have despis'd this little Flock because it wanted one or two of his goodliest Marks of the True Church Vniversality and Splendor And what think we of the Christian Church in the Height of Arianism and Pelagianism when a great part of Christendom was over-run with these Errors and the Number of the Orthodox was inconsiderable in comparison of Hereticks But what need I urge these instances As if the truth of Religion were to be estimated and carry'd by the Major Vote which as it can be an Argument to none but Fools So I dare say no Honest and Wise man ever made use of it c. The Revolt to Donatism in all parts of Africa was so general Apologet. Vind. p. 20 that the Catholick Communions look'd more like Conventicles than the Catholick Church It is not bare Vnion but the things in which a Church is united Id. p. 45. that must truly recommend and justifie it to the Christian world and prove it to be the Church of God I believe there never was a more perfect Union and Agreement Id. p. 46. in the Church of Rome or in any other Church than among the Israelites which worshiped the Golden Calf nevertheless it was no Schism to divide from them because they United in a Sin Their Vnion was their Crime The Corahites were as firmly United under Corah as the True Id. p. 47. Church was under Moses and Aaron The ten Tribes were as firmly united at Bethel as the two were at Hierusalem they had Number as well as Vnion to plead but notwithstanding both their Number and Union they were but a great Schism because they united in Innovations contrary to the will of God There hath been at several times as strict an Union among Id. 47. Hereticks and Schismaticks as among the Catholicks The Novatians in particular were remarkable for their Concord Unity and Unanimity So were the Arians generally all of one Communion and very Unanimous against the Homousian Doctrine and yet they were but a great prevailing Schism when they were at the highest and had almost gain'd the whole Christian World From these examples 't is plain that in passing Judgment upon ibid. Churches we are not to look at the Vnion so much as the Cause in which they are united We are to Consider if their Doctrine and Discipline be Apostolical and their Terms of Communion truly Catholick and if they be so then their Union in them is Holy and Laudable and such as makes them the true Churches of God A Concurrence of these things is the genuine Badge of a truly Catholick and Apostolical Church The worst Fraternities have sometimes the firmest Union as Id. p. 55. we of this Nation very well remember the Time when those of the Great Rebellion boasted that God had united the Hearts of his People in his Cause as one Man nevertheless those pretended People of God whose Hearts and Hands were so United that we could not break their Bonds of Union asunder were no better than a Band of Rebels and their Cause downright Rebellion against God and the best of Princes tho they acted in it as if they had been all inform'd with one Common Soul The like hath often happen'd in Ecclesiastical Societies The Samaritans who had neither Sadduces nor Phraisees nor Essens nor Herodians nor Cabalists nor Carraites among them for that reason had a firmer Union among themselves than the Church of the Jews had and yet they were not the True Church So among the Ancient Christians The Novatians liv'd in perfect Peace and Unity among themselves when there were many Feuds and Contentions among the Catholicks which shews that bare Vnity is not a good Test whereby to try Churches The Sum of what is said upon this Query is That 't is Soundness in Doctrine Discipline and Worship that makes a True Church and not Number and Vnion Q. Whether a well-meaning Christian may not now and then or Occasionally Communicate with a Schismatical Church A. We must not give countenance to the Church Assemblies Sanderson's Case of the Liturgy p. 190. Vind. Def. of D. St. p. 5. of Schismaticks by our presence among them if we can avoid it Now if there be but one Catholick Church all the World over then every Separation is a Schism on one side or other for where there are two Separate Churches one if not both must be Schismatical because there is but one Church And if the Unity of this Church consists in one Communion which exacts a joynt discharge of all the Duties of a Church-relation in Hearing and Praying and Receiving the Lord's Supper c. together then to forsake the Church and meet in private Conventicles in Distinct and Opposite Communions for Religious Worship is Separation and when it is Causeless is a Schism You cannot be in Communion with two Churches which are in Sherl Resol of some Cases a State of Separation from each other for to be in Communion with a Church is to be a Member of it and to be a Member of two Separate and Opposite Churches is to be as contrary to our selves as those Separate Churches are to each other Wherever there are distinct and Separate Communions and Def. of