And in these we do most clearly own and profess our selves Christians and visibly unite in the Body And from hence it will follow that all Christians under the penalty of excluding themselves from this Body are bound to joyn in all the publick Offices of the Church and to bear their part in all Acts and Duties of Christian Communion and therefore Attendance to Ordinances is not only the benefit but the necessary duty of every Christian And as Members of the Society they must do their parts joyning in the publick Prayers Praises Thanksgivings Confessions and the like And especially ought to be careful to be duely partakers of the Lords Supper as being that Act whereby of all others we are most strongly firmly and closely united both to â—hrist oâ—r Head and to each other Hence it is by way of Eminence sometimes called The Communion And hence it is That amongst the primitive Christians though a Man had openly professed the Christian Faith had been admitted by Baptism was not only an Auditor but does Communicate in the Prayers of the Church yet they did not Account him compIeatly a Christian till he did partake of the Lords Table And there is the same Reason for this still and perhaps greater Reason now then ever to urge it when the most weighty Duties are most neglected and People are so apt to set up their Rest far short of what our blessed Saviour hath made their Duties XI That this Communion is maintained by Communicating with that particular Christian Church being neither Heretical nor Schismatical where every Christian lives seems to me out of â—oubt For if he do not Communicate there it is not possible he should actually Communicate any where else and therefore whatsoever Preparations of Mind may be pretended the wilful or careless neglect of this seems to Amount to no less then a Renunciation or Under valuing of all Communion which strikes at the very Heart of the Christian Religion But yet for all this our Communion in that particular Church is Communion with the whole whereof that is a part by which we are United to the whole in which we express our Communion with the whole and by which we draw Supplies from the whole For our Communion in particular Churches Arises from the Necessity of our Natures and the Condition of Humane Beings which are not capable of Communicating with the whole altogether but only by parts And though particular Churches in respect of particular Christians and the Offices and Authority therein Exercised are truly called Churches yet in respect of the Catholick Church they are but Members whereby we are United to the whole and Communicate with the whole Both the Name and Benefit of Christianity comes to us from joyning in Communion with that Church which is Christs Body And that is the Catholick Church and it is to that we desire to be United and in that to Communicate by joyning with some true part of it which is all our Natures allow us to do and in Act can Compass But if any Man Unite himself to or joyn in Communion with any particular Church either in opposition to all others or without any relation or obligation to any other Church As to Catholick Communion he must suppose that particular Church to be that Body whereof Christ is the Head and Saviour or else he cannot Hope for Salvation in it and then unless he have the Impudence to affirm that there is no other true Church of God he must make Christ have more Bodies then one and in the immediate consequence overthrow an Article of our Creed which acknowledgeth but One Catholick Church Our Communion therefore though in a particular yet by means thereof is both in and with the Catholick Church And hence it is that the Members of particular Churches have an equal Right all the World over to Communion in all other Christian Churches And when they come to other Churches are then actually bound to Communicate with them Upon this Ground it was that the primitive Christians proceeded for though they did debarr Strangers from Communion till they did produce their Communicatory Letters or Credentials whereby it might appear that they lived in some particular Church of Catholick Communion that they might not be imposed upon by Hereticks and Schismaticks yet when the Church they came to was satisfied in that particular they were not only acknowledged to have the same right with their own Members but also to lie under the same Obligations And if very satisfactory Reasons were not given of their forbearance if they did not then actually Communicate they were Treated as Schismaticks so that that Schismatical Distinction of such an Occasional Communion as leaves Men at liberty where and when to Communicate and that even in separate and opposite Communions was altogether unknown to the primitive Church or if it had been started would never have heen endured XII From what hath been said it may Appear That in the Practical Notion Unity Uniformity and Communion are words much of the same Importance The two latter only more clearly Explaining the Nature and Manner of the former And if it be true that our Unity consists in our Communion in the Solemn Acts of Worship and publick Offices and Duties the Christian Church it will then unavoidably follow that we must be United and firmly adhere to the True and Lawful Pastors of the Church without whom those Offices cannot be Lawfully discharged and for want of whose Support and Ministry the Solemn Worship and daily Sacrifice would fail And the greater Reason have all Christians to take Heed to this good Order of Men both because our Saviour hath Invested them with his own Authority so far forth as is necessary for the Officiating in and Governing of his Church and also because he hath made them a special Promise of his Assistance in the discharge of their Offices in Relation to the first he thus Commissionates his Disciples As my Father hath sent Me even so send I You John 20. 21. In Respect to the latter he hath said I am with you alway even unto the End of the World Matt 28. 20. So that if not under the Law much less under the Gospel may any Man take this Honour to himself but he that is Caâ—â—ed of God And he that intrudes into this Office without a derivation of just Authority comes not in by the Door but climbs up another way And for that Reason ought to be Esteemed a Thief and a Robber This Authority of theirs is indeed of a spiritual Nature They have no power of Coercion they cannot by force lay a Restraint upon any Mans Person but yet their Authority is real and in some sense higher then theirs who by Gods Commission carry the Temporal Sword for the terrour of evil Doers and Defence of those who do well For the same God who gave Authority to the Pastors of his Church hath Commanded the people to obey them Heb. 13. 17.
i. e. To have done it by honour and dishonoâ—r by evil report and good report as a deceiver and yet true 2 Cor. 6. 8. I never thought that Contreversies were to be written for Controversies sake but rather what in us lay to put an End to them And I should not think my self unfortunate under all the Caluinnies and Sufferings in the World if I could be in the least Instrumental to Advance the Sincerity of Religion and Promote the Peace of Gods Church But if I may not be Capable of Endeavouring it to any purpose I will never cease to pray for it And therein I doubt not to have the Concurrence of all good Men whatsoever otherwise may be their Perswasions And thus Protesting my Integrity before God and freely leaving my self to the Censure of all Men. I am Yours in all Christian Offices S. G. THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. Of Obligations to Unity among Christians 1. REasons of the Enquirie 2. Obligations from the Nature of the Christian Religion 3. From Christians Considered as a Body with Remarks thereon 4. An Objection Answered 5. From the Honour of the Christian Religion 6. From express Precepts of the Gospel 7. From the Rewards of Preserving and Punishments of the Breach of Vnity 8 From the Encouragements Helps and Succours to Attain it CHAP. II. Wherein this Unity Consists 1. Mistakes concerning Vnity and the Reason thereof 2. A Caveat against the Plea of extraordinary Cases 3. The first Step towards or the Foundation of this Vnity 4. That our Vnity must be suitable to our state what that is and that it must be in the visible Church 5. An Inference thence 6. In Respect of our State-Vnion with the invisible Catholick Church by Vnion with the visible Catholick Church and Vnion with the visible Catholick Church by Vnion with some true Part of it i. e. a particular Church 7. That Admission into all Societies is by some known Ceremony or formal Way of Proceedings this in the Christian Society is Baptism Reflections on the Anabaptists 8. That Admission into a Sociâ—ty implies Submission to the Rules of the Society and an Obligation to the Duties thereof and to whom these have Regard in the Christian Society 9 Duties of particular Christians towards each other 10. That Duties of particular Christians must be Practised in Conjunction with Duties Relating to Worship and Communion 11. Communion though of necessity it be in particular Churches yet thereby it is in and with the Catholick Church 12. Communion in Worship supposeth a Necessity of Communion with lawful Pastors which is further Proved by several Arguments and Instances 13. That the Pastors ought also to maintain Communion with each other and the Nature thereof or by what means it is maintained briefly Examined 14. An Objection Answered and what is the Duty of particular Persons in such Case declared CHAP. III. Of the Nature of Schism 1. What hath inclined Men to maintain ill Principles and particularly Schism 2. The General Notion of Schism 3. 4. 5. Several Separations which are not Schism 6. The distinguishing Note of Schism and an Inference thence 7. 