and that they were to be looked on as no such thing Our Anabaptists doe the same thing but on this plea that though baptisme be yet infant baptisme is not an Institution of Christ and so is null from the nature of the thing it selfe not the way of its Administration but this fals not within the verge of my defence In these severall considerations we were and doe continue members in the Church of God in England And as to our failing herein who is it that convinces us of sinne The second thing inquired after is what subjection we stood or were supposed to have stood in to the Bishops Our subjection being regulated by their power the consideration of this discovers the true state of that They had and exercised in this Nation a twofold Power and consequently the subjection required of us was twofold 1. A power delegated from the supream Magistrate of the Nation conferred on them and invested in them by the Laws Customes and Vsages of this Commonwealth and exercised by them on that account This not only made them Barons of the Realme and members of Parliament and gave them many Dignities and Priviledges but also was the sole fountain and spring of that Jurisdiction which they exercised by wayes and meanes such as themselves will not plead to have been purely Ecclesiasticall and of the Institution of Jesus Christ In this respect we did not cast off our subjection to them it being our duty to submit our selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake Only when ever they commanded things unlawfull in themselves or unto us we alwaies retreated to the old safe Rule whether it be meet to obey you or God judge yee On this foundation I say was all the Jurisdiction which they exercised among and over the People of this Nation built They had not leave to exercise that which they were invested in on another account but received formally their Authority thereby The tenour whereby their Predecessors held this Power before the Reformation the change of the tenour by the Laws of this Land the investituâ—e of the whole originall right thereof in another person then formerly by the same means the Legall Concession and Delegation to them made the enlarging or contracting of their Jurisdiction by the same Laws the civill processe of their Courts in the exercise of their Authority sufficiently evince from whence they had it Nor was any thing herein any more of the Institution of Jesus Christ then the Courts are in Westminster-Hall Sir Edward Cook who knew the Laws of his Country and was skilled in them to a miracle will satisfy any in the rise and tenour of Episcopall Jurisdiction De Jure Regis Eccles What there is of Primitive institution giving colour and occasion to this kind of Jurisdiction and the exercise of it shall farther God assisting be declared when I treat of the state of the first Churches and the waies of their degeneracy Let them or any for them in the mean time evince the Jurisdiction they exercised in respect whereunto our subjection in the first kind was required to derive its originall from the pure Institution of Christ in the Gospell or to be any such thing as it was in an imagined separation from the humane Laws whereby it was animated and more will be asserted then I have had the happinesse as yet to see Now I say that the subjection to them due on this account we did not cast off but their whole Authority Power and Jurisdiction was removed taken away and anull'd by the people of the Land assembled in Parliament But this they reply is the state of the businesse in hand the Parliament as much as in them lay did so indeed as is confessed and by so doing made the Schisme which you by adhering to them and joyning with them in their severall places have made your selves also guilty of But do these men know what they say or will it ever trouble the Conscience of a man in his right wits to be charged with Schisme on this account the Parliament made Alteration of nothing but what they found established by the Laws of this Nation pleading that they had power committed to them to alter abrogate and anull Laws for the good of the people of the Land If their making Alterations in the Civill Laws and Constitutions in the Politicall Administrations of the Nation be Schisme we have very little security but that we may be made new Schismaticks every third year whilest the constitution of a Trienniall Parliament doth continue In the removall then of all Episcopall Jurisdiction founded in the Laws and usages of this Nation we are not at all concerned For the Laws enforcing it doe not presse it as a thing necessary on any other account but as that which themselves gave rise and life unto But should this be granted that the Office was appointed by Christ and the Jurisdiction impleaded annexed by him thereunto yet this whilest we abide at diocesans with the severall divisions apportioned to them in the Nation will not suffice to constitute a Nationall Church unlesse some Vnion of those Diocesans or of the Churches whereunto they related into one society and Church by the same appointment be proved which to my present Apprehension will be no easy work for any one to undertake 2. Bishops had here a power as Ministers of the Gospell to Preach administer the Sacraments to joyne in the Ordination of Ministers and the like duties of Church Officers To this we say let the individualls of them acquit themselves by the qualifications mentioned in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus with a sedulous exercise of their duty in a due manner according to the mind of Christ to be such indeed and we will still pay them all the respects reverence duty and obedience which as such by vertue of any Law or Institution of Christ they can claime Let them come forth with weapons that are not carnall evidencing their Ministry to the Consciences of Believers acting in a Spirit and Power received from Christ and who are they that will harme them I had once formerly said thus much Let the Bishops attend the particular flocks over which they are appointed preaching the word administring the holy Ordinances of the Gospell in and to their own flock there will not be contending about them It was thought meet to returne by one concerned I shall willingly grant herein my suffrage let them discharge them and I beseech all who have any way hindered them at length to let and quietly permit them on condition he will doe this as carefully as I I shall not contend with him concerning the nature of their taske be it as he saith the attending to the particular Churches over which they are appointed the Bishop of Oxford over that flock or portion to which he was and is appointed and so all others in like manner be it their preaching and their
celebration of that worship and performance together of those duties which were required of them in their Assemblyes only they had groundlesse causelesse differences amongst themselves as I shall shew afterwards All the divisions of one Church from another or others the separation of any one or more persons from any Church or Churches are things of another nature made good or evill by their circumstances and not that at all which the Scripture knowes and calls by the name of Schisme And therefore was there no such thing or name as Schisme in such a sence known in the Judaicall Church though in the former it abounded All the different sects to the last still communicated in the same carnall Ordinances and those who utterly deserted them were Apostates not Schismaticks so were the body of the Samaritans they worshiped they knew not what nor was Salvation among them Joh. 4. 3. Here is no mention of any substraction of obedience from Bishops or Rulers in what degree soever no exhortation to regular submission unto them much lesse from the Pope or Church of Rome nor doth the Apostle thunder out against them you are departed from the Amity of the Catholick Church have rent Christs seamelesse Coat set up Altare contra altare have forsaken the visible head of the Church the fountaine of all unitie you refuse due subjection to the Prince of the Apostles Nor you are Schismaticks from the Nationall Church of Achaja or have cast off the Rule of your Governors with the like language of after dayes but when you come together you have divisions amongst you Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth A condition not unlike to this befalling this very Church of Corinth sundry years after the strifes now mentioned were allayed by the Epistle of the Apostle doth againe exhibite us the case and evill treated on Some few unquiet persons among them drew the whole society upon the matter into division and an opposition to their Elders They who were the causes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Clement tells them in the name of the Church at Rome were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a few men acted by pride and madnesse yet such power had those persons in the Congregation that they prevailed with the multitude to depose the Elders and cast them out of office So the same Clement tells them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What he intends by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he declares in the words foregoing where he calls the Elders that were departed this life happy and blessed as not being subject or liable to expulsion out of their offices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whether these men who caused the differences and sedition against those Elders that were deposed were themselves by the Church substituted into their roome and place I know not This difference in that Church the Church of Rome in that Ep. of Clement calls every where Schisme as it also expresses the same things or the evill frame of their minds and their actings by many other words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are laid to their charge That there was any separation from the Church that the deposed Elders or any for their sakes withdrew themselves from the communion of it or ceased to assemble with it for the celebration of the Ordinances of the Gospell there is not any mention only the difference in the Church is the Schisme whereof they are accused Nor are they accused of Schisme for the deposition of the Elders but for their differences amongst themselves which was the ground of their so doing It is alleadged indeed that it is not the single Church of Corinth that is here intended but all the Churches of Achaia whereof that was the Metropolis which though as to the nature of Schisme it be not at all prejudiciall to what hath been asserted supposing such a Church to be yet because it sets up in oposition to some Principles of Truth that must afterwards be improved I shall briefely review the arguments whereby it is attempted to be made good The title of the Epistle in the first place is pretended to this purpose It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein as t is said on each part the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or whole Province as of Rome so of Corinth the Region and Territorie that belonged to those Metropoli's is intended But as I have formerly elsewhere said we are beholding to the frame and fabrick of Church affaires in after Ages for such interpretations as these the simplicity of the first knew them not They who talked of the Church of God that did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at Rome little then thought of Province or Region 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 8. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a man that dwells at such a place properly one that dwells in anothers house or soyle or that hath removed from one place and setled in another whence it is often used in the same sence with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is such an inhabitant as hath yet some such consideration attending him as makes him a kind of a forreigner to the place where he is so Eph. 2. