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A31418
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A discourse concerning the unity of the Catholick Church maintained in the Church of England
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Cave, William, 1637-1713.; Thorp, George, 1637 or 8-1719.
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1684
(1684)
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Wing C1594; ESTC R22818
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40,192
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64
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A DISCOURSE Concerning the UNITY OF THE CATHOLICK CHURCH Maintained in the Church of ENGLAND LONDON Printed for B. Tooke at the Ship in St. Paul's Church-Yard and F. Gardner at the White-Horse in Ludgate street 1684. THE CONTENTS THe divisions of Christendom are much to be lamented the effects of them being exceeding evil Page 1. Christ made all needful provisions against such Dissentions amongst Christians p. 2. To this end he established a Spiritual Society or Church on Earth p. 3. This Church with the Unity of it the romish-Romish-Church appropriateth to it self p. 3. This Controversie betwixt that Church and Ours may be stated and decided by the consideration of the following Heads of discourse I. There are certain Principles in which the Romanists and we agree p. 4. As 1. Christ always bad and always will have a Church on Earth 'till the world ends p. 4. 2. This Church is a distinct Society in it self p. 4. 3. This Church must be visible p. 5. 4. Within the bounds of this Church we have the only hope of safety here aud hereafter whilst our hope is grounded on Gods ordinary Evangelical Methods p. 5. 5. This Church is but one p. 6. II. In this one Christian Church there are certain bands of Catholick-Unity As 1. Unity iu Belief and Profession p. 6. 2. In Charity p. 7. 3. In Worship p. 7. 4. In Discipline p. 8. 5. In Set-forms in some sort of Publick Worship p. 10. III The Romanists have unjustly made Subjection to the See of Rome and to the pretended Vicar of Christ in it the Pope as the Universal Head and Monarch of the Christian Church the Principal Band of Catholick-Unity p. 11 12. For first for this Papal-Power there is no Evidence in Scripture but there are strong intimations of the contrary p. 12. Secondly There is silence concerning it amongst the most antient and best Fathers of the Church p. 13. Thirdly History shews us by what evil steps the Romish Church arrived at this greatness As 1. by usurpation on the Rights of other Churches p. 13. 2. By weakening the Power of Temporal Princes p. 16. 3. By abusing their ill-gotten Power iu making it instrumental to the introducing and promoting of certain strange and erroneous Doctrines p. 17. IV. There was a necessity of a Reformation in the Romish-Church and our Church was reformed regularly and with maintenance of the bounds of Catholick-Unity p. 19. For 1. our Reformation was managed with the concurrence and encouragement of the Supreme Power p. 19. 2. With the Advice and deliberation of the Clergy Assembled in Convocation p. 20. 3. With just respect to the Antient Christian Church p. 21. Both as to 1. Doctrine p. 21. 2. Government p. 22. 3. Worship p. 23. 4. Rites p. 25. In such sort that Our Reformed Church is a sound part of the Catholick Church p. 27. V. The Objectiens of the Romanists against our Church and the Reformation of it are not valid Object 1. Concerning our rejecting Doctrines of the Church determined by Councils Answered p. 31 c. Object 2. Concerning Reformation by means of a general Council Answered p. 35. Object 3. Concerning the personal miscarriages of some engaged in the Reformation Answered p. 39. Object 4. Concerning our want of due Discipline Answered p. 39. Object 5. Concerning the Heresies and Schisms which have sprung up since the Reformation and as they pretend out of it p. 43. Answered p. 44. VI. From the Premisses a Conclusion is drawn shewing the Obligation which the People of England are under to embrace and continue in the Communion of our Church p. 49 c. THE UNITY OF THE CATHOLICK CHURCH Maintained in the Church of ENGLAND WHosoever with an impartial eye and a truly religious concern for the Honour of God the Credit of the Gospel and the Salvation of men looks into the estate of Christendom he will scarce find any greater cause of sorrowful Reflections than from the many Divisions and Animosities which have distracted and separated its parts These have opened the mouths and whet the tongues of profest enemies to reviling Invectives and profane Scoffs against our Blessed Lord himself and his holy Religion and stifled the first thoughts of admitting the most convincing Truths to a debate among Jews Turks or Pagans and stopt their ears against the wisest Charms To no one cause can we more reasonably impute the small progress which Christianity hath made in the World for a thousand years past The same contests have as pernicious influence at home upon the Faith or manners of those within the Pale of the Church Men are hereby too soon tempted into some degrees of Scepticism about very material Points of Christian Doctrine in which they observe so many to differ among themselves Others are the more easily seduced to seek and make much of all Arguments whereby to bafle or weaken the clearest evidences for their conviction and they seldom continue long in the same persuasion with those with whom they will not maintain the same Communion Thus Schisms have generally ended in Heresies As mischievous are the effects of these Distractions upon the manners of Christians There are many vitious and disorderly passions such as Anger Wrath Hatred Revenge Pride Censoriousness c. which take Sanctuary therein and under that shelter put in their claim for the height of Christian Graces and the most holy zeal for God and his Cause Every where they break or loosen the Discipline of the Church which should guard its children from doing amiss or restore them after it when the last and most capital punishment of being thrust out of its Communion is like to be little dreaded where many voluntarily desert it with the highest pretences of better advantage elsewhere Now though this matter of fact confirmed by woful experience be a subject too sad for a long meditation or passionate enlargement yet is it no more than what might have been foreseen without a Spirit of Prophesie to follow from the corrupt nature and depraved estate of mankind not otherwise rectified Wherefore we must suppose that our ever blessed Saviour in the Foundations of his holy Institution made all needful provision to prevent these fatal miscariages By the sufficient Revelation of all Fundamental Articles of Belief By the as full Declaration of all the necessary precepts of good life By inculcating frequently and pressing most emphatically those commands concerning Love Peace Unity Good Order Humility Meekness Patience c. directly opposed to those contentions in every Page of the New Testament These it may suffice but to name It will soon be granted after the best provision of Rules and most convincing Arguments and Motives to strengthen them that there will be need of some Government to encourage all in their performance to restrain some from offering violence to them and to provide for many emergencies Our Blessed Lord and Master therefore for the better security of his Truth and the safer conduct of those