Dr. Stil p. 235. Churches which do not own Church-membership with each other but tho they live in the same place yet divide into several distinct Congregations under different Governors and Opposite Orders and Rules there is certainly a Schism on one side or other where there are two distinct and opposite Communions one of them must be Schismatical because there ought to be but One. To assert that there are more True Churches than one how large Def. of Still p. 63. or narrow soever the bounds of it be which were not very large in the first Institution of a Church and may be reduc'd again to a narrow Compass by a general Apostacy is to justify Schism by a Law for then there may be Distinct Churches and Distinct Opposite Communions without Schism which is the most Schismatical Principle in the World if Christ have but One Church and One Body It is impossible to joyn in Communion with such men without Ans to Protest Recon p. 332. Judging and Censuring those whom I believe in those very Acts of Worship in which I joyn with them to be either Superstitious or profane and therefore tho' such men should worship in the same Church or Religious Assemblies yet they do not worship in One Communion It is hard to understand if occasional Communion be Lawful that Mischief of Separ p. 56. constant Communion should not be a Duty Q. Whether Salvation may be had out of the Church A. It is Universally agreed that there is no Salvation to be had Sherl disc of Nat. Vn and Communion c. p. 41. Lowth's Catechism out of the Catholick Church Infidels Jews Turks c. that never were in the Church Hereticks that
Subordination or Equality Q. Wherein consists the Vnity of Subordination A. The Unity of those Members that are Subordinate one to Id. the other consists in the constant due subjection and Obedience of all Inferiors to their Lawful Superiors and in due exercise of Authority in the Superiors towards all committed to their Charge Heb. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 5. 2. Q. Wherein consists the Vnity of Equality or fellow Members A. Unity of fellow Brethren consists in the preformance of all Id. ibid. Mutual duties of Justice and Charity towards one another Q. What is meant by Communion A. Communion superadds nothing to Unity but the Relation Id. ibid. of external Association whether by Assembling for the worship of God in the same place where the matter is capable of it or whether by Letters Communicatory by which we maintain external Communion with those who are far distant from us Or Communion with a Church is joyning with a Church as a Stil Vnreason of Sep. p. 107. member of that Church Q. What destroys the Unity of the Church A. Schism Q. What is Schism A. Schism is a Division in or from a Church Doct. of Sch. p. 40. Or Schism is a Voluntary dividing or a Separating or receding Ham. of Schism of any Member from the Unity of the Body i. e. the Church of Christ Or Schism is a Causeless Separation from a true Church Doct. of Sch. p. 58. Q. What is meant by Schism from the Church of England Doct. of Schism p. 45. A. Schism from the Church of England is a sinful dividing from or dissolving our Union and Communion with her in her Governours Members Worship or Assemblies This is the least we can mean by Schism from the Church of England and is called Separation Negative which is made Positive and more formally such when those that have separated set up their Altars against Hers and erect other Congregations in Opposition to Hers. Q. What is meant by Negative Separation or Schism A. Negative Schism is when men do peaceably and quietly withdraw their Communion from the Church in part or in whole to enjoy their Consciences in a private way Q. What is meant by Positive Separation A. Positive Separation is when persons thus withdrawn do Id. p. 60. gather into a Distinct and Opposite Body setting up a Church against a Church to worship God in a separated way themselves which St. Austin calls setting up Altar against Altar Q. What is a Schismatick A. A Schismatick is he that divides himself from the Church Ham. of Schism of God he that goes out or withdraws or recedes of his own accord Q. What is an Excommunicate person A. An Excommunicate person is one that is cut off or separated Ham. of Schism p. 508. and cast out of the Church by the Governours of the Church From the Definitions I think these Conclusions or Propositions will naturally follow viz. 1. That the Christian Church is a Society 2. That the Church is but one Body ' tho it consists of many particular Churches and Diocesses as Members of it 3. That the Church is govern'd by one Supreme Head 4. That the Supreme Head of the Church is Christ 5. That under this Supreme Head there have been always subordinate Governors 6. That those Subordinate Governors were first the Apostles constituted immediately by Christ himself over the whole Church and after them the Bishops as Successors to them in particular Churches or Diocesses 7. That