8 9. Several Ways whence Schism Ariseth 10. What Schism is sinful with a Defiâ—ition thereof 11. The Authors Aâ—knowledgment and the Assertion in Relation to the Controversie which he undertakes to prove and his Request CHAP. IV. Of the Liberties and Priviledges of the Britannick Churches and of the Actual Separation 1. Two General Objections against our whole 〈◊〉 and a General Exception against both 2. The first Objection Consists of two Branches whereof the first at present put off the latter Proposed to be Examined 3. The Title of Patriarch at this time set up as a Sham Device 4. Granting a Patriarchate to the Pope it is denied to Extend to the Britannick Churches 5. How Patriarchates came in and that they possessed no all Places 6. 7. The Bisbop of Rome not possessed of anâ— such jurisdiction in these Isles but aâ—ter Patriarchâ—tes were set up 8. Britain a Church before Rome and Reasons of the different Observation of Easter both in them and other Churches 9. The Reasons of the Britons mistake at to Easter such as ought not to have made a Breach and that they were not Quartodecimani 10. Augustines Mission and Helps for the Work That the Kâ—ntish Saxons were beâ—ore Prepared for Embracing the Gospel how He and the Brittish Bisâ—ops Meet in Councel to no Effect 11. The Reasons of the Brittons for not Relinquishing their old Vsages and for Refusing to Admit Augustine their Archbishop their Perseverance therein and the unhappy Effects of their second Meeting him 12. Both Britons and Irish Agree against Laurentius Augustines Successor 13. The Agreement of the English Irish and Scots in Religious Rites 14. The Irish prevailed with to Assist Laurentius and his Successâ—rs in Converting the Saxons but Adhere still to the Brittish Customes which in the End makes a Breach An Account of the Disputation between Coleman and Wilfrid 15. A doubt whether any Missionariâ—s from Rome into this Island before Augustine the Monck 16. Particular Friendship between the Gallican and Brittish Churches and an Inference thence 17. Continuance of the Brittish Liberties 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. Sir Francis Hastings John Fox c. Vindicated against the Cavils of F. Parsons 25. Expiration of the Brittish Liberty 26. An Answer to the Plea of Jurisdiction from the Conversion of the Saxons 27. That no Plea of Prescription Lies against these Isles in this Case 28. This further proved from the Eighth Canon of the Councel of Ephesus 29. The Erection of Patriarchates when by what means and how Received 30. Patriarchal Authority 〈◊〉 â—erviceable to the Pope 31. Whether a Patriaâ—chate be Forfeitable And whether the Pope have not Actually Forfeited his 32. That supposing the Bâ—sâ—op of Rome's Patriarchate had taken in these Isles yet it is now ceased and become void and null even by the Laws oâ— the Ancient Church 33. The Churches of these Iâ—â—es free aâ—d Invested with Power to Reform themselves and how that Power hath been â—sed Proposed to Consideration 34. The Condition of great Actions with an Answer â—o the Plea of Sacrilege 35. They themselves the Authors of many things whereof they Accuse us 36. Notwithstâ—nding the Reformation no Schism â—ill the Pope made it 37. Queen Elizabeth a Legitimate and Lawful Soverâ—ign 38 The present Church defended 39. What things must be Considered to Justifie our Church particularly our Ordination defended 40. The Way of Trying Doctrine and the Insufficiency of the Roman Way 41. The Reason of Negative Doctrines 42. Soundness of our Doctrine proved from the Concessions of our Adversaries 43. Sufficiency of the Scriptures and our Canon defended against the Roman 44. The Vse of Traditâ—on with several Cautions and Distinctions whereby to judge of it 45. Answer to an Objection CHAP. V. Of the Councel of Trent 1. The Power Vse and Rise of General Councels 2. Difference between the First
oppose it to all others and condemn all others and refuse Communion with any other he seems to Me to make himself a Schismatick For though the Church be of Catholick Communion yet he communicates in it upon Schismatical Principles and makes it Schismatical to him The Church indeed is in Communion with other Churches but he communicates in it in opposition to other Churches And this seems in some Measure to have been the Case of the Church of Corinth Paul and Apollos and Cephas were all Ministers of the same Christ great Master-Builders in his Church and zealous Maintainers of its Communions and yet several in the Communion of this Church seems to have communicated upon narrower termes then the Constitution of it Required For some were for Paul and some for Apollos and some for Cephas and they that were for one were against the other two and against all others who did not joyn with them in the same quarrel I will not say but that it might go higher and that there might be opposite Communions That St. Paul there Planting the Gospel might leave so many Congregations in that Church as the Number of Converts required That Apollos coming after upon the increase of Converts might leave them more Church-Officers and increase the Number of their Congregations And the first might stand stiffly for Paul and the other for Apollos However the first is not improbable and indeed both might be true successively They might first clash in the same Communion and then break into opposite Communions But this I leave to the further Consideration and Censure of Others IX Where there is such a Renunciation of Communion as to set up opposite Communions it may be Effected several Ways Sometimes the Layety have forsaken their Pastors Congregated into Bodies and of their own Authority Raised distinct Communions I will not here dispute whether they deserve that Name but certainly this is the Height of Presumption and Madness for though it be true which Cerah said Numb 16. 3. That all the Congregation are holy yet the sad Story that follows assures us That they are not therefore all Priests and Levites and that they may not presume to enter upon and promiscuously discharge that Sacred Office and Function Sometimes Subject Presbyters and other Church-Officers have forsaken their Bishop carried away many of the Members of his Church and gathered Sheep from all Quarters out of the true Fold And this is the more Mischievous as carrying along with it some Shew of Authority Sometimes Bishops and their Churches have Rejected the Communion of other Bishops and their Churches Sometimes in like manner Metropolitans have opposed Metropolitans National Churches National and Patriarchal Patriarchal And the Schism is ever the more Mischievous according to the Considerableness of the Persons concerned in it or the Extent of their Jurisdiction or the Cause they divide upon Too much of all this is in the present Divisions of the Christian World which are managed with that Bitterness and Height and have torn the Church so all-to pieces that it is a Subject fitter for our Lamentation then Discourse X. And yet after all it must be Acknowledged that all Separation is not sinful for then wherever there was a Separation they would be faulty on both Sides as well they that made as they that suffer by the Separation Nay if that should be granted a Man might be necessitated to Sin which he never is or can be For if unsufferable Corruptions or sinful Usages be brought into a Church whereof any Person is a Member and set up as termes of Communion He cannot Communicate without Sin nor can he Depart without Sin but unavoidably must Split upon one of these two Rocks if all Separation be sinful And therefore to discover that Schism which is Sinful or Criminal we mast bring it not only a Physical but a Moral Consideration Such the Case may be that the Separation may not only be lawful but necessary It was Gods Command to the Israelites concerning Babylon Jerem. 5. 45. My People Go ye out of thae midst of her and deliver ye every Man his Soul from the fierce Anger of the Lord. And St. Paul having described a Sort of ill Men which in the latter times should infest the Churcâ— he gives this Charge to Tsmothy concerning them 2 Tim. 3. 5. From such turn away Actual Separation therefore may sometimes be a Duty when it is a Departure from those who have before departed from the Right and violated the Unity and corrupted the Communion of the Church But being there ought to be no Separation but upon the score of Avoiding Obligations to Sin and no further then may secure us in that matter there can be no Separation but there will be Sin on the one side or the other And being the bare Separation may not only be lawful but duty the Sin of Schism must Lie where the cause and evil is found and they are the Schismaticks who unjustly cause the Breach And indeed simple Separation doth not include the whole Nature of Schism in an Ecclesiastical Sense For though those who depart from any true Church of God as it is a part of the Catholick Church do break off from the Body yet those who depart upon just and warrantable Grounds though they depart from the Schismaticks yet they do not forsake the Church of God but continue in its Communion and are Members of that Body and therefore cannot be Schismaticks But I need not Discourse this any further because I think it is Agreed on all Hands that the Sin of Schism follows the Cause Now from all that hath been said this or the like Definition of Schism may be Gathered That it is an unjust Violation Breach or Solution of the Unity of the Church Or to express it more plainly a Causeless Separation from Ecclesiastical Communion XI How far some more moderate Person in the Church of Rome may be willing to go along with Me in these Considerations I cannot tell the Generality of them I know go further but that will not be the least part of that Controversie However here we must part But because I do profess my self a Person who doth deeply Mourn over that dismal state of the Church to which thefe Divisions have brought it and that God who knows the Secrets of all Hearts knows that I say true and do wish an End of their Broils and would Contribute the utmost of my Endeavors to Repair the Breaches And do moreover freely confess That Schism is a Sin of a very dangerous Nature it will therefore Concern Me to discharge my self from being either a Partner in or an Abettor of that Mischievous Evil of which I Complain And therefore now I shall endeavour to prove not only that the Cause of the Schism between the Church of England and the Church of Rome lyes at the Church of Rome's door But further that let them pretend what they will that Schism was first made
