or practise which their Ancestors at their very departure from them had not discerned and then though those errors subscribed to by them had the Lenitive or Antidote of blameless ignorance yet because those that now really discern that truth which the Ancestors discerned not cannot lawfully professe not to discern it or professe against conscience to believe what they doe not believe it is therefore necessarily consequent that the return of such to the peace of the Roman Church may by this means be rendred impossible though their Ancestors continuance there lying under no such prejudice their separation were acknowledged unlawful CHAP. III. The several sorts of Schisme § 1. THus much hath been necessarily premised for the true notion of Schisme taken from the origination of the word as that includes in the neuter sense a recession or departure in the reciprocal a separating or dividing himself § 2. It is now time to proceed and inquire how many sorts there are of this schisme in the Ecclesiastical sense or by how many waies the guilt of this sin of the flesh may be contracted § 3. In which inquiry it will be first necessary to consider wherein Ecclesiastical unity consists viz Unity Ecclesiastical wherein it consists in the preserving all those relations wherein each member of the whole Church of Christ is concerned one towards another These relations are either of subordination paternal on one side and filial on the other or of equality fraternal Unity of Members subordinate The unity of those members that are subordinate one to the other consists in the constant due subjection and obedience of all inferiors to all their lawful superiors and in due exercise of authority in the superiors toward all committed to their charge Of fellow brethren And the unity of the fellow brethren in the performance of all mutual duties of justice and charity toward one another § 4. The former Of the former sort is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obedience to the Rulers of the Church Heb. 13.17 and back again the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 due feeding i. e. governing the flock of God among them 1 Pet. 5.2 And because there be under the King or Emperor or supreme power to whom all are subject in any his dominions many possible links in that subordination Patriarchs Metropolitans Bishops Presbyters Deacons and the brethren or congregation the unity must be made up of the due subordination and Christian i. e. charitative exercise of power in all these § 5. The later Of the later sort there are as many branches as there are varieties of equalities The brethren or believers in every congregation i. e. all beside the Governors of the Church however unequal in other respects are in this respect equalized and comprehended all under the one title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the younger 1 Pet. 5.5 And this whether we respect all other fellow-members of the same or whether of any other congregation whether Parish or City or Diocese or Province or Nation of the West of the East of the whole Christian world as farre as each member is qualified to exercise any fraternal duty toward them So again the several Deacons or Presbyters of any Diocese the several Bishops of any Province the several Metropolitans of any Nation the several Primates or Patriarchs one with another as the several Apostles over the whole world are each of them to be looked on as equals to all others of the same sort And proportionably and together with the Pastors the flocks the several communities or congregations of Christian men considered in complexo the Parishes Dioceses Provinces Nations Climes of the whole Christian world And according to these so many equalities there are or ought to be so many sorts of unities so many Relations of that mutual fraternal charity which Christ came to plant in his Church § 6. Communion Having seen what the unity is to which Communion superadds no more but the relation of external association whether by assembling for the worship of God in the same place where the matter is capable of it or whether by letters communicatory by which we may maintain external Communion with those which are most distant from us It will be easie to discern what Schisme is viz the breach of that Vnity and Communion and what be the sorts or species of it either those that offend against the subordination which Christ hath by himself and his Apostles setled in his Church or those that offend against the mutual charity which he left among his disciples § 7. The branches of Schisme as it is an offence against Subordination For the first of these those that offend against the due subordination they are possibly of as many sorts as there be distinct links in the subordination As first those brethren or people which reject the ministerie of the Deacons or Presbyters in any thing wherein they are ordained and appointed by the Bishop and as long as they continue in obedience to him and of their own accord break off and separate from them Schism against the Deacons or Presbyters refuse to live regularly under them they are by the Antient Church of Christ adjudged and looked on as Schismaticks So Ignatius the holy Bishop and Apostolical person and Martyr of Antioch in Ep ad Trall admonishing them to beware of the poyson of seducers i. e. the Schismaticks of those times he directs them this one way to doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This ye shall doe saith he if ye be not puffed up and if ye be not separated from God from Christ from the Bishop He that continues within the sept is pure He that doth ought without the Bishop and Presbyterie and Deacon is not of a pure conscience accounting all that live out of this obedience to be so far infected and defiled with schisme So again in the former part of the same Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all revere the Deacons as the ministers of Jesus Christ and in like manner the Bishop as Jesus Christ the son of the Father the Presbyters as the Senate of God and College of Apostles without these it is not called a Church Where every particular Church being administred by these no man is farther deemed a member of the Church then he lives regularly within this obedience And the same is the importance of his exhortation to the Philippians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observe the Bishop and the Presbyters and the Deacons intimating this to be the only way of preserving unity against schisme as appears by that which had gone before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is one altar or sept as there is one Bishop together with his Presbyters and Deacons and the living in union with obedience to these is the only way to doe whatsoever ye doe according to the will of God Where this subordination being looked on as that which is placed in
Eccl Habere jam non potest Deum patrem qui Ecclesiam non habet matrem Ibid. Quomodo potest ei cum aliquo convenire cui cum corpore ipsius Ecclesiae cum vestra Fraternitate non convenit Quomodo possunt duo aut tres in nomine Christi colligi quos constat à Christo ab ejus Evangelio separari Ibid Extra Ecclesiam consistens contra pacem dilectionem Christi faciens inter adversarios computetur Ep 76. advantages that belong to a member of the Church the (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat Ep ad Eph Audet precem alteram illicitis vocibus facere Dominicae hostiae veritatem per falsa sacrificia profanare Cypr de Unit Eccl Vnum manifestum est apud omnes Spiritus Sancti gratiam non esse nec corum sacrificiis posse Deo placere neque spiritualis gratiae sanctificationem sacrificiis corum tribui qui offerunt ab Ecclesiastici corporis unitate disjuncti solius enim Ecclesia Deus delectatur sacrificiis quòd sacrificium Deo facit unit as spiritualis ubi pacis tenacitas fraternam servat in charitate concordiam Fulgent ad Monim l. 2. benefits of prayers and sacraments that it is (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Ep ad Eph Edit Savil p. 823. as bad as heresie that (h) Quis unquam haereses instituit nisi qui se priùs ab Ecclesiae Catholicae universitate antiquitatis consensione discreverit Vincent c. 34. there was never any heresie in the Church which was not founded in it and (i) Nullum schisma non sibi aliquam fingit haeresim ut rectè ab Ecclesiâ recessisse videatur Hieron ad Tit c. 3. that it is constantly forced in its own defence to conclude in some heresie or other all of which being put together will be sufficient to keep men from being in love with the guilt or company of schismaticks but it is farther branded with these superadditions of terror that (k) Non esse quicquam gravius sacrilegio schismatis Aug contra Parmen l. 2.2 Ingens flagitium schismatis Tradition junxerunt Optat p. 23. Edit Casaub there is scarce any crime so grear as schism not (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionys ap Euseb l. 6. c. 36. Pejus hec crimen est quà m quod admisisse lapsi videntur Cypr de Unit Eccl idolatry (m) Vide Optatum l. 8. c. 25. sacrilege parricide that it hath been under peculiar marks of Gods indignation in the story of the Jewish Church as in the (n) Quà m sine spe sint perditionem sibi maximam de indignatione Dei acquirant qui schisma feciunt declarat in libro Râ—g scriptura ubi à tribu Juda Benjamin decem tribus scissae sunt indignatus est inquit Dominus in omne semen Israel Cypr Ep 76. case of the ten Tribes and of the (o) Addendo autem civitatem Samaritanorum debere omitti ubi erant schismatici ostendit schismaticos Gentilibus adaequari Ibid. Samaritanes who are ranked with the Gentiles Mat. 10.5 (p) Exemplo Core Dathan c. ostenditur probatur obnoxios omnes culpae poenae futuros qui se schismaticis irreligiosâ temeritate miscuerunt Ibid. Deus quod in sacrilegos parricidam non secerat Cain Ninive in schismaticos fecit Core c. Optat l. 1. p. 25. and so in the story of Core c. that it is the (q) Novatianus nec debet nec potest excipi quo minus ipse extra Ecclesiam consistens inter Antichristos computetur Ibid. Apparet Antichristos omnes esse quos constet à charitate atque ab unitate Ecclesiae recessisse Ibid. Videndum quis foras exicrit quis altare contra altare erexerit quis jaceat sub sententiâ Johannis Apostoli qui dixit multos Antichristos feras exituros Optat p. 1. l. 18. Ab Ecclesiâ separatus haereticus est Antichristus Prosper de Prom Praedict implend c. 5. Antichristianisme mentioned by Saint John the (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat Ep ad Smyrnens worshipping or serving the Devil and in a word so great a crime that it is not (Å¿) Tales eâ—si occisi in confessione nominis fuerint macula ista nec sanguine abluitur inexpiabilis gravis culpa discordiae nec passione purgatur Cyprian de Unit Eccl expiable by Martyrdome to him that continues in and hath not repented and returned from it § 7. No excuse for it Much more of this subject is every where to be met with in the Antient monuments and nothing of alleviation to be had for any who have not the (t) Caeteri tantùm vel simplicitate capti veâ— errore inducti vel aliqua sallentis astutiae calliditate decepti à fallaciae laqueis vos solvite Cypr de Unit Eccl excuse of involuntary seduction of error or simplicity to plead for them and the surest way to doe that effectually to qualifie them for that plea is to forsake their course to get out of so dangerous a snare § 8. Nay 't is farther observable how unsafe it hath been deemed by these for (u) Judicabit spiritalis eoâ—s qui schisma operantur qui propter modicas quaslibet causas magnum gloriosum corpus Christi conscindunt dividunt verè liquantes culicem camelum diglutientes Irenae l. 4. c. 62. light and inconsiderable causes to break this unity it being in their opinion very (x) Nulla ab eis tanta potest fieri correptio quanta est schismatis pernicies Irenaeus l. 4. c. 62. hard if not impossible to receive such an injury or provocation from the Governours of the Church as may make a rupture or separation excusable And for the Vniversal or truly Catholick Church of Christ it is not in (y) Si possunt aliqui quod fieri non potest habere causam justam quo communionem separent à communione Orbis terrarum Aug Ep 48. S. Augustine's opinion possible that there should be any just cause for any to separate from it nor consequently Apologie to be made for those that on any whether true or pretended cause whatsoever have really incurred this guilt § 9. From these premises thus acknowledged and undeniable the conclusion follows irrefragably that it is not the examination of the occasion or cause or motive of any mans schisme that is worth the producing or heeding in this matter The one thing that is of force and moment and by consequence pertinent to be inquired into is the truth of the matter of fact whether this charge be sufficiently proved or confessed i. e. whether he that is thus accused stands really guilty of separation from the Church of Christ And this will be a means of shortening our method and giving very moderate bounds to our ensuing discourse which will now be regularly finished by making these two inquiries § 10. The Parts of the ensuing Tract 1. What Schisme is and how it