all Bishops in their several Districts or Diocesses have full power as to Spirituals over the whole Flock 8. That all the Members of the Church within such Districts owe subjection to their Lawful Bishops as to those Commission'd by Christ 9. That as Christ did ordain the Apostles and the Apostles Bishops for the Government of the Church so the Bishops have ever since ordain'd Priests and Deacons to take care of and instruct the Church in subordination to them 10. That all Christians are oblig'd to become Members of some particular Church where the Sacraments are administred and Communion enjoy'd under the Authority of some Canonical Bishop or in Communion with some Priest owning and submitting to some Bishop of the Catholick Church 11. That all those who break the Vnity of the Church by actual Separation from the Communion of their Lawful Bishop and fellow Christians are Schismaticks 12. That all those that are united to and in Communion with Canonical Bishops and adhere to the Doctrin and worship establisht in the Church of England as contain'd in the 39 Articles Homilies Liturgy Canons and Laws are the true Church of England and their Assemblies are true Churches 13. That all those who separate themselves as Schismaticks and all those that are Separated as Excommunicate persons by the Governors of the Church are out of the Communion of the Church Q. Is all Separation Schismatical Still unreas of separ p. 209. A. Tho' Schism be always a Sin yet there may be such Circumstances which may make a Separation not to be a Schism That you may know when Separation is Schismatical and when Vindic. of the Ch. of Eng. from Schism p. 16. not you must understand that there are three great Bonds of Communion viz. Faith Worship and Government and whosoever shall separate from any Church whereof he is a member in any of these he or they so doing cannot be acquitted from the guilt of Schism unless the Corruption in some one or more of these be so great as to render the Communion sinful to him who knows it Q. What is meant by the first Bond Faith A. If a Church hold the Catholick Faith tho' her Members Id. may differ in some controverted Points pure and undefil'd and impose no new Articles of Faith as terms of her Communion 't is Schism to break Communion with that Church but if she does impose new Articles of Faith a Separation from such a Church is not only justifiable but a Duty Q. What is meant by the second Bond Worship A. If a Church have a pure Worship as to its substance tho' Id. cloath'd with some accidental Modes Rites and Ceremonies to Separate from such a Church is downright Schism and the reason is because all Ceremonies and Modes of Worship being in their own nature Indifferent cannot by being impos'd become sinful and if not sinful can never justify a Separation But if on the other side the Worship be polluted by Idolatry or profane and immoral mixtures or any other way be made such as that the Members of the Church cannot Communicate without sin Separation from such a Church is not only warrantable but absolutely necessary and the Schism must lie at the door of the Imposers Q. What is meant by the third Bond Government A. If the Church of which we are Members be governed by Lawful and Canonical Bishops and they act according to the Rules of the Catholick Church then to
separate from them is a damnable Sin and a pernicious Schism 'T is a denying of Christ himself who appointed them to rule the Church in his stead But if they are either not Lawful Bishops but Intruders or not Orthodox but Heritical then they that Separate are not only not Schismaticks but the true Church and they that cause the Separation the Schismaticks To confirm what is said I have subjoyned some few Testimonies by which it will plainly appear 1st That tho' Seperation he sometimes a duty yet if the Faith be sound and the Worship pure and uncorrupt Separation is sinful 2ly That Separation from the Communion of Lawful and Canonical Bishops is Schismatical 1st That tho' Separation be sometimes a duty yet if the Faith be sound and the Worship pure and uncorrupt Separation is sinful Violation of the Unity of the Church where there is no sufficient Vnreason Separ p. 209. reason to justifie it is a sin as much as Murder is and is as plainly forbidden My Judgment being that a causeless breaking the peace of Pref. to Vnreas of Separ Shâ—rl Vird. of Def. p. 39â— Doct. of Sch. p. 66. Id. p. 1â—2 the Church we live in is really as great and as dangerous a sin as Murder and in some cases aggravated beyond it To Separate where no sinful terms of Communion are impos'd is a causeless Separation Separation is unwarrantable if Communion with the Church may be without Sin Renouncing Communion or denying to Communicate with any Church upon any dislike or for any cause except sin is properly Separation and Schism it is not actually not communicating with a True Chruch but renouncing Communion that we think makes the