AN ANSWER TO SOME QUERIES CONCERNING SCHISM TOLERATION c. IN A LETTER To a Friend It was not long since that the Sins of Rebellion and Sacrilege were so Successful that they did not only cast off their old Names but commenc'd Vertues and it was dangerous to discourse whether there were such Sins or no Prosperous Wickedness has never wanted its Apologists who know how to call Evil Good and Good Evil. The case is almost the same concerning the Sin of Schism and Separation Long 's Epist to the Brethren before the Character of a Separatist An Vniversal Toleration is that Trojan Horse which brings in our Enemies without being seen and which after a long Seige they hope to bring in at last under the pretence of setting our Gates wide enough open to let in all our Friends Still Misch of Separation p. 58. I beseech you Brethren mark them who cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them Rom. 16. 17. London Printed in the Year MDCC AN ANSWER TO SOME QUERIES CONCERNING SCHISM TOLERATION c. In a LETTER to a Friend SIR I Receiv'd your Letter with some Queries but I cannot imagine what made you pitch upon me when you are acquainted with so many Learned men to Answer ' em But to let you see how willing I am to give you the best Satisfaction that I can I have here sent you the Opinions of some of our most Celebrated Episcopal Divines that out of them you may frame Answers to all your Queries And if you are not Satisfied with what I have Collected out of 'em you may have recourse to their Books your self If you say that the Authors I have quoted are but Private men and their Writings of no Authority I must Answer that most of their Books have past an Imprimatur or which by some is look'd upon as Tantamont The Approbation of the London Divines If you say further That their Practices have in some Cases contradicted their Principles I must say that that is nothing to me Let them look to that If their Principles be Sound and Orthodox that 's all that I desire let them Answer for their Practices As for the Preliminary Questions I have likewise taken the Answers to them out of the same Writers as you 'll find upon the perusal The first Question that you propose is this What is meant by the Church But before a distinct Answer can be given you must know that the word Church has various significations Sometimes 't is taken for the Place where people Assemble and sometimes for the People assembled Sometimes for the Whole Church including the Church Triumphant which is in Heaven as well as the Church Art 19. Militant or the Visible Church here on Earth Sometimes for the Catholick Church Representative or a General Council Sometimes for the Catholick Church Diffusive or the Whole Body of Christians Sometimes for the Church Vniversal Sometimes for a Particular Church c. Q. What is meant by the Church in General or the Catholick Church A. The Church Ecclesia among Christians in the largest use Dr. Loyd ' s Serm. on Acts 2. 42. of the word is the whole Multitude of Believers joyn'd together in One Body or Society under One Head Jesus Christ Or The Catholick Church is the Whole Church of Christ spread Bramhal's Just Vind. p. 23. abroad thro' the whole World Or The Vniversal Church is the Company of Christians Knit together Id. by the Profession of the same Faith and the Communion of the same Sacraments under the Government of Lawful Pastors By Catholick Church is meant the whole number of Christians Disc concerning the Cath. Ch. p. 2. in all Ages and Places admitted into the Church by Baptism and gather'd into Particular Churches under their respective Pastors and Bishops United to one another and to Christ their Head by the Profession of one Faith or Religion Q. What is meant by a Particular Church A. By a Particular Church is meant a Number of Men professing Vindic. of Ch. Eng. from Sch. p. 10. Christianity form'd into a Society under Lawful Governours and govern'd by such Laws and Rules as are not different from but Agreable to the Laws of the Catholick Church Q. What is meant by a National Church A. The whole Body of Christians in a Nation consisting of Stil unreason of Separ p. 299. the Pastors and People agreeing in that Faith Government and Worship which are Establisht by the Law of the Realm Q. What is meant by a Representative National Church A. The Representative Church of a Nation is the Bishops and Id. p. 300. Presbyters of the Church meeting together according to the Laws of the Realm to consult and advise about Matters of Religion Q. What is meant by the Church of England A. The Church of England is a Society of People which in Stil Misc of Separ p. 19. this Nation are united under the same Profession of Faith the same Laws of Government and Rules of Divine worship Or By the Church of England I understand that Body of Men Faith and Prac. of Ch. Eng. man c. 1. who as to Church Affairs are united together under the same Principal Church Officers the Bishops Priests and Deacons and Communicate with them and with one another in all Religious Offices according to the Liturgy and Orders of our Church Profess the Christian Faith according to the Ancient Creeds and the 39 Articles and are govern'd according to the Canons and Laws of this Church Or The Church of England is a Community consisting of profess'd Doct. of Sch. p. 42. Christians united in the same Government Doctrin and Worship according to the 39 Articles and Homilies Her Liturgy Canons and Laws and divided into Parochial Assemblies for the more Convenient worshipping of God Q. What is meant by a Diocesan Church A. The Notion of a Church by the ancient Canons was Stil Misch of Separ p. 29. the same with that of a Diocess or such a number of Christians as were under the Inspection of a Bishop Or A Church is the Body of Christians contain'd in a City and Thorndike's Weights and Measures p. 39. the Territory of it for the Government of such a one the respective Authority of the Apostles convey'd by the Overt Act of their Ordination was visibly vested in a Bishop in a number of Presbyters for his advice and assistance and in Deacons attending upon them and upon the executing their Orders Q. What is meant by a Parochial Church A. A Parochial Church is a Company of Christians united under the care of a Pastor in subordination to the Bishop of the Diocess Q. Wherein consists the Unity of the Church A. Ecclesiastical Unity consists in preserving all those Relations Ham. of Schism p. 508. wherein each member of the whole Church of Christ is concern'd one towards another and this Unity is either of
the making a Bishop Priest or Deacon as Baptism to make a Christian And unless the Dissenters can produce a better that is a more ancient Charter than the Bishops have which I am sure they can never do the sole power of Ordination must be still in them and those that pretend to it must be Vsurpers and Consequently Schismaticks Dr. Sherlock says but by what Authority I know not That the Vind. of some Prot. Princ. p. 108. Church of England does not deny but that in case of Necessity the Ordinations of Presbyters may be Valid But he says with respect to the Dissenters that the case of Schism is a different thing and I believe says he Our Author himself will not say that Schismatical Presbyters may take this power or that their Ordinations are valid if they do And this is the Case between us and the Dissenters They ordain in a Schism and tho' necessity may make an irregular Act valid yet Schism will not The Novatians were Episcopal and so were the Donatists says Mr. Vindic. of the Prim. Ch. p. 330. Baxter and yet how have they been judged of for their Schism I need not tell They are very much to blame that say the Presbyterians or Independents troubled the Primitive Church It was impossible for them to be troublesome before they were at all It seems all the Sects and Schisms of that time thought they had no right to pretend to be a Church unless they had Bishops But these Anti-Episcopal Separatists were reserv'd it seems for the last times as the severest Curse and Judgment that could befall the Church Those Episcopal Schismaticks indeed divided the Church but These quite Dissolve it It has been the Tradition and Doctrine of the Christian Saywel of Vnity p. 324. Church in all Ages even from the Apostles time to this very day that no Ordinations are valid or ought to be made but by Bishops to whom the greatest Authority of governing the Church is committed I admire this Episcopal Government and Institution because Faith and Practice of a Church of Eng. man Cap. 1. under it I am in no doubt of the Validity of the Ordinations of our Ministers Or of the Validity of the Sacraments by them Administred For we have our Orders by a continu'd Succession from the Ancients and so from the Apostles which is the only ordinary way that I know of for a Man to be Commissionated to act in Christ's Name I suppose no man will deny that all Ordinations in Schism Thorndike's Rts. of the Ch. p. 147. Review of Mr. M. Hs. Notion of Schism p. 50. are Meer Nullities tho' made by persons rightly Ordain'd because against the Unity of the Church We believe with St. Jerom that the power of Ordaining belongs only to the Bishop and your Dissenters Ordinations made by Presbyters are all Void and Null and till you can prove the Contrary we take you for no more but a parcel of Lay-intruders into those holy Functions to which you have no right those of you only excepted who have been Episcopally Ordain'd In the first place I must put him in mind That as no Man Id. p. 51. Mat. 28. 18. Jo. 2. 21. is to meddle with the Sacred Offices Except he be called of God no Man to preach except he be sent So no Man is to call or send as from God but he that is authoriz'd by him for that purpose Neither can I see any Reason why a Man may not as well be a Minister of Jesus Christ without any Mission at all as by the Mission of those persons who never were sent themselves I believe there never was any case of Absolute Necessity for Lay-Ordinations Id. p. 53. but if possibly such should happen as the Gentleman mentions of a Company of Lay-men being cast upon an Island or remaining in some Country when their Pastors are all kill'd or turn'd Hereticks I am apt to believe that Bishops and Ministers duly ordain'd might be had from other Countries and if not methinks it would be reasonable and fit that we should first see what God would do in such Cases before we presume to do any thing of our selves for which we have no Scripture warrant Basil is so resolute upon his prerogative that he will not endure Vindic. of the Prim. Ch. p. 550. they Chorepiscopi should ordain as much as the Inferiour Clergy as Deacons Sub-deacons Readers and several others which the Church of that time reckon'd among the Clergy without his consent and if they do let them know says he That whosoever is admitted without our Consent shall be reputed but a Lay-man What would he have said if they had pretended to ordain Presbyters or Bishops in opposition to them The Bishops of the Church of England desire no more than St. Basil assum'd That none should be reputed Priests or Deacons that were ordain'd in their Dioceses without their Consent and that by simple Presbyters who were never Chorepiscopi or had any Character to distinguish them from other Presbyters Therefore the Case ought not to be reckon'd so hard as it is Commonly represented by the more moderate Nonconformists who pretend this point of Re-ordination the only Bar that keeps them out of the Church since there was never any other Church not any in Ancient times would have received them upon any other terms And they must have remain'd Nonconformists under Basil Athanasius and all the Ancient Bishops whose names are and always have been had in Veneration with all Christians not one of these would have ever been perswaded to own a Pastor that his Presbyters had ordain'd in opposition to him nay hardly could they have been prevail'd with to admit such as any other Bishop should ordain within their Diocess So extream punctilious they were in this matter and there is hardly any one thing that caus'd so frequent and dangerous contentions between them as the point of Ordination Q. May Orders given in a Schism be made afterwards valid A. Tho as was said above all Ordinations in Schism are Thorndike's Right of the Ch. p. 148. meer Nullities and tho made by persons rightly Ordain'd yet we find such Ordinations made valid by the meer decree of the Church without Ordaining a new as the Meletians in Egypt by the Council of Nice in Epiphanius and the Church Histories and as Pope Melchiades much commended for it by St. Austin offer'd to receive all the Donatists in their own ranks besides divers others that might be produc'd The only reason why some things tho they be ill done yet Id. ibid. are to stand good is because the power that doth them extends to them but is ill us'd So when the power is Usurp'd as in all Schism or when that is done which the Law makes void it can be to no effect Therefore when the Act of Schism is made valid it is manifest that the Order of Bishop and Presbyter is conferr'd in point
