and visible of any Church or Churches on the pretension and plea be it true or otherwise that the worship Doctrine discipline instituted by Christ is corrupted among them with which corruption he dares not defile himselfe it is no where in the Scripture called Schisme noâ— is that case particularly exemplified or expressely supposed whereby a judgement may be made of the fact at large but we are left upon the whole matter to the guidance of such generall principles and Rules as are given us for that end and purpose What may regularly on the other hand be deduced from the commands given to turne away from them who have only a forme of Godlinesse 2 Tim. 3. 5. to withdraw from them that walk disorderly 2 Thes 3. 6. not to beare nor endure in communion men of corrupt principles and wicked lives Rev. 2. 14. but positively to separate from an Apostate Church Rev. 18. 4 that in all things we may worship Christ according to his mind and appointment what is the force of these commands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the like is without the compasse of what I am now treating about Of one particular Church departing from that communion with another or others be it what it will which it ought to hold unlesse in the departing of some of them in some things from the common Faith which is supposed not to relate to Schisme in the Scripture we have no example Diotrephes assuming an Authority over that Church wherein he was placed 3 Joh. 9 10. and for a season hindering the brethren from the performance of the duty incumbent upon them toward the great Apostle and others makes the nearest approach to such a division but yet in such a distance that it is not at all to our purpose in hand When I come to consider that communion that Churches have or ought to have among themselves this will be more fully discussed Neither is this my sence alone that there is no instance of any such separation as that which is the matter of our debate to be found in the Scripture It is confessed by others differing from me in and about Church affaires To leave all ordinary communion in any Church with dislike where opposition or offence offers it selfe is to separate from such a Church in the Scripture sence such separation was not in being in the Apostles time say they Papâ—â—accom p. 55. But how they came to know exactly the sence of the Scripture in about things not mentioned in them I know not As I said before were I unwilling I doe not as yet understand how I may be compelled to carry on the notion of Schisme any farther Nor is there need of adding any thing to demonstrate how little the conscience of a godly man walking peaceably in any particular Church society is concerned in all the clamarous disputes of this Age about it being built on false Hypotheses presumptions and notions no other way considerable but as received by tradition from our Fathers But I shall for the sake of some carry on this Discourse to a fuller issue There is another common notion of Schisme which pleads to an originall from that spoken expressly of it by a parity of reason which tolerable in it selfe hath been and is injuriously applyed and used according as it hath fallen into the hands of men who needed it as an engine to fixe or improve them in the station wherein they are or were wherewith they are pleased Indeed being invented for severall purposes there is nothing more frequent then for men who are scarce able to keep off the force of it from their own heads whilest mannaged against them by them above at the same time vigorously to apply it for the oppression of all under them What is on all hands consented unto as its generall nature I shall freely grant that I might have liberty and advantage thence to debate the restriction and application of it to the severall purposes of men prevailing themselves thereon Let then the generall demand be granted that Schisme is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the breach of Vnion which I shall attend with one reasonable postulatum namely that this union be an union of the appointment of Jesus Christ The consideration then of what or what sort of union in reference to the worship of God according to the Gospell is instituted appointed by Jesus Christ is the proper foundation of what I have farther to offer in this businesse Let the breach of this if you please be accounted Schisme for being an evill I shall not contend by what name or title it be distinguished It is not pleaded that any kind of relinquishment or desertion of any Church or Churches is presently Schisme but only such a separation as breakes the bond of Vnion instituted by Christ Now this union being instituted in the Church according to the various acceptions of that word so is it distinguished Therefore for a discovery of the nature of that which is particularly to be spoken to and also its contrary I must shew 1. The severall considerations of the Church wherein and with which union is to be preserved 2. What that union is and wherein it doth consist which according to the minde of Christ we are to keep and observe with the Church under the severall notions of it respectively 3 And how that union is broken and what is that sinne whereby it is done In handling this triple proposall I desire that it may not be expected that I should much insist on any thing that falls in my way though never so usefull to my end and purpose which hath been already proved and confirmed by others beyond all possibility of controule and such will many if not most of the principles that I proceed upon appeare to be CAP. IV. Severall Acceptations in the Scripture of the name Church Of the Church Catholick properly so called Of the Church visible Perpetuity of particular Churches A mistake rectifyed The nature of the Church Catholick evinced Bellarmine his description of the Church Catholick Vnion of the Church Catholick wherein it consists Vnion by way of consequence Vnity of Faith Of Love The Communion of the Catholick Church in and with itsselfe The breach of the Vnion of the Church Catholick wherein it consisteth Not morally possible Protestants not guilty of it The Papall world out of interest in the Church Catholick As partly profane Miracles no evidence of Holinesse Partly ignorant Selfe Justitiaries Idolatrous Worshippers of the Beast TO begin with the first thing proposed The Church of Christ living in this world as to our present concernment is taken in Scripture three wayes 1. For the Mysticall body of Christ his Elect Redeemed Justifyed and Sanctifyed ones throughout the world commonly called the Church-Catholick-Militant 2. For the Vniversality of men throughout the world called by the preaching of the word visibly professing and yeilding obedience to the Gospell called by some
and by him to us Joh. 14. 16. being of old the great promise of the Covenant Is 59. 21. Ezek. 11. 17. cap. 26. 36. Now in the participation of the Divine nature consists the Vnion of the Saints with Christ Ioh. 6. 5. our Saviour tells us that it arises from eating his flesh and drinking his Blood he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him This he expounds v. 63. it is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth not By the quickning Spirit inhabitation in Christ and Christ in it is intended And the same he manifests in his prayer that his Church may be one in the Father and the Sonne as the Father is in him and he in the Father Ioh. 17. 21. for the Spirit being the Love of the Father and of the Son is vinculum Trinitatis and so here of our Union in some resemblance The unity of members in the body naturall with one head is often chosen to set forth the union of the Church 1 Cor. 12. 12. 1 Cor. 11. 3. Eph 5. 23. Col. 1. 19. now every man can tell that union of the head and members whereby they become all one body that and not another is onenesse of soule whereby the whole is animated which makes the body be it lesse or greater to be one body That which answers hereunto in the mysticall body of Christ is the animation of the whole by his spirit as the Apostle fully 1 Cor. 15. 45. The union between husband and wife is also chosen by the Holy Ghost to illustrate the union between Christ and his Church For this cause shall a man forsake his Father and his Mother and cleave to his Wife and they two shall be one flesh this is a great mystery but I speake concerning Christ and his Church Eph. 5. 31 32. The union between man and wife we have Gen. 2. 24. they be no more twaine but one flesh of Christ and his Church that they are one spirit For he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. See also another similitude of the same importance Ioh. 15. 5. Rom. 11. 16 17. This I say is the fountain radicall union of the Church Catholick in its selfe with its head and formall reason of it Hence flowes a double consequentiall Vnion that it hath also 1. Of Faith All men united to Christ by the inhabitation of the same Spirit in him and them are by it from and according to the word taught of God Is 54. 13. Ioh. 6. 45. so taught every one of them as to come to Christ v. 46. that is by bilieving by faith They are so taught of God as that they shall certainly have that measure of knowledge and faith which is needfull to bring them to Christ and to God by him And this they have by the unction or Spirit which they have received 1 Ioh. 2. 21 27. accompaning the Word by vertue of Gods Covenant with them Is 59. 29. And hereby are all the members of the Church Catholick however divided in their visible profession by any differences among themselves or differenced by the severall measures of gifts and graces they have received brought to the perfection aymed at to the unity of the Faith to the acknowledgement of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4. 13. Nor was this hidden from some of the Papists themselves Ecclesia sancta corpus est Christi una spiritu vivificata unita fide una sanctificata saith Hugo de Victore de sacram lib. 2. as he had said before in the former Cap. sicut scriptum est qui non habet Spiritum Christi hic non est ejus qui non habet Spiritum Christi non est membrum Christi in corpore uno Spiritus unus nihil in corpore mortuum nihil extra corpus vivum See to the same purpose Enchirid. Concil Colon in Symbol With peculiar reference to the members themselves there is another necessary consequence of the union mentioned and that is the mutuall love of all those united in the head as before towards one another and of every one towards the whole as so united in the head Christ Jesus There is an increase made of the body to the edifying it selfe in love Eph. 4. 