instituted by a fixing Law 2. It is deceit not to distinguish these different things 3. The charge of false Worship unexplained is meer deceit 1. Worship is so far false as it is contrary to the Rule Every Sermon Prayer or Sacrament which we administer hath faultiness and sin and is so far false Worship 2. But Worship offered God on pretence that he instituted it when he did not or that Man hath authority to command the like is yet worse false Worship 3. And the worship of false Gods or Idols is yet worse than that and abhorred of God 4. His making all faulty circumstances such as he nameth to be Idolatry because false as he calls it is yet more sinful and of mischievous importance 5. So is it to make the Churches Idols Temples where they do kneel at the Sacrament and use the Liturgy 6. So is it to feign falsly that God calleth men to come out from such and be separate because he calleth them out of Babylon falsly adding to the Laws of God 7. By his Doctrine he maketh Christ an Idolater which Imention with horror For he 1. used Circumstances riot instituted before or by himself He preached on a Mountain in a Ship c. not commanded He commended Mary for anointing him washing his Feet with Tears wiping them with her Hair not instituted in particular He commended the Publican for smitinig on his breast standing far off not looking to Heaven without particular Command His Custom was to go to the Synagogue-worship He from his childhood performed Temple-Duties and Service He commanded the Lepers cleansed to go to the Priests and offer their due and his Disciples to hear the Scribes and Pharisees in Moses Chair c. And yet 1. The High Priests were not of Aaron's line according to Institution 2. They bought the Office of Heathen Romans 3. They had it not for life according to institution 4. Doctrine Worship Discipline and Manners were heinously corrupted so that the Hearers were to beware of the Leaven of their Doctrine and not to imitate their lives 4. They were bitter enemies of Christ and Persecutors yet Christ never bid his Disciples to separate from any thing but their errors but saith They shall cast you out of the synagogues And doubtless Christ committed no sin nor can we be so holy as he 8. He condemneth Abraham and all the Jewish Church of old that used such things that were not instituted in Worship as is before mentioned in swearing c. 9. He maketh the Apostles Idolatrous that used the like 10. He maketh the Primitive Churches Idolatrous and the Scriptures to approve it For they used such uninstituted things yea the Romans were guilty of differences in God's Service and despising and judging each other for them The Corinthians were Carnal in making Parties and Divisions they defrauded each other and went to Law before Heathens They had Fornicators Judaizing envious Slanderers of Paul Heretical deniers of the Resurrection such as eat in Idols Temples or of their Sacrifices Were drunk at or before the Sacrament The Galatians are yet sharplier charged Almost all the Seven Churches Rom. 2. and 3. had Nicholaitans or Jezabels Doctrine which God hated and no Christian is called to separate from the Communion of any one of all these but commanded to amend and live in Unity without divison 11. He condemneth as Idolaters all the Churches on Earth for Six Hundred if not One Thousand Years after the Apostles not One Church Christian or Heretick as far as any History tells us that I have found did ever deny such things as he calls False Worship or Idolatry They all â—ent further than our Parish Churches do At Baptism they used the White Garment tasting Milk and Honey Chrisme or anointing the Forehead Crossing they adored onely Standing and not Kneeling every Lords Day all as significant Ceremonies No one Church or Person is said to scruple these I think they did not well but God rejected not their Worship 12. He maketh all or near all the Churches on Earth Idolaters at this day All on Earth save the Protestants are far grosser in their Liturgies and Ceremonies than the English Of the Protesants Sweden Denmark Saxony and all the Lutherans have Liturgies Crossing Ceremonies Church-Images Consubstantiation The Helvetians are such as are called Erastians making the Magistrate the onely Ruler and Sacraments common Geneva and France yea and Helland have their Liturgies and some Rites 13. He condemneth Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists and all Dissenters that are here called Protestants For they have al1 many of the foresaid uninstituted things They put off the Hat in Church at Prayer They stand up at the Blessing they use uncommanded gestures at Sacrament they use Psalm-versions Metres Tunes Scripture-Translations Divisions into Chapter and Verse never instituted particularly The Scots used a Governement by Classes National Assemblies of various Elders ruling by Vote instead of meer consulting for Concord uncommanded 14. I humbly propose it to consideration Whether by consequence which he seeth not nor owneth do not deny Christ and all the Gospel and work of mans redemption I challenge him to name me one Church on Earth for many hundred years after the Apostles that had not that which he calls false Worship and Idolatry Suppose this were but in a few Ages as the second third or fourth Century Then a Temple of Idols and Company of Idolaters is no true Church And if at any time there was no Church there was no Head of the Church No Kingdom no King No Wife no Husband that is no Christ How much more if he make all or near all the Church Idolaters to this day and himself with the rest 15. If it be a heinious sin to bear false Witness against a Neighbour or to slander one man what is it to slander and back-bite all the Church on Earth and Christ himself 16. Is it not a work of Satan to destroy Love and to render almost all Christians odious And doth not he do so that calleth them Idolaters Is not this Preaching men into the hatred of each other Do we owe no Love to any Christians but such as is due to Idolaters Is not the fruit of the Spirit otherwise described 17. Doth he not deny that Communion of the Saints which is an Article of the Creed and tempt weak Christians into sinful Separations Divisions Slanders Judgings Murmurings Envies which are the fruits of the flesh 18. Doth not this directly destroy the Church by Dissolution When there is none to be owned or joyned with that hath not somewhat which he calleth false worship And is not separating the Materials destroying the house 19. Doth he not directly rush into the Sin which he condemneth adding to God's Laws and saying he forbids what he forbids not yea fathering on him Laws more rigorous than the Jewish as disowning Christ's Church as Idolators and false Worshippers 20. I add such wofully harden men in that which they themselves suffer by and which they call enmity and persecution and make more Conformists while they deny it than R. B. whom he frivolously talketh of ever did except it be a Conformity to Truth and Goodness For when men read and hear others confidently rage against Truth and Duty by rash presumptuous ignorance they judge of all our dissent by this And while many run into this Guilt it seems to justify their Afflicters And it tempteth weak Persons to suffer for sinful separation as evil doers thinking it is for Truth Oh with what grief will understanding men see Christians together as in a state of enmity by mistakes To see some at once require from others things good and necessary things Lawful but unnecessary things necessary in their Genus but not this more than that and some things sinful as if they were all almost alike To see those whose Senses are not exercised to discern things that differ misled by the words and reverence of men to swallow some Sins as excellent Duties and fly from things Lawful yea oft from great Duties as odious Sins and suffer rejoyeingly for sinning against God and condemning all that sin not as they do yea even all or almost all the Churches on Earth yea and calling them Idolaters for being wiser and better than they who alas do in all things shew themselves to be ignorant Babes and who speak evil of that which they understand not And then to see others revile and hate and ruin these mistaking Christians by a far more dangerous mistake as if Religious fear of Sin were an unsufferable thing and such were intollerable Hypocrites and Conscience were a disgraceful thing and as if themselves and all Mankind were not liable to worser Errors than to take some lawful things for Sin when they see unlawful things stand near them or among them But of all this I have oft spoken and now only say again That if those justly called Separatists and who think Parish Communion under honest Ministers to be idolatry or unlawful will but without prejudice read what is written to prove it lawful by the old Godly Judicious Non-Conformisits especially Ball 's Trial of Separation Mr. Hildersham Mr. Bradshaw Dr. Ames Mr. Cartwright Mr. Gifford Mr. John Paget Mr. Brightman Mr. Rathband c. they will need no more to save them from this scandalous Schism But if Peter withdraw or separate from the Gentiles for fear of offending the Jewish Christians and Barnabas be led away with the Dissimulation Paul must oppose it to their Faces And I that have seen what the Spirit of Division hath done and read that God never blest unnecessary separation will imitate Paul And if this World be uncurable the Lord prepare me for that World where Love and Unity have no Enemies FINIS
If there be but one Church and one Communion of which all true Christians are members c. p. 23. I am no otherwise a member of any particular Church than I am of the Vniversal p. 40. It 's a schismatical Notion of membership that divides the Christian Church into distinct memberships and therefore into the distinct Bodyes And. p. 19. and often he saith those Churches which are not members of each other are separate Churches and Schismaticks A. I had hoped that no man but Mr. Cheny had talkt at this rate I. It 's agreed on that there is but one Universal Church The contrary is a Contradiction 2. It is agreed that there is no lawful particular Church which is not a part of the Universal 3. That whoever hath just Union and Communion with a true particular Church hath Union and Communion with the Universal 4. That all men in their Worship of God should accordingly perform it and do all that they do as Men in that Relation to the Universal Church None of this is controverted II. But I had hoped never to have heard any but Seekers say that there are not many lawful particular Churches distinct from the whole and from one another though not disjunct in the Common Essentials For the proof of the contrary 1. I begin with that which I expect should be most powerful The mans own after-Confessions to which he is oft brought Pag. 8. Distance of Place and the necessities and conveniences of Worship and Discipline has divided the Church into several parts and members and Particular Churches c. So pag. 14. pag. 19. All Christian Churches ought to be members of one More fully p. 20 21. This is ad hominem Yea and Nay is his Resolution 2. But I 'le bring other Arguments that prevail more with me The Sacred Scriptures oft tell us of many Churches therefore there are many Act. 9. 31. The Churches had rest and 15. 4. Confirming the Churches 16. 5. So were the Churches established in the Faith Rom. 16. 4. All the Churches of the Gentiles So ver 16. 1 Cor. 7. 17. So ordain I in all Churches 11. 16. Neither the Churches of God have such Custom 14. 33. As in all the Churches of the Saints 34. Let your Women keep silence in the Churches So 16. 1. 19. 2 Cor. 8. 1. The Grace of God bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia 18. Whose Praise is in the Gospel through all the Churches So 19. 23 24. and 11. 8. 28. The care of all the Churches 12. 13. Inferior to the other Churches Gal. 1. 2 22. 1 Thes 2. 14. 2 Thes 1. 4. Rev. 1. 4. To the seven Churches ver 11. 20. Angels and Candlesticks of the seven Churches And 2. 7 11 17 29. and 3. 6 13 22 23. and 22. 16. His Concordance might have shew'd him all these in order Phil. 4. 15. No Church communicated with me concerning giving and receiving but ye only The dispute now must be whether the Apostles or this Resolver be to be believed They say there are many Churches parts of One he saith There is but one and it 's Schismatical to divide it into distinct memberships or Bodyes c. It 's no Schisme here to say I am for Paul and the Holy Scripture Let who will believe the contradictor 3. My next Argument is this Where there are many Political Societies consisting of Christian Pastors and People professedly associated for the ordinary Exercise of those Relations as such in holy Communion in Christian Doctrine Worship Order and Conversation for Edification in true Faith Hope Love and Obedience and the Glorifying of God therein There are many distinct true Churches parts of the Church Universal But on Earth there are many such Societyes c. Ergo c. Either the controversie is De re or de nomine for we called Separatists use to separate these 1. If de re Let the existence of the thing defined be tryed by Scripture Reason and common Experience 2. If de nomine Forma quae dat esse dat Nomen Here is the true specifick form which is found in many single Churches ergo the Name of such single or individual Churches is due to them 4. Again ad hominem from the consequences 1. If there be not many single Churches in the Universal then there are not many Patriarchal National Provincial Metropolitical Diocesan or Parochial Churches For non entium non datur numerus Many nothings is a contradiction Multae sunt ergo sunt Ab est tertij adjecti ad est secundi valet argumentum But if there be not many then 1. All the Parish Churches in England being but one and not many a Patron can have right to present to no one as a Church more than to another 2. Then the Parson Vicar or Curate is no more the Parson of one Church than of another nor bound to no more Care and Duty for there is but one 3. Then no one is bound to go to one Parish Church more than another for there is but one 4. Then the Temple and Tithes belong no more to one than another 5. Then no Bishop is the proper Bishop of one Diocesan Church more than of another 6. Then all the revenues of the Bishop of London are no more appropriate to one Church than to another 7. Then you owe no more Obedience to the Bishops of one Diocesan Church than another 8. Then you make the King no more Head or Governour of the Church of England than of another 9. Then a Diocesan oweth no Reverence to a Metropolitane Chruch if there be none such 10. Then many Churches cannot have Communion nor send Bishops to Councils if there be not many 11. And the charge of Separation from a Church that is no Church is a contradiction 5. I adde from Parity of Reason if many distinct subordinate Societies may make one Civil Body Politick so they may one Universal Church But the Antecedent is undoubted If it be Learnedly said with Mr. Cheny that one whole cannot be Part of another whole One may attain the perfection by that time he hath worn the Breeches but a few years to know that a whole Family may be part of a whole Village and a whole Vicinage be part of a whole City and a whole Colledge be part of a whole University and a whole City part of a whole Kingdom and a whole Kingdom part of the whole Earth And if it be objected that the Names of the whole and parts are here divers but a Church and a Church are the same Name I Answer at the same age one may learn that the same Name proveth not the sameness of the things Named and that ex penuria nominum the Genus and Species the Totum and Parts have oft equivocally the same Name with the Addition of just Notes of distinction Sometimes an Academy of many School is called Schola and so are the single Schools therein The City of London is