which is Commanded by the Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth VII But still we are further informed of how great Moment this duty is from the rewards and punishments that attend the performance or violation of it The Breach of Unity is it self no small punishment for Divisions naturally create Disturbances increase troubles and tend towards destruction Hence St. Paul gives us this Caution Gal. 5. 15. If ye Bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not Consumed one of another So that the Advantages which flow from Unity and the Mischiefs which arise from the contrary are sufficient Motives to any Man who minds his own good to follow those things which make for Peace But least this should not be enough aâ—l that further can affright us from evil is added And no less then eternal Damnation is made the portion of Transgressors in this kind For St. Paul telling us what are the Works of the Flesh which they that do shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Amongst them reckons these Hatred Variance Emâ—lations Wrath Sâ—rife Seditions Heresies Envyings Gal 5. 20. And the same Apostle tells us That if any Man did but seem to be Contentious they had no such Custom neither the Churches of God 1 Cor. 11. 16. By which he seems to me to intimate That such Persons do cast themselves out of the Church and consequently exclude themselves from the Hopes of Salvation But that we may not Complain of being Affrighted into Goodness and terrified to our Duty the punishment of the Violation of this Duty is not so great but the Reward of its due performance is every way equal And besides those Comforts that â—re naturally contained in it and flow from it there is no less then eternal Happiness entailed on it Christ himself hath declared That Blessed are the Peace-Makers for they shall be Called the Children of God Mat. 5. 9 And if so then certainly they shall have a portion and inheritance with the rest of his Children and be fellow-Heires with Christ VIII Now if all these Considerations were put together and well weighed methinks no difficulties whatsoever should be able to deterr or remove us from our duties or to hinder us from standing fast in one Spirit with one Mind striving together for the Faith of the Gospel For to Him that professeth Himself a Christian and believes what he professeth what can all the Allurements and Temptations all the Joyes Troubles or Torments of this transitory Life Work when set against the pains of Hell on the one Hand and the Joyes of Heaven on the other and yet even this pretence is taken away And that we may not with any Shew of Reason plead any discouragements we are assured that God will supply us with Strength and Succours in our faithful Endeavours that so far as concerns us we shall be able to overcome all difficulties and discharge our Duties And the difference is not much whether there be no difficulties or the difficulties be Conquerable an idle fluggish Person perhaps would desire the former but he that is content to take pains for Heaven and had rather exercise and Varnish his Graces then suffer them through disuse to be sullied and weakned possibly will think the latter more expedient for him I do not say that we shall be furnished with abilities to reduce all others but that unless by our own default we shall not want Assistance to secure our selves And then whatever the difficulties may really be or appear we can have no just cause of Discouragement And I know not what greater Comfort or Encouragement to this Duty could be given us then what St. Paul tells us 2 Cor. 13. 11. Be of one Mind live in Peace and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you CHAP. II. Wherein this Vnity Consists I. THis Unity is a Thing that sounds bravely in the Eares of all Persons and Meets with a General Applause and high Commendation in all Places And indeed it cannot Receive more Praises then it deserves but when we come seriously and closely to consider what it is and wherein it consists When we think to grasp it it Vanisheth and wo fall foully together by the Eares about the Unity we joyntly Extol and make it self the occasion of our losing it the great Reason of which is apparently this That when Men have fallen in love with some singular way and set up their Rest in some dividing Principles they do not fetch the Nature of Unity from the full Precepts of the Gospel which best Teach it and the Practice of the Primitive Church which best Explains it but Catching some Shreds of Scripture for pretence they frame such a Notion of Unity as may suit with their own Scheme and rather then quit any of their darling Errours they will undertake to Wash a Blackmore white I mean to find out such a Unity as shall be consistent with Division and Separation But it is pity to fall out about Unity and therefore leaving such to their vain Imaginations I shall discover my own Apprehensions wherein I think it Consists And if I fall in any part I'shall be highly obliged to that person who shall bring Me to a clearer and fuller Understanding of its Nature for certainly did we better understand what it was we should come nearer together and better concur in the Observation and Practice of it II. But before I can proceed I must for my own Security enter a Caveat against the Pretences of extraordinary Cases And therefore do tell my Reader that I shall limit my Discourse to Gods ordinary Way and standing Establishment to which all Persons ought to have Regard I will not here concern my self upon what terms he may stand who is fast Lock'd in a Dungeon or cast upon an uninhabited Coast or made a Slave amongst Infidels or Lies Concealed in a Cave for fear of his Life or any of the like Nature I make no doubt but that for extraordinary Cases God hath extraordinary Mercies but then this is not Applicable to what is common or ordinary There can be nothing more perverse and unnatural then to judge of the stated Case of Things by the Exceptions from it Or to Confound the common Condition of Mankind with that which is rarely and only at some times the sad Misfortune of some few And it is not possible to Guess whither those Mens Errours will lead them who in stead of observing what are the Exceptions from a General Rule do frame to themselves a General Rule from exempt Cases and so overthrow the common Standard And I must Confess that I have not been a little scandalizeâ— to find this very thing done in a great Measure by Men otherwise of Eminence Learning and Piety III. Now though this Christian Unity be a Harmony of many parts many of which must concur to make it true and all ought to meet to make it Compleat The first Bond in this Common Tye or that from
whence it takes its first Rise and Beginning is that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints And he that doth unfeignedly embrace it is so far forth united both to all those whoever heretofore received it And all those who now live in Profession of it but yet we must go a great way further or else we shall come short Home IV. For though this Unity principally relates to the Catholick Church of God Comprehending all Ages and places which is that Body whereof Christ is the Saviour and to whom the great and precious Promises are primarily made yet if we would speak rather os fully then magnisicently we are not so much to Consider in this Case the Church we are united to as the means whereby we are united to it and therefore as Men on Earth we are to consider our selves in statu viatorum as Men that are not only bound to believe but to profess the Faith of Christ Crucified for our Blessed Saviour hath told us That if we be Ashamed of Him and his Words He will be Ashamed of us when He cometh into the Glory of his Father Mark 8. 38. as Men so indispenseably bound â—o that Profession that they must not only hazard but even Actually lose all that is near and dear to them rather then depart from it for the same Christ hath told us That if a Man come to him and hate not Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be his Disciple Luke 24. 26. as Men who are bound to embody in a common Fraternity and Society that they may joyntly as well as openly make this Profession not forsaking the Assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 10. 25. In a word seeing we here live in expectation of the Promises we must submit to all the termes and conditions of the Covenant upon which God hath made their Performance to depend And being the whole tenure of the Gospel doth oblige us on Earth to joyn in a visible Fraternity to a visible Profession to particular duties to visible Professors and to a real not imaginary Obedience to them who Rule over us and Watch for our Souls I see not how we can Challenge the Name of Christians whilest we cast off all Care of these Duties And hence it is Apparent That we cannot be United to that great Catholick Mystical and Invisible Church of God but by becoming Members of his visible Church on Earth as being that part of his Church wherein he hath placed and to which the greatest part of our Duties do particularly Relate To Arrive to the state of Glorified Saints and Angels that Church without Spot or Wrinkle is our Hope and Endeavour But whilest we are on Earth we are only on our Way towards it and are particularly of that part of Gods Church wherein grow Tares as well as Wheat to be distinguished and separated in Gods good time And by our faithful sincere Obedience in this we do through Christ Jesus Require and Preserve a Right and Title in time to be made the immediate Members of the other V. This being our present state and condition our Unity ought certainly to be agreeable and suitable to it and therefore must be visible amongst the visible Professours of the Gospel and what that is or wherein it consists is my present Business to describe But first from the foregoing Premisses I would make this Inference That a Believer at large is only a Christian in Fieri his Faith alone without the other Duties and Accomplishments which the Gospel prescribes to all Christians is not sufficient to give him the full Title of a Christian 'T is true he hath laid a good Foundation but unless he proceed to build thereon he can no more be said to be a Christian then an Artificer can be said to have Erected a fair House when he hath only laid the Ground-Work And the Reason is plain because Faith in its own Nature doth not only incline but oblige to Obedâ—ence And I therefore not only more chearfully Obey Gods Commands because I believe Him faithful who hath promised but I must condemn my self as utterly inexcusable if I disobey Him at the same time that I pretend to believe in Him Hence it is observeable That the word Faith taken Objectively is often in Scripture-phrase used to Signifie not only Revealed Truths but Precepts of Life even the whole Gospel of Christ Jesus or the Law of Faith And where it speaks distinctly of it yet it will have the other to follow it Commanding us to add to our Faith Vertue 2 Pet. 1. 