16. And so it becomes the bond of perfectnesse to this body of Christ I cannot say that the members or parts of this Church have their union in themselves by Love because they have that with and in Christ whereby they are one in themselves Ioh. 17. 21 23. they are one in God even in Christ where their life is hid Col. 3. 3. but it is the next and immediate principle of that communion which they severally have one with another and the whole body in and with it selfe I say then that the communion which the Catholick Church the mysticall body of Christ hath with and in it selfe springing from the union which it hath in and with Christ and in it selfe thereby consists in love exerting it selfe in inexpressible variety according to the present state of the whole its relation to Christ to Saints and Angells with the conditions and occasions of the members of it respectively 1 Cor. 12. 26 27. What hath been spoken concerning the union and communion of this Church will not I suppose meet with any contradiction Granting that there is such a Church as that we speake of Coetus praedestinatorum credentium the Papists themselves will grant that Christ alone is its head and that its union ariseth from its subjection to him and dependance on him Their modesty makes them contented with constituting the Pope in the roome of Christ as he is as it were a politicall head for government they have not as yet directly put in their claime to his office as a mysticall Head influencing the body with Life and Motion though by their figment of the Sacraments communicating grace ex opere operato and investing the originall power of dispencing them in the Pope only they have contended faire for it But if any one can informe me of any other union or communion of the Church described as above then these laid downe I shall willingly attend unto his instructions In the mean time to carry on the present discourse unto that which is aimed at it is manifest that the breach of this union must consist in these two things 1. First the casting out expelling and looseing that spirit which abiding in us gives us this union 2. The losse of that love which thence flowes into the body of Christ and believers as parts and members thereof This being the state of the Church under the first consideration of it certainly it would be an extravagancy scarcely to be parallel'd for any one to affirme a breach of this union as such to be Schisme under that notion of it which we
state of things unsuited to those of old Apostacy from the Vnity of the Church Catholick charged on the Romanists Their claime to be that Church sanguinary false Their plea to this purpose considered The blasphemous mannagement of their plea by some of late The whole dissolved Their inferences on their plea practically prodigious Their Apostacy proved by instances Their grand Argument in this cause proposed Answered Consequences of denying the Roman Church to be a Church of Christ weighed LEt us see now what as to conscience can be charged on us Protestants I meane who are all concerned herein as to the breach of this union The Papists are the persons that undertake to mannage this Charge against us To lay aside the old Plea subesse Romano Pontifici and all those â—eats wherewith they jugled when the whole world saâ—e in darknesse which they doe not now use at the entrance of their charge The summe of what they insist upon firstly is The Catholick Church is intrusted with the interpretation of the Scriptures and declaration of the Truths therein contained which being by it so declared the not receiving of them implicitely or explicitely that is the disbelieving of them as so proposed and declared cuts off any man from being a member of the Church Christ himselfe having said that he that heares not the Church is to be as an Heathen man or Publican which Church they are that is certaine It is all one then what we believe or doe not believe seeing that we believe not all that the Catholick Church proposeth to be believed and what we doe believe we believe not on haâ— account Ans Their insisting on this plea so much as they doe is sufficient to evince their despair of making good by instance our faylure in respect of the way and principles by which the unity of the visible Church may be lost or broken Faile they in this they are gone and if they carrie this plea we are all at their disposall The summe of it is the Catholick Church is intrusted with sole power of delivering what is truth and what is necessary to be believed This Catholick Church is the Church of Rome that is the Pope or what else may in any juncture of time serve their interest But as it is known 1. We deny their Church as it is stiled to be the Catholick Church or as such any part of it as particular Churches are called or esteemed So that of all men in the World they are least concerned in this Assertion Nay I shall goe farther Suppose all the members of the Roman Church to be found in the Faith as to all necessary Truths and no way to prejudice the Advantages and priviledges which accâ—â—e to them by the profession thereof whereby the severall individualls of it would be true members of the Catholick Church yet I should not only deny it to be the Catholick Church but also abideing in its present Order and Constitution being that which by themselves it is supposed to be to be any particular Church of Christ at all as wanting many things necessary to constitute them so and having many things destructive utterly to the very Essence and being of that Order that Christ hath appointed in his Churches The best plea that I know for their Church state is that Antichrist sits in the Temple of God Now although we might justly omit the Examination of this pretence untill those who are concerned in it will professedly owne it as their plea yet as it lyes in our way in the thoughts of some I say to it that I am not so certaine that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to sit in the Temple of God seeing a Learned man long agoe thought it rather to be a setting up against the Temple of God Aug. de Civitate Dei lib. 10. cap. 59. But grant the sence of the expression to be as it 's usually received it imports no more but that the man of sinne shall set up his power against God in the midst of them who by their outward visible profession have right to be called his Temple which intitles him and his Copartners in Apostacy to the name of the Church as much as changing of mony and selling of Cattle were Ordinances of God under the old Temple when by some mens practising of them in it it was made a den of Theeves 2. Though as to the plea of them and their interest with whom we have to do we have nothing requiring our Judgements in the case yet ex abundanti we adde that we deny that by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ the Catholick Church visible is in any sence intrusted with such an interpretation of Scripture as that her declaration of Truth should be the measure of what should be believed or that as such it is intrusted with any power of that nature at all or is inabled to propose a Rule of Faith to be received as so proposed to the most contemptible individuall in the world or that it is possible that any voice of it should be heard or understood but only this I believe the necessary saving Truths contained in the Scripture or that it can be consulted with all or is as such intrusted with any Power Authority or Jurisdiction nor shall we ever consent that the Office and Authority of the Scriptures be actually taken from it on any pretence As to that of our Saviour of telling the Church it is so evidently spoken of a particular Church that may immediately be consulted in case of difference between Brethren and does so no way relate to the businesse in hand that I shall not trouble the Reader with a debate of it But doe we not receive the Scripture it selfe upon the Authority of the Church I say if we did so yet this concernes not Rome which we account no Church at all That we have received the Scripture from the Church of Rome at first that is so much as the Book its selfe is an intollerable figment But it is worse to say that we receive and own their Authority from the Authority of any Church or all the Churches in the World It is the expression of our Learned Whitaker Qui Scripturâ—â—â— non credit esse divinam nisi propter Ecclesiae vocem Christianus non est To deny that the Scripture hath immediate force and efficacy to evince its own Authority is plainly to deny them on that account being brought unto us by the providence of God wherein I comprize all subservient helps of humane Testimony we receive them and on no other But is not the Scripture to be interpreted according to the Tradition of the Catholick Church and are not those interpretations so made to be received I say among all the figments that these latter Ages have invented I shall adde amongst the true stories of Lucian there is not one more remote from Truth then this Assertion That all that any one Text of