may be most fitly branched § 11. 2. What Evidences are producible against the Church of England whereby it may be thought liable to this guilt and withall how it may be cleared from all force of those evidences § 11. Which when we have done we shall not from the office of Advocates proceed to that of the Accuser or Judge but leave all others that are under the same charge to their proper tribunal to stand or fall as they shall appear able or not able upon firm grounds to maintain and vindicate their innocence CHAP. II. What Schisme is together with some general considerations thereon § 1. OUR first enquirie must be what Schism is in the strict proper notion as (a) Non attendisti inter schismaticos haereticos quà m sit magna distantia Optat l. 1. p. 13. distinguished from Heresie the (b) Inter haeresim schisma hoc interesse arbitramur quòd haeresis perversum dogma habeat schisma propter Episcopalem dissensionem ab Ecclesiâ pariter separet Hieron ad Tit c. 3. introducing of some false doctrine into the Church And herein there will be no difficulty the Origination and universal use of the word according and consenting exactly to give us the importance of it The Original of the word Schism § 2. In the origination of it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scindi it signifies literally scissure or division which being a figurative and withall a relative word referring to some body which is thus cut or divided but that no natural but political body the Church or Congregation of Christians the literal notation of the word in the Ecclesiastical use will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a division in or from the Vnity of the Church of Christ Only the form termination of the word must be farther noted which being not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the active 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reciprocal passion noted by the word but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the passive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the use of such passives is observable being of the nature and for want of conjugations designed to supply the place of the Hebrew Hithpaâ—l and so noting reciprocal action or passion where the passion is from and on himself and is most fully expressed by the Latine Neutrals which partake both of active and passive but are strictly neither of them This might be largely exemplified in the use of other words but the advantage of the observation will not be proportionable to the length of such a diversion being no more then this that the distinct notion of the word Schisme is a voluntary dividing Schisme a voluntary recession or in the neutral expression which the Fathers familiarly use a separating or receding of any member from the unity of the body i. e. the Church of Christ and so that the scismatick is he that * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 19. divides himself from the Church of God not that is cut off or separated he that (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 2.19 goes out or (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.38 withdraws or recedes of his own accord not he that is cast out by the Governours of the Church Excommunication no Schisme For whatever blame and vengeance may justly light on such who are by the righteous and charitative Censures of the Church cut off from communion in case they doe not by humiliation confession and reformation and meet fruits of repentance prepare and qualifie themselves for readmission to that Communion yet certainly this punishment of Excommunication is very disparate and distant from the crime of schisme the Judge i. e. Bishop or Governour of the Church being the only actor in the one and that ex officio an act of duty in him when duly executed but in the other the offender or guilty person who is therefore said to (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Laod Can 40. accuse to cast to (d) Propriae conscientiae videtur esse damnatio cùm quispiam suo arbitrio ab Ecclesiâ recesserit Hieron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cod Can Afric Can 22. condemn himself throwing himselfe by his voluntary recession from the Church into that very condition into which the adulterer and obstinate offender is cast by the Censures of it § 3. This is so evident a truth that this punishment and so judicial act of the Governour cannot be the guilt of him that is punished and though it be supposed to be founded in some offence is not yet in any propriety of speech the offence it self much lesse the sin of schisme especially when he is punished for heresie or some other crime and not for schisme that I need not farther insist on it Interpretative Excommunication Only as beside the formal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is also an interpretative excoÌ„munication when he that is not under the Censures of the Church is yet refused admission or reception unto it unlesse he will submit to such such conditions indispensably proposed to him and because both in the one and the other in the formal and in the interpretative excommunication the Governours being men may possibly erre and consequently censure and excommunicate the innocent and in like manner propose those conditions of communion which are not lawful for that man to submit unto Continuance out of actual Communion without Schisme so it is possible in both cases that the person excluded may be absolutely innocent free not only from that of schisme but from all other guilt so that he which is excommunicated may not be obliged to regain the peace nor he that is barred out to force his passage into the communion of the Church and so both sorts of these continuing out of the actual communion neither the one nor the other be guilty of schisme in the least degree by so continuing Unjust excommunication hurts no man § 4. He that is excommunicated unjustly cannot be rendred criminous by that misfortune nor concluded culpable by that argument upon which he is supposed innocent Our Saviour hath pronounced of the anathemaes of the Jews of their bitterest execrations their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their sharpest censures nay the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 casting men out of the Synagogue falsly or unjustly that it is to be looked on as a most auspicious token a matter of the greatest rejoicing to them which fell under it one of the principal ingredients in and forerunners of their blisse and accordingly the Apostles when they were thus cast out and contumeliously used went out of the Temple rejoicing that they were thought worthy to suffer shame for Christ's name To which purpose is that of Photius Patriarch of Constantinople to Michael Metropolitan of Mitylene Ep 116. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The excommunication of the Jewish Sanhedrim sent out against Christ's disciples brought them so much neerer to their Lord and Master and alien'd the Jews themselves removed them so much farther from the
our Kings have the same authority in their Territories that the Roman Emperour had in the Empire § 19. The Reason of all supreme power of Kings And the reason of all this is clear not only from the supreme authority of Kings in all sorts of causes even those of the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King is as it were the common directer and ruler of the Church both in title and reality Demetrii Chomateni Resp ad Const Cab Jur. Graec Rom l. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye are Bishops of the Church for those things which are celebrated within it but for external things I am constituted overseer or Bishop by God saith Constantine the Great in an assembly of Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am King and Priest saith Leo Isaurus to Gregory the second Nec tamen eo nomine à Pontifice reprehenditur and was not for this reprehended by the Pope see J. C. de lib. Eccl ap Goldast Monarch t. 1. p. 686. So Socrates the historian of the Emperours in general after their receiving the faith of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the affairs of the Church depended on them in Prooem l. 5. And by Optatus l. 2. it is noted and censured as a Schismatical piece of language in the Donatistâ— Quid enim Imperatori cum Ecclesiâ And all this according to the principles of civil policy acknowledged by Aristotle Pol. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King hath power of those things that belong to the Gods and by Diotogenes in Sâ—obaeus that a perfect King ought to be both a good Captain and a Judge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea and a Priest also And accordingly among the ancient Roman regal Lawes this is one Sacrorum omniuÌ„ potestas sub Regibus esto Let the power of all sacred things be under the Kings and so in the practice Caius Caesar in Suetonius c. 13. was both Augur and Summus Pontifex Galba tres Pontificatus gerebat Ibid Gal. c. 8. Claudius is by Josephus called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest High-priest and Tacitus makes it his observation Deûm nunc munere summum Pontificem summum hominum esse Annal l. 3. The same appears among the Jewish Kings in Scripture David ordering the courses of the Priests Solomon consecrating the temple Hezekiah 2 Chron 29. 2 Kin 18. and Josiah 2 Kin 22. ordering many things belonging to it And so S. Paul appealed from the judgement of the chief Priests to the tribunal of Caesar see G de Heimberg de usurp Pap so in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole third book is made up of Justinians i. e. the Emperours constitutions de Episcopis Clericis Sacris concerning Bishops Clergy men and sacred offices And the Canons of Councels have mostly been set out and received their authority by the Emperours and accordingly in the Theodosian Code we shall find many of those which are now called Papal decrees Church as well as Civil as might be proved at large if here it were needful and cannot be reasonably so confined as not to belong to a matter of this nature but peculiarly from that which hath been already noted and expressely ordered Can. 17. of the Councel of Chalcedon even now cited of the Ecclesiastical division of Provinces c and Ecclesiastical division of Provinces following the Civil following the civil For 1. it being certainly in the power of the King to place his Praetoria or courts of Assizes where he please and 2. it being the known original of Metropoles and divisions of Provinces as Strabo saith Geogr. l. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Provinces are variously distributed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the Romanes divide them not by tribes or families but after another manner in relation to the cities where they set up their courts of Assizes and again it being most reasonable that as any new accident raises one city to a greater populousnesse or depresses another so for the convenience of the people one should be made the seat of Judicature the other cease to be so and no man so fit to passe the judgement when this should be as the King and 3. the very same reasons of convenience moving in the Church as in the State the Bishops and over them Metropolitanes and Primates having their judicatures and audiences which in all reason must be so disposed of as may be most for the convenience of administration that they and all under them may do their duties with most facility and to greatest advantage and lastly there being no obstacle imaginable from any contrary constitution either of Christ or his Apostles against which the Prince can be said to offend either directly or interpretatively as I suppose is already clear from the refutation of the plea from S. Peters universal Pastorship whensoever he shall think fit to make such changes the Conclusion is rational as well as evident just that it should be so as well as cleare that elsewhere it hath oft been so de facto and appointed by the Canon of Chalcedon de jure that the King may erect a Primacy when he please and so it is certain that King Ethelbert at the time of Augustines planting the faith did at Canterbury the seate of his Kingdome Imperit sui totius Metropolis saith Bede l. 1. c 25. conquently remove it from any other place at his pleasure Had it not been for this there is no reason assignable why this nation being in Constantines time under three Metropolitans the Arch-bishop of York and the Primacy belonging to that city as being then the Emperours seat where Septimius Severus and Constantius Chlorus died and the Praetorium of the Diocese of Britannie the Arch-bishop of London and the Arch-bishop of Caerusk in Monmouthshire either 1. there should be as there was an addition of two Provinces more Valentia and Flavia Caesariensis or 2. the Metropolitical power should be removed from London to Canterbury as also from Caerusk to S. David's as hath been said and the Primacie from Yorke to Canterbury § 20. This Power of Kings if taken away by forein laws c. resumable Now what is thus vested in the Regal power cannot be taken away by forein laws or by prescription be so alienated but that it remains perfectly lawful for the Prince to resume it sect 21. That laws made at Rome doe not take away the liberty of another national Church to make contrary laws thereunto and that by such obviation no Schisme is incurred we finde delivered in the Councel of Carthage Can 71. according to Balsamon's division And though the Canon be not set down by Binius yet both he and Baronius acknowledge that what was contain'd in that particular Canon was the main occasion of the Synod And the Antiquity thereof is considerable those Canons being made say Baronius and Binius Anno 401. § 22. So likewise that a Law though made by a General Councel and with the consent of all Christian Princes yet