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are opposed Hence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as Budaeusâ— saies differs from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that it denotes a temporary habitation this a stable and abiding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so to inhabite to dwell in a place where yet something makes a man a kind of a stranger So it is said of Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. 9. 1 Pet. 2. 11. joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hence this word by the learned publisher of this Epistle is rendered peregrinatur diversatur and more cleerly Luk. 24. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have rendred are you only a stranger in Hierusalem whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paroecia is from hence or no by some is doubted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is convivator and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praebitio Gloss vetus So that parochiâ—… may be called so from them who met together to breake bread and to eat Allow parochia to be barbarous our only word to be paroecia from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then it is as much as the Voisinage men living neare together for any end whatever So sayes Budaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thence Churches were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consisting of a number of them who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Saints of God expressing the place which they inhabited and the manner as Strangers said of the Churches whereof they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is now made to denote a Region a Territorie the adjacent Region to a Metropolis and such like things as the poor primitive pilgrimes little thought of This
latter sence also The plea about Metropoliticall Churches I suppose will be thought very impertinent to what I have now in hand so it shall not at present be insisted on That the state of Churches in after Ages was moulded and framed after the patterne of the civill Goverment of the Roman Empire is granted And that conformity without offence to any be it spoken we take to be a fruit of the working of the mystery of Iniquity But that there was any such order instituted in the Churches of Christ by the Apostles or any instituted by the Authority from the Lord and Ruler is utterly denyed nor is any thing but very uncertaine conjectures from the sayings of men of after Ages produced to attest any such order or constitution When the order spirituality beauty and glory of the Church of Christ shall returne and men obteine a light whereby they are able to discerne a beauty and excellency in the inward more noble spirituall part indeed life and soul of the worship of God these disputes will have an issue Chrysostome sayes indeed that Corinth was the Metropolis of Achaia but in what sence he sayes not the Politicall is granted the Ecclesiasticall not proved nor are we enquiring what was the state of the Churches of Christ in the dayes of Chrysostome but of Paul But to returne If any one now shall say will you conclude because this evill mentioned by the Apostle is Schisme therefore nothing else is so I Answer that having before asserted this to be the chiefe and only seat of the Doctrine of Schisme I am inclinable so to do and this I am resolved of that unlesse any man can prove that something else is termed schisme by some divine writer or blamed on that head of account by the Holy Ghost elsewhere and is expressly reproved aâ— another crime I will be at Liberty from admitting it so to be But yet for what may hence by a parity of Reason be deduced I shall close with and debate at large as I have professed The Schisme then here described by the Apostle and blamed by him consists in causelesse differences and contentions amongst the members of a particular Church contrary to that of love prudence and forbearance which are required of them to be exercised amongst themselves and towards one another which is also termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15. 21. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 16. 13. And he is a Schismatick that is guilty of this sinne of Schisme that is who raiseth or entertained or persisteth in such differences nor are these termes used by the Divine writers in any other sence That any men may fall under this guilt it is required 1. That they be members of or belong to some one Church which is soe by the institution and appointment of Jesus Christ And we shall see that there is more required hereunto then the bare being a Believer or a Christian 2. That they either raise or entertaine and persist in causelesse differences with others of that Church more or lesse to the interruption of that Exercise of love in all the fruits of it which ought to be amongst them and the disturbance of the due performance of the duties required of the Church in the worship of God As Clement in the forementioned Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. That these differences be occasioned by and do belong to some things in a remoter or nearer distance appertaining to the worship of God their differences on a Civill account are elsewhere mentioned and reproved 1 Ep. cap. 6. for therein also there was from the then state of things an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 7. This is that Crime which the Apostle rebukes blames condemnes under the name of Schisme and tells them that were guilty of it that they shewed themselves to be carnall or to have indulged to the flesh and the corrupt principle of selfe and their own wills which should have been subdued to the obedience of the Gospell Mens definitions of things are for the most part Arbitrary and loose fitted and suited to their severall apprehensions of Principles and conclusions so that nothing cleare or fixed is generally to be expected from them from the Romanists description of Schisme who violently without the least colour or pretence thrust in the Pope and his Head ship into all that they affirme in Church matters least of all I can allow men that they may extend their definitions of things unto what they apprehend of an alike nature to that which gives rise to the whole disquisition and is the first thing defin'd But at this I must professe my selfe to be somewhat entangled that I could never yet meet with a definition of Schisme that did comprize that was not exclusive of that which alone in the Scripture is affirmed so to be Austins Definition contains the summe of what hath since been insisted on saith He Schisma ni fallor est eadem opinantem eodem ritu utentem solo Congregationis delectari dissidio Gâ—n Faust lib. 20. cap. 3. by dissidium congregationis he intends separation from the Church into a peculiar Congregation a definition directly suited to the cause he had in hand and was pleading against the Donatists Basil in Epist ad Amphiloch Con. 44. distiguisheth between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as he makes Schisme to be a division arising from some Church controversies suitable to what those dayes experienced and in the substance true so he tells us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is when either Presbyters or Bishops or Laicks hold unlawfull meetings Assemblyes or Conventicles which was not long since with us the only Schisme Since those days Schisme in generall hath passed for a causelesse separation from the communion and worship of any true Church of Christ the Catholick Church saith the Papist with a relinquishment of its society as to a joynt celebration of the ordinances of the Gospell how farre this may passe for Schisme and what may be granted in this description of it the processe of our discourse will declare In the mean time I am most certain that a Separation from some Churches true or pretended so to be is commanded in the Scriptures so that the withdrawing from or relinquishment of any Church or society whatever upon the plea of its corruption be it true or false with a mind and resolution to serve God in the due observation of Church institutions according to that light which men have received is no where called Schisme or condemned as a thing of that nature but is a matter that must be tryed out whether it be good or evill by vertue of such generall rules and directions as are given us in the Scriptures for our orderly and blamelesse walking with God in all his wayes As for them who suppose all Church power to be invested in some certain Church Officers originally I meane that
forbearance in the latitude of it as prescribed to us by Christ and it will evidently beare no proportion thereunto So that such differences though arising on reall miscarriages and faults of some because they might otherwise be handled and healed and ought to be so cannot be persisted in without the contempt of the immediate Authority of Jesus Christ If it were considered that he standeth in the Congregation of God Ps 82. 1. That he dwells in the Church in glory as in Sinai in the Holy place Ps 68. 17 18. walking in the mid'st of the Candlesticks Rev. 1. 13. with his eyes upon us as a flame of fire v. 14 his presence and Authority would perhaps be more prevalent with some then they seem to be Againe His wisdome whereby he hath ordered all things in his Church on set purpose that Schisme and divisions may be prevented is no lesse despised Christ who is the Wisdome of the Father 1 Cor. 1. 24. The stone on which are seaven eyes Zech 3. 9. upon whose shoulders the government is laid Is 9. 6 7. hath in his infinite wisdome so ordered all the Officers Orders Gifts Administrations of and in his Church as that this evill might take no place To manifest this is the designe of the Holy Ghost Rom. 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1. Cor. 12. Eph. 4. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. The consideration in particular of this Wisdome of Christ suiting the Officers of his Church in respect of the places they hold of the Authority wherewith from him they are invested the way whereby they are entered into their Function distributing the Gifts of his Spirit in marveilous variety unto severall kinds of usefulnesse and such distance and dissimilitude in the particular members as in a due correspondencie and proportion give comelinesse and beauty to the whole disposing of the order of his worship and sundry ordinances in especiall to be expressive of the highest Love and Vnion pointing all of them against such causelesse divisions might be of use were that my present intendment The Grace and Goodnesse of Christ whence he hath promised to give us one heart and one way to leave us peace such as the World cannot give with innumerable others of the like importance are disregarded thereby So also is his prayer for us with what Affection and Zeale did he powre out his soule to his Father for our union in love That seems to be the thing his heart was chiefely fixed on when he was leaving this World Joh. 17. what weight he layes thereon how thereby we may be known to be his Disciples and the World be convinced that he was sent of God is there also manifested How farre the exercise of Love and Charity is obstructed by it hath been declared The consideration of the Nature Excellency Property Effects Usefulnesse of this Grace in all the Saints in all their ways its especiall designation by our Lord and Master to be the bond of union and perfection in the way and Order instituted for the comely celebration of the Ordinances of the Gospell will adde weight to this aggravation It s constant growing to farther