Schismatick Schism is directly a Breach of Unity as that is a Breach of Id. ibid. Charity Refusing to Communicate with a true Church when I have opportunity especially my own Church is a plain breach of both whatever my reason be short of Sin There may be an Actual Criminous separation of Churches Bramhal Just Vind. p. 10. which formerly did joyn in one and the same Communion and yet the separaters be Innocent and the persons from whom the Separation is made be Nocent and Guilty of Schism because they gave just Cause of Separation from them it is not the separation but the Cause that makes the Schism Wherever there is no necessity of Separating there the Norris Charg Sch. p. 93. Church has a Right to Communion which to withold from her is Schism or else there is no such thing as Schism in the World A part of the Catholick Church may have so many errors Ans to the Kings Pap. p. 106. and corruptions mix'd with it as may make it necessary to Salvation to leave it There are three Cases wherein the Scripture allows of Separation Vnreason of Separ p. 213. 1st In Case of Idolatrous worship 2ly In Case of false Doctrine impos'd instead of true 3ly In Case men make things indifferent necessary to Salvation and divide the Church upon that account I do not charge those with Separation who under Idolatrous Id. p. 148. or Arian Princes did keep up the exercise of true Religion against the will of the Magistrate There are many false Teachers that transform themselves into Long 's Pref. to 2d pt unreas Sep. Angels of Light But if they teach any thing for Doctrine contrary to the word of God any Doctrine that tends to Impiety Disobedience or Divisions it is our duty to reject and withhold Communion from them It is beyond question that there may be such Corruptions in Id. Ep. to the Char. of a Sepa Doctrines and such Idolatrous practices requir'd in Worship as may justifie a Separation The Divines of the Church of England first prov'd that the Apologet vindic of Ch. E p. 44 Communion of the Romish Church was not Pure and Apostolical and thence justifi'd the Separation of the Church of England from it as necessary c. And on the Contrary They have prov'd that the Communion of the Church of England is Pure and Apostolical and thence condemn the Separation of the Dissenters from it as Needless God only bids me obey the Church in such Cases as are not Faith and practise of Ch. Eng. c. 3. Long 's Char. of Sep. p. 6. defin'd by the Law of God but doth not give the Church leave to Command any thing contrary to God's Law nor oblige me to attend to it or Obey it if it should so Command We do still hold and teach that the Condition of our Communion with the Church of Rome was made sinful by professing False Doctrine Believing Lyes and joyning in Idolatrous Worship and so it was unlawful and intolerable and they who practise such things themselves and would impose them on others are actually in Separation from the true Church Schism indeed we do say is a Damning Sin but there may be Sherl Serm. Nov. 4. 1680. Id. vind of the Def. p. 323. Divisions where there is not always the guilt and formality of Schism c. The principal Acts of Christian Communion consist in Christian Worship and if any Church have so corrupted Divine Worship that a good Christian must not joyn in it we must of necessity abstain from their Communion No Church can oblige a man to believe what is False or do Vind. Kings pap p. 106. what is Vnlawful and rather than do either he must forsake the Communion of that Church If you ask by what Authority we Separate from the R. C. Id. p. 68. I answer by the same Authority which makes it Unlawful for us to Profess what we do not believe and to Practise what we believe God has forbidden Neither abroad nor at home can we purchase Unity of Communion Difference of the Case p. 9. at so dear a rate as to break God's Commandments for it We do Unanimously acknowledge that if this Church makes Id. p. 44. the Profession of false Doctrine or the breaking of God's Commandments a condition of her Communion They that upon this account Separate from her Communion are before God clear of the guilt of Schism in so doing When it is a Sin to Communicate it is not a Sin to Separate Vind of Ch. E. from Sch. p. 34. Doctr. of Sch. p. 66. Separation from a true Church is sometimes Lawful if one cannot remain in its Communion without Communicating in her Sins Suppose a particular Church tho' Lawfully Constituted and Vind. of Ch. E. from Sch. p. 10. Establisht under Lawful Governours should make the Terms of her Communion such as Her Neighbour Churches could not without Sin and Danger hold Communion with her would Separation in this case be adjudg'd a Schism Or would it not rather be lookt upon as their Duty and Interest to withdraw from her If Schism be consider'd as a Separation from the Communion Id. p. 25. of some particular Church then 't