made any Covenant in particular with the Church of Geneva France or England c. A. 1. God hath made one General Law for Christians congregating with their fixed Elders or Bishops in particular Churches all the World over And his Command is not without Promise of being with them to the End of the World and that Promise becometh a Promise to every Church so congregate God hath not made distinct Laws or Promise to every Christian But the Promise to Justifie all Believers justifieth each single Person when he believeth If the King should make one common Law to command all his Subjects that are Freeholders to live in Corporations or Hundreds described with their priviledges those priviledges would be all theirs that are so incorporated As one Charter may Priviledge every London Company diversified by subordinate Agreements 2. And that God who will have them thus incorporated and distributed into several single Churches doth Covenant or Promise according to their demerits to each Do I need to recite the peculiar Promises and threats to the seven Asian Churches Rev. 2. and 3. which are Covenants to them § 12. Next Pag. 10. He will tell us what Communion is and in many words it is to tell us that Communion is nothing but Vnion I know that quoad notationem nominis Communion may signifie Vnion with others But they that write Politicks have hitherto distinguished Vnion and Communion taking Communion for Actual Communication or exercise of the duties of men in Union But to speak cross to other Writers on the same Subjects and give no reason for it and to confound Vnion and Communion is one part of this edifying Resolution § 13. Pag. 11. Our Communion with the Church consists in being members of the Church which we are made by Baptism saith he Then the Baptized are still in Communion with the Church till their baptism be nullified And hath he proved us Apostates § 14. Pag. 12. Should any man who is no member of the Church nor owns himself to be so intrude into the Church and Communicate in all Holy Offices it 's no Act of Communion c. A. I thought communicating ordinarily in Holy Office had gone for an owning of Communion If it do not would you would tell us how to know who are of your Church § 15. P. 13. Saith he Church-Communion does not consist in particular Acts of Communion which can be performed among those who are present and Neighbours but in membership Now as a member is a member of the whole Body not meerly of any part of it c. All the Subjects of England who never saw nor converst with each other are members of the same Kingdom A. 1. That word meerly hath more Craft than justice or Honesty Meerly signifieth Only I suppose and if he would make his Reader think that they that are for single Church peculiar membership and consent do take themselves to be meerly or only members of those single Churches and not of the Universal it is shameless injury 2. Will he ever draw men to conformity by making them believe that because they owe Common Communion to all Christians therefore we owe no special duty to the Bishops Priests Churches or Neighbours where we are setled Do the Men of one Colledge School Corporation owe no more duty to that than to all others Do the Free-holders of Bedford-shire choose Knights for Middlesex or the Citizens of Oxford choose Officers in London These seem strange Resolutions to us 3. But doth he remember that if Communion consist not in Acts of Communion to such but in membership even with the distant then he that is baptized and no Apostate and performeth no other Acts of Communion to the Bishops Parson or People where he liveth than he is bound to perform to them a hundred or thousand miles off is no Separatist Methinks this favours Separation too much § 16. Pag. 14. When he denyed any Divine Covenant to make us members of particular Churches distinguish't from the Universal as all National Diocesan and Parochial are as parts from the whole he presently confuteth all again saying The exercise of Church Communion as to most of the particular duties and Offices of it must be confined to a particular Church and Congregation for we cannot actually joyn in the Communion of Prayers and Sacraments c. but with some particular Church A. Oportuit fuisse memorem 1. Reader doth not this man here confess that there are particular Churches 2. If these be not distinct from the whole then each particular is the whole 3. If the Exercise must be in particular Churches must not men Consent to their Relations and Duties Is it a sin to Promise Duty 4. Sure it is not meer Place but a mutual Relation of Pastors and People that distinguisheth these Churches The Presbyterians preach't once in the same Places that you do and yet you take them not for the same Church Pastors If one from York or Cornwall come into your Pulpit without consent do People stand as much related to him as to you Some men are of extraordinary sufficiency to resist and conquer the clearest evidence of Truth But he addes every Act of Communion thô performed to some particular Church is and must be an Act of Communion with the whole Catholick Church A. And who denyeth this No sober Independent or Presbyterian that ever I met with It 's a weighty Truth § 17. P. 14. Saith he Praying and Hearing and Receiving the Lords Supper together doth not make us more in Communion with the Church of England than with any other true and Orthodox part of the Church thô in the remotest part of the World A. I think that 's not true With the remotest parts you have only Catholick Communion with the Church Universal In England and London you have that and more even special subordinate Communion with your own King Bishop and Flock 2. And hath not the Church of England such Communion in obedience to its own Laws as the Act of Uniformity Convocation and Canons which you have not with all abroad Do your Bishops in Convocation make Canon Laws for all the World Do you Swear Canonical obedience as much to the Bishop of Paris or Haffnia c. as to your Ordinary Do the Canons of all Churches impose our Liturgy or ipso facto excommunicate all that affirm any thing in it or our Ceremonies or Church Government to be against Gods word Sure this is a peculiar kind of Communion 3. If not why are all the Nonconformists cast out that offer to officiate and Communicate on such terms as are common to all sound Churches Pag. 15. Saith he There is nothing in all these Acts of Communion which does more peculiarly unite us to such a particular Church than to the whole Christian Church A. What neither in these Acts nor any other Then we are no more bound to hear you or maintain you as our Pastor than to hear and maintain the
whole Christian Church § 18. P. 20. Saith he There is no other Rule of Catholick Communion for private Christians but to communicatee in all Religious Offices and all Acts Government and Discipline with Christians those with whom they live A. 1. Elsewhere you added sound and Orthodox Else they that live with Arians Socinians Papists in Spain France Italy c. are bound to communicate with them in all Religious Offices and obey them 2. This concludeth that where Presbytery or Independency is the way of the place where we live all must thus communicate and obey The King and Custom then may make any way to become our Duty 3. If you tell us that it 's only with the Sound and Orthodox you were as good say nothing unless you tell us who must judge that whether the People themselves or who for them 4. But if this be the only rule for private Christians what shall they do e. g. in Aethiopa Egypt Syria and many other Countreys where the Churches are such as General Councils and other Churches judge Hereticks or Schismaticks And what shall they do when at Antioch Alexandria Constantinople c. one party is uppermost by the Judgment of Councils and Prince one Year and another contrary party the next And what shall they do where the Prince equally tolerateth both and it 's hard to know which is the more numerous as in Zeno's and Anastasius Reign c. And what shall they do when many Churches in one City are of divers Tongues as well as Customs Have the Greeks French and Dutch in London no rule of Catholick Communion but communicating in all Offices with the English and obeying all your Bishops Court § 19. P. 21. Saith he Distinct and particular Churches which are in Communion with each other must have their district bounds and limits as every member has it's natural and proper place and Situation in the Body A. Why may not the Greeks Dutch and French live in Communion with the Churches London though they live dispersedly among them In Brandenburg Hassia and many free Cities and Belgia where Lutherans and Calvinists as called live together and own each other as Brethren why may not both be Churches of Christ § 20. P. 21 22. A great deal more he hath of the like making Schismaticks at his Pleasure This is plain in the Case of the Presbyterian and Independent Churches and those other Conventicles They are Churches in a Church Nothing can justifie the Distinction of Christians into several Churches but only such a distance of place as makes it necessary c. p. 22. Distinct Churches in the same place can never be under the same Communion A. These things are repeated so oft and the word separate so deceitfully rolled over and over that I will answer all together under his third Case at the End § 21. P. 27. See how openly he recanteth most aforesaid There is a sence indeed wherein we may be said to be members of one particular Church considered as distinct from all other particular Churches But that principally consists in Government and Discipline Every Christian is a member of the Whole Christian Church and in Communion with it but he is under the immediate instruction and Government of his own Bishop and Presbyters and is bound to personal Communion with them and this constitutes a particular Church in which all Acts of Worship and all Acts of Discipline and Government are under the Direction and conduct of a particular Bishop A. Omitting that he seemeth to make the Parochial Churches no Churches but parts of one here he saith all that he seemed to write against and that those that he reproacheth hold allowing the difference of the extent of Churches And is it Edifying to read such a discourse that saith and unsaith by self-contradiction And he adjoyns 28. p. how by agreement Patriarchal and National Churches are made And is not Agreement a humane Contract CHAP. II. Of his first Case § 1. PAge 31. His first Case Whether Communion with some Church or other be a necessary Duty incumbent on Christians And he thinks the Resolution of this is as plain as whether it be necessary for every man to be a Christian For every Christian is baptized into the Communion of the Church A. In this I know no Christian adversary to him But it being the Vniversal Church that he giveth his proof of necessary Communion with it 's odde to say We must have Communion with some Church or other As if there were more than one Universal Church 2. But we grant more that all that can well should be also members of some single Church § 2. P. 32. He saith External and Actual Communion is an Essential duty of a Church-member meaning a Christian A. 1. And yet before he denyed that Communion lay essentially in this Exercise but only in Vnion Yea and Nay is his Custom 2. Some few Christians as those that live where such Communion cannot be had without sin c. are not bound to it therefore it is not true that it is Essential to Universal Church-membership And I think sickness endeth not the essentials that disableth men 3. Note Reader that by this mans Doctrine we are all unchristened and damned if we do not gather into disallowed Churches if we be unjustly cast out of the allowed ones For all must be Church members that will be Christians and an unjust Excommunication cannot disoblige us from Christianity nor bind us to consent to be damned Now read the 5th 6th 7th 8th c. Canons of the Church of England which ipso facto Excommunicate all that affirm any thing in their Liturgy Articles Ceremonies or Government sinful and answer Spalaâ—â—â—â—ensis arguments against Excommunicating ipso facto and prove all this just and you may prove what you will just But you see where he layeth the Controversie If any be Excommunicated without sufficient cause or by Lay Civilians to whom God never gave that power or by such Bishops or Pastors as have no just Authority for want of a true call or Consent or if any unlawful thing be made necessary to Communion all such persons must by his own confessions hold Church-communion whether these Imposers will or not for all Christians are bound to be of some Church § 3. P. 33 34. He saith that None but publick Prayers are the Prayers of the Church properly and acts of Communion that is such as are offered by the hands of men authorized and set apart for that purpose c. Ans Who would have thought that we are more for the Liturgy than he I undertake to prove that all the Responsal Prayers and all the Litany Prayers in which the Minister names but the matter to them and the People make it a Prayer by speaking the petitioning parts are all the publick Prayers of the Church and so are all the petitioning Psalms spoke or sung by the People and not only that which is offered by the Priest
SCHISM Detected in both Extreams OR TWO SORTS OF Sinful Separation The FIRST PART detecteth the Schismatical Principles of a Resolver of three Cases about Church-Communion The SECOND PART Confuteth the Separation pleaded for in a Book famed to be written by Mr. Raphson Rom. 15. 7. Receive ye one another as Christ received us to the Glory of God LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chappel 1684. THE DANGEROUS SCHISMATICK CLEARLY DETECTED and fully CONFUTED For the Saving of a Distracted Nation from that which would destroy Christian Love and Unity Occasioned by a Resolver of Three CASES about CHURCH-COMMUNION By RICHARD BAXTER a Catholique Christian who is against confining Christian Love and Communion to any Sect how Great soever Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved John 13. 35. By this shall all men know you are my Disciples if ye have Love one to another 1 John 4. 16. He that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and he in him Rom. 14. 1. 17 18. Him that is weak in the Faith receive ye but not to doubtful Disputations for the Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost for he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of Men. LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel 1683. The English Schismatick detected and confuted Occasioned by a Resolver of Cases about Church Communion CHAP. I. SAITH THE RESOLVER § 1. THE Church is a Body or society of men separated from the rest of the World and united to God and to themselves by a Divine Covenant A. He saith this is the plainest description he can give That is not the fault of his Auditors or Readers 1. As to the Genus a Community of equals without Rulers is a body but I suppose he meaneth not such 2. Is it enough that it be of Men sure now they should be Christians 3. Many are separated from the rest of the World secundum quid that are no Christians some in one respect and some in another and none in all respects 4. Vnited to God is an ambiguous word no Creature is Vnited to him perfectly so as to be thereby what he is God in the created Nature Only Christ is united to him Hypostatically in his created Nature All are so far united to him in natural being as that in him they live and move and have their being And the Nature of man is one sort of his Image All things are united to him as effects to their constant efficient The Church should not be defined without any mention of Christ The Churches Union with God is by Christ 5. Christ himself as Head is an essential part of the Church and should not be left out of a Definition thô the meer Body may in common speech be called the Church as the People may be called a Kingdom 6. Will any Divine Covenant serve or must it not be only the Baptismal Covenant 7. Is it called Divine only as made by God or as commanded by God and made by Man or as mutual Certainly Gods Law and offered or Conditional Promise is most frequently called His Covenant in Scripture and this uniteth not men to God till they consent and Covenant with him Their own Covenant Act is necessary hereto And that is a Divine Covenant only as commanded and accepted and done by Gods assisting Grace 8. The form of a Church is Relative and the Terminus is essential to a Relation It is no definition that hath not the End of the Association Therefore this is none at all and so the beginning tells us what to expect This description hath nothing in it but what may agree to divers forms of Society and so hath not the form of a Church And if he intended not a Definition but a loose description I would a defining Doctor had had the Chair during this controversie Let us try this description upon a Mahometan Kingdom Army or Navy or suppose them meer Deists 1. Such a Kingdom Army or Navy may be a Society 2. Of Men. 3. Separated from the rest of the World secundum quid ad hoc and none are separated from it simpliciter ad omnia e. g. No man is Separated from the common humanity No Deist from any but Atheists and no Christian in believing a God and the Law of Nature and Nations 4. They are Vnited to God so far as owning a God and Worshipping him amounts to besides the Union of the Creature with the Creator in whom he liveth c. And no unregenerate ungodly Christian is united to him savingly 5. They are united among themselves 6. This is by a Covenant 7. And by a Covenant Divine as to command approbation and object It is God that they Covenant to own and obey The common Profession of the Mahometans is There is one God and Mahomet is his Prophet It is Divine in tantum as commanded For God Commandeth all men to Own him to believe that God is and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him And God so far approveth it St. James saith Thou dost well to him that believeth there is a God much more that is professedly devoted to him Let us by this examine the Jewish Church Jews now may be 1. A Body 2. Of Men 3. Separated from the rest of the World even in Religion and Church pretensions 4. United to God as Creatures as Men as the corporal seed of Abraham and as professing Belief Love and Obedience to God as their God 5. Strictly united among themselves 6. By a Covenant 7. Which God once commanded and still approveth so far as they own God Let us consider whether this description take not in those in every Nation that fear God and work Righteousness that never heard of Christ being thus combined And whether the Kingdom of God be not larger than his Church Joyn the Head and Tail of this mans book together and by the Head the description for ought I see Jews Mahometans if not almost all Heathens are the Church But at the End I think none on Earth is the Church At least none that separate from a pair of Organs or an ignorant Curate Nor can any man know who Page 2. § 2. He explaineth his Word Body as opposed to a confused Multitude A. But a Community of Equals that have no Governours may have order and be no confused Multitude And he himself after pleads over much for â—â—â—â—necessity of Rulers P. 3. § 3. And in many places his Confusion and grand errour is repeated that the Christian Church is but one p. 7. We know no Church but what all Christians are members of by Baptsme which is the Vniversal Church p. 8. There is but one Church of which all Christians are members as there is but one Covenant p. 19.