Scripture may be interpreted according to the universall Tradition of the Catholick Church and be made appeare so to be any farther then that in Generall the Catholick Church hath not believed any such sence to be in any portion of Scripture which to receive were destructive of Salvation And therefore the Romanists tell us that the present Church that is theirs is the keeper and interpreter of these Traditions or rather that its Power Authority and Infability being the same that it hath been in former Ages what it determines is to be received to be the Tradition of the Catholick Church for the triall whereof whether it be so or no there is no rule but its own determination which if they can perswade us to acquiesce in I shall grant that they have acquired such an absolute dominion over Vs and our Faith that it is fit that we should be Soul and Body at their disposall It being then the work of the Scripture to propose the saving Truths of Christ the beliefe and profession whereof are necessary to make a man a member of the Church so as to make them of indispensable necessity to be received if they can from them convince us that we doe not believe and professe all every one of the Truths or Articles of Faith so necessary as expressed we shall fall down under the Authority of such conviction If not we professe our Consciences to be no more concerned in the Authority of their Church then we judge their Church to be in the priviledges of the Church Catholick But 2. It may be we are chargeable with manifesting some principles of Prophanenesse wherewith the beliefe of the Truth we professe hath an absolute inconsistency For those who are liable and obnoxious to this charge I say let them plead for themselves For let them professe what they will and cry out 10000 times that they are Christians I shall never acknowledge them for others then visible enemies of the Crosse Kingdome and Church of Christ Traytors and Rebells are not de facto Subjects of that King or Ruler in reference to whom they are so Of some who said they were Jewes Christ said they lyed and were not but the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 2 9. Though such as these say they are Christians I will be bold to say they lye they are not but slaves of Sathan Though they live within the Pale as they call it of the Church the Catholick Church being an inclosure as to profession not place yet they are not within it nor of it any more then a Jew or Mahumetan within the same precinct suppose they have been Baptized yet if their belly be their God and their lives dedicated to Satan all the Advantage they have thereby is that they are Apostates and Renegadoes That we have added any thing of our owne making profession of any thing in Religion absolutely destructive to the fundamentalls we professe I know not that we are accused seeing our crime is asserted to consist in detracting not adding Now unlesse we are convinced of failing on one of these three accounts we shall not at all question but that we abide in the unity of the visible Catholick Church It is the common cry of the Romanists that we are Schismaticks Why so because we have separated our selves from the communion of the Catholick Church what this Catholick is and how little they are concerned in it hath been declared How much they have prevailed themselves with ignorant soules by this plea we know Nor was any other successe to be expected in respect of many whom they have wonne over to themselves who being persons ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and the power of the Faith they have professed not having had experience of communion with the Lord Jesus under the conduct of them have been upon every provocation and temptation a ready prey to deceivers Take a little view of their late Proselyts and it will quickly appeare what little cause they have to boast in them With some by the craft and folly of some Relations they are admitted to treat when they are drawing to their dissolution These for the most part having been persons of dissolute and profligate lives never having tasted the power of any Religion whatever they have professed in their weakenesse and disturbed dying thoughts may be apt to receive any impression that with confidence and violence is imposed upon them Besides it is a farre easier proposall to be reconciled to the Church of Rome and so by Purgatorie to get to Heaven then to be told of Regeneration Repentance Faith and the Covenant of Grace things of difficulty to such poor Creatures Others that have been cast down from their hopes and Expectations or out from their enjoyments by the late revolution in these Nations have by their discontent or necessity made themselves an easie prey to their zeale What hath been the residue of thir Proselytes What one who hath ever manifested himselfe to share in the power of our Religion or was not prepared by principles of superstition almost as deep as their own have they prevailed on But I shall not farther insist on these things To returne Our communion with the visible Catholick Church is in the unity of the faith only The breach of this union and therein a relinquishment of the communion of the Church lyes in a relinquishment of or some opposition to some or all of the saving necessary truths of the Gospell Now this is not Schisme but Heresie or Apostacy or it is done by an open profligatenesse of life so that indeed this charge is nothing at all to the purpose in hand though through Grace in a confidence of our own innocency we are willing to debate the guilt of the crime under any name or title whatever Unto what hath been spoken I shall only adde the removeall of some common objections with a recharge on them with whom principally we have as yet had to do come to the last thing proposed The case of some of old who were charged with Schisme for separating from the Catholick Church on an account wholy and cleerly distinct from that of a departure from the faith is an instance of the judgement of antiquity lying in an opposition to the notion of departure from the Church now delivered Doth not Augustine Doe not the rest of his Orthodox contemporaries charge the Donatists with Schisme because they departed from the Catholick Church And doth not the charge rise up with equall efficacy against you as them At least doth it not give you the nature of Schisme in another sence then is by you granted The Reader knows sufficiently if he hath at al taken notice of these things whereto find this cloud scattered without the least annoyance or detriment to the Protestant cause or of any concerned in that name however by lesser differences diversified among themselves I shall not repeate what by others hath been
amongst themselves for love is the bond of perfectnesse Col. 3. 14. Hence then it appears what is the Vnion of such a Church and what is the communion to be observed therein by the appointment of Jesus Christ The joynt consent of all the members of it in obedience to the command of Christ from a principle of Love to walk together in the universall celebration of all the Ordinances of the worship of God instituted and appointed to be celebrated in such a Church and to performe all the duties and offices of Love which in reference to one another in their respective stations and places are by God required of them and doing so accordingly See Phil. 2. 1 2 3. cap. 4. 1 2 3. 1 Cor 1. 10. 2 Cor. 13. 11. Rom. 15. 5. Whereas there are in these Churches some Rulers some Ruled some eyes some hands in this Body some parts visibly comely some uncomely upon the account of that variety of gifts and graces which is distributed to them in the performance of duties regard is to be had to all the particular Rules that are given with respect to men in their severall places and distributions Herein doth the Vnion of a particular Church consist herein have the members of it communion among themselves and with the whole 4. I shall farther grant and adde hereunto Over and above the Vnion that is between thâ— members of severall particular Churches by vertue of their interest in the Church Catholick which draws after it a necessity of the occasionall exercise of duties of Love one towards another and that Communion they have as members of the generall Church visible in the profession of the Faith once delivered unto the Saints There is a Communion also to be observed between these Churches as such which is sometimes or may be exerted in their Assemblies by their Delegates for declaring the sense and determining things of joynt concernment unto them Whether there ought to be an ordinary combination of the Officers of these Churches invested with the Power for the disposall of things Persons that concerne one or more of them in severall subordinations by the institution of Christ as it is not my judgement that so there is so it belongs not unto my present undertaking at all to debate That which alone remaines to be done is to consider what is our concernment as to the breach of this Vnion which we professe to be appointed by Jesus Christ and that both as we are Protestants as also farther differenced according to the intimations given at the entrance of this Discourse What hath already been delivered about the nature of Schisme and the Scripture Notion of it might well suffice as to our Vindication in this businesse from any charge that we are or seem obnoxious unto But because I have noâ— reason to suppose that some men will be so favourable unto us as to take paines for the improvement of principles though in themselves clearely evinced on our behalfe The application of them to some present cases with the removall of objections that lye against my intendment must be farther added Some things there are which upon what hath been spoken I shall assume and suppose as granted in Thesi untill I see them otherwise disproved then as yet I have done Of these the first is That the departing or secession of any man or men from any particular Church as to that communion which is peculiar to such a Church which he or they have had therewith is no where called Schisme nor is so in the nature of the thing it selfe as the generall signification of the word is restrained by its Scripture use but is a thing to be judged receive a little according to the causes and circumstances of it 2. One Churches refusing to hold that communion with another which ought to be between them is not Schisme properly so called 3. The departure of any man or men from the Society or Communion of any Church whatever so it be done without strife variance judging and condemning of others because according to the light of their Consciences they cannot in all things in them worship God according to his minde cannot be rendred evill but from circumstances taken from the persons so doing or the way and manner whereby and wherein they doe it Unto these I adde that if any one can shew and evince that we have departed from and left the communion of any particular Church of Christ with which we ought to walke according to the order above mentioned or have disturbed and broken the Order and Vnion of Christs Institution wherein we are or were inwrapped we put our selves on the mercy of our judges The Consideration of what is the charge on any of us on this account was the first thing aymed at in this Discourse and as it was necessary from the Rules of the method wherein I have proceeded comes now in the last place to be put to the issue and triall which