it being thus farre evident that it is our avowed wish and our care should it be denied to be our lot a special mark of the Church of England's Reformation to preserve the Vnity of the Apostolical Faith and Primitive practises as intire as we would have done Christ's body or garment and the probability being not weak on our side that the fact of the crucifying souldiers which hath so much of our abhorrence and detestation shall never be our choice our known or wilfull guilt or if it be that we so farre recede from our Profession CHAP. IX The Second species of this Schisme examined as it is an offence against external peace or Communion Ecclesiastical § 1. This Church free from breach of Communion Ecclesiastical NOW for the second branch of this second sort of Schism as it is an offence against external peace or communion Ecclesiastical This cannot with any colour be charged on us As appears by six Considerations of whom these 6 things are manifest and that by the tenure of our Reformation 1. The first that we have alwaies retained the form of Government in and under which the Apostles founded Ecclesiastical assemblies or Communion viz that of the Bishop and his inferiour officers in every Church and so in that respect are in Ignatius his phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within the altar have no part of that breach of Ecclesiastical communion upon us which consists in casting out that order 2. The second That as we maintain that Order so we regularly submit to the exercise of it acknowledge the due authority of these Governors profess Canonical obedience to them submit to their Censures and Decrees and give our selves up to be ruled by them in all things that belong to their cognizance secundum Deum according to God 3. The third That the circumstances which are necessary to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assembling our selves together for the publick worship whether 1. that of place our Churches consecrated to those offices or 2. that of time the Lords day and other primitive festivals and Fasts and in their degree every day of the week or 3. that of forms of Prayer and Praises celebration of Sacraments and sacramentals Preaching Catechizing c. or 4. that of Ceremonies such as the practise of the Primitive Church hath sent down recommended to us or lastly that of Discipline to binde all these performances upon every member of the Church in his office or place are all entered into our Confessions setled by Article as part of our establishment and so the want of either or all of those are not imputable to our Reformation § 2. The fourth Fourthly That in every of these three whatsoever the Romanist requires us to adde farther to that which we voluntarily and professedly receive 1. the supreme transcendent monarchick power of the Pope 2. the acknowledgment of and obedience to his supremacy 3. the use of more ceremonies festivals c. is usurpation or imposition of the present Romanists absolutely without Authority or Precedent from the antient Primitive Church from whom we are so unwilling to divide in any thing that we choose a conformity with them rather then with any later modell and if by receding from the Ordo Romanus in any particular we doe not approve our selves to come neerer to the first and purest times it is the avow'd Profession of our Church the wish and purpose of it which I may justly style part of our establishment to reduce and restore that whatsover it is which is most pure and Primitive in stead of it § 3. The fift Fiftly That as we exclude no Christian from our communion that will either filially or fraternally embrace it with us being ready to admit any to our assemblies that acknowledge the Foundation laid by Christ and his Apostles so we as earnestly desire to be admitted to the like freedome of external Communion with all the members of all other Christian Churches as oft as occasion makes us capable of that blessing of the one heart and one lip and would most willingly by the use of the antient method of literae Communicatoriae maintain this Communion with those with whom we cannot corporally assemble and particularly with those which live in obedience to the Church of Rome § 4. The sixt Sixtly that the onely hindrances that interpose and obstruct this desired freedome of external Communion are wholly imputable to the Romanists § 5. First their excommunicating and separating from their assemblies all that maintain communion with the Church of England which we know was done by Bull from the Pope about the tenth year of Q. Elizabeth before which time those English which had not joyned in our Reformation might and did come to our assemblies and were never after rejected by us but upon their avowed contumacie against the orders of our Church which consequently brought the censures on them and to that it is visibly consequent that we that were cast out cannot be said to separate as in the former part of this discourse hath been demonstrated § 6. Secondly their imposing such conditions on their Communion belief of doctrines and approbation of practises which we neither believe nor approve of and are ready to contest and maintain our Negatives by grounds that all good Christians ought to be concluded by that we cannot without sinning or seeming to sin against conscience without wilfull falling on one side or dissembling and unsound confession on the other side or at least the scandal of one of these accept of their communion upon such conditions as hath formerly been demonstrated also § 7. A consideration concerning our Church And in this matter it were very well worthy our considering how farre the Articles of our Church of England proceed in accord with the present Roman doctrines and practises and in what particulars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we cannot perswade our selves to consent to them and then to offer it to the Vmpirage of any rational arbitrator whether we that unfeignedly professe to believe so much and no more nor to be convinced by all the reasons and authorities proofs from Scripture or the first Christian writers those of the first three hundred years or the four General Councels produced by them being in full inclination and desire of minde ready to submit upon conviction are in any reason or equity or according to any example or precept of Christ or his Apostles or the antient Primitive Church to be required to offer violence to our mindes and to make an unsound profession or else for that one guilt of not doing so to be rejected as hereticks and denied the benefit of Christian Communion which we heartily desire to extend and propagate to them which deny it to us All this thus put together and applied to this present matter will certainly vindicate us from all appearance of guilt of this second branch of the second sort of Schisme CHAP. X. The third species of this Schism as
an offence against that charity due from every Christian to every Christian examined § 1. Contrary to charity due from all to all LAstly as Schism is an offence against that charity which is due from every Christian to every Christian so it will be best distributed according to what we see noted by by the Apostle Rom. 14. in the Jewish and Gentile Christians 1. Judging 2. Despising into the judging and the despising of others either of which was if not formally Schism yet soon improveable into it when it would not be repressed by the Apostles admonitions Separating the effect of both The Jewish Christians we know judged and damned all that would not observe the Mosaical law and would not associate or communicate with the Gentiles and the like height Diotrephes and some of the Gentile believers who began with the other branch that of vilifying the weak Jew at last arrived to not receiving forbidding to receive and casting out the brethren 3 Joh. 10. And whether the Romanists or we are thus guilty will soon be discernible § 2. Of Judging separating the Romanists guilty ex Confesso For the former that of judging and so separating from their brethren if yet we may be allowed that title it is evident by their own acknowledgment how guilty they are and how guiltlesse we § 3. It hath been a special motive and argument to gain proselytes to their party for some years that by our Confession there is salvation to be had among them but in their judgment no possible hope of it for us This weapon of their's used so studiously against us to anticipate and prejudge in general whatsoever can be particularly said to assert our doctrines and practises will certainly be as usefull in our hands as Goliah's sword in David's to give this wound I wish it may not prove as fatal to our vaunting enemies For certainly if there be any truth in that motive then are they professedly the men that judge their brethren and as confessedly we the men that doe not judge them And if S. Cyprian's rule be true who had as well considered the nature of Schism and as diligently armed the Christians of his age against it and given us as sure rules to judge by in this matter as any that they that maintain any difference in opinion against other Christians must if they will avoid the evil of schism manage it with this temper neminem damnantes neminem à communione nostrâ arcentes never condemn any or forbid them our communion then is the schism because the uncharitableness on their parts not on ours And it is not the saying we are Hereticks and so certainly excluded salvation Schismaticks and so out of the Church the way to salvation that can give this sanguinarie judgment any meeker a title For that we are such being as much denied as any thing and that negative offered to be proved and vindicated by all those evidences by which any matter of doctrine from whence this question depends can duly be cleared this unproved affirmation that we are such is certainly a petitio principii a begging of the question a supposing that in the debate which they know we are as farre from confessing as they from having proved and that is the most certain proof that such judging is uncharitable I wish there were not many other as pregnant indications of it § 4. And for that of despising or setting at nought the brother which is the Ap Of despising We are guiltlesse of it ostles argument also that they walk not charitably and the effect whereof is evident the casting them out of the Church if the cause may be concluded by the effect the guilt lies on the Romanists side not on ours as hath formerly appeared And truly we are so sensible of the many prepossessions and strong prejudices which by the advantage of education the prescribed credulity to all that the Church shall propose the doctrine of infallibility the shutting up the scriptures in an unknown language the impossibility that the multitude should search or examine tradition with their own eyes the prosperous flourishing estate of the Roman Church and the persecutions and calamities and expressions of God's displeasure on the Church of England the literal sound of Hoc est corpus meum for their principal espoused doctrine of Transubstantiation and som other the like means are infused into the multitude of men and women that are brought up without any knowledge of ours in a firm belief of all their pretensions that we are as farre from setting them at nought or despising them as from that which by their doing it first is made impossible for us to be guilty of the casting them out of the Church § 5. I foresee not any objection which may give me temptation or excuse farther to enlarge on this matter And professe not to know any other branch of Schism or colour of fastening that guilt upon our Church made use of by any which hath not been either prevented in the grounds of this discourse or distinctly taken notice of and competently vindicated as farre as the design'd brevity would permit CHAP. XI Concerning the present Persecution of the Church of England and the advantages sought from thence § 1. OUr Establishment being thus freed from Schism I shall not now entertain my self with any fear that the Persecution which we are under will involve us in it The Romanists argument frō our present condition of Persecution Yet can I not but take notice of the style that some Romanists have in these last years on this occasion chosen to make use of calling us the late Church of England The interpretation whereof is to my understanding this that the calamities under which now we suffer have made us cease to be a Church And therefore having learned and abundantly experimented what scandal the Crosse hath alwaies carried along with it how willing enemies are to take advantage and ground arguments on afflictions and how ordinary it is for friends to take impressions from such sensible carnal motives and being secured by the storie of the Antient Gnosticks that it is neither scandalous excesse of fear nor want of charity to think it possible that this as other antient heresies may now as in a Platonick year if not carefully warded return on us as in a revolution I shall therefore conclude this paper with an attempt to remove this prejudice The utmost whereof being formed into an objection is this that it is absolutely necessary to communicate with some one visible Church that now the Church of England is not such and consequently that it must be cast off and the Roman Church so illustriously visible be taken up in stead of it § 2. Answered To this reserve I shall make my returns by these degrees First that by the making this objection or drawing any argument against any member of the Church of England from the present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or improsperous