5. And to Shew our Faith by our Works Jam. 2. 8. And accordingly the first Converts to Christianity upon their Owning the Faith thought themselves Obliged to go on to what the Law of Faith Required Thus the â—unuch â—hen Convinced by Philip that Jesus Christ was the Son of God doth not Acquiesce in that Faith but proceeds as far as his present Circumstances would permit and of his own Accord bespeaks Philip See here is Water what doth hinder me to be Baptized Acts 8. 36. And consonantly hereto it is Observable That the primitive Church did Vouchsafe the Title of Fideles to no Adult Persons but such as were in full Communion And did Men perswade themselves that their Faith did so indispenseably oblige them to all Christian Duties that without their sincere Endeavour even Faith it self became defective it would make a fair Advance towards Unity And till they do so I see no Reason to hope for it VI. But now to Return to the thing in Hand As we are Men on Earth and Probationers for Heaven our Unity must be such as is Required by this our state and consequently must consist in such matters as Unites all the visible Professors of the Gospel into such a Body or Society which God hath instituted and designed for his Worship on Earth But then we are to Consider That as we are United to the Catholick invisible Church of God by being United to his visible Catholick Church on Earth so we are United to this visible Catholick Church by being United to some true part of it or by becoming Members of some particular Church for no Member can be United to the Body all over or to the whole immediately but is United to the Body by being United to it in some part For the Body is not one Member but many 1 Cor. 12. 14. And as these fitly Framed altogether make the whole so by Vertue of this Union each Member hath a Communication with the Whole and is both capacitated to discharge his Duty to the Whole and to Receive Supplies from and claim an Interest in the Whole VII Now being that our Belief in the Son of God and that he is the Head of the Body his Church if considered Antecedently to and separately from other Christian Duties doth rather
And doth interpret the disobedience or neglect of them to be an Affront to Himself For thus our Saviour Teacheth us Luke 10. 16. He that heareth you heareth me And he that despise hâ— you despiseth me And he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me And therefore though such Despisers may not seem to suffer any thing here yet they stand Accountable to a higher Tribunal and do run a greater hazard then any temporal punishment when their Cause is forejudged by their Spiritual Governours Hence saith Tertullian Apol. Summum futuri Judicii Prâ—judiciurâ— est si quis ita deliquerit ut à Communicatione Orationis Convenâ—û◠Omnis Sancti Commercii Relegetur The Wickedness indeed of Spiritual Governours is of very dangerous Consequence the Influence of it makes many bad and will not suffer others to be so good as they would And as we read that the Lâ—wdness of Eli's Sons made the People even to Abhor the Offering of the Lord So by Moses Law the Offering for the Sin of the Priest was the same as the Offering for the Sin of the whole People and much exceeded the Offering for the Sin of the Civil Ruler Levit. 4 It is sad with Gods Church when the Complaint lies at that Door But yet even this will not Absolve Christians from their Obedience to them in Matters which are within the just Bounds of their Authority and properly belong to their Office Even our Saviour himself who so often warns his disciples to Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisces yet Commands them to obey the same Men so far forth as they satt in Moses Chair And doubtless he doth not Require less Observance of those who Sit in his own Chair And though People are very apt to begin the Quarrel here yet methinks they should be more fearful of breaking Communion with their Pastors if they did Consider That this is the Door by which always Schism enters for it is not Conceiveable how they should forsake Christian Communion but by deserting their Pastors in their Pastoral Office Hence the Fathers especially St. Cyprian them whom no man better understood or wrote of this Case upon all Occasions as they usually describe a particular Church by the Union of the Flock to their Pastor so they define Schism by a Separation from the Bishop Not that they meant it is no more but that that is the Act which makes the Schismatick and that by leaving his proper Bishop he forsakes not only the Communion of that particular Church but of all other Churches of whose Communion that Bishop is And Consequently the Communion of the Catholick Church if he be truly a Catholick Bishop And hence I think it may Appear that for Maintaining Christian Communion in Christs Body the People must be United to their Pastors and that not only with Resoect to Preaching the Word publick Prayers and the Use of the Sacraments but also with Regard to Matters of Discipline and Government without which Order and Regular Proceedings in the Church it cannot be upheld Upon this Score the primitive Christians were so Observant of the Rules Orders and Censures of their Bishop That if any Man fell under the Sentence of Excommunication they for so much as Related to them vigorously put it in Execution and not only would not suffer such a One to joyn in Communion but would not so much as Eat Drink Couverse or ordinarily Traffick with Him Which Practice seems to have had its Foundation from that of St. Paul 2 Thes 3. 14. If any Man obey not our Word by this Epistle Note that Man and have no Company with him that he may be Ashamed As also from that 1 Cor. 5. 11. Now I have written unto you not to keep Company if any Man that is called a Brother be a Fornicator or Covetous or an Idolater or a Railer or a Drunkard or an Extortioner with such an One No not to Eat XIII But that a Firm Christian Unity may be in the Church of God it is not sufficient that the Flock continue in a due Subjection to and steddy Communion with their Pastor unless the Pastors themselves Maintain a fair Correspondence and keep due Order one amongst another For if the Trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall Prepare himself to the Battel as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 14. 8. how is it possible that an Army should be Unanimous in it self or Employ its full force against the Enemy if the Commanders Agree not but give out contrary Orders Nor is it possible That the Unity of the Church should be preserved if the Pastors Govern their Flocks not in Conjunction but Opposition to each other and set up such termes of Communion as other Churches cannot approve but must withdraw from It is indeed true That every Bishop in his particular Church hath a kind of Sovereign Authority and is to Govern his Flock Rationem Actûs sui Domino rediturus as St. Cyprian more then once phraseth it Hence it is That in some things a Christian Man is bound to Observe the Orders of his own Church and obey his own Bishop before any if not all the Bishops in the Christian World But then this Authority must not be stretch'd beyond the Bounds of his own particular Church And hence arose those several different and often contrary Usages and Customes in several Churches which were not excepted against because they belonged to the Power of each particular Church and consisted in such things That he that Communicated after the one Manner in one Church might Lawfully Communicate after the contrary in another Of this Nature was that known different Usage of old between the Churches of Rome and Millan In the former they Fasted on Saturdays in the latter not And therefore St. Ambrose who was truly as stout a Bishop as ever the Church had though he strictly Required Obedience to the Orders of his own Church yet at Rome was as Observant of theirs and Advised St. Augustine's Mother Monica to do the same The Reason must be fetch'd from the Nature of the Things which being indifferent in themselves might be Lawfully practised either Way and therefore were in the Power of every Church to determine or not determine as She found most for her good and Advantage But when these Things are determined Obedience put on the Nature of Duty and Disobedience of Sin But though every Bishop in Respect of his particular Church or Flock hath according to the Old Ecclesiastical Language his Throne yet in Relation to the Catholick Church he is but a principal Member who in Conjunction with Others of the fame Authority is to Share in care of the whole And therefore in Matters which have an Influence on Catholick Communion he is Accountable to his Colleagues or Fellow Bishops and for any Misdemeanour herein may by them be Suspended Deposed or Censured as they or a convenient part of them shall â—udge Meet for the prefervation of the Churches Peace And
