strength of the Church will abate whilst the number of Dissenters is so great Gross errors will prevail much while Dissenter is the common odious name of all and bad men will influence when the terms of union are so hard as to exclude the good Let the terms of peace be once such that wise and good men need not scruple and separation will grow so odious a name as will expose the guilty were the tolerable entertain'd how would love flourish and aâ—l be usefull to the Churches real interest shall we then provoke God to desert us by our quarrels and loose the very name of Protestant by contending for things that are of no use to us either as protestants or Christians The Kingdoms interest concurr's as an argument to it Where could be the policy of cutting off so considerable a part of the nation from servicableness to the state because they could not agree to some forms Which had no influence to make them good Christians or good Subjects Strange was the impression of the Clergy or some others that the fittest man must not serve the State if he scrupled the Cross in Baptism Tho I am no Errastian yet I cannot but perswade the Magigistrate not to interrupt trade harrase his Subjects keep his Treasures empty give his enemies the advantage of a discontented party tempt them to irregularities and dislikes of his Government and all this for some Oathes and Ceremonies valluable only as the outworks of excessive grandure or a distinguishing mark between them that fear an Oath and them that fear it too little May not we expect the Government to say in due time it can be no sin against God to take away those things which the lovers of them call indifferent and therefore cannot quarrel against the removall of nor seperate if they be removed It is not our interest to keep out so great a body of Dissenters whose compliance it is vain to expect when they suffered so many years testifying against them as sinful Let therefore the peace of the Church and prosperity of the State be provided for by things of more moment and less disputable 4. The terms that would be comprehensive of the most considerable part of Dissenters are neither difficult nor dangerous It was not peaceable or prudent Suggestion that every little change is fatal tho mens interest do not tempt them to make it so Must the body die if the hair or nails be par'd I will not dare to make proposals so unseasonably But I think it easy to demonstrate that no greater a change is needful than will consist with decency in worship restraint of fundamental errors the Churches peace and truest glory the Magistrates tranquil security and the just credit and power of the Clergy It s our temper or selfish respects not our differences which have kept us so long asunder Could we but stoop less than our Lord's example calls us to when he wash'd his Disciples feet the debates would soon be at an end Were we weaned from the love of Dominion which he expresly forbids and inspired with that love he declares so essential to his followers it were impossible for us to unchurch each other who can subscribe all the Articles of the Church of Ireland and all the Doctrinal Articles of the Church of England as we can and will do I might hope a little prudence which God seems about to furnish us all with could not fail to make us one in the mean while as fit means conducive to it let us attend to our more needful work valuing each others as Christian societies tho under some pardonable mistakes That God would shew all of us the pattern of his house and establish us in his truth is the prayer of him who longeth to see peace within the gates of Zion owneth all for Catholick members who are baptized visible Christians tho fixed in no particular Church and so not subject to any stated Pastors blesseth God for our reformation tho instruments might be culpable acknowledgeth all Christian societies to be Churches where the Word is truly preached and Sacraments administred by duly qualified Pastors tho a Canonical right be disputable so that no contradictory thing be added which dissolves their Church-state and dare not exclude from the Catholick Church forreign Protestants who reformed by God's word tho without the consent of the major part of a corrupt Clergy yea will not stake the Reformation in our Lands on a casting Vote in the Convocation but its correspondency to Christ's rules who alone is supreme Ruler in his house and by whose laws the fidelity of his Stewards and their actings is determined SIR I Have according to your desire perus'd D. Manby's Considerations and Mr. King's Answer and shall here give you my thoughts of them For the D's Considerations I never imagined the Protestant Cause in any danger by so weak an Assault If these be the strongest reasons he has to produce he seems to be as yet but a Novice in the Roman School and arriv'd no higher than the young fry of Missionarys whom the Fathers furnish with such Questions as these to accost ignorant people with There is nothing in that Paper but what more learned Champions for the Church of Rome have more plausibly urg'd and our Protestant Divines both at home and abroad as solidly refuted So that it seem'd to me a needless expence of time to repeat the Answers so often given to those Questions because Mr. M. was pleased to ask them over again And I should have been still of that mind if Mr. K's Answer had not alter'd my thoughts 'T is indeed judicious and clear enough wherever he defends the Church of England upon those principles which are common to her with other Reformed Churches but where his narrow affection to a Party has byast his judgment he has unhappily founded the justice of the Reformation on such principles as are only calculated for the vindication of the Church of England and what is much worse such as cast disingenuous Reflections upon the rest of the Reformed Churches I shall therefore in these Remarks suggest such truly Catholick Principles as justify all the Reformed Churches both as to their Reformation and their claim to be a true part of the Catholick Church which if I mistake not Mr. K's as well as Mr. M's Paper wouâ—d exclude some of them from for the Notions of the one as well as the other turn the Catholick Church into a Sect and are injurious to Christian Charity in its due extent tho not both in an equal degree And I undertake this the more willingly because 't is truly Catholick principles must cement the affections of Protestants and dispose them to as near an union in practice as can be expected under the unavoidable dâ—fferences of our Judgment about matters of less importance And in pursuance of this desiâ—n I shall follow the order of Mr. K's Answer who puts D. M's Paper into all the