it shall in the Next Chapter CHAP. VIII Of the Church of England The charge of Schisme in the name thereof Proposed and considered Severall considerations of the Church of England In what sence we were members of it Of Anabaptisme The subjection due to Bishops Their power examined It s orginall in this Nation Of the Ministeriall power of Bishops It s present continuance Of the Church of England what it is It s description Forme peculiar and constitutive Answer to the charge of Schisme on separation from it in its Episcopall constitution How and by what means it was taken away Things necessary to the constitution of such a Church proposed and offered to proofe The second way of constituting a nationall Church Considered Principles agreed on and consented unto between the parties at variance on this account Judgement of Amiraldus in this case Inferences from the common principles before consented unto The case of Schisme in reference to a Nationall Church in the last sense debated Of particular Churches and separation from them On what accounts Justifiable No necessity of joyning to this or that Separation from some so called required Of the Church of Corinth The duty of its members Austins Judgement of the practice of Elijah The last objection waved Inferences upon the whole THat which first presents it selfe is a plea against us in the name of the Church of England and those intrusted with the Reiglment thereof as it was setled and established some yeares since the summe whereof if I mistake not amounts to thus much You were sometimes members and Children of the Church of England lived in the communion thereof professing obedience thereunto according to its Rules and Canons you were in an orderly subjection to the Arcsh-Bishops Bishops and those acting under them in the Hierarchie who were officers of that Church in that Church you were baptized and joyned in the outward worship celebrated therein but you have now voluntarily
one another hath been the greatest ball of strife and most effectu-all engine of difference and distance between us may be a meanes to reconcile in Love them that truely feare God though engaged in severall wayes as to some particulars I confesse I have not any great hope of much successe on this account for let principles and ways be made as evident as if he that wrote them carryed the Sunne in his hand yet whilst men are forestalled by prejudices and have their affections and spirits engaged suitably thereunto no great alteration in their minde and wayes on the clearest conviction whatever is to be expected All our hearts are in the hand of God and our expectations of what he hath promised are to be proportioned to what he can effect not to what of outward meanes we see to be used 4. To conclude what vaine janglings men are endlesly engaged in who will lay their own false hypotheses and preconceptions as a ground of farther procedure is also in part evident by what hath been delivered Hence for instance is that doubty dispute in the world whether a Schismatick doth belong to the Church or noe which for the most part is determined in the Negative when it is impossible a man should be so but by vertue of his being a Church Member A Church is that alienum solum wherein that evill dwelleth The most of the enquiries that are made and disputed on whether this or that sort of men belongs to the Church or no are of the same value and import He belongs to the Church Catholick who is united to Christ by the spirit and none other And he belongs to the Church Generall visible who makes profession of the faith of the Gospell and destroyes it not by any thing of a just inconsistency with the beliefe of it And he belongs to a Particular Church who having been in a due order joyned thereunto hath neither voluntarily deserted it nor been judicially ejected out of it Thus one may be a member of the Church Catholick who is no member of the generall visible Church nor of a particular Church as an elect infant sanctifyed from the womb dying before baptisme and one may be a member of the Church generall visible who is no member of the Church Catholick nor of a particular Church as a man making profession of the true faith yet not united to Christ by the Spirit nor joyned to any particular visible Church or he may be also of the Catholick Church and not of a particular as also of a particular Church and not of the Catholick And a man may every true believer walking orderly ordinarily is a member of the Church of Christ in every sence insisted on of the Catholick Church by a Union with Christ the head of the visible Generall Church by his profession of the Faith and of a particular Congregation by his voluntary assotiating himselfe therewith according to the will and appointment of our Lord Jesus Christ FINIS Reader In the Authors absence many errors and mistakes obscuring or perverting the sence of the places where they are have escaped the presse which thou art desired to correct according as here directed PAg. 2. l. 20. r. and p. 3. l. 14. man p. 5. l. 22. clamorous p. 7. l. 6. vobis p. 9. l. 19. Lutherans Sacramentarian p. 11. l. 21 establish it p. 13. l. 8. conducingnesse p. 15. l. 2. the present p. 16. l. 12. Yea I p. 22. l. 18. His word p. 24. l. 8. Scissure p. 29. l. 18. extended is of p. 31. l. 17. unity of the p. 36. l. 5. dele among l. 13. Metropolitans p. 39. l. 22. dele if p. 42. l. 1. instructed by Authority from their p. 43. l. 2. is not p. 50. l. 26. that shall be pleased to consider p. 54. l. 18. other promises p. 60. l. 24. in the civil state to p. 64. l. 22. our fore-fathers p. 73. l. 13. dele of l. 25. scriptures p. 75. l. 7. nor are they not at all l. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 38. l. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 88. l. 1. dele sence v. 24. saith the Apostle I fill up that l. 12. repartees l. 21. Church there is no promise made to the Church p. 90. l. 1. sence v. 24. saith the Apostle I fill up that p. 91 l. 4. Sion p. 93. l. 10. that it hath an p. 101. l. 13. dispute men p. 102. l. 19. is in p. 110. l. 28. moats p. 124. l. 28. Juvenalis p. 126. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 131. l. 20. hath been p. 133. l. 18. summed up p. 134. l. 15. men p. 146. l. 15. ad Judaeos p. 155. l. ult Scripture p. 160. l. 13. Catholick Church p. 166. l. 20. their writing l. 21. a sweet p. 168. l. 28. have not only p. 169. l. 24. begun p. 172. l. 6. sport l. 8. institutions l. 9. language p. 173. l. 18. Gentlemen p. 176. l. 15. do that p. 180. l. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 185. l. 19. another p. 186. l. 10. to its p. 189. l. 2. Athenaeus l. 3. Thrasilaus p. 192. l. 13. Patriarchs or Metropolitans l. 29. Conscience p. 194. l. 13 14. are there p. 198. l. 15. Scriptures p. 199. l. 24 25. the gifts of his spirit p. 200. l. 14. due to Elders p. 202. l. 7. those many Churches p. 204. l. 1. it seemes 205. l. 17. dele his p. 215. l. 18. is the union enquired after p. 216. l. 17. their sence l. 21. dele the p. 218. l. 2. a Title p. 229. l. 24. your severall p. 234. l. 13. if I have p. 236. l. 16. the unity consists l. 25. visible Church p. 240. l. 21. nor conc p. 242. l. 1. any man may p. 244. l. 24. dele as p. 245. l. 1. Dio Cassius l. 15. there be a p. 247. l. 23. one civile p. 256. l. 20. commit p. 264. l. 2. drive l. 10. or on any l. 17. their administrations §. 1. § 2. §. 3. §. 4. §. 5. §. 6. §. 7. §. 8. §. 9. §. 10. §. 11. §. 12. §. 13. §. 14. §. 15. §. 16. §. 17. §. 18. §. 19. §. 1. §. 2. §. 3. §. 4. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chronic. Antioch Joh. Male p. 98. A. MS. Bib. Bod. §. 5. §. 6. §. 7. §. 8. §. 9. §. 10. §. 11. §. 12. §. 13. §. 14. §. 15. §. 16. §. 17. §. 18. §. 19. §. 20. §. 21. §. 22. §. 23. §. 24. §. 25. §. 26. §. 27. §. 28. §. 29. §. 30. §. 31. §. 32 §. 33. §. 34. §. 35. §. 36. §. 37. §. 38. §. 39. §. 40. §. 41. §. 42. §. 43. §. 44. §. 45. §. 46. §. 47. §. 48. §. 1. §. 2. §. 3. §. 4. §. 5. §. 6. §. 7. §. 8. §. 9. §. 10. §. 11. §. 12. §. 1. §. 2. §. 3. §. 4. §. 5. §. 6. §. 7. §. 8. §. 9. §. 10. §. 11. §. 12. §. 13. §. 14. §. 15. §. 16. §. 16. §. 17. §. 18. §. 19. §. 20. §. 21. §. 22. §. 23. §. 24. Ille Coetus Christianorum qui solus in orbe clareâ— regeneratis est ecclesia solus Coetus Christianorum papae subditorum Claret regeneratis ergo prob apud illas solos sunt qui miracula faciunt ergo Val Mag. Deut. 13. 1 2. Mat. 7. 22 23. Exod. 3. 7. §. 25. §. 26. §. 27. §. 28. §. 29. §. 30. §. 1. §. 2. §. 3. §. 4. §. 5. §. 6. §. 7. §. 8. §. 9. §. 10. §. 11. §. 12. §. 13. §. 14 §. 15. §. 16. §. 17. §. 18. §. 19. §. 20. §. 21. §. 22. §. 23. §. 24. §. 25. §. 26. §. 27. §. 28. §. 29. §. 30. §. 31. §. 32. §. 33. §. 34. §. 35. §. 36. §. 3◠§. 38. §. 39. §. 40. §. 41 §. 42. §. 1. §. 2. §. 3. §. 4. §. 5. §. 6. §. 7. §. 8. §. 9. §. 10. §. 11. §. 12. §. 13. §. 14. §. 15. §. 16. §. 17. §. 18. §. 19. §. 20. §. 21. §. 22. §. 23. §. 24. §. 25. §. 26. §. 27. §. 28. §. 29. §. 30. § 31. §. 32. §. 33. §. 34. §. 35. §. 36. * Si quis aut privatus aut populus eorum decretâ—â— non stetit sacrificiis interdicunt Haec paena apud eos est gravissima quibus ita est interdictum ii numero impiorum sceleratorum habentur ab iis omnes decedunt aditum eorum sermonemque defugiunt ne quid ex contagione incommodi accipiant neque iis petentibus jus redditur neque honos ullus communicatur His autem omnibus Drâ—dibus praeest unus qui summam inter eos habet Authoritatem hoc mortus si quis ex reliquis excellit dignitate succedit at si sunt plures suffragio Druidum adlegitur Nonnunquam etiam de principatu armis contendunt Caes lib. 6. de Bell. Gal. §. 37. §. 38. §. 39. §. 40. §. 41. §. 42. §. 43. §. 44. §. 45. §. 46. §. 47. §. 48. §. 49. §. 50. §. 51. §. 52. §. 53. §. 54. §. 55. §. 56. §. 57. §. 1. §. 2. §. 3. §. 4. §. 5. §. 6. §. 7. §. 8. §. 9. §. 10. §. 11. §. 12. §. 13. §. 14. §. 15. §. 16. §. 17. §. 18. §. 19. §. 20. §. 21. §. 22. §. 23. §. 24. §. 25. §. 26. §. 27. §. 1. §. 2. §. 3. §. 4. §. 5. §. 6. §. 7. §. 8. §. 9. §. 10. §. 11. §. 12. §. 13. §. 13. §. 14. §. 16. §. 17. §. 18. §. 19. §. 20 §. 21 §. 22. §. 23. §. 24. §. 25. §. 26. §. 27. §. 28. §. 29. §. 30. §. 31. §. 32. §. 33. §. 34. §. 35. §. 36. §. 37. §. 38. §. 39. §. 40. §. 41. §. 42. §. 43. §. 44. §. 45. §. 46. §. 47. §. 48. §. 49. §. 50. §. 51. §. 52. §. 53. §. 54. §. 55. §. 56. §. 57. §. 58. §. 59. §. 60. §. 62. §. 63. §. 64. §. 65 §. 66. §. 67. §. 68.
