communion or also in parte separata so he be not guilty of that fault which makes such separation damnable but still retains the necessary bond of charity such a one once joyned unto it by baptism tho amongst other Separatists seems to remain himself still unseparated tho not from the external yet from the internal communion of the Church And if any be so strict as besides this internal effected by the same Spirit of Christ in all the faithful and always seen to God always to exact an external also such assertion will in many instances prove false even in S. Austin's concessions who freely acknowledgeth both many that are in the external communion of the Church no true members thereof and many to be true members of the Church who are out of the external communion thereof See de unitate Ecclesiae 20. c. Multi tales sunt in Sacramentorum communione cum Ecclesia tamen jam non sunt in Ecclesia Alioquin tunc quisque praeciditur cum excommunicatur Consequens erit ut tunc rursus inseratur cum visibiliter communioni restituitur Quid si ergo sictus accedat atque adversus veritatem Ecclesiam â—or inimicissimum gerat Quamvis peragatur in eo illa solemnitas nunquid reconciliatur nunquid inseritur absit Sicut ergo jam denuo communicans nondum insertus est sic antequam visibiliter excommunicatur quisquis contra veritatem qua convincitur arguitur inimicum gest at animum jam praecisus est Again de Baptisme 1. l. 17. c. Semper ab illius Ecclesiae quae sine macula ruga est unitate divisus est etiam qui in carnali obduratione congregationi Sanctorum miscetur Spirituales autem sive ad hoc ipsum pro studio proficientes non eunt for as i. e. when they are excommunicated quia quum aliqua vel perversitate vel necessitate hominum videntur expelli ibi magis probantur quam si intus permaneant cum adversus Ecclesiam nullatenus eriguntur sed in solida unitatis petra fortissimo charitatis robore radicantur Add to this the place quoted below § 13. and that Discours of his de unit Eccl. 20. c. of the several degrees of their culpablenes who may live in a Schismatical communion set down § 7 Where the Father affirms God hath some good corn amongst those tares ubi radice viva herbae vigor atteritur c. Several instances therefore there may be given wherein such assertion will prove false For example It is granted to be false in those who are unjustly excommunicated as some t is by all conceded may be and in Penitents after a just Excommunication who are not yet actually reconciled Of whom Bellarm. de Eccl. 3. l. 6. c. saith Tales esse in Ecclesia animo sive desiderio quod sufficit illis ad salutem bringing in St. Austin's saying de vera relig 6. c. of such like Hos coronat in occulto Pater in occulto videns See below § Again false at least in those dying after baptism before the use of reason in a schismatical Church Again false in Catechumeni that dye before they receive baptism or are entred into the Church Of whom Bellarmin de Eccl. 3. l. 3. c. saith Quod dicitur extra Ecclesiam neminem salvari intelligi debere de iis qui neque reipsa neque desiderio sunt de Ecclesia sicut etiam de baptismo communiter loquuntur Theologi quoniam autem Catechumeni si non re saltem voto sunt in Ecclesia ideo salvari possunt Neque repugnat similitudo Arcae Noe extra quam nemo salvabatur etiamsi voto in ea fuisset nam similitudines non in omnibus conveniunt I add that some of the Catechumeni were such as for secular reasons c deferred baptism long after they might have bin admitted to and received it and amongst such I suppose was Valentinian who dying before baptism received after baptism willingly deferred yet S. Ambrose doubted not of his salvation What then was there no fault in baptism so deferred Whether in all I know not in many I believe there was But we must put some difference between the committing of a fault in the want thereof and the incurring of certain damnation And doubtles this fault as others was remitted to them upon a general or a particular repentance the votum mean-while of what they wanted and purposed that in convenient time they would receive and presumed they should saving their souls I say therefore in such cases the position above being meant of external communion is false and then why may it not also be so in some other cases As namely in one whose ill hap it is to be born in a Schismatical communion yet where he partakes the true Sacraments when it is supposed that such a one may be guiltles of that crime for which the Schismatical are damned 4. In the next place of those who all live in the same Schismatical communion there are several sorts who must be carefully distinguished 1. The first are those who make a separation and set up a new communion divers from the church Catholick be it upon any pretence of error or other thing whatsoever for there can never be to the end of the world a just cause of so doing See Aug. Ep. 48. Si possit quod fieri non possit aliquis habere causam justam qua communionem suam separet a communione orbis terrarum c. See this place quoted and approved by Dr. Hammond of Schism 1. c. only let me add to his words there visible Church els no division from the church Catholick can ever be known And again Ibi enim erit i. e. Ecclesia ubi primum