to a former 2ly For erecting new places for the dividing party to meet in publickly He Mr. Hales says truly that all Meetings upon unnecessary Id. p. 180. occasions of Separation are to be stil'd Conventicles so that in this sense a Conventicle is nothing else but a Congregation of Schismaticks and he had before determin'd them to be Schismaticks that do choose a Bishop in Opposition to the former and that do erect a New Church and Oratory for the dividing party to meet in publickly The Laws and Customs of all Churches do condemn it for Saywel of Vn 193. Schismatical for a man to come into another Ministers charge c. The summ of what is cited on this Query is this that there ought to be but one Bishop in a Diocess or City that they that set up a Bishop in opposition to the Rightful Bishop and make separate Meetings setting up Altar against Altar are Schismaticks and therefore those that would avoid the guilt of Schism must constantly Communicate with the First and Rightful Bishop but never with the Intruder or his Adherents Q. Are the People that Communicate with Schismatical Bishops and Presbyters guilty of Schism A. A Schismatick is an impious Son which having contemn'd Ham. of Schism out of Ignatius the Bishops and forsaken the Priests of God dares constitute another Altar The Schismaticks are they that having left their Bishop set Doctr. of Schism p. 45. up for themselves abroad another false Bishop and all their Adherents are involv'd in the same guilt who joyn with the Schismaticks against their Bishops An essential part of our Communion with our Bishop Def. of Dr. St. p. 471. is to live in Communion only of those Presbyters who live in Communion of their Bishop that is who officiate by his Authority and are subject to his Directions and Orders This was a standing rule in Ignatius his time as is evident from his Epistles that Presbyters must do nothing in the Church but by the Bishop's consent or order and those who do are Schismaticks and those people who adhere to them in it partake in the guilt of their Schism c. 'T is notorious in all the Histories and Canons of the Church Saywel of Vnity p. 393. that never any more than One Bishop at a time was allowed in any of those great Cities Jerusalem Alexandria c. And if a Schismatick did sometimes creep in as the Novatians and Donatists did in troublesome times they were always condemn'd by the Church which did constantly maintain There ought to be but One Bishop in a City or Diocess and all Priests and Lay Persons ought to be govern'd by him To assemble and celebrate the Eucharist besides the Bishop's Thornd Prim. Gov. Ch. p. 117. appointment was then in St. Ignatius his time the due mark of a Schismatick If the Church unites upon Schismatical Principles whatever Sherl Ans to Anonym the Bishop does in pursuance of such Principles is the Act of the Church and if the Bishops be Schismaticks the Church is so too The Church is by St. Cyprian defin'd to be a People united to St. Cyprian their own Bishop and a Flock adhering to their own Pastor whence you may know the Bishop always to be in the Church and the Church to go along with the Bishop if therefore the Bishop be a Schismatick so must all the Flock that Communicate with him If any Presbyter contemning his own Bishop shall make a Long 's Ch. Sep. p. 85. Separate Congregation and erect another Altar his own Bishop not being condemn'd of any Irreligion or Injustice let him be depos'd as one that is Ambitious and a Tyrannical person and in like manner all that Adhere to him and let the Lay People be Excommunicated after the Bishops third Admonition He who submits to or complies with the manager of a Schism Falkner's Christian Loyalty p. 272. in his prosecution thereof doth involve himself in the same crime Q. If a Bishop or other Clergy man be guilty of any Offence by whom is he to be Try'd and Punish'd A. Touching the Depriving or Degrading of Bishops Presbyters Field of the Ch. p. 512. and Deacons the ancient Canon requires the Concurrence and consent of 3 Bishops for the Censuring and Depriving of a Deacon of 6 for the Depriving of a Presbyter and of 12 for the Censuring Judging and Deposing of a Bishop If a Bishop be Convicted of Heresy or Schism or some great Vind. of Def. p. 128. Wickedness and Injustice his Colleagues that is Bishops may Depose him and forbid his People to Communicate with him and Ordain another in his stead For one particular Primate or Metropolitan to censure any Hills Cath. Balance p. 86. Bishop by himself or to be uncapable of censure in his own Provincial Synods hath no Precedent in the primest and purest Antiquity The Canon Apostolical 33 directing That every Bishop of every Nation give deference to him that is Chief among them and to esteem him as their Head and to do nothing extraordinary without his Cognisance but every one only to do those things which are expedient to his own Diocess and to the Country under him And so neither must the Capital Bishop do any thing without the consent of them all for thus there will be an Vnanimity and God will be glorify'd thro' the Lord in the Holy Spirit Bishops had over their Presbyters and People Supreme Power Faith and Pract. Ch. Eng. m. cap. 1. under Christ as to Church affairs and Accountable only to Christ and to a Council of their fellow Bishops often Meeting and Consulting together for the good of the whole A Bishop of the Church of England by all the Law in the Christian Bishop of Lond. Tryal p. 6. Church in all ages and by the particular Law of this Land in case of offence is to be Try'd by his Metropolitan and Suffragans The Bishop of London's Council urged in behalf of the Bishop Id. for not suspending Dr. S. without a Legal process That absolute Suspension supposes a proof of the Crime c. Id. and That where there is an absolute Suspension there ought to be Citation Form of Proceeding Judgment and Decree and that to Act otherwise is contrary to the Laws of God of Nature of all Nations in all Ages and was never known in the World My Lord I Always have and shall count it my duty to obey the K. in whatever Id. Bp. of London's Letter to my Lord Sanderland he Commands me c. But in this I humbly conceive I am oblig'd to proceed according to Law and therefore 't is impossible for me to comply because tho' His Majesty Commands me only to Execute His Pleasure yet in the capacity I am to do it I must Act as a Judge and your Lordship knows no Judge Condemns any Man before he have knowledge of his Cause and have cited
being Traiterous and paying Homage to an Usurper doth annul the Right and Title of the Lawful Prince The Church of England Bishops are guilty of no Schism from the Church of Rome their order is undoubted and their Succession Reform Justify'd p. 29. uninterrupted and so their Title and Authority is as firm and unquestionable as any upon earth and they must be Schismaticks before God and the Catholick Church that do not submit to them and joyn in their Communion in all Lawful things If we look over the ancient Canons of the Church we shall find two things very plain in them 1 That the Notion of a Church was the same with that of a Mischief Separ p. 29. Can. Nic. Can. 6. 15. 16. Constan c. 6. Chalced. 17 20 26. Antioch c. 2. Codex Eccl. Affric c. 53. c. 55. Conc. Gang. c. 6. Conc. Constan c. 6. Conc. Carthag c. 10 11. St. Cypri Ep. 40. 42. Theod. Eccl. Hist l. 1. c. 22. 1. 2. c. 24. c. 17. Vincent c. 16. Diocess or such a Number of Christians as were under the Inspection of a Bishop Or 2ly That those Presbyters who rejected the Authority of their Bishop or affected Separate Meetings where no fault could be found with the Doctrine of a Church were condemn'd of Schism So the followers of Eustathius Sebastenus who withdrew from the publick Congregations on pretence of greater Sanctity and Purity in Paphlagonia were condemn'd by the Council at Gangrae So were those who Separated from their Bishops tho' otherwise never so Orthodox by the Council at Constantinople and the Council at Carthage wherein before S. Cyprian had so justly Complain'd of the Schism of Felicissimus and his Brethren who on pretence of some disorders in the Church of Carthage had withdrawn to the Mountains and there laid the foundation of the Novatian Schism But when false Doctrine was imposed on Churches as by the Arian Bishops at Antioch then the people were excused in their Separation So at Rome when Felix was made Bishop and at Sirmium when Photinus publish'd his Heresie but I do not remember one instance in Antiquity wherein Separation from Orthodox Bishops and setting up Meetings without their Authority and against their consent was acquitted from the Sin of Schism The substance of what is contain'd in the Answer to this Query amounts to this viz. 1. That K. Edward's Bishops were True and Canonical Bishops And the Popish Bishops in Q. Mary's days Intruders 2. That those that adhered to K. Edward's Bishops in Queen Mary's days altho' depriv'd were the True Church and Consequently those that forsook their Communion were the Schismaticks Q. Whether a Particular Church suppose the Roman being Schismatical yet keeping possession of all the Churches may be said to Separate A. Yes For Private Meetings in such a case commence Churches Hales and the Churches become Conventicles according to the Definition given of a Conventicle above viz. That a Conventicle is nothing else but a Congregation of Schismaticks If Rome has by the many Additions c. err'd she may be said Ans to Reason and Authority p. 66. to have left and gone from or be separated from that First Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church without making an open Schism or Schismatical Separation So far then as any Church now in being shall depart from the Doctrine of the Ancient Catholick Church and profess great and many errors and broach new Doctrines unknown to the Primitive Churches and lay mighty stresses upon them so as to make them necessary for Communion here and to Salvation hereafter such a Church may be said to Depart or Separate it self from that Ancient One Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church It is true That they who first desert and forsake the Communion Bramhal Just Vind. p. 10. of their Christian Brethren are Schismaticks but there is a Moral Defection as well as a Local In a word he that forsakes the Assemblies of Catholick Christians is a Schismatick not he that goes not to a Church for where-ever Christians tho' in a Den or Cave of the Earth worship God in the Unity of the Church there is the Church of God Q. Are the Dissenters Schismaticks A. Yes doubtless For they not only set up separate Meetings in opposition to Bishops but renounce all Episcopal Authority and Usurp the Power of Ordination which did always belong to the Order of Bishops As for the Government of the Church we are assur'd partly Letter concerning the necessity of Regulat the Press p. 18. from Scripture and partly from the Earliest Antiquity That the Order of Bishops and Metropolitans rests upon Apostolical Institution Both Timothy and Titus in the judgment of the most Learned Presbyterians were Superiour to the rest of the Clergy within their Districts at least in Jurisdiction if not Order The Bishop presided over a City and the adjacent Villages Id. p. 19 and Territories where a Temporal Magistrate was likewise plac'd As the Metropolis of every Province had its Proconsul in the State so it had its Archbishop or Metropolitan in the Church And when the Government of Patriarchs prevail'd it was form'd after the same Model either in Imitation of the Vicars or Lieutenants that presided over a Diocess composed of several Provinces or at least in Imitation of the Praetorian Prefects that had several Dioceses under their Jurisdiction All those that set up Altar against Altar and hold Separate Saywel of Vnity p. 318. Congregations contrary to the Law of this Church are to be held as Schismaticks and were condemn'd for such by the ancient General and Particular Councils and all the Catholick Fathers and Martyrs and thought not sit to be receiv'd into Christian Communion or accounted lively members of the Catholick Church As 't is a high crime to Affront a Judge duly Commissionated Id. 395. so it is no less than Rebellion for an able Lawyer without a Commission to assume to himself the Office and Authority of a Judge And why it should be in Temporal Judges and not in Spiritual appointed by God as the Bishops are in the opinion of this Lord Chief Justice Hales I cannot see I am sure 't was ever thought so by all sober Christians till our unhappy Rebellion nurs'd People up in Schism and Disobedience Were it Episcopacy but an Human Ordinance of yesterday Thorndike prim Gov. of Chs. p. 197. establish'd by due course of right let me be bold to say that if Aerius withdrew his Submission to it he must come within Epiphanius's list of Hereticks not understanding an Heretick in St. Augustin's sense to be none but he that will not believe some point of Doctrine necessary as the means of Salvation to be believ'd but according to the latitude of the Word taking all to be Hereticks that make Sects and Assemble themselves a part besides the Church of God Lawfully Settled As for Episcopal Ordination that was accounted as necessary in the primitive Church to