circumstances of affairs It must be supposed that twenty years since this person the supposed subject of discourse living regularly in this Church under his superiours was not then chargeable w th this crime of not communicating with a visible Church § 3. This consequent I shall not be so much my own flatterer as to think it will be allowed me by the Romanist who will I know at another time accuse the whole Church of England ever since the Reformation of schism from the Catholick Church and make the communicating with it 20 years since as dangerous as now the not communicating with any But the reason of my laying this foundation is to shew the vanity of the present objection For if the Church of England 20 years since were not a Church but a society of Schismaticks not a particular Church which if so must be a part or member of the Vniversal and such it is not if it be truly separated from that body in the unity of which it is obliged to remain but a separated and torn off and so a livelesse ejected branch then whatsoever hath now befallen us and the consequence of that the supposed impossibility of cōmunicating with the Church of England will but leave us where we were the impossibility of communicating with a schismatical society being not chargeable on us as a crime by them who make the communicating with all such societies so damnable And therefore I say to the making this any objection 't is necessary that that be supposed which I have for that cause laid as my foundation that 20 years since a member of the English Church was not under this guilt of not communicating with some one visible Church And if then he were not or for discourse sake be by the objecter supposed not to have been then it infallibly and irrefragably follows which is the second proposition that he that 20 years since was not under this guilt of not communicating is either not guilty of it now or else hath voluntarily committed or omitted somewhat which commission or omission hath been the contracting of this guilt For that somewhat which hath not been his choise shall become his crime that what hath been his saddest part of infelicity the evil against which he hath most industriously contended should be accounted his offence when it is his punishment I shall not fear will be affirmed by any § 4. Thirdly then the businesse is brought to this issue that that person which is the subject of our discourse he that 20 years since was a member of the Church of England be now proved by some commission or omission of his voluntarily to have contracted this guilt or else be absolved and freed from it If he have contracted it it must be by some irregularity of actions contrary to the standing rule and Canons of this Church or by disobedience to some commands of his Ecclesiastical superiors And as in neither of these I shall excuse any that hath been guilty so if being not fallen under the actual Censures of the Church for it he now timely and sincerely return with contrition and reformation I shall hope it will not be imputed to him But however this cannot be insisted on by the objecter because I speak and so must he of him that hath lived regularly not of him that hath not And of him 't is apparent that all that he hath done is to adhere to his former principles when others have not to have testified his constancy with not only venturing but actually losing either possessions or liberty and the benefit of Ecclesiastical assemblies rather then he would joyn or appear to joyn with Schismaticks when others have made all worldly advantages by the rupture In a word that he hath been patient and not fainted and never departed from his rule though it have cost him dear to stick fast to it And I hope no body will be so uncharitable as to grieve and gall him whom God hath thus suffered to be chastised upon no other provocation but this his having been thus afflicted and persecuted This is too clear a truth to need confirming and yet this is the utmost that it can be driven to supposing the most that the objection can be imagined to suppose viz that the Church of England is now invisible § 5. But then in the fourth place it must be added that as yet Blessed be God the Church of England is not invisible It is still preserved in Bishops and Presbyters rightly ordained and multitudes rightly baptized none of which have fallen off from their profession And the only thing imaginable to be objected in this point being this that the schism hath so farre been extended by the force that many if not most Churches parochial are filled by those who have set up a new or a no-form of worship and so that many men cannot any otherwise then in private families serve God after the Church-way that sure will be of little weight when the Romanists are remembred to be the objecters who cannot but know that this is the only way that they have had of serving God in this Kingdome these many years and that the night-meetings of the Primitive Christians in dens and caves are as pertinent to the justifying of our condition as they can be of any and when 't is certain that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the forsaking of the assemblies Heb. 10.25 is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our wilfull fault v. 26. but only our unhappy lot who are forced either not to frequent the assemblies or else to incourage incurre the scandal of seeming to approve the practises of those that have departed from the Church That we doe not decline order or publick communion and consequently are not to be charged for not enjoying those benefits of it which we vehemently thirst after is evident by the extensive nature of our persecution the same tempest having with us thrown out all order and form Bishops and Liturgie together and to that curstnesse of theirs and not to any obstinatenesse or unreconcileablenesse of ours which alone were the guilt of non-communion is all that unhappinesse of the constant sons of the present English Church to be imputed in which alone this whole objection is founded § 6. What this may come to in the future I cannot discern any farther appearance of difficulty in this matter and therefore shall no farther lengthen this Appendage then by offering it to the consideration of the indifferent Reader whether this objection can ever in future times be improveable into a charge against us or our posterity as long as either Bishops stand and continue to ordain among us or it is not our faults that they doe not stand To which purpose it may be remembred what befell the Jewes whether under the Zelots fury or the Romans yoke The former threw out the lawfull successive High Priests and Priests of the sons of Aaron and put into those sacred offices the
OF SCHISME A DEFENCE OF THE Church of England Against the EXCEPTIONS OF the Romanists By H. HAMMOND D. D. LONDON Printed by J. Flesher for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivie-lane M. DC.LIII· Of SCHISME A Defence of the Church of England against the Objections of the Romanist CHAP. I. An Introduction the danger and sin of Schisme § 1 Two concernments of al Christians TWO wishes rather then hopes there are wherein all Christians are very much concerned First That all that have given up their names to that holy profession would sincerely betake themselves to the discharge of all those duties Practise of Christianity as well more common one towards another as more particular of each single man toward God and toward himself which Christ came on purpose to plant in or reduce into the world The Second Propagating of it That the Faith of Christ might gain an amicable universal reception in the hearts of all men over the whole world and that all mankinde by an uniform obedience to those divine precepts which are most agreeable to our rational i. e. humane nature and which are able to advance us to the highest pitch of moral excellency and dignity that any created substance is capable of might attain the great end of our creation a paradise or blisful beeing here in this world only with the mixture of some allayes to that blisse and those necessary both to the exercise of some most eminent virtues and such as the Angels are not for want of passible bodies capable of and also to the inhaunsing of our crown and then a state of infinite reward and uncompounded felicity hereafter What is to be done toward the latter § 2. That the later of these may in Gods good time be effectually attempted by all Christian Kings and Bishops and advance more successfully then of late it hath done ought to be the indevour of all those whose eminencie in the world hath given them capacities or qualifications to contribute some considerable degree of assistance to so glorious a work And for others whose inferiority of condition or sphere of motion and the improbability consequent to that of advancing so magnificent a designe is their just excuse for not entertaining any such hopeless thoughts it is yet their certain duty by constant fervent prayers to solicite the good hand of God who alone can accomplish so divine a work and by the diligent strict observance of all Christs precepts to exemplifie to all others the power and real energie of the faith of Christ where it is admitted into the heart thereby to attract all others to the imbracing of that which hath such admirable virtues in it § 3. The chief branches of the former considered in society As for the former That is in proportion to his condition the known duty of every single Christian much more of every congregation and community of such who are therefore associated into one body that each supplying the defects and infirmities of others they may by so advantagious an instrument as union of forces is be enabled to doe what without it they are justly supposeable to want means or strength to doe and so are deprived of all excuse if they be found culpable § 4. In this kinde 1. Charity The duty of Charity and peace to all 2. Obedience of ready and filial obedience of those under authority to their lawful authorized superiours and 3. Paternal exercise of Ecclesiastical power of charitative paternal exercise of their power in all those that are invested with it by Christ may be justly looked on as virtues of the first magnitude which have the most lively characters and impresses of the Law-giver Christ's image and superscription upon them accordingly deserve the first fruits of our care and diligence that they be most diligently conserved where they are and industriously reduced where by the malignity or infelicity of the times they are torn or escaped from us The contrariety of Schisme to the Doctrine of Christ § 5. For that malices and rancors and animosities among single Christians but especially seditious mutinous spirits that divisions and schismes and ruptures and preparative thereto causless anathematizing and tyrannizing over the Faith of Christ's flock are most scandalously contrary to Christ's platform to the prophecie of the plough-shares and the pruning-hooks the happy exchange for the sanguinary hostile instruments is a truth so eminently and signally visible in the practise and doctrine of Christ and his Apostles that it cannot be doubted or questioned on either side And agreeably there is no one vice which hath fallen under so much of the displeasure and correption and severest discipline of the holy Fathers of the Antient Church as this of Schisme and the ingredients and preparatives to it have done § 6. The Fathers Censures of it It is but a small part of the character thereof that from S. Paul and S. Jude they tell us that it is a special piece of (a) 1 Cor. 3.4 Jude 19. See Fulgentius ad Mon l 2. carnality an (b) Quisquis in Ecclesiâ gratiam consecutus ab Ecclesiâ exierit reus sibi futurus est i. e. ipse sibi quod pereat imputaturus Quod Apostolus explanat docens haereticum vitandum esse ut à semetipso damnatū Cypr Ep 76. Poenas quas meruerant pependerunt ut à nobis non ejecti ultro se ejecerent de ecclesiâ sponte se pellerent Ep 40. Quomodo te à tot gregibus scidisti Exscidisti enim teipsum Firmilian ad Cypr Ep 75. excommunicating and condemning i. e. voluntary inflicting of that punishment on ones self which the Governours of the Church use to inflict on the most scandalous sinners that (a) Sciat se postea ad Ecclesiam redire cum Episcopis plebe Christi communicare non posse Ep 40. Aversandus est talis atque fugiendus quisquis fuerit ab Ecclesiâ separatus Ibid. De Unit Eccles they that so divide on their own presumption may not at their own will return to the Church and communicate again with the Bishop and his Christian people that (b) Hanc Ecclesiae unitatem qui non tenet tenere se fidem credit Cypr de Unit Eccles Dum conventicula sibi diversa constituunt veritatis caput atque originem reliquerunt Ibid. Fidem destruit pro Fide perfidus Ibid. it is contrary to the Faith (c) Schisma non faciendum etiamsi in unâ fide eâdem traditione permaneat qui recedit Cypr Testim l. 3. c. 86. even when it hath not in respect of doctrinal points any heresie joyned with it (d) Quam ver◠dilectionem custodit cogitat qui discordiae furore vesanus Ecclesiam scindit pacem turbat charitatem dissipat Cypr de Unit Eccles Arma ille contra Ecclesiam portat Ibid. Contrary to charity yea to all the (e) Quisquis ab Ecclesia segregatus adulterae jungitur à promissis Ecclesiae separatur Cypr de Unit