method 't is capable of and only take notice of those Answers wherein Mr. K's either Judgment or Charity seems to fail him The 1st Quest proposed by D. M. in his Preface is What is meant by the Catholick Church Mr. K's Answer is 'T is the whole body of men professing the Religion of Christ and living under their lawful spiritual Governors p. 4. There is no doubt he intends this for the description of the Catholick Church here on earth as measured by a judgment of charity and comprising all credible professors of the Christian Religion Here are two characters to distinguish the Members of it Professing the Religion of Christ and Living under lawful spiritual Governors Now that which I chiefly dislike in this description is that this latter mark of the Catholick Church Living under lawful spiritual Governors gives us a Notion of it not only very obscure but too narrow Nor does he find any such mark assign'd either in that Text he quotes 4 Eph. 3 4 5. or in that passage he cites out of St. Augustin And 't is the more necessary to insist on this because every Notion of the Catholick Church which is too narrow is so far schismatical for it cuts off those from their relation to the Catholick Church who are members of it and Mr. K. himself does afterwards apply it to that ill purpose That this Notion of the Catholick Church is too narrow on supposition Mr. K. mean no better than he speaks is hence evident because there are many who are true members of the Catholick Church who live under no Pastors or spiritual Governors at all nor indeed have the opportunity to do so What does he think of many Christians that live in some forreign Plantations where they are not furnish'd with them Nay to propose an Instance much more considerable What does Mr. K. think of all the Protestants who are yet in France and because they will not change their Religion are confin'd to Galleys Prisons or Convents Are all these by the banishment of their Ministers excâ—uded from the Catholick Church Has the French King's Edict so malignant an influence as to cut them off from the body of Christ by depriving them of their lawfâ—l Pastors If so Popish Princes have a very formidable power and Protestants may well dread their Edicts upon a Spiritual as well as Temporal account more than all the Thunders of the Vatican But I fear Mr. K. would scarce allow the Reformed Churches in France to be any part of the Catholick Church if they had their Pastors again if we compare this description of it with other passages in his Answer For this description is very obscure and if I conjecture right Mr. K's Notion of lawful spiritual Governors much more narrow What does he mean by Lawful Spiritual Governors Are they to be estimated such by the Law of the Land or by the Laws of the Church or by the Law of Christ Does he mean such spiritual Governors as are establisht in every Nation by the Authority of the Civil Magistrate If so then the Arrian Bishops when establisht by the Emperors of their opinion were the only lawful Pastors and all that part of the people that adher'd to their Orthodox Pastors ceast to be members of the Catholick Church Then the Popish Clergy in France are the only lawful Spiritual Governors and the Protestants there are no part of the Catholick Church because they separate from them And shou'd the Popish Clergy be establisht in these Kingdoms by Law all that shou'd adhere to their Protestant Pastors even those whom Mr. K. now thinks their only lawful ones wou'd cease to be members of the body of Christ So that the supreme Magistrate might make Pastors lawful or unlawful at his pleasure and make those that are this month members of the Catholick Church cease to be so the next But this is a Principle I wou'd hope fitter for Mr. Hobbs than for Mr. K. to defend Is it then the Laws of the Church that must determine who are the lawful Pastors If this be his Notion of them as his following discourse wou'd incline one to think What Church does he mean whose Laws must determine this great debate If the Vniversal Church I know none can make Laws to oblige all the members of it but Christ himself whom Mr. K. grants to be the only Head of it p. 55. And how shou'd we know the sense of the universal Church in this matter when there has been no General Council these many hundred years nay when there never was any such thing at all The largest Councils that Church-History records being summon'd by the Roman Emâ—erors whose Mandates cou'd not reach the extra-Imperial Churches What is this Church then whose Laws or Judgment must determine who are lawful Pastors Is it every National Church If so 't is a difficult matter to know what that is For unless Mr. K wou'd give such a schismatical Notion of it as the Papists give of the Catholick Church it must include all the particular Christians and particular Societies of such within the bounds of that Nation who profess the true Christian Religion in all its essentials for all true Churches do not profess it in equal purity Such a National Church is not of divine Institution and is indeed only a combination of Churches as united under one Civil Sovereign It s true Notion lyes not in any combination purely Ecclesiastical and Intrinsecal but Civil and Extrinsecal As the true National Church of England unless we will confine the name to a Sect or Party denotes all the Churches in England as united under one King that has a civil Supremacy over them But what if in the same Nation there be a division about some disputable Doctrine as betwixt Lutherans and Calvinists in the dominions of several German Princes or about Church-Government and modes of Worship c. as in these Nations What if the several particular Churches according to these differences in their judgment fix under different Pastors Who are the Church whose Laws must decide this debate about lawful Pastors Is it such an Assembly of the Clergy as our Convocation But what if both Parties have such Assemblys Is it that Party of the Clergy which the Civil Magistrate does establish and not the other then the Civil Magistrate may in Germany make both the Lutherans and Calvinists lawful Pastors and here both the Conformists and the Nonconformists nay and unmake them at his pleasure and so make their Churches a part or no part of the Catholick Church Nay if this be true then in France the general Assembly of the Popish Clergy must determine who are lawful Pastors and were the Protestant Ministers there now for the people to adhere to them wou'd not only be unlawful but what is worse such a Sin as would cut them off from the Catholick Church And does Mr. K. really think so What wou'd they cease to be the subjects of Christ
believe with the heart but confess with the mouth to salvation as the Apostle Paul speaks Rom. 10. v. 10. But these real Saints do not make up one distinct external society by themselves but as mixt with a crowd of Hypocrites who joyn with them in the same external profession of Christianity Nor are they exactly distinguishable from Hypocrites in our Judgment which cannot pierce into the hearts of men and only looks at the credibility of their external profession If therefore it be enquir'd what is the true Catholick Church We must answer All sincere Christians who are one body or society by their belief of and subjection to Jesus Christ their common Head and center of Unity If it be enquir'd whom should we in charity judge to be members of the Catholick Church the Answer is obvious All that make a credible profession of that Faith and that subjection If it be askt further what is a credible profession 't is answer'd A profession not contradicted by notorious ignorance of the essentials of Christianity by fundamental Errors or by notorious wickedness And he that would prove any particular Church or Churches that call themselves Christian to be no parts of the Catholick Church must prove that they deny or at least do not profess some essential Article of the Christian Faith or are notoriously ungodly I add notoriously ungodly because subjection to the laws of Christ is as necessary to our being the true members of his Church as belief of his Doctrine and consequently a credible profession of that subjection as requisite to our being esteemed such And therefore D. M. has very little reason to value himself upon this Question And the Church of Rome has so little reason to arrogate to her self the Title of the Church Catholick that a man must be very charitable to allow her to be a part of it but no wise man will allow her to be any other than the most corrupt and unsound part of it For that Church has gone so near towards the subverting the essential truths and laws of Christianity by their dangerous corruptions in Doctrine Worship and Practice that it wou'd be the best service