of Right by the meer consent of the Church which by the precedent Ordination was Conferr'd only in point of Fact being a meer Nullity in point of Right It hath been often practis'd by the Church to receive Id. of Forb p. 69. not only Schismaticks but even Hereticks also that is Such as had receiv'd orders of those that parted from the Church upon an Error of Faith in their respective Orders But always upon Condition of Renouncing the Cause of their Division whereupon they were to receive the Blessing of the Church by prayer with Imposition of hands The reason was because neither is Baptism in Schism effectual to Salvation nor Ordination in Schism effectual to Grace by Ministry of any Office in Schism But being Renounc'd there remains no cause why their Ministry should not be effectual to their People Their Baptism and their Ministry to their own Salvation supposing it sincerely renounc'd Therefore the reason why they who are Ordain'd by Presbyters cannot be receiv'd in their respective Orders is peremptory Because the Schism Consisting in ordaining against Authority cannot be renounc'd unless the Ordination be voided For so long as the Ministry may be Rev. of Mr. M. Hs. New Notion of Schism p. 47. Usurp'd upon such Ordination so long is the Schism on foot I can see no reason why the line of Ordination may not pass thro a Schismatical Church for altho by Schism people are out of the Church and while they Continue so cannot enjoy the benefit either of Ordination or Sacraments yet to say that both are absolutely destroy'd and Nullifi'd so that a Schismatick loses the Chracters and can neither be a Christian nor a Bishop i e not the subject of Apostolical power till he be again Baptiz'd and Ordain'd is an Assertion beyond all that I could ever yet meet with The Meletians were Schismaticks and yet those ordain'd by Meletius were receiv'd into places where others dyed c. I think that Orders and Regularity of Episcopal Succession Ans to Sev. capt Queries p. 19. will suffice to make them Lawful Bishops who for corrupting the Doctrin of the Church shall not be allow'd to be Good ones Q. Whether Toleration will excuse from Schism A. An Act of Parliament would deliver the Dissenters from Vind. Def. of Dr. St. p. 457. Temporal Punishments and might deliver them from the Sin of Disobedience to Civil Governours But the guilt of Schism will remain still unless he Mr. H. thinks the Donatists were not Schismaticks when Julian the Apostate with an uniting design granted a General Toleration So that this project may secure the Estates but cannot secure the Souls of Dissenters Schism will damn men tho they should get it establisht by Act of Parliament There is nothing more or less in a Toleration than a Suspensiou Norris Charge of Sch. p. 26. of the Penal part of the Law This is all that it Can do and perhaps more than it ought For I believe there ought to be no such thing as a Toleration and that 't is more than either the Church or State can Rightfully grant We do not derive the Grounds of Obligation to Ecclesiastick Id. p. 80. Communion from the Authority of the Civil Law tho' that must be allow'd to add a considerable weight to the Obligation but also and chiefly from that of the Divine Law which I conceive to be as positive and express in requiring Unity and Conformity of Worship as in requiring any Religious Worship at all No License given no Toleration granted no Exemption from Blackhalls Serm. on Jo. 6. 66. p. 14. Temporal Penalties in case of Separation allow'd by men is sufficient to excuse from the guilt of Schism those that Separate from the True Christian Church whereof they were Members or to render their Schism no sin Human Lawgivers may give leave to their Subjects to be of any Id. p. 15. Religion or to be of no Religion but if they do they can't make it Lawful in it self either to be Atheists or to profess a false Religion or to forsake the Communion of the True Church for to believe a God and to worship publickly and to worship him in the Assemblies of the Faithful are Duties that are laid upon us by a higher than any humane Authority and therefore no humane Authority can discharge us from them The Law can take away and discharge us from no Obligation but that which its self laid on us so that all the meaning of the largest and most unlimited Toleration that the Law can grant is no more than this viz a Declaration that Men shall not be liable to any Temporal Mulcts or Penalties or be any ways punish'd by the Civil Power upon the account of any Differences in Religion or for being of no Religion at all but if antecedently to the establishment of any Church by the Civil Power and if antecedently to the enacting any Penal Laws to oblige men to hold its Communion it was Schism to separate without cause from that Christian Church whereof we were Members and such Schismatical Separation was a Sin before God then so it will be still notwithstanding any License or Toleration that can be granted by the Secular Power Toleration is not only a means to encourage those that are already Saywel of Vnity p. 137. engag'd in Schism to continue so but by experience is found the most effectual way to multiply new Swarms of Schismaticks c. When a particular Church enjoys a Civil Establishment it receives Letter about Regulating the Press p. 22. as it were a new Authority in as much as it becomes a Civil Right or Property So that unless its Constitution is Materially vicious and sinful it s a high piece of Injustice to destroy or infringe any of its Establish'd Rights or Immunities But yet since the Magistrate is only the Guardian not the Founder of a National Church its Original Authority resting on certain positive Laws and Sanctions enjoyn'd by a Power Superior to that of the Magistrate even that of God Himself wherever a Church in any Province or Nation professeth the True Religion by an Orthodox Faith and a pure worship under Lawful Church Governours and Pastors that is the True National Church in opposition to all Dissenting Sects and Parties tho' it wants the Authority of a Civil Establishment It is indisputably evident that the Christian Church is one Society Id. p. 16. or Body of Men united to CHRIST and each other in certain External as well as Internal and Spiritual Bonds of Union It s certain one great design of Christianity is Vnity or to range Id. p. 23. all the Parts and Members of the Church of CHRIST into an Holy Building and therefore if the Magistrate is Constituted a Guardian of the True Religion all his offices of Succour and Protection must be directed to this end I mean the Bonds of Catholick Vnity throughout his whole Dominions
an Answer to a Paper reprinted at Oxford call'd The Schism of the Church of England demonstrated in four Arguments c. by Dr. Saywell Cambridge Printed for Ed. Hall 1688. Discourse Nat. Vnity c. A Discourse concerning the Nature Unity and Communion of the Cath. Church wherein most of the Controversies Relating to the Church are briefly and plainly stated pt 1st by Will. Sherlock D. D. and Master of the Temple London printed for William Rogers 1688. Several Capt. Quer. Several captious Queries concerning the English Reformation first propos'd by Dean Manby c. briefly and fully Answer'd by Dr. Claget London printed for James Adamson 1688. Cath. Bal. The Catholick Balance or a Discourse determining the Controversies concerning 1. The Tradition of Cath. Doctrines 2. The Primacy of St. Peter and the Bishop of Rome 3. The Subjection and Authority of the Church in a Christian State c. by Mr. Hill of Killmanton in Somersetshire London printed for R. Clavel 1687. Sherl Serm. Nov. 4. 88. A Sermon preach'd before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London at the Guildhall Chapel on Sunday Nov. 4. 1688. by W. Sherlock D. D. Mr. of the Temple London printed for Will. Rogers 1689. Vindic. some Prot. Princ. A Vindication of some Protestant Principles of Church Unity and Cath. Communion from the charge of Agreement with the Church of Rome by Dr. Sherlock Ans to Anonym A Letter to Anonymus in Answer to his three Letters to Dr. Sherlock about Church Communion Rev. M. H's new notion Sch. A Review of M. H's new Notion of Schism and the Vindication of it London printed for E. Mory 1692. Hellier's Treat Sch. A Treatise concerning Schism and Schismaticks c. by Hen. Hellier D. D. fellow of CCC Oxon. London printed by R. Smith for John Crosley Bookseller in Oxford 1697. Blackall visit Serm. A Sermon preach'd at Brentwood in Essex Oct. 7. 1693 at the Visitation c. by Offsp. Blackal 2d Edition London printed for W. Rogers 1699. Necess Regul Press A Letter to a Member of Parliament shewing the necessity of regulating the Press Oxford printed 1699. Thorn Weights and Meas Just Weights and Measures That is the present State of Religion weigh'd in the Balance and measur'd by the Standard of the Sanctuary according to the opinion of Herbert Thorndike The 2d Edition London Printed for J. Martin 1680. Def. Vnreason Separ A Discourse of Church Unity being a Defence 8vo of Dr. Stillingfleet's unreasonableness of Separation in Answer to several late Pamphlets but Principally Dr. Owen and Mr. Baxter by a Presbyter of the Church of England Dr. Sherlock London printed for R. Chiswel 1681. Vindic. Def. unreason Separ A Continuation and Vindication of the Defence of Dr. Stillingfleet's Unreasonableness of Separation in Answer to Mr. Baxter and Mr. Lobb c. by the Author of the Defence London printed for R. Chiswell 1682. 2d pt unreasonable Separ The Unreasonableness of Separation The 2d part or a further impartial Account of the History Nature and Pleas of the present Separation c. by Mr. Long London printed for Dan. Brown at the Black Swan and Bible without Temple Barr. 1682. Vindic. prim ch A Vindication of the Primitive Church and Diocesan Episcopacy in Answer to Mr. Baxter's Church History of Bps. c. by H. Maurice D. D. London printed for Moses Pitt 1682. Ans to Prot. Reconciler A Vindication of the Rights of Ecclesiastical Authority being an Answer to the 1st part of the Protestant Reconciler by Wm. Sherlock D. D. Mr. of the Temple London printed for Abel Swale 1685. Falkner's Christ Loyal Christian Loyalty or a Discourse wherein is asserted that just Royal Authority c. by Wm. Falkner preacher at St. Nicholas in Lyn Regis London printed for Walter Ketilby 1679. Vindic. Ch. and State of Scotld A Vindication of the Authority Constitution and Laws of the Church and State of Scotland in four Conferences c. By Gilbert Burnet Professor of Theology in Glasgow Printed by Robert Sanders printer to the City and University 1673. Bram. Just Vind. A just Vindication of the Church of England from the unjust Aspersion of Criminal Schism c. By Bp. Bramhal London printed for John Crook 1645. Thornd Rt. of the Ch. A Discourse of the Right of the Church in a Christian State By Herbert Thorndike London printed for Octavian Pulien 1649. Thorn of Forbear A Discourse of the Forbearance or the Penalties which a due Reformation requires By Herbert Thorndike c. London Printed for James Collins 1670. Doctr. Sch. Doctrine of Schism fully open'd and apply'd to gather'd Churches c. By the Author of Toleration not to be abus'd by the Presbyterians London printed for James Collins and sold by Abish Brocas in Exon. 1672. Long 's Char. Separatist The Character of a Separatist or Sensuality the ground of Separation By Tho. Long B. D. and Prebendary of St. Peter's Exon. London printed for Walter Ketilby 1677. Long against Hales of Schis Mr. Hales's Treatise of Schism Examin'd and Censur'd by Tho. Long. B. D. and Prebendary of Exeter London printed for Walter Ketilby 1678. Faith and Practice Ch. Engl. man The Faith and Practice of a Church of England man London Printed for W. Ketilby 1688. Thorndike prim Ch. Gover. Of the Government of Churches a discourse pointing at the Primitive form Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the University of Cambridge 1641. Norris Charge Sch. Charge of Schism Continued by Mr. Norris London printed for Sam. Manship at the Black Bull over against the Royal Exchange 1691. Saywel of Vnity Evangelical and Catholick Unity maintain'd in the Church of England or an Apology for her Government c. By William Saywell D. D. and Master of Jesus Coll. in Cambridge London printed for Robert Scott and Awnsham Church-hill 1682. FINIS ERRATA PAge 9. line 13. r. Roman p. 33. l. 12. for distinct r. of Christ's Church l. 13. for of Christ's Church r. distinct p. 36. l. 2. for of r. off p. 37. l. 18. for Bisac r. Brisac p. 45. l. 4. r. himself Marg. p. 43. r. Hill's Cath. Bal. p. 107.