evill in some to Apostacy it selfe its usuall and certaine ending in strife variance debate evill surmisings wrath confusion disturbances publick and private are also to be laid all at its doore What farther of this nature and kind may be added as much may be added to evince the heinousnesseâ— of this sinne of Schisme I shall willingly subscribe unto so that I shall not trouble the Reader in abounding in what on all hands is confessed It is incumbent upon him who would have me to goe farther in the description of this evill then as formerly stated to evince from Scripture another notion of the name or thing then that given which when he hath done he shall not find me refractory In the meane time I shall both consider what may be objected against that which hath been delivered and also discusse the present state of our divisions on the usuall principles and common acception of Schisme if first I may have leave to make some few inferences or deductions from what hath already been spoken and as I hope evinced On supposition that the Church of Rome is a Church of Christ it will appeare to be the most Schismaticall Church in the World I say or supposition that it is a Church and that there is such a thing as a Schismaticall Church as perhaps a Church may from its intestine differences be so not unfitly denominated that is the state and condition thereof The Pope is the head of their Church severall nations of Europe are members of it Have we not seen that head taking his flesh in his teeth tearing his body and his limbs to pieces Have some of them thought on any thing else but arise Peter kill and eate all their dayes Have we not seen this goodly head in disputes about Peters Patrimony and his own Jurisdiction wage warre fight and shed blood the blood of his own members Must we believe Armies raised and battailes fought Townes fired all in pure love and perfect Church order not to mention their old altare contra altare Anti-Popes Anti-Councells look all over their Church on their Potentates Bishops Friars there is no end of their variances What do the Chiefest choisest pillars eldest sonnes and I know not what of their Church at this day doe they not kill destroy and ruine each other as they are able let them not say these are the divisions of the Nations that are in their Church not of the Church for all these Nations on their hypothesis are members of that one Church And that Church which hath no meanes to prevent its members from designed resolved on and continued murthering one of another nor can remove them from its society shall never have me in its communion as being bloudily Schismaticall Noâ— is there any necessity that men should forgoe the respective civill interests by being members of one Church Prejudicate apprehensions of the nature of a Church and its Authority lye at the bottome of that difficulty Christ hath ordained no Church that enwraps such interests as on the account whereof the members of it may murther one another Whatever then they pretend of Vnity and however they make it a note of the true Church as it is a property of it that which is like it amongst them is made up of these two ingredients subjection to the Pope either for feare of their lives or advantage to their livelyhood and a conspiracy for the destruction and suppression of them that oppose their interests wherein they agree like those who maintained Hierusalem in its last Siege by Titus they all consented to oppose the Romans and yet fought out all other things among themselves That they are not so openly clamorous about the differences at present as in former Ages is meerely from the pressure of Protestants round about them
However let them at this day silence the Jesuits and Dominicans especially the Baijans and the Jansenians on the one part and the Molinists on the other Take off the Gallican Church from its Schismaticall refusall of the Councell of Trent Cause the King of Spaine to quit his claime to Sicilie that they need not Excommunicate him every yeare compell the Commonwealth of Venice to receive the Jesuits stop the mouths of the Sorbonists about the Authority of a generall Councell above the Pope and of all those whom opposing the Papall omnipotency they call Politicians quiet the contest of the Franciscans and Dominicans about the Blessed Virgin burne Bellarmines books who almost on every Controversy of Ch. Religion gives an account of their intestine divisions branding some of their opinions as haereticall as that of Medina about Bishops and Presbyters some as Idolatricall as that of Thomas about the worship of the Crosse with latria c. and they may give a better colour to their pretences then any as yet it wears But what need I insist upon this supposition when I am not more certaine that there is any instituted Church in the World owned by Christ as such then I am that the Church of Rome is none properly so called Nor shall I be thought singular in this perswasion if it be duely conâ—idered what this amounts unto Some Learned men of latter daies in this Nation pleading in the justification of the Church of England as to her departure from Rome did grant that the Church of Rome doth not erre in Fundamentalls or maintained no errors remedilesly pernitious and destructive of Salvation How farre they entangled themselves by this concession I argue not The foundation of it lyes in this cleer truth that no Church what ever universall or particular can possibly erre in Fundamentalls for by so doing it would cease to be a Church My denying then the Synogogue of Rome to be a Church according to their principles amounts to no more then this The Papistâ— maintaine in their publique Confessions fundamentall errors in which Assertion it s known I am not alone But this is not the principle at least not the sole nor maine principle whereon I ground my judgement in this case but this that there was never any such thing in any tolerable likenesse or similitude as that which is called the Church of Rome allowing the most skillfull of its Rabbies to give in the Characters and delineations of it instituted in reference to the worship of God by Jesus Christ The truth is the whole of it is but an imitation exemplar of the old Imperiall Goverment one is set up in chiefe and made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Spiritualls as the Emperors were in civill things from him all power flowes to others and as there was a communication of power by the Emperors to the Civill state Praefects Proconsulls Vicars Presidents Governours of the lesser and greater Nations with those under them in various civill subordinations according to the dignity of the places where they did beare rule and preside and ni the military to Generalls Legates Tribun's and the inferior Officers so is there by the Pope to Patriarchs Arch-bishops Bishops in their severall subordinations which are as his civil state and to Generalls of Religious orders Provincialls and their dependants which are as his military And it is by some not in all things agreeing with them confessed that the Goverment pleaded for by them in the Church was brought in and established in correspondency and accommodation to the civill Goverment of the Empire which is undeniably evident and certaine now this being not throughly done till the Empire had received an incurable wound it seemes to me to be the making of an image to the beast giving life to it and causing iâ—to speake So that the present Roman Church is nothing else but an image or similitude of the Roman Empire set up in its declining among and over the same persons in succession by the craft of Sathan through principles of deceit subtilty and Spirituall wickednesse as the other was by force and violence for the same ends of power dominion fleshlinesse and persecution with the former The exactnesse of this correspondency in all things both in respect of those who claime to be the stated body of his Ecclesiasticall Commonwealth and those who are meerly dependent on his will bound unto him professedly by a military Sacrament exempted from the ordinary Rules and Goverment of his fixed Rulers in their severall subordinationâ— under Officers of their own immediately commissionated by him with his mannagement of both those parties to ballance and keep them mutually in quiet and in order for his service especially confiding in his men of warre like the Emperors of old may elsewhere be farther manifested I suppose it will not be needfull to adde any thing to evince the vanity of the pretensions of the Romanists or others against all or any of us on the account of Schisme upon a grant of the principles layd down it lyes so cleare in them without need of farther deduction and I speake with some confidence that I am not in expectation of any hasty confutation of them I meane that which is so indeed The earnestnesse of their clamours importuning us to take notice of them by the way before I enter upon a direct debate of the cause as it stands stated in reference to them I shall only tell them that seeking to repose our consciences in the minde of God revealed in the Scriptures we are not at all concerned in the noise they make in the world For what have we done wherein doth our guilt consist wherein lyes the peculiar concernment of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them goe to the Churches with whom we walke of whom we are and aske of them concerning our wayes our Love and the duties of it Doe we live in strife and variance Do we not beare with each other doe we not worship God without disputes and divisions have we differences and contentions in our Assemblies doe we break any bond of Union wherein we are bound by the expresse institutions of Jesus Christ if we have let the righteous reprove us we will own our guilt confesse we have been carnall and endeavour Reformation If not what have the Romanists Italians to doe to judge us knew we not your designe your interest your lives your Doctrines your Worship we might possibly think that you might intermeddle out of Love and mistaken zeale but ad populum Phaleras you would be making shrines and thence is this stirre and uproare But we are Schismaticks in that we have departed from the Catholick Church and for our own Conventicles they are no Churches but styes of beasts But this is most false We abide in the Catholick Church under all the bonds wherein by the will of Christ we stand related unto it Which if we prove not with as much evidence as