D. M. can do her to demonstrate clearly that there is a credible profession of Christianity left amongst those that practically hold all the Decisions of the Council of Trent exagr To reconcile that Doctrine of their Council that imperfect Contrition or Attrition is sufficient to dispose a man for Absolution in the Sacrament of Penance Council of Trent Sess 4. cap. 4. with that necessary Doctrine of the Gospel Wihout Repentance there is no Remission of Sins To reconcile the worship of the Church of Rome with the second Commandment is a task well worthy of D. M's pains But I hope in many that live in the communion of the Church of Rome the common principles of Christianity which they retain prevail against the poysonous additions of Popery and all the Doctrines of that and other Councils are not practically held by them But their claim to be a part of the Church Catholick is not near so clear and indisputable as that of the Reformed Churches whose Doctrine and Worship compar'd with the holy Scriptures evidence them to be an incomparably sounder part of it tho even all the Reformed Churches are not equal in their soundness and purity This Catholick Church hath only one universal Head Jesus Christ and is one Body only on the account of its union with and subjection to him Nor is there any Vicarious universal Head under Christ to which the Government of the Church Catholick is committed whether Pope General Council or Colledge of Prelates Nor can any such humane Head make Laws obligatory to the universal Church For any to pretend to it is an usurpation of Christ's Legislative power and 't is chiefly on the account of that Vsurpation and employing that usurped power to deprave the Church and destroy its soundest members that the Protestants have call'd the Pope Antichrist Particular Churches are the chief integrating parts of the Church Catholick I speak of it here as measur'd by the judgment of charity As to any of these particular Churches if the Quest be Are they a part of the Catholick Church It must be resolâ—'d by the credibility of their Christian Profession If thâ— Question be Are they Churches regularly constituted or organiz'd 'T is in the resoâ—ution of this Quest We must consider whether they be a society of Christians united under one or more such Pastors as Christ has appointed for personal communion in Faith Worship and holy living and whether their Pastors were in a regular manner set over them And here the dispute about lawful spiritual Governors must come in Fâ—r that a particular Church have a lawful Pastor is not absolutely necessary to its being a true Church and consequently a true part of the Catholick Church as Mr. K. himself acknowledges in the fore-quoted place p. 90. tho how he will reconcile that Concession with his description of the Catholick Church I do not understand 'T is only necessary to its being a Church regularly constituted And who are such lawful Pastors there will be occasion to discuss in answer to the 4th Quest The sâ—cond Quest is Whether by the Church Catholick be meant the Church of England alone or the Church of England in communion with other Churches Mr. K. well replys The Church of England is no more the Catholick Church than the British Seas are the whole Ocean But he does ill to found its being a part of the Catholick Church on its subjection to Catholick Bishops I suppose he means Diocesan Bishops For it wou'd not cease to be a part of the catholick Church if it shou'd disown Diocesan Prelacy And if Mr. K. think otherwise he has these two difficult Propositions to prove First that Jesus Christ has instituted the Office of Diocesan Prelates in his church and secondly that he has made such Prelates the center of catholick Unity and subjection to them necessary to our being members of the catholick church Now if Mr. K. will undertake the defence of these two Propositions he not only unchurches all the Reformed Churches that want Diocesan Prelacy but even the Catholick Church it self for a Century or two at least as I offer to evince if Mr. K. please to demand it For communion with other Churches it must be understood in the essentials of Christian Religion for it can scarce be expected in all its integrals in this imperfect state but much less in unnecessary humane additions to Christianity And we must not confound communion with subjection the former may be due where the latter is not The third Quest is With what other Church does the Church of England communicate in Sacraments and Liturgy Mr. K. well answers That Vnity in Liturgy is no part of communion of Churches and that the Church of England and had his charity been wide enough he might safely have added
Vindiciae Calvinisticae OR SOME IMPARTIAL REFLECTIONS ON THE DEAN of LONDONDEREYS CONSIDERATIONS That Obliged him to come over to the Communion OF THE Church of Rome AND Mr. Chancellor KING's Answer thereto IN WHICH He no less Unjustly than Impertinently Reflects on the Protestant Dissenters In a Letter to a Friend By W.B. D.D. 3 Ep. Joh. 9 10. But Diotrephes who loveth to have the Preeminence among them receives us not Neither doth he himsâ—lf receive the Brethren and forbiddeth them that would and casteth them out of the Church DVBLIN Printed by A. Crook and S. Helsham Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty on Ormond-Key and sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster 1688. TO THE READER THOV wilt find the worthy Author of this ensuing Tract opposing two persons of a very different Character M M. whose scruâ—les are so mean and so often answered that as they could have little influence in his Change so they deserved no new Consideration The most material of his Questions may be reduced to this Being that the Church of Rome by her usurping shifts propagated her Apostacy to her neighbour Churches how can any of those belong to the Catholick Church if they ceas that Apostacy and regain their former state The answer is easie unl sâ— infection do for ever subject a Church to that Church which infected it Can any man doubt whether the British Churches had equal authority to reform themselves for Christ's sake as they had to admit these corruptions for the Popes sake The other Person is M K who hath needlesly yea to the apparent dammage of his cause bitterly censured the whole body af Nonconformists Whether his novel notions or the unseasonable publication of matters of debates among us be most culpable it 's hard determining The sad consequences were so obvious that great importunity fail'd to encline my undertaking our vindication though the charge against us is great and the proof attempted from mistaken principles But seeing the Author with others judged a reply needful and represented our silence as turned to our reproach I am perswaded to preface the ensuing Book wherin thou wilt find both evidence and candor I shall only hint at what the Book is concerned in and insist on some Criminations the Author overlooks Mr K's excluding us from the Catholick Church can harm us little when he gives us a discription of this Church so entirely Popish and opposite to the joynt testimony of Protestants S. 68 of the Church in a controversy betwixt the Romanists and us The Articles of the Church of Ireland define the Catholick Church in the Creed 4. Bell de Eccl milit lib 3 Cap 2. to be the invisible body of Elected Saints in heaven and earth But all of M K ' s. description is Bellarmines own who strangely confounds a particular Church with the Catholick Church visible out of which particular Churches are formed unless you admit Infidels for Members and into which they are resolved unlâ—ss they cease to be Catholick Members when their Pastors dy or remove Wheras M K. might have known that the Catholick