Subordination or Equality Q. Wherein consists the Vnity of Subordination A. The Unity of those Members that are Subordinate one to Id. the other consists in the constant due subjection and Obedience of all Inferiors to their Lawful Superiors and in due exercise of Authority in the Superiors towards all committed to their Charge Heb. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 5. 2. Q. Wherein consists the Vnity of Equality or fellow Members A. Unity of fellow Brethren consists in the preformance of all Id. ibid. Mutual duties of Justice and Charity towards one another Q. What is meant by Communion A. Communion superadds nothing to Unity but the Relation Id. ibid. of external Association whether by Assembling for the worship of God in the same place where the matter is capable of it or whether by Letters Communicatory by which we maintain external Communion with those who are far distant from us Or Communion with a Church is joyning with a Church as a Stil Vnreason of Sep. p. 107. member of that Church Q. What destroys the Unity of the Church A. Schism Q. What is Schism A. Schism is a Division in or from a Church Doct. of Sch. p. 40. Or Schism is a Voluntary dividing or a Separating or receding Ham. of Schism of any Member from the Unity of the Body i. e. the Church of Christ Or Schism is a Causeless Separation from a true Church Doct. of Sch. p. 58. Q. What is meant by Schism from the Church of England Doct. of Schism p. 45. A. Schism from the Church of England is a sinful dividing from or dissolving our Union and Communion with her in her Governours Members Worship or Assemblies This is the least we can mean by Schism from the Church of England and is called Separation Negative which is made Positive and more formally such when those that have separated set up their Altars against Hers and erect other Congregations in Opposition to Hers. Q. What is meant by Negative Separation or Schism A. Negative Schism is when men do peaceably and quietly withdraw their Communion from the Church in part or in whole to enjoy their Consciences in a private way Q. What is meant by Positive Separation A. Positive Separation is when persons thus withdrawn do Id. p. 60. gather into a Distinct and Opposite Body setting up a Church against a Church to worship God in a separated way themselves which St. Austin calls setting up Altar against Altar Q. What is a Schismatick A. A Schismatick is he that divides himself from the Church Ham. of Schism of God he that goes out or withdraws or recedes of his own accord Q. What is an Excommunicate person A. An Excommunicate person is one that is cut off or separated Ham. of Schism p. 508. and cast out of the Church by the Governours of the Church From the Definitions I think these Conclusions or Propositions will naturally follow viz. 1. That the Christian Church is a Society 2. That the Church is but one Body ' tho it consists of many particular Churches and Diocesses as Members of it 3. That the Church is govern'd by one Supreme Head 4. That the Supreme Head of the Church is Christ 5. That under this Supreme Head there have been always subordinate Governors 6. That those Subordinate Governors were first the Apostles constituted immediately by Christ himself over the whole Church and after them the Bishops as Successors to them in particular Churches or Diocesses 7. That all Bishops in their several Districts or Diocesses have full power as to Spirituals over the whole Flock 8. That all the Members of the Church within such Districts owe subjection to their Lawful Bishops as to those Commission'd by Christ 9. That as Christ did ordain the Apostles and the Apostles Bishops for the Government of the Church so the Bishops have ever since ordain'd Priests and Deacons to take care of and instruct the Church in subordination to them 10. That all Christians are oblig'd to become Members of some particular Church where the Sacraments are administred and Communion enjoy'd under the Authority of some Canonical Bishop or in Communion with some Priest owning and submitting to some Bishop of the Catholick Church 11. That all those who break the Vnity of the Church by actual Separation from the Communion of their Lawful Bishop and fellow Christians are Schismaticks 12. That all those that are united to and in Communion with Canonical Bishops and adhere to the Doctrin and worship establisht in the Church of England as contain'd in the 39 Articles Homilies Liturgy Canons and Laws are the true Church of England and their Assemblies are true Churches 13. That all those who separate themselves as Schismaticks and all those that are Separated as Excommunicate persons by the Governors of the Church are out of the Communion of the Church Q. Is all Separation Schismatical Still unreas of separ p. 209. A. Tho' Schism be always a Sin yet there may be such Circumstances which may make a Separation not to be a Schism That you may know when Separation is Schismatical and when Vindic. of the Ch. of Eng. from Schism p. 16. not you must understand that there are three great Bonds of Communion viz. Faith Worship and Government and whosoever shall separate from any Church whereof he is a member in any of these he or they so doing cannot be acquitted from the guilt of Schism unless the Corruption in some one or more of these be so great as to render the Communion sinful to him who knows it Q. What is meant by the first Bond Faith A. If a Church hold the Catholick Faith tho' her Members Id. may differ in some controverted Points pure and undefil'd and impose no new Articles of Faith as terms of her Communion 't is Schism to break Communion with that Church but if she does impose new Articles of Faith a Separation from such a Church is not only justifiable but a Duty Q. What is meant by the second Bond Worship A. If a Church have a pure Worship as to its substance tho' Id. cloath'd with some accidental Modes Rites and Ceremonies to Separate from such a Church is downright Schism and the reason is because all Ceremonies and Modes of Worship being in their own nature Indifferent cannot by being impos'd become sinful and if not sinful can never justify a Separation But if on the other side the Worship be polluted by Idolatry or profane and immoral mixtures or any other way be made such as that the Members of the Church cannot Communicate without sin Separation from such a Church is not only warrantable but absolutely necessary and the Schism must lie at the door of the Imposers Q. What is meant by the third Bond Government A. If the Church of which we are Members be governed by Lawful and Canonical Bishops and they act according to the Rules of the Catholick Church then to
separate from them is a damnable Sin and a pernicious Schism 'T is a denying of Christ himself who appointed them to rule the Church in his stead But if they are either not Lawful Bishops but Intruders or not Orthodox but Heritical then they that Separate are not only not Schismaticks but the true Church and they that cause the Separation the Schismaticks To confirm what is said I have subjoyned some few Testimonies by which it will plainly appear 1st That tho' Seperation he sometimes a duty yet if the Faith be sound and the Worship pure and uncorrupt Separation is sinful 2ly That Separation from the Communion of Lawful and Canonical Bishops is Schismatical 1st That tho' Separation be sometimes a duty yet if the Faith be sound and the Worship pure and uncorrupt Separation is sinful Violation of the Unity of the Church where there is no sufficient Vnreason Separ p. 209. reason to justifie it is a sin as much as Murder is and is as plainly forbidden My Judgment being that a causeless breaking the peace of Pref. to Vnreas of Separ Shâ—rl Vird. of Def. p. 39â— Doct. of Sch. p. 66. Id. p. 1â—2 the Church we live in is really as great and as dangerous a sin as Murder and in some cases aggravated beyond it To Separate where no sinful terms of Communion are impos'd is a causeless Separation Separation is unwarrantable if Communion with the Church may be without Sin Renouncing Communion or denying to Communicate with any Church upon any dislike or for any cause except sin is properly Separation and Schism it is not actually not communicating with a True Chruch but renouncing Communion that we think makes the Schismatick Schism is directly a Breach of Unity as that is a Breach of Id. ibid. Charity Refusing to Communicate with a true Church when I have opportunity especially my own Church is a plain breach of both whatever my reason be short of Sin There may be an Actual Criminous separation of Churches Bramhal Just Vind. p. 10. which formerly did joyn in one and the same Communion and yet the separaters be Innocent and the persons from whom the Separation is made be Nocent and Guilty of Schism because they gave just Cause of Separation from them it is not the separation but the Cause that makes the Schism Wherever there is no necessity of Separating there the Norris Charg Sch. p. 93. Church has a Right to Communion which to withold from her is Schism or else there is no such thing as Schism in the World A part of the Catholick Church may have so many errors Ans to the Kings Pap. p. 106. and corruptions mix'd with it as may make it necessary to Salvation to leave it There are three Cases wherein the Scripture allows of Separation Vnreason of Separ p. 213. 1st In Case of Idolatrous worship 2ly In Case of false Doctrine impos'd instead of true 3ly In Case men make things indifferent necessary to Salvation and divide the Church upon that account I do not charge those with Separation who under Idolatrous Id. p. 148. or Arian Princes did keep up the exercise of true Religion against the will of the Magistrate There are many false Teachers that transform themselves into Long 's Pref. to 2d pt unreas Sep. Angels of Light But if they teach any thing for Doctrine contrary to the word of God any Doctrine that tends to Impiety Disobedience or Divisions it is our duty to reject and withhold Communion from them It is beyond question that there may be such Corruptions in Id. Ep. to the Char. of a Sepa Doctrines and such Idolatrous practices requir'd in Worship as may justifie a Separation The Divines of the Church of England first prov'd that the Apologet vindic of Ch. E p. 44 Communion of the Romish Church was not Pure and Apostolical and thence justifi'd the Separation of the Church of England from it as necessary c. And on the Contrary They have prov'd that the Communion of the Church of England is Pure and Apostolical and thence condemn the Separation of the Dissenters from it as Needless God only bids me obey the Church in such Cases as are not Faith and practise of Ch. Eng. c. 3. Long 's Char. of Sep. p. 6. defin'd by the Law of God but doth not give the Church leave to Command any thing contrary to God's Law nor oblige me to attend to it or Obey it if it should so Command We do still hold and teach that the Condition of our Communion with the Church of Rome was made sinful by professing False Doctrine Believing Lyes and joyning in Idolatrous Worship and so it was unlawful and intolerable and they who practise such things themselves and would impose them on others are actually in Separation from the true Church Schism indeed we do say is a Damning Sin but there may be Sherl Serm. Nov. 4. 1680. Id. vind of the Def. p. 323. Divisions where there is not always the guilt and formality of Schism c. The principal Acts of Christian Communion consist in Christian Worship and if any Church have so corrupted Divine Worship that a good Christian must not joyn in it we must of necessity abstain from their Communion No Church can oblige a man to believe what is False or do Vind. Kings pap p. 106. what is Vnlawful and rather than do either he must forsake the Communion of that Church If you ask by what Authority we Separate from the R. C. Id. p. 68. I answer by the same Authority which makes it Unlawful for us to Profess what we do not believe and to Practise what we believe God has forbidden Neither abroad nor at home can we purchase Unity of Communion Difference of the Case p. 9. at so dear a rate as to break God's Commandments for it We do Unanimously acknowledge that if this Church makes Id. p. 44. the Profession of false Doctrine or the breaking of God's Commandments a condition of her Communion They that upon this account Separate from her Communion are before God clear of the guilt of Schism in so doing When it is a Sin to Communicate it is not a Sin to Separate Vind of Ch. E. from Sch. p. 34. Doctr. of Sch. p. 66. Separation from a true Church is sometimes Lawful if one cannot remain in its Communion without Communicating in her Sins Suppose a particular Church tho' Lawfully Constituted and Vind. of Ch. E. from Sch. p. 10. Establisht under Lawful Governours should make the Terms of her Communion such as Her Neighbour Churches could not without Sin and Danger hold Communion with her would Separation in this case be adjudg'd a Schism Or would it not rather be lookt upon as their Duty and Interest to withdraw from her If Schism be consider'd as a Separation from the Communion Id. p. 25. of some particular Church then 't