the nature of such things will beare though you are not at all concerned in it yet we will give you leave to â—riumph over us And if our own Congregations be not Churches whatsoever we are we are not Schismaticks for Schisme is an evill amongst the members of a Church if S. Paul may be believed But we have forsaken the Church of Rome But Gentlemen shew first how we were ever of it No man hath lost that which he never had nor hath left the place or station wherein he never was Tell me when or how we were members of your Church We know not your language you are Barbarians to us It is impossible we should assemble with you But your Forefathers left that Church and you persist in their evill Prove that your Forefathers were ever of your Church in any communion instituted by Christ and you say somewhat To desert a mans station and relation which he had on any other account good or bad is not Schisme as shall farther be manifested Upon the same principle a plea for freedome from the charge of any Church reall or pretended as Nationall may be founded and confirmed either we are of the Nationall Church of England to give that instance or we are not if we are not and are exempted by our Protestation as before whatever we are we are not Schismaticks if we are fatally bound unto it and must be members of it whether we will or no being made so we know not how and continuing so we know not why shew us then what duty or office of Love is incumbent on us that we doe not performe Doe we not joyne in externall acts of worship in Peace with the whole Church Call the whole Church together and try what we will doe Doe we not joyne in every Congregation in the Nation This is not charged on us nor will any say that we have right so to doe without a Relation to some particular Church in the Nation I know where the sore lyes A Nationall Officer or Officers with others acting under them in severall subordinations with various distributions of power are the Church intended A non-submission to their rules and constitutions is the Schisme we are guilty of Quem das finem Rex magne laborum But this pretence shall afterwards be sifted to the utmost In the meane time let any one informe me what duty I ought to performe towards a Nationall Church on supposition there is any such thing by vertue of an Institution of Jesus Christ that is possible for me to performe and I shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 addresse my selfe unto it To close these considerations with things of more immediate concernment Of the divisions that have fallen out amongst us in things of Religion since the last Revolutions of this Nation there is no one thing hath been so effectuall a promotion such is the power of Tradition and prejudice which even beare all before them in humane affaires as the mutuall charging one another with the guilt of Schisme That the notion of Schisme whereon this charge is built by the most if not all was invented by some of the Ancients to promote their plea and advantage them with them with whom they had to doe without due regard to the simplicity of the Gospell at least in a suitablenesse to the present state of the Church in those daies is too evident For on very small foundations have mighty fabricks and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Religion been raised As an Ability to judge of the present posture and Condition of affaires with counsell to give direction for their order and mannagement towards any end proposed not an Ability to contriâ—e for events and to knit on one thing upon another according to a probability of successe for continuance which is almost constantly disturbed by unexpected providentiall interveniences leaving the Contrivers at a perplexing losse will be found to be the summe of humane wisdome so it will be our wisdome in the things of God not to judge according to what by any meanes is made present to us and its principles on that account rendred ready to exert themselves but ever to recoile to the originall and first institution When a man first falls into some current he finds it strong and almost impassable trace it to its fountaine and it is but a dribling gutter Paul tells the members of the Church of Corinth that there were divisions amongst them breaches of that Love Order that ought to be observed in Religious Assemblies Hence there is a sinne of Schisme raised which when considered as now stated doth no more relate to that treated on by the Apostle then Simon Sonne of Jonas lovest thou me doth to the Popes Supremacy or Christs saying to Peter of John If I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee did to the report that went afterwards abroad that that Disciple should not die When God shall have reduced his Churches to their Primitive Purity and institution when they are risen and have shaken themselves out of the dust and things of Religion returne to their native simplicity it is scarce possible to imagine what Vizards will fall off and what a contrary appearance many things will have to what they now walke up and downe in I wish that those who are indeed really concerned in this businesse namely the members of particular Churches who have voluntarily given up themselves to walke in them according to the appointment of Christ would seriously consider what evill lyes at the door if they give place to causelesse differences and divisions amongst themselves Had this sinne of Schisme been rightly stated as it ought and the guilt of it charged in its proper place perhaps some would have been more carefull in their deportment in their Relations At present the dispute in the World relating hereunto is about Subjection to the Pope and the Church of Rome as it is called And this mannaged on the Principles of Edicts of Councells with the practices of Princes and Nations in the dayes long agoe past with the like considerations wherein the concernment of Christians is doubtlesse very small Or of Obedience and conformity to Metropolitan and Diocesan Bishops in their constitutions and wayes of worship joyntly or severally prescribed by them In more Ancient times that which was agitated under the same name was about persons or Churches renouncing the Communion and Society of Saints with all other Churches in the World consenting with them in the same Confession of Faith for the substance of it And these differences respectively are handled in reference to what the state of things was and is grown unto in the dayes wherein they are mannaged When Paul wrote his Epistle there was no occasion given to any such Controversies nor foundation laid making them possible That the Disciples of Christ ought every where to abound in love and forbearance towards one another especially to carry all things
otherwise formerly paroecia being the care of a private Bishop Provincia of a Metropolitan Diocesis of a Patriarch in the order mentioned and hath pointed out which of his Churches shall be of those severall kinds throughout the world which that it will not be done to the disturbance of my principles whilst I live I have some present good security And Because I take the men of this perswasion to be charitable men that will not think much of taking a little paines for the reducing any person whatever from the errour of his way I would intreat them that they would informe me what Patriarchate according to the institution of Christ I who by the providence of God live here at Oxon doe de jure belong unto that so I may know how to preserve the union of that Church and to behave my selfe therein And this I shall promise them that if I were singly or in conjunction with any others so considerable that those great Officers should contend about whose subjects we should be as was done heretofore about the Bulgarians that it should not at all startle me about the truth and excellency of Christian Religion as it did those poore Creatures who being newly converted to the faith knew nothing of it but what they received from men of such Principles But that this constitution is humane and the distributions of Christians in subjection unto Church Officers into such and such divisions of Nations and Countries prudentiall and aobitrary I suppose will not be denyed The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Nicene Synod intends no more nor is any thing of institution nor so much as of Apostolicall tradition pleaded therein The following ages were of the same perswasion Hence in the Councell of Chalcedon the Archiepiscopacy of Constantinople was advanced into a Patriarchat and many provinces cast in subjection thereunto wherein the Primates of Ephesus and Thrace were cut short of what they might plead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for And sundry other alterations were likewise made in the same kind Socrat lib. 5. cap. 8. The ground and reason of which procedure the Fathers assembled sufficiently manifest in the reason assigned for the advancement of the Bishops of Constantinople which was for the Cityes sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. 3. Con. Constan And what was the judgement of the Councell of Chalcedon upon this matter may be seen in the composition determination of the strife between Maximus Bishop of Antioch and Invenalis of Hierusalem Ac. 7. Con. Cal. with translation of Provinces from the Jurisdiction of one to another And he that shall suppose that such Assemblys as these were instituted by the will and appointment of Christ in the Gospell with Church Authority for such dispositions and determinations so as to make them of concernment to the unity of the Church will if I mistake not be hardly bestead in giving the ground of that his supposall 4. I would know of them who desire to be under this Law whether the power with which Jesus Christ hath furnished the Officers of his Church come forth from the supreame mentioned Patriarchs and Arch-Bishops and is by them communicated to the inferiors or vice-versa or whether all have their power in an equall immediation from Christ if the latter be granted there will be a greater independency established then most men are aware of though the Papalins understood it in the Councell of Trent and a wound given to successive Episcopall Ordination not easily to be healed That power is communicated from the inferiors to the Superiors will not be pleaded And seeing the first must be insisted on I beseech them not to be too hasty with men not so sharp sighted as themselves if finding the names they speak of Barbarous and forraigne as to the Scriptures and the things themselves not at all delineated therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. The truth is the whole subordination of this kind which de facto hath been in the world was so cleerly an humane invention or a prudentiall constitution as hath been shewed which being done by men professing authority in the Church gave it as it was called vi◠Ecclesiasticam that nothing else in the issue is pleaded for it And now though I shall if called thereunto manifest both the unreasonablenesse unsuitablenes to the designe of Christ for his worship under the Gospell comparative noveltie and mischievous issue of that constitution yet at the present being no farther concerned but only to evince that the union of the Generall visible Church doth not therein consist I shall not need to adde any thing to what hath been spoken The Nicene Councell which first made towards the confirmation of something like somewhat of what was afterwards introduced in some places pleaded only as I said before the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 old usage for it which it would not have done could it have given a better Originall thereunto And whatever the Antiquities then pretended might be we know that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And I doe not feare to say what others have done before me concerning the Canons of that first and best generall Councell as it is called they are all hay and stubble Nor yet doth the laying this custome on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my apprehension evince their judgement of any long prescription Peter speaking of a thing that was done a few years before saies that is was done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15. 7. somewhat a greater Antiquity then that by him intended I can freely grant to the custome by the Fathers pretended But a Generall Councell is pleaded with the best colour and pretence for a bond of union to this Generall visible Church In Consideration hereof I shall not divert to the handling of the rise right use Authority necessity of such Councells about all which somewhat in due time towards satisfaction may be offered to those who are not in bondage to Names and Traditions Nor shall I remark what hath been the mannagement of the things of God in all Ages in those Assemblies many of which have been the staines and ulcers of Christian Religion Nor yet shall I say with what little disadvantage to the Religion of Jesus Christ I suppose a losse of all the Canons of all Councells that ever were in the world since the Apostles daies with their acts and contests considering what use is made of them might be undergone Nor yet shall I digresse to the usefulnesse of the Assemblies of severall Churches in their representatives to consider and determine about things of common concernment to them with their tendencie to the preservation of that communion which ought to be amongst them but as to the present instance only offer 1. That such Generall Councells being things purely extraordinary and occasionall as is confessed cannot be an ordinary standing bond of union to the Catholick Church and if any one shall reply that though in themselves and
