of any Church be indeed agreeable to truth but yet be really apprehended by him to whom they are thus proposed to be false and disagreeable it will even in that case be hard to affirm that that man may lawfully thus subscribe contrary to his present perswasions For though it be certain that he that thus erres be obliged to use all probable means to reform and deposite his error and as long as he remains in it is so farre guilty of sin as he wants the excuse of invincible ignorance and being obliged to charity and peace as farre as it is possible and in him lies he cannot be freed from offending against that obligation if he doe not communicate with those the condition of whose communion contains nothing really erroneous or sinful and so though such a man on that side be or may be in several respects criminous yet it is as evident on the other side that he that professes to believe what he really doth not believe that subscribes with his hand what he rejects in his heart or that doth that which is under the scandal of doing so is farre from being guiltless he certainly offends against the precept of sincerity and veracity yea and of charity to his brethren in respect of the scandal hath added hypocrisie to his error and so which way soever he turns he is sure to sin the worst and most unhappy kinde of straight he remains in error and schisme on the one side and by flying from that he advances to lying and hypocrisie on the other and the desire of avoiding one of these cannot justifie the other § 9. This I say in case the error be really on the mans not on the Churches side But if as in the case proposed the errors be supposed to be wholly on the Churches side and withall indispensably required to be subscribed by all and so the conditions of that communion being exacted of him who cannot without sin undertake them be to him really and unexcusably unlawful then certainly to that man in that case it is no crime not to communicate when he is thus excluded from communicating with that Church but a crime and a great one thus by testifying against the truth and his own conscience to qualifie himself for that communion The admission of such guilts as these hypocrisie and lying against conscience and due grounds of conviction is too high a price to be paid even for peace or communion it self § 10. A meek son of the Church of Christ will certainly be content to sacrifice a great deal for the making of this purchase and when the fundamentals of the Faith and superstructures of Christian practise are not concerned in the concessions he will cheerfully expresse his readiness to submit or deposit his own judgment in reverence and deference to his superiours in the Church where his lot is fallen But when this proves unsufficient when peace with the brethren on earth will not be had at a cheaper rate then this of a voluntary offending against our father which is in heaven in this case the Christian must be content to live without it and though he would rejoice to sell all that he hath to purchase that jewel yet his conscience the health and peace of that which is interrupted by every wilful sin is a commodity that must not be parted with whatsoever the acquisition be which is in his view and thus offers it self in exchange for it § 11. Application to the Church of Rome in relation to the present Church of England The evidence of which is I conceive so demonstrative and irresistible that it will be justly extended much farther then the present case of the Church of England gives me any temptation to extend it For in case our Ancestors had unjustly and criminously made a separation from the Church of Rome which it shall anon appear that they have not and we their successors in that schisme should unfeignedly confess and repent and desire to reform that sin and uprightly discharge our conscience in neglecting no means that patience humility charity could suggest to us in order to obtaining our reconciliation yet if that cannot be obtained by all these submissions without that harder condition of renouncing or professing or seeming in common reputation of men to renounce any part of Divine truth or Christian practise which we verily believe to be the truth and our duty it would not be our guilt but only our unhappiness that we were thus forced to continue in that separation The reason is evident from the former grounds we must not sin that we may give glory to God such is confession fruits of repentance Jos 7.19 a penitent thief must not lie to enable himself to make restitution nor the contrite schismatick commit any new sin such certainly is hypocrisie lying professing contrary to present perswasion to complete his repentance for the old § 12. If this last be conceived as it is not the present case of the Church of England so to be an impossible unsupposeable case not only upon the Romanists grounds who I presume will not acknowledge any such hard condition as is the profession of an untruth to be required to any mans reconciliation and readmission to their communion but upon this other score because if any false profession be now required to our re-admission the same was formerly required to our continuance in their communion and consequently our Ancestors departure then could not be supposed as in this last fiction of case it is a schismatical departure I shall not need to give any more distinct answer to this then 1. That we that acknowledge not the Church of Rome to be infallible may be allowed to make a supposition which is founded in the possibility of her inserting some error in her Confessions and making the explicite acknowledgment of that the peremptory indispensable condition of her communion 2. That it is possible also though not by us pretended that she should since that supposed departure of our Ancestors introduce some new doctrines and consequently some new errors and those now be supposeable to lie in the way to our return though they had no part before their birth in driving us from them 3. That that may be by the Church of Rome permitted and allowed to those that have alwaies remained in their communion which to them that have departed and either in their persons or posterity desire to return to it will not be permitted by them It being more ordinary to indulge liberties to sons that have alwaies continued in the family then to grant them to offenders and suppliants that expect favours and graces and restauration to privileges 4. That those which have had their education out of the Communion of the Church of Rome may very possibly probably come to discern that which in that communion would never have been for want of representation discerned by them and consequently may observe some errors in her doctrine
an offence against that charity due from every Christian to every Christian examined § 1. Contrary to charity due from all to all LAstly as Schism is an offence against that charity which is due from every Christian to every Christian so it will be best distributed according to what we see noted by by the Apostle Rom. 14. in the Jewish and Gentile Christians 1. Judging 2. Despising into the judging and the despising of others either of which was if not formally Schism yet soon improveable into it when it would not be repressed by the Apostles admonitions Separating the effect of both The Jewish Christians we know judged and damned all that would not observe the Mosaical law and would not associate or communicate with the Gentiles and the like height Diotrephes and some of the Gentile believers who began with the other branch that of vilifying the weak Jew at last arrived to not receiving forbidding to receive and casting out the brethren 3 Joh. 10. And whether the Romanists or we are thus guilty will soon be discernible § 2. Of Judging separating the Romanists guilty ex Confesso For the former that of judging and so separating from their brethren if yet we may be allowed that title it is evident by their own acknowledgment how guilty they are and how guiltlesse we § 3. It hath been a special motive and argument to gain proselytes to their party for some years that by our Confession there is salvation to be had among them but in their judgment no possible hope of it for us This weapon of their's used so studiously against us to anticipate and prejudge in general whatsoever can be particularly said to assert our doctrines and practises will certainly be as usefull in our hands as Goliah's sword in David's to give this wound I wish it may not prove as fatal to our vaunting enemies For certainly if there be any truth in that motive then are they professedly the men that judge their brethren and as confessedly we the men that doe not judge them And if S. Cyprian's rule be true who had as well considered the nature of Schism and as diligently armed the Christians of his age against it and given us as sure rules to judge by in this matter as any that they that maintain any difference in opinion against other Christians must if they will avoid the evil of schism manage it with this temper neminem damnantes neminem à communione nostrâ arcentes never condemn any or forbid them our communion then is the schism because the uncharitableness on their parts not on ours And it is not the saying we are Hereticks and so certainly excluded salvation Schismaticks and so out of the Church the way to salvation that can give this sanguinarie judgment any meeker a title For that we are such being as much denied as any thing and that negative offered to be proved and vindicated by all those evidences by which any matter of doctrine from whence this question depends can duly be cleared this unproved affirmation that we are such is certainly a petitio principii a begging of the question a supposing that in the debate which they know we are as farre from confessing as they from having proved and that is the most certain proof that such judging is uncharitable I wish there were not many other as pregnant indications of it § 4. And for that of despising or setting at nought the brother which is the Ap Of despising We are guiltlesse of it ostles argument also that they walk not charitably and the effect whereof is evident the casting them out of the Church if the cause may be concluded by the effect the guilt lies on the Romanists side not on ours as hath formerly appeared And truly we are so sensible of the many prepossessions and strong prejudices which by the advantage of education the prescribed credulity to all that the Church shall propose the doctrine of