kingdome of heaven and so doth all unjust excommunication now unite us to the Apostles by this conformity with and participation of their sufferings And I suppose the arguments and testimonies produced by the Chancellour of Paris are and when they were first published were so deemed by those of the Romish communion unanswerable to this matter And accordingly that of Thomas de Curselis in the Councel of Basil that it was * Papae à Christo dictum Quicquid ligaveris super terram erit ligatum non quicquid dixeris esse ligatum Jacob Angularis in Ep ad Wesselum ap Goldast l. 1. p. 575. Which holds in the Interpretative Excommunication said by Christ to the Pope Whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound not whatsoever thou shalt affirm to be bound hath with it the evidence of undeniable truth equally applicable to him and all Bishops in that and in all future ages § 5. And then certainly what hath thus been said of the Formal will with the same evidence be extended also to the Interpretative excommunication whensoever the conditions of the communion contain in them any sinne and so become as the former censures were supposed to be For in that case certainly it is no act of Schisme from any Church for any member to be or to continue thus excluded from it For how desireable and valuable soever an intire inviolate peace with all Christians with all men together with the approbation of our willing cheerful obedience and submission of our judgments and practises to our superiors must forever be deemed by all true disciples of Christ Yet must not the purchase of this treasure be attempted by the admission of any sin any more then the glory of God might be projected by the Apostle's lie The least transgression of God's Law must not be adventured on upon any the most Christian designe or consideration The peaceable living with all men which is so often exhorted to and inculcated is yet no farther recommended then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it be possible and as much as in us lies and that we know must be interpreted of a moral and legâ—â— possibility by which we are pronounced able to doe that and no more which we can doe lawfully and so when the Apostle 1 Thess 4.11 exhorts to the most earnest pursuit of this blisful state this ease and rest and quiet from the labours and toils and hell of the factious turbulent spirit it is in a style which supposes this reserve we must saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have an ambition and emulation and contention to live peaceably and quietly obliging us to use all means that would be allowed to the ambitious person in his warmest pursuit i. e. the utmost lawful but not the lowest unlawful means M r Knots Concession in this matter c. 7. p. 471 472. § 6. In which matter it is remarkable what course hath been taken by the late author of Infidelity unmasked in his discourse of the Schisme of Protestants where having acknowledged how perfectly unlawful it is to dissemble equivocate or lie in the matters of faith and withall urgeing from all antiquity that to forsake the external communion of God's visible Church is the sin of schisme he makes a shift to conclude as a natural consequence from hence that therefore the Church I suppose he means of Rome is infallible and not subject to errour because otherwise men might forsake her communion Where though the consequence be very strange that we may forsake the Churches communion in case she be fallible or subject to errour for this supposes it lawful 1. to forsake the communion of any erroneous Church which is much more then we would desire to be granted us and 2. to forsake all that are fallible though they be not actually in errour which is in effect to forsake the communion of all but Saints and Angels and God in heaven for they only have the privilege of impeccable and infallible yet it absolutely acknowledges that it would be lawful to separate from and forsake the even Vniversal Church of Christ in case or on supposition that we could not be permitted to communicate with it without lying and dissembling and equivocating in matters of faith which he there acknowledgeth to be the denying God on earth § 7. Now to return to our present consideration Severe conditions of some Churches Communion Of this there is no question but that as it is said to be customary among the Kings of the Hunnes as soon as they have any children and so no need of their brethrens assistance to banish all their brethren out of their dominions and not to admit them again without putting out their eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Cinnamus Hist l. 1. so it is possible I wish it were not justly supposable for a particular Church so to fence and limit to guard and restrain their communion to require such severe conditions of all whom they will admit or tolerate within their Church that some men cannot without putting out their eyes or wilful acknowledgment of untruths others without committing sin against conscience undergoe the conditions thus required nor consequently be admitted to communion with it Make Communion with them impossible As in case any unsound or untrue position be entred into the Confession or Catechisme of any Church and all the members of that Communion be explicitly required to believe Such are prescribing subscription of errors and acknowledge the truth of every branch of that Confession and so that confession be really the condition and accordingly in the reputation of men esteemed the tessera or symbol of that communion then he that shall enter this communion thus conditionated must certainly either actually subscribe or which as to the scandal of the action is equivalent be reasonably supposed to acknowledge that untruth and if in some persons blameless ignorance may be supposed sufficient for the excusing or alleviating that fault yet 1. he that hath means of discovering that untruth and criminously neglects to make use of those means and 2. he that hath discovered the truth and yet thus professeth himself to believe the contrary will not be thus excusable And it is not here sufficient to object the supposable levity of the error or intellectual falsity For how light and inconsiderable and extrinsecal to the foundation soever the error be supposed to be yet if there be obstinacy in continuing in it against light and conviction or if there be falsness in professing or subscribing contrary to present perswasions or scandal and ill example temptation and snare to others in seeming to doe so these certainly are sins and neither light nor inconsiderable nor reconcileable with that fabrick of Christian practise which ought to be superstructed on that foundation § 8. or Profession against Conscience Nay if the errors be really on the other side if the doctrines so proposed as the condition of the communion
of any Church be indeed agreeable to truth but yet be really apprehended by him to whom they are thus proposed to be false and disagreeable it will even in that case be hard to affirm that that man may lawfully thus subscribe contrary to his present perswasions For though it be certain that he that thus erres be obliged to use all probable means to reform and deposite his error and as long as he remains in it is so farre guilty of sin as he wants the excuse of invincible ignorance and being obliged to charity and peace as farre as it is possible and in him lies he cannot be freed from offending against that obligation if he doe not communicate with those the condition of whose communion contains nothing really erroneous or sinful and so though such a man on that side be or may be in several respects criminous yet it is as evident on the other side that he that professes to believe what he really doth not believe that subscribes with his hand what he rejects in his heart or that doth that which is under the scandal of doing so is farre from being guiltless he certainly offends against the precept of sincerity and veracity yea and of charity to his brethren in respect of the scandal hath added hypocrisie to his error and so which way soever he turns he is sure to sin the worst and most unhappy kinde of straight he remains in error and schisme on the one side and by flying from that he advances to lying and hypocrisie on the other and the desire of avoiding one of these cannot justifie the other § 9. This I say in case the error be really on the mans not on the Churches side But if as in the case proposed the errors be supposed to be wholly on the Churches side and withall indispensably required to be subscribed by all and so the conditions of that communion being exacted of him who cannot without sin undertake them be to him really and unexcusably unlawful then certainly to that man in that case it is no crime not to communicate when he is thus excluded from communicating with that Church but a crime and a great one thus by testifying against the truth and his own conscience to qualifie himself for that communion The admission of such guilts as these hypocrisie and lying against conscience and due grounds of conviction is too high a price to be paid even for peace or communion it self § 10. A meek son of the Church of Christ will certainly be content to sacrifice a great deal for the making of this purchase and when the fundamentals of the Faith and superstructures of Christian practise are not concerned in the concessions he will cheerfully expresse his readiness to submit or deposit his own judgment in reverence and deference to his superiours in the Church where his lot is fallen But when this proves unsufficient when peace with the brethren on earth will not be had at a cheaper rate then this of a voluntary offending against our father which is in heaven in this case the Christian must be content to live without it and though he would rejoice to sell all that he hath to purchase that jewel yet his conscience the health and peace of that which is interrupted by every wilful sin is a commodity that must not be parted with whatsoever the acquisition be which is in his view and thus offers it self in exchange for it § 11. Application to the Church of Rome in relation to the present Church of England The evidence of which is I conceive so demonstrative and irresistible that it will be justly extended much farther then the present case of the Church of England gives me any temptation to extend it For in case our Ancestors had unjustly and criminously made a separation from the Church of Rome which it shall anon appear that they have not and we their successors in that schisme should unfeignedly confess and repent and desire to reform that sin and uprightly discharge our conscience in neglecting no means that patience humility charity could suggest to us in order to obtaining our reconciliation yet if that cannot be obtained by all these submissions without that harder condition of renouncing or professing or seeming in common reputation of men to renounce any part of Divine truth or Christian practise which we verily believe to be the truth and our duty it would not be our guilt but only our unhappiness that we were thus forced to continue in that separation The reason is evident from the former grounds we must not sin that we may give glory to God such is confession fruits of repentance Jos 7.19 a penitent thief must not lie to enable himself to make restitution nor the contrite schismatick commit any new sin such certainly is hypocrisie lying professing contrary to present perswasion to complete his repentance for the old § 12. If this last be conceived as it is not the present case of the Church of England so to be an impossible unsupposeable case not only upon the Romanists grounds who I presume will not acknowledge any such hard condition as is the profession of an untruth to be required to any mans reconciliation and readmission to their communion but upon this other score because if any false profession be now required to our re-admission the same was formerly required to our continuance in their communion and consequently our Ancestors departure then could not be supposed as in this last fiction of case it is a schismatical departure I shall not need to give any more distinct answer to this then 1. That we that acknowledge not the Church of Rome to be infallible may be allowed to make a supposition which is founded in the possibility of her inserting some error in her Confessions and making the explicite acknowledgment of that the peremptory indispensable condition of her communion 2. That it is possible also though not by us pretended that she should since that supposed departure of our Ancestors introduce some new doctrines and consequently some new errors and those now be supposeable to lie in the way to our return though they had no part before their birth in driving us from them 3. That that may be by the Church of Rome permitted and allowed to those that have alwaies remained in their communion which to them that have departed and either in their persons or posterity desire to return to it will not be permitted by them It being more ordinary to indulge liberties to sons that have alwaies continued in the family then to grant them to offenders and suppliants that expect favours and graces and restauration to privileges 4. That those which have had their education out of the Communion of the Church of Rome may very possibly probably come to discern that which in that communion would never have been for want of representation discerned by them and consequently may observe some errors in her doctrine