But the formal individuating difference is their nearest Relation to their several Pastors as several Kingdoms Cities Schools are numerically distinct by their distinct Kings Maiors School-masters so are several Churches ejusdem speciei 1. Thess 5. 12 13. Know those that are among you and over you in the Lord and esteem them highly in love for their Works sake As every mans Wife Children and Servants must be used for the common good and yet are not common one mans Wife and Children are not anothers So the Bishop of London of Oxford c. must govern his Church for the good of the Universal but he is not the Bishop of Gloucester Norwich Paris Rome These are differences enow to constitute a numerical difference of Churches Paul distinguisheth the Bishops of Philippi Ephesus c. from others Do you yet see no Priviledges that one hath Proper and not common to all none that make a difference in specie but both â—â—â—â—umerical and gradual 1. All Churches have not Bishop Jewel Bishop Andrews Doctor Stillingfleet Doctor Sherlock to be their Teachers Air Churches be not taught all that 's in this Resolver 2. All Churches have not men of the same soundness nor excellency of Parts It was once taken for lawful to account them specially worthy of double honour who laboured in the Word and Doctrine and to esteem men for their works sake Paul saith of Timothy I have no man like minded If those that heard not a Sermon in many years differed not from your Congregation why do you preach I am reproached in Print for telling the world this notorious truth That I lived till ten years old where four men four years hired successively were Readers and School-masters two Preached as it was called once a Month the other two never Two drank themselves to beggery After I lived where many Parishes about us had no Preachers The Parish that I lived in had a Church with a Vicar that never preached and a Chappel with a Parson eighty years old that had two Livings twenty Miles distant and never preacht His Son a Reader and Stage-player was sometime his Curate His Grand-son my School-master his Curate next that never preacht in his life but drunk himself to beggery One year a Taylor read the Scripture and the old man the best of them all said the Commmon-Prayer without book for want of sight The next year a poor Thresher read the Scripture After that a Neighbours Son my Master was Curate who never preacht but once and that when he was drunk in my hearing on Mat. 25. Come ye Blessed and go ye Cursed the saddest Sermon that ever I heard These things were no rarities Now my assertion is That the Church that had such as Austin Chrysostome Jewel Andrews and such worthy men as London now hath many had Priviledges distinct from these and many the like that I was in If you say that every Bishop and Preacher is as much the Bishop and Preacher to all other single Churches as to that which is his Title then 1. He must be condemned for not teaching them all 2. Then he may claim maintenance from them all 3. Then he may intrude into any mans Charge 4. Then no Church is unchurcht for want of a Bishop for any one Bishop is Bishop to every Church in the World and so ubi Episcopus ibi Ecclesia signifieth but that Church and Bishop are on the same Earth and Ecclesia est Plebs Episcopo adunata may be verified if there be but one in the World 5. And so Mr. Dodwell and such are self-confuted before you are aware Geneva Holland and all Presbyterians are true Churches for they have all Bishops e.g. The Bishop of London is Bishop to them all For if one man be no more a Member of one single Church than of another and so no more a Subject to one Bishop than to another then one Bishop is no more Pastor of one Church than of another 7. And how can you magnifie the Church of England for a Wise Learned Pious Clergy above other Churches if all Priviledges be common and they have no proper Pastors of their own 8. Do you think that the Church e. g. Of Hippo that was in Austins dayes was the same numerical single Church with that which is there now were there any or with the Diocesan Church of London if not then at least distance of time and change of Persons maketh divers Particular Churches and it 's no more against the unity of the Church Universal to have divers particular Churches in it in the same Age than in divers Ages In short Diversity of matter and form maketh a numerical Diversity as of Natural so of Politick Bodies of the same species But the Churches of Ephesus Smyrna Thyatira Philadelphia c. were of divers matter and form numerically Ergo they were divers Political Churches Sure God doth not commend Laodicea for Philadelphia's Church Virtues nor condemn the Church of Philadelphia for the other Churches Sins And if the Angels be Bishops why are some Bishops praised as the Bishops of such Churches and the Bishops of other Churches threatned But I confess this is a ready way to end the Controversies between the Bishops of several Churches which shall be greatest if they be all but one But I hope that when the Bishop of Rome and his Church was corrupted it is not true that every Bishop and Church fell with him or with any that hath turned to Mahumetanism To be no longer on this which I thought no Prelatist would ever have put me on if these men speak not notoriously against Scripture against the constant Language of Canons and Fathers Historians and Lawyers and all Antiquity and all Christian Countreys and Divines yea even those that at Trent would have had only the Pope to be of immediate Divine Right then I know not any thing by Reading And if poor Nonconformists must be put to defend themselves against such singularities and be Schismaticks unless they will differ from all the Christian World of all Ages there is no Remedy § 7. But p. 5 6. he tells us that a Church is made by a Divine Covenant God only can constitute a Church Such Persons if there be any so absurd are not worth disputing with who dare affirm the Church to be an humane Creature or the invention of men And no Church can depend on humane Contracts for then a Church would be a humane Creature and Constitution whereas a Church can be founded only on a Divine Covenant 1. Who would think but this man were a Nonconformist that talks so like them e. g. Amesius in Medul Theol. against humane Church Forms But what then will Bishop Bilson and almost all other Bishops and Christians be thought of who affirm Patriarchal and Metropolitical Churches and many of the Diocesane to be but humane Constitutions and Inventions And if these be not worth the disputing with it seems that you differ from them
more than Separatists do and then were not all these Schismaticks and then are not you a Schismatick if you communicate with them yea your Mr. Dodwel himself maketh Diocesan Churches to be a humane Creature and A. Bishop Bromhall much pleadeth for mans power to make Patriarchal Churches and so do such others 2. But is it true that humane Contracts make not a Church Ans Not alone But I think that all Churches are made by mutual Contracts and humane is one part of that which is mutual 1. As to the Vniversal Church 1. God as Legislator and Donor instituteth the species of Covenanting by Baptism and therein he commandeth mans consent to his offered Covenant and conditionally promiseth to be our God But Conditionale nihil ponit in esse This much maketh no Christian nor Church To command a man to be a Christian and conditionally to promise him life if he will be one proveth him not to be one else all were Christians that reject an offered Christ 2. But when man consenteth and covenanteth with God then Gods conditional gift becomes actual and efficacious the man being a capable Recipient and not before and in this it is the Contract that is the Fundamentum Relationis but a single Promise is not a mutual Covenant or Contract So that it is no wiser Divinity to say Gods Covenant and not mans consent Covenant or Contract with God doth make Christians and the universal Church than it is sober Reason to say That Gods Institution of Marriage or Magistracie only doth make the Relation of Husband and Wife without their covenanting consent or doth make Common-wealths without the consent or Covenant of Sovereign and Subjects Did this Doctor think that Voluntariness is not as necessary to the Relation of Christianity as to the Relation of Prince and Subjects yea or of Husband and Wife if he do he is shamefully mistaken Baptism delivereth men possession of Pardon Grace and right to Glory and can men have this against their wills One would think by the Doctrine and course of some men that they could force men to Pardon and Salvation if I believed that their force could accomplish this I would never call it Persecution If they can force men to be true Christians they may force them to be justifyed and saved and then they are very uncharitable if they do not Let them then cease preaching and disputing us to their Opinion but bring us all to Heaven whether we will or not Yea the self-contradictor playing fast and loose confesseth p. 6. That no man at age can be admitted to Baptism till he profess his faith in Christ and voluntarily undertake the Baptismal Vow And is not that humane Covenanting Yea he knoweth that the Liturgie maketh even Neighbours or Strangers vow and covenant both in the name of the Child and for the Child And so necessary doth the Episcopal Church think humane Covenanting that without this no Child must be Baptized publickly though the Parents would covenant and that they can neither for Love nor Money for many poor men hire Godfathers get any one much less three who examined will seriously purpose to perform the Covenant for the Child 's holy Education which they make II. But is not humane Covenanting a cause of single Church Relation as well as of universal I see no cause to doubt it and I am sure that the Church for a thousand years before and since Popery came in have declared him no Bishop that comes in without consent of Clergie and People which Consent is their covenanting act To make a single Church manifold consent goeth to the Fundamentum Relationis 1. God commandeth single Church Officers order and consent and promiseth them his blessing where they are met The Lord and his Angels are among them No command is vain and without a virtual Promise 2. To this a threefold humane consent is needful Ordinarily 1. the Persons called 2. The Ordainers when it may be had 3. The Peoples He that formerly from the Apostles dayes for a thousand years should have said that neither the covenanting that is the consent of the Pastor or People or Ordainers is necessary to the Fundamentum of a single Church Relation or Form would have been taken for a wild-brain'd Schismatick at least § 8. But saith this Doctor and another of them p. 6. But the Independent Church Covenant between Pastor and people is of a very different nature from this Vnless any man will say that the voluntary Contract and Covenant which the Independents exact from their Members and wherein they place a Church state be part of the Baptismal vow if it be not then they found the Church upon a humane Covenant for Christ hath made but one Covenant with Mankind which is contained in the Vow of Baptism if it be then no man is a Christian but an Independent Ans Alas for the Church that is taught at this rate 1. I never saw what Independents do in this case but I think none of them that are Sober own any other sort of Church but the universal and single Churches as members of it and therefore require no Contract but 1. To the Covenant of Baptism or Christianity 2. To the Duties of their particular Church-relation 2. And nothing is here of necessity but manifested Consent which is a real Contract but a clearer or a darker an explicite or implicate consent differ only ad melius esse 3. Is not God the Author of Magistracy Marriage c. And is it any violation of Gods part if Rulers and People Husband and Wife be Covenanters by his command 4. Is it any renuntiation of Baptism to promise at Ordination to obey the Arch-Bishop and Bishop and to take the Oath of Canonical Obedience Is it not still exacted Are not the Takers of it obliged are not Covenants imposed on all that will be Ministers in the act of Uniformity are not multitudes kept out and cast out for not making these Covenants Quo teneam nodo c. How should one deal with such stippery men Good Mr. Zachary Cawdry that wrote to have all men to covenant Submission to Bishops and Parish Ministers did not dream that it was any violation of Baptism 5. Do not men owe duty to their Pastors which they owe to no others If not put them not on it Why are you angry with them for going from you Why doth the Canon suspend those that receive them to Communion from another Parish that hath no Preacher Why are we ruined for not covenanting as aforesaid if yea then is it against Baptism to promise to do our duty 6. But hath God commanded or instituted no Covenant but Baptism Yes sure the Matrimonial at least and I think Ordination is covenanting for the Ministry Did not the Apostle Acts 14. 23. ordain Elders in every Church if you would have by Suffrage left out of the Translation no sober man can doubt but it was by the Peoples consent and was it
without their consent that Titus was to ordain Elders in every City Could any then come otherwise in Did not all Churches hold and practise this after and was it none of Gods Institution If so God requireth us not to take any of you for our Bishops or Pastors Who then requireth it What meaneth Paul when he saith they gave up themselves to the Lord and to us by the Will of God 7. Can the wit of man imagine how it is possible without consent for a man to be made the Pastor of any Flock Who ever ordained a man against his will or for any man to have Title against his will to the proper oversight and pastoral care of any one Pastor or the priviledges of any Church If any think they may be cramm'd and drencht with the Sacrament or that an unwilling man may have a sealed pardon and gift of Salvation delivered him he will make a new Gospel And how any particular Pastor is bound to give that man the Sacrament ordinarily that consents not ordinarily to receive it of him I know not No man is a member of any City or any Company of Free-men in the City but by mutual consent and the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy to the King maketh not the Oath of a Citizen as such or of a Member of a Company as such unlawful 8. Doth this Doctor think that he ever yet proved to sober men that the Covenant aforesaid of Godfathers and Godmothers to make Christians and members of the universal Church is more or so much of Gods Institution than the Contract or Consent between Bishops or Pastors and People to make a single Political Church 9. If it follow not that no man is the Kings Subject that sweareth not to the City It will not follow that none is a Christian but an Independent or Church-consenter 10. How are your Parish or Diocesan Church members known to your selves or any others Are all that dwell in the Parish or Diocess your Church members Then Atheists Sadducees Hobbists and all vicious men and thousands that never communicate are such Yea those that you call Separatists If it be every transient Communicant have you a proper Pastoral care of every Travellers Soul that so communicates with you You after plead that his very ordinary Communion maketh him not a member if he be unwilling to be one And is not his consent then necessary Or if ordinary Communion be the test how few then of great Parishes are of the Church yet that is because such Communion signifieth their Consent to your over-sight of them § 9. But it 's much to be approved which p. 5. and oft he saith that to be taken into Covenant with God and to be received into the Church is the very same thing as to the Universal Church By which all his gross Schismatical Accusations after wards are confuted No man then is out of the Church that is not out of the Baptismal Covenant either by not taking it or by renouncing some Essential part of it And when will he prove that to take him rather than Dr. Bates that was cast out to be a Teacher or Pastor at Dunstans or to take this man and not another to be the Lawful Bishop or Priest and to obey him in every Oath and Ceremony is an Essential part of the Baptismal Covenant or of Christianity But such a rope of Sand as Mr. Dodwell and this man tye together to bind men to their Sect will serve turn with some that know not who speaks Truth by any surer way than prejudice § 10. His Doctrine of Separation and gathering Churches out of Churches is anon to be considered