which adhere to it establish'd a Society or Church in the World which he purchased with the most inestimable price dignified with the highest Priviledges encouraged with the largest Promises back'd with the most ample Authority and will always defend with the strongest Guard against all Power or Policy on Earth or under the Earth so that as he hath told us the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it But now where this Church is to be found and what are the measures of our Obligation to it hath been a long and great debate especially between us and the Romanists In most of their late Controversial Books they have seemed ready to wave disputes about particular points in hopes of greater advantage which they promise themselves from this venerable name and that bold though most false and presumptuous claim which they lay to the thing it self even exclusive to all others which will appear from the true but short and plain state of the case between us the chief design of this attempt Now that we may not charge them nor they us falsly or rashly I. It may be convenient first to lay down some Principles concerning this Church in which they and we seem mostly agreed though all our Writers express not themselves alike clearly herein II. To propound the chief Bands of Unity within this Church III. To mark out the most obvious Defections from them by the Romanists IV. To shew the Reformation in the Church of England proceeded and was framed with all due regard to the preservation of them V. To clear it of the most common Objections VI. To consider the strong obligations from hence upon all sorts of Dissenters among us to embrace and continue in its Communion I. The former will soon be dispatcht which I reduce to the following particulars 1. That our Blessed Saviour always had and always will have a Church in the World in which his Doctrine hath been and shall be so far profest and his Sacraments so effectually administred that they who rightly improve them may not want necessary supplies for their present spiritual life or future hopes of Salvation though the extent of the Church as to its boundaries and the perfection of it in degrees may be vastly different at one time and in one place from another This many Prophesies in the Old Testament and Promises from our Saviour in the New give abundant ground for our Faith to rely upon and the experience of all Ages hitherto hath confirmed 2. That this Chruch is a distinct Society within it self furnished with sufficient Authority in some to Govern and Obligation in others to be Subject necessary to every Society which the power of the Keys given by our Lord to receive in or shut out and the exercise of Discipline from Divine Precept and Scripture Examples evince beyond all exception But then this Ecclesiastical Power in whomsoever placed or strained to what height soever can never extend to vacate or change the express Institutions of Christ or take away our Obligation to his revealed Truth and direct Commands In case of any competition the Apostles defence may be ours We must obey God rather than men And St. Pauls profession We can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth And again If we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel c. let him be accursed Gal. 1. 8 3. This Church must be visible as every Society is more or less whose parts are so and whose Profession must be so Our entrance into it is in a visible manner by Baptismal Initiation Our obliged Communion with it is in diverse outward sensible Acts which the representation of it by a Body or Building might prove More clearly it is likened to a City on a Hill which cannot be hid Mat. 5. 14. Set up as the Light of the world an Ensign to the Gentiles which all Nations should flee unto or else it would witness against them wherein its Followers should take Sanctuary and find a Refuge 4. Within these Boundaries we have the only hopes of safety here and happiness hereafter What God may do by his supereminent unaccountable power in an extraordinary case is presumption for us but to inquire into Out of this Ark there is no prospect given to us of any escape from the Universal Deluge All the spiritual Promises concerning this life or a better are made to this Church the Members of his Body who is the Head Therefore the Apostles preach to Jews and Gentiles the necessity of receiving this Character Seeing there is no other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved as St. Peter attests Acts 4. 12. 5. This Church is but one It is an Article of our Faith exprest in our Creed to believe it so For there be many members yet but one body One Spirit quickning all One Lord and Head over all One God and Father of all one Faith one Baptism one Hope of our Calling in all as the Apostle argues Eph. 4. 4 5 6 7 c. II. Now we are to enquire what are the chief Bands of Unity in the Church which make keep and evidence it to be one How we may secure our selves within this Garden enclosed this Spring shut up this Fountain sealed as the Ancients usually apply that Cant. 4. 12 to this one Enclosure of the Church 1. This appears in the Vnity of Belief not only inwardly but in the outward profession of the same Faith which was once delivered to the Saints and hath been generally preserved and continued down throughout all Ages of the Church In testimony whereof the most eminent Bishops upon their first Consecration sent to their Brethren Confessions of their Faith 2. In the Vnity of Charity and Affection as Fellow members one of another as well as of the same Head that if one suffer all the rest suffer with it and if one rejoyce all rejoyce with it Having an intimate Fellow-feeling of all the Good or Evil which befals any joyn'd in so near a Relation beyond the compassion of ordinary Humanity whereby we are bound not only to pray for but by all offices of kindness and most intimate Affection especially to assist and relieve each other in the same Houshold of Faith So that by our Personal Consecration all our Labours and Estates are in some measure devoted to the Honour of God the Service of his Church and the Necessities of any of its Members 3. In the Vnity of Worship whereby we are obliged not only to offer up the same Worship for substance but also in the outward Act to joyn and communicate with each other therein to present the same Prayers and Praises to celebrate together the same Sacraments to hear the same Instructions to frequent the same Religious Assemblies as much as possible that we may with one mind and with one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15. 6. For as the Command