the Church by God it is both schisme and impiety not to continue regularly under it And so in the inscription of that Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He salutes them in the blood of Christ especially if they be at one with their Bishop and the Presbyters with him as also the Deacons designed by the appointment of Jesus Christ looking upon all as Schismaticks that were not so Thus again in his Epistle to the Ephesians he admonisheth them to obey the Bishop and Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an undivided minde making the disobedience an act of schism or division in any And so generally throughout all those Epistles § 8. Against the Bishop In like manner if we ascend to the next higher link that of the Bishop to whom both Presbyters and Deacons as well as the brethren or people are obliged to live in obedience the withdrawing or denying this obedience in any of these will certainly fall under this guilt So the same holy Ignatius in Ep ad Smyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no man without the Bishop doe any of those things which belong to the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherever the Bishop appears there let the multitude be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that doth any thing without the privity of the Bishop serves the Devil the title by which those foule Gnostick hereticks and schismaticks the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the troublers and dividers of the Church were signified So in the processe of that Epistle having mentioned obedience to their Bishop as a necessary requisite to their sanctification supposing the contrary to be an act of pollution i. e. of the poyson of the schismaticks and again admonishing them as of their duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to concurre with the sentence of their Bishop he adds that he that doth not so expressed by not being within the altar or sept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falls short of the bread of God is an excommunicate person being rendred such by this act of division from the Bishop So in the Epistle to the Magnesians speaking of those that act without the Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these seem not to him to be men of a good conscience the phrase by which he oft expresses Schismaticks whose minde and conscience was defiled by the poyson of the Gnosticks at that time because they assembled not according to that order and establishment which was setled in the Church And again as Christ did nothing without his Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being united to him or all one with his Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so neither must ye doe any thing without the Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but assemble together and have but one prayer common to you all where the living out of this regular obedience to the Bishop is the contrary to union and communion and so is formally schisme And to the Philadelphians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as many as are God's and Christ's are with the Bishop excluding them from the unity of Christ's body who are thus separated from the Bishop And in the same Epistle speaking of the repentance of schismaticks and hereticks and God's pardon offered to such the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condition of that pardon and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the syncerity of that repentance is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they return to the unity of God and senate of the Bishop So frequently in S. Cyprian the schisme especially of the five Presbyters of Faelicissimus his faction Ep 40. appears to consist in their disobedience to and breaking off from their †Contra Episcopatum meum c. Ep. 40. Hi tribuebant ne concordarent cum Episcopo suo Ibid. contra sacerdotium Dei partionem ruptae fraternitatis armare voluisse proper Bishop and causing others to doe so and De Vnit Eccl the Schismatick is described to be filius impius qui contemptis Episcopis Dei sacerdotibus derelictis constituere audet aliud altare an impious son which having contemned the Bishops and which is all one forsaken the Priests of God dares constitute another altar and Ep 76. qui schisma faciunt relicto Episcopo alium sibi foris Pseudo-episcopum constituunt the schismaticks are they that having left their Bishop set up for themselves abroad another false Bishop and all their adherents are involved in the same guilt qui se schismaticis contra Praepositos sacerdotes irreligiosâ temeritate miscuerunt who joyn with the schismaticks against their Bishops and Ep 65. Hi sunt conatus schismaticorum ut sibi placeant ut Praepositum superbo tumore contemnant These are the endevours of schismaticks that they may please themselves and proudly contemn their Bishop and Ep 69. Vnum scire debes si quis cum Episcopo non sit in Ecclesiâ non esse One thing you are to know that he that is not with the Bishop is not in the Church the Church being there by him defined plebs sacerdoti adunata Pastori suo grex adhaerens the people united to the Bishop and the flock to their Pastor § 9. This of a lighter a grosser sort And as this disobedience may be of two sorts either of a lower or of a higher kinde the denying obedience in any particular lawful command of the superior or the casting off all obedience together dethroning them or setting up our selves either in their steads or in opposition to them the first parallel to the contumacy of the Levites the sons of Eliab Num. 16.12 14. which said We will not come up the second to their rebellion levelling and equalling themselves to Moses and Aaron v. 3. ◠and both together subjecting them first to that curse of Gods not accepting their sacrifice v. 15. and then to that sudden exemplary destruction v. 31. so will the Schisme be also a lighter and a grosser separation a defection from the Bishop and a rebellion against him the former ordinarily called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schisme the latter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sedition the latter adding very much to the guilt of the former and uncapable of the alleviating excuses of ignorance or mistake in thinking the commands unlawful and consequently the obedience which may be pretended in the former § 10. Against the Metropolitan From this of Bishops we may further ascend to the higher dignity and authority of Metropolitanes over Bishops themselves which what it is will be fit to be examined a while § 11. The original of Metropolitans In Titus And the first rise may be taken from Scripture it self where the Commission which is given to Titus by S. Paul to ordain Elders Tit. 1.5 that is Bishops v. 7. in every city of Crete demonstrates him to have had Metropolitical authority bestowed on him so saith S. Chrysostome on Tit. 1. Hom. 1. of Titus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If he had not been an approved person
it is evident that there were other Episcopal Sees in that Asia beside those seven named in the Revelation and those afterward appear to have been subject to the Metropolis of Ephesus which alone of all the seven continued till Constantin's time the rest being destroyed § 17. From these manifest footsteps of Metropolitical power in Scripture it is easie to descend through the first times and find the like In Ignatius As when Ignatius the Archbishop of Antioch the Primitive Martyr in his Epistle to the Romans styleth himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pastor of the Church which was in Syria that whole region belonging then to that Metropolis of Antioch Agreeable to which is that of the author of the Epistle to the Antiocheni whosoever it was inscribing it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Church of God in Syria that belongs as a Province to that of Antioch In the Bishop of Rome what his Province So the Epistle to the Romans is inscribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Church which hath the Presidencie in the place of the Region or Province of the Romans which gives the Bishop of Rome a Metropolitical power over all other the Bishops of that Province the Vrbicarian region as it was styled and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 7. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syn. Sardic Epist ad Alex. ap Athan. Apol. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. Epist ad solit vit agent Ex Provinciâ Italiae civ Med ex Prov. Romanâ Civitate Portuensi Syn. Arelat 1. in nominibus Synodo praefixis distinguished from the Province of Italy properly so called confined to the seven Provinces of the civil jurisdiction of the Vicarius Italiae and the Ecclesiastical of the Archbishop of Milan the chief Metropolis thereof Of the circuit or compasse of this Province of the Bishop of Rome many learned men have discoursed excellently out of the Antient Surveys of the Provinces particularly that very learned Frenchman so rarely skilled and judicious in Antiquity Jacobus Leschaserius in his little tract de Region Suburbic but none with more evidence of conviction then our Modest countreyman M r Brerewood who thus describes the antient jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome that it contained all those Provinces of the Diocese of Italy which the old Lawyers term Suburbicarias of which there were ten three Islands Sicily Sardinia and Corsica and the other seven in the firm land of Italy taking up in a manner all the narrow part of it viz. all Italy Eastward but on the West no farther extended then to the River Magra the limit of Tuscanie toward the Tyrrhene sea and to the River Esino antiently Asius toward the Adriatick Sea For at that River Esino met both the Picenum Suburbicarium and Annonarium the former of which belonged to the Prefecture of Rome of which that city was the Metropolis And the later with all the other Provinces in the broader part of Italy seven of them in all to the Diocese of Italy of which Milan was the Metropolis Hist Eccl. l. 1· c. 6. Thus Ruffinus in his Paraphrase rather then translation of the Nicene Canon saith that the Bishop of Rome was thereby authorized Suburbicariarum Ecclesiarum Sollicitudinem gerere to take and manage the care of the suburbicarian Churches and there is no reason to doubt but that he that lived so neer after that Councel and was of Italy knew competently what he affirmed of that matter And it being evident that in all other places the Ecclesiastical jurisdictions were proportioned to the temporal of the Lieutenants and that the Suburbicarian region and the so many and no more provinces in them pertain'd to the Praefecture of the city of Rome It must follow that these were the limits of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of that Bishop also But this by the way in passing § 18. In Alexandria Eccl. Hist l. 2. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So when of S. Mark it is affirm'd out of the ancâ—ent records by Eusebius that he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first constituted Churches in the plural in Alexandria and under the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Province of Alexandria put them all into the hands of Anianus in the 8 th of Nero Ibid. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is evident that Alexandria was a Metropolitical or Patriarchal See to which all Aegypt did belong § 19. In S. Cyprian So S. Cyprian the Bishop of Carthage to which the whole Province of Africk pertained is by the Councel of Constantinople in Trullo Can. 2. called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Archbishop of the Region of Africk And accordingly he often mentions the many Bishops in his Province Vniversis vel in nostrâ Provinciâ to all the Bishops in our Province Ep. 40. And Latiùs fusa est nostra Provincia habet etiam Numidiam Mauritanias duas sibi cohaerentes Our Province is extended farther hath Numidia and the two Mauritania's annexed to it Ep. 45. in each of which there being a Church and consequently a Bishop in every city as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 14.23 is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every city Act. 16.4 they were all subject to this Metropolitane § 20. The subjection of Bishops to Archbishops By all this and much more which might be added it is manifest that as the several Bishops had Praefecture over their several Churches and the Presbyters Deacons and people under them such as could not be cast off by any without the guilt and brand of Schisme So the Bishops themselves of the ordinary inferior cities for the preserving of unity and many other good uses were subjected to the higher power of Archbishops or Metropolitanes § 21. Of Archbishops to Primates c. Nay we must yet ascend one degree higher from this of Arch-Bishops or Metropolitanes to that supreme of Primates or Patriarchs the division of which is thus cleared in the division and Notitia of the Roman Empire Original of Primates Constantine the Great instituted four Praefecti Praetorio two in the East as many in the West Of the Western one at Rome another at Triers this last then called Praefectus Praetorio Galliarum These Praefects had their several Vicarii who in their power and name judged the Provinces As for example The Praefectus Praetorio placed at Triers had three Vicarii or Lieutenants one placed at Triers a second at Lions a third at Vienna from the greatnesse of whose authority and the resort of all other cities and Provinces to them for justice sprang the splendor and dignity of those cities where they resided and the dependence of large Provinces and many other cities on each of them This whole circuit which was thus subject to or dependent on any such Lieutenant was by the Greeks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the style devolving from the civil to the Ecclesiastical divisions as the former both of cities and of Territories and of Metropoles