forsitan factum est i. e. separation quod postea vos fecistis si potuit esse ulla justa causa qua vos a communione omnium gentium separare possetis Nos autem ideo certi sumus neminem se a communione omnium gentium juste separare potuisse quia non quisque nostrum in justitia sua as the Donatists did saying no wicked could be of the Church sed in Scripturis divinis quaerit Ecclesiam ut promissa est reddi conspicit i. e. toto orbe diffusam civitatem super montem positam crescentem in messem c. See contra Ep. Parmen 2. l. Praecidendae unitatis nulla est justa necessitas Such men therefore as make this separation dying in this guilt unrepented of tho this their death should be a martyrdom for the truth cannot be saved no more than a drunkard or adulterer impenitent and continuing in such a sin till his death that dies for Christianity for without charity saith the Apostle none can be saved 1 Cor. 13. 1. And this falling out so causless with their mother the Church disobeying her and violating her peace and unity accusing her of error for no Schism but pretends some error in the
give to our Superiors will be due to them in some of those definitions made by them in fundamentals of faith and Christian practice which points he excepts here from submittance or deposition of our judgment See likewise which especially I recommend to your reading what Mr. Hooker as writing not against Catholicks but Puritans copiously saith in behalf of submission of judgment to the Church even when thwarting our private opinion in his Preface 6. § and in 2. l. 7. § near the end which you may find more fully set down and Mr. Chillingworth's Comment upon it in Answ. to Mr. Knot who pressed him with it discussed in the discours of Infallibility § 45 46. c. In the Preface speaking upon Deut. 17. 8. c he hath these words God was not ignorant that the Priests and Judges whose sentence in matters of controvesie he ordained should stand both might and oftentimes would be deceived in their judgment Howbeit better it was in the eye of his understanding that sometimes an erroneous sentence definitive should prevail till the same authority perceiving such oversight might afterwards correct and reverse it than that strifes should have respit to grow and not come speedily unto some end And there he answers that Objection That men must do nothing against conscience saying Neither wish we that men should do any thing which in their hearts they are perswaded they ought not to do but we say this perswasion ought to be fully settled in their hearts that in litigious and controverted causes of such quality the will of God is to have them to do whatsoever the sentence of judicial and final Decision shall determin yea tho it seem in their private opinion to swerve utterly from that which is right as no doubt many times the sentence among the Jews did unto one or other part contending and yet in this case God did then allow them to do that which in their private judgment it seemed yea and perhaps truly seemed that the law did disallow Thus judicious Hooker And see what Dr. Jackson saith to the same purpose below § 29 30. Thus the reformed seem to allow in some things a submission of private judgment to the Church a submission not only of concealing it but of renouncing and deserting it in believing and hearkning to the Church rather than to it Now the Church doth never exact that you should profess or subscribe * that your own reason or private judgment caused from some evidence in the thing suggests or assures to you such a thing to be truth but * that you believe her in such a thing more than your own reasons to the contrary or * that you confess her judgment better than your own and so are content to be swayed by it in such a thing For if you heartily believe that the Church'es judgment is likely to be better than yours or that she is authorized by her judgment to guide yours it necessarily follows that in obeying her you do according to your judgment one way tho contrary to it in another way For your final judgment upon the points is this that tho you see reasons ex parte rei most or all contrary to what she defines yet that her judgment is better than yours or ought to guide yours and upon this you against your own judgment or reasons assent unto hers Note here that by the Church'es judgment I mean the ultimatest judgment and the highest court thereof that we can have So that when your Pastor teacheth any thing which is contrary to your private judgment you are not obliged to assent to him if another Ecclesiastical judgment superior be contrary to his For the decision of the Superior to whom in any doubting you may repair voids that of an inferior unto you and so voids also his Excommunications and Ecclesiastical censures and if the superior man or Council tell you one thing and the inferior another you are to hear the Church in the superior not in the inferior Neither can that of the Apostle Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin which text see further explained below § 31. be applied to any for so doing because who so doth thus submit doth this out of faith namely this faith that the Church is wiser than he or that he is obliged to obey her expositions of Scripture directions