in their own continuance they cannot be so yet in their Authority Lawes and Canons they may I must say that besides the very many Reasons I have to call into question the Power of Lawmaking for the whole Society of Christians in the World in all the Generall Councells that have been or possibly can be on the Earth the dispute about the Title of those Assemblies which pretend to this honour which are to be admitted which excluded are so endlesse the Rules of judging them so darke lubricous and uncertaine framed to the interest of contenders on all hands the Lawes of them which de facto have gone under that Title and Name so innumerable burthensome uncertain and frivolus in a great part so grossely contradictory to one another that I cannot suppose that any man upon second thoughts can abide in such an assertion If any shall I must be bold to declare my affection to the doctrine of the Gospell maintained in some of those Assemblies for some hundreds of years and then to desire him to prove that any Generall Councell since the Apostles fell asleep hath been so convened and mannaged as to be enabled to claime that Authority to it selfe which is or would be due to such an Assembly instituted according to the mind of Christ That it hath been of Advantage to the Truth of the Gospell that Godly Learned men Bishops of Churches have convened and witnessed a good Confession in reference to the Doctrine thereof and declared their abhorrencie of the Errors that are contrary thereunto is confessed That any man or men is are or ever were entrusted by Christ with Authority so to convene them as that thereupon and by vertue thereof they should be invested with a new Authority Power and Jurisdiction at such a convention and thence should take upon them to make Laws and Canons that should be Ecclesiastically binding to any Persons or Churches as theirs is not as yet to meattended with any convincing evidence of Truth And seeing at length it must be spoken I shall doe it with submission to the thoughts of good men that are any way acquainted with these things and in sincerity therein commend my Conscience to God that I doe not know any thing that is extant bearing clearer witnesse to the sad degeneracy of Christian Religion in the profession thereof nor more evidently discovering the efficacy of another Spirit than what was powred out by Christ at his Ascension nor containing more hay and stubble that is to be burned and consumed then the stories of the Acts and Laws of the Councells and Synods that have been in the World 2. But to take them as they are as to that alone wherein the first Councells had any evidence of the presence of the Holy Ghost with them namely in the declaring the doctrine of the Gospell it falls in with that which I shall give in for the bond of union unto the Church in the sense pleaded about 3. Such an Assembly arising cumulative out of particular Churches as it is evident that it doth it cannot first and properly belong to the Church Generall as such but it is only a means of communion between those particular Churches as such of whose representatives I mean vertually for formally the persons convening for many years ceased to be so it doth consist 4. There is nothing more ridiculous then to imagine a Generall Councell that should represent the whole Catholick Church or so much as all the particular Churches that are in the World and let him that iâ— otherwise minded that there hath been such an one or that it is possible there should be such a one prove by instance that such there have been since the Apostles times or by Reason that such may be in the present Age or be justly expected in those that are for to succeed and we will as we are able crowne him for his discovery 5. Indeed I know not how any Councell that hath been in the World these 1300 years and somewhat upwards could be said to represent the Church in any sence or any Churches whatever Their convention as is known hath been alwaies by Imperiall or Papall Authority the persons convened such and only they who as was pretended and pleaded had right of suffrage with all necessary Authority in such conventions from the Order Degree and Office which personally they hold in their severall Churches Indeed a Pope or Bishop sent his Legate or Proxie to Represent or rather personate him his Authority But that any of them were sent or delegated by the Church wherein they did preside is not so evident I desire then that some man more skilled in Laws and Common usages then my selfe would informe me on what account such a convention could come to be a Church Representative or the persons of it to be representatives of any Churches Generall grounds of Reason and Equity I am perswaded cannot be pleaded for it The Lords in Parliament in this Nation who being summoned by Regall Authority sate there in their own personall right were never esteemed to represent the body of the people supposing indeed all Church power â—â—n any particular Church of whatever extract or composition to be solely vested in one single person a collection of those persons if instituted would bring together the Authority of the whole But yet this would not make that Assembly to be a Church Representative if you will allow the name of the Church to any but that single person But for men who have but a partiall power Authority in the Church and perhaps separated from it none at all without any delegation from the Churches to convene and in their own Authority to take upon them to represent those Churches is absolute presumption These severall pretensions being excluded let us see wherein the Vnity of this Church namely of the great society of men professing the Gospell and obedience to Christ according to it throughout the World doth consist this is summoned up by the Apostle Eph. 4. 5. one Lord one Faith one Baptisme It is the Vnity of the doctrine of Faith which men professe in subjection to one Lord Jesus Christ being initiated into that profession by Baptisme I say the saving doctrine of the Gospell of Salvation by Jesus Christ and obedience through him to God as professed by them is the bond of that union whereby they are made one body are distinguished from all other societies have one head Christ Jesus which as to profession they hold and whilest they doe so are of this body in one professed hope of their calling Now that this Vnion be preserved it is required that all those grand and necessary Truths of the Gospell without the knowledge whereof no man can be saved by Jesus Christ be so farre believed as to be outwardly and visibly professed in that variety of waies wherein they are or may be called out thereunto There is a proportion
appointed him to fixe his Chaire and make that Church the place of his residence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of his meeting Simon Magus at Rome who in all probability was never there for Seme Sangus was not Simon Magus nor Sanctus nor Deus Magnus of the conquest made of him and his Divells of his being instructed of Christ not to goe from Rome but tarry there and suffer some thing may be said from old Legends But of his chaire and fixing of it at Rome of his confinement as it were to that place in direct opposition to the tenour of his Apostolicall commission who first told the story I know not but this I know they will one day be ashamed of their Chaire Thrones and Sees and Jurisdictions wherein they now so please themselves But what is next to this The Bishop of Rome succeeds Peter in all that Power Jurisdiction Infallibility with whatsoever else was fancied before in him as the ordinary Lord of the Church and therefore the Roman Church is the Catholick quod erat demonstrandum Now though this inference will no way follow upon these Principles though they should all be supposed to be true whereof not one is so much as probable and though this last Assertion be vaine and ridiculous nothing at all being pleaded to ground this Succession no Institution of Christ no Act of any Councell of the Church no Will nor Testament of Peter but only it is so fallen out as the world was composed of a casuall concurrence of Atomes yet seeing they will have it so I desire a little farther information in one thing that yet remains and that is this The Charter Patents and Grant of all this power right of succession unto Peter in all the Advantages priviledges and Jurisdiction before mentioned being wholly in their own keeping whereof I never saw letter or title nor ever conversed with any one no not of themselves that did I would be gladly informed whether this grant be made to him absolutely without any manner of condition whatever so that who ever comes to be Pope of Rome and possessed of Peters Chaire theâ—e by what meanes soever he is possessed of it whether he believe the Gospell or no or any of the saving Truths therein contained and so their Church must be the Catholick Church though it follow him in all Abominations or whether it be made on any condition to him especially that of cleaving to the doctrine of Christ revealed in the Gospell If they say the first that it is an absolute grant that is made to him without any condition expressed or necessarily to be understood I am at an issue and have nothing to adde But my desire that the Grant may be produced for whilest we are at this variance it is against all Law and Equity that the parties litigant should be admitted to plead bare Allegations without proofe If the latter though we should grant all the former monstrous suppositions yet we are perfectly secure against all their pretensions knowing nothing more clearly and evidently then that He and they have broken all conditions that can possibly be imagined by corrupting and perverting almost the whole doctrine of the Gospell And whereas it may be supposed that the great condition of such a grant would consist in his diligent attendance to the Scriptures the Word of God herein doth the filth of their Abominations appeare above all other things The guilt that is in that society or combination of men in locking up the Scriptures in an unknown tongue forbidding the people to read it burning some men to death for the studying of it and no more disputing against its power to make good its own Authority charging it with obscurity imperfection insufficiency frighting men from the perusall of it with the danger of being seduced and made Hereticks by so doing setting up their own Traditions in an equality with it if not exalting them above it studying by all meanes to decry it as uselesse and contemptible at least comparatively with themselves will not be purged from them for ever But you will say this is a simple question For the Pope of Rome hath a promise that he shall still be such an one as is fit to be trusted with the power mentioned and not one that shall defend Mahumet to be the Prophet of God sent into the world or the like Abominations at least that be he what he will placed in the chaire he shall not â—â—re nor mistake in what he delivereth for Truth Now seeing themselves as was said are the sole keepers of this promise and grant also which they have not as yet shewed to the world I am necessitated to aske once more whether it be made to him meerly upon condition of mounting into his Chaire or also on this condition