visible Church as entitive is made up of professing Christians and particular Churches are but secondary members of this body as Organical by Aggregation But the Dissenters will deny his charge by further proving that they are subjects to their lawfull Pastors that such are not their Pastors whom he chargeth them with separation from And they can justify their Seperation to be a duty and so no bar to their Catholick priviledg if they had some times been subject to such Yea it 's manifest the Church of England account us within the Pale of the Church by her calling us Brethren departed in the Faith when dead and too oft Excommunicating us when alive His charge of Ecclesiastical Rebellion cannot yet affect us when we think that we justly deny the Convocation to be a fit Representative of all the Pastors in England and not a supreme power over all our Churches yea and suspect a definition of the Catholick Church by such regent Officers as what favours the Vniversal Headship and may well end in the Pope as principium unitatis His positiveness in our duty to be silent when suspended without regard to justice of the ground of it imports he hath forgotten that Casuists generally determin that an unjust sentence bindes not before God or the Church and that Pastors power in the church is not of the same extent as a Kings in the State but under the limits of many more instituted laws But these matters being debated in the book I proceed M K 's Sarcasm against our cant from M M ' s. allusion to a plain scripture p. 13 may call him to suspect what spirit himself is of Luke 9 55. and others of his sort who redicule scripture passages though used in the sence of the spirit that inspired the writers of the scriptures and condemn in us those principles which were the common sence of Protestant Bishops but yet these must be the only Protestant Successors because they keep up the ceremonies tho they despise many important doctrines which they more vallued themselves by Reader thou maist wonder how M K. that affirmeth no ministers may reform no nor preach against the Establisht Church can publish these thoughts of his so repugnant to the sence of the Church and undertake to reform the very Catholick Church by a definition of it so opposite to that his Church hath published He Reproacheth us with the favours we new recieve from men of M M 's perswasion M K. P 39. Reply We thankfully own the Kings Favours without ungrateful enquiries into the grounds of it nor yet doubting but we shall take care not to forfeit what he thinks meet to grant But why should you that dislike an Inquisition grudg us a little ease I believe you are not for blaming the Magistrate when the Rods and Axes are disused Are not the miseries great enough which we have endured at your hands for refusing to sin in doing things which you had nothing but the bare authority of the imposer to plead for But I heartily wish all our hardships so forgoten by us as that they neither abate charity nor prevent union on Christian Catholick terms I confess it 's no small amazement to hear the Prelatists reflect on the present liberty of Dissenters Are we blameable for meeting now we do it with safty when we suffered so much rather than forbear it Can they that have refused Preferments endured prisons reproach and loss of estates for their principles be suspected apt to renounce or betray them for a smile How can these men that t' other day resolved all law into the Kings meer will now brand our meetings as unlawful But this will convince the world that that party will allways Skrew up the point of Loyalty whose Interest the Government pâ—omotes and yet may challenge their own sentiments when the Throne is
because they prefer those Pastors who teach his Doctrine and administer his Sacraments and discipline according to the Rules of the Gospel before those who grossly corrupt them and impose those corruptions He must have a very odd understanding that can assent to so senseless not to say so wicked an assertion For this were no better than to set up a point of meer human Order in opposition to the interest of Truth and Holiness I might here instance again in the Arrian Bishops who had not only the countenance of the Emperors but got Imperial Councils call'd General as that of Armini and Syrmium on their side and according to this Principle they were the only lawful Pastors and those that separated from them were no part of the Catholick Church I know not how Mr. K. will like these consequences But he cannot avoid them unless he will say That where there are in a Nation two divided parties of Christians fixt under different Pastors those are the only lawful Pastors who are on the side of Truth in the Points controverted betwixt them whether they have the Civil Magistrates countenance or no. And if he say this 't will follow on the other hand that in those Popish Kingdoms where there are any Protestant Ministers they are the only lawful Pastors and the Popish Churches that live not under them no part of the Catholick Church Nay in those parts of Germany where there are Lutherans and Calvinists if the Calvinists be in the right the Lutherans for separating from the Calvinist Ministers forfeit all relation to the Catholick Church And to add no more if the Non-Conformists be in the right in the matters debated betwix them and the Conformists about Church-Government c. they are the only lawful Pastors and the Prelatical Churches no part of the Catholick Church Or lastly Must the Laws of Christ determine who are lawful Pastors then those are the only lawful spiritual Governors in his Church whose Office he has instituted who have all the Qualifications requir'd 1 Tim. 3. ch 1 Tit. Who are ordain'd to their Office by such as he has entrusted the power of Ordination to where such Ordination can be had and who have the consent of that Flock they take the oversight of If these be the laws of Christ as it were easy to prove if that were deny'd then all Diocesan Prelates must be cashier'd from the number of lawful Pastors unless they can prove their Office instituted by Christ and so must all the Parish-Ministers who want the Qualifications mention'd 1 Tim. 3. or who are impos'd on the people without their consent nay too often against it And if Mr. K's Notion of the Catholick Church be true then all the Churches that live under Diocesan Prelates as their spiritual Governors or such unqualifi'd obtruded Parish-Ministers are no part of the Catholick Church So that if he retract not this new description of the Catholick Church 't is like to fall heavy on his own Party and because I would not be so uncharitable to the Church of England as he is to the Churches of Dissenters I advise him the next time he undertakes to define the Catholick Church to leave out this dangerous mark of it At least he ought to apply this mark to the Papists as well as Dissenters whereas among the Latin Questions The 14th is Whether that be a true Church which has not lawful Pastors And Mr. K. thus answers It may be a true Church witness the Church of Rome which has had so many haeretical schismatical simoniacal ones who were not all lawful Pastors But did there therefore cease to be a Chureh at Rome But I perceive this is a true mark when he would vent his spleen against the Presbyterian Churches at home and abroad but a false or uncertain one when it would unchurch the Papists The best of it is if it be a true mark the Papal and Diocesan Churches are most concern'd in the dangerous consequences of it All therefore I shall add on this Head is a brief Answer to Mr. M's Question What that Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church is which we profess to believe in the Creed Answ We need go no farther for the