care of the whole Province and all the inferior cities and Bishops in them and the Bishops commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is straight added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the ancient Canon of the Fathers which hath continued in force from the first times also unto that Councel Where if it be demanded what is the importance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I conceive the word to be best explained by Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it should doubtlesse be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the meaning of the Canon to be agreeably to the expresse words of other Canons that as any ordinary Bishop hath full power in his own Church which he may in all things wherein that alone is concerned exercise independently from the commands or directions of any So in any thing of a more forein nature wherein any other Church is concerned equally with that and so falls not under the sole cognizance or judgement of either there the Bishop of that Church is to do nothing without directions from the Metropolitane and that is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that no Bishop must do any thing but what belongs particularly to him ratione officii any thing that another is concerned in as well as he without the Metropolitane § 24. Act. 15 Can. 9. So in the Councel of Chalcedon the direction is given for appeals in this order from the Bishop to the Metropolitane from the Metropolitane to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Primate of the Diocese or Province as where there are more Metropolitanes then one as was shewed of Ephesus in Asia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ulp. Obser D. de Offic. Procons and elsewhere frequently there some one is Primate or Patriarch among them and to him lyes the appeal in the last resort and from him to no other see Justinian Novel 123. c. 22. and Cod. l. 1. tit 4. leg 29. who speaking of this calls it an ancient decree § 25. That which we find in the eighth Canon of the Great Councel of Ephesus shall conclude this matter when upon some claim of the Patriarch of Antioch for an interest in the ordaining of the Patriarch of Cyprus the Bishops of Cyprus deny his claim and deduce their privilege of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or independence from any forein Bishop from the very Apostles times A sanctis Apostolis say they nunquam possunt ostendere quòd adfuerit Antiochenus ordinaverit vel communicaverit unquam insulae ordinationis gratiam neque alius quisquam From the very Apostles times they can never shew that the Patriarch of Antioch or any other was present and ordained or being absent sent the grace of ordination to this Island but that the Bishops of Constantia the Metropolis of that Island by name Troilus Sabinus and Epiphanius and all the orthodox Bishops from the Apostles times ab his qui in Cypro constituti sunt have been constituted and ordained by their own Bishops of the Island and accordingly they required that they might continue in the same manner Sicut initio à temporibus Apostolorum permansit Cypriorum Synodus as they had done from the times of the very Apostles still appealing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the ancient manner the ancient custome the privileges which from their first plantation they had enjoyed and that from the Apostles themselves And accordingly that Councel condemned the pretension of the Patriarch of Antioch as that which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an innovation against the Ecclesiastical Lawes and Canons of the holy Fathers and orders not only in behalf of the Cypriots that the Bishops of their Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall continue to enjoy their right inviolate according to the ancient custome but extended their sentence to all other Dioceses in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same shall be observed in all other Dioceses and Provinces wheresoever that no Bishop shall lay hold of another Province which hath not been formerly and from the beginning under their or their Ancestors power And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This holy and Oecumenical Synod hath decreed that the privileges and rights of every Province shall be conserved pure and inviolate as they have enjoyed them from the beginning according to the custome that hath anciently been in force All deducing this power of Primates over their own Bishops and together excluding all forein pretenders from the Apostles and first planters of the Churches and requiring all to remain as they were first thus constituted Wherein as there be many things of useful observation which will be more fitly appliable in the progresse of this discourse so that which is alone pertinent to this place is only this that there may be a disobedience and irregularity and so a Schisme even in the Bishops in respect of their Metropolitanes and of the authority which they have by Canon and Primitive custome over them which was therefore to be added to the several Species of Schisme set down in the former chapters CHAP. IV. The pretended evidences of the Romanist against the Church of England examined and first that from the Bishop of Romes Supremacy by Christs donation to S. Peter § 1. THE Scene being thus prepared and the nature and sorts of Schisme defined and summarily enumerated our method now leads us to inquire impartially what evidences are producible against the Church of England whereby it may be thought lyable to this guilt of Schisme And these pretended evidences may be of several sorts according to the several Species of this sort of Schisme described and acknowledged by us § 2. The first charge against us Our casting out the Popes Supremacy The first evidence that is offered against us is taken from a presumed Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome as Successor to S. Peter over all Churches in the world which being in the dayes of Henry VIII renounced and disclaimed first by both Vniversities and most of the greatest and famous Monasteries of this kingdome in their negative answer and determination of this question An aliquid Authoritatis in hoc Regno Angliae Pontifici Romano de jure competat plusquam alii cuiquam Episcopo extero Whether the Pope of Rome have of right any authority in the Realme of England more then any other forein Bishop hath and that determination of theirs testified under their hands and scales and after by Act of Convocation subscribed by the Bishops and Clergy and confirmed by their corporal oaths and at last the like imposed by Act of Parliament 35 Hen. VIII c. 1. all this is looked on and condemn'd as an Act of Schisme in this Church and Nation in renouncing that power of S. Peters Successors placed over all Christians by Christ § 3. This objection against us consisting of many branches every of which must be manifested or granted to have truth in it or else the objection will be of no
Patriarchate and the attendants and pompes of that So it proceeds on a concession that all that Constantinople wanted or in which this New came short of the Old Rome was only the dignity of a Patriarchate without any ordinary jurisdiction over other Churches Which again shewes us what was the nature of the preeminence of the Roman See at that time no supreme authoritative power over other Primates The dignity of Patriarchs reconcileable with the independency of Primates but only a precedence or priority of place in Councels an eminence in respect of dignity which is perfectly reconcileable with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and independence the no-subordination or subjection of other Primates § 6. The Canon of Ephesus against encroaching on any others Province This hath formerly been manifested when we discoursed of the original and power and dignity of Primates and Patriarchs and is put beyond all controll by that Canon of the Councel of Ephesus in the cause of the Archbishop of Cyprus over whom the Patriarch of Antioch though Patriarch of all the Orient was adjudged to have no manner of power And this independency of Cyprus not only from the Patriarch of Antioch but from all others whomsoever was contested then as from the Apostles times and asserted and vindicated by that Councel and order given indefinitely against all invasions for time to come in whatever Diocese that no Bishop shall encroach upon anothers Province or usurp a power where from the Apostles times he had not enjoyed it which how directly it is applicable to and prejudgeth the pretensions of Rome as well as of Antioch is so manifest that it cannot need farther demonstrating § 7. Instances of Independent power in Archbishops Of the same kind two farther instances I shall here adde first of the Archbishop of Carthage who being the chief Primate or Metropolitan for these two words in the African style different from the usage of other Churches are observeable to signifie the same thing in Africk i. e. in one of the thirteen Dioceses of the Empire appears to have been independent from all other power an absolute Primate subject to no superiour or Patriarch whether of Alexandria or Rome This is evident by Justinian in the 131 Novel where the Emperour gives the same privileges to the Archbishop of * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Carthage which he had formerly given to the Bishop of Justiniana prima which being the second example I meant to mention I shall briefly shew what that Prerogative was which equally belonged to these two § 8. Justiniana Prima was the head of a Caetera Provinciae sub ejus sint authoritate i. e. tam ipsa mediterranea Dacia quà m Dacia Ripensis nec non Mysia Secunda Dardania Praevalitana Provincia secunda Macedonia pars secunda etiam Pannoniae quae in Bacenâ—i est civitate Justin de Privileg Archiep Just Prim ed à Gothofred Dacia the new a Diocese as that signifies more then a Province a b Volumus ut Primae Justinianae patriae nostrae pro tempore sacrosanctus Antistes non solùm Metroplitanus sed etiam Archiepiscopus fiat Ibid. Primat's a Patriarch's dominion erected by Justinian the Emperour and that city thus dignified as the c Multis variis modis nostram patriam augere cupientes in qua Deus praestitit nobis ad hunc modum So Gothofred reads but certainly it should be ad or in hunc mundum quem ipse condidit venire Ibid. Necessarium duximus ipsam gloriosissimam Praefecturam quae in Pannoniâ erat in nostrâ foelicissimâ patriâcollocare Ib. place where he had been born and the Archbishop thereof made Primate of all that Diocese This is thus expressed in the Imperial Constitutions Nov. 11. that he shall have omnem censuram Ecclesiasticam summum Sacerdotium summum fastigium summam dignitatem all power of Ecclesiastical jurisdiction the supreme Priesthood supreme honour and dignity And in the Constitutions set out by Gothofred out of an old MS. Copy Tu omnes Justinianae primae Antistites quicquid oriatur inter eos discrimen ipsi hoc dirimant finem eis imponant nec ad alium quendam eatur sed suum agnoscant Archiepiscopum omnes praedictae Provinciae that all the Provinces shall in the last resort make their appeal to him for all controversies And Nov. 131. c. 3. that in all that Diocese he shall have locum Apostolicae sedis the place or dignity of an Apostolical seat which gave Nicephorus occasion in his relation of this matter to affirme that the Emperour made it a free city and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an head unto itself with full power independent from all others And though the first Bishop thereof was consecrated by Vigilius Bishop of Rome as by some Bishop it is certain he must yet that is of no force against the conclusion to which I designe this instance it being evident that being consecrated he was absolute and depended not on any and his * Quando autem te ab â—âc luce decedere contigerit pro tempore Archiepiscopum ejus à venerabili suo Concilio Metropolitanorum ordinari sancimus quem ad modum decet Archiepiscopum omnibus honoratum Ecclesiis provehi Ibid. successors were to be ordained by his Councel of Metropolitanes and not by the Pope § 9. Which as it makes a second instance of the point in hand so when it is remembred that all this independent absolute power was conferred upon this city the Emperors favorite only by his making it a Primate's or chief Metropolitane's See and that Carthage's being the Prime Metropolis of Africk is expressed by having the same privileges that Justiniana Prima had It will follow what is most certain and might otherwise be testified by innumerable evidences that every Primate or chief Metropolitane was absolute within his own circuit neither subject nor subordinate to any forein Superiour whether Pope or Patriarch And that was all which was useful much more then was necessary to be here demonstrated And being so there remains to the See of Rome no farther claim to the subjection of this Island nor appearance of proof of the charge of schisme in casting off that yoke upon this first score of S. Peter's or his successors right to the Vniversal Pastorship § 10. The unreasonablenesse of confining the Catholick Church to the number of those that live in the Roman subjection Upon this head of discourse depends also all that is or can be said for the confining the Catholick Church to the number of those who live in obedience to the Roman Church or Bishop For if there have been from the Apostles times an independent power vested in each Primate or chief Metropolitane as hath been evidently shown then how can it be necessary to the being of a member of the Catholick Church to be subject to that one Primate 'T is certainly sufficient to the conservation of the unity of the whole Church that every