the nearer we come to the first Settlement the surer we are to be in the Right But some Men so doat on their fond Devices and are so bewitched with the pleasure of Coyning New Notions that not content to delude themselves they labour all they can to perswade others that every thing that is old is ugly and to be Abominated Thus that sweet Harmony of the primitive Christians whereby they preserved their Body Sound against the Malice of Hereticks and Schismaticks enjoyed free Communion in all Places and were no where destitute of Comfortable Support and Assistance whether Spiritual or Temporal this I say has either been imputed to the folly of the first Converts or the Tyranny of Hereticating Bishops But if there was any thing ill and of Mischievous consequence to Religion for this they became zealous Advocates were ready to tell us That the Devil is not so black as he is Painted and so palliate the Matter that at length they would draw it in to be useful Amongst Matters of this Nature nothing hath found more Patrons then Schism Some have shuffled it to and fro till they have lost it and some have Trick'd and Trimm'd and Sett it out for such a pretty harmless thing as would almost tempt One to be in love with it But being I have said enough in the first Chapter to prove Schism a Sin of a deep Dye I shall forbear to inveigh against it and Sett my Self rather to make a discovery of it that the Rock appearing we may be the better able to avoid it II. Schism in its general Notion signifies any Rent Rupture Division Separation or Solution of Continuity But in an Ecclesiastical Sense as applied to the Church it denotes some Breach or Separation among the Members or parts of that Body growing so high as to cause Bandying into Parties and setting up distinct and opposite Communions or the like But because all Separation is not Schism and that which is is not always sinful therefore it may be convenient to enquire by what means Separations are made what Separation is Schism and what Schism is sinful III. Those Persons who are so far from any Communion in the Church that they never did or would receive and embrace the Gospel of Christ Jesus are really separated and excluded from his Body the Church But then in this they cannot properly be said to depart from it or make any Schism in it because they were never of it nor any way Related to it And therefore their Crime is not stiled Schism but Infidelity And the Persons Infidels or Heathens not Schismaticks IV. Some Persons have Professed the Faith and Lived in the Communion of the Church but through the powerful Instigations of the Devil the strong temptations of Worldly Advantages Sense of Torments dreadful Apprehensions of Danger or the like ill Motives have Renounced not only the Communion of the Church but the Faith of Christ But these are not properly Schismaticks for Schism doth import some Relation still to the Church though it suppose a disorderly behaviour in it and a Breach and Violation of its Peace and Unity But these are wholly gone off and their Crime is in it self of a higher Nature though many times not so Mischievous in its Effects And it is commonly called Apostacy and the Persons Apostates or in the Modern Language Renegado's V. There is a third Sort of Persons who profess the Faith and live in the Communion of the Church but through Pride Discontent Wantonness or the like Causes are not careful to Attend to sound Doctrine but fall into Errours and Entertain and devise Opinions prejudicial to the Gospel of Christ and the Salvation of Souls But if these Men keep their Opinions to themselves whatever damage they may bring to their own Souls they can make no Ecclesiastical Schism but if they Broach or Propagate them then Schism is usually the Effect and Consequence of such doings but their Denomination is from the particularity of their Crime or obstinacy in their ill Opinions which is called Heresy and the Persons Heretâ—cks VI. Now though Heresy is of that â—uâ—â—ulent Natuâ—e thâ—t it seldom fails to produce Sâ—hism yet it may soâ—e that Persons may be Sound in the Faith and yet through Pâ—ide Discontent Ambitâ—on or the like ill Motives may violate that Unity and Conjunction which ought to â—e â—mongst â—hristians in the Profession of the Faith and Duties it Requires So that Heresy seems to be opposed to the Verity and Soundness of Religion Schism to the Union of Persons amongst themselves professing Religion Now because the Acts of this Unity consist in Christian Communion and it cannot be otherwise expressed and manifâ—sted but by such Communion therefore a departure or Separation from that Communion must be that which we call Schism Hence Hesychius explains 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Signifies a Secession or Separation And hence it appears That every Heat Quarrel or Brabble how faulty soever it may otherwise be doth not Amount to Schism unless it so influence the Communion as to make a breach in that And therefore neither that Contention between Paul and Barnabas nor that Contest between Polycarp and Anicetus nor that Difference between Chrysostom and some who had been his Auditors nor that sharp Conflict between the same Chrysostom and Epiphanius nor that long debate between Stephen and Cyprian were any of them to be Accounted or brought under the Notion of Schism because the Communion of the Church was still kept up and Maintained by all the Parties But when this Communion is violated and broken then it comes to a direct and open Schism And this may be done several wayes all of them I pretend not to reach and those I shall mention I shall not dwell on VII Some there are who forsake the Communion of the Charch but go not so far as to set up any opposite Communion not that they have any honour for or regard to Church-Communion but that they think it unnecessary if not prejudiciaI These though they seem not to Fly so high as others in that they Vex not the Church with opposite Communions yet they really overthrow all Communion and destroy the whole publick Worship of God wherein his People are United for his glory and their own benefit And therefore these are nothing such harmless Creatures as some think them Amongst these we may Reckon those Rank Enthusiasts who have overgrown Ordinances and account themselves far above all such weak Helps and beggerly Elements VIII I shall further propose it as a Question whether some Men by their particular Opinions or Declarations may not make themselves Schismaticks even whilest they continue in the Communion of a Church that is truly of Catholick Communion for though the Pastor and Officers of the Church walk never so Canonically and Perform all Services with relation to and dependance upon the Catholick Church yet if any Member shall so awkwardly adhere to this particular Church as to
and still Maintained and Upheld for such Reasons as ought to be Strangers to the Christian Religion and do drive on and keep up such an unwarrantable and fulsom Interest as is not Consistent with the true state of Gods Church If any Man shall give me better Information upon due Consideration I shall bâ— willing to receive it and thankful for it But if any Man shall please to seâ— himself against Me I would desire him to deal with Me as a Man who is of the Communion of the Church of England in sense of duty who never gave up my self to any particular Party of Men and who in all my Studies have had a Special Eye to the Advancement of the Peace of Gods Church and the Satisfaction of my own Conscience CHAP. IV. Of the Liberties and Priviledges of the Britannick Churches And of the Actual Separation HE who would Build true will first clear the Ground And therefore I must crave leave to Remove some old Rubbish out of my way before I can descend to some such particular Matters for I pretend not to take in all as I think may Justifie that Separation which we now Maintain for we are not the Mâ—n who made it but defend that Church which we found and were born and bred in and therefore ought not to desert it without just Cause Two things with no lack of Confidence are Urged as a Prejudice against our whole Cause First That these Churches and even all their Bishops did owe a particular Subjection to the Bishop of Rome either as Sole Vâ—car and Plenipotentiary of Christ Jesus on Earth or at least as the Western Patriarch Secondly that supposing this to be otherwise yet since the Separation Matters have been decided by a General Council viz. That of Trent to which all ought to submit I shall Endeavor to give a fair Answer to both these Objections But first must premise That supposing not granting the truth of either or both these Objections yet of themselves they do not overthrow our Cause for no Plea of any exorbitant Authority or Conciliar Determination can oblige us to a Sinful Communion And if that Plea be made good against them all their other Arguments Vanish into Air For the Holy Ghost never Assisted any Council to make wicked Determinations Nor did the Ancients know of any such Exotick Power in the Pope as that he might be Obeyed in every thing for though several Mátters contributed to gain him an extraoâ—dinary Respect in and Influence on the Churcb yet they held him to the Canons And if he deviated from them or 〈◊〉 Truth they without scruple opposed him When Basilides and 〈◊〉 two Spanish Biâ—hopâ— justly deposed fled to Stephen Bishop of Rome And by Lyes and Flattery so prevailed with him that he not only admitted them to Communion but endeavored to restore them St. Cyprian smartly opposeth it writes not only to the Bishops but even to the People there to refuse Communion with them Commends the Substituting two other Bishops in their Room and says That the Faults of Basilides in Endeavoring his Restitution by Stephen's means were Non tam abolita quà m cumulata Epist 68. dd Pam. I could bring Instances enough of this kind but this being a by-matter in this place I will leave it and Return to the Objections II. Two Titles are set up the better to secure us But the one is purely forged and the other is crackt weak and bad and not able to support the Claim which is