resolution of this Question than the Text quoted by Mr. K. 4 Eph. 3 4 5. Only I must premise that the Catholick Church in its true extent includes the Church Triumphant as well as the Church Militant nay all the Saints that have been are or shall be on earth to the end of the world see Mr. Claud's Reponse au livre de Mon sr l' Evesque de Meaux c. p. 7 8 9 c. But if we speak of the Catholick Church as militant on earth it must be considered either as measured by the judgment of God which discerns the truth of things from all hypocritical disguises or as measur'd by the judgment of humane Charity As measur'd by the judgment of God 't is according to the fore-quoted Text One body or society animated by one holy Spirit having one heavenly hope subjected to one Lord Jesus believing the same revealed Doctrine as to all necessary Articles and devoted by one Baptismal Covenant to one heavenly Father This Body is call'd Invisible or Mystical from that internal Faith and Holiness which are invisible and 't is also Visible by the external profession of that true Faith and Holiness And this is that Church which we profess to believe in the Creed in which alone we can expect to find the true Communion of Saints And to this Church alone all promises of saving Blessings are made in the holy Scriptures * The judgment of several Fathers to this purpose and particularly St Aug see quoted in that forecited discourse of Mr Claud from p 45 to 68 But the Catholick Church as measur'd by the judgment of human Charity comprizes all that make a credible profession of Christian Faith and Holiness For we are incapable to distinguish the true and living members of the Church from those that only appear to be so And therefore the Catholick Church as estimated by our charity is more large and comprehensive than the real Body of Christ For Hypocrites are no true members of his Body tho mixt with them in the same external Society by their external Profession or as St. John distinguishes they are among them but not of them 1 Joh. 2. v. 19. They are but blasted Ears not the true Wheat they are members of the Church Catholick in appearance not in reality The Church Catholick as measur'd by our charitable judgment is I know commonly call'd the Church-Catholickâ— Visible i. e. the Church Catholick as estimated by an external or visible profession But I wou'd choose rather for avoiding confusion to call it the Visible Church Catholick mixt For the Church Catholick in the proper sense as constituted of its living or as the Schools speak its univocal members real Saints is also Visible because its members not only
also the Churches calâ—'d Presbyterian and Independenâ— is united with all other Christians in the participation of the same Sacraments And I doubt not the Presbyt and Indep Churches administer them as agreeably to our Saviours Institution as any other I come therefore to the 4th Quest Whether by the Catholick Church be meant the variety of all Protestants since they want her essential mark Unity Before I consider Mr. K's answer to the Quest I shall offer one that is very obvious and I doubt not more agreeable to the temper of every true Catholick and charitable Christian viz. That all the Reformed Churches whose publick Confessions of Faith are extant are true parts of the Catholick Church tho some of them may be more others less pure and uncorrupted Of Quakers we can make no judgment because we know not what their â—pinions are and 't is well if they do so themselves For Fifth-Monarchy men I know no distinct Churches constituted of them and if they hold no other Notion of a Fifth-Monarchy than the learned Mr. Mede on the Rev. seems inclin'd to believe I hope Mr. K. will not think it inconsistent with salvation If D. M. ask where is the essential mark of the Church Catholick viz. Vnity among the Episcopal Presbyt Indep and Anabapt Churches Answ What Vnity does he mean If an Unity in the essentials of Châ—istian Faith and Holiness let him name me one of these Churches that denys any essential Article of the Christian Religion or one Precept of the moral Law nay or one essential part of Divine Worship as Praise Prayer Preaching or one Sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ For tho the Anabaptists deny the Baptizing of Infants yet they do not deny Baptism it self and however I may judge them mistaken in that point I should think him more dangerously mistaken that should on the account of their Error in so intricate a controversy condemn them as no part of the Catholick Church I will not patronize all the irregularities that may be objected in some of these Churches but my charity does oblige me to add that they are not such as invalidate the credibility of their Christian Profession nor the thousandth part so gross as the corruptions of the Greek and Roman Churches Or does Mr. M. mean by Catholick Unity an Vnity in an humane universal Head of the Church as Pope or Council This is no better than an Vnity in owning a gross Usurper that invades the Prerogatives of our blessed Lord the only Head of his Church that claims an universal power over his Church without any commission from him Or does he mean an Unity in all the Errors Idolatry Superstition and corrupt practices that have by degrees crept into the Church and over-run any considerable part of it I hope he will not make this the mark of the Catholick Church's Vnity no more than he wou'd make mens diseases a mark of their unity in the humane nature This is an Unity to be avoided not courted or desir'd Or does he mean an Vnity in humane unnecessary Canons that shall reduce all Christians to an exact uniformity in the external modes of Religion This is an Unity never to be effected but either by reducing mens judgments to an uniformity about those matters or by forcing them to comply with what their judgments condemn The former is morally impossible considering the different degrees of our knowledge in this imperfect state on earth and one might as wisely attempt to bring all Nations to affect the same civiâ— customs ceremonies or garb The latter is a loâ—ding it over God's heritage and exercising a dominion over the Faith of Christians in the higest degree which the Apostles themselves disclaim and forbid 2 Cor. 1.24 2 Pet. 5.3 An uniformity in humane rites is no unity prescrib'd in the word of God and consequently not necessary to the constitution of the Catholick Church The laws of Christ which alone are obligatory to the Catholick Church have made sufficient provision for its Unity as far as 't is attainable on earth for perfect Unity is the effect of the perfect light and love of Heaven And for any single person or collective body of Pastors to prescribe other terms of Unity to the Catholick Church than Christ has done is not only an usurpation of his legislative power but one of the most effectual methods that Hell has found out to raise Schisms and Divisions in it and thereby to destroy Christian love And he that knows not how fatal an Engine the needless and corrupt impositions of ambitious Prelates and their Councils have been above these 1300 years to deprave and tear the Christian Church under pretence of reducing it to an impossible Uniformity is either a stranger to Church History or has too deep a tincture of that wretched pride and ignorance that has animated imperious Patriarchs and Popes I proceed now to consider Mr. K's Answer to D. M's Quest which I shall transcribe at large Neither are all Protestants Catholick Members of the Church nor they only Those among Protestants that embrace the Catholick Faith and make no separation from their lawful Governors and that live in Vnity of Faith and Charity with their neighbour Churches are catholick members and have that