that he use the means appointed by God to come to the knowledge of the Truth If they say the former I must needs say that it is so remote from my apprehension that God who will be worshipped in spirit and in truth only should now under the Gospell promise to any persons that be they never so wicked and abominable never so openly and evidently sworne enemies of him and his Anoynted whether they use any means or not by him appointed that they shall alwayes in all things speake the truth which they hate in love which they have not with that Authority which all his Saints must bow unto especially not having intimated any one word of any such promise in the Scripture that I know not whatever I heard of in my life that I cannot as soone believe If they say the latter we close then as we did our former enquiry Upon the credit and strength of these sandy foundations and principles which neither severally nor joyntly will beare the weight of a feather in a long continued course of Apostacy have men conquered all Policy Religion and honesty and built up that stupendious fabrick coupled together with subtle and scarce discernable joynts and ligaments which they call the Catholick Church 1. In despight of policy they have not only enslaved Kings Kingdomes Common-wealths Nations People to be their vassalls and at their disposall but also contrary to all Rules of goverment beyond the thoughts and conjectures of all or any that ever wrote of or instituted a Goverment in the world they have in most Nations of Europe set up a Government Authority and Jurisdiction within anothers Government and Authority setled on other accounts the one independent on the other and have brought these things to some kind of consistency which that it might be accomplished never entered into the heart of any wise man once to imagine nor had ever been by them effected without such advantages as none in the world ever had in such a continuance but themselves Unlesse the Druids of old in some Nations obtained some such thing 2. In despight of Religion it self they have made
by his labours in that cause this is acknowledged to be so Believers saith he in great Cityes were not at first divided into Parishes whilst the number of Christians was so small that they might well assemble in the same place Ham Vind. p. 16. Of the Believers of one City meeting in one place being one Church we have the like grant p. 18. In this particular Church He sayes there was one Bishop which had the Rule of it and of the Believers in the villages adjacent to that City which as it sometimes was not so Rom. 16. 1 2. so for the most part it seemed to have been the case and distinct Churches upon the growth of the number of Believers were to be erected in severall places of the Voisinage And this is the state of a particular instituted Church which we plead for Whether in processe of time believers multiplying those who had been of one Church met in severall Assemblies by a setled distribution of them to celebrate the same Ordinances specifically and so made many Churches or met in severall places in parties still continuing one body and were governed in common by the Elders whom they increased and multiplied in proportion to the increase of believers or whether that one or more Officers Elders or Bishops of that first single Congregation taking on him or them the care of those inhabiting the City wherein the Church was first planted designed and sent some fitted for that purpose upon their desire choice or otherwise to the severall lesser companies of the Region adjacent which in processe of time became dependent on subject to the Officer and Officers of that first Church from whence they came forth I dispute not I am satisfied that the first plantation of Churches was as hath been pleaded And I know what was done afterwards on the one hand or the other must be examined as to our concernment by what ought to have been done But of those things afterwards Now according to the course of procedure hitherto insisted on a Declaration of the Vnity of the Church in this sense what it is wherein it doth consist with what it is to be guilty of the breach of that Unity must ensue and this shall be done after I have premised some few things previously necessary thereunto I say then 1. A man may be a member of the Catholick Church of Christ be united to him by the inhabitation of his Spirit and participation of his life from him who upon the account of some providentiall hinderance is never joyned to any particular Congregation for the participation of Ordinances all his daies 2. In like manner may he be a member of the Church considered as professing visibly Seeing that he may doe all that is of him required thereunto without any such conjunction to a visible particular Church But yet 3. I willingly grant that every believer is obliged as in a part of his duty to joyne himselfe to some one of those Churches of Christ that therein he may abide in Doctrine and Fellowship and breaking of Bread and Prayer according to the order of the Gospell if he have advantage and opportunity so to doe for 1. There are some duties incumbent on us which cannot possibly be performed but on a supposition of this duty previously required and submitted unto Math. 18. 15 16 17. 2. There are some Ordinances of Christ appointed for the good and benefit of those that believe which they can never be made partakers of if not related to some such society As publick Admonition Excommunication Participation of the Sacraments of the Lords Supper 3 The care that Jesus Christ hath taken that all things be well ordered in these Churches giving no direction for the performance of any duty of worship meerly and purely of soveraigne Institution but only in them and by them who are so joyned sufficiently evidence his mind and our duty herein Rev. 2. 7. 11. 29. Rev. 3. 6. 7. 12. 1 Cor. 11. 4. The gathering planting and setling of such Churches by the Apostles with the care they took in bringing them to perfection leaving none whom they converted out of that Order where it was possible for them to be reduced unto it is of the same importance Act. 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5. 5. Christs institution of Officers for them Eph. 4. 11. 1 Cor. 11. 28. calling such a Church his Body v. 29. exactly assigning to every one his duty in such Societies in respect of the place he held in them with his care for their preservation from confusion and for Order evinces from whom they are and what is our duty in reference unto them 6. The judging and condemning them by the Holy Ghost as disorderly blameable persons who are to be avoided who walk not according to the Rules and Order appointed in these Churches his care that those Churches be not scandalized or offended with innumerable other considerations evince their institution to be from Heaven not of men or any prudentiall considerations of them whatever That there is an instituted worship of God to be continued under the New Testam untill the second coming of Christ I suppose needs not much proofe With those with whom it hath soe I am not now treating and must not make it my businesse to give it evidence by the innumerable Testimonies which might be alleadged to that purpose That for the whole of his worship matter or manner or any part of it God hath changed his way of proceeding and will now allow the will and Prudence of Man to be the measure and rule of his Honour and Glory therein contrary to what he did or would allow under the Law is so prejudiciall to the perfection of the Gospell infinite Wisdome and All-sufficiency of Christ and so destructive to the whole obligation of the second Commandement having no ground in the Scripture but being built meerly on the conceit of men suited to one carnall interest or other I shall unwillingly debate it That as to this particular under consideration there were particular Churches instituted by the Authority of Jesus Christ owned and approved by him that Officers for them were of his appointment and furnished with gifts from him for the Execution of their employment that Rules Cautions and Instructions for the due settlement of those Churches were given by him that these Churches were made the only seat of that worship which in particular he expressed his will to have continued untill he came is of so much light in Scripture that he must wink hard that will not see it That either he did not originally appoint these things or he did not give out the gifts of his Spirit in reference to the right ordering of them and exalting of his Glory in them or that having done so then yet that his institutions have an end being only for a season and that it may be known when the efficacy of any
amongst themselves for love is the bond of perfectnesse Col. 3. 14. Hence then it appears what is the Vnion of such a Church and what is the communion to be observed therein by the appointment of Jesus Christ The joynt consent of all the members of it in obedience to the command of Christ from a principle of Love to walk together in the universall celebration of all the Ordinances of the worship of God instituted and appointed to be celebrated in such a Church and to performe all the duties and offices of Love which in reference to one another in their respective stations and places are by God required of them and doing so accordingly See Phil. 2. 1 2 3. cap. 4. 1 2 3. 1 Cor 1. 10. 2 Cor. 13. 11. Rom. 15. 5. Whereas there are in these Churches some Rulers some Ruled some eyes some hands in this Body some parts visibly comely some uncomely upon the account of that variety of gifts and graces which is distributed to them in the performance of duties regard is to be had to all the particular Rules that are given with respect to men in their severall places and distributions Herein doth the Vnion of a particular Church consist herein have the members of it communion among themselves and with the whole 4. I shall farther grant and adde hereunto Over and above the Vnion that is between thâ— members of severall particular Churches by vertue of their interest in the Church Catholick which draws after it a necessity of the occasionall exercise of duties of Love one towards another and that Communion they have as members of the generall Church visible in the profession of the Faith once delivered unto the Saints There is a Communion also to be observed between these Churches as such which is sometimes or may be exerted in their Assemblies by their Delegates for declaring the sense and determining things of joynt concernment unto them Whether there ought to be an ordinary combination of the Officers of these Churches invested with the Power for the disposall of things Persons that concerne one or more of them in severall subordinations by the institution of Christ as it is not my judgement that so there is so it belongs not unto my present undertaking at all to debate That which alone remaines to be done is to consider what is our concernment as to the breach of this Vnion which we professe to be appointed by Jesus Christ and that both as we are Protestants as also farther differenced according to the intimations given at the entrance of this Discourse What hath already been delivered about the nature of Schisme and the Scripture Notion of it might well suffice as to our Vindication in this businesse from any charge that we are or seem obnoxious unto But because I have noâ— reason to suppose that some men will be so favourable unto us as to take paines for the improvement of principles though in themselves clearely evinced on our behalfe The application of them to some present cases with the removall of objections that lye against my intendment must be farther added Some things there are which upon what hath been spoken I shall assume and suppose as granted in Thesi