infallibility the shutting up the scriptures in an unknown language the impossibility that the multitude should search or examine tradition with their own eyes the prosperous flourishing estate of the Roman Church and the persecutions and calamities and expressions of God's displeasure on the Church of England the literal sound of Hoc est corpus meum for their principal espoused doctrine of Transubstantiation and som other the like means are infused into the multitude of men and women that are brought up without any knowledge of ours in a firm belief of all their pretensions that we are as farre from setting them at nought or despising them as from that which by their doing it first is made impossible for us to be guilty of the casting them out of the Church § 5. I foresee not any objection which may give me temptation or excuse farther to enlarge on this matter And professe not to know any other branch of Schism or colour of fastening that guilt upon our Church made use of by any which hath not been either prevented in the grounds of this discourse or distinctly taken notice of and competently vindicated as farre as the design'd brevity would permit CHAP. XI Concerning the present Persecution of the Church of England and the advantages sought from thence § 1. OUr Establishment being thus freed from Schism I shall not now entertain my self with any fear that the Persecution which we are under will involve us in it The Romanists argument frō our present condition of Persecution Yet can I not but take notice of the style that some Romanists have in these last years on this occasion chosen to make use of calling us the late Church of England The interpretation whereof is to my understanding this that the calamities under which now we suffer have made us cease to be a Church And therefore having learned and abundantly experimented what scandal the Crosse hath alwaies carried along with it how willing enemies are to take advantage and ground arguments on afflictions and how ordinary it is for friends to take impressions from such sensible carnal motives and being secured by the storie of the Antient Gnosticks that it is neither scandalous excesse of fear nor want of charity to think it possible that this as other antient heresies may now as in a Platonick year if not carefully warded return on us as in a revolution I shall therefore conclude this paper with an attempt to remove this prejudice The utmost whereof being formed into an objection is this that it is absolutely necessary to communicate with some one visible Church that now the Church of England is not such and consequently that it must be cast off and the Roman Church so illustriously visible be taken up in stead of it § 2. Answered To this reserve I shall make my returns by these degrees First that by the making this objection or drawing any argument against any member of the Church of England from the present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or improsperous
circumstances of affairs It must be supposed that twenty years since this person the supposed subject of discourse living regularly in this Church under his superiours was not then chargeable w th this crime of not communicating with a visible Church § 3. This consequent I shall not be so much my own flatterer as to think it will be allowed me by the Romanist who will I know at another time accuse the whole Church of England ever since the Reformation of schism from the Catholick Church and make the communicating with it 20 years since as dangerous as now the not communicating with any But the reason of my laying this foundation is to shew the vanity of the present objection For if the Church of England 20 years since were not a Church but a society of Schismaticks not a particular Church which if so must be a part or member of the Vniversal and such it is not if it be truly separated from that body in the unity of which it is obliged to remain but a separated and torn off and so a livelesse ejected branch then whatsoever hath now befallen us and the consequence of that the supposed impossibility of cōmunicating with the Church of England will but leave us where we were the impossibility of communicating with a schismatical society being not chargeable on us as a crime by them who make the communicating with all such societies so damnable And therefore I say to the making this any objection 't is necessary that that be supposed which I have for that cause laid as my foundation that 20 years since a member of the English Church was not under this guilt of not communicating with some one visible Church And if then he were not or for discourse sake be by the objecter supposed not to have been then it infallibly and irrefragably follows which is the second proposition that he that 20 years since was not under this guilt of not communicating is either not guilty of it now or else hath voluntarily committed or omitted somewhat which commission or omission hath been the contracting of this guilt For that somewhat which hath not been his choise shall become his crime that what hath been his saddest part of infelicity the evil against which he hath most industriously contended should be accounted his offence when it is his punishment I shall not fear will be affirmed by any § 4. Thirdly then the businesse is brought to this issue that that person which is the subject of our discourse he that 20 years since was a member of the Church of England be now proved by some commission or omission of his voluntarily to have contracted this guilt or else be absolved and freed from it If he have contracted it it must be by some irregularity of actions contrary to the standing rule and Canons of this Church or by disobedience to some commands of his Ecclesiastical superiors And as in neither of these I shall excuse any that hath been guilty so if being not fallen under the actual Censures of the Church for it he now timely and sincerely return with contrition and reformation I shall hope it will not be imputed to him But however this cannot be insisted on by the objecter because I speak and so must he of him that hath lived regularly not of him that hath not And of him 't is apparent that all that he hath done is to adhere to his former principles when others have not to have testified his constancy with not only venturing but actually losing either possessions or liberty and the benefit of Ecclesiastical assemblies rather then he would joyn or appear to joyn with Schismaticks when others have made all worldly advantages by the rupture In a word that he hath been patient and not fainted and never departed from his rule though it have cost him dear to stick fast to it And I hope no body will be so uncharitable as to grieve and gall him whom God hath thus suffered to be chastised upon no other provocation but this his having been thus afflicted and persecuted This is too clear a truth to need confirming and yet this is the utmost that it can be driven to supposing the most that the objection can be imagined to suppose viz that the Church of England is now invisible § 5. But then in the fourth place it must be added that as yet Blessed be God the Church of England is not invisible It is still preserved in Bishops and Presbyters rightly ordained and multitudes rightly baptized none of which have fallen off from their profession And the only thing imaginable to be objected in this point being this that the schism hath so farre been extended by the force that many if not most Churches parochial are filled by those who have set up a new or a no-form of worship and so that many men cannot any otherwise then in private families serve God after the Church-way that sure will be of little weight when the Romanists are remembred to be the objecters who cannot but know that this is the only way that they have had of serving God in this Kingdome these many years and that the night-meetings of the Primitive Christians in dens and caves are as pertinent to the justifying of our condition as they can be of any and when 't is certain that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the forsaking of the assemblies Heb. 10.25 is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our wilfull fault v. 26. but only our unhappy lot who are forced either not to frequent the assemblies or else to incourage incurre the scandal of seeming to approve the practises of those that have departed from the Church That we doe not decline order or publick communion and consequently are not to be charged for not enjoying those benefits of it which we vehemently thirst after is evident by the extensive nature of our persecution the same tempest having with us thrown out all order and form Bishops and Liturgie together and to that curstnesse of theirs and not to any obstinatenesse or unreconcileablenesse of ours which alone were the guilt of non-communion is all that unhappinesse of the constant sons of the present English Church to be imputed in which alone this whole objection is founded § 6. What this may come to in the future I cannot discern any farther appearance of difficulty in this matter and therefore shall no farther lengthen this Appendage then by offering it to the consideration of the indifferent Reader whether this objection can ever in future times be improveable into a charge against us or our posterity as long as either Bishops stand and continue to ordain among us or it is not our faults that they doe not stand To which purpose it may be remembred what befell the Jewes whether under the Zelots fury or the Romans yoke The former threw out the lawfull successive High Priests and Priests of the sons of Aaron and put into those sacred offices the