unity which is essential to the catholick church But these are not to be confounded with Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists Fifth-monarchy men Quakers c. since these have separated themselves from their lawful Governors as much as Mr M. himself though their crime be less than his as he is less guilty that makes a rebellion than he who joyns with a Forreigner to enslave his countrey I did not expect a man of Mr. K's abilities cou'd have betraid so much ignorance or uncharitableness or both in answering so easy a Question If the Dissenters be guilty of Schism I am sure 't is nâ—t half so gross and palpable as what this one Paragrâ—ph contains nor so opposite to true christian love Mr. K. who charges D. M for talking of things without clearing them would do well to take his own advice 'T is hard to imagine what he means by Catholick members of the Church Does he mean the same by it as members of the catholick church or no If he do not what signifies his Answer to D. M's Question which was Whether the church catholick contain all the variety of Protestants who want her essential mark viz. Vnity Nay why does he assert those Protestants only whom he here describes to have that Unity which is essential to the Catholick Church For none can be members of the Catholick Church but such as are united with their fellow members in those things which essentially constitute them one Church or Body Catholick members of the Church is no very proper expression 't is like total parts and can have no tolerable sense distinct from that plainer expression Members of the catholick church If Mr. K. make any distinction betwixt these two phrases it must be
the sole power of Church-Government in a Nation and exercise it against the will of Christ to the nâ—torious detriment of souls as by unjust silencing of faithful Pastors when their labours are highly conducive to the Churches good by imposing on the people sinful conditions of Church-communion by obtruding unqualifi'd Pastors on the people against their consent c. To separate from such Bishops so far as to disobey these unjust commands is no separation from our lawful Governors and is no more a Rebellâ—on in the Church than 't is a Rebellion in the State to disobey one that usurps a Power he never receiv'd from the King and which he exercises against the laws and interest of the Kingdom And therefore I would propose these two Questions to Mr. K. in reference to this Head. Q. 1. On supposition the Presbyt's and Indep's have made an unjust separation from their lawful Governors whom they should have submâ—tted to Whether â—his be such a crime as will exclude them from being Catholiâ—k members of the Church To resolve that We must consider the nature of their separation Their Ministers separate from the Bishops i. e. they are not willing to obey them in what they account a sinful and dangerous usurpation viz. the assuming the sole power of Church-Government and depriving the Pastors of particular Churches of an essential part of their Office and suspending them unjustly Their people separate from the Parish-Ministers but 't is not by disowning them as no true Ministers but by refusing to receive them as theirs because they judge they have a right to choose a Physician for their Souls as well as for their Bodies and therefore think not themselves bound to acquiesce in the Patrons or Bishops choice when contrary to their own edification especially when there are terms of Parish-communion impos'd to some unlawful to others greatly suspected and all true Church-discipline is cast out or neglected They separate not from the conforming Churches as no true Churches but as preferring the ordinary communion of purer because they judge the laws about Parish-order do not oblige when injurious to the interest of Religion and Souls Now suppose them mistaken in these matters through the weakness of their judgment will this sort of separation make them cease to be Catholick membeâ—s of the Church 'T is not a separation from any thing Christ has made necessary to the unity of his Church 't is only a separation from some humane order which they dare not comply with because they apprehend it contrary to the laws of Christ And is this to be compar'd to a Rebellion in the State as he is pleas'd to do p. 6. Is the convocation Christ or their Canons equally obligatory as his laws or do those that disobey the Canons of the Convocation because they judge them opposite to the laws of Christ renounce their Allegiance to him as the Head of his Church Are their Canons even about things they call indifferent as necessary to be obey'd as the undoubted Rules of the Gospel by all that wou'd be Catholick members of the Church when those that are requir'd to obey them fear the things commanded are unlawful When I read such expressions as this about Church-Rebellion I cannot but lament the effects of humane ignorance and pride and observe in such as Mr. K. some degrees of that spirit that has acted Papal Councils who made no scruple of treating all that would not pay them a blind obedience with such characters as these And I know no better way to convince Mr. K. of the folly of this Principle I am opposing than by shewing him how pernicious the consequences of it are to his own Party For if this sort of Schism which he supposes the Dissenters guilty of prove them to be no Catholick members of the Church then sure more heinous Schism will prove those to be in the same condition who are guiâ—ty of it Greater Schism is more opposite to Catholick Vnity than lesser But the Prelates are guilty of more heinous Schism than this of the Dissenters supposing it to be Schism and consequently if Mr. K's principle be true are no Catholick members of the Church That the Prelates are guiâ—ty of more heinous Schism I offer this Argument to evince Those who impose unnecessary and and doubtful terms of Church-Communâ—on nay who declare many thousands of true Christians ipso facto excommunicated are greater Schismaticks than those who only scruple those terms tho through mistake and who unchâ—rch not those Churches which they are thus forc'd to separate from For the Schism of the Imposers is more voluntary and curable by forbearing to prescribe such terms of Communion as are more likely to prove engines of Division The Schism of the Refusers is more involuntary and in doubtful cases often incurable And 't is more opposite to Christian Love to excommunicate thousands of sincere Christians than 't is to prefer those Churches which we upon the best enquiry judge more pure before those that seem more corrupt without unchurching them even tho in so doing we should be guilty of some breach of the Churches peace by vâ—olating a tolerable humane order So that all Mr. K. will gain by excluding Dissenters from the Catholick Church on the account of their Schism will be That by the same reason our Convocation were no Catholick members of it and if so I am sure they are no lawful Governors in it For what I have here asserted that the Convocation have excommunicated thousands of sincere Christians and that ipso facto I appeal to their Canons and to the consciences of any that peruse them and know the Nonconformists in these Kingdoms few whereof are not by some of these Canons ipso facto excommunicated See Mr. Baxter's English Schismatick detected who from p. 42. to the 50th recites the particular Canons Nay if all that are guilty of equal Schism with that of the Dissenters supposing them guilty be no Catholick members of the Church I fear there are few such in the World. Sure the Schism of the Papists is of a more monstrous nature who unchurch aâ—l the Churches on earth besides themselves And the Greeks pay them in the same coyn And if other of the Eastern Churches do not unchurch one another they have lost their old wont What dreadful work Councils have made in hereticating and unchurching one another upon very unjustifiable grounds fills up both pages in Church-History And as such were more heinous Schismaticks than those that are guilty only of passive separation i. e. separation occasion'd by mens scrupling the lawfulness of some humane Canons so according to this notion they were no Catholick members of the Church And at this senseless rate we may soon reduce the Catholick Church to a small compass And what would become even of the Christian World if the compassions of our blessed Lord were as narrow as the charity of such censorious Christians The 2d Quest I wou'd propose to Mr. K. is Vpon what grounds does he assert that the Presbyterians Independents c. have made a separation from their lawful spiritual Governors This Quest relates to the regular constitution of their Churches Who