counsels c when contrary to his own It is not only possible then but usual for one to believe a thing against his own reason or judgment or conscience if you will take these in such a sence i. e. against the reasons drawn a parte rei which he hath for disbelieving it but it is not possible for one to believe a thing against his reason or judgment or conscience in general or against some other reason taken ab authoritate which he hath still for believing it For certainly * when a fool believes a wise man against some conceit he had of his own or * when Roman-Catholicks consent to the Church in something doubtles wherein some of them may see reasons for the contrary and no reason perhaps for it save that ab authoritate viz. the Church'es determination and command or * when an Israelite submitted to holding or doing a thing which the Judges decided Deut. 17. 11 12. none of these may be said to do thus without or against reason because perhaps their private judgment is not convinced in the thing for they have that reason still for going against their other reason that the others whom they follow are wiser than they or also a 2d reason that the others are by God appointed to guide their judgment and opinion in such things and that they are commanded by God to consent to what ever those shall decide 3ly This thing seems decided by the allowed practice of the Church in excommunicating at least for such matters as she esteemeth necessary and fundamental those who dissent from her judgment For if in any thing at all if at least in fundamentals in which some say she cannot err the Church may excommunicate dissenters hence it follows both that it is possible and that a man ought in some things to consent to the Church even against his own judgment unless we will affirm that no man in such points as suppose in fundamentals can possibly have another judgment than hers But so there would never have bin any man erroneous or heretical in a point fundamental I say ought to consent For if God hath given power to the Church I mean the highest court thereof of punishing by excommunication all those who do not consent to some decision which she maketh then all ought to consent to such decision whether it be right or wrong to his seeming arguments or reasons whose consent is required for every one ought to do that for the not doing of which God appoints him to be punished besides that he who consents not to the Church'es judgment
23. before Nero for the same witness to the name of Jesus he bare at Jerusalem the same did he bear at Rome Act. 23. 11. 2 Tim. 4. 17. that all the Gentiles might hear and that with great success even upon some of the Courtiers themselves Phil. 1. 13. compared with 4. 22. For which boldnes in professing his religion at Rome we find him desiring mens prayers Eph. 6. 19 20. and in which we find his example encouraging many others Phil. 1. 14 20. Therefore also that speech of his Act. 23. 6. mentioning the resurrection was no mincing or dissembling his Christian profession which he had made so publickly and particularly before them all but the very day before but the shewing only how in a main point thereof the most considerable persons amongst themselves concurred with him Which thing appears both by the answer of his Auditors and Judges ver 9. which answer referreth to the story of what he told them hapned to him in the way to Damascus of which they say If a Spirit or an Angel hath spoken to him let us not fight against God and from our Saviour's testimony of his worthy behaviour ver 11. and from the like expressions made by him Act. 24. 15. yet joyned with the free confession of his dissent in other things ver 14. His legal observances therefore upon some occasions were only joining some things besides with his Christian profession not a covering it over with them or hiding it under them and in this compliance not any observance of those Jews that were out of the true Church who notwithstanding his conformity were still his persecuters for Christianity Act. 21. 27. but only of those weaker brethren within it Act. 21. 20. of whom we read not that they any way molested him the tumult proceeding from the unbelieving Jews of Asia v. 27. What I have said of the manner of his becoming a Jew to the Jew I may also of his becoming as a Gentile to the Gentile which was only in the laying aside some of the Jewish ceremonies not in the least conformity to any of their heathen Sacraments concerning which see his judgment 1 Cor. 10. 