OF SCHISME A DEFENCE OF THE Church of England Against the EXCEPTIONS OF the Romanists By H. HAMMOND D. D. LONDON Printed by J. Flesher for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivie-lane M. DC.LIII· Of SCHISME A Defence of the Church of England against the Objections of the Romanist CHAP. I. An Introduction the danger and sin of Schisme § 1 Two concernments of al Christians TWO wishes rather then hopes there are wherein all Christians are very much concerned First That all that have given up their names to that holy profession would sincerely betake themselves to the discharge of all those duties Practise of Christianity as well more common one towards another as more particular of each single man toward God and toward himself which Christ came on purpose to plant in or reduce into the world The Second Propagating of it That the Faith of Christ might gain an amicable universal reception in the hearts of all men over the whole world and that all mankinde by an uniform obedience to those divine precepts which are most agreeable to our rational i. e. humane nature and which are able to advance us to the highest pitch of moral excellency and dignity that any created substance is capable of might attain the great end of our creation a paradise or blisful beeing here in this world only with the mixture of some allayes to that blisse and those necessary both to the exercise of some most eminent virtues and such as the Angels are not for want of passible bodies capable of and also to the inhaunsing of our crown and then a state of infinite reward and uncompounded felicity hereafter What is to be done toward the latter § 2. That the later of these may in Gods good time be effectually attempted by all Christian Kings and Bishops and advance more successfully then of late it hath done ought to be the indevour of all those whose eminencie in the world hath given them capacities or qualifications to contribute some considerable degree of assistance to so glorious a work And for others whose inferiority of condition or sphere of motion and the improbability consequent to that of advancing so magnificent a designe is their just excuse for not entertaining any such hopeless thoughts it is yet their certain duty by constant fervent prayers to solicite the good hand of God who alone can accomplish so divine a work and by the diligent strict observance of all Christs precepts to exemplifie to all others the power and real energie of the faith of Christ where it is admitted into the heart thereby to attract all others to the imbracing of that which hath such admirable virtues in it § 3. The chief branches of the former considered in society As for the former That is in proportion to his condition the known duty of every single Christian much more of every congregation and community of such who are therefore associated into one body that each supplying the defects and infirmities of others they may by so advantagious an instrument as union of forces is be enabled to doe what without it they are justly supposeable to want means or strength to doe and so are deprived of all excuse if they be found culpable § 4. In this kinde 1. Charity The duty of Charity and peace to all 2. Obedience of ready and filial obedience of those under authority to their lawful authorized superiours and 3. Paternal exercise of Ecclesiastical power of charitative paternal exercise of their power in all those that are invested with it by Christ may be justly looked on as virtues of the first magnitude which have the most lively characters and impresses of the Law-giver Christ's image and superscription upon them accordingly deserve the first fruits of our care and diligence that they be most diligently conserved where they are and industriously reduced where by the malignity or infelicity of the times they are torn or escaped from us The contrariety of Schisme to the Doctrine of Christ § 5. For that malices and rancors and animosities among single Christians but especially seditious mutinous spirits that divisions and schismes and ruptures and preparative thereto causless anathematizing and tyrannizing over the Faith of Christ's flock are most scandalously contrary to Christ's platform to the prophecie of the plough-shares and the pruning-hooks the happy exchange for the sanguinary hostile instruments is a truth so eminently and signally visible in the practise and doctrine of Christ and his Apostles that it cannot be doubted or questioned on either side And agreeably there is no one vice which hath fallen under so much of the displeasure and correption and severest discipline of the holy Fathers of the Antient Church as this of Schisme and the ingredients and preparatives to it have done § 6. The Fathers Censures of it It is but a small part of the character thereof that from S. Paul and S. Jude they tell us that it is a special piece of (a) 1 Cor. 3.4 Jude 19. See Fulgentius ad Mon l 2. carnality an (b) Quisquis in Ecclesiâ gratiam consecutus ab Ecclesiâ exierit reus sibi futurus est i. e. ipse sibi quod pereat imputaturus Quod Apostolus explanat docens haereticum vitandum esse ut à semetipso damnatū Cypr Ep 76. Poenas quas meruerant pependerunt ut à nobis non ejecti ultro se ejecerent de ecclesiâ sponte se pellerent Ep 40. Quomodo te à tot gregibus scidisti Exscidisti enim teipsum Firmilian ad Cypr Ep 75. excommunicating and condemning i. e. voluntary inflicting of that punishment on ones self which the Governours of the Church use to inflict on the most scandalous sinners that (a) Sciat se postea ad Ecclesiam redire cum Episcopis plebe Christi communicare non posse Ep 40. Aversandus est talis atque fugiendus quisquis fuerit ab Ecclesiâ separatus Ibid. De Unit Eccles they that so divide on their own presumption may not at their own will return to the Church and communicate again with the Bishop and his Christian people that (b) Hanc Ecclesiae unitatem qui non tenet tenere se fidem credit Cypr de Unit Eccles Dum conventicula sibi diversa constituunt veritatis caput atque originem reliquerunt Ibid. Fidem destruit pro Fide perfidus Ibid. it is contrary to the Faith (c) Schisma non faciendum etiamsi in unâ fide eâdem traditione permaneat qui recedit Cypr Testim l. 3. c. 86. even when it hath not in respect of doctrinal points any heresie joyned with it (d) Quam ver◠dilectionem custodit cogitat qui discordiae furore vesanus Ecclesiam scindit pacem turbat charitatem dissipat Cypr de Unit Eccles Arma ille contra Ecclesiam portat Ibid. Contrary to charity yea to all the (e) Quisquis ab Ecclesia segregatus adulterae jungitur à promissis Ecclesiae separatur Cypr de Unit
may be most fitly branched § 11. 2. What Evidences are producible against the Church of England whereby it may be thought liable to this guilt and withall how it may be cleared from all force of those evidences § 11. Which when we have done we shall not from the office of Advocates proceed to that of the Accuser or Judge but leave all others that are under the same charge to their proper tribunal to stand or fall as they shall appear able or not able upon firm grounds to maintain and vindicate their innocence CHAP. II. What Schisme is together with some general considerations thereon § 1. OUR first enquirie must be what Schism is in the strict proper notion as (a) Non attendisti inter schismaticos haereticos quà m sit magna distantia Optat l. 1. p. 13. distinguished from Heresie the (b) Inter haeresim schisma hoc interesse arbitramur quòd haeresis perversum dogma habeat schisma propter Episcopalem dissensionem ab Ecclesiâ pariter separet Hieron ad Tit c. 3. introducing of some false doctrine into the Church And herein there will be no difficulty the Origination and universal use of the word according and consenting exactly to give us the importance of it The Original of the word Schism § 2. In the origination of it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scindi it signifies literally scissure or division which being a figurative and withall a relative word referring to some body which is thus cut or divided but that no natural but political body the Church or Congregation of Christians the literal notation of the word in the Ecclesiastical use will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a division in or from the Vnity of the Church of Christ Only the form termination of the word must be farther noted which being not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the active 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reciprocal passion noted by the word but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the passive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the use of such passives is observable being of the nature and for want of conjugations designed to supply the place of the Hebrew Hithpaâ—l and so noting reciprocal action or passion where the passion is from and on himself and is most fully expressed by the Latine Neutrals which partake both of active and passive but are strictly neither of them This might be largely exemplified in the use of other words but the advantage of the observation will not be proportionable to the length of such a diversion being no more then this that the distinct notion of the word Schisme is a voluntary dividing Schisme a voluntary recession or in the neutral expression which the Fathers familiarly use a separating or receding of any member from the unity of the body i. e. the Church of Christ and so that the scismatick is he that * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 19. divides himself from the Church of God not that is cut off or separated he that (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 2.19 goes out or (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.38 withdraws or recedes of his own accord not he that is cast out by the Governours of the Church Excommunication no Schisme For whatever blame and vengeance may justly light on such who are by the righteous and charitative Censures of the Church cut off from communion in case they doe not by humiliation confession and reformation and meet fruits of repentance prepare and qualifie themselves for readmission to that Communion yet certainly this punishment of Excommunication is very disparate and distant from the crime of schisme the Judge i. e. Bishop or Governour of the Church being the only actor in the one and that ex officio an act of duty in him when duly executed but in the other the offender or guilty person who is therefore said to (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Laod Can 40. accuse to cast to (d) Propriae conscientiae videtur esse damnatio cùm quispiam suo arbitrio ab Ecclesiâ recesserit Hieron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cod Can Afric Can 22. condemn himself throwing himselfe by his voluntary recession from the Church into that very condition into which the adulterer and obstinate offender is cast by the Censures of it § 3. This is so evident a truth that this punishment and so judicial act of the Governour cannot be the guilt of him that is punished and though it be supposed to be founded in some offence is not yet in any propriety of speech the offence it self much lesse the sin of schisme especially when he is punished for heresie or some other crime and not for schisme that I need