Church not only a governing head to give it Rules and Lawes but as it were a Naturall head unto the body which is influenced by him with a new spirituall life which Bellarmine professeth against as any requisite condition to the members of the Catholick Church which he pleadeth for In that same which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church which assertion is exactly paralell to that of 2 Tim. 2. 10. Therefore I endure all things for the Elects sake that they may obtaine Salvation so that the Elect and the Church are the same persons under severall considerations and therefore even a particular Church on the account of its participation of the nature of the Catholick is called Elect 1 Pet. 5. 13. and so the Church Mat. 16. 18. is expounded by our Saviour himselfe Mat. 22. 24. But to prove at large by a multiplication of Arguments and testimonies that the Catholick Church or Mysticall body of Christ consists of the whole number of the Elect as Redeemed Justifyed Sanctifyed Called Believing and yeilding obedience to Christ throughout the world I speake of it as Militant in any one Age and of them only were as needlessly actum agere as a man can well devise It is done already and that to the purpose uncontroulably terque quaterque And the substance of the doctrine is delivered by Aquinas himselfe p. 3. Q. 8. A. 3. In briefe the summe of the inquiry upon this head is concerning the matter of that Church concerning which such glorious things are spoken in Scripture namely that it is the Spouse the Wife the Bride the Sister the only one of Christ his Dâ—ve undefiled his Temple Elect Redeemed his Sione his Body his new Jerusalem concerning which inquiry the Reader knowes where he may abundanly find satisfaction That the asserting the Catholick Church in this sence is no new Apprehension is known to them who have at all looked backward to what was past before us Omnibus consideratis saith Austin puto me non temere dicere alios ita esse in domo dei ut ipsâ— etiam sint eadem domus Dei quae dicitur aedificari supra petram quae unica columba appellatur quae sponsa pulchra sine macula ruga hortus conclusus fons signatus patens aquae vivae paradisus cum fructu pomorum alios autem ita constat esse in domo ut non pertineant ad compagem domus Sed sicut esse palea dicitur in frumentis de Bapt. lib. 1. cap. 51. who is herein followed by not a few of the Papists hence saith Biel. accipitur etiam Ecclesia pro tota multitudine praedestinatorum in Canon Miss Lec 22. In what sence this Church is invisible was before declared Men elected redeemed justifyed as such are not visible for that which makes them so is not But this hinders not but that they may be so upon other Consideration sometimes to more sometimes to fewer yea they are so alwayes to some Those that are may be seen and when we say they are visible we do not intend that they are actually seen by any that we know but that they may be so Bellarmine gives us a description of this Catholick Church as the name hath of late been used at the pleasure of men and wrested to serve every designe that was needfull to be carryed on to the interest which he was to contend for but in it self perfectly ridiculous He tells us out of Austine that the Church is a living Body wherein is a body and a soule thence saith he the soule is the internall graces of the spirit Faith Hope and Love the body is the externall profession of Faith some are of the soul and body perfectly united to Christ by faith and the profession of it some are of the soule that are not of the body as the Catechumeni which are not as yet admitted to be members of the visible Church but yet are true believers Some saith he are of the body that are not of the soul who having no true grace yet out of hope or temporall feare doe make profession of the faith and these are like the haire nailes and ill humours in an humane body Now saith Bellarmine our definition of a Church comprizeth only this last sort whilst they are under the head the Pope which is all one as if he had defined a man to be a dead creature composed of haire nailes and ill humours under an hat but of the Church in this sence so farre It remaineth then that we enquire what is the Vnion which the Church in this sense hath from the wisdome of its head Jesus Christ That it is one that hath an union with its head and in it selfe is not questioned It is one sheepfold one Body one spouse of Christ his only one as unto him and that it might have onenesse in it selfe with all the fruits of it our Saviour praies Joh. 17. 19 20 21 22 23. the whole of it is described Eph. 4. 15 16. may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ from whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body to the edifying it selfe in love And of the same importance is that of the same Apostle Col 2. 19. not holding the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Now in the union of the Church in every sense there is considerable both the formalis ratio of it whence it is what it is and the way and meanes whereby it exerts it selfe and is usefull and active in communion The first in the Church as now stated consists in its joynt holding the head and growing up into him by vertue of the communication of supplies unto it therefrom for that end purpose That which is the formall Reason and cause of the Union of the members with the Head is the formall Reason and Cause of the Union of the members with themselves The Originall Vnion of the members is in and with the Head and by the same have they union with themselves as one body Now the inhabitation of the same Spirit in him and them is that which makes Christ Personall and his Church to be one Christ mysticall 1 Cor. 12. 12. Peter tells us that we are by the promises made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have communion with it that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no more but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot easily consent Now it is in the person of the Spirit whereof we are by the promise made partakers he is the Spirit of promise Eph. 1. 13. promised by God to Christ Act. 2. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the Gospell and communion thereof CHAP. V. Of the Catholick Church visible Of the Nature thereof In what sense the Vniversality of Professors is called a Church Amiraldus his Judgement in this businesse The Vnion of the Church in this sense wherein it consists Not the same with the Vnion of the Church Catholick Nor that of a particular instituted Church Not in relation to any one officer or more in subordination to one another Such a subordination not proveable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Nicene Synod Of generall Councells Vnion of the Church visible not in a generall Councell The true Vnity of the Vniversality of professors asserted Things necessary to this union Story of a Martyr at Bagdat The Apostacy of Churches from the unity of the Faith Testimony of Hegesippus Vindicated Papall Apostacy Protestants not guilty of the breach of this Vnity The Catholick Church in the sence insisted on granted by the Ancients Not a Politicall body THe Second generall notion of the Church as it is usually taken signifies the Vniversality of men professing the Doctrine of the Gospell and obedience to God in Christ according to it throughout the World This is that which is commonly called the visible Catholick Church which now together with the union which it hath in its selfe and how that Unity is broken falls under consideration That all Professors of the Gospell throughout the World called to the knowledge of Christ by the Word doe make up and constitute his visible Kingdome by their professed subjection to him and so may be called his Church I grant That they are precisely so called in Scripture is not unquestionable What relation it stands in to all particular Churches whether as a Genus to its Species or as a Totum to its parts hath lately by many been discussed I must crave leave to deny that it is capable of filling up or of being included in any of these denominations and Relations The Vniversall Church we are speaking of is not a thing that hath as such a specificative forme from which it should be called an Vniversall Church as a particular hath for its ground of being so called It s but a collection of all that are duely called Christians in respect of their profession nor are the severall particular Churches of Christ in the world so parts and members of any Catholick Church as that it should be constituted or made up by them and of them for the order and purpose of an instituted Church that is the cellebration of the worship of God and Institutions of Jesus Christ according to the Gospell which to assert were to overthow a remarkable difference between the oeconomy of the Old Testament the New Nor do I think that particular Congregations doe stand unto it in the Relation of Species unto a Genus in which the whole nature of it should be preserved and comprized which would deprive every one of membership in this Vniversall Church which is not joyned actually to some particular Church or Congregation then which nothing can be more devoid of truth To debate the thing in particular is not my present intention nor is needfull to the purpose in hand The summe is the Vniversall Church is not so called upon the same account that a particular Church is so called The formal Reason constituting a particular Church to be a particular Church is that those of whom it doth consist doe joyne together according to the minde of Christ in the excercise of the same numericall Ordinances for his worship And in this sence the Vniversal Church cannot be said to be a Church as though it had such a particular forme of its own which that it hath or should have is not only false but impossible But it is so called because all Christians throughout the world excepting some individuall persons providentially excluded do upon the enjoyment of the same preaching of the word the same Sacraments administred in specie profes one common faith and hope but to the joynt performance of any exercise of Religion that they should heaâ—e one Sermon together or partake of one Sacrament or have one Officer for their Rule and Government is ridiculous to imagine nor doe any professe to think so as to any of the particulars mentioned but those only who have profit by the fable As to the description of this Church I shall acquiesce in that lately given of it by a very learned Man Saith he Ecclesia Vniversalis est communio seu societas omnium coetuum I had rather he had said and he had done it more agreeable to principles by himselfe laid down omnium Fidem Christianam profitentium sive illi ad Ecclesias aliquas particulares pertineant sive non pertineant qui Religionem Christianam profitentur consistens in eo quod tametâ—â— neque exercitia pietatis uno numero frequentent neque Sacramenta eadem numero participent neque uno eodemque omnino ordine regantur gubernentur unum tamen corpus in eo constituunt quôd eundem Christum Servatorem habere se profitentur uno in Evangelio propositum iisdem promissionibus comprehensum quas obsignant confirmant Sacramenta ex eadem institutione pendentia Amyrald Thes de Eccles nom defin The. 29. There being then in the World a great multitude which no man can number of all Nations Kindreds people and languages professing the doctrine of the Gospell not tied to mountaines or hills Joh. 4. but worshipping 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 1. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 8. Let us consider what union there is amongst them as such wrapping them all in the bond thereof by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ and wherein the breach of that union doth consist and how any man is or may be guilty thereof I suppose this will be granted That only Elect believers belong to the Church in this sense considered is a Chimaera feigned in the braines of the Romanists and fastened on the Reformed Divines I wholly assent to Austins dispute on this head against the Donatists and the whole entanglement that hath been about this matter hath arisen from obstinacy in the Papists in not receiving the Catholick Church in the sense mentioned before which to doe they know would be injurious to their interest This Church being visible and professing and being now considered under that constituting difference that the union of it cannot be the same with that of the Catholick Church before mentioned it is cleare from hence that multitudes of men belong unto it who have not the Relation mentioned before to Christ and his body which is required in all comprehended in that union seeing many are called but few are chosen Nor can it consist in a joynt Assembly either ordinary or extraordinary for the celebration of the Ordinances of the Gospell or any one of them as was the case of the Church of the Jewes which met at set times in one place