is imply'd that possibly there may be such cause given as may justifie the Separation and if so then the guilt of Schism will lie at the door of the Church which gives such cause and not at his or theirs who Separate there from No cause can justifie a Separation save only this when a Church makes the Terms of her Communion such as cannot be comply'd withal without Sin And in this Case me thinks it is very plain that it cannot be Sin to Separate when it is Sin to Communicate for no Laws of Men can abrogate or dissolve the obligation of the express Laws of God When we cannot obey our Spiritual Rulers without disobeying the express Laws of Christ the reason of our Communion Sherlock with such a Church ceaseth because it does not answer nay contradicts the end of Christian Society which is to have fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 1 Jo. 1. 3. If any Patriarch Prelate Church or Churches shall enjoyn Sinfull Bramhal Duties to their Subjects it is very Lawful for their Subjects to disobey them and for strangers to separate from them As in the Case of Usurpation the owning of the Lawful King Vind. of Ans to the King's Pap. p. 67. is a Voluntary Act but if an Usurper threatens to banish him if de does not abjure him upon whom must the blame be laid upon the Mans voluntary Act or the Usurpers Voluntary Imposing such a Penalty on those who do nothing but what is Just The making such Terms of Communion is a voluntary Act too and being a thing Vnreasonable and Vnjust it leaves the blame on the Imposers I held it better to seem undevout and to hear no mens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayers than to be forc'd or seem to comply with those Petitions to which the Heart cannot consent nor the Tongue say Amen without contradicting a mans own Understanding or belying his own Soul I had rather be condemn'd to the Wo of Vae Soli then to that Id. of Vae Vobis Hypocritis by seeming to pray what I do not approve If any Bp. Metropolitan or Patriarch with open face asserts Falk Chr. Loy p. 269. manifest Heresy or false Doctrin which hath been so declar'd by approv'd Councils the disowning all Communion with him and subjection to him even before a Council is commended by some Canons as a practice which deserves Honour And it must be so where subjection must include Embracing Corruptions Secondly That Separation from the Communion of Lawful and Canonical Bishops is Schismatical It is the Law of the Gospel and the constant Profession of Saywell of Vnity p. 340. the Christian Church that all Persons as well Clergy as Lay-men must live in Obedience and Communion with their own Bishops as long as they profess the Catholick Faith and uphold such a publick Worship wherein it is Lawful to joyn and in the right performance whereof we may obtain Salvation The crime of Schism does manifestly lie upon those who refuse Id. p. 11. Obedience to their Lawful Bishops in all just Commands Not only the Greek Abyssine Russian Churches but the Protestant Id. p. 355. Churches do all with one consent condemn them for Schismaticks which separate from the Lawful Pastors of any True Church and set up Churches against Churches and Communion against Communion c. It is undoubted that it has been the constant Doctrin of the Id. 388. Greek Eastern Northern and Southern Churches as well as Roman in all Ages that Christians ought to be in subjection to their Respective Bishops and he was held cut off from the Catholick Church that did separate from his Lawful Bishop or was Excommunicated by him and no other Church could receive him till Repentance and Reconciliation to his Own Bishop and 't is the same at this very day I reckon my self bound to obey the Commands of my Lawful Faith and Pract. Ch. Eng. man chap. 3. Governors both in Church and State not only for Peace and Order sake but for the sake of God who hath Commanded me so to do and am willing to forego my own Rights often and deny my own Profit rather than disobey or oppose a Command of my Lawful Governours where I can obey without Sin God only bids me obey the Church in such cases as are not defin'd by the Law of God but doth not give the Church leave to command any thing contrary to God's Law nor oblige me to attend to it or obey it if it should so command Schism implies the casting off a Lawful Jurisdiction to which Vind. of Ch. Eng. from Sch. p. 34. Vind. Def. Still p. 401. we were oblig'd to yield Subjection and Obedience Government and Discipline is necessary to preserve any Society and therefore obedience to Ecclesiastical Governors is a Necessary term of Church Communion and let a man be never so sound and Orthodox in Faith and Worship if he be of a restless and turbulent Spirit and disobedient to his Governors and their orders and Constitutions he deserves to be flung out of the Church Communion if he do's not Separate himself and will be Damn'd for't too without Repentance Communion with the Bishop is Essential to the Notion and Unity Sherl Vind. of Def. p. 452. Id. 453. of an Episcopal Church Those only