20 21. Thus much from § 8. upon the supposition that one orthodoxly perswaded continues still in the communion of a Schismatical Church But in the next place suppose he presently withdraws himself from that but only for the same good ends forbears communion with the orthodox yet neither so can I find a way to excuse him Indeed the living in no external communion at all seems the less faulty of the two and this condition as coming a step nearer to the Church of Christ to be preferred before the former This seems to appear in those who either by the oppression of the civil power hindered or by the Church's authority whether with or without just cause expelled cannot enjoy her external communion who yet are not therefore licensed either to set up a new external communion of their own or to repair to one that stands severed from the Catholick tho there they may enjoy the Sacraments no way differing from those celebrated by the orthodox but are advised rather patiently to want them till they are restored to the participation of them in the bosom of the Church Such was the practice of the orthodox where their Clergy was expelled in the prevalent Arrian times Certe ista indignitas in causa est saith Athanasius quod populi sacerdotesque seorsim sine synaxibus vivant c. And Praeoptant potius ita aegrotare ac periclitari quam ut Arrianorum manus capititibus suis imponi sustineant See Athan. Ep. Synod in Alexand. Conc. and Ep. ad ubique orthodoxos Yet did the Arrians according to S. Austin's testimony de vera relig 5. c. paria sacramenta celebrare with the Catholicks And S. Austin of good men happening to suffer sometimes an unjust Excommunication de vera relig 6. e. saith thus Quam contumeliam vel injuriam suam cum patientissime pro Ecclesiae pace tulerint neque ullas novitates vel schismatis vel haeresis moliti fuerint c sine ulla Conventiculorum segregatione usque ad mortem defendentes testimonio juvantes eam fidem quam in Ecclesia Catholica praedicari sciunt hos coronat in occulto Pater in occulto videns And de Baptism 1. l. 17 e. Ibi magis probantur quam si intus permaneant cum adversus Ecclesiam nullatenus eriguntur sed in solida unitatis petra fortissimo charitatis robore radicantur From which I gather that for whatever cause or reason a man happens to want the Catholick communion t is better than to enter into any other to have none at all In which sequestration he may justly more hope for God's blessing upon that means of his salvation which in such a condition he is yet capable to make use of and upon that service which alone he may still offer unto God according to the customs and rites of the Church than upon that he shall offer tho it be for the matter of it faultless in conjunction with a society divided from the members of Christ and if the orthodox in the time of the Arrians thought their condition safer in the want of the Sacraments than in the enjoying and partaking them with any Sectaries so may he For these reasons I conceive to live out of all communion a less fault than to join with a Schismatical one but yet a fault also it will be and that for many of the former Scriptures and other reasons See § 9. where the Scriptures enjoining separation from Sectaries seem also to imply uniting with the orthodox Neither indeed can we have any reason to desert one Church but we must have the same to join with some other since we must from the article in the Creed ever acknowledge one true as well as others false and that whatsoever outward dislike and abhorrence we are bound to express toward these assemblies of adulteresses to Christ as S. Cyprian and S. Ambrose calls them the same outward affection and love and duty in all things we are obliged to give to the true Spouse and Body of Christ. See § 8. where those texts requiring the glorifying of God and the confessing of Christ before men confession of him with the mouth as well as believing on him with the heart Rom. 10. 9 10. of all with one mouth as well as with one mind Rom. 15. 6. seem in a special manner to imply that confession which is made in the publick assemblies of the Church which therefore were never intermitted in those greatest persecutions when the Civil magistrate was a professed enemy to the Church Again see those many precepts of unity and charity enjoyned amongst all the fellow-members of Christ Eph. 4. 3 11 12. 1 Cor. 10. Phil. 1. 27 28. Jo. 10. 4 5. which seem to extend and oblige to all the external as well as internal acts
thereof especially for what concerns the publick and solemn worship of God. Consider the Article of our Creed of which Creed we pretend a constant and publick confession that we believe one Church Catholick and Apostolical i. e. one external visible communion upon earth that always is and shall be such but how is this sufficiently attested and professed by any who forbears to joyn himself openly unto it Such denying of the body of Christ before men seems to be next to the crime of denying before men the Head himself But chiefly there where this Church the Spouse of Christ happens to be under any disgrace or persecution our taking up the cross with her may be much more acceptable to God than the conversion of souls and the doxology of confessing him and her beyond our other best service See particularly that command of the Apostle Heb. 10. 25. Now if it be said that some of these texts fore-named are not to be understood as strict precepts always for avoiding sin but counsels only for attaining perfection yet thus also every generous Christian will think them prescribed for his practice Again consider that as both many Divine and Ecclesiastical commands from which I see no just authority any one hath to exempt himself at pleasure cannot be observed in our adherences to another communion so neither can they in our absence from the true Church For how then do we observe the publick intercessions commanded 1 Tim. 2. 1. publick teaching and exhortations c recommended by the Apostle Heb. 10. 