Founded on it It is hard to say what Authority the Bishop of Rome doth not Challenge under the Notion of Christs Vicar His Flatterers will scarce allow any Bounds to be Set to it and Examine his Actions and you will find that he â—ets himself none On this score not only we but all the Christian Churches in the World which are not of the Roman Communion are stigmatized for Schismaticks On the contrary I think that there is no one thing that doth better Justify our Separation then the Challenge and what in him lies Exercise of such an Arbitrary and boundless Authority over all the Churches of God Upon this Account this Matter will fall under a particular Consideration as one of the principal Grounds and Reasons of our Separation And therefore at present I will leave this great Vicar-General and try if we can come to any better termes with the Western Patriarch III. This latter Title as less liable to Exception hath been insisted upon of late by some who would seem to be of more moderate Principles and more tender both of the Liberty and Authority of particular Churches nor is it to be denied That the Bishop of Rome had a Patriarchate in the Western part of the Roman Empire but by what Authority he came by it and how far it was extended and whether he hath forfeited and justly fallen from it and other Questions of the like Nature will fall in of themselves in the Series of our Discourse In the mean time I do think this Title to be set up at this time only as a Blind to Amuse the more unwary and well Meaning Persons who are willing to submit to Ecclesiastical Constitutions though they detest all unjust much more all insolent and shameless Usurpations for if by a Charter from Christ he be his only Vicar over the Universal Church it is not only a Lessening of his Holiness but a direct Affront to our Saviour to Cope up his Deputy within Bounds and to Give Him a limited Jurisdiction by Ecclesiastical Authority when he is Invested with all by Original Right and needs not any which they can Give And it would certainly be much greater Satisfaction to the Christian World to prove his Authority to be of God rather then Men. Besides I would gladly know whether the Bishop of Rome will Acquiesce here and Rest Contented with the Title and Authority of the Western Patriarch For Patriarchal Authoâ—ity is by Ecclesiastical Constitution and was at first Suited to the Divisions of the Empire and the Grandeur of some principal Cities in it And by the same Authority it was Given may be taken away or placed elsewhere as shall be judged most useful and beneficial to the Church of God Now though all this may be easily proved yet being applied to the Bishop of Rome and according to the present state of the Question it is as applicable to him as any other Patriarch I fear the whole College of Cardinals Neminâ— Contradicente would Cry out Heresie damnable Heresie And therefore the starting this Title at this time I only look on as a Sly Device to let in the Cats Head that she may with greater Ease draw in her Body after IV. But be it as it will without any regard to any such ill Designes which some Men may covertly Manage let the Objection have its due force and let us Examine whether the Bishop of Rome as Western Patriarch so called in Relation to other Patriarchates
to shew that he could have no such Jurisdiction I shall produce two Arguments the one taken from the different Rites and Usages of the Britons from the Romans The other from the Brittish Bishops downright disclaiming such Authority and Asserting and Proving their Liberty VIII Doubtless it doth more Concern us to be truly thankful that God hath Vouchsafed us the Light of his Gospel and to be careful to live acccrding to it then scrupulously to enquire after the precise time when the Britons Received the Christian Faith But if Enquiry should be made which in our present Case may not only be allowable but useful I am prone to think it would appear That the British Churches were so far from being the Slave that they were the Elder Sister of the Church of Rome And if neither the Gift of Christ nor the Canons of the Ancient Church have dealt her any hard Measure in this Matter certainly the Prerogative of her Birth-right ought to invest Her with some Honour and Priviledge at least to Shield Her from Truckling too much to the Power and Petulance of her younger Sister And the rather because she hath not been unfruitful as having brought forth the first Christian King furnished the World with the first Christian Emperour afforded the first call her as you please Christian Queen or Empress and of all Others first so Received the Faith that it was the publick Allowed and Authorized Religion of the place in which Respect she hath sometimes been Honoured with the Title of Primogenita Ecclesia But to pass by these Honourary Titles it is generally Agreed That the Britons as in several other Matters so especially in the Observation of the Feast of Easter did differ from the Romans And to find out the true Reason of this I think the best Way will be to look still higher even to the first times of Christianity Our blessed Saviour was so far from separating from the Jewish Church that he made them his particular Care and Charge and seems to have so designed all his Labours for their Conviction and Reformation that all Nations might have been Aggregated to them in his Name And therefore he was generally shy towards Others and being Urged with Arguments in favour of the Woman of Canaan plainly Answers Matth. 15. 24. I am not sent but unto the lost Sheep of the House of Israel This Honour towards the Jewish Church the only Church of God then on Earth and Care that it might not be lost â—at rather that the Wall of Separation being broken down all Others might be let in to Her continued with the Apostles and Difciples of Christ after his Death and Resurrection for they remained still at Jerusalem preaching to the Jews And when the Cruelty of Herod and Malice of the Jews followed them so close that they were many of them forced to Fly out of Jerusalem to save their Lives yet their kindness to the Jews and Hopes of their Conversion still stuck clofe to them in so much that those who were scattered upon the Persecution of Stephen and went as far as Phenice Cyprus and Antioch Preached the Word to none but the Jews only Acts 11. 19. And there was need of no less then a Miracle to perswade Peter to go and instruct Cornelius a Gentile in the Way os Truth Acts 10. and though he did go upon such unanswerable Motives yet he was called to an Account for it The going in unto Men Uncircumcised was thought a Crime not to be suffered unless extraordinary Reason could be given for it And perhaps this Tenderness towards the Jews might be no small cause of Peters Judaizing at Antioch Now whilest the Disciples did Adhere so close to the Jews it is not only Reasonable to suppose that they Used their Customes and Rites But we have Scripture Testimony of some Instances wherein they did so as in the matter of the Sabbath though they kept also the Lords Day and Circumcision and some other things And therefore it is likely that they did observe with them their other Fasts and Feasts especially that which was Accounted the Principal the Passeover For as they look'd upon these things as in their own Natures to be matters then indifferent so tbey did hope to draw off the Jews by degrees and to let the Law of Moses go off Honourably rather by Difuse then Contempt And this Practice continued for some time after the Conversion of divers of the Gentiles by the Disciples who were dispersed by the Persecution at Jerusalem And therefore I take that Plea of Polyerates for his different Observation of Easter from Victor Bishop of Rome to be a Testimony of the very early Conversion of those Asiatick Churches and that they were of the First fruits of Christianity But after that God by bestowing the Holy Ghost on the Gentiles and other clear Signes and Indications of his Will had Convinced all the Apostles and Ministers of the Word that it was not only lawful but their Duty to make known the Words of Eternal Life unto the Gentiles and the Gentiles upon their Preaching in all places did plentifully Flock into the Church then in those Gentile Churches Christian Liberty began in a greater Measure to be Maintained against the Mosaical Rites And now Paul who Circumcised Timothy refused to Circumcise Titus yea even the Council at Jerusalem disburthen of all those Matters except some few things which the Necessity of the Times would not permit them to take off unless they should have utterly disobliged the Jews of whom they had some Hopes And about this time it is probable began the strict Observation of the Lords Day with the Neglect of the Sabbath And the Celebrating the Resurrection not on the precise time of the Jewish Passeover but on the first day of the Week Called the Lords Day from his Resurrection on that day next following the Fourteenth of the Moon And yet though this was Allowed in the Gentiles yet in Communion with the Christian Jews a greater Regard was had to the Law And therefore when that great Assertor of the Gentiles Liberty St. Paul came up to Jerusalem though the Disciples Approved what he had done yet they Advise Him to go purifie himself in the Temple and do such other Matters that he might Appear according to the Opinion of the Jews to Walk orderly and keep the Law Acts 21. But when neither Pains Patience nor Arguments could prevail but the Jews became more obstinate then ever in Adhering to the Mosaical Rites and obtruded them upon all Others with the Opinion of such absolute Necessity that they became a Scandal to the Gospel and made the Death of Christ in vain and upon this Account were the Implacable Enemies of the Christians in all Places Then to Vindicate the Gospel the Christians were under a Necessity to depart from them And those who before Complyed all that could be with them now lest they should seem to Countenance the Opinion That