not farther insist on it Interpretative Excommunication Only as beside the formal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is also an interpretative excoÌ„munication when he that is not under the Censures of the Church is yet refused admission or reception unto it unlesse he will submit to such such conditions indispensably proposed to him and because both in the one and the other in the formal and in the interpretative excommunication the Governours being men may possibly erre and consequently censure and excommunicate the innocent and in like manner propose those conditions of communion which are not lawful for that man to submit unto Continuance out of actual Communion without Schisme so it is possible in both cases that the person excluded may be absolutely innocent free not only from that of schisme but from all other guilt so that he which is excommunicated may not be obliged to regain the peace nor he that is barred out to force his passage into the communion of the Church and so both sorts of these continuing out of the actual communion neither the one nor the other be guilty of schisme in the least degree by so continuing Unjust excommunication hurts no man § 4. He that is excommunicated unjustly cannot be rendred criminous by that misfortune nor concluded culpable by that argument upon which he is supposed innocent Our Saviour hath pronounced of the anathemaes of the Jews of their bitterest execrations their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their sharpest censures nay the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 casting men out of the Synagogue falsly or unjustly that it is to be looked on as a most auspicious token a matter of the greatest rejoicing to them which fell under it one of the principal ingredients in and forerunners of their blisse and accordingly the Apostles when they were thus cast out and contumeliously used went out of the Temple rejoicing that they were thought worthy to suffer shame for Christ's name To which purpose is that of Photius Patriarch of Constantinople to Michael Metropolitan of Mitylene Ep 116. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The excommunication of the Jewish Sanhedrim sent out against Christ's disciples brought them so much neerer to their Lord and Master and alien'd the Jews themselves removed them so much farther from the
care of the whole Province and all the inferior cities and Bishops in them and the Bishops commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is straight added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the ancient Canon of the Fathers which hath continued in force from the first times also unto that Councel Where if it be demanded what is the importance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I conceive the word to be best explained by Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it should doubtlesse be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the meaning of the Canon to be agreeably to the expresse words of other Canons that as any ordinary Bishop hath full power in his own Church which he may in all things wherein that alone is concerned exercise independently from the commands or directions of any So in any thing of a more forein nature wherein any other Church is concerned equally with that and so falls not under the sole cognizance or judgement of either there the Bishop of that Church is to do nothing without directions from the Metropolitane and that is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that no Bishop must do any thing but what belongs particularly to him ratione officii any thing that another is concerned in as well as he without the Metropolitane § 24. Act. 15 Can. 9. So in the Councel of Chalcedon the direction is given for appeals in this order from the Bishop to the Metropolitane from the Metropolitane to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Primate of the Diocese or Province as where there are more Metropolitanes then one as was shewed of Ephesus in Asia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ulp. Obser D. de Offic. Procons and elsewhere frequently there some one is Primate or Patriarch among them and to him lyes the appeal in the last resort and from him to no other see Justinian Novel 123. c. 22. and Cod. l. 1. tit 4. leg 29. who speaking of this calls it an ancient decree § 25. That which we find in the eighth Canon of the Great Councel of Ephesus shall conclude this matter when upon some claim of the Patriarch of Antioch for an interest in the ordaining of the Patriarch of Cyprus the Bishops of Cyprus deny his claim and deduce their privilege of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or independence from any forein Bishop from the very Apostles times A sanctis Apostolis say they nunquam possunt ostendere quòd adfuerit Antiochenus ordinaverit vel communicaverit unquam insulae ordinationis gratiam neque alius quisquam From the very Apostles times they can never shew that the Patriarch of Antioch or any other was present and ordained or being absent sent the grace of ordination to this Island but that the Bishops of Constantia the Metropolis of that Island by name Troilus Sabinus and Epiphanius and all the orthodox Bishops from the Apostles times ab his qui in Cypro constituti sunt have been constituted and ordained by their own Bishops of the Island and accordingly they required that they might continue in the same manner Sicut initio à temporibus Apostolorum permansit Cypriorum Synodus as they had done from the times of the very Apostles still appealing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the ancient manner the ancient custome the privileges which from their first plantation they had enjoyed and that from the Apostles themselves And accordingly that Councel condemned the pretension of the Patriarch of Antioch as that which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an innovation against the Ecclesiastical Lawes and Canons of the holy Fathers and orders not only in behalf of the Cypriots that the Bishops of their Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall continue to enjoy their right inviolate according to the ancient custome but extended their sentence to all other Dioceses in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same shall be observed in all other Dioceses and Provinces wheresoever that no Bishop shall lay hold of another Province which hath not been formerly and from the beginning under their or their Ancestors power And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This holy and Oecumenical Synod hath decreed that the privileges and rights of every Province shall be conserved pure and inviolate as they have enjoyed them from the beginning according to the custome that hath anciently been in force All deducing this power of Primates over their own Bishops and together excluding all forein pretenders from the Apostles and first planters of the Churches and requiring all to remain as they were first thus constituted Wherein as there be many things of useful observation which will be more fitly appliable in the progresse of this discourse so that which is alone pertinent to this place is only this that there may be a disobedience and irregularity and so a Schisme even in the Bishops in respect of their Metropolitanes and of the authority which they have by Canon and Primitive custome over them which was therefore to be added to the several Species of Schisme set down in the former chapters CHAP. IV. The pretended evidences of the Romanist against the Church of England examined and first that from the Bishop of Romes Supremacy by Christs donation to S. Peter § 1. THE Scene being thus prepared and the nature and sorts of Schisme defined and summarily enumerated our method now leads us to inquire impartially what evidences are producible against the Church of England whereby it may be thought lyable to this guilt of Schisme And these pretended evidences may be of several sorts according to the several Species of this sort of Schisme described and acknowledged by us § 2. The first charge against us Our casting out the Popes Supremacy The first evidence that is offered against us is taken from a presumed Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome as Successor to S. Peter over all Churches in the world which being in the dayes of Henry VIII renounced and disclaimed first by both Vniversities and most of the greatest and famous Monasteries of this kingdome in their negative answer and determination of this question An aliquid Authoritatis in hoc Regno Angliae Pontifici Romano de jure competat plusquam alii cuiquam Episcopo extero Whether the Pope of Rome have of right any authority in the Realme of England more then any other forein Bishop hath and that determination of theirs testified under their hands and scales and after by Act of Convocation subscribed by the Bishops and Clergy and confirmed by their corporal oaths and at last the like imposed by Act of Parliament 35 Hen. VIII c. 1. all this is looked on and condemn'd as an Act of Schisme in this Church and Nation in renouncing that power of S. Peters Successors placed over all Christians by Christ § 3. This objection against us consisting of many branches every of which must be manifested or granted to have truth in it or else the objection will be of no