25. 1 Cor. 14. 23 24. Col. 3. 16. frequenting of the Sacraments 1 Cor. 11. 17 24. Confession and Absolution as need requires For the necessity of which Christ hath substituted some officers to be made use of from time to time for heinous sins committed after Baptism in his stead Jo. 20. 21 23. as likewise to guide and govern in all Spiritual matters those who pretend to be his sheep to withdraw our selves from whom is to withdraw our selves from Christ in a subordination to whom all must live Eph. 4. 5 11 12. Heb. 13. 17. and God tolerates no Anarchical persons in religion Add to this the benefits of the publick prayers and intercessions and oblations of the Church which such a one acknowledging himself a member thereof seems to his great loss to be deprived of As for that internal communion with the Church which some excluded from the external may nevertheless enjoy or the security in the actual want of participation of the Sacraments that such may have they seem no way appliable to such a person as this who is not by force hindred of her communion but invited to it voluntarily depriveth himself tho the reasons he hath in the doing thereof seem to himself never so plausible To partake the Sacraments in voto signifies nothing where de facto we may have them and de facto refuse them and where in case of necessity votum signifies something yet t is probable that to such a one necessitated the actual reception of them would have bin more beneficial could he have obtained it There seems to be no small danger in a silly sheep's staying out of the fold when invited and offered to be taken in and that without leave of the shepheard tho upon a to-himself seeming good design But yet supposing such leave indulged to any I see not at last what advantage can be made thereof but that all the scandals all the jealousies all the secular inconveniences or also disappointments of Spiritual designs that can happen to one actually reconciled to the orthodox communion will happen to one after absenting himself wholly from a false From which sequestring himself the ordinary jealousie that useth to be in religion will conclude that he who is not with them especially where many secular advantages accompany it is against them And whereas our conjunction with the true Church may be done with much privacy this desertion of theirs is the thing most liable to discovery Lastly since he that now is of no external communion at all was before a member of an unlawful one and perhaps there not only seduced but also a seducer of others or at least culpable of many misbehaviors toward the Church so much the more cause he hath with what speed he can to fly into the bosom thereof both because so he may procure his own safety and pardon and by an open subscription to truth and unity make an amends for his former error and division if he have bin any way consenting thereto and also because the truth c will receive a greater testimony and honour from one that publickly converts to it after educated first in error than from many that from the benefit of their first institution and breeding continue in it to some of whom a right opinion may be rather their good fortune than their choice The summe of all is The case of one's stay after such full conviction in the external communion where he is or of his staying out of the other who stretcheth forth her arms to receive him tho upon never so pious pretences is doubtful his reconciliation safe therefore this rather to be chosen and as for the good he hoped to produce God is able and either will otherwise by lawful means effect it or is not willing it should be effected and mean-while will rather accept of our obedience than of much sacrifice Note that in this discours I speak of a Church certainly Schismatical and of men after all convenient means of information diligently used fully convinced thereof and amongst these chiefly of such as in purposing some good ends to themselves intend to continue always or for any long space of time either in their former communion or out of the orthodox not of such as convicted are removing all impediments as fast as they can to unite themselves to the Church But 1. first concerning Churches schismatical I apprehend not Schism to be of such a latitude as that there cannot be any difference especially between Churches wherein are divers Apostolical Successions suppose the Eastern and Western the Grecian and Asian and the Roman Church before a General Council hath decided it without such a crime of Schism and violated unity of the Church on one side that all good men therein are presently obliged to render themselves of the opposit communion And 2ly concerning conviction I think men ought to take heed of being any way hasty which may proceed from a natural ficklenes of mind and over-valuation of things not tried to desert that Church wherein God's providence hath given them their education and which hath taught them the word of God and first made them Christian and which as t is said in the Law concerning possession Quia prior est tempore potior est jure i. e. caeteris paribus to desert the Church I say without much conference with the learned much weighing of reasons much study of Theological