Communicate with their Bishop who submit to his Pastoral Authority and partake with him in all Religious Offices and those who do not according to the notion of the Catholick Church are Schismaticks and therefore not of the same Church with him When men consent to be Christ's Disciples they consent to Sherl def of Still p. 254. Id Vind. def p. 126. Id. vind def p. 331. submit to that Authority Christ has instituted in his Church It has been the constant practice of the Apostles and all succeeding Ages to set Bishops and Pastors over particular Churches and to confine their Care and Inspection to them Episcopacy has been the Establisht Government of the Church of England ever since the Reformation and for any Christians to Separate from their Bishops was always accounted Schism in the Christian Church unless there were some very necessary reaons to justifie such a Separation There is no other way of submitting our selves to the Authority Sherl 2d part Vn Com. p. 428. Ans to Prot. Reconciler p. 258. of Christ but by a regular subjection to the Discipline and Government of the Church I know no way of Judging whether any Man be in Communion with Christ but by his Communion with the Church There is no visible Communion with God and Christ but by a visible Communion with the Church Subjection to Christ requires subjection to that Authority Id. p. 411. which Christ has set in his Church as well as Obedience to his other Laws 'T is plain we disown Christs Authority when we reject those Id. p. 168. who Act by his Authority An
of Right by the meer consent of the Church which by the precedent Ordination was Conferr'd only in point of Fact being a meer Nullity in point of Right It hath been often practis'd by the Church to receive Id. of Forb p. 69. not only Schismaticks but even Hereticks also that is Such as had receiv'd orders of those that parted from the Church upon an Error of Faith in their respective Orders But always upon Condition of Renouncing the Cause of their Division whereupon they were to receive the Blessing of the Church by prayer with Imposition of hands The reason was because neither is Baptism in Schism effectual to Salvation nor Ordination in Schism effectual to Grace by Ministry of any Office in Schism But being Renounc'd there remains no cause why their Ministry should not be effectual to their People Their Baptism and their Ministry to their own Salvation supposing it sincerely renounc'd Therefore the reason why they who are Ordain'd by Presbyters cannot be receiv'd in their respective Orders is peremptory Because the Schism Consisting in ordaining against Authority cannot be renounc'd unless the Ordination be voided For so long as the Ministry may be Rev. of Mr. M. Hs. New Notion of Schism p. 47. Usurp'd upon such Ordination so long is the Schism on foot I can see no reason why the line of Ordination may not pass thro a Schismatical Church for altho by Schism people are out of the Church and while they Continue so cannot enjoy the benefit either of Ordination or Sacraments yet to say that both are absolutely destroy'd and Nullifi'd so that a Schismatick loses the Chracters and can neither be a Christian nor a Bishop i e not the subject of Apostolical power till he be again Baptiz'd and Ordain'd is an Assertion beyond all that I could ever yet meet with The Meletians were Schismaticks and yet those ordain'd by Meletius were receiv'd into places where others dyed c. I think that Orders and Regularity of Episcopal Succession Ans to Sev. capt Queries p. 19. will suffice to make them Lawful Bishops who for corrupting the Doctrin of the Church shall not be allow'd to be Good ones Q. Whether Toleration will excuse from Schism A. An Act of Parliament would deliver the Dissenters from Vind. Def. of Dr. St. p. 457. Temporal Punishments and might deliver them from the Sin of Disobedience to Civil Governours But the guilt of Schism will remain still unless he Mr. H. thinks the Donatists were not Schismaticks when Julian the Apostate with an uniting design granted a General Toleration So that this project may secure the Estates but cannot secure the Souls of Dissenters Schism will damn men tho they should get it establisht by Act of Parliament There is nothing more or less in a Toleration than a Suspensiou Norris Charge of Sch. p. 26. of the Penal part of the Law This is all that it Can do and perhaps more than it ought For I believe there ought to be no such thing as a Toleration and that 't is more than either the Church or State can Rightfully grant We do not derive the Grounds of Obligation to Ecclesiastick Id. p. 80. Communion from the Authority of the Civil Law tho' that must be allow'd to add a considerable weight to the Obligation but also and chiefly from that of the Divine Law which I conceive to be as positive and express in requiring Unity and Conformity of Worship as in requiring any Religious Worship at all No License given no Toleration granted no Exemption from Blackhalls Serm. on Jo. 6. 