is imply'd that possibly there may be such cause given as may justifie the Separation and if so then the guilt of Schism will lie at the door of the Church which gives such cause and not at his or theirs who Separate there from No cause can justifie a Separation save only this when a Church makes the Terms of her Communion such as cannot be comply'd withal without Sin And in this Case me thinks it is very plain that it cannot be Sin to Separate when it is Sin to Communicate for no Laws of Men can abrogate or dissolve the obligation of the express Laws of God When we cannot obey our Spiritual Rulers without disobeying the express Laws of Christ the reason of our Communion Sherlock with such a Church ceaseth because it does not answer nay contradicts the end of Christian Society which is to have fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 1 Jo. 1. 3. If any Patriarch Prelate Church or Churches shall enjoyn Sinfull Bramhal Duties to their Subjects it is very Lawful for their Subjects to disobey them and for strangers to separate from them As in the Case of Usurpation the owning of the Lawful King Vind. of Ans to the King's Pap. p. 67. is a Voluntary Act but if an Usurper threatens to banish him if de does not abjure him upon whom must the blame be laid upon the Mans voluntary Act or the Usurpers Voluntary Imposing such a Penalty on those who do nothing but what is Just The making such Terms of Communion is a voluntary Act too and being a thing Vnreasonable and Vnjust it leaves the blame on the Imposers I held it better to seem undevout and to hear no mens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayers than to be forc'd or seem to comply with those Petitions to which the Heart cannot consent nor the Tongue say Amen without contradicting a mans own Understanding or belying his own Soul I had rather be condemn'd to the Wo of Vae Soli then to that Id. of Vae Vobis Hypocritis by seeming to pray what I do not approve If any Bp. Metropolitan or Patriarch with open face asserts Falk Chr. Loy p. 269. manifest Heresy or false Doctrin which hath been so declar'd by approv'd Councils the disowning all Communion with him and subjection to him even before a Council is commended by some Canons as a practice which deserves Honour And it must be so where subjection must include Embracing Corruptions Secondly That Separation from the Communion of Lawful and Canonical Bishops is Schismatical It is the Law of the Gospel and the constant Profession of Saywell of Vnity p. 340. the Christian Church that all Persons as well Clergy as Lay-men must live in Obedience and Communion with their own Bishops as long as they profess the Catholick Faith and uphold such a publick Worship wherein it is Lawful to joyn and in the right performance whereof we may obtain Salvation The crime of Schism does manifestly lie upon those who refuse Id. p. 11. Obedience to their Lawful Bishops in all just Commands Not only the Greek Abyssine Russian Churches but the Protestant Id. p. 355. Churches do all with one consent condemn them for Schismaticks which separate from the Lawful Pastors of any True Church and set up Churches against Churches and Communion against Communion c. It is undoubted that it has been the constant Doctrin of the Id. 388. Greek Eastern Northern and Southern Churches as well as Roman in all Ages that Christians ought to be in subjection to their Respective Bishops and he was held cut off from the Catholick Church that did separate from his Lawful Bishop or was Excommunicated by him and no other Church could receive him till Repentance and Reconciliation to his Own Bishop and 't is the same at this very day I reckon my self bound to obey the Commands of my Lawful Faith and Pract. Ch. Eng. man chap. 3. Governors both in Church and State not only for Peace and Order sake but for the sake of God who hath Commanded me so to do and am willing to forego my own Rights often and deny my own Profit rather than disobey or oppose a Command of my Lawful Governours where I can obey without Sin God only bids me obey the Church in such cases as are not defin'd by the Law of God but doth not give the Church leave to command any thing contrary to God's Law nor oblige me to attend to it or obey it if it should so command Schism implies the casting off a Lawful Jurisdiction to which Vind. of Ch. Eng. from Sch. p. 34. Vind. Def. Still p. 401. we were oblig'd to yield Subjection and Obedience Government and Discipline is necessary to preserve any Society and therefore obedience to Ecclesiastical Governors is a Necessary term of Church Communion and let a man be never so sound and Orthodox in Faith and Worship if he be of a restless and turbulent Spirit and disobedient to his Governors and their orders and Constitutions he deserves to be flung out of the Church Communion if he do's not Separate himself and will be Damn'd for't too without Repentance Communion with the Bishop is Essential to the Notion and Unity Sherl Vind. of Def. p. 452. Id. 453. of an Episcopal Church Those only Communicate with their Bishop who submit to his Pastoral Authority and partake with him in all Religious Offices and those who do not according to the notion of the Catholick Church are Schismaticks and therefore not of the same Church with him When men consent to be Christ's Disciples they consent to Sherl def of Still p. 254. Id Vind. def p. 126. Id. vind def p. 331. submit to that Authority Christ has instituted in his Church It has been the constant practice of the Apostles and all succeeding Ages to set Bishops and Pastors over particular Churches and to confine their Care and Inspection to them Episcopacy has been the Establisht Government of the Church of England ever since the Reformation and for any Christians to Separate from their Bishops was always accounted Schism in the Christian Church unless there were some very necessary reaons to justifie such a Separation There is no other way of submitting our selves to the Authority Sherl 2d part Vn Com. p. 428. Ans to Prot. Reconciler p. 258. of Christ but by a regular subjection to the Discipline and Government of the Church I know no way of Judging whether any Man be in Communion with Christ but by his Communion with the Church There is no visible Communion with God and Christ but by a visible Communion with the Church Subjection to Christ requires subjection to that Authority Id. p. 411. which Christ has set in his Church as well as Obedience to his other Laws 'T is plain we disown Christs Authority when we reject those Id. p. 168. who Act by his Authority An
obstinate refusal to obey the Imposition of Lawful Bishops Id. p. 381. and Pastors makes Men Schismaticks Whosoever is a Member of any particular Church and refuses Vind. Ch. of Eng. from Sch. p. 22. Thorndike of forbear p. 15. all due Obedience to the Pastors and Governors thereof doth thereby contract the guilt of Schism As it is Heresy to depart from the Faith which they The Apostles Preached so is it Schism to depart from the Authority which they left in the Church till the Worlds end Whoever by virtue of any Authority under Heaven shall Usurp Ecclesiastical Id. Rights of the Ch. p. 278. Power shall Usurp the Succession of the Apostles and take it from them that Rightfully stand possest of it upon pretence of Governing the Church by such Laws as he is really perswaded but falsely to be commanded the Church by our Lord and his Apostles this whosoever shall do or be accessary to is guilty of Schism Suppose a Prosperous Usurper in this Kingdom had gain'd Vind. Ans to the Kings Papers p. 23. a considerable interest in it and challeng'd a Title to the whole and therefore requir'd of all the Kings Subjects within his power to own him to be Rightful King Upon this many of them are forc'd to withdraw because they will not own his Title Is this an Act of Rebellion and not rather of true Loyalty Schism in the Church is like Rebellion in the State There are some things immediately necessary to the Salvation Thorndike's Right of the Church p. 276. of particular Christians whether concerning Faith or Good Manners and there are other things necessary to the publick Order and Peace of the Church that by it Christians may be edify'd in all matters of the first kind The denying any point of the first kind may for distinction sake be call'd Heresie when a man is resolute and obstinate in it But in the other kind it is not false opinion that makes a man a Schismatick till he agree to destroy the Unity of the Church for it It can scarce fall out indeed that any man proceed to destroy the Unity of the Church without some false opinion in Christianity Yet it is not the opinion but the Destroying of a true or erecting of a false Power in the Church that makes Schism Whatever discouragments the Clergy have found they still Faith and Pract. Ch. Eng. Man c. 7. Preach up and perswade Loyalty to the King and by the Doctrine of Passive Obedience to Temporal Authority keep People from Rebellion notwithstanding they have been so often jeer'd and abus'd with it But yet out of modesty seldom insist on the Obedience that is due to the Church and Ecclesiastical Authority tho' there is as much obedience due to Her as even to the Church of Rome from her members Cath. Bal. p. 62. As the Faith which we have in the Principles of Christianity is the foundation of all Christian Graces in the Soul and the inner dispensation of Eternal life so is Episcopacy the Foundation of all visible Union and Government in the Ecclesiastical Body insomuch that were there no one Bishop left in the world the Integrity at least if not the very Essence of the Church would be destroy'd The summ of what has been cited upon this Query amounts to this viz. 1st That if any Church makes the terms of Her Communion sinful by framing new Articles of Faith or by imposing false Doctrines for true or by corrupting Divine Worship by Wicked Idolatrous or Blasphemous Prayers then she is