But whereas he addes p. 7. These men convert Christians from common Christianity and the Communion of the Vniversal Church to Independency Ans My acquaintance with them is small save by reading their Books And there are few Men of any Common Denomination Episcopal or other that are not in many things disagreed But I must in Charity to them say that as far as I can judge by their Writings or Speech he palpably slandereth them and that none that are grave and sober among them do separate their Churches from the common Christianity or the Universal Church any more than the Company of Stationers Ironmongers c. are separated from the City of London or London from England or Trinity Colledge from the University of Cambridge or Oxford I never met with man and I am confident never shall do that doth not take his Independent Church to be part of the Universal and Dependent as a part on the whole If belying others stopt at words the wrong were small But when it 's made but the stairs to hatred and destroying it 's his way to cure Schism that is commonly painted with Horns and Cloven feet If a man come from a Countrey Village and be made by Covenant a Citizen of London how prove you that he renounceth King or Kingdom But he saith p. 9. Those who wilfully separate from the Corporation to which the Charter was granted forfeit their Interest in the Charter Ans What Reader doth this man presume upon that will not ask him how he proveth 1. That Gods Law or Charter to his Church doth not require them to congregate in distinct single Churches as London Charter doth to erect several Companies and the Universities several Colledges 2. And that God hath not in his Word given order or command for such single Churches But that the Apostles and Titus by fixing Elders to their several Churches and Cities separated from the Universal Church 3. And that their subordinate Churches have not need of distinct subordinate consent and duty And that our Diocesan Churches all separate from the Universal Did he think these things need no proof at all It may be he will say that the Diocesan depend on the Vniversal but the Presbyterian or Independent do not I Answer Dependance is either that of Subjects on Soveraign or Magistrates for Government or that Of a Community of Equals for Communion In the former respect they depend on none but Christ as Universal Soveraign Nor on any Foriegners for Governments In the latter they depend on all true Churches for Communion And Doctor Hammond and most Diocesans hitherto have said that Diocesan Churches are thus far Independent or National at most And if any be for a Forreign Jurisdiction in Charity before they perswade England to it they should procure them a Dispensation from all the Oaths that have sworn all this Kingdom against endeavouring any change of Government and against a Foreign Jurisdiction For some Fanaticks now Dream that PER is the Mark of the Beast and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the number of his Name is nominal as well as numeral and refers to CH-urch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and S Tate For as for them that find a mans name in them I abhorr their Exposition more §11 P. 9. God saith he hath not
I do not think that he believeth what he carelesly saith here himself But the Independents are stiffer for his first Thesis of the necessity of Church-communion than he is his unfit words I pass by CHAP. III. Of his second Case § 1. THE next question of Occasional Communion as distinct from fixed he turns out of doors as if there could be no such thing and it 's very true as to the Church universal but as to visible actual Communion with this or that particular Church it is not true 1. A Traveller of another Country who on his journey communicateth with every Church where he passeth is not a fixed Member of that Church for 1. The Pastor or Bishop hath not that peculiar Charge of him as of fixed members 2. He is not bound where he passeth to take such notice of the lives of Communicants or Pastors and to admonish the Offenders and tell the Church as fixed members are 3. He hath not the right in chooseing Pastors or Deacons as the fixed Members have 4. An itinerant Bishop in transitu is not their fixed Bishop ergo an Iterant Lay-man is not a fixed Member The same I may say of one that is a fixed member of another Church in the same City and cometh to that only to signifie universal Communion or neighbourly which though he deny to be lawful I shall further prove anon And the same I may say of those that dwell where there is no fixed single Church at all for want of a Pastor but they congregate only when some strange Minister passeth through the Town CHAP. IV. His third Case § 1. PAge 48 49. He resolveth his third Case Whether it be lawful to Communicate with two distinct and separate Churches negatively and saith It is contrary to all the Principles of Church Communion as any thing can possibly be it is to be contrary to our selves it is Communicating with Schism That the Presbyterian and Independent Churches have made an actual separation from the Church of England he hath evidently proved and they are Schismaticks and to communicate with them is to partake in their Schism and if Schism be a great sin and that which will damn us as soon as Adultery and Murther then it must needs be a dangerous thing to communicate with Schismaticks And p. 42. There cannot be two distinct Churches in one place one for occasional and another for constant Communion without Schism Ans To save those that are willing from the Poyson of these Schismatical Doctrines lapt up in confusion by men that abhor distinction or understand not what they say I will first lay down that truth that he fights against with convincing evidence and then shew you the mischief of his false Doctrine and Application § 2. The confusion of these Words Church Communion Separation and Schism which every one signifie divers things is the chief means to blind and deceive his Reader whether it do so by himself I know not I. The Word Church signifieth sometime the universal Church sometime a single Organized Church as part of it and sometime humane combinations of such single Churches and that into Diocesan Classical Provincial Patriarchal National and Papal II. The Specification and Nomination of Churches is from the formal cause and the proper Government is that form And the Individuation is from matter and form but principally from the form III. The Union of Pastor and Flock in Relation makes that which is a form aptitudinal as the Soul to the Body to be the form in act as the Union of Soul and Body and Gods command and consent with the consent of the necessary relate and correlate cause that union IV. Union is in order to Communion which is primary by the exercise of the formal powers on the matter and secondary by the action of all the parts according to their several capacities and Offices V. The Union of the Church is of divers degrees 1. The formal Union of the Head and Body which maketh it essentially the Christian Church 2. The Vnion of the parts among themselves as Christian which maketh them a Body capable of Union with the Head 3. The Union of the parts as unequal Organized the Official with the rest which maketh it an Organized Body fit for its special use and welfare 4. Union in integrity of parts which maketh it an intire Body 5. Union in due temperament and Qualities which maketh it a healthful Body 6. Unity in Common Accidents which make it a Comely Beautiful Body joined with the rest But 7. Union in mutable Accidents is unnecessary and impossible VI. These several degrees of Union are found in Bodies natural and Politick 1. The Union of Soul and Body makes a man and an Embryo before it be organized 2. The Union of the Body maketh it capable of the Souls further Operation 3. The Union of the Organical chief parts as Heart Lungs c. to the rest make it a true humane Body compleated to the nutriment and action of Life 4. That it have Hands and Fingers Feet and Toes and all integral parts makes it an intire Body 5. The due site temperament and qualities of each part make it a sound Body 6. Comely colour hair action going speech c. make it a comely Body 7. To have all parts of equal quantity and office would make it uncomely And to have the same hair colour c. is unnecessary at all 1. The Union of King and Subjects as such makes a Kingdom 2. That the People be agreed for one conjunct interest and Government maketh them a Community capable of Politie or Government 3. That there be Judges Maiors and Justices and subordinate Cities of Societies maketh it an Organized Body in which Kingly Government may be exercised to its end the common good 4. That no profitable part be wanting Judge Justice Sheriff c. maketh it an entire Kingdom 5. That all know their place and be duly qualified with Wisdom Love Justice Conscience Obedience to God first to the Sovereign Power next to Officers next c. maketh it a found and safe Kingdom 6. That it be well situate fertile rich eminent in Learning Skill c. maketh it an adorned beautiful Kingdom 7. That all be equal in Power and wealth is destructive and that all be of one Age complexion calling temper degree of knowledge c. is impossible And that all have the same language cloathing utensils c. is needless at least VII Jesus Christ is the only Universal Soveraign of the Church both of vital influence and Government nor hath he set up any under him either Monarchical Aristocratical Democratical or mixt Pope Council on diffused Clergy that hath the Power of Legislation and Judgment as governing the whole Chorch but only Officers that per partes govern it among them each in his Province as Justices do the Kingdom and Kings and States the World nor is any capable of more VIII To set up any universal
Legislators and Judge Pope or Council is to set up an Usurper of Christs Prerogative called by many a Vice-Christ or an Antichrist and as bad as making one man or Senate the Soveraign of all the Earth and to attempt the setting up of such or any forreign Jurisdiction in this Land is to endeavour to perjure the whole Kingdom that is sworn against it in the Oath of Supremacy and sworn never to endeavour any alteration of Government in Church or State in the Corporation Oath the Vestry Oath the Militia Oath the Oxford Oath with the Uniformity Covenants And if any should endeavour to introduce such a forreign Jurisdiction who themselves have had a hand in driving all the Kingdom to all these Oaths against if I doubt whether all the Powers of Hell can devise a much greater crime against Clergy Cities and all the Land Good reason therefore had Doctor Isaac Barrow to write against it as he hath done and to confute Mr. Thorndike and all such as of late go that pernicious way by the pretence of Church Union and Communion As if one universal Soveraign and Legislator and Judge were not enough to unite Christs Kingdom or man could mend his universal Laws and could not stay for his final judgment and Churches and Kingdomes might nor till then be ruled without one humane universal Soveraign by necessary and voluntary agreement among themselves XI To be a true Believer or Christian or the Insant seed of such devoted to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost according to the sense of the Baptismal Covenant uniteth each Member first to Christ himself directly and consequently to his Body or Church and this coram Deo as soon as it is done by heart consent and coram Ecclesia regularly as soon as he is invested by Baptism which Baptism when it may be had so is regularly to be administred by none but an authorized Minister or Deacon but if through necessity or mistake it be done by a Lay-man the Ancient Christians took it not for a nullity much less if the Baptizer was taken for a Minister by mistake being in his place and if no Baptism can be had open covenanting is vallid X. The Papists and their truckling Agents here have here hampered themselves in a fatal contradiction To make themselves masters of the World they would perswade us that Sacraments only regenerate and sanctifie and that God saveth none by any known way and grant but by his Covenant Sealed by the Sacraments and that he authorizeth none to administer this Covenant but Prelates and their Priests and none can validly have it from other hands And so if you will but abate them the proof of many things that stand in the way Heaven and Hell Salvation and Damnation are at the will and mercy of such Prelates and Priests But unhappily they cannot retrieve their old Opinion but maintain that Lay-men and Women may baptize in necessity validly and that Baptism puts one into a State of Salvation XI As he that swears and keeps his Allegiance to the King is a Subject and Member of the Kingdom though he be no Member of any Corporation so though he disown a thousand fellow Subjects yea though he deny the Authority of Constable Justice Judge so he that is devoted to Christ truly in the Baptismal Covenant is a Christian and a Member of the Universal Church though he were of no particular Church or did disown a thousand Members or any particular Officer of the Church XII All faults or crimes are not Treason A man that breaketh any Law is in that measure Culpable or punishable but every breach of Law or wrong to fellow Subjects or Justices as it is not Treason so it doth not prove a man no Subject though some may be so great as to deserve death and make him intolerable And so it is in the case of our Subjection in the Church to Christ XIII To own Christs Instituted species of Church Officers is needful to the just Order Safety and Edification of the Church as to own the Courts of Judicature Justices c. in the Kingdom but to own this or that numerical Officer as truly commissioned is needful only to the right administration of his own Province XIV As Christ did his own work of universal Legislation by himself and his Spirit eminently in the Apostles and Evangelists who have recorded all in Scripture so he settled Churches to continue to the end associated for Personal Communion in his holy Doctrine Worship Order and Conversation with authorized Ministers subordinate to his administration in his Prophetical Priestly Kingly and Friendly Relations And thô these may not always or often meet in the same place their neighbourhood maketh them capable of Personal presential Communion as men that may know and admonish each other and meet by turns and in presence manage their concerns which differenceth single Churches of the lowest order from associated Churches of men that have Communion only by others at distance XV. As Logicians say of other Relations the matter must be capable of the end or it is not capable of the name and form so is it here e. g. It is no Ship that is made of meer Sponge or Paper or that is no bigger than a Spoon it is no Spoon that is as big as a Ship One House is not a Village nor one Village a City nor a City a meer House So twenty or an hundred or a thousand Parishes associate cannot be a single Church of the first or lowest Order being not capable of mutual Knowledge Converse or personal present Communion Nor are two or three Lay-men capable to be such a Church for want of due matter But supposing them capable thô a full and rich Church have advantage for Honour and Strength yet a small and poor one is ejusdem ordinis as truely a Church and so is their Pastor as Hierom saith of Rome and Eugubium so Alexandria and Mijuma c. Gregory Neocaesar was equally Bishop of nineteen at first as after of all save nineteen in the City XVI If the Apostles have Successours in their care and Superiority over many Churches it will prove that there should yet be men of eminent worth to take care of many Churches and to instruct and admonish the younger Ministers But it will neither prove 1. That they succeed the Apostles in the extraordinary parts of their Office 2. Nor that they have any forcing power by the Sword 3. Nor that one Church hath power over others by Divine right for the Apostles fixed not their power to any particular Churches but were general Visitors or Overseers of many Yet if the same Man who is fixed in a particular Church have also the visiting admonishing oversight of many as far as was an Ordinary part of the Apostles Office and be called an Archbishop I know no Reason to be against him XVII There be essential and Integral Acts of the Sacred Ministry instituted by Christ These