of Faith Rom 12. 6. an Vnity of Faith and of knowledge of the Sonne of God Eph 4. 13. a measure of saving Truths the explicite knowledge whereof in man enjoying the use of Reason within and the means of grace without is of indispensible necessary to Salvation without which it is impossible that any soule in an ordinary way should have communion with God in Christ having not light sufficient for converse with him according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace These are commonly called Fundamentalls or first Principles which are justly argued by many to be clear perspicuous few lying in an evident tendency to obedience Now look what truths are savingly to be believed to render a man a member of the Church Catholick invisible that is whatever is required in any one unto such a receiving of Jesus Christ as that thereby he may have power given to him to become the Son of God the profession of those Truths is required to enstate a man in the unity of the Church visible 2. That no other internall principle of the mind that hath an utter inconsistency with the reall beliefe of the Truths necessary to be professed be manifested by the Professors Paul tells us of some who though they would be called Christians yet they so walked as that they manifested themselves to be Enemies of the crosse of Christ Phil 3. 18. certainly those who on one account are open and manifest enemies of the Crosse of Christ are not on any members of his Church there is one Lord and one Faith required as well as one Baptisme And a protestation contrary to evidence of fact is in all Law Null Let a man professe 10000 times that he believes all the saving truths of the Gospell and by the course of a wicked and prophane conversation evidence to all that he believes no one of them shall his protestation be admitted shall he be accounted a servant in and of my family who will call me Master and come into my house only to doe me and mine a mischiefe not doing any thing I require of him but openly and professedly the contrary Paul saies of such Tit. 5. 15 16. They professe that they know God yet in works they deny him being abominable disobedient and unto every good work reprobate which though peculiarly spoken of the Jewes yet contains a generall Rule that mens profession of the knowledge of God contradicted by a course of wickednesse is not to be admitted as a thing giving any priviledge whatever 3. That no thing opinion error or false doctrine everting or overthrowing any of the necessary saving Truths professed as above be added in with that profession or deliberately be professed also This principle the Apostle layes downe and proves Gal. 5. 3 4. notwithstanding the profession of the Gospell he tells the Galatians that if they were bewitched to professe also the necessity of Circumcision and keeping of the Law for Justification that Christ or the profession of him would not profit them On this account the Ancients excluded many Hereticks from the name of Christians so Justin of the Marcionites and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are at length then arrived to this issue the belief profession of all the necessary saving truths of the Gospell without the manifestation of an internall principle of the mind inconsistent with the beliefe of them or adding of other things in profession that are destructive to the truths so professed is the bond of the unity of the visible professing Church of Christ Where this is found in any man or number of men though otherwise accompanied with many failings sinns and errors the unity of the faith is by him or them so farre preserved as that they are thereby rendred members of the visible Church of Christ and are by him so esteemed Let us suppose a man by bare Reading of the Scriptures brought to him by some providence of God as finding the Bible in the high way and evidenâ—ing their Authority by their own light instructed in the knowledge of the Truths of the Gospell who shall thereupon make profession of them amongst them with whoÌ„ he lives although he be thousands of miles distant from any particular Church wherein the Ordinances of Christ are administred nor perhaps knows there is any such Church in the world much lesse hath ever heard of the Pope of Rome which is utterly impossible he should supposing him instructed only by reading of the Scriptures I aske whether this man making open profession of Christ according to the Gospell shall be esteemed a member of the visible Church in the sence insisted on or no That this may not seem to be such a fiction of a case as may involve in it any impossible supposition which being granted will hold a doore open for other absurdities I shall exemplifie it in its most materiall postulata by a story of unquestionable truth Elmacinus who wrote the story of the Saracens being Secretary to one of the Caliphs at Bagdat informes us that in the yeare 309 of their Hegira about the year 921 of our account Muctadinus the Caliph of Bagdat by the Counsell of his wise men commanded one Huseinus the son of Mansor to be crucified for certaine Poems whereof some verses are recited by the Historian and are thus rendred by Erpenius Laus â—i qui manifestavit humilitatem suam celavit inter nos divinitatem suam permeantem donec coepit in creatura sua apparere sub specie edentis bibentis Jamque aspexit cum Creatura ejus sicuti supercilium obliquum respiciat supercilium From which remnant of his worke it is easily to perceive that the crime whereof he was accused and for which he was condemned and crucifyed was the confession of Jesus Christ the Son of God As he went to the crosse he added says the same Author these that follow Compoâ—ur mens nihil plane habet in se iniquitatis bibendum mihi dediâ— simile ejus quod bibit secit hospitem in hospite And so dyed constantly as it appears in the profession of the Lord Jesus Bagdat was a City built not long before by the Saracens wherein it is probable there were not at that time any Christians abiding Adde now to this story what our Saviour speakes Luck 12. 8. I say unto you whosoever shall confesse me before men him shall the Sonne of man confesse before the Angells of God and considering the unlimitednesse of the expression as to any outward consideration and tell me whether this man or any other in the like condition be not to be reckoned as a subject of Christs visible Kingdome a member of this Church in the world Let us now recall to minde what we have in designe granting for our processe sake that Schisme is the breach of any unity instituted and appointed by Christ in what sence soever it is spoken of our inquiry is whether we are
Guilty in any kind of such a breach or the breach of such an Vnity This then now insisted on being the union of the Church of Christ as visibly professing the word according to his own minde when I have laid down some generall foundations of what is to ensue I shall consider whether we are guilty of the breach of this Vnion and argue the severall pretensions of men against us especially of the Romanists on this account 1. I confesse that this union of the generall visible Church was once comprehensive of all the Churches in the world the Faith once delivered to the Saints being received amongst them From this unity it is taken also for granted that a separation is made and it continnes not as it was at the first institution of the Churches of Christ though some small breaches were made upon it immediately after their first planting The Papists say as to the Europaean Churches wherein their and our concernment principally lyes this breach was made in the dayes of our forefathers by their departure from the common faith in those Ages though begunne by a few some Ages before We are otherwise minded and affirme that this secession was made by them and their Predecessors in Apostacy in severall generations by severall degrees which we manifest by comparing the present profession and worship with that in each kind which we know was at first embraced because we find it Instituted At once then we say this Schisme lyes at their doors who not only have deviated from the common faith themselves but do also actually cause and attempt to destroy temporally and eternally all that will not joyne with them therein For as the mystery of iniquity began to worke in the Apostles dayes so we have a testimony beyond exception in the complaint of those that lived in them that not long after the operation of it became more effectuall and the infection of it to be more diffused in the Church This is that of Hegesyppus in Eusebius Eccles Hist lib. 3. cap. 26. who affirmes that the Church remained a Virgin whilst the Apostles lived pure and uncorrupted but when that sacred Society had ended it's pilgrimage and the generation that heard and received the word from them were fallen asleep many false doctrines were preached and divulged therein I know who hath endeavoured to elude the sence of this complaint as though it concerned not any thing in the Church but the despisers and persecutors of it the Gnosticks But yet I know also that no man would so doe but such a one as hath a just confidence of his own ability to make passable at least any thing that he shall venture to say or utter For why should that be referred by Hegesyppus to the Ages after the Apostles and their hearers were dead with an exception against its being so in their days when if the person thus expounding this testimony may be credited the Gnosticks were never more busie nor prevalent then in that time which alone is excepted from the evill here spoken of Nor can I understand how the opposition and persecution of the Church should be insinuated to be the deflowring and violating of its chastity which is commonly a great purifying of it so that speaking of that broaching and preaching of errors which was not in the Apostles times nor in the time of their Hearers the chiefest time of the rage madnes of the Gnosticks such as spotted the pure incorupted Virginity of the church which nothing can attaine unto that is forraigne unto it that which