untill I see them otherwise disproved then as yet I have done Of these the first is That the departing or secession of any man or men from any particular Church as to that communion which is peculiar to such a Church which he or they have had therewith is no where called Schisme nor is so in the nature of the thing it selfe as the generall signification of the word is restrained by its Scripture use but is a thing to be judged receive a little according to the causes and circumstances of it 2. One Churches refusing to hold that communion with another which ought to be between them is not Schisme properly so called 3. The departure of any man or men from the Society or Communion of any Church whatever so it be done without strife variance judging and condemning of others because according to the light of their Consciences they cannot in all things in them worship God according to his minde cannot be rendred evill but from circumstances taken from the persons so doing or the way and manner whereby and wherein they doe it Unto these I adde that if any one can shew and evince that we have departed from and left the communion of any particular Church of Christ with which we ought to walke according to the order above mentioned or have disturbed and broken the Order and Vnion of Christs Institution wherein we are or were inwrapped we put our selves on the mercy of our judges The Consideration of what is the charge on any of us on this account was the first thing aymed at in this Discourse and as it was necessary from the Rules of the method wherein I have proceeded comes now in the last place to be put to the issue and triall which it shall in the Next Chapter CHAP. VIII Of the Church of England The charge of Schisme in the name thereof Proposed and considered Severall considerations of the Church of England In what sence we were members of it Of Anabaptisme The subjection due to Bishops Their power examined It s orginall in this Nation Of the Ministeriall power of Bishops It s present continuance Of the Church of England what it is It s description Forme peculiar and constitutive Answer to the charge of Schisme on separation from it in its Episcopall constitution How and by what means it was taken away Things necessary to the constitution of such a Church proposed and offered to proofe The second way of constituting a nationall Church Considered Principles agreed on and consented unto between the parties at variance on this account Judgement of Amiraldus in this case Inferences from the common principles before consented unto The case of Schisme in reference to a Nationall Church in the last sense debated Of particular Churches and separation from them On what accounts Justifiable No necessity of joyning to this or that Separation from some so called required Of the Church of Corinth The duty of its members Austins Judgement of the practice of Elijah The last objection waved Inferences upon the whole THat which first presents it selfe is a plea against us in the name of the Church of England and those intrusted with the Reiglment thereof as it was setled and established some yeares since the summe whereof if I mistake not amounts to thus much You were sometimes members and Children of the Church of England lived in the communion thereof professing obedience thereunto according to its Rules and Canons you were in an orderly subjection to the arcsh-Arcsh-Bishops Bishops and those acting under them in the Hierarchie who were officers of that Church in that Church you were baptized and joyned in the outward worship celebrated therein but you have now voluntarily
and of your own accord forsaken and renounced the communion of this Church cast off your subjection to the Bishops and Rulers rejected the forme of worship appointed in that Church that great bond of its communion and set up separated Churches of your own according to your pleasures and so are properly Schismaticks This I say if I mistake not is the summe of the charge against us on the account of of our late attempt for Reformation and reducing of the Church of Christ to its primitive institution which we professe our aime in singlenesse of heart to have been and leave the judgement of it unto God To acquit our selves of this imputation I shall declare 1. How farre we owne our selves to have been or to be members or Children as they speake of the Church of England as it is called or esteemed 2. What was the subjection whein we or any of us stood or might be supposed to have stood to the Prelates or Bishops of that Church And then I shall 3. Put the whole to the issue and enquiry whether we have broken any bond or order which by the institution and appointment of Jesus Christ we ought to have preserved entire unviolated not doubting but that on the whole matter in difference we shall finde the charge mannaged against us to be resolved wholy into the Pruâ—ence and interest of some men wherein our Consciences are not concerned As to the first proposall the severall considerations that the Church of England may fall under will make way for the determination of our Relation thereunto 1. There being in this Country of England much people of God many of his Elect called and Sanctified by and through the Spirit and blood of Christ with the washing of water and the Word so made true living members of the mysticall body or Catholick Church of Christ holding him as a spirituall Head receiving influences of life and grace from him continually they may be called though improperly the Church of England that is that part of Christs Catholick Church militant which lives in England In this sense it is the desire of our soules to be found and to abide members of the Church of England to keep with it whilst we live in this world the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Hierusalem which is above is the Mother of us all and one is our Father which is in Heaven one is our Head Soveraigne Lord and Ruler the dearly beloved of our Soules the Lord Jesus Christ If we have grieved offended troubled the least member of this Church so that he may justly take offence at any of our waies we professe our readinesse to lye at his or their feet for Reconciliation according to the mind of Christ If we bear not love to all the Members of the Church of England in this sense without dissimulation yea even to them amongst them who through mistakes and darknesse have on severall accounts designed our harme and ruine if we rejoyce not with them and suffer not with them however they may be differenced in and by their opinions or walkings if we desire not their good as the good of our own Soules and are not ready to hold any communion with them wherein their and our Light will give and afford unto us peace mutually if we judge condemne despise any of them as to their Persons Spirituall state and Condition because they walk not with us let us be esteemed the vilest Schismaticks that ever lived on the face of the Earth But as to our membership in the Church of England on this account we stand or fall to our own master 2. The Rulers Governors Teachers and Body of the People of this Nation of England having by Laws Professions and publick Protestations cast off the Tyranny Authority Doctrine of the Church of Rome with its Head the Pope joyntly assented unto and publickly professed the doctrine of the Gospell as expressed in their publick Confession variously attested and confirmed declaring their profession by that publick confession Preaching Laws and Writings suitable thereunto may also be called on good account the Church of England In this sense we professe ourselves members of the Church of England as professing and adhering to that Doctrine of Faith in the Unity of it which was here established and declared as was before spoken As to the attempt of some who accuse us for everting of fundamentalls by our doctrine of Election by the free grace of God of effectuall Redemption of the Elect only conversion by the irresistible efficacy of Grace and the associate doctrines which are commonly known we suppose the more sober part of our Adversaries will give them little thanks for their pains therein If for no other Reason yet at least because they know the cause they have to mannage against us is weakned thereby Indeed it seems strange to us that we should be charged with Schisme from the Church of England for endeavouring to reforme our selves as to something relating to the worship of God by men everting and denying so considerable a portion of the Doctrine of that Church which we sacredly retaine entire as the most urgent of our present Adversaries doe In this sense I say we still confesse our selves members of the Church of England nor have we made any separation from it but do daily labour to improve and carry on the light of the Gospell which shines therein and on the account whereof it is renowned in the world 3. Though I know not how proper that expression of Children of the Church may be under the New Testament nor can by any meanes consent unto it to the urging of any obedience to any Church or Churches whatsoever on that account no such use being made of that consideration by the Holy Ghost nor any parallell unto it insisted on by him yet in a generall sence so farre as our receiving our Regeneration and new birth through the grace of God by the preaching of the Word and the saving truths thereof here professed with the seale of it in our baptisme may be signified by that expression we owne our selves to have been and to be Children of the Church of England because we have received all this by the administration of the Gospell here in England as dispensed in the severall Assemblyes therein And are contented that this concession be improved to the utmost Here indeed are we left by them who renounce the Baptisme they have received in their infancy repeat it again amongst themselves Yet I suppose that He who upon that single account will undertake to prove them Schismaticall may find himselfe intangled Nor is the case with them exactly as it was with the Donatists They doe the same thing with them but not on the same Principles The Donatists rebaptized those who came to their societies because they professed themselves to believe that all Administration of Ordinances not in their Assemblyes was null