these debates with deep regret that I am put on so unhappy necessity not only of opposing Mr. K. but saying so much against the present Church-Goverment in order to the Vindication of the Reformed Churches both at home and abroad and the Truth it self But as these principles I have here reflected on have been the fatal Engines of Church Tyranny and divisions these many Ages and belong to the Roman Arsenall so t is the necessary work of a Peacemaker who proposes a Catholick Unity and Love as his great aim to batter them down I had not so long delay'd the sending this paper but that I still hoped some abler pen would have undertaken what mine is so unfit for However I hope I have asserted nothing contrary either to Truth or Peace or if I have I am willing to receive better Information I am Sir. Your most humble c. A POSTSCRIPT THe person to whom the Letter was address'd desiring me to publish it I thought it requisite upon a review of it to add a few things relating to some passages in it The opposition of Mr. K's Notion of the Catholick Church to the Articles of the Church of Ireland and the agreeableness of mine to them is observ'd in the Preface To what is said about Mr. K's mark of the Catholick Church viz. living under lawful spiritual Governors I add that this renders the relation of all true Christians to our blessed Lord as his members as questionable as the title of the Pastor under whom they live and consequently exposes their right to all the benefits of the Gospel even to the Kingdom of Heaven it self to the same uncertainties and doubts as the regularity of his Admission to his Office. And if those ancient Canons repeated in so many Councils be of any force which declare all Elections of the Clergy by Magistrates or without the consent of the people void what a desperate case has almost all the Christian world been in ever since the old way of Elections was alter'd Nay the Church of England it self where the Bishops are chosen by the King and Parsons by Patrons is in a miserable plight So severe is this mark of the Catholick Church on those for whose secular interest Mr. K. seems to have calculated it and so over-favourable to those whom he design'd to exclude from the Catholick Church by it For what is said on behalf of all the Reformed Churches p. 11 c. It is not intended to include the Socinians who deny an essential Article of the Christian Faith the Deity of Christ and all the Doctrines of his Satisfaction c. that depend on it Against Mr. K's Notion of the Supreme Government over all the Christians in England being lodg'd in the Convocation touch'd on p. 57th I add this Argument ad hominem The General-Assembly in Scotland have equal pretensions to the Supreme Government of all Christians in that Nation as the Convocation has in England Now if the laws of the Convocation would oblige the Consciences of all the Christians in England as the laws of the Church whether ratified by the Civil Authority or no then the Acts of the General Assembly in Scotland have the same force there Now that General Assembly which sat there in the year 1639. whose Acts were also ratified afterwards by King Ch. the First in person present in his Parliament there abolisht Prelacy and set up the Presbyterian Government there The Prelates were according to Mr. K's Principles discharg'd from their Office and since they regain'd it not only without the allowance of any General Assembly but against the Acts or Laws of all that sat there since they were therein guilty of Schism or Church Rebellion Mr. K's Notions are as unmerciful to the Bishops there as to Presbyters here So little does he regard where those envenom'd darts may fall which he levels against his Dissenting Brethren The Contents of the Letter MR. M's 1 Quest in the Preface What is meant by the Catholick Church Mr. K's Answer consider'd and evidenc'd to be obscure narrow and consequently schismatical and dangerous from p. 2 to p. 7. The true Answer to that Question p. 7 8 9 10. Mr. M's 2d and 3d Questions Mr. K's Answer enlarg'd to make it more Catholick and comprehensive p. 10 11. Mr. M's 4th Quest Whether by the Catholick Church be meant the variety of all Protestants since they deny her essential mark Vnity The true Catholick Answer proposed p. 11 12 13. Mr. K's Answer to that Question consider'd His three marks of the Catholick members of the Church examin'd His first Embracing the Catholick Faith allow'd His second Living in Charity with their neighbour Churches excludes the Papists Mr. Dodwel and himself and a great part of the Christian world in the present and former Ages His third mark Making no separation from their lawful Governors founded on his schismatical Notion of the Catholick Church Two Questions propos'd on that Head. 1. Whether the separation of the Presbyterians c. supposing it to be sinful will exclude them from being Catholick members of the Church That it does not prov'd from the nature of their separation being only a breach of humane Vnity The contrary Assertion excludes the English Convocation the Papists and the greatest part of the Christian Church in every Age from being Catholick members c from p. 16. to p. 20 2 Vpon what grounds does Mr K assert that the Presbyterians have made a sinful separation from their lawful Governors Some difficulties propos'd on that Head That the Presbyt Ministers are lawful Pastors to the Churches under their oversight prov'd from p 21 to p. 30 The Q's in the Pamphlet about Mission The true Notion of Mission stated The Authority and Obligation of Pastors to the duties of their Office derived from Christ's Charter The use of Pastoral Ordination It s absolute necessity to the being of the Ministry disprov'd The power of Ordination belongs to scriptural Bishops Such Bishops prov'd to be the Pastors of single Congregations not Diocesses from Scripture and Antiquity The Ordination of Presbyt Ministers at home and abroad hence vindicated from p. 38. to p 48 These promis'd Mr. M's 1 Qu. What Priesthood or holy Orders had the first Reformers but what they received from Rom. Cath. Bishops Answered p 48 49 His 2 Q. Who authorized the first Reformers to Preach their Protestant Doctrine and administer their Protestant Sacraments Answered and retorted on the Church of Rome p. 49 His 3d and 4th Q's Whether Cranmer and his Associates could condemn the Church of Rome by vertue of the Mission derived from her Bishops If so whether a Presbyt Minister having received Orders from a Protestant Bishop can by vertue of such Orders pronounce the Church of England a corrupt Church Answered p 50 51 Mr. K's Answer examined His Concession to D. M. That a Bishop or Presbyter ought not to preach against the Constitution of the Church he is a member of and if he be censured or suspended he is discharg'd c. consider'd The consequences of it pernicious to a great part of the Reformed Churches and to our own had we a Popish Convocation The grounds of it absurd and false The silenc'd NC Ministers not chargeable with Schism or Church-Rebellion the charge more likely to fall heavy on the unjust silencers unless Mr K. can prove both the divine right of the Convocation to be the Ecclesiastical Head of the Church of England and the equity of their silencing sentence from p 51 to p. 59 5 Q Whether an Act of Parl c Answered p 59 60 Some general Remarks on the rest of Mr K's Answer p. 60 61 62 Reflections on the whole from p 62 to the end A Postscript FINIS ERRATA PAge 7 l 21 r Arimini To line 24 add And not the Catholick Church as visible or as measur'd by a Judgment of Charity as the Papists assert and Mr K with them contrary to the stream of protestant writers on that Controversie p 9 l 15 after commandment add an c p 23 l 30 r 7th v p 40 l ult r prelacy p 59 l 28 r 5th Q p 63 l 17 blot out a