Schismatical and those that Separate from her truly Catholick But if she imposes no false Doctrines nor no new Articles of Faith and enjoyns nothing in the service of God but what is innocent decent and tending to Edification then those that Separate from her are a Schismatical and she a Catholick Church 2ly If any Church disobey the Lawful Commands of their Spiritual Governors or throw off their Rightful and Canonical Bishops and Communicate with the Vsurpers and Intruders into their Sees they are Schismaticks 3ly If any wholly reject Episcopacy they destroy the very Foundation of Christian Vnity Q. Suppose there be more Bishops than one in a Diocess with which of them must the People Communicate A. Almost all Heresies and Schisms that have distracted the Vindic. of Prim. Ch. p. 308. Church have been no other than so many Defections of the discontented part of the Clergy and the more Pragmatical part of the Layety from their Rightful Bishop Non aliunde Haereses obortae Cypr. Ep. 55. sunt aut nata sunt Schismata quam inde quod Sacerdoti non obtemperatur Schisms and Heresies spring from no other cause than Disobedience to the Bishop Inde Haereses obortae sunt dum Episcopus Ep. 69. qui unus est Contemnitur All the disturbance of the Church is purely for want of observing that Precept of the Apostle Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give account i. e. Obey those that are Rightfully over you and submit to them not choosing your selves new Teachers and running after your own fancy which Ignatius seems to paraphrase as he is cited by Antiochus Let Ep. ad Smyrn the People assemble where the Bishop is present the Sheep ought not to go wandring whither they please but as the Shepherd leads them The People ought to follow the Directions of their Bishop and conclude what he orders to be most pleasing to God No City how great soever had more than one Bishop This Id. p. 502 is so well known that it would be great impertinence to go about to prove it by Instances and besides the Bishops of most Cities if not all had a considerable Territory belonging to their Jurisdiction which was commonly the Country lying round about their City In great Cities there was one chief Ecclesiastical Governor called Saywel of Vnits p. 43. Bishop to which all both Priests and People were subject and 't was Schism and no Communion to do any thing without his Allowance and Direction It was an inviolable Rule among them the Africans that Vnreason Separ p. 245. there was to be but one Bishop in a City tho' the City were never so large or the Christians never so many One of the greatest and most pernicious Schisms that ever Id. p. 240. happen'd might have been prevented if they had yielded to more Bishops than one in a City and that was the Schism of the Donatists The Novatian Schism began at Rome upon the like occasion To set up one Bishop against another is to set up Altar against Id. 249. Altar as that Phrase is commonly us'd in St. Cyprian and St. Austin Our Author Mr. Hales proves the Donatists in two lines to Long 's Ans to Hales of Sch. p. 107. be compleat Schismaticks 1st For choosing a Bishop in Opposition
the Party From him that will never be Vnfaithful to the K. c. To suspend is a Judicial Act which cannot be done without Bp. Londons Council hearing the Cause When the King commands a Judge he commands him to Act as a Judge The Ecclesiastical Commissioners would not declare the Bishop of London suspended till he had been fully heard The Prince of Orange in his Declaration represents the proceedings P. O. Declaration against the Bishop of London as one of the great Grievances he came to redress The Commissioners says he suspended the Bishop of London only because he refus'd to obey an Order that was sent to him to suspend a worthy Divine without so much as Citing him before him to make his own Defence or observing the Common forms of Process The substance of what is said in answer to this Query is 1. That a Clergyman cannot be regularly depriv'd but by Bishops 2. That a Clergyman cannot be suspended but by a Legal Process 3. That a Bishop cannot be try'd or depriv'd but by his Collegues that is Bishops 4. That those that are depriv'd without a Hearing or by Incompetent Judges cannot be so properly said to be Depriv'd as violently Thrust from their Places and therefore it will follow 5. That a Bishop being not Regularly Depriv'd is to all intents and purposes the Canonical Bishop of his See and a Priest the True and Lawful Pastor of his Flock and the people consequently owe obedience to Them and cannot forsake their Communion without incurring the guilt of Schism Q. Were not the Protestants in Q. Mary's days guilty of Schism in making Separate Meetings under the then Depriv'd Bishops A. I willingly grant that in times of manifest Corruptions and Long 's An. to Hales of Schism p. 147. Reform justify'd p. 6. Persecutions such as the Roman and Marian were Private Meetings are Lawful and Necessary Duties because if men do forbid what God has Commanded it is better to obey God than Man 'T is plain that the Schism is on the side of the Papists who upon pretence of Papal Authority did withdraw themselves from the Communion of their own Bishops after an Universal agreement and concurrence in the Communion of the Church of England for ten or eleven years together and make a formal division in the Church which was before united in Peace and Truth The Popish Bishops that were set aside in Q. Elizabeth's Reign Id. p. 14. did possess the places of Lawful Bishops yet living or United themselves to such as did possess them therefore they were Schismatical and no Lawful Bishops of the Church of England For as soon as these Lawful Bishops were turn'd out others were put into their places and not only so but contrary to all rule and orderly Government in the Church For the most certain fundamental Constitution of the Church in all Ages and the constant Order of all Societies which is always tacitly suppos'd tho' not formally observ'd is That while Particular Churches keep to the Faith and Vnity of the Catholick Church as ours had done all things ought to be managed by the Arch-Bishop and Bishops of the Province and so by the Chief Governors and main Body of the Society or else things cannot regularly be done 'T is confess'd that 14 or 15 Bishops were turn'd out or went Id. p. 17. away in Q. Elizabeth's days but according to our Author 's own Argument they were Schismaticks and no Lawful Bishops because they came into the places of Lawful Bishops while they were alive or else were Ordain'd by and Communicated with such Schismaticks I add they Vsurp'd their places by turning out the Metropolitans and Major part of the Bishops of each Province and so could have no Lawful Authority or Jurisdiction The true Right and Authority of the Church was in those Id. p. 18. Lawful Bishops that were made in K. Edward's days and that was the True Church of England which did adhere to their Constitutions They Q. Mary's Bps. were no Lawful Bishops because they Id. p. 20. either did Schismatically invade the places of the Lawful Bishops or else were willingly Consecrated and did joyn in Communion with those Schismatical Bishops When the Queen Eliz. therefore did set them aside she did but dispossess men who had no just Right and remove those by her Civil Authority who had no Power but what they had by Force and the Secular Constitution All else but Thirlby were ordain'd by or Communicated with Id. p. 25. them during their Schism and Usurpation and therefore neither the Ordainers nor Ordained had any Right or Jurisdiction in the Church of England That which is Essential and the Authority and Power to execute Id. p. 27. the sacred office of a Bishop or Priest in their respective Charges is deriv'd from the Bishops of the Province and after great violence and disorder from as many or the major part of them which survive Every Bishop and Priest orderly constituted in his place do's Id. ibid. act by the Power and appointment of the Catholick Church and they contemn the Catholick Church that desert and disturb them in the performance of their Office Hence we may understand our Saviours meaning when he says If he neglects to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican which in the first place do's require us to hear our own particular Parish Priest and Bishop whilst they are constituted and live in the Unity of the Church but principally it does oblige us to hearken to the Catholick Church So that if our own Pastors turn Hereticks or set themselves up by undue means and not according to the Order of the Church they are not to be hearkned to but we must according to our Saviour's Command Hear the Church and not those Pastors that will not themselves Hear and Obey the Church The Popes Usurp'd Authority and his Prohibition of joyning Saywel of Vnity p. 307. with our English Bishops made the first Schism and is the hindrance to keep them from now joyning in Communion with us For the first 10 years of Q. Elizabeth the Papists did Communicate Faith and Pract. Ch. of Eng. man c. 1. with us till the Bull of Pope Pius IV. An. 1569 70. tho' our Reformation was then fully setled So that they are bound to answer it why they joyn not still in Communion with us We can say the Pope never had any setled and quiet Possession Faith and Pract Ch. Eng. man Chap. 1. and exercise of Power here at least for any considerable time together as is at large evident from what Mr. Prynn and others have Collected and all our Statutes of Provisors and Premunire's do show how little hold here the Pope was by our Government allow'd or own'd to have And tho' many did Appeal to Rome it was against Law and therefore that gives the Pope no more Right here than many Peoples
which shall be necessary to preserve the Unity of the Church it must needs be necessary for those that are trusted with the Power of the Church not only to Disobey the Commands of the Sovereign but to use that Power which their Quality in the Society of the Church gives them to provide for the Subsistance thereof without the Assistance of Secular Powers A thing manifestly suppos'd by all the Bishops of the Ancient Church in all those actions wherein they refus'd to obey their Emperours seduc'd by Hereticks and to suffer their Churches to be regulated by them to the prejudice of Christianity Particularly in that memorable refusal of Athanasius of Alexandria and Alexander of Constantinople to admit the Heretick Arius to Communion at the instant command of Constantine the Great Which most Christian action whosoever justifies not besides the appearance of favour to such an Heresy he will lay the Church open to the same ruin whensoever the Sovereign power is seduc'd by the like And such a difference falling out so that to particular persons it cannot be clear who is in the Right it will be requisit for Christians in a doubtful Case at their utmost perils to adhere to the Guides of the Church against their Lawful Sovereign tho to â—o other Effect than to suffer for the exercise of Christianity and the maintenance of the Society of the Church in Unity If it be here objected that this seems to strike at the Kings Ob. Supremacy c. It may be answer'd that Min. Tho Kings and Princes are not properly Officers and Governors An. A plain and fam Disc conc the Cath. Ch. p. 6. a distinct Church as a Church it being not a Civil or Secular but of Christ's Spiritual Society yet to them is to be given the external management of this Society a power to settle its outward Policy and to be the Moderators