if it have respect to a civil right may in this or that nation be repealed is the judgment of Roger Widrington or Father Preston in his last rejoinder to Fitzherbert c. 11. § 44. and c. 8. he confirms it by the doctrine of Zuarez l. 2. de leg c. 19. and the reason of Zuarez is because such a law made at a general meeting of Princes is intrinsecally a civil law and hath not force by virtue of the law to binde the subjects of any particular kingdome or Common-wealth any otherwise then as it is enacted or received by the Governors and subjects of that kingdome § 23. And this is affirmed and extended by Balsamon to all Canons in general as the judgment of learned men in his notes on that 16 th Canon of the Councel of Carthage before cited § 24. So if alienated by prescription And for the matter of Prescription the decision of †Clav Reg l. 9. c. 12. Sayr is worth observing that in such cases as these Cum Praescriptio sit tantùm de jure Civili Canonico When the Prescription is neither of the law of Nature nor the Divine law nor the law of Nations but only of the Civil and Canon law there non plus se extendit quà m unusquisque supremus Princeps in suo Regno eam suis legibus extensam esse velit it extends no farther then every supreme Prince in his Realm by his laws is supposed to will that it shall be extended which saith he cannot be supposed in matters of this nature of exempting subjects from making their appeal to their King for saith he non est de mente alicujus Principis ut quispiam subditorum possit praescribere quòd ad Principem ab eo non appelletur aut quòd eum coercere non potest quando ratio justitia postulat It is not imaginable to be the minde of any Prince that any of his subjects should be able to prescribe that he is not to appeal to his Prince but to some other or that his Prince may not punish him when reason and justice requires It were easie to apply this distinctly to the confirming of all that I here pretend but I shall not thus expatiate CHAP. VII Their third Evidence from our casting off Obedience to the Bishop of Rome at the Reformation § 1. UPon that one ground laid in the former Chapter the power of Kings in general and particularly ad hunc actum to remove Patriarchates whatsoever can be pretended against the lawfulnesse of the Reformation in these kingdomes will easily be answered And therefore supposing the third and last objection to lie against our Reformation that it was founded in the casting off that obedience to the Bishop of Rome which was formerly paid him by our Bishops and people under them I shall now briefly descend to that first laying down the matter of fact as it lies visible in our records and then vindicating it from all blame of schisme which according to the premises can any way be thought to adhere to it § 2. The history of what was done against the Bishop of Rome in the Reformation And first for the matter of fact it is acknowledged that in the reigne of King Henry VIII the Papal and with it all forein power in Ecclesiastical affairs was both by acts of Convocation of the Clergie and by statutes or acts of Parliament cast out of this kingdome The first step or degree hereof was the Clergie's synodical recognizing the King singularem Ecclesiae Anglicanae Protectorem unicum supremum Dominum the singular Protector the only and supreme Head of the Church of England Upon this were built the statutes of 24 Hen VIII prohibiting all Appeals to Rome and for the determining all Ecclesiasticall suits and controversies within the kingdome The statute of 25 Hen VIII for the manner of electing and consecrating of Archbishops and Bishops and another in the same year prohibiting the payment of all impositions to the court of Rome and for the obtaining all such dispensations from the See of Canterbury which were formerly procured from the Popes of Rome and that of 26 Hen VIII declaring the King to be the supreme head which in Queen Elizabeth's reign was to avoid mistakes changed into supreme Governour of the Church of England and to have all honours and praeeminencies which were annexed to that title § 3. This was in the next place attended with the submission of the Clergie to the King agreed on first in Convocation and afterward in 25 Hen VIII enacted by Parliament to this purpose that as it was by the Clergie acknowledged that the Convocation of the Clergie then was alwaies had been and ought to be assembled by the Kings writ and as they submitting themselves to the King's Majestie had promised in verbo sacerdotis that they would never from thenceforth presume to attempt allege claim or put in ure enact promulge or exercise any new Canons Constitutions Ordinances Provincial or other unlesse the King 's most royal assent may to them be had to make promulge execute the same so it was now enacted that none of the Clergie should enact promulge or execute any such Canons Constitutions and Ordinances Provincial or Synodical without assent and authority received from the King upon pain of imprisonment and fine at the Kings pleasure § 4. The third and last step of this began with the debate of the Vniversities and most eminent Monasteries in the kingdome An aliquid authoritatis in hoc Regno Angliae Pontifici Romano de jure competat plusquam alii cuiquam Episcopo extero Whether any authority did of right belong to the Bishop of Rome in the Kingdome of England more then to any other forein Bishop and upon agitation it was generally defined in the negative and so returned testified under their hands and seals The like was soon after concluded and resolved by the Convocation of the Bishops and all the Clergie and subscribed and confirmed by their corporal oathes And at that time was written and printed the Tract de verâ differentiâ Regiae et Ecclesiasticae potestatis set out by the Prelates the chief composers of which were John Stokesly Bishop of London Cutbert Tunstall Bishop of Durham Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester and D r Thirlby afterward Bishop where from the practise of the Saxon and first Norman Kings they evidence the truth of that Negative out of story And what was thus concluded by the Clergie was soon turned into an Act of Parliament also in 28 Hen VIII called An Act extinguishing the authority of the Bishop of Rome and prescribing an oath to all Officers Ecclesiastical and lay of renouncing the said Bishop and his authority § 5. By these three degrees it is acknowledged that the Bishops and Clergie first then the King confirming the Acts of the Convocation and after making Acts of Parliament to the same purposes renounced the authority of the Roman See and cast it
out of this Island The Praemunire and though the first Act of the Clergie in this were so induced that it is easie to believe that nothing but the apprehension of dangers which hung over them by a Praemunire incurred by them could probably have inclined them to it therefore I shall not pretend that it was perfectly an act of their first will and choice but that which the necessity of affairs recommended to them yet the matter of right being upon that occasion taken into their most serious debate in a synodical way and at last a fit and commodious expression uniformly pitch'd upon by joynt consent of both houses of the Convocation there is no reason to doubt but that they did believe what they did professe the fear being the occasion of their debates but the reasons or arguments offered in debate the causes as in all charity we are to judge of their decision § 6. But I shall not lay much weight on that judgment of charity because if that which was thus determined by King and Bishops were falsly determined then the voluntarinesse or freenesse of the determination will not be able to justifie it and on the other side if the determination were just then was there truth in it antecedent to and abstracted from the determination and it was their duty so to determine and crime that they were unwilling to doe it And therefore the whole difficulty devolves to this one enquiry Whether at that time of the reign of Henry VIII the Bishop of Rome were supreme head or Governour of this Church of England or had any real authority here which the King might not lawfully remove from him to some other viz to the Archbishop of Canterbury if he pleased § 7. The Right of the Bishop of Rome considered And this is presently determined upon the grounds which have been formerly laid and confirmed to have truth in them For the pretensions for the Popes supremacy of power among us being by the assertors thereof founded in one of these three either in his right as S. Peter's successour to the Vniversal Pastorship that including his power over England as a member of the whole or 2. by the paternal right which by Augustine's planting the Gospel among the Saxons is thought to belong to the Pope and his successours that sent him or 3. in the voluntary concession of some Kings the two former of these have been largely disproved already Chap. 4 5 and 6. in discourses purposely and distinctly applied to those pretensions The concession of Kings And for the third that will appear to have received its determination also I. by the absolutenesse of the power of our Princes to which purpose I shall mention but one passage that of †in Goldast de Mon G. de Heimburg some two hundred years since in the last words of his tract de Injust Vsurp Pap where speaking of the Emperors making oath to the Pope he saith that this is a submission in him and a patience above what any other suffers and proves it by this argument Nam eximius Rex Angliae Franciae Dux Marchio non astringitur Papae quocunque juramento factus Imperator jurare tenetur secundum Decretales eorum fabulosè fictas ita ut supremus Monarcha magis servilis conditionis quà m quilibet ejus inferior fieri censeatur The King of England and France any Duke or Marquesse of that Kingdome is not bound to the Pope by any oath yet the Emperour at his creation is thus bound to swear according to the Popes Decretals fabulously invented so that the supreme Monarch is made to be of a more servile condition then any his inferior Prince And 2. by the rights of Kings to remove or erect Patriarchates and will be farther confirmed in the Negative if answer be first given to this Dilemma § 8. A Dilemma against the plea drawn from that The authority of the Pope in this Kingdome which is pretended to be held by the concession of our Kings was either so originally vested in our Kings that they might lawfully grant it to whom they pleased pleased and so did lawfully grant it to the Pope or it was not thus originally vested in our Kings If it were not then was that grant an invalid null grant for such are all concessions of that which is not ours to give presumptions invasions robberies in the giver which devolve no right to the receiver and then this is a pitiful claim which is thus founded But if that authority were so vested in the Kings of England that they might lawfully grant it to whom they pleased which is the only way by which the Pope can pretend to hold any thing by this title of regal concession then certainly the same power remains still vested in the King to dispose it from him to some other as freely as the same King may upon good causes remove his Chancellour or any other of his officers from his place and commit it to another this way of arguing is made use of by the Bishops in Convocation Anno Chr 1537. in the Book by them intituled The Institution of a Christian man Or if the same power doe not still remain in the King then is the King's power diminished and he consequently by this his act of which we treat become lesse a King then formerly he was And then we know that such acts which make him so are invalid acts it being acknowledged to be above the power of the King himself to divest himself and his successors of any part of his regal power § 9. Two sorts of gifts To which purpose it must be observed 1. that some things are so ours that we may freely use them but cannot freely part with them as all those things wherein our propriety is not confined to our persons but intailed on our posterity and such the regal power is supposed to be 2. That as some things which are part of our personal proprieties are so freely ours to give that when they are given they are departed out of our selves and cannot justly be by us resumed again in which case that Maxim of the civil law stands good data eo ipso qu◠dantur fiunt accipientis what is given by the very act of being given becomes the goods of the receiver so other things are given to others so as we doe not part with them our selves they are as truly and properly ours after as before the Concession § 10. Some revocable Thus the Sun communicates his beams and with them his warmth and influences and yet retains all which it thus communicates and accordingly withdraweth them again And God the spring of all life and grace doth so communicate each of these that he may and doth freely withdraw them again and when he taketh away our breath we die And thus certainly the King being the fountain of all power and authority as he is free to communicate this power to one so is he equally free to recall
