christ himself this is that which Christ reproves here telling them that would do so you know not what manner of Spirit you are of