all the Honour and all the profit And now being grown too great for a Monck he makes a Journey to Arles and by the Arch-bishop of that place at the Motion of Pope Gregory is Ordained no less then Archiepiscopus Genti Anglorum Bed Eccl. Hist lib. 1. cap. 27. a pretty Fetch before New Converts understood themselves to secure the whole Authority of the Nation to a Roman Missionary and consequently to the Pope whoever should be afterwards at the pains to convert them However after his Return he seems to have Laboured in the business and after the Death of Pope Gregory which Beda Eccl. Hist lib. 2. cap 1. Refers to the Year 605 he obtains a Conference with the Brittish Bishops with a design to get their Assistance in converting the Saxons and withal to Advance Himself by drawing tâ—em under his Jurisdiction But whether in Hatred to the Saxons their Mortal and indeed unjust Enemies or through offence at Augustines Pride and taking too much upon him or in love to their old Customes which Augustine unseasonably would not allow the main Business miscarried and then first Arose the Paschal Controversie in Britain so that at first dash here Ariseth a Prescription of about 600 Yeares for the British Usage XI The Grounds whereon the Britons proceeded seem to be Chiefely these That they would not give up their Ancient Liberties and Customes nor depart from the Canons of the Church And here Beda shews himself little favourable to their Affaires as at other times he appears very ignorant in them for though he studiously Conceals Augustines Ambition yet the Britons Answers plainly discover it For their first Answer is this Non se posse absque suorum consensn ac Licentiâ Priscis abdicare Moribus And in the second Meeting or Synod their Answer is plainly this That they will not Receive Him for their Arch-bishop Bed Ecc. Hist lib. 2. cap. 2. But the Answer of the Abbot of Bangor shews the Reason why they neither could nor ought to do it and is so pat to the purpose that I shall set it down as Sir Henry Spelman hath Translated it from the Brittish Co. pag. 108. Be it known and without doubt unto you That we all are and every one of us Obedsent and Subjects to the Church of God and to the Pope of Rome and to every godly Christian and to love every One in his degree in perfect Charity and to keep every One of them by word and dâ—ed to be the Children of God And other Obedience than this I do not know due â—te Him whom you Name to be Pope nor to be the Father of Fathers to be Claimed and to be Demanded And this Obedience we are ready to give and to pay to him and to every Christian continually Besides we are under the Government of the Bishop of Kaerleon upon Uske who is to Oversee under God over us to Cause us to keep the Way Spiritual This Answer throughout savours the temper of the most early Primitive times and shews That the Afflictions of the Britons had kept their Churches from that Corruption and secular Pride which had then too much invaded Others And from it I will only observe three things First That with a tender Care to express their Communion with the Catholick Church and their duty to all Christians they own no other Obedience to the Bishop of Rome then as Christians they owe to any other Foreign Bishops and their Churches And so the Bishop of Rome owed as much to Them as they to Him Secondly That the Authority which Augustine demanded and the Power of any Foreign Bishop to place him over them was a thing utterly unknown and unheard of to them so little were they Acquainted with the Patriarchate which is now so Confidently Asserted Thirdly that they were so subject to the Arch-bishop of Caerleon That they did not think him subject to the Jurisdiction of any other particular Bishop whatsoever but that he was over them next under God And accordingly we never hear of any Appeals from him to any Superiour See But if any thing concerned them in Common or was too weighty for him it was Transacted Synodically And it is Observeable That though the Brittish Bishops and Clergy Flockt to this Synod with their main strength yet the Arch-bishop of Caerleon absented himself in all likelihood either in indignation at Augustines Claim or lest his Appearance should seem any ways in the least to Countenance that Superiority which he Challenged over him The Effects of this Synod were very unhappy for the Britons went away so Enraged at Augustines Pride and Pretences that they would not Afford the least Assistance towards the Conversion of the Saxons Nay when thâ—y were Converted it is Apparent That they looked on them as Schismaticks or worse and would have no Communion with them And in this untoward Humour they persisted even when the Saxon Kings had brought the Brittisb Kings under some kind of Subjection This is evident from Beda Ecc. Hist lib. 2. cap. 20. who telling us how Carduella King of the Britâ—ns Rebelled against Edwin then principal King of the Saxons and by the Help of Peâ—da King of the Mercians slew both Him and his only Son and utterly Routed his whole Army after he had bestowed some ill words on them both for their pains he has this Remarkable Passage concerning Carduella and the Britons Sed nec Religioni Christianae quae apud eos exorta erat aliquid impendâ—bat Honoris quippe cùm usque hodie Moris sit Britonum Fidem Reâ—igionémque Anglorum pro nihilo habere neque in aliquo â—is magis Communicare quà m Paganis So that hence it is plain That they continuâ—d the same not only after Augustines time but even to Beda's But to Return again to Augustine he being every way defeated of his purpose meditates Revenge and incenseth Ethelbert so highly That he stirs up Edilfrid King of the Northumbrians and they together made that lamentable Slaughter of the Moncks of Bangor which Beda and after him the Romanists as one Man Account as a Signal Jâ—dgement of God upon their Obstinacy But Others say it was a Contrivance and that God more Signally Vindicated their Innocence For three British Princes with their Mirmidons met them both whilest they were Reeking hot with the Blood of these Innocents and killed above ten Thousand of their Men sore Wounded Edilfrid and warmly pursued Ethelbert by which means their sinking Spirits were Recruited their Wrongs in some Measure Revenged and their Borders enlarged as far as the Humber Spel. Co. pag. 111. seq XII Hitherto the Britons preserved their Ecclesiastical Liberties entire though they had lost the best part of their Countâ—ey And neither Augustine's Reasons nor Ethelbert's Armies could prevail with them to give up those just Rights which they had been so long possessed of But when Augustine died Laurentius succeeds him a Man both pious and prudent and of a much sweeter temper
no Obedience which the Pope could lawfully Claim nor Cast off any Authority that he was possessâ—d of in Right For being there were then Churches in these Illes setled under their Bishops according to the primitive Forme and Usage and Owed no Subjection to the Bishop of Rome either as Metropolitan or Patriarch as hath been proved then whatever Pretences he can now make â—or any Authority over us are by the Councel determined to be void And what Usurpatiòns soever he hath made are Adjudged to be Restored So that if they have no better Arguments then the Bishop of Rome's Authority as Patriarch that will do them no service here but it will rather Appear That we have proceeded very Canonically in our Reformation XXIX Thus much will clearly Appear That as the Bishops of those populous and powerful Cities Rome Antioch and Alexandria were ever and Anon making Inroads upon other Mens Jurisdiction So the Three First General Councels were very careful to Fence the Liberties of the Church against their and all others Encroachments For as for the Second General Councel which I have Omitted any Man may be abundantly satisfied who will take the pains to Read The Account of the Government of the Christian Church written by the Learned Dr. Parker late Bishop of Oxford Yet either Tyred with endless strugling or over-born with power or out-witted by Cunning or rather wrought on by all these means theÌ„ Fourth General Councel did plainly Amplifie their Power For after the Translation of the Seat of the Empire to Constantinople the Bishop of that place by the favour of the Emperour by the Power of the City by the Assistance of Dependants and by a lucky Opportunity offered from the New Division of the Empire suddenly starts up from a mean Suffragan to be the Second and perhaps most powerful Bishop of the Empire And now a Councel Meeting at Chalcedon just under his Nose and Consisting mostly of Eastern Bishops and many of them his Dependants and where the Emperour some time Appeared in Person and his Ministers all along bore a great sway This he thought was the time if ever to get that done which no Councel before would hearken to And to obtain a Confirmation of that exorbitant Jurisdiction which that Ravenous See had seized in few yeares space But in doing this he is constrained to do Others Business that he might do his own And here first we find one set over the Head of the Metropolitan and an Appeal from Him Ratified by Canon And thus the Bishops of those great Cities Mounted into Exarchs afterwards called Patriarchs and the Bishop of Constantinople got the best Share There was doubtless no mean Artifice used in the Managery of this Matter for it seems to be rather Slurr'd upon the Councel then Acted by them And the Foxes themselves the Bishop of Rome's Legats were here caught and all they could do was afterwards to Protest against Proceedings in this Matter But when Leo heard of it at Rome he fell a Roaring at no Rate not that he had too little but taht the Bishop of Constantinople had too much He was in a bodily fear of such a dangerous Competitour who on a sudden had from almost Nothing Risen to such Greatness that he was able to Cope with Him And by the Grandeur of his City his Interest in the Clergy and favour of the Emperour might in a short time be able to over-top Him It is not unlikely that Leo might think that he could have scrambled well enough for Himself without the Help of any such Canon and might possibly look on