1. § 16. In this matter as much as concerns the Ordination of those new Bishops that it was performed regularly according to the Antient Canons each by the Imposition of the hands of three Bishops hath been evidently set down out of the Records and vindicated by M r Mason in his Booke de Minist Anglic and may there be view'd at large if the Reader want satisfaction in that point § 17. The Creation of new Bishops in Queen Elizabeth's time vindicated As for the second remaining part of the objection which alone is pertinent to this place it will receive answer by these degrees First that the death of Cardinal Pool Archbishop of Canterbury falling neer upon the death of her Predecessor Queen Mary it was very regular for Queen Elizabeth to assigne a successor to that See then vacant Archbishop Parker 2 dly that those Bishops which in Queen Mary's daies had been exiled and deprived and had survived that calamity were with all justice restored to their dignities 3 dly that the Bishops by her deprived and divested of their dignities were so dealt with for refusing to take the oath of Supremacy formed and enjoyned in the daies of Henry the VIII and in the first Parliament of this Queen revived and the statutes concerning it restored to full force before it was thus imposed on them So that for the justice of the cause of their deprivation it depends Immediatly upon the Right and power of the Supreme Magistrate to make laws to impose oathes for the securing his Government and to inflict the punishments prescribed by those laws on the disobedient but Originally upon the truth of that decision of the Bishops and Clergie and Vniversities in the reigne of Henry the VIII that no authority belonged in this Kingdome of England to the Bishop of Rome more then to any other forein Bishop The former of these I shall be confident to look on as an undoubted truth in the maintenance of which all Government is concerned and hath nothing peculiar to our pretensions which should suggest a vindication of it in this place And the second hath I suppose been sufficiently cleared in the former chapters of this discourse which have examined all the Bishop of Romes claims to this Supremacy And both these grounds being acknowledged or till they be invalidated or disproved supposed to have truth and force in them the conclusion will be sufficiently induced that there was no injustice in that Act of the Queens which divested those Bishops which thus refused to secure her Government or to approve their fidelity to their lawful Soveraign § 18. Fourthly that those Bishops being thus deprived it was most Regular and Necessary and that against which no objection is imaginable that of their due Ordination being formerly cleared that other Bishops should be nominated and advanced to those vacant Sees and that what should be for the future acted by those new Bishops in Convocation was regular Synodical and valid beyond all exception in respect of the formality of it § 19. Fiftly that as by the Vniform and joynt consent of these Bishops thus constituted a Declaration of certain Principal Articles of Religion was agreed on and set out by Order of both Archbishops Metropolitans and the rest of the Bishops for the Vnity of doctrine to be taught and holden of all Parsons Vicars and Curates c. and this not before the third year of that Queens reigne So before this time there had not been as farre as appears any debate in any former Convocation of that Queens reigne concerning Religion only an offer of a disputation betwixt eight Clergie-men on each side which came to nothing but all done by the Parliaments restoring what had been debated and concluded by former Synods in the reigns of King Henry the eight and Edward the sixt without any new deliberation in any present Synod By this means were revived the Statutes for the Regal Supremacy as also of the book of Common-prayer as it was in the time of Edward the sixt with few alterations which included the abolition of the Romish Missalls And so all this again as farre as it concerned Queen Elizabeth's part in the Reformation is regularly superstructed on the forementioned foundation of Regal Supremacy with the concurrence and advise of Synods which hath been in the former part of this discourse I hope sufficiently vindicated § 20. And that being granted it cannot be here necessary or pertinent to descend to the consideration of each several matter of the Change thus wrought in this Church either as branches of the Reformation or under the name or title of it For our present enquirie being no farther extended then this whether the true Church of England as it stands by Laws established have in Reforming been guilty of Schisme as that signifies in the first place a recession and departure from the obedience of our lawful Superiours and this being cleared in the Negative by this one evidence that all was done by those to whom and to whom only the rightful power legally pertained viz the King and Bishops of this Nation supposing as now regularly we may having competently proved it and answered all the colours that have been offered against it that the Pope had no right to our obedience and consequently that our departure from him is not a departure from our obedience to our superiours it is presently visible that all other matters will belong to some other heads of Discourse and consequently must be debated upon other principles All variation from the Church of Rome in point of Doctrine if it should as I believe it will never be proved to be unjust falling under the head of Heresie not of schisme and for acts of sacrilege and the like impieties as certainly Henry the eighth and some others cannot be freed from such they are by us as freely charged upon the actors as by any Romanist they can be But yet sacrilege is no more schisme then it is adulterie and the Church on which one sin hath been committed cannot be from thence proved to be guilty of every other CHAP. VIII Of the Second sort of Schisme as that is an Offence against mutual Charity This divided into three species and the first here examined § 1. BUT beside that first species of schisme as it is an offence against the subordination which Christ hath by himself and his Apostles setled in the Church from the guilt of which I have hitherto indevoured to vindicate our Church another was taken notice of as it signifies an offence against the mutual unity and peace and charity which Christ left among his Disciples And to that I must now proceed as farre as the Accusations of the Romanist give us occasion to vindicate our innocence § 2. Three branches of the second sort of Schisme And for method's sake this branch of Schisme may be subdivided into three species The first is a breach in the doctrines or Traditions a departure from the
unity of the Faith which was once delivered to the saints under that head also comprehending the institutions of Christ of his Apostles and of the Vniversal Church of the first and purest ages whether in Government or other the like observances and practises The second is an offence against external peace and Communion Ecclesiastical The third and last is the want of that charity which is due from every Christian to every Christian Beside these I cannot foresee any other species of schisme and therefore the vindicating our Reformation from all grounds of charge of any of these three will be the absolving the whole task undertaken in these sheets § 3. 1. A departure from the Unity of Doctrines or Traditions Apostolical For the first it may be considered either in the Bullion or in the coyn in the grosse or in the retail either as it is a departure from those rules appointed by Christ for the founding and upholding his truth in the Church this Vnity of Doctrine c. or else as it is the asserting any particular branch of Doctrine contrary to Christs and the Apostolical pure Churches establishment § 4. Our Church vindicated from this in two branches And here it is first suggested by the Romanist that by casting out the authority of the Bishop of Rome we have cast off the head of all Christian Vnity and so must needs be guilty of Schisme in this first respect To which the answer is obvious 1. In the first Christs Rules for upholding the truth that that Bishop of Rome was never appointed by Christ to be the head of all Christian unity or that Church to be the conservatory for ever of all Christian truth any more then any other Bishop or Church of the Apostles ordaining or planting and whatever can be pretended for the contrary will be easily answered from the grounds already laid and cleared in the former part of this discourse concerning the Vniversal Pastorship of S. Peter's successors which must not be here so unnecessarily repeated § 5. 