and Governors of it Upon this account the Great Constantine stil'd himself a Civil Bishop as being chiefly concern'd in the guidance and direction of the outward affairs of the Church The Bishops and Pastors of the Church have their Ordination and decree their Commission from an higher Power even Christ but they Act and Exercise it under the Protection of the Supream Magistrate Our Writers divide Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction into Internal the Reflect on Hist pt of Ch. Gov. pt 5. p. 21. inward Government which is in the Court of Conscience or External that which is practis'd in Exteriour Courts That proceeds by Spiritual Censures This by force and Corporal punishments That is appropriated to the Clergy and incommunicable to the Secular power This is Originally inherent in the Civil Supream and from him deriv'd to Ecclesiastical Governors Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction when said to be annex'd to the Crown ought to be understood in the latter sense We of this Church depend upon the King and Parliament for Ans to several Capt. Queries p. 26. Id. p. 32. the Legal Establishment of our Religion but not for the Truth of it the former is changeable because men are so but the latter is not so because God changeth not To destroy the Legal Establishment of a Religion is one thing and to destroy the Religion is another for all the Sacredness that humane Law can give to a Religion is a Legal Sacredness and no more or if you please a Legal Establishment The Church of England thinks no Acts which are Purely Spiritual Reflect on the Hist pt of Ch. Gov. p. 18. want the Kings Concurrence her Sacraments and her Censures she esteems valid Independently on all humane Authority Her Charter she derives immediately from Christ c. The King is our Supreme Governor under God but we know Answ to several Capt. Qu. p. 37. Mason of no Supreme Governor that is to be obey'd absolutely without any limitation whatsoever but God himself The Kings supremacy in Ecclesiastical matters doth not imply the power of the Keys which the King has not By the Supremacy we do not attribute to the King the power Andrews of the Keys or Ecclesiastical Censures We never gave our Kings the power of the Keys or any part Bramhal of either the Key of Order or the Key of Jurisdiction purely Spiritual Tho the Church is not endow'd with any Coactive Power by Thorndike Rt. of the Ch. p. 4. Divine Right yet by Divine Right and by Patent from God it is endow'd with a power of holding Assemblies for the Common service of God before any Grant of the Powers of the World and against any Interdict of them if so it fall out The State is indow'd with no Ecclesiastical Right tho it hath Id. p. 41. great Right in Ecclesiastical Matters As no State stands by the Gospel so no Right settled by the Id. p. 42. Gospel can belong to any State or Person as a Member of any State The Church subsisted 300 years before any State profess'd Id. p. 43. Christianity whatsoever Rights it used during that time manifestly it ought therefore still to use and enjoy The whole Right of Secular Powers in Ecclesiastical Matters is Id. 168. Vid. Letter about Regulating the Press p. 12 20 22 24 29. Reflections on Hist pt of Ch. Gov. p. 24. not Destructive but Cumulative that is That it is not able to defeat or Abolish any part of that Power which by the Constitution of the Church is settl'd upon Ecclesiastical Persons but stands oblig'd to the Maintenance and Protection of it The Power by which the King Visits and Reforms is not Spiritual but Political That a Power is not given him to Declare Errors but to Repress them That the Determination of Heresie is by Act of Parliament limited to the Authority of Scriptures four first General Councils and Assent of the Clergy iâ— Convocation That the King hath not all the Power given him which by any manner of Spiritual Authority may be Lawfully exercised for he has not the Power of the Keys but a Power given him to reform all Heresies by Civil Authority which the Church can do by her Spiritual That it is impossible it should be prov'd that this Power of visiting and Reforming is a necessary Invasion of the Office of Spiritual Pastors because when the Prince doth it by them Commanding them to do the work and exacting of them a discharge of their Duty he doth this without Usurping their Office and yet doth it by a Power distinct from and Independent on their's And Lastly that the See Letter about Regulating the Press p. 12. Prince is oblig'd to take care that all Acts of Reforming be Executed by their Proper Ministers because else he transgresses the Power prescrib'd in this Statute 25. Hen. 8. So to reform Errors as may be most to the pleasure of Almighty God The Clergy did indeed in Hen. 8 time bind themselves not Id. p. 18. to Promulge and Execute any Canons without the Kings leave but
Momentous particulars 1. It was a Primitive and Fundamental Power and Duty of See Municipium Ecclesiasticum printed 1697. Bishops to convene in Synods without restriction 2ly All Ecclesiastical Rights are so Spiritual that they cannot be by Allowance and Approbation of God or his Church vested in any one in form of a Temporal Right but only on this Condition that the parties intrusted with them continue in the Unity of the Catholick Church and their own Provincial Bishops as Prelates of it having immediate care of their Souls What Princes have no Rightful Authority to do that they may Municipium Eccl. p. 100. irresistibly do upon an uncontroulable Domination and Impunity Upon which when they presume to repress our Rights and Liberties if it be in matters Necessary they are to be disobeyed in Fact and submitted to as to their Legal Processes without resistance The Church is Subject to all Common-Wealths where it is Thornd prim Ch. gov p. 89. maintain'd in Temporal matters In those which concern the Soul whom shall we think our Lord leaveth her in charge with but those whom he trusteth with the Keys of his House Our Church acknowledges the King to be Supreme in all Causes Ans to several Capt. Qu. p. 36. and over all Persons Ecclesiastical viz. that no Quality in the Church nor Cause of the Church exempts a Subject from the Secular Laws and the Sword of Justice which may be very true as it undoubtedly is yet all manner of Obedience in Religious matters shall not presently become due to the King For when Sovereigns require the Subjects to do things contrary to Religion if their Subjects give but one manner of Obedience to their Laws which goes with us under the Name of Passive Obedience it saves at once their Acknowledgment of the Sovereigns Supremacy over them and of Gods Supremacy over all So that we are not oblig'd by our Oath to become Calvinists c. nor in a word to be of the King's Religion but to submit to his Authority let his Religion be what it will c. If by the Parliaments changing the Church of England you mean Id. p. 25. that Parliaments can make the Religion profess'd by the Church of England to become a false Religion when their Inclinations are once vary'd from us then I tell you that the Church of England is not changeable by English Parliaments nor by all the Powers of the Earth for this matter is fix'd to their hands and can never be unfixt to the end of the World No Ordinance of Secular State can deprive our Church of its Hill's Cath. Bal. p. 99. essential Rights given us from God but only lay Temporal Punishments on us for the use of them without their permission Which if it be absolutely necessary for us at any time to do in Opposition to the State Our Ecclesiastical Acts are not Null but valid to all effects Purely Ecclesiastical and we can but suffer and despise the Penalty The Romanists triumph that we have no Power to meet in Id. p. 122 Convocation without Royal Licence nor at Liberty when there to dispute one Question without the Kings Allowance nor are our Conclusions valid without the King's Ratification whether Catholick Heretick Heathen Turk or Jew on pain of hampering by Praemunire's c. But here it is to be remember'd that these are Impositions of the State for which the Church is not bound to advocate if they are Persecutions but if men would be just they would pass the most favourable interpretations on publick Sanctions and herein conclude that these Statutes were intended not for Persecution but for Caution only against those extravagancies which the Church had abus'd its freedom to the Kings always graciously promising us on request opportunity to Convene and discuss our Matters as to us shall seem Convenient that we might have no cause to think that their Laws are intended for Persecution And for the Kings Ratification it is justly necessary not meerly to an Ecclesiastical effect but that our Censures for breach of these Canons may be seconded upon the Contumacious by the Writ De Excommunicato Capiendo c. It being no reason that the King should be the Churches Hackney without any consent of his own But if any Prince should Pervert these advantages to a Persecution we must then do our duty and fear no Sufferings We hold our Benefices by humane Right our Offices of Priests Bramhal Vindic. Ord. p. 77. and Bishops by Divine Right and Humane Right But put the case we did hold our Bishopricks only by Humane Right is it one of your cases of Conscience that a Sovereign Prince may justly take away from his Subjects any thing which they hold by Humane Right If one man take from another that which he holds justly by the Law of Man he is a Thief and a Robber by the Law of God The substance of what has been said upon these two last Queries amounts to this 1. That Toleration may excuse a Schismatick from the Penalty but not from the guilt of Schism 2. That Communicating with Schismaticks because Tolerated makes the crime less dangerous but not less sinful 3. That tho' Persecution or extreme Severity in Governours may make some men thro' humane frailty to comply with a Schismatical Church yet that will not excuse them from Schism in the sight of God because they ought to obey God rather than Man 4. That tho' the Prince be Supreme in Ecclesiastical Causes yet he cannot alter Religion at his pleasure or injoyn a Sinful Worship and if he do's 't is no Sin but a duty to disobey him 5. The Bishops and Governors of the Church in such a case are bound to defend the Rights of the Church against him as the Primitive Christians did against the Heathen Emperours 6. That all even Kings are liable to Church Censures Q. Whether a Prince being Excommunicated by the Church may be Resisted Depos'd or Murder'd by his Subjects A. It is contrary to the nature of Excommunication tho' in the Falkner Christian Loyalty p. 316. highest degree that any person and especially a Sovereign Prince should thereby lose those Temporal Rights which are not founded in their relation to the Church Indeed in Christian Kingdoms there are ordinarily some Temporal Penalties and abatement of Legal Privileges inflicted upon the persons Excommunicate But this is not the natural Effect of that sentence but is added thereto by the Civil Government and Sovereignty under which such persons do live And therefore no such thing can take place with respect to Sovereign Princes who have no Temporal Superiour to annex this as a Penalty Sovereign Princes are not liable to the Sentence of Excommunication Id. 318. in the same manner with Christian Subjects A Sovereign is capable of losing and forfeiting his relation to the Society of the Christian Church as well as other persons because as Mr. Thorndike Rt. of the Ch.