66. p. 14. Temporal Penalties in case of Separation allow'd by men is sufficient to excuse from the guilt of Schism those that Separate from the True Christian Church whereof they were Members or to render their Schism no sin Human Lawgivers may give leave to their Subjects to be of any Id. p. 15. Religion or to be of no Religion but if they do they can't make it Lawful in it self either to be Atheists or to profess a false Religion or to forsake the Communion of the True Church for to believe a God and to worship publickly and to worship him in the Assemblies of the Faithful are Duties that are laid upon us by a higher than any humane Authority and therefore no humane Authority can discharge us from them The Law can take away and discharge us from no Obligation but that which its self laid on us so that all the meaning of the largest and most unlimited Toleration that the Law can grant is no more than this viz a Declaration that Men shall not be liable to any Temporal Mulcts or Penalties or be any ways punish'd by the Civil Power upon the account of any Differences in Religion or for being of no Religion at all but if antecedently to the establishment of any Church by the Civil Power and if antecedently to the enacting any Penal Laws to oblige men to hold its Communion it was Schism to separate without cause from that Christian Church whereof we were Members and such Schismatical Separation was a Sin before God then so it will be still notwithstanding any License or Toleration that can be granted by the Secular Power Toleration is not only a means to encourage those that are already Saywel of Vnity p. 137. engag'd in Schism to continue so but by experience is found the most effectual way to multiply new Swarms of Schismaticks c. When a particular Church enjoys a Civil Establishment it receives Letter about Regulating the Press p. 22. as it were a new Authority in as much as it becomes a Civil Right or Property So that unless its Constitution is Materially vicious and sinful it s a high piece of Injustice to destroy or infringe any of its Establish'd Rights or Immunities But yet since the Magistrate is only the Guardian not the Founder of a National Church its Original Authority resting on certain positive Laws and Sanctions enjoyn'd by a Power Superior to that of the Magistrate even that of God Himself wherever a Church in any Province or Nation professeth the True Religion by an Orthodox Faith and a pure worship under Lawful Church Governours and Pastors that is the True National Church in opposition to all Dissenting Sects and Parties tho' it wants the Authority of a Civil Establishment It is indisputably evident that the Christian Church is one Society Id. p. 16. or Body of Men united to CHRIST and each other in certain External as well as Internal and Spiritual Bonds of Union It s certain one great design of Christianity is Vnity or to range Id. p. 23. all the Parts and Members of the Church of CHRIST into an Holy Building and therefore if the Magistrate is Constituted a Guardian of the True Religion all his offices of Succour and Protection must be directed to this end I mean the Bonds of Catholick Vnity throughout his whole Dominions
Without this the Great ends and Proposals of so pure and holy a Religion cannot be accomplisht and therefore whatever Indulgences or Exemptions the Christian Magistrate may rightfully grant to Erroneous Judgments or Consciences acted with simplicity and a pious Disposition he cannot upon the Laws and Oeconomy of the Gospel or any Authority deriv'd to him from thence rightfully give a Positive establishment within the Districts of the same Government to two Opposite Communions or Altars of worship especially when one of them is founded in a Revolt from a Pure and Orthodox National Church This is the very reverse to a Protector and Defender of the True Religion So great a Sin did the Ancient Fathers account Schism before Apologet Vind. of Ch. Eng. p. 92. the happy Union of the Church and Empire when the Meetings of the Schismaticks were as much Tolerated by the State as the Meetings of the Catholicks and upon the same principle Donatism and Arianism were accounted as damnable sins every jot under the Reigns of those Emperours who granted Toleration to them as under the Reigns of those who made Laws against them Nay all the Laws which Constantius and Valens made in favour of Arianism and for the Establishment of it did not alter its damnable nature in the judgment of the Catholicks neither indeed is the obliquity of Schism alterable by Humane Laws and Constitutions as being a Transgression of a Divine Positive Law which God hath made for the preservation of the Body Politick of his Church to which Schism is as destructive in its Nature as Rebellion is to the State Q. Whether Persecution or Force will Excuse from Schism A. If the Church of England be a truely Catholick Church Id. p. 91. as the Divines of