none may take the Power of from any Ministers nor alter the species or integrity of the Office by setting up any such Superious as shall deprive them of that which Christ hath instituted or arrogating the like uncalled But as in worship so in Order and Church Government there are undetermined accidents As to choose the time and place of Synods to preside and moderate and such like And these the Churches by agreement or the Magistrate may assign to some above the rest And if the Magistrate affix Baronies Honours Revenues or his own due Civil forcing Power and make the same Men Magistrates and Ministers whether we think it prudent and well done or not we must honour and obey them XVIII Some call these humane Accidental Orders forms of Church Government and affirm as Bishop Reignolds did and Dr. Stillingfleet in his Irenicon and many excellent men by him cited that no form of Church Government is of Divine Command Which is true of all this second sort of Government which is but Accidental aud humane but not at all of the first sort which is Divine and Essential to Christ himself first and to Pastors as such by his appointment so that the essential Government of the Universal Church by Christ and of each particular Church by Pastors specified by him if not of Supervisors of many as succeeding Apostles and Evangelists in their Ordinary work are of unalterable Divine right But the humane forms are alterable Such I account 1. The Presidency and Moderatorship and accidental Government of one Bishop in a single Church over the other Presbyters Deacons c. 2. The accidental Government of a Diocesan as an Archbishop over these lowest Bishops and Churches 3. And the Superiority of Metropolitans and Patriarchs over them so it be but in such Accidentals and within the same Empire not imposing a forreign Jurisdiction These tota specie differ from the Divine Offices XIX All these single Church being parts of the Universal are less noble than the whole and are to do all that they do as members in Union with the Whole and to do all as Acts of Communion with them XX. The General precepts of doing all to Edification Concord Peace Order c. oblige all the Churches to hold such correspondencies as are needful to these Ends And Synods are one special means which should be used as far and oft as the Ends require And if National Metropolitans and Patriarchs order such Synods I am not one that will disobey them But if on these pretences any would make Synods more necessary than they are and use them as Governours by Legislation and Judgement over the Particular Bishops by the use of the Church Keyes and will affixe to them or Metropolitans besides an Agreeing Power and the said Government in Accidentals a proper Church Government by making and unmaking Ministers or Christians excommunicating and absolving as Rulers by the said Keyes it may be a duty to disown such usurpations As the King would disown an Assembly of Princes any where met that would claim a Proper Government of him and his Kingdom Thô it were much to be wisht that all Christian Princes would hold such Assemblies for the Concord and Peace of Christendom XXI The Essentials of Faith Hope and Loving Practice essentiate the Church objectively And these are all summarily contained in the Baptismal Covenant explained in the Creed Lords Prayer and Decalouge and all with much more even Integrals and needful Accidentals in the Sacred Scriptures which taking in the Law of Nature are Gods Universal Law XXII There is no Church on Earth so sound and Orthodox as to want no Integral part of Christian Religion Proved There is no man on Earth much less any multitude so sound as to want no Integral part But all Churches consist only of Men And therefore if all the Men be so far defective all the Churches are so It is not their Objective Religion Generally and implicitely received that I mean but their Subjective Religion and their explicite reception of the Objective The Scripture is our perfect Objective Religion in it self and as an Object proposed and in general and implicitely we all receive it But as a man may say I believe all that 's in the Scripture and yet be ignorant of the very Essentials in it so a man may explicitely know and believe all the Essentials and more and yet be ignorant of many Integrals All things in Scripture proposed to our Faith Hope and Practice are the Integrals of our Religion But no Christian understandeth all these proposals or words of Scripture Therefore no Christian explicitely believeth them all or practiceth all To hold the contrary is to hold that some Church is perfect in Understanding Faith Hope and Practice without Ignorance Errour or Sin that is not to know what a man or a Christian on Earth is XXIII Much less do all Churches agree in unnecessary indifferent accidents nor ever did nor ever will or can do XXIV The measuring out Churches by limits of Ground Parochial or Diocesan is a meer humane ordering of a mutable accident and no Divine Determination And if all were taken for Church members-because they dwell in those precincts it were wicked But if it be but all in those precincts that are qualified Consenters it is usually a convenient measure But such as in many Cases must be broken XXV If a Church with Faithful Pastors be well setled in a place first where there are not more than should make up that one Church it is not meet for any there to gather a distinct Church thô of the same Faith without such weighty reason as will prove it necessary or like to do more good than hurt 1. Because Love inclineth to the greatest Union 2. Because a Great Church is more strong and honourable than a small if the number be not so great as to hinder the Ends. 3. And the Ancient Churches kept this Union XXVI If Magistrates make such Laws about Church Accidents as tend to further the Churches welfare or are so pretended and not against it we must obey them But if they wiil either invade Christs Autherity or cross it by making Laws against his or such as are proper to his Prerogative to make or invade the Pastors Office and the Churches proper right given by Christ or determine Accidents to the Destruction of the Substance the Church Doctrine Worship or Ends these bind the Consciences of none to Obedience but Christ must be obeyed and we must patiently suffer XXVII Self-interest Self-Government and Family-Government are all antecedent to Publick Government which Ruleth them for the Common good but hath no Authority to destroy them No King or Prelate can bind a man to do that which would damn his Soul nor to omit that which is needful to his Salvation All power is for Edification They are Gods Ministers for God XXVIII As it belongs to self-government to choose our own Dyet and Cloaths and Wives
their whole Church Government Articles Liturgy and Ceremonies and so to stand till they Publickly revoke this as a wicked Errour Now many Lords and Commoners in Parliaments have spoken against some of these particulars and some out of Parliament Many Ministers have done the like when the King Commissioned them to treat for Alterations And many when the Accusations or demands of others have called them to give a Reason of their Actions Some have maintained that it is repugnant to Gods word that Lay Civilians should have the decretive Power of the Keyes and that the Parish Minister must cast out of Communnion all that the Lay Doctors or Chancellors excommunicate and all that dare not receive kneeling and that they should deny Christendom to all that scruple the Englisn sort of God-Fathers Covenants and the transient Symbolical Image of the Cross with abundance such things Now all these are ipso facto excommunicate And thô they be not bound to avoid the Church till this be applicatorily declared yet actually excommunicate they are and that by a higher authority than the Bishops and they know the Churches decree and the Priests are sworn to Canonical Obedience And he that will not tempt them to be forsworn nor come into a Church that hath excommunicated him seems therein excuseable But must he therefore renounce the Church of God XLVII 11. If the People are so set against one Bishop for another as that half being for one and half for the other and both Orthodox they cannot be perswaded to unite in one A Council at Rome determined in the Case of Paulinus and Flavian at Antioch that both of them should hold their distinct Churches and so live in love and peace And though one or both parties in this were mistaken Sinners so are all morral men who yet must not live like Atheists XLVIII 12. An undetermined accident must be so determined as most serveth to do the greatest good and avoid the greatest Evil But whether divers Churches shall promiscuously live in the same City or Diocess or Parisn is an Accident not determined by God and either way may be for the greatest good as circumstances vary e.g. When in a Church half cannot consent to condemn the words of Theodoret Theodore Mopsuest and Ibas and half will condemn them with the Council if these can serve God quietly in Love and Peace in different Congregations but cannot endure one another in the same it is most for the Churches Peace that they be permitted to joyn with those of their own Mind When one Pope declared that it 's sound Doctrine to say One of the Trinity was Crucified when another had declared that it is not sound Doctrine they that held with one Pope and they that held with the other might both be true Churches in different Assemblies When Justinian raised the bloody controversie between the Corrupticolae and the Phantasiastae wise men thought both sides were true Churches Yea and so did many wise men think of the Orthodox and Nestorians and many Eutychians XLIX 13. It 's a common case under Turks and Heathens that they give liberty of Conscience for Christians of all parties Now suppose that in Aleppo in Constantinople or elsewhere there be partly for Countrey sake and partly for Language but most for different Judgments one Church of Armenians one of Greeks one of English-men c. what Law of God makes only one of these to be a true Church and which is it L. 14. Suppose that the setled Church e. g. in Holland Sweden Saxony is for Presbytery or for an Episcopacy that arose from Presbyters ordination or that had none or a short Liturgy and the Prince would tolerate English men as Frankford did to set up a Church of the English Form and Liturgy I think few Prelatists would deny it to be lawful LI. I omit other instances and come to the matter of Separation which word serveth this man and such other in so general and undistinguished a sence as would make one think he were of Mr. Dodwell's mind That words in dispute have but one signification which all are bound to know that use them Even a Bell by the same sound sometime signifieth a call to Church and sometime a Funeral and sometime Joy but Separate Separate is rung over and over with these men as if it signified but one thing 1. He that heareth half the Sermon and Service and goeth out of Church doth Separate at that time from the rest When a Protestant Heretick was doing Penitence with his Faggot at St. Maries in Oxford and the Fryer was Preaching a mistaken Voice in the street made them think the Hereticks had set the Church on fire and they separated from the Preacher one Fryer stuck by the belly that was going out at the window the door being wedged with the crowd a Boy that saw it open above their heads got up on their shoulders and went on 'till he slipt into a Monks Cowl and there lay still 'till the Monk was got out and felt something on his back and thinking it was an heretical Devil began to conjure him in the Name of Father Son and Holy Ghost to tell him what he was and the Boy cryed O good Master I am the Bakers boy c. Quaere Whether this was Schismaticks separation At Walsall in Stafford-shire Mr. Lapthorne known to me in his Iusty age who had been a Non-conformist but thought it an honour to be converted by a King and gloried that King James in conference changed him but being as rustick a thunderer as Father Latimer and more he was wont to let fly without much fear one Mr. Martin in the Parish accounted the greatest enemy to Puritans when he heard what he liked not would goe out of Church one day in a path way where Mr. Lane had rode a little before pelting Crabs with a pole the ground opened and swallowed him and his pole that they could never be found being a Cole-mine long on fire ever after that when any one would goe out of Church at a blustering passage Mr. Lapthorne would call to him Remember Martin Quere Whether all these were separating Schismaticks But this is too far off In Dunstans West where Dr. Sherlock Preacheth when I was licensed twenty years ago at Christmas as I was Preaching some Lime or Stone fell down in the Steeple with the crowd the Church being old and under suspicion they all thought it was falling and most ran out in tumult and some cast themselves headlong from the Gallery for hast when they were quieted and came in again the Boyes in the Chancel broke a Wainscot Skreen with climbing on it and the noise made them run out again one old woman going out cryed It 's just with God because I took not the first warning Lord forgive me and I 'le never come again Quere Whether these or at least this resolving Woman was a Schismatick and separated from the Catholick Church If not there is
some separation that is not so bad as Murder and methinks the Doctor should forgive it for the success for the Parish hereupon resolved to pull down the Church and build it new a far better Fabrick where the Dr. now Preacheth and it drove me away that I preacht there no more Whether this new Church built where the old one had possession before be not a Schismatical Separatist I leave to him LII 2. Local Separation without Mental can make no culpable Schism for Nil nisi Voluntarium est morale if a man be imprisoned or be sick and cannot come to the Church it is innocent Separation I have been at no Church this half year much against my will O that God would heal me of this Separation LIII 3. If it must be mental Separation that must be culpable then it is diversified according to the mental degree and kind and no man separateth from the universal Church who separateth not from somewhat essential to it to separate from its Integrals or Accidents may be culpable but it 's no Separation from the Church no more than every breach of the Law is a Separation from the Kingdom LIV. 4. Some separate as to place locally and not mentally some mentally and not locally and some both He that daily observeth the outward Communion of the Church and yet taketh it for no Church or denyeth its Faith Hope or essential Duty separateth indeed All those men that live unbelievingly atheistically wickedly that in their converse prate against the Scripture and immortality of the Soul and that hate and persecute serious Godliness are damnably separated from Christ and therefore from the Catholick Church and are so to be esteemed so far as this is known thô when it is unknown the Church can take no notice of it LV. 5. It being only Humane Laws and Circumstantial Conveniences that make it unmeet to have divers Churches Bishops living promiscuously in the same Parishes Cities Dioceses or Nations where Laws and circumstances allow it it is no unlawful seperation LVI 6. He that liveth in forreign Lands Christian Mahometan or Heathen where various Churches live promiscuously Greeks Armenians Protestants Papists c. is no Schismatick if he choose which he thinks best and be absent locally from the rest condemning them no further than they deserve LVII 7. He that removeth into another Diocess or Parish for his worldly interest seperateth without fault from the Church he was in LVIII 8. It is a lawful separation to remove ones dwelling because the Minister is ignorant unskilful or otherwise bad and this for the better edification of his Soul and the use and help of a more able faithful Minister even Law and Custome and reason do allow it LIX 9. Thô the Canon 57. and 28. forbid Ministers oft to give the Sacrament to Strangers that come out of other Parishes even where no Preaching is yet those many sober People that use this in London are not taken to be Schismaticks as bad as Murders Many that are esteemed the most sober religious Conformists do ordinarily goe from their own Parish Churches some in Martins and St. Giles's Parish c. for want of room and some for more Edification to Dr. Tillotson Dr. Stillingfleet Dr. Burnet Dr. Fowler Mr. Gifford Mr. Durham Mr. Hornech and such others and communicate with them and thô these are called by the late Catholicks by the Name of Dangerous Trimmers I think even Dr. Sherlock will think it more pardonable than Murder if they come to him LX. 10. If the King and Law should restore the antient