with the Rules of Christian Patience yet perhaps there may be to reconcile it with Loyalty for Julian was a Rebel against his Emperour Constantius So having forfeited all Right of Succession to Constantius by Rebellion and not being elected by the Lawful Army of Constantius he was no other than as Oliver Cromwell had been in England if all the Royal Family and Relations had been extinct So that if it were not done like a Martyr calmly to permit the Wolf to raven as he hoped yet it was no opposition to any Lawful Prince or His Commissioner but an Vsurper and his Elf And for any thing I know prudential and Venial if no more than so if not also laudable And on this ground the Solemn Liturgies us'd openly against him and the Commendations bestow'd on him that Kill'd him tho one of his own Army may be justifi'd not upon the Account meerly of persecuting Christianity had he been a Lawful Prince but for that he was an Vsurper only of the Empire no Lawful Emperour according to the Rules of Imperial Election c. a Meer Oliver Cromwell and Tyrannical Intruder c. The substance of what is said in answer to this Query is this 1. That Christian Princes tho they are liable to Church Censures yet they are not to Temporal Penalties as Deposition Exile Death 2. That the Doctrine of Resisting and Deposing Lawful Princes upon pretence of Excommunication or any other pretence whatsoever is Damnable and Heretical contrary to the Laws of this Realm and contrary to the Doctrine not only of our Church and all Protestants but of Christ and his Apostles and the Primitive Christians 3. That the Crown in Hereditary and Successive Monarchies Faith and Practice of Ch. Eng. man cap. 6. descending from Fathers to Children whether Males or Females is not liable to be Disposed Alienated or Sold nor doth it depend on any Election or Choice of the People 4. That Monarchy hath at least as good a Title to all its Powers Rights and Privileges as any of its Subjects can have to their Honours Properties and Estates and if Subjects lose no Temporal Rights by Excommunication certainly Princes ought not Q. Whether the People are not oblig'd to Communicate with the Establish'd Church if Superiour in Number to any other Communion and more firmly United A. If the Establish'd Religion be Corrupt in Doctrine and Worship as in Popish Countries or Schismatical as in some Protestant Kingdoms and States they ought not to Communicate with them tho' their Numbers be never so great and they never so closely United For if it be sinful to Communicate with a false or Schismatical Church as it certainly is its being establisht can never make it no Sin It is not the great Number of Church Members in any Diocess Apologet Vind. Ch. Eng. p. 37. Province or Patriarchate but the Cause and Nature of the Communion that makes a True Church As I observ'd before it is not the Number of Communicants Id. p. 39. but the Cause or Soundness of Communion that makes a true Church and therefore were there both for Kind and Number ten times as many more Opposite Sects and Communions as there are in this Nation and Bishops at the Heads of them all yet upon Supposition that the Church of England is sound and Apostolical in Doctrine Worship and Discipline that small number adhering to her Communion must be the True Church Nay if all the Bishops of England but One should fall away from the Church of England that One Bishop and the flock adhering to him would be the True Church of England and as True and Catholick a Church as if there were not one Dissenter in the Land Ans to several Capt. Quer. p. 12. Id. p. 16. Truth is to be follow'd with a Few if there are but Few the follow it but thou shalt not follow a Multitude to do evil Truth is the same and changeth not whether they be Few or Many that profess it and our Religion stands not in a Multitude of Pretenders but in a Holy Doctrine and a Holy Practice whicâ— all ought to follow even when the most do not He who denies that the Major part of the Guides of the Reflect on Hist part of Ch. Gov. pt 5. p. 96. Jewish Church err'd must also deny Christ since by such Church Authority he was rejected He who will determine the Prince to Judge alwaies with the Majority of Church Guides obligeth him in Elijah's time to establish Baalism and at other times Calf-Worship If truth be alwaies on the side of the greatest Number Blackhalls Serm. p. 6. which was the True Church in Abraham's time when he was of a Religion by himself Was it in his small family or amongst the Idolatrous Nations that dwelt round about him or which was the True Church in all that long tract of time from Moses to our Saviour was it not Confin'd to a very small spot of Land even when it was at its largest extent And that again Contracted to a much less compass in Elijah's time when there were not in ten of the Tribes of Israel above 7000 men who had not bow'd the Knee to the Image of BAAL 1 Kings 19. 18. Again if that be alwaies the True Church which is the Largest Id. ibid. time was when the Arian Hereticks were the true Christian Church and the Orthodox Professors of Christianity who were but a very few in Number in Comparison with them were Consequently miserably deluded and rank Hereticks In the Text we are told that many of our Lord's Disciples Id. p. 5. probably not fewer than 5000 went away from him at once and as far as appears by the History there were only 12 that remain'd with him a very small number in comparison with the great Multitude that went away and yet there can be no doubt but that these were the True Church and that they which went Vind. pr. Ch. p. 151. The Protestant Religion vindicated from the charge of Singularity and Novelty in a Sermon preached before the King at Whitehall by Dr. Tillotson April 2 1680. away were Schismaticks Multitude may render a Sect Formidable but 't is but a poor Argument of Right Suppose we were by much the Fewer So hath the Church of God often been without any the least prejudice of the Truth of their Religion What think we of the Church in Abraham's Time which for ought we know was confin'd to one family and one small Kingdom that of Melchisedeck King of Salem What think we of it in Moses's Time when it was confin'd to one People wandering in a Wilderness What of it in Elijah's Time when besides the Two Tribes that worshiped in Jerusalem there were in the other Ten but Seven Thousand that had not bow'd the Knee to Baal What in our Saviour's Time when the whole Church consisted of Twelve Apostles and Seventy Disciples and some few followers besides How would Bellarmin
have forsaken or Corrupted the Faith that was once deliver'd to the Saints Schismaticks that have divided themselves and Excommunicate Persons that are Cut off from the Communion of the Church without Reconciliation cannot be sav'd For most certain is that Rule of St. Cyprian and St. Austin He shall not have God to be his Father that will not have the Church to be his Mother We cannot run our Spiritual Race unless we be in the Church Sherl Dis of Nat. un and com of Cath. Ch. p. 28. for there is no Prize no Crown to run for out of it And therefore those who lose as well as those who win the prize must be in the Church and Members of it Catholick Communion is our Union in one Body and Communicating Vind of Prot. Prin. p. 34. in this one Body is the exercise of Catholick Communion which those who do not if there be not a just and necessary Cause for it are Schismaticks for all that whatever their Faith and Worship be and Schism is a Damning Sin To disobey our Governors the Bishops and Pastors of the Long 's Char. of a sep p. 90. Church c. hath been ever in the Church of God accounted Schism and that Schism Damnable We Church of England and Rome are thus far agreed that Preface to Vind. Ch. E. from Sch. Schism and Heresy are dangerous sins destructive of the Peace and Order the well being at least if not the Being of Gods Church and such sins as without a true and timely Repentance will unavoidably and eternally ruin those that are guilty of them The Being and Well-being of the Church are incompatible Apolog. Vind. c. p. 93. with Schism and it is not only Evil because God hath forbid it but God hath forbid it because he knew it was Evil and pernicious in its Nature to his One Catholick Church Wilful Schism is in all Cases a Damning Sin Vind Def. p. 401. 415. Ans to Prot. Rec. p. 192. Vind. Def. p. 389. Sher. Ans to Anonym Vind. Def. p. 60 Sherl Vind p. 111. Wilful Schism puts men out of the State of Salvation Christ has made Schism a Damning sin to give Authority to the Church Separation from the Church of England is a Schism and Schism is as damning a Sin as Idolatry Drunkenness or Adultery The Church which is the Schismatick according to the language of the Primitive times is out of the Catholick Church Extra Ecclesiam foris All Ministerial Gifts are for the Edification of Christs Body which supposes that their Efficacy and Influence is confin'd to the Communion of the Church and does not reach the Conventicles of Schismaticks The Increase and Edification of Christians is in the Unity of Id. Ibid. the Church and Consists in the increase of Brotherly Love and Christian Charity Virtues which cannot be learn'd in a Schism c. Christ's Church was never inlarg'd yet by the preaching of Schismaticks Ans to Pro. Reconciler p. 419. which divides and lessens the Church but will never inlarge it There is no doubt but the Spirit of God is departed from Long 's Char. Sep. p. 13. Hellier's Treatise of Schis p. 55. him who is departed from the Unity of the Church Schismaticks have not the kind Influences of the H. Spirit whereby the Church is govern'd Whence not only all their Gifts but all their Good works are utterly spoil'd and come to nothing As a part cannot retain its sense and life when it is out off from the Body as the Branch cannot bear fruit except it abide in the vine as a Rivulet is soon dry'd up when separated Jo. 15. 4. from the fountain as a Ray cannot subsist when taken away from the Sun so neither can a Schismatick Reap any profit St. Cyp. de Vnit Eccl. from his Gifts or Good works when separated from the rest of the Church of Christ Some are not sensible that it is any great harm to go amongst them i e Schismaticks to pray with them or to hear the Gospel Id. p. 57. Preach'd But to joyn with them in those otherwise Holy offices is the way to become partakers of their sins Their Sacrifices shall be to them as the Bread of Mourning all that Eat thereof shall be polluted Where two or three are gather'd together in Christ's Name there is He in the mid'st of them not when they are gather'd against his Name and against the other Members of the Church Such mens Prayers are not only ineffectual but execrable Their Prayers and Preaching and other parts of Divine worship Id. p. 58. being perform'd in Opposition to the other Members of the Church are turn'd into sin and They Come together as the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11. 17. in a Division of Theirs not for the Better but for the worse The efficacy of the Prayers of the Church depends upon the Thorndike's Rt. of the Ch. p. 120. Id. Disc of Forbearance p. 27. Unity of the Church It is agreed upon by the whole Church that Baptism in Heresy or Schism that is when a Man gives up himself to the Communion of Hereticks or Schismaticks by receiving Baptism from them tho it may be True Baptism and not to be repeated being given in the Form of the Church yet is not Available to Salvation making him accessary to Heresy or Schism that is so Baptiz'd We being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers Sherl vind p. 109. 1 Cor. 10. 17. of that one Bread and upon this account it is call'd the Communion of the Body of Christ And therefore the Body of Christ cannot be receiv'd in a Schism For where there is a Schism it is no longer one Bread and Body nor the Communion of Christ's Body when it is divided into different and Opposite Communions That which is the Common Bread of all Christians must be receiv'd in Vnity and one Communion for it loseth its Nature Virtue and Efficacy in a Schism If our Saviour would not allow any man to offer any Sacrifice Id. p. 110. to God who had a private quarrel with his Brother till he had reconcil'd himself to him how unlikely is it that God will hear the Prayers of those men who are at variance with the Church of God and divide the Communion of it Schism indeed we do say is a damning sin but there may be Sherlock's Serm. Nov. 4. 1688. p. 22. Divisions where there is not alwaies the Guilt and Formality of Schism and we hope this is the Case of all good men who separate from the Church thro some invincible prejudices and prepossessions If men be sincerely honest and do fall into Schism thro an Ans to Prot. Reconciler p. 153. Innocent mistake God will be merciful to them which secures the final happiness of Good men The substance of what has been said in Answer to these two last Queries is this 1. That if