all Reformed Churches abroad will tell them the Dissenters She is then they must be guilty of Schism which is a Separation without a just Cause from the Church as a Church without any regard to the State For Schism or Separation without a just Cause is a pure Spiritual Crime and was reckon'd a Damnable sin before the Church Christian was united to the Empire as also in those unhappy Intervals of Persecution when the Church and Empire were disunited again For Example it was a damnable sin when St. Paul charg'd the Ephesians to keep the Unity of the Spirit c. It was a damnable Sin when he told the Corinthians That they were all Baptiz'd by one Spirit into one Body and that as the Natural Body was made one by the Union of many Members in it so also was the Body meaning the Body Politick of Christ It was a damnable Sin when St. Ignatius taught the Churches that nothing should be done without the leave of â—â—e Bishop or in opposition to him and that that was only a valid Eucharist which was administred by him or by one licens'd and appointed by him And that Makers of Schism could not inherit the Kingdom of God It was a damnable sin when St. Cyprian call'd private Meetings in Opposition to the publick Conventicles of the Devil and said that private Altars were no Altars and that if a Schismatick should die for Christ he could be no Martyr nor have any right to the Crown of Martyrdom for which he alledges the words of the Apostles Tho I give my Body to be burnt and have not Charity it profits Nothing c. When great Exigencies force men to do any thing which otherwise Id. p. 51. they would not do they are said to do it unwillingly and to act against their Judgments and Inclinations and particularly when for fear of ruining and Exterminating Penalties which humanly speaking are intolerable men conform to any Religion which otherwise they would disown tho as to outward Conformity and Communion they are of it yet they are not for it in their hearts I Confess men ought to endure any thing rather than to conform to any Religion which they believe to be false or subscribe to any Confession which they believe not to be true but yet we see the Frailty of humane Nature is such that extream severity will make them comply against their Wills with a Religion they certainly know and firmly believe to be false No humane Law can make that Lawful which God has forbidden Vind. Ans to the Kgs. Papers p. 98. Id. p. 106. nor that Vnlawful which he has Commanded No Church in the World can lay an obligation upon a Man to be dishonest that is to profess one thing and do another which is Dissimulation and Hypocrisie And no Church can oblige a Man to believe what is False or do what is Vnlawful rather than do either he must forsake the Communion of that Church Touching the Worship of God since the Divine Establishment of Falkner's Christian Loyalty p. 40. the publick Christian Service is contain'd in the Gospel no Authority upon earth hath any right to prohibit this And those Christians who rightly Worship God in the true Catholick Communion according to the Apostolical and Primitive Church have a right to hold such Assemblies for the Christian Worship as appear useful for the Churches good tho this should be against the Interdict of the Civil Power Seeing Church Communion is a Duty laid upon us by God it plainly Blackall Serm. p. 17. follows That no Humane Authority can release us from our Obligation to it Sometimes Persecution it self is the most prolifick Soil for the Letter about Regulating the Press p. 14. Thorndi Rt. Ch. 1. 5. True Religion to shoot forth and flourish in Christianity had not only its first Foundation in it but we are assur'd received great Increases from it The primitive Christians frequented the service of God when they were in danger of the Laws because that which the Laws forbad was their Assemblies The main point of that Charter which makes the Church a Id. p. 6. Society is the Right of Assembling and holding such Assemblies without warrant against all Law of the world that forbids it The Christian indeed is obnoxious to the power of the Prince Reflections on the Hist pt of Church-Governt p. 50. Id. ibid. Thorndi Rt. of the Ch. p. 233. but Christianity is without the reach of his Sword Passive Obedience is our principle and if this renders the Legal Establishment of our Religion more obnoxious to the pleasure of the Civil Magistrate yet it better secures our Common Christianity The Head of every State is so absolute over the Persons that make the Church that the Independent power thereof in Church matters will enable it to do nothing against but suffer all things from the Sovereign And yet so absolute and depending on God alone is the Church in Church Matters that if a Sovereign professing Christianity should not only forbid the profession of that Faith or the exercise of those Ordinances which God has requir'd to be serv'd with but even the Exercise of that Ecclesiastical Power