2 dly That the way provided by Christ and his Apostles for the preserving the unity of the faith c. in the Church is fully acknowledged by us and no way supplanted by our Reformation That way is made up of two acts of Apostolical providence First their resolving upon some few heads of special force and efficacie to the planting of Christian life through the world and preaching and depositing them in every Church of their plantation 2. Their establishing an excellent subordination of all inferior officers of the Church to the Bishop in every city of the Bishops in every Province to their Metropolitanes of the Metropolitanes in every region or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Patriarchs or Primates allowing also among these such a Primacie of Order or dignity as might be proportionable to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the scripture and agreeable to what is by the antient Canons allowed to the Bishop of Rome And this standing subordination sufficient for all ordinary uses and when there should be need of extraordinary remedies there was then a supply to be had by congregating Councels Provincial Patriarchal General as hath formerly been shewed And all this it is most certain asserted and acknowledged by every true son of the Church of England as zealously as is pretended by any Romanist And from hence by the way that speech of the learned and excellent Hugo Grotius which I discern to be made use of by the Romanists and look'd on with jealousie by others will I suppose receive its due importance and interpretation in his Rivet Apologet Discuss p. 255. Restitutionem Christianorum in unum idémque corpus c. § 6. As for the subjection and dependence of this Church to the Monarchick power of the Bishop of Rome this will never be likely to tend to the unity of the whole body unlesse first all other Churches of Christians paid that subjection too and were obliged and so by duty morally ascertain'd alwaies to continue it which it is evident the Eastern Churches had not done long before the time of our pretended departure and 2. unlesse the Bishop of Rome were in probability able to administer that vast Province so as would be most to the advantage of the whole body For which whether he be fitly qualified or no as it is not demonstrable in the causes so is it to be looked on as a Politick Probleme the truth of which belongs to prudent persons and and such as are by God intrusted with the Flock to judge of i. e. to the Princes the nursing Fathers of every Church who are prudentially and fatherly to determine for themselves and those that are under them what is most ordinable to that end and cannot be obliged to conclude farther then the motives or premises will bear to decree what they doe not reasonably and cordially believe § 7. In the Second Particular doctrines Lastly for the particular doctrines wherein we are affirmed by the Romanists to depart from the Vnity of the Faith and so by departing from the unity to be schismatical as heretical by departing from the faith this must be contested by a strict survey of the particular doctrines wherein as we make no doubt to approve our selves to any that will judge of the Apostolical doctrine and traditions by the Scriptures and consent of the first 300 years or the four General Councels The Church of Englands temper in respect of particular doctrines the most competent witnesses of Apostolical traditions so we shall secure our selves of our innocence in this behalf by that principle acknowledged in our Church and owned as the rule by which we are concluded in any debate or controversie That whatever is contrary to the doctrine or practises of those first and purest ages shall by us assoon as it thus appears be renounced and disclaimed also Which resolution of rulinesse and obedience will I suppose conserve us in the unity of the Faith and render us approveable to God though our ignorance thus unaffected should betray us to some misunderstandings of those first times and be an instrument much more probable to lead us into all truth then the supposed infallibility of the Church of Rome can be imagined to be which as it leaves the proudest presumer really as liable to error as him that acknowledgeth himself most fallible so it ascertains him to persevere incorrigible whether in the least or greatest error which by fault or frailty he shall be guilty of § 8. This consideration of the humble docible temper of our Church together with our professed appeal to those first and purest times to stand or fall as by those evidences we shall be adjudged as it necessarily renders it our infelicity not our crime if in judging of Christ's truth we should be deemed to erre so may it reasonably supersede that larger trouble of the Reader in this place which the view and examination of the severals would cost him
it being thus farre evident that it is our avowed wish and our care should it be denied to be our lot a special mark of the Church of England's Reformation to preserve the Vnity of the Apostolical Faith and Primitive practises as intire as we would have done Christ's body or garment and the probability being not weak on our side that the fact of the crucifying souldiers which hath so much of our abhorrence and detestation shall never be our choice our known or wilfull guilt or if it be that we so farre recede from our Profession CHAP. IX The Second species of this Schisme examined as it is an offence against external peace or Communion Ecclesiastical § 1. This Church free from breach of Communion Ecclesiastical NOW for the second branch of this second sort of Schism as it is an offence against external peace or communion Ecclesiastical This cannot with any colour be charged on us As appears by six Considerations of whom these 6 things are manifest and that by the tenure of our Reformation 1. The first that we have alwaies retained the form of Government in and under which the Apostles founded Ecclesiastical assemblies or Communion viz that of the Bishop and his inferiour officers in every Church and so in that respect are in Ignatius his phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within the altar have no part of that breach of Ecclesiastical communion upon us which consists in casting out that order 2. The second That as we maintain that Order so we regularly submit to the exercise of it acknowledge the due authority of these Governors profess Canonical obedience to them submit to their Censures and Decrees and give our selves up to be ruled by them in all things that belong to their cognizance secundum Deum according to God 3. The third That the circumstances which are necessary to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assembling our selves together for the publick worship whether 1. that of place our Churches consecrated to those offices or 2. that of time the Lords day and other primitive festivals and Fasts and in their degree every day of the week or 3. that of forms of Prayer and Praises celebration of Sacraments and sacramentals Preaching Catechizing c. or 4. that of Ceremonies such as the practise of the Primitive Church hath sent down recommended to us or lastly that of Discipline to binde all these performances upon every member of the Church in his office or place are all entered into our Confessions setled by Article as part of our establishment and so the want of either or all of those are not imputable to our Reformation § 2. The fourth Fourthly That in every of these three whatsoever the Romanist requires us to adde farther to that which we voluntarily and professedly receive 1. the supreme transcendent monarchick power of the Pope 2. the acknowledgment of and obedience to his supremacy 3. the use of more ceremonies festivals c. is usurpation or imposition of the present Romanists absolutely without Authority or Precedent from the antient Primitive Church from whom we are so unwilling to divide in any thing that we choose a conformity with them rather then with any later modell and if by receding from the Ordo Romanus in any particular we doe not approve our selves to come neerer to the first and purest times it is the avow'd Profession of our Church the wish and purpose of it which I may justly style part of our establishment to reduce and restore that whatsover it is which is most pure and Primitive in stead of it § 3. The fift Fiftly That as we exclude no Christian from our communion that will either filially or fraternally embrace it with us being ready to admit any to our assemblies that acknowledge the Foundation laid by Christ and his Apostles so we as earnestly desire to be admitted to the like freedome of external Communion with all the members of all other Christian Churches as oft as occasion makes us capable of that blessing of the one heart and one lip and would most willingly by the use of the antient method of literae Communicatoriae maintain this Communion with those with whom we cannot corporally assemble and particularly with those which live in obedience to the Church of Rome § 4. The sixt Sixtly that the onely hindrances that interpose and obstruct this desired freedome of external Communion are wholly imputable to the Romanists § 5. First their excommunicating and separating from their assemblies all that maintain communion with the Church of England which we know was done by Bull from the Pope about the tenth year of Q. Elizabeth before which time those English which had not joyned in our Reformation might and did come to our assemblies and were never after rejected by us but upon their avowed contumacie against the orders of our Church which consequently brought the censures on them and to that it is visibly consequent that we that were cast out cannot be said to separate as in the former part of this discourse hath been demonstrated § 6. Secondly their imposing such conditions on their Communion belief of doctrines and approbation of practises which we neither believe nor approve of and are ready to contest and maintain our Negatives by grounds that all good Christians ought to be concluded by that we cannot without sinning or seeming to sin against conscience without wilfull falling on one side or dissembling and unsound confession on the other side or at least the scandal of one of these accept of their communion upon such conditions as hath formerly been demonstrated also § 7. A consideration concerning our Church And in this matter it were very well worthy our considering how farre the Articles of our Church of England proceed in accord with the present Roman doctrines and practises and in what particulars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we cannot perswade our selves to consent to them and then to offer it to the Vmpirage of any rational arbitrator whether we that unfeignedly professe to believe so much and no more nor to be convinced by all the reasons and authorities proofs from Scripture or the first Christian writers those of the first three hundred years or the four General Councels produced by them being in full inclination and desire of minde ready to submit upon conviction are in any reason or equity or according to any example or precept of Christ or his Apostles or the antient Primitive Church to be required to offer violence to our mindes and to make an unsound profession or else for that one guilt of not doing so to be rejected as hereticks and denied the benefit of Christian Communion which we heartily desire to extend and propagate to them which deny it to us All this thus put together and applied to this present matter will certainly vindicate us from all appearance of guilt of this second branch of the second sort of Schisme CHAP. X. The third species of this Schism as