administring the holy ordinances of the Gospell in and to their â—wn flock and whatever else of duty and ratione officii belongs to a rightly constituted Bishop and â—et all that have disturbed this course so duly â—â—tled in this Church and in all Churches of Christ â—â—nce the Apostles planting them discerne their â—â—â—rour and returne to that peace and Vnity of the Church from whence they have causelesly and inexcusably departed Though I was not then speaking of the Bishops of England yet I am contented with the application to them there being amongst them men of piety and learning whom I exceedingly honour reverence Amongst all the Bishops He of Oxford is I suppose peculiarly instanced in because it may be thought that living in this place I may belong to his Jurisdiction But in the condition wherein I now am by the providence of God I can plead an exemption on the same foot of account as he can his Jurisdiction So that I am not much concerned in his exercise of it as to my own person If he have a particular flock at Oxon which he will attend according to what before I required he shall have no let or hindrance from me but being he is as I heare he is a Reverend and Learned person I shall be glad of his Neighbourhood acquaintance But to suppose that the Diocesse of Oxon as legally constituted and bounded is his particular flock or Church that such a Church is instituted by Christ or hath been in Being ever since the Apostles times that in his presidency in this Church he is to set up Courts and exercise a Jurisdiction in them and therewith a power over all the inhabitants of this Diocesse or Shire excepting the exempt peculiar jurisdiction although gathered into particular Congregations and united by a participation of the same Ordinances and all this by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ is to suppose what will not be granted I confesse as before there was once such an Order in this place that it is now removed by Lawes on which foundation alone it stood before And this is that where in I am not concerned Whether we have causelesly inexcusably departed froÌ„ the Vnity of the Church is the matter now in enquiry I am sure unles the Vnity can be fixed our departure will not be proved A law Vnity I confesse an Evangelicall I am yet in the disquisition of But I confesse it will be to the prejudice of the cause in hand if it shall be thought that the determination of it depends on the controversy about Episcopacy for if so it might be righteously expected that the Arguments produced in the behalfe and defence thereof should be particularly discussed But the truth is I shall easily acknowledge all my labour to no purpose if have to deale only with men who suppose that if it be granted that Bishops as commonly esteemed in this Nation are of the appointment of Christ it will thence follow that we have a Nationall Church of Christs appointment between which indeed there is no Relation or connexion Should I grant as I said diocesan Bishops with Churches answerable to their supportment particled into severall Congregations with their inferiour Officers yet this would be remote enough from giving subsistence and Vnion to a Nationall Church What then it is which is called the Church of England in respect whereto we are charged with Schisme is nextly to be considered Now there are two wayes whereby we may come to the discoverie of what is intended by the Church of England or there are two ways whereby such a thing doth arise 1. Descendendo which is the way of the Prelates 2. Ascendendo which is the way of the Presbyterians For the first to constitute a Nationall Church by descent it must be supposed that all Church power is vested in Nationall Officers viz. Arch-Bishops and from them derived to severall Diocesians by a distribution of power limited in its exercise to a certaine portion of the Nation and by them communicated by severall engines to Parochiall Priests in their severall places A man with halfe an eye may see that here are many things to be proved Thus their first Church is Nationall which is distributed into severall greater portions termed Provinces those againe into others now called Diocesses and those againe subdivided into Parochiall or particular Congregations Now the Vnion of this Church consisteth in the due observance of the same worship specifically by all the members of it and subjection according to Rules of their own appointment which were called commonly Canons by way of distinction unto the Rulers before mentioned in their severall capacities And this is that which is the peculiar forme of this Church That of the Church Catholick absolutely so called is its Vnity with Christ and in its selfe by the one Spirit whereby it is animated That of the Church Catholick visibly professing the Unity of the Faith which they doe professe as being by them professed That of a particular Church as such its observance and performance of the same Ordinances of worship numerically in the confession of the same faith and subjection to the same Rules of Love for edification of the whole Of this Nationall as it is called in the subjection of one sort of Officers unto another within a precinct limited Originally wholy on an account forraigne to any Church state whatever So that it is not called the Church of England from its participation of the nature of the Catholick Church on the account of its most noble members nor yet from its participation of the nature of the invisible Church in the world on the account of its profession of the Truth in both which respects we professe our Unity with it nor yet from its participation of the nature of a particular Church which it did not in its selfe nor as such but in some of its particular Congregations but from a peculiar forme of its owne as above described which is to be proved to be of the Institution of Jesus Christ In this description given of their Church state with whom we have now to doe I have purposely avoided the mention of things odious exposed to common obloquy which yet were the very â—ies ligaments of their order because the thing as it is in its selfe being nakedly represented we may not be prejudiced in judging of the strength and utmost of the charge that lyes against any of us on the account of a departure from it The communion of this Church they say we have forsaken and broken its Vnity and therefore are Schismaticks I answer in a word laying aside so much of the Iurisdiction of it mentioned before and the severall ways of its administration for which there is no colour or pretence that it should relate to any Gospell institution passe by also the consideration of all those things which the men enjoying Authority in or exercising
the pretended power of this Church did use all their Authority and power to injoyne and establish which we judge evill let them prove that such a Nationall Church as would remaine with these things pared off that is in its best estate imaginable was ever instituted by Christ or the Apostles in his name in all the things of absolute necessity to its being existence and I will confesse my self to be what they please to say of me That there was such an Order in things relating to the worship of God established by the Law of the Land in and over the people thereof that the worship pleaded for was confirmed by the same Law that the Rulers mentioned had power being by the Magistrate assembled to make Rules and Canons to become binding to the good people of the Common wealth when confirmed by the supreame Aâ—thority of the Nation and not else that penaltys were appointed to the disturbers of this Order by the same Law I grant But that any thing of all this as such that is as a part of this whole or the whole it selfe was instituted by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ that is denyed Let not any one think that because we deny the constitution pleaded about to have had the stamp of the Authority of Iesus Christ that therefore we pulled it down and destroyed it by violence It was set up before we were borne by them who had power to make Laws to bind the People of this Nation and we found men in an orderly legall possession of that power which exerting its selfe severall wayes maintained and preserved that constitution which we had no call to eradicate Only whereas they tooke upon them to act in the name of Christ also and to interpose their orders and Authority in the things of the worship of God we entreated them that we might passe our pilgrimage quietly in our native Country as Israel would have gone through the Land of Edonie without the disturbance of its inhabitants and worship God acording to the light which he had gratiously imparted to us but they would not hearken But herein also was it our duty to keep the word of Christs patience Their removall and the Dissolution of this Nationall Church arose and was carryed on as hath been declared by other hands on other acounts Now it is not to any purpose to plead the Authority of the Church for many of the institutions mentioned for neither hath any Church Power or can have to institute and appoint the things whereby it is made to be so as these things are the very forme of the Church that we plead about nor hath any Church any Authority but what is answerable to its Nature if it selfe be of a civill prudentiall constitution its Authority also is Civill and no more Denying their Church in that forme of it which makes it such to be of the institution of Christ it cannot be expected that we should grant that it is as such invested with any Authority from Christ so that the dissolution of the Vnity of this Church as it had its rise on such an account proceeded from an alteration of the humane Constitution whereon it was built and how that was done was before declared Then let them prove 1. That Ordinary Officers are before the Church and that in Ecclesia instituta as well as instituendâ which must be the foundation of their work we confesse Extraordinary Officers were before the Church not considering the way of mens coming to be joyned in such Societies was it possible it should be otherwise but as for ordinary Officers they were an exurgency from a Church and serve to the completion of it Act. 14. 23 24. Tit. 1. 5. 2. That Christ hath appointed any Nationall Officers with a plenitude of Ordinary power to be imparted communicated and distributed to other recipient Subjects in severall degrees within one Nation and not elsewhere I mean such an Officer or Officers who in the first instance of their power should on their own single account relate unto a whole Nation 3. That he hath instituted any Nationall Church as the proper correlatum of such an Officer concerning which also I desire to be informed whether a Catalogue of those he hath so instituted be to be obtained or their number be left indefinite Whether they have limits and bounds prescribed to them by him or are left to be commensurate to the civill dominion of any Potentate and so to enjoy or suffer the providentiall enlargements or straights that such dominions are continually subject unto Whether we had seven Churches here in England during the Heptarchy of the Saxons and one in Wales or but one in the whole If seven how they came to be one If but one why those of England Scotland and Ireland were not one also especially since they have been under one Civill Magistrate or whether the difference of the Civill Laws of these Nations be not the only cause that these are three Churches and if so whether from thence any may not discerne whereon the Vnity of the Church of England doth depend Briefely when they have proved Metropolitan Diocesan Bishops in a firstnesse of power by the Institution of Christ a nationall Church by the same institution in the sence pleaded for a firstnesse of power in the Nationall Officers of that Nationall Church to impose a forme of worship upon all being within that Nation by the same institution which should containe the bond of the Vnion of that Church also that every man who is borne and in his infancy babtized in that Nation is a member of that Nationall Church by the same institution and shall have distinguished clearly in and about their Administrations and have told us that they counted to be of Ecclesiasticall power and what they grant to be a meere emanation of the civill Government of the Nation we will then treat with them about the businesse of Schisme Untill then if they tell us that we have forsaken the Church of England in the sence pleaded for by them I must answer that which is wanting cannot be numbred It is no crime to depart from nothing we have not left to be that which we never were which may suffice both us and them as to our severall respective concernments of conscience and Power It hath been from the darknesse of men and ignorance of the Scriptures that some have taken advantage to set up a product of the prudence of Nations in the name of Jesus Christ and on that account to require the Acceptance of it When the Tabernacle of God is againe well fixed amongst men these shaddows will fly away in the mean time we owe all these disputes with innumerable other evills to the Apostacy of the Roman Combination from which we are farre as yet from being cleerly delivered I have one thing more to adde upon the whole matter and I shall proceed to what is lastly to