gave originall unto sedition in the Church I am of the mind so I conceive was Eusebius that recited those words that the good man intended corruptions in the Church not out of it nor oppositions to it The processe made in after Ages in a deviation from the unity of the faith till it arrived to that height wherein it is now stated in the Papall Apostacy hath been the work of others to declare therein then I statet the rise and progresse of the present Schisme if it may be so called of the visible Church 2. As to our concernment in this businesse they that will make good a charge against us that we are departed from the Vnity of the Church Catholick it is incumbent on them to evidence that we either doe not believe and make profession of all the Truths of the Gospell indispensably necessary to be known that a man may have a communion with God in Christ and be saved Or 2. That doing so in the course of our lives we manifest and declare a principle that is utterly inconsistent with the belief of those Truths which outwardly we professe or 3. That we adde unto them in opinion or worship that or those things which are in very deed destructive of them or doe any way render them insufficient to be saving unto us If neither of these three can be proved against a man he may justly claime the priviledge of being a member of the visible Church of Christ in the World though he never in all his life be a member of a particular Church which yet if he have fitting opportunity and Advantage for it is his duty to be And thus much be spoken as to the state and condition of the visible Catholick Church and in this sence we grant it to be and the unity thereof In the late practice of men that expression of the Catholick Church hath been an Individuum Vagum few knowing what to make of it A Cothurnus that every one accommodated at pleasure to his own principles and pretensions I have no otherwise described it then did Irenaeus of old said he judicabit omnes eos qui sunt extra veritatem id est extra Ecclesiam Lib 4. cap. 62. and on the same account is a particular Church sometimes called by some the Catholick Quandoque ego Remigius Episcopus de hâc luce transiero tu mihi Haeres esto Sancta venerabilis Ecclesia Catholica urbis Remorum Flodoardus lib. 1. In the sence insisted on was it so frequently described by the Ancients So again Irenaeus Etsi in mundo loquelae dissimiles sunt sed tamen virtus traditionis una eadem est neque hae quae in Germania sunt â—undatae Ecclesiae aliter credunt aut aliter tradunt neque hae quae in Hibernis sunt neque hae quae in Celtis neque hae quae in Oriente neque hae quae in Aegypto neque hae quae in Lybia neque hae quae in medio mundi constitutae Sed sicut sol Creatura Dei in universo mundo unus idem est siâ— lumen praedicatio veritatis ubique lucet lib. 1. cap. 3. to the same purpose Jusâ—in Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dialog cum Tryphone The generality of all sorts of men worshipping God in Jesus Christ is the Church we speak of whose extent in his daies Tertullian
burning of all that they are able who are in the condition before mentioned This upon the matter is the great Principle of their Religion All persons that will not be subject at least in spirituall things to the Pope are to be hanged or burned in this World or by other means destroyed and damned for ever hereafter This is the substance of the Gospell they Preach the centre wherein all the lines of their writings doe meet and to this must the holy pure word of God be wrested to give countenance Blessed be the God of our Salvation who as he never gave mercilesse men power over the Souls and eternall condition of his Saints so he hath began to work a deliverance of the outward condition of his people from their Rage and cruelty which in his good time he will perfect in their irrecoverable ruine In the mean time I say the guilt of the blood of millions of innocent persons yea Saints of God lyes at their doors And although thingâ— are so stated in this Age that in some Nations they have left none to kill in others are restrained that they can kill no more yet reteining the same principles with their Forefathers and justifying them in their paths of blood I look upon them all as guilty of Murther and so not to have eternall life abiding in them being as Cain of that wicked one who slew his Brother I speak not of individualls but of those in generall that constitute their governing Church 2. Most false and such as nothing but either judiciary hardnesse from God sending men strong delusions that they might believe a lye or the dominion of cursed lusts pride ambition covetousnesse desire of Rule can lye at the bottome of For 1. It is false that the union of the Catholick Church in the notion now under consideration consists in subjection to any Officer or Officers or that it hath any peculiar forme constituting one Church in Relation to them or in joynt participation of the same individuall Ordinances whatever by all the members of it or that any such onenesse is at all possible or any unity whatever but that of the Faith which by it is believed and of the Truth professed 2. It is most ridiculous that they are this Catholick Church or that their communion is comprehensive of it in its latitude He must be blind uncharitable a judge of what he cannot see or know who can once entertaine a thought of any such thing Let us run a little over the foundations of this Assertion First Peter was the Prince of the Apostles It is denied Arguments lye clear against it The Gospell the Acts of the Apostles all confute it The expresse testimony of Paul lyes against it our Saviour denies it that it was so gives Order that it should not be so The name and thing is forreigne to the times of the Apostles It was a Ministry not a Principality they had committed to them therein they were all equall It is from that Spirit whence they enquired after a Kingdome and Dominion before they had received the Spirit of the Gospell as it was dispensed after Christs Ascension that such assertions are now insisted on But let that be supposed what is next He had an Vniversall Monarchicall Jurisdiction committed to him over all Christians For Christ said Tues Petrus tibi dabo claves pasce oves meas But these termes are barbarous to the Scripture Monarchy is not the English of vos autem non sic Jurisdiction is a name of a right for the exercise of civill power Christ hath left no such thing as Jurisdiction in the sence wherein it is now used to Peter or his Church Men do but make sports and expose themselves to the contempt of considering persons who talke of the institution of our Lord in the languages of the last Ages or expressions suitable to what was in practice in them He that shall compare the fraternall Church admonition and censures of the primitive institution with the Courts Powers and Jurisdictions set up in pretence and colour of them in after Ages will admire at the likenesse and correspondency of the one with the other The administration of Ecclesiasticall Juâ—isdiction in the Papacy and under the Prelacy here in England had no more relation to any institution of Christ unlesse it be that it effectually excluded the exercise of his institutions then other civill Courts of Justice among Christians have Peter had the Power and Authority of an Apostle in and over the Churches of Christ to â—each to instruct them to ordaine Elders in them by their consent wherever he came so had the rest of the Apostles But as to this Monarchie of Peters over the rest of the Apostles let them shew what Authority he ever exercised over them while he and they lived together We read that he was once reproved by one of them not that he ever reproved the meanest of them If Christ made the grant of preheminencie to him when he said Tu es Petrus why did the Apostles enquire afterwards who among them should be greatest And why did not our Saviour on that dispute plainly satisfy them that Peter was to be chiefe But chose rather to so determine the Question as to evince them of the vanity of any such enquiry And yet the determination of it is that that lyes at the bottome of the Papall Monarchy And why doth Paul say that he was in nothing inferiour to any of the Apostles when if these Gent say true he was in many things inferiour to Peter What speciall place hath the name of Peter in the foundation of the new Jerusalem Rev. 21. 14. What exaltation hath his Throne among the Twelve whereon the Apostles judge the World and house of Israel Mat. 19. 28. What Eminencie of commission for teaching all Nations or for giving sinnes What had his keys more then those of the rest of the Apostles Joh. 20. 3. What was peculiar in that triple command of feeding the sheep of Christ but his triple deniall that preceded Is an injunction for the performance of duty a grant of new Authority But that we may make some progresse suppose this also Why this Power Priviledge and Jurisdiction of Peter was to be transferred to his successors when the power of all the other Apostles as such dyed with them But what pretence or colour of it is there for this Assertion What one title or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is there in the whole book of God giving the least countenance to this imagination what distinction between Peter and the rest of the Apostles on this account is once made or in any kind insinuated Certainly this was a thing of great importance to the Churches to have been acquainted with it When Paul so sadly tells the Church that after his departure grievous Wolves would spoyle the flock and many among themselves would arise speaking perverse things to draw Disciples after them why did he not give
a new Creed invented new wayes of worship given a whole summe and system of their own altogether alien froÌ„ the Word of God without an open disclaiming of that word which in innumerable places beares testimony of its own perfection and fulnesse 3. Contrary to common Honesty the first principles of Reason with violence to the evident dictates of the Law of nature they will in confidence of these principles have the word sentence of a Pope though a beast a witch a Conjurer as by their own confession many of them have been to be impliciteâ—y submitted to in about things which he neither knoweth nor loveth nor careth for being yet such in themselves as immediately and directly concerne the everlasting condition of the soules of men And this is our second returne to their pretence of being the Catholick Church to which I adde 3. That their plea is so far from truth that they are and they only the Catholick Church that indeed they belong not to it because they keep not the Vnity of the faith which is required to constitute any person whatever a member of that Church but faile in all the conditions of it For 1. To proceed by way of instance they doe not professe nor believe a Justification distinct from Sanctification and acceptance thereof the Doctrine whereof is of absoluâ—e indispensable necessity to the preservation of the Vnity of the Faith and so faile in the first condition of professing all necessary Truths I know what they say of Justification what they have determined concerning it in the Councell of Trent what they dispute about it in their books of Controversies But I deny that which they contend for to be a Justification so that they doe not deny only Justification by Faith but positively over and above the infusion of Grace and the acceptance of the obedience thence arising that there is any