the silencing such a number of Ministers on such grounds was a crime of that nature that I would in charity to Mr. K. warn him to draw the guilt of it no further on his own head by undertaking to justify or defend it For the Second That these Ministers tho unjustly suspended were bound to obey the sentence is to give the suspendeâ—s the same absolute Authority câ—aim'd by Popish Prelates and Councils and on the same grounds all the Protestant Ministers in France and other Reformed Churches were bound to cease their Ministry when first suspended by Popish Prelates and so their Reformation was only founded on Church-Rebellion Nay if this be true it will be in the power of a Convocation in England by imposing such sinful terms of Church-Communion as few of the people dare submit to and silencing all the Pastors that will not approve of them to oblige the greatest part of the Nation to live without the publick worship of God as the Popes did sometimes thus interdict a whole Kingdom And he that can believe this may next be perswaded that Christ has put the power of damning men into the hands of a Convocation and the people must not endeavour their own salvation against the will of such a Convocation tho even the Apostles themselves had no power but for Edification 4 Quest Whether an Act of Parliament be not as good in France Spain or Germany for the Popish Religion as in England for Protestancy Answ Mr. K. justly saith that 't is not sufficient the Power which establishes a Religion be competent and the methods of settling it regular but 't is likewise necessary the Religion it self be true p. 33. No humane laws can justly establish a false Religion because God has given no man power to contradict his Revelation and Laws And tho subjectâ—on be due to the Magistrate yet his Authority cannot oblige us to formal obedience when he commands us to profess Error or practice false Worship or forbids us to confess with the mouth what we believe with the heart to salvation The only Quest here is Whether the Popish or the Protestant Religion be the more agreeable to the holy Scriptures the only infallible Test of all revealed Religion Which Quest D Manby shou'd have attempted to resolve by coming to the merits of the Cause and entring into a particuâ—ar discussion of the Controversies betwixt the Church of Rome and those that have embrac'd the Reformation Had he done this he might have spar'd all these impertinent Questions about Mâ—ssion which are but as Mr. K. calls them meer Banter and contriv'd only to divert people from a necessary enquiry into the principles of the Popish Religion Only there is one passage that occasionally drops from Mr. K's Pen in answer to this last Quest which I would take notice of p. 33. 'T is one principle of the Christian Religion that the Professors thereof ought to associate into a body and that Christ the Author thereof has appointed Governors who are to descend by succession and that to these regularly appointed due obedience is to be paid as men value the rewards and punishments of another life 'T is strange to me that Mr. K. should think any man able to know what he meant by these words If he means that all the Christians throughout the world must associate in a General Council to set up some universal Officers that shall govern the Church-Catholick as as one political society subject to them or that the Church-Catholick must become one body by a subjection to any humane Head Pope Council or Colledge of Prelates this is plainly to set up a Vice-Christ and to make a humane center of Unity to the Catholick Church which he seems honestly to disclaim p. 55. If he mean not thus why does he talk of Governors appointed to this Catholick body So for these Governors descending by succession if he mean that none are lawful Governors but such as can plead an uninterrupted successiâ—n of Prelatical Ordination as Mr. Dodwell seems to dream it will hence follow that 't is a meer uncertainty whether there be any lawful Governors in the Church at all and if such Prelates were not known in the primitive Church either they or the succeeding Ages had no lawful Governors So when he makes obedience due to these Governors as men value the rewards or punishments of another life I hope he means obedience to them so far as they deliver those laws of Christ which he enforces with that solemn sanction and not obedience to every unnecessary or sinful injunction of their own And I hope he will not think that Christ has appointed such our Governors whose very office he never instituted And if the meaning of this fine Principle be no more than this that all Christians must unite in Christ as their Head and all endeavour to live under such Pastors as he has instituted and the Pastors endeavour all necessary Concord by their mutual consultations and be careful to provide such as shall succeed them in the same office and that to disobey such Pastors when they urge the necessary Doctrines and Laws of Christ is to forfeit the rewards and incurr the punishments of another life then indeed I see no danger in this Principle But without all this allowance and explication it has a very dangerous sound and Mr. K. was not aware what use D. Manby might make of it For the 2d and 3d Points of Mr. M's Paper about Auricular Confession and the Catholick Church Mr. K's Answer is so judicious and clear bating a passage or two that relate to his schismâ—tical Notion of the Catholick Church that I shall not needlesly undertake what he has so well perform'd The same I may say concerning his Answer to that wild discourse of the Dean's in vindication of the Church of Rome and accusation of the Reformed except what Mr. K. has p. 79 80 81 82. which runs on the mistakes I have already animadverted or And 't is strange Mr. K. should p. 82. quote Phil. 3.15 to that purpose he there does which may be applied to the quite contrary with far greater advantage as the Answerers of Dr. Stillingfleet's Sermon have at large evinc'd The Rule the Apostle there speaks of is what God has prescrâ—b'd to hâ—s Church not the unnecessary and much less the sinful Canons of men And for those that are otherwise minded he leaves them to God's instruction and does not immediately go about to open their eyes by an excommunication ipso facto much less by a Writ de Excom capiendo And if other Church-governors had used the same forbearance there had been fewer Schisms and Divisions in the Christian world For Mr. K's Answer to the Latin Questions there occurrs nothing in them disagreeable to the common Protestant Doctrine which does not refer to the forementioned mistakes Having Honoured Sir offered you my sense of these passages in Mr. K's Answer wherein I thought his immoderate