most ignorant rusticks some so void of all degree of knowledge saith Josephus that they knew not what the very word Priest signified The Roman Conquerours by their Procurators put in annually whom they pleased to choose without consideration of the Aaronical line into the chief Priest's office I shall here demand of any Whether supposing and granting it as undeniable that the Zelots were formally Schismaticks or with some improvement in Josephus his style 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seditious there can be any ground of reason or equity to involve or conclude under the same guilt those that lived under those imposed usurping High Priests supposing those inferiors to have been as farre from consenting to the continuance as to the beginning of such usurpation and that the circumstances were such that they lay not under the appearance of doing what they did not and so had not the scandal any more then the reality of that guilt The Reader I suppose will be able to answer this Quaere to himself and supersede all necessity of making up the Parallel § 7. The Conclusion And then I have at this time no farther exercise for him but that he will joyn in ardent prayers with me that God will restore that which is lost reduce that heavenly grace and incomparable blessing of Christian peace and holy communion among all that have received the honour of being called by his name that we may all minde the same thing fix the same common designes love and aid and promote one anothers good unanimously glorifie him here with one tongue and heart that we may all be glorified with him and sing joynt Hosannah's and Hallelujah's to him to all eternity Amen ERRATA PAge 42. line 3. dele p. 73. li. 9. lege S. Peter so p. 81. marg li. 12. lege 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 85. l. 24. lege Where as p. 91. li. 4. lege 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 107. li. 2. for third lege second p. 141. li. 25. for quae re quo p. 157. li. 3. lege that the The Contents CHAP. I. AN Introduction the danger and sin of Schism page 1 CHAP. II. What Schism us together with some general considerations thereon 12 CHAP. III. The several sorts of Schism 31 CHAP. IV. The pretended evidences of the Romanist against the Church of England examined and first that from the Bishop of Rome's Supremacy by Christ's donation to S. Peter 66 CHAP. V. The evidences from the Bishop of Romes succeeding S. Peter examined 92 CHAP. VI. Their second plea from the Bishop of Rome having planted Christianity among us 107 CHAP. VII Their third Evidence from our casting off Obedience to the Bishop of Rome at the Reformation 132 CHAP. VIII Of the second sort of Schism as that is an offence against mutual Charity This divided into three species and the first here examined 155 CHAP. IX The second species of this Schism examined as it is an offence against external peace or Communion Ecclesiastical 163 CHAP. X. The third species of this Schism as an offence against that charity due from every Christian to every Christian examined 169 CHAP. XI Concerning the present Persecution of the Church of England and the advantages sought from thence 174 THE END A CATALOGUE of some Books Printed for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivie-lane London A Paraphrase and Annotations upon all the Books of the New Testament by Henry Hammond D. D. in fol. The Practical Catechisme with all other English Treatises of Henry Hammond D. D. in two volumes in 4 o. Dissertationes quatuor quibus Episcopatus Jura ex S. Scripturis Primaeva Antiquitate adstruuntur contra sententiam D. Blondelli aliorum Authore Henrico Hammond in 4 o. A Letter of Resolution of six Quaere's in 12 o. The names of several Treatises and Sermons written by Jer. Taylor D. D. viz. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Course of Sermons for all the Sundaies of the Year Together with a Discourse of the Divine Institution Necessity Sacrednesse and Separation of the Office Ministerial in fol. 2. Episcopacy asserted in 4 o. 3. The History of the Life and Death of the Ever-blessed Jesus Christ 2 d Edit in fol. 4. The Liberty of Prophesying in 4 o. 5. An Apology for authorized and Set-forms of Liturgie in 4 o. 6. A Discourse of Baptisme its institution and efficacy upon all Beleivers in 4 o. 7. The Rule and Exercises of holy living in 12 o. 8. The Rule and exercises of holy dying in 12 o. 9. A short Catechisme for institution of young persons in the Christian Religion in 12 o. 10. The Reall Presence and Spirituall of CHRIST in the Blessed Sacrament proved against the Doctrine of Transubstantiation in 8 o. Certamen Religiosum or a Conference between the late King of England and the late Lord Marquis of Worcester concerning Religion at Ragland Castle Together with a Vindication of the Protestant Cause by Chr. Cartwright in 4 o. The Psalter of David with Titles and Collects according to the matter of each Psalm by the Right honourable Chr. Hatton in 12 o. Boanerges and Barnabas or Judgement and Mercy for wounded and afflicted souls in several Soliloquies by Francis Quarles in 12 o. The life of Faith in Dead Times by Chr. Hudson in 12 o. Motives for Prayer upon the seven dayes of the Week by Sir Richard Baker Knight in 12 o. The Guide unto True Blessedness or a Body of the Doctrine of the Scriptures directing man to the saving knowledge of God by Sam. Crook in 12 o. Six excellent Sermons upon several occasions preached by Edward Willan Vicar of Hoxne in 4 o. The Dipper dipt or the Anabaptists duck'd and plung'd over head and ears by Daniel Featly D. D. in 4 o. Hermes Theologus or a Divine Mercury new descants upon old Records by Theoph. Wodnote in 12 o. Philosophical Elements concerning Government and Civil society by Thomas Hobbs of Malmesbury in 12 o. An Essay upon Statius or the five first books of Publ. Papinius Statius his Thebais by Tho. Stephens School-master in S. Edmonds-bury in 8 o. Nomenclatura Brevis Anglo-Latino Graeca in usum Scholae Westmonasteriensis per F. Gregory in 8 o. Grammatices Graecae Enchiridion in usum Scholae Collegialis Wigorniae in 8 o. A Discourse of Holy Love by Sir Geo. Strode Knight in 12 o. The Saints Honey-Comb full of Divine Truths by Rich. Gove Preacher of Henton S. Gorge in Somersetshire in 8 o. Devotion digested into several Discourses and Meditations upon the Lords most holy Prayer Together with additional Exercitations upon Baptism The Lords Supper Heresies Blasphemy The Creatures Sin The souls pantings after God The Mercies of God The souls complaint of its absence from God by Peter Samwaies Fellow lately resident in Trinity College Cambridge in 12 o. Of the Division between the English and Romish Church upon Reformation by Hen. Fern D. D. in 12 o. Directions for the profitable reading of the Scriptures by John White M. A. in 8 o. The Exemplary Lives and Memorable Acts of 9. the most worthy women of the world 3 Jews 3 Gentiles 3 Christians by Tho. Heywood in 4 o. The Saints Legacies or a Collection of promises out of the Word of God in 12 o. Judicium Universitatis Oxoniensis de Solemni Lega Foedere Juramento Negativo c. in 8 o. Certain Sermons and Letters of Defence and Resolution to some of the late Controversaries of our times by Jasper Mayne D. D. in 4 o. Janua Linguarum Reserata sive omnium Scientiarum Linguarum seminarium Auctore Cl. Viro J. A. Comâ—nio in 8 o. A Treatise concerning Divine providence very seasonable for all Ages by Tho. Morton Bishop of Duresme in 8 o. Animadversions upon Mr. Hobbs his Leviathan with some Observations upon Sir Walter Rawleighs History of the World by Alex. Rosse in 12 o. Fifty Sermons preached by that learned and reverend Divine John Donne in fol. Wits-Common-wealth in 12 o. The Banquet of Jests new and old in 12 o. Balzac's Letters the fourth part in 8 o. Quarles Virgin Widow a Play in 4 o. Solomons Recantation in 4o. by Francis Quarles Amesii antisynodalia in 12 o. Christ's Commination against Scandalizers by John Tombes in 12 o. Dr. Stuart's Answer to Fountain's Letter in 4 o. A Tract of Fortifications with 22 brasse cuts in 4 o. Dr. Griffiths Sermon preached at S. Pauls in 4 o. Blessed birth-day printed at Oxford in 8 o. A Discourse of the state Ecclesiastical in 4 o. An Account of the Church Catholick where it was before the Reformation by Edward Boughen D. D. in 4 o. An Advertisement to the Jury-men of England touching Witches written by the Author of the Observations up Mr. Hobbs Leviathan in 4o Episcopacy and Presbytery considered by Hen. Fern D. D. in 4 o. A Sermon preached at the Isle of Wight before His Majesty by Hen. Fern D. D. in 4o The Commoners Liberty or the English-mans Birth-right in 4o An Expedient for composing Differences in Religion in 4 o. A Treatise of Self-denial in 4 o. The holy Life and Death of the late Vi-countesse Falkland in 12 o. Certain Considerations of present Concernment Touching this Reformed Church of England by Hen. Fern in 12 o. Englands Faithful Reprover and Monitour in 12 o. Newly published The grand Conspiracy of the Members against the Minde of Jews against their King As it hath been delivered in four Sermons by John Allington B. D. in 12 o. The Quakers Questions objected against the Ministers of the Gospel and many sacred acts and offices of Religion with brief Answets thereunto Together with a Discourse of the holy Spirit his workings and impressions on the souls of men by R. Sherlock B. D. in 8 o. Now in the Presse Of Fundamentals in a notion referring to Practise by H. Hammond D. D. in 12 o.