Justification at all consisting in the free and full absolution of a sinner on the account of Christ 2. They discover principles corrupt and depraved utterly inconsistent with those truths and the receiving of them which in generall by owning the Scriptures they doe professe Herein to passe by the principles of Atheisme wickednesse and profannesse that effectually worke and manifest themselves in the generality of their Priests People that of self â—ighteousnes that is in the best of their Devotionists is utterly inconsistent with the whole Doctrine of the Gospell and all saving Truths concerning the mediation of Jesus Christ therein conteined 3. That in their Doctrine of the Popes supremacy of merits satisfaction the masse the worshipping of Images they adde such things to their profession as enervate the efficacy of all the saving truths they doe professe and so faile in the third condition This hath so abundantly been manifested by others that I shall not need to adde any thing to give the charge of it upon them any farther evidence or demonstration Thus it is unhappily fallen out with these men that what of all men they most pretend unto that of all men they have the least intâ—erest in Aâ—haeneus tells us of one Throsâ—â—aus an Aâ—henian who being phrenetically distempered whatever ships came into the Pyraeum he looked on them and thought them his own and rejoyced as the Master of so great wealth when he was not the owner of so much as a boate such a distemper of pride and folly hath in the like manner ceased on these persons with whom we have to doe that where ever in Scripture they meet with the name Church presently as though they were intended by it they rejoyce in the priviledges of it when their concernment lyes not at all therein To close this whole discourse I shall bring the grand Argument of the Romanists with whom I shall now in this Treatise have little more to doe wherewith they make such a noise in the world to an â—ssue Of the many formes and shapes whereinto by them it is cast this seems to be the most perspicuously expressive of their intention Voluntarily to forsake the communion of the Church of Christ is Schisme and they that doe so are guilty of it You have voluntarily forsaken the communion of the Church of Christ Therefore You are guilty of the sinne of Schisme I have purposely omitted the interposing of the terme Catholick that the reason of the Argument might runne to its length for upon the taking in of that terme we have nothing to doe but only to deny the Minor Proposition seeing the Roman Church be it what it will is not the Church Catholick but as it is without that limitation called the Church of Christ indefinitely it leaves place for a farther and fuller Answer To this by way of inference they adde that Schisme as it is declared by S. Austin and S Thomas of Aquin being so great and damnable a sinne and whereas it is plainâ— that out of the Church which as Peter says is as Noahs Arke 1 Pet. 3. 20 21. there is no salvation it is cleare you will be damned This is the summe of their plea. Now as for the forementioned Argument some of our Divines answer to the Minor Prop. and that both as to the tearmes of voluntary forsaking and that also of the Communion of the Church For the first they say they did not voluntarily forsake the communion of the Church that then was but being necessitated by the command of God to reforme themselves in sundry things they were driven out by bell book and Candle cursed out killed out driven out by all manner of violence Ecclesiasticall and Civill which is a strange way of mens becoming Schismatick 2. That they forsook not the communion of the Church but the Corruptions of it or the communion of it in its corruption not in other things wherein it was Lawfull to continue communion with it To give strength to this Answer they farther adde that though they grant the Church of Rome to have been at the time of the first separation a true Church of Christ yet they deny it to be Catholick Church or only visible Church then in the World the Churches in the East claiming that title by as good a right as shee So they Others principally answer to the Major Prop. and tell you that separation is either causeles or upon just ground and cause that t is a causeles separation only from the Church of Christ that is Schisme that there can be no cause of Schisme for if there be a cause of Schisme materially it ceaseth to be Schisme formally and so to strengthen their answer in Hypothesi they fall upon the Idolatrys Heresies Tyranny and Apostacy of the Church of Rome as just causes of Separation from her nor will their plea be shaken to eternity so that being true and popular understood by the meanest though it contain not the whole Truth I shall not in the least impaire it For them who
administring the holy ordinances of the Gospell in and to their â—wn flock and whatever else of duty and ratione officii belongs to a rightly constituted Bishop and â—et all that have disturbed this course so duly â—â—tled in this Church and in all Churches of Christ â—â—nce the Apostles planting them discerne their â—â—â—rour and returne to that peace and Vnity of the Church from whence they have causelesly and inexcusably departed Though I was not then speaking of the Bishops of England yet I am contented with the application to them there being amongst them men of piety and learning whom I exceedingly honour reverence Amongst all the Bishops He of Oxford is I suppose peculiarly instanced in because it may be thought that living in this place I may belong to his Jurisdiction But in the condition wherein I now am by the providence of God I can plead an exemption on the same foot of account as he can his Jurisdiction So that I am not much concerned in his exercise of it as to my own person If he have a particular flock at Oxon which he will attend according to what before I required he shall have no let or hindrance from me but being he is as I heare he is a Reverend and Learned person I shall be glad of his Neighbourhood acquaintance But to suppose that the Diocesse of Oxon as legally constituted and bounded is his particular flock or Church that such a Church is instituted by Christ or hath been in Being ever since the Apostles times that in his presidency in this Church he is to set up Courts and exercise a Jurisdiction in them and therewith a power over all the inhabitants of this Diocesse or Shire excepting the exempt peculiar jurisdiction although gathered into particular Congregations and united by a participation of the same Ordinances and all this by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ is to suppose what will not be granted I confesse as before there was once such an Order in this place that it is now removed by Lawes on which foundation alone it stood before And this is that where in I am not concerned Whether we have causelesly inexcusably departed froÌ„ the Vnity of the Church is the matter now in enquiry I am sure unles the Vnity can be fixed our departure will not be proved A law Vnity I confesse an Evangelicall I am yet in the disquisition of But I confesse it will be to the prejudice of the cause in hand if it shall be thought that the determination of it depends on the controversy about Episcopacy for if so it might be righteously expected that the Arguments produced in the behalfe and defence thereof should be particularly discussed But the truth is I shall easily acknowledge all my labour to no purpose if have to deale only with men who suppose that if it be granted that Bishops as commonly esteemed in this Nation are of the appointment of Christ it will thence follow that we have a Nationall Church of Christs appointment between which indeed there is no Relation or connexion Should I grant as I said diocesan Bishops with Churches answerable to their supportment particled into severall Congregations with their inferiour Officers yet this would be remote enough from giving subsistence and Vnion to a Nationall Church What then it is which is called the Church of England in respect whereto we are charged with Schisme is nextly to be considered Now there are two wayes whereby we may come to the discoverie of what is intended by the Church of England or there are two ways whereby such a thing doth arise 1. Descendendo which is the way of the Prelates 2. Ascendendo which is the way of the Presbyterians For the first to constitute a Nationall Church by descent it must be supposed that all Church power is vested in Nationall Officers viz. Arch-Bishops and from them derived to severall Diocesians by a distribution of power limited in its exercise to a certaine portion of the Nation and by them communicated by severall engines to Parochiall Priests in their severall places A man with halfe an eye may see that here are many things to be proved Thus their first Church is Nationall which is distributed into severall greater portions termed Provinces those againe into others now called Diocesses and those againe subdivided into Parochiall or particular Congregations Now the Vnion of this Church consisteth in the due observance of the same worship specifically by all the members of it and subjection according to Rules of their own appointment which were called commonly Canons by way of distinction unto the Rulers before mentioned in their severall capacities And this is that which is the peculiar forme of this Church That of the Church Catholick absolutely so called is its Vnity with Christ and in its selfe by the one Spirit whereby it is animated That of the Church Catholick visibly professing the Unity of the Faith which they doe professe as being by them professed That of a particular Church as such its observance and performance of the same Ordinances of worship numerically in the confession of the same faith and subjection to the same Rules of Love for edification of the whole Of this Nationall as it is called in the subjection of one sort of Officers unto another within a precinct limited Originally wholy on an account forraigne to any Church state whatever So that it is not called the Church of England from its participation of the nature of the Catholick Church on the account of its most noble members nor yet from its participation of the nature of the invisible Church in the world on the account of its profession of the Truth in both which respects we professe our Unity with it nor yet from its participation of the nature of a particular Church which it did not in its selfe nor as such but in some of its particular Congregations but from a peculiar forme of its owne as above described which is to be proved to be of the Institution of Jesus Christ In this description given of their Church state with whom we have now to doe I have purposely avoided the mention of things odious exposed to common obloquy which yet were the very â—ies ligaments of their order because the thing as it is in its selfe being nakedly represented we may not be prejudiced in judging of the strength and utmost of the charge that lyes against any of us on the account of a departure from it The communion of this Church they say we have forsaken and broken its Vnity and therefore are Schismaticks I answer in a word laying aside so much of the Iurisdiction of it mentioned before and the severall ways of its administration for which there is no colour or pretence that it should relate to any Gospell institution passe by also the consideration of all those things which the men enjoying Authority in or exercising