order that every City that is every great incorporate Town in England should have a Bishop yea or every great Parish and that the Diocesans should be their Arch-Bishops and our new Catholicks should tell the King and Parliament that they are hereby unchristened Schismaticks as dangerous as Adulterers of Murderers for gathering Churches within a Church I would not believe them LXI 11. If e.g. at Frankford Zurick Lubeck Hamburgh c. a Church is settled in the Lutheran way and another in the Bochemian way described by Lasitius and Commenius which is a conjunction of Episcopacy Presbytery and Independency or a Church that had no Liturgy or none but that which the French Protestants and Dutch have would it be damning Schism for such as Cox and Horne at Frankford to set up an Episcopal Church in the English mode and with their Liturgy and so far to separate from the rest LXII 12. If it be true that John Maior Fordon and others say that Presbytery was the Government of the Church of Scotland before Episcopacy was brought in was the introduction of Episcopacy by Palladius a damning Schism by separating from the former or a Reformation is just Reformation Schism LXIII 13. When the Church first set up Patriarchs Metropolitans General Councils Monasteries Parish Churches distinct from Cathedrals Organs New Liturgies and multitudes of Ceremonies this was a departing or separating from the contrary Church way which was there before was it therefore Schism LXIV 14. When Socrates tells us of some Countreys that had Bishops in the Countrey Villages like our Parishes was it a damning Schism to separate from this custome by decreeing that even small Cities should have no Bishops Ne vilescat nomen Episcopi or when the Chorepiscopi were put down where they had been LXV 15. If a man separate not from any thing essential to the Church of England he separateth not from that Church though he refuse that which is its Accidents or some Integral parts We are charg'd with separating from the Church of England as if it were a matter of fact beyond dispute and scorn'd for denying it even by them that will not tell us what they mean by the Church of England or by Separation By the Church of England we mean the Christian Kingdom of England or all the Christians in England as living in one land under One Christian King who Governeth them by the Sword which includeth their Concord among themselves in true Christianity we are Christians we profess agreement in Christianity with all Christians we are under the same King as they are and profess subjection and take the same Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy yea we are not charged with differing in any thing called Doctrinal from their Thirty Nine Articles but we disown certain late Covenants and Oaths which are not Twenty three Years old and the Subscription to one Canon about the Innocency of all in their Liturgy now either these new Oaths Covenants and Canon Liturgy and Ceremonies are essential to the Church of England or not If yea then 1. It 's a poor humane Church made by them that made these Oaths Liturgy and Ceremonies 2. And then it 's a new upstart Church and no man can answer the Papists where it was before Luther or before Henry 8. yea if its essentials were made by this King and Parliament 1662. then the present Church is no
older But if these things be indifferent or not essential to the Church then to separate only from these is not to separate from the Church If it be said That for the sake of these we separate from the Church it self and therefore from its essence we abhor the accusation and challenge them to prove it If we separate from the Church essentially it is either Locally or Mentally not Locally for we are yet in England nor is Local distance only a sin not Mentally for we own it for a true Christian Kingdom called a National Church bound to serve Christ in Love and Concord to their Power We deny not the King to be the Governour nor Christians to be Christians no nor the particular Churches and Ministers to be true thô culpable Churches and Ministers nor their Sacraments to be true Sacraments we profess to hold with them one Catholick Body one Spirit one God one Chirist one Faith one Baptism in the essentials and one Hope and are ready to promise to live in Concord with them in all other things as far as will stand with our Obedience to God so that we separate not from the Church of England as such but from some of its Accidents which we dare not be guilty of LXVI 16. The same I say of a Parish Church he that locally removeth e. g. from a Church that hath Organs to one that hath none separateth from a pair of Organs but not Mentally from the Church unless the Organs be its essence LXVII 17. They that are for the true antient Episcopacy e. g. as much as Arch-Bishop Vsher's Reduction which we offer'd did contain but dislike the Lay Civilians power of the Keyes and Officials Surrogates Arch-deacons Government c. do not separate from the Church as Episcopal but from the humane Novelties which they disown LXVIII 18. If a Parishioner fall out with his Priest and they goe to Law about Tythes Glebes Words c. and the Suit be long and the man dare not Communicate with him believing that he hateth him thô the animosity should be culpable being but personal his going from-him to another Church is not separating from Christ for I hope that even Mr. Dodwell himself will not say that every Priest is Christ LXIX 19. Ex quovis ligno non fit Mercurius surely there is some qualification essential to the Ministry if a man want that qualification it is a Duty to separate from him as no Minister e. g. When I came to Kederminster after my subjection to six or seven worse I found the Vicar one reputed ignorant of the Fundamentals he was brought in by Sir Henry Blunt a Papist who Preacht but once a quarter which most thought he might better have forborn and his Curate Mr. Turner at Mitton Preacht once a day whom I found ignorant of the Catechism Principles by Conference and he confest he had but one Book Musculus common places in English and he said some of that to the People and they took it for a Sermon he lived by unlawful Marrying infamous for Drinking and Quarrelling he that had taken these for no Ministers and separated from them had not thereby seperated from Christ or his Church Catholick LXX 20. If it prove as hard to know who is the true Pastor in a competition of Pretenders as it was to know which was the true Pope when there were two or three above twenty times or whether e. g. Optandus was true Bishop of Geneva that knew not Letters or whether Duke Heriberts Son consecrated in Infancy was Arch-Bishop of Rhemes or any other Infant consecrated be a Bishop officiating per alios Surrogates Chancellours Officials c. it is not here a Separation from Christ to separate from either of the Pretenders He that mistaketh not is not liable to the Charge he that mistakes doth not erre in an Article of Faith but in a difficult point of humane title and the qualification and right of a single man and my Opinion is that if such a title were tryed before our Judges or King and they should mistake and give Judgment against him that had right this were no separating from Christ nor proof that they are Infidels LXXI 21 If the Case of two contending Bishops or Presbyters come before a General or Provincial Council and they mistake and give it to the wrong and so separate from the right I do not think that thereby they separate from Christ or the Church Catholick e. g. The Constantinopolitan Council first gave the Church of Constantinople to Nazianzene and after judged him out as having no right if by this they separated from Christ they that take them for the Catholick Church representative must say that the Catholick Church separated from Christ and it self When another Council wrongfully deposed Chrysostome and separated from him and Cyril Alexandr perswaded the continuance of it did the universal Church separate from it self and Christ If a General Council which should be wisest be excusable from damning Schism whenever it misjudgeth and separateth from a rightful Bishop sure every Lay-man and woman that doth the same doth not separate from Christ If it prove that a General Council deposed Nestorius as unjustly as David Derodon thought or Dioscorus as unjustly as others thought or Flavian as unjustly as the Orthodox think this proveth them Guilty of some Schism but not of separating from the universal Church When Menna of Constantinople and the Pope excommunicated each other when a Synod in Italy renounced Vigilius and all his Successors were an hundred years deposed from their Primacy and a Patriarch at Aquileia set up in his stead for a great part of Italy because Vigilius subscribed to a General Council de tribus Capitulis this was Schism some where but not separating from Christ LXXII 22. If a man in England should think that all the old Councils were obligatory which decree that he shall be taken for no Bishop that comes in by the choice yea or Mediation of Courtiers Princes or great men or any that have not the true Consent of Clergy and People and thereupon should conclude that Bishops Deans Prebends c. so chosen and imposed are Lay-men and no true Bishops and Pastors this were a separating from those Persons but not from Christ and the Vniversal Church when as Mr. Thorndike saith that till the right of Electing Bishops by the Clergy and People be restored we need look no further for the reason of the Contempt of Episcopacy here So if a man think that God never trusted every Ignorant Wicked man that can but get Money and buy an Advowson to choose those Pastors to whose conduct all the People are bound to trust their Souls and the Bishop to admit them for fear of a Quare impedit if they have but a Certificate and can speak Latine This is not damning Separation LXXIII 23. If a Bishop set up a seeming Convert really a Papist e. g. Mr. Hutchinson alias Berry or one of
c. He that in Obedience to Christ goeth to a Church and Pastor in the same Diocess or City that omitteth none of these is no damned Schismatick LXXXII 32. He that is unjustly cast out of the Church and by its very Laws excommunicated ipso facto is no damned or Sinful Schismatick for Worshipping God in a Church that will receive him Nor any one that is denyed Communion unless he will sin Much more if they should prove half as many and great Sins as the Nonconformists have said they fear in the first Plea for Peace c. LXXXIII 33. If a Foreigner that doth but half understand our language withdraw to a Church and Pastor whose tongue he understands obeying God and Nature is no damning Schism LXXXIV 34. If one that is erroneously conceited of the obligation of General Councils should think it a sin to kneel at the Sacrament on any Lords day in the year or any Week day between Easter and Whitsuntide because Tradition and the twentieth Canon of the first Council and that at Trull c. do forbid then to adore kneeling this separating on that account to another Congregation is not damning If it be said that Mr. Thorndike and others tell us that it is not necessary that we do the same things which the Supream Catholick Power commanded but that we subject our selves to the same Power which may change their own Laws I answer 1. The asserting of that Universal Soveraignty is the greatest Crime and Heresie of all 2. By this it seems that our Religion is very mutable and very uncertain and a man hath need to take heed of obeying any old Canons till he know the mind of the present Church and who those be and how to know it 3. But what if the same man read Dr. Heylin of Sab. telling him that this custome against Adoration-kneeling continued a thousand years and was never revok't by any true General Council but changed by little and little by mens practice And what if he question who those Changers were and whether their practice was Rebellion at first and whether they had power to repeal the Canons of the greatest Councils without a Council Sure they that are for such Councils universal soveraignty when they have cast men into these shares should scarce tell them that they are damnable Schismaticks for joyning with such Churches as obey these Councils rather than with those that mine men for not disobeying them LXXXIV And now Reader if thou art one that thinkest of these things with Christian Sobriety and impartiality I appeal to thee whether if I should be of the mind of Mr. Dodwell and such self-conceited Resolvers I should not write my own Condemnation and be one of the grossest Schismaticks that any History hath mentioned unless ever there were any man so mad as to hold himself to be all the Church Yea when he no more distinguisheth of Separation and Schism but involves almost all Christians in his Condemnation and tells us that Schism will damn us as soon as Adultery and Murder is it not obvious for all men to infer that we are as odious as Adulterers and Murderers and doth he not Preach Christians into the hatred of each other and can any wonder if Rulers should think the Punishment of Murderers is not worse than we deserve It is not New-gate only but Tyburn that these healing men do seem to assign us it would be too tedious to look over all these again and shew you how great the number is that these men damn and how few on Earth in any Age they excuse from being so far like Murderers LXXXV 1. It seems to me that he virtually damneth all Christians on Earth as such Schismaticks for it is most certain that all men have sin and culpable imperfection in Knowledge Will and Practice and if any say That he hath no sin he is a Lyar saith St. John and it is certain that all two persons on Earth have many errours and many differences from one another it is certain that the Love and Duty of Christians towards each other is culpably defective in all men It is certain that no man living is so perfect in knowledge as to know all the indifferent things in the world which may be imposed to be Indifferent And long and sad experience hath told the Church that both gross errours and sins and things called Truths or indifferent which few can be sure of may be imposed What follows from all this but that all men on Earth may easily fall under the imputation of disobedience to Prelates and so be Excommunicate and then they have their choice when no man is perfect and they cannot change their mindes 1. Whether they will be damned as Excommunicate and practical Atheists that give over all Church Worship 2. Or as damnable Schismaticks for worshipping God in Churches when they are excommunicate 3. Or as persidious Lyars that will make false Confessions Professions and promises to get off an Excommunication When Mr. Dodwel numbers those with Schismaticks that suffer themselves to be excommunicate if they have no other means in their Power to hinder it it seems these great Enemies to absolute reprobation do think all Christians being unavoidably born to imperfection of Knowledg are as unavoidably born to damnation whenever Prelates or Priests please thus to precipitate them LXXXVI 2. Particularly 1. The first and second Canons ipso facto excommunicate all that say that any manner of Obedience and Subjection within his Majesties Realms and Dominions is due to any usurped and foreign Power By this all Papists and all pretended Protestants such as Dr. Barrow confuteth who hold any manner of Obedience and Subjection due to Pope or Foreign Councils are Excommunicate 2. Those that say that the Book of Common Prayer containeth any thing in it repugnant to the Scriptures are ipso facto excommunicate Which now by the new Laws are interpreted of the present Books 3. In this all are excommunicate who say the Mis-translations in Psalms Epistles or Gospels of which many instances have been given to be any thing repugnant in the Scripture 4. And all that say It is against the Scripture to deny Christendom to all Infants that have not such Vowers in their Names and for their Education as we call Godfathers and Godmothers thô the Parent who is forbidden it offer his Child by Sponsion 5. And all that say it is against Scripture to deny Christendom to all that refuse the Covenanting transient Images of a Cross 6. And all that say that it is against Scripture for all Ministers to profess that it 's certain by Gods Word that baptized Infants without exception so dying are undoubtedly saved when no word of God is cited that saith it and adding to Gods word is dreadfully threatned and when it 's certain that all Ministers are not certain of any such thing and I think no one 7. All are ipso facto excommunicate that say It is against