it as a Confinement But whatever he thought his Plea is clear contrary and that he might depress the Rising Constantinopolitan he is Tooth and Nail for the Nicene Canons and the power of Metropolitans which by the Way is an Argument that it was not then thought that the Nicene Canons Erected Patriarchates as some since Maintain The Issue of this Quarrel I am not concerned to pursue But granting the Bishop of Rome to be here made Patriarch you see he doth not care to accept it But suppose him to be Nâ—lens Volâ—ns invested with it yet the Churches in these Isles were out of the Reach of it and lived long after in their former state and freedom and therefore may still Challenge the Benefit of the Ephesme Canon against Usurpations XXX But now let us for once suppose what can never be proved viz. That the Patriarchate of the Bishop of Rome was Legally and Canonically extended â—ver these Isles yet what Feats will this do for him even under Patriarchates for they did not obtain in all places of the Empire the power of Metropolitans was still Reserved they still Ordained the Bishops of their Provinces they did Convene and hold Provincial Synods and determined Matters as formerly Only whereas the Metropolitan was before Ordained in his Province by his Suffragans now he was to be Ordained by the Patriarch or at least with his Consent and there lay an Appeal from him and his Synod In short the Power of a Patriarch Consisted in certain known lastances but chiefly in Conjunction with the Bishops of his Diocess or Exarchate Now what a pitiful shrivel'd thing would the Pope think this if it were offered him How would he fret and storm if we should thus Admit Him and Tye his Hands behind Him And yet as Patriarch this is all he can Claim But to Claim that and ten times more where he hath not so much as a Patriarchal Right is such a Piece of Impudence as none would be guilty of but those who can blush at nothing And therefore it will be best not to trust him but hold our own as long as we can XXXI Upon the same Supposition we may still proceed further and Enquire whether a Patriarchal Power do Entitle a Man to all he can Grasp or lay his Hands on Are we so fast bound that there is no getting quit of Him though he Command such Matters as dishonour God disturb the Church mislead Christians out of the true Way and does Actually Tyranâ—ize over Mens Souls Bodies and Estates Patriaschal Autherity was first Instituted for the good of the Church that Order might be preserved Purity of Religion secured all Persons contained in and held to their Duties and Heresies and Schisms prevented But now if this Power be made use of against all these Ends must the good of the Church give way to 〈◊〉 of it to the good of the Church That it has been and is abused by the Bishop of Rome contrary to all these Ends might be fully proved by an Induction of Particulars but that would lead Me into too large a Field And I shall therefore Omit here because it will be done hereafter when I shall insist on those particular Heads which prove the Romanasts guilty of the Schism Besides a Patriarch is only a Bishop with an extended Jurisdiction The Bishop is the highest Order in Gods
the Weakness the Heedlessness or the Malice of some Persons may mistake or corrupt it Thus the Millenary Errour sprang from Papias misunderstanding John the Elder And his Authority again seems to have Influenced Irenaeus and Justin Martyr But this Meeting with Opposition in the Church and being in the End Exploded it hath only the Reputation of a very early Mistake and serves well for an Instance to shew how quickly Tradition may be Corrupted unless the Churches of God be exceeding vigilant What the Apostles taught for the Common Concern of our Salvation in anâ— one Church they taught the same in all and therefore unless they all Agree that there is a Mistake is certain whether there be a Tradition or where it lies is uncertain and so at least it is useless But though here and there a Man might in some particular things mistake the Apostles and by their means Others might be deceived yet that all Persons of all Churches should clearly mistake the Apostles in any necessary matter notwithstanding they lived so long and daily so Laboured in the Word and Doctrine is a thing incredible And therefore wherein they unanimously Agree concerning the Doctrine of the Apostles no doubt but it is the best Exposition of the Doctrine in the Scriptures the same things being written for our perpetual Instruction which were at first preached for the benefit of the then living Generation Fourthly That Traditions be always deduced from the First Ages of the Church for Traditions are received not made And if they proceeded not from Apostles and Apostolick Persons they can never become genuine Traditions afterwards What was delivered to the â—â—â—st Churches though since neglected lost or forgotten was a true and genuine Tradition and is so still if it can be discovered But if any thing be Vouched as a Tradition though of a Thousand yeares standing and more yet if it came not from the First Churches it is not a Tradition but an Imposture And such are most of the Roman Traditions much like those of the Pharisees of whom our Saviour saith That they had made the Commandment of God of none effect by their Traditions Mat 15. 6. and yet they called them the Traditions of the Elders verse 2. and stood then up for their Antiquity as stoutly as the Other do now But as Tertullian observes lib. de Praeserip Veritas mendacio prior est And therefore here we are to follow not quod Antiquum but quod Antiquissâ—num Lastly that a Difference be observed as to Traditions according to their Nature and Rise There are Traditions of particular Churches arising mostly from the Orders and Constitutions of some Venerable Apostolick Persons made and prescribed to the Churches which they respectively Governed These Claim a Respect not only upon the Account of their suitableness to Order but also in Honour of the Persons from whom they came but yet they oblige not other Churches None indeed ought to contemn them but they may lawfully either use or disuse them as their present Churth-Governours shall think Fitting for the benefit of the present Churches Some Traditions are more Universal as proceeding from the Apostles themselves but if they be only concerning things in their own Nature indifferent neither are these immutably binding That some such were is Apparent from that of St. Paul to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11. 34. The Rest will I set in Order when I come But if any Man can certainly tell Me what Orders he made Erit mihi magnus Apollo And perhaps the Apostle never Committed them to Writing lest an over-great Veneration to Apostolical Authority should Run other Churches into an inconvenience For those very Orders though most wisely Fitted to the Church of Corinth might at the same time be inconvenient for other Churches yea for the very self-same Church in following times For though some indifferent things must of Necessity be determined because otherwise the Solemn Worship will unavoidably he disorderly and indecent yet such Orders can never be so Fixed for all Churches as to be of a perpetual immutable and unalterable Nature For Climates Customes Times Persons do variously alter the state of Matters so that what is prudenrly Constituted in one Church may be very inconveniently and indiscreetly enjoyned in another And therefore though such Apostolical Constitutions deserve Veneration as being unquestionably best Fitted to the then present Churches yet it remains in the Power of Church-Governours to lay them aside upon just Occasion and Constitute Others in their Room as may be most for the good of the Churches Again some Traditions concern the Practice of the Universal Church which obtained in all places and these have their Ground and Warrant from Scripture but their particular Determination from Church-Authority which is still preserved to us by Tradition Of this we have a clear Instance in the Fasts and Feasts of the Church as Gods Signal Mercies require our Solemn Thanksgivings so our own Sins especially the publick Call on us openly to Humble our Souls before God and to give manifest Testimony of our Repentance Besides to tame our unruly Affections and Fit us for the discharge of our Duty Acts of Mortification are very requisite To this the Scriptures direct us and thereof gives us many Instances But when this shall be done I mean publickly for as to private Thanksgiving or Mortification relating to Mens private Concerns they may use their Discretion provided that they thwart not the Orders of the Church is partly pointed out to us by the times when such Mercies were received or Evil done and partly determined by Ecclesiastical Authority And this even Natural Reason it self doth so fully teach that there never were any Men of any Religion how barbarous soever but they had their Solemn Fasts and Feasts Upon this Account I was very sorry to find a Relation in Mr. Ricaut St. of Turk to this Effect That certain Fanatical Merchants of ours Residing at Smyrna and some other parts of the Turks Dominions being observed to keep neither Fast nor Feast but to use every day alike all Persons presently esteemed them as Men of no Religion and look'd on them as Persons who thought they had no God against whom they could offend nor from whom they had or might hope to receive Favours But though these Men were of our Countrey they were not of our Communion And we are not to Answer for their ill Examples who have forsaken us chiefly for this Reason that they might take their full swinge in Running a Whoring after their own Inventions The most Ancient Feasts and Fasts are Appointed by the Constitutions of our Church and Conâ—â—rmed by the Laws of the Land If we regard not some in the Roman Church it is because they are Apparently of later date and introduced by their own Authority which obligeth not us Besides we much doubt of the Popes Skill in discerning these later Saints but more of his power to make them such If it be