1. § 16. In this matter as much as concerns the Ordination of those new Bishops that it was performed regularly according to the Antient Canons each by the Imposition of the hands of three Bishops hath been evidently set down out of the Records and vindicated by M r Mason in his Booke de Minist Anglic and may there be view'd at large if the Reader want satisfaction in that point § 17. The Creation of new Bishops in Queen Elizabeth's time vindicated As for the second remaining part of the objection which alone is pertinent to this place it will receive answer by these degrees First that the death of Cardinal Pool Archbishop of Canterbury falling neer upon the death of her Predecessor Queen Mary it was very regular for Queen Elizabeth to assigne a successor to that See then vacant Archbishop Parker 2 dly that those Bishops which in Queen Mary's daies had been exiled and deprived and had survived that calamity were with all justice restored to their dignities 3 dly that the Bishops by her deprived and divested of their dignities were so dealt with for refusing to take the oath of Supremacy formed and enjoyned in the daies of Henry the VIII and in the first Parliament of this Queen revived and the statutes concerning it restored to full force before it was thus imposed on them So that for the justice of the cause of their deprivation it depends Immediatly upon the Right and power of the Supreme Magistrate to make laws to impose oathes for the securing his Government and to inflict the punishments prescribed by those laws on the disobedient but Originally upon the truth of that decision of the Bishops and Clergie and Vniversities in the reigne of Henry the VIII that no authority belonged in this Kingdome of England to the Bishop of Rome more then to any other forein Bishop The former of these I shall be confident to look on as an undoubted truth in the maintenance of which all Government is concerned and hath nothing peculiar to our pretensions which should suggest a vindication of it in this place And the second hath I suppose been sufficiently cleared in the former chapters of this discourse which have examined all the Bishop of Romes claims to this Supremacy And both these grounds being acknowledged or till they be invalidated or disproved supposed to have truth and force in them the conclusion will be sufficiently induced that there was no injustice in that Act of the Queens which divested those Bishops which thus refused to secure her Government or to approve their fidelity to their lawful Soveraign § 18. Fourthly that those Bishops being thus deprived it was most Regular and Necessary and that against which no objection is imaginable that of their due Ordination being formerly cleared that other Bishops should be nominated and advanced to those vacant Sees and that what should be for the future acted by those new Bishops in Convocation was regular Synodical and valid beyond all exception in respect of the formality of it § 19. Fiftly that as by the Vniform and joynt consent of these Bishops thus constituted a Declaration of certain Principal Articles of Religion was agreed on and set out by Order of both Archbishops Metropolitans and the rest of the Bishops for the Vnity of doctrine to be taught and holden of all Parsons Vicars and Curates c. and this not before the third year of that Queens reigne So before this time there had not been as farre as appears any debate in any former Convocation of that Queens reigne concerning Religion only an offer of a disputation betwixt eight Clergie-men on each side which came to nothing but all done by the Parliaments restoring what had been debated and concluded by former Synods in the reigns of King Henry the eight and Edward the sixt without any new deliberation in any present Synod By this means were revived the Statutes for the Regal Supremacy as also of the book of Common-prayer as it was in the time of Edward the sixt with few alterations which included the abolition of the Romish Missalls And so all this again as farre as it concerned Queen Elizabeth's part in the Reformation is regularly superstructed on the forementioned foundation of Regal Supremacy with the concurrence and advise of Synods which hath been in the former part of this discourse I hope sufficiently vindicated § 20. And that being granted it cannot be here necessary or pertinent to descend to the consideration of each several matter of the Change thus wrought in this Church either as branches of the Reformation or under the name or title of it For our present enquirie being no farther extended then this whether the true Church of England as it stands by Laws established have in Reforming been guilty of Schisme as that signifies in the first place a recession and departure from the obedience of our lawful Superiours and this being cleared in the Negative by this one evidence that all was done by those to whom and to whom only the rightful power legally pertained viz the King and Bishops of this Nation supposing as now regularly we may having competently proved it and answered all the colours that have been offered against it that the Pope had no right to our obedience and consequently that our departure from him is not a departure from our obedience to our superiours it is presently visible that all other matters will belong to some other heads of Discourse and consequently must be debated upon other principles All variation from the Church of Rome in point of Doctrine if it should as I believe it will never be proved to be unjust falling under the head of Heresie not of schisme and for acts of sacrilege and the like impieties as certainly Henry the eighth and some others cannot be freed from such they are by us as freely charged upon the actors as by any Romanist they can be But yet sacrilege is no more schisme then it is adulterie and the Church on which one sin hath been committed cannot be from thence proved to be guilty of every other CHAP. VIII Of the Second sort of Schisme as that is an Offence against mutual Charity This divided into three species and the first here examined § 1. BUT beside that first species of schisme as it is an offence against the subordination which Christ hath by himself and his Apostles setled in the Church from the guilt of which I have hitherto indevoured to vindicate our Church another was taken notice of as it signifies an offence against the mutual unity and peace and charity which Christ left among his Disciples And to that I must now proceed as farre as the Accusations of the Romanist give us occasion to vindicate our innocence § 2. Three branches of the second sort of Schisme And for method's sake this branch of Schisme may be subdivided into three species The first is a breach in the doctrines or Traditions a departure from the
unity of the Faith which was once delivered to the saints under that head also comprehending the institutions of Christ of his Apostles and of the Vniversal Church of the first and purest ages whether in Government or other the like observances and practises The second is an offence against external peace and Communion Ecclesiastical The third and last is the want of that charity which is due from every Christian to every Christian Beside these I cannot foresee any other species of schisme and therefore the vindicating our Reformation from all grounds of charge of any of these three will be the absolving the whole task undertaken in these sheets § 3. 1. A departure from the Unity of Doctrines or Traditions Apostolical For the first it may be considered either in the Bullion or in the coyn in the grosse or in the retail either as it is a departure from those rules appointed by Christ for the founding and upholding his truth in the Church this Vnity of Doctrine c. or else as it is the asserting any particular branch of Doctrine contrary to Christs and the Apostolical pure Churches establishment § 4. Our Church vindicated from this in two branches And here it is first suggested by the Romanist that by casting out the authority of the Bishop of Rome we have cast off the head of all Christian Vnity and so must needs be guilty of Schisme in this first respect To which the answer is obvious 1. In the first Christs Rules for upholding the truth that that Bishop of Rome was never appointed by Christ to be the head of all Christian unity or that Church to be the conservatory for ever of all Christian truth any more then any other Bishop or Church of the Apostles ordaining or planting and whatever can be pretended for the contrary will be easily answered from the grounds already laid and cleared in the former part of this discourse concerning the Vniversal Pastorship of S. Peter's successors which must not be here so unnecessarily repeated § 5. 2 dly That the way provided by Christ and his Apostles for the preserving the unity of the faith c. in the Church is fully acknowledged by us and no way supplanted by our Reformation That way is made up of two acts of Apostolical providence First their resolving upon some few heads of special force and efficacie to the planting of Christian life through the world and preaching and depositing them in every Church of their plantation 2. Their establishing an excellent subordination of all inferior officers of the Church to the Bishop in every city of the Bishops in every Province to their Metropolitanes of the Metropolitanes in every region or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Patriarchs or Primates allowing also among these such a Primacie of Order or dignity as might be proportionable to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the scripture and agreeable to what is by the antient Canons allowed to the Bishop of Rome And this standing subordination sufficient for all ordinary uses and when there should be need of extraordinary remedies there was then a supply to be had by congregating Councels Provincial Patriarchal General as hath formerly been shewed And all this it is most certain asserted and acknowledged by every true son of the Church of England as zealously as is pretended by any Romanist And from hence by the way that speech of the learned and excellent Hugo Grotius which I discern to be made use of by the Romanists and look'd on with jealousie by others will I suppose receive its due importance and interpretation in his Rivet Apologet Discuss p. 255. Restitutionem Christianorum in unum idémque corpus c. § 6. As for the subjection and dependence of this Church to the Monarchick power of the Bishop of Rome this will never be likely to tend to the unity of the whole body unlesse first all other Churches of Christians paid that subjection too and were obliged and so by duty morally ascertain'd alwaies to continue it which it is evident the Eastern Churches had not done long before the time of our pretended departure and 2. unlesse the Bishop of Rome were in probability able to administer that vast Province so as would be most to the advantage of the whole body For which whether he be fitly qualified or no as it is not demonstrable in the causes so is it to be looked on as a Politick Probleme the truth of which belongs to prudent persons and and such as are by God intrusted with the Flock to judge of i. e. to the Princes the nursing Fathers of every Church who are prudentially and fatherly to determine for themselves and those that are under them what is most ordinable to that end and cannot be obliged to conclude farther then the motives or premises will bear to decree what they doe not reasonably and cordially believe § 7. In the Second Particular doctrines Lastly for the particular doctrines wherein we are affirmed by the Romanists to depart from the Vnity of the Faith and so by departing from the unity to be schismatical as heretical by departing from the faith this must be contested by a strict survey of the particular doctrines wherein as we make no doubt to approve our selves to any that will judge of the Apostolical doctrine and traditions by the Scriptures and consent of the first 300 years or the four General Councels The Church of Englands temper in respect of particular doctrines the most competent witnesses of Apostolical traditions so we shall secure our selves of our innocence in this behalf by that principle acknowledged in our Church and owned as the rule by which we are concluded in any debate or controversie That whatever is contrary to the doctrine or practises of those first and purest ages shall by us assoon as it thus appears be renounced and disclaimed also Which resolution of rulinesse and obedience will I suppose conserve us in the unity of the Faith and render us approveable to God though our ignorance thus unaffected should betray us to some misunderstandings of those first times and be an instrument much more probable to lead us into all truth then the supposed infallibility of the Church of Rome can be imagined to be which as it leaves the proudest presumer really as liable to error as him that acknowledgeth himself most fallible so it ascertains him to persevere incorrigible whether in the least or greatest error which by fault or frailty he shall be guilty of § 8. This consideration of the humble docible temper of our Church together with our professed appeal to those first and purest times to stand or fall as by those evidences we shall be adjudged as it necessarily renders it our infelicity not our crime if in judging of Christ's truth we should be deemed to erre so may it reasonably supersede that larger trouble of the Reader in this place which the view and examination of the severals would cost him