Bishops but Presbyters either as a Cryer pro forma to pronounce all excommunicate or absolved who are so decreed by the Lay Chancellor or else for them or a Priest-Chancellour to govern a Diocess by the Keyes of Excommunication and Absolution being no Bishops and all that think it sinful for Archdeacons Commissaries Officials c. who are no Bishops to exercise the same Government by the Keyes over so many Pastors or Churches or for a Bishop to do his Office by others that are no Bishops any more than a Priest by those that are no Priests or for a Diocesan with his Lay Court to Govern many score or hundred Churches under him without any subordinate Bishop in those Churches that is to set up the Name and shew and make Christs Discipline impossible Or for Lay Chancellors or Surrogates to publish Excommunications in the Bishops Name which he never knew of nor tryed the cause Or for such Chancellours to oblige all Parish Ministers to publish all their Excommunications which are agreeable to these Canons What quality and number they are of that call any of this sinful I pretend not to know But they are all now excommunicate men 12. The eight Canon ipso facto excommunicateth all that affirm that the form and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons hath any thing repugnant to Gods Word c That is all those that hold Bishops and Presbyters to be the same Order contrary to the words of that Book Which yet even the Church of England while Papists declared in King Aelfriks Canons see Spelman And all such as Thorndike who say the People and Clergy should choose their Bishops or that say the Peoples consent is necessary to the Pastoral Relation to them and that the old Canons for this are in force 13. The ninth Canon ipso facto excommunicateth the Separatists 14. The tenth Canon excommunicateth all that affirm that Ministers that refuse to subscribe to the Liturgy c. and their Adherents may truely take to themselves the Name of another Church not established by Law and dare publish that this their pretended Church hath long groaned under the burden of imposed grievances by the Church of England and the Orders and Constitutions therein by Law established Ipso facto is not here This reacheth to all that confine not Gods Church in England to the Party that subscribe and their Adherents If any say that if such as Blondel Rivet Amesius or any other the most Learned holy peaceable men that dare not subscribe as aforesaid should with any Christians worship God together and that these are a true Church though he judge them faulty and that these Canons are grievances such are to be excommunicated Though it be gross Schism in others to confine not onely the Purity but the Verity of a Church to their own Party For such to feel and groan loud here is Excommunication 15. The eleventh Canon much to the same purpose requireth the Excommunication of all that affirm that any Subjects in England may rightly challenge the Name of true and lawful Churches besides those allowed by Law though the King should License them 16. The twelfth Canon ipso facto excommunicateth all that make Rules and Orders in Causes Ecclesiastical without the Kings Authority and submit to them e. g. All that without the Kings authority agree to turn the Table Altar-wise to require People to kneel at the Rails or to bow toward the Alter or East or to set up Organs c. All these are now excommunicate by an Authority above the Bishops which no Bishop or Priest can dispense with but only forbear to publish and execute it but not nullifie it no nor absolve any that publickly repent not of it as a wicked Errour 16. By Canon fourteenth if any Minister shall diminish any part of the Orders Rites Ceremonies Prayers c. inregard of Preaching or ANY OTHER RESPECT or shall adde any thing in matter or form e. g. If he let the Parent express the dedication of his Child to God or lay any charge on any Parent he breaketh the Church Law and so far separateth from it 17. By Canon fifteenth when twenty or thirty thousand are commanded to come to a Church that cannot receive six thousand and the Alleys and Pewes are wedg'd so that they cannot all kneel yet all that kneel not at the Prayers and all that say not audibly the Confession Lords Prayer Creed and Responses disobey the Laws of the Church and so far separate from it 18. When twenty thousand Persons are commanded to come in more than can if ten thousand of them or any number should come to the Church-yard or Porch to shew that they are not presentable but would get in if they could the nineteenth Canon commands to drive them away 19. The Liturgy and Canon 22. c. bind all under the penalty of the Law to receive the Sacrament thrice every year If a secret Infidel Sadducee Hobbist Socinian or any Heretick say I am not able to change my Judgment which is inconsistent with the Sacrament or if one whose Conscience tells him of the guilt of Adultery and that he is not resolved to confess and forsake it yet or one that by Melancholy causelessly feareth unworthy receiving to damnation I say if any of these will avoid the charge of Schism they must run upon worse till grace recover them which is not at their command And yet all notorious Offenders are prohibited it Canon 26. and particularly the Perjured And if the tenth part so many be perjured in England in City and Countrey as many fear it 's a very great number that are uncapable of Comm-union with the Church 20. By Canon twenty seventh on pain of Suspension no Minister must wittingly administer the Communion to any but such as Kneel or to any that refuse to be present at publick Prayers c. So that all that Kneel not in receiving are rejected and if they worship God elsewhere must be taken for Schismaticks as dangerous as adulterers or murderers 21. The twenty eighth Canon forbids admitting strangers to Communion and commands sending them home to their Parish Churches It 's disobedience to violate this 22. The twenty ninth Canon forbids urging Parents to be Present when their Children are baptized and admitting them to Answer as Godfathers for their own Children and any Godfather to make any other Answer or speech than the prescribed 23. The thirtieth Canon describeth the Cross as a Sacrament as seemeth to us 34. By the thirty sixth Canon no man must be a Minister that subscribeth not that the Book of Common Prayer and Ordination contains nothing in it contrary to the Word of God and that he himself will use no other form in publick Prayer and administration of the Sacraments By which all that refuse this or that use the forms made and imposed by the Bishops on occasions of publick Fasts and Thanksgivings seem all to be under disobedience
would not eat with the Christian Gentiles but he was not unchristened by this 49. They separate from or unchurch almost all the Ancient Churches in the dayes of the most famous Emperours and Councils For I have manifested past doubt that they almost all did Hereticatâ—â—â—â— or separate from one another It was Schism either in Victor to Excommunicate the Asian Bishops or in them to deserve it and be excommunicate The owning or disowning several Councils specially that of Calcedon and that at Constde tribus Capitulis c. was the Schism of almost all the Imperial Churches one part condemning the other And if either were in the Right it salves not the Case with them For most of the same men that went that way call'd the Right in one Princes Reign went contrary in the next and so condemned each other round especially about Images adoration 50. Hereby they cut off that Succession of that sort of Ordination which they say must be uninterrupted while it came down from Churches excommunicated by one another or make the Proof of it impossible 51. They separate from all the Greek Church at this day as guilty of Schism both in their Succession from Schismaticall Bishops at Constant Alexand. Antioch Jerusalem c. and in their excommunicating not only the Church of Rome for a wrong cause the filioque but other Churches and for divers Acts of Schism 52. They must by their Principles Separate from the Abassines Aegyptians Syrians and all the Eastern and Southern Churches that are called Jacobites and Nestorians For Councils and other Churches condemn them And they condemn the Councils of Ephesus and Calcedon and all since And they must separate from and condemn the Churches of Armenia Georgia Circassia c. because they separate from others and are separated from 53. Their Principles utterly unchurch the Church of Rome 1. Especially because it is guilty of the greatest Schism on earth by setting up a false Church form and head 2. And because they Schismatically condemn and Unchurch three parts of the Church on earth even all save their Sect 3. And for their many other Schismatical Doctrines and Practices 4. And as being condemned by the Greek Protestants and most Churches and separated from by the Church of England which they own 54. They separate in Principles from all or near all General Councils save the first as having separated from other Councils and condemned them and being again condemned by them 55. Some of them condemn and separate from all the Protestant Churches that have Bishops in Sweden Denmark Germany Transylvania c. because they had not their Ordination Successively from Bishops but Presbyters at the Reformation And because they have been guilty of Schism against others 56. The Principles of Mr. Dodwel and his Associates condemn the Church of England as Schismatical 1. Those that claim Succession from Rome whose own Succession hath been oft and long interrupted by incapacities and Schisms 2. For holding Communion with those Protestant Churches which these men call Schismaticks 57. They condemn and separate from all the Churches called Presbyterian in France Holland Geneva Scotland formerly and those in Helvetia that have no Bishops Tho some would threat kindness on them by saying that they would have them and cannot And why cannot they 58. Their Principles make the Bishop of Oxford Bristol c. Schismaticks For their Dioceses are Churches taken out of Churches being lately parts of other Dioceses 59. And they condemn all the Parish Churches in England as Churches distinct from Cathedrals For they are all Churches gathered out of Churches At first the Cathedrals were the only single Churches Next Monasteries were gathered and next our Parish Churches And the Parish Church of Covent-garden is a Church taken out of a Church 60. Their Principles damn St. Martin that separated to the death from all the Bishops Synods and them that were near him save one Man because they perswaded Maximus to use the Sword against Priscillian Gnosticks and brought men of strict Religion under Suspicion of Priscillianism And sure the ruined persecuted Protestants here are more Orthodox than the Priscillians And they damn Gildas that told the English Clergy that he was not eximius Christianus that would call them Ministers Do they not disgrace the many Churches dedicated to the Memory of St. Martin if he be a damned man I doubt they damn Paul and Barnabas for local angry separating from each other Whatever they do by Peter and Barnabas for the Separation blamed Gal. 2. 61. If all are Schismaticks that here conform not all those called Conformists are such that conform to the words in a false sence 62. They separate from all that obey the twentieth Canon of the Nicene Council And from all that obey the Councils that forbid communicating with a Fornicating Priest And from all that obey the Councils which nullifie the Episcopacy of such as are obtruded by Magistrates or not consented to by the Clergy and people And many more such Abundance more instances of their Separation and Damnation I might adde In a word I think then Principles are as I first said for damning and separating from all men living for all men living are guilty of some sort and degree of Schism that is of Errours Principles or Practices in which they culpably Violate that Union and Concord that should be among Christians and Churches Every defect of Christian Love and every sinful Errour is some degree of such a violation All Christians differ in as great matters as things indifferent And no man living knoweth all things Indifferent to be such And these men distinguish not of Schism nor will take notice of the necessary distinctions given in the third Part of the Treatise of Church Concord And solutio contâ—â—â—â— causeth pain nor do they at all make us understand what sort of Separation it is that they fasten on but talk of Separation in general as aforesaid LXXXVII They seeme to be themselves deceived by the Papists in exposition of Cyprians words de Vnit. Eccles Vnus est Episcopatus c. But they themselves seem to separate from Cyprian as a Schismatick and consequently from all the Church that hath profest Communion with him and with all the Councils and Churches that joyned with him For Cyprian and his Council erred by going too far from the Schism and Heresie of others nullifying all their Baptisms Ordinations and Communions And for this errour they declared against the Judgment of the Bishop of Rome and other Churches and they were for it condemned as Schismaticks by the said Bishop And here is a far wider Separation than we can be charged with 2. And Cyprians words came from the Mind that was possest with these opinions and are expressive of his Inclination 3. Yet they are true and good understood as he himself oft expounds them the Bishop of Oxford citeth some instances many more are obvious in which he opposeth the Bishop of Rome saying that none
of them pretendeth to be a Bishop of Bishops and limiting every man to his own Province and saying that they were to give account to none but God with much the like But in what sence is Episcopacie one 1. Undoubtedly not as numerically in the personal Subjectum Relationis One Bishop is not another if you should say Paternity is One none believe that one mans Relation of Paternity is anothers The Relation is an accident of its own Subject as well as Quantity Quality c. 2. Nor doth any man believe that many Bishops go to make up one Bishop in Naturals 3. Nor did ever Cyprian hold or say that all Bishops go to make up one Politick Governing Aristocracie as many go to make one Senate or Parliament that hath a power of Legislation and judgment by Vote as one Persona politica He never owned such a humane Soveraignty But Episcopatus unus est I. In specie all Bishops have one Office 2. Objective As the Catholick Church is one whose welfare all Bishops ought to seek 3. And so finaliter as to the remote End and are bound to endeavour Concord 4. And as effects all are from one efficient institutor As it may be said that all official Magistracy in England is one 1. As from one King or summa potestas 2. As described by one Law and as Justices of one Species 3. As all their Cities and Counties and Hundreds are but part of one Kingdom whose welfare all are for 4. And as they are all bound to keep as much common Concord as they can if any mean more they should ten us what If any mean that all Bishops make one numerical Universal Government they are heinous Schismaticks and the kingdom is Sworn agaisst their Judgment And these Men damn them in damning Schismaticks The truth is Cyprian de Unitate Ecclesiae leaving out the Papists additions is a good Book and worthy to be read of all and take Cyprian's Description of the Epispcopacy of the Church which we must unite with and the nature of that Union and we would rejoyce in such But if Cyprian had lived to see 〈◊〉 Arians or Donatists the greater number or any Sect after 〈◊〉 themselves the Church because that Princes set them up and had seen them depoâ—â—â—â—e Chrysostome and such other doubtless he would never have pleaded the Unity of Episcopacy for this but have judged as he did in the Case of Martial and Basilides nor did he ever plead for an universal humane Soveraignty LXXXVIII If we are damned Schismaticks I can imagine no pretended manner of Separation in which our Schism consists but first either Local as such 2. Or Mental as such 3. Or Local caused by Mental If Local as such be it All Christians are Schismaticks for being locally separated from others and absent from all Churches and places save one If Mental Separation be it either all Mental Division is such or but some only if all then all mortal men are Schismaticks as differing in a multitude of things from others If it be not all what is it is it all difference in the Essentials of Christianity we grant it and we are charg'd with no such thing Is it all difference in the Integrals or Accidents so do all differ that are not perfect Is it all want of Love or all Vncharitableness to one another all on earth have some degree of it and those are likest to have most that do as the Bishops did against the Priscillianists bring godly people under reproach on pretence of opposing Heresie or that seek the Silencing Imprisonment Banishment or Ruine of men as faithful as themselves For our parts we profess it our great Duty to love all men as men all Christians as Christians all godly men as godly all Magistrates as Magistrates c. Is it for our separating in mind from any Principles in specie necessary to Communion in the Church Universal or single Churches let it be opened what those Principles be We own all Christianity and all Ministry of Gods Institution and all his Church Ordinances We own Bishops over their Flocks let them be never so large so they be capable of the Work and End and alter not the true species and we submit to any that shall by the Word admonish Pastors of many Churches of their Duty or Sin or seek their good Nor do we refuse Obedience to any humane Officers set up by Princes to do nothing against Christs Laws not nothing but what is in Princes power in the Accidents circa Sacra Is it because we disown any Numerical Rulers we own the King and his Magistrates we own all that we can understand to be true Pastors and if we are in doubt of their Calling we resist them not unless obeying Christ before them be resistance But our Accusers loudly profess that Usurpers are not to be owned and if they go on the ground that he hath right that the Prince is for we would know whether that hold in Turky in Italy Spain France or only in England or where If it be where Princes are Orthodox do they make all the People Judges of their Princes Orthodoxness And we would know whether EVERY BISHOPS and PRIESTS right as a true Minister called of God and set over us be necessary to Salvation to be believed or known by all the People if it the wo to us that ever such men were set over us whose right we cannot know What abundance of things go to make a Bishops or Priests right known 1. That he hath capable sufficiency 2. That he is a just Bishop that 's chosen by the King the Dean and Chapter obediently consenting that the Clergy's and Peoples consent is unnecessary 3. That the Diocesan species over multitudes of Churches without any subordinate Bishop is of Christ or lawful 4. That their work according to the Canon is lawful 5. That all our Patrons have right to chuse Pastors for all the People 6. That they are true Pastors over them that consent not 7. That if they prove worse far than Martial and Basilides and be owned by the Bishops as they were the people may not forsake them plebs obsequens divinis praeceptis which saith Cyprian have most power to chuse or refuse Is every Christian bound on pain of Damnation to know all these and then to examine and judge Bishops and Priests accordingly or if they mistake one or more mens Commission do they therefore separate from the Catholick Church If so what a case was the East in by the difference between Chrysostome and his Competitors Photius and Ignatius and hundreds others and France about the Archbishops of Rhemes when he was put out that deposed Ludovicus 4. and when an Infant was put in and oft besides What if the Alexandrians when Athanasius was banisned by Constantine himself were half for him and half against him Or Basil at Caesarea was put down and hundreds more or when Theodosius first and second
not therefore no Church nor is it unlawful to communicate with it All Christians and Churches must not be separated from that are guilty of some degree of Schism If any will turn these Serious matters into Jest and say as Dr. Saywell that they will receive Greeks Lutherans c. that come to their Communion his Serious Readers will tell him that so will most Sects receive those that approve of their Communion and come to them Joyning with you signifyeth that they are of your way therein But will you go to their Churches and Communicate with them You will receive the damned Schismaticks if they come to you when yet you make it damnable to joyn in their meetings with them This quibbling beseems not grave men in great matters To conclude Reader God having allowed more Legislative Power to men in things Secular than in Religion I may say this case is like ours in debate I. Some Judges and Lawyers say that the Oath of Allegiance makes a Subject in this Kingdom that the Renouncing or Violating it by Treason or Rebellion or deserting the Kingdom overthrows the Relation But that other particular faults or quarrels against Neighbours Justices Judges yea the King himself are punishable according to the Laws but are not all Rebellion nor dissolve Subjection nor oblige the Subjects to renounce civil converse with each other though some contempt and obstinacy may outlaw them Such is our Judgment of Church Relation and Communion which 1 need not rehearse II. Suppose a sect of Lawyers and Judges arise that say no men are the Kings Subjects but are Rebels that break any of his Laws that Shoot not in long Bows that Bury not their dead in Woollen that swear prophanely that eat flesh in Lent unlicensed that have any unjust Law-Suit that wrong any Neighbour that oppress any Poor man all these are Rebels yea all that plead opposite Causes at the Bar and all Judges that judge contrary to one another and all that misunderstand any point of Law and Practice accordingly and all that besides the Oath of Allegiance do constitute Marriages Families Schools Societyes by any other Covenants of their own and all that are of different Cities and Companies parts of the Kingdom or all whose Justices Mayors Sheriffs c. differ from one another in any point of Law and practice Or all that obey not every Constable and Justice or that go to divers Justices in the same Precincts or that go from one Justice to another to avoid unrighteous Judgment or that go from the Physician of the Place for Health and from the Schoolmaster of the Town for greater edification or that Travel beyond Sea for Knowledge yea all that understand not every word in the Law that may concern them If any say none of these are the Kings Subjects but Rebels opposite to him and one another and deserve to be all hang'd as Murderers and so are all that have Communion with them Quaere 1. Whether these men are for the Unity of England 2. And are Friends to the King that deprive him of all his Subjects as much as those that would have him have no Subjects that be not of the same Age Stature Complexion and Wit 3. And whether they are Friends to Mankind 4. And whether they condemn not themselves if they live not as Anchorets out of humane Society 5. And whether that Nation be not by infatuation prepared for Destruction that would believe them and would hate scorn and ruine them that are of the first mentioned opinion according to the saying Quos perdere vult Jupiter hos dementat As to the more dangerous Doctrine now threatning this Land that would subject England to a Foreign Jurisdiction on pretence of a Necessity of either an Universal Church Monarch or Church-Parliament Senate or Council or of all the Church on Earth represented by Patriarchs or Metropolitans or that plead for Subjection to them under the Name of Communion they require a distinct Answer But Dr. Is Barrow and Mr. Beverley's Catholick Catechism have effectually done it FINIS THE SECOND PART AGAINST SCHISM BEING ANIMADVERSIONS On a Book famed to be Mr. Raphson's LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel 1684. TO THE READER Reader WHEN I had Written the first of these Discourses I came after to know more of the Authors Judgment by another Book against me which I also Answered but it lyeth by unprinted I also wrote for the use of some private Friends my Reasons for Communion with those Parish-Churches who have Capable Ministers which many Importuned me to Print but that also is yet undone But a Book famed to be Mr. Raphsons coming out I thought it my duty to Animadvert on that and to bear my Testimony against Schism on both Extreams left I be guilty of Partiality and of the Sin and suffering of many that may be deceived by them If these Two be not overmuch discouraged the other Two against both the Extreams may come hereafter THE SECOND PART AGAINST SCHISM c. The Reasons of Mr. Raphson and such others against going to the Parish-Churches considered THE Matter of his Book as against Persecution is very considerable the Stile is very close and pungent His Doctrine against Communion with the Churches that use the Liturgy is that which I examine The sum of it is 1. That kneeling at the reception of the Sacrament and the use of the Liturgy are unlawful 2. That they are false Worship and Idolatry 3. That the places where they are used are Idol-Temples 4 That to joyn there in them is to partake in Idolatry 5. The proof of all this is by this Argument Worship not institute is not lawful but kneeling in receipt of Bread and Wine is Worship not instituted by Christ therefore not lawful therefore not pleasing p. 160 161. To which by way of Motive he addeth p. 275. How many once in the separation are returned back to the Vomit they once cast up and wallow in the mire of a worldly worship c. Is compliance in Idol-Temples going to Dan and Bethel bowing to Baal sitting or drinking with the superstitious inacts of religious adoration a witness for or against defection Are you turned as silly sheep that once were called shepherds to bleat after other shepherds that Christ never sent nor bid you go after them c. Looks it not like a declining of the Camp of Christ the work of the Gospel and setting your face towards Babel c. Is scandal of no weight with you c. How dare you venture your souls to sit under Means that he says shall not profit you and which is worse lies under his curse Jer. 23. 32. Mal. 1. 14. with more such Either this Writer knoweth how ill he dealeth with his Reader or not If he do it 's a double fault if not which I think it 's a doleful case that every well-meaning man that can but be confident
and Martian and Valentinian and Zeno and Anastasius and abundance more set up and pull'd down and set up again against each other What I say if the People now mistooke who had the best Title Is this separating from the Catholick Church When the Interim cast out hundreds in Germany When Ludovicus cast out Multitudes in the Palatinate and half the People stuck to the ejected persecuted Pastor and the rest to the Magistrates choice which of them separated from the Universal Church Is every Priest the Vniversal Church or an essential part of it then it dyeth when he dyeth and Apostatizeth when he doth How many Ages in above 23 Duplicates or Schisms was the World uncertain which was the true Pope suppose e. g. Arthur Jackson Edmund Calamy and many such were placed in their Incumbency by the Bishops Patrons and Parish consent according to the Law of Christ and the Land and by a mew Act of Uniformity they be all turned out the Flock not consenting nor any Bishop accusing trying or deposing them save in Legislation and some of the Parish think this dissolveth not their Relation to him and they cleave to him as before without any change save of Place and Tythes and others forsake such a one and follow the Magistrates choice may not both these be still of the Catholick Church If not I know where the old Canons laid the charge and danger It 's wonderful selfishness in those men that if they can but get into the Seat take it for granted that all must own their right on pain of Damnation And what if in any such Land the Prince change his mind or the next differ and put down all these same men and set up such as differ from them more than we do is it damning Schism for any of their People still to adhere to them LXXXIX Do you find that Mr. Dodwel Dr. Saywel Dr. Sherlock or any of these men do in Pulpit and Press ingenuously tell the People the truth of the Case when they liken men as Schismaticks to Murderers for danger Did you ever hear them say The Canon which is the Churches Voice and Law doth Excommunicate you all that do own your Opinions against Conformity and commandeth us not to admit you to the Sacrament and yet to pronounce your Excommunication for not taking it We confess they have been holy and Learned Men that have thought many things imposed unlawful and therefore we wonder not if it be not in your power to change your judgment no more than to be perfect in knowledge and we confess if you are unjustly Excommunicated or any of the things made necessary to Communion be against Gods Word then it is the Church that guilty of Schism but because this is not so we accuse you of Schism even of separating from the Vniversal Church and from Salvation XC I do admire that never any one of them would be prevail'd with to prove the Canons Excommunications ipso facto lawful when even Papists have scorn'd all such doings and when the learnedst of all their own admired men that were for comprimising matters with Rome even Mar. Ant. de Dom. Spalatensis de Rep. Eccl. hath so confidently copiously and strenuously damn'd it Christ would have none Excommunicate whatever the Crime be without Impenitency after due admonition for Repentance but these Canons ipso facto Condemn and Excommunicate Godly men without ever admonishing them or calling them to repent or hearing or seeing them Nothing is necessary but the proof of the fact and then the Law is instead of a Judge and to oblige the People to avoid them it must be published If this and all things named in the first Plea for Peace be sinless studying and disputing is not the way to know what is sinful XCI But saith the Resolver Christ hath but one Body and to be a Member of two separate and Opposite Churches is to be contrary to ourselves Ans But I had hoped your Catechized Boyes had known 1. That one Body hath many parts 2. That particular Churches are parts of this Body as Corporations are of the Kingdom 3. That all the parts are imperfect and made up of none but sinners 4. That every good man is partly bad and so contrary to himself 5. That Churches may be so far separate as to be distinct and yet not so far as to be contrary or opposite 6. That they may be opposite in Accidents and Integrals that are one in specie in Essentials 7. That a man may own several Churches and Communicate with them for that which they agree in and yet not own both or either perhaps in that which they are opposite in 8. That there being somewhat opposite in all men and Churches on Earth you damn your selves for Communicating with them 9. That a man may have more Communion with the Church which he Locally separateth from even for sin than with that which he is present with E. g. A Congregation or Nation of men of eminent Sanctity and Order sound Doctrine and Worship may by humane frailty take some one falsehood or uncertain thing to be necessary to Ministry or Communion as they say some Churches unhappily of late reject all that own not the Antiquity of the Hebrew Points I cannot have local Communion with that Church for they will not receive me unless I subscribe either a falshood or that which I judge false but yet I highly honour and love them and have mental Catholick Communion with them when perhaps necessity may make me Locally join with a Church of far worse men and Order that will impose no sin on me 10. And I would advise these men did they not despise my advice for the Church of Englands sake and their own to retract their Errours and not lay such a Snare before the People Should you say in the Pulpit If the Church be guilty of any Schism by her Impositions oft-named Excommunications and silencing of Christs Ministers and afflicting good people without just Cause then I and all that communicate with it and me communicate in the guilt of Schism and are all in as much danger of Damnation by it as Adulterers and Murderers tell not your hearers this for if you do some will think you bid them separate or be damned and only make a doubt whether most men have Noses or not XCI1 Qu. But is not the Inference true Ans No it 's false There are twenty cases in which 1. One may be guilty of Schism and not be a Schismatick as denominated from what predominateth 2. And as many in which he is not at all guilty that communicateth with the guilty And let the world that is sober and awake judge now whether these men or we be the greater Schismaticks and which more condemneth or separateth from the Church of England We say that all